Thursday, May 14, 2009

This is Why I Love Portland



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posted by nicole @ 1:51 PM 1 comments

Thursday, August 28, 2008

This is Why I Love Portland

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posted by nicole @ 10:25 AM 1 comments

Friday, June 06, 2008

The Perfect City (...In My Mind Anyway)

An acquaintance of mine is leaving Portland for good. She and her boyfriend are moving to either San Francisco or New York City after an extended stay abroad. She is not moving because she dislikes Portland, she is moving because she is ready for change and because she wants to see the world.

In a way, her move puzzles me. Personally, I LOVE it here. I can't imagine not living in such a fabulous city. A city that is not too big or too small, is political enough, has varied terrain, has and extensive trail system in and outside the city limits, is within an hour's drive of mountains, the ocean and numerous rivers, is green (in more than one way) and is organized, progressive and well-maintained. I suppose the only thing that is missing here is a bit cultural diversity (as well as some sunshine this week).... hence the reason why I try to take and international vacation every year.... but back to the subject at hand.... 

I mean, I can imagine living other places- Europe, Africa, Latin America, a tropical island in the middle of the nowhere. But I don't know that I would be happy or appreciative anywhere else in the USA. I have considered briefly New York City or maybe Boston, the Oregon coast or possibly Hood River, and I dearly miss my Bozeman, but all those places don't compare at all to Portland. They are either too big, too small, too republican or too landlocked. And they also lack cultural diversity. I want the (small) big city, the easyness, the 30-minute rush hour, great public transportation (in some areas it's free), the bike lanes and Powell's Books, the best food, coffee and beer in the world, an openly  gay mayor, Mac users galore.... there is no place like home. 

But I am not the only one. I have talked to people who know people who live or have lived in Portland and they go on and on about how much they love Portland too. Most of my Portland friends love it here- they have no plans for leaving. Every person who comes to visit me here loves it- especially the people who visit that used to live here.... It's kinda like smelling a cigarette after you've quit smoking, but without the deadly side effects. (Actually, the aroma of Ken's Artisan bread is healthy for you....)

Perhaps I have become too comfortable here. Perhaps I have become lazy. Perhaps leaving this place that has everything I could ever want and need is too much for my psyche to consider. Am I scared of change? I suppose it's possible. But that doesn't explain why I would drop everything in a heartbeat to move to a foreign country if I had the option.... Or perhaps I am lucky. I have a palatable job and I don't want to go back to school. I love my lifestyle, I love my condo, I love the possibilities I have here, I love my place in this place.   

Maybe this really is the perfect city. 

(For me, at least.)

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posted by nicole @ 9:28 AM 1 comments

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Nicole's Best Restaurants in Portland

Agree or disagree? Did I forget somewhere?

Bakery: Ken's Artisan Bakery
Brunch: Equinox, Stepping Stone, Industrial Cafe & Saloon
Dessert: Papa Haydn (Cassata), Pix
Donuts: VooDoo, duh!
French: Chez Machin, Le Happy (Salade Crepe)
Indian: Swagat (Sorry, Milan and Darsh's house isn't a restaurant)
Italian: Caffe Mingo
Latin: Pambiche
Malaysian: Kinta Restaurant
Mexican: classy- Cha, DF; not-so-classy- Muchas Gracias
Middle Eastern: Nicholas
Pizza: Pizza Oasis, Interstate Bowl
Pub Food: Laurelwood (nachos, chili, fries)
Seafood: Jake's
Southern: Screen Door
South American: Andina
Southwestern/TexMex: Esparza's
Sushi: Masu (Sq'eel roll!)
Thai: Monsoon, Thai Basil
Tibetan: Lungta
Vegetarian: Farm Cafe

Cheap: Muchas Gracias
Garlic Fries: Laurelwood
Mac & cheese: Le Bistro Montage (Spicy Mac or Tomato Pesto Mac. Surprisingly, their service has improved since they got credit card machines. Hmm.)
Cheese Sticks: Triple Nickel
Late Night: Muchas Gracias (24 hours), Holman's
Fast Food: Burgerville, Muchas Gracias
Splurge: clarklewis
Most Underrated: Holden's
Most Overrated: Pok Pok, Henry's Tavern, Amnesia Brewing
Best Service: Holden's

BEVS:
Coffee: Albina Press
Tea: Tao of Tea (at the Classical Chinese Garden)
Original Mixed Drinks: Cha, DF
Stiff Drinks: The Matador
Microbrew: Bridgeport Brewing (Blue Heron)
Martini: Brazen Bean (Pomegranite martini)

ON THE TOWN:
Happy hour: East, Brazen Bean
Smoky Dive Bar: Low Brow Lounge (I MAY just like this because of the prime location amongst the Pearlies...)
Smoky Dive Bar with Shuffleboard: Gil's Speakeasy

What this town NEEDS: 1. A scandinavian restaurant, centrally located please. Be sure to serve lefse! 2. GOOD pizza in Hollywood. (Sorry Laurelwood Pizza Co.... it's not so great.)

Places I have not been yet: Apizza Scholls, Lovely Hula Hands, Gravy, Le Pigeon and all those new ice cream/yogurt joints.

And yes, I live in northwest Portland....

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posted by nicole @ 9:53 AM 4 comments

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Not-so-Soggy-Portland

I am attempting to break the world of considering Portland to be so damn rainy. I always say, "It rains about as much here as it SNOWS in the midwest." The following are the results of a study conducted San Francisco-based WeatherBill, Inc. The study ranked 195 cities in the contiguous 48 states by the amount of rainfall they received annually over a 30-year period.

The 10 rainiest cities in the U.S. by amount of annual rainfall include:

Mobile, Ala.: 67 inches average annual rainfall; 59 average annual rainy days
Pensacola, Fla.: 65 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days
New Orleans, La.: 64 inches average annual rainfall; 59 average annual rainy days
West Palm Beach, Fla.: 63 inches average annual rainfall; 58 average annual rainy days
Lafayette, La.: 62 inches average annual rainfall; 55 average annual rainy days
Baton Rouge, La.: 62 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days
Miami, Fla.: 62 inches average annual rainfall; 57 average annual rainy days
Port Arthur, Texas: 61 inches average annual rainfall; 51 average annual rainy days
Tallahassee, Fla.: 61 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days
Lake Charles, La.: 58 inches average annual rainfall; 50 average annual rainy days

PS- The Pacific Northwest's first location ranks #24- Olympia, Washington. So there! Come and visit already! It was sunny and 77 degrees today....

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posted by nicole @ 5:16 PM 0 comments