What Area do You Think Embodies the "Soul" of Portland and Why? (houses, neighborhoods)

[subsound]

I thought it would be an interesting question to ask what areas people think are the "soul" of Portland, and what criteria nails down what makes it so. I know everyone thinks of it differently, and thinks that make it so have different levels of importance.

[PNW-type-gal]

Downtown Portland, for me, would be the South Park Blocks in spring - the beautiful trees, the gorgeous Farmer's Market, the trolley running through it, the Portland Art Museum, the Oregon Historical Society, the Multnomah County Library a couple blocks away, and a McMenamins by the school, about 30 coffee houses and lunch at South Park. A free hop on the trolley to Powell's Books.

It just needs a big fountain, or the bronze animals down by Pioneer Square.

[Michael Tryn]

Portland sure beats Chicago hands downby your description. My wife dislikes most the terrible city view with the Sears Tower. It does look like something for terrorists in a Bruce Willis film. Only the shorline view,from the Aquarium north along Lake Shore drive is nice. Too many people and cars 2 blocks away .from the lake .

[sandlinjames]

my opinion it's irvington or hollywood area... if you can afford a home > 700k. there are beautiful homes, beautiful plants, close to max, not californified like pearl district. why does it beat other areas to me???? proximity to downtown & the max. We can walk to 4 different grocery stores. I can get to mass transit to goto work. I love it & although I have moved to Austin for kids / family, we dream of the day we can move back to Irvington neighborhood.

[davefr]

Originally Posted by sandlinjames

my opinion it's irvington or hollywood area... if you can afford a home > 700k. there are beautiful homes, beautiful plants, close to max, not californified like pearl district. why does it beat other areas to me???? proximity to downtown & the max. We can walk to 4 different grocery stores. I can get to mass transit to goto work. I love it & although I have moved to Austin for kids / family, we dream of the day we can move back to Irvington neighborhood.

I tend to agree but would also include the Laurelhurst area as classic Portland.

[lilypad]

The Hawthorne District for me. Very creative feel, eclectic people, alive and energizing atmosphere, beautiful old neighborhoods with tree-lined streets and colorful blooms everywhere. Has not seemingly changed much since I was first there in the late 70s.

[Minervah]

The soul to me is how beautiful a town it is. Spring time always amazes me how I can walk down a city street including my own neighborhood (Hawthorne) and see the gorgeous flowers and trees and gardens.

[FlowMotion]

Inner NE Portland for sure! With its little kobbler communities and micro manufacturers combined with the area's rich artistic and ethnic/cultural history, it is by far the heart and "soul" of Portland in my opinion

[Beenhere4ever]

The area west of Portland State has always had a draw for me, going back to the 50's when beatniks lived in some of the old houses. I think that whole area is kind of the roots of Portland.

[Deezus]

When I walk up to Mt. Tabor from my house, it perfectly encapsulates what I love about Portland... Beautiful natural scenery and you can look at over the rows of tree-lined neighborhoods stretching through SE Portland towards the river and downtown--and on the other side you can the expanse of the East side stretching all the way to the Cascade foothills. I like that it was preserved as a park on top going back to the 19th Century--actually it used to be largest park in Portland. Always nice to go up there and watch the sun set.