Portland Revisited

Portland is in the upper half of my 11 cities in terms of beauty for two reasons: It is very green and builders are required to make buildings attractive and donate money to purchase public art. Thanks to all the rain in Portland, there are lots of trees and lots of grass, and everything is very colorful. Portland also dubs itself “Rose City” or “City of Roses” because of how many rose gardens it has. Indeed, there are parks all over town. Not just rose parks, but other green space too.

Downtown

When it comes to man-made beauty, Portland is also pretty high on the list. For example, there are parking garages in downtown Portland. But unlike in, say, Charleston, where why are on every corner and are ugly, the parking garages in Portland are disguised to look like normal buildings. And there is an emphasis on putting office space on top of the buildings, with helps to fill in the space in the city center, instead of sprawling outwards.

A pretty lady & some public art.  Locals laugh at this statue because no one in Portland uses an umbrella or wears a suit.

On my walking tour of Portland, I learned that companies that build downtown are required to apply 1% of the costs of building to funding public art. So everywhere you go, there are statues and sculptures and murals. I wouldn't say the architecture is the most beautiful (that's Chicago) but both downtown and residential buildings are certainly pleasant to look at. Plus, as a fan of (good looking) industrial architecture, I am delighted by Portland's many bridges.

Lots of public porn, too!

Portland is about 1.5 hours from the ocean, and a 2 hour drive away from Mount Hood. The high desert is just on the other side of the Cascade Mountains, and one of the most beautiful drives of my whole trip is along the Columbia River, just outside of Portland. The terrain of the city includes a nice mix of flat areas and hilly areas, so the exercise will be good without totally wearing me down every day.

The people in Portland seemed kind of reserved, but not unkind or snooty. People were willing to talk to me about their home, and everyone said they liked it. But few were as enthusiastic about living in Portland as the people in Denver were about Denver. That's OK, I'm not much a cheerleader even for things I like a lot. Portland's best ambassador for me is my friend Kristian, who I met at American U, but sadly, transferred to the West Coast after our sophomore year. /Shakes fist at Kristian!/ I trust Kristian's opinions both because I know him and because I think my outlook on life is similar to his. So if he perceived Portland one way, I suspect I will too. He has this to say:

“My experience in Portland is that people are incredibly open and friendly. There are certainly stuck-up self-important snobs, but they tend to be stuck up about whatever weird subculture they're really into (bikes, tattooing, ice climbing) and not about, say, their job with the State Department.  It's irritating, but mostly ignorable.  And it's a small price to pay for living in a place where there are a thousand thriving subcultures and people really are passionate about their weird hobbies.” And:

“People are (as the sociologists put it) "civically engaged" – they join clubs, organize things, know their neighbors, participate in the adult soapbox derby, etc. … The people are mostly very friendly, but not interfering.”

Other than Kristian, however, I don't know anyone in Portland. That could make it a little harder to make friends and to learn about the city. :(

This is someone's front yard, and part of a shrine that sprang up to honor a bike rider killed by a car.

Things I think I'd like about Portland:

• How civically engaged the people are, coupled with the fact that they are civically engaged in a way I think are good ways of living (support public transportation, labor rights, the environment, public beauty, etc.). And of course, the benefits that flow from people being interested in their community, like good libraries, good schools, good city planning, etc.
• The weather throughout most of the year. As you know, I like it cloudy and chilly but not downright cold. I can deal with rain, especially when it's the kind of misty-rain that Portland usually gets. (Big exception to this below.)
• The city is really funky and off-beat, which I think will suit me. From old fashioned arcades to the March Fourth Marching Band, I expect I'll always be able to find something unusual to see or do. And I'd feel special being the most straight-laced person in town.

Things I think I'd dislike about Portland:

• Hmm... How far it is from Cleveland and DC. It's nearly as far as LA, and apparently more expensive to fly to. I do have some extended family in southern Washington State who I could see sometimes, but I've never been so far from my parents or sister on a permanent basis.
• The average temperature in winter is just over freezing. And Portland gets most of its rainfall during the winter. Which means almost-freezing rain for three months. Cold and wet. Ugh!
• What if I have a hard time making friends? Only knowing one person in town will leave me feeling lonely.