HomeQuest’s Looking Glass will allow you to create your own home search database. The system automatically generates an interactive map that allows you to search for properties based upon your criteria of price and location for your potential home. Emails are generated every day and maintain a live link allowing you to look at new properties when they come on the market.
Click here to sign up for listings in your target neighborhoods.
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Shannon is dedicated to making your move to, or away, from Portland as smooth and stress free as possible. Her mission is to provide personalized service throughout the entire relocation process. By understanding your needs and lifestyle she can successfully introduce Portland’s neighborhoods and amenities. Whether you are looking for a vintage home, new construction or city loft, she takes pride in her extensive knowledge of the various neighborhoods and price ranges. Shannon is confident the she can locate the perfect new home and environment for you.
As a native of Portland with years of real estate and personal assistance experience Shannon has gained thorough experience and knowledge of this wonderful city and surrounding areas. It is rewarding to be able to share this information about Portland with those who are in the relocation process.
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Portland
Portland’s Destinations
Portland Japanese Garden - With its five distinct gardens spread across 5.5 acres in Washington Park, Portland Japanese Garden is one of my favorite escapes. The garden has been noted as the most authentic public Japanese garden outside of Japan, according to a study by Journal of Japanese Gardening. Open year round, the garden has something new to offer in every season and down every path.
Washington Park - Located in Portland’s west hills, Washington Park encompasses over 400 acres of wilderness and several attractions including the Portland Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, International Rose Test Garden, Oregon Zoo, World Forestry Center, and Portland Children’s Museum. Washington Park can be reached by car, the MAX (red and blue lines), and the #63 bus; and the park’s many attractions are accessible by the Washington Park Shuttle, 15 miles of hiking trails, and by car.
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Galleries
Chambers @ 916 - This intimate, minimalist gallery is sophisticated yet accessible and is one of my favorites in Portland. The gallery features a single show at a time, usually for 7 -8 weeks at a time. Chambers @ 916 features paintings, photography, and installations, and it is particularly well suited for video installations. I love how the gallery’s use of light and images draws passers-by into the gallery space.
Owner/artist Wid Chambers and Gallery Director Martha Morgan are enough to draw me into the gallery. Martha is immensely knowledgeable, warm, and charming; and Wid is kind and captivating. They’re both fascinating to talk to – I often leave wishing I had more time to spend with them.
When I visited recently, Wid explained how he had painstakingly helped tape & paint Arcy Douglass’ site specific installation pictured below.
Tue – Sat 11 – 5:30
and by appointment
(courtesy of Chambers website)
Wall Drawing 1 2010 – Arcy Douglass (courtesy of Chambers website)
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Land – When the founders of buyolympia – a website that sells handmade goods from over 80 artists – decided to move to Portland, they were looking for a way to get exposure for their featured artists. So, in 2009 they opened up a brick-and-mortar retail shop and gallery.
Perhaps one of Portland’s most accessible galleries, Land is decidedly comfortable and unpretentious. Openings at Land are a particularly fun affair – with an opportunity to meet the artist, food from a Korean taco truck, and complimentary wine.
Wednesday – Saturday 10am – 6pm
Sunday 10am – 5pm
In October, Land featured the work of Nikki McClure who uses a single sheet of paper and an X-Acto knife to create her beautiful images.
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Butters Gallery – An established Portland gallery, Butters is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon – touring the gallery, talking with Jeff Butters, and learning about art. Jeff has a wealth of knowledge of the international art scene and is a talented painter in his own right.
Tuesday – Friday 10am – 5:30pm
Saturday 11am – 5pm
Ancients’ Lost Rivers: Sheba 2003 Terence LaNoue
Current exhibit: Terence LaNoue
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Blue Sky – A Portland institution for 35 years, Blue Sky is a nonprofit exhibition space that aims to educate the public about photography. I love the natural light flooding the gallery from the large windows. This gallery is great for a walk through on a Saturday or Sunday.
Tuesday – Sunday 12 – 5pm
photos – courtesy of http://blueskygallery.org
Current Exhibit: Gerry Badger’s urban scenes of Berlin and Stella Johnson’s beautiful travel photos
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Heidi McBride Gallery – A self-described “art matchmaker,” Heidi McBride has extensive experience working within her clients’ budget, finding art that inspires individuals, and utilizing the work of 70 artists including local and emerging artists. A cross between an art consultancy and a gallery, she is a true advocate for both residential and commercial art buyers. Her warmth and personality are well suited to making art buying a comfortable and exhilarating experience.
By appointment gallery – South Waterfront at Atwater Place
503-887-3093
Sidonie Caron, Esque, Thérèse Murdz, Mike Suri, Fae Young-Scherling, Molly Cliff-Hilts
Katie Todd, Gabriel Fernandez, Flora Bowley, Trish Grantham
Bill Park
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Shopping
I love these stores not only for the wares they sell but also for the way I feel when I walk in the door.
Canoe - My go-to store for gifts, kitchen goods, home accessories, books, office, and tabletop items. Some of my favorite items: Noguchi lamps, Sugahara vases, Heath ceramics, Postalco notebooks, and recently added jewelry.
kitchen & tabletop items
Noguchi lamps and Heath ceramics
Sugahara vases
Holiday stock has arrived!
Alder & Co. – This store sells a variety of items from soaps, dishes, and tabletop items to Makr Carry leather goods, handbags, and women’s clothing.
soaps, candles, glasses, and throws
reclaimed apothecary matchstick bottles
stationery, cards, and Yoko Inoue postcard books
Pin Me Apparel – A women’s clothing boutique selling apparel, jewelry, shoes, and accessories, Pin Me sources many of its items from Northwest and Canadian designers. Pin Me Apparel was the first clothing store to open on Mississippi. Realizing the potential of the street’s revitalization, the owners set up shop in January 2004. Top selling items include: Orla Kiely handbags, Prairie Underground apparel, Spiewak outerwear, Skunkfunk clothing, and Melissa shoes.
an anchor on Mississippi
apparel, outerwear, and accessories
jewelry and accessories
Blake – Blake sells men’s and women’s clothing: t-shirts and designer jeans. Some of the many brands they carry: Citizens of Humanity, James Jeans, Levis, and Ben Sherman.
new location on 23rd
The Meadow – This specialty store sells sea salts and finishing salts from around the world, as well as gourmet chocolate and fresh flowers.
some of The Meadow’s many salts
variety of finishing salts
Ink & Peat - This lifestyle store features pillows, jewelry, candles, cards, books, and beautiful custom floral designs.
Pistils Nursery – This lovely garden store sells plants, terrariums, and even chicks in the spring. They also hold a number of workshops for beekeeping, urban chicken keeping, and gardening.
houseplants, terrariums, seeds, and bulbs
tillandsia growing in a ceramic egg
back of Pistils
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Portland’s Coffee Culture
Known for its high number of micro roasters, Portland is a serious coffee drinking town. Some of my favorite coffee roasters/cafes:
Extracto Coffeehouse - In my opinion, Extracto has the best small batch roasted coffee in Portland. Friendly baristas artfully craft espresso drinks and brew drip coffee through individual filters into glass bottles.
1465 NE Prescott Suite B & 2921 NE Killingsworth
Cartola – Beautiful interiors, a covered outdoor deck, a warm staff, and good coffee.
Heart - Reasons to check out this roastery/coffeehouse: April is one of the best baristas in town, you can watch the staff roast beans, the counter is a solid slab of marble, and the modern interior is almost scientifically clean.
Stumptown at the Ace Hotel lobby – Sip a coffee, relax in the lobby, read the paper, and get your picture taken in the photo booth.
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Oregon Day Trips
Portland is a beautiful city with hills, rivers, and parks that are interspersed around buildings, neighborhoods and trafficked streets. If you live in Portland and feel the need for a stronger connection to nature, there are an array of areas to explore…
The Oregon Coast…
Beaches in Oregon are wide, covered with white sand, large rocks in certain stretches and dotted with green beach grass. The water of the Pacific Ocean is cool, and allows surfers to find ideal spots for catching waves. Small towns are quaint, life is slow, and star gazing at night is possible being away from the lights of the cities.
Ecola State Park
The Mountains…
The Cascades stretch from British Columbia to California, and along the way travel trough Washington and Oregon. In Oregon, Mt. Hood and Mt. Bachelor provide perfect conditions for skiing and snowboarding. The mountains are open to visitors for hiking, and snow sports during the entire year, and depending on snow fall you may find the slopes open in late May.
Mt Hood
The High Desert (Bend)…
Leaving the rain in Portland to see snow or sun – depending on the season, one should travel to Bend, Oregon. No matter what the season, Bend is a place to be outdoors. In the winter bundle up for a day of skiing and/or snowboarding on Mt. Bachelor. In the summer, biking, whitewater rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking are a wonderful diversion from the city in the high desert landscape.
The Columbia Gorge…
Stand behind a wall of water, search out tiny wild flowers, and see a rooster in a rock all along the Columbia River Gorge. There are about 300,000 acres to take in along the gorge, many of which one can hike, bike, row, wind surf, or camp on.
Multnomah Falls
Oregon Wine Country…
From the Columbia River Gorge to the Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon’s mountain valleys, Oregon has 15 wine producing regions and over 300 wineries. Stay in a charming bed & breakfast or boutique hotel and experience the state’s diverse and beautiful wine regions.
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Neighborhood Accessibility – Walk Score
Walk Score is a great way to determine the accessibility of local shops, restaurants, movie theaters and more. Just plug in the address of you current home, or one that you may be considering purchasing and it will give you the local amenities with a list of parks for instance, and the mileage from your location to the desired destination. Very nice website for determining the livability of a particular area.
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Reasons to Plant a Tree
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Portland Free WiFi
Reliable internet service is a necessity in today’s world. It seems that many people do not like to be more than a few blocks from a wifi signal, and if you live in Portland you are in luck. There are numerous cafes, shops, bakeries, buildings, and even outdoor locations around Portland where you can sit down, open your notebook, and get connected.The following is a small list of wifi locations…
For a comprehensive list see http: www.wifipdx.com
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Portland Public Transportation
With gas prices rising and a continual effort to be environmentally aware, public transportation is becoming a preferred mode for many. If you live in Portland, you are luck. TriMet buses, the Max light rail system, and the Portland Streetcar make it possible – and easy to travel about the city without the use of a car. Taking it a step further, Portland has proven to be extremely foot and bike friendly.
Learn more about how to use the public transportation system with the links provided below.
Trimet buses
Trimet max
Trimet streetcar
Visit Portland
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“Photobooths Around the World”
The following article was found online at Photobooth.net.
“In their heyday, photobooths dotted the landscape in five and dime stores, bus stations, and amusement parks from coast to coast. These days, as big box stores take over from Woolworth’s, and digital technology touches every aspect of daily life, old-style photographic process photobooths have been relegated to scrap heaps. At the same time, their antique status and nostalgic appeal have made them attractive to people with a sense of history and adventure, and photobooths have made a modest comeback, finding safe haven in bars, restaurants, art galleries, and out-of-the-way amusement parks that haven’t yet felt the digital pull.”
Here is a list of where you can have your photo taken in a photobooth around Portland:
Red Light Clothing Exchange
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Farmer’s Market begins this weekend
More than 100 local venders will gather on the South Park Blocks of the Portland State University campus this Saturday. For more information go to www.portlandfarmersmarket.org
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