A few months ago I learned there would be a new, short series filmed in my hometown of Portland, Ore,, on the Independent Film Channel (IFC). The series began running in January and features SNL’s Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein (formerly of indie band Sleater-Kinney). Tuned In blogger James Poniewozik provides this excellent thumbnail of Portlandia as “A gentle sketch comedy sendup of high-minded, laid-back, arts-focused, sustainability-oriented living in Portland, Ore.” I have to admit I watch it partly for purely provincial reasons: I like to spot locations in and around the city I recognize. Those of you living in Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles know what that’s like: spotting a familiar neighborhood, building or restaurant in the background of some TV show or movie, but it’s a new experience for Oregonians. Aside from that, though, the show really is a hoot. One of the first episodes involves Fred and Carrie writing a theme song for Portland (commissioned by the mayor, played by Kyle MacLachlan, while Portland’s real mayor, Sam Adams, plays the mayor’s assistant). They come up with “Dream of the 90s — it’s alive in Portland!” and laud a place where “young people go to retire.” You don’t have to have lived in Portland to enjoy the fun being poked at the kind of characters depicted here, as we’ve all encountered them somewhere: the militant bike rider, the exceedingly earnest backer of some obscure cause, the individuals sneering at a trend simply because it’s become mainstream. Just as the types satirized in Portlandia aren’t exclusive to that city, neither are all real Rose City denizens as wacky and laid back as those in the show. Some are a bit upset that outsiders might believe this is a full picture of the town and her people, but they are the type who would be perfect subjects for the show: ones who take themselves too seriously and can’t see the nuggets of truth (and humor) in a gentle skewering of pomposity. Take a look at the show (or some of the many clips available on the Internet) and get a taste of my hometown — oh, and keep an eye out for those occasional shots of Mt. Hood in the background. Portland is a lovely town! — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor