Modern Vespa

Hey, if there are any PDX folk here, I'm looking for ideas on what to do in your fair city for a longish weekend. (in mid Oct)

Unfortunately no access to two wheels, but fun scooter stores are always nice. Plus any cool local/unusual stuff that wouldn't be in a typical guidebook.

Hey! Let us know when you'll be here, & if I'm in town, I'll buy you a beer at one of our many fine microbreweries, or a cocktail at any number of hip local bar/restaurants-- 8)

P-Town Scooters in SE PDX restores mostly vintage scoots, always a fun line-up in front, and it's on one of Portland's several foodie strips, right across from a nice brew pub, and Pok Pok, an award-winning Asian fusion place, down the street from Lauro [NW/Mediterranean] and Pix, a hip amazing chocolatier/dessert place w a liquor license. And this is only one quadrant of the city.

More cool stuff to see/do downtown, and in NW and N/NE [this last the latest, hippest part of town...]

Apart from scooters, food & drink, what's your pleasure?

It's a beautiful city on 2 rivers with wonderful parks [Forest Park, near the zoo, Japanese Gardens, Rose test gardens, and arboretum, has over 40 mi. of hiking trails surrounded by enormous old evergreen timber].

Send your travel dates!

--Deborah

marys.
magic gardens.
union jacks.
acropolis.

These are all bars, yes?

Strictly speaking yes. Portland has the high honor (?) of having more strip clubs per capita than anywhere else in America.

you must have the bacon donut at Voodoo donuts.

not kidding.

I guess there are things you should never tell your cardiologist...

i didn't say have 10 of 'em.

Check this out:
http://www.travelportland.com/visitors/

Lots of fun things to see here. I would spend time in the Pearl district and taking a stroll along NW 23rd, (Portland Vespa is located as a shop there!). Lots of great places to eat and see while walking.

The Saturday market located in the Portland State Univ Park Blocks is always fun to do in the morning (till about noon).

Call or PM me if you want more info.

Thanks!

BTW, if anyone is visiting SF, I'm happy to reciprocate!

BTW, Corazzo is headquartered here. Just a short ride across the Burnside Bridge. Its about 5 minutes from Downtown Portland.
Go over and check out the line up and see if the newest jackets are available. Call first since they are a small shop, they are good guys!
Best,
Dean

After a couple of really good times in P-town during the past 2 summers, I can't wait to return to Portland later this week for the Run From the Sun rally. The folks at both P-town Scooters and Vespa Portland have been really good to me and my Corazzo jacket literally saved my skin las year.

As a tourist I really enjoyed riding a loop east from downtown through the Columbia River gorge and around Mt. Hood. On the scenic road (not the freeway) it is at least a half day trip. I second the recommendation of the Pearl district.

Also check out the Pour wine bar and Thatch tiki bar 3 doors down in NE, both are owned by a local scooterist.

Hey, Bobo-- Let me know when you're arriving! I don't think I can do the Run from the Sun, and I know you have legions of loyal pals here in P-town, but I'd love to see you; maybe even scoot around town!... PM if you like.

Cheers!

--Deborah

OK, I get it-- why didn't you say this is the sort of recommendations you were after?! All that wasted effort listing the toney options here in P-town....

Here's a more comprehensive list... >>

http://www.barflymag.com/features/SZ.html

--D.

And there's always their ever-popular Nyquil-glazed doughnut---

http://voodoodoughnut.com/about.html

Of course for those sugar cravings, there's also Saint Cupcake, and Pix, both worthy additions to the sweet-tooth tour of Portland--!

Hey all,
Thanks for the suggestions! We had a great time. I even ate a bacon maple bar!

Pok Pok was wonderful - really great food. We also went to Lauro and visited P-Town scooters. I wanted to put one of their vintage bikes in my suitcase, but Jackie said no. We also hit the Kennedy School, and had breakfast at St. Honore bakery every morning. The weather was spectacular (go figure) and on the last day we drove out to the Gorge area and saw some waterfalls. We both agreed it would've been better on a scooter, but sadly National doesn't rent scooters.

You guys have a wonderful city up there!

Glad you had a good time & got to hit some of my favorite eateries-- you should have called-- I live just a few blocks from P-Town! 8)

--Deborah

Taco's across from the scooter shop rock! I love playing horseshoes in the park after eating them.

-Vinny

Speaking of Portland, is there a place to rent (over 50cc) scooters there? Next time I visit my old college buddies there, I thought a scoot would be a hoot

Doh! Next time for sure. Thanks for all the tips on good places to get chow! Pok Pok was especially incredible.

I was just there two weekends ago for a long weekend vacation . . . I'm in Sonoma County, so not a long flight. Sounds like you kinda know it, but I'll add some locales. www.yelp.com helped me a lot, as did www.tourfilter.com.

My friend was there the week before, so he and I started compiling a list of places to go. These places all rock (I've included a Garmin poi file as well . . . oops, unallowed attachment type!):

Ace Hotel 1022 SW Stark St
Acme Food & Drink (eat.shop.portland) 1305 SE Eigth Avenue
Albina Press 4637 N Albina Ave
Alma Chocolate (eat.shop.portland) 140 NE 28th Ave
Annie's Donuts (eat.shop.portland) 3449 NE 72nd Ave
Autentica Mexican Cuisine (eat.shop.portland) 5507 NE 30th Ave
Bakery Bar (eat.shop.portland) 1028 SE Water Avenue
Binh Minh Bakery & Deli (eat.shop.portland ) 6812 NE Broadway
Blue Moose Café (eat.shop.portland) 4936 NE Fremont St
Bumblekiss (eat.shop.portland) 3517 NE 46th Ave
Café Castagna (eat.shop.portland) 1758 SE Hawthorne Blvd
Castagna (eat.shop.portland) 1752 SE Hawthorne Boulevard
Ciao Vito Restaurant (eat.shop.portland) 2203 NE Alberta St
Clarklewis (eat.shop.portland) 1001 SE Water Avenue
Corbett Coffee Plant 5911 SW Corbett Ave
Crema Bakery & Cafe (eat.shop.portland) 2728 SE Ankeny St
Curds & Whey (eat.shop.portland) 8036 SE 13th Ave
Doug Fir 830 E Burnside St
Extracto 2921 NE Killingsworth St
Fat City Cafe (eat.shop.portland) 7820 SW Capitol Highway
Florida Room (eat.shop.portland) 435 N Killingsworth St
Foxfire Teas (eat.shop.portland) 2505 SE 11th Ave
Fresh Pot Hawthorne Blvd 3729 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
Fresh Pot Mississippi Ave 4001 N Mississippi Ave
Genie's Cafe - 3402 S.E. Division Street Portland, OR 97202 (503) 232-5842
Good Taste Restaurant (eat.shop.portland) 18 NW 4th Avenue
Ken's Artisan Pizza (eat.shop.portland) 304 SE 28th Ave
Le Pigeon (eat.shop.portland) 738 E Burnside St
Navarre (eat.shop.portland) 10 NE 28th Ave
Nostrana (eat.shop.portland) 1401 SE Morrison St
Pacific Supermarket (eat.shop.portland) 6750 NE Broadway Street
Park Kitchen (eat.shop.portland) 422 NW 8th Avenue
Pastaworks (eat.shop.portland) 3735 SE Hawthorne Boulevard
Pix Patisserie 1 (eat.shop.portland) 3901 N Williams Avenue
Pix Patisserie 2 (eat.shop.portland) 3402 SE Division Street
Pok Pok (eat.shop.portland) 3226 SE Division St
Ristretto Roasters (eat.shop.portland) 3520 NE 42nd Ave
Roux Restaurant (eat.shop.portland) 1700 North Killingsworth Street
Sahagun Chocolates (eat.shop.portland) 10 NW 16th Avenue
Saint Cupcake 1 (eat.shop.portland) 3300 SE Belmont St
Saint Cupcake 2 (eat.shop.portland) 407 NW 17th Ave
Saucebox (eat.shop.portland) 214 SW Broadway
Savoy Tavern & Bistro (eat.shop.portland) 2500 SE Clinton St
Simpatica Catering & Dining Hall (eat.shop.portland) 828 SE Ash St
Sohbet (eat.shop.portland) 2710 N Killingsworth Street
Stumptown Belmont 3356 SE Belmont St
Stumptown Division 4525 SE Division St
Stumptown Downtown 128 SW 3rd Ave
Stumptown The Ace 1026 SW Stark St
Sweets Etc (eat.shop.portland) 7828 SW Capitol Highway
Sydney's (eat.shop.portland) 1800 NW 16th Ave
Tabor Hill Cafe (eat.shop.portland) 3766 SE Hawthorne Boulevard
Valentine's (eat.shop.portland) 232 SW Ankeny St
Veritable Quandary 1220 SW 1st Avenue, Portland
Vindalho (eat.shop.portland) 2038 SE Clinton St
Wildwood (eat.shop.portland) 1221 NW 21st Avenue

Also, whatever you do, check out the music when you're there. I saw bands every night--esp. nice is the Doug Fir.

Kevin, if you hit all those spots in one weekend, you must be waddlin'! 8)

NY Times recent write-up on Portland's food scene:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/26/dining/26port.html

Also see some hits in the farm-to-fork restaurant guide in the Oct. issue of Gourmet.

Dont fail to mention the fact that you can ride the streetcar around town for cheap and see the sights

Pioneer Square
Tom McCall Waterfront
The Pearl
Tthe Park Blocks
South Waterfront (and go ride the Tram..)

as for food.. you forgot..

Lucy's Table
Salvador Molly's (cajun food and home of the balls of fire eat 4 and get your picture on the wall)
Fire On The Mountain (wingshop extrordinaire)
Screen Door (BBQ)
Serrotto
St Honore
Bridgeport Brewery
Vault
Oliver Twist's
Paleys
Higgins
or go grab some street chow from some of the Cordon Bleu roach coaches (no kiddin!)

then grab a Pepto glazed doughnut at Voodoo and hit the clubs

Barracuda is a fave.

c

this was asked earlier in this thread but thought I'd give it another shot.

Gonna be up in portland late september and really really want to roll scooters while we are there.

does anyone know of a place where we can rent scoots? Google search did me no good so far.

Please let me know if you know of anything.

cheers
-m

Big second on Union Jacks. Great place.

Glad to hear you had a good time... I am surprised that no one mentioned the original Powell's Book Store. I have driven hundreds of miles out of my way and spent an extra night in Portland (on more than a few occasions) to wander through that incredible place...

Crystal Palace Ballroom is also great if you like to dance at all!

Desi B.