If only it was politics.
The debate I am talking about is not as far–reaching, but could be just as divisive.

I'm talking about Old Port vs. Congress Street.

In today's column I give a tip of the cap to all the new action along Congress Street in the Arts District.

Truth be told, it's something I've been wanting to write for a while now, because as most people who walk these streets know, in some circles I'm regarded as "Justin Ellis: Man About Town," which is a polite way of saying "Justin Ellis: Pathetic Lush."

Joking aside, I'm a happy guy when there are nightlife options, not just fallbacks.

When I came to Portland, for the first few years I was a Parkside guy. Living on Sherman then Grant streets, though "in–town," it was still a walk to get down to the Old Port. Not a problem in the summer, in fact it was nice then, but this time of year trudging up High Street was not appealing.

Still, I loved checking out all the different bars, even the ones I've now come to mock on a regular basis.

Of course the problem is that like anything good, after a while you can settle into a routine – half the night at Gritty's, half the night at Bull Feeney's, and Amigo's just in time for last call – and that can get stale.

On the other hand the Old Port can have some strategic disadvantages ... namely the Alley of Shame. A fount of unintentional comedy, human tragedy and occasional (and only on rare occasion) danger, the Alley of Shame is a magnet for "the young people" as well as criticism.

So when you look at it that way ... it's nice to get outside the Old Port once in a while.

Before it would have proven difficult to bar hop along Congress Street, but in the last few years the additions of the Downtown Lounge, The White Heart, Blue, and the relocation of Geno's among other moves have made that part of town a draw.

(Of course there are some that would say it always has been a draw – and you'll get only minimal argument out of me since my frame of reference only goes back to 2003).

In December Empire Dine and Dance opened and added another stop to the Congress Strip. (Can we call it that? Shorten it to "The Strip?" No?)

Which brings us back to today's column – options, there seem to be more of them, and that's a reason for gladness to "the young people." The city may not always like to acknowledge it and older people may not understand it, but for our demographic it can be as important as good schools, low crime rate or proximity to health care.

Of course all of this is my ramblings, so let's get into the real debate: What are the differences between the bars in the Old Port and the Congress Strip? What are your "fallback" or reliable bars? What's your first stop and last stop on a weekend? How much does nightlife factor into your decision to live somewhere?

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