50 Things Every Portlander Must Do

The path to ultimate Portlandness is loud, tasty, sweaty, and always surprising. It’s time you got started. Listen up, n00bs. From urban vino and roller derby to public nudity and Baby Ketten karaoke, the road to ultimate Portlandness takes serious commitment. Its time to put your initials on the high-score screen. Whether youve just arrived here (dont tell anyone!) or you were sipping drinks at Satyricon when Courtney Love was cuddling the Cabbage Patch, think of these pages as a phased journey toward Oregon self-actualization. When you cross off that fiftieth item, go ahead and call yourself a consummate local. Until then, there are no cheat codes.

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

THE ESSENTIALS

January’s Pop Culture Hot List

The concerts, the book, the talk, and the movie you can’t miss this month.

12/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

A NEW SPIN

Portland Dance Companies Mix Things Up

From game-show formats to clueless choreographers, local dance companies are finding new paths to creativity—and new audiences in the process.

12/21/2015 By Heather Wisner

LONG STORY SHORT

Ruth Wariner’s Harrowing Survival Story

Her mother’s fourth child and her father’s 39th, Ruth Wariner’s incredible life story begins in a polygamist Mormon colony in Chihuahua, Mexico.

12/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

BIG PICTURE

The Art Gallery Inside a Ford Bronco

Why two Portland artists built a mobile gallery in a classic American car.

12/21/2015 By Brandon Staley

Dance

Portland’s White Bird Dance Is Hosting a Prestigious Showcase in NYC

Founders Paul King and Walter Jaffe break down why this is such a big deal.

12/21/2015 By Fiona McCann

AVANT GUARD

Meet the Bosnian Artist Who Watches Over Portland’s Most Valuable Art Trove

By day, Miroslav Lovric is a security guard at the Portland Art Museum; by night, he’s a painter inspired by the masters he guards.

12/10/2015 By Jonathan Frochtzwajg

AVANT GUARD

The Art of Miroslav Lovric

By day, Miroslav Lovric is a security guard at the Portland Art Museum; by night, he’s a painter inspired by the masters he guards. See some of the work in his "Soul Catchers" series in our slideshow.

12/10/2015 By Fiona McCann With Images Courtesy Miroslav Lovric

Best of the City

PORTLAND BUCKET LIST

Are You a Real Portlander?

Have you sprinted up Tabor? Gone commando at the World Naked Bike Ride? Consumed *all* the beer? Take our quiz to find out if you’re (nearly) native—or just got off the bus.

12/11/2015 Edited by Marty Patail With Karen Brooks, Ramona DeNies, Allison Jones, Fiona McCann, Rachel Ritchie, and Benjamin Tepler

Eat & Drink

EAT THIS NOW

Mussels and Fries Take the Spotlight at La Moule

At St. Jack’s new sister spot, Belgian tradition meets Portland cocktail bar.

12/21/2015 By Benjamin Tepler

WORD OF MOUTH

Two Coffee Shops and More to Check Out in January

Portland Monthly food critic Karen Brooks dishes on the restaurants, obsessions, and under-the-radar finds of the month.

12/21/2015 By Karen Brooks

DRINK HERE NOW

Bone, Mugs, and Harmony

Haters gonna hate, but Broth Bar heals winter chills, one sip at a time.

12/21/2015 By Kelly Clarke

RECIPE

Raclette Your Way to a Happy New Year

The secret to a delicious winter dinner party is fondue’s cousin: ooey-gooey Alpine raclette.

12/21/2015 By Benjamin Tepler

REVIEW

Does Muscadine Make Portland’s Best Fried Chicken?

Laura Rhoman’s tiny Northeast Portland eatery delivers a genuine taste of the South, Nashville hot birds to true grits.

12/21/2015 By Karen Brooks

Editor's Note

EDITORS’ NOTE

Discovering Portland

Remembering the early days of arriving in the Rose City

12/20/2015 By Rachel Ritchie

Health & Wellness

TOP DOCS

Portland’s Top Doctors & Nurses 2016

We tallied more than 11,000 peer votes from doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and complementary medicine providers for our annual guide to the city’s best.

12/30/2015 Edited by Ramona DeNies