Seattle vs. Portland: Which City Reigns Supreme?

Our list of reasons NOT to move to Portland seems to have caused a veritable uproar in the City of R

By Jamie Galvin May 22, 2009

In our February issue, we gave readersFive Reasons NOT to Move to Portland (apparently ruffling a few feathers in the process). Always looking for a good debate, we were flattered by the ensuing response from Portland Monthly, which recently published its own retaliatory list with five reasons why Portland “kicks ass”. With both arguments on the table, we want to know what you think: Seattle or Portland?

Seattle mag’s “Five Reasons NOT to Move to Portland

  1. It’s way too far away from Vancouver, B.C. When things get really nasty in the U.S., Seattleites can take comfort in the knowledge that the border—and sweet Canuck-style freedom—is just 2.5 hours away.
  2. Too many beards. Seattle hipsters may be caught sporting and ironic mustache now and again, but Portlanders never met a furry face they didn’t like. We’re all for recycling up here, too, except when it comes to food bits stuck in fuzzy facial hair.
  3. Don’t forget the gas stations—what’s more awkward than having someone rush out to pump gas into your car? As if we can’t do it ourselves! Where’s that Northwest independent spirit, Rose City? Sheesh.
  4. Did someone say mountains? Well, they sure grow ’em short down by Portland. Mount Hood rises to a measly 11,245 feet (paltry compared to Rainier’s 14,410 feet). It’s awfully pointy, too. Couldn’t they smooth it out a bit with an exciting eruption?
  5. The Portland waterfront. I mean, come on! It’s on a river instead of a sound, there’s no view of the Olympic Mountains, no sculpture park, no aquarium and no thrill of wondering whether it’ll collapse before the seawall is reinforced. See the full article.

Portland Monthly’s “Five Reasons… Why Portland Kicks Seattle’s Ass” (in a nutshell)

  1. Mass transit. It exists. Portland eases the burden with frequent and mostly clean mass transit.
  2. Our beans are supreme. We grew Stumptown. ’Nuff said.
  3. We’re tougher. You can see four volcanoes from downtown Portland, each of which could erupt at any second.
  4. We don’t have to try. Did we ask the New York Times to crown us the new “sixth borough”?
  5. What’s a sales tax? All we have to do is whip out our Oregon driver’s licenses and—poof—instant 6.5 percent discount. See the full article.


-Posted by Jamie Galvin

 

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