Chillyb1 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I'm moving to Portland. I'm somewhat familiar with the hobby community there but would like to hear any helpful suggestions fellow members might have. I've met a couple of Portlanders from Scale Auto and Model Cars forums on previous visits and would like to know of model clubs and the like to explore the social aspects of the hobby. Also, I need a job. But that'll come eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Ok... so I have to ask. Why to Portland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffs396 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Ok... so I have to ask. Why to Portland? And why NOT to Washington state or Colorado? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Good luck with the move, and I am with Harry, why Portland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyBad Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Why Portland? Be best to move to Vancouver Washington.. I could think of better places but I have a decent job and too lazy to move. I can point you to half a dozen Hobby shops and the local Modeling Club S.A.B.A. http://sabanw.org/home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I was born and raised in Oregon. Lived there for 42 years and you couldn't pay me enough to live in or around Portland. Dont, repeat, DONT move anywhere in Oregon for a job. There are none. It has the worst economy in the nation, and still has not started to recover. Some of the counties still have 33% unemployment, and its an EXPENSIVE place to live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest G Holding Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Gotta be love.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Smith Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I don't even think Oregon is close the worst economy - I believe Mississippi has that dubious distinction. Portland is a nice place - no too far to sunshine and to the ocean - you just can't get them both in the same place! They also have a great health and research university - OHSU. There are far many worse places... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000-cvpi Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 . There are far many worse places... Michigan. Enough said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam I Am Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 (edited) Dont take me wrong, you will be hard pressed to find anywhere more breathtakingly beautiful than Oregon, between the Cascades and the Coast, and OHSU is one of the finest hospitals in the Nation, we had to take our son there for a couple of years to get some issues straightened out. BUT, Portland has one of the highest crime rates in the nation, its hard to navigate, and if you cant stand rain...and I mean LOTS of rain, you will have a problem. There is a high rate of depression in the Willamette valley due to all the grey weather in the winter. Some times you wont see the sun for a month. Its also one of the worst places to live if you suffer from allergies, it can literally kill you. The unemployment is much higher than what you find on reports. Talk to any Edited December 31, 2012 by Sam I Am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1320wayne Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 (edited) Well Curtis, everyone has their opinions, obviously Sam has his. You will basically have to figure out your own opinions once you move there. Meanwhile here are some worthwhile perspectives from my point of view. I lived in Portland from 2001 through part of 2007. I moved out there as a job opportunity, not knowing anyone or having any family for support or anything. The first two weeks that I was there it was so grey and rainey that I didn't even realize that there was an 11,000 foot mountain staring at you in your backyard. But as you get acclimated you figure out that Portland is one of the nicest places in the nation. The city is one of the cleanest that I have ever seen, most well lit at night, especially in the downtown area near the waterfront. Yeah it is a major metro. city with it's bad sides to things but you do your best to avoid those elements. The crime rates are no higher than any other major city in this country. The unemployment rates are comparable to most other states and that comes from someone living in one of the worst here in Florida. All of the rain throughout the winter months means more green to look at when spring and summer rolls around. By the way, it never rains in the summer. The scenery is breathtaking, to say the least. You're no more than an hour away from prime skiing to the East or an hour and a half from the coast, to the West. The city features some of the best varieties of food, culture, entertainment and so on. If you are heavy into cars then the cruise scene is tremendous from about the middle of April all the way through to the beginning of October. Not a weekend goes by during that time span that there isn't at least one cruise to attend, if not 2 or 3 on the same weekend. There is approximately 12 to 15 model contests (within reasonable travel distance) throughout the year. The SABA model club is one of the best that I have ever been a part of. They average 35 to 40 strong on their member base, have been in existance for more than 30 years and have some of the nicest members and best talent in this hobby. Someone mentioned Bridgeport Hobbies. A very nice hobby shop that is no more pricey than any other average hobby store. If that one doesn't suit your needs then you travel to the West side of the city to Beaverton and hit up Tammies Hobbies. A much larger store with a much larger variety of stock. Now, if you want to save money on lifes expenses then you will want to find a place to live just across the river in Vancouver, WA. The cost of living, from a housing market, is much less expensive there. Oregon does have no sales tax but they still get you with a state income tax on top of your federal income tax. It hits you up front but means a larger tax return in the end. Don't get me wrong. Oregon is no nirvana to say the least. The state has fees for just about everything. I definately learned that being a part of corporate America. But overall, my wife and I made a great life out there for just more than six years. If it hadn't been for pressing family health issues that my wife needed to tend to we would most likely still be living there. The bottom line is that every place has it's pros and cons. It will be up to you to make those determinations for yourself. Meanwhile, if you send me a pm I will respond back to you with some contact information for the SABA model club, if you are interested. Best of luck to you. Edited December 31, 2012 by 1320wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Smith Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I am going to try to attend one Portland show this year - hopefully NW Model Car Fest in March. BTW I posted a link in the "Contests and Shows" section for the upcoming season. Portland is a great dog city too - if you like dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyBad Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I Live here and Portland Politics Suck More than a Hoover.. Pm me when ya get here and I can show ya around a bit. I'll even show you a LHS that Doesn't charge an Arm and a Leg.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Creative Explorer Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I've seen a lot of places in the USA and of all the places I've seen, the Portland/Vancouver area is the nicest areas. I even like the people's general attitude there best. So for living there, I can not think of a better place in the USA. Working is a different one, and since I have no experience in that one, I can't say anything about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizio Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Portland is not too bad at all. I like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillyb1 Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Thanks, everybody, for the responses. I am familiar with the Portland area. My sister has lived there for twenty-five years or so and I've visited, for extended periods, lots of times. I acclimated to the weather a long time ago. It really used to bother me that it was raining and nobody seemed to notice. And that they have a large vocabulary to describe weather that anyone else on the planet would call rain. Also, I've lived in much bigger, much more dangerous cities before. I was in New York City for fifteen years and in Paris for two (not as dangerous as any American city, except in certain near suburbs and circumscribed parts of the city itself). Paris is also where I finally succumbed to and acknowledged the fact of rain every single day. No one I've ever met who has been there, nor any guidebook writers, bothered to mention it. So, Portland and Paris are six-of-one-a-half-dozen-of-the-other as far as gray and rainy goes. I'm not sure what I'm going to be looking for as employment. My background is in academia, and I'm currently ABD in my doctoral program in history with about 350 pages of totally awesome dissertation ready for revision. I have to say, though, that I'd really like to work in one of my two areas of hobby interest: model cars and guitars. Thanks again. I'll PM those of you who mentioned that mode of communication after are get there. I'll be pretty much immediately set up with a home and computer access because I'll be living with my sister and her family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagoneer Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Good luck in your relocation plans Curtis. Finding a job in model making or with guitars would be fantastic and in that I wish you well. As for rain, ha! come to England, we'll show you rain. This year has been the wettest on record, and they go back to 1730! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 (edited) Good luck...I was in the ABD situation myself 15 years ago when I decided to abandon the academic life for the corporate life and move from Michigan to Colorado. I like Portland, been there a few times, it's on my radar along w/ Seattle for my next move, along w/ several other cities. I love the greenery, mountains, ocean, wide range of restaurants, etc. Edited December 31, 2012 by Rob Hall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadkill2525 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Oregon, California's Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Good luck on your move, Curtis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jairus Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Wow, so much hate on Oregon. Interesting. I have lived here all my 54 years of life and I like it. Wish it was warmer in the winter but we do have 5 months of sking plus fairly moderate weather all year round. Other than the rain. Economy sucks right now because the legislature chased manufacturing out with higher taxes. But cost of living here is no higher than Washington or Idaho and California is much worse! Portland is the armpit of Oregon in my opinion... but it is beautiful and clean as has been mentioned. However, it is a huge liberal stronghold with a limp-wrist mayor who loves anyone who peddles a bicycle. I wouldn't want to live there but there are some nice towns just outside that are are pleasant enough and with-in driving distance of S.A.B.A. and the three really great Hobby Shops. As Steven mentioned... the rain. Well, that can get you down some. Or a lot. But we modelers are introverts anyway so... once you get your nose in a project and you don't even notice the constant rain. Jobs... well, that might be a problem unless you are uniquely talented. Costco is always hiring greeters I hear. Bob Paeth did that for a while. Construction is nearly dead tho. If you have a law degree then I am sure you can find a firm to take you, but there is a glut of truck drivers vying for jobs so... don't even try. Oregon is near the tops with those registered for public assistance. (food stamps) A lot of them actually make a living out of being poor... so there might be an opportunity. If I were you I would move to someplace like Lake Oswego and start a gardening and lawn care service. Because there are lots of wealthy people living there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olskoolrodder Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Ok... so I have to ask. Why to Portland? As a cyclist, have to say "Why NOT Portlandia???",LOL! Hey,good luck with the move,my friend,Portland's a nice place,been there a few times in my trucking days,wouldn't mind goin back someday (without a CDL/rig to drive,I doubts it though,LOL! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 I've looked at Hillsboro and Beaverton...I have friends in Beaverton....I could get used to the rain, it would be a nice change from AZ, and I'm originally from the gloomy Midwest so I don't mind gray and I miss greenery. Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area have stronger markets than Portland for my thing (software engineering) though, and are higher on my list as far as the West Coast goes, but there is a techy/outdoorsy vibe about Portland I like quite a bit...and all the craft beer. And Powell's Books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Jairus, you must feel like a fish out of water living in Oregon. It's kind of like Nancy Pelosi moving to Salt Lake City! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Move to Phoenix AZ, the local talking heads say the job market here is improving , plus no snow, very little rain, but heat, yes we have plenty of that, but low humidity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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