Lake Oswego Real Estate Blog
Interesting People and Places of Lake Oswego, Oregon
On a recent drive through Lake Oswego, I came upon a wonderful find. Two houses, across the street from each other, had their yards full of dozens of Jack-O-Lanterns. What a sight! I can not imagine carving so many pumpkins. I think I’m going to have to go by this evening to see them all lit up.
With the exception of the photo of my own Jack-O-Lantern, these pictures are of these two front yards. Happy Halloween!
I really love the fall with crisp mornings and all of the glorious color of the changing leaves. I also love getting into the spooky spirit of Halloween. Yes, my house has pumpkins and giant spiders and the fragrance of spices in the air.
I know I am not alone in this. I have a client who plans trick or treating with his children around houses that he likes. He plans a route and then goes to the door with his kids so that he can get a brief glimpse inside. These are what he calls “Trick or Treat” houses.
If you are looking for an easy way to celebrate All Hallows Eve, consider putting the Lake Oswego Harvest Festival onto your calendar. It will take place in Millenium Plaza Park on October 31st, from 3:30 to 5:30. Activities include Trick or Treat Street, Games, Crafts, and a live performance from the Dragon Puppet Theater. Costumes are encouraged.
Enjoy,
Dianne
The main store is Zupan’s. I gotta say, it’s pretty amazing. We have lots of nice markets in LO: 2 Albertson’s, 2 Safeway’s, Lamb’s Thriftway, Whole Foods and New Seasons. But this Zupan’s makes all of the others seem rather low-brow. I’d describe it as being mostly a huge deli with gorgeous produce, meets, and beverages. It is an ideal place to purchase take-out on those nights you don’t feel like cooking. The most stunning department is the flower department, which is so large that it occupies an outdoor patio as well as it’s own storefront. The final top off is a out door lounge with a large sofa, big chairs, and tables for dining. It is covered and has heat lamps, so except fo the deep of winter, it will be enjoyable pretty much year around.
Seriously, have you ever seen a market that has a sofa?
Two other tenants in the new “Village” are La Provence and Jefe. La Provence is a great French bakery/bistro that used to be located North of this location. Jefe is up-scale Mexican: very fresh and very homemade. Both have outdoor seating that is covered.
It is really a nice addition to the commercial district in Lake Grove and I highly recommend that you check it out, if you haven’t done so already.
Dianne
The trail head starts at the top of Iron Mountain along Glen Eagles Rd. I don’t know the exact distance, but I would guess it at close to a mile long. It has an easy grade across the side of Iron Mountain and ends at Lake Oswego Country Club.
The trail is groomed with packed gravel and wide enough for a couple of friends to walk side by side. It is such a gentle slope because it was originally a rail road bed for the Oregon Iron Company.
Back in 1865 Iron was discovered in what is now Iron Mountain. There are still mine shafts in the mountain, although the entrance to the mine has been cemented over to prevent kids and animals from mishap.
About halfway along the trail there is a junction that you can also take that goes the opposite direction along Iron Mountain but down to the The Hunt Club. The views that direction are lovely as well. You get a birds eye view of the horses and the arenas.
One of the great things that makes Lake Oswego a great place to live is the ability to take nice walks and hikes. This trail is now one of the options that I will make regular use of.
Dianne
I know that when you think of wine tasting, if you are like me, you think of summer breezes and lazy afternoons. But, believe it or not, the premier time to tour Oregon vineyards is the weekend following Thanksgiving. This is because the fall harvest is complete and there is a sense of celebration. Many vineyards that are normally not open to the public will hold open houses over Thanksgiving weekend. And nearly every vineyard is decorated for the holidays. It is a wonderful time in Oregon Wine Country.
Living in Lake Oswego, we are only about a half an hour’s drive from Yamhill County, and about an hour’s drive from the start of the vineyards up along the Columbia River. There are literally hundreds of vineyards. Some are quite large and some are very small. Some are run on a corporate level with huge mechanized operations, and others are truly hand crafted.
If you intend to take a wine country tour, you need to do a little prior planning. First of all, there needs to be a designated driver. Those little sips can add up. I also highly recommend trying one of the many companies that put together wine tours. I personally spent a fantastic Friday following Thanksgiving with a company called Grape Escapes. You can arrange a private tour, a group tour, or asked to be a part of a group tour. They also have full day and half day options. On the occasion that I attended a friend and I organized a group tour. We had about 10 people and were picked up here in Lake Oswego. We then spent the day being driven in a 15 passenger van with a wine guide. Each stop was a different vineyard. We were treated to not only a tasting of wine, but a tour of the vineyard and a small meal. It worked like a progressive luncheon that lasted all day. The total cost? About $100 per person plus gratuity. But considering that the wine tastings were included, as well as our meal and the gas, it was a total bargain.
If you do go after the big turkey dinner, my recommendation is to head out Hwy 99 towards Yamhill County. The various vineyards are pretty well marked along the highway. You can also find a map by clicking here. And to help with your planning, here are a few tips:
I will personally recommend a stop in McMinville at Stonewolf Vineyards. They have been known to not only have award winning Pinot Gris (in 2008 named a brand favorite by Rachael Ray), but in year’s past have served a spectacular salmon meal with country fiddle players.
Most vineyards charge a tasting fee of about $10. Wine is also for sale by the bottle and by the case.
Celebrating the harvest. Celebrating Thanksgiving and the holidays. Celebrating Oregon. We are so blessed and in so many ways.
Happy Thanksgiving, Dianne
Lake Oswego is a pretty art-oriented community. About town you will find the Gallery Without Walls, and art appreciation is taught by volunteers in the elementary schools. And then there is the annual Festival of the Arts which draws about 20,000 visitors each year for a full weekend of art and entertainment each June. I think a cornerstone of art in the city is the Lakewood Center for the Arts.
Located in the old Lakewood Elementary School building on State Street, the center houses the Lakewood Theater Company as well as a dance studio, art gallery, music and art classes, the Community Arts Preschool, community meeting rooms, and Re-Runs, a second hand shop that supports upkeep and renovation of the building.
The Lakewood Theater Company puts on 5 shows each season of extremely high quality. The stage was renovated in 2003 to hold 220 people with no seat more than 35 feet from the stage. Currently showing is the classic, Gypsy. Costs run about $30 for a single show or $130-$140 for a 5-show season. The performers are high-quality-local talent, with excellent sets and costumes. The theater has a history of 85-90% sell-out for performances. I have seen numerous performances and can attest to the value of the great entertainment.
Tickets are now on sale for the 2010-2011 season:
9/10-10/17: Sweet Charity
11/5-12/12: The Foreigner
1/14-2/20: The Hollow
3/11-4/17: Lend Me a Tenor
5/6-6/12: The Secret Garden
I have a soft spot for this theatre and a personal story. Back in the late 1970’s, when I was in High School at Lakeridge, I had a good friend who worked in the costume department. One Halloween she got us permission to use theatre costumes to attend a Halloween Party. She and I, along with another friend, were able to go to the party as a Chinese dragon. Talk about making an entrance!
I highly encourage you to support the Lakewood Center. And whether you are able to attend a play or not, if you are in Lake Oswego you are going to benefit from the presence of the Lakewood Center in our community.
This is just another great reason to live in Lake Oswego!
Dianne
Along with a few open houses, this Sunday will bring us Lake Oswego’s annual 4th of July festivities:
Here are Sunday’s Open Houses, according to the RMLS:
| Address | List Price | Sq Feet | BR | BATHS | Prop Type | Open | ||
| 18222 SIENA DR | $1,088,000 | 3800 | 6 | 4 + .5 | DETACHD | 1 to 3 | ||
| 18209 SIENA DR | $1,097,000 | 3839 | 5 | 3 + .5 | DETACHD | 1 to 3 | ||
| 18246 BELLA TERRA DR | $1,194,000 | 4196 | 4 | 3 + .5 | DETACHD | 1 to 3 | ||
| 18143 SIENA DR | $1,197,000 | 4152 | 5 | 4 + .5 | DETACHD | 1 to 3 | ||
| 1808 RIDGE POINTE DR | $1,269,000 | 4155 | 5 | 4 + .5 | DETACHD | 1 to 3 | ||
Have a safe and happy 4th of July!
Every community looks to find it’s claim to fame and Lake Oswego’s, beside beautiful homes and top-notch schools, can be found in one of its most famous residents, William Stafford.
William Stafford, born in 1914, lived in Lake Oswego from 1957 until his death in 1993. He was a professor of English at Lewis and Clark College and was world renowned as a poet. In 50 years of writing poetry, which he didn’t begin doing until his 40’s, he is estimated to have written 22,000 poems of which 3,000 were published. In 1970 he was named Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a position that today would be the equivalent of being the U.S. Poet Laureate. In 1975 he was named the Poet Laureate for the State of Oregon.
You will find tributes to William Stafford throughout Lake Oswego. In the various parks around town you will find inscriptions of his poems, a walkway named after him, and lovely renderings that pay tribute to his creative genius. I am a huge fan of his work. Absolutely one of my favorite places is the William Stafford path in Foothills Park that culminates in the stone circle that bears his work.
Today I want to introduce you to William Stafford and share with you a few of his poems:
Why I Am Happy
Now has come, an easy time. I let it
roll. There is a lake somewhere
so blue and far nobody owns it.
A wind comes by and a willow listens
gracefully.
I hear all this, every summer. I laugh
and cry for every turn of the world,
its terribly cold, innocent spin.
That lake stays blue and free; it goes
on and on.
And I know where it is.
Little Rooms
I rock high in the oak-secure, big branches-
at home while darkness comes. It gets lonely up here
as lights needle forth below, through airy space.
Tinkling dishwashing noises drift up, and a faint
smooth gush of air through leaves, cool evening
moving out over the earth. Our town leans farther
away, and I ride through the arch toward midnight,
holding on, listening, hearing deep roots grow.
There are rooms in a life, apart from others, rich
with whatever happens, a glimpse of moon, a breeze.
You who come years from now to this brief spell
of nothing that was mine: the open, slow passing
of time was a gift going by. I have put my hand out
on the mane of the wind,
to give it to you.
And, finally, my favorite:
The Way It Is
There’s a thread you follow. It goes among
things that change. But it doesn’t change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it is hard for others to see.
While you hold it you can’t get lost.
Tragedies happen; people get hurt
or die; and you suffer and get old.
Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding.
You don’t ever let go of the thread.
Thanks for letting me share William Stafford with you. I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do.
Dianne
Technically, Marylhurst University is located in Marylhurst, Oregon: until a few minutes ago I had never heard of such a town! Actually, Marylhurst University is sandwiched exactly between Lake Oswego and West Linn on the banks of the Willamette River. Founded in 1893 by the Sisters of Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the West. Originally a school for girls, it became co-ed in 1974 and was officially incorporated as an entity separate from the Sisters of Holy Names in 1959. As a school, it has continued to grow and to gain respect. In 2003 it was ranked by US News and World Report as a “Best Value”
Today the University offers a traditional classroom curriculum as well as on-line education. Bachelor of Arts and Science degrees are offered in Art, Interior Design, Business, Communications, English and Writing, Religious Studies, Music, Real Estate, and Science. Master’s Degrees are offered in Education, Business, Sustainable Business, and Interdisciplinary Studies. So right here, in the backyard of our town, you can pursue higher education and on-going education. I see this as a real asset to our community. It makes education easier to obtain when it is nearby, and for our town, it adds many benefits.
Mary’s Woods
Along with the University, there is a retirement community known as Mary’s Woods. Offering all levels of assistance from independent living to extensive care, this retirement community is well regarded. And being attached to the University, it offers many opportunities for retired folks who want to take classes and to remain active.
The Christie School
The Christie School was founded in 1953 and is Oregon’s oldest and largest residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed children. The program serves the needs of about 80 kids at any given time. It helps children 8-18 years of age who are coping with any number of needs from depression issues to over-coming abuse. It’s roots go back to the original school, St. Mary’s Home for Girls, which was founded to house and to educate orphaned and abandoned girls.
And then there was the battle with the KKK
One of the more interesting bits of trivia surrounding Maryhurst was the landmark court case known as “Pierce v. Society of Sisters” from 1925. Back in the 1920’s the KKK was pretty strong in Oregon and had a good deal of influence in Oregon politics, including with the Governor of the State, Walter Pierce. The KKK, in concert with the Oregon Scottish Rite Masons, wanted to make public education mandatory, thereby ending access to private education. The Sisters boycotted businesses that supported the KKK and challenged the KKK in court. The 1925 case, decided unanimously by the United States Supreme Court, ruled in favor of the Sisters. The court case ruled that while states may compel attendance at some school, the parents have the constitutional right to choose between public and private schools. The ruling was a legal precedent for our country that has effected court rulings across the United States ever since.
Marylhurst is just one more reason I like living in Lake Oswego. It is a wonderful resource, on so many levels.
Yours,
Dianne
The City of Lake Oswego is mourning the unexpected passing of it’s beloved Police Chief, Dan Duncan. There will be a memorial service June 4th, 1:00PM at the Rolling Hills Community Church. Flags in the city will be at half-mast from now until that date. His family has set up a Memorial Site with photos and information. Well-wishers may leave messages there for them.
The Willamette Shore Trolley is up & running! This has been one of my favorite things to do with visitors to Lake Oswego for many, many years. I have photos of beloved family members and I enjoying the ride to & from Portland that I will always cherish. Make your own memories as the train winds along the waterfront & through the trees & neighborhoods that line this historic passage between the two cities. This route is also the one being considered for a possible streetcar! For a schedule of times & fares call 503 697 7436, or visit the Website.
The latest Market Activity Report for Portland Metro produced by RMLS shows the following data:
- Comparing April 2010 with April 2009: Closed Sales increased 49.1%, and Pending Sales rose 60.8% with New Listings going up by 23.8%
- When comparing April 2010 with March 2010, the average sale price rose just 0.6%
- Comparing January – April 2010 with the same period in 2009, Closed Sales increased 41.4%, with Pending Sales rising by 46.3% and New Listings by 15.4%
- April’s Total Market Time for Portland Metro was: 127 days
- Lake Oswego and West Linn’s Total Market Time was: 147 days
- Lake Oswego and West Linn’s Average Sales Price (RMLS lumps the two areas together) was $502,800.
- Lake Oswego and West Linn posted 101 Closed Sales in April with 1066 Active Listings
- Lake Oswego and West Linn saw a 113.8% increase in Pending Sales April 2010 compared to April 2009