If you haven't been, it really is all that and a bag of chips (organic vegetable chips, that is). Portland is insanely beautiful, with the sophistication of New York and the creativity of San Francisco (but more grass-roots and authentic, I think), but completely and utterly approachable and...somehow, warm. If Portland was a guy, he would be hot, well-educated, thoughtful, a great cook, and have no idea what a catch he was.
Plus, no sales tax and the best food I've eaten in any city. When you all move up here, could you bring some of my things?
At the Park Kitchen I ate one of the best meals of my life. Spinach, feta, and poached radish soup with toasted sesame seeds, and papardelle with lamb, green olives, and roasted cauliflower. A revolutionary Oregon Pinot Noir.
At Powell's I went into literary diabetic shock and am a little unclear on the details. I think I may have been running from aisle to aisle at some point, laughing maniacally. Maybe I made piles of books and rolled around in them, or maybe I made some book angels. I don't know. A trip to the ladies room revealed ever more floors and wings and subjects. I finally paid for my modest stack and was pulled from the store by my husband, clutching at the Louises, both Gluck and Erdrich, as I went.
No, our hotel isn't too shabby either.
Have you visited Portland? Or maybe you live here? What do you think sets the city apart?
Born there. A "little big city". Culture, natural beauty, oh wait, am I describing myself?
ReplyDeleteoh my, what a lovely post and pile of books you have there. raymond carver <3, sherman alexie xxooxx. you will be crying over that one, so funny. i am crying bitter, jealous tears at your portland holiday...
ReplyDeleteMaMaZu, the parallels are eerie. You are most certainly a cultured and naturally beautiful product of your hometown. ;)
ReplyDeleteAnon, should you choose to reveal yourself, your ability to extrapolate Raymond Carver from the tiny bit of book visible deserves some sort of reward. I almost broke down and paid full price for the enormous new hardback Carver biography. Why are great writers always drunks?? This is what I want to know.
oops,i guess i didn't sign in as the money on your back...now you know, the anon MoNo. :] and i wish i knew why they are all drunks, maybe that is why i can't make a good piece of writing.
ReplyDeleteps, I love louise erdrich too, were we separated at birth??
Ahhhh, I should have known, my literate friend!
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