THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD

Apr. 25–30

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April 25 JAPAN

The ruling Democratic Party in Japan lost all three parliamentary seats that were up for grabs in the by-elections, according to Reuters. The election was the first national election to take place since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took office last November. “Two of the elections were held due to scandals, so that was definitely in the background,” said Airo Hino, a political science professor at Waseda University. “But anger and frustration on the part of the people due to how the pandemic’s being handled, and the slowness of the vaccine rollout, also played a part.” Kyodo News reported Suga’s cabinet’s approval rating fell from approximately 70% when first taking office to below 40% in February. “I intend to take the people’s decision with humility, and make amends where amending is necessary after conducting further analysis,” Suga said.

April 27 ALBANIA

The Central Election Commission announced that Albania’s Socialist Party won its third consecutive election with 98% of the ballots from Sunday’s parliamentary election counted, according to AP News. The commission said that the Socialist Party won 49% of the vote and 74 of parliament’s 140 seats. “We broke the record,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said to thousands of supporters in the capital city of Tirana. “It was a historic record. Thank you for placing your faith in us to lead you for another four years. My dream…is to make Albania in this decade…the Balkan champion, in tourism and agro-tourism, in energy and agriculture and in fast, qualitative, incorruptible digital services.”

3 April 28 SOMALIA

Following division on how to go about elections, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed called for new elections. “As we have repeatedly stated, we have always been ready to implement timely and peaceful elections in the country,” Mohamed said in a speech. “But unfortunately, our efforts were hampered by individuals, and foreign entities who have no aim other than to destabilize the country and take it back to the era of division and destruction in order to create a constitutional vacuum.” Tensions have been high since Mohamed’s four-year term ended in February with no plans for elections in sight, according to Al Jazeera. This comes after Mohamed signed a controversial measure earlier this month to extend his term another two years—a move passed by Somalia’s lower house of parliament but rejected by the senate.

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April 29 LIMA, PERU

Pedro Castillo, Peru’s front running presidential candidate, was rushed to a health clinic for respiratory issues, according to Reuters. On April 11, exit polls by Ipsos Peru announced leftwing elementary school teacher Castillo to be the top candidate for the election, followed by Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former Peruvian dictator Alberto Fujimori. “Dear compatriots: I thank you for convening...in Lima,” Castillo wrote on Twitter. “However, due to health issues, I inform you with regret that I will not be able to attend. My hugs and apologies for all those who arrived.” On April 30, Castillo announced he would be returning to the campaign trail in time for the first debate on May 1, after being diagnosed with a throat infection.

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April 30 JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

45 people died early Friday morning in a stampede during a festival celebrating the ultra-Orthodox Jewish holiday of Lag BaOmer, according to AP News. Estimates report tens of thousands of people were present at the tomb of 2nd-century sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai for the annual festival. Citizens of the United States and Canada were among the casualties. Some witnesses blame police barricades for blocking people from leaving properly. “The officers who were there couldn’t care less,” said Velvel Brevda, a rabbi who witnessed the stampede. “Beautiful holy Jews [were] killed here for no reason whatsoever.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced May 2 as a day of national mourning and said he joined others in donating blood for the injured. “In these moments our people unite and that is what we are doing at this moment as well,” Netanyahu said while visiting the scene.

THE PORTLAND GUIDE TO LOCAL CINEMAS

OUT OF THE SUN AND INTO THE AIR CONDITIONING

BÉLA KURZENHAUSER

The past year pushed many of us inside, pulling cinephiles such as myself away from the strange comfort of air-conditioned, butter-scented, sticky movie theaters and mediocre new blockbusters; exchanging such musky yet cozy delights for the arid landscape of PVOD and streaming releases such as Netflix’s Mank. I deeply miss my weekend pilgrimages to the theater, trekking through whatever harsh elements Portland has to offer in exchange for the ambrosia that was seeing a new release on the big screen. Thankfully, with the well-timed arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine, theaters are beginning to reopen, and a return to the cinema is no longer a distant future. In case you’re not familiar with Portland’s local cinemas, here are six of the best theaters in the city.

CINEMA 21 616 NW 21st Avenue Cinema 21 is one of Portland’s oldest theaters, and it’s built a loyal following despite having only three screens. It’s one of the most crucial pillars that support Portland’s festival circuit, and has been embedded in Portland’s local film industry for a long time, hosting such names as Todd Haynes, Gus Van Sant and Kelly Reichardt. One of its most popular traditions is the

rare late-night screening of the 2003 disasterpiece The Room with Tommy Wiseau in attendance, which has occurred several times over the years—always managing to rack up a full house. Outside of their presence on the festival circuit, Cinema 21 is also the go-to spot for movies from distributors such as A24 and NEON, whose films don’t usually manage to hit the multiplex.

HOLLYWOOD THEATRE 4122 NE Sandy Blvd The Hollywood Theatre has been around for 95 years, affixing itself as the most prestigious theatrical experience in the city. It’s one of the only theaters to screen films in 35mm and 70mm, and it kicks off every year with several stellar 70mm screenings (I highly recommend seeing 2001: a Space Odyssey there at the next screening). Although the Hollywood does show new releases, its true speciality is in festivals and speciality screenings, such as old silent films accompanied by a live organ score. Going to the Hollywood feels like more than just going to the movies—it’s an experience in and of itself, and is truly one of the best moviegoing affairs in the area. The theatre is currently still closed, but you can keep up to date on their social media or by signing up for their newsletter.

WHITSELL AUDITORIUM 1219 SW Park Ave The Whitsell Auditorium is the screening room of Portland’s very own filmmaking mecca—the NW Film Center. Beyond hosting classes and workshops and supporting local industry, the NW Film Center also hosts extensive screenings of locallymade films and old classics. The Whitsell Auditorium is a vital part of local film festivals such as the Portland International Film Festival and the Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival. You’ll frequently find it hosting retrospectives on the work of classic directors such as Agnes Varda or screening obscure new features from local Pacific Northwest filmmakers.

LIVING ROOM THEATERS. SOFIE BRANDT/PSU VANGUARD

LIVING ROOM THEATERS 341 SW 10th Avenue Living Room Theaters’ name comes from its fame for having the comfiest theater experience in the state, with couch-like seats, small screening rooms, and a food and drink menu. It’s pretty much the closest thing you’ll get to a Pacific Northwest equivalent to Alamo Drafthouse. Living Room shows a diverse hodgepodge of films, but is most well-known for its array of international festival circuit titles. The theater serves food and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to patrons of age, and their doors are closed to anyone under 21 past 7:30 p.m., making it a great theater for people eager to escape multiplex screenings with chattery kids. It’s currently open, showing all types of REGAL THEATER. SOFIE BRANDT/PSU VANGUARD

films from the new Mortal Kombat to Jasmila Žbanić’s Oscarnominated Bosnian drama Quo Vadis, Aida?

REGAL 340 SW Morrison St (Pioneer Place), 846 SW Park Ave (Fox Tower), 1510 NE Multnomah St (Lloyd Center) Regal Cinemas is one of the major United States theater chains alongside AMC and Cinemark, and it has multiple locations embedded throughout the city. The two closest theaters to Portland State’s campus are Regal Fox Tower 10 and Regal Pioneer Place 6, located respectively in the Fox Tower skyscraper and the upper floor of the Pioneer Place mall. Despite being so close to each other, the theaters show very different films, resulting in little overlap between the two locations. Regal is the best location to head to if you’re looking for the newest blockbusters, smaller-budget Hollywood films and Oscar nominees.

It also has an IMAX screen at the location over at Lloyd Center, which is worth the trek if you want to watch new releases on the biggest screen you can. Regal’s also well-known for their participation in the yearly Studio Ghibli Fest, which re-screens old Studio Ghibli movies throughout the year, and their Regal Unlimited subscription allows you to watch unlimited movies for only $21/month, which is easily the best deal for frequent cinemagoers. Regal’s Portland locations haven’t reopened just yet, but Fox Tower and Lloyd Center are reopening on May 14th, with Pioneer Place to follow on the 21st.

5TH AVENUE CINEMA 510 SW Hall St. 5th Avenue Cinema is PSU’s very own student-run cinema, screening a precisely-curated lineup of films every weekend for as long as classes are active. Tickets are free for PSU students, and the theater is one of the only in the region to screen films on both 35mm and digital, allowing for some truly unique experiences (summer 2019’s closing film was a 35mm screening of Masaki Kobayashi’s Hara-Kiri—a once in a lifetime experience). The theater remains closed until the campus fully reopens, but until then, its employees are hosting a biweekly podcast discussing their favorite films.

A DAY AT THE LAN SU CHINESE GARDEN

LAN SU CHINESE GARDEN. NICK GATLIN/PSU VANGUARD

NICK GATLIN

Having received a vaccination, I recently had a “normal” day out of the house for the first time since last March; I have to say, I missed it.

As more people get vaccinated for COVID-19 and restrictions on public gatherings are loosened, it can be a nice treat to get outside a bit more. Go meet up with a friend for some outdoor dining, go to the art museum or have a house party with everyone you know that’s been vaccinated—and make sure to do everything safely, of course. While it’s still a good idea to be cautious, this summer won’t be like last summer. Enjoy the fresh air and sunshine!

Before the pandemic, I made a ritual out of visiting the Lan Su Chinese Garden at least once every quarter. A friend and I would spend an afternoon walking around the garden, drinking tea out of gaiwans in the wooden teahouse, getting our fortune told and watching the koi swim around in the lazy river. When the pandemic struck, the Garden, like most other things, closed indefinitely. It wasn’t until recently that it reopened, and, after I got the vaccine, I knew I had to go back.

Lan Su was built as a collaborative effort between Portland and its sister city, Suzhou, in China’s Jiangsu province. The Garden’s name is meant to represent Portland and Suzhou, with the words “Lan” and “Su” translating to “Orchid” and “Awaken,” respectively.

We got there at about 12:30, close to high noon. The sun beat down on us from above as the day felt almost more like summer than spring. The peonies and magnolias were in full bloom, and a wave of perfume washed over us as soon as we stepped in the gate.

We walked along the path, over to one of the many covered porches overlooking the Garden’s river. To facilitate social distancing, visitors are only allowed to walk in a single direction around the garden, and all of its branching paths have been converted into one-way walkways. This turned out to be somewhat of a mixed blessing. Restricted to only one path, I found myself paying more attention to what I saw, knowing I would have to walk all the way around to see it again.

We stepped into a side room, shortly after entering the Garden, which held a little display of teaware in the back, in front of a window looking out onto a bed of flowers. On the walls were about a dozen framed art pieces, made with paper cutouts layered on top of one another to create depth in the image. You can buy these pieces, if you want—sadly, I didn’t have $900 on me, no matter how much I wanted to hang an awesome paper dragon on my wall.

After stopping off in the art room, we continued along the path; here, we got a full view of the river, looking down its entire length as we watched a gasp of koi encircle each other, coming to the surface every once in a while to make a big “O” with their mouths and gulp for air—which, after reading about it, may not have been a great sign.

Finally, we ducked into the tea shop at the far end of the Garden. This is what I think of when I think of Lan Su—most of my memories of the place revolve around drinking tea in the upper floor of the tall, narrow teahouse, sipping a cup of pu-erh or oolong out of a gaiwan, taking care not to accidentally swallow any of the loose tea leaves.

Things are obviously different because of the pandemic. No more can you go upstairs. Instead, they’ve set aside space by the river for patio seating, and you can sit inside at a few tables by the window. In order to protect both the customers and the employees, there is no more table service. If you want to get tea, whether you’re getting it to-go or to drink there, you order at the counter and receive your tea in a paper cup. Their menu has shrunk significantly as well. Whereas before you had dozens of loose leaf tea varieties to choose from, now you’re limited to the basics—like Earl Grey, jasmine and matcha—served in a tea bag, to make it easier to grab and go.

My friend and I chose to sit at a table by one of the large, open windows overlooking the Garden. I made a remark that came to my mind seemingly out aof nowhere: “I miss the feeling of ceramic on my teeth.” And it was true. The inner wax coating of a paper to-go cup doesn’t feel nearly the same as the hard ceramic of a gaiwan. Despite being in the same garden I remember from a year ago, things have inarguably changed.

Of course, none of that is the Garden’s fault. Things are different because they have to be. No one chose to live through a pandemic, and the best we can do is reach out for the things that feel just a little bit normal.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the stark white wall that surrounds the Garden. Despite being in the middle of Old Town, with busy city streets all around, the Garden feels almost completely removed from the outside world. I say “almost” because there’s still a bit left—you can still see the tops of tall office buildings and hear the faint sound of the MAX outside the walls. There’s a somewhat magical feeling that comes from this. It’s a sense of being isolated and surrounded by activity, at once. It’s the feeling of being in a pocket of serenity in a world of noise. Even the pandemic hasn’t changed that feeling. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

GET OUTSIDE…IN MINECRAFT

NICK GATLIN

Picture this: it’s summer 2011. You’ve just graduated from 7th grade, and you’ve got nothing to do. You’re sitting in front of the family computer—when there was still a “computer room” in the house—and, having just given $20 of your precious money to some Swedish company named “Mojang,” you boot up a strange little indie game called Minecraft. The title screen comes up, and you hear the quiet beginning of a soft piano melody.

Until this year, I hadn’t played Minecraft since middle school. I had periodically checked in on my favorite Minecraft YouTubers from the early 2010s and watched the announcements from Mojang about new updates every now and then, but as I graduated to high school my interest in the game gradually faded. I stopped playing games on the computer as I became immersed in the libraries of the Wii and Xbox 360. I did play Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition a few times, but it just didn’t have the same charm as the original and I quickly abandoned it.

Fast forward to last year. When the pandemic started and we all withdrew into our homes, a lot of things changed for me. To start, I finally saved the money to build my own gaming PC, something I had been dreaming about for years. The first thing I did once I built it was buy all the games I had been wanting to play but couldn’t, because they would have killed my laptop. These were games such as Fallout 3, Fallout 4 and New Vegas; Oblivion and Skyrim (I’m a bit of a Bethesda fan, if you can’t tell); and games such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive, which could technically run on my old laptop, but only at 20 frames per second.

I still hadn’t come back to Minecraft, however. I had even lost the credentials for my account. But in summer 2020, after three months of being inside, and unsure if or when the pandemic would ever end, I found myself gravitating back toward my old comfort game. I had a bit of a nostalgiafest that summer—I rewatched a bunch of Studio Ghibli films from childhood, reread old books, the works—and it just seemed natural to re-download Minecraft and experience everything the game had to offer.

I had to buy a new account, having lost my old one in the tangled web of new Mojang accounts after Microsoft bought the game. But buy a new one I did, and as I booted up the game for the first time in nearly a decade I felt a flood of memories coming back to me. Things were different, for sure. Years of updates, bug fixes and new features made the game feel like a whole new world compared to the Minecraft that I knew back in 2011.

But it also felt comfortingly familiar. During a time of such uncertainty, playing Minecraft again felt like laying a weighted blanket on top of myself while lying in bed on a rainy Saturday night drinking Sleepytime tea. Needless to say, it felt very homey.

I spent much of that summer rediscovering the world of Minecraft, running through its endless fields, mountains and mesas, taming horses and befriending villagers, building my house into the side of a mountain like a fancier version of the first shelter I ever made in the game. Physically, I was confined to my home—but in Minecraft, I could go anywhere.

Eventually I started to play Minecraft with friends, something I had never really done before because all of my friends in 2011 thought Minecraft was a stupid dork game for nerds—I sure showed them. Unsurprisingly, playing with other people is way better than playing alone. On our server we have a little village area with all our houses close together, and some more unusual amenities like “Friendship Mountain,” “Trump Tower” and “Sonic Underwater Level 2 [Gone Sexual].”

This is the Get Outside Guide, so I guess I’m supposed to tell you to get out of your house or whatever. And yes, now that vaccines are becoming widely available in the United States and pandemic restrictions are lifting, you should absolutely go outside more and find fun things to do beyond your house. But you don’t necessarily need to leave your front door to have a good time. It’s just as possible to “get outside” in a game like Minecraft. It’s just as possible to spend time with your friends on the computer as it is, you know, in the outside world. It’ll just be in the form of 16x16 cubes.

MINECRAFT. COURTESY OF FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS

A GUIDE TO INDOOR GARDENING IN 2021

RYAN MCCONNELL

Whether it is to spruce up your dorm or give some extra flavor to your cooking, indoor gardening can become an effortless, fruitful experience to anyone willing to place a pot on their windowsill. Many fear the purchase of a plant ensures its imminent death; however, with a little patience, even the least plant-savvy person can grow a green thumb. No yard? No problem! This guide is here to help you bring life into your apartment and keep your plant babies happy.

PLACEMENT IS KEY

The most important part of indoor gardening for any beginner plant parent is location. Plants need sunlight, but depending on the direction of your windows, direct sunlight can burn the leaves of a plant. Think of your window like a magnifying glass; if the glass is too close, the sunbeams will burn right through the leaves. At the same time, placing plants too far away from sunlight can prevent the plant from gathering the nutrients it needs to survive. So what’s the sweet spot? It depends on the plant, but in general, placing a pot on top of a stool or desk sitting in front of a window is a great middle ground for plants to photosynthesize without too much heat from the sun radiating on them. If a plant calls for indirect sunlight, it’s a good idea to place it further away from the window, or to put down the window shades in the area.

LEARNING TO LISTEN

Plants are living creatures, and they can communicate their needs just like any other living creature! It can get confusing to figure out how much sunlight a plant needs, or how much water it needs, but plants themselves will give very clear indications on what is too much or too little.

First and foremost, check the soil. The only plants that like to be completely dry before watering are succulents such as Aloe vera. Most plants enjoy a consistent level of moisture in their own soil. You can check soil moisture by placing your finger about an inch inside the soil. If the dirt sticks to your finger and is slightly squishy instead of crumbly, it likely has enough water. Most people believe that plant death is a result of under-watering; however, over-watering causes more houseplants to wither because of what’s known as root rot, which attacks a plant’s roots and can kill it altogether. Soil should never be completely soggy; if you’re watering a plant every day and notice it withering or yellowing, it likely has too much water in its pot. On the other hand, a plant will wither and sag if it isn’t getting enough water. Do not overload the plant with water every day afterwards. Instead, wait a day or two—if it begins to raise itself up again, give it another drink. Most indoor plants cannot handle watering more frequently than every three days or so.

Sunlight is much easier to handle for most plants. Over time, it is actually possible to watch plant leaves grow and bloom in the direction of the window. If a plant is reaching out toward the window, then it might be time to scoot the plant closer to its light source. On the contrary, dried and faded leaves combined with dry soil are usually the biggest indications that a plant is receiving too much sun. Set it back, give it some space and water it carefully so that it can recover.

GATHERING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT

There are a plethora of options out there for pots, dirt and growing equipment, so what’s the right choice? The golden rule for collecting the right pot is always drainage. Never place any plant in a container without drainage holes. A mason jar pot may look cute, but the water needs to leave the soil to prevent root rot. Plastic pots retain more water, but are more costefficient than terracotta or ceramic pots. Terracotta is more porous, which lets more water evaporate faster from the container, making it a great option for succulents and orchids.

In general, all-purpose potting mixes do wonders for most houseplants and herbs. The exceptions are succulents and orchids, which require their own soils. Succulents require extra drainage to mimic arid environments, whereas orchids require tree bark to mimic their natural habitats.

If you find yourself concerned whether or not your living space produces enough sunlight, you can find full-spectrum glow lights in most hardware stores. Plants require specific electromagnetic waves in order for them to promote active and healthy growth. Grow lights differ from normal household lights in their ability to produce waves that mimic sunlight. Hardware stores often have ample gardening sections, which provide a wide array of plants, pots, dirts and lights to choose from. I suggest purchasing a timer along with the grow light to mimic daylight for the plants, as too much artificial light can still cause the plants to burn.

If you have enough space to section off an area inside or a coat closet you aren’t using, you can also contemplate constructing your own grow tent. A grow tent is simply a tall tent with reflective walls that has airtight ventilation and is waterproof and lightproof. A lot of grow tents are advertised for up to $400, but you can build the same structure for a fourth of the price; all you need is some PVC, grow lights, a fan and some Panda film, all of which you can buy online. There are many YouTube videos that have step-by-step instructions for building a grow tent from scratch, oftentimes for well under $100. These can get pretty big, so they’re only recommended for those who have the space and ceiling height.

WHAT IS A GOOD FIRST PLANT?

The best plants for newcomers are pothos plants and spider plants. Pothos plants are tropical, and their natural habitat includes periods of drought mixed with periods of intense rainfall. These are the perfect plants to get accustomed to caring for, as they require low light and generally enjoy being watered intensely once every couple weeks or with sporadic watering. They’re a vine plant as well, so they’re perfect for placing in a high area, such as atop a bookshelf or cabinet.

Spider plants also enjoy direct sunlight, and they can survive for extensive periods of time without water. They are extremely hard to kill, even amongst the most neglectful. These two plants can easily be watered at the end of a school week or weekend, and won’t immediately wither if one’s attention has been placed elsewhere through a midterm or final assignment.

HERBS INDOORS

Many herbs can thrive inside an indoor environment—even in a kitchen—so long as there’s a window. Oregano is an easy-to-care-for, delicious herb that has the versatility to fit in many dishes. Basil is another great addition to any kitchen; however, basil plants require more water than most other houseplants, so expect to water them about every other day. Don’t forget to snip off any flowering buds, also known as bolting. Basil plants are annuals, so they will expend all of their energy into flowering after about a year of care or consistent high heat. Cutting flowering buds will prevent the leaves from becoming bitter and allow the plant to continue leaf growth. Perennials are often great additions to an indoor herb garden, as they will produce yields all year long. Green onions, chives and watercress are perfect examples of perennial vegetables to grow indoors, because they retain yearly yields but do not grow so large that they have to compete for sunlight.

No matter what your experience is with plant care, there are opportunities for everyone to be able to start and succeed in growing their own indoor garden. Not having a backyard shouldn’t hold you back from growing fresh ingredients for that next Italian dish. Buying local plants from nurseries is also a great way to support local businesses and help communities through the pandemic. And, besides, having a new green friend to study alongside you is a great addition to any household.

SHANNON STEED

WHERE’S THE WIFI?

AN ATTEMPT TO FIND THE BEST OUTDOOR SPOTS TO CONNECT TO YOUR NEXT ZOOM CLASS

KARISA YUASA

On a chilly November night, I woke to the sound of my phone ringing at almost two in the morning. When my groggy eyes finally decided to focus on the phone screen, I realized it was a Google Meet call from my boyfriend.

After my confusion for why a Google Meet call was necessary this late—his phone had died while on a late night walk— he let out an awkward chuckle and said, “Well, fun fact: the Eduroam WiFi works from Pioneer Square.”

I think about that comment sometimes when I sit in my hot, stuffy dorm room for what feels like the zillionth Zoom meeting of the week. The virtual environment seemingly created the perfect opportunity to take classes and do meetings from anywhere, yet here I was sitting at a desk wanting to be anywhere but here.

That being said, I like to believe I am no stranger at finding odd places to take advantage of virtual learning. Doing class from an airport was going perfectly until I hit the 45-minutesof-free-WiFi mark and was abruptly ejected from my 50-minute class.

But that got me thinking: how far from my little dorm room will the school WiFi allow me to take my Zoom lectures?

In search of a simple answer, I reached out to the Office of Information Technology to see if they could help. Their answer, in short, was that WiFi is complicated and therefore they didn’t have a solid, concrete map of the WiFi boundaries.

I took that as less of a setback and more of a challenge as I set out to discover the wackiest places the school WiFi works in, and some weird places where it doesn’t.

For the sake of simplicity, I want to define school WiFi as what is available through PSU Secure and not include the Eduroam service that allows anyone with an Odin login to gain access to WiFi at thousands of colleges and university campuses throughout the world. I didn’t think it was fair to compile a list solely made of random universities on different continents.

With my go-to Starbucks Pink Drink and WiFi-only iPad in hand, I started my journey to get in some well-needed steps and take on the challenge so you don’t have to.

I started by walking through the Park Blocks. I had no issues with connecting to the internet, but that didn’t feel like a discovery worth this whole page. Past the Walk of Heroines, things still seemed to be going well. Feel free to enjoy your Zoom lecture while watching the cute puppies at the dog park.

Going further back, there’s a path that runs between Hoffman Hall and the Peter W. Scott Community Field that leads to an entrance on to the back of the field. If you are interested in standing directly behind the field goal post to watch games or practices with no blocked view and don’t mind the loud highway directly behind you, this might be for you, but if you’re looking for a view while taking your next Zoom work meeting, I would call this a hard pass. The internet will work a solid 5% of the time, though if you have a coworker that won’t shut up in meetings, I guess missing 95% isn’t that bad.

Coming back around, if you have been eyeing the playground at the end of the Park Blocks behind the Native American Student and Community Center (NASCC); hoping to take a few trips down the slide when breakout rooms hit that awkward silence, I have some bad news for you: the school WiFi is non-existent. You are not connecting to that Zoom meeting at all. However, if the meeting is not that important, you might be able to make friends with a fluffy cat and dog like I did while I was there.

Walking towards the NASCC and the Broadway Residence Hall, I struggled to connect to WiFi until I was walking directly next to Broadway. Although the WiFi worked decently well while within an arm’s reach of the building, once a few steps away—not even quite at Mak’s Mini Mart—it cut out again.

Going even farther south, I wanted to check the WiFi near the 4th Ave. food carts, given their prime location between Ondine and the engineering building. It worked—well, most of the time.

Oddly enough, I had little trouble connecting to the WiFi outside of the CVS on SW Harrison—that was, until I took my first step inside. With the excitement of finding cool places fading, I bought Nestlé Dibs ice cream to keep my spirit high as I finished my rounds and headed back towards the Park Blocks.

I walked along the Park Blocks past Fariborz Maseeh Hall, then Smith Memorial Student Union, then Cramer and Lincoln Hall, getting superb access next to each building with only a little difficulty for brief moments between buildings.

In the Park Blocks between Lincoln and the old Parkway Residence Hall sits a streetcar stop that is probably the furthest place you will get a solidenough connection to catch your whole Zoom lecture, but quite frankly, at this point, why would you? In my opinion, it would probably be easier to get an italian cream soda and overpriced sandwich from the Park Ave. cafe and leach on their free WiFi.

Maybe this list would have been more interesting if I just listed universities in other countries you could connect to through the Eduroam WiFi. In conclusion, if you were hoping to take your next Zoom meeting outside, beware: the WiFi arguably sucks ass.

SAM GARCIA

THERE’S A LOT OF WATER IN PORTLAND

EVA RIOSECO

Now that we’ve all had a generous taste of good weather and sunshine here in Portland, it’s probably a good time to plan a river trip. Here are some of some of the greatest and least crowded swimming holes in Portland. Some offer diving opportunities, while others are ideal for lounging. All in all, Portland has a perfect swimming hole for everyone.

IN PORTLAND:

Sellwood Riverfront Park (1221 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR)

The Sellwood Riverfront Park is sandwiched between the Willamette River and the springwater corridor. Walk through the off-leash dog park area to the dock or follow the trail to the long stretch of beach, both of which provide visitors with many spots to relax. This great spot is about a 15-minute drive from downtown Portland, making it a quick and easy place to visit for some sun or a swim. If you’re traveling by bike or foot from downtown, you can take the springwater corridor from OMSI to Sellwood Riverfront Park. For drivers, there’s a free parking lot and additional street parking for visitors.

Hawthorne Docks/The Holman Dock (Willamette River Greenway Trail, Portland, OR)

One of Portland’s most popular urban swimming spots, the Holman Dock, is located on the Willamette River next to the Hawthorne Bridge. This is the most central of all the locations on this list, and is only around a 20-minute walk or a five minute drive from PSU. Although there’s limited room at this swimming spot, it’s a great place to view the downtown cityscape and have a quick dip.

Kelly Point Park (N Kelly Point Park Road, Portland, OR)

A 20-minute drive north from Portland State’s campus, this beautiful park is perfect for picnicking and lounging on the beach. The area is full of cottonwood trees and has some lovely sunny meadows, and the beaches look out on the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. This spot is ideal for picnics, lounging and dipping your toes, although Portland Parks recommends you don’t swim due to the unpredictability of the current. There’s a large free parking lot for visitors. JUST OUTSIDE OF PORTLAND:

Oxbow Regional Park (3010 SE Oxbow Parkway, Gresham, OR)

Just a short 30-minute drive from downtown Portland, Oxbow Regional Park offers an excellent riverfront beach on the Sandy River, and is a popular spot for swimming, picnicking, floating and fly fishing. There are several beach areas in the park. If you’re okay with a short hike, park at the boat launch and follow the trail through the amphitheater and past the campgrounds. You should be able to follow the path down to a more secluded beach. A $5 entry fee that doubles as a parking pass is required to enter the park.

Walton Beach, Sauvie Island (38798 NW Reeder Road, Portland, OR)

Located on Sauvie Island and about a 30–40 minute drive from downtown Portland, Walton Beach is a popular spot to lounge and swim. The beach is ideal for people who are looking to have a picnic or lounge in the sun all day and maybe take a quick dip in the water. There are no spots for cliff jumping. There’s a parking lot that fills quickly on the weekends, and a parking pass is required. The parking pass is available for purchase at the general store at the base of the bridge as you cross the river channel onto Sauvie Island. A daily pass is $10; an annual permit is $30.

Glenn Otto Community Park (1102 E Historic Columbia River Highway, Troutdale, OR)

Glenn Otto Community Park is located on the Sandy River just outside of Troutdale. This family-friendly spot is around a 30-minute drive from downtown Portland. At Glenn Otto, you’ll find a nice beach area that has ample space for spreading out. There are some shallow sections in the water and deeper spots with rocks for small jumps. This spot is ideal for just about any kind of river lover. A word of warning, however: it can fill up quickly on the weekend.

If you check out this spot, definitely stop at the Sugar Pine Drive-In, which is located in the parking lot. Sugar Pine offers a variety of sandwiches and salads, but the real winner is the soft serve. They have delicious dairy-free options as well.

High Rocks (25 82nd Drive, Gladstone, OR)

If you’re looking for a place to cliff jump, High Rocks is the spot for you. This urban swimming spot on the Clackamas River is just around 30 minutes from downtown Portland. The river is quite deep here, making it perfect for jumping off the rocks surrounding the water. Lifeguards are on duty at the park from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

NOTABLY NUDE:

Rooster Rock (Corbett, OR)

Rooter rock is about 22 miles from Portland in the direction of the Columbia River Gorge. It’s on the Columbia River and is a popular spot for windsurfing, kayaking, fishing and nude sunbathing. There are two beaches, one where clothing is required and one clothing-optional, hidden away from the park’s central area. Rooster Rock has lots of space to spread out and take in the gorgeous views of the Gorge.

Collins Beach - Sauvie Island (NW Reeder Road, Portland, OR)

Collins Beach is just past the aforementioned Walton Beach, also on Sauvie Island. This beach is clothing-optional and has been popular since at least the 1970s. It’s a small beach, about one mile long, and is often less crowded than the other beaches on Sauvie Island. Similar to Walton Beach, you must purchase a parking pass to park. The parking pass is available for purchase at the general store at the base of the bridge after you cross the river channel onto Sauvie Island. A daily pass is $10; an annual permit is $30.

SELLWOOD RIVERFRONT PARK. SOFIE BRANDT/PSU VANGUARD RIVERVILLA PARK. SOFIE BRANDT/PSU VANGUARD

THE BEST SWIMMING HOLES IN AND AROUND THE CITY

RIVERVILLA PARK. SOFIE BRANDT/PSU VANGUARD

VANGUARD EDITORS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE WAYS TO GET OUTSIDE

EDITORIAL STAFF

Winter is over, and for a few months, Portland won’t be blanketed in grey clouds and rain. Many Portlanders will look to take advantage of this limited window of warm air and sunny skies, but If you’re having a hard time deciding what to do or are looking for new ways to get outside, here are some of our favorite activities that get us out of the virtual newsroom to enjoy the weather.

SAM GARCIA

MORGAN TROPER, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

I got a dog this time last year, so I’ve become very acquainted with the dog parks across Portland. Spending time around a bunch of strangers and their dogs was something that made me a little uncomfortable at the start of the pandemic, but going to the dog park with my Texas Heeler—whose name is Jet, after the Paul McCartney and Wings song, naturally—has become one of my favorite outdoor pastimes.

It’s an excuse to get out of the house every day, and reading or listening to music while I throw a tennis ball for my dog has become a profoundly meditative habit that I can’t foresee breaking, even post-quarantine. Also, I love watching dogs interact with each other—it is one of the cutest, strangest and funniest things in the world. “Dog games” clearly have their own bizarre, internal logic that humans could never hope to understand.

Now that more people are vaccinated and less threatened by each other overall, I’ve even started talking to other owners at the park. Most of them are approximately 20 years older, but that’s alright with me.

OLIVIA LEE, MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

I recently moved to Portland from Dallas, Texas a few weeks ago so I’ve been making an active effort to explore as much of the city as I possibly can. Since I live on campus, I’ve been going on walks around the Park Blocks everyday, taking in all the beautiful views of spring.

Every Saturday, I enjoy visiting the Portland Farmers Market in the heart of the PSU campus. I wake up bright and early in the morning to be the first to see what vendors have to offer that Saturday and I’ll usually pick up produce, baked goods and then sample one of the many vendors selling hot foods from either breakfast burritos, samosas, noodles or kielbasa.

A sunrise walk to the waterfront is always a wonderful start to any day and walking back, I always make sure to try a new coffee shop as well. I went to Tōv Coffee & Tea the other day and had the most amazing time. The shop operates in a red double-decker bus where you can drink amazing new coffee creations made by the owner or go with an authentic Egyptian coffee. Regardless, the ambience sitting on the 2nd floor of the bus and looking out is unmatched. If you’re feeling hungry afterward, there are some amazing food carts within walking distance.

RACHEL OWEN, NEWS EDITOR

As the weather warms up, I love getting outside. Being able to go for a walk to smell the fresh air and see everyone out enjoying the day is truly one of the best things about spring. Although going on walks and enjoying the outdoors alone is great, it’s always more fun with friends—following COVID-19 restrictions, of course.

One of my favorite things to do outside is have a picnic in the park with some friends. Currently, that looks like me and my friends sitting on separate blankets in order to maintain proper social distancing, but it is still so nice to be able to enjoy each other’s company.

When I go out I bring a quilt I made with my grandma to lay on, a sketchbook to doodle in, a book to read, some snacks to munch on and some water or tea to drink. Bringing these items

EDITORS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE WAYS TO GET OUTSIDE

allows me to really enjoy my time away from screens. It feels very meditative and relaxing.

My favorite park to go to in Portland is Cathedral Park just under the St. Johns bridge. The scenery of the Willamette River, the bridge and all of the green grass is so welcoming and open. There is so much space to sprawl out on and enjoy.

Going on picnics with friends has been a great way for me to get outside and spend time with the people I love while still staying safe. The pandemic is still a major health concern and needs to be taken seriously. Socially-distanced picnics are a fantastic option to safely enjoy someone else’s company or just my own.

Being outside is so great for my mental health that picnics have become a near-weekly routine. Getting outdoors and giving myself the time to relax has been one of the best gifts I have given myself.

JUSTIN GRINNELL, EDITOR IN CHIEF

As part of a new year’s resolution four years ago, I started going to the gym 3–4 times each week, but as gyms and rec centers closed due to the pandemic, my workout routine came to a halt.

Lacking a physical activity and feeling the mental fatigue of quarantine, I threw on my running shoes one day and hurried out of my apartment. Running has been the best way to exercise outside my apartment while still social-distancing.

My normal route starts at the Park Blocks, heading west toward Tom McCall Waterfront Park. I cross the Tilikum Bridge and run north along the east side of the Willamette. I eventually make my way past the Moda Center and cross the Broadway Bridge. I then head back down the waterfront along the westside until I reach the Tilikum Bridge once again and run back to the Park Blocks.

Seven miles in total, the loop comprises a portion of Portland’s Green Loop as well as the entire Eastbank Esplanade and Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Rain or shine, this run offers beautiful views of downtown Portland and the Willamette. As a bonus, any of the three bridges that intersect the loop can be used to cut down the runtime, if seven miles is too much running for one day.

As summer quickly approaches, now is the perfect time to lace up your running shoes and see where they take you.

NICK TOWNSEND, MANAGING EDITOR

For Portland State students living in the downtown area without a car, St. Johns is a daunting trek. It hangs on the far north edge of town, overseeing the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. Transportation options are slim, with most bus routes between campus and St. Johns taking about an hour, sometimes with a transfer. On a bike, you’re looking at a 17-mile round-trip ride on a narrow, busy road with slim shoulders. It’s with this in mind that I tell you going to St. Johns is absolutely worth your time.

Maybe it’s because of the trip, but I always feel like I’ve stepped into a different city when I enter St. Johns. The reason I come is always the same, the city’s best park: Cathedral Park. Resting underneath the magnificent St. Johns bridge, Cathedral Park is an always shaded sloping green hill that merges with the banks of the Willamette River, offering an unparalleled view of Portland’s Forest Park. Many of my most tranquil days in Portland have involved nothing more than sitting on the incline of the hill with some tacos or barbecue, watching the water and the world go by.

NICK GATLIN, OPINION EDITOR AND INTERIM NEWS EDITOR

I’m not much of an outdoors person. Most weekends, my idea of fun isn’t going hiking or fishing or running or anything else traditionally outdoorsy. But, like all humans, I’m still drawn to the outdoors, and I can’t really stay inside all the time. So when I get cabin fever, I usually choose to do something more laidback: walking.

Yeah, I know. “Walking isn’t an activity,” you’re thinking, “it’s just a thing we all do!” And it is certainly less exciting than some of the other things on this page. It’s boring. But when you think of walking as an activity, as something you do just to do it, it becomes something else entirely.

I can spend hours walking around the city, making my way from one place to another and soaking in all the scenery. There are so many parts of Portland that I never would have known about if I hadn’t made the decision to walk down some unknown side street. Sometimes, if I have the time and the patience for it, instead of taking the MAX or the streetcar across town, I’ll map out a nice walking path and make my way there on foot. It’s way slower, for sure, but that’s part of the charm.

There are definitely more “traditional” ways to walk too, and I love them just as much—walking around Portland’s outdoor gardens, for instance—but there’s just something about taking the time to experience ordinary things that can’t be replicated.

EXPLORING PORTLAND’S MYSTERIES

PORTLAND IS WEIRD, BUT NOT IN THE WAY YOU THINK

MORGAN TROPER

There are a lot of great—and obvious—things to do outside in Portland during our mercilessly-brief dry season. The forest is in our backyard, and there are a plethora of wonderful beaches right outside the city. The middle of the year in Portland is also a great time to take stock of our city’s enduring mysteries. Many Portland natives or longtime residents take these curios for granted, although they’re sure to pique the interests of visitors and newcomers. Here are but four of Portland’s greatest mysteries.

THE WITCH’S CASTLE LOWER MACLEAY TRAIL, FOREST PARK

The entries on this list are ostensibly Portland mysteries that can only be fully appreciated during the summer months, but the Witch’s Castle might be the lone exception to that rule. A dreary drizzle really adds to the creepy ambience of this infamous Portland landmark, which is also referred to as the Stone House or the Macleay Park Shelter. It’s a jarring stone structure located smack in the middle of one of Forest Park’s most popular and accessible trails, and, for lack of a better expression, something just feels off about it. The structure’s sanctum is covered in strange, occult graffiti, and it’s not unusual to find disposed beer cans, glow sticks or other high school kegger miscellany strewn about, which is pretty terrible from an environmentalist perspective.

Legend has it that the Witch’s House is haunted by Mortimer Stump, a contract handyman who helped notorious Portland landowner Danford Balch clear this section of the woods for homebuilding in the mid-1800s. Stump allegedly fell in love with Balch’s daughter, and was murdered by Balch as a result.

Ghost stories notwithstanding, the actual origins of the Witch’s House are less glamorous—it was constructed as a rest stop for hikers at the beginning of the 20th century, though was badly damaged by a storm in 1962 and was never repaired, resulting in its current, creepy state.

PITTOCK MANSION THE WEST HILLS

This is perhaps the least mysterious entry on the list—there are signs on the highway that lead you all the way to the Pittock Mansion’s doorstep, after all. Still, the history of the property is slightly mysterious. It originally belonged to publisher and business magnate Henry Pittock, who is notable for transforming The Oregonian from a weekly newspaper into the state’s most famous daily. Also, Georgiana, Pittock’s wife, was a fan of gardening, and helped launch the Portland Rose Festival.

The mansion was opened to the public in 1965, and has been offering tours ever since. The Pittock Mansion is also one of the best places in Portland for huge, sweeping views of the city; its grounds make for great picnics or sunset viewings.

PORTLAND’S FREEWAY GHOST RAMPS EAST BANK ESPLANADE

Portland is unusual for a major city in that its freeways are littered with mysterious “ghost ramps”—interchanges that were proposed but never completed. The most infamous of these is visible from the East Bank Esplanade and the OMSI parking lot. This interchange would have served the abandoned Mt. Hood Freeway project, which would have cut through and decimated residential communities in SE Portland—a repeat of the deABOVE: PRESCOTT ST. FREEWAY. SOFIE BRANT/PSU VANGUARD TOP LEFT: WITCHES CASTLE. KAT LEON/PSU VANGUARD BOTTOM LEFT: PITTOCK MANSION. KAT LEON/PSU VANGUARD

struction and displacement wrought by the construction of I-5 years earlier. The story goes that the communities who would have been impacted by the new freeway filed a suit, and the plans for it were eventually abandoned in 1974. Today, these freeway stubs are grim, creepy reminders of what could have been—but they also speak to the unrivaled power of community action.

VANPORT’S REMAINS DELTA PARK, VANPORT STATION

The tragedy of Vanport is one of the most shameful segments of Portland’s history, and shares some disturbing parallels with Hurricane Katrina. The town of Vanport was constructed along the lowlands of the Columbia River, and initially housed the construction workers employed at the Kaiser Shipyards during World War II. While these workers would eventually depart Vanport after the war ended, an influx of returning veterans and new residents kept the town alive. In 1948, a flood submerged the entire city of Vanport in the course of a single day, instantly leaving its 17,500 former residents without homes.

Because Vanport was initially intended to be a transient housing community, very few of the structures were strong enough to weather the flood. However, some of Vanport’s remains are still clearly visible from Delta Park, the area where Vanport used to be situated. A few roofs from houses that were destroyed in the 1948 Vanport flood are on display at the Vanport MAX station. And recently, a YouTuber by the name of Steve the Amateur Historian has dedicated a fair amount of research to this very topic—in 2017, he identified the remains of Vanport’s only standing movie theater, and argued that a stone structure along the Columbia slough was an amphitheater constructed by and for the residents of Vanport.

CAPTURING PORTLAND FARMERS MARKET

ERIC SHELBY

An excellent spot to go outside and get some fresh air, the Portland Farmers Market opens every Saturday from 8:30–2 p.m. Portlanders can stroll through Park Blocks and support local businesses.

1. CUSTOMERS AT THE FARMERS MARKET. 2. CUSTOMERS BUYING FOOD FROM A VENDOR. 3. PORTLAND FARMERS MARKET SIGN. 4. VENDOR ARRANGING BOUQUET. 5. VENDOR GRABBING VEGETABLES FOR CUSTOMERS. 6. VENDOR SOCIALIZING WITH A CUSTOMER. PHOTOS BY ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD

GET A FOOTHOLD IN THE ROCK CLIMBING COMMUNITY

AT THESE PDX LOCATIONS

RACHEL OWEN

At the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Portland is known for its outdoor attitude and sensational opportunities to get outside. No activity showcases this more than rock climbing.

With plenty of gyms in the area, the city boasts an impressive rock-climbing community that is as enjoyable as it is adrenaline-boosting. Here’s a list of climbing gyms located in Portland, so anyone interested in trying out a new outdoor activity has a place to start.

PLANET GRANITE PDX

Location: 1405 NW 14th Ave. Hours: Monday–Friday 6 a.m.–10 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Student Day Pass Rates: $18 before 5 p.m. Reservations: Required for day passes

Planet Granite (PG) is a chain of climbing gyms that houses locations up and down the West Coast. The Portland location offers tall walls, top-out bouldering and an excellent workout area. Climbers will find friendly staff, easy-to-use equipment and plenty of beginner-friendly routes. Because PG is a chain, the routes are fairly standardized and easy to navigate, making climbing a lot easier for those just starting out.

Want some guidance? Planet Granite offers a series of classes to get you started. It offers an intro to rope climbing, lead classes, beginner classes and so much more to get new and experienced climbers comfortable on the wall.

PORTLAND ROCK GYM

Location: 21 NE 12th Ave. Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday 7 a.m.–11 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Student Day Pass Rates: $18 Reservations: Required for non-members

As the third-oldest climbing gym company in the nation, Portland Rock Gym offers a more traditional climbing experience than newer gyms. Located just on the East side of the river at the corner of NE 12th and E Burnside, Portland Rock is the most centrally-located gym in the city, allowing easy access for anyone in the Portland area.

The gym has an expansive bouldering area featuring a topout boulder that provides routes for those looking to seriously train or just kick back and have fun trying out the sport. Toward the back, climbers will find an open floor with tall walls and numerous top rope routes. There are also four auto-belays for climbers that are looking for some solo sends and meditative training.

Portland Rock also offers several classes to get new climbers interested in the sport as well as the community. The introductory classes often fill up quickly, but are an immersive experience led by experienced staff to help new climbers.

PORTLAND ROCK CLIMBING GYM, PLANET GRANITE. COURTESY OF PLANET GRANITE PDX

THE CIRCUIT BOULDERING GYM

Locations: 410 NE 17th Ave., and SW 6050 S Macadam Ave Hours: Everyday 10 a.m.–10 p.m., South location Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Student Day Pass Rates: $17 Reservations: Required

Just interested in bouldering? The Circuit has you covered. With two locations in the city, the Circuit provides a gym that is solely focused on the art of bouldering. Each location has top-out bouldering and areas to traverse to practice technique. Climbers will find fellow boulderers and an itch for strong, dynamic movements.

The walls at The Circuit range from 8–17 feet to give climbers an opportunity to experiment with different heights and routes to appease their abilities and interests. There is a free 60-minute intro to bouldering class available to any new climber at the gym to help get them started. The gym also offers Beginner Night every Wednesday after 4 p.m., where day passes are available at 50% off for first-timers.

PORTLAND STATE CLIMBING CENTER

Location: Third floor of the Academic and Student Recreation Center Hours: Monday–Friday 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Student Day Pass Rates: Free to PSU students Reservations: Required

The climbing center in PSU’s Campus Rec Center features a 32-foot climbing wall with a series of climbing routes that allows people with all climbing abilities to try out the sport. The floors are covered with a well-cushioned pad to ensure safe falls—however, down-climbing is encouraged for proper safety.

To keep in touch with COVID-19 guidelines, the Outdoor Program and Campus Recreation have adjusted the rules and regulations of the climbing center. Climbers are required to wear masks at all times, stay six feet apart and students are only allowed to practice bouldering. Rope climbing and belay classes have been put on hold to ensure safe social distancing for both the climbers and employees.

BÉLA KURZENHAUSER

Portland’s food carts have a long history and have earned their reputation as one of the city’s landmark attractions, with a diverse selection of cuisines and dishes from all over the world spread throughout the city’s labyrinthian concrete jungles and hazy suburbs. Most food carts are separated into pods, each scattered across the City of Roses, carrying their own distinctive identity with them.

One of the most popular spots for food carts on Portland State’s campus is the 4th and Hall food cart pod located on 4th Avenue. The singular block composed of haggling chefs and a lineup of carts that is too nebulous to ever fully pin down acts as a beacon for students and Portlanders as a whole to congregate in search of the best the region has to offer. So why not get outside, enjoy some sunshine and get yourself some good food at four of these excellent carts?

4TH AND HALL’S BEST FOOD CARTS

4TH AVENUE FOOD CARTS. JASON DE LEON/PSU VANGUARD

CHUNKY SUBS & PASTA

Chunky Subs & Pasta exists in a strange, nearly liminal space in the 4th Ave. pod, as it offers a selection of food unparalleled by any other cart nearby, yet seems to disappear behind a curtain of faded matboard menus and orange paint that cannot hope to stand out amidst the flashy marquees of its neighbors. Despite its humble appearance, Chunky Subs is a cart that always manages to convince me to make the pilgrimage to its doorstep, and I’ve never gotten the same thing twice—which is more than I can say for most other places, given my propensity to pick the same dish over and over again in favor of trying new things.

Chunky Subs feels like a Portland bodega, with its menu a haphazard blizzard of tacos, burritos, salads, pastas and most importantly—sandwiches. In a block crowded with entrees, plates and gyros far too large to hold in just one hand, they provide a form of reprieve with their cheap, diverse and flavorful grilled sandwiches. If you want the best fresh-off-the-grill cheesesteak you can get for only $6, or a bacon and roast beef sandwich with enough mushrooms to scare even Mario off, then Chunky Subs is the place for you.

POOMPUI

Thai food is nearly universally-loved, and one of my first desires when I moved to Portland was to find a place that served good, cheap pad Thai. Suffice to say, Poompui delivers, and they don’t just deliver pad Thai. One of the few actively open Thai carts in the pod, Poompui serves an array of noodle and rice dishes, curries, soups and stir fries—many of which I have embarrassingly shafted in favor of getting my usual order of pad Thai again.

Despite my own negligence as an eater, I would be remiss not to give this cart my full recommendation. Their crispy pork potstickers and peanut sauce make for a delicious appetizer in unison with any of their delicious (albeit slightly greasy) noodle dishes, and their tom kha soup is a personal favorite of mine on a cold winter morning.

TAQUERIA VILLANUEVA

One of the greatest tragedies of the Pacific Northwest is that everything closes at a reasonable hour. That means that there are very few places to find food to satisfy cravings at that hour of drunken stupor or weed-induced munchies. While Taqueria Villanueva is not a 24/7 joint, it serves staggeringly delicious Mexican food up until 10 p.m.—which, by Portland standards, is practically 3 a.m.

Taqueria Villanueva holds a particularly special place in my heart; my CS classmates and I frequently visited it at the bookends of our evening classes, congregating like moths to a candle as we flocked towards the one cart still glowing in the aching hours of the night. The warm smells of refried beans and cheese that emanated from the cart would drift into the cold winter air, instilling a sense of ragged comfort unparalleled by any other cart on the block.

Sentimental ramblings aside, the dim bulbs of Taqueria Villanueva is the closest 4th Ave. has to Golden Arches, beckoning hungry travelers at all hours of the day to stop by and grab a burrito that’s not only better, but cheaper than Chipotle.

OLD TASTE OF INDIA

Old Taste of India serves some of the most comforting Indian food I’ve ever had in my life. It is—in comparison to my other recommendations—a cart that I head to when I’m actively seeking a sense of simplicity and repetition. Their name is no facade, with their menu carrying a selection of curries and rice dishes that evoke a sense of a home far away. There is no “show” with Old Taste of India, and almost everything is exactly as cut-and-dry as the menu describes it. Their food tastes warm and kind, and its restraint is exactly what makes it stand out in the busy pod of carts serving similar dishes and cuisine. Old Taste of India is food for the body and soul, perfect for any occasion or feeling.

POOMPUI. JASON DE LEON/PSU VANGUARD TAQUERIA VILLANUEVA. JASON DE LEON/PSU VANGUARD

EXPLORING PORTLAND’S BEAUTY BY E-BIKE

KAT LEON

According to statistics from the Portland Bureau of Transportation, in 2017, 6.3% of Portlanders use bikes as transportation to work. This accounts for 22,647 workers, the most significant number of individuals of any large city in the United States. However, biking is not just a fantastic form of transportation. It can also be an excellent way to get some exercise and explore Portland. With 85 miles of paths alone, there are tons of ways to explore our beautiful city.

There are tons of options when looking for a bike to rent, but Biketown has recently offered e-bikes to Portlanders, and this writer has enjoyed exploring Portland by zipping around on these bikes. While these bikes are only available in the City of Portland, excluding suburbs, there are plenty of paths to explore without leaving the city limits.

Almost all paths in Portland connect to one central loop split in half by the Tilikum Bridge. To the left of the Bridge lies the Springwater Corridor.

Once passing the Park, be sure not to miss the small opening to the second half of the trail. Don’t let the “Private Drive” sign throw you off—the path is right around the corner.

There are plenty of places to snap some iconic Portland photos along the city paths or just to stop and take a breather. The city has turned the fountains on for the summer, and one can stop a moment and run through them to cool off during a hot summer bike ride. Willamette Park is a great place to bike through and an excellent place for a break or a quick game of tennis.

SIX PORTLAND PATIOS TO HIT UP THIS SUMMER

ABOVE: PHAT CART. SOFIE BRANDT/PSU VANGUARD

NICK TOWNSEND

Multnomah County is entering another indoor dining freeze. Not ideal, but important. And hey, you can live through this. You’re young, you’re vaccinated or shortly will be, and you’ve built up a reliable pod of friends following best COVID-19 safety practices. Plus, Portland’s warm months are coming, and soon it’ll be 75 degrees every day with not a drop of rain in sight. So put on your fancy “going outside” pants and text that group chat that’s been dormant since your Zoom Halloween party and hit up a couple Portland restaurants serving great food outside.

PHAT CART

Located on Portland State campus just across from the 4th Avenue food cart pods, Phat Cart has been a familiar haunt for PSU students since it opened its brick-andmortar building five years ago. Phat Cart serves bento boxes that strike a comfortable balance between protein and sides, whether you get the korean beef bento with marinated short ribs and kimchi or the classic Mr. Miyagi sandwich—a mayo-marinated slab of fried chicken with lime aioli and crisp veggies served on pillowy white bread. Phat Cart also has some of the best vegan options on campus, and fried tofu can be added as a side to any meal. Rather than a traditional patio in front of the restaurant, Phat Cart’s outdoor seating is a balcony just above the entrance, accessible through a staircase on the side of the building. The balcony provides an unparalleled view of Portland’s downtown, especially at sunset, making it an ideal first date spot. There are only five chairs available, so go early, preferably during Phat Cart’s weekday happy hour from 4:20–7 p.m.

LUC LAC

Before the pandemic, Luc Lac was the number one late night happy hour in downtown Portland, running specials until 4 a.m. on the weekends. Now it’s slightly more reserved, finishing patio service at 10 p.m. cutting off take-out at 12 a.m. Still, it’s one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in all of Portland. Although the pho menu is excellent and the namesake luc lac beef is rich and smoky, the real move is the small plates section of the menu. Here you’ll find sugar cane shrimp, steak rolls, and meat skewers all at around seven dollars. Grab a couple vaccinated friends and find a seat on the big wooden patio that Luc Lac built into the street during the pandemic, then pass the small plates of grilled meats around the table and pretend that life was always like this.

HAWTHORNE ASYLUM

Hawthorne Asylum is a relatively new food cart pod, opened about a year before the pandemic. Like other pods with outdoor seating, it has become a hotspot for people looking to gather safely outdoors and partake in a variety of different foods. Carts shuffle in and out as leases expire, so there’s always something new popping up in the 21-cart pod. What really makes Hawthorne Asylum stand out is Black Dagger PDX, a drink cart serving beer, wine, sangria and mimosa pints for onsite and to-go consumption. This makes Hawthorne Asylum one of the city’s best places to grab after-dark grub and booze, all in the open air. Hawthorne Asylum can be accessed from Portland State campus via the 14, 6 and 2 Trimet bus lines.

LARDO

If you’ve trawled all the carts at Hawthorne Asylum and didn’t find anything to your greasy, diseased heart’s liking, the logical move is to walk up the street to Lardo. Here you’ll find massive sandwiches served either on bread or over fries, if you’re feeling particularly piggish. The sandwiches come from a variety of traditions, including a pork meatball banh mi, a griddled mortadella sub and the Pho’Rench dip, a shaved steak sandwich served with pho broth aus jus. Lardo sits right on the corner of Ladd’s Addition, Portland’s sleepy and most roundaboutladen development. Its patio is large and spacious, with plenty of wooden benches, and heaters for when summer nights get chilly. Lardo also has a large rotating tap list of local beers and ciders from breweries like Breakside and Baerlic Brewing.

DOUBLE DRAGON

Double Dragon is first and foremost a cocktail bar, serving strong drinks with eye-catching names such as Electric Lettuce and Burnt Reynolds. All 15 speciality cocktails are excellent, but the more bizarre ones, such as the First Time Caller (mezcal, Singani, Aperol, lime, passionfruit, aloe, hellfire bitters and blackstrap float) really stand out alongside Double Dragon’s food offerings, which include banh mi, a coconut milk-based ramen and a shrimp, pork and scallion sausage patty on a bun from Grand Central Bakery. The banh mi and rice bowls both come with a choice of pork belly, chicken or soy curls. The pork belly is slightly charred, and the richness helps balance whichever boozy cocktail you’re imbibing. Double Dragon is just a short walk from the 12th and Clinton MAX stop, easily accessible from PSU’s campus.