Portland? As a moving destination, not for travel

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Duppin_sl

shitlord
3,785
3
Long story short, I went to Portland last month and I really really enjoyed it. I live in Seattle now, and Portland has a lot of what I like about Seattle but it's also just much more laid back and has nicer people. Better beer, too.

Anybody live there now? I'm wondering what the cost of living and the job market are like, mostly. Also, wondering what the music scene is like if anybody knows.

Moving would be trivial for me, and I've been in Seattle a long time. It might be time to make a change.
 

Adam12

Molten Core Raider
2,067
35
Anybody live there now?
I could name a couple of people!

Really though I didn't love my time there when I visited. It wasn't all bad, but I haven't seen so many turtlenecks since 1989 (seriously). So many hipsters, so many bums, so many bum hipsters. It's like Austin + rain - an employed populace.
 

Eorkern

Bronze Squire
1,090
5
Well we had someone living in Portland but I don't think he's quite popular around here anymore...
 

Hachima

Molten Core Raider
884
638
I live in Portland. I don't think I can answer any of your questions very well though because I just moved here 4 days ago
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Living somewhere vs visiting can be totally different experiences though. What is the job commute like, where do you go shopping etc. And a lot of that depends on where you choose to live too. A wide range of communities within a 30 min drive of Portland. Less of a tech industry than Seattle, but I'm not sure what type of job market you are looking at.
A little sunnier here than Seattle. It still only rains once a year (Starts in September and end in July
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Lower cost of living and less traffic than Seattle. You have oceans/mountains nearby, but a bit more of a drive compared to Seattle.

Suppose to be one of the best food card scenes aroundhttp://www.foodcartsportland.com/maps/

For me personally, I live on the far west suburb of Portland and work outside of Portland and will probably rarely actually travel into the city, even though its only 6 miles to the city center and a 10-30 min drive depending on the time of day. My next door neighbor that does drive into the city each day lives in a different world than me really hehe.

Stole this from another forum for music scene fromhttp://www.city-data.com/forum/portland/which may have more info for specifics you are looking for.

Portland has the Portland Symphonic Orchestra and the Portland Symphonic Choir. There are many singing groups here, but I can't name them for you. There are a number of operas done every year, with Tosca coming up next.
There is the Jazz Festival and the Blues on the Waterfront Festival every year. The blues event is huge. You can go sit on the banks of the Willamette River with a hundred thousand of your closest friends and hear great music in several venues. There is also the summer Concerts in the Park series, which is free. People bring their kids, dogs, food, blankets, chairs, and beer/wine and chill out on summer evenings listening to local groups. Then there are the Portland Zoo concerts, which sounds maybe odd, but it's a great amphitheater (bring your own chairs) and they get great acts like Trombone Shorty and Pink Martini there. Some concerts there are free, most are ticketed.

There are several jazz clubs in town, and a performing arts center, several film festivals including an African Film Festival, which is going on right now, and a lot of staged works, both professional and amateur. Oh, and we have one of the few dedicated NPR jazz radio stations in the country.
 

opiate82

Bronze Squire
3,078
5
I do know one thing from my trip to Portland. The strip clubs there are amazing.
QFT. I have never had a better time at a strip club then when I was at Devil's Point. Stay away from the after-hours clubs though, no booze and beer bellies. Ugh.
 

Duppin_sl

shitlord
3,785
3
Yeah, I went to the Devil's Point. Super hot girls, and friendly too. I bought one a drink and sat and chatted with her at the bar for a while, then I got the best lapdance I've ever gotten.
 

Crone

Bronze Baronet of the Realm
9,690
3,201
Well, going to be relocating to Portland OR/Vancouver area, instead of San Antonio. lol. Decided not to stay with my current company.

Duppin, did you end up going? Any feedback on the city? I'll be living on the Washington side of the river, but will be looking for jobs in the whole area. Anyone ever work for Nike? haha

Thanks.
 

Hachima

Molten Core Raider
884
638
I live a couple miles away from their main HQ and have been invited to shop at their Employee/Sponsored athlete only store if that counts? A pretty broad range of potential jobs with Nike or Nike IHM and anyone with stock options/grants is probably happy these last few years
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Fifey

Trakanon Raider
2,898
962
Well, going to be relocating to Portland OR/Vancouver area, instead of San Antonio. lol. Decided not to stay with my current company.

Duppin, did you end up going? Any feedback on the city? I'll be living on the Washington side of the river, but will be looking for jobs in the whole area. Anyone ever work for Nike? haha

Thanks.
Vancouver to Beavertron is the worst commute ever, expect a good hour commute each way minimum.

I've lived here for around 5~ years and have a good feel of the city, so if you have any questions, just ask.
 

Cybsled

Avatar of War Slayer
16,293
11,935
If you do move to Portland, be careful of Wessen. They make up like 80% of the population.
 

cabbitcabbit

NeoGaf Donator
2,595
7,740
I'll be visiting here from mid August to Early September for a bud's birthday and also to check out possible restaurants to transfer to. I'm sure my friend has places to go but any other suggestions?

I know They have some kick ass bike trails and I definitely want to drive out to the ocean. Any sweet parks?
 

Fifey

Trakanon Raider
2,898
962
Laurelhurst is a great park to hang out and what not, col sumners if you want to get Portland weird, MT tabor is a fun park that you can mtb or road Bike to the top(different trails/roads). Springwater corridor is a nice twenty mile mup but it kind of goes out to Gresham and just ends there. Sauvies island is also a nice beach you can go too in the summer, there is a normal, gay and nude section so watch where you go. You can also do the skidmore bluffs but that's not really a park.

The gorge is pretty and only an hour drive out of town to the east, beach is about two hours if you head to the closest one.

As for restaurants, depends on your preference, if you want swanky hit up the pearl or Mississippi. If you want hippie stuff, Alberta or hawthorne have that and hipsters. 82nd if you want some authentic pho or meth. Belmont is pretty swank too but I never go there so I know nothing.
 

Crone

Bronze Baronet of the Realm
9,690
3,201
Vancouver to Beavertron is the worst commute ever, expect a good hour commute each way minimum.

I've lived here for around 5~ years and have a good feel of the city, so if you have any questions, just ask.
They list positions in Beaverton and Portland, but I'm sure either way the commute would be terrible. I heard due to taxes it's best to live in WA, and shop in OR? Skip state income tax, and then skip sales tax I guess.

Looking at a job over in Camas WA as well, and that I would imagine would be a much easier commute from the Vancouver side, since, obviously, not crossing the river.

Family lives in a house that backs right up to Burnt Bridge Creek Park, and while visiting, I thought that was just amazing. Far West side of Vancouver, near Vancouver Lake. Tons of walking trails, and just neat. Something I don't have living here in Phoenix AZ. Too bad nothing for rent pops up in that same area very often, but I'll keep my eyes open.

Some basic questions... we have kids, any areas better for that than others? Will be looking for a house to rent that has back yard, easy access to parks, etc, but tips certainly welcomed and appreciated.

Also, any tips on utility companies? Any recommended? Any red flags to stay away from?

Thanks!
 

Fifey

Trakanon Raider
2,898
962
They list positions in Beaverton and Portland, but I'm sure either way the commute would be terrible. I heard due to taxes it's best to live in WA, and shop in OR? Skip state income tax, and then skip sales tax I guess.

Looking at a job over in Camas WA as well, and that I would imagine would be a much easier commute from the Vancouver side, since, obviously, not crossing the river.

Family lives in a house that backs right up to Burnt Bridge Creek Park, and while visiting, I thought that was just amazing. Far West side of Vancouver, near Vancouver Lake. Tons of walking trails, and just neat. Something I don't have living here in Phoenix AZ. Too bad nothing for rent pops up in that same area very often, but I'll keep my eyes open.

Some basic questions... we have kids, any areas better for that than others? Will be looking for a house to rent that has back yard, easy access to parks, etc, but tips certainly welcomed and appreciated.

Also, any tips on utility companies? Any recommended? Any red flags to stay away from?

Thanks!
If you work in Portland, you pay Oregon income tax, regardless of where you live. So if you can land a job in WA, you are good and can save some money buy buying all your shit in OR.

Affordable housing with backyards and whatnot is super hard to come by in Portland now. A 3 bedroom with a small yard is around 2grand for rent. I'm not sure what rents like in Vancouver or Hillsboro, you could possibly price out Sellwood, it's just south of Portland and is a nice quiet suburb. Everywhere is pretty close to a park though, so there's that.

For utilities, I don't think you really have choices but I've never actually looked, just did what the landlords said and we have Comcast for internet out here so that sucks.
 

Crone

Bronze Baronet of the Realm
9,690
3,201
If you work in Portland, you pay Oregon income tax, regardless of where you live. So if you can land a job in WA, you are good and can save some money buy buying all your shit in OR.

Affordable housing with backyards and whatnot is super hard to come by in Portland now. A 3 bedroom with a small yard is around 2grand for rent. I'm not sure what rents like in Vancouver or Hillsboro, you could possibly price out Sellwood, it's just south of Portland and is a nice quiet suburb. Everywhere is pretty close to a park though, so there's that.

For utilities, I don't think you really have choices but I've never actually looked, just did what the landlords said and we have Comcast for internet out here so that sucks.
Rents seem to be pretty similar in Vancouver as well. 3 bedrooms for some reason are pretty hard to come by for a reasonable price. Makes sense I suppose, just wasn't expecting that. Luckily I have 6+ months before moving so have some time to figure it out.

So I've lived in Phoenix AZ my entire life, where we get 320+ days a year of sunshine, can throw a baseball in any direction, and are guaranteed to hit a swimming pool, and in the winter time, it brings more people outside, instead of keeping them in. Does the rain and gloomy clouds have an effect on things to do?

I assume Portland is just like any other big city? Places to shop, get lunch, watch a movie, etc? Have family that lives in Vancouver, so it won't be a total culture shock, but my in laws are pretty homebound, and so they won't know much about the city!
 

Uriel

Blackwing Lair Raider
1,619
2,027
Most people here are so used to the gloom and rain that they still do a lot of stuff outdoors, like biking and hiking. I haven't fully read the thread, but have you checked rent prices in Beaverton and Hillsboro? Nice places to live, with a bit more of a commute.

Portland has great food, you can find pretty much anything. Lots of shopping, either malls or more unique boutique stuff in places like NW 23rd. For movies, I like Bridgeport or Cinetopia Vancouver Mall with their big GXL screen + Dolby Atmos. Adults can sit up in the balcony and drink and eat there.