Portland vs Seattle (how much, living in, mall)

[Yankeemama]

I am not really referring to a lack of activities; the energy is just not as buzzing with excitement. Portland is not cosmopolitan and does not have that "there is a new possibility right around the corner" kind of energy about it. I am not complaining for myself because this size city is perfect for the stage of life I am in now but not when I was in my 20's. I used to go to the opera since I was a child with my family in S.F., well into my 20's, have loved a good cafe since my Berkeley days, and yes museums are wonderful. There is something so exciting about living in a big city when you are young and you stay up later, eat late, spend holidays with friends and meet people from everywhere. Seattle offers that but Portland, not really.


OTE=turquoise1;21666951]I guess it depends on what you want to do in your 20's. Even when I was in my 20's, I was interested in attending jazz concerts, reading at cafes, and going to the museum. I was never much of a partier.[/QUOTE

[EnricoV]

I'll admit my tastes are, and always have been (even waaaaay back when I was in my 20s) eclectic. I've never been into the dance club scene, but I spent many an evening with friends at clubs (comedy and music) and rock concerts. In addition to things like the opera, plays, symphonies, sporting events, etc. If there was that much to occupy me back in the old, sleepy days of Portland ... I can only imagine what's available today.

[turquoise1]

I know Portland isn't cosmopolitan like New York, and I miss late nights and ubiquitous food delivery, but I have met a surprising amount of people from all over the world here. I do expect the city to grow, and the extension of public transportation is a good start. And I guess there is the Southeast Grind for a 24-hour coffee house. Now I just need me a good diner. How is The Original?

[Haley James]

Try moving to a real small town....Portland is vibrant with a plethora of options and the added plus of being very easy to get around. It has a flavor all it's own.

[turquoise1]

I think it's pretty great! (I have also lived in a bunch of much smaller places than NYC.)

[Haley James]

Originally Posted by turquoise1

I think it's pretty great!

Me too

[Woof]

Originally Posted by turquoise1

I know Portland isn't cosmopolitan like New York, and I miss late nights and ubiquitous food delivery, but I have met a surprising amount of people from all over the world here. I do expect the city to grow, and the extension of public transportation is a good start. And I guess there is the Southeast Grind for a 24-hour coffee house. Now I just need me a good diner. How is The Original?

I dunno, but Portland is widely considered to be the non-chain pizza and microbrew capitol of the Northwest.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by Yankeemama

Most people on the forum that find Portland boring are probably under 30. I would find Portland boring if I were still in my 20's. Seattle has so much to offer young, single students and professionals. Portland is wonderful to rear a family and retire.

Yeah, but many of the neighborhoods are packed with people in their twenties. A lot of people come here out of college(too damn many if you ask me) and have a great time going to the many bars, seeing bands at the many music venues, and so on. Sometime it seems to just be more of an overgrown college town scene though in some ways.

I think Portland isn't exciting if you come here expecting a hip nightclub scene. Portland isn't that a great place to go club hopping dressed to the nines, trying to pick up girls at joints blaring house music or hiphop. This ain't LA or Miami or even San Francisco. We have places that try to be like that, but it just doesn't seem to fit Portland like it would other cities. Like a place like the Nines downtown with its swanky rooftop bar is kind of fun to check out, but it almost seems out of place in Portland. The character of Portland is more finding your neighborhood hangouts--there's great bars in this town and the beer selection is second to none. You can find old school dive bars with character or you can find bars specializing in rare Belgian ales aimed at beer connoisseurs. It's a great town to grab a pint.

There's enough in Portland to keep one interested--I mean there's more going on than I have time to attend a lot of weekends. It's just not a place where you have multiple big league sports outside of the Blazers and now the Timbers. Luckily Seattle's not far away if you want NFL or MLB action(now if only those teams could start winning again).

You don't have huge local music festivals on the level of Seattle's Bumbershoot or even an event like Milwaukee's Summerfest with a tons of big name national acts--but we have events like Music Fest NW and the Blues Fest that get a good mix of bands. There's a good range of cultural events here ranging from film festivals to local theater to art exhibits at the Portland Art Museum. Which for a smaller museum gets some excellent touring and temporary exhibits.

And Portland does things on a smaller level, but what it's good at, it does really well for a city it's size. Believe me there's some other US cities close in size, that after visiting, I feel grateful to live in Portland. It's just that Portland gets compared to a lot of cities that are larger centers of bigger metros like Seattle or San Francisco or even places back East that aren't much like Portland to begin with.

[Haley James]

Originally Posted by Deezus

Like a place like the Nines downtown with its swanky rooftop bar is kind of fun to check out.

I'm glad Portland has these options as well...it adds to the variety.

Originally Posted by Deezus

You don't have huge local music festivals on the level of Seattle's Bumbershoot or even an event like Milwaukee's Summerfest with a tons of big name national acts--but we have events like Music Fest NW and the Blues Fest that get a good mix of bands. There's a good range of cultural events here ranging from film festivals to local theater to art exhibits at the Portland Art Museum. Which for a smaller museum gets some excellent touring and temporary exhibits.

Portland also has a vibrant music, dance, and theatre scene as well as a burgeoning presence in film and television.

Originally Posted by Deezus

Portland gets compared to a lot of cities that are larger centers of bigger metros like Seattle or San Francisco or even places back East that aren't much like Portland to begin with.

Portland gets compared to these metros because it has some truly exceptional qualities.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by turquoise1

(I have also lived in a bunch of much smaller places than NYC.)

Out of curiosity, how many places are BIGGER then New York?