This was one of those eclectic, slightly hippie-ish coffee shops that used to be more common: colorful walls, mismatched armchairs, a big chalkboard advertising a local chess night and a knitting club. It was December 2024 and the national vibes, recall, were quite bad. Would things be any different here? A sleepy Portland coffee shop feels approximately one million miles away from the centers of power, but we live in a world where nothing is hidden and little is beyond reach.
James, senior director of DEI at General Motors, and Kelly, director of digital-marketing strategies at Fuel Medical Group, met on Tinder. Less than two years after their first date at a Japanese restaurant in Portland, Oregon-where they live-James proposed there, "back where it all started," he says, over sushi. The pair envisioned a wedding ambience that felt warm and friendly, like the tropics, and a party reminiscent of disco music's peak.
Friday was a beautiful night for a Krampuslauf or "Krampus run," a holiday activity that draws from Alpine folklore where mischief-makers dress up like horned creatures and caper together through their town. The Portland version of this-a little more costume-forward and kid-friendly-has been meeting up and merrily marching on or around Krampusnacht since 2010.
There are some litmus tests to identify a dive, though they aren't always conclusive: Has the bar been around since the Hoover administration? Is there wall-to-wall carpeting? Does the bathroom fill you with unease? Is the OLCC's requirement to serve hot food begrudgingly met with microwaved meals, hot dogs, and maybe a fryer? But ultimately it comes down to that ineffable quality of vibes, and the sentiment made famous by Justice Potter Stewart in 1964: I know it when I see it.
For decades, Portland's lampposts and community boards have told a vibrant history. Oftentimes stacked one on top of another, feet-thick, stapled up on poles lining hip-strips like Mississippi and Hawthorne avenues, concert posters clue in passersby that certain artists will be playing at a certain time and date at a certain place; while also telling a story of a city's culture and history, its music and art scenes, and the people involved in those scenes.
A lawsuit environmental advocates filed against the city of Portland after it issued a land use credential to Zenith Energy will be heard in a specialized administrative court, after a state appeals court returned the case. Environmental advocates say the court's decision is a win because the case will be heard by a board of attorneys with a better understanding of the complex legal framework around state land use law.
If you appreciate the Mercury's interesting and useful news & culture reporting, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. Your donation is tax-deductible. You can also subscribe and have our papers delivered! Good Morning, Portland: Here comes the rain again, falling on my head like a memory, falling on my head like a new emotion. We're looking at rain for the foreseeable future, folks. Let's hit the news!
There comes a time in the life of many a journalist when we're asked to take a break from gorging ourselves on vegan fast-food or banana tiramisu, combing through the collections at Mother Foucault's, and bus-hopping our way to Seattle to do some real honest-to-goodness research. We're talking straying from our beats, leaving our comfort zones, peeling off our protective layers, literally and figuratively.
This isn't Minnesota or Ontario or New England, where skating rinks rival movie theaters and bowling alleys in quantity and attendance. And it's not New York City, where seasonal outdoor rinks at Rockefeller Center and in Central Park offer cinematic backdrops. Some of the spots where a young Tonya Harding practiced her first jumps no longer exist, like the old rinks at Clackamas Town Center and Jantzen Beach. But Portlanders do still have options, including places that offer stick-and-puck time, hockey rec leagues, and beginners' lessons.
What's the cost of a high trust society? The sort of place where you could lightly lose track of your kid for, say, 20 minutes, and not necessarily double over with a triumvirate of guilt, panic, and shame? At the Next Level Pinball Museum, the going rate is $23 per person. It might be the best money I ever spent.
Friends After Good Sound are a newcomer to Portland's experimental music scene. They are a collective of young, queer composers and performers that exclusively play works composed for them by Portland-based composers. Their approach to music has a gaiety and a wicked sense of humor. Hence their name, which abbreviates to a reclaimed slur for queer people. The name is clearly meant to ruffle some feathers, acting as a shibboleth separating the gays and their allies
It's Election Day today, and in Portland, that means it's time to make your final decision about renewing a levy that will help fund the city's parks and recreation programs. One person that won't be supporting it? Councilor Dan Ryan, who came out against the levy last week after voting to refer it to the ballot back in July. Ryan formerly served as the city's commissioner in charge of parks and recreation, prior to the local government transition at the beginning of this year.
Inspired by owner Craig Florence's time working at Paris's Shakespeare and Company (a hub for English-speaking expat writers and readers since 1951), Mother Foucault's is an old-world paradise for artists and intellectuals. The aesthetic lends authenticity to Runkel's Platonic dialogues. "I took my boyfriend here on our first date so he would think I was cool," he says. And the kids love that Florence doesn't care if they buy anything.
A new entry in the National Register of Historic Places may be a spot you regularly pick up dog poop! That's right, Balch Gulch Bridge-spanning the gulch between NW 29th and NW 31st, where many pick up Forest Park's Lower Macleay Trail-was officially designated by the National Park Service in September. Bridge heads likely already know that the steel structure makes use of a load-bearing framework of triangles fastened with flexible pin connections.
"On Sunday morning, our dear friend and dedicated community leader, Candace, experienced a devastating fire that damaged both her car and home, destroying many of her personal belongings. We are deeply grateful she is safe, but the fire has created unexpected logistical and financial challenges," Calcagni explained in the online fundraiser. "Anyone who knows Candace knows how tirelessly she works to uplift others. She shows up for her community every day, and now it's our turn to show up for her."
It's been two years since the start of the war in Gaza, and it's easy to feel helpless in the face of destruction and violence halfway around the world. A group of local bands presents a simple opportunity for you to engage: come to Mother Foucault's Bookshop, donate the cost of a concert ticket, and it will all go to Gaza Soup Kitchen, which provides clean drinking water, basic medical care, and vegetarian meals to Palestinians in need.
Looking for the silver-linings in a Portlandic "war zone." As troops continue to roll in, unwelcome, to American cities, you can be forgiven for calling the national picture "pretty bleak." But even now, the news will occasionally let you get off a chuckle or guffaw, even if it isn't always from your better nature. It's SchadenFriday; go ahead and indulge.
AP Photo/Patrick Semansky An aide to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller recently texted with high-level Trump administration officials about deploying the 82nd Airborne Division to Portland, Oregon, according to The Minneapolis Star Tribune. Images of the texts were taken by a source who then sent them to the Star Tribune. The texts indicated that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth considered deploying the legendary division within the U.S. The publication reported that Anthony Salisbury, who is a Miller deputy, communicated with other Trump officials last weekend via the app Signal in a conspicuous manner:
The news came at an emergency press conference on Friday evening, where Portland Mayor Keith Wilson announced that the "rumors about deployment" of national law enforcement "became a reality" today, after a week of escalating rhetoric out of the White House. Wilson said the city has confirmed sightings of armored federal law enforcement vehicles and agents on Portland's streets. He and other elected officials and community leaders urged Portlanders not to "take the bait" from the Trump administration, encouraging calm and nonviolent protest.
"I think some people only look at the numbers and see the number of deaths are not going in the right direction. It's important to explain that Vision Zero is not a model, it's a goal," Koyama Lane told the Mercury. She says Portland should remain steadfast in its belief that no one should die while trying to get around the city. "Getting to that number zero is a holistic goal that we can never give up on," Koyama Lane said.
From his own childhood, Hargrave said, he has a lot of experience to draw on to relate to Scar's feeling of being "second best," and being "the villain" doesn't trouble him too much. Each night he and actors playing Zazu and Rafiki gather before the show, go through their makeup and puppetry sessions, and help each other get into their roles. "It's ritualistic that drops you right into character," Hargrave said.
"So I went in, and nobody was there. And it was transformational," Isaak said. "You walk into that space, and you know you are someplace else. And if you're lucky, you can relinquish all the baggage that you're carrying and just be in that place."
When the city of Portland permitted Zenith Energy to continue operating its fuel transport and storage facility in Northwest Portland three years ago, it did so on several conditions designed to limit potential harms to the environment. The land use compatibility statement issued by the city requires Zenith to phase out its use of crude oil, reduce its storage tank capacity, and reduce other potentially toxic emissions.
We often revel in the artistic craftsmanship of hand-built bikes. For most, owning one is like owning an original Picasso, only you also get to ride it. Many of us will settle for reading about handmade frames and bikes online or attending events showcasing them. And very few of us will actually attempt to build one. Surely, the know-how aspect is a huge barrier, as many may not have a mind bent toward frame building.
