I Love Portland Maine.com - Part Three

There will be many more to come, but here is part two of a snipit from my Blog website at http://www.ILovePortlandMaine.com . I hope you enjoy and please if you live in Portland, Maine, have lived in Portland, ME, have had the pleasure of visiting Portland, Maine, or would love to visit someday, please take a look and provide your own reason for Why You Love Portland Maine! Thank you!!

More of I LOVE PORTLAND MAINE.COM ....

Reason #2 - Portland's Various Awards Nationally and Internationally

Recognized with various awards amongst a variety of criteria, Portland, Maine, has a great deal to offer everyone! Below is just a sampling of the accolades of our great Portland, Maine.

• Ranked #6 on Relocate America's Top 10 Places to Live in 2007.
• Ranked #12 in the world by Frommer's in its list of Top Travel Destinations for 2007.
• Ranked #20 in Inc. Magazine 2006 Boom Town List of Hottest Cities for Entrepreneurs.
• Ranked #7 on the 2005 list of the 100 Best Art Towns in America.
• Named #15 in medium sized Top U.S. Cities for Doing Business. In the overall category of small, medium and large cities combined, out of 25,000 cities examined, Portland ranked #32.
• Named #1 Top Market in Small Business Vitality. The study suggests that Portland supports the strongest small-business sector of any metropolitan area in the United States and ranked it as the hottest small business market in which to develop a company.
• Named #14 in Best Performing Cities index, for its economic vitality based on measures that include employment and salary growth, with an emphasis on high-tech industries.
• Named one of the "50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live".
• Ranked #40 on National Geographic Traveler Top 109 Historic Destinations in the World.
• Commercial Street, Portland was selected by American Planning Association in 2008 as one of the 10 Great Streets in the US.
• U.S. News & World Reports selected Portland, Maine, as One of the Top Ten Places to Retire.
• Organic Gardening Magazine selected Portland, Maine, as One of the Greenest Cities in the US.
• The Portland Jetport is New England's Fastest Growing airport in terms of passengers.
• Ranked #1 in the Mid-Level Professional category in Kiplinger's 2007 - Top City for Creative People.

Reason #83 - Miyake, The Food Factory - 129 Spring Street, Portland

If you love sushi and cannot make the trip to Tokyo, you're all set in Portland with the numerous sushi restaurants. Miyake, considered to be the most authentic, stands out from the rest in the freshness of the seafood and great preparation of the dishes. Arrive early or plan to be patient, as the restaurant is small, but trust me, your tastebuds will be satisfied.

Reason #63 -

"Portland Has Everything" - (reader comment by Taylor Guay, Yarmouth)

"Portland is a great place to live with its proximity to various local establishments catering to every possible need, including superb local eateries. The Merrill Auditorium where various plays and concerts are performed throughout the year. The Maine Mall with shops that provide for most every conceivable need, is only a short distance away. Last but not least the Maine coast is something that cannot be found anywhere else. Casco Bay is filled with tons of islands that provide a day's journey: shopping, hiking, fishing, and even some overnight accommodations for weekend getaways and dinner cruises. All of this awaits you only steps away from your front door in Portland, Maine.

"Reason #71 - "Great Place to Live" - (reader comment by Elizabeth Bolton, Cambridge, Mass)

I lived in Portland for a little bit years ago and at that time a big part of what I loved was the cheap rent! Seriously, though the Old Port is fabulous, there are some great houses - the Eastern Prom was my favorite, and I love that it's really a walking city. Great place to live!"