NEW YEAR!
In honor of the New Year, I would like to submit a list of many of the wonderful things about living in the Rose City.
I should mention that the inspiration for this entry stems from two sources. First, having spent 1 week in the grey and wintry world of Cleveland, I realize that I could NEVER do that year after year again (without losing my sanity... CF "Silent Snow, Secret Snow" by Conrad Aiken). Second, a friend whose Aunt recently relocated to Stumptown (the city, not the coffee shop, although the second would be an interesting choice, too) sent a list to family and friends describing some of the things that make our city unique. And as I read the list, I realized that many of those things are what I love about this city!
Hers first:
On the sophisticated, wonderfully reliable bus system, there are NO bus cards on the bus interiors. Rather local art work and poetry etc. replace the advertising -- many drawn or written by local citizens.
The parking garage at Hospitals and adjoining Physicians Plazas are not only FREE but they have a bridge from garage to doctors offices or hospital.
Many stores keep a fresh bowl of water our so patrons' pets may have a drink.
On most roads here, there are designated bicycle lanes. If it starts raining after departing on your bike, the rider may catch a bus and put his bike on bike racks on the bus.
And mine:
The ground is green, year- round. And there is always something in bloom. (In fact, right now I have a pretty- if confused- Iris blooming in my front yard!)
People are gleeful any time it is sunny! And on any sunny day, people wear shorts, even if it is very cold.
People sit outside at coffee shops regardless of weather. That's why lattes come with lids.
Most people I meet live here simply because they WANT to, not because they grew up here and ended up back here by default.
Micro-roasted coffee. (CF Stumptown reference, above.)
Microbrewed beer.
I KNOW how close the ocean is, even if I don't get to see it very often!
As written in "Fugitives and Refugees : A Walk in Portland, Oregon" by Chuck Palahniuk, everyone here really does have 3 lives!
My husband can bike to work, I can walk to the Post Office, Library, and in season, a farmer's market. I mean, I can walk there now, but there wouldn't be anyone there.
It smells good here.
I can get to the airport, any time of the day, in less than 20 minutes.
As I dwell on this longer, I will certainly amend this list, and I encourage my readership to respond!
2 Comments:
I think Portland is the only city of any size I've ever lived in, in which I regularly hear people thank the bus driver as they get off the bus. That sort of puts in a nutshell what I like most about Portland.
By
Dale, at January 10, 2005 at 4:26 PM
The Rose City is a wonderful place to live and I believe the wonderful summer weather is perhaps one of the best kept meteorological secrets in America. There is a bumper sticker sold in the Portland area that reads "Keep Portland Weird." I think that sums it up for me. This is a wonderful city that has a large base of people that appreciate the character of the city and will to fight to keep it.
Down with the man!!!! Bomb the strip malls!!!
By
Tony C, at January 12, 2005 at 6:08 AM
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