HOTELS

The general rule of who stays where is as follows (subject to change at a moments notice): Basketball players and rock/pop/country stars can usually be found at one of the Kimpton Hotels (Hotel Monaco, Hotel Vintage Plaza, RiverPlace). Soccer players (as in David Beckham), movie stars and very famous basketball icons stay at The Nines. Movie stars and musicians on the down low can be found at Hotel Deluxe. 

Photo Credit: By Steve Morgan (Own work) 

TV STUDIOS

If a star is in town for a comedy show, book signing, Broadway show or performance, KATU’S morning gabfest, AM Northwest, will likely have them on the program with Helen Raptis and Dave Anderson. That is, if they are making a personal appearance. KATU also has an H-D studio on their premises that is used for satellite interviews for major networks like HLN.  

Photo Credit: William Hook via Compfight cc (image cropped)

RESTAURANTS

If it’s a super hot, right now restaurant there is a very good chance you might see a celeb sitting next to you. Recent sightings include Martha Stewart at Ava Gene’s, Jerry O’Connell and Rebecca Romijn at Andina, Michael Jordan and k.d. lang on the  balcony at Departure and pretty much anyone who has come through town at Bluehour including most of the Osborne clan.

Photo Credit: Alexis Fam Photography via Compfight cc (image cropped) 

BARS

Celebs like to drink and listen to live music too. Sam Worthington met his future wife when she was working at Saucebox. Actor/Director Tim Robbins hit the stage at Kelly’s Olympian to sit in with a band when he was working on a film here that never quite off the ground. And the cast of “Leverage” pretty much made the Pearl District’s Touché their home away from home during the filming of that series in Portland. 

Photo Credit: Dusty J via Compfight cc

RUNNING & BIKE PATHS

Many a celebrity has been spotted running along the waterfront including Madonna (with two security guards in tow) when she made the movie “Body of Evidence” here in town.  Lady Gaga took a break from her tour and took a bike out along the Springwater Corridor for a little rest, relaxation and interaction with her “little monsters” (aka her fans).

Photo Credit: By Finetooth (Own work) Live Look via Wikimedia Commons

PIONEER SQUARE

The thought is the bigger the crowd the less likely you might see a celebrity. The inverse is true when it comes to Portland’s “living room.” It seems that the bigger the crowd the more likely a star can slip into the crowd. Guess that’s why no one batted an eye when Mikhail Baryshnikov pushed a baby stroller along the outskirts of the Square. 

Photo Credit: truflip99 via Compfight cc

MODA CENTER

Every so often you may see a big star not on the stage of the Moda Center, but courtside at one of the Blazers games.  Yes, that is one of the richest men in the world, Paul Allen. No, you shouldn’t approach him. 

Photo Credit: By Cacophony (Own work) Live Look (image cropped) 

ODDBALL SHOES

Speaking of basketball, the world’s biggest ball players also have some of the biggest feet in the world. So where do they go to pick up a pair of sneaks? If you guessed some major shoe company, you’d be right (see next slide). But there’s another place you might see the biggest stars on the boards: Oddball Shoes. Brothers Zac and Seth Longaker specialize in offering shoe sizes in the double digits. It doesn’t hurt that the also have big boy toys (pinball, hoops, etc.) all over their industrial Northwest shop and the good stuff behind a well-stocked bar (1801 NW Thurman St., http://www.oddball.com).

Photo Credit: sling@flickr via Compfight cc

ATHLETIC EMPLOYEE STORES

One of the fringe benefits of being super famous, or even just a little bit famous, is that you get “swag,” a.k.a. free stuff. And one of the biggest benefits for your band to travel through the area is that we are the home of two of the biggest sportswear apparel companies in the world: Nike and Adidas, which both have employee stores featuring items that you might not find on store shelves. And if your super big-time they might even close the employee store for as they did for (soon to be former) Adidas pitchman, Justin Bieber. 

Photo Credit: jumpyjodes via Compfight cc (image cropped) 

LOCATION, LOCATION

If all else fails, you can always stalk…er…wait for your favorite star to leave the set of whatever film they are making in Portland. Just ask Twilight’s Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson who had a tour bus worth of fans following their every footstep around town.  

Photo Credit: magesomido via Compfight cc (image cropped)