Some of us grew up here and some of us migrated here-- but we all agree that we love Portland, OR. This week we wanted to share a couple of the things that we cherish the most about our fair city. An informal survey of my esteemed co-workers led to these top three reasons why they like living here.

1. The Close Proximity to Nature



If you enjoy spending time in the natural world, all you have to ask is what you’d like to do and go do it. Portland is situated on the convergence of two rivers.  Living here we are a hop, skip and a jump away from the Pacific Ocean, the Oregon high desert, the Cascade mountain range, and old growth forests like Opal Creek.  Wahoo!

2. Abundant Brunch Places



Here in Portland people love a brunch-- so much so that they willingly line up for hours on Saturday and Sunday mornings to wait for some of the tastiest food around. Portland boasts an incredible culture of food carts, restaurants, coffee houses, donut shops, and cafes-- where you can get anything from greasy hangover-curing ensembles to light and tasty whole food cuisine. Our favorite hot spot include the likes of The Tin Shed Garden Cafe, Voodoo Donuts, and Jam! Mmmm...

3. Best Biking!



One of the things that people seem to know about Portland is that we enjoy a vibrant bicycle culture. Everyday, many of us get exercise, get to know our neighborhoods better, and enjoy the fresh outdoor air by riding our bikes. Portland’s version of the World Naked Bike Ride attracts 10,000+ people to the event each year. That’s a lot of nude cyclists! Another favorite summer ride is the Bridge Pedal, a 40 mile ride that loops around the city allowing thousands of people to ride over all ten of our beautiful bridges.

Written by Mike Schultz. He is an oil painter from Ithaca, New York.  When he is not working for Grove, he’s painting and drawing to his heart’s content.  You can see his work on his blog and his website.