Summer’s Greatest Hits

Getaways, swimming holes, secret camping spots, wine escapes, and staycations with a splash. Plus: Portland’s defining breweries right now, the city’s best boutiques, anatomy of a sundae, and art at the dump.

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

Bookshelf

Sex, Books, and New Age Spiritualism

Portland novelist and screenwriter Jon Raymond’s funky Ashland twist on a classic, God and Sex, pushes faith and reality to climax.

07/21/2025 By Matthew Trueherz Illustrations by Derek Abella

Index

The Goonies Turns 40

A look at the numbers behind the Oregon-shot classic.

05/28/2025 By Alex Frane and Margaret Seiler

Gimme Five

Portland’s Best Free Concert Venues

Parks, pubs, and street corners with live music that don’t cost a thing.

05/27/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Long Story Short

Comedian Susan Rice, Portland’s 73-Year-Old Breakout Star

After a viral YouTube set last year, the local comedy hero is out with a new album and special.

05/21/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Q&A

Ripping the City with Brett Brown, Portland’s Favorite Reality Star

‘I don’t think there could ever be a Love Is Blind in Portland. It’s too small.’

05/14/2025 By Dalila Brent

talking trash

Artist-in-Residence, at the Dump

In the annual Glean program, artists rehash the city’s refuse. “Maybe this trash isn’t trash,” says the program manager.

04/16/2025 By Jaydra Johnson

Eat & Drink

Summer Weekends

The North Coast’s Best Fish and Chips

A kitschy garden shop, an old fishing boat, and a converted house hold some of the best fried seafood from Cannon Beach to Astoria.

07/16/2025 By Alex Frane

Superfan

At the Nite Hawk, the Patty Melt Is Perfect Every Time

The cooks may change over the years, but Terrance Moses says his sandwich never does.

06/16/2025 By Margaret Seiler Photography by Michael Raines

Tapped In

Portland’s Defining Breweries Right Now

From hazy IPAs to palate-puckering sours, Portland’s ever-evolving beer scene perseveres in the face of challenges.

06/10/2025 By Andi Prewitt

Market Share

Farmers Market Hopping with Chef Sarah Minnick

She starred in Chef’s Table: Pizza and earned a James Beard nomination, but the pizza chef and restaurant owner still shops at the farmers market on bike.

06/06/2025 By Alex Frane Photography by Michael Raines

Dish Exploder

Why People Line Up for Cheese & Crack’s Soft Serve Sundae

Chocolate + vanilla + buttery cracker crumble = Portland summer icon.

06/04/2025 By Alex Frane Illustrations by Amber Day

Drink Here Now

Rick Munro’s Malpractice Is Portland’s Weirdest, Coolest Cocktail Bar

Acid-adjusted citrus, goat cheese–washed rum, and a dirty martini with neither gin nor vodka make Malpractice a drinking destination.

06/02/2025 By Alex Frane

Ruby Beauties

A Picker’s Guide to Oregon’s Strawberry Varieties

Hoods aren’t the only berry in town.

05/20/2025 By Brooke Jackson-Glidden Illustrations by Mark Wang

Pub Time

Me, My Parents, and the Horse Brass Pub

A personal history of Portland’s most English bar.

05/08/2025 By Alex Frane Photography by Michael Novak

Review

New Hawaiian Spot Kau Kau Treats the Cuisine with Care

Brandon and Tracee Hirahara fill combo plates with tako lu’au and Angus beef loco moco.

05/07/2025 By Jordan Michelman Photography by Thomas Teal

Zero-Proof

Oregon-Made Nonalcoholic Beers to Drink Right Now

IPAs, stouts, and pilsners, all without the booze.

04/23/2025 By Alex Frane

News & City Life

Editor’s Note

An Argument for Befriending the Willamette

Our river, ourselves.

06/23/2025 By Brooke Jackson-Glidden

No Reservations

Is Downtown Portland’s Tourism Industry Bouncing Back?

Five years after COVID, Portland hotels are filling back up—but nowhere near 2019 levels.

06/09/2025 By Winston Ross Illustrations by Matthew Billington

Local Legends

All the Things We’ve Done to Joan of Arc

One hundred years ago, the patron saint of France landed in Portland as a Great War monument. What does she mean today?

05/23/2025 By Matthew Trueherz Photography by Michael Novak

Love Letters

An Illustrated Ode to Dyke Hoops

The queer-friendly pickup games are still serious—but about building inclusive community.

05/05/2025 Illustrations by Shay Mirk By Shay Mirk and Brooke Jackson-Glidden

Ultimate Frisbee

A Professional Ultimate Frisbee Alliance Lands in Portland

Soar and Steel are now slinging discs in the Concordia neighborhood.

04/21/2025 By Alex Frane

Style & Shopping

In Search Of

The Dress that Found Me

Seventeen years ago, I fell for a photo of a dress. I didn’t know I was searching for a piece of Portland fashion history.

06/23/2025 By Carmel Breathnach

Style & Shopping

The Secondhand Store That Feels like a High-End Boutique

Thanks to a community of consignors, thrift shop comforts mix with designer glitter at Deep Lake.

06/04/2025 By Matthew Trueherz Photography by Aaron Lee

Style & Shopping

A Former Art Museum Curator’s Gallery of Designer Clothes

At Diana Kim’s boutique Stand Up Comedy, garments are a vehicle for ideas.

05/12/2025 By Matthew Trueherz Photography by Aaron Lee

Style & Shopping

The Best Fashion Boutiques in Portland

Local stores that will make you never want to shop online again.

05/06/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Style & Shopping

Local Stars on Over- and Underdressing in Portland

Does the city have a style? Artists and designers talk navigating our confusing relationship to fashion.

04/30/2025 By Matthew Trueherz Photography by Aaron Lee

Style & Shopping

What Does Sustainable Fashion Mean to Portland in 2025?

DIY runway shows devoted to upcycling set a tone in the aughts that today’s students and designers are bringing back around.

04/22/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Travel & Outdoors

Summer Weekends

A Casually Luxurious Seattle Weekend with the Kids

Biscuit carts, dive-bombing seagulls, Canlis cocktails, and a dreamy hotel pool.

08/04/2025 By Jordan Michelman

Summer Weekends

Eugene Is Oregon’s Underrated Wine and Dining Destination

Tasting flights, Trinidadian doubles, and tantalizing views.

07/23/2025 By Andrea Damewood

Summer Weekends

Portland Staycation: Dinner and a Movie (and a Swim)

Craft a dreamy weekend out of the house without leaving the metro area.

07/21/2025 By Margaret Seiler

Summer Weekends

Refreshing, Sand-Free Ways to Cool Off This Weekend

Pools, splash pads, and waterslides any kid would love.

07/09/2025 By Brooke Jackson-Glidden

Water Ways

How a Jog and a Jump in the Willamette Became My Summer Ritual

I’ve learned to love Portland’s river like a friend.

07/07/2025 By Emily Chenoweth Illustrations by Davide Comai

Paddle to the People

These Kayakers See Climate Justice as Community Work

With a kayak lending library and social paddles, Mosquito Fleet wants to shift how we relate to the Willamette.

06/17/2025 By Rebecca Jacobson

Summer Weekends

A Waterfall-Loving Wine Nerd’s Guide to the Gorge

Follow hikes and swims with skin-contact viognier and stone fruit.

06/13/2025 By Brooke Jackson-Glidden

Transit Trip

How to Camp Without a Car Close to Portland

Go glamping by bus, or bring your own tent for a car-free getaway.

06/03/2025 By Margaret Seiler

Maximum Fun

The 22 Best Summer Events in Oregon

When it comes to festivals and fairs, our state doesn't mess around.

05/30/2025 By Rebecca Jacobson Illustrations by Davide Comai

Big Picture

In 1925 Portland, a Day of Bike Races and Costume Contests

Our city has always had fun on two wheels.

05/09/2025 By Rebecca Jacobson

Oregon Trails

8 Geologic Wonders of Oregon

Caves to canyons to cracks in the ground, our state rocks.

04/22/2025 By Rebecca Jacobson Illustrations by Jordan Kay