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Not quite Roseway and not quite Hollywood—although, it does weirdly remind me of certain parts of Los Angeles for some reason—the Rose City Park neighborhood is bisected by Northeast Sandy Boulevard. There’s a good chance you’ve driven through it without noticing. Ever rounded Interstate 84 around 60th Avenue and wondered about the warehouses lining its north shoulder? Rose City Park is what lies beyond.
Hidden Gem
Unless you’re the human counterpart to distinguished guests like Fuzzy Mama, Raccoon, Tolstoy, Anastasia, or Goblin King, it’s likely that Meowhaus Feline Boarding and Day Spa (6025 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-281-0222, meowhaus.biz) has flown below your radar. Vet technician Anya Stites and her team of Kitty Cuddlers—yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like, and yes, I was tempted to ask for a job—have a crowd of recurring “regulars,” all of whom have their favorite of 44 private suites. From the luxurious, sunny Garden Room, to suites equipped with stairs for special-needs kitties, to views of an aviary full of live zebra finches (“It’s like TV for cats,” Stites says), it’s clear that Meowhaus staffers care for their feline guests as if they were their own.
Watering Hole
To be completely honest, judging from its Medieval Times exterior, I did not have the highest hopes for Clyde’s Prime Rib Restaurant & Bar (5474 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-281-9200, clydesprimerib.com). But I was so incredibly wrong. I don’t know if it was the soul band’s opening cover of my favorite Otis Redding song or the Key lime pie martini (largely a dessert, but oh my God, I have not stopped thinking about it), but what was supposed to be a bar crawl turned into my partner and I dancing to Lizzo covers with people twice our age for most of the evening. And it was incredible.
Best Breakfast Spot
A night of slaying the dance floor at Clyde’s alongside Miss Washington—it remains a mystery whether that was a nickname or her true title—is a recipe for a hangover in the morning: can confirm. But the bacon breakfast sando (add maple butter) and the French toast roll-up filled with housemade strawberry sauce and Nutella at Rose City Food Park’s Rocket Breakfast (5235 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-676-9056, rocketbreakfast.com) cured me. Plus, it’s open till 3 pm, which is an absolute godsend after a somewhat accidental bender.
Best Place to Buy Your Gamer Girlfriend a Nerdy Gift
As my partner and I enjoyed our likely first of many 2:55 pm French toast roll-ups, we noticed a little guy running around with a Pokémon poster three times his size, and immediately knew where we were headed next: Cosmic Monkey Comics (5335 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-517-9050, cosmicmonkeycomics.com). It just so happened to be “Free Comic Book Day.” Plus, the shop had enormous Studio Ghibli posters for only $10.
Favorite Meal
Du’s Grill (5365 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-284-1773, dusgrill.com) is a largely unassuming spot to be deemed “the best Korean teriyaki in the known universe” by Willamette Week writers past. But I totally get it. It’s one of those spots where you know they know what they’re doing without even needing to try the food. But you definitely still should. I’d recommend getting the chicken teriyaki bowl and pairing it with some strawberry jasmine boba from Poke Qube next door.
Outdoor Adventure
As soon as I sat down at one of the picnic benches at Normandale Park (Northeast 57th Avenue and Halsey Street), a little off-leash lady (or gentleman) came up to me and asked for some world-famous teriyaki—not in so many words, but I could just tell. With its area for off-leash friends (most of whom remained within the fenced confines), two enormous baseball fields, a playground, and several equally perfect spots to read a book in the shade, Normandale has pretty much everything you could possibly want from a park. 10/10 would recommend.