NYC to Portland (Gresham, Lake Oswego: transplants, rentals, violent crime)

[sueisme]

Originally Posted by UrbanAdventurer

If you've transitioned into family-raising mode, I'm sure you'll find Portland a far more congenial place to live than almost anywhere in Brooklyn. (Unless you've got big bucks to join the Park Slope yuppie club). There a time and place for everything.

Oy. I can't believe how much Park Slope has changed. I was there a few weeks ago and, gosh, it's very different from the old food co-op days. I went with a friend to a playground on, I think, 20th St., where we used to occasionally find things we didn't want our kids to play with, like crack vials. Now, it's filled with people pushing expensive strollers.

[Nell Plotts]

Home values continue to drop, if you find a rental convenient to your place of employment take some time to get to know the area before making an offer on a house.

[bye-bi]

Don't expect to have anyone return a "Hello" when walking down the street. Raised in Suffern, 35 miles outside the City, to say hello to someone you didn't know was a common and returned gesture. Here, folks look at ya' as if you were crazy and hurry down the street. My son, now 31, who lives in the city of Portland, tells me not only no to speak to them, but "don't look them in the eye, they'll ask you for something". I've found this place to be unfriendly and two faced.

[Nell Plotts]

Two faced??

Oregonians are reticent when interacting with people they don't know. Communities have cultures, ours is more Scandinavian than Mediterranean. The best way to meet people is to participate in community activities.

[sayulita]

Originally Posted by bye-bi

Don't expect to have anyone return a "Hello" when walking down the street. Raised in Suffern, 35 miles outside the City, to say hello to someone you didn't know was a common and returned gesture. Here, folks look at ya' as if you were crazy and hurry down the street. My son, now 31, who lives in the city of Portland, tells me not only no to speak to them, but "don't look them in the eye, they'll ask you for something". I've found this place to be unfriendly and two faced.

In my 61 years I have lived or visited all over the country and the world and I have never, repeat NEVER, been anywhere where folks just randomly say "hello" on the street. In general, it is used to acknowledge a commonality, such as a fellow biker, dog walker, child the same age as yours, fellow tourist, etc. and is usually accompanied by a little small talk. In some countries, especially tourist areas, a random hello is almost always followed up with an attempt to sell you something. Almost anywhere in the world, other than very small towns where everyone knows everyone, someone walking down a street or in some public place saying hello to everyone at random would be regarded with more than a little suspicion. Only small children (charming) or addled adults (a little creepy) do that.
"Hello" is a greeting and almost always a prelude to some sort of normal social or business transaction. It is NOT common behavior to say it randomly and keep walking.

[puerco]

I lived in Fort Greene in Brooklyn years ago. I loved Brooklyn. The only neighborhood in Portland that comes remotely close to Brooklyn is NW (Alphabet) neigborhood. And, I guess, parts of the Pearl.

[ACS_BKLYN]

thanks again for the replies. We're definitely not looking to replicate Brooklyn in Portland. I've lived in Brooklyn Heights, north Park Slope and now Carroll Gardens and know we won't replicate it anywhere. Frankly, we're not looking for a replica, we want to be able to afford a house, afford to send our kids to good schools, and take the financial stress down a few notches. Here in NY, even with two professional incomes it's still always a battle.

In Portland, we're just looking for good neighborhoods (with some character) and with good access (i.e. non-car) to daily amenities and downtown.

[TDNY]

Originally Posted by sayulita

In my 61 years I have lived or visited all over the country and the world and I have never, repeat NEVER, been anywhere where folks just randomly say "hello" on the street. In general, it is used to acknowledge a commonality, such as a fellow biker, dog walker, child the same age as yours, fellow tourist, etc. and is usually accompanied by a little small talk. In some countries, especially tourist areas, a random hello is almost always followed up with an attempt to sell you something. Almost anywhere in the world, other than very small towns where everyone knows everyone, someone walking down a street or in some public place saying hello to everyone at random would be regarded with more than a little suspicion. Only small children (charming) or addled adults (a little creepy) do that.
"Hello" is a greeting and almost always a prelude to some sort of normal social or business transaction. It is NOT common behavior to say it randomly and keep walking.

I totally disagree with you. I've been many places where people often say hello, or at least nod or smile, as they pass each other. Yes, it's true that the smaller the town, the more likely it will happen.

In my experience, people in the southeastern US are the most likely to say hello or otherwise greet you. In fact, one time when my wife and I were in South Carolina people were so friendly that we had some fun with it by booming out a hearty "HI" in a strong southern accent every time we passed anyone on our bikes. Almost everyone returned gave us a big "HI" right back.

[sayulita]

Originally Posted by TDNY

I totally disagree with you. I've been many places where people often say hello, or at least nod or smile, as they pass each other. Yes, it's true that the smaller the town, the more likely it will happen.

In my experience, people in the southeastern US are the most likely to say hello or otherwise greet you. In fact, one time when my wife and I were in South Carolina people were so friendly that we had some fun with it by booming out a hearty "HI" in a strong southern accent every time we passed anyone on our bikes. Almost everyone returned gave us a big "HI" right back.

Seems to me you experienced this when there was a common interest, i.e. bike riding, as I said in my post. If in that same town in southeastern US, you walked down "Main Street" and folks routinely greeted everyone they passed, then I stand corrected. I have never seen this. Not in the US (large cities and small towns), Africa, Chile, Thailand, France, Italy, Hong Kong or any of the many other place I've been.
I don't want to make a huge issue of this, it's just that I'm always puzzled when folks on various forums complain about no one saying "hello" to them in some new city. I am pretty well traveled and I repeat, have NEVER experienced or witnessed this.

[ACS_BKLYN]

The worst part of this line of commenting on this thread (the thread I started to get advice on good neighborhoods, schools, day care, etc if we move out to Portland) is that it was started by some random hater that just dumped some random "I hate Portland" post on the thread that wasn't helpful, whatsoever. wish we could just ignore it.

Obviously, some places are nicer than others. In no city/town do most people say hi to each other on the sidewalk. It just doesn't happen except in a norman rockwell print. I've lived in small towns in NH, CA, TX, VA, MD, DC, and NY and worked as a consultant in cities and towns in a dozen or more other states and I can tell you that people aren't THAT friendly or unfriendly anywhere.


so, anyone have other recommendations for other cool neighborhoods in Portland we might consider? I'm hoping to make a trip out in a few weeks and hope to check things out. I've already seen the NW 'hoods. Any suggestions in NE or SE? Hawthorne? Alberta Arts? others? Thanks much to everyone for insightful advice on making the relocation west.

cheers.