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Pacific Northwest summer boasts some of the best fruits in the world, with fresh seasonal varieties that make it easy to cook dishes that are local and packed with flavor.

Dig in: We compiled some of our favorite recipes — along with a tasty contribution from a local chef — perfect for enjoying on a sunny day or warm evening.

Three-panel image showing fresh strawberries in a metal bowl, sliced strawberries in the same bowl, and a close-up of a strawberry pie with glossy strawberry filling in a brown crust.

When fruit becomes art. Photo: Kale Williams/Axios

🍓 Kale's absolute go-to for early summer fruit is this fresh strawberry pie.

I omit the added sugar and find that the strawberries are plenty sweet to carry the dish.

Plus: If you snag a gluten-free crust and some dairy-free whipped cream, it's a nice treat for folks with dietary restrictions.

Left side shows a bowl of colorful cherry tomato salad with herbs and seeds; right side shows boxes filled with red and yellow cherry tomatoes, plus a knife on a cutting board.

Perfection right off the vine. Photo: Courtesy of Kasey Mills

🍅 Chef Kasey Mills, of Sesame Collective, dropped us a fancy reminder that tomatoes are, indeed, a fruit: heirloom tomato salad with rose petal harissa, tahina and mint.

"We serve this dish every summer when tomatoes are at their peak, typically from mid-July through September," Mills told Axios.

Golden-brown lattice crust peach pie with bubbling filling in a glass pie dish on a baking sheet next to a stove.

Nothing beats peach pie in the summer. Photo: Hadley Malcolm

🍑 For Hadley, the highlight of every summer is a morning at Columbia Farms U-Pick on Sauvie Island for marionberries and blackberries, and a day trip to Hood River for a box of juicy peaches from Smiley's.

The fruit doesn't need much. Some sugar to taste, a thickener (corn starch), maybe some ground ginger and lemon zest for zing.

Pair with Alison Roman's pie crust and vanilla ice cream.

🐟 Meira loves tomatoes in every form. At their peak, heirlooms are best sliced, plated and drizzled with Helen Rosner's tonnato sauce.

 Toss tuna, anchovies, capers, garlic and other gluttonous condiments into a blender. Serve with shredded burrata, basil, a crack of pepper and Jacobsen's flaky sea salt.

Recipes to make the most of Pacific Northwest summer fruit

Grab some tomatoes, peaches and berries and head to the kitchen.

Close-up of nine green containers filled with fresh blueberries at a market, with a handwritten sign reading "BLUEBERRIES" visible at the bottom.

Our cup, it overfloweth. Photo: Thomas Teal/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Pacific Northwest summer boasts some of the best <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="fruits" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/08/09/best-farms-where-to-pick-berries-oregon" data-vars-content-id="1ff5b21b-e824-46c3-8a02-e256b2eb9dca" data-vars-headline="Recipes to make the most of Pacific Northwest summer fruit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/08/09/best-farms-where-to-pick-berries-oregon" target="_self">fruits</a> in the world, with fresh seasonal varieties that make it easy to cook dishes that are local and packed with flavor.Dig in: We compiled some of our favorite recipes — along with a tasty contribution from a local chef — perfect for enjoying on a sunny day or warm evening.

Food and Drink

There's no disputing our airport is one of the best in the world, but some of the things that make it great aren't so obvious.

Why it matters: While the soaring timber ceiling, living trees and award-winning design will catch your eye, the airport is full of hidden gems, too.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to pass the time that don't involve too many drinks at an airport bar.

Person wearing a white hooded jacket and face mask takes selfie in front of colorful illuminated HOLLYWOOD sign inside a building, with green carpeted floor and signs indicating free admission.

Sit back, relax and try not to miss your flight. Photo: Meira Gebel/Axios

💭 Meira's thought bubble: The Hollywood Theatre has its own 22-seat microcinema in Concourse C that plays a variety of films 10 minutes or less by Pacific Northwest creators.

It's where I learned about Ranger, the canine alpinist who climbed Mount Hood more than 500 times, and the 100-year history of the Pendleton Round-Up while waiting for a delayed red-eye.

Sure, there's no popcorn machine, but I was so thoroughly entertained I emerged to the sound of my flight's final boarding call.

💭 Hadley's thought bubble: One of my favorite things about PDX is its commitment to showcasing local restaurants. I'm typically flying early, so a breakfast sandwich at Grassa and a coffee from Blue Star Donuts have become my go-to.

But there's nothing quite like going to an airport lounge.

My favorite is the recently opened Escape lounge in Concourse D. It's spacious and clean, has private areas to take a work call, and features decent food and drink options — including fresh fruit of the non-melon variety — that can be hard to come by when you're traveling.

Man in red shirt and hat playing guitar at airport, smiling at a toddler and woman in pink jacket who watch and enjoy the music near a PDX Music volunteer program sign.

Doug Shafer helps people travel smoothly. Photo: Courtesy of Port of Portland

💭 Kale's thought bubble: Nothing helps me ease the stress of traveling like some relaxing music, and PDX just happens to have a rotating cast of professional musicians who serenade passengers as they make their way through the terminals.

Plus: If you find one playing near a restaurant, you basically get a free concert to go with your meal.

Music not soothing your travel-weary soul? Maybe you'll get lucky and encounter an airport llama.

The bottom line: Lots of us often find ourselves in airports with time to spare, and these little nuggets can help you spend a layover discovering the things that make our city and state special.

The hidden gems at Portland International Airport

Catch a movie, pet a llama and grab a doughnut before your flight.

Woman in a yellow shirt tending to plants inside a modern building with wooden ceiling, large indoor trees, and flight information displays visible in the background.

PDX is full of great ways to spend a layover. You just have to know where to look. Photo: Courtesy of Port of Portland

There&#x27;s no disputing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="our airport" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/07/25/portland-airport-new-terminal-pdx" data-vars-content-id="294f263f-3d76-47e8-8015-620a0d5b786a" data-vars-headline="The hidden gems at Portland International Airport" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/07/25/portland-airport-new-terminal-pdx" target="_self">our airport</a> is one of the best in the world, but some of the things that make it great aren&#x27;t so obvious.Why it matters: While the soaring timber ceiling, living trees and award-winning design will catch your eye, the airport is full of hidden gems, too.

News

Travel

The Willamette Shore Trolley is rolling through Portland again after years of stopping short on its journey from Lake Oswego. 

Why it matters: The scenic ride along the Willamette River gets an 8 out of 10 on the family-friendly o'meter.

Catch up quick: The trolley's route was cut short after structural issues forced part of the track offline around the end of 2019. 

Following repairs, TriMet cleared the trolley to run last fall just in time for its holiday-themed rides, said Mark Kavanagh, spokesperson for the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society, which operates the trolley.

Flashback: The trolley, which was converted to battery power this year, is a replica of the cars that transported Portlanders up to Council Crest in the first half the 20th century, Kavanagh told Axios.

What to expect: Up to 36 people can take the leisurely ride that includes views of the Willamette River, passes some impressive homes, and goes through a century-old tunnel.

The ride takes roughly 45 minutes each way.

My thought bubble: I recently took my kids on an evening trolley ride to LO, while my husband drove ahead so we could have dinner there without worrying about how we'd get home.

It was a lovely way to spend a summer evening, though the conductor's frequent use of the train's whistle to alert passersby started to wear on both little and adult ears.

If you go: The trolley operates on weekends through the summer and early fall, between Bancroft Street in Portland and North State Street in Lake Oswego. 

Tickets go fast. One-way tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 2-12.

Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society

Willamette Shore Trolley chugs back into Portland this summer

The shimmering Willamette River is the star on the restored trolley route between Portland and Lake Oswego.

A vintage replica trolley car sits on the tracks outside

The Willamette Shore Trolley at Bancroft Street in Portland. Photo: Hadley Malcolm/Axios

The Willamette Shore Trolley is rolling through Portland again after years of stopping short on its journey from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lake Oswego" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/01/16/lake-oswego-restaurants-kyras-bake-shop-riccardos-holy-taco" data-vars-content-id="2ae020d8-56a7-4375-b24a-3801e0c87402" data-vars-headline="Willamette Shore Trolley chugs back into Portland this summer" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/01/16/lake-oswego-restaurants-kyras-bake-shop-riccardos-holy-taco" target="_self">Lake Oswego</a>. Why it matters: The scenic ride along the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Willamette River" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/07/14/river-huggers-swim-the-willamette-early-mornings-this-summer" data-vars-content-id="2ae020d8-56a7-4375-b24a-3801e0c87402" data-vars-headline="Willamette Shore Trolley chugs back into Portland this summer" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/07/14/river-huggers-swim-the-willamette-early-mornings-this-summer" target="_self">Willamette River</a> gets an 8 out of 10 on the family-friendly o&#x27;meter.

Things to Do

One of Portland's biggest food names has taken his talents to New York.

State of play: At Printemps, a luxury French department store that recently opened a location in Manhattan's Financial District, Kann's Gregory Gourdet oversees a whopping five culinary destinations.

Dig in: I stopped by on a recent trip to New York. The store includes a café, a raw bar, a champagne bar, a fine-dining restaurant and what it calls an all-day resto-bar with a lighter food menu and cocktails.

All five of them feature French-style offerings inspired by Gourdet's Haitian background.

The vibe: Opulent, lively, fun. The dining options take over a significant chunk of real estate inside the relatively small department store, making them a draw on their own.

The spaces are pretty and enticing, outfitted with bold prints, gold accents and an emerald green color scheme.

Two photos side by side. One shows a cafe with chairs and tables. The other shows a more upscale space for dining.

Café Jalu and Salon Vert both showcase opulent emerald hue designs. Photos: Hadley Malcolm/Axios

A pastry, a cookie and a fresh juice on a table

I grabbed a juice along with a guava pastry and a Caribbean chocolate cookie at Café Jalu. Photo: Hadley Malcolm/Axios

Best bites: The main draw, Gourdet's fine-dining destination Maison Passerelle, wasn't open when I visited in the afternoon, but I took a break from the city's humid weather at Café Jalu.

The sunset juice (pineapple, ginger, carrot, orange) was the highlight. It was a refreshing, punchy drink where the ginger lends a kick.

The bottom line: You don't have to be shopping to enjoy browsing, eating and drinking at Printemps.

An overhead view of a bar with a large chandelier 

The aptly named Red Room Bar. Photo: Hadley Malcolm/Axios

Inside Gregory Gourdet's New York department store project

The chef oversees five culinary destinations at the recently opened Printemps in New York.

A bar with bottles of liquor and high top seating

Salon Vert is the raw bar at the recently opened Printemps location in Manhattan. Photo: Hadley Malcolm/Axios

One of Portland&#x27;s biggest food names has taken his talents to New York.State of play: At Printemps, a luxury French department store that recently opened a location in Manhattan&#x27;s Financial District, Kann&#x27;s Gregory Gourdet oversees a whopping five <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="culinary destinations" data-vars-click-url="https://us.printemps.com/culinaryexperience" data-vars-content-id="58c2d07e-e33e-4198-87d6-a81b66fc4062" data-vars-headline="Inside Gregory Gourdet&#x27;s New York department store project" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://us.printemps.com/culinaryexperience" target="_blank">culinary destinations</a>.

Wanna see something scary? These days, streaming services are brimming with horror content and it got us thinking about some of our favorites.

The big picture: Here are a few picks of the best slashers, psychological thrillers and body horror flicks to keep your nights frightful through the scary season.

🐝 Kale's thought bubble: At the age of 11, I was probably far too young to take in "Candyman," but that didn't stop me and my best friend from sneaking a rental at Blockbuster and scaring ourselves silly.

You still won't catch me saying the title character's name in a mirror more than twice.

💄 Meira's thought bubble: For me, there's nothing better than a glamorous woman absolutely losing her mind. Enter Elizabeth Taylor in "Night Watch," Natalie Portman in "Black Swan," Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard" and Demi Moore in "The Substance."

🚿 Hadley's thought bubble: I recently re-watched "Psycho" and can emphatically report that Hitchcock remains a master of the genre.

I also binge the "Halloween" movies every October. Don't sleep on "Halloween H20" and its nostalgia-inducing 90s-era cast, including a pre-"Pearl Harbor" Josh Hartnett.  

🧙 Geoff's thought bubble: My favorite flick of the season is hands down "Halloween III: Season of the Witch." 

Gone is Michael Myers for this installment of the franchise. In is an evil warlock with plans to kill via pumpkin masks, a TV commercial and a piece of Stonehenge. It's '80s corny and ghoulish and so bad it's good.

That's enough out of us. What's your favorite horror flick to watch around Halloween? 

Email us, and we might feature it in an upcoming story.

Our favorite movies for spooky season

We want to know which movies give you the shivers this time of year.

Illustration of skeleton hands holding a movie production clap board.

Wanna see something <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="scary" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/10/31/why-we-like-to-be-scared" data-vars-content-id="d9a6c09c-fb88-4a40-a5bb-82cc1167db37" data-vars-headline="Our favorite movies for spooky season" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/10/31/why-we-like-to-be-scared" target="_self">scary</a>? These days, streaming services are brimming with horror content and it got us thinking about some of our favorites.The big picture: Here are a few picks of the best slashers, psychological thrillers and body horror flicks to keep your nights frightful through the scary season.

Hadley Malcolm

Featured stories

Our favorite movies for spooky season

The hidden gems at Portland International Airport

Willamette Shore Trolley chugs back into Portland this summer

Recipes to make the most of Pacific Northwest summer fruit

Inside Gregory Gourdet's New York department store project