What is it like to live and work in the Portland Oregon area?|103658

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!

Does anyone know of anywhere to take engagement pictures in phoenix?|190659

Me and my fiance are planning on taking our engagement pictures next weekend but i have no idea where to go. Does anyone know of anywhere we can go? I want somewhere that has nice scenery.

Sedona is about the most beautiful place in the state. It_s a 2 hour drive but you only get one chance at great engagement pics. It_s worth it.

I have the perfect place for you!!
The Farm at South Mountain

Its beautiful
they have orange trees and pecan trees
they senery is geoorgous
its all outside

there is a little resturaunt but you dont have to eat there!

i went here to take my graduation pictures
they turned out amazing!!

a lot of people get married here!!

hope this place works!

What are some fun things to do in Orlando besides Disney World?|175761

We want to go the beach one day too, so what beach is the best is what, besides swimming and surfing, can we do at the beach, and are there any swim-with-the-dolphin places nearby because I love dolphins!

pine hills is pretty fun. we usually go over there and hangout at the local jmart! you should really check into it!

Cocoa Beach is the closest beach to Orlando at a 45 minute car trip. But our favorite beach is Siesta Key. It is located in the city of Sarasota, approximately an hour and 45 minute drive south from the Disney World Resort. It is on the gulf side, so the sand is baby powder soft and the beaches are calm and a beautiful turquoise blue. We also love that they have a great little cafe right there on the beach and a fun small gift shop to buy souvenirs, swimsuits, towels, and ice cream.
Sea World offers a swim with dolphins experience called Discovery Cove. But it can be quite expensive. I_ve listed the link so you can look into it (below).
My husband and I love to drive out to Kennedy Space Center, or take an airboat ride at Boggy Creek. Sea World is also a fantastic park! We are season pass holders there and go as often as we can. Their shows are spectacular! There is so much to do in Orlando. Have a great time!

I think Cocoa Beach is closest, but we didn_t like it as much as Clearwater Beach. It_s just West of Tampa.
They have dolphin cruises. They also have a pirate cruise, if you have kids, they might like that.
Discovery Cove right next to SeaWorld in Orlando has swim with the dolphins.


www.floridasbeach.com


http://www.swimdolphins.com/

Sea World has a great dolphin swimming program.
The beach is far away, east side or west side.
Stick to Orlando. They also have Universal and great dinner shows.

Go to a spring. I seen your question and I just got back form Alexander Springs. It is awesome!

Moving to Chicago from San Diego. Where r the best areas to live that are happening and exciting?|148735

I just got a degree in business with an emphasis in management. i would like to live in the city where everything is happening. I would like to be in an area where there is bars, restaurants, clubs, venues etc. At the same time I want to be close to the financial districts to land a job.

There are bars, clubs and restaurants everywhere. Chicago is a very _neighborhood-y_ city...there are lot of large neighborhoods with smaller more defined ones inside of that.

If you want an active night life scene near the financial district, try RIver North, West Loop or Gold Coast. The first two are walking distance to the Loop; the Gold Coast is maybe a 15 minute train ride down.

These neighborhoods are not cheap. If you are looking to rent...expect to pay about $1000 for a studio, $1500 1bd and so on. If you are looking to buy, depending on finishes, you would be pressed to find something you really want for less than $300k (small 1bd). Of course, there are bargains to be found, just depends on what you are willing to sacrifice.

I used to rent a 700 sq. ft. 1bd East of Michigan Ave. in Streeterville (sub-neighborhood of Gold Coast) for $1195, there we_re no amenities, window a/c_s, crap kitchen and not the best apartment...but the location was nice for the time I was working up there.

Hope this helps! I_ll check back soon!

PB (Pacific Beach) is where alot of young people/college age people live and party. It_s gorgeous but of course expensive. A one bedroom will be around $1,000/mo if you can even find one or find a job. But good luck anyways.

Edit- my bad I read wrong, thought you were moving TO san diego! sorry!

Loop, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, River North, Streeterville, and Near North are neighborhoods are to look into.

That covers a lot of ground but Mission Valley or anywhere near the beach leaps to mind.

LOL good luck with the finance sector

What are some fun things to do in ocean city maryland?|182759

Me and a girlfriend of mine are going down at the end of may, we_ve been going there for years together every summer but mostly just to party and be crazy, haha. This summer, I_m pregnant and shes engaged. So we_re looking for some more melow nice restraunts or things to do down there thats not boring! Anyone have any suggestions for some good restraunts?

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click on the Book Travel Tab at the top there is also the Villas and Condos Tab there are condos available at the end of May for low as $68 a night The 30 minutes of toll-free concierge service they give you will help with all the best restaurantss there.

Hope this helps,
David

What are the safer parts of town to live in Las Vegas?|187878

I want to buy a small house sense I_m never going to need a big one, but areas smaller homes tend to have higher crime. What areas of town should I avoid? Break ins and gang activity are the only things that really concern me.

Avoid Central and North Las Vegas. You want to stay away from the housing that is really close to I-95 _ I-15. My personal opinion of the better areas are Green Valley, Henderson, Seven Hills, Summerlin, Mountains Edge, and Silverado Ranch.

Break ins happen regardless of the neighborhood, but gang activity tends to occur around schools, older North Las Vegas and South East LV, and central areas of the town.

You could always visit www.lvmpd.com and search crimes by neighborhood if you want to research on your own.
Good Luck.

To add to wildangeldreamer great answer, I would also consider where you might work. If you are looking to work at one of the casinos, then the South side of town is better. Such as Henderson, The drive time from the North with all the construction that is probably going to last for years is horrible. If you are in general work such as Dept Stores, Grocery Stores, Mechanic_s, Medical, etc you probably can get a decent job that is off strip on the west side of town. Then Summerlin, North West may be a better option. Just my 2 cents.

Las Vegas is pretty safe, but there are some places that is not safe and have dark alleys. The safer roots are the houses south of Las Vegas, If you go north, takes you to downtown. If you go in the east and west direction, there are some safe neighborhoods you can trust.

Check out homes in The Lakes, Summerlin or Piccole Ranch, all that have smaller homes. They are the west end of Sahara.

Gang are everywhere but they action is not a major issue in these planned communities.

For you the best area would be the southwest. They have newer houses there in various sizes. The area is pretty safe and is just being developed so there is still desert area everywhere. That would be your best. South of 215 around S.Jones, S. Rainbow.

What are some mother daughter activities to do in Florida?|198787

In Florida, what are some fun, mother daughter activities to do together? Preferably art or cooking. Pottery, jewelry, painting maybe for art. Either give me the website name or the name of the place and what city it is located in. Somewhere in either, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, or somewhere in that area. Thanx everyone!

the amusement park. try some carnival games and win plush toys for each other. picnic_s are always the best. and florida is the most perfect place to have a picnic since its very sunny there and the palm trees. also ask your mother what she would like to do. the opinion of others always helps.

there is swimming.getting a perm.. surfing.. shopping