https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:14:17 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1635637 Sat, 26 Mar 2016 18:46:22 +0000 Theodora 1635637@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Rabbit, you are a star guide to Portland! Thanks for the detailed info.<br /> Xtabay and Janet, so far I'm finding the people to be awesome and friendly. I will try to let you know how much fun we r having!<br /> Angie, you are so sweet! We are blessed in different ways, especially my children, but they were given huge hearts to go along with their challenges. We love all dogs!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1635530 Sat, 26 Mar 2016 14:29:27 +0000 Janet 1635530@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm taking notes. It's been five years since I visited, and I loved it! Oregon is awesome. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1635327 Fri, 25 Mar 2016 23:01:20 +0000 annagybe 1635327@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Blue Star Donuts!<br />Totally worth the wait, and way way way better than VooDoo.</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bluestardonuts.com/">http://www.bluestardonuts.com/</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1635312 Fri, 25 Mar 2016 22:13:14 +0000 Angie 1635312@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yay. Local rabbit chimed in.&nbsp;</p> <p>Theodora, I'm touched by your doggie rescue stories, and that your daughters volunteer at the shelter. Bless you all.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1635202 Fri, 25 Mar 2016 18:00:57 +0000 Anonymous 1635202@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Big thumbs up for Powell's Books and the Saturday flea market.&nbsp; I really enjoyed those two places on my visit to the lovely city of Portland.&nbsp; Have a ball! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1635176 Fri, 25 Mar 2016 16:49:40 +0000 rabbit 1635176@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Welcome to our fair (wet) city! &nbsp; The advantage of visiting right now is Alexandra will get a good sense of the winter/early spring weather. &nbsp;Summer and early autumn can be idyllic (and therefore a little misleading). &nbsp; It's supposed to get sun-breaks then sunny into the week, although I don't know how long you are here for.&nbsp;</p> <p>I don't own rain boots - sneakers and boots that are okay with a few splashes are fine and I only carry an umbrella if it's pouring, although usually you just wait three minutes and a squall passes and you can walk just getting dripped on. &nbsp; I usually wear trench coats on rainy days, but gear raincoats are popular. &nbsp;</p> <p>Will you have a car? &nbsp;Portland's public transit is good (look at Max and street car routes around downtown), but if you want to look at the vibrant/hip young people neighborhoods that might be helpful, although you can bus there too. &nbsp;Things that are relatively close to where you are staying are:</p> <p>-Portland Saturday Market - a weekend craft and random handmade things market, but also has food carts -- there are also good food carts closer to the downtown library in a courtyard - food carts are big here, and very tasty/diverse -- some restaurateurs move to town, open a food cart to gain a following, and then move into permanent digs.</p> <p>-Portland Chinese Garden - some of our trees are blooming now, and the tour and tea house inside are worthwhile.&nbsp;</p> <p>-Powells city of books - my one must see. &nbsp;Prepare to lose hours if you like browsing.&nbsp;</p> <p>-the Arboretum - if you want to see big trees or take a short walk to look over the city and see the surrounding white-capped volcanos.</p> <p>-At night - Portland has a lot of restored old theaters that show second run (and some new movies) for much less than the chains and sell good beer and pizza. &nbsp;Most neighborhoods have one fairly close by (Bagdad, Laurelhurst, Academy, Hollywood (for indy films), Saint Johns theatres are all good times)</p> <p>Neighborhoods that are worth walking and eating at to get a sense of what Portland is about:</p> <p>-North Mississippi Ave. - &nbsp;great food carts and cafes, some clothing boutiques, the rebuilding center (which has very cool architecture made out of reclaimed stuff). &nbsp;hipster (Also N Williams which is close).</p> <p>-NE Alberta Ave. &nbsp;good cafes for breakfast in particular, some clothing boutiques, some galleries, a little cluster of fabric/yarn stores. hipster</p> <p>-SE Hawthorne Ave. - one of the older alternative neighborhoods (hippie rather than hipster). &nbsp;Food, fair trade boutiques, a cluster of young peoples' trendy resale shops - Red Light Clothing Exchange, Buffalo Exchange, Crossroads, and a curated Goodwill. &nbsp; (Also SE Clinton Street and SE Division if you want to go further south)</p> <p>- Or closer to downtown, on your side of the river -- NW 23rd Ave. &nbsp;trendy, too wealthy for hipsters, but has various good places to eat and lots of boutiques.&nbsp;</p> <p>Then a caveat about moving here. &nbsp;Portland has been gentrifying quickly. &nbsp;Rents have gone up in all the closer in neighborhoods dramatically in the last 5-10 years. &nbsp;A lot of young people who move into town are now only able to afford the further outskirts or suburbs which can be pretty charmless, or have more of a strip-mall ambiance although they are changing too. The job market is not great without specialized skills. &nbsp; If Alexandra is into the outdoors, alternative lifestyles/progressive politics, biking, gardening, craft, microbrews or wines, or great inexpensive food -- it's good for all of that though.</p> <p>PM me if you want more info or to have someone to text with questions while you are out and about, I'd be happy to help. &nbsp;I'm working at home this weekend. </p> <p>ETA: &nbsp;oh, and for what's on in town the free indy papers the Willamette Weekly <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.wweek.com/homepage/">http://www.wweek.com/homepage/</a>&nbsp;and the Portland Mercury usually have good listings.</p> <p>ETA2: &nbsp;there are some particularly dog-friendly cafes in town if you want to give Baxter special treats. &nbsp;Two that come to mind with covered patios/dining with your dogs and dog dishes on the menu are the Tin Shed: &nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="http://tinshedgardencafe.com/">http://tinshedgardencafe.com/</a>&nbsp; and a brew pub: the Lucky Labrador, two locations:&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="http://luckylab.com/">http://luckylab.com/</a></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1635136 Fri, 25 Mar 2016 15:08:47 +0000 Theodora 1635136@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks Texstyle.&nbsp; I know she will love it!</p> <p>Good advice Angie!&nbsp; We packed two umbrellas, even though all the sites on Portland say locals never use them.&nbsp; I am not ashe=amed to be a tourist, and I know I won't be used to the temperatures there :)</p> <p>Baxter is definitely adorable.&nbsp; Alexandra volunteered at a shelter, and "saved" Baxter.&nbsp; Now he is in training to be a service/emotional support dog, as she has Asperger's. He helps her socialize. All of our dogs (4) are from shelters that my daughters volunteer at! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1635085 Fri, 25 Mar 2016 13:58:07 +0000 Angie 1635085@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sneakers are fine. Carry an umbrella too. Wrap up!&nbsp;</p> <p>As for where to go - locals like rabbit, K. Period, and Vix will hopefully chime in.&nbsp;</p> <p>Baxter and Alexandra are adorable. Little Baxter in #1 melts my heart. Look at her soulful big eyes. What a sweetie.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1635077 Fri, 25 Mar 2016 13:34:04 +0000 texstyle 1635077@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We mostly spent time walking there - the huge downtown park has great trails, downtown is walk-able (but it is busy and there is quite a lot of foot traffic). The bookstores are great, furniture stores fun to see, lots of cafes, art, etc. That said, it is a "port" city so there is industry. I think I was expecting all green and pristine or something. I think your daughter would be just the right age to really enjoy it. For me, I was glad I saw it, but happy to move on to the next stop (Cannon Beach, OR was the next stop for us). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1634960 Fri, 25 Mar 2016 04:11:14 +0000 Theodora 1634960@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Bonus photo of Baxter and Alexandra </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/portland-visit---advice#post-1634957 Fri, 25 Mar 2016 04:09:44 +0000 Theodora 1634957@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am flying to Portland, OR tomorrow with my 22 year old daughter. I've never been. We are staying at the Monaco Hotel, which she picked because it looks artistic and funky, and allows dogs. Yes, traveling with her service dog, tiny Baxter!<br /> I know the weather is rainy and cold? Will sneakers get drenched? I may have to actually get rain boots there. No need here in Florida. If it rains I just wear flip-flops :)</p> <p>Also, any local advice. She is thinking of moving there,so we will be doing tourist stuff, but also looking at it that way. Mom (me) worries that it is too far from home :/ But it might be a great place for someone her age. </p>