Newcomers to the city can't get over this overabundance of nice. If you ask a transplant why they moved to Portland and how they like it, expect them to talk your ear off going on and on and on and on about how it's hands-down the greatest city on Earth.
Seasoned Portlandians don't really notice it, since hey, that's their life every day. They're more concerned with keeping up the "Keep Portland Weird" thing.
Which is no problem, since...
And don't be surprised if you see them propping up umbrellas for dogs who have to wait in the rain while their owner grabs a latte. People even bring pet beds out with them around town so their animals don't have to rest on the hard concrete sidewalk.
Portlandians are also crazy passionate about animal welfare, and everyone is either a vegan or vegetarian. Most animal shelters are strict "no-kill zones." Some cat-owners have serious existential crises because even though they're a vegetarian, horror of horrors-their precious cat is not. That's a hard thing to deal with in Portland, man.
If there are absolutely no other options they'll knuckle down and slink into Starbucks (corporate caffeine is better than none, anyway) but they'll whine the whole way about missing Stumptown on Division (the original, of course). And if you weren't there to see them they'll never admit it.
The "brew-geeks" go nuts for obscure beans from little-known places like Ecuador and Rwanda, micro-roasts and other gourmet coffee variations, especially if they're brewed with state-of-the-art and/or steampunk-y machinery. Bart from Oblique Coffee Roasters, I'm looking at you. And the snobbery doesn't just end with coffee, because...
Sure, they love their IKEA and Trader Joe's as much as anyone, but everyone ends up at the Saturday Market in Old Town (it's been around since 1973, don'tcha know) to buy fresh instead of frozen, along with every kind of handmade craft you can think of: jewelry, stained glass and of course, gifts for your precious furry friends.
And during the rest of the week, Portlandians flock to the "food carts" around the city serving food of every variety, from sliders to tacos to Thai food, all fresh and made to order. They're everywhere. Carte Blanche even sells a "compost" cookie made from leftover chips, pretzels and chocolate chips. Doesn't sound so bad.
Speaking of compost...
And since they can't stand to actually throw anything away, they'll give it away-for free! Look for boxes, couches, and other random items scattered out on all the curbs by do-gooders who just know that someone will find a use for it. You could easily furnish your entire apartment with the stuff you'll find for free out on the streets of Portland.
But if they find out that you don't recycle, you're gonna have a bad time, because...
No cause is too large, small, or obscure for Portlandians. They will take anything on. Corporations, advertisers, governments, and all of you apathetic "regular" people, watch out. If they don't agree with what you're protesting, they might just protest your protest.
So yeah, you're probably doing something right now that these people would love to rally against.
Just make sure to pay attention when you're out for a jog-you might just trip over someone's flock wandering around the streets. That's how much they want those fresh eggs.
And for some people the chickens aren't even enough. Goats are becoming a pretty common sight around town-the city recently set aside a special urban "pasture" to house a new herd.
Yes, it is part of their fanatic need to help the environment, but Portlandians ride out of a sense of community too. Everyone gets in on the city group rides, which trust me, are weirder than yours. Portland hosts the annual "World Naked Bike Ride," which is a totally real thing. Everyone rides naked.
The city is constantly shutting down bridges and streets so people can cycle in peace, and you can't turn around without finding bike "parking spaces" everywhere. Keep your eyes peeled for unicyclists too, since some people are just too cool for two wheels.
And the really crazy ones cruise around on double-decker bikes, which are essentially two bikes welded together, one on top of the other. Seriously. They need a ladder to get up to the seat. And they usually ride with steampunk glasses and top hats, just in case you didn't already notice how "different" they are.
It's probably a good idea that so many people prefer bikes to vehicles, since...
Just about any celebration in Portland is marked with a pub crawl. And there are plenty of options for every neighborhood, from retro-swanky to dive bars, and even a stop at Portland's vegan strip club. Yes, you read that right. Obviously none of the strippers wear leather.
Barfly Bus Tours has a different theme every week, and Beerquest offers a haunted tour, because who wouldn't want to be scared silly while drunk. That's safe, right?
But even after a crazy night out they'll be up bright and early the next morning, because...
Whatever, they'll just grab an organic, single-origin coffee and socialize out on the curb while they wait for a spot at this week's hot spot, like the Screen Door or the Cadillac Cafe.
For some of them it's probably just another excuse to drink in the morning, but this food isn't your typical "bacon and eggs"-you'll find specialty cured hams, deluxe frittatas, all manner of brioche, upscaled waffles and breads and (of course) Bloody Marys.
All made with fresh, local ingredients, obviously.
