Portland Craft

At once sophisticated and down to earth. Portland makes for the perfect Mom-And-Daughter weekend.

 STAY: From the oversized mural welcoming us in the lobby to the nude sketches in the Carrara marble bathrooms, the Hotel Modera embodies Portland’s arts scene (even the city’s hanging baskets are edgy, my mom pointed out). It’s in walking distance from the Pearl District and the downtown core, but look no further than its buzzy restaurant, Nel Centro, for your nightcap. Gathered around one of the three sleek firepits on the terrace (with a glass of something bubbly) was the place to be the night mom and I arrived. 515 SW Clay St., Portland. 877-484-1084. Hotelmodera.com

SAVOUR: There are only two places you’ll find a Portlander at noon on a Sunday: eating brunch or waiting in line for it. Do like the locals and head to Tasty n Alder for comfort food with Asian and Latin influences (think crunchy Korean fried chicken tossed with short-grain rice, house kimchee and eggs, and a chocolate malt milkshake and dipping fries for dessert). On weekends there’s usually a wait so Ma and I passed the time at Blue Star Donuts and Heart Coffee. Dinner calls for lighter Thai-Vietnamesefare: fried tilapia with chilies, lime and coriander at Pok Pok’s in the Hawthorne District does it. 580 SW 12th Ave. Portland. 503-621-9251. Tastynalder.com

SHOP: In a city that loves the little guy, Portland is boutique heaven. For home décor, lo- cal handicrafts and the coolest air plants my mother and I had ever seen, head to Boys Fort and The Real Mother Goose. On a Saturday afternoon it’s worth stop- ping in to Knit Purl to watch the city’s craft-obsessed fawn over the kaleidoscope of colourful yarns. From March to December take a stroll through the Portland Saturday Market where hundreds of local artisans show off their wares. Be sure to fuel your shopping spree like we did with a cup of locally brewed Kombucha from one of the many food trucks (the trip isn’t complete without it!). 2 SW. Naito Parkway, Portland. 503-222-6072. Portlandsaturdaymarket.com

SIP: For the lay of the brewery land (and guaranteed fun times) book your spot on a BrewCycle. On our two-hour Northwest Circuit tour (yes, my 63-year-old moth- er was game), we pedalled our way to Lucky Lab, McMenamins and Bridgeport while belting out 90’s tunes with fellow riders in an impromptu karaoke sesh. Beer not your thing? Head to The Heathman Hotel for a very sexy “Fifty Shades of Grey” cocktail (the book series is set here) accessorized with, what else? Tiny handcuffs. (Did I mention I have a cool mom?) 1425 NW Flanders St.,Portland. 971-400-5950. Brewgrouppdx.com

DO: Haute galleries abound in this Northwestern cultural hub (which, by the way, k.d. Lang once called home). My mother is an artist so she loved taking in local and international works at the beautifully curated Gallery 905, Augen and Froelick and the Museum of Contemporary Craft, all on Davis Street. By night we headed to the Kennedy School Theatre to catch a newlyreleased flick from the comfort of a living-room couch while noshing on pizza and beer, then joined the tortoiseshell-bespec- tacled crowd to discuss it over drinks at the theatre’s bar. Classic Portland. 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave., Portland. 503-249-3983. Mcmenamins.com

And when you start to miss PDX upon your return home? Do like Mom and I and watch a few episodes of “Portlandia”.