07.11.2023

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Today’s Forecast

49º | Showers | 84% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:50 a.m. | Sunset 4:40 p.m.

The lay of the landmarks

Portland’s most iconic landmarks

The city took ownership of the 50-by-52-ft sign in 2010. | Photo by @lilplanets

We’ve all been there: Someone’s trying to give you directions by describing 10 lefts, 20 rights, and a jumble of cardinal directions. Isn’t it easier to just point out a landmark?

That’s exactly what we’re doing. We have 11 of the most recognizable Portland landmarks — from a leaping neon sign to a skyscraper with a rosy personality. Not only are these local icons easy to remember, but they’ll also get you where you need to go in a jiffy.

White Stag Sign

Address: 70 NW Couch St.

Nearby: Portland Saturday Market, Voodoo Doughnut Old Town, Lan Su Chinese Garden

One of the most recognizable elements of Portland’s skyline, the “Portland Oregon Sign” has displayed several different messages and advertisements over its lifetime, warmly welcoming westbound travelers on the Burnside Bridge. Each year, the prancing deer’s nose glows red, a la Rudolph, from the day after Thanksgiving through the holiday season. Fun fact: In 1959, White Stag Sportswear’s CEO Harold S. Hirsch added the festive touch as a display of affection for his wife Elizabeth.

An aerial photo shows the reflective facade of U.S. Bancorp tower, AKA Big Pink, in Portland, Oregon. — Find Big Pink is a fun game to play wherever you are in Portland.
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Photo by Pdx.rollingthunder

“Big Pink”

Address: 111 SW Fifth Ave.

Nearby: Roseland Theater, 5th Avenue Food Cart Pod, Dante’s

Officially called the U.S. Bancorp Tower, the second-tallest building (536 ft) in the City of Roses gets its nickname from the handpicked materials architect Pietro Belluschi used in its construction — pink Spanish granite and pink glazed plate glass. Fun fact: Portland City Grill on the 30th floor serves steak and seafood with unrivaled panoramic views.

The ornate facade of Portland's Hollywood Theatre. — An early ad called Hollywood Theatre a “palace of luxury, comfort and entertainment unsurpassed by any theatre on the Coast.”
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Photo by Another Believer

Hollywood Theatre

Address: 4122 NE Sandy Blvd.

Nearby: Gado Gado, Doe Donuts, The Moon and Sixpence

Unlike the original Hollywood sign, you don’t have to hike uphill on a dusty trail to visit this silver-screen destination. The Spanish Colonial Revival building opened in 1926 as a 1,500-seat cinematic palace, drawing architectural inspiration from the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Basilica. Though its past is filled with vaudeville shows and second-run movies, today it hosts lectures, film festivals, record releases, and more.

What did we miss? If you know a landmark that’s not on the list, let us know.

8 more landmarks

Events

Tuesday, July 11

Nora Brown & Stephanie Coleman with Lindsay Clark | Tuesday, July 11 | 8 p.m. | Alberta Abbey, 126 NE Alberta St., Portland | $15-$20 | Banjo, fiddle, and warm vocals set the stage for a night of old-timey folk music.

Wednesday, July 12

Garlic Growing Workshop | Wednesday, July 12 | 10-11:30 a.m. | 78th Street Heritage Farm, 1919 NE 78th St., Vancouver | $5 | Know the difference between hard- and soft-necked varieties, learn how to properly fertilize and irrigate, and be confident about the best time to pick your mature cloves.
Yoga In The Park: Sellwood | Wednesday, July 12 | 5:30-6:45 p.m. | Sellwood Riverfront Park, 1221 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland | Free | Improve your balance and strength no matter your skill level.
Diana Krall | Wednesday, July 12 | 8 p.m. | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, Portland | $49.50-$129.50 | Hear a few jazz numbers and you’ll know why this pianist and singer has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide.

Thursday, July 13

Willamette Falls Lamprey Celebration | Thursday, July 13 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Clackamette Park, 1955 Clackamette Dr., Oregon City | Free | Join the Yakama Nation for their annual harvest of asúm, take a boat tour of Willamette Falls, enjoy a complimentary salmon bake, and learn more through dance and educational booths.

Saturday, July 15

Portland Highland Games | Saturday, July 15 | 8 a.m.-6 p.m. | Mt. Hood Community College, 2600 SE Stark St., Gresham | $10-$200 | Don your finest kilt for a full day of bagpipes and dance performances, learning the history of Scottish clans, and whisky tasting courtesy of Rogue Distillery. Sláinte.
Neighborhood Artisan Market | Saturday, July 15 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Southeast 66th Avenue + Harney Street, Portland | Free | Shop hyper-local handmade goods, including jewelry, crafting materials, pottery, and more.
Pride Karaoke Night! | Saturday, July 15 | 8 p.m. | Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E. Burnside St., Portland | Free | Sing your lungs out at a night filled with prizes and a chance to win tickets to Sam Smith’s upcoming Portland concert.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Drink

Business

Meet the pair behind Valo, the new winery shaking up the industry

Presented by a PDXtoday Partner

Valo wines showcase the purity of Washington terroir while focusing on Bordeaux and Rhône varietals. | Photo by Valo

Michael Ruhland and Matías Kúsulas still consider themselves the new kids on the block in the Northwestern winemaking world. While the business started five years ago, Valo only started selling wine in 2021 and opened its tasting room amidst the uncertainty of a pandemic.

However, the wines they’re producing at Valo are proving age isn’t always the most significant factor for a winery to successfully make it in the industry.

Their vintages (the oldest from 2018 when they launched) have been praised by Anthony Mueller in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and garnered high-point values, including 94-point wines from Jeb Dunnuck for 2019 Valo Intemporal, 2019 Valo Reserve Cabernet Franc, and 2019 Massalto Artisan. Read: If they’re not on your radar, they should be now.

We recently caught up with the pair to get more insight into the brand’s vision and why they don’t necessarily choose favorites. Here’s what they had to say:

Q: Describe Valo Cellars in three words?

A: Pure. Focused. Dynamic.

Q: What sets Valo Cellars apart from other winemakers in the region?

A: We have a tight connection with our vineyard sources, with the Winemaker also being the Viticulturist for all of them. We don’t follow a recipe. We evaluate every single vineyard as it is and make the wines accordingly. The results are hopefully the best vine expression of each year.

Q: Out of your current lineup, what is your favorite wine and why?

A: We don’t play favorites. Each wine, even if it’s $25 or $100, has equal importance and intrinsic value to us. Even though we have a broad spectrum of varieties, our Bordeaux wines come from very old vines, some of the oldest in WA, so the purity and quality of those wines put them a bit aside from the rest. That being said, we are very proud of our BDX lineup, and we are also big fans of Cabernet Franc.

Come enjoy a tasting at their space (671 W. Columbia Way, Vancouver, WA) or become a member of the wine club and get hand-crafted wines delivered to your door. Cheers.

Explore the wines

News Notes

Development

Today, the Portland Bureau of Transportation starts work on the NE/SE 7th Avenue Neighborhood Greenway, which will create a new southern connection to the Earl Blumenauer Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge. Construction is slated to continue through August; expect delays on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Eat

The Heist food cart pod in Woodstock recently added a popular Portland eatery that will steal your heart and satisfy your stomach. Sammich specializes in Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches, but you won’t want to miss the Zombie Fries loaded with pastrami, giardiniera, provolone, and peppers. (Eater Portland)

Arts

Fans of the Mike Bennett Studios universe will soon be able to experience all of the Portland artist’s work in one place. He recently announced Science & Sawdust: a cartoon museum! where visitors will find the animal alphabet, planets and dinosaurs, and so much more. Expect it to open sometime this summer.

Plan Ahead

Friday marks the start of the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, a free three-day event that brings the sounds of saxophone, piano, and other instruments to the stage. Learn more about its 43-year history and see the full lineup. (Portland Tribune)

Open

Vancouver craft beer lovers, rejoice. Brothers Cascadia Brewing’s second location opens today in downtown. The Evergreen Pub takes the place of Mav’s Taphouse and will serve soups, salads, sandwiches, and burgers alongside lagers, IPAs, and other pub-style beers. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Closing

Unicorn Brewing and Portland U-Brew in Westmoreland will cease operations after failing to find new owners. The nanobrewery supply store and attached pub will stay open for a few weeks to “liquidate the shop and beer supply.”

Trending

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Answered

Decisions, decisions...

Answered: ‘Would You Rather’ Portland edition

A fish eye photo beneather the St. Johns Bridge shows the sun shining through the branches of a tree.

56% of people said they would exclusively use the St. Johns Bridge; 44% chose the Sellwood Bridge. | Photo by David Federspiel

Recently, we posed a set of eight “Would You Rather” questions to our readers about Portland, and here’s how you answered.

Would you rather never use an umbrella when it’s raining OR only wear long-sleeved shirts and pants in the summer?

A rain jacket is all I need. (96% of responses)
At least I’d save money on sunscreen. (4% of responses)

Would you rather eat for free at Fire on the Mountain for the rest of your life OR never pay for beer again at the brewery of your choice?

Unlimited wings? Yes, please. (52% of responses)
Take one down, pass it around... (48% of responses)

Would you rather give Jolene the baby orangutan a hug OR get five minutes to pet Moshu the red panda?

Have you seen the little cutie’s flaming locks of auburn hair? (36% of responses)
If you can find Moshu, I’ll give him the scritches. (64% of responses)

See the rest

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Ben

From the editor

My wife and I are planning a trip to Iceland this fall to see its natural wonders and the northern lights — which may actually be visible from Oregon later this week. To increase your chances of seeing the aurora, get as far away from city lights as possible and look to the northern horizon; the best viewing time is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

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