Finding Portlandia

In Portland, the drizzle is like a person who smacks their lips while they drool, unexpected wetness that I’m resigned to endure.

But Saturday afternoon seemed promising of at least one dry hour.

After buying chicken curry, bay leaves and extra hot pepper at India Connect in Beaverton, I drove to one of Southeast Portland's cores, a strip of shops around Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.

First stop: House of Vintage. A dinky shop that opens into a Neverland of more warehouse rooms, each bigger and messier than the last, piled with mid-century furniture, candle-snuffers, old records, glittery sweaters and old shoes.

The loot: Samsonite luggage ($15), belt with Guatemalan pattern ($7)

The trend: Detailed hardware, brass-colored clasps, buckles, engraved metal

The loot

I felt like a fool when I had to ask the cashier how to unlock the suitcase, which requires pushing the buttons sideways, lifting the clasps and unhooking them. The complexity of it is what sold me.

"Is this belt really from Guatemala?" I asked. "Of course," the cashier said. "You've never seen a Guatemalan pattern before? This is what it looks like."

Second stop: Global Exchange Fair Trade. A store selling handmade beanies, lanterns and jewelry made by people protected by fair trade policies.

The loot: A green Bambootique scarf ($22.50), made by artists in Cambodia.

The trend: Tiny checkers.

As I reached my wallet to pay for the scarf, I pulled my own Portlandia act a la Carrie Brownstein, star of IFC show "Portlandia."

I cocked my head to the side: "Did people really make this in Cambodia? Like the cotton or whatever it's made of wasn't just shipped to the U.S. and then made by people here? It was actually made in Cambodia, right?"

"Oh yes," said the cashier. "You can go to the website on this card here," she pointed, "and see which artist made the scarf."

The cashier with long wavy gray hair and thin-rimmed glasses looked ready to answer more questions.

"And... What about that lantern over there? On that top shelf?"

She arched her back and toes to pull the lantern off the shelf, looked at its belly to sell me on the price.

"It's made in India. Sixty-eight bucks."

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