3 Places That Make Portland Home for Multnomah County Library's Vailey Oehlke

Multnomah County Library director Vailey Oehlke recently talked about the big changes that are under way at local libraries.

But she also shared what makes Portland feel like home to her:

Cherry Blossoms in Tom McCall Waterfront Park

“Just because it's so timely, I absolutely love the cherry trees that blossom along the waterfront every spring,” Oehlke says. “It's notable, and it's beautiful, and year after year, despite whatever chaos and trauma is transpiring in our community, those trees continue to bloom.”

Portland Neighbors

“In the many places I've lived in Portland, I've been so lucky to have this sense of ‘this is my community’ in my neighbors.” Oehlke says. “They become my friends. I'm sure that happens in other communities, but I've felt that very strongly in Portland for years and years, and I'm grateful for that.”

Music Scene

“The music scene in Portland is pretty amazing, and accessible, which I think is also really important,” Oehlke says. “You can see some really great music for free or for not a lot of money. Rev Hall is fun. We see a lot of shows there. The Aladdin. I like the smaller venues that are a little more intimate. And I did go see Neil Diamond at Moda, because that's Neil Diamond — I didn't have a choice.”