on a suggestion from The Custard, i've been investigating Portland, Oregon as a place to live when i return stateside in the fall. and what a contender! it had been on my short list some years ago when i first left Wisconsin, but it had slipped my mind--i think the rain deterred me. but i can get over the rain if what i see online is even half true...
The Pearl neighborhood looks like just my kind of thing (if it weren't so over-priced and nouveau snobby)---walking lifestyle, farmer's market, gallery row, a streetcar to downtown, loft living galore....
lots of other neighborhoods with distinctive feels, much like what i like about Chicago.
a Design Within Reach studio (as well as numerous other design destinations)--that's my own benchmark--kind of like "Is there a Target? Ok, then I could live there." not a lot of mover and shaker style jobs in my field, but a surprising number of solid, established companies and intruiging independents that i wouldn't mind working for or shopping at.
a decent daily newspaper is so important. and something else i find encouraging--the wealth of information online about the city, nieghborhoods, economy, jobs, parks, etc.
lots of single girl places to go and things to do.
an active art community including lots of galleries, a small design school, an art museum and a traditional studio arts college. (no, i'm not planning on going back to school AGAIN, but i like what an art school and other universities and colleges bring to the community and it's good to know i can take a course here and there if i want to.)
from what i've seen so far, a reasonable cost of living, including not-insane (compared to California!!) apartment rental rates.
and to top it off, no less than 8 dog friendly parks!
heck, i can put up with the rain---it's raining AGAIN here today!