Secrets of the Suburbs

Reader, I have a confession to make: I’m from Vancouver.

Four years into my nearly 20 living in Portland, my residency was officiated at the now-defunct Hamburger Mary’s in Old Town. The host asked if anyone was from out of town, and before I could raise my hand, the drag queen quickly added, “Except from Vancouver; that doesn’t count.” What a relief. Vancouver, Wash., always felt so culturally and geographically removed from Portland, and calling my hometown, Washington state’s fourth-biggest city, a Rose City suburb is a controversial assertion.

But as someone born and raised in the ‘Couve, I have the credentials to say: It’s a suburb. And maybe that’s not so bad.

The suburbs earned their reputations as bland incubators that favor predictable security over creative risks. But these aren’t the little boxes on the hillside many of us grew up in anymore, and it’s not fair to the artists and independent business owners putting themselves out there to act like they’re beneath us city dwellers.

Each year, WW puts together a Neighborhoods Issue, a mini version of the Finder magazine that helps newcomers find their way around town. Last year, we told you it wasn’t the year to leave Portland, and we’re not saying this is the year to pack it up either. But demographic data shows a lot of people have gone back to the ‘burbs for one reason or another, some for the first time. We have to wonder what they’ve found, and what keeps them out there. We sought out the secrets of the suburbs, and we did not return disappointed or empty-handed.

Should you find yourself in Portland’s suburbs, you have the opportunity to discover something special: gorgeous natural scenery, mouthwatering meals from just about any cuisine imaginable, shopping deals you’re hard-pressed to find elsewhere (not to mention outposts of Portland businesses with better parking), and some real-life artistic and cultural institutions bringing communities together.

Tigard and Beaverton have some of Oregon’s most satisfying restaurants, bars and cafes outside of official Portland ZIP codes, including a Japanese bakery, a family-owned taqueria, and the state’s first dedicated sangria bar. Gresham is surrounded by thick trees and popular hiking trails, like the Springwater Corridor’s Gresham-Fairview Trail, while the scenic views of Oregon City are enhanced by one of the world’s only municipal elevators. Vancouver’s Kiggins Theatre inspired legislation in Washington state, while Milwaukie proves that it’s more than the birthplace of Dark Horse Comics and Bob’s Red Mill with a popular brewery’s new tasting room in its former City Hall and a listening room/cocktail lounge.

These spots won’t be secrets anymore, but they might point you toward something else you love. Keep Portland weird? Definitely. But leave the suburbs to themselves? Fat chance. No matter where you started out, the following pages offer a chance to act neighborly outside your neighborhood. —Andrew Jankowski, Assistant Arts & Culture Editor