What is it like to live and work in the Portland Oregon area?|136044

I live in Austin Texas now, which is a place many people even wish to move to...however, as a native Texan, baby boomer, single, wanting to live somewhere else that is nice, I have been thinking maybe Portland. I wish for a place that is very liberal, diverse cultures, but with opportunity for stable employment as an electrical engineer in the architectural design industry. Any firsthand info would be appreciated.

I_m a native Texan and have lived in Portland for the past ~3 years. I lived ~5 years in Austin as well. From a culture standpoint, I think the cities are very similar. They are both liberal, although Portland is bit more extreme than Austin. You_ll see _Keep Portland Weird_ bumper stickers just like the _Keep Austin Weird_ ones (I_m not sure who ripped off who). They both have a lot of outdoor activities. It does rain a lot here, but it_s not the downpours you see in Austin, it_s more of a mist/sprinkle. Summers in Portland are unbeatable - perfect weather _ not much rain from July - Sept. I also like being able to drive an hour to the beach or an hour to the ski slopes. I do miss the food in TX though. There_s some great seafood, Thai, and sushi up here, but I haven_t found any Mexican (definitely no TexMex) that_s worth much. All in all, if you like Austin, you_ll like Portland.

Portland is a wonderful place to live. The city is liberal-minded, very open and hospitable. It is safe, and famous for microbrews.

The rain is a bit of a myth. While their are plenty of rainy days, especially fall-spring, it is mostly a high overcast with very little actual rain.

People here are getting excited about Greg Oden coming to play for the Trail Blazers and the city is very active during the summertime. The Rose Festival includes an airshow, a race, a parade, festival on the waterfront. Live concerts are held on the waterfront all summer long, including the Blues Festival.

Their are wonderful hang out spots within the city, mostly centering around the microbrews. McMenamin_s, McMenamin_s, McMenamin_s. They have it figured out. They own numerous pubs across the area including the Kennedy School, Mission Theater, the Edgefield. The Edgefield which is in Tualitin is a nine hole par 3 golf course, with a 19th century hotel renovated into an Irish style pub, a movie theater for a couple of bucks you can see some classics while you have a beer. Their is a great singles scene in the city as well.

Portland is a very active city. Hiking is popular with the convenience of the Columbia River Gorge thirty minutes away, and skiing on Mt. Hood during the winter is among the best in the country. Portland also has a lot of softball leagues as well as soccer and some world class golf courses.

Culturally, Portland is liberal, open-minded, and a very friendly environment. People here still say hello, hold doors, give directions and are generally pleasant. The city is very low on crime, which is remarkable considering how many different neighborhoods their are and the diverse group of people. The outdoorsman, the hippy, the athlete, the metrosexual, the cowboy, the professional all are at home in Portland. Within the city their is a large Asian community, as well as hispanic community that is growing all the time. In the end Portland is a lot more class oriented than race oriented.

Portland is one of the best places to live in the country!