The beautiful city of Portland has long been known in the animation
world for its independent animators and as home to Will Vinton's
studio, as well as birthplace of other major players including Matt
Groening and Bill Plympton. The local animation community now also
boasts the dynamic Laika Studios (with three feature films currently in
production, including Henry Selick's Coraline) and boutique studios
including the ultra-cool Bent Image Lab.
The city is also becoming increasingly recognized as a center of
comics culture (it is home to Dark Horse Comics), design, filmmaking,
and indie music and arts - as well as for its great microbreweries and
microdistilleries. The city and its surroundings are spectacular, with
state and national parks, rivers, lakes, the mountains, desert and
ocean all within easy reach. The air is fresh and there are plenty of
great cycling and hiking trails, both in and out of the city.
Portland's airport
is serviced by major airlines with direct flights from dozens of US
cities, including all major hubs. There are non-stop flights to and
from international destinations, including Frankfurt, Tokyo and
Vancouver; an exemplary network of trains and buses make transportation
within the city a breeze.
It was named Best Place to Live in the US (Men's Journal, April
2006), America's Best Walking City (Prevention Magazine, April 2006),
Best Cycling City in the US (Bicycling Magazine, March 2006), One of 18
Perfect Towns That Have it All: Hip, Smart and Packed with Adventure
(Outside, August 2005) and Second in US for Sustainable Cities
(SustainLane.com, June 2005). According to the London Times, Portland
is a bracing mixture - vital without being precocious, laid-back
without being starry-eyed... More than that, Portland is funky. Not in
a self-conscious way, but as a reflection of how the locals choose to
live.
For detailed city information, visit the Portland, Oregon Visitors Association.
More great links to Portland information
www.portland.com
www.portlandguide.com
www.wweek.com
Dirt Cheap Guide for students
More information is also available at the Platform website.
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