Is Portland starting to lose it's allure? (Beaverton, Phoenix: coops, home)

[classicanne]

Originally Posted by jrkliny

Moving across the country without visiting!! I can't believe anyone would do that except maybe out of desperation. I know I learned a lot by visiting. Sure there are both positive and negative aspects that I would not have noticed, but at least I experienced some of the big issues.

I assure you, moving across the country is not an act of desperation on my part; because of my work, I can live anywhere I want, and this is where I choose to be. I agree with the previous poster who said you can visit a place but still not be able to appropriately size it up as a place to live.

Anyone moving anywhere will have some preconceived notions, but I'm trying not to have too many. I think it's better to go with an open mind; some things about Portland will be a pleasant surprise, some will be a disappointment. But I plan to be open to any and all experiences.

And pardon me for saying so, but you seem to have a terribly negative attitude. Perhaps you had already set yourself up for disappointment with the preconceived notions you had, expecting Portland to measure up, rather than being open to something new and different.

Either way, I wish you well on finding a place to retire that you feel is more suitable.

[classicanne]

Originally Posted by philwithbeard

Classicanne:

Welcome to Portland.

As you know, it will take a bit of time to learn to fit into a community, but it will be an adventure. Enjoy.

Phil

Thank you, Phil! It will indeed be an adventure, but as Helen Keller said, "Life is a daring adventure, or nothing." I'm looking forward to it.

[Vinia]

Originally Posted by jrkliny

Moving across the country without visiting!! I can't believe anyone would do that except maybe out of desperation. I know I learned a lot by visiting. Sure there are both positive and negative aspects that I would not have noticed, but at least I experienced some of the big issues.

This post made me giggle- I guess I'm going to be in alot of trouble! I'm moving from NZ to Portland in July - my first visit will be for a couple of days in June. Before that I moved across islands to a city, which I spent about less than a week in total.

I think a lot depends on how one approaches moving to a new/unknown city - I think some open-mindedness and adaptability (and maybe a sense of adventure too) goes a long way .

[jojo4]

urghh...
Portland always loses it allure around April/May. One sunny day follow by a week of cold rainy days. I'm so ready for warmer weather.

[philwithbeard]

Originally Posted by Vinia

....I think a lot depends on how one approaches moving to a new/unknown city - I think some open-mindedness and adaptability (and maybe a sense of adventure too) goes a long way .

And I welcome you also to Portland.

Plenty of room for one more person in Portland. Lots of independent beer brewed here, and some great food places. Enjoy the adventure; the more difficult it is, the better the tale to be told.

Phil

[UrbanAdventurer]

Originally Posted by classicanne

I assure you, moving across the country is not an act of desperation on my part; because of my work, I can live anywhere I want, and this is where I choose to be. I agree with the previous poster who said you can visit a place but still not be able to appropriately size it up as a place to live.

No need to defend youself there. That statement was retarded for 100 different reasons. Some people's heads just explode at the thought of moving to and living somewhere that's not where they were born and raised.

[UrbanAdventurer]

I'll be curious to see the Census numbers, but not much doubt population growth during the 2000's will be well above the nat. average, as it was the two decades preceding it. I'd say it's still gaining allure if anything else.

[jrkliny]

"Some people's heads just explode at the thought of moving to and living somewhere that's not where they were born and raised."

Wrong guess if you are referring to me. I suggest finding out what you are getting into before moving. That does not mean I do not believe in moving to a totally new location. In my case I was born in Utah, lived in Kansas and Maryland. I went to school in Colorado and then upstate New York. After the Vietnam war, I moved to Ohio, then Arkansas, Kansas, California, Illinois, Arizona and then New York. Many of my moves were in the early years when I was trying to establish and advance my career. Now I have lived in the same house in New York for over 20 years and am considering retiring to Oregon. Now that I am retiring I do not need to balance career goals with location. There are places like Chicago that I enjoyed and adapted to, but I would not want to return to -26 degree winter temperatures. Of all the places I visited, Portland was the biggest surprise. I thought I was pretty good at researching new locations. I was wrong. Portland was much different than I expected.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Originally Posted by jrkliny

"Of all the places I visited, Portland was the biggest surprise. I thought I was pretty good at researching new locations. I was wrong. Portland was much different than I expected.

I am asking this question nicely.

As a native Portland Oregonian, I sometimes have difficulties in understanding the "draw" of Portland.

Having lived here about 95% of my life, it just seems boringly normal to me. And I have visited many towns and places that I wouldn't mind living in if my family wasn't here.

Could you please describe what you were expecting compared to what you found here?

[jrkliny]

I believe I was mainly unprepared for the zoning restrictions. I either had not heard or did not understand the impact on housing costs and options. I did not expect the resultant high density and small lots. I am sure spending time in Hollywood did not help because that area is among the most overpriced and congested. It is certainly not an area for a soon to be retired couple who do not want to spend a lot of money or deal with maintaining an old house.

I expected the hipsters but not the numbers of mentally ill and homeless wandering the streets.

I was looking forward to visiting the Japanese garden and the parks. I did not expect to find it so crowded that it was difficult to park.

I expected a larger and more interesting downtown. I saw most of the downtown areas. Maybe it was just "boringly normal." I did not see much that interested me aside from an art museum and a bookstore.

I expected a more outdoorsy, western orientation. I was thinking hunting, fishing, backpacking, mountain climbing, white water kyacks, etc. I am sure there are plenty who do those activities but I did not see that type of orientation.