Portland / Oregon

Hi, @wokeupnew!

I noticed that upon glancing at your Discogs collection, you seem to like ambient/esoteric music. In that case, you should try Musique Plastique (located on NE Alberta Street). Very small boutique shop, yet they have a nice variety of odd stuff. I've sung its praises a couple of times in the Fresh Grabs thread, as it is my favorite store in Portland. I always get something I've never heard of before every time I visit based on a recommendation from one of the co-owners.

Have a nice visit! :)
 
Rip_City said:
Hi, @wokeupnew!

I noticed that upon glancing at your Discogs collection, you seem to like ambient/esoteric music. In that case, you should try Musique Plastique (located on NE Alberta Street). Very small boutique shop, yet they have a nice variety of odd stuff. I've sung its praises a couple of times in the Fresh Grabs thread, as it is my favorite store in Portland. I always get something I've never heard of before every time I visit based on a recommendation from one of the co-owners.

Have a nice visit! :)
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ooooooh awesome recommendation!
 
My car is currently in the shop....but I think I'll be making a trip up for some record shopping by the end of the month.

I need some new spots....my former circuit was Everyday Music on W. Burnside then the one on Sandy - then sometimes MM (the amount of counterfeits they have makes me really mad), then Crossroads Music on Hawthorne....but since they moved way out to 82nd, I'd like to try some new spots.

I have never hit up any stores in the NW area...just seem out of the way compared to the stores I know.

I do miss the Beaverton Everyday Music across from Ceder Hills mall - that was a great place for some good finds

Both of my Mastodon 45 RPM's came from that one.
 
LeeVing said:
My car is currently in the shop....but I think I'll be making a trip up for some record shopping by the end of the month.

I need some new spots....my former circuit was Everyday Music on W. Burnside then the one on Sandy - then sometimes MM (the amount of counterfeits they have makes me really mad), then Crossroads Music on Hawthorne....but since they moved way out to 82nd, I'd like to try some new spots.

I have never hit up any stores in the NW area...just seem out of the way compared to the stores I know.

I do miss the Beaverton Everyday Music across from Ceder Hills mall - that was a great place for some good finds

Both of my Mastodon 45 RPM's came from that one.
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Have you been to Mississippi Records? Cash only but it's a must for older soul, blues and other esoteric releases. I'm also a big fan of 2nd Avenue Records downtown. Their prices are the best in town, and you can often find exclusives there that may be long gone at some of the better known shops in town. They have been stocking the Blue Note Tone Poet and 80th anniversary titles with consistency, which I appreciate.
 
hatfieldpdx said:
Have you been to Mississippi Records? Cash only but it's a must for older soul, blues and other esoteric releases. I'm also a big fan of 2nd Avenue Records downtown. Their prices are the best in town, and you can often find exclusives there that may be long gone at some of the better known shops in town. They have been stocking the Blue Note Tone Poet and 80th anniversary titles with consistency, which I appreciate.
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Nope....and only because it's cash only. I never carry cash. I used to cash my checks and that's all I had - but once I got a debit card its rare that I have cash..

My wife fixed that check cashing thing back before we got married, so that's about 20 years ago.

And....come on...cash only in 2019?? They'd actually get more sales if they at least get a Square or something.


2nd Avenue Records I've been to a few times...driving in from Salem it is a bit of a pain to park close...but found some good punk stuff.
 
hatfieldpdx said:
Have you been to Mississippi Records? Cash only but it's a must for older soul, blues and other esoteric releases. I'm also a big fan of 2nd Avenue Records downtown. Their prices are the best in town, and you can often find exclusives there that may be long gone at some of the better known shops in town. They have been stocking the Blue Note Tone Poet and 80th anniversary titles with consistency, which I appreciate.
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Second Ave Records is one of my top 3. Absolutely second this suggestion 😉
 
So my fiancé and I are thinking of making a move from LA to Portland once our lease is up next year and we’re trying to figure out what the good areas/suburbs to find good rentals are. Anybody have any recommendations. Also Pros & Cons of living in Portland? I’m attracted to the eco-conscious aspect of the city, the nature, the people and culture really draw me in as well. I moved to LA from Brooklyn a little over a year ago and it just feels irresponsible to live in LA, this place is just a massive drain on natural resources and living here feels more and more like a fashion as opposed to being an awesome place to live. How’s the live music scene there, do most artists make stops in Portland on tour? Sorry, lots of questions and I’m sure I’ll have more but we can start there :)
 
Ghost said:
So my fiancé and I are thinking of making a move from LA to Portland once our lease is up next year and we’re trying to figure out what the good areas/suburbs to find good rentals are. Anybody have any recommendations. Also Pros & Cons of living in Portland? I’m attracted to the eco-conscious aspect of the city, the nature, the people and culture really draw me in as well. I moved to LA from Brooklyn a little over a year ago and it just feels irresponsible to live in LA, this place is just a massive drain on natural resources and living here feels more and more like a fashion as opposed to being an awesome place to live. How’s the live music scene there, do most artists make stops in Portland on tour? Sorry, lots of questions and I’m sure I’ll have more but we can start there :)
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Greetings! Oregon is amazing, and on the whole, Portland remains an excellent place to live, with great culture - particularly food, beverages (coffee, beer, wine, etc) and access to the outdoors - and offers a nice balance of livability and affordability. That said, you should know that it has been getting steadliy more expensive, and that traffic here is pretty wretched (of course, I cannot compare with L.A., perhaps it won't be as much of an issue for you?). Portland has no shortage of great neighborhoods...it really depends on what you are looking for...feel free to let us know what you prioritize, and we can all weigh in with our thoughts and preferences. The local live music scene remains fairly strong, and I can't recall the last time a touring band skipped Portland (it did used to happen years ago). There are many excellent venues here, particularly in the 300-800 capacity range. Here is my 2019 concert archives link if you want to get a sense of what is available:


Happy to respond to any other questions you might have!
 
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hatfieldpdx said:
Greetings! Oregon is amazing, and on the whole, Portland remains an excellent place to live, with great culture - particularly food, beverages (coffee, beer, wine, etc) and access to the outdoors - and offers a nice balance of livability and affordability. That said, you should know that it has been getting steadliy more expensive, and that traffic here is pretty wretched (of course, I cannot compare with L.A., perhaps it won't be as much of an issue for you?). Portland has no shortage of great neighborhoods...it really depends on what you are looking for...feel free to let us know what you prioritize, and we can all weigh in with our thoughts and preferences. The local live music scene remains fairly strong, and I can't recall the last time a touring band skipped Portland (it did used to happen years ago). There are many excellent venues here, particularly in the 300-800 capacity range. I just checked my concert archives and apparently I have already seen 76 shows this year. This will give you a sense:


Happy to respond to any other questions you might have!
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Thanks for the response, I’m glad you have good things to say about Portland! Seems like everyone on the YouTube videos has nothing but bad things to say to thwart California transplants lol. It’s certainly that culture that’s drawing us out there, I actually supervise a cafe in Beverly Hills currently and would probably be looking to just immerse myself in the coffee scene out there lol. As for the traffic, I’m sure I’ll be fine, I have nerves of steel when it comes to traffic inconveniences lol, LA has made sure of it. So things we’re looking for are a spacious (1,000sqft+) 1-2 bedroom apartment or house with a back yard as we have a Husky and an outdoor cat who have been itching to get a taste of the great outdoors in their own back yard lol. Top of the line budget is probs around $2K/m. If that can’t be found in Portland we’re fine with a 25-30 min commute in, any neighborhoods you would recommend checking out in that range? A friend recommended Beaverton and it looks like there’s some good options there already but eager to see other bordering towns. Yard is definitely important though, we’re looking to get another dog once we get out there as well. In terms of things we value, relative quiet is great, we’re both introverts who love family vibes, dog parks, live music, good local food/coffee/beer and green trees lol (just described Portland). Stoked to hear it’s a good town for music then, working on a music podcast where I interview upcoming & established musicians so being in a town that’s a tour stop for many would make that much easier. Excited to hear your recommendations, thanks for the help :).
 
Ghost said:
Thanks for the response, I’m glad you have good things to say about Portland! Seems like everyone on the YouTube videos has nothing but bad things to say to thwart California transplants lol. It’s certainly that culture that’s drawing us out there, I actually supervise a cafe in Beverly Hills currently and would probably be looking to just immerse myself in the coffee scene out there lol. As for the traffic, I’m sure I’ll be fine, I have nerves of steel when it comes to traffic inconveniences lol, LA has made sure of it. So things we’re looking for are a spacious (1,000sqft+) 1-2 bedroom apartment or house with a back yard as we have a Husky and an outdoor cat who have been itching to get a taste of the great outdoors in their own back yard lol. Top of the line budget is probs around $2K/m. If that can’t be found in Portland we’re fine with a 25-30 min commute in, any neighborhoods you would recommend checking out in that range? A friend recommended Beaverton and it looks like there’s some good options there already but eager to see other bordering towns. Yard is definitely important though, we’re looking to get another dog once we get out there as well. In terms of things we value, relative quiet is great, we’re both introverts who love family vibes, dog parks, live music, good local food/coffee/beer and green trees lol (just described Portland). Stoked to hear it’s a good town for music then, working on a music podcast where I interview upcoming & established musicians so being in a town that’s a tour stop for many would make that much easier. Excited to hear your recommendations, thanks for the help :).
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I've really only lived in Portland, and we have owned a home for 15 years, so not sure where rents are at. That said, you might want to consider St. Johns (N. Portland). It's a bit quieter, close to Forest Park (70+ miles of trails), and tends to be less expensive. Beaverton is a bit more bland culturally, in my opinion, but I'm sure it is a fine place to live. I might also look at Milwaukie, which is south of Portland but much closer in and more aligned culturally. And yes, Californian transplants do get a bad rap ("don't Californicate Oregon") but don't let it scare you off. It seems as though pretty much everyone moved here from another state, and most of us are quite friendly once we get to know you - especially if you appreciate the things that make Oregon special (it sounds as though you do).
 
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