more to like everyday

My file folders for Portland are getting full--- Life will be made easier for Miss Ruby with resources, leash-free parks and services found at DogNose News and Portland Pooch. It's a very dog-friendly area, by comparison to most mid-sized American cities. Probably no brioche treats from the baker, but we can't have everything! Getting around should be easy: if I can't take the streetcar, light rail or bus, I can always use FlexCar, just the answer for a car-free gal. Check out this virtual streetcar tour. For getting away, Amtrak Cascades offers scenic trips to Seattle, Tacoma, etc. And for good old-fashioned foot-power, walking Portland is rumoured to be easy (only 1 mile for every 20 blocks) and pleasant on your own or with a guide, ranking as one of the best walking cities year after year (interestingly; Chicago, Madison and Savannah all also make the list regularly). Live weather camera feeds show that it's not all rain, all the time---there is some sunshine. And the climate makes for lots and lots of greenery---the town is fairly bursting with parks and public gardens. Just as I narrow down a neighborhood to live in, with the help of Portland Maps (a little creepy, but amazing information:enter an address or intersection and have instant access to maps of all kinds, census information and even aerial photographs!), I find another one just as interesting...there's popular and yuppy NorthWest, nearby overpriced but good for shopping Pearl District, hippy-dippy Hawthorne, the eclectic Alberta Arts District, casual St. John's and more. I'm spoiled for choice, that's why I've chosen a much larger city.