Portland, OR

The first thing you notice about Portland (besides the beauty and the abundance of bridges) is how much Portlanders love their city. Not in the slightly cynical way that San Franciscans love San Francisco, or the sad and overcompensating love the Oaklanders have for their town. Portlanders love of Portland verges on the religious, and when they talk about their lovely city that get that far-away look of rapturous joy that Christians who are really into-it get when they talk about the big JC.

There is, admittedly, a lot to love. The eats are some of the best i've ever had. period. not just at a handful of restaurants, but every single eatery, cafe, and food cast (of which their are thousands) is chock full organic and locally grown deliciousness (Bunk and Broder were two of my favorites). The city itself is so pretty its rude, and the surrounding countryside is even prettier. Portland's grid is very easy to navigate. The coffee is strong, the boys are adorable, and there is a bookstore that never ends.

She makes a very compelling argument, but she's not without her drawbacks. A car seems to be slightly more necessary here than in San Francisco, the job situation here is apparently just as perilous, and the weather is worse...

But she makes a VERY compelling argument.