I'm moving to Portland next month

[Elad]

Hello Oregonians! I'm moving from Chicago to Portland in late May, something which I have been dreaming about doing for almost 4 years.

I think Portland is fantastic, at least what I know of it (I actually have only visited once when I was much younger). I'm looking forward to the mountains, forests, ocean, rivers, and trees... oh how I miss trees!

I have some general areas in mind of where I think I'll be looking for a place to live (probably somewhere near Mt. Tabor Park), but I am open to suggestions and would like to learn more about the city in general, i.e. good places to check out, vegetarian dining, lame tourist attractions, etc.

I also just wanted to stop in and say hi to my soon-to-be-fellow-Portlanders. (that the correct term?) :hi:

[flamingyouth]

1. Cool, Elad!

Portland is a great city - you'll love it. Welcome to the Northwest! :hi:

[Radio_Lady]

21. Good choice! You won't miss those cold and windy Chicago winters!

[0rganism]

22. Welcome to Portland's gray soggy winters! ...

...punctuated by the occasional ice storm, of course.

Allegedly, records from the Lewis & Clark expedition relate the most dismal part of their journey as being the winter of 1805-1806 in Ft. Clatsop at the mouth of the Colombia. Could be an urban legend, of course.

[HuckleB]

23. No legend.

Spend a winter in Astoria, and you'll remember the sunny, dry weather of Portland quite fondly.

:hi:

[kaitykaity]

2. Correct term, absolutely.

Don't forget the desert. East of the mountains
it's all desert. It's beautiful in its own way too.

I live just down the hill from Mt. Tabor, about 30
blocks down. If you're into Bohemian chic, Hawthorne
is definitely the neighborhood for you. People doing
their own thing, minding their own business. I've been
here for about 12 years, and I love it.

Housing is expensive here, but you can find deals if
you want to live in a box (like me).

You have to see Multhomah Falls, drive on the old
gorge highway.

It's tough to say what's interesting. What are you
intersted in?

Welcome. If you like rain, you'll like it here.

:hi:

[Elad]

5. How expensive?

I keep getting mixed reports on apartment prices. I know someone who rents a one-bedroom for less than $500/month, and most of my searching online has show one-bedroom's starting for considerably less than they do here in Chicago (most of my searching had one-bedroom's starting at about $450-600).

But I've also had people tell me that it's much more expensive than that. :shrug:

[kaitykaity]

6. I rent a 1-1/2 bedroom for $450 a month.

I live in a house that was built in 1898 but
was converted to a four-plex in 1932.

There are a lot of places like this here, so
if you don't like life in a large complex but
you can't afford a house.

Check this link out for some info.

http://portland.craigslist.org/apa/

[Elad]

7. Cool, thanks, the prices on that link are about what I expect to pay! n/t

[kaitykaity]

8. If you hadn't heard of Craig's List, it's totally

a cool site. It's a great site for lots and lots
of stuff -- jobs, yard sales, you name it.

Good luck and good hunting.

:hi:

[YDogg]

3. Well, you won't have ...

... Rick Emerson to kick around. Dammit.

[Cassandra]

4. Say hi to Thom Hartmann

He just moved there, too.

[cliss]

9. Welcome to Portland!

Portland is fortunate indeed to have you moving here. We're honored. I think you'll love it here. The change from Chicago to the West Coast is dramatic. Our climate is more temperate (warmed & cooled by the Pacific ocean). Winters are warmer, and summers are not so hot. (it rains a lot, though). In fact, our climate is called a Temperate Rain Forest.

I never get tired of this town. Notice, I call it a town because it's not considered to be a major metropolitan city (29th as far as major markets go). About 1 million in metro area, 3 million in the entire state (not big).

The rain is the reason Oregon has only 3 million, whereas California has 30 million!

SO many beautiful places to see! The Oregon Coast is a must-see. We have friends & relatives from Europe come and visit. They are always astonished at the coast. Big, wild waves, really cool.

Then there's the Columbia Gorge (my favorite hiking place), Central Oregon with its desert, eastern Oregon with its desolate waste lands.

Oregon is very much a blue state. Portland has always been a Democratic stronghold; Multnomah County has something like 76% Dem's.

I could go on and on, but you get the picture. Welcome!

[siliconefreak]

18. it's bigger than you think

According to the 2000 Census, the Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton metro area's population was 1,927,881.

It's clearly over 2 million now.

http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t29/tab03a.pdf

[stubtoe]

33. Oregon is very much a blue state ...

If you are lucky enough to live in Portland (or Corvallis or Eugene).

It's pretty red most other areas. Head down I5 south and the politics change the minute you cross into Clackamas County. It's a sort of Balkanized state politically. Still way worth living in though!

[jsw_81]

35. Portland metro actually has around 2.1 million

And Oregon as a whole has 3.6 million residents.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

10. Welcome to Portland!

It's a fabulous city with lots of great stuff to do.

Just off the top of my head:

Portland Farmers Market. Held every Saturday from April to November in the South Parks Blocks. Also held a couple of times during the week. Lots of organic.

Saturday Market. Held every Saturday during the summer (maybe other times too) Crafts, etc.

For restaurants: The Oregonian on Friday in the A & E section has a restaurant review & they always listed vegetarian options.

Art Walk. Pearl District. First Thursday of the month. Walk through art galleries that also offer food. Eat for free & pretend you actually have the bucks to buy something.

Powell's Books on Burnside, Supposedly the largest book store west of the Mississippi. Incredible.

Bagby Hot springs & Carson Hot springs. Never been, but people rave.

Take the Sternwheeler up the gorge. Very touristy.

Drive up the old gorge highway. Visit the Vista House (incredible views) then stop at Multnomah Falls. Get back on I-84 eastbound & drive to Hood River. Best windsurfing in the US. Terrific town & the only county east of Portland that went with Kerry (& Gore in 2000). Stop at Mike's for the best ice cream I've had in years.

[oregonjen]

11. Hi Elad, Welcome to Portland!

Don't having anything to add, that somebody else hasn't mentioned already. I've lived here most of my life. Oregon is wonderful. Enjoy! :hi:

[MissB]

12. The Mt. Tabor area is very nice

Welcome to Portland! How exciting to have one of DU's admins here in our fair city. Does this mean we can start having local meetups with a real live admin? :applause:

I used to live in SE Pdx, not far from Mt. Tabor (46th and Hawthorne, and then just a bit south past Division and above 39th). It is a very nice area. There are plenty of places within walking and biking distances. Plus, you'd have the best grocery store in town nearby, if you like crunchy grocery stores (Daily Grind Natural Foods on Hawthorne).

You are hitting town at the perfect time of year. The various waterfront festivals start up soon (ignore the Rose Festival waterfront hell). Brewer's Fest, Blues Fest - all that is good. The waterfront loop is very nice even if it is a bit noisy on the freeway side.

Mt. Tabor itself is pretty cool - it has a non-active volcano on it. Sitting up by one of the lower reservoirs on a summer evening is nice as there always seems to be someone drumming a random tune.

The transit system is very good. Most of downtown is fareless square- you can just hop on a bus or Max (light rail train) and ride where you need to go. They've extended fareless square to the Lloyd Center (east side of the river) at least for Max.

Oh, and cheesy touristy thing- take Max to the Zoo. It is a very cool train stop.

[HuckleB]

13. Welcome.

A few Portland hangs and other cultural venues, recommended off the top of my head:

The Moon and Sixpence (locals British pub, with actual British proprietors)
Hollywood Theatre (movies in a classic venue)
Cinema 21 ("mainstream" indie movie house)
Colosso (food and drinks)
Aladdin Theatre (music venue)
Doug Fir (music venue)
Mississippi Studios (music venue)
Pasta Bangs (good food, drink, and supporting a wonderful cause: helping homeless teens get work experience)
Blue Monk (jazz)
The Laurelthirst (locals pub and music)
The Laurelwood (local, family style brewpub)
Claudia's (the only sports bar you need to know about)
The Green Room (locals pub, music, sports on tv)
Veritable Quandary (good NW food and drink)
Bijou Cafe (breakfast)
Ole Ole (cheap Mex fare)
Farm Cafe (vegetarian done right)
Stanich's (old style burgers)
Pambiche (cuban fare)
Huber's (oldest restaurant in town - classic)
Jake's (another old, classic portland restaurant)

More after I infuse myself with some coffee.

Salud.

[kaitykaity]

15. What a fantastic list.

:hi:

:thumbsup:

[HuckleB]

24. Thanks.

Glad to know my recs have some legs with fellow Portlanders.

Salud.

[0rganism]

14. Cool! Maybe when you get here, we'll have some incentive....

...to restart the bi-weekly DU meetups! Those were pretty fun, for a while. We were getting DUers from Seattle, even.

Mt. Tabor is absolutely rockin'. You will not be disappointed if you live there. Don't rule anything out just yet, Portland has a lot of sweet spots if you can handle the price tag.

[stevedeshazer]

16. Elad, that is great

0rganism posted here about a DU meeting here (which we did before) and your arrival is just cause to get going again. We'd have a blast!

Crappy advice or tour available on request here.

Anyone else? I know there are a lot of DUers in Portland....

[WhoDoYouTrust]

17. Let me know if you get it together, Steve.

I'll be down quite a bit this summer. My youngest daughter is getting married in June. I would love to be at a Portland DU gathering!

Judy

[Viva_La_Revolution]

25. I'm in!

meet-ups would be fun...


and about that PM last week, I was drinking heavily and quite confused! Don't drink and DU!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

19. Ex-Portlander here

and the things that I miss are

1) The transit system and my ten years without a car
2) Seeing Mt. St. Helen's out of my kitchen window
3) The 3-4 month season of spring blossoms
4) The coast

If Hawthorne is too pricey for you, try Belmont Avenue, which runs parallel to it but a few blocks north. It's funky enough to suit all but the most desperately funky people.

Vegetarian dining will be no problem. There are so many vegetarians in Portland that no restaurant could survive without vegetarian (and often vegan) entrees. I'm not a vegetarian myself, but I noticed the contrast after moving back to Minneapolis. There are actually restaurants with NO vegetarian entrees.

[funflower]

30. The coffee, beer and wine are pretty good, too.

God, I love this state!
:bounce:

[0rganism]

20. By the way, there are some okay rentals in the Sunnyside area right now

Sunnyside is the neighborhood just west of Mt. Tabor. If you want a temporary pad to use as a base for finding a permanent home later this summer, or in the fall when the prices drop a bit, I can point you to a few decent places nearby.

If you come in the next two weeks or so, you'll want to check out the Rhododendron Gardens in Eastmoreland. They can be spectacular, unless you happen to dislike flowering plants.

[lupita]

26. Visit us in Washington County!!!

We would love to hear from you.
The Democratic Party here loves DU.

Lupita

[Tree Hugger]

27. Hi Portland!

Hello, fellow DU-ers.

I'm also moving to Portland, around the middle of June. I will be starting Lewis & Clark Law School, and I'm renting a house down in that area.

Although I'll be busy with school, I'd still like to remain active in politics. What are the most active groups in Portland? Dem party? Sierra Club? Gas pumping Union? And how do I get involved??!!

I've been reading a lot about the fareless square and the public transportation, and I am pumped! I drive an SUV, so I hate paying for gas, and spurting out smog. I will be able to walk to school, and I'm on a bus route, which is more than I can say about Austin, where I currently live.

These lists of restaurants will be very helpful when I first get there and don't know anything about the town, so thanks all!

And, it doesn't really rain every day, does it?

[kaitykaity]

28. Not every day. Maybe 3 our of 4 days.

And when it strings together 23 days in a row
of rain, it can get really, really....

Welcome to Portland It's a great place.

[MissB]

29. It only rains until June or so.

I live up by Lewis and Clark as well. If you like walking, check out Tryon Creek State Park, which is right in the neighborhood.

[Trajan]

31. Well .. Let's make it a throng .....

I TOO am moving to the NW ... from EXTREMELY unsatisfying Springfield, MO .... ( I used to live in CA for about 38 years )

Even though I am staying in Boulder, CO now, and although I have a decent job here, it is temporary .... I cant last long with a temp job ...

So: I plunked down $500 last week for plane fare to Portland for a grueling one day visit, and had a WONDERFUL interview for a great job ... I am told I am the top candidate for the position out of 6 .... one more to go and Im in .... We'll see by friday if an offer arrives ...

Anyways: Did I mention Downtown Portland is like a MINI NYC ? ... It has a delightful urban feel: clean and yet full of vital human beings everywhere .... Pioneer Square was a kick .... Great cafes and clubs everywhere .... I was REALLY impressed with the MAX as well ...

Portland is how a city should be organized ... I just fuckin loved it ...

I will be arriving sometime around July 1st ....

No big parties .. ok ? ... Im WAY too humble for that ....

Chuckles .... BUT: DU meetups ? .... Hell Yeah ! ...

[kaitykaity]

32. If you liked Downtown, you must check out

SE Hawthorne btwn SE 30th & 39th.

Just to go the bus mall (right next to Pioneer Courthosue
Square), catch the #14 and ride it out.

You'll love it.

:hi:

[jsw_81]

34. Welcome to Oregon!

It's the nicest state in the union, IMO.









See what I mean? Bet you didn't get views like that in Chicago. :)

[vs the introvore]

36. i am moving out of pdx next month, maybe you can take my house.

ok i am theoretically kidding as i live way un i the NE and iffen you hipstish, you not be wanting to be halfway to st johns. but we got alberta. oh and we got mlk, never forget. too bad i am already missing this home where i live since im taking all the OT to get some moving cash. heading to corvallis- following love to college, so maybe it'll be ok. welcome though, when you get here you will feel it.

[0rganism]

37. So Elad, did you make the move? How'd it go?

Wheredja end up? (apartment, house, NE, SW, whatever)

[Elad]

39. Yeah, I made the move

I've been extremely busy. I found a great apartment in SE, right where I was hoping to find a place, so I'm real happy. I've been trying to learn my way around and figure things out, so far so good - this city is absolutely beautiful!

[oregonjen]

40. I think we need a Welcome Party for you!!

Glad you made the move and are where you wanted to be. Welcome, Elad!

:hi:

[sandnsea]

41. How exciting!!

If you get down Florence way, let me know and I'll treat you to some chowder and fried oysters! The rain takes a little adjusting, but after that, there's really just no other place to live. Hope you're enjoying it and that advise to visit the Gorge, YES, stunning!

[grasswire]

38. wow, I missed this thread...

...and must assume that the move is a done deal. In honor of Elad's admin status, I will suspend my normal scream of angst that yet another person wants to share our beautiful Oregon and extend a warm welcome.

I walk Mt. Tabor residential streets every day. You'll love it. Be sure to go to Common Ground coffee shop on 43rd and Hawthorne for great espresso and the most wonderful tuna sammiches in the world (with green apple, capers, etc.) Also on 40th and Hawthorne is a place called No Fish! Go Fish! that serves the most yummy little savory filled waffles. Also, there's a place on 41st and Division called "Fusion" that is just delicious food.

Oboy -- so much to discover!

Kaity! There's life above 39th. <grin>