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I lived here twice many years ago and of course this coincided with the rise of "Portlandia" and the general sense that PDX was a playground for adult children everywhere, something of a modern-day civic utopia of urban living, a Brooklyn-like fixation on indie bands, beards and artisanal leather goods.
Then the pandemic hit and the narrative shifted to describe a place of anarchists, "woke aesthetics" (???) and people fleeing what had become a wasteland of homeless tents, boarded-up shops and general unease about even doing something as simple as going downtown to shop.
Well I'm here to tell you that PORTLAND IS BACK BABY -- we went to an indie-label showcase of strictly psych-doom bands last night (think: Black Angels on even more LSD than you imagined), restaurants still flourish here (just different ones than you remember) and it remains one of the most gorgeous places on the planet, even if the sidewalks are wet with cold rain for about four months per year.
I love this town and never stopped.
Dec 12, 2024
Related Recs
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This has never happened before but today I find myself longing for dark and rain instead of snow and sun
Mar 15, 2025
ill reminisce on this trip when i return home. this side quest was a gentle reminder that i am alive and i am okay. i lose sight here and there.
4d ago
i was born here but haven’t lived here since i was a few months, before moving back for university. i’ve always wanted to live in an urban area with a lot of young, college aged people, and this is the perfect place for that. there are always festivals, thrift pop ups, art gallery openings, historical buildings and events to go to which i love. i enjoy meeting strange people who are part of various scenes, going to the goth club and spending time with my interesting friends. the public transportation is also great, since i don’t have a car and don’t plan on getting one either.
there is however a very large homeless issue that has been going on for years, and a housing crisis, and even my favourite cheap sandwich place has had to jack up their prices, but what can you do.
i plan on staying here for university and possibly moving away for post-grad, but this place will hold a very special place in my heart forever
Oct 27, 2024
Top Recs from @coreydubrowa
The man responsible for dozens of Teenage Symphonies to God
"Sad songs about happy things" (the first time, as a kid, I can recall the sweet/sour combo of melodies that could make you cry attached to songs about endless, bottomless love)
I've long since lost track of how many weddings and funerals I've attended that have featured this song; suffice it to say, "a lot."
God only knows what we'd been without him 🙏🏻
3d ago
May 22, 2025
Hey tyler hopefully this doesn’t violate some PI.FYI golden rule
But after nearly two years of writing, editing and arguing, my book about the EP is coming out in May and can be preordered here:
https://hozacrecords.com/product/aifl/
The book is about the origins, history and cultural impact of the EP since these little objects first started coming out in the 50s.
Over 50 of my music biz friends then helped me shape the list and review the top 200 ever released, according to us (ha).
For those of you who are into this kind of geekery/snobbery, I can’t wait to hear what you think. A labor of love, as all books are! ❤️
Mar 27, 2024