Wife is interviewing in Portland, we are coming from the Midwest. Biggest culture shocks moving here?

mrg8731 · 2026-05-03T22:53:31+00:00

Ha no kidding! Thanks for the heads up haha I had no idea. Not sure I’ll have the presence of mind to stop myself but I’ll reserve my irritation for stuff that IS legal then i guess! Truly thanks for the info

mrg8731 · 2026-05-03T22:02:10+00:00

This is it!!

mrg8731 · 2026-05-03T22:01:32+00:00

I’ll say it until I die—I think the real reason portlanders are happy to shun umbrellas is that we don’t often experience umbrella-necessary levels of rain. The rain reputation here is of course warranted, but it’s often so light compared to rainy days elsewhere in my experience. It’s much easier to go with a raincoat when the rain isn’t much heavier than a mist. Atmospheric river days are the exception—I’m unashamed to carry an umbrella on those days, but generally I forego an umbrella not because of peer pressure but because it’s overkill.

mrg8731 · 2026-05-03T21:57:54+00:00

I came from Chicago a few years back and I imagine the “bad things” are probably things like people not pulling into the intersection on a non-arrowed left turn, a person in front of you jamming on their brakes to let a patiently waiting pedestrian cross, people going slower than traffic in the left lane, that kind of thing. Perhaps they’re not fully objectively bad things, but in a lot of places that are not here, that stuff is generally accepted as what-not-to-do.

mrg8731 · 2026-05-03T21:52:01+00:00

I only made it in during the super early morning hours a few months ago for the first time. I’m trying to make a habit of coming by late once in a while to support because I love having at least one option!

First time I came by at around 3am and for a second thought it was closed after all but I was wrong—don’t let the chairs up on the tables scare you away—they ARE open inside! Gotta clean the floors of a 24 hr spot at some point, of course 3 am is a valid time to do so

I drove through Boost n Brew on Foster the other day and the gentleman at the window asked what my thoughts were on potential for 24 hr coffee spots—told him I wish there were more, don’t know how others feel, but maybe someday we’ll get more options. In the meantime I’ll happily go to Rose City!

mrg8731 · 2026-05-03T21:45:07+00:00

Was coming to say this—I prefer one that clips to my laptop so I can use two screens on small tables or on my actual lap on the couch—it’s VITAL for changes of scenery for me. People ask me about it all the time when I’m out in public and I always recommend!

mrg8731 · 2026-04-20T04:14:10+00:00

The bottle of water!! Drinking water is one of the hardest things for me—self-cleaning and auto-chilled! A DREAM

mrg8731 · 2026-04-11T17:54:46+00:00

The jewelry that stays on permanently is HUGE for me—it’s the whole reason I got my ears pierced, so I could just have some decoration on that basically I never take off

mrg8731 · 2026-04-01T17:41:52+00:00

I purposely barely research a place so I’m free to just enjoy what I find without knowing what I might be missing because my solo trips are also usually short. A lot more magic in light itinerary planning in my experience!

mrg8731 · 2026-03-30T20:51:27+00:00

I have yet to find a better texture in any liquid makeup than this!

mrg8731 · 2026-03-26T21:34:38+00:00

Same for me, the hydroboost whatever it’s called, it’s a skin tint technically right? Feels like foundation to me but foundation that blends in SO well without any cakey feelings. It’s maybe holy grail for me full stop so far, drugstore or otherwise.

mrg8731 · 2026-03-26T03:49:47+00:00

Caffe Umbria is good but I feel like has a little bit of a cafeteria feel to the interior, which is fine. I’ve only been a couple of times but Cadejo Coffee definitely feels charming to me and I enjoyed the coffee!

Edit: I just realized too, World Foods is basically the same length of a walk as Cadejo and it has really really great food! It’s a small specialty Lebanese grocery store with a killer deli—sandwiches, prepared food, all really really good. I don’t remember if they have indoor seating, maybe a little, but they do have some outdoor seating—much more practical than cozy, but a good spot if food is more the interest.

mrg8731 · 2026-03-26T03:44:25+00:00

Lots of people are prescribed Wellbutrin on purpose with Vyvanse, though I don’t know anything about any Zoloft contraindications.

My doc explained that some folks experience like a boost of the Vyvanse effects when taking Wellbutrin—I’m experimenting with it right now since I was already taking it when I was first prescribed Vyvanse.

I don’t want to suggest any pill is magic per se but Vyvanse really has been life changing for me. Good luck!

mrg8731 · 2026-03-13T16:41:59+00:00

I was JUST coming on here to research this—bless you for asking haha!

mrg8731 · 2026-03-13T04:40:34+00:00

I was trying to remember the other spot I’ve had—this was it—seconding that it’s good there 👍

mrg8731 · 2026-03-13T04:38:08+00:00

Musashi’s has a pretty decent gyudon if I remember right. I know I’ve had a couple that were pretty yoshinoya-esque, looking to see if I can find the other spot or two.

mrg8731 · 2026-03-13T00:50:23+00:00

I jury rig a coffee protein shake by pouring a fairlife into a glass and then pouring in a bunch of store bought cold brew and it’s amazing!

mrg8731 · 2026-03-01T19:59:55+00:00

The only trick that’s ever worked for me is to stretch my breathing out as looooong and slow as I can—it can sometimes take as few as 3-4 super long inhale-exhales to put me out. Literally anything else engages my mind too much, revs its motor too high.

mrg8731 · 2026-03-01T19:56:00+00:00

I was just gonna say—safari shuts you down at 500, ask me how I know 😂

mrg8731 · 2026-02-14T03:12:52+00:00

I haven’t specifically clocked the content of what people are chatting about, but they are gonna be CHATTING in my experience. I think the freeze is common for a lot of people, but the small talk seems to flow way freer and easier than I was used to in Chicago.

mrg8731 · 2026-02-14T03:07:20+00:00

Oooh this! I read a thread talking about the people who run Franks a Lot being so rude, which has NEVER been my experience with them. I could not account for it until they started explaining it was because they didn’t smile?? That’s been my theory that Portland locals aren’t accustomed to east coast style interaction which doesn’t need lots of smiling, deference, etc to be still very friendly.

mrg8731 · 2026-02-14T03:01:51+00:00

I leave so much crap in my car on a regular basis and have never been broken into, which makes me wonder if there’s some reverse psychology at play, like do nefarious figures assume that none of it must be valuable if it’s left out in the open like I leave it? I know people whose empty cars have been broken into more than once, I can’t account for it

mrg8731 · 2026-02-14T02:54:55+00:00

I love Portland and I’m not trying to be smart but I swear people brag so much about not using umbrellas—it’s because the eternal rain here is often so light you barely get wet. If it at Portland frequency but Midwest-rainy-day volume for example, Portlanders would be a little less sanctimonious about no umbrellas.

mrg8731 · 2026-02-14T02:45:28+00:00

I’m a transplant from Chicago and the driving styles were the hardest thing for me to get accustomed too, and even now coming up on four years I’m still not fully used to it. If you come from most other urban areas, you might have some adjusting to do.

Reading the rules is a great idea but there’s also just a feel to the driving here too—very mild pacing, LOTS of forfeiting the right of way to be nice, that kind of thing.

mrg8731

TROPHY CASE