You won't regret the short drive to the St. Johns bridge, Portland's tallest. It sits over a green park with a little dock where you'll find friends hanging out next to the river.
Mouther Foucalt's, where books rise to the ceiling in hardwood shelves, is the quieter, more old-fashioned version of the indie bookstore--the kind that almost seems like it came out of a dream.
I’m sending you all over the place, but it’s worth the drive.
So, the best falafel I’ve ever had is DarSalam. It’s a mishmash of Middle Eastern food and just really good. There's one downtown.
Then, everyone will tell you to go to Powell’s…but Mother Foucalt's is just across the bridge, and it’s also a really good bookstore.
Dark and cozy, Dig a Pony is like the bar equivalent of that super cool and good-looking friend you've got who's somehow also the nicest in the group. Speaking of friends, besides the fries, a highlight is there's plenty of space here if you're traveling with a big crew of friends.
Get out to North Portland if you can. To get there you have to cross my favorite bridge, which has these big, gothic arches. It’s called the St. Johns bridge, and that’s also the name of the neighborhood. You should explore that too.
Finally, live music is my favorite thing here. Mississippi Studios is just great. Then there’s a place called Dig a Pony that has a DJ every night, so you can’t strike out there.