If you ever want to have a good time in Portland, you need to know about Paul Gerald. He’s a one-man, rocket-fueled, indoor-outdoor pleasure seeker, and the author of a handful of books on fun things to do in Portland, Oregon and beyond.
When I caught up with Paul to talk about his latest books, Peaceful Places Portland and the third edition of Breakfast in Bridgetown, he was on his way to a massage. After all, seeking out the best hiking trails, breakfast places, camping spots and beautiful places in Portland would stress anybody out.
But “Pure Pleasure Paul,” as I like to call him, set me straight: He said only 36% of his typical day is devoted to pleasure. (Although his goal for 2013 is to achieve 40%.) The remaining 64% is spent writing books, blog entries, bussing around town and conquering tasks, such as buying printer paper and stocking caps.
But to me, the magic is Paul has figured out how to make a living while having fun… and he’s managed to do it his entire adult life. He’s been a fisherman in Alaska, worked as a sports reporter and a travel writer, and now he’s figured out how to build a career around eating pancakes out with friends and hunting down gorgeous waterfalls. (That cheeky bugger!)
Fortunately, we all get to share in his discoveries through his writing, tweeting (@PDXbreakfastguy) and his Portland Breakfast iPhone app, which helps you target tasty breakfast places all over the city.
While researching his PDX breakfast book, the poor guy had to enjoy eating out around 200 times.
Some of his top Portland breakfast picks include Sanborn’s on SE Milwaukie Ave, Stepping Stone Café on NW Quimby, Simpatica Dining Hall on SE Ash, and Helser’s on NE Alberta. He’s especially fond of Zell’s Café on SE Morrison, which he says has the perfect combination of great food, staff and ambiance.
I asked him for his recipe for a great day in Portland and he suggests going to Powell’s City of Books, the world’s largest new and used bookstore, relaxing with a cup of coffee in their attached World Cup coffeehouse, and browsing the 4th floor rare book room, filled with first editions and old masterpieces. Paul describes it as a museum where everything is for sale.
Moving on to favorite Portland hiking spots from his book, 60 hikes within 60 miles of Portland, Paul categorizes “best hikes” by the season:
In spring, he goes to Catherine Creek to view exquisite wildflowers. In summer he loves Vista Ridge for its amazing, well…vistas. In fall he suggests Opal Creek for its clear pools and ancient forests, and come winter time, he likes anywhere he can travel via snow shoe.
If you want more details about these hikes, as well as dozens of other trails, check out Paul’s book on PaulGerald.com.
In his latest pleasure-seeking venture, Paul scouted out 100 serene places for his new book, Peaceful Places Portland.
For a quiet afternoon, he suggests leaving your car at home, catching Trimet bus #12 towards Sherwood, and getting off at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge for an eyeful of migratory birds.
This pocket of peace is teaming with 200 species of birds, 50 species of mammals and 25 species of reptiles. (Although I’m not sure exactly how relaxed I’d be surrounded by 25 kinds of reptiles, unless they are all slow-moving turtles.)
Another of Paul’s peaceful Portland picks is “Taborspace,” a cafe within the old bell tower of the Mount Tabor Presbyterian Church. Here you can wrap your hands around a mug of Ristretto Roasters hand-roasted artisanal brew while sitting on a couch and glancing skyward toward 30-foot-high old-growth beams lit by100-year old stained glass windows. You can almost hear a chorus of angels in your cup.
Before Paul left for his impending massage appointment, he offered one more tip on how to have fun in Portland: “Stop making your days so busy with wall-to-wall appointments. Exploring… relaxing… and experiencing quiet are completely valid activities. Simply go out and enjoy Portland!”
My goal is to visit every place in Peaceful Places Portland in 2013. If I’ve inspired you to check out this book, I’ve got a special deal for my “Amazing Portland” blog readers only: Go to PaulGerald.com and enter the coupon code “Amazing” and you’ll get $5.00 off Peaceful Places Portland… but only for the next few weeks.
This offer expires February 15th, just in time for a Valentine’s gift to someone who might just like a little peace and quiet in Portland.
{ 1 trackback }