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Since its foundation in 1851, Portland,Oregon has been a city divided. Themighty Willamette River — pronounced“Will-AM-ette, goddammit,” as any

Portlander will proudly parrot — splits the city,East and West. Its presence is inescapable,a thick stripe of blue-grey, punctuated by 12bridges of varying architectural style.Another thing Portlanders will often tell you

is which side of the city is best. You’re either anEast-sider or a West-sider and your life will largelycentre around that part of the city. Why cross theriver when you have everything you need righton your doorstep?Famous for its craft beer and doughnuts,

beards and tattoos, record stores and bookshops, museums and markets, urban wineriesand restaurants, you’ll find a mirror imageof city life reflected back at you,whichever direction you’re facing.If you’re pressed for time, pick

a side of the city and you’llstill find everything youneed, without having tostep foot over the river.These recommendationsare all within a fewblocks of each other —totally walkable and alldoable within a day.

WEST SIDEStart your day withbreakfast at the Ace Hotel,one of the city’s trendiestaccommodation providers.Whether you’re staying here or not,you can eat at onsite cafes Breakfast 215or Stumptown Coffee Roasters — the latter is aPortland-owned independent chain, founded in1999.When you’re fully caffeinated, head across

the road to Union Way, a shopping arcade withnine shops and restaurants, including Danner,a famous Oregon boot brand, and Bridge andBurn, a local clothing label.Exit on W Burnside St and get a fix of pre-loved

fashion at Buffalo Exchange, an excellent thriftstore where you can find some suitably hipsterbargains. Then, head across the road to Powell’sCity of Books, the world’s largest independentbookstore and a Portland institution. Occupyinga full city block between W Burnside St and NWCouch St, it has about 6300sq m of floor space,nine colour-coded rooms and more than 3500

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different sections.Give yourself plentyof time to browse. . . and be prepared toleave with a bundle ofbooks.All this is bound to have

worked up an appetite —head back to Union Way for

a bowl of steaming, deliciousnoodles at Boxer Ramen, then take the

10-minute walk to Voodoo Doughnuts. By thetime you get there you’ll have made enoughroom in your stomach for a sweet treat that’sas good on your Instagram feed as it is onyour tastebuds.From here, your choice is grape or

grain. Head north to Deschutes BreweryPortland Public House, an Oregon craftbrewery whose headquarters are inOregon’s alpine town Bend. The Portlandpub has more than 20 taps with Deschutesfamous beers, as well as a selection ofseasonal and experimental brews. Or, headsouth to Park Avenue Fine Wines, a bar inside awine shop where you can sip on a tasting flight,or grab a bottle from the hundreds on sale in thestore and drink it in the bar for a $10 corkage fee.

If the beer/wine has lubricated your shopaholicgene, head to Wild Fang, which perfectly sumsup Portland like no other store in the city. It’s afeminist, non-gendered clothing store foundedby two female former Nike employees (Portlandis home to Nike, too). The label supportsand donates money to causes and charitiessupporting marginalised communities, includingPlanned Parenthood and the Malala Fund.You’re spoiled for choice for dinner, but it

wouldn’t be Portland without a visit to a foodtruck. The Alder Street Food Cart Pod, once thecity’s biggest collection of trucks, is closingat the end of this month to make way for anew hotel development, but in Portland,you don’t need to go far to find anotherone — go to TravelPortland.com to findsomething that takes your fancy.Finish the night at The Hoxton, a new

hotel in Old Chinatown that has made itselfa community destination as well as a place

for tourists to lay their heads. Try the rooftoptaqueria Tope, or the basement cocktail bar, so

discreet it doesn’t even have a name.

It’s fine to choose sides inPortland, everyone else

does, writesStephanie Holmes

200km

OREGON

WASHINGTON

Portland

Seattle

PACIFICOCEAN

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The Willamette River snakes its way through Portland. Photos / Getty Images

Portland’s famousVoodoo Doughnuts.

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EAST SIDEThings are a bit grittier over here, especially onE Burnside St, which was once known locallyas heroin alley. Burnside is steadily cleaning upits act, helped in part by locals Kelsey Bunkerand Tod Breslau who, in 2002, redevelopeda rundown motel, launching it as The Jupiter— now one of the coolest places in town. Stayhere, or at The Jupiter Next across the road, alsoredeveloped by Bunker and Breslau, this timebuilding on a rundown burger restaurant andused car lot.If you’re looking for a workout, Evolution

Healthcare and Fitness is at the back of JupiterNext and guests get discounts on their fitnessclasses, massage, acupuncture and altitudetraining.Breakfast at The Doug Fir Lounge, a famous

music venue and bar/restaurant on site at TheJupiter. You’ll get classic eggs/bacon/bagel/pancake-type fare (served daily from 7am-11am,and until 3pm on weekends) and bottomlessfilter coffee, in a retro log-cabin-style decor withhuge windows looking out to Burnside’s earlymorning comings and goings. Or, if you justneed a quick, sugar hit, walk 10 minutes east to

Voodoo Doughnut Too, an Eastside outpost ofthe famous Portland chain, which can oftenhave queues out the door.Heading west along Burnside St, you’ll

find a selection of shops to browse —try Redux Boutique for jewellery andaccessories from local designers,Hattie’s Vintage Clothing for second-hand treasures, and Machus forinternational designer men’s clothing.Time for coffee? A proper coffee,

not an American poor imitation? Headnorth to Cup and Bar, where the brewsfrom Trailhead Coffee Roasters (whohave their roastery on site) will be almostas good as you’ll get at home.You’re on holiday, you deserve to relax, so

why not spend the afternoon kicking back overa beer, wine or spirit, or two? It’s what Portlandwould want. As well as close to 60 breweries,Portland is also home to craft cider producers,distilleries and urban wineries, where grapesare brought in from vineyards around Oregonand blended and aged on site.Try Cider Riot (house ciders, live music and

events), Wild Roots Spirits (craft vodkas, tastingroom, and bottles for purchase), the NatianTasting Room (15 craft beers on tap), Base CampBrewing Company (beers plus food cart tucker),

and Coopers Hall Winery and Taproom (44 tapsof wine, beer and cider, plus food).

Save room for dinner; the Eastsidehas so many great options you’ll wishyou packed a second stomach. Closeto the Jupiter, you’ll find Le Pigeonand Canard, fine-dining and casualrestaurants, respectively, fromacclaimed executive chef GabrielRucker.Around the corner is Nong’s Khao

Man Gai, a popular food truck servingHainanese chicken rice, and Marukin

Ramen, a casual Japanese noodle jointthat’s always buzzing. If you’re happy to

walk a little further, the cocktails and modernAmerican-style food at Trifecta, or the Russiandishes and plentiful vodka at Kachinka, comehighly recommended.If you’re still not ready for bed after all that,

you’ll find live music most nights at Doug Fir orthe Bossanova Ballroom, also on E Burnside.

Whichever side you choose, the heartbeatof the city is the same. And no matter how fastthe city changes — new bars, restaurants, hotelsand residents — Portland’s one constant is theWillamette River. Each day it flows unstoppable,the city’s guiding compass.

GETTINGTHERE

United Airlines flies fromAuckland to Portland, via

San Francisco, with one-wayEconomy Class fares from $1827.

united.com

DETAILStravelportland.com

Powell’s City of Books, which claims to be the world’s largest independent bookstore. Photo / Travel Portland

Coffee fix at Portland’sCup and Bar

0800 470 005www.yourtravel.co.nz

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