Community Gathering Places Dwelling in SE Portland

Community  Gathering Places Dwelling  In SE Portland

The Press Club  2621 SE Clinton Division

From a print shop,, auto mechanics and origins as a meat packing plant , the Press club perfectly embodies the all and everything  energy of  SE Portland’s Oregon’s culture. 

Diffused light coming down from bank of interior ceiling windows above the wrap  around bar Illuminates a mix of family style and intimate tables.

A wall of encyclopedic of domestic and international magazines, announcement boards about the next local bands appearing,  movie nites  and local art is scattered around the industrial style space.

Social statements spice up the crepe and sandwich centered menu.  Cuisine named after famous authors  chosen to resonate with values we embrace for the day.  Jonathan Safran Foers entry immediately jumped out at me , as I have been slowly working through ‘Moonwalking with Einstein’ .  Jonathan is an American author best known for his novels Everything Is Illuminated (2002) and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2005), I hadn’t realized Foer wrote Illuminated, one of my very favorite movies ?   Foers menu item matches appropriately matches his novel  ‘Eating Animals’.

I am sure to stop by and discover a revolving treasury of great authors and  cuisine. And join the  friendly  banter and intellectual free spirited connections making  this unique  local neighborhood a special gathering place.

Discover your neighbor who might just  be your next favorite writer , musician or artisan- Sherman Alexi, Tom Spanbauer,  John Fante. Community Gathering Places Dwelling in SE Portland

Lovely Vintage Homes and Condo’s with high walk/bike ratings in the Clinton and Abernathy Hosford neighborhood.

Great Gathering Places dwelling in SE Portland Ladds Addition

On a recent rainy day strolling around the idyllic gardens and streets of vintage homes of Ladds Addition, I wandered  I was magically  drawn into Palio Espresso and Desert House.  The large multi roomed establishment had the feel of a personal refuge of many generations where you could perfectly lose yourself inside your ipad,  a great book or quiet conversation on a wingback chairs, couches or spread out seated at a vintage table beside a large window.

Located on a spoke of the inner of the five circle patterned layout  many 2nd and 3rd generation families still frequent the muted quiet golden atmosphere .  

Once the original Safeway location in Portland and another incarnation as a Gallery this 2nd generation

Gathering place  offers a wide variety of hot and cold drinks , provincial deserts, warm soups and sandwiches.

Great Gathering Places Dwelling in SE Portland Ladds Addition

Discover Ladd’s Addition Arts and Crafts and Bungalo’s 

Resizing into Portland Oregon’s one level homes

- What is your dream floor plan?  

                 What communities reflect your values ?

 Find Your Perfect One Level Home in Your Preferred Community.

Design Your Own Custom One Level Home & Identify a Trusted Local Architect & Builder Construct it

Summerplace  over 55 community with it all

Wonderful home is bright, open & spacious w/ windows/skylights. A MUST see w/ 2 BR,2 BA & FABULOUS sunroom for entertaining. Gourmet kitchen has new S/S appl., extended storage. New A/C, 96.5% efficient furnace, window coverings, carpet/hardwoods in kitchen/dining rm. HOA: commons, mtg rm, rec center, library, wt room, sauna & pool. Located in cul-de-sac and has lovely landscaping.

Raleigh Hills   great floor plan . easy care yard. close to everything

Wonderful ranch style home in a very quiet part of SW Portland. Close to Washington Sq, freeways  and other shopping yet has a private feel. Clean, bright open floor plan. Vaulted ceilings give a spacious feel. Formal living/dining. Great room island kitchen/family room/breakfast nook. Add a beautiful EZ care yard that has room for entertaining/gardening and you have a place to call home.

Clairemont  over 55 golf course community

This is a A+ and priced to sell. Located  on the very desirable Claremont Golf Course.  New roof in 2007, new carpet, 12 foot ceilings throughout. Two large bedrooms, Master over looking two fairways.  Patio overlooking two fairways, a pond and a private patio off the kitchen. This is a “Must See”. HOA’S $503/person/year. One Time $1,000 transfer fee.

Cedar mill   fabulous greatroom floorplan, close to everything

Large level,  private lot, close-in w/WA CO Schools and taxes.  One-level great room, 3-car garage. All finish specs may be made by purchaser.  Very well-known  and experienced custom builder. Extensive hardwoods & tile floors, granite, SS appliances, front landscaping.  Central Vacuum  pre-plumb, alarm & sound pre-wire. Rare one-level new home in great location!

Tigard   Quality You Can Feel & Just The Right Size!

“The Laurel wood” Cottage Home.  Charming  1-level cottage style home. Boast energy-efficient , stainless steel appliances, 5″ hand scraped hardwoods, vaulted master suite, covered entry, & 2nd bedroom den option. A new definition of luxury, top quality, natural materials, and careful attention to architectural details -

Charboneau  over 55 golf course community

Premier  Fairway Estate Home in Charbonneau. Ideal  active and retirement living home. One level, great room, low maintenance  home, wood floors, very bright, southern exp/ large kitchen with granite, large pantry. This home was rebuilt in 2002. Walk in closet, newly tiled extra large shower.

Resizing into Portland Oregon’s one level homes

Find Your Perfect One Level Home in Your Preferred Community.

Design Your Own Custom One Level Home & Identify a Trusted Local Architect & Builder Construct it

MUSING ABOUT RESIZING YOUR HOME AND SIMPLIFYING YOUR LIFESTYLE?

SENIORS REAL ESTATE COUNSELOR (SRES)

How long have you been musing about moving into less square footage, into a more manageable floor plan with lovely updated modern amenities?  Looking forward to living with all  your longed for features on one level, surrounded by tons of light and easy to care for surroundings.

Are you ready to re-size your home and simplify your life?

How do I begin?

What are the steps needed to plan a successful a re-size/lifestyle change?

The Place/Location

Where do you really want to live?

Water, mtns, desert

The Dwelling

What kind of home living environment and investment works best for you now. Who are your Seniors Real Estate Specialist Partners   The Valuable resources you need to help you negotiate through this process?

Where do I begin? 

Create a Timeline – 6 months to a Couple of Years

Move backward from the time you walk into the front door your new Abode/Home.

• It could take up to 180 days to complete the transaction of selling your home.

•  Find a SRES professional to help you start preparing and dressing your home for sale.

• Hold a couple of spring summer garage sales, start packing & giving away to family and charities.

• Finding our place. Start visiting the neighborhoods, the places you have long been considering. .

•  Find a professional SRES counselor to function as a sounding board to help you visualize the kind of living spaces that suit you best and the places you may want to live at this time of your life?

• Honestly Plan your Long Term finances

• Work with your financial planner and an able mortgage broker to create a realistic financial plan to  create your capacity to make changes to resize your home and a simplify your life.

FIND YOUR LOCAL SRES COUNSELOR

Twelve Lake Oswego Neighborhoods on Foot / The Lake Oswego Loop (7 miles)

 The Lake Oswego Loop (7 miles)  A circular route around and about Oswego Lake

Having been a long distance walker for years I had to someday complete our local  (7) mile  Oswego Lake Loop.  I chose the only sunny Saturday in March 2011 starting near the top of Cook Butte.

Walking through 11 of the 22 LO Neighborhood Associations I began half way up  Palisades  through a really diverse swath of the Hallinan,  Old Town,  Lakewood, Foothills, Evergreen, 1st Addition,  Northshore, Summit,  Lake Grove, Bryant, and Blue Heron neighborhoods.

I walk on average 5.5 k an hour so the 11.6 k walk would take a mere 2 hours.  Walking is always the best way to get a feel of the land and its history. I was accompanied along the way by various landmarks

Traffic blitzing by as I traversed down the Hallinan / McVey hills to Oswego’s original water feature at the Lake Corp and the intersection of Sucker Creek. A large mill stood in 1860 where the intriguing dam with metal plate walls and an old wooden tubing stands and a surprisingly beautiful and gentle series of waterfalls. The commerce from that mill was turned into Clipper freight ships docked down below George Rogers.

Turning the northeast corner of the loop onto State Street and George Rodgers park and Old Town  people were streaming by walking,  biking into the downtown core at  Richard Sundleafs  1920′  Commercial masterpiece and the new Sundeleaf Plaza.  It is reminiscent of the ancient square in north Mexico Arts mecca San Miguel with its  manicured hedge rows  minus the mariachi bands.  I took a shortcut past the  fountains and plaza sculptures lakeside up the new impressive pathway winding up beside the massive stone wall  ( like of so many ancient pathways winding up to old European hilltop towns in France and Spain) up into Millenium Plaza.  The perfect spot to discover an old friend and sample Honores Boulangerie pastries with some hot chocolate.  My 5.5 pace was suddenly altered.

After a lovely croissant and conversation I headed through the Lake Oswego Evergreen district toward to check out any changes to my favorite Lake Oswego Buddhist sanctuary at the back corner of The Catholic Church and Evergreen.  Back up ‘A’ street imagining  smoldering fires creating coal on the north side of A st and huge steel carts  barreling downhill on  A st  full of iron ore headed to the riverside foundry.  I was tempted to pop into the Historical Society Building, but whisked  down into Forest Hills past the lovely Vintage Homes cutting across the flanks of Iron Mtn through the deep primal Doug Firs with Village on the Lake to my left on toward the Hunt Club.  A sign warning of deer kept my eyes peeled for brown four legged bodies standing still deep into the forest.  The winter forest permitted a view almost all the way to the top of the crest of Iron Mtn where the  narrow gage railroad used to run.

The best blackberry patches in LO reside on the right side or Iron Mtn just before you reach the Iconic Domed Hunt Club structure.  I swung through the Campbell Gardens park across the train tracks onto Lakeview. Below to the left is Springbrook creek corridor that opens up to a once upon a time Native American village at the edge of the Lake.

I was curious if any of the Lakeside masterpieces had pending signs.  Lake Grove swim Easement was empty of the summer throngs and at the corner of Lakeview and Southshore I Rounded the southwest corner of the loop and the final sprint up past the four canals, past Blue Heron easement and completing the 7 mile loop in 3.5 hours.

Where are Those Affordable Lake Oswego View Homes?

Simplify Your Life, One Level Homes Living in a Village Community

Are you searching for and curious about  ONE LEVEL HOMES/ Great Spaces – New,  Updated or Under Construction in The Portland Oregon Region

RESIZE-into-One-Level-Portland-Homes

Rare custom single level by popular builder pick your colors and finishes. Vaulted,  hand scraped flooring   1 block to bus walk bike to New Seasons or  Lake Grove Village  1475 sqft    

Open great room design, gourmet kitchen master suite, outdoor living space flat level lot walk to river and West Linn shopping . 2750 sqft

One level custom masterpiece with Oswego lake views. Private lovely  neighborhood. Ready fall 2012  2330 sqft

Better than new. One of kind Forest Hills one level with great room styling and high end finishes. 2600 sqft

Explore these One Level Properties and be in the loop with new ONE LEVEL HOMES being planning in our Urban and Suburban Villages throughout the city.

RESIZING INTO PORTLAND AREA ONE LEVEL HOMES

Cooking Up Pre Portlandia Culture in Lake Oswego Oregon

Capturing early portraits through ‘Cooking Up Memories’ of the characters and pre Portlandia culture in Oswego.

Five Pacific Northwest Oregonian generations contributed ancestral recipes sharing through their communities, friends and family traditions. Simple elegant loving recipes using the same local ingredients we still treasure.

Custard timbales using orange sugared local Oregon Filberts . Hops grown near the current Bryant School at the turn of the century contributed to popular Root Beer Recipes using hops, burdock, yellow dock, sarsaparilla and dandelions. Current Lake Oswego Homes for Sale

Black Fig Wine, Dandelion Wine, Grapefruit Wine. Perfect Pumpkin Pie, Party Bread Pudding, Bourbon Steak Elk Stew, Crab and Mushroom Sandwiches. Mediterranean Bouillabaisse brought by families from the south of France using our local Pacific fresh fish and produce. Polish Holiday Fruit Bread, German Thiele Pancakes and gastronomical specialty Schmorkraut (purple cabbage) . Czech Ukrainian desert treats of Lemon Fluff jello using pet milk, lemon jello and fruit juices with graham cracker crusts . And Fruit filled kolache rolls . . Norwegian Spritz Cookie treats. Swedish Leon Cheese Cake Pies.

But with the World Wars brought rationing of all kinds of fresh foods and Community Victory gardens prevailed with 20 million gardens enabling supplies to shipped to our troops overseas.

Chip Steak was promoted during the depression years as quck and easy meal. Beef Tongue was popular and an economical dish until it was discovered in later years as a delicacy. Horse meat markets thrived during the ww11 War Rationing.

Rationing included days with a mix of daily meals that were Wheatless, Meatless and Porkless. Proud Victory bread or pasta’s using corn meal , starch and flowers, Hominy, Barley, Rice, Oatmeal, Buckwheat ,Potato flours. Wheat less days used no bread, crackers , pastry. Meatless, No Pork, sheep or beef products..

‘Mock’ foods began in those days imitating recipes without sugar and spices. Mock apple pie using spiced crackers, mock oysters which were running out at the turn of the century + of course mock turtle soup.

Helen Paulings a chemist developed a low protein, low sodium diet cure for her hubby Linus . A meticulous alternative diet using local fresh organic ingredients that worked to cure his chronic nephritis living to age 93. Whats Available in Lake Oswego Today

Check out the brilliant ‘Cooking Up Oswego Memories’ from the Oswego Heritage Council.

Brilliant Once Upon a Time Custom Homes on Oswego’s Uplands Ridge with Views of Forever

The backyard view was a million dollar setting looking out across Oswego Lake and sunrise on Mt Hood. I had forgotten one afternoon a few years ago I was headed up to one of my listings on Glen Eagles and was stopped by an oddly dressed fellow dressed in chaps and a cowboy hat at the Corner of Crest and Wembley Park rd. He turned out to be a friendly hired security guard from LA turning way people who were sneeking in to watch Harrison Ford and Brenda Fraser in ‘Extraordinary Measures’ being shot in a multimillion dollar home on the Uplands Ridge. Lake and MountainView Homes in Lake Oswego

Today there are three new custom homes coming out of the ground in the Oswego Uplands above Iron Mountain. Two capturing variations of that spectacular view overlooking the once boisterous narrow gauge railroad that ran below the Crest of Iron Mountain down across where the Country Club Golf Course is into First Addition and down to the Foundries on the Willamette at George Rodgers Park.. 2200 Crest, is Three Story Custom home, a fusion of Tudor and Traditional styling designed and constructed by a great local grown developer West coast homes solutions , Eugene Labunsky. It will be 3600 sqft with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths.

2200 Prestwick is just above the home depicted in ‘Desperate Measures’ and has an even better view. Designed by Leon Miller Price and constructed by Cowan construction llc Mike Cowan http://www.cowanco.com/ another local home Oregon grown builder. This home will be a Craftsman style featuring Pre-finished wood shingles, Classic Stone Masonry with an enormous Wood beamed great room overlooking the Lake and Mtns. It will be 5300 sqft with 4 bedrooms and 4 baths.

1780 Ridgecrest rests 14th green overlooking Mt Hood and the Oswego Country Golf Club . This pristine 13,000 lot faces south overlooking the wooded slopes of Iron Mtn Park with Oswego Lake shimmering down below. This home is still being conceived and constructed by local Lake Oswego builder Stoneridge Custom Development http://stoneridgecustomdevelopment.com/ . Many of John Tercek’s brilliant Custom Homes have become landmark locations and floor plans featuring the very best of Northwest Architecture and design. Lake and Mountain View Home in Lake Oswego Oregon

Homes and Townhouses in Idyllic in the Alberta Arts District

It might seem like a stretch to compare Alberta Arts today to living to NE Portland lifestyles during the Leave It it to Beaver 50′s. Yet Young parents and little children wearing bike helmets and ice cream smiles seems to cover the sidewalks on recent laid back sunny winter Alberta day . 

New Seasons on 33rd a couple of block up from Alberta could almost qualify as our 2nd residence. Carts with floating gardens of kale, carrots, apples headed to parking in front of the cute small bungaloe homes. 

The brilliant metal sculpture Alberta Arts sign a vision of a fluttering flock of black metal crows settling down on the east side of the street inviting future crowds to the series of last  last thursdays and the Alberta st fair on 8.11 in 12.

Too easy to be lured into Café Vita’s vegetarian and vegan fare by the affordable prices.  The Alberta Rose Theatre once known in many different incarnations as the Alameda Theater, Macedonia Church of God and Victory Outreach Church and the 1st black owned theatre in Portland.

My favorite local nonprofit MESO is housed in the Black United Fund building offering much needed Professional microcredit capacity building for a diverse array of small fledgling local entrepreneurs.

http://www.searchallproperties.com/freelist/haris.wolfgang/Alberta-Arts

New Ultra modern townhouse units have recently flown off the market. Traditional and Contemporary Skinnies are found on many of the side streets.

The eclectic combination of colorful restored streetcar buildings, Scattered Quansit huts office buildings, new ultra modern mixed buildings seems to invite a frenzy of funk, color and poster totem Poles.

The Siam Society seems to have a bit of magic about the old power station building. Its doesn’t ever seem to open when I am in the neighborhood.

An adorable little boy sitting on his mom’s lap lapping Salt and Straw ice cream watching Bikes streaming on the cross streets of Alberta heading home to Community Recycling. I tasted Salt and Straws spectrum of other worldly flavors, brown ale bacon, pear blue cheese and olive oil my fave.

The La Petite Provence Boulangerie Alberta hot spot is soon to open a branch in Lake Grove.

A wide mix of home styles stretch south and north of Alberta from 15th to 33rd up to Fernwood Park And Concordia College. Expect Infill to pick up this year. Inventory for New and Restored homes in the area in neighborhood is low . Affordable fixers are even more difficult to find.

http://www.searchallproperties.com/freelist/haris.wolfgang/Alberta-Arts

Harvesting Our Urban Generosity sharing the wealth of our homes and land

This last year my wife and I became avid juicers after watching a great movie called ‘Fat Sick and nearly Dead’.  I must admit this past fall I was very much aware of so many lovely fruit trees lying wasted in backyards of Real Estate  for sale I was showing and empty Commercial Building  lots . I was able to harvest months of free delicious unused apples from a 39 acre retreat listing I have in Willamina. http://www.tourfactory.com/795656

I  recently discovered  in the Richmond neighborhood newsletter, a wonderful  story about  the Portland Fruit Tree project , a grass-roots non-profit organization harvesting  and teaching care of Urban fruits trees providing fresh fruit to folks who don’t always have full access to fresh alive  foods.

PFTP organizes neighborhood volunteer efforts to harvest found in The Sabin Community Orchards, neighbors with unused fruit growing in their trees in Abernathy- Hosford Abernathy, Richmond,  Buckman, Sunnyside,

Laurelhurst , Tabor  and growing network of urban neighborhoods.

Portland Urban Harvest

PTFC’s harvest and food distribution partners include the Oregon Food Bank, Sisters of the Road Café and dozen location nonprofits and churches.

There are many ways to Volunteer -  attend a harvest event, encourage  registering trees for harvest or donate.  503-284-6106