Destinations: When in Portland

America's stealth hot spot, Portland, Ore., has been transformed from a sleepy industrial city into a hub for musicians, artists and foodies seeking refuge from the stress of the East Coast and the high prices of California. Modest Mouse, the Dandy Warhols, the Decemberists and Pink Martini all call Portland home, as do filmmakers Todd Haynes and Gus Van Sant.

BY Advocate.com Editors

June 09 2008 12:00 AM ET

THE BITE

Toro Bravo
120 N.E. Russell St.; (503) 281-4464
ToroBravopdx.com
The long wait is more than worth it for the
tapas menu bursting with intense, rapturous flavors. A
hot spot, Toro Bravo is excellent for a group, so you
can share the most dishes possible. If there are just two
of you, try sitting at the bar to jump ahead of the line.

Le Pigeon
738 E. Burnside St.; (503) 546-8796
LePigeon.com
Trucker cap-wearing enfant terrible chef Gabriel
Rucker concocts ingenious dishes built around
improbable meats like pig ear, sweetbreads and yes,
pigeon.

THE ART

Quality
Pictures 916 N.W. Hoyt St.; (503) 227-5060
Qpca.com
Much of the local art scene is long on
enthusiasm but short on polish. Not so here. Located
in Pearl District, Quality Pictures presents
cutting-edge group exhibitions featuring the best artists
from Portland and beyond.

THE THREADS

Upper
Playground 23 N.W. Fifth Ave.; (503) 548-4835
Fifty24pdx.com
An edgy selection of art books complements the
art on clothes and walls -- and it doesn't hurt that
the place is frequented by hot skaters and boarders in
search of the fresh tees and hoodies.

Further Reading

Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon
by Chuck Palahniuk The gay author
("Fight Club," "Choke") takes readers on a wayward
journey through his hometown.

Sidebar: A Portland Pint
There are 32 microbreweries within Portland's
city limits -- more than in any other city in the
world -- and most have brewpubs on the premises.

Rogue Ales'
Portland Pub (1339 N.W. Flanders; 503-222-5910) serves up
the zingy Juniper Pale Ale, the creamy Morimato Soba
and the decadent Chocolate Stout.

Amnesia Brewing
(832 N. Beech St.; 503-281-7708) offers a traditional
outdoor German-style beer garden popular with foodie and gay
crowds.

McMenamins makes
fine beers, but its real innovation is combining two of
America's favorite pastimes -- drinking beer and watching
movies -- at eight theater-pub locations around the
city. The Mission Theater (1624 N.W. Glisan;
503-223-4527) and Baghdad Theater and Pub (3702 S.E.
Hawthorne Blvd.; 503-236-9234) have the most diverse crowd
and are very friendly.