Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
arian: do your taxes, fix your car, get ready for the coming apocalypse.
That last would be a reference to the somewhat mystifying Portland
Preparedness Center, a business dedicated to making sure we all have
what we need when the zombies attack/the aliens arrive/the earthquake
destroys the city. Better safe than sorry!
At NE 68th Ave., turn right for several blocks. At the corner of NE 68th
and Hassalo St. you'll come to the 2-acre Rosemont Bluff Natural Area,
a sort of buffer zone of undeveloped woodland and wildlife habitat cov-
ering a steep slope. It's naturally populated with Douglas-fir and maple,
but invasive ivy and blackberry plants are a constant problem, so neigh-
bors volunteer frequently to help maintain the park. (This neighbor-
hood is technically not part of Montavilla but rather North Tabor or
Center; “Center” started out as an acronym that stood for “Citizens
Engaged Now Towards Ecological Review.”)
Turn right on NE Hassalo St. At NE 76th Ave., turn right again. Turn
left on NE Irving St.; walk a block, then turn left again on NE 78th
Ave., and then turn right on NE Oregon St. Where Oregon meets NE
82nd Ave., you'll come to Milepost 5, a cool multi-use space that incor-
porates live-work art studios and galleries. Stroll the complex, taking in
the artwork, or check the website for a calendar of performances and
events being held in the theater space.
Turn right on NE 82nd Ave., one of the least glamorous streets in Port-
land—all fast-food restaurants, gas stations, and cheap motels. At the
corner of NE Glisan St. is one welcome exception: the Montavilla Com-
munity Center. It has two outdoor pools, a basketball court, meeting
rooms, classrooms, and a varied program of activities for both kids and
adults.
Continue along 82nd Ave., taking care not to make eye contact with
passing cars lest they mistake you for someone selling one or another
category of illicit goods and services. Just as you begin to suspect that
you're trudging headlong into Portland's used-car-sales territory, you'll
come to SE Stark St. Turn right onto Stark. There's a semisecret neigh-
borhood bar nearby; to find it, traverse the McDonald's parking lot and
walk around to the back of the building next door, until you come to a
glass door. This is the Over and Out, the back bar hidden behind an up-
scale restaurant and cocktail bar called The Observatory. (You could
also go in the front door, on Stark St., and walk through the restaurant
