🪚 'Chop from the top'

Portland Proudly Represented in Upcoming 'Wildwood' Film

I've always felt comforted by consuming media that reminds me of home. That's why I shamelessly turn on "Portlandia" on a gloomy day and read Emma Patee's novel "Tilt" in one sitting. It's also why I am particularly excited about the upcoming release of Hillsboro-based animation studio Laika's new stop-motion film, "Wildwood."

The film is set in Portland and follows young Prue McKeel's journey into the forests surrounding our city to rescue her brother, who was kidnapped. The teaser trailer, released last week, is filled with local easter eggs. Here's a breakdown of some that I caught. [Laika / YouTube]

St. Johns Bridge: Only 12 seconds into the trailer, our magnificent St. Johns Bridge appears. One of the central characters, Prue McKeel, is pulling her younger brother in a wagon attached to her bike, zooming through the film's rendition of a tree-covered St. Johns neighborhood. [YouTube]

Steel Bridge: The brother-and-sister duo also bike on the waterfront, where you can see the Steel Bridge in the distance and old lamps lining the pedestrian walkway. [YouTube]

Bike lanes: My favorite visuals in this trailer are in the smaller details. I don't think much about how distinct our bike lanes are, but when I saw this bird's eye view, it felt like home. [YouTube]

Some more easter eggs I found:

• Downtown Saturday Market arches [YouTube]
• Tom McCall Waterfront Park cherry blossoms [YouTube]
• A Benson Bubbler [YouTube]
• And so many crows! [YouTube]

More Local Teacher Layoffs

Portland State University announced plans last week to lay off 52 faculty and staff members, in order to account for a $35 million budget deficit over the next two fiscal years. They are also considering eliminating two academic departments — University Studies and Conflict Resolution — and raising tuition by 5%. Decisions will be finalized in June, after public comment. [Willamette Week]

Portland's Best Brunch

Portland has always taken brunch seriously. Personally, I find spring to be the best time of year for brunchin' — maybe because the warmer weather is better for enduring the hilariously long waits outside. Here's a list of some worth checking out right now, according to Portland Monthly. Bertie Lou’s Cafe in Sellwood and Excellent Cuisine in Montavilla caught my eye. [Portland Monthly]

'Chop From The Top'

For the second year in a row, Portland City Council is working to address major budget issues — this time, they're tasked with filling a $170 million budget hole. Last week, Councilors Mitch Green and Steve Novick proposed cutting administrative positions as a solution. Since 2019, the pool of managers and supervisors has expanded 36%, according to Councilor Green. [OPB]

Are You Ready To Vote?

Today on the podcast, we're talking about the upcoming primary election, which includes the governor’s race, the gas tax repeal vote, and a lot of competitive Multnomah County judge races. Plus, we have a guide to eating and drinking on Alberta Street. Joining host Claudia Meza are Jake Wiegler, a Portland political strategist and partner at the consulting firm Praxis, and food and drink reporter Alex Frane. [City Cast Portland 🎧]