Hot time summer in the city! With temps hitting 92 degrees today, it goes without saying that our usual “June-uary” here in Portland is hot…like breaking records hot.
We decided that it would be a good afternoon to go have some Chinese food in Chinatown, take a dip in the public fountain at the Saturday Market and take a stroll on the waterfront. I really love Old Town and Chinatown, and I have never been afraid to be there, yeah we got permanent campers, tons of strip clubs, and a fair amount of public intox. But to be honest this is all part of the what the city is and doesn’t define or take away from why Portland is great. I was appalled by a letter to the editor from a former resident, click here to read this tale of Ugly American entitlement. I think in life you choose to view the positive side, or take the negative route. So this post is in support of one of the great things downtown has to offer, from my perspective, with two children in tow. And as Lynyrd Skynyrd defended their “Sweet Home Alabama”, I say “I hope Mr. Marcel will remember a Portland gal don’t need him around anyhow”. The scariest thing I saw….was all the tourists waiting in line for bacon maple bars without sunscreen.
We can walk two blocks and hop on the yellow line into the city, it really is a huge benefit of where we live. I take my kids down sometimes to just get the urban, real world, feel that I missed out on growing up in a small town.
After hopping off the max at 5th and Couch we hit up one of my favorite spots to eat Chinese food. “Chen’s Good Taste” is the real deal in wonton soup or roasted and B.B.Q’d meat. I’d post a link but they don’t do silly things like have websites, they are too busy making amazing food, for a bargain I might add.
This is the place you wanna go and eat, it’s not about fancy service, ambiance or wine list….its about the food.
Char siu, roasted pork belly, and Peking duck hang in the window. Can’t say we were “accosted by street people”, and Good Taste is right next door to the homeless camp.
The ultra un-scary “Right 2 Dream Camp” actually looked rather organized and well maintained. Just don’t ask to use the latrine!
Next up was a stop for cold brew coffee on nitro at Stumptown on SW 3rd.
Walking out of Stumptown I talked to some “Street Folk” aka kids from the suburbs who are bored enough to half-heartedly ask strangers for money to buy weed. One of the girls even asked for my social media info so she could get a copy of the pick I took of them….oohhh sooo scary!
We strolled through the Saturday market and checked out all the cool merchandise, some clothes featuring recycled materials caught my eye, as did the usual performers and such. We came to cool down, so on to public fountain bathing!
After sufficiently watering ourselves we walked down the river walk and looked out into the Willamette and saw the beautiful boats and bridges, and I felt like I was back in Amsterdam for a minute.
Having a narrow mind and a strip mall mentality may make it so you don’t enjoy Old town/Chinatown. With an open mind, a love of humanity, great food and coffee, maybe it’s like no where else on Earth?! Live free without limits and prejudice, and really feel what being alive is like. So here is my “backbone” and here’s to Portland, and Andre have fun keeping your “expensive” bike locked up like your limited mind. Viva la Rose City!