Prepare for even more visitors to our fairly weird city. Joseph B. Frazier has cataloged Portland’s popular kudos and quirks in an AP article that is making the rounds.
The article, entitled, The chi of Portland: High weirdness in Nirvana, touches on all the usual suspects: Voodoo Doughnuts, nudity and freedom of expression, drag queens, kitsch art, Powell’s, the Zoo Bombers, our politics, beer, roses, protests, Bud Clark, Henry Weinhard, Shanghai tunnels, Erickson’s Saloon, and The Rain.
The article is fairly comprehensive, but I noted a items missing from the list.
Coffee isn’t mentioned, nor are our vegans, hipsters or hippies, Pabst, or parks. Indie filmmaking doesn’t get a mention, nor does bicycling (outside of the Zoo Bombers).
I suppose some of these aren’t so weird, so they might fall outside of the purview of the article.
Any other Portland quirks that were missed?
I’m glad he said “bring an umbrella” at the end. That helps us tell the tourists from the natives.
@Diane– Dave disagrees with you on that one
Diane – see gastronaut’s comment.
gastronaut – thanks for pointing that out for Diane so I don’t have to rehash it 😉
Yes, I remember – Dave is the only native who thinks it’s reasonable to carry an umbrella.
I agree with Diane.
Another quirk: the $57 million aerial tram.
Dave also shivers when it gets to be less than 65 degrees. It’s better for everyone if he carries an umbrella.
Bryan – That’s another good one. Just the tram itself, regardless of price, is a particularly Portland kinda thing.
Heather – Thanks for coming to my defense . . . I think 😉
Wow! Sounds like Joseph missed the essence of Portland!
Fantastic article…