Frugal Portland

Once again, The New York Times is lavishing attention on Portland, this wonderful place I've called home since 1985. During that time, the city has evolved in so many quirky, funky ways that it's impossible to describe in a short blog entry.

If you're unfamiliar with Portland -- or even if you are -- let me just suggest you check out the latest splash of positive press, the sixth travel-related story in as many months in the Times.

Today's Travel section devotes most of the cover and two inside pages to "Frugal Portland" -- describing the free events, the cheap eats (hundreds of food carts, happy hours at local restaurants), the abundant entertainment and recreation (bookstores, bike rentals, skateboard parks, etc.) and the overall informal vibe that together define this place. Leah Nash's photo, above, gives you a hint.

Reporter Matt Gross spent a week here, exploring the city's neighborhoods, restaurants, cafes and museums. He writes:

Amid economic catastrophe — Oregon has the country’s second-highest unemployment rate — there was a general indifference to wealth. In its place was a dedication to the things that really matter: hearty food and drink, cultural pursuits both high and low, days in the outdoors and evenings out with friends. It’s the good life, and in Portland it still comes cheap.

Now, I don't want to minimize our economic difficulties. We've been hit hard by the collapse of the housing market and the fact that Oregon relies on the manufacture of durable goods to a greater extent than most states. The resulting job losses -- and sharply reduced state income tax revenues -- are blowing a hole in our next two-year state budget and are likely to force some combination of tax increases and program cuts to close the shortfall.

Even in good times, the urban-rural divide means far more job opportunities in the metro area than the rest of the state -- something Oregon needs to work on, for the sake of cities and towns across the state.

But back to the Travel article...

It's cool to see so many places I've patronized get mentioned in the article. Among them: Broder's (which serves a surprisingly tasty Scandinavian breakfast) and Bunk's Sandwiches (offering killer creations, such as a pork belly reuben), and ¿Por Qué No? (an excellent taqueria).

Even cooler? The map that ran with the story (click on it to enlarge) shows our neighborhood, anchored by Grant Park, as being close to all the action. It's four miles from our house to downtown Portland -- a trip I can make in 10 minutes by car or no more than 30 minutes by bus, which I ride to work most of the time, saving a lot of money on parking in the process.


We're hosting a family reunion this summer. It's a shame that more of my extended family won't be here for it. Heck, even for those who are making the trip, there won't be enough time to do more than scratch the surface.

Lucky us. We get to live here.