Name & Age: Lori Reising, 36

Hometown: Algona, Iowa

Current Neighborhood: Concordia

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash? HypnoBirthing Childbirth Education instructor and overall fertility, prenatal and postnatal support, Massage Therapist extraordinaire, Transpersonal Hypnotherapist /slash/ aspiring writer, backburner musician, animal enthusiast, adventure lover.

What do you create? I create aromatherapy hot/cold rice packs, art that mostly sees my walls, a supportive atmosphere for my clients and a loving home for my kitties. Oh, and a dance party whenever I can.

How did you land in Portland? Funny enough I heard that Portland was just like my college town (Iowa City, Iowa) but prettier. I got in my car with my pup and headed out west.

What is the last book you read? Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Name your favorite tattoo. I would say it’s my ‘trust. faith.’ tattoo. I needed it to help me through a very difficult time in my life. It reminds me that eventually things change and evolve, even though it’s hard to see in the thick of it.

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? Some sort of vegetarian tortilla bowl. Yum.

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? The Willamette Week or Mercury. It depends on how edgy I’m feeling that week or by the cover story.

What is your favorite bridge and why? St. Johns. It is so powerful and majestic to me. I practically hold my breath every time I drive over it.

Stumptown Coffee or _________? Yerba Mate

Coast or Mountains? Both! I live here for the coast in the summer and the mountains in the winter. I also live here for the coast in the winter and the mountains in the summer! Aren’t we lucky???

Only in Portland moment? Only in Portland can I put out the glass recycling at any given time and have someone in front of my house within an hour taking the lucrative stuff.

A favorite local business? Bloom Natural Healthcare!

Are you a car person or a bike person? I’m a car person for functionality, but I love a good stroll on my cruiser in the summer.

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? I would definitely change the unemployment rate.

And finally, where can we find you on the web? www.bloomnaturalhealthcare.com

Name & Age: Carina Murray, 33

Hometown: Westport, WA

Current Neighborhood: Irvington

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash? I represent modern designers of stationery and gift items in the wholesale market, through my small business, Crow and Canary (www.crowandcanary.com) /twitter prosthyletizer/puggle mama/eggs benedict connoisseur.

What do you create? A ruckus. Okay… and I also enable awesome designers to make a living off of the cool things they make. Not too shabby!

How did you land in Portland? The mister and I are were living in SE Alaska for several years and decided we needed to get back to the lower 48 (as the Alaskans say) and thought that Portland seemed like as good as any place to land. That was in 2004.

What is the last book you read? I finally finished Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom. I devoured the first 90%, but really didn’t want it to end so I’ve just gotten around to completing it.

Name your favorite tattoo. I’m afraid of commitment, so currently this clever design from Tatt.ly (http://tatt.ly/products/tattone)

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? A waffle at Flavor – long live the Dutch taco!

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? Uh… The New York Times (ducks and covers head)

What is your favorite bridge and why? It’s so hard to choose just one! Probably St. Johns since it’s so pretty to look at.

Stumptown Coffee or _________? Oregon Chai, not much of a coffee gal.

Coast or Mountains? Coast. There’s nothing like watching my pup frolicking on the beach.

Only in Portland moment? Getting caught in the traffic during the naked bike ride with my dad for 30 minutes. Thankfully, he’s pretty laid back.

A favorite local business? I love New Seasons Market! My visiting friends are always super impressed, as well.  And Bijou Café, I’ve been dining there for at least 15 years.

Are you a car person or a bike person? Primarily car, but I’m a fair-weather cyclist. I love my cute bicycle and it gets lavished with compliments when I’m out and about.

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? Less distance from the East Coast.

And finally, where can we find you on the web? 

www.crowandcanary.com

crowandcanary.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/crowandcanary

www.facebook.com/crowandcanary

Name & Age: Galen Mittermann, 31

Hometown: Eugene, OR

Current Neighborhood: Ardenwald-Johnson Creek

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash? Market Research Analyst / Consultant / Cyclist

What do you create? Cash flow

How did you land in Portland? Chased the job market

What is the last book you read? In The Wake, Per Petterson

Name your favorite tattoo. Anything but a bird, a star, or words in a language the bearer can’t read

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? A veggie brat

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? New York Times

What is your favorite bridge and why? Hawthorne, because it’s the most bike-friendly

Stumptown Coffee or _________? Whatever the nearest coffee shop is brewing. Stumptown can get over itself. Portland can get over Stumptown.

Coast or Mountains? Desert

Only in Portland moment? 6’4”, 130lb male barista at Public Domain Coffee dressed in all black with a black tie, an ironic moustache, and a star tattoo, tasting and spitting espresso during the lunch rush – like he could tell the difference. Hipster.

A favorite local business? Mine

Are you a car person or a bike person? bike

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? The clothing choices Portlanders make. Seriously, people, don’t everyone dress like a Decemberists song.

And finally, where can we find you on the web? www.galenmittermann.com, www.commoncyclist.tumblr.com, Twitter @GalenMittermann, www.brownpaperconsulting.com

Name & Age: Sarah Dunlap 31

Hometown: I have two hometowns. I grew up in both Jacksonville, FL and Effie, LA. I moved to Portland from Jacksonville.

Current Neighborhood: I guess it would technically be Humboldt. I always thought it might be considered the Mississippi area.

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash?  I own ApplePOPDesign which is a small Portland web design business. I also enter contests as a hobby.

What do you create? I create websites and I sometimes make short videos for contests.

How did you land in Portland? I came to Portland in 2006 with my partner. We have been together for 9 years.

What is the last book you read? Bake Sale by Sara Varnon. It is  graphic novel about a cupcake that owns a bake shop.

Name your favorite tattoo. I don’t have a tattoo. If I were to get one though, I think I would get an octopus tattoo.

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? A gyro from Ugarit.

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? Mercury

What is your favorite bridge and why? I like the St. John’s bridge. It is a beautiful bridge.

Stumptown Coffee or _________? Stumptown for me.

Coast or Mountains? This is a tough question. I will have to say the coast. I recently won a great prize from the Central Oregon Coast Association which included quite a few gift certificates to hotels and businesses along the coast so I have been spending lots of time at the coast lately.

Only in Portland moment? The first time I found the 24 hour church of Elvis.

A favorite local business? I can’t choose just one! I like Muddy’s Coffee House. I also like Supportland.

Are you a car person or a bike person? Both. I like being able to go to the coast on weekends but I love riding my bike too.

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? I would change the weather so that it would be more sunny.

And finally, where can we find you on the web? www.applepopdesign.com

Name & Age: Leah Johnson, 25

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN        

Current Neighborhood: South Portland

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash? Collaborator of sorts for a substance abuse management company/Vintage clothing merchant/Jewelry architect

What do you create? Messes. Also, original jewelry made from abnormal materials (acid wash denim, petrified wood, prehistoric bones, sea glass etc.)

How did you land in Portland? There were so many places that I wanted to experience in the Pacific Northwest, and there was no way that I could see it all without moving to the area. I also think that volcanoes are neat.

What is the last book you read? I’ve been nerding out to the Game of Thrones books.

Name your favorite tattoo. A silhoutted row of pine trees along the side of my foot. It’s the one that I don’t have yet (as most favorite tattoos are).

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? A vegan gyro from DC Vegetarian. It was genius.

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? The Mercury is my jam. It’s got personality and I love reading the rants. Some people are just so angry!

What is your favorite bridge and why? I frequent the Ross Island more than any other. However, I often find myself staring at the Fremont bridge from my desk at work. It seems to compliment the skyline nicely.

Stumptown Coffee or _________? Whatever is nearby, hot and caffeinated. I’m not much of a coffee snob. Beer is another story.

Coast or Mountains? Mountains. In my opinion they smell a lot better.

Only in Portland moment? Hitchhiking from a show at The Woods and consequently making a friend from the whole experience. Now I’ll have to ensure that my mother doesn’t read this.

A favorite local business? The Lair Hill Cafe in South Portland. They have an amazing veggie sandwich, great craft beer and a friendly cat. I could also quite possibly eat at Habibi every single day.

Are you a car person or a bike person? I prefer walking. There is just something about the sidewalk that feels a bit safer to me.

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? I guess it would be pretty super if I wasn’t heckled for spare change 17 times per day. The joys of working downtown.

And finally, where can we find you on the web? Http://www.bangarangvintage.etsy.com

Name & Age: Hilary Holmes, 31

Hometown: Portsmouth,NH

Current Neighborhood: Overlook

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash? I own Emerald Petals, an Eco florist shop on N. Mississippi/knitter/bourbon connoisseur

What do you create? I make pretty. I arrange flowers and plants to make people happy and I love having a space that I can share with others to get them inspired. Also a mean cocktail and a healthy, delicious meal.

How did you land in Portland? One snowy January sitting in front of a fire with a dear old friend I decided to buy a one-way plane ticket. Come that June 1st I landed in Portland, site unseen, and fell in love.

What is the last book you read? Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk -David Sedaris

Name your favorite tattoo. My spider. I love crook of the thumb and finger tattoos but I have yet to get one. A friend recently got the most beautiful victorian scissors down her arm…

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? Veggie sushi & Udon noodle soup from Sushi Tree

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? Horoscope from Willamette, entertainment from Mercury

What is your favorite bridge and why? St. John’s. It is the most gothamy, beautiful thing all green and pointy.

Stumptown Coffee or _________? I just recently stopped drinking coffee but nothing beats a cold pressed Stumptown on a warm day.

Coast or Mountains? Coast, coast, coast please

Only in Portland moment? Oh so many, this city constantly blows my mind with its hilarity. But seriously, being able to go for a hike in the morning, out in a forest and then get to work on time, very glad to be Portland.

A favorite local business? Oh so many! Flutter, Mr. Green Beans, Scrap, Salt, Fire &Time…

Are you a car person or a bike person? I wish more Bike. The first two years I lived here I only rode my bike but owning a business has made it hard for me to continue that.

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? The lack of diversity and the little to no food delivery.

And finally, where can we find you on the web?

www.emeraldpetalspdx.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Emerald-Petals/391089342436

http://emeraldpetals.blogspot.com/

Name & Age: Dan & 39^th level robot rogue

Hometown: The ‘Kan (Spokane), WA

Current Neighborhood: I’m a newbie to Mt Scott-Arleta. Real new: last Saturday (the 12^th) new. Previously: Hawthorne.

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash? I am the Ops Manager for a non-profit/writer/homebrewer/gamer/observer of humans

What do you create? Beer! And suffering for my enemies. And a lot of Magic decks, coupled with general goodwill. It’s complicated.

How did you land in Portland? Fifteen years ago, a buddy of mine said he wanted to move to Portland and I, fresh out of college and ripe with heartbreak, said that if he could get ready by the end of summer, I’d go with him. So we went! After a few months though, he decided to go back and I decided to stay.

What is the last book you read? The Bonehunters by Stephen Erikson.

Name your favorite tattoo. When you’ve got as many scars as I do (5 external, 4 internal), you don’t need tattoos. Plus, they usually come with cooler stories than tats, since there’s more blood and doctors and waiting room wackiness. On top of that, you don’t have to pick a favorite, because nobody expects you to like pain and scar tissue. Which I don’t.

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? I think it was a burrito down at the Hawthorne + 12^th area cart stop.

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? Oregonian for packing, WW for the ‘articles’ and Mercury for movie times.

What is your favorite bridge and why? I like any bridge I can walk across; the Steel Bridge has a cool feel to it because of the dual layered quality and closeness to the water but the Hawthorne Bridge will always be my sentimental favorite, as it’s been the primary part of how I get across the river since I arrived here.

Stumptown Coffee or _________? There is only beer. Coffee is for the weak.

Coast or Mountains? Indoors; those places tend to be cold.

Only in Portland moment? Took place at a strip club. Because really, what does Portland have over other cities? Proper strip clubs. Ask anyone from Cali or Washington; they’ll tell you: We’ve got it made.

A favorite local business? Either Excalibur or Bailey’s Taproom.

Are you a car person or a bike person? Actually, I walk whenever I can. It’s the only way to really get to know a neighborhood or a city, I think.

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? I’d like a better selection of pubs within walking distance of my house. Please serve chicken strips for when I’m hung over. Otherwise, my changes would involve people being wiser and that’s less Portland and more humanity.

And finally, where can we find you on the web? When I write about beer and homebrewing I do it at A Pint for Dionysus, http://apintfordionysus.wordpress.com/ but when I write about playing Magic, it’s Swing for 20, http://swingfor20.blogspot.com/.

Name & Age: Jaime Carole English

Hometown: SW Portland, OR (Cedar Hills!)

Current Neighborhood: Just moved to the Montavilla area at Mile Post Five.

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash? I do landscape design and master planning for retreat centers, summer camps, and residential gardens at Kahoots llc. / I design garden elements to inspire imaginative outdoor play which I believe we need much much more of/I invite my friends over for collaborative collage & art making parties/ I go swing dancing/ and I visit dear friends on the other side of the world.

What do you create? Landscape design plans and garden art for the “imaginative soul”.

How did you land in Portland? As a seventh generation Oregonian, I’ve got roots as deep as an Oregon White Oak. When I graduated from UO, Portland was obviously the place to move to. My wonderful family was here. That, and Portland had apparently gotten cool since I left. I didn’t take it personally.

What is the last book you read? I’m in the middle of “Last Child in the Woods.” I rarely sit down to read a good book though because once I do, I can’t stop.

Name your favorite tattoo. I am a girl who has to rearrange her furniture every 2-3 months. I would never be able to live with the permanence of a tattoo. Henna on the other hand suits me just perfectly!

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? Korean Ribs at Namu on Belmont and 43rd. I love their cold spinach salad!

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? Whichever is lying on the nearest café table. And the Portland Tribune…is that still even around?

What is your favorite bridge and why? The Morrison itself is a sad sight but I am convinced that it’s the best view point of the Portland skyline. All the other bridges are glorious from it at night.

Stumptown Coffee or _________? My own little European style stove top espresso maker. Reminds me of German breakfasts in Ueberlingen.

Coast or Mountains? Coast & Central Oregon. I grew up visiting family at both every summer and I associate both with that utterly care free state of mind that is rarely found outside of childhood.

Only in Portland moment? The following conversation occurs at any social event I attend in Portland, and nowhere else:  “So, where are you from?” “Portland.” “Portland? Really?” “Yeah I actually grew up here.” ” Wow?! Don’t see many of you around.”

A favorite local business? Besides Kahoots, my favorite is Bosky Dell Native Nursery. They’ve got a fabulous native plants selection and beautiful art (made by Lory, the owner) throughout their well established demonstration gardens. And, as it turns out, my mom lived in a barn on the property her first year out of college while she and my dad were dating, before the nursery was even there. So it’s got crazy family history too. It is a little outside of Portland though. Cistus Nursery on Sauvie Island is also an amazing plant/garden lover’s experience and I think it would be a great location for an elegant outdoor wedding reception.

Are you a car person or a bike person? Ah! A bike person, but a fair-weather, give-me-my-own-bike-space-without-traffic, let’s-make-biking-family-friendly, kind of bike person. I actually ride the very bike that my dad used to ride and tow me around with in one of those original Bike Gallery kid trailers.

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? I would abolish the clipping of shrubs into individual balls as a maintenance strategy. Every grocery store parking lot would suddenly be a garden if we allowed plants to actually grow and (gasp!) touch one another, and I could finally walk from my car to the front entrance with my eyes open and a smile on my face. Wouldn’t that be lovely?

And finally, where can we find you on the web? www.kahootsdesign.com

Name & Age: Samantha Swaim 37

Hometown: Fountain Valley, CA

Current Neighborhood: Overlook

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash? Fundraising Consultant / Event Planner

What do you create? Beautiful events that raise money for great causes.

How did you land in Portland? Freshman year at the University of Portland was when my love affair with Portland began. I was lucky enough to be able to return to call Portland home.

What is the last book you read? Born to Run

Name your favorite tattoo. A Tree, representing the constant cycle of rooting and growing.

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? Beer, Captured by Porches

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? Willamette Week

What is your favorite bridge and why? St. Johns, I love the architecture of the bridge and the striking contrast of the bright green paint against the dark green forest park on the west side.

Stumptown Coffee or _________? Stumptown or Water Street

Coast or Mountains? Mountains!

Only in Portland moment? Walking down any street, people smile, make eye contact, and say hi. It’s a very friendly city.

A favorite local business? Cupcake Jones, the owners are incredibly community minded and generous leaders.

Are you a car person or a bike person? Both

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? That’s tough. I love this city. But the education system needs an overhaul. Too many kids are getting left behind.

And finally, where can we find you on the web? www.samanthaswaim.com

Name & Age: Chad Rea, 40

Hometown: El Paso/Pittsburgh

Current Neighborhood: Creston-Kenilworth

How do you pay the rent and what is your slash? I am a freelance copywriter/creative director, career and business advisor, commercial voiceover artist, and a serial entrepreneur. My slash: improv actor.

What do you create? I mostly develop product and marketing ideas for brands, including many brands of my own. My company, ecopop, recently launched dabball, our iPhone/iPad app that promotes emerging artists through mobile gaming. Next on the list is Stumptown Secondary School, a line of men’s neckties made from overstock graphic t-shirts. My list is mighty long.

How did you land in Portland? About four years ago, my family went on a cruise (ugh) to Alaska (ooh) where I felt a special connection to nature, something I hadn’t really felt in any of the nine cities I’ve lived in. A year later, around the same time I launched ecopop, I got a recruitment call from Wieden+Kennedy with an invitation to “just come up and see” if I wanted to move here. Two weeks later, my dog, Star, and I traded in our high-priced tans for two-for-one trees. The W+K gig was short-lived but it brought me to Ptown. I can’t really imagine ecopop, a company that merges ecology with pop culture, or myself for that matter, being anywhere else.

What is the last book you read? I’ve listened to about three audiobooks since then—all non-fiction, but the last one I actually read was The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book) by Miguel Ruiz. The agreements are: Be impeccable with your word. Don’t take anything personally. Don’t make assumptions. Always do your best. The how and why explained in this book has had a profound effect on my life. Highly recommended reading. Or listening.

Name your favorite tattoo. I’d say the awesome Sigma Phi Tasmanian Devil on my lower back, if I had one, but since I don’t, probably the somewhat cryptic symbols on my forearm that commemorate my summit of Kilimanjaro on 10:10:10. (As if I need something to remind me of that epic near-death experience.)

What was the last thing you ate at a food cart? More like I inhaled a deliciously deep-fried chocolaty, peanutty pie from Whiffies. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t gluten-free, like the naturopath ordered, but some food carts are just too damn irresistible.

Oregonian, Willamette Week, or Mercury? The Mercury for the music calendar and, uh, sometimes Lovelab.

What is your favorite bridge and why? The Burnside Bridge, because the world-class skatepark that lives underneath it was built by a handful of mavericks without the city’s permission. To me, this kind of punk rock, do-it-yourself mentality symbolizes Portland’s creative culture. “Just do it.”

Stumptown Coffee or _________? I am a sucker for Stumptown, but mainly if I brew it myself. It’s all part of my wake-up-and-read-the-iPad ritual. If I accidentally run out of beans or I am traveling and have to get another brand, colors appear faded and music just seems dull. Weird, huh?

Coast or Mountains? Mountains. If I’m gonna walk along the beach, I wanna be wearing shorts and sunscreen and be able to jump in the water without getting hypothermia. Sorry, NW Coast. I still love you, just not year-round.

Only in Portland moment? As much as I eat at Por Que No? and Nuestra Cocina, I’ve been on a never-ending quest for a stellar Cal- or Tex- Mex restaurant here. I’ve heard Hillsburrito is the place to go but it’s funny to me how many people feel that driving even 20 minutes to another quadrant is too far. An equal amount of Portlanders, however, would gladly ride out there on their bike.

A favorite local business? Land is a retail store and art gallery on Mississippi. They also sell their curated wares online at buyolympia.com and have their fulfillment warehouse in the back. They even sport a food cart (Wolf & Bear) in their parking lot, which works out nicely for gallery openings. They are a favorite not only because I dig their shiznaz, but also because I love their hybrid business model and how they’ve maximized their space. Perhaps not as novel as say a bar/record store or a coffee/flooring shop, but smart and inspired nonetheless.

Are you a car person or a bike person? A car person with a bike rack. Of course, since I work from home I rarely drive. If fact, I only put about 5000 miles/year on my car. Unfortunately, I’m a big baby when it comes to biking in the rain.

If you could change one thing about Portland, what would it be? One thing that puzzles me about Portland is the general speed of business or lack of hustle. When I first moved here, it felt like I was stepping off one of those moving walkways at the airport. My lifestyle brain thinks, “Okay, I get it. Life doesn’t have to move so fast. Slow down. Smell the Stumptown. Perhaps even retire like the song on Portlandia says.” My business brain, however, is like “C’mon, all you makers. Chop, chop. You’re awesome but don’t you want to be awesomer?!” Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for balance and I completely embrace the slower pace of life here. Generally speaking, however, it’s my work experience, specifically with the creative class and supporting businesses, that feels a tad too sleepy for its own good. Or, perhaps I’m a tad too driven for mine.

And finally, where can we find you on the web? www.chadrea.com and www.ecopop.com, www.facebook.com/ecopop, @ecopop