Washington County
Ron W. Green
In July I'll be moving from New Mexico to the Hillsboro area. I've
only been to Oregon for 2 days and have many questions:
1) am thinking of living in the Washington County area. How fast is it
growing?
My impression is that it is heavily populated with yuppies,is this correct?
Is there such a thing as an Oregon yuppy?
2) I've heard some Oregonians are not fond of Californians. Do locals
resent people moving in from other states? (i'll make sure NOT to
mention that I lived in LA for 4 years).
3) Are there any jazz radio stations in the Portland metro?
Alternative rock? (modern stuff, local bands, off-beat -- non-metal)
4) looking at the demographics for the state, I noticed there are very
few hispanics. Is there anything resembling a Mexican restaurant in
west Portland? How about a good chinese place?
5) how are the bike trails in Washington County (in particular, moderate
mountain bike trails)? Can you co-exist with the motorists, or are you
run off the road alot?
6) Would you characterize this area as politically conservative, moderate,
or liberal (I'm a moderate-liberal).
--
Save the forests!
Ron W. Green
r...@hungryjoe.plk.af.mil
Char Walker
>Greetings Oregonians!
>1) am thinking of living in the Washington County area. How fast is it
>growing?
populated and still growing, though not as rapidly as prior to "the
recession". Though to someone who lived in LA for 4 years, I'm not
sure we mean the same thing by "heavily populated". Let's just say
that Beaverton has too many strip malls; tacky characterless HUGE
apartment complexes; and way too much traffic!
>My impression is that it is heavily populated with yuppies,is this correct?
>Is there such a thing as an Oregon yuppy?
Alas, yes, though I have hopes that yuppies are a dying breed! I am
still suffering from culture shock, and I moved up here from Eugene
over a year ago.
>2) I've heard some Oregonians are not fond of Californians. Do locals
>resent people moving in from other states? (i'll make sure NOT to
>mention that I lived in LA for 4 years).
Don't worry--with the incredible fluctuating population pool created
by high tech, nearly everyone is a furriner 'round these parts.
>3) Are there any jazz radio stations in the Portland metro?
> Alternative rock? (modern stuff, local bands, off-beat -- non-metal)
KMHD is the local jazz station. It broadcasts from Mount Hood
Community College, home of the Mount Hood Jazz Festival--something you
will be able to attend, given your arrival date. Yes, Portland has
a jazz radio station and not nearly enough blues radio. The live
blues scene, however, is wonderful.
>4) looking at the demographics for the state, I noticed there are very
>few hispanics. Is there anything resembling a Mexican restaurant in
>west Portland? How about a good chinese place?
You are going to be located in one of the two main hispanic
population centers, the other being in the Woodburn/Salem area. As
for the restaurants, you will have to do some investigating to find
which one(s) best fit your taste. It's possible that you will need to
travel to Portland for the best Chinese though, and maybe for the
Mexican as well.
>5) how are the bike trails in Washington County (in particular, moderate
>mountain bike trails)? Can you co-exist with the motorists, or are you
>run off the road alot?
I used to ride my bike a lot in Eugene, and I'd be scared to up here.
It's bad enough dealing with the flakey drivers when I'm protected by
my Detroit Landwhale!
>6) Would you characterize this area as politically conservative, moderate,
>or liberal (I'm a moderate-liberal).
There was a thread here earlier about the balance of conservative and
liberal within the state. Suffice it to say, most of the Willamette
Valley is liberal, especially the large cities, and most of the rest
of the state is conservative.
Death to yuppie scum!
Char
Karl Schricker
: Is there such a thing as an Oregon yuppy?
Yes. Ex-Californians.
: 2) I've heard some Oregonians are not fond of Californians. Do locals
: resent people moving in from other states?
Yes.
: (i'll make sure NOT to
: mention that I lived in LA for 4 years).
It's impossible to hide. Really.
: 3) Are there any jazz radio stations in the Portland metro?
KMHD is quite good.
: 4) looking at the demographics for the state, I noticed there are very
: few hispanics. Is there anything resembling a Mexican restaurant in
: west Portland? How about a good chinese place?
They're starting to pop up, but Oregon ain't the southwest.
: 5) how are the bike trails in Washington County (in particular, moderate
: mountain bike trails)? Can you co-exist with the motorists, or are you
: run off the road alot?
Wagon trains can be a problem, if you don't keep an eye out for horse
droppings.
: 6) Would you characterize this area as politically conservative, moderate,
: or liberal.
Yes.
Karl
Jim Harritt
: Alternative rock? (modern stuff, local bands, off-beat -- non-metal)
Not any great alternative radio, but Portland has a very strong "alternative"
music culture. Lots of good local bands, check out LaLuna and the
Satyricon(plus great Souvlaki).
: 6) Would you characterize this area as politically conservative, moderate,
: or liberal (I'm a moderate-liberal).
:
You'll fit right into Portland, I'm sure Hillsboro is a bit more conservative.
Jeanette Skelton
> Alternative rock? (modern stuff, local bands, off-beat -- non-metal)
For alternative rock, try KBBT 970 AM. It's kind of a stretch to call them
alternative -- they play stuff like U2 and Sting, but it's about as close
as you can get here. KBOO, 90.7 FM, has a very good alternative show on
Wednesday nights at 9 or 10:00. Brandon, the host, plays bands visiting
in the next few weeks, and includes lots of local stuff.
> 4) looking at the demographics for the state, I noticed there are very
> few hispanics. Is there anything resembling a Mexican restaurant in
> west Portland? How about a good chinese place?
As someone pointed out, Portland is not New Mexico in terms of Mexican
restaurants. Try Chez Jose near Lewis and Clark college.
> 6) Would you characterize this area as politically conservative, moderate,
> or liberal (I'm a moderate-liberal).
I would say it's a bizarre mix of hippies and rednecks. It's definitely
entertaining, whatever it is.
Jeanette
Mike Sellers
: Ron W. Green (r...@hungryjoe.plk.af.mil) wrote:
: > 4) looking at the demographics for the state, I noticed there are very
: > few hispanics. Is there anything resembling a Mexican restaurant in
: > west Portland? How about a good chinese place?
There are (or were) many good Chinese restaurants in west Portland.
The best may still be the Szechuan place just south of the intersection
of Barbur and Capital hwy -- it's a small hole-in-the-wall, but with great
food. Hunan, Marco Polo, Chen's and several others downtown are good too.
Then there's the dim-sum place in NW ... what's the name of it??? Fung Chong?
(I'm afraid I'm butchering names and memories here...) Anyway, _great_ food.
There are a few good ones in Beaverton too, but I can't think of any names
right now. Oh, Mongolian Grill on Hwy 99 south of Tigard is good if you're
in the mood for it (and it's all-you-can-eat, so take a student to lunch! :-) )
As far as Mexican goes, Chez Jose like Jeanette said, or, well, Machismo Mouse.
(I know, I know.)
: > 6) Would you characterize this area as politically conservative, moderate,
: > or liberal (I'm a moderate-liberal).
: I would say it's a bizarre mix of hippies and rednecks. It's definitely
: entertaining, whatever it is.
I'd have to agree with Jeanette! Oregon has the lowest per-capita number of
people who regularly attend church. On the other hand, most people tend to
be politely supportive of others' beliefs, and of that-spiritual-sort-of-thing
in general (though there _are_ a few who don't seem to get the message, from
Lon Mabon to various Skinhead groups). Also, while folks there (in western
Oregon at least) aren't exactly hicks, gardening and canning of fruits and
vegetables are almost a state-wide past-time. The people don't tend to be
too tradition-bound, except that just about everyone really likes the Rose
Festival (even with the Druidic overtones of the coronation ceremony).
The population isn't rabidly political, and yet they override the legislature
routinely, in a truly democratic government by popular vote. All in all
a good mix, and _definitely_ entertaining.
Oh, I saw a button recently that I liked: "Oregon is what America was."
--
Mike Sellers User Interface Team Leader
mi...@isgtec.com ISG Technologies, Toronto, Canada
"Actum ne agas" -- Do not do what has been done.
Furare tantum ab Optimis
Ron W. Green
reply via e-mail to everyone, but my nameserver is acting up making that
impossible.
I've planned my drive to Portland to go via Santa Fe, Denver, Cheyenne,
Boise and finally Portland over the course of three days: should be fun!
My mouth is already watering, thinking of salmon, Oregon cheeses and wines,
and FRESH PRODUCE! (its hard to get really good produce in New Mexico, other
than green chiles that is: everything is is hit-and-miss).
Can't wait to see the Columbia River Gorge!
--
Oregon or Bust!
Ron W. Green
r...@hungryjoe.plk.af.mil