This posting will be to take a look at what I call the "Last of the Great American Cities" ... Portland (PDX- OR) . Also a blogger I frequent daily Infidel753 , happens to be fortunate enough to live in this city ... which I envy him on this frankly! :) But PDX is what Americana Pie is truly about ... that comes in flavours for every taste, and culturally diversified, I may add. Of course this isn't to say that there are not unique flavours in American cities across the land. But PDX is an example of what each and every other city can also achieve more of on enhancing their unique flavours if so many were not so focused on mass commercialization, eminent domain to so call renew urban America plasticity and such. There was a time in America where the main focus was not just on getting the endorsement of Bank of America, Chase, the Petro and Insurance giants, and the largest malls and chain stores in the world, or the biggest WalMart, etc. Or where only 5 mega record labels decides what gets air play or not. What I am saying ... is that so many great American towns are losing their image to an extent. This shows that life can still flourish in our societies and have a great time doing it, without the giants telling how we should entertain and enjoy ourselves and live, and what is popular to mass consume from season to season.
I have for years heard about the City of Portland (called also the City of Roses or PDX) from friends who have been there , several of which done the music scene business for a living or in some form of indie arts and such. Also heard of it being probably the most liberated city in the USA, and alternative arts city, but what I found also .... was a true taste of what Americana was meant to be. Back in 2007 I decided to spend a week in Portland to visit, and I already had a friend who was living there, so I didn't have to go there blind as a tourist only ... and was able to spend my time in some of the neighborhoods and such to get a true flavour of the town and talk one on one to many locals who lived there for years. But one of the first things I noticed after a few days there ... was how calm and at peace I was ... no really ... I shit you not! I mean ... I am so used to towns like LA, Dallas, or a number of other towns I spent quite a bit of time in ... I almost forgot what a great American city was like ... without the ratrace of competition, crime, the corporate smothering and commercialization that suffocates so many large American cities these days who we flock to in masses simply because we need a paycheck mostly! I actually turned on the tele news when I wake in the morning in PDX, and didn't have to hear constantly of the gang shootings last night, or home invasions, hold ups and alot of the shit I am constantly smothered with in other towns.
PDX actually still has a downtown where 10s of thousands flock to even on weekends (instead of suburban cities 30/ 40 miles from downtown), that is friendly to all citizens ... not just smothered with business/ corporate convention tourists and places that cost an arm and a leg to get in to eat and drink. It is actually the most citizen friendly city I have been to, and I been to so many. So many independent shops to browse and shop, alternative and traditional entertainment, eateries, etc ... even in downtown ... they had a bar/ venue (cant recall the name off hand) that caters to old school punk rock fans of folks my age 50s and over (who some young punkers in their early 20s turned me onto I met, who were fascinated in our conversation on the punk scenes I have been in, before they were born, and read about) not just the latest pop clubs or just Hip Hop, Techno dance clubs, pop hipster joints, etc. Anyone no matter what walk of life you are from can mix in this town and actually feel comfortable. And of course the "Portland Mercury" has to be about my favourite big city weekly free press paper in the entire country as well. I could rattle on about this town till I run out of breath. But found it necessary to do a posting on this city, because so many I see and talk to here in Dallas and around the country have talked about how American cities are not what they used to be, and the mass commercialization of American cities, etc. This town in my opinion ... is the last of the great American cities ... and if you haven't been to PDX ... I highly recommend it! Sadly after I left there ... on my way back to Dallas ... I stopped in LA for awhile ... and the tension came back in Central LA. Below some video to get me to shut up, and see for yourself why Ranch Chimp chooses PDX, as the last of the great American cities .... Enjoy! {:-)
PORTLANDIA/ PDX ... Last of the Great American cities PT.2
1) Mike Clark's Movie Madness- Store Tour Teaser! ... Thanx to BONGSCOTT **** about the best selection of video's I have seen too!
2) TRAVEL PORTLAND VIDEO TOUR ... Thanx to THINK SOCKEYE **** the surrounding countryside outside PDX is awesome in beauty too
3) What's Keeping Portland Weird ... Thanx to FLUX MAGAZINE
4) Portland Residents Sound Off: Local Music Scene Sucks/ Rules! ... Thanx to CHRISTOPHER KOSTRZAK **** a great inde music scene too!
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Interesting to see the impression the place makes on someone from outside, thanks.
ReplyDeleteMovie Madness is unique -- aside from all the authentic props and costumes, they have movies for rent that I've never seen anywhere else, all kinds of obscure old stuff from earlier decades.
One other thing that's unusual about Portland is that it's full of huge trees, even in the built-up residential areas. They're older than the city itself. The land Portland is built on used to be forest, and many of the original trees were left in place and the houses built around them.
It's not as homogenous as people tend to imagine, either. On some streets there are quite a lot of stores with their signs in Chinese or Russian.
Absolutely Infodel on the point's you mentioned ... it is a place that I could run my jaw's on long. What a great town!
ReplyDeleteThanx Guy for your addition here too. I only wish I woke up this morning in PDX as you did! :)
And thanx Infodel for the mention in your comment on the cultural diversification too ... which I just added to my first paragraph. Since I am not an experienced writer ... it is difficult for me to add as much as I could in so few word's. I happened to meet and talk to a couple gent's from Russia as well there, who lived there.
ReplyDeleteWonderful entry - thanks. My wife and I were able to visit Portland for the first time about two years ago and really loved the town, and hope to return for a longer visit and exploration soon.
ReplyDeleteThanx Mendip ... I hear ya guy, I was reading something about Ya'll's trip sometime back too ... Geeezzz ... how can one not love it up there?!!
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