Julia is a former news editor for Portland Monthly.

Health

Samantha Hess, Portland's OG Cuddling Professional, Is Calling It Quits

Over nine years, Hess received national publicity and dreamt of a chain of cuddling studios. But bad faith landlords and the pandemic both took their toll.

09/22/2022 By Julia Silverman

Fun and Games

Roll the Dice on these 4 New Portland-Made Board Games

Space races, superstition, feeling through vocabulary and an updated version of Monopoly's predecessor.

09/21/2022 By Julia Silverman

Nature

Peak Swift: The Vaux’s Migration Is Cresting Now in Portland

Go see the birds at Chapman Elementary School before they fly south for the winter.

09/16/2022 By Julia Silverman

Development

O’Bryant Square Garage to Be Demolished in 2023

The downtown Portland plaza, nicknamed "Paranoid Park," is catty-corner to the new Ritz-Carlton, which is set to open next July.

09/16/2022 By Julia Silverman

Real Estate

Will the Portland Housing Market Snap Out of Its August Lull?

Or will we look back on summer of 2022 as the start of a buyers' market?

09/13/2022 By Julia Silverman

Election 2022

Clackamas Voters Might Elect the First Woman of Color to the County Board

Libra Forde could help tip the balance of power on the five-member board of commissioners.

09/13/2022 By Julia Silverman

Environment

Rolling Power Outages Are Planned around Portland as East Winds Kick Up

It's an effort to keep downed, live power lines from sparking wildfires.

09/09/2022 By Julia Silverman

Museums

10 Can't-Miss Oregon Museums Outside of Portland

Could we interest you in the world's largest pig hairball? Perhaps a gravity-defying ‘X-Files’ fixation?

09/09/2022 By Conner Reed, Julia Silverman, Nick Campigli, and Katherine Hamilton

The Queen is Dead

4 Portland Pubs in Which to Mourn Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Looking for a pub to drown your sorrows about the passing of the British monarch? From Toffee Club to the Horse Brass, we got you.

09/08/2022 By Michelle Harris, Margaret Seiler, and Julia Silverman

Election 2022

Where Do the Candidates for Oregon Governor Stand on Issues Often Championed by Women?

A look at how gubernatorial candidates Christine Drazan, Betsy Johnson & Tina Kotek have voted on paid family leave, reproductive rights, and more

09/07/2022 By Shannon Daehnke and Julia Silverman

Development

6 Big Development Projects to Watch In Portland and Beyond This Fall

Kah-Nee-Ta gears back up, PAM CUT's getting a new home, the Vancouver Waterfront is getting a new hotel, and more.

09/01/2022 By Julia Silverman

Portland Bar Guide

9 Wine Bars Where We Love to Raise a Glass

Noble Rot, Bar Diane, Flor, and Stem are among our favorite wine bars in Portland.

09/01/2022 By Katherine Chew Hamilton, Fiona McCann, Julia Silverman, and Matt Trueherz

Hiking

These Oregon Coast Hikes Have All the Views

Neahkanie Mountain, Cape Lookout, and other trails on the Oregon Coast beckon with shady walks and ocean views.

08/31/2022 By Julia Silverman and Michelle Harris

Real Estate

Portland Rents Are Rising—But Not as Much as in the Suburbs

The city's rate of growth in rent increases is actually well below the national average. Beaverton is a different story.

08/30/2022 By Julia Silverman

Schools

Inside a School Day at the Muslim Educational Trust in Tigard

At Oregon’s sole Islamic K–12 school, finding a disciplined mix of religion and rigor.

08/29/2022 By Julia Silverman Photography by Amanda Lucier

Education

Running the Numbers on Portland’s Substitute Teacher Shortage

Part of a statewide problem that worsened in the COVID-19 pandemic, the substitute teacher shortage is poised to persist in the 2022–2023 school year.

08/26/2022 By Julia Silverman

School Supplies

Choice Back-to-School Supplies for the Design-Forward Kid

Japanese erasers, statement pencils, a whale stapler from Italy, lay-flat notebooks, and more from local stores.

08/25/2022 By Julia Silverman

Portland Bar Guide

Portland’s Top 50 Bars

From happening new hot spots to longtime favorites, these are the best bars in Portland, OR.

08/23/2022 By Shannon Daehnke, Ramona DeNies, Katherine Chew Hamilton, Michelle Harris, Andrew Jankowski, Conner Reed, Margaret Seiler, Julia Silverman, and Matthew Trueherz

Crafting

Macramé Is Having a Moment

Author and macramé artist Emily Katz’s N Williams shop, Modern Macramé, offers classes and workshops in macramé, crochet, and more.

08/23/2022 By Julia Silverman

City Government

Here's What You Need to Know about the Effort to Overhaul City Government in Portland

Charter reform will be on the ballot, not everyone's in favor, and if it passes City Hall will never be the same.

08/22/2022 By Julia Silverman