Lizzy Acker | The Oregonian/OregonLive

You guys love the '90s.

Well, it turns out it's true that the dream of the '90s is alive in Portland. The results are in on our super scientific survey, "When was Portland's best decade?"and they are overwhelmingly in favor of the 1990s (as much as some of were pushing for the 1790s). So, what is it that made Portland in the '90s so magical? Besides less traffic and no cellphones? We've got a few ideas.

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Dana E. Olsen/Oregonian file photo

Shunning Starbucks for Coffee People

Remember the couple on the cups? Patty and Jim Roberts--founders of Coffee People--helped make Portland the promised land for coffee drinkers. Since the '90s, things have changed. Copyright things and coffee things. Now Jim and Patty run Jim and Patty's Coffee People.

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Courtesy of Tony Lash

The cool bands at Satyricon

If you were actually cool and not just pretending, you hung out at Satyricon. Kurt and Courtney met there in the '80s and after Kurt's death, the Foo Fighters had their first show at the venue. Here, Portland band Heatmiser performs at Satyricon in "probably 1992," according to Tony Lash.

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Tom Treick/The Oregonian

Clyde "The Glide" Drexler

Portland hero Clyde "The Glide" Drexler made Rip City mean something. He was on the Dream Team representing the USA and he took the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA championships. Though he later went on to play for Houston, he'll always be a Blazer in our hearts.

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Emma Salo

Getting fake married before Pinterest at The Church of Elvis

No one could judge your wedding on Instagram and you could have a Burning Man wedding without even going to Burning Man. Example: In this photo, at Chris Christian and Amy Johnston's cheap not legal wedding, Stephanie Pierce, the creator of The Church of Elvis, pronounces Christian and Johnston "spouse and spouse."

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Carole Archer/The Oregonian

Showing your best dELiA's outfit off at The Quest nightclub

One of the most mysterious and magical parts of the '90s was the proliferation of venues for people under the age of 21 to congregate and make out. The Quest underage night club was so cool, its magnetic draw brought youths from as far away as Corvallis, for dancing to Next's "Too Close" in a non-high school dance setting.

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Bruce Ely/The Oregonian

Good burgers and quirky vibes at Hamburger Mary's

The real hey-day of Hamburger Mary's happened between the '70s and the '90s when Oregonian writers described it as "dark, funky" with "eclectic decor." When a new Portland location of the international franchise reopened in October 2010, people welcomed the return of a Portland institution. But that iteration has since shut down.

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OS-john clark

Discovering yourself via Sleater-Kinney

These riot grrrls awakened a whole generation of Portland feminists.

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Steven Nehl

Keeping Portland authentically weird

Stephanie Pierce is the founder of the Church of Elvis. She had a line of decorated toilet seats. This is what we mean when we say "Keep Portland Weird." We are not talking about your mustache.

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Joel Davis/The Oregonian

All ages shows at La Luna

Cherry Poppin' Daddies vocalist Steve Perry opens up a high energy show at La Luna on a May Friday night in 1998.

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John Klicker/The Oregonian

Oh La Luna, how we miss thee

Concert goers get their last hurrah at La Luna Saturday night, May 1, 1999 during the final show Rock for Refugees, a benefit concert for Kosovo refugees. Rohn Leidigh, bass player for Pedro Luz, a band which came up with the concert idea, belts out raucous grooves working the crowd.

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Capitol Records

Loving Everclear for real

Swim out past the breakers. Watch the world die.

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Joel Davis/The Oregonian

Everclear at La Luna

Everclear opens for Cheap Trick at La Luna in 1997. Does it even get more Portland '90s than that?

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Joel Davis/The Oregonian

Being so bohemian with the Dandy Warhols

The Dandy Warhols in concert at La Luna. From left, Zia McCabe (keyboards and percussion) Courtney Taylor (guitar and vocals) and the newest band member, Brendt De Boer on drums.

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Joel Davis/The Oregonian

The Dandy Warhols at La Luna

Zia McCabe, left, and Courtney Taylor of the Dandy Warhols perform at La Luna.

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Joel Davis/Oregonian file photo

Feeling good about yourself for eating at Macheezmo Mouse

Back when Mexican food was sort of a dream in Portland, and kale wasn't yet a vegetable, Macheezmo Mouse served up affordable, "healthy" food in a fast casual environment everybody's mom loved.

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JJ Gonson

The perfect Portland sad/happiness of Elliott Smith

RIP Elliott Smith.

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Angela Cara Pancrazio/The Oregonian

Chuck Palahniuk taking over the world with "Fight Club''

In 1996, Chuck Palahniuk wonders what prank the Cacophony Society will pull off next.

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Joel Davis/The Oregonian

Being a live studio audience member on Ramblin' Rod

Ramblin' Rod Anders hosted a cartoon show from 1964 to 1997. All the luckiest Portland kids got to appear on that show. Sadly, Anders died in 2002.

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Joel Davis/The Oregonian

The glory days of Gus Van Sant

Sure, "Drugstore Cowboy" was filmed in 1988 and came out at the end of 1989, but it marked the beginning of the Gus Van Sant era of Portland. Here, during a break in filming, Matt Dilion discusses his scene with Portlander Gus Van Sant, who is directing "Drugstore Cowboy."

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Eric Edwards/Oregonian file photo

And oh, they were glorious

To '90s were without a doubt Gus Van Sant's decade. In those ten years he directed, among other things, "My Own Private Idaho," "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues," "Good Will Hunting," and an almost shot-for-shot remake of "Psycho" starring Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates. It doesn't get much more '90s than that.

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Ross William Hamilton/Oregonian file photo

One more of Gus, for old time's sake

Gus Van Sant in 1991.

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Bob Ellis/Oregonian file photo

Unabashedly loving the oldies on KKSN FM

KKSN Radio Station in 1998. The oldies station used to hold summer concerts on the waterfront.

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The Oregonian/1991

Tonya Harding, our hero

Kristi Yamaguchi (left), Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan stand on the podium at the 1991 U.S. Nationals. Harding was a local hero, a figure skating champion who came from Clackamas and learned to skate at a mall.

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Steven Nehl/The Oregonian

Tonya Harding, our disappointment

When Tonya Harding fell from grace, after that whole knee capping incident, we were disappointed. But Tonya will always be our girl.

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