Taxi!
I am slowly but surely falling in deep smit with Portland. I miss Seattle terribly and pine for my friends and favorite places there on a daily basis. But Portland is a really cool city. It’s really small–I know that sometime during the next year, I’ll have met everyone who lives here, and that bugs me a bit. But other than that, it’s awesome.
Because our affair is so new, Portland suffers by comparison with my last love, Seattle. Or maybe it just suffers because of the constant comparisons. The two cities are really so similar, it’s kind of ridiculous to try to pit one against the other. Every time I return to Seattle for work or play though, I’m reminded of how much prettier it is than Portland. It just is. Sorry. The Olympics. All the water. The 2nd and Seneca building.
And the fact that Portland still lets people smoke in bars makes it feel like a bit of a backwater. Seattle now feels so much more sophisticated. I never thought I’d see the day when not allowing smoking in public places would make a city seem more urbane, but here it is. Portland bars now just feel grimy and gross.
And every once in a while, Seattle comes up with something like this. Brilliant.
Portland and I will continue to deepen our relationship. Our bonds are only beginning to form and I look forward to many happy years together. But sometimes, Seattle just kicks Portland’s ass.
December 15th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
The one thing I’ve noticed that PDX has over Seattle: they know how to support bands’ careers. Most bands that get any kind of popularity in Seattle often leave after a record or two because the scene is more about finding the hot new thing than it is about supporting musicians throughout their career. At least that’s my impression with all the Seattle musicians moving to Portland (or South Carolina in Band of Horses’s case).
December 19th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
Oh those Seattle cabs! rings back happy, fuzzy memories!
December 20th, 2006 at 12:40 am
So funny to read your perspective as my first city love was for Portland. I am envious that you get to spend your days in the city that I often crave. Northwest 17th and Glisan was my home at the time (albeit many years ago) and my time spent there holds grand memories. Seattle has never quite held that place for me. Stranger yet is the realization that even if I moved back it would never be the same. We miss you too!