Portland, Oregon, known as the City of Roses, is a clean, friendly, progressive and diverse metropolitan city. It has held on to its individuality even as it has grown into a regional hub for culture, commerce and cuisine. Portland has a thriving cultural arts scene and an eclectic mix of people. The city's careful urban planning, temperate climate and equidistance to the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains has earned the city a high ranking on the lists of ""best places to live"".
It is a great base for exploring the best of what the Northwest has to offer. Within an hour's drive you can see majestic waterfalls as well as windsurfing in the Columbia Gorge, sampling world-class wine in the lush wine country of the Willamette Valley, or snow-skiing on beautiful snow-capped Mt. Hood. Although Portland is known for rainfall much of the year, this ""emerald green city"" has long, beautifully sunny days from June through September when locals and visitors alike make the most of outdoor activities. Within the city limits alone there are over 100 public parks and up to 70 miles of hiking/walking trails. Portland ranks as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the United States. Bicycle lanes are on most major streets, and many designated bike trails crisscross the metropolitan area.
The wealth of fresh produce harvested in the Willamette Valley and the proximity of fresh seafood has drawn many world-class chefs to the Portland area. While seafood is often featured on many menus, Portland boasts more than 40 different types of cuisine. The city is also known as the nation's microbrew capital as well as for producing some of the world's most exquisite wines.
Portland is home to an array of diverse and unique neighborhoods. The metropolitan area actually has 94 formally recognized neighborhoods but for this site they will be designated as Downtown, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast.
Downtown Portland
The undisputed heart of downtown Portland is Pioneer Courthouse Square. It is often host to musical and cultural events. Nearby, statues of Teddy Roosevelt and Abe Lincoln watch over the South Park Blocks, a twelve-block, tree-lined greenbelt. Parents loll on the grass and watch their children run through the Salmon Street Fountain during the sunny days of summer. Within walking distance are theaters, museums, and shopping at the many department stores and local shops.
Nob Hill
Nob Hill is one of Portland's most dynamic communities. More than 250 thriving brew pubs, restaurants, art galleries and boutiques are featured in many of the restored Victorian and Georgian mansions that grace the tree-lined streets.
Northeast Portland
Many of the older homes have been restored to their former glory in the primarily residential sections of Northeast Portland. This area is also home to The Portland International Airport which is located along the Columbia River.
Northwest Portland
Portland's best-know art district is the Pearl District. Once an old industrial zone, this chic and much loved area vibrates with creative energy in the midst of upscale loft-style apartments, lovely cafes, art galleries and cobblestone streets.
Southeast Portland
A combination of high-density housing and retail activity create one the city's more interesting shopping areas along Hawthorne Boulevard and Belmont Street. The pedestrian-friendly streets are lined with gift and vintage clothing shops as well as an eclectic mix of cafes and coffee shops.
Southwest Portland
The John's Landing area is currently converting from heavy industry to residential with excellent restaurants and upscale condos and shops along the waterfront. Nearby is the Lair's Hill neighborhood, the first protected historical district in Portland.
Portland International Airport provide services to over 120 cities worldwide, including destinations throughout the Pacific Rim. Located at 7000 NE Airport Way.
Serving the Greater Portland, metropolitan region. Portland has one of the best public transportation systems in the country. The city is served by an award-winning system of buses and light-rail trains. It is easy and inexpensive to use. The MAX Blue Line light rail train travels 33 miles serving the western suburbs of Hillsboro and Beaverton, downtown Portland to east Portland and the suburb of Gresham. The MAX Red Line runs between downtown Portland and the airport. Tickets are available from machines at each station and may also be used for the TriMet buses.
Photographer Charles Phillips on Sunday explains to Cora Smith the process of creating the landscape paintings he's selling at the 14th annual Art in the Pearl.
Executive Director Dennis Keenan beamed as he led visitors recently through Catholic Charities ' new $13 million headquarters at 2740 S.E. Powell Blvd.
Portland, OR, September 05, 2010 -- -- TimeStream Software, the leading developer of Notescast titles for the iPod, as well as Walt Disney World and Disneyland apps for the iPhone, announces today the release of its 'Walt Disney World Secrets' Notescast as a free download for the iPod Classic, iPod Video and iPod nano.
NEXT WEEK: SAN JUAN ISLAND, WASH. Gas, round trip, 396 miles @ $3/gallon $47.52 Lunch, Dockside Steak & Pasta $13.50 Dinner, Plantation House Pizza $27 Lodging , Scappoose Creek Inn $151.80 Fishing guide and boat $175 Lunch, Hawaiian Island Cafe $12.95 Dinner, Klondike Restaurant $36 Lunch, Houlton Bakery $9 TOTAL $472.77 If you go INFORMATION St.
Chris Chenoweth, owner of Acupro Oregon in McMinnville, asked me a question I get a lot: "Gail, do I get to look at the pictures you choose to use before you use them? Do I get to proof the story before it prints?" We talked about the newspaper's policy to not preview stories for sources, but certainly to address concerns about facts and accuracy.
For a few minutes this week, the only passengers on TriMet's soon-to-be-defunct 27 line bus were me and a man in a motorized wheelchair whose battered baseball cap read, "Stuff Happens," with a similar but different word substituting for "stuff." I expect voters to send TriMet the electoral equivalent of that message this fall when the agency asks ...
Lee Medoff is leaving House Spirits, the Oregon craft distillery he co-founded in 2002, to start a new enterprise, Bull Run Distillery, which will specialize in white and dark rum as well as whiskey.
Kaine Horman says he has been "operating as if he will be at school," in explaining why he has bought his missing son Kyron a backpack, bus tickets and signed him up for soccer.
While crowds and media massed in Old Town for the official unveiling of the resurrected Hung Far Low sign, the actual Hung Far Low restaurant was almost empty.
Roosevelt High Principal Charlene Williams, greeting students, parents and faculty members at registration this week, is upbeat that her school's new system for tracking and improving reading skills, unique among Portland high schools, will pay off this year.
Some Monday afternoon commuters may have sworn they saw a shrub pedaling across the Hawthorne Bridge: in fact it was publican Jesse McCann on his way back to Apex on Southeast Division Street with a hop vine he brought back from Sodbusters Farm near Wiillamette Mission Park.
