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What is Portland known for again...oh that's right...NOTHIN'
Plus I actually like Charlotte!
First I have to say I can't feel good about saying Portland is better because I've never been to Milwaukee, so I can't make a good comparison... Now that I've said that...
Portland is known for Nike, high tech, pioneering on the environmentalist and urban planning front, hipsters, indie rock, roses, rain, and it is the capital of alternative, bohemian culture in America. For better or worse depending on your P.O.V.
Street and night life in Portland is great, including in downtown. It is very walkable and urban feeling. When I lived there I met several visitors who were surprised at how urban it felt and that it wasn't what they were expecting at all.
Please enlighten me, what is Milwaukee known for? Last time I heard it was suffering from a little bit (just a little mind you) of urban decay...?
Maybe I don't feel bad about speaking up for Portland after all.
I'll betcha Milwaukee has more Bohemians than Portland. I'll bet it's easier to find roast pork and dumplings in Milwaukee than in Portland.
And anyway Chicago is the true Bohemian culture capitol of America, there are zillions of them here. Did you know that the current Chicago Machine began as an alliance between the city's Bohemians and Irish and that it's first mayor was Anton Cermak?
Milwaukee hands down. The architecture is magnificent, there are great restaurants, theaters, a great art museum, a very good symphony orchestra, a good major league baseball team with a magnificent stadium and the Summerfest on the lakefront. Elegant, charming and fun. And nobody anywhere knows how to party down like Wisconsinites.
I don't want to be mean, but Portland has got to be the most overrated place in the country. The weather is dreary, the architecture is uninspired and has fewer amenities than Omaha (which by the way, is actually a pretty cool place). Portland's loudest boosters tend to be transplanted Californians who seem to feel obligated to make a point on the quality of their choice.
First I have to say I can't feel good about saying Portland is better because I've never been to Milwaukee, so I can't make a good comparison... Now that I've said that...
Portland is known for Nike, high tech, pioneering on the environmentalist and urban planning front, hipsters, indie rock, roses, rain, and it is the capital of alternative, bohemian culture in America. For better or worse depending on your P.O.V.
Street and night life in Portland is great, including in downtown. It is very walkable and urban feeling. When I lived there I met several visitors who were surprised at how urban it felt and that it wasn't what they were expecting at all.
Please enlighten me, what is Milwaukee known for? Last time I heard it was suffering from a little bit (just a little mind you) of urban decay...?
Maybe I don't feel bad about speaking up for Portland after all.
Milwaukee's known for Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, Miller Brewing Company, and Milwaukee Power Tools. Heavy manufacturing is what gives the city its blue-collar image.
Milwaukee has the 5th highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the US, companies like Johnson Controls, Fiserv, and Northwestern Mutual are headquartered here. Milwaukee's lakefront plays host to Summerfest every year, the largest music festival in the entire world.
People are often surprised by how urban Milwaukee is. Milwaukee's population density is 6,214.7 people per square mile, which is actually quite a bit higher than Portland's population density which is 4,288.38 people per square mile.
I'm going to have to disagree about Portland being the capital of alternative/bohemian culture in America. I don't think such a place exists anymore. Now there seems to be regional capitals like Austin, Asheville, Minneapolis, Brooklyn, and so on.
Last edited by EastSideMKE; 06-18-2009 at 09:59 PM..
Please enlighten me, what is Milwaukee known for? Last time I heard it was suffering from a little bit (just a little mind you) of urban decay...?
Yeah back in the 80's maybe. Let's see what is Milwaukee known for: Harley Davidson, Summerfest(world's largest music fest), Cousin's Subs, Miller, Schlitz, Craft Brews, ethnic restaurants, unique individual neighborhoods, Jeffery Dahmer, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Midwest Airlines, Cheese, Bucks, Brewers, Milwaukee Art Museum(World Icon), Briggs and Stratton engines, GE health care, The City of Festivals, Kohls(hq), Boston Store(hq), Manufacturing, Oktoberfest, Oprah, Devin Harris, Danny Gokey, Liberace, Al Jarreau, Bud Selig, The birthplace of the American League, Latrell Sprewell, Les Paul, Gene Wilder, The Zucker Bros., Hank Aaron, Kareem Abdul jabbar, Steve Miller, Heather Graham, Evinrude, Our Beautiful lakefront, preserved architecture, Kato Kaelin, Master Lock, Pabst, Blatz, Mickey's Liqour,
I can go on if need be, Irish Tom you have never been to Milwaukee then maybe for summerfest this year, when the rest of Chicago comes up.
Milwaukee hands down. The architecture is magnificent, there are great restaurants, theaters, a great art museum, a very good symphony orchestra, a good major league baseball team with a magnificent stadium and the Summerfest on the lakefront. Elegant, charming and fun. And nobody anywhere knows how to party down like Wisconsinites.
I don't want to be mean, but Portland has got to be the most overrated place in the country. The weather is dreary, the architecture is uninspired and has fewer amenities than Omaha (which by the way, is actually a pretty cool place). Portland's loudest boosters tend to be transplanted Californians who seem to feel obligated to make a point on the quality of their choice.
Downtown Portland has great restaurants and theaters, has a quality art museum, is home to the Oregon Symphony, and is home to the Blazers. And besides from being very subjective, the weather is only dreary half the year. And at least it is milder than Milwaukee. Oh, and it is also the microbrew capital of the world.
I think it is rated accurately, but under-recognized.
Architecture though... Portland has a few really neat buildings downtown, but overall, the architecture is very plain and uninspired. Milwaukee's looks better just from seeing pictures of it. Outside downtown though, Portland has fantastic, historic residential architecture.
Oh, you recognized me? Still mad because I didn't tip you enough?
Just a little miffed that you left with my carrot. Just a little bit though, no hard feelings.
Portland's also got that awesome Forest Park and a bunch of other parks and nature preserves. The city's probably quite a bit denser than the statistics would leave one to believe because of its abundant greenery.
I can go on if need be, Irish Tom you have never been to Milwaukee then maybe for summerfest this year, when the rest of Chicago comes up.
I've been to Milwaukee many times. And I worked a couple of times out of the Milwaukee Boilermaker's Hall when work was slow in Chicago; worked at Oak Creek and that powerhouse downtown in the valley. One of my sons is working building that new powerhouse at Oak Creek.
A couple of years ago my wife and I spent a weekend downtown, went to the art museum and saw the O'Keefes and stayed at some cute Irish themed boutique hotel with a nice bar and restaurant. I've been up for quite a few Brewers games too. I liked the old ballpark better.
I'm too old now to enjoy big fests like Summerfest. I hear you have a good Irish fest.
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