Seed Saviors

Scientists at the National Clonal Germplasm Repository are even now hedging against humanity’s uncertain future. Within the twenty-eight-year-old facility’s greenhouses, are the fruits and nuts and seeds and pollen of roughly ten thousand plants collected from all over the world. It is the repository’s job not only to protect these seeds as some sort of worst-case-scenario refuge, but in many cases, to perfect them through countless rounds of experimentation.

By Rebecca Clarren

Revisionist History

Think antique-reproduction furnishings, flea-market treasures, and romantic touches like strands of ivy climbing the interior walls of a living room. The result—a rare aura of beauty, refinement, and authenticity—is something that Jay Gatsby would have paid a fortune to procure and that interior designer Ann Waldman thought of when she saw this Southwest Hills home.

By Camela Raymond

Memorial Lane

Of the many civic battles that have shaped Portland over the decades, few match the one over Memorial Coliseum and the debate that began fifty-seven years ago about where to build it in the first place. A half century later, Mayor Sam Adams and Commissioner Randy Leonard want to demolish the coliseum and replace it with a Triple-A baseball stadium to bring new life to the dreary Rose Quarter.

By Randy Gragg

PDX Index: Baseball

Portland’s baseball stats.

The Perfect Party

Celebs we’d most like at our dinner table this month.

Hot-Rod Hybrid

Portland claims the most hybrid-car owners in the country, but odds are that nobody’s plugged in a ride quite like the 2010 Fisker Karma, which hits 60 miles per hour in just under six seconds and gets 100 miles per gallon.

With contribution from Brian Barker

Finders Keepers

$52 million. That’s how much money the State of Oregon found last year—and some of it could be yours.

By Ariel Bleicher

30 Seconds With...David Moen

The Oregon Zoo’s David Moen talks California condors.

By Peter Beland

Shortcut to Heaven

To honor the two thousandth anniversary of the Apostle Paul’s birth, Pope Benedict XVI granted all Catholic dioceses around the world the authority to grant plenary indulgences—code for forgiveness of previous sins. But there’s a catch: you’ve got just till the end of the month to claim a ticket for the express train to Heaven.

By Sam Holder

All in the Family

From kites to rodeos to cherry picking, there’s something for everyone this summer. Here’s your guide to Portland’s family-friendly summer events.

By Kaitlin Johnson

Breezy Does It

Soak up Portland’s summer sun in these one-piece classics.

By Melissa Tessitor

Filson

Filson’s new Pearl District shop has Portland’s style covered.

Great Lake

Wintertime Tahoe holds no shortage of its own stunning imagery and activities, but for natives and long-timers, summer is the secret star. Choosing a vacation base can feel overwhelming. If I had to build a pair of perfect days there, I’d stick to Tahoe City, a laid-back little town on the northwest shore.

By Paige Williams

Club Sandwich

With restaurants increasingly seen as shaky ventures, some of the city’s most talented chefs have tossed aside their white coats and fancy kitchens to tinker with the lowly sandwich in the culinary equivalent of the tree house. But craftsmen like Ken Gordon and nick Zukin aren’t settling; they’re raising the standard of the sandwich—and saving dough in the process.

By Mike Thelin

Taster's Choice

Since opening Barista in February, Wilson has broken with the exclusive arrangement long held between roasters and coffee houses: he offers coffee from Stumptown alongside beans from other top artisan brands, such as Intelligentsia, Verve, and Ecco Caffé.

By Lynette Sanchez

Jade Teahouse & Patisserie

Nestled in the Southeast Portland haven of Sellwood is the bright and airy Jade Teahouse & Patisserie. Open since last fall, Jade Teahouse offers restaurant goers a rare blend of French-Vietnamese cuisine along with its famed pastry case.

By Kaitlin Johnson

Street Cred

Ping is the latest venture from Pok Pok mastermind Andy Ricker. Ping insists on bringing Portlanders authenticity in its beguiling menu options. But unlike Pok Pok, Ping doesn’t have standout dishes. What you’ll find instead is an intriguing collection of novelties.

By Martha Calhoon

How To...Wrap a Blister

By Sam Holder

How To...Handle a Steep Descent

By Sam Holder

The Right Path

These scenic vistas, shot by Portland Monthly staffer Scott Weber should get you out the door and into the wild. This June, he focuses on waterfall-filled hikes in the Columbia Gorge. What could be better than all this hair-blowing beauty less than an hour drive from downtown Portland?

How To...Catch a Fish with Your Bare Hands

By Sam Holder

How To...Make Your Own (Nutritious) Gorp

By Sam Holder