Barista
Bipartisan Café
7901 SE Stark
Montavilla is one of Portland's raddest and least-talked-about neighborhoods. Sandwiched between the car lots and Chinese lounges of 82nd Avenue and the pish-posh mansions of Mt. Tabor, it's a like a paradoxical Oz that swarms with happy hookers, proper Patagonia types, entrepreneurial snowboarders, punk rock landlords, Oregon College of Oriental Medicine students, and been-there-forever mechanics. There's even a one-armed vet! Montavillains' favorite meeting place is Bipartisan Café, a cozy sun-filled space that pledges allegiance to American politics, the state of Minnesota, and the wonders of pie. Joshua Pangelinan has been pulling perfect shots at Bipartisan for a year and a half while working toward a masters in mathematics from PCC. A devotee of Iron Maiden, Joshua rocks a Maiden T-shirt almost every day of the week! (And in case you were wondering, the unofficial endorsement of the Bipartisan Café is for OBAMA.)
Have you always wanted to be a barista?
I have. Ever since I discovered Stumptown.
What's your specialty?
Pulling shots and lattés. I'm hoping to compete in the next Northwest Regionals. I'm a huge dork about it.
Biggest pain-in-the-ass thing to make?
Milkshakes. I get this unwarranted ire toward anyone who orders a milkshake.
What's your poison? How do you start your day?
I'm a guitarist. I love shredding. That's what I do.
I meant in terms of coffee.
Oh. I'm cutting down. I have a single shot twice a day.
What kind of guitar do you have?
It's a Schecter C-1. It's beautiful. More beautiful than me or my girl. My amp's my other baby. It's a nine-foot-tall Marshall.
And you love the Maiden.
Maiden changed my life. I was 11 or 12 and listening to Dr. Dre and Jay-Z. Then I picked up one of my dad's old Iron Maiden records... It was a total gateway drug.
How many Iron Maiden T-shirts do you have? One for every day of the month?
No. I wish. Unfortunately, I'm poor. I'm down to 12. One is out of commission.
Would it be fair to say you wear an Iron Maiden shirt pretty much every day?
Six out of seven. On the seventh day I do laundry.
Do you have any other Maiden-wear? I've got an Iron Maiden belt buckle...
Ironically enough I'm allergic to metal.
Do you ever get to play Iron Maiden at the shop?
Absolutely. Come in at 8:30 pm; I'll blast it for you.
