Best Portland Day Ever: State Rep. Khanh Pham

Khanh Pham grew up a bookworm. But she doesn't have much time to wander the shelves these days.

State of play: The state representative (D-Portland/Jade district) who was first elected to the Oregon Legislature in 2020 is always busy with climate and clean energy work.

• Check out her Instagram for info about a constituent meeting on bikes she's planning for the fall.

Here is how a Best Portland Day unfolds in her book.

⏰ Pham gets up early, especially in the summer. "I like to get up when it's still cool and the house is quiet and catch up on emails, plan out my day and have a few minutes to myself," she tells us.

🐔 When her daughter wakes up, they feed their backyard chickens and gather eggs and blueberries for breakfast.

• "On an ideal day I'd drop her off at camp and then meet up at Bipartisan Cafe with a community leader or advocate."

🍛 For lunch, Mirisata is one of Pham's favorites. "They're a worker-owned restaurant cooperative serving delicious Sri Lankan foods, remixed vegan. Try the combo plates or the sampler of appetizers — will not disappoint!"

• A close second: "Make a picnic lunch and bring it to Mt. Tabor or Laurelhurst Park."

🛼 Her dream Portland afternoon includes meeting friends at Mt. Scott Community Center for a roller skating session, then doing the "Art of Foster" bike ride that explores the murals and street art near her neighborhood in SE Portland.

• "We'd start and end our ride at the Portland Mercado on SE Foster, where there's great food and drink options from all over Latin America."

🥘 Dinner includes dessert: "I love to share Vietnamese cuisine with my daughter and husband, and encourage them to try new things. We'd probably go to Pho Van or Pho Hung and have their Vietnamese crepes for dinner, followed up by a special bean dessert with shaved ice, tapioca jellies and coconut cream."

• If entertaining at home, she'd pick up dessert from Bui Tofu, "which has so many different kinds of sticky rice and tapioca desserts to choose from. They are a hidden gem in Portland!"