Now what's in the area? First, grab a morning coffee around the corner at Starbucks, then head up to the South Park Blocks to catch the streetcar north to Powell's Books over on Burnside. Be prepared to spend hours there, Powell's is the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world.
Right around the corner on 12th and Couch is Whole Foods. Stop in for a treat and then head northwest to 21st either on foot or, once again, streetcar. Get off at 21st and Lovejoy and stroll south till you reach Cinema 21, an independent theater that'll feature anything from a Herzog retrospective to the newest film noir coming out of Tahiti.

Oh, by the way, did you notice that all these streetcar trips have been for free? Essex House is located near the KOIN Center and in the Fareless Square quarter of Portland, which means quick and easy streetcar transportation all throughout downtown for free. And it's not too far from Portland's MAX transit lines, that'll take you anywhere you want to go, even to the airport.