Postcards From the West: Portland, Ore.

Bicyclists rule the road and the bike paths in Portland, Ore., where the two-wheeled mode of transportation is a huge part of the local culture.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

The skyline of Portland, Ore., comes into view from Mt. Tabor Park. The tree-shrouded park is situated on a volcanic cinder cone.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Traveling street musicians pause for a photo with their favorite sign in front of the Bagdad Theater in the quirky Hawthorne area of Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Kids cool off in the Salmon Street Springs fountain at Waterfront Park in Portland, Ore. The outdoor fountain is controlled by an underground computer that constantly changes the patterns and shapes of the water.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Random players are encouraged to tickle the ivories at the Piano Push Plays around Portland, Ore. This particular piano was near the Portland Art Museum.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Under the watchful eye of a Golden Girl, a patron enjoys a cup of joe at Floyd’s in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Tyson Birnbaum, left, and Keith Brooks pause at Powell’s bookstore on Hawthorne Boulevard in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

The poetry’s free at a home in a neighborhood near Mt. Tabor Park in Portland, Ore.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Fliers stapled to utility poles along Hawthorne Boulevard add to the quirky feel in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

“Billions and Billions of People” is a collaborative outdoor art installation adorning the walls surrounding a construction site in downtown Portland, Ore. The project was spearheaded by local artists Chris Johanson and Johanna Jackson, who worked with 30 homeless youth to produce the images.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

A waterfall at the Portland Japanese Garden -- it’s a peaceful, tranquil spot to escape the Oregon city.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Raindrops collect and drop slowly from the foliage at the Portland Japanese Garden in the Oregon city.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

What’s for lunch today? Hungry people swarm a cluster of food carts in downtown Portland, Ore.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

The view of Portland, Ore., is impressive from the Aerial Tram, which carries commuters from the city’s South Waterfront to the Marquam Hill campus of Oregon Health & Science University.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Plein-air painter Brooks Hickerson studies the beauty in a quiet corner of the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, Ore. The 4.5-acre garden features more than 7,000 plants covering 550 types of roses.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Bikes take center stage in the “Cyclepedia: Iconic Bicycle Design” exhibit at the Portland Art Museum in Oregon.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Love tiki? Enjoy a cool, tropical umbrella drink and then stay for the karaoke at the Alibi in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

After a night out on the town, wind down with a stylish drink at the Sapphire Hotel in Portland, Ore.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Pool, mixed drinks and a movie: Does it get any better than this at the Back Stage Bar in Portland, Ore.?   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Colorful lights and an offbeat decor decorate the patio at the ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

The tacos are colorful and inexpensive at ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

The Bagdad Theater in the Hawthorne area of Portland, Ore., is a story of revitalization and renewal, and it’s a popular night spot.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Food, drink and movies happily coexist at the Bagdad in the quirky Hawthorne district of Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Street performers entertain patrons dining al fresco at the Bagdad in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Lights from cars and buses streaking past the Bagdad add to the allure of the neon-bedazzled theater in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

The Bollywood Theater serves up Indian street food -- and the films of Bollywood -- on revitalized Alberta Street in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

From the grounds of the Pittock Mansion, the skyline glows as the sun sets on another day in Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

From Medusa hats in the window to gothic nurse costumes to body piercing, Metro on Portland, Ore.’s Hawthorne Boulevard has a little bit of everything.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

A street performer works for tips as a tourist reaches for change in downtown Portland, Ore.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

A sign pokes fun at Portland, Ore., while also advertising a downtown nightclub.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)