Several basic questions... (Vancouver, Camas, Washougal: sales, crime rate, homes)

[joe_obody999]

Extremely stressful figuring out where to live, but I simply must move from the frozen hellhole I have been in (Duluth MN), and the Pacific NW looks pretty good when I look at factors I want, and don't want. Oregon appealed to me but when I visited Eugene OR with a friend recently she thought it was a bit too 60s hippies, although I think I could tolerate it being an artist myself; we spend a short day driving up to Portland but all we really saw was downtown Portland. I don't care for the much higher cost of homes in Portland so Vancouver appeals to me for better housing deals and also being a population much smaller than Portland (Vancouver has a population a bit larger than where I live now, and a similar crime rate that I can live with).

So if anybody would be so kind, I have a few basic questions about Vancouver, which really comes down to my daily life, which is what matters the most:

1. Coffee shops for lattes and writing... I will assume there are plenty of Starbucks and such unless I hear otherwise.
2. Electronics... is there a Best Buy / Circuit City type store for looking at computers and such, or do most people just cross the river to buy that stuff with no sales tax over in Portland? I am a geek so I do like a regular fix of a visit to the computer store!
3. Shopping Mall? I hope there is at least one nice shopping mall, and hopefully with a nice bookstore like Barnes and Noble?
4. Movie theaters-- I will assume so unless I hear otherwise. I mean what town does not have movie theaters.
5. Fine Arts-- does Vancouver have a center for the performing arts, like plays, symphony, ballet, concerts?
6. Hiking trails? Lakes to take a Labrador dog to do some swimming/fetching?
7. Unless I hear otherwise I would assume Vancouver has the typical 'Gernerica' (generica america) stuff like WalMart, Target, blah blah blah (which I kind of wish was not in a city).
8. Anything else special about Vancouver I should know?

Any help greatly appreciated, thank you so much in advance!
Joe

[silibran]

Originally Posted by joe_obody999

Extremely stressful figuring out where to live, but I simply must move from the frozen hellhole I have been in (Duluth MN), and the Pacific NW looks pretty good when I look at factors I want, and don't want. Oregon appealed to me but when I visited Eugene OR with a friend recently she thought it was a bit too 60s hippies, although I think I could tolerate it being an artist myself; we spend a short day driving up to Portland but all we really saw was downtown Portland. I don't care for the much higher cost of homes in Portland so Vancouver appeals to me for better housing deals and also being a population much smaller than Portland (Vancouver has a population a bit larger than where I live now, and a similar crime rate that I can live with).

So if anybody would be so kind, I have a few basic questions about Vancouver, which really comes down to my daily life, which is what matters the most:

1. Coffee shops for lattes and writing... I will assume there are plenty of Starbucks and such unless I hear otherwise.
2. Electronics... is there a Best Buy / Circuit City type store for looking at computers and such, or do most people just cross the river to buy that stuff with no sales tax over in Portland? I am a geek so I do like a regular fix of a visit to the computer store!
3. Shopping Mall? I hope there is at least one nice shopping mall, and hopefully with a nice bookstore like Barnes and Noble?
4. Movie theaters-- I will assume so unless I hear otherwise. I mean what town does not have movie theaters.
5. Fine Arts-- does Vancouver have a center for the performing arts, like plays, symphony, ballet, concerts?
6. Hiking trails? Lakes to take a Labrador dog to do some swimming/fetching?
7. Unless I hear otherwise I would assume Vancouver has the typical 'Gernerica' (generica america) stuff like WalMart, Target, blah blah blah (which I kind of wish was not in a city).
8. Anything else special about Vancouver I should know?

Any help greatly appreciated, thank you so much in advance!
Joe

Plenty of Starbucks, and some independents too.

Best Buy just off I 205 in NE Portland is where we shop

Vancouver Mall is very mediocre, but it does have a Macy's, Sears with Lands End, Penney. Nordstrom will move out this year, I think. The mall has few distinctive places to shop.

Yes to movie theaters. There is one at the Mall. Also others in town.

I don't know about a center for performing arts, but I have seen reference to an Orchestra.

Loads of hiking all around us. We have a great dog park on the East side. I don't know about taking the dog swimming.

We have all the normal chain stores, and many of the chain restaurants.

What is special about Vancouver is the setting among hills with tall evergreen all around. Otherwise, unless you live right in the city, it is pretty suburban. Van does have a really nice Farmer's Market that has been going for years. And you can go east to the mountains and beyond, and west to the coast.

[StealthRabbit]

There is actually quite an art (ist) community in Camas and Washougal. I have known of at least 10 full-time career artists for the last 30 yrs, and I don't know many in that field!. Check with Camas Library, they host monthly artist events and displays. They may keep a resource list. There are some really nice private concert venues for classical music hosted by artists / supporters who have mansions (or studios) in the woods..

Look to areas near Washougal (dog parks and great dog swimming / fetch in local rivers and lakes). Fewer coffee shops (only 8 I can think of), Theater next door (camas).

Fine arts are available 10 minutes away in Portland Metro. There are some nice presentations in Vancouver, but that sort of venue cannot be supported by Vancouver Populace / demographic. Vancouver School district has an academy of fine arts, and the CYT presentations in Vancouver area are terrific.

There are plenty of Walmart / chain stores, but not to the extreme (due to many WA residents 'illegally' shopping in Oregon to save sales tax) The WA-DOR will gladly take your Sales Tax dollars (which they require for WA businesses shopping across the border).

Hood River, OR and White Salmon / Trout Lake, WA are local art mecca's (As is Sisters and Bend OR)

[bler144]

I remember you from the Eugene forum. Sorry that didn't work out.

1) Lots of chain coffee shops around, also depending on what part of town some nice independent shops. There's a coffee and creperie in downtown Vanc. I enjoy lounging at. I've never tried to write there though.
2) Circuit City went bankrupt in 2009, didn't they? But if you want to shop tax-free there's a Best Buy at Jantzen Beach (I-5) and another by the airport (205), so pretty much anywhere you were to live in Vanc. it's a 20 minute drive assuming you aren't trying to go at afternoon rush. There's one off e. 162nd if you didn't want to cross the river.
3) Compared to a lot of other cities I think Powells sucks up a lot of the book buying demand. As for indoor malls, I'm sure there are some but in general outdoor malls/strips are more common out here. Why? Because it's not a frozen hellhole.
4) Tons of movie theaters around the metro. No shortage of places to see a movie. I'm probably in the minority but I prefer the Regal Cinema in downtown Vanc. If you want serious arty films it's a short weekend hop in to Living Room Theaters in Portland.
7. Yes, lots of box stores in the consumer areas. And again, proximate access to Jantzen Beach/Cascades on the OR side as well.
8. It's pretty spread out east/west. If you live on the west side you'll probably cross into Portland off-peak more than you go to the east side. Also, the wildlife area west of Vanc. Lake seems underutilized as an outdoor destination given how close it is.

[captiv8ed]

As for coffee and writing-in Vancouver there are some nice places. If you are okay with tea, check out Mint Tea. Really nice spots to linger over a pot of tea and get some writing done. Latte Da is really nice as well. Of course, if you go over to Portland, you have tons of options. Look in north Portland, like Alberta Arts District. Also, the downtown Vancouver Library is absolutely breathtaking, complete with fireplaces, an outdoor terrace with views of the Columbia and Mount Hood, and a coffee shop!

Shopping malls are better in Portland, I think. Pioneer Place is sprawled over three blocs and upscale. Lloyd Center is nice, and has an ice skating rink!

Movie Theater options are amazing here. We have Regal, which does just what it is supposed to. We also have Cinetopia, which is a very fancy movie theater. Kiggins is right downtown and is an independent theater. In Portland, there are so many independent theater options. Many serve beer

There are nice trails. Burnt Bridge Creek is lovely in spots, and the trail to Frenchman's Bar (as well as Frenchman's Bar itself) is great. Look at Forest Park in Portland and Powell Butte as really excellent options for hiking. Not sure what the rules are for dogs and water, but we do have parks with lakes or rivers.

[StealthRabbit]

writing venues... here are my choices
1) Skamania Lodge / lounge / library (Accessible for $2 via Transit from Fisher Landing)
2) North Bonneville Hot Springs lodge (same as above + daily passes for spa / swimming) They have a QUIET lounge on each floor
3) Vancouver Library
4) Camas Library (down by fireplace, or in 'mezzanine' level)

[silibran]

Originally Posted by bler144

I remember you from the Eugene forum. Sorry that didn't work out.

1) Lots of chain coffee shops around, also depending on what part of town some nice independent shops. There's a coffee and creperie in downtown Vanc. I enjoy lounging at. I've never tried to write there though.
2) Circuit City went bankrupt in 2009, didn't they? But if you want to shop tax-free there's a Best Buy at Jantzen Beach (I-5) and another by the airport (205), so pretty much anywhere you were to live in Vanc. it's a 20 minute drive assuming you aren't trying to go at afternoon rush. There's one off e. 162nd if you didn't want to cross the river.
3) Compared to a lot of other cities I think Powells sucks up a lot of the book buying demand. As for indoor malls, I'm sure there are some but in general outdoor malls/strips are more common out here. Why? Because it's not a frozen hellhole.
4) Tons of movie theaters around the metro. No shortage of places to see a movie. I'm probably in the minority but I prefer the Regal Cinema in downtown Vanc. If you want serious arty films it's a short weekend hop in to Living Room Theaters in Portland.
7. Yes, lots of box stores in the consumer areas. And again, proximate access to Jantzen Beach/Cascades on the OR side as well.
8. It's pretty spread out east/west. If you live on the west side you'll probably cross into Portland off-peak more than you go to the east side. Also, the wildlife area west of Vanc. Lake seems underutilized as an outdoor destination given how close it is.

Best Buy formerly off NE 164th, has been shuttered for at least 2 years. It is being remodeled into a Ross presently.

I think the Barnes and Noble near the Mall is a nice bookstore.

There is a used bookstore near Andresen and Mill Plain.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by silibran

...

There is a used bookstore near Andresen and Mill Plain.

Several good used Bookstores in Vancouver, (Tho I use Paperbackbookswap to an extreme)

I also use Powell's on Burnside Portland. Many great happy Hours nearby!! The Multnomah Library is walking distance (As CC WA resident you can get a card from there, very EZ and lots of resources / branches), as is Art Museum Library (Where I spend summer Weds afternoons for free Air Con). I also frequent the many college libraries in PDX region. Lewis and Clark has a US Patent Library. Several of the Private schools have a great sharing system (Concordia, Multnomah, Linfield, Warner Pacific, Marylhurst...)

No shortage of literature resources in Vancouver / Portland.

[silibran]

Love Powells. Hate getting there, and parking, but I love being there.

[StealthRabbit]

Love Powells. Hate getting there, and parking,

I-405 and 3 stoplights. (only 2 stoplights outbound)

Park @ Powell's (Free with purchase) that is some of the FUN !!! (Tiny multi level!). I Have done it with my BIG extended pickup

I never go to Portland during rush hr. I plan 35 min from the Gorge (inbound on I-5 and outbound on I-84 taking the south I-405 loop to E-84 so we can enjoy the 'city of bridges' lights!). I go to the free piano concerts nearby and make a night of it. (all free) Except a rare happy hour at Jake's <$10. Good thing my fuel is ecologically neutral and also free! (used Cooking oil) I would hate to be spewing hydrocarbons to attend a free concert and bookstore!

50 mpg since 1976... 3 million miles!