I just need summer to be here already. I miss camping. I miss long, full weekend trips. But it's still winter, and sometimes we get just a little peek at warmer temperatures and clear skies. Nature is such a tease. The pooch and I took full advantage of a leisurely neighborhood stroll a couple of weeks ago when the sun was out. Please note that the map above is just a central location for the neighborhood...not my home...because stalkers.
Sellwood is my current stomping ground, and although I can't fathom why everything shuts down at 9:00 pm (this is an exaggeration, but a lot of stuff does shut down early evening so check in advance), and half the restaurants are closed on Sundays, I'm still extremely content to live in this quaint pocket of SE Portland.
Sellwood is my current stomping ground, and although I can't fathom why everything shuts down at 9:00 pm (this is an exaggeration, but a lot of stuff does shut down early evening so check in advance), and half the restaurants are closed on Sundays, I'm still extremely content to live in this quaint pocket of SE Portland.
Sellwood has got charm. Tons of pretentious coffee shops and antique stores. There are 2 pods of food carts and new restaurants opening up. New Season's for your overpriced-vegan-gluten-free-cage-free-grass-fed-free-trade-probiotic whatever. And easy access to get out of town in any direction you please. And it's quirky as hell. Sooooooooooooooooooooo Portland.
THE best pedicure in all of PDX can be found at eNails. Get the deluxe...it comes with a super long hot stone massage and is usually on special for $40. After a long hike, it is amazing.
Saburo's Sushi House is one of the top spots in town...and you will see a line wrapping around the block beginning at about 4:30 every evening. Put your name on the list, and wait while sipping fancy wine at the little shop next door which usually has live music.
THE best pedicure in all of PDX can be found at eNails. Get the deluxe...it comes with a super long hot stone massage and is usually on special for $40. After a long hike, it is amazing.
Saburo's Sushi House is one of the top spots in town...and you will see a line wrapping around the block beginning at about 4:30 every evening. Put your name on the list, and wait while sipping fancy wine at the little shop next door which usually has live music.
I like to think of traipsing through Sellwood as neighborhood treasure hunting. You can really just walk along any street, and see what you can find. Maybe it will be a creepy doll shrine...or a mutant turtle riding a pony, or rubber duckies lounging with alligators. You never know.
You may also find things like this...someone's homage to their fav band...literally set into a wall. *shakes head*
Or the much loved goats and chickens on Linn St. I swear there are more than this. All the other little critters were hiding on the day we stepped out. Sometimes, you'll find a random sidewalk chicken that has gotten out of the coop. It's nice to put them back in if you see them out...cougars roam around these parts.
Or the much loved goats and chickens on Linn St. I swear there are more than this. All the other little critters were hiding on the day we stepped out. Sometimes, you'll find a random sidewalk chicken that has gotten out of the coop. It's nice to put them back in if you see them out...cougars roam around these parts.
You may also just stumble upon a tea kiosk in the middle of an intersection which is part of a neighborhood project. I'm not sure who is tasked with cleaning up and heating the water every morning, but it is such a sweet gesture! The houses in this area are also whimsical and folk arty. Now, I know there is an insider information on the people that cultivated this area and that they are involved in other hip projects in Portland, but I can't remember what it is or who they are. You can find an interesting article here with lists of other such spots strewn throughout PDX. You can also call 503-797-4686 to hear the story.
And then there's this...the best spot here for eye candy and random photography in Sellwood is Oaks Park. There really is nothing creepier than closed down carnival rides. Well, maybe clowns. If there were some clowns in there it would be worse.
It's also a fun place to go (after lowering your expectations) to ride on busted up carnival rides, play mini golf, or roller skate. BTW, the roller derby babes work it out in an old airplane hangar out back. No big deal. You can catch a bout, and then head over to the Sellwood Public House where they usually party afterwards...they have THE best pizza in SE.
Located directly behind the rides is a city park. I would name it Dog Park, or maybe Shit Park, due to all the dogs. So many dogs. ALL the dogs. There is an off leash area, but that doesn't mean that people use common sense and only bring dogs that are properly socialized. This past summer I witnessed a lot of dogs' sexual boundaries being crossed by some idiot's 2 mongrels. It was actually a little horrifying...people rushing and peeling barking dogs off of their dogs...you get the idea. She would exclaim, "they never do that!" Two seconds later, more dog rapes.
Ok, I'm talking a lot of crap about this park, but they have great free concerts during the summer, and a path that leads to several docks and a beach on the Willamette River. It is a great spot to catch some sun, walk the dog, or set out on a kayak or SUP board and head up river through the heart of downtown. The location close to the water was what initially attracted me to the area...and all of the weird things are a giant bonus!
Ok, I'm talking a lot of crap about this park, but they have great free concerts during the summer, and a path that leads to several docks and a beach on the Willamette River. It is a great spot to catch some sun, walk the dog, or set out on a kayak or SUP board and head up river through the heart of downtown. The location close to the water was what initially attracted me to the area...and all of the weird things are a giant bonus!
And if you can believe it, there is even more amazingness. Running right through here is Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge with hiking trails, and the Springwater Corridor for easy biking access to downtown PDX or a 40 mile ride if that's your thing. I've even found some rocks amidst the stones over here. Not the best hounding, but there was some quartz and a piece of petrified wood. River clams? I don't know what those are but I just like shells, ok? Don't judge me.
It is an enchanting place to call home; surprises around every corner. Grab some coffee, walk about, ride some rides, get some pizza, and buy some bric-a-brac.