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Travel Article	Travel Article Archive

By Michael J. Darton

At Jupiter Hotel We Have 396 Photos From Portland! View Thumbnails View Slideshow

Click on the link for a handy PDF version of our October 2008 Portland travel feature!

Calm, cool, collected Portland welcomes gay visitors

Portland offers an old-West city feeling with an amazingly free and liberated vibe. The locals are warm -- matching the beautiful brick architecture of the downtown core -- and the gay scene is chockablock with handsome, good-natured guys. Staff in bars and clubs are personable and welcoming, plus they stick around awhile, so you'll feel even more at home on subsequent visits. As well as sleek clubs and renowned restaurants, there are great strip shows that allow the performers to get totally naked -- day and night!

The wide Willamette River runs through the city, edged with parks, paths, and promenades. A skyline of modern towers ornaments well-preserved and renovated brick warehouses. Pedestrian-friendly and human-scaled, the city has good public transit with streetcar service that runs through the gay district (on 10th and 11th Streets, free in the downtown core), and there are light-rail connections to the airport -- visit Trimet.org for handy info and trip planning.

Stroll through the eminently walkable downtown, and pause in Pioneer Square, offering outdoor events and concerts all year. For an afternoon of tranquility, try the Portland Classical Chinese Garden (Portlandchinesegarden.org), a Ming dynasty garden in the center of Chinatown that's an oasis of plants, water, stone, and pavilions.

Just Out is a free paper with local gay events and listings.

Bars and restaurants

Scandals (1125 SW Stark) continues to provide unbeatable service and atmosphere. The full bar's wide beer selection includes local Northwest micro-brews. Monday to Wednesday they serve juicy hot dogs for a $1 and margaritas for $4 till 7 p.m. Great shots to blow your mind here include the potent Mind Eraser, or try their selection of martinis. On the menu are lasagna, mac 'n' cheese, and Scandals's party platter. Gambling machines offer blackjack, roulette, and lottery -- and there's an ATM if you need it. The wall of windows, with ample seating, opens out onto the Stark Street action. Scandals opens at noon and gets steady traffic all afternoon; the crowd that peaks around 9:30 p.m. running through closing at 2:30 a.m. DJs are on hand Thursdays through Sundays, with dancing Friday and Saturday nights.

Silverado (318 SW 3rd Avenue) presents sexy young strippers in nonstop rotation, on stage and on podiums. They have a wide selection of looks and ages -- muscle lads, twinks, all-American boys-next- door, and mature men. Danger performs here on a regular basis and gives a great show of tricks, handstands, and a full strip that really gets the crowd going. Sundays are packed, and the shows begin at 5 p.m.; shows on other nights are from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m., except Monday (when there's karaoke). Wednesdays are Latino Night with Meesha Peru. They serve food day and night. There's wi-fi, but who'd want to surf with so much going on? Check their website for special events.

CC Slaughters (219 NW Davis) has one of Portland's largest dance floors, a 20,000-watt sound system, hot lights, and exceptionally friendly staff. The seven-day calendar includes Michael Dippel's Movie Madness Mondays from 9 p.m.; Tuesday karaoke; Wednesdays with DJ Robb, who dishes up music from the 1980s with five well drinks for $5; a young crowd on Thursdays with a night of Queer Lovin' hip-hop hosted by sensuous Bolivia and DJ Alex Hollywood; Filthy Fridays with DJ Robb; Saturdays DJ Alex plays House of Hollywood; and Sundays feature a variety Superstar Divas Mega Show brought to you by Bolivia Carmichaels and featuring Ginger Lea and Honey Bee -- a hilarious drag and sketch -- with an open mike session every fourth Sunday. Breathe easy: the stylish Rainbow Room Lounge, adjoining, is now smoke-free. Here there's softer music and high-end martinis -- a great place to relax or spend time with someone away from the dance floor.

Ten minutes' drive beyond Broadway Bridge is Joqs (2512 NE Broadway). With 28 years on Broadway, Joq's is a full-service bar for locals and sports enthusiasts, open daily from 11 a.m. The regular guys here always welcome new faces. Joq's is home to pool and bowling leagues and a great softball team, and they're equipped with Oregon Lottery machines, as well as video games and pool. There's hearty food here, too. Their upcoming Halloween party will continue a Joq's tradition.

Another gay hot spot is Boxxes (1035 SW Stark), a video bar and dance complex with a sidewalk cafe and their adjoining Fish Grotto restaurant, open every day at 5 p.m. The only two-in-one gay club, Boxxes is connected to the Redcap Garage , giving you access to two dance floors. Sundays are Bingo beginning at 9 p.m. Enjoy 30k Karaoke with your hunky hosts Anthony and Josh on Wednesdays. Club-goers throng to Rush on Thursdays. Fridays are Latino Night with DJ Sam and the Go-go Boys. And the "A"-List Saturdays feature one of Portland's best DJ line-ups.

Don't forget Eagle Underground (27 NW 6th), with a mix of cute boys, hipsters, and even some leathermen.

Eagle (835 N Lombard) is a masculine venue that takes leather and bears seriously.

Hobo's (120 NW 3rd) is a restaurant and piano bar; and Starky's (2913 SE Stark), does dining and Sunday brunch.

Portland bars are strictly 21-plus, so for gay youth and their friends, the all-ages Escape (333 SW Park) is a non-alcohol weekend dance and show club that stays open into the after-hours.

Bathhouses and cruising

Steam Portland (2885 NE Sandy Boulevard) offers a clean, lively, modern spa. Out-of-area three-day memberships are only $8, and the place is open 24/7. There's a huge hot tub with large video screen at the side playing porn. Due to popular demand, Blackout has been made a monthly event, not to be missed. Usually on the third Saturday of each month, they turn out the lights and hand out free glow sticks for navigation through the darkened hallways. They have a sundeck for nude bathing in the daytime or even at night. Two computer screens offer free internet access. There are regular health/sexual clinics.

Other cruising possibilities include the nude beaches at Rooster Rock, (eastward along the Columbia River), and on Sauvie Island (off US Route 30 to the northwest).

Accommodations

Ace Hotel (1022 SW Stark; 503-228-2277) offers modern, informal rooms with shared bath for economy, with deluxe rooms including private bath available. Cable TV and free wi-fi are part of the package. The staff is friendly and funky, with a style that sets this place apart. Glyde Common , a restaurant with modern appeal, is in the hotel. Stay here, and you're right in the thick of the nightlife -- Scandals and Boxxes are just across the street.

Located in the heart of downtown Portland, Hotel Lucia (400 SW Broadway; 877-225-1717) is the ultimate in style. The halls, and even the elevators, are lined with spectacular photography and original art. The hotel features cutting-edge design and comfort unlike any other in Portland, earning it international acclaim. Close to downtown attractions, and of course gay-friendly, the Lucia sets a high standard. The rooms are immaculate and outfitted with everything you need, including large flatscreen TV, wi-fi, and pillow menus.

Lion and the Rose B&B Inn (1810 NE 15th; 800-955-1647) offers elegant rooms -- each unique -- all with bathroom, cable TV, and wi-fi. This is a grand Victorian building dating from 1906 built originally for Gustav Freiwald, the Star Brewery magnate who also owned St. Elmo Hotel in Vancouver, Washington. For style, sophistication, and something traditional this is the place to be.

Jupiter Hotel (800 E. Burnside; 877-800-0004) offers stylish accommodations with rates starting from $119. "One of the best new hotels in the world," declared Condé Nast Traveler. Simple, tranquil, trendy rooms have large murals and pictures of cultural icons. Suites offer extra room -- perfect for those entertaining. The Doug Fir is their on-site bar and restaurant open from 7 a.m. till the wee hours, and it includes a nightclub with a roster of class acts, such as British-born singer Adele, who plays here in October singing her hit song "Chasing Pavements." Jupiter Hotel can handle gatherings, screenings, and special events of all sorts.

Shopping

Underu4men (507 Broadway) offers an array of underwear, Speedos, cosmetics, clothes, and accessories. Among the highlights are Andrew Christian line features new "butt lifting" underwear, glamorous Christian Audigier shorts, and Ed Hardy swimwear equipped with rhinestones and bling. In the skincare and beauty lineup, they offer the 4VOO Distinct range, including non-surgical face lifting creams, men's tinted moisturizers, eyelash enhancing brushes, shaving creams, and eye gels. Come Saturdays to see live models showing off their ranges of designer underwear. UnderU4Men have other stores in Bridgeport Village, Tualatin, and Seattle.