Portland and Oregon Visitor Information|Questions - Page 6

PDX City-State · #**101** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 4:47 PM**

Stay at the Ace! It's cheaper, cooler, and closer to the pulse. You'll have the city's best coffee in the building, and you'll be a stone's throw from Powell's. And by then, the restaurant will be open in the building as well. Downtown doesn't feel as dynamic as it used to--it's kind of been overshadowed by the Pearl and the area just south of Burnside, which is were the Ace is located.

There will be about ten new restaurants in Portland--all opening in May and June--so the already impressive dining options will be even more impressive.

PacificNW · #**102** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 5:09 PM**

For home accessories...will Ikea be open? If it is, it is just a short ride on the Airport MAX from downtown.... I was in Portland a few weeks ago and the downtown was crazy with people strolling, purchasing and eating...sorry, PDX City-State, I disagree with your feelings about dt vs. the Pearl....anyway, it is easy to get from one district to the other...it all works.

PDX City-State · #**103** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 5:17 PM**

There's still a lot downtown, but the pulse has shifted. Downtown used to be where it was at--but that has changed. You have to admit that. Name the last up and coming chef that has opened a restaurant in downtown proper...Mostly the Eastside or the Pearl. This is going to change soon with all the development on the horizon--and the new transit mall.

Eagle rock · #**104** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 6:17 PM**

Home accessory store:
Canoe
www.canoeonline.net/salutations/

Coffee: Albina Press

PDX City-State · #**105** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 6:18 PM**

Go to Canoe--why check out Ikea--every city has one.

brandonpdx · #**106** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 6:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDX City-State

Name the last up and coming chef that has opened a restaurant in downtown proper...

owner-chef Jeffrey Reiter, who used to be sous chef at Park Kitchen recently opened Blueplate Lunch Counter and Soda Fountain on 308 SW Washington.

I really like the simplicity and old fashioned menu; not to mention the food.

pdxstreetcar · #**107** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 7:00 PM**

theres no shortage of coffee in portland and a large number are independent

theres a thai restaurant in the lucia... typhoon

in addition to the rose test garden is the portland classical chinese garden on chinatown which is also a must-see.

PacificNW · #**108** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 7:16 PM**

Geez...not every city has a Ikea... I doubt if Reno has one. Some people, on this forum, strike me as very elitist, IMO. Canoe is good, also. You can purchase a condom dispenser for $35.00...or a shower mat for $115.00. Seriously, they some great "stuff" there.

PDX City-State · #**109** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 7:25 PM**

It's not elitism--I love Ikea. But there's nothing really Portland about it. I have the same cutting board here that I had in Madrid thanks to Ikea.

Quote:

owner-chef Jeffrey Reiter, who used to be sous chef at Park Kitchen recently opened Blueplate Lunch Counter and Soda Fountain on 308 SW Washington.

A great place--I eat there a lot. His meatloaf is mean, the Chai Bomb soda is amazing, the dumplings rule, but it's a lunch counter and downtown wasn't his first choice. He actually tried to find a place on the Eastside first--looked into the space that used to be Buckman Bistro and is now Hungry Tiger 2. He does okay because it's a lunch spot. But it wouldn't be the best location for dinner.

PacificNW · #**110** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 7:30 PM**

I wasn't stating the Ikea was "Portland". Before Ikea came along people in Oregon had to drive over 2 hours to shop at one. I remember when, living in Seattle, we had to drive to Vancouver, B.C. prior to their location in Renton. I think there may be one in Sacramento, or one in their future.

CouvScott · #**111** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 7:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificNW

I wasn't stating the Ikea was "Portland". Before Ikea came along people in Oregon had to drive over 2 hours to shop at one. I remember when, living in Seattle, we had to drive to Vancouver, B.C. prior to their location in Renton. I think there may be one in Sacramento, or one in their future.

There's one in West Sac. Just drove by it about 2 weeks ago.

jwaters943 · #**112** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 7:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificNW

Geez...not every city has a Ikea... I doubt if Reno has one. Some people, on this forum, strike me as very elitist, IMO. Canoe is good, also. You can purchase a condom dispenser for $35.00...or a shower mat for $115.00. Seriously, they some great "stuff" there.

Thanks for the Ikea suggestion anyway, I certainly appreciate it. You're correct, Reno doesn't have an Ikea, the closest is 2 hours away in Sacramento (as someone else mentioned).

As for the condom dispenser, that is too funny.

zilfondel · #**113** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 8:21 PM**

Bring an umbrella, hip waders, and waterproof pants. =)

And if you time it right, you might see the Rose Parade! (it always runs during it)

MarkDaMan · #**114** Posted **Apr 25, 2007, 8:27 PM**

^100th year anniversary too, the festival should be huge this year. If you are here for the fireworks show opening night, I wouldn't miss it, it is bigger than our 4th of July show. http://www.rosefestival.org/

I think Ikea doesn't open until later this summer but even if there was an Ikea in Reno, it wouldn't be sales tax free!!!

BHM FAN · #**115** Posted **Apr 26, 2007, 5:07 AM**

My partner and I stayed at Hotel Lucia in February for a week---great hotel, very friendly, rooms are great (we booked a large 1 bedroom suite)---and bar/restaurant on-site is very good and they serve 24 hours, so when you finish go outing they are still open for food.

SFUVancouver · #**116** Posted **Jun 5, 2007, 6:40 PM**

Hello everyone. My name is David, I live in Vancouver BC, and I will be visiting Portland from June 19th to 23rd. I'm studying to be an urban planner and I am adding this visit on to a day trip my metropolitan governance class is taking to Seattle on the 18th. I’m going to stay over night in Seattle and then take either the train or a bus down and I am not planning on renting a car. Considering my interest in planning and public transportation I would be grateful for suggestions of some sights and activities for me to take in during my stay. Also I wonder if someone could recommend a good, fairly inexpensive hotel to stay at while I'm in town. Ideally I’d like it to be downtown or within close walking/transit distance and in safe and interesting area.

I’m pretty excited for this trip and as a future urban planner I couldn't in good conscience make a trip South without heading down to see Portland for the first time. Considering how much I’ve read about the city I definitely want to ride the streetcar, MAX light rail, and the aerial tram and see and explore the Pearl District and South Waterfront areas first hand. I also would be very interested to see some good examples of how Portland is executing urban infill and transit oriented development. Since I'll have a pretty good amount of time there, what else would the locals recommend I do? This is whole thing is basically an unstructured, largely spur-of-the-moment trip and I'm up for anything. The surging Canadian Dollar also helps a whole lot. The last time I went to the States for any length of time buying a US Dollar cost me $1.40, now it is $1.06!

Thanks in advance!

David

pdxstreetcar · #**117** Posted **Jun 5, 2007, 11:18 PM**

For hotels, check out these:

Ace Hotel $95
Jupiter Hotel $94
Inn @ Northrup Station, Sheraton Four Points Downtown and Hotel deLuxe are sold out. Other hotels like the Lucia have higher prices that I remember, I guess though it is peak season.

I'd say the Ace is your best bet, on hotels.com they have a small 200 sq ft room with 3 bunk beds with bath for $95/night (but read closely because some have shared baths and/or bunk beds that may or may not be what you want). The Ace is in a great location between the core of downtown and the Pearl and right on the streetcar. The other is the Jupiter, the plus to it is the Doug Fir Lounge but its on the other side of the river from downtown and its a party motel (again depending on whether you see that as bad or good).

Then again as a high rolling Canadian with an excellent exchange rate you could go for a top notch landmark hotel

It sounds like you have a pretty good understanding about the Pearl and SoWa. Be sure to check out the South Waterfront Discovery Center with master plan model at the corner of Moody/Bancroft several blocks south of the u/c towers. Also check out the river front walkway, its still a work in progress however. For the Pearl, check out the Brewery Blocks (11th/Couch), North Park Blocks, 13th Ave., Hoyt Street Yards/Jamison Square (new part) as well as the heart of the neighborhood around glisan/11th. As far as urban infill, these are primarily located on the major streets on the inner Eastside, streets such as Hawthorne, Belmont, Mississippi, NE Broadway, Divison/Clinton, Alberta etc., few (if any) are further east of say, 50th street.

Good examples of Suburban TODs are on the Westside MAX line west of the Beaverton Transit Center, in particular the Beaverton Round (Beaverton Central Station), Orenco Station (the famous part is on the north side of the MAX station but theres also quite a bit just south of the station). In Portland theres a great HOPE VI project in North Portland and on the #4 bus called New Columbia (30 min bus ride from downtown).

Okstate · #**118** Posted **Jun 5, 2007, 11:21 PM**

If you want really cheap downtown, go for the Days Inn City Center. Otherwise, Ace Hotel seems like a trendy bargain. Also, the Inn at Northrup Station is funky and hip. I too am studying to become an Urban Planner & would recommend at least stopping by their downtown Urban Planning college as it is, in my opinion, one of the more glorious campus buildings. Old Town Pizza was a fun stop on my trip there as well (moreso for the atmosphere)

Okstate · #**119** Posted **Jun 5, 2007, 11:22 PM**

Dang PDX you were sending while i was writing! Apparently you did more research with the hotels though.

zilfondel · #**120** Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 1:30 AM**

There is also a cheap HI hostel over in NW Portland:

http://www.2oregonhostels.com/nw_home.htm

It is very centrally located about a 10 minute walk from downtown, you def. won't need a car. You can hike the short distance from downtown Amtrak train station, too - they're only about 15 blocks away! If you need to have a beer, there are tons of bars up the street on NW 21st ave as well.

...and it won't break the bank! Very affordable for students, and you can meet cute girls from Europe and stuff.