The "Other Portland" & The Black Keys

Local band playing on the streets of Portland

Handmade Ice Cream!

Hank Rockin' the shades

waiting for the train before the Black Keys show

Riding bikes all over town

After staying in Bend for a week, we decided to head to Portland, Oregon to see a Black Keys concert and enjoy what I heard to be one of the coolest/hippest cities in America. To prep for Portland, we watched a show called Portlandia which stars Fred Armisen (SNL) and Carrie Brownstein (musician) making fun of quirky Portland living and calling it art. Eco-friendly "hipsters" are all around Portland.  It is a very vibrant, green city with more trees than cars. The city is very crunchy, Mother Jones is local favorite read. We rented bikes and cruised around the city for one day, finishing the day with possibly the best homemade ice cream I've ever had! Riding bikes was a really fun and faster way to see the entire city. That second night in Portland,  we saw the Black Keys in concert! The Black Keys are rated the #1 concert to see by Rolling Stone magazine, and I totally agree with them. The Black Keys were an amazing, a non-stop rock concert. Dan Auerbach (singer) has a very good, raspy voice that sounds amazing with the drummer's simple punk beat. After the concert, we took the train back into the city and couldn't go to sleep from the ringing in our ears. All in all it was great couple of days.  
-Jack