Spring break: Portland

For those of us sticking around the Portland area during the week of spring break, there are a variety of activities to occupy the time we would normally spend in class. Here are a few ideas.

Get off the couch!

Portland is one of the most beautiful cities on the map and is full of parks, shops and restaurants. A simple walk through the city and visit to the nearest city park, or even the farthest city park, is a perfect way to spend a spring afternoon. A walk from downtown or southeast to the Alberta Arts District in Northeast for lunch, and then back again, is a perfect example. Depending on speed, this one can take up to four hours.

Garden state

Portland’s gardens are a beautiful way to spend an afternoon. The Japanese Gardens are located in the West Hills of Portland at 611 S.W. Kingston Ave., and March is the perfect time to visit this beautiful place. The cherry blossoms featured at the Gardens are in bloom only a few weeks out of the year, and spring break may be the last week before they lose their petals. The city’s several rose gardens are beautiful as well, but March is sadly not the best time to visit them, as roses are not in bloom until late summer.

Drive the Gorge

Take an eastward cruise down the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway (accessible from Troutdale). Multnomah Falls is located about 25-30 minutes east of Portland on the highway and is the second highest year-round waterfall in the country. Follow the highway further to experience the breathtaking views of the Columbia River Gorge. Eventually, the scenic highway will reconnect to Interstate 84 where one can choose to return to Portland or travel farther East to experience the beauty of towns like Cascade Locks and Hood River. Highway 35 in Hood River leads up to Mt. Hood and the historic Timberline Lodge.

Be an art snob

Portland holds a plethora of visual arts among its many galleries and museums. Just about every part of town has an arts district or scattered galleries popping up where you’d least expect them. Each part of town is worth exploring to find the best gallery.

Downtown Portland is home to the Portland Art Museum, featuring a number of exhibits that will be up before, during, and after spring break. Local artist Chris Johanson’s exhibit will be featured until the end of May and his installations include a variety of thought provoking drawings, sculptures, paintings and videos. The photography of Elliot Erwitt will be featured through April. Erwitt is a photojournalist who also does advertising photography. He has earned world fame and renown from his many photographs, specifically one of Nixon and Khrushchev arguing in front of a refrigerator in 1959.

Desperate? Go to the movies

Movies are always an option. There are tons of theaters in Portland from Regal McMovie chain theaters to $3 theater-pubs for every Portlander’s movie watching enjoyment. As luck would have it, there are also a handful of awesome movies in theaters right now!

Pan’s Labyrinth is without a doubt one of the best movies of the year. The winner of three Academy Awards, director Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece is a movie everyone should see. Released in 2006, Pan’s Labyrinth is the beautiful story of the young Ophelia, who is the stepdaughter of a fascist army captain in 1940s Spain. Ophelia is drawn into fantastical world by Pan, a faun, and embarks on a journey to claim her throne in an underworld kingdom. Fantastically filmed and beautifully acted, Pan’s Labyrinth is a must-see this spring break.

For those of you looking for a little more action, catch Casino Royale at second run theaters and on DVD. Casino is the latest addition to the legacy of Ian Fleming’s James Bond. The film acts as a prequel, though it takes place in modern day, and introduces us to Bond as he becomes agent 007. Bond is sent on his first mission, where he faces the villain Le Chiffre in a high-stakes poker game. Action packed, sexy and well made, Casino Royale is sure to please all Bond fans, or perhaps create some.