The People's Republic of Portland

Politically Correct, Entertaining and Family Friendly

by Terri Mandell & E.J. Campfield

At one time or another, most of us in the working parent population of Los Angeles have fantasized about escaping to a cleaner, greener life in a smaller, saner city. The mere mention of Portland, Oregon makes visions of affordable real estate, great public schools and clean air dance in our heads, and even the city's average rainfall of 39.6 inches (less than Atlanta's, Houston's and Baltimore's) sounds like a delightful respite from the dry, smoggy place we call home. Even if you're not dreaming of relocation, Portland is a must-see for anybody who believes that city life is, by its very nature, ugly, dangerous and miserable.

Portland, like a handful of other high-functioning American cities, will change the way you look at urban sprawl. The place is big and bustling, with a population of 1.7 million and a booming economy, but the growth has been managed brilliantly, and evidence of that can be found everywhere from the pristine rivers to downtown's office towers. Trees and city parks dominate Portland's landscape, often taking up huge chunks of prime downtown real estate (if you need a laugh, imagine such a thing happening in Southern California). City planners even ripped out an interstate highway that once bordered the Willamette River and replaced it with a waterfront park that functions as a venue for festivals and special events.

In Portland, they don't "pave paradise and put in a parking lot" as the old Joni Mitchell song lamented... they do just the opposite. Pioneer Courthouse Square, an outdoor gathering place with a bookstore, amphitheater and fountain, was built on the site of a former parking lot. The square is affectionately known as "Portland's Living Room," and city officials actually encourage people to play in the fountain (in L.A. you'd get a ticket for that). The place is packed with public art, pedestrian walkways, bike trails, street musicians and vendors, and everybody looks happy. It's weird. Swing magazine called Portland a "hot town for cool people," and although the place is known for trendy cafes, the country's largest bookstore, and more microbreweries than any city in the United States, it's extraordinarily kid-friendly.

The Oregon Children's Theater celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and last season alone more than 105,000 kids got a chance to see classics like Anne of Green Gables and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The Children's Museum, zoo, science museum and history museum are world-class, and the waiters in every restaurant we patronized actually seemed to like kids.

We visited Portland in the Spring, and the weather was perfect. Being two somewhat jaded L.A. people, we were floored by what we saw in terms of quality of life. Just for starters, public transportation in the downtown area is free. The whole city is built on a human scale, with city blocks sized smaller than normal, to make everything seem more and accessible and part of a familiar, compact community. Adjacent to the city is Forest Park, nearly 5,000 acres of hiking trails through verdant woods that has earned the title "America's largest urban forest." But get this... on some of the trails the city actually provides entertainment. You might pass a juggling team while you're hiking, and then a hundred yards later stumble onto a string quartet or a puppet show in progress. The city is so enlightened that many of its public schools do double duty as community schools during the evening hours, offering everything from mother-daughter Spanish classes to dance, cooking, art and gardening for kids and adults. And did I mention that there's no sales tax?

.Of everything we saw in Portland, one place stood out as the most imaginative and entertaining of all. It's called the Kennedy School, and it's not a school, at least not anymore. A company called McMenamins, which is single handedly responsible for some of Portland's best restaurants and venues, did something unconventional by purchasing the old Kennedy Elementary School -- circa 1915 -- and turning it into a hotel, restaurant and theater. This radical concept met with resounding success, as the McMenamins turned the historical landmark into a community center and hub for tourism and local social activity. As you walk through the place, you're instantly nostalgic for the colors, the smells and feeling of your own elementary school days. In fact, while strolling casually through the hallways, we were suddenly seized with the urge to break into a sprint, just to see if the principal would show up to bust us for running in the halls. The floors, walls, staircases, doors and fixtures are original, but that's where the similarity ends. The walls are now covered with works by local artists (some of whom were students at Kennedy in the 1950s and 60s), and throughout the cavernous hallways are antiques, wicker furniture, and fresh flowers. The cafeteria is now a high-quality, reasonably-priced garden restaurant with its own brewery. And the auditorium is a theater, where you can see a local stage production of a Midsummer Night's Dream or watch movies while drinking beer and eating pizza. The gymnasium has been restored to function as an all-purpose room for meetings and conventions, and there's even a pool, which is free for guests, but also open to the public for a $5.00 charge. And by the way, there's even a lounge called The Detention Bar, situated in -- you guessed it -- the Detention Room. All this couldn't be more clever, but the real genius is in the way the guest rooms have been designed. They are, as you might have surmised, actual school classrooms that have been converted into sleeping quarters with private baths, queen beds, phones with modem ports and the original chalkboards and cloakrooms (chalk for doodling is generously provided by the management). Rates are extremely reasonable, and include admission to entertainment in the theater and breakfast for between $90 - $100 a night.

Portland is an easy, affordable 2 hour flight from L.A. (we recommend Southwest Airlines because they provide toys and play equipment for kids at many of their gates in terminals around the country). Best time of year to visit is Summer, but Fall is gorgeous, with a dazzling display of autumn foliage that rivals New England's. At nearby Mt. Hood there's winter skiing, Hotels and restaurants run the gamut from high class and expensive to casual neighborhood eateries and comfy little inns that welcome families and pets. Overall, it's affordable, lively, safe and child-friendly, ideal for a long weekend getaway.

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