I’m Elinor Jones, and I’m so glad you’re here. This column is generally a round-up of the latest in garbage news and gossip, but this being the food issue of the Mercury, there will be morsels of food mixed in. Hey, it’s just like a real dumpster! Hold your noses, my friends: it’s trash time.
It’s Our Party
You may have heard that America’s 250th birthday just happened, and there were lots of extravagant celebrations in Washington, DC. You know that thing when somebody throws themselves a birthday party, but it feels really forced and honestly kind of depressing because their moment has passed and they really shouldn’t be partying at all anymore?
Yeah, that was both me turning 32 and now, America turning 250. The rest of the world is watching us tape flags over our crumbling infrastructure like my friends watched me glop on concealer under my eyes, just like, “girl, are you okay?” One of the centerpieces of the 250th is the Great American State Fair on the National Mall that Trump is, of course, making all about himself with MAGA branding, which is deterring a lot of normal people from wanting to go at all. This is a shame, because few things bring Americans together like deep-fried food on sticks; that giant fair presented an opportunity for some actual unity!
Multiple musical acts backed out of performing at the fair, but FBI Director Kash Patel ’s country singer girlfriend Alexis Wilkins stayed on board, and apparently she even got the coveted spot performing the National Anthem. Wilkins insisted she got the gig on her own merits, despite not having a record deal or any fanbase beyond wealthy GOP donors. Totally!
And Kash Patel got invited into the men’s hockey locker room at the Olympics because he’s a chill guy to have a beer with.
We’ll Cry if We Want To
A new poll shows that America’s global popularity is the lowest it’s ever been (so far!), and Trump is also the least popular president ever. Those birthday party plan ners are going to have to cut back on the chairs or that shindig is going to look more dismal than Trump’s inaugurations, or Trump Jr’s last wedding.
tried to make the reflecting pool? It’d be an easy cake to make, because it would
The folks who make it to DC will have to navigate construction equipment and barricades, as whatever parts of the country Trump hasn’t destroyed are currently barred from public view for being a mess, like the reflecting pool in front of the Washington Monument. Trump, obviously lying, is trying to blame protesters for the pool’s sorry state. Meanwhile, actual protesters are actually fucking up a Trump development, but way over in Albania: Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump have been trying to build a luxury tourist development on a protected island, and locals are not having it. The response is so fierce it could legit oust the Albanian Prime Minister, who has been working with Kushner. The movement has been dubbed “the Flamingo Revolution.” Imagine being brought down by some gangly, pink, freaky-necked, knob-kneed shrimp slurpers. And then there’s the flamingos!
Summer Dining
Related, Food Network icon
Ina Garten shared her 4th of July menu and it includes cookout classics like potato salad, corn, and of course, the American flag cake, decorated with stripes of red and blue berries. What if we start a new tradition this year called “American Flag Blue Cake,” inspired by the color Trump
too lazy to pee after sex—now you can have your cocktails fight the UTIs for you! And your bartenders will love you for ordering something that takes two seconds to make, thus increasing the likelihood of your bartender falling in love with you, and you getting to have the sex that the vodka cran will address. It’s a perfect ecosystem.
The Show of the Summer Is…
The final season of modern kitchen horror comedy The Bear is finally out, and I expect it to finally answer some of the show’s long-run ning questions: Will Syd finally step into the spot light? Will Richie ever forgive Carmy? Will Carmy’s white T-shirt sleeves lose their battle against his biceps? Most importantly, is yelling a flavor? I know I will be tuning in to find out! Speaking of restau rants, but a real one: the restaurant chain Red Lobster is attempting to cling to relevance—not through items that people enjoy, like popcorn shrimp and biscuits, but with an intangible data concept
BY ELINOR JONES
that people hate: Artificial Intelligence. The new CEO claims it will make Red Lobster the “most AI-forward” chain ever. Forget that “when you’re here, you’re family” kind of crap; the new tagline can be “when you’re here, you’re training our iterative models to maximize capital for our investors.” Homey!
The Song of the Summer Is…
Nothing! CNN said that we don’t get one this year. Our reliance on our algos has fractured the pop culture monoculture experience, so that nobody is listening to the same stuff at the same time like we Taylor Swift’s wedding to might just be the last thing we all pay attention to. Next up is sectarian violence. Really wish we went out on a better album than Life of a Showgirl
The Vacation of the Summer Is…
Not Europe, where it’s been over 100 degrees already this year. King Charles, ever a man of the people, has dealt with the temps by having somebody follow him around all day with his own motorized fan. The only other rich guy I can think of who had someone on staff just to carry around a comfort item was Diddy with his umbrella handler, so if that’s the look the King is going for, he’s nailing it. He already has the close-association-with-pedophiles thing going for him.
Home Run!
I have learned that there is new slang for sex from the reality show Love Island , and it involves food. Apparently “french fries” is a new term referring to doing more than smooching, but less than sex, and like, isn’t that what bases are for? Do they not teach young people about baseball anymore?! French fries is already used on a perfect item (fried potatoes) and I don’t want its search results muddied by reality show deviancy in this way. If this takes off we’ll have to go back to calling them “freedom fries” and then the terrorists really will have won.
Deliciously yours,
Deal or No Deal: The Moda Center Controversy Explained
Who’s
actually
responsible for Moda Center improvements? It may not be who you think.
BY COURTNEY VAUGHN
COLLAGE BY ANTHONY KEO
The Portland Trail Blazers fought their way to the 2026 NBA playoffs, but now, their toughest opponents may be in City Hall.
The team’s majority owner, Tom Dundon, is trying to iron out a deal with the city for a major, state-of-the-art renovation of the Moda Center that could cost more than $600 million. Recently released records and memos show that’s a far more ambitious responsibility than the city had in mind when it agreed to take ownership of the Moda Center in 2024. Will the city splurge on a venue remodel it can’t afford, or flex its negotiating power?
This (not so) old house
The Moda Center—initially called the Rose Garden Arena—was privately owned when it was built in 1995 on city-owned land. According to the terms of a lease, the city of Portland was expected to take ownership of the arena after 30 years. In 2024, the city agreed to assume ownership a year early as part of a lease deal that would keep the Trail Blazers playing at the Moda Center until at least 2030, according to city records.
At the time, the team was still owned by the estate of the late Paul Allen, and operated by his sister, Jody Allen.
The city commissioned a third party to perform a facility condition assessment
of the Moda Center, akin to an inspection done on a home before its purchase. The verdict? Despite three decades of games, concerts, rowdy crowds, spilled beer, and blood, sweat, and tears from fans and athletes alike, the venue is in pretty good shape, overall.
“Moda Center as a 30 year old facility is in good condition for its age,” Venue Solutions Group wrote in its 2024 report to the city. “It would be difficult to say there are any failing architectural aspects of the facility, as the building has generally been well maintained for the duration of its lifespan.”
Venue Solutions Group estimated the city could expect to spend about $482
million to keep up with needed repairs, replacements and technology upgrades over the next 20 years, not including replacement of the arena’s decommissioned ice floor, which is no longer used. Then came 2025.
The penny-pinching billionaire
When news broke that the Trail Blazers were sold to an investment group led by Dundon, reactions were mixed, then quickly soured when it was revealed that Dundon, a notoriously frugal billionaire, wouldn’t spring for special edition fan shirts when
GETTY IMAGES / JEREMIAH HAYDEN
the Blazers made it to the Western Conference playoffs in the 2025-26 season for the first time since 2021. The team’s owner had also scaled back heavily on standard travel expenses and hotel costs.
“Never, ever in my entire life have the Portland Trail Blazers ownership group looked like broke [bargain] basement … nonsense,” Trysta Krick, a podcaster and WNBA and NBA analyst for NBC Sports said in an April 18 Instagram post, railing against Dundon for refusing to pony up for accoutrements. “These guys are billionaires.”
Krick, never one to mince words when it comes to basketball, likened Dundon to a “government cheese” “broke bitch” whose penny-pinching ownership was unparalleled.
The Blazers, Dundon argues, should have a state-of-the-art arena if Portland is serious about keeping its NBA team; just don’t ask the team to pay for it.
Around the same time, the team’s new ownership revealed its stance that the Moda Center needs more than just the standard upkeep and renovations identified in the facility assessment. The Blazers, Dundon argues, should have a state-of-the-art arena if Portland is serious about keeping its NBA team; just don’t ask the team to pay for it.
Despite the Oregon Legislature committing $365 million toward Moda Center upgrades via Senate Bill 1501, Dundon has yet to woo Portland city councilors, whose votes he’ll need if he wants a fully publicly-funded Moda renovation included in the Blazers Moda Center lease. Portland’s elected leaders have promised transparency and due diligence in long-term lease negotiations with Rip City Rising–the Blazers ownership group primarily owned by Dundon. Dundon also owns the Carolina Hurricanes hockey team.
Karl Lisle, the city of Portland’s spectator venues program manager, laid out what the city should expect over the next 20 years under different scenarios.
“It is critically important to note that the [facility condition assessment] looks only at what investments would be necessary to maintain the building in its current configuration in good working order for 20 years,” Lisle stated in a memo to Portland’s Deputy City Administrator of Community and Economic Development, Donnie Oliveira. “It does not contemplate the transformative renovation that is being proposed publicly by the Blazers.”
If the Blazers were to leave after 2030, it would present unique challenges for the city to recoup the revenue loss, Lisle noted, but it could also give the city an opportunity to recalibrate its lease terms.
One group that hasn’t been present in the conversation: the Portland Fire. The
city’s recently resurrected WNBA team doesn’t have a lease agreement with the city and instead sublets the Moda Center through the Blazers.
“The City and Trail Blazers intend to ensure that the renovation meets the needs of the WNBA and all other subtenants, including concerts and other events,” Alison Perkins, a public information officer for the city of Portland, told the Mercury.
Some speculate that Dundon’s threat of moving the Blazers out of Portland has lost steam since the approval of an NBA expansion that is likely to put additional teams in markets like Seattle and Las Vegas, and the sheer fact that moving the team could cost more than the arena renovation. Still, the prospect looms over forthcoming contract negotiations between Dundon and the city.
At the Portland Metro Chamber’s annual meeting in June, its CEO and president, Andrew Hoan, asked Dundon how he kicks back to relax. Even in a city that generally eschews dressing for anything but utility, Dundon stood out in his signature athleisure wear at a high-priced ticketed event that called for business wear. The 54-yearold Texas-based sports team owner said he prefers to keep moving, but loves spending time with his wife and five kids.
“Maybe I don’t do the hard parts, but I do the fun parts,” Dundon said.
Dundon’s negotiating style appears similar to the way he parents. When it comes to the arena, Dundon also appears to avoid the hard parts, instead asking the city, county, and state to pay $600 million to make stateof-the-art improvements to the Moda Center without the Blazers’ investment group pitching in.
In Dundon’s eyes, him buying the team was enough of an investment.
“Everybody can characterize things however they want,” Dundon said. “I don’t see it the same way, but I’m not trying to get people to agree or disagree with me. I just know it feels like we’re making a pretty big investment by staying here and paying these tax rates and agreeing to these fees for dollars that go back into the building.”
How the city cashes in It’s unlikely the Blazers management group, Rip City Rising, can fully duck out on splitting the bill for arena renovations. An agreement between the city and the team’s owners includes a stipulation that the team, not the city, would operate and maintain the Moda Center with “first-class improvements in accordance with then prevailing standards for similar properties of equivalent age, in good operating order and condition.”
That contract language could be key in making sure Dundon doesn’t try to stick the public with the full cost of renovating a venue that is all but guaranteed to drive up revenue for his team.
“I thought the whole point of this $600 million investment was to make it a firstclass arena, so why haven’t we filed a lawsuit asking for $600 million dollars?” District 3 City Councilor Steve Novick asked during a June 24 work session to discuss the Moda Center. “I say that playfully, but not lightly.”
It’s unclear exactly how the city will enforce the terms of its lease agreement that call for venue upgrades.
Proponents of a remodel deal that aligns with Dundon’s requests argue the Moda Center—primarily the Blazers—have a sizable impact on Portland’s economy, but quantifying that impact can be difficult.
The city’s economic impact analysis measures direct sales generated from the Moda Center, but it also gauges economic impact using a “multiplier effect” as part of a proprietary software modeling system called IMPLAN. That economic multiplier looks at additional economic impacts “produced through the re-spending of direct spending.”
In 2022-23, direct spending associated with the Rose Quarter campus (Moda Center and the Veterans Memorial Coliseum) was reported at just over $322 million. By the time indirect and induced spending was factored in, the Moda’s estimated impact ballooned to more than $631 million, not counting the $294 million in labor income from the Moda and Trail Blazers salaries.
Currently, the city collects money on the Moda Center in a few different ways. It collects income from event bookings, fees from suites, parking garage revenue, and a 6 percent cut of all ticket sales. It also collects income taxes on people like NBA players and major touring artists who play there. The most recently available estimates peg the Trail Blazers’ salaries at a combined $231.6 million. The city collected about $11.23 million in direct revenue from Moda Center fees in 2022-23, according to the economic impact study commissioned by the city.
While the venue generates money, skeptics point to a growing body of research showing no tangible return on investment
when cities pour hundreds of millions into building or renovating sports stadiums. The capital outlay often outweighs the economic benefits.
Rip City ain’t a rich city
While state legislative leaders like Governor Tina Kotek have been quick to acquiesce to Dundon’s requests, Portlanders have different ideas about where their state and city’s limited resources should be spent.
Out of nearly 18,400 respondents whose feedback was captured via an online survey and in-person listening sessions, 42 percent said renovating the Moda Center was “not important.” Conversely, 32 percent consider it “very important.” While city officials warn the results aren’t statistically valid, they provide the first real glimpse into public opinion on the price of civic pride, and how much Portlanders are willing to sacrifice to keep their beloved basketball team.
Some consider the team a “cultural institution that intersects multiple identities.”
Others feel the city shouldn’t be meddling in sports or managing arenas, and consider the Blazers a drain on city resources.
The timeline for a decision and major renovation work is drawing near. A legally binding agreement is expected by the end of the year, and Portland’s mayor has called for renovation to be complete before the Moda Center is scheduled to host the NCAA Women’s Final Four tournament in 2030.
Jeremiah Hayden contributed reporting to this story.
Above: Tom Dundon interviewed by Metro Chamber's Andrew Hoan. Below: Councilor Mitch Green speaks at a demonstration outside the Moda.
CREDIT: JEREMIAH HAYDEN
THE BLACK BYLINE
Maury Povich vs Thomas Jefferson and America’s 250th Birthday
Or, why America loves entertainment more than decorum at 250 years old.
BY DONOVAN SCRIBES
ILLUSTRATION BY EBIN LEE
Are you not entertained?
—Russell Crowe as Maximus, Gladiator (2003)
YOU ARE NOT THE FATHER!
If Maury —the longrunning daytime talk show hosted by Maury Povich—were around in 1776, Thomas Jefferson would have been the perfect guest—I’m talking season opener level. Jefferson, the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, allegedly had secret children that he not only owned, but lived with—all while married with another wife and family. If that’s not a daytime talk show plot line, I don’t know what is.
America turned 250 this month, and this quarter-millennium begs the question: Does America value entertainment more than decorum? Moreover, has America always been a bit of a hot mess?
rivaled the peak of Roman Colosseum events. I watched far too many of these episodes in my elementary and middle school days—and I know y’all did, too.
The show was defined by its weekly paternity reveals, coupled with theatrically overwrought reactions to the results: waterfall tears, jumping on couches, dance
this era—from Ricki Lake and Jenny Jones to Jerry Springer —thrived on drama. Secret children, out of control teenagers, race wars, love triangles—mess.
At its peak, Maury was one of the mostwatched shows in America, averaging five to six million viewers per episode.
Entertainment is easily one of the most
Expansive as his mind and interests were, his thoughts on race often lived in the gutter.
In his 1785 book, Notes on the State of Virginia, he declares Blacks as inferior.
“Comparing them by their faculties of memory, reason, and imagination, it appears to me that in memory they are equal to the whites; in reason much inferior.”
The current president celebrated the milestone last month by hosting a UFC cage fight on the White House lawn. And while I had to roll my eyes, I couldn’t help but recognize that the man is a showman, and this country loves a show.
Few shows have been loved in this country like Maury
Maury was the reigning champion of daytime TV throughout the ’90s and mid2000s. The classic “you are not the father!” punchline, delivered while revealing paternity test results, always elicited laughs and jeers from the crowd which certainly
If Maury were around in 1776, Thomas Jefferson would have been the perfect guest.
routines, and of course running backstage—falling out in convulsions.
Maury, like so many other shows from
potent forces in our society in that it can be both a mirror and director of culture. It’s by way of that force that even art that’s not explicitly political has some role in steering the politics of the day.
YOU ARE THE FATHER!
Thomas Jefferson is oft-heralded as a top tier intellect. Jefferson, the nation’s third president, concerned himself greatly with matters of the world. He knew five languages, played several instruments, loved the arts, and had an affinity for agriculture.
While slavery went against Jefferson’s ideals, he simultaneously believed that there was no place for Black people in this country should emancipation come to pass, likening the notion to having “a wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go.” Given such, he advocated that Black people should return to Africa.
Sounds familiar.
Despite Jefferson’s meek anti-slavery stance, he built a 5,000 acre plantation in Virginia that rivaled the size of the Disneyland Resort, complete with 600 enslaved people who could grow his crops and tend to his cattle.
His Monticello home still stands as one of the most revered landmarks in the country today.
Jefferson loved to entertain and be entertained at his Monticello plantation.
He owned Sally Hemings, who was 14 when she first met Jefferson, who was 44.
*Cue: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar*
It’s widely believed Jefferson fathered six of her children across several decades, and possibly another, though it’s never been unequivocally confirmed. Two of
the four who survived to adulthood were allowed to leave the plantation without pursuit, and he granted freedom to the remaining two upon his death. Jefferson never granted Sally her freedom—she was “given her time” by Jefferson’s daughter after his death.
THE MINSTREL SHOW
The first quintessential American theatrical event was the minstrel show. Emerging in the 1830s, these stage shows saw White people darkening their faces, presenting mockeries of the plights of Black folks complete with song, dance, exaggerated facial features, and tattered clothing.
“These performances characterized blacks as lazy, ignorant, superstitious, hypersexual, and prone to thievery and cowardice,” according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. But the minstrel show wasn’t merely a stage play. It was big business, and launched some of the country’s first stars.
The popularity of minstrel plays decreased as a new entertainment medium came onto the scene: cinema.
As Hollywood began to take root as the “entertainment capital of the world,” Black people still found it hard to find roles in film without reinforcing the stereotypes oft-found on the minstrel stages.
Then came TV. By the ’60s, more than 90 percent of households in America had a television stationed in their living rooms, fundamentally changing American entertainment forever.
Today, Black folks make up just about six percent of directors and producers in American-made films and TV shows.
The entertainment industry has been shaken up in recent years between COVID, the emergence of AI, and big corporate mergers. As such, it’s harder and harder to get new shows greenlit these days. It’s even harder if those new shows are Black.
I saw this up close with my show, Where We Goin: The Power of Place. Created alongside Devin Boss and Zoe Piliafas, this docuseries explores a young Black man from the Whitest city in America (Portland) exploring the Blackest zip codes in the country on his search for home and belonging. We debuted the pilot nearly two years ago to a buzzing crowd at the iconic Hollywood Theatre, and just days after the ’24 election, a night when many of us thought we’d be celebrating the first Black woman president.
Since then, we’ve screened the pilot across the country, picking up awards along the way—along with praise from producers of some of our favorite films and shows.
Alas, we’ve never been able to get the series greenlit.
By contrast, Maury ended in 2022 after 30 years on air.
Today, the American entertainment industry is valued somewhere in the realm of a trillion dollars. To put that in context, a million seconds is about 12 days; a trillion seconds is about 32,000 years.
And we can’t get a piece of the American pie to talk about home and belonging?
FREEDOM (OF ENTERTAINMENT)
Many rightfully gasped when our president threatened to wipe an entire country off the map with a mere tweet a couple months ago. By contrast, Thomas Jefferson expanded the American empire with the flick of a pen, commissioning the Louisiana Purchase, the Oregon Trail, and by doing so signed off on the slaying of hundreds of Indigenous people. Simultaneously, Jefferson, the abolitionist, expanded the footprint of slavery in these growing United States.
Oh, how it must have pained him.
Every good show has a tagline, and if America had one it would be “freedom.”
There are surely freedoms in this country, but none perhaps greater than the freedom to be entertained.
Or moreover: the freedom of escapism.
There are endless paths to be enter -
While slavery went against Jefferson’s ideals, he simultaneously believed that there was no place for Black people in this country should emancipation come to pass.
tained in this country. Many of those have been forged, above all, as propaganda.
America vs The Terrorists.
America vs The Thugs.
America vs The Cartels.
America vs The Insurgents.
America vs Sin.
And when it comes down to it…
U.S. vs THEM.
The lynch mob mentality still lives in our DNA. From the Colosseum to our living rooms, to the Wild West of the World Wide Web. This particular brand of entertainment has never been more in demand and on-demand.
While today’s president surely lacks any semblance of decorum, he is wholly recognizable.
That drama. That mess.
That showmanship.
The genes of the Founding Fathers are strong.
We don’t need to bring Maury back to see what’s already there.
A UFC cage fight on the lawn of a White House built by enslaved hands somehow sums it up so perfectly.
Happy 250th, America.
Donovan Scribes is an award-winning writer, communications consultant, speaker and producer. A former vice president of the Portland NAACP, he writes on culture, place, and politics. Follow him on Instagram @donovanscribes. Want to keep the conversation going? Email him at donovanscribes@gmail.com.
FOOD CARTS TOP 20 PORTLAND’S
Where to get Mexico City-style street food, Korean-Italian handmade pasta, giant warm gooey cookies, and more.
BY KATHERINE CHEW HAMILTON
Keeping track of Portland’s thousands of food carts is a daunting task, but the trusty Mercury is here to help with our hand-curated selection of the very best carts in town, organized by quadrant. Some of the best food in Portland is within these carts, offering a space for chefs to do what they do best, without the constraints of a traditional brick-and-mortar. There’s everything from Mexico City-style street food to Korean-Italian handmade pasta to super-smooth Italian espresso to gigantic gooey cookies. For this list, we excluded carts that also have brick-and-mortar locations (we love you, Bing Mi and Jojo!) as well as carts outside of Portland city limits (looking at you, Bake on the Run). Here are our favorite carts for summer 2026.
COURTEYS OF MAKULÍT
NOrthwest POrtland
A COMER
Though this cart opened about a year and a half ago, owner Margarita Martinez Estrada is no stranger to the food business—she used to sell tacos de canasta, tlacoyos, and pambazos at her stand back in Mexico City. Unlike a standard street taco, tacos de canasta are drizzled with chile oil and steamed, making all the flavors meld together into a floppy, tender pocket of flavor. Get them stuffed with beans, chorizo (soy or meat) and potato, or pork belly. The tlacoyo—thick, oval-shaped blue masa stuffed with beans or cheese—is crisp on the bottom and chewy on top, sprinkled with tomatoes, cheese, and house-pickled nopales. And this is one of the best spots in town for a pambazo: chorizo and potato on a guajillo chile-drenched bun, dressed with lettuce and sour cream. Aguas frescas are often surprising, but always delicious, from taro horchata to guava-mango. Make it your refueling destination after a hike in Forest Park. 2788 NW Thurman, @acomerpdx
NOrtheast POrtland
KEE’S #LOADED KITCHEN
MLK STREET FOOD
You want to see bounty? You want to see a so-called “plate” that takes up four takeout containers and comes with all the sides, plus a drink and dessert? Kee Nelson, who grew up in Northeast Portland, serves the best soul food in town. There’s no such thing as a light lunch at Kee’s, nor are there options for vegetarians or picky eaters—and you’d better get there early before she’s sold out. Menu staples include super-flaky cornmeal-battered catfish, crispy chicken wings, juicy pork chops, and the Tillamook-loaded “mac and Kees.” Kee is also a master with the smoker—grab the ribs if they’re on special. She’s also a talented baker, so keep an eye out for the mini sweet potato pie. 3625 NE MLK Jr, @keesloadedkitchen_
BARI FOOD CART
PIEDMONT STATION
Portland’s only panzerotti comes from this food cart, where Walter Ferrante makes this street food specialty from his hometown of Bari in Southern Italy. Panzerotti, for the uninitiated, is basically a folded-over fried pizza or a fried calzone. But it’s not as nap-inducing as it might sound—the dough is airy and lightly fried, serving as a crisp shell for the gooey mozzarella and tomato inside. You can also add extra fillings, from artichokes (a personal favorite) to sausage to occasional specials like pastrami. Although the panzerotti alone won’t put you into a food coma, dessert will—this is some of the best cannoli and tiramisu in town. 625 NE Killingsworth, @barifoodcartpdx
LONCHERÍA LOS MAYAS
This Yucatecan cart is Portland’s destination for the textbook-perfect panucho: a handmade corn tortilla that’s fried and stuffed with mashed black beans, then topped with the meat of your choice, pickled onions, a slice of tomato and avocado,
Kee’s #lOaded kitchen
KEE NELSON SERVING THE #LOADED EVERYTHING PLATE
and optional (but highly recommended) habanero salsa. For best results, choose the cochinita pibil as your protein—fallapart pork that’s cooked in orange juice and achiote. The tacos here are stellar, too, all served on handmade tortillas—but the spinach sope is a strong contender, with spinach blended into the masa for a deep green color, topped with pinto beans and plenty of mozzarella. 2515 NE Alberta and 4205 NE Alberta, @loncherialosmayas
MOLE MOLE
23RD AND ALBERTA, PROST!
Mole Mole easily wins the award for most beautiful dishes coming out of a food
and grilled veggies. 2231 NE Alberta and 4237 N Mississippi, molemolepdx.com, @molemole_mexicancuisine
CHOCHU LOCAL
ROSE CITY FOOD PARK
Having Chochu Local nearby feels like you’ve got an open invite to a giant family barbecue. This is barbecue, Chamoru-style—the cuisine of Guam and the Mariana Islands. All the way from the parking lot, you can smell the chicken, ribs, and pork belly on the grill. Order the fiesta plate: all three meats on top of red rice, plus salad greens with sesame dressing for a little brightness. Come with friends so you can load up on side dishes, including crispy, deep-orange Chamoru-style empanadas stuffed with chicken and toasted rice, golden lumpia, kimchi noodles. The sleeper hit is the kelaguen, cold chopped meat salad with citrus, chile, onions, and coconut. Usually it’s chicken, but watch Chochu Local’s Instagram for their occasional octopus kelaguen special. Either way, pair the kelaguen with titiyas, or coconut milk flatbread. 5235 NE Sandy, chochulocal.square.site, @chochu_local
J VEIN CAFFÉ
ROSE CITY FOOD PARK
In a coffee-obsessed town, J Vein, a little espresso bar housed in a sleek aluminum Spartan Manor trailer, stands out. Other than Spella itself—which is where owner JJ Johnston sources his coffee—this is the best Italian-style espresso in town, whether downed straight or topped with silky foam for a cappuccino. Johnston makes your coffee at the window while you wait, allowing for a little more chit-chat and community-building than you get at most coffee shops. And it’s a treat to watch Johnston at his craft, especially if he’s making one of the more labor-intensive drinks on the menu like a caffe shakerato—espresso vigorously shaken with ice in a cocktail shaker to create a fine froth. Order an affogato for impossibly creamy homemade ice cream in flavors like maple or scorpion chile. The chairs outside encourage conversation with other J Vein regulars, giving the food cart pod a bit of an Italian piazza feel. 5235 NE Sandy, @jveincaffe
SOuthwest POrtland
YOSHI’S SUSHI
MULTNOMAH FRENCH QUARTER
YOshi’s sushi
LIME
cart, thanks in part due to their literal dishes—custom-made in Puebla, Mexico with “Mole Mole” painted on the rim— but mostly thanks to their gorgeous food. Mole, of course, is the star of the show, coming in three varieties—dark brown mole poblano, lime-green mole verde, and the standout bright pink mole rosa, made with beets and pine nuts. Try the mole rosa over wild salmon, or get a trio of enchiladas, each with a different mole. The menu is sizable, but full of bangers, from the cozy red pozole to the quesabirria tacos to the aguas frescas—and for vegans, there’s a wide selection of fillings including vegan tinga, tofu, soyrizo, soy curls, portobello,
Yoshi’s serves Portland’s best food cart sushi; we’d put it head to head against many of Portland’s brick-and-mortar sushi restaurants, too. Unfortunately, this is no secret to many Portlanders. Yoshi’s doesn’t even take walk-up orders; instead, the phone lines open at 10 am for each day’s pre-orders. Still, the planning ahead and (gulp) talking on the phone is well worth it. Each kind of nigiri comes dotted with its own garnish: yuzu pepper marmalade on the seared sea scallop, ginger-miso paste and microgreens on the salmon, and grated daikon and green onion on the albacore. Most dishes are gluten-free, and for plant-based eaters, there’s shiitake mushroom nigiri and a signature green roll with sesame spinach and peppers. 3530 SW Multnomah, yoshispdx.com, @yoshispdx
CHAR HARRIS
COURTESY OF YOSHI’S SUSHI
SOutheast POrtland
GOLDEN TRIANGLE
ASIAN FUSION THE HEIST
The menu at this decade-plus old Lao, Cambodian, and Thai fusion cart is sprawling, but I’ll give you a tip. Make a beeline for the fried salt-and-pepper soft shell crab—it’s crispy, juicy, and not greasy, served with slices of jalapeño and green onion. You’ll also want some kind of noodle, whether it’s the Laoghetti, a Southeast Asian take on the classic meat sauce, or the coconut cream linguine with fried shrimp. Some kind of salad is also a must, whether it’s papaya salad, laab, or the nam kao (crispy rice) salad. And there’s no shortage of wings to choose from, including spicy-sweet fish sauce wings, chipotle pineapple, or Cambodian red curry. Keep an eye out for specials like salt and pepper Dungeness crab and golden rolls—turmeric crepes stuffed with ground pork and wrapped in rice paper. 4727 SE Woodstock, @goldentrianglepdx
KIM JONG GRILLIN’ THE HEIST
Owner and food cart legend Han Ly Hwang opened KJG in 2009, serving Korean food to Portlanders long before gochujang was all over New York Times Cooking. The bibim box is a classic Portland hangover cure: your choice of Korean BBQ meat and a fried egg over rice and japchae, with kimchi, daikon, and sprouts on the side. But the KJG Hot Dawg is an undersung hit—a Zenner’s hot dog on flaky banh mi bread, slathered with kimchi mayo and topped with all manner of crunch: sesame oil bean sprouts, spicy daikon, and pickled mango. A couple years ago, Hwang added a spicy pork “Munchwrap” to the menu, and it’s the stuff of stoners’ dreams, with a crispy cheesy crust crowning the whole hexagonal affair. 4727 SE Woodstock, kimjonggrillin.com, @kimjonggrillin
FRYBABY
THE HEIST
In today’s chicken lingo, KFC can mean Korean fried chicken or Kentucky Fried Chicken. Frybaby, however, incorporates elements of both. The chicken here is as Korean as it gets—your choice of wings (our pick), tenders, or drumsticks in soy-garlic, gochujang, or snow cheese—a slightly sweet Parmesan cheese dust that’s been trending in Korea the past few years. They even come served with gloves for keeping your fingers sauce-free. Many of the sides are Korean takes on fried chicken takeout sides: mashed potatoes with Korean-spiced curry gravy, mac ‘n’ cheese with kimchi cheese sauce, buttery rice topped with garlicky furikake, and classic fries. And while the hype around Popeye’s chicken sandwich has long died down, Frybaby’s chicken sandwich is going strong, served on an An Xuyen butter roll and dolled up with mayo and slaw. 4727 SE Woodstock, frybabypdx.com, @frybaby.pdx
COOKIE McCAKEFACE
THE HEIST
If you like warm cookies, Cookie McCake Face is your place. “Hot and ready in 5 min—like your mom!,” its sandwich board reads. And while preferences on cookie tex-
ture are as wildly different as people themselves, these super-thick, round cookies, which could be mistaken for scoops of ice cream at a distance, somehow hit all the notes—chewy, gooey, crispy. You can’t go wrong with chocolate chip, but the other choices are sure to tempt you away from the classic: a blue Cookie Monster-esque cookie with googly eyes stuffed with whole Oreos and Oreo pieces, a cream cheese white chocolate-stuffed sugar cookie with rainbow sprinkles and a frosted animal cookie on top, a S’mores-inspired number made with black cocoa powder and stuffed with marshmallow and graham pieces, and even an oatmeal, butterscotch, and raisin for those with grandmotherly tastes (yours truly included). 4727 SE Woodstock, cookiemccakeface.com, @cookiemccakeface
BARK CITY BBQ THE HEIST Bark City is about as well-renowned as barbecue carts come in Portland. In 2018, it was voted Eater Portland’s Cart of the Year; in 2019, Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor called Bark City’s ribs the best in Portland. But this great barbecue almost slipped through our fingers in 2023, when owner Michael Keskin decided to close up shop and move to Arizona. Thankfully, Keskin moved back a couple years ago, firing up the smoker for more of those stellar ribs. You can’t go wrong with any of the other meat choices here, from Texas brisket to turkey to housemade sausages and bacon. And while sides are often a sad afterthought at many barbecue places, the jalapeño mac and cheese with potato chips merits a visit alone. 4727 SE Woodstock, barkcitybbq.com, @barkcity.bbq
COOkie mcCakeface
bark city bbq
RIBS, BRISKET, TURKEY, SAUSAGE GOLDeN TRIANGLe
ISABEL LEMUS KRISTENSEN
ISABEL LEMUS KRISTENSEN
Continued from pg. 15
EL SAZÓN DE MI RANCHO
It’s impossible to overstate the grip the three taco plate has on me: handmade, thick, yet fluffy corn tortillas stuffed with impossibly juicy meats (get the carne asada, which comes in large, tender pieces with grilled onions), silky, fudgy refried beans, and fluffy rice. But the rest of the menu is sizable and full of solid choices, morning through night. A particular shoutout to my breakfast of choice, chilaquiles verdes with melt-in-your-mouth birria and fried eggs showered in cotija and sour cream. El Sazon nails everything down to the details, including the herby, zesty serrano salsa, the orange habanero salsa, and the aguas frescas, which rotate daily and range from cucumber lime to strawberry watermelon. 4606 SE Division, @elsazondemirancho
MERENDERO ESTELA
This cart specializes in the classic Honduran street dish: baleadas. At the heart of a baleada is the thick, freshly made flour tortilla, smothered with mashed red beans, fresh crumbled cheese, slices of silky avocado, and scrambled eggs, plus optional beautifully charred carne asada. But in a town full of fried chicken fanatics like Portland, it’s surprising that Merendero Estela’s fried chicken hasn’t gotten more love. The pollo con tajadas involves a juicy, crunchy quarter fried chicken served with thinsliced fried green plantains, all smothered in pickled onions and creamy mayo. Don’t skip the maracuya juice with crunchy passion fruit seeds or the Honduran-style horchata. 7107 SE 82nd, (503) 757-4702
NICE TIME STEEPLEJACK
HAWTHORNE
Making handmade pasta is an impressive feat anywhere, let alone inside a tiny food cart. But that’s exactly what Nice Time has been doing since opening in fall 2025, and it’s some of the best pasta you’ll find in town. Owners Chris and Saki Kim nail Italian classics, from spaghetti with fresh tomato, basil, and burrata to white ragu. But where the cart particularly shines is with its Korean-inflected pastas, including gochujang ragu ravioli stuffed with ricotta, and linguine with perilla seeds and enoki mushrooms. Seafood lovers should try the shrimp bisque oil pasta—which tastes like the essence of hundreds of shrimp shells—or go for specials like squid ink spaghettini or shiso crab pasta. 3757 SE Hawthorne, @nicetime.pdx
MAMA CHOW’S KITCHEN
STEEPLEJACK HAWTHORNE
Jeff Chow of Mama Chow’s Kitchen serves what he calls Oakland Chinatown cuisine. My own family has roots in Oakland Chinatown, and one bite of Mama Chow’s lollipop wings instantly transported me back to my favorite fried chicken counter there: micro-craggy, crispy skin and that unmistakable blend of sweet, fragrant spices. He pairs those with garlic noodles—another dish with Bay Area origins—made spicy to your liking and full of crispy onions. Chow folds every wonton himself, and the soup nails that Hong Kong-style chicken broth flavor. No wonder Mama Chow’s has been a Mercury favorite since critic Andrea Damewood extolled its virtues back when it opened in 2014. 3757 SE Hawthorne, @mamachowskitchen
Nice time
MAKULÍT MODHAUS
How do you transpose the bold, garlicky, vinegary flavors of Filipino food onto dishes that are decidedly not bold, like burgers and fries? But somehow, Makulit has done it, keeping the Filipino flavors on full blast. Take the Big Bunso burger: a beef and pork longanisa sausage patty paired with tangy papaya slaw and finished with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and fry sauce, all on a sesame bun from Filipino bakery Balong. The adobo poutine, where cheese curds and vinegary pulled pork adobo melt together over fries, is also a must-order, as is the Sticky Chicky, bites of fried chicken in a sweet, peppery finna’denne glaze. 3829 SE Division, makulitpdx.com, @makulitpdx
HAWKER STATION MODHAUS
In Portland, uttering the slightest whisper of “chicken rice” is sure to draw comparison to a famous former food cart. But this Singapore-style chicken rice, compared to Nong’s Thai khao man gai, is a totally different beast. Just as Nong’s is all about the sauce, Hawker Station’s chicken is anchored by scallion-ginger oil, punching up the cozy flavor of simple poached chicken. The chicken comes skin-on by default, which keeps the meat moist and adds flavor. But the rice is where all that super-chickeny flavor gets distilled down—even the low-carb folks won’t waste a grain. 3829 SE Division, @hawkerstationpdx
CHICK AND PIG MODHAUS
This Thai street food cart has a lengthy menu, but heed the house recommendation, whose enlarged photo towers over all the others: the pad kra pow with pork belly. The pork is juicy with crunchy skin, and the basil is freshly wilted in the heat of the wok, paired with a gooey, bubbly fried egg. (That said, versions of the dish with all sorts of proteins— from squid to ground chicken—are on our list for future visits.) Staple dishes are executed solidly here, from papaya salad to pad thai, as are more unusual dishes like fried chicken in panang curry. 3829 SE Division, chickandpigpdx.com, @chickpigpdx
PERILLA MUSHROOM PASTA
TACOS AND PANUCHOS
ISABEL LEMUS KRISTENSEN
REBECCA NGUYEN
COURTESY OF NICE TIME
COURTESY OF MAKULÍT
A Soft Spot for Soft Serve Portlanders all scream for soft serve ice cream.
BY TAYLOR GRIGGS
Portland is an ice cream town. While we may be best known for Salt & Straw’s eccentric scoops, we also have a robust menu of vegan ice cream options, as well as a burgeoning frozen custard scene and real-deal Italian gelato. One thing Portland lacks, however, is an East Coast-style network of Mister Softee trucks, serving up nostalgic, creamy servings of soft serve ice cream. But Portland has a surprisingly strong soft serve game— you just have to know where to look, as some of the best soft serve ice cream is hidden in restaurants better known for their other offerings.
To help you navigate Portland’s mysterious, expansive soft serve landscape, the Mercury has compiled a list of several
must-try spots, with soft serve options for the no-nonsense ice cream eater, the bougie soft serve connoisseur, and everyone in between. This is a non-exhaustive list. You also can find soft serve at Zuckercreme, Skyline Restaurant, Mike’s Drive In, Behind the Museum Cafe, Doe Donuts, and Hunker Down Food Cart, or head out of town to Sugarpine Drive-In, in addition to potentially thousands of other places harboring secret soft serve machines. Vegans, read on—there’s soft serve for you here, too.
Cheese & Crack
While it’s likely Portland’s best-known and most-hyped soft serve spot, Cheese & Crack’s ice cream is absolutely not overrated. As its name suggests, Cheese &
Crack started off as a cheese shop, and it also serves charcuterie, sandwiches, and wine. But the soft serve is the star of the show. Devotees eagerly await the monthly
Portland has a surprisingly strong soft serve game—you just have to know where to look.
sundae special, or partake from the standard menu, which includes several indulgent sundaes and cones. You can amp up the flavor of a vanilla cone by choosing
from an array of “dust” flavors, including chocolate malt, matcha, or even beet powder, or adding a chocolate cowboy hat to the top. But Cheese & Crack’s soft serve is great on its own—impossibly creamy, without a hint of iciness. This should be the first stop for anyone in Portland craving soft serve. 22 SE 28th, cheeseandcrack.com, @cheeseandcrack
Wonderwood Springs
Up in St. Johns, the eccentric Wonderwood Springs awaits lovers of soft serve, mini golf, and fantasy-themed restaurants alike. The restaurant and adjacent indoor mini golf course are the creations of Portland artist Mike Bennett, who went all out to give guests an immersive fantasy experience. Soft serve offerings include
CHAR HARRIS
Soft serve cones from Cheese & Crack: left with chocolate and strawberry dust, center plain with chocolate cowboy hat, and right with matcha and beet dust.
vanilla, chocolate, and vegan (oat) vanilla, as well as an impressive selection of toppings and sundae options. I stuck with a classic vanilla and chocolate swirl cone, which was light and creamy and tasted exactly as I hoped. 8811 N Lombard, @wonder woodsprings
Bluto’s Bluto’s is a celebrated Greek restaurant in Southeast Portland’s Sunnyside neighborhood, best known for its grilled souvlaki skewers and absolutely to-die-for pita. But don’t miss the soft serve machine behind the counter, offering vanilla and chocolate with various Greek-themed toppings. Get the honey and halvah if you know what’s good for you. 2838 SE Belmont, blutospdx.com, @blutospdx
made me a little nervous. But it was surprisingly delicious! The ice cream itself was among the creamiest on this list, and the tang of the green apple was very light, coloring the soft serve a pale green but not contributing to an overwhelming flavor.
820 NE 27th, basiliskpdx.com, @basiliskpdx
Pizza Jerk Northeast
Canard
And here’s where things start to get (a little) bougie. Canard is the more casual sib ling of Portland fine dining staple Le Pigeon, both serving up highly-regarded French food with thoughtful wine pairings. One thing Canard has on its ritzier older sibling? A great happy hour (drink discounts and $2 oysters) and a soft serve machine. The latter produces very creamy vanilla ice cream. I got a malted blondie sundae, which was rich and delicious. At $13 (or $6 for a bowl of plain vanilla) it’s the most expensive soft serve on this list—but honestly, not by much. Come by for happy hour, or following a fancy dinner of steak frites with foie gras Canard, 734 E Burnside, canardrestaurant.com, @canard_restaurant
Basilisk
Pizza Jerk technically only has one flavor of soft serve, but thanks to the Flavor Burst system, which is an add-on to a soft serve machine, you can choose from eight different flavors to swirl around the edge of the vanilla ice cream base. It looks cool, and it tastes okay—at least, that’s how I would describe the artificial chocolate flavor. I imagine another option, like piña colada or “blue goo,” might lend itself better to the artificial quality. 5028 NE 42nd, pizzajerkpdx.com, @pizzajerkpdx
Matcha Cafe Maiko’s ube-matcha swirl.
We are now beginning to venture away from vanilla and into the realm of experimental ice cream flavors. I wasn’t sure about what to expect from the soft serve ice cream at Basilisk, a fried chicken sandwich shop in The Zipper. This is because it contains a rotating Kool-Aid flavor. When I went, the flavor was green apple, which
Premium Matcha
Cafe Maiko
This matcha cafe chain has an expansive array of matcha items on its menu, from teas, lattes, and frappes to shaved ice and, of course, soft serve. The ice cream here is grass-green and creamy and rich in flavor, with a bit of bitterness from the matcha. They usually have at least one other seasonal soft serve flavor available, too—I got ube, whose sweetness perfectly balanced the matcha flavor. 3416 SE Cesar E Chavez, @matchacafemaikopdx
Ice Queen
Ice Queen.
Ice Queen is a vegan frozen dessert joint selling paletas (Mexican ice pops) and soft serve.
The smooth, fluffy ice cream at Ice Queen gives dairy soft serve a run for its money. You can get it several ways— plain, in sundae form, or mixed up with a variety of toppings on offer, in what they call a “Thiccflurry.” This spot is worth a visit for vegans and non-vegans alike. 2012 SE 11th, icequeenyouscream.com, @icequeenpdx
Canard’s soft serve cone
Will
Travel for Food
Head to Hood River, the Willamette Valley, and Beaverton for food-filled adventures.
ILLUSTRATION BY JORGE CHA
Let’s be honest: One of the biggest reasons we travel is to eat delicious food, something we wouldn’t normally get at home. But if an international trip isn’t in the cards for you this summer, don’t fret—there are plenty of places not far from Portland where you can get out of your usual dining ruts and try something new. From farm-to-table fare in McMinnville to killer barbecue in Hood River to Indian buffets in Beaverton, here’s where to eat, play, and get out this summer according to three local food-obsessed writers. —Katherine Chew Hamilton
Hangin’ in Hood River
From aebleskiver to pasta alla zozzona, here’s where to eat and drink in the Columbia Gorge. BY MARGARETT WATERBURY
Hood River ticks every day trip box: A short but scenic drive from Portland, a cute downtown, plenty of outdoorsy activities on the spectrum from sedate (waterfall viewing) to extreme (windsurfing), and tons of options for dining and drinking well. Here are the highlights.
Where to Eat
Grasslands Barbecue Don’t let the long line deter you; the “Tex-ish” barbecue from food cart Grasslands Barbecue is worth the hour-long drive alone. Oaksmoked meats like brisket, tri-tip, black pepper chicken, and pork belly burnt ends are the main draws, but don’t miss the outstanding sides like green chile mac and cheese or refreshing Tex-Mex slaw with cabbage, toasted pumpkin seeds, pickled red onions, and cotija in black chile vinaigrette. They’re only open during lunchtime, and only on Saturdays, Sundays, and some Fridays during the summer. Go with a group, order it all, and sprawl out on the grassy lawn while watching the windsurfers. 403 Portway #300, grasslandsbarbecue. com, @grasslands_barbecue
Broder Øst The Broder empire extends east to the ground floor of the Hood River Hotel, where a bustling crowd of locals and tourists tuck into Swedish breakfast fare like aebleskiver (AKA pancake balls), lefse, and aquavit bloody Marys. It’s a solid choice for brunch, though it can get crowded, or come for a late lunch and finish with coffee and a cardamom bun. 102 Oak Suite 100, brodereast.com, @broderost
pFriem Family Brewers Hood River is a beer town, and options abound for great pints. Double Mountain, Ferment, Full Sail, Kings & Daughters, Working Hands Fermentation, and Hood River Brewing Company are all good choices, but pFriem offers the perfect combination of great brews, food, and views. A menu of crowd-pleasers—think pimento cheeseburgers, Korean pork sandwiches, pork chile verde, and wedge salads—accompanies dozens of taps, including several draft cocktails that are way better than they need to be. 700 Portway Suite 101, pfriembeer.com, @pfriembeer
What to Drink
Analemma Wines Embracing the warm, arid climate of nearby Mosier, biodynamic estate winery Analemma grows primarily Spanish grape varieties like Mencia, Tinto, and Albariño (you can also arrange a Spanish-language tasting experience ahead
of time). Come for a glass, flight, or bottle, plus a lovely selection of bites ranging from antipasti platters to more serious meals like albondigas or pasta alla zozzona. In season, there’s u-pick cherries and lavender, too. 1120 State, Mosier, analemmawines.com, @analemmawines
Soča Just across the Columbia River in White Salmon, winemaker-owned Soča Wine Shop & Bar connects the Columbia River Gorge AVA with the broader world of natural wine. Bottles and glass pours from Gorge producers sit alongside wines from France, Italy, and Slovenia, while a tight menu of beautiful, veggie-forward bites like smoked trout dip, burrata with snap peas and asparagus, and garden pea paté tartine is designed for pairing. 120 N Main, White Salmon, WA, socawineshop.com, @socawineshop
Where to Get Out
The best way to get from Portland to Hood River starts on the Historic Columbia River Highway, the nation’s first planned scenic roadway. Built when Model Ts were first hitting the road, you can still drive many parts of the original highway. Today, some segments have become the Historic
Columbia River Highway State Trail, which is reserved for people-powered transit like walking, biking, and e-biking (dogs OK). Bring your own wheels or rent a bike or e-bike at Sol Rides, then hit the 4.5-mile Twin Tunnels segment connecting Hood River to Mosier. The route passes through two tunnels dynamited through solid basalt in 1921 and offers great views
Meats galore from Grasslands Barbecue
COURTESY GRASSLANDS
of the river and cliffs on the other side. It’s fully paved and not too hilly, making it a super accessible way to see the Gorge at a slower pace—and work up an appetite for the next meal.
The Willamette Valley Isn’t Just for Wine
A local’s guide to eating, drinking, and hiking your way through McMinnville, Carlton, and Dundee.
BY EMILY TEEL
Having spent eight years as a city transplant living in Yamhill County, I can say with certainty that it just keeps getting better. The wineries that draw tourists from all over are here, sure, but so are the farms that make Portland farmers’ markets so great. The local restaurant scene is churning out plates using those same locally farmed, caught, and foraged products, all while keeping prices accessible. You should absolutely come for the wine, but intersperse your travels with a few of these stops, too.
Where to Eat
Bunny Belly Bagels Wine country is in on the high-end bagel renaissance, too. Chef Henry Kibit left restaurant kitchens (most recently Cypress in McMinnville’s Atticus Hotel and a host of Portland spots before that) to open a one-man bagel shop, just offering bagels and schmears. The za’atar bagel with Mama Lil’s pepper cream cheese is a solid first stop before a busy day. 709 NE Third, McMinnville, bunnybellybagels.com, @bunnybellybagels
Merenda Italian Deli Stop into this sunny little deli—the name means snack in Italian—for panini and to-go tiramisu en route to any wine country destination. Ribbons of mortadella, pickled peppers, and an Italian craft beer? 10/10 lunch. 110 SW 7th St B, Dundee, merendadeli.com, @merenda.deli
Grounded Table Formerly known as Humble Spirit, this James Beard–nominated gem in McMinnville sends out a casually refined, farm-driven menu rooted in the restaurant’s own regenerative farm in Carlton. Stars include handmade pastas with seasonal vegetables, a restrained offering of local meats and seafood, and the restaurant’s take on Oreos, made with lard from the farm and served
with fresh local milk. For something more casual, head around the corner to The Pub, which offers counter-service barbecue with the same regenerative ethos as next door and, on Monday evenings, epic fried chicken. 411 NE Third, McMinnville, theground.love
Hayward The most exciting restaurant in the northern Willamette Valley is Hayward, from two-time James Beard nominee Chef Kari Shaughnessy. Her culinary approach combines global influences with local ingredients, from salmon aguachile to grilled vegetables with toum. Expect fermented vegetables, delightfully complex pastas from chef de cuisine Søren Kalbfleisch, and Revel Meat Company meats. Hayward also has perhaps the best cocktail menu in the area, all of which are available by the half-
a rotating cast of small-production wines from a wide range of Carlton winemakers without driving anywhere. The revolving selection means no two visits are exactly alike. It’s also one of the most approachable rooms in the area—great wine and people who want to talk about it. 801 N Scott, Carlton, winemakersstudio.com
Where to Get Out
Hike in Miller Woods Conservation Area Plan a visit to this 130-acre educational forest preserve just three miles west of McMinnville. There’s a short, stroller-friendly one-third mile paved path around a cattail-lined pond, plus a 4.5 mile outer loop trail (and several shorter options, too) that weave through forested area, oak savannah, and wetlands. Lift one of the many wildlife cover boards along the paths,
pour, which is handy when you’re looking to try a few without wrecking yourself. 209 N Kutch, Carlton, haywardrestaurant.com
Where to Drink
HiFi Wine Bar Look, it feels borderline rude of me to mention only a couple of wineries in an area absolutely stacked with them. Try many of their pours in the same place at this approachable wine bar. The wine list is deep and seriously curated by sommeliers who will meet you where you are on your wine journey, while the pool table and the records spinning in the background ensure a good time. 711 NE Third, McMinnville, hifiwinebar.com
Carlton Winemakers Studio If you have commitment issues or simply love efficiency, this is your spot. The Studio houses more than a dozen micro-producers under one roof, which means you can taste
Beaverton Bites
Chow down on pho pizza and Mexican ice cream, and break to watch the birds.
BY KATHERINE CHEW HAMILTON
Beaverton is more well-known as the home of Nike’s world headquarters than as a hotspot for good food. But it’s home to a host of delights you can only find out west: regional Indian cuisine, homestyle Korean food, Asian fusion pizza, and Mexican ice cream. Here are our recommendations for a food-focused getaway in Beaverton.
Where to Eat
Vanakkam Vanakkam serves a killer lunch buffet for less than $20 a head, specializing in South Indian food—a cuisine rarely served buffet-style in the area. On weekends, dosas with sambar flow endlessly; throughout the week, find veggie-centric dishes like beetroot poriyal with curry leaves and beans usili. Bottomless chai provides caffeine for the rest of the day. At dinner, come for giant paper dosas and combination thalis. 14740 NW Cornell #160, vanakkampdx.com
and you might spot a field mouse or a salamander hiding in the boards’ shade. Know before you go that bikes and dogs are not invited. 15580 NW Orchard View, McMinnville, yamhillswcd.org/miller-woods/
Where to Stay
The Vintages Trailer Resort Don’t call it a trailer park! This quirky collection of restored vintage trailers—Airstreams, teardrops, land yachts—is a solid central hub for adventuring between McMinnville, Carlton, and Dundee, and a great summer spot for families because of the pool, the cozy fire pits, and the bike trails on the property. Pro tip: there’s a blackberry-lined walking path that starts at the Vintages and crosses a footbridge over the Yamhill River, where you’re just steps away from downtown Dayton’s main square with live music on Friday nights all summer long. 16205 SE Kreder, Dayton, the-vintages.com
Always Spring Restaurant Going to this restaurant feels like you’re part of a secret club—enter the G Mart grocery store, make a beeline to the back of the store, and go up the stairs by the meat counter for real-deal homestyle Korean food. The kimchi pancake is crisp and full of sour, spicy flavor. You can’t go wrong with any of the stews, including the yukgaejang (spicy beef brisket noodle soup), soft tofu stew, gamjatang (spicy pork neck stew), and ugeoji galbi tang (sour cabbage and beef soup). Free banchan usually totals around seven dishes, including housemade kimchi and, if you’re lucky, sweet soy-glazed potatoes. 3975 SW 114th Ave, alwaysspringrestaurant.com
Hapa Pizza By some sorcery, or maybe just really good cooking, Hapa Pizza has created a pizza that tastes just like pho—you don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve tried it. Pho broth gets cooked down into an umami-filled, savory-sweet glaze, then sprinkled with all the requisite toppings: beef brisket, hoisin sauce, Thai basil, and bean sprouts. All that comes on a textbook Neapolitan pizza crust, hence the name Hapa, from the Hawaiian word for half—half Asian, half Italian influence. The menu is full of unlikely fusions, including spicy pepperoni pizza with
Merenda Italian Deli’s panini LUCA PONZI
A spread from Hayward
CARTER HIYAMA
A teardrop trailer at The Vintages
mala honey and sambal, and a tom yum pie with garlic shrimp. Don’t worry, traditionalists—classics like margherita pizza and pepperoni are equally outstanding. 12755 SW Broadway, hapapizza.com
Ome Calli Salt and Straw’s flavor offerings have nothing on Ome Calli’s Mexican ice cream. Here, you’ll find dozens of flavors including tequila, sweet corn, sweet potato-like mamey fruit, rum raisin, horchata, cotija cheese, and Mexican chocolate with chipotle. That’s not even counting the sorbets, including soursop and tamarind-chile. Don’t overlook the massive array of paletas, with flavors like black sapote and chile cucumber. But the ultimate cure for the summer heat is the chamoyada: a paleta dunked into lime slushie, drizzled with sour-spicy chamoy, and slurped through a tamarind straw. 12795 SW Canyon, omecallifrozentreats.com
Where to Drink
June This entirely plant-based, Art Deco-inspired cocktail bar in Old Town Beaverton from the folks who brought you the Sudra, Victoria Bar, and the Uncanny revels in all things bright, floral, and citrusy. Many of the cocktails here are like a garden in a glass, with ingredients ranging from escubac (a botanical, herbaceous gin-like spirit) to rhubarb liqueur to vegan honey. Bar bites include soy drumsticks, vegan bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with cashew cheese, and even vegan charcuterie. 4589 SW Watson #110, barjune.com
The 649 Located in a strip mall in West Beaverton, this unpretentious bar serves seriously good cocktails, from a kiwi-mascarpone rum drink to a pineapple-rum take on a rye whiskey sour. For beer and cider drinkers, there are 20 options on tap, and non-drinkers have plenty of choices, too. In the summer, the slushies are churning and the soft serve machine is filled with boozy ice cream— best enjoyed on the tree-shaded patio or over one of the bar’s many communal board games. 18647 SW Farmington, 649bar.com
Where to Get Out
Tualatin Hills Nature Park Bring your binoculars and take a post-meal stroll along the Oak and Old Wagon Trail, a 2.1-mile, partially paved path. Pass by the lily pond and keep an eye out for owls, chipmunks, and snakes. For more wildlife watching, walk over to Beaverton Creek Wetlands, where visitors have reported spotting bald eagles and beavers. 15655 SW Millikan, thprd.org
Hapa Pizza’s pho pizza
JOSH CHANG
Ome Calli’s chamoyada
COURTESY OME CALLI
It’s midsummer on the Oregon coast. Families gather for beach picnics under brilliant clear skies. Children build sandcastles, dogs chase tennis balls. Brown pelicans flap purposefully above a deep blue horizon to the steady, hypnotic thrum of surf.
You notice none of this. Instead, you are prone on a sand bar, elbow-deep in a muddy hole, tightly gripping the phallic siphon of an enormous clam while your other hand struggles to wiggle its fist-sized shell free from the sucking muck.
Digging bay clams is not glamorous. It will leave you damp, sandy, and smelling pungently of low tide for the next 24 hours, despite your best efforts with the loofah. The best possible outcome is that you have a busy afternoon of processing clams ahead of you. And yet I know of no cheaper or more entertaining way to engage, literally and intimately, with the coastal landscape. Summer is a perfect time for it, since razor clams are closed on the north coast and Dungeness crabs are still filling out. If you’ve never done it before, here’s how to get started.
Permits + Gear
The only things you really, truly need for a successful clamming experience are an Oregon shellfish license—buy one online from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife com) for $13 per year, one of the world’s last remaining bar gains—and a separate bucket or bag for each licensed clammer.
Recreational bay clamming is generally open all year round. Always call the ODA’s shellfish hotline at 1-800448-2474 before heading out. Don’t take more than your limit: 20 bay clams per person of any species, and no more than 12 of those can be gapers. The exceptions are purple varnish clams
(72) and softshells (36)—more on those different varieties later. You can put back small littlenecks and cockles, but you must take all gapers and softshell clams you dig, as well as any broken clams (they’re fine to eat if you clean them).
The tools you’ll need depend on what kind of clams you’re hoping to dig up. Different types of clams live at different depths and locations on the beach. Cockles and littlenecks are up high, sometimes even right on the surface, and you can often find them simply by raking with a heavy garden rake or cultivator. Butter clams are six to 12” deep, while gapers can be two feet below the surface of the sand and only accessible at very low tides, so you’ll need a shovel and/or clam gun. Bring an assortment of tools so you can find what works best for your site and clams.
Where to Go
Each coastal bay has its own mix of clam species. ODFW’s website offers incredibly detailed maps of Alsea, Coos, Netarts, Siletz, Tillamook, and Yaquina bays highlighting popular digging areas accessible by land and sea, with species-specific maps showing density per square meter. Tillamook Bay is the bay closest to Portland with significant populations of all six species.
Just as important as the location is the timing. Consult a tide table and go at low tide, especially if you’re targeting gaper clams; minus tides are ideal. Avoid digging in eelgrass beds, which provide important habitat—look for thick patches of what looks like unspooled cassette tape growing straight from the sand. And be sure to fill in your holes after you dig, since mounded sand can suffocate plant and animal life beneath it.
Techniques
Once you’re on the beach, start by looking for “shows”— little holes in the sand that
Bay Clamming for Beginners
Where to go, what to bring, and how to dig up these local delicacies.
PHOTOS
AND STORY
BY MARGARETT WATERBURY
indicate the presence of a clam beneath. With practice, you’ll learn to identify what clam lives beneath just by the show. Some dig next to the clam shows, then work their way over to keep from accidentally breaking the shell. Some remove a few shovelfuls of sand, then switch to their hands. Others dig gently right on top of the show. Some swear by clam guns, or special brands of shovels, or metal trash cans with the bottom cut off to hold back the collapsing sides of a big hole.
All of these techniques can work, but the real secret is to pay attention and adapt to your circumstances. The right technique totally depends on beach conditions and the type of clam. If you rake one area and turn up nothing, move around. If your holes keep caving in, try a clam gun. Chat with other diggers on the beach. I’ve learned almost everything I know about clamming from other clammers, who are usually delighted to share their tips and tricks.
Get to Know Oregon’s Bay Clams
American clam nomenclature is a robust reservoir of linguistic localism, with the same clams going by different names from state to state and the same name used to refer to many different clams. Here, “bay clam” refers to essentially any clam that isn’t a razor clam and lives in one of the Oregon Coast’s many estuarine bays created when rivers meet the ocean.
Small Clams
Petite enough to eat whole, these clams live near the surface and can be found by raking, digging, or even just feeling around with your hands. They need to be purged before eating to remove grit; just soak them for 2-3 hours in cold salt water, changing the water at least once. They’re perfect for
clam pasta, pizza, or steamed with your seasonings of choice.
Littlenecks: These tasty little clams have round-ish white shells with ridges running in both directions.
Purple varnish: These non-native clams have an oblong/triangle-shaped shell that’s varnish brown on the outside and purple on the inside. Commercially farmed versions are marketed as “savory clam.”
Softshells : Native to the Atlantic, where they are called steamers, these often live higher up on the beach which means they’re diggable even at borderline tides. Their neck protrudes from the shell like a gaper, but they’re much smaller and there’s no gap in the neck end of the shell.
Big Clams
Too large to eat whole, these clams must be shucked and cleaned—check myodfw. com for videos or head to YouTube—and, thus, there’s no need to purge them. I prefer to clean clams raw because it reduces the chance of overcooking the meat, but some people lightly steam them open first (strain and save the liquid in the pan for chowder). All are great for chowder, fritters, stuffies, or fried clams, and gapers and butter clams are also good raw or in ceviche.
Gapers : Weighing up to four pounds, gapers are also called horse clams and are found 1-2 feet below the surface. Recognize them by their thick necks that protrude from shells that “gape” open at the neck end. Look for quarter-sized shows and be prepared to dig.
Butter clams: These dark-shelled, sometimes sizeable clams have a slightly ruffled mantle. Shows are rectangular.
Cockles: Ridged shells make these look a little like scallops. I think these are delicious and totally underrated. They grow in muddy, sandy, and rocky areas and are close enough to the surface that you can use a rake to find them.
Cliff’s Hums With Community Spirit at Its New Alberta Street Home
Two months in, the Southern-tinged bar is already a neighborhood haunt.
BY ALEX FRANE
Cliff’s has lived for only two months at its new home on the corner of NE Alberta and 30th—sandwiched between Ethiopian eatery Abyssinian Kitchen and Irish bar T.C. O’Leary’s—but it feels like it’s been there a decade. In the evenings, regulars pack the booths and bar seats inside and spread across the sun-drenched back patio, bartenders and diners greeting one another by name. It’s likely the closest thing to an IRL Cheers that Portland has to offer (cue the theme song), the sort of place that eschews Resy for phone calls and texts directly to the owners, where table reservations are held with handwritten name tags.
That sense of community has always been at the core of Cliff’s, which was named after co-owner and chef Josh Luebke’s grandfather. It spent its first seven-odd years in the basement of Wonder Ballroom, cultivating a diehard fanbase that went far beyond the concert audiences. Most of its regulars followed Cliff’s to Alberta after the bar lost its lease at the venue.
“It was gratifying; people were really supportive,” says co-owner Sierra Kirk-Luebke. “Ninety percent of our regulars have come back. It really brought home that we had a community that transcended the space.”
Those regulars—and the bevy of new ones from the surrounding area—come for more than just familiar faces and friendly vibes. Portland is blessed with an abundance of great bar food, and Cliff’s manages to stand out in this crowded field thanks to Luebke’s menu of creative takes on bar classics. From Wisconsin by way of New Orleans, Luebke studied at the Oregon Culinary Institute before joining Bunk Sandwiches, working as chef and manager at the Wonder Ballroom space that would eventually become Cliff’s 1.0. Little has
It’s likely the closest thing to an IRL Cheers that Portland has to offer.
changed on this iteration of the food menu, which combines Southern classics with a touch of Midwestern flavor and whatever else Luebke thinks up.
Start by sharing the house-smoked chicken wings in a peanut chile sauce. Or order a towering platter of nachos made with house-fried tortilla chips, loaded with queso, cabbage, and charred corn, and -
topped with your choice of steak, smoked pork, or additional veggies. Or snag some deviled eggs, which Luebke tops with trout roe and microgreens. Fried shrimp salad and Caesar salads make for entrées on their own, especially if you add fried chicken to the latter. And it wouldn’t feel like a NOLA-inspired bar without po’ boys, including fried shrimp and fried oyster versions on fluffy buns with all the fixins: shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, remoulade, and mayonnaise—Duke’s, naturally. Other sandwiches include the BBQ wild boar with confit boar and smoked pork shoulder, plus barbecue sauce, coleslaw, pickles, and more Duke’s on a brioche bun.
The Friday Fish Fry is where Luebke gets to flex. The fry kicks off with a “Supper Club” salad, the kind of thing you’d assemble at a salad bar with lettuce, baby corn, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes, plus Old Bay Goldfish and a side of house ranch. Then, the main event: golden-friend Canadian Walleye that’s flaky and tender in a light, crispy breading with a hint of
spice. It’s served with a zingy remoulade, a creamy cabbage slaw and, instead of the expected fries, a golden-brown potato pancake topped with sour cream. The bar caps out at 10 servings a week, so you’ll want to call ahead to preorder or run a very real chance of missing out.
Earlier in the evening, Cliff’s sports family-friendly restaurant vibes (minors are allowed until 10 pm), but relaxes into a more casual bar as the night progresses. While there are plenty of draft beers and a few house wines, most people are there for cocktails. Kirk-Luebke had bartended for years in New Orleans music venues before the pair moved to Portland. She soon landed at tiki sensation Hale Pele, where she spent eight years, including time as bar manager. Options abound on Cliff’s lengthy cocktail menu, but start with the exemplary mai tai. Opening tart and juicy, it grows bold and rich as the rum rings through, and is best enjoyed on the back patio or sidewalk tables. It’s not all NOLA classics, though, as the bar team
gets creative with drinks like the bright and vivid Bianca—made with mezcal, rum, and apricot liqueur—or the bizarrely drinkable, industry-coded Balaclava Kiss with Malort, Fernet, cola, and cherry.
The food, drinks, and regulars aren’t the only aspects brought over to the new dining room. The Kirks brought their collection of taxidermied animals passed down through Luebke’s family. Birds, elk, and deer decorate the walls, while “Earl the Squirrel” monitors the space from his perch atop the bar. The vintage paintings that once hung in the basement of the Wonder still evoke that “grandma’s basement” vibes that the team originally went for. They also brought many of their old employees, including the entire backof-house team. Supplementing the bar crew are recruits from the now-closed Expatriate, who brought their own regulars with them, adding even more friendly camaraderie.
“Every time I walk in here I’m just so happy,” says Kirk-Luebke.
2934 NE Alberta, cliffspdx.com, @cliffspdx
Clockwise from top left: Friday fish fry, mai tai, and nachos from Cliff’s.
COURTESY CLIFF’S; ALEX FRANE
Femme and French-ish
Bar Nouveau serves up whimsy and rabbit liver mousse topped with edible flowers.
BY ANDREA DAMEWOOD
PHOTOS BY TRANG NGUYEN
Many of us dream about the day when women run the world, but until then, we’re going to have to settle for the sweet taste of Bar Nouveau. Everywhere you look and everything you taste at this St. Johns French-ish venture from long-time chef Althea Grey Potter has a touch of the divine feminine. There will be purple and yellow edible flowers Tinkerbelled anywhere a petal might fit the plate, the bathroom is unapologetically pink, and every woman working is rocking an adorable denim getup.
Opened last October, Bar Nouveau is the first restaurant co-owned by Grey Potter, alongside Elizabeth Singer, who keeps the front-of-house humming, and Heather Wallberg, a former co-owner of Gabbiano’s. It’s been a long time coming, though.
I’ve followed Grey Potter around the city for the better part of a decade. I fell in love with her veg-forward, maximalist cooking style when she used just a few induction burners to put out revelatory creations at Oui! Wine Bar + Restaurant, in the former Southeast Wine Collective location. After that closed during the pandemic, Grey Potter turned her sights to a chili crisp company before resurfacing in the kitchen in spring 2025, running pop-ups of what would become Bar Nouveau from the former Gracie’s Apizza.
Now, she’s got a full kitchen to play with and a small team of cooks on the line, and her ambitions have scaled accordingly, though her signature items remain. One has not eaten a deviled egg, for example, until one has climbed the mountain of creamy piped yolks of Grey Potter’s gribiche deviled eggs, the richness offset by cornichons, capers, and minced herbs. Similarly, there’s going to be a mousse–usually chicken, most recently rabbit–on a thick rye sablé that’s so well-balanced that even the most skeptical liver naysayer will be silenced as they lick remnants off the plate.
The restaurant, lovingly remodeled for opening by Grey Potter and co. with the help of friends, is raucous, accented with fun thrift store finds and feathers, lending it a feel of being in your really cool girlfriend’s art deco house. Service starts with a shot-sized cosmopolitan or other cocktail, with n/a options for those who don’t partake.
Since opening, the menu has evolved with the seasons, with vegetables sourced from farmer’s markets and Sauvie Island. I’m yearning for the return of winter’s charred cabbage
from Sauvie Island Growers, finished with a fermented pepper gastrique, sitting atop a bed of charred aubergine purée with a touch of tahini, French feta, savory granola, pickled habanada peppers, and finished with
fresh dill. I challenge anyone to make a more exciting brassica.
If the pommes paillasson happen to be on the menu, make that happen. Like 1,000 layers of thin-sliced potatoes are cut into batons then fried in duck fat with a little lemon aioli for good measure. It’s rich, textural, and too much in the best way.
If it’s your first time (or fifth, tbh), I recommend letting the kitchen drive. Bar Nouveau recently launched a $65 prix fixe, which brings the chef’s choice of what’s good on the seasonal menu. Beloved Portland wine maven Dana Frank recently took over the wine list, meaning the $35 wine pairing is a steal.
On a recent visit, we tore into warm cloverleaf rolls, slathering them with butter and Oregon sea salt, before nibbling the lightest fried cod croquettes. Fresh spring lettuces were lovingly stacked and topped with first-of-the-season strawberries, accented by creamy goat cheese, tender shaved snap peas, and a delicate chardonnay-lemon vinaigrette.
The only wrong turn came in the form of a ginger cucumber vichys -
soise, and this was only because the allium content was so high in that chilled green soup that even Shrek might blanch.
Few do duck as much justice as Grey Potter, who is often tooling around with new iterations of her confit. It’s crispy on the outside, and yet somehow so tender on the inside that I’m not clear how the bone makes it to the table still inside the meat. Of late, it arrived with spring allium sausage, haricots blancs, leeks, lovage, and a snappy green garlic pistou. And flowers. Definitely, always, flowers.
I’ve always wanted to go to Bar Nouveau solo and have a girl dinner of my dreams: A martini, a salad, and chicken mousse, and then a dark chocolate pot de crème all to myself. Served in vintage glass cups, it’s layered with warm fudge and crème fraîche. Two monumentally long cinnamon langue de chat (cat’s tongue) cookies protrude like sugary antennae.
As your meal ends, your check arrives in an old bodice-ripper of a romance novel, meaning you’re getting some Fabio-type eye candy even if you skip dessert, just as the Goddess intended.
Bar Nouveau, 7425 N Leavitt, Thurs–Sun 5 pm-10 pm, nouveaufoodandwine.com
Clockwise from top left: Oregon albacore crudo, deviled eggs, rabbit liver mousse on rye sablé, and duck confit at center.
The Bar Nouveau team at work, including Grey Potter, second from left.
The Portland Mercury’s Ten Must-Catch Acts of Pickathon 2026!
Our resident Pickathon ambassador gives you the supernerd scoop on the best and brightest of this year’s lineup.
BY HOLLY HAZELWOOD
If you ask Pickathon founder Zale Schoenborn about Pickathon’s lineup on any given year, he’ll tell you it’s the best lineup they’ve ever had. While the Happy Valley mainstay has changed a lot in its booking practices, it’s hard for us to argue with Schoenborn’s outlook in 2026. With so many phenomenal, under-the-radar acts playing, you’re bound to discover a dozen bands worth obsessing over for months to come—and this year, Pickathon added an eighth stage to make room for all that performing talent.
If you keep looking at this year’s lineup and feeling overwhelmed, though, don’t sweat it! The Portland Mercury ’s Holly Hazelwood is here to clue you in on a few acts you’ll regret not checking out at Pendarvis Farm, from returning veterans like Quasi and Meridian Brothers to
heat-seekers like Automatic and Widowspeak. There’s no wrong schedule to create for yourself, though—all that matters is that you do your level best to devour as many of the festival’s acts as possible while you’re there.
Automatic
Some bands just exude pure coolness. Los Angeles two-piece dance-punks Automatic are bound to be one of those bands that behave like a tractor beam, their infectious basslines and monochromatic beats ensnaring anyone passing by their midnight Paddock Stage set on Thursday night and their Friday evening journey into the Woods. Last year’s Is It Now? is 2025’s best album you aren’t already obsessed with yet, but we have a strong feeling an hour of dancing to “mq9” or “Smog Summer” will fix that.
Florry
If you’re the kind of Pickathoner who lamented the fact that Kurt Vile and Waxahatchee weren’t on this year’s lineup, Philly alt-country septet Florry is here to try to scratch both itches. Frontperson Francie Medosch is in a league of her own as a songwriter, allowing the chemistry between members to say just as much as her songs about truck crashes and movie adaptations. Their Cherry Hill set on Friday will be a blast, but if you ask us, their Galaxy Barn set on Saturday is going to be the kind of set you gloat to your friends about catching when they go full Lenderman and start selling out tours.
Lyrics
Born Pickathon doesn’t book nearly enough hiphop artists—but when it does, it never misses.
We guarantee that former Latyrx rapper Lyrics Born won’t be the act that breaks that streak. His infectious, hyper-confident delivery and funk/soul-indebted grooves have made the veteran rapper one of the unsung greats, capable of brilliant, thoughtful songwriting and killer grooves that all but demand you dance your ass off. If you can’t squeeze in the Galaxy Barn on Saturday night, don’t worry: he’ll be turning Cherry Hill into a party for one immaculate hour.
Meatbodies
It feels like just yesterday that Los Angelenos psych-punks Meatbodies dominated the 2017 edition of Pickathon, turning in one of the most interesting sets Windmill Stage (RIP) bore witness to that year. It only lasted half an hour, and we all thanked them for it. This year, an older, wiser, more
Enjoying the great outdoors and the amazing vibe of Pickathon.
MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND
talented (but hardly less feral) Meatbodies return to Cherry Hill (Thursday) and Galaxy Barn (Friday) to settle the score with a slate of guitar worship music that may not rip your face off as Meatbodies might have nine years ago, but will still probably inspire a killer moshpit. Or, at very least, a pit full of long-haired dudes headbanging like they’re at a Sleep show.
Meridian Brothers
How do you know someone saw Meridian Brothers play at Pickathon ’23? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you about it. Listen to just about any song in their catalog, from “Guaracha U.F.O” to “Cumbia totalitaria,” and you’ll understand why: their music is so infectiously bizarre, you can’t help but be mesmerized. At times, the Colombian collective sounds like having the history of salsa and cumbia downloaded into your brain through a faulty fax machine or an ancient kaleidoscope. If you didn’t see Meridian Brothers in ’23, stop fucking around: see them at Paddock alongside collaborator Mexican Institute of Sound as the clock strikes midnight Saturday night, or catch them solo at Cherry Hill on Sunday evening. Don’t let the gloaters have all the fun.
Mexican Institute of Sound
Did you catch both Meridian Brothers sets but walk away craving something more? Good news: Camilo Lara’s Mexican Institute of Sound will be closing out the festival at 1 am on the final day at Galaxy Barn, and will work diligently to destroy the itch. While MIS pulls its sound from a different country’s culture, the fact that they teamed up with Meridian Brothers for this year’s outstanding collab record Rudio Tovar says a lot—as does the fact that the two acts will team up for a set on Saturday night at the Paddock. He’s a one-man electronic sonic cartographer, exploring his country’s music through the same prismatic lens, transforming the traditional and making it fresh as hell. You probably won’t get kicked in the head by a crowdsurfing teenager at this set, but we’ll bet a million dollars that you’ll be going to bed drenched in sweat.
PISS
Admittedly, Vancouver, B.C. noise-punks PISS are the kind of act that will polarize many Pendarvians, but those who
get it will really, really get it . They haven’t released any music yet, but now that they’ve signed to Sub Pop, their Andrew Dworkin samples and throat-destroying documents of misogyny and violence will finally get the attention they deserve. If you’ve been feeling the need to exorcise some demons, we look forward to bodyslamming you in pursuit of catharsis at Galaxy Barn on Thursday.
Quasi
The combination of Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss is truly evergreen. Yes, the opportunities to see one of Portland’s greats are abundant: last year found them at Swan Dive, and this May saw them doing three sets in two days at Turn! Turn! Turn! There’s never a bad time to see the duo, and the opportunity to see them up close and personal at Galaxy Barn (Saturday) or Woods Stage (Sunday) isn’t something you should pass up.
Shakey Graves
Shakey Graves is probably too big to need to play Pickathon—but he does it for the love of the sport. The one-man-band Austinite (and Julie Taylor’s worst boyfriend) has come out to the festival twice before, even taking on the honor of closing out 2018 with a Galaxy Barn set that felt like a man outrunning the apocalypse. This year, he’ll bring that same energy to the big Paddock Stage (Friday) and the intimate and picturesque Woods Stage (Saturday).
Widowspeak
If any band totally takes festivalgoers completely by surprise, we predict soft shoegazer duo Widowspeak is going to be the one to do it. While their albums are excellent and infectious, the keen ear will notice that the chemistry between Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas is so freakishly tight after seven records that you’d be daft not to want to see how they pull it off live. It’s criminal that both of their weekend sets (Saturday at Woods, Sunday at Windmill) take place in broad daylight, but don’t let that stop you from watching them weave cowboy-folk textures with dream-pop devotion.
Pickathon 2026, Pendarvis Farm, 19208 SE Foster, July 30–August 2, $285-$570, pickathon.com, all ages.
Dancing the night away at one of Pickathon’s DJ sets.
MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND
Spin Cycle: Brain Food
Satiate your appetite for summer listening with these delectable deep dives.
BY RYAN J. PRADO
Look, it’s a very good problem to have when it’s so tough to whittle down all the great new music in Portland for this here humble column. The city has churned out a glut of formidable albums in June alone that have been dominating my earholes (Orquestra Pacifico Tropicale’s El Poder, Lexie’s Halcyon Days, and BendreTheGiant’s Swollen Eyes among them). And while each deserves a spotlight all their own, it was an opening set by Sea Moss at the Buñuel show at Mississippi Studios in February that has managed to spelunk inside my brain the past few months and tip the scales.
Read on for a heaping helping of similarly tasty dishes in this decidedly unthemed Food Issue edition of Spin Cycle. And remember to chew with your mouth closed!
Sea Moss/Miscomings - Split LP Big Tube Scene
Sounds of courted chaos are delivered in spastic blasts on the split LP from Portland’s Sea Moss and Seattle’s Miscomings. The Pacific Northwest crews find common ground with variations of electronic bedlam that, depending on your disposition, can either incite your revelry or your wrath.
For fans of Death Grips, Melt Banana, The Locust
Sea Moss’s “4040” highlights the perfect pandemonium between vocalist/knob-twister Noa Ver and percussionist Zac Dag. Over a cornucopia of abrasive electronic gadgetry, dial-up static, and rotary phone rings, the duo summons walls of circuitry havoc from a grab bag of oscillators and synths, with Dag’s explosive drumming anchoring a suite of bizarre tunes that bleed and wriggle within and into each other nonstop for the next three tracks.
A treat in this complementary split effort are the collaborative cuts at the middle and end of the album, with members of both bands contributing to tracks under the band names “SeaComings” and “MissMoss.” The groups find sonic kinship in the mashup, with Sea Moss’s somewhat more structured approach (that seems like a strange thing to write considering the above descriptions of the band’s controlled commotion) blunting the angularity of Miscomings’ raucous guitar-fueled output.
While retaining some semblance of aural brotherhood—with both bands leaning into their respective weirdospheres for mined blast-beat goodies and hoarse caterwauling—Miscomings glazes songs like “Lizard
Limbs” with healthy globs of hardcore furor. This is counter-balanced by hyper-saturated synth leads that almost convince you this is some sort of deranged new wave redux before the unbridled rage of “Ick Stick” turns the whole genreless concept of the band on its ears.
Hard to define yet easy to love, Big Tube Scene is a challenging listen you should insist on being up for.
Big Tube Scene dropped Friday, June 26 via Zum Audio. Vinyl, digital album, and CDs are available through the Zum Audio Bandcamp. Both bands perform live Saturday, July 11 at High Limit Room, 720 SE Hawthorne. More info at highlimitroompdx.com.
Oddfellows Oddfellows
It’s cause for special celebration when a band releases their first album over 30 years after their inception. A footnote in the tumbling sagebrush of Texas punk and power-pop, Oddfellows played a handful of gigs in Denton and released one EP before breaking up. Seminal guitarist/vocalist Mark Ryan went on to play in a Rolodex of influential groups, including Marked Men, Mind Spiders, and The Reds. On the band’s self-titled debut, vintage hooks pair with punk sneer for a reunion you never knew you needed.
For fans of The Nerves, Buzzcocks, Marked Men
The band resurrects its power-pop roots on jangly tracks like album opener “Draw the Line,” smeared with crusty bass lines and crystalline vocal harmonies. The band’s sophomoric humor and punk ’tude “I Burned Your Lawn” and a cover of The Reds’ “I Hate Rules” are budding punk anthems, complete with the band’s sophomoric humor and punk ’tude. “Tick Tick Tick” laments the ceaseless march of time over a frenetic downstroke guitar progression. Ironically, the whole track clocks in at a crisp 59 seconds. Mid-LP ripper “Late On Love” channels Pete Shelley’s power-punk blueprint, with a blippy bass line laying the foundation for the eminently singable title lyric.
There’s little in the way of revolutionary playing or statement-stamping lyrics; Oddfellows is simply a raw slab of self-aware punk that can occasionally surprise you with its gnashed teeth, as heard on “It Kills,” a whole two minutes of three or four chords that compels instinctual deskside headbanging. The only problem with the album whatsoever is its brevity, but that only means you can squeeze in a listen to the entire record
that much more often. Which I recommend you do. Oddfellows’ self-titled debut album dropped Friday, June 12 on Dirtnap/Wild Honey Records. Limited edition vinyl is available from Wild Honey Records’ Bandcamp, and digital albums can be purchased through either Wild Honey’s Bandcamp or Dirtnap Records’ Bandcamp.
Diles que no me maten
Escrito en Agua
Mexico City psychedelic jazz ensemble Diles que no me maten (Tell them not to kill me) delivers an unrushed collection of avant-garde tunes that embrace poetic wellsprings and disparate influences. On Escrito en Agua, the band’s recent underground buzz is revealed to be rooted in real art-rock transcendency.
Vibrant undercurrents of smoky jazz haunt the perimeters of Escrito en Agua from the get-go, with the sleepy speakeasy opener “Las noches que dormimos en sillas” setting a tranquil welcome to the proceedings. When the single “Hiriku” hits, an immediate vibeshift commences, as a rhythmic avalanche descends in a surge of krautrock cool. The song’s obvious nod to legendary experimental rockers Can is an outlier on the album, though an indication of the wide variety of sounds and styles in the band’s riveting quiver of tunes.
For fans of Karate, The Sea and Cake, Can
“Perquisidor” plays like a spoken-word avant-jazz rarity, the echo of distant saxophones filling out the heavy-lidded composition like a wayward encounter with a stranger’s ambient chatter, as a torrent of mystical strings bookends the trippy track. Later, “Viene el Viento” blooms purposefully, giving light to Jonás Derbez’s confessional, fragile vocal approach. As the song unfolds into a mindmeld of pedal steel atmospherics, brass, and minimalist repetition, the full breadth of the band’s post-rock abilities comes into focus. By the time the Velvet Underground-inspired eight-minute-long finale of “Tunuwame” coils its psych-rock scales into your brain, the slow burn of Diles que no me maten’s spell has already sunk its fangs in.
Enjoyers of contemplative and multi-layered artrock, jazz, and minimalism: say hello to your new spirit guides.
Escrito en Agua dropped Friday, June 12 through Moonlight Activities. Cassettes and digital albums can be purchased via Diles que no me maten’s Bandcamp.
Kiss Kiss, Snap Snap
Kissing Booth Social Club Wants You to Make Out… for Science!
BY BEN COLEMAN
You’re going to kiss more people in your life than you’re going to fuck,” says Sarah Ruby Armstrong.
A Portland-based graphic designer and dating consultant, Armstrong is also the creator of the Kissing Booth Social Club. It’s a salacious summer-long residency operating every Friday night at Nevermind, the latest in Quinn Mat thewstearn’s constellation of clubby neighborhood bars. The goal is simple: create a space where pairs of consent ing adults can focus on making out (in a photobooth) without a bunch of other variables getting in the way, and then dial in what they like in a kissing partner and what they don’t. It’s not exactly pure science, but it is applying scientific methods to a very unscientific human behavior. Also, there are charts and graphs.
Are we really doing kissing booths in 2026? Yes! Well, sort of. There’s definitely kissing and a booth involved.
Queue up for the booth, and once inside it’s time to do your thing as the camera clicks away. Armstrong’s original idea was for every pair to go three rounds, adjusting for feedback as they go, although more adventurous kissers can rotate partners as they see fit.
For solos or squads of friends, that’s
and the moment before a friendship becomes a situationship. “Inviting, but low stakes,” is how a participant named Shannon describes it. Lyndsay says she hasn’t kissed anyone in three years, but over the course of the evening she’s approached by Erika, who hasn’t kissed anyone who wasn’t a partner in nine,
room a few times and maybe come back next week with more gumption.
Every event has around five of her crew on hand to keep things running smoothly: one at the kiosk, an archivist and a “booth butler” keeping an eye on the proceedings, and a handful of floaters in the mix who sometimes engage in a little light matchmaking, or at least laying the groundwork for the kissing curious to take the plunge. In the event of a serious disruption, the bar staff is on hand to 86 anyone who’s not playing by the rules.
Like many scientific endeavors, Armstrong says she did a test run on herself before expanding it to the public.
“I set up all my dating profiles to say some iteration of, ‘This is an experiment,’” she explains. “If we matched, our first time meeting each other [would] be at a photo booth.” Then three rounds of kissing, feedback, kissing, feedback. No awkward small talk, no pretending to get coffee sometime. For her it was a way to create a “social container” where the kissing part was the only part, and could be evaluated in isolation.
It’s early evening in late June, and Arm strong and her team have just finished set ting up a small kiosk in front of the bar’s retro photo booth. They’ve posted signs and instructions about how the whole thing works, and artfully arranged a little pay-what-youwill store for kissing accessories: tooth brushes, deodorant… that sort of thing. Everything’s in black, white, and lipstick red, like a classy midcentury magazine ad for women’s cigarettes, or a new kind of motor oil.
Unlike the carnival sex work of yore, this is a strictly Bring Your Own Kisser affair. If you’re an established couple, the process is pretty straightforward: approach the kiosk, either with nervous trepidation or the confident swagger of a true makeout artist. Then pay the entry fee, which tops out at $20 per person, but slides significantly downward for queer and marginalized folks. In return, you get three photo booth tokens, a pre-sharpened golf pencil, and a tri-fold “field notes” pamphlet with metrics, like “lip tensility” and “teeth!?” to fill out. There’s also space for personalized feedback, as well as a glossary of Armstrong’s kissing terminology.
participants can snag a “I am bravely open to kissing someone new for science” sticker and see where the night
Awkward as it might sound on paper, there’s an undeniable frisson in the air.
goes. They start appearing on lapels with more frequency as the sun begins to set, and, perhaps with the help of a little liquid courage, pairs of former strangers begin approaching the booth together.
As awkward as it might sound on paper, there is an undeniable frisson in the air, somewhere between a high school dance
and Amanda, who just got out of a ten year relationship. Lucas, who’s just here for moral support, spots an intriguing figure from across the bar. An hour later they’re discussing techno-anarchist manifestos, and an hour after that they’re in the booth together at last call.
The hardest part, perhaps unsurprisingly, is managing expectations in a public facing event that involves physical touch. This isn’t a sex club with a discreet entrance and a beefy security team. There’s no real partition between bar patrons and kissing clubbers. Indeed, the distinction becomes increasingly porous over the course of the evening as makeout partners drift onto the dance floor and curious rubberneckers decide to take the plunge. Armstrong says that’s very intentional: She wanted a space where the uncommitted could circle the
During this development phase, Armstrong got a feel for what makes a good photobooth makeout: it’s gotta be low tech, no apps, filters, or complicated menus. It’s gotta be public enough for an elicit thrill, but not so public you’re competing with the bar TV. And location is everything: “[It can’t be] the one by the bathroom at the Belmont Inn.”
For Armstrong, the project is more about using design and curation to explore specific questions about physical intimacy, rather than just facilitating anonymous hookups (though naturally that’s been a byproduct). “We have a lot of language now to articulate what we want about sex,” she says, but kissing is often relegated to the category of chemistry: either you’ve got it or you don’t. But maybe with a little trial and error, and some specific language, it could become something with more of a learning curve?
So what’s her advice for first timers? For established couples, she says, show up early. There’s less of a line, and the process can take a bit longer when the person you’re evaluating is also who you’ll be making small talk with over eggs tomorrow. For soloists, later is better. There are more freelancers in the mix and the vibes are closer to a dance club. She also suggests going with a squad or at least a wingman, for moral support if nothing else, but also… who knows?
1216 SE Division, Fridays 6 pm-9 pm through August 28, anbco.squarespace.com
TOP: COURTESY OF KISSING BOOTH; BOTTOM: BEN COLEMAN
A Portland Story
Director Thom Hilton paints a portrait of our city we actually recognize.
BY SUZETTE
SMITH
It’s been a minute since we’ve seen the Portland that’s depicted in Waking Up From a Nap on a Long Day of Doing Nothing. Compared to the president’s incendiary descriptions or Laika’s idyllic stop-motion fantasy, the dreamy 30-minute short film paints a portrait of the Rose City that this critic has actually seen in real life.
In Waking Up , Ezra (Ben Siver) makes his way through several magical hours of an afternoon, killing time before one of his paintings debuts in a group art show. The story feels nostalgic for an artist’s early career, but the portrait is far from rosy. There’s a nervousness twisted in. Ezra can’t truly enjoy these moments due to apprehension about how his piece will be received—a universal feeling that flows across makers of many forms, experienced or otherwise.
The short joins a growing catalog by writer and director Thom Hilton, who notably shot the 2024 Matinee Baby at Clinton Street Theater. Hilton has a longstanding relationship with Clinton Street as a host of its Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings . You’ll see the theater used as a location again in Waking Up, but Hilton isn’t focusing on the moviehouse this time around. He describes his newest flick as “modeled after Portland’s 40-year tradition, First Thursday.”
“It’s not a documentary exploring the ins and outs of how the event is run,” Hilton said. “But it’s… like Halloween or Friday the 13th or any other movie that’s about a specific day. The characters and events live within that day.”
First Thursday isn’t specific to Portland; we took the idea from Seattle, as have many other cities. It’s a smart concept: downtown galleries launch new shows on the same day, drawing art lovers to multiple nearby openings.
The story feels nostalgic for an artist’s early career, but the portrait is far from rosy.
However, the fog-filled cave that Ezra ends up in hardly reflects a typical downtown gallery’s bright halls. Instead, it’s as if he ended up at Northeast Alberta’s Last Thursday, where a group show in a dark bar is common. It’s even more likely that the looming faces criticizing him are largely in Ezra’s mind, as his anxiety paints the room chiaroscuro.
Hilton deserves credit for this character,
who is played stoically by Siver. There’s something very honest about the way Ezra follows his friend Anya (Katie J. Kell) through one carefree activity after another without shaking his pensive stride. And that psychological funk will feel relatable to anyone who’s spent a whole day worrying, despite the best efforts of loved ones.
The hours still contain levity—skateboarding on side streets and a park’s cement pipe (full disclosure: Mercury managing editor Katherine Chew Hamilton appears around 10-and-a-half-minute mark, reading a book on the bowl’s edge), thrifting vintage finds while surreptitiously eavesdropping on another customer’s rant.
It’s a particular delight to barely recognize comedian, playwright, and Mercury horoscope columnist Anthony Hudson in the role of the aforementioned ranter, local crank Sir William. Hudson embodies a flavor of our city so rarely captured: a long-winded Portlander with a particular interest. At first glance, Sir William comes off as crazed, but he might also just really care about putting new snaps on his jacket.
A scene of dominant service staff ordering customers around was very funny (and so true!), but edited well for brevity—keeping the bit out of Portlandia territory. Hilton himself appears in the scene as Bud, one half of a wry day-to-night barista-to-barkeep duo, a nod to the multi-job hustleship
of Portland creatives. Bud’s coworker Sigrid (Brooke Bannister) explains, when asked if the pair also worked that morning: “That was in day; at night we work here.”
As funny as the short can be, it also lands its emotional notes. Ezra remains preoccupied, but manages to relax into phone calls from a confused Grandpa Jim (Jim Browning)—calls that were actually voiced by Hilton’s own grandfather who died in January 2026.
“Jim’s role was recorded in his nursing home in Beaverton,” Hilton explained. “He was able to watch an assembly of the final phone call scene before he passed.”
Much like its wandering duo, Waking Up covers a lot of ground in its short span. We cantankerously object to the idea that it’s about First Thursday, but admire such an elevator pitch.
That’s a lot more likely to make people see your film than what we would call it, which is a beautiful portrait of an often misunderstood time in your life and a story that wrestles with ambition, grief, and the ongoing pursuit of trying to relax into life as it comes.
Waking Up From a Nap On a Long Day of Doing Nothing screens before Go (1999) at Hollywood Theatre, 4112 NE Sandy, Mon Aug 17, 7:30 pm, $10-$12, tickets at hollywoodtheatre.org
Left to right: Max Benedict, Ben Siver, and Katie Kell in Fernhill Park.
JR GONZALEZ
DO THIS, DO THAT A Selection of the City’s Coolest Upcoming Summer Events.
EDITED BY LINDSAY COSTELLO
The Portland Mercury’s Summer of Slushies
JULY
(FOOD/DRINK) Get ready for the coolest, most delicious event of the summer! The Merc presents Summer of Slushies, which brings boozy, frozen, custom-made treats to the frugal and thirsty denizens of Portland at just $10 a pop, all July long. (Various locations, $10/slushie, more info) MERCURY STAFF
Pretty, Witty, and Gay
THROUGH AUGUST 1
(FILM) In the wake of artist David Hockney’s death PAM CUT’s Pretty, Witty, and Gay series feels bittersweet—the series curates films in conversation with Portland Art Museum’s sprawling Hockney exhibition Much like his most famous compositions, the lineup of films screening on weekends at the Whitsell trends colorful, queer, and suffused with solitude beneath palm trees and sunshine. Fans of yearning and the paint swatch section at Home Depot will appreciate it; I’m partial to Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s vibrant, yet harrowing Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (screening July 12) and Safe, Todd Haynes’ pastel ode to health anxiety (screening July 19). (Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park, various times through August 1, $15/screening, $10 for members, portlandartmuseum.org/pam-cut/)
LINDSAY COSTELLO
Harriet Tubman Center Museum
THROUGH JAN 3, 2027
(VISUAL ART) To fully appreciate the impact of the Harriet Tubman Center Museum, first you’ll need to understand an acronym: KSMoCA, AKA the King School Museum of Contemporary Art. It’s an ongoing social practice art project headquartered in a NE Portland elementary school, founded by Portland State University professors/artists Lisa Jarrett and Harrell Fletcher. For this exhibition, Jarrett collaborated with curators from the Harriet Tubman Center for Expanded Curatorial Practice—that’s a group of KSMoCA 4th and 5th graders—pulling together works from PAM’s collections that might surprise you. Expect a show “shaped by emerging curatorial voices and multigenerational knowledge.” (Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park, 10 am-5 pm Tue-Sun, FREE, $27.50, portlandartmuseum.org, all ages) LC
Portland Arts Week: Good Game
JULY 10
(VISUAL ART) Chaired by gallerist Elizabeth Leach, the inaugural Portland Arts Week (July 9-12) will introduce itself with a wide range of shows and arts happenings centering an “Art & Sports” theme. Screenings, conversations, and Park Blocks activations make the
week one to watch for, but I’m particularly jazzed for Good Game at PICA, which will transform into the Portland Institute for Contemporary Athletics on the night of July 10. Teams of all-star artists and athletes will compete in creative challenges—grab a hot dog and cheer on your faves. (Portland Institute for Contemporary Athletics, 15 NE Hancock, 8 pm, sliding scale $20-$50, pica.org) LC
Hilary Duff: the lucky me tour
JULY 14
(MUSIC) After 18 years away from performing live music on stage, Hilary Duff wowed the audience at a London venue back in January. Duff released her chart-topping album Metamorphosis when she
was just 15, eventually stepping away from music to focus on acting and raising a family. Luckily for us, she returned to pop music with the release of her first record in 11 years this February; luck...or something tells the story of a failing relationship and traumatic divorce in a style that feels like a combination of Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, and Lily Allen. Don’t miss your chance to see the pop star’s second coming with support from Grammy Award-winning synthpop group La Roux and rising queer Canadian singer Jade LeMac. (Cascades Amphitheater, 17200 NE Delfel, Ridgefield, $100.45+, cascadesamphitheater.com, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
Cathedral Park Jazz Festival
JULY 17-19
(MUSIC) Now in its 45th year, this completely free festival features three whole days of live jazz—listen up and take in the sunshine, with the St. Johns Bridge serving as a picturesque backdrop. There’s all kinds of jazz on offer over the weekend, including zydeco music from Swamp Thang, drum-driven grooves from Alley-Oop, and soulful vocals from Julia Logue. There’ll also be food vendors on site—all you need to do is bring a low chair or blanket. (Cathedral City Park, 6635 N Baltimore, July 17: 4:30 pm-10 pm, July 18: 1 pm-9:30 pm, July 19: 1 pm-8 pm, FREE, jazzoregon.org, all ages) KATHERINE CHEW HAMILTON
ATLANTIC RECORDS
Fuji to Hood
JULY 18
(FOOD/DRINK) Fuji to Hood is a beer festival, but it’s also much more—it’s a collaboration and exchange of Japanese and Oregonian culture, held in alternating years in Portland and Japan. This year’s lineup includes 25 brews, made collaboratively with Oregon and Japanese breweries and cideries, plus sips from some local wineries and distilleries. Look for a lager with peach smoked malt or IPAs made with soba noodles. There will also be taiko, judo, and even sumo performances, plus Japanese crafts from pottery to cat stamps. A dozen food vendors will keep you fed, including Behind the Museum Cafe, Soen, and Obon Shokudo. (The Redd on Salmon Street, 831 SE Salmon, 1 pm-8 pm [VIP-only 11 am-1 pm], $35 GA, $50 VIP, free for designated drivers and under 21, fujitohood.com, all ages) KCH
Joji
JULY 18
(MUSIC) George Kusunoki Miller has come a long way from his days as a supreme internet troll (folks might barely recognize him as Filthy Frank or other chaotic personas—or even as the originator of the “Harlem Shake” meme). These days, the Japanese American artist known as “Joji” makes lo-fi R&B, crooning forlorn lyrics with buttery vocals. In a 180 from his former internet presence, Joji the musician is an elusive figure, only emerging on tour and during
OMSI Star Parties
JULY 18 AND AUGUST 12
(COMMUNITY) Light pollution be damned—you can scope out your fair share of planets and stars, the moon, and other celestial sights from the darkness of L.L. Stub Stewart State Park, where Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) will host two special lunar viewings this summer. Rose City Astronomers and reps from Oregon Parks and Recreation will be on site, and astronomy nerds of all ages and experience levels can gaze their awe-filled little hearts out through “telescopes and binoculars of all sizes.” On August 12, parties at both L.L. Stub and Rooster Rock State Park will scope the spectacular Perseid meteor shower. (L.L. Stub Stewart State Park, Buxton, and Rooster Rock State Park, Corbett, 8 pm-12 am, $10/vehicle, omsi.edu , all ages) LC
album cycles. Catch him on this excursion for his latest album, Piss in the Wind, which features guest appearances from Giveon, Don Toliver, and Portland’s own Yeat. (Moda Center, 1 Center Court, $63.50+, rosequarter.com) JANEY WONG
The Portland Mercury’s Get Out & Eat Bike Ride
JULY 18
(FOOD/SPORTS) Come celebrate the launch of the Mercury’s food issue—the very issue you’re holding in your hands—Pedalpalooza-style, along with managing editor/food editor Katherine Chew Hamilton and news reporter/soft serve specialist Taylor Griggs, who are both big bike nerds. We’ll ride our bikes (or skates or skateboards) to some of Portland’s best food carts and soft serve spots featured in the issue, and those of age can also grab boozy slushies to celebrate the Mercury’s Summer of Slushies. You might even be able to score some exclusive Mercury swag. (Sewallcrest Park, SE 31st & Market, meet 12 pm, ride 12:30 pm, FREE, shift2bikes.org, all ages) KCH
Hedwig and the Angry Inch with James Cameron Mitchell
JULY 19
(FILM) A must-see in the queer cinema canon, John Cameron Mitchell’s 2001 classic, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, is an off-the-rails musical extravaganza about a gender-queer punk rocker who tours America singing autobiographical numbers while stalking the ex-boyfriend who stole her songs. And in this special 4K screening, Rev Hall welcomes Mitchell, who will provide a live director’s commentary during the film— which is worth the price of admission alone, right? But wait, there’s more! Come early dressed as your fave Hedwig character for a super fun costume contest (with prizes!), and then stick around after the film for a special acoustic musical performance from Mitchell
COURTESY OF ARTIST
DAVIZRO-GETTY IMAGES
himself! (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 1:30 pm, $45.96-$173.66, revolutionhall.com, all ages) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Ocean Vuong in Conversation with Dao Strom
JULY 22
(READINGS/TALKS) You likely already know this, but Ocean Vuong made major waves in 2019 with the release of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, an epistolary novel; he’s also a celebrated poet, whose collection Night Sky With Exit Wounds won the T. S. Eliot Prize. The MacArthur Genius, American Book Award winner, and onetime Boston Market server will discuss his new book, The Emperor of Gladness with Portland interdisciplinary poet/writer Dao Strom. Before the event, I recommend (re)visiting Vuong’s tear-inducing March 2020 interview with Krista Tippett, in which he casually says things like “I want to take off the shoes of my voice, so that I can enter a place with care, so that I can do the work I need to,” and “When the apocalypse comes, what will you put into the vessel for the future?” (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 7:30 pm, $13.62+, revolutionhall.com, all ages) LC
Portland Sketchfest
JULY 22-25
(PERFORMANCE) If your goal is to gain the most laughs per capita, then the annual Portland Sketchfest is the event for you! Held at the Siren Theater, Sketchfest spotlights the best in local and national sketch comedy troupes, and the festival’s curation is always sharp, on point, and improves year over year. In this edition, the surefire bets to see are definitely Portland’s The Aces, D&D, Lone Wolves, and Phil Schallberger (whose video-assisted sketches are a wonder to behold), but we’re also very interested in checking out Hot Dog Tony (Greensboro, NC), Collette Gregory (Chicago), Dad Skeleton (San Diego), and the terminally cute Spoucho (Columbus, OH). But no matter which night you pick, you’ll be entertained… so why not attend all of ’em? (Siren Theater, 3913 N Mississippi, Thurs 7 pm, Fri 6:30 pm, Sat 6 pm, $18-$95, sirentheater.com, all ages) WSH
World Naked Bike Ride
JULY 25
(SPORTS) The most famous Bike Summer ride of them all is back: the World Naked Bike Ride, a 22-year-old Portland tradition. It’s nudity with a purpose—protesting reliance on fossil fuels—and as many as 10,000 people show up, riding at dusk wearing as much or as little clothing (or body paint) as they prefer. (But for everyone’s sake, please wear underwear if you’re gonna ride a Biketown bike.) It’s loud, it’s crowded, there are lots of flashing lights, and it’s fun to watch drivers get annoyed—a quintessential Portland bucket list item. (Wilshire Park, 4116 NE 33rd, meet 6:30 pm, ride 8:30 pm, FREE, pdxwnbr.org) KCH
Pickathon
JULY 30-AUGUST 2
(MUSIC) If you don’t recognize many of the names on the 26th annual Pickathon lineup, never fear—this fest has always been about musical discovery. Every artist plays two sets over the four-day schedule, giving you ample opportunity to find your new favorite band (fun fact: Geese played Pickathon back in 2024). Bigger names like influential ’90s rock band Built to Spill and bluesy Americana artist Shakey Graves might draw you in, but don’t sleep on Portland Afrofuturists the Cosmic Tones Research Trio or Seattle’s psychedelic electro-cumbia project Terror/Cactus, among many others. Pickathon is more than just a music festival; it’s an experience with different “neighborhoods,” family-oriented activities, and unique highlights like a whimsical wooded path connecting parts of the grounds. (Pendarvis Farm, 16581 SE Hagen Rd, Happy Valley, $215+, pickathon.com, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
Northwest Hardcore Fest
AUGUST 1-2
(MUSIC) After a successful inaugural year, the Northwest Hardcore Fest is back to deliver a two-day affair of the stuff Portland hardcore punks used to only dream of. The lineup of over 30 bands features headlining sets from ’90s metalcore band All Out War, hardcore SoCal punks Soul Search, and self-described Thailand-based “Bangkok Evilcore” group Whispers. Other bands on the lineup have macabre names like As The Life Leaves Your Eyes and Sewn Shut, so you know it’s gonna get dark and go hard in all the best ways. (The Off Beat, 8440 N Interstate, 12-10 pm, $90, friendsofnoise.org, all ages) SL
The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi and Russell Daniels Live!
AUGUST 2
(PERFORMANCE) If you’re anything like me, you can’t bear happy people or anyone who seemingly “has it together”—I mean, like, how dare they, amirite? That’s why the world desperately needs The Downside, a podcast starring the hilarious Gianmarco Soresi and
MICHAEL
Ali Wong
AUGUST 7-8
(PERFORMANCE) The ceaselessly hilarious Ali Wong swings by Portland for another one of her crowd-pleasing nationwide tours. Blasting onto the scene with her 2016 Netflix comedy special Baby Cobra, Wong has expanded her reach into films (Birds of Prey, Always Be My Maybe) and TV (Fresh Off the Boat, Beef), and continues to be one of the sharpest voices in comedy today. If you love whip-smart stories and rants on the topics of sex, feminism, post-divorce dating, and more sex, then the lewd and wonderful Ali Wong is exactly the night of entertainment you ordered. (Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 7 pm, $66.20$352.75, portland5.com , probably not for kids) WSH
Russell Daniels, in which they dig deep into the lives of their guests… with a special focus on their bitchy complaints and personal neurosis. And in this live, onstage version, you can expect a raucous, raunchy evening that will include a lot of side-splitting crowdwork—a particular talent of Soresi’s. Get ready to laugh, and leave your stupid “silver linings” at home! (Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, 8 pm, $32.33, aladdin-theater.com, all ages) WSH
Portland Fire vs. Toronto Tempo
AUGUST 6
(SPORTS) Portland Fire fans, get ready: The battle of the WNBA expansion teams is heading to the Rose City. The Fire/Tempo game will mark the first time the two newest teams in the league have faced one another since May 23, when Portland thrashed the Tempo 99-80. The Fire’s players aren’t the only ones being tested: the Tempo is coached by longtime WNBA veteran Sandy Brondello, who will be looking for payback against newcomer Alex Sarama. The Fire also can’t count on a surefire win this time around, as far too many weeks will have transpired since that first match and both teams have been doing a lot of growing. That’s where you come in: snag some tickets, get some merch, practice your basketball chants and cheers, and get ready to support the home team as loudly as possible ! (Moda Center, 1 Winning Way, 7 pm, $16 & up, fire.wnba.com , all ages)
STEPHANIE KALOI
PDX Pop Now!
AUGUST 7-9
(MUSIC) Returning this summer to the Midtown Beer Garden, PDX Pop Now! has celebrated local music with its free, all-ages, volunteer-run festival since 2004. This year’s installment is no exception, with the organizers teasing a lineup of more than two dozen artists spanning a variety of genres, over 25 food carts, craft vendors, kids activities, and more. It’ll be the most fun in the sun you’ve had since, well, the last PDX Pop Now! Don’t forget to support the nonprofit’s endeavors by making a donation at the fest or purchasing its curated annual compilation album on Bandcamp (Midtown Beer Garden, 431 SW Harvey Milk, FREE, pdxpopnow.com, all ages) SL
Lloyd Center Funeral Procession
AUGUST 8
(COMMUNITY/SPORTS) Some Bike Summer rides are joyful; others are a time to mourn. This one, sadly, is the latter. August 8 is the last day of the Lloyd Center as we know it, so don your best funeral wear (or Tonya Harding outfit) for a bike ride through the Lloyd’s many maze-like parking structures. Afterward, riders will take to the ice rink for one last open skate. I hope Joe Brown will still have some of their famous caramel corn that day, too. (Holladay Park, NE Holladay and NE 11th, meet 1 pm, ride 1:30 pm, FREE, shift2bikes.org, all ages) KCH
The
The Faults in Our Stars
only horoscope column in the universe, for July 2026.
BY ANTHONY HUDSON
Happy Solar Return, America—you’re 250 years young, but you don’t look a day past 1950. Unfortunately, Mercury is in Gatorade until July 23, making communication fraught with misunderstandings, misgivings, and electrolytes. You might notice strange side-eye from your neighbors as you raise the Blue Lives Matter flag, or cheerful conversations about our nation’s proud heritage may become uncharacteristically (if not un-Americanly) awkward. But if you find your -
Aries (March 21–April 19)
You’re the baby of the signs, and that makes you none other than George W. Bush. Like Dubya, you invent words, wear a face of unqualified terror when greeted with news of the towers falling, and start wars to impress Daddy Cheney. But because everyone adores a baby, we love watching you try to put on a poncho in the rain next to Michelle Obama. And you’re not without introspection: Just look at your new career as a painter, thoughtfully painting immigrants and veterans you sent to war. We could have used that thoughtfulness 25 years ago, but, like art made by children or goats, your little scribbles are undeniably charming.
Taurus (April 20–May 20)
What better match for the Bull than Jill Stein?* Like our favorite Green Party candidate, you know what’s best for everyone regardless of whether or not it is, in fact, best for everyone. Stubborn and resistant to change, you persevere and persist even if it means flinging the country into fascism (it does). But you’re also one for style and decor, and that white swoosh of hair is as fashionable as Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly—if not as tired as The Devil Wears Prada 2 *My apologies to Ms. Stein for not including “Doctor” in her name—a title rightfully earned after eight hard years spent driving votes away from electable candidates.
Gemini
(May 21–June 20)
You’re the George Washington of the Zodiac, because you’d never tell a lie. But you don’t exactly tell the truth, either; instead, you’re quite a skilled storyteller, leaving most of us dazzled—and distracted from the cherry tree’s side of the story. Intelligent and playful, you’re only lying through your teeth to hide the fact that they’re made of wood. (Which was itself a lie: Washington’s dentures were made of ivory, brass, gold, and an unholy combination of toothy bits from cows and people, ew. Suddenly an orange spray tan doesn’t seem so egregious.)
self in a pickle at the barbecue, don’t panic, and do what I always do: Deep throat a corn dog like a Republican candidate on the State Fair circuit— or Lindsey Graham in the Republican Convention toilets. But more importantly than that (and because this column is funded by the NEA, which only supports projects celebrating the 250th—and no, I’m not writing this with a projectile device pointed at my head), let’s gaze at what the stars have in store for you this month, personally, as illustrated by (in)famous figures in American history:
Cancer (June 21–July 22)
Nothing says Cancer like an earnest request for your audience to “please clap,” instantly rendering you Jeb Bush. Dubya’s younger brother famously asked constituents to applaud his remarks at a town hall in his failed bid for the 2016 election, and, like Jeb, the Crab’s sincere need for approval is matched only by a crushing willingness to welcome defeat. You are both Barbara Bush’s greatest disappointment and the Jan Brady of the Bushes. “Sure, Jeb.”
Leo (July 23–August 22)
You may have murdered another human being in cold blood—but have you seen those eyebrows?! That’s right: You’re Luigi Mangione, the (alleged) It Boy assassin and future model for either GUESS Jeans or capital punishment. You’ve stolen America’s heart and spurred countless debates over whether murder is morally justified when committed by a hot person. You’re a modern day Roxie Hart, Leo-igi, and if this trial doesn’t end with chorus boys and your name in lights, then whose OnlyFans will I subscribe to?
Virgo (August 23–September 22)
Venus entered Virgo on July 9, marking a first for your love life—I didn’t know you were into pegging!—and aligning you with the Dems’s favorite cuck named Chuck: Schumer, that is. An over-analytical control freak, you’re so set in your ways that you’re more interested in maintaining the status quo than standing up against genocide, the fall of democracy, or your niece, Amy. But now that Venus’s intervention finds you experiencing pleasure for what might be the first time in your life, here’s hoping that vice-like anal grip on power finally loosens up and leads to change—or at least a good movement.
Libra (September 23–October 22)
On your best days, you’re an inspiring and strong figure concerned with fairness and equality; on your worst, you’re secretive, vain, indecisive, and our former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. You’re probably not an evil manipulator benefiting from a pizzeria-based trafficking scheme; you’re probably just an ambitious woman who hates conflict. So your centrist approach relies on either expert diplomacy or pathological people-pleasing. But back in Michigan in 2016, you could have used a lot more of the latter.
Scorpio
(October 23–November 21)
Like Abraham Lincoln, you’re stately, charismatic, and a real sex pot. Now, Lincoln wasn’t exactly a hunk, but while he lacked looks, he still stole hearts with eloquence, tall hats, and a sex appeal as untold as his dark side. The guy knew his way around a twin bed with another man in a log cabin, and he remains beloved in history despite instituting the draft, censoring the press, and ordering the largest mass execution of Native Americans in history. Sly, secretive, sexy, socially skilled, and sociopathic? That’s all you, Scorpio. You should celebrate tonight by seeing a play.
Sagittarius
(November 22–December 21)
I hate to say it, Sagittarius, because I’m generally sweet on you—but out of all of ’em, you’re George Santos. Hear me out: You’re wild. You’re a party girl. You did drag once in Brazil. You can’t resist a little white lie—or fraud. And felonies. Nobody knows how you got into the building, and we can’t seem to get you to leave without expelling you from Congress altogether (slay the house down boots, sis), but at your worst, we can’t look away—and at your best, there’s something downright infectious about you. Um. You should probably get that checked out.
(December 22–January 19)
I’m sorry there isn’t a nicer way to say this, but, like Phyllis Schlafly, you’re a c*nt. Your cold, conservative ambition cost us the Equal Rights Amendment and left us with an uneven TV series starring Cate Blanchett. You cite ancestry from Ayn Rand and have established a career blueprint for Ann Coulter and JK Rowling, leaving an entire lineage of icy, scary girlbosses—all of whom could more ethically contribute to society by participating in Jar Jar Binks lookalike contests in Bushwick. Aquarius (January 20–February 18)
You’re a visionary. You’re a rebel. You’re a little weird.
You’re Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, two emotionally detached, stubborn, and opinionated do-gooders who could have given us the most competent presidential administrations in history, were they not also emotionally detached and stubborn. Sanders came with an army of toxic mansplainers and Warren shouldn’t have talked about 23andMe so much, but something about you evokes Grateful Dead posters in the Oval Office and not crimes against humanity. Universal healthcare would have been nice, too, but you just had to be weird— and not in the trendy, sociopathic billionaire way.
Pisces
(February 19–March 20)
As the resident mystic of the signs, you’re Marianne Williamson, the resident mystic of the Democratic Party. You’re more interested in A Return to Love than Making America Great Again, and you bring a bright-eyed weirdness passing as empathy wherever you speak. Sure, you’ve said insane shit about how HIV/AIDS is a “psychic scream” that can be treated with the power of intention—and according to your staffers, you fall into an “uncontrollable,” bear-like rage whenever your crystals get moved by the cleaning staff. You kinda give subtle antivaxxer vibes too, but I’ll take that over our current predicament.
Capricorn
Anthony Hudson is a Grand Ronde and Siletz artist, writer, and former clown. His first book, Lamp Back: Plays and Other Grievances
Northwestern University Press.
Savage Love
BY DAN SAVAGE
I’m a 20-year-old virgin and I have until very recently thought I was pan romantic/ asexual. But I have found myself being sexually attracted to my close female friends. How do I know if I am ace or struggling with religious guilt?
Labels can wait—get out there and live a little, kiddo.
P.S. Religious guilt and/or trauma is something you work through with a therapist; it’s not something you work through with (or take out on) your first girlfriend.
Into fisting?
A lady never tells.
My ex-girlfriend’s name is tattooed on my right calf and my current girlfriend wants me to get it lasered off. I think it’s part of my story and that I have a right to some bodily autonomy here. I would never tell her to delete pics of her exes from her Instagram, which is way more “public facing” than my right calf. It’s not like it’s in a place where my girlfriend has to see it when we’re having sex. What do you think?
“I had a tattoo of my ex—just the first letter of her first name although in a much
more precarious place, my lower left hip—and it was a major point of contention in my relationship,” said Gianmarco Soresi, the standup comedian and host of The Downside podcast. “We tried putting a Band-Aid over it, I offered to get a tattoo
of her full name (‘Great, so I can be #2’), but the disagreement, like the tattoo, did not go away. At a certain point it became less about the tattoo itself and more my own sense of bodily autonomy, my history, a snapshot of who I once was! But I love
my girlfriend and so I ultimately found a way that felt like I could cover it up on my own terms: I filmed a comedy special where I told some jokes about the tat—and
JOE NEWTON
Continued from pg. 45
our fights about it—and we showed me getting it covered up with a bouquet of flowers in the credits. To me, I transferred my past self onto film in a way that could honor the (insane) younger man I once was but also in a way that didn’t remind my girlfriend of my ex every time she gave me a blowjob. So, my advice is become a stand-up comedian.”
To hear those jokes about Gianmarco Soresi’s tattoo—and to watch it get covered up—check out his latest stand-up special, Thief of Joy, on YouTube. Follow Soresi on Instagram @ gianmarcosoresi.
Why is hangover horny a thing?
Because Jesus loves us and wants us to be happy.
The wife asking: How can I gauge if a guy might want to have a threesome with me and my husband?
You may already know a guy who might wanna have a threesome with you and your husband—fucking the two of you might be this guy’s go-to fantasy when he’s having a wank—but that guy, if he exists, is unlikely to unambiguously signal that he’s interested in having a threesome with you and your husband. So, you’re going to have to ask.
P.S. If this guy exists… why hasn’t he hit on you and your husband already? Well, this hypothetical guy most likely assumes you and your husband are monogamous, which is not an unreasonable assumption, since most opposite-sex couples are monogamous. And since he assumes you’re monogamous, he doesn’t want to come across as a creep by making the first move. So, again, you’re going to have to ask.
What’s the best way to get a pubic hair out of your throat?
You’re gonna have to hack that thing up, same as everybody else.
My ex dumped me a month ago after 17 years together. Took a beat from dating. How to fuck?
I have to assume you remember how to fuck… it’s finding someone to fuck you’re out of practice with. Dating apps are hell, yes, but you can’t avoid them. But in addition to getting on the apps (and taking Dr. Jennie Young’s excellent advice about navigating the apps), you need to go places, do things, and meet people.
Why do the actors in American-made porn scream something that sounds very much like the German word “ja” in contexts where I’d usually expect them to scream the English word “yes”? What’s going on here?
Put your teeth together, part your lips, press your tongue against the roof of your mouth and moan — “nnnnn” — and then open your mouth and say “yeah.” Sounds a lot like “ja,” doesn’t it?
The man I’m seeing is extremely rude to waiters and a terrible tipper. He is kind and generous with me personally. He’s also hot. I’m torn.
I learned this one the hard way: Sooner or later… and probably sooner rather than later… that hot guy is gonna start treating you the same way he treats waiters. DTMFA.
I’ve stopped coming via oral but can still come with a vibrator. So, the wiring still works. But have I “death-gripped” myself via vibe?
If you feel like you’ve become physically or psychologically dependent on your vibrator, stop using your vibrator for a few months. If you’re able to come again in a few weeks or months, you didn’t need that vibrator, and you should use it a little more sparingly going forward. If you aren’t coming after a few months, you do need that vibrator, and you shouldn’t be shy about giving it pride of place on your nightstand.
My new boyfriend wants me to meet his “significant ex” because being friends with exes is something “the gays” do. Maybe I don’t get it because I’m bisexual, but I really don’t want to be in the same room with any of his ex-boyfriends. Thoughts?
Being weird about your boyfriend’s significant ex—being weird about any of his exes— is the quickest way to become his next ex.
How old is too old to be posting thirst traps?
Gerontophiles exist—they even have their own pride flag (and it is hilarious)—and gerontos deserve a little eye candy, too.
I have hemorrhoids that bleed routinely but I want to have anal sex. What do I do?
See a doctor and/or date a vampire.
What should I know if I am entering a Dom/ sub situation where I am being sub?
Know the red flags: beware wannabe Doms who tell you “real” subs don’t have boundaries, beware wannabe Doms who won’t share references, beware wannabe Doms who think you can go from zero (just having met) to sixty (total power exchange) in under a week. (Getting to TPE—if that’s even a goal—takes years, it’s never actually “total,” and it should always be the sub’s idea.)
P.S. Lina Dune’s “Ask a Sub” podcast is required listening for wannabe subs and the wannabe Doms who wanna do right by them.
GOT PROBLEMS? YES, YOU DO!
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