Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Once back on SE 60th Ave., hang a right to reach SE Hawthorne Blvd.,
then turn left down Hawthorne. There's a little kink at SE 55th Ave.;
veer right, then turn left again to stay on Hawthorne. (The small collec-
tion of buildings on your right at SE 56th Ave. make up the Portland
campus of Western Seminary, an evangelical school.)
At SE 50th Ave. you'll come to a couple of worthy stops, next door to
each other on the left: Albina Press, where expert baristas churn out
impeccable coffee in an open, gallery-like space (which in fact acts as a
gallery, with art exhibitions that change once a month); and the Sap-
phire Hotel, a cozy, romantic wine bar with uncommonly attractive
servers and a decadent opium-den feel. Both are excellent places to
bring a date, if you're looking.
Now leave all that sophistication behind you, because you'll have no use
for it on the block between SE 48th and 49th Aves. This compact bar-
hopping zone can do you serious damage if you're not careful: the es-
tablishments here are known (and sought out, especially by young
20-somethings and part-time pirates) for their liver-destroying qualities.
Best to approach with caution. A good/terrible place to start is the
Space Room Lounge; it's famous for hawking gigantic and needlessly
robust Long Island iced tea in fishbowl glasses (if that tells you any-
thing) and for the black-light murals of outer space that begin to look
worryingly normal after a short time. Poke your head into a few of the
other bars on the block, too, for future reference. (For an old-school un-
pretentious semipunk hangout, try Bar of the Gods, across the street.)
And fear not: the next block holds several refueling options, including
the rightly famous ¿Por Qué No? and the should-be-more-famous East
Side Deli. Load up.
Continue making your perhaps-now-crooked way along Hawthorne.
Crossing SE 39th Ave., you'll see the Hawthorne Theatre building.
These days it's a rock club, bar, and Chinese restaurant, but originally
it was the Sunnyside Masonic Temple, built in 1919.
A densely packed shopping (and dining) strip extends from SE 39th
Ave. down to about 32nd; here you'll find everything from beads to vin-
tage furniture and clothing to quirky gifts to American Apparel. Pow-
ell's Books (whose main location takes up a whole downtown city block)
has a store here, on the right near SE 37th Ave., as well as an adjoining
shop specializing in books for cooks and gardeners. And while we're
