Portland city guide. By Summer Allison Gibson, a Californian lifestyle blogger who nowmakes her home in theOregon capital. Visitdesignismine.blogspot.comtoreadwhat she has to report.

A sparkling fresh and eco sustainable American town, capital of the state of Oregon. The hometown of filmmaker Gus Van Sant, a hub for artisan beer culture, organic food and outdoor bicycling. Once a sleepy port city where old hippies and artists took a famously laidback approach to pursuing the American Dream, today – thanks to a tangible rebirth in all neighborhoods – Portland is a pole of attraction for young designers, painters, intellectuals and web artists.
Built on the Williamette River, the city is divided in blocks following cardinal points. Each area has unique

characteristics and presents various types of architecture, lifestyles and interests. The classiest section is the Pearl district on the northwest end. The quirkiest, artiest one, full of yuppies and bohos, is Alberta in the north east. And while Mississippi features beautiful Victorian homes, Williams-Vancouver is a mini boom town. Then there’s the historic quarter in the southwestern part of the city, as well as a vibrant southeast district rich in pubs, bistrots, vintage shops and street musicians. Welcome to Portland!

FOOD DIRECTORY
In every corner of this town there’s a treat to discover: from portable streetfood stalls (which is how some of the top local chefs started out) to the very finest of restaurants, with great attention to the selection of organic, vegetarian and vegan foods, as well as

artisan beers and fusion dishes. In the Nob Hill district traditional American cuisine using seasonal organic produce is all the rage. Here one fine restaurant is Paley’s Place (paleysplace.net) in an old Victorian home. The spot not to miss in the Pearl district is Fullers Coffee Shop, a classic American diner with 1940s décor (136 NW 9th Ave).

Williams-Vancouver – one of the areas in town that is expanding the most – is famous for its distinct look and tantalizing desserts in the local pastry shops. To go with dessert, how about an excellentwine, sweet liqueurornice espresso coffee from the Pix Patisserie (3901 N. Williams Ave., www. pixpatisserie.com)? For a different type of drinking experience, immerse yourself in the timeless dimension of the SaffireHotel, a lounge bar in a former 1930s brothel. The combination of soft

lighting and vintage lingerie on the walls serves to set an exquisitely sensual mood (Sapphire Hotel 5008 SE Hawthorne Blvd., thesapphirehotel.com).

WHERE TO STAY
Home sweet home. There are two hotels for feeling perfectly at home during your stay. The Ace Hotel (1022 SW Stark, acehotel.com) is where it’s at in town, the place to be. All you must do is sit in the lobby to sense the energy of Portland and interact with the city's infinite talents. And then there’s theHotel Deluxe (729 SW 15th St., www.hoteldeluxeportland.com) in a charming historic landmark building, Art Déco noir style.

BORNTO SHOP
Portland is heaven for vintage lovers. Portlanders never throw things away,

they recycle and reuse them. Here’s where to go for grea t f inds : Xt aba y (2515 SE Cl inton St . , xtabayvintage.blogspot.com), a mindboggling selection of vintage fashion clothing; Flutter (3948 N. Mississippi Ave., www.flutterclutter.com), for more in the way of vintage; Hive (820 NW Glisan, hivemodern.com), an eden for mid-century style fans. Last but not least, Powell’s City of Books is the place for rare and out-of-print books.