As a wedding and portrait photographer in Sonoma, I use my eyes to discover the character of a place. In my recent trip to Portland, Oregon, I was amazed by the bountiful creativity in the decor and merchandizing in the retail shops, the designs and materials used in the city parks and in the diversity of the flavors and aromas from the fare served by the food carts. There has been an explosion of these carts all over the city.
With my friends, we discovered Portland by foot and at the end of each evening I indulged in a book, Cartopia, by Kelly Rodgers and Kelley Roy, an excellent read for understanding the sociology, the culture and the economy of Portland and how the combination of all three factors created a fertile environment for the ubiquitous food carts.
The authors explain that the city's independent culture and it creative entrepreneurial spirit nurture these “quirky little mobile eateries”. The pods of food carts provide a “natural extension of the intimate, yet vibrant ground floor street experience that the locals value. These pods contribute to the urban DNA that is intimate in scale and highly integrated in its setting.”
The carts have provided an opportunity for residents, particularly immigrants to start their own businesses with little investment money required upfront. This business appeals also to creative spirits and those longing for an independence they could not find in a corporate jobs. We chose to eat at Ziba's mainly because she offered a table for us to enjoy our food. Ziba is a Bosnian immigrant who came to the city, speaking no English in 2002 after the Balkan war. Her meat and spinach pies served with a cucumber salad and avatar were divine. On her cart is posted an excellent review from the New York Times.
CNN/Budget Travel has named Portland the top destination for street food, raving about the “spectacular rainbow of tastes, aromas and colors. Simple food, simply executed to be delicious”.
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