Portland Oregon 2004 Official Visitor Guide
Contributing Writers

Susan Hauser
The 17 years Susan Hauser spent writing about the Pacific Northwest for the Wall Street Journal made her a natural to explore the "Cultural Cascades" corridor that stretches from Vancouver, B.C. to Eugene, Ore. To get her story, Hauser spent a week traveling through the Cultural Cascades cities by Amtrak train. When not riding the rails, Hauser also writes for the New York Times, Travel + Leisure, World Traveler and other publications.

Mia Nicholson
An avid fan of her hometown, Portland writer Mia Nicholson eagerly explored the city's neighborhoods and districts for this issue. "It's wonderfully diverse – the perfect place for people who love making little discoveries." Those familiar with Portland's jazz scene may also recognize Nicholson as a talented singer who often performs at local clubs.

Linda Nygaard
Writer Linda Nygaard is an internationally published author of books and articles focusing on food, travel and culture. Even though she travels frequently, Nygaard says that Portland's chefs and culture continue to infuse her work and inspire her muse. Those inspirations are highlighted in two articles, "Eat it up, Drink it in" and "On Stage, On View...Encore!"

Stanton H. Patty
Stationed just across the Columbia River from Portland, Stanton H. Patty, a Vancouver, Wash. travel writer, has a unique perspective on Portland. Patty, the retired assistant traveler editor of The Seattle Times, covers topics ranging from the best of the Northwest to such exotic locales as Alaska, China and Japan. For this issue, however, we challenged Patty to find the best places in which to enjoy a rainy day.

David Sharp
Since David Sharp loves hiking with his Australian shepherd Mabel, we figured it wouldn't be to0 hard to talk him into tackling a story on Portland's myriad outdoor offerings. He dove in enthusiastically, providing a tip-of-the-iceberg introduction to the area's parks and greenspaces. Based in Portland, David has written previously for Via, Oregon Home, Health, Cooking Light, and Consumer Reports.

Jessamyn Westbarker
Jessamyn Westbarker packed up her 12-year-old son Joseph and two-year-old daughter Ainsley to kid-test Portland's family fun scene. Westbarker, a Portland-based writer continuously on the prowel for activities to keep her own kids amused and engaged, specializes in writing about family travel. Her most recent Portland story was featured in the travel section of the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper.