Nate's guide to Portland, OR.

My name: Nate S

My age: 36

My profession: Insurance

City/town: Portland, Oregon

Relationship status:  Single

Sexuality:  Gay

Are any famous people from your town?

Tonya Harding, Monica Lewinsky, Sally Struthers, Tom Lauderdale, Phil Knight, Matt Groening

What was the last vacation you took? Where did you go? Where do you most want to go?

Last vacation I went and visited friends in San Diego and Los Angeles.  Went to Six Flags Magic Mountain, Sea World, the San Diego zoo, and more beaches than I can remember.

What are some of the things you love most about your town?

Advanced city planning has kept Portland from sprawling and getting around is pretty easy.  Portland is a very green, beautiful, and user-friendly town.  And the locals are quite friendly.

If someone came to your town for just four hours, what is the one thing he should do?

A walk around the waterfront, a slice of pizza at Rocco's pizza, and get lost in Powell's City of Books.

What are some great restaurants for a night out with gay friends?

Pho Van, Serrato, Jake's Famous Crawfish, Le Pigeon, Apizza Scholls, Tien Hong, Saburo's

What are some great restaurants for a romantic gay date?

What about these restaurants appeals to you? Cafe Mingo & Higgins have such tremendous food, fantastic and knowledgeable wait staffs, beautiful cozy bistro like atmospheres, great wines, and so very many wonderful memories

What are your favorite gay bars and/or dance clubs?

Silverado, Scandals, CC Slaughters

What are your favorite gay parties or events in your town, if any? What is the crowd or scene like at those places?

SalonQ is a get together for 30-40-somethings professional gay men on the second Tuesday of every month.  The venue changes frequently and is always fun.

Where is the best public place for a gay person to make out there (or isn't there one)?

Making out in public is tacky - gay or straight

What is the gay community like there? Do you consider yourself to be part of any particular "scene?"

The gay community as a whole is pretty large.  But what I like best about Portland is you can essentially create your own gay community from the huge variety of people here.  And you really don't have to hunt too hard to find the gays and lesbians even though there isn't a gay district 'cuz they're everywhere!  As for my scene, Portland has become a mecca for the boardgaming hobby and me and several friends of mine are constantly holding game nights and get togethers to play board and card games.

Where do you shop for clothes?

Macy's, Nordstrom, Value Village

Where do you go for other forms of entertainment -- live theater, concerts, movies, art exhibits? Are there any local gay performance groups, bands, or artists that you're a fan of?

There's lots going on down at the Pioneer Courthouse Square in the center of downtown Portland.  Darcelle XV Cabaret is an institution.  Pink Martini has its roots here in Portland and is nothing short of fantastic!

If you had gay friends visiting from out of town for the first time, what are some "must-dos" you'd recommend?

Sales tax free shopping!   Happy hour at Jakes Famous Crawfish, Cocktails at Gilt, shoving a dollar bill in the g-string of a stripper at Silverado, and the 24 hour Hot Cake House is the busiest place in town at 3am (for good reason!).

Is there a local cocktail that's popular in your town?

Anything with vodka or infused vodka or flavored vodka, it seems...

Where do the hot boys in your town tend to hang out?

Starbucks, Boxxes & Red Cap, Silverado

If you had to describe the "average gay boy" style of your town in two words, what would they be?

suburban mall-ish?

Do you have any local celebs?

Sam Adams is our new gay mayor

What bar has the cutest/hottest bartenders?

Silverado

Do gay men and lesbians hang out together in your town or is that just unheard of?

Sure they do, and not just when playing softball!

Has your town ever had a "gay scandal?" If so, describe it -- but don't use names!

Nothing compared to other big cities

Do you have a hometown crush? If so, describe (but don't name names).

Yes, but I'm very bad at hiding such things anymore so I don't even try.  I just try to behave.  I know, boring huh.

Learn more about Nate by clicking here.

[Editor's Note: To find out how to submit a Reader's Guide about YOUR town, click here -- you'll be happy you did...].

Comments

[Jose F.]

Whoopie!!! We now have a gay sex scandal in Portland!

If you're following the news (local and national) you're probably aware that our gay mayor is caught up in a sex scandal involving an 18 y/o male city hall intern (18 at the time, the mayor was 42) when he was just a city councilman. Unfortunately, he denied the relationship until early 2009. Now the media and everyone who never liked the idea of a gay mayor or a progressive, is calling for his head. It seems politicians aren't suppose to lie, even when the questions pry into their personal, nonprofessional, life. Oh, and some are also after him for "currupting a minor" and being a gay predator. What's next? Will they fault him form manscaping too?

(Portland is also known as the home town of a few famous folks not mentioned above:

* Jane Powell
* Doc Severinsen
* Sally Struthers
* Art Alexakis
* Danny Glover
* Kim Novak
* Johnnie Ray
* Lindsay Wagner
* Mason Williams
* Ginger Rogers
* Gus Van Sant
* Mel Blanc

and Courtney Love, Sam Elliot, Clark Gable, Katie Sacket (okay, she lived just outside the city) and home to numerous bands (The Decemberists, Derby, Pink Martini, Everclear, Storm Large and the Balls, The Dandy Warhols, etc., etc. etc.). It's also the home to noted authors like Ursela Laguin, Chuck Palahniuk, Marc Acito).

Portland also houses the animated film studio LAIKA (their first major animated film "Coraline" opens nationwide on 2/6/09) and Dark Horse comics (just outside the city limits). All in all, Portland's a creative place.