I have a business trip that just came up today. I'll be in Beaverton from this Thursday to next Tuesday afternoon. While I'm out there what shouldn't I miss in terms of toy shops, food, entertainment?

for breakfast I can recommend Pearl (in the Pearl district) for the best breads & breakfast items (they have great coffee too & they serve lunch as well) or for something more funky hit up voodoo doughnut

missing link toys might be your best bet. No sales tax in portland if i remember correctly too!

You can miss all the toy shops - they're pretty unspectacular. If you must, I'd hit Billy Galaxy - that's the only interesting one now that Dr. Tongue doesn't have a brick/mortar shop. Grass Hut isn't a toy shop (so that's partially why I said they're all unspectacular), and you're coming too early for Martin's 6" Ojo Rojo. It's pretty small, but if you're in the area it's worth a look.
The food angle all depends on what you like. Dot's has awesome cheddar fries. Montage is your best "late night" spot - excellent Spicy Mac! Pizza Oasis (on West Burnside, not the one on Hawthorne) has the best pizza in town, IMO - and you can have slices made to order. There's lots of good, pricey places to eat, but these are three of my favorite cheap places.
There's lots of places for breakfast, but Francis (on NE Alberta) is probably my favorite right now - excellent omelette and french toast!
Dunno what to tell you in terms of entertainment - maybe check www.portlandmercury.com? I don't go out to shows anymore, and I don't know what you're into...

grasshut corp
billy galaxy
moshi moshi
missing link
just be complex

check out the portland roadshow,,,,

http://toybotstudios.blogspot.com/search?q=portland

Thanks for the suggestions I will definitely be going to the food and toy locations and give feedback...keep um coming

Kirkland - I kneel humbly to the content you have built on your site - I need to look at it more often for great information for both local and remote destinations

lol...no need for that!

just thought I would post the link since I was just there a couple of months ago and took all those pictures!

have a great time. Portland is a very cool city with a warm, laid back vibe...

i dont know about warm, its freezing right now. But if you get a chance check out the Nike HQ its in Beaverton.

Yeah, a nice arctic breeze is sweeping through tonight. Fire on the Mountain in North Portland is good for chicken wings if you're into meat, and if you're going to be in the Pearl District, Sangari Pearl is a pretty good Chinese place. Pix Patisserie is awesome for really decadent deserts and accompanying spirits, they've got three locations, one is on Hawthorne near where Missing Link is.

Powell's City of Books is good for an hour or two also - and the Japanese Gardens in Washington Park is very nice and peaceful but just a bit pricey.

You will enjoy pdx. very nice city to live in, near, or visit. Just was in the pearl last night for my buddy's bday. I say if you can check out Just be complex. Not that it has much in the lines of kaiju, but a cool store. Plus around the corner is Ground Kontrol. Its an arcade with lots of older games, pinball etc. After 7 I think it turns into a bar. Enjoy.

Definatley dont pass up Grasshut. Missing link is the best toy store in town, sometimes they have some nice kaiju in there. Just Be Complex is ok, though the guys who work in there can be douchebags. Food, someone already said montage, which is great, dont go there if you want to hold a conversation though, super noisy. Delta Cafe has awesome southern food, particularly there spicy blackened catfish over grits, yum. Lovely Hulahans is good too, though I havent been there in quite some time. If your going to powells, might as well hit up Counter Media, which is like half a block away, lot of cool stuff in there, just steer clear of the back half of the shop, which is vintage porn heh

stumptown or freshpot for some good coffee! man i love freshpot!

Kidd's Toy Museum!
And if you like books at all, then Powell's (as has been suggested) is necessary.

billy galaxy had two different locations last time i was there . both are on burnside but on different sides of the bridge . he had split his american toys and japanese toys . good thai food place around the corner of his original place accross from powell books . big japanese supermarket / bookstore in beaverton but i dont know if you would find anything there its just kinda cool .

Our other store - Moshi Moshi is moving right next to our other shop downtown in March.

I'm glad I found this thread because I arrived in Portland yesterday. I'll be dropping by Billy Galaxy and Grass Hut this afternoon. Sweet!

-Len

Now that my job got finished - working 15 hour days for the last few days I'm going to do a world wind tour of Portland

Len - you may see me around Burnside - I'll be the one with a green A&G jacket, black skull cap, jeans, and black converse, while walking around in a sleepless stewper

I've got glasses, a ponytail, brown hair and I'll likely be wearing a knit cap and a Berkeley sweatshirt. Say hello if you see me.