my impressions of Portland, 2 weeks later (low crime, calculation, cost of living)

[Minervah]

I have nothing in particular against Macy's other than they made the downtown store look like a metal and glass whorehouse, their clothing selection is sparce, and they are expensive.

I understand from a woman I know in Chicago who is a buyer for Origins cosmetics, people there were unhappy when Macy's took over Marshall Field's just like Oregonians were not happy when Meir and Frank was taken over. She says Macy's was way more difficult to deal with when it came to promotions and coupons the various sellers like Origins use to draw in customers. Ultimately, the customers could not get the good discounts they were used to.

[boniblu]

Originally Posted by ffffffaaaaa1

So I've been here 2 weeks.

First, it rains a lot. Especially today, rained all day literally. We did not see the sun. Apparently in winter this goes on for weeks.

And I think this depresses people. You can sense a tension among people all day today.

Also, the drivers do not drive slow, that's a myth. Not only that, they are not the most patient. Actually, they are no different than anywhere else I've been (been all over america, most recently MN).

I think this place is cute if you come from a small town. But frankly, it's way over-rated. The small boutiques and whatever, they are not as impressive as you think. Even the coffee is pretty average. I moved from Mpls, and I miss Caribou coffee sooooo much. I miss many other things. Mpls has big roads, it's a big sophisticated city. I am sorry Mpls for leaving you...yes I hated your winters. But I hate the rain.

I am stuck here for now!!!

[boniblu]

I have lived here for over 30 years and can't wait to get out. Portland is nasty, dirty and full of rude selfish people. Everyone (we call the granolas) that think there little shops and coffee places and let's not forget all the bicycles poking along in front of you flipping you off and dragging there kids behind them. Of course you can move to SE or N where the gangs **** in your yard and tag everything with more than a 2 inch space. Yep Portland sucks.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Originally Posted by boniblu

I have lived here for over 30 years and can't wait to get out. Portland is nasty, dirty and full of rude selfish people. Everyone (we call the granolas) that think there little shops and coffee places and let's not forget all the bicycles poking along in front of you flipping you off and dragging there kids behind them. Of course you can move to SE or N where the gangs **** in your yard and tag everything with more than a 2 inch space. Yep Portland sucks.

You seem like a "glass half empty" kind of person.
Cheer up. Summer's commin'.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Minervah

All the weather forecasters have been saying that this has been an unseaonably cool and wet spring. I think the OP might want to give his/her stay a little more than two weeks to judge the weather. This has been an unusual season.

Regarding Starbucks, there are many other good coffee places in Portland that may stay open later. It wouldn't hurt to check them out. We do have WalMarts but not in the city. Clackamas comes to mind for example. One thing I do agree with from a pedestrians point of view is the drivers here.

Again I would suggest that the OP give Portland in general a bit more chance than just two weeks. I am curious as to what he/she was expecting before moving out here and how much research was done on the things that were important. I think you have to stay in a place for at least a year before really getting a good idea of what it's all about. That way the lay of the land, weather, lifestyles etc can be more fully explored.

But there's nothing wrong with moving on if one place does not suit you.

Originally Posted by suncat

Hang in there. This March, we've gotten twice our average rainfall. I can't stand it, either. It does rain a lot in Portland, but try not to judge the entire climate based on the past two weeks. They've really sucked.

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

There are two weather patterns here which skew the weather away from normal - El Nino and La Nina. Right now we are in a strong La Nina (google it and you'll see how extensive this pattern is in the Pacific), which means wetter and cooler than normal. The good thing is snowpack is way up - we were only on track for an average snowpack until about the beginning of February when it really turned wet. Depending on the part of the state, we're anywhere between 110-160% of normal.

Good for fish and crops, anyway. It's really been a wet 2011 from Los Angeles to Alaska, the entire west coast has had a wet year thus far. Forecast is for it to stay this way through about the beginning of May (as much as forecasts work here anyway - very few parts of the US have such a forecasting challenge as NOAA does here, and they are frequently VERY wrong).

Hi. I found this thread via "New Posts". I was intrigued; I always like to read about pepole "seeing ourselves as others see us". (I do not live in Portland, just saying.) I have this question. Why is it when someone complains about the rain in Portland or Seattle, a stock answer is "this is an unusual rainy season"? Just what is normal?

[aroseinrain]

Originally Posted by Katiana

Hi. I found this thread via "New Posts". I was intrigued; I always like to read about pepole "seeing ourselves as others see us". (I do not live in Portland, just saying.) I have this question. Why is it when someone complains about the rain in Portland or Seattle, a stock answer is "this is an unusual rainy season"? Just what is normal?

Generally misty, overcast, and sometimes a slight drizzle off and on throughout the day is normal. People from here usually don't consider that to be "rainy", but this season it actually rained quite a bit. There is some confusion as often people who move here from elsewhere DO consider any moist day to be a "rainy" day regardless of whether it actually rains or if it merely is wettish and grey.

At least that's been my observation....

[Yankeemama]

The rain that Portland has been experiencing right now is more similar to the kind of rain that is typical of my hometown (San Francisco) during Winter and Spring. The rain last Spring, which was my first here in PDX, was more normal for this area. Either way, I still don't think it's enough to get my panties in a bunch. I have no snow to shovel, no ice to break my neck on, there is still been sun breaks and I am getting away to someplace sunnier very soon. My flowers are blooming and I know how incredibly beautiful the city is going to be, very very soon. Portland is the kind of place that rewards the patient...

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Actually neither the May Company nor Macy's killed Meier & Frank. What did it in was the common problem with succession planning in a firm owned by the families of the founders. There were one-up's man ship games among the executives. One Sunday an executive left a note, "I was here and you weren't!" Not a good situation, they just couldn't trust a retail manager from the outside. Eventually they needed to sell the business to others without that baggage.

Meier & Frank was a client of my mother's business, the Copes (merchandising executive at M&F - leaving in the early 60s) kids were my friends in high school so I overheard snippets of the battles.

They did kill Meier & Frank, by choosing not to keep the name. Kroeger's bought out Fred Meyer, but were not so arrogant as to think people would prefer to buy from that company than from the one that had been here for a hundred years. Same with Meier & Frank. I don't care who owns it, but if they change the name ... it ain't Meier & Frank, and my loyalty is zero. If I want to buy something from Macy's ... I'll go to New York.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by boniblu

I have lived here for over 30 years and can't wait to get out. Portland is nasty, dirty and full of rude selfish people. Everyone (we call the granolas) that think there little shops and coffee places and let's not forget all the bicycles poking along in front of you flipping you off and dragging there kids behind them. Of course you can move to SE or N where the gangs **** in your yard and tag everything with more than a 2 inch space. Yep Portland sucks.

Don't let the door hit you ... and just think, then there will be one less!

Seriously. If you're not happy. MOVE.

[Ryant]

Originally Posted by boniblu

I have lived here for over 30 years and can't wait to get out. Portland is nasty, dirty and full of rude selfish people. Everyone (we call the granolas) that think there little shops and coffee places and let's not forget all the bicycles poking along in front of you flipping you off and dragging there kids behind them. Of course you can move to SE or N where the gangs **** in your yard and tag everything with more than a 2 inch space. Yep Portland sucks.

Lol this person has nothing to compare it to. Try living out in the real world for awhile if you think gangs are bad here, or that people are rude. I've lived in 4 other cities reciently and I think Portland is the best in these departments(less gangs and rude people)!