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Old 07-22-2013, 06:27 PM
 
Location: Portlandia, OR
43 posts, read 65,320 times
Reputation: 102

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Hello everyone! Not sure how many of you quite remember me, but I posted here back around the new year, as I was moving out here from Pennsylvania. Well, given that I've now been here OVER 6 months, I figured I'd give my 2 cents on my observations on the area, which may help other newbies to our wonderful city!

Climate - OK...forget all the warnings that people might have given you where you lived before about the Portland weather. "Oh, it's super rainy" "oh, it's ALWAYS grey" "do they even know what sunshine is there?" BLAH BLAH BLAH. The weather isn't bad here at all! Yes, it's grey and rains...but so what?! You learn to not even notice it after a while. And umbrellas? Forget them...makes ya look like a tourist!

Traffic - OK, the traffic here can really suck at times. And no one really uses their horn much. That took me a bit getting used to. Learn side streets and your way around town. You'll be happier for it

Gas - Yup, it's probably a little pricier here than where you came from. And not pumping your own gas takes getting used to. Whatever you do, don't try to tip the person pumping your gas. They will look at you very weird. Found this one out first hand

Jobs - There ARE jobs here, you just need to know where to look. And it'll take time. Don't move here blindly expecting to pick up a quick restaurant job or whatever to hold you over till you find your dream jobs. Portland takes it's service industry pretty serious. Many places want past experience for serving even, some places even years of service experience. But keep up on it. Craigslist can be a wonderful tool in helping to find a position somewhere

Food - Find a favorite food cart. then spread the word about it. Keep an open mind, and try as many as you can

Happy Hours - See above. Switch out food cart for pub

The Timbers - learn to become a fan quickly. And when you go to a game, sit with the Timbers Army. You'll soon be a wicked huge fan

Dating - This one can get interesting. The Pacific NorthWest, by nature, is a pretty passive-aggressive place. This most certainly goes into the dating realm as well. If you are expecting to go on a date with a beautiful Portland girl, and then she is going to texting you and all right away...yeah that doesn't happen here. I've gotten more dates in my 6 months here, then I did in the past 2.5 years that I did in the different cities I was in back east. BUT, on the same token, I've had to initiate most convos, and stay on top of them to get to know the other person. If you sit back and wait to hear from them, you may be waiting a long time. People move at a slower, more relaxed pace out here

Festivals & Pub Crawls- Yup, there is pretty much one every weekend. GO TO THEM! Don't avoid them just because you don't know anyone. Trust me, you will meet people at them

Well, that's just a start, and I'm sure that others will chime in and add some of their own. All I know is that my move here was HANDS DOWN the best thing I've ever done for myself. I'm living happier and healthier than I've been in a long time (even managed to drop almost 40 lbs in the past 6 months!) Hope this helps any and all out there!
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Old 07-23-2013, 01:53 AM
 
Location: Portland, OR
8,802 posts, read 8,897,466 times
Reputation: 4512
Quote:
Originally Posted by BaconCrispyPDX View Post
Hello everyone! Not sure how many of you quite remember me, but I posted here back around the new year, as I was moving out here from Pennsylvania. Well, given that I've now been here OVER 6 months, I figured I'd give my 2 cents on my observations on the area, which may help other newbies to our wonderful city!

Climate - OK...forget all the warnings that people might have given you where you lived before about the Portland weather. "Oh, it's super rainy" "oh, it's ALWAYS grey" "do they even know what sunshine is there?" BLAH BLAH BLAH. The weather isn't bad here at all! Yes, it's grey and rains...but so what?! You learn to not even notice it after a while. And umbrellas? Forget them...makes ya look like a tourist!

Traffic - OK, the traffic here can really suck at times. And no one really uses their horn much. That took me a bit getting used to. Learn side streets and your way around town. You'll be happier for it

Gas - Yup, it's probably a little pricier here than where you came from. And not pumping your own gas takes getting used to. Whatever you do, don't try to tip the person pumping your gas. They will look at you very weird. Found this one out first hand

Jobs - There ARE jobs here, you just need to know where to look. And it'll take time. Don't move here blindly expecting to pick up a quick restaurant job or whatever to hold you over till you find your dream jobs. Portland takes it's service industry pretty serious. Many places want past experience for serving even, some places even years of service experience. But keep up on it. Craigslist can be a wonderful tool in helping to find a position somewhere

Food - Find a favorite food cart. then spread the word about it. Keep an open mind, and try as many as you can

Happy Hours - See above. Switch out food cart for pub

The Timbers - learn to become a fan quickly. And when you go to a game, sit with the Timbers Army. You'll soon be a wicked huge fan

Dating - This one can get interesting. The Pacific NorthWest, by nature, is a pretty passive-aggressive place. This most certainly goes into the dating realm as well. If you are expecting to go on a date with a beautiful Portland girl, and then she is going to texting you and all right away...yeah that doesn't happen here. I've gotten more dates in my 6 months here, then I did in the past 2.5 years that I did in the different cities I was in back east. BUT, on the same token, I've had to initiate most convos, and stay on top of them to get to know the other person. If you sit back and wait to hear from them, you may be waiting a long time. People move at a slower, more relaxed pace out here

Festivals & Pub Crawls- Yup, there is pretty much one every weekend. GO TO THEM! Don't avoid them just because you don't know anyone. Trust me, you will meet people at them

Well, that's just a start, and I'm sure that others will chime in and add some of their own. All I know is that my move here was HANDS DOWN the best thing I've ever done for myself. I'm living happier and healthier than I've been in a long time (even managed to drop almost 40 lbs in the past 6 months!) Hope this helps any and all out there!
Can you please tell me your secret to dropping 40 pounds since moving here. I've gained like 10. Anyway I'm glad you're enjoying it. I made the move 9 months ago and echo your sentiments.
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Old 07-23-2013, 02:16 AM
 
Location: Portlandia, OR
43 posts, read 65,320 times
Reputation: 102
haha a nice mix of living happier and healthier, not stress eating, DDPyoga, and having my OMMP card
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Old 07-23-2013, 07:57 AM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
46,001 posts, read 35,176,592 times
Reputation: 7875
You described all the reasons why I want to move back, glad you are liking it there. Yeah, the dating scene there is interesting and requires you to do a lot of work to keep it active, but the pay off is worth it. The best girls I have dated and ended up marrying all happened in Portland.

As for the Timbers, personally my favorite section to sit in is section 99 in the new part of the stadium which is right next to the Army without being in the middle of it. It it the best experience overall for anyone that doesn't want to stand the entire game but wants to feel the energy of the Army.

Oh and I only tip when the gas attendant washes my windows.
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Old 07-23-2013, 10:36 AM
 
3,928 posts, read 4,907,848 times
Reputation: 3073
I tip when the attendant washes my windows, too! Glad I am not the only one.
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Old 07-23-2013, 03:04 PM
 
Location: Oregon
1,035 posts, read 1,709,525 times
Reputation: 773
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yankeemama View Post
I tip when the attendant washes my windows, too! Glad I am not the only one.
It has been years since any gas station attendent has washed my windows.
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Old 07-23-2013, 04:30 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
8,802 posts, read 8,897,466 times
Reputation: 4512
Quote:
Originally Posted by BaconCrispyPDX View Post
haha a nice mix of living happier and healthier, not stress eating, DDPyoga, and having my OMMP card
Increase in beer consumption plus the 3 months of busy season this winter did me in.
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Old 07-23-2013, 06:23 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
46,001 posts, read 35,176,592 times
Reputation: 7875
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottinpdx View Post
It has been years since any gas station attendent has washed my windows.
The Shell on Hawthorne is where I would often times get someone that washed my windows...also a random gas station in Beaverton whenever I was out that way.
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Old 07-24-2013, 08:52 AM
 
Location: Myrtle Creek, Oregon
15,293 posts, read 17,681,555 times
Reputation: 25236
Just a comment from a native about dating: I never dated after I left high school. I just did what interested me, and would meet women with common interests. After we found out we liked each other, we would do things together. It turned out to be an excellent strategy, since my wife and I are coming up on our 27th anniversary and have never had a fight. We knew each other for 3 years before we ever started seeing each other. I met several girls who expected me to do the mating dance, and always disappointed them. My future wife watched a couple of those episodes and howled with laughter over it.

My advice? Dating strangers is a waste of time and money.
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Old 07-24-2013, 09:14 AM
 
Location: Belleair Bluffs, FL
156 posts, read 236,040 times
Reputation: 128
"Well, that's just a start, and I'm sure that others will chime in and add some of their own. All I know is that my move here was HANDS DOWN the best thing I've ever done for myself. I'm living happier and healthier than I've been in a long time (even managed to drop almost 40 lbs in the past 6 months!) Hope this helps any and all out there![/quote]

Congrats!!!!! So good for you and honestly it was good for me to read that right now as I am wallowing in despair of even finding a decent place to rent. Obviously you made the right choice when you could have stayed put and let inertia and fear rule.....so kudos to you!
Nicola
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