I’ve had this post in my head for quite a while, and I’m quite sure it will change as we observe more about our new southern home. This list is neither comprehensive nor an attempt at judgment. There are just many differences we’ve picked up on so far in our move that deserve to be illuminated.
The Bars
If you go to a PDX bar (okay, the bars WE go to in PDX) you will no doubt encounter small groups of people huddled at vintage-looking tables clutching a pint of microbrew or tall boy of Pabst, perhaps one or more of them sporting hipster glasses and/or a t-shirt of a band only 2 people in the NW have even heard of. If you venture downtown, especially in the 1st/Ankeny area, you’ll see hoards of 20-somethings sporting fishnets or striped knee socks stumbling toward a food cart or pedi-cab. Dare to visit Burnside and you’ll see the sparkling signs for Boxxxes or other various caberets where the drag queens are taking smoke breaks across the street from Dante’s. What I’m saying is that the scene is eccletic and designed to meet the specific needs of a given group, be they hipster, young partier, or cross-dressing.
In PDX, this would be an Allagash 8% apple cider.
The scene in SA is decidedly more catch-all, and here’s what I mean: walk into most any PDX bar alone and you’ll most likely stay alone while you’re there. People are with their crowds and tend not to stray talking to strangers. The few conversations I’ve managed in PDX bars always ended up being with people visiting from out of town, and you can just forget the idea that anyone would buy you a drink out of the goodness of their heart. But saunter into the Old Irish Pub here in SA and it’s a whole different story. Everyone from the semi-employed web designers with their laptops open to the 20-year corporate America veterans looking to escape the rat race is belly up to the bar throwing playful insults across the room at each other. Say you’re from out of town and five hands go up to buy you a $1 Shiner on draft.* Bar patrons come in all shapes and sizes, but they’re all drinking old standards: Dos Equis dressed with lime and salt, Jaeger and Red Bull, Miller on tap. We haven’t ventured much into the party bar scene yet, but the casual drinking scene is certainly alive and kicking. And very friendly.
*Also, there’s no OLCC here, so bars aren’t required to serve food. Ca-razy.
The Climate
Okay, obvious, yes. But believe it or not, it has actually rained quite a bit since we got here. However, the rain has the good manners to mostly happen at night and be really awesome. It’s created a killer amount of humidity (which people have sworn up and down to me will go away) that makes my hair poof up in anger. Also, I’ve been at the pool most every day I’m not working. Making up for all those hours squirreled away indoors last Oregon winter contemplating my toenails.
Whitest feet south of the mason dixon line.
The Food
I know I know, you’re tired of seeing food pictures. Well that’s just too damn bad.
Texas: where even the cheese gallops.
Schickle and I have decided that SA food on the whole is much better than we were expecting. We were expecting the good Mexican food and BBQ of course, but we’ve be pleased as punch to find a full range of delicious burgers, sushi places, and even middle eastern/Greek fare.
The pita was...you guessed it...bigger.
But here’s the major difference: volume. For every person in SA, there are approximately 5 restaurants (one BBQ, two Mexican, a fast food chain, and a taqueria for good measure) because I get the impression that hearty, readily available food is a big thing in Texas. This is not to say we haven’t found (and will continue to find) eclectic and one-of-a-kind places here, but the thing about PDX that we somewhat appreciated while we were there is that pretty much EVERY place in PDX is one-of-a-kind and really excellent. From our besties at LRBC (RIP, we shed a bacon-y tear for you today) to the knock-your-socks-off food carts and flavorful happy hours of Cuban dishes to unbeatable burger and a movie prices at McMenamins, it seems that one can do little wrong in PDX when it comes to food. This in large part can be blamed on an overall slumping economy where restaurants flat out don’t make it without being excellent, but I prefer to just think that PDX has some food magic going on.
The Bugs
I’m going to end on this one for now because I just want to tell you all how much the bugs in Texas can absolutely go to hell and never ever come back. The mosquitos have been treating my skin as an all you care to suck Country Buffet since we arrived, hoards of moths surround the street lights around our apartment, and the crickets, well. The MF’ing crickets. “Aw, they sing, isn’t that nice?” NO. No it is not nice. Not when they sneak into your apartment and sing their taunting little “I’m not touching you! I’m not touching you! But I AM in your space sucka!” at 4AM and make you wake your poor tired boyfriend to go on a killing spree. Not when a gang of 20 of them waits at the bottom of your stairwell every night just to spring around like they’re going to attack you and your poor helpless pooch and make clicking noises as their exoskeletons hit the pavement. Bugs in Oregon know well enough to peace the hell out lest they be drowned or frozen, and the worst things we saw in summer was the occasional fruit fly posse. These Texas bugs have some balls, and I’m already sick of it. So I will sit with my bug spray in hand, glowering at the impending cricket hoards.
I wish this was the cricket I meant.
And we haven’t even seen the fire ants yet.