Heidi's report and her quotable last line made a big impression here.

Funnily enough, I met a New Yorker this morning on my way in to work. We had both stopped for coffee on the bridge, and struck up a conversation. He was a voluntary transplant from Manhattan and said that after four years, he's still enjoying the easy bike-riding (and cleaner air and cooler summers) here.

He did say, though, that Portland is a very hard place for making friends. I couldn't argue with him, being myself one of the insular natives.