FOOD CARTE BLANCHE

FOOD CARTE BLANCHE Endless options at Portland food carts

By Sean Davies

Argentinian food on the go from Alecocina

The people of Portland have found a way around the question everyone dreads: “What do you want to eat tonight?” Instead of having to pick a single cuisine to satisfy varying cravings, Portlandians head to one of many food carts that huddle in pods throughout the city. Those visitors who are not in the know may overlook the ragtag gathering of mobile kitchens, but to a Portland local, these pods serve as the perfect intersection of flavorful food options and comfortable community.

CARTOPIA

Located on Portland’s Eastside, Cartopia is the original Eastside food cart pod and beer garden and a landmark of the city’s vibrant food cart scene since 2008.

Burgers and beers at Bottle Rocket is an easy choice for picky eaters, while their menu of sides provide plenty of options for those who want to branch out. The Fish Sauce Tater Tots have become particularly popular with Cartopia visitors while the dumplings provide a welcome reprieve from the all-too-familiar chicken nugget.

Real chicken fans can find their favorite food at Chicken and Guns. The cart's specialty is their locally raised free-range chicken roasted over Oregon white oak with a side of “Guns,” crispy potatoes with lemon and sea salt, topped with pickled onions and aji sauce. cartopiafoodcarts.com

PORTLAND MERCADO

The Portland Mercado is a hub for Latino culture in Portland. The food carts provide a host of Latin-inspired cuisines, stretching across continents to round out an impressive array of options.

Bottle Rocket lights up for night time dining

frescas to tlayudas and tetelas, each dish, drink and side is handmade with love and care.

Food cart Alecocina is all about showcasing Argentinian culture through their flavorful dishes. With a selection of savory sandwiches and empanadas, it is the perfect place to buy food on the go!

Principe Maya, owned by Edilberto Puch, makes it a mission to create dishes true to their Mayan origins. Puch grew up eating the very dishes he now sells, adapting recipes and traditions passed down from his mother and elders, who learned the recipes through their elders. Each dish is a piece of Puch’s heritage, lovingly adapted and shared with the hungry food cart community of Portland. portlandmercado.org

A LIFE-CHANGING QUEST

The animated legend faces an existential crisis in ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’

By Heather Turk

Puss in Boots pounces back onto the big screen on Dec. 21 with DreamWorks Animation’s “Puss in Boots: The Last

Wish.” Nonstoplife caught up with

everyone’s favorite fearless feline hero as well as the movie’s director, Joel Crawford (“The Croods: A New Age”), to talk about the highly anticipated release, which sees Puss in Boots embarking on his most important adventure yet.

It’s been 11 years since audiences have seen Puss in Boots on the big screen. Why did it take so long for this sequel to be released?

Puss: You cannot rush art. Did people rush Michelangelo with the Sistine Chapel? I think not. Trust me, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is worth the wait.

Joel, what was it like working with Puss in Boots?

Crawford: It was a true honor. Puss in Boots is a legend. He performed his own stunts, played his own guitar, died his own deaths — he gives it all for the movie. Though for someone larger than life, if I’m being honest, I thought he’d be taller.

Puss, this film deals with you trying to find the Fallen Wishing Star in hopes of using its magic to get back eight of your nine lives. Is it safe to say that the stakes have never been higher for you?

Puss: Of course. For the first time in my many lives, Puss in Boots the legend comes face to face with his own mortality. It was very intense. I am a method actor, so it was very, very draining.

Joel, did Puss have any special requests to help get him through shooting a film as demanding as this? Crawford: Puss did have very specific requests for his trailer. It always had to be stocked with cat toys, gazpacho, catnip and, weirdly, spray cheese in a can.

Puss, in the race to find the Fallen Wishing Star, you have to face Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack Horner and the Wolf. Luckily, you don’t face these adversaries alone. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” sees you reuniting with your former flame, Kitty Softpaws. What was it like working with her again?

Continued on page 20

Puss: Well, I cannot divulge any major plot details — Joel would not be happy — but what I can say is that Kitty and I have some issues to work out. Too much sour milk between us — more like curdled milk, actually. But you know what they say: you shouldn’t cry over spilt milk, you should make sure you lap it all up. Very quickly. Fivesecond rule. What was the question again?

You have a new partner along for the ride, too — a tea-cup mutt named Perrito. What can you tell us about him?

Puss: Well, traditionally cats and dogs don’t get along so well, so I initially had my reservations. But he kept showing up and he started to grow on me. Like a rash. But you know, like a good rash. Speaking of which, can you recommend a good dermatologist?

Are there any fairy tale characters you haven’t met yet that you would love to face in your next movie?

Puss: Does Darth Vader count? I think I could take him. I do know which one I’d want to avoid. I once glimpsed the Emperor after he got his “new clothes.” Oof. Not enough catnip to make me unsee that. I have to ask, do you keep in touch with Shrek and Donkey at all? Puss: Yeah, I do my best. I try to text them, but Shrek is behind on technology. He still has a flip phone. He’s a very slow texter. Big thumbs.

Any chance fans will see the three of you reunited for another big screen adventure in the future?

Puss: Ask my agent.

Puss, you once told Kitty Softpaws that you are a lover, not a fighter. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, what romantic tips would you give to our readers?

Puss: Well, it’s quite simple really. Just be amazingly handsome and a fantastic dancer. Doesn’t hurt to always be ready with a romantic ballad on the guitar. But if you can’t quite manage all that, just take your date to “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” dreamworks. com/movies/puss-in-boots-the-last-wish