Bluebird Not For Early Birds

A veteran news reporter and a grizzled editor are having a discussion in the Willamette Week newsroom.

Reporter: So we go to this new bakery, Bluebird, at 24th and Thurman, to talk about a story.

Editor: Place doesn't open until 10 am. No bakery in the world opens that late. You've missed all the business. 

Reporter: I ask the guy behind the counter if he has any bread, because I'm going to a party tonight and I'm supposed to bring bread.

Editor: He says, "Go down the street to Saint Honore, they make bread."

Reporter: We want food, but there are no muffins, no scones, no egg sandwiches…

Editor: Cookies. All they make is cookies. A cookie boutique.

Reporter: No decaf, either.

Editor: I asked him for decaf. He seemed kind of pissed.

Reporter: And my coffee, it was lukewarm. Jesus.

Editor: Then we try to sit down at these little tables, they're like TV trays. No chairs, only a bench on one side.

Reporter: We didn't want to sit next to each other. It's not that kind of meeting. We're there to talk news. And eat. But there's nothing to eat.

Editor: Except cookies. The whole time, the guy behind the counter, he's watching us and rearranging his cookie samples. Samples need to be neat, I guess, if cookies are all you got.

Reporter: Even in Northwest Portland, 10 am? Really?

Editor: It's a Portlandia episode without cameras. 

Reporter: But you bought a cookie, and ate it.

Editor: It was pretty good—I had oatmeal with cranberries ($2).

Reporter: I had a snickerdoodle ($2). It was pretty good, too.

EAT: Bluebird Bakers, 2390 NW Thurman St., 415-1278, bluebirdbakers.com. 10 am-6 pm Tuesday-Saturday, 11 am-4pm Sunday-Monday $.

WWeek 2015