All of Hawthorne—from the river to Mount Tabor—used to be the Hot Dog District. Back then, there were more places to buy a hot dog on Hawthorne than there are to park a bicycle now. New Portlanders probably don't realize it, but that's where the name Hawthorne actually comes from. It was originally called Blankenship Street, but the bend in the street where a bunch of great hot-dog joints that are now closed was nicknamed "Hawt (Dog) Horn(e)." Sure, we still have Nick's Famous and Zach's Shack, but gone forever are Don's Dogs, Houdini's Hots ("you'll make 'em disappear!") and Great Dane's Meat Depot. It really is a shame.