Neighborhood:
Interstate Avenue, North Russell & Overlook Before I-5’s completion usurped its throne in 1964, North Interstate Avenue was Portland’s reigning north-south artery and thus flush with weary truckers. (read more) This explains its wealth of motels, which run the gamut from kitschy to trashy—that could be said of the street as a whole, actually. Take a nighttime ride on Interstate’s yellow MAX line and watch for the neon glowing fronds and grinning monkey on the sign of the Palms Motor Hotel (3801 N Interstate Ave., 287-5788). Or disembark at Fire on the Mountain (4225 N Interstate Ave., 280-9464) for a dozen varieties of hot wings and local micros to put out the blaze. Work off the wings with some strenuous karaoke at The Alibi (4024 N Interstate Ave., 287-5335), Portland’s own tiki bar-cum-coke den. For a break from drunken irony, try the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center (5340 N Interstate Ave., 823-4322), where theater groups and solo artists regularly perform. Or head south to see the roots of Portland’s craft-brewing boom at Widmer Brothers Brewery (929 N Russell St., 281-2437). Then switch from beer to liquor at Mint and 820 (816 and 820 N Russell St., 284-5518), where fancified drinkers can sample mixologist Lucy Brennan’s works of art. Another historic brick building houses the White Eagle Saloon (836 N Russell St., 282-6810); now part of the McMenamins’ hippie empire, this onetime brothel hosts live music every night of the week. Just up the street, relative new kid on the block Wonder Ballroom (128 NE Russell St., 284-8686) brings top-flight music to its intimate space. And if you get lost or just need a breather, head to Overlook Park (North Fremont Street and Interstate Avenue), which affords one of the grandest views in Portland. —Amanda Waldroupe.
