Everybody has their favourite haunts to visit for food but all Portlanders agree on Voodoo Doughnuts. Whenever it is open there are lines out the door. After negotiating the TV crew that were filming and the said line I settled on one ‘Dirty Old Bastard’. Chocolate Oreos and peanut butter. The only dirty old bastard that everybody wants to get their hands on.

Most American coffee tastes like the bastard child of Nescafe and cough medicine but the team at Spella take their stuff seriously.  Think thermometers and little hourglasses. Throw in a local pecan pie for the princely sum of $4. It was the first time I had ever been served by a barista that wore a tie. He happily gave me some pointers for the best places to eat and other things to do while I was here. I have an inkling that I will return for some more of this coffee.

Had to pay another visit to Bailey’s Taproom, otherwise there was no way I was going to get through all the beer options. And those prices – Gary Busey crazy.

For the record number 18 was a favourite, the innocently named Cordial Tease clocking in 10.1%. It was a dark beer that had peppermint, cherries and if it was socially acceptable to bathe in it I would. The board changes depending on how much is left in the keg (pictured far right on the board) as well as all the vitals any drinker would need to make an informed decision. And if there are too many options, they are more than happy to offer a free taster to assist with the decision making process.

During this time at the bar I met a couple of local law enforcement women who specialise in NCIS style crime fighting. As they had to work tomorrow they couldn’t stay too long. Alcohol and guns don’t mix kids. After they left the bar talk with random strangers took a couple of tangents, centered around deadly Australian animals,  March Madness, Leslie Nielsen v John Candy and the best way to shut down a coworker who wants to get lewd and nude (answer = fake a herpes outbreak).

Those worried about my liver, don’t fret, I did get my share of nature and culture. Visited what could be the biggest bookstore in the world, Powell’s City Of Books. Think 6 storeys high and takes up an entire city block. Until next time. Whether you want to make bread the way they did in the twelfth century or want to know how to hotwire a 1986 Sigma it is all under one roof. A real community hub is Powells.