girl at large

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.