Eating Simply but Extremely Well: PSU Farmer's Market

When I buy butter at New Season's no one asks me to feel their bicep, yet that's just what Lisa Jacob's of Jacob's Creamery invited me to do when I appeared incredulous that she personally hand churns her butter for sale.  And who knew that a great pyrenees is protecting the free range chickens at Champoeg's Organic Egg farm from death by hawk? When I asked the owner how his chickens could survive free range without the protection of a net, he simply pointed to his photo album and a picture of his dog.

For me, having my camera, some great conversations, and having the luxury of buying some of the best food available (dare I say in the world?) is fabulous entertainment. The next morning, a huge bouquet of local peonies looking like something out of a Dutch painting set the stage for a simple, delectable breakfast. Fresh eggs, with vivid orange yolks- Pearl Bakery toast slathered with Lisa's fresh salted butter and topped off with pale delicate honey, courtesy of my food writer friend, K. When you have the best and freshest ingredients, the simple becomes sublime.  And Lisa's bicep? Impressive! More lovely food pictures.

John Yeon: Unsung Visionary

 

A recent lecture at the AHC by LeLand Roth, Professor of Architecture at U of O and a bow-tied Randy Gragg, editor of Portland Spaces, really made into flesh this remarkable Portland native. Not only did he design homes and their gardens, at the end of his career he designed installation spaces for museums. This is not so surprising as John eschewed the modern European model of great open interior spaces, choosing instead to lay out the home on various axis, so one could move from room to room creating an experience or a "sequence of revelations."  He had a profound respect for the relationship of the home to it's site so it became an enhancement to the natural landscape and allow the residents to enjoy the landscape from the home, a mutual benefit.

Though not technically an architect, John Yeon designed 14 residences in the Portland area. One on SW Fairway known as Dr. Swan's home, was luckily on the most recent Street of Eames Tour. Another known as the Watzek House, was and is internationally recognized as a groundbreaking NW Contemporary style and has been featured in the Museum of Modern Art and numerous publications. Some of the innovations in this 1936 home were a natural ventilation system, double paned windows and an interior courtyard that created a micro climate for more delicate plants.

Yeon was one of the earliest stewards of the Oregon landscape when at age 21 he bought Chapman Point which looks towards Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, by cashing in on an insurance policy to save a dance hall from being built on it. Much later in life, he bought 75 acres on the Washington side of the gorge, saving the direct view of Multnomah Falls from looking at a probable industrial site. He then landscaped the area known as "The Shire"  over the course of three decades in a naturalistic manner to provide even more striking views of the falls. It is said that a visit to this area by Nancy Russell was an impetus for her creating Friends of the Gorge, saving it from development. John had made several appointments for Nancy and her husband to visit The Shire, only to cancel them. When at last the appointment was kept, and a full moon rose over the gorge on a lovely temperate evening, Nancy believed that John had simply been waiting for all the elements to be in place for the perfect viewing.

Both The Shire and the Watzek house have been donated to the University of Oregon by the John Yeon Trust. Hopefully there will be an upcoming book about this remarkable man. 

View more pictures of the Watzek and Swan homes.

Easy Being Green: The Leap Frog House

This special home is on the cutting edge of green features in Portland, and that's saying a lot. The Leap Frog House is practically "off the grid", that is to say it supplies a large part of it's electricity, water, and heat through photovoltaic solar panels and rain catchment and filtration systems. Energy generated to heat the house, stays in the house due to a very tight exterior (envelope). Healthful air is ensured with a ventilation system. Every attention has been given to healthful living, even down to the induction range. Not only does the range top heat foods faster and more efficiently, because there is no gas involved, there are no unhealthy gas fumes. Same with the paint, and all the other materials selected for their low VOC's (volatile organic compounds which release toxic gases over time). Countertops, cabinetry, flooring, stains and other finishes are as local and sustainable as possible. Attention was given to light coming in each room from at least two sides and ceilings are high giving a feeling of more light and space . Showers were constructed to hold in heat and encourage bathers to turn off water in between sudsing and rinsing. An unfinished area of the home offers a space that one could rent, if desired, or expand the house further. Here is a home that you can bask in the glory of being green, with most of the work already having been done for you. Close to Lewis and Clark, Tryon Creek Park and a pretty darn fast commute to downtown. The price is more approachable than last years first list price of $849,000, and has been featured in the Oregonian, Portland Architecture, Portland Spaces, and many other venues. The home is currently listed at $689,000 and I'd love to show it to you.

Nel Centro: Portland's Riviera

Usually one would never associate Portland with a town that probably smells like sunscreen year round, but David Machado's newest restaurant, Nel Centro is influenced by the cuisine of the French and Italian Rivieras.  I really can't say if they nailed what they were going for with Bain de Soleil being the closest I've ever been to any Riviera,  but I will definitely be returning. The space feels modern and sophisticated yet playful. The use of materials is definitely influenced by the mid-century Hotel Modera, that the restaurant is attached to. Floor to ceiling windows let light in from north and south, with the south side facing a courtyard whose evening fire pits you can enjoy while having a drink at the hip and happening bar. As to our meal, the appetizers were gorgeous and the ingredients were local and at their peak. What really slayed us were our entrees. J had a tender piece of pork shoulder, bone in, a portion which will please the manly meat lover. I don't know how they kept it so tender, but they did. The pork was served with a fruit compote that reminded me of a chutney that might fit right in at Machado's Vindalhou in the Clinton neighborhood. My Delmonico steak was also generous and tender, but the clincher was the potato gratin- the best I've ever had. Luckily, you can order the gratin as a side dish, as well as a fennel gratin and pomme frittes. I have a feeling these a la carte sides are going to be destination dishes. After the substantial meal we passed on desert, but were able to take the rest of our wine out to the courtyard, finishing it next to a friendly group of young attorneys from a nearby office building. We were all very happy to have a new restaurant in SW Portland. Along with Clyde Commons, Park Kitchen and Higgens, I'm beginning to feel that downtown Portland's food scene can hope to rival the east side. More must see restaurant, garden and hotel pictures.

April Market Action Report

Excellent news- market inventory has dropped markedly from January where we started our at a whopping 19 months. Our current rate is at 11 months, which means if no other homes were put on the market, at the current rate of sales all properties would be sold- or absorbed, in 11 months. It is generally held that a 6 month inventory is the best balance between a buyers and sellers market. In more good news, sales grew from March to April by 13%, steeper than the usual rate. Prices are on average down from this time last year by 9%. Looking more closely at particular areas, West Portland has the highest DOM (days on market) at 150, but one can also see that West Portland by far has the most new listings and competition is steep to connect with that buyer. 

Lake Oswego, Oregon City and Hillsboro are at the top of the loss in sales price from this time last year, at 9%.

Overall, NE Portland has done well with an average of 107 DOM, with year to date sales down by 27%, and the average sales price down from last year by 3%.

New listings are down overall as many builders have lost financing, and sellers that aren't compelled to sell are holding for the time being. Every situation is different and requires individual counseling, but overall it's a great time for first time home buyers and those who are selling and moving up into more house. Sellers needing to move for other reasons, whether because of a move, or a hardship would be well advised to work with someone that has the skill to position their property correctly in the market, and can prepare and present that property to stand out from the 14,000 other homes listed currently. You know where to find me. Read the Entire Market Action

Mother's Day Coupon

When my kids were little, my favorite mothers days usually involved a breakfast, somewhat made by the kids, and a day in the garden- undisturbed. Times have changed and now that they're older I concoct ways to spend time with them, this year trading in that valuable mothers day coupon for a hike in the gorge, with my most excellent husband indulging my plan as well.  We had actually wished to visit Triple Falls on the Oneonta Trail. I will only tell you that getting information on the web about a hike is not a good idea. Nevertheless, Ponytail Falls was really exciting, as you can enjoy a misty walk behind the falls courtesy of a cave scooped out in the rocks. We had our lunch with an amazing view of the Columbia, and enjoyed several types of flowers in bloom. And Portland being the small town that it is, we ran into several people we knew including B & W, making it even more of a special day. We have to get there more often. More Pictures.

Bridge Meadows Promises Hope

He told us he tried to commit suicide at age ten, in the softest, calmest voice you can imagine. Mark Mathabane, author of Kaffir Boy, held us in his storytelling grip at a benefit for Bridge Meadows, a future community for foster children in the Portsmouth neighborhood. One might wonder what a South African author that grew up during apartheid in his country has to do with the 15,000 foster children we currently have in Oregon. But the message was hope. Rhonda Meadows of Portland, made the trip several years ago to Chicago to visit a groundbreaking community that "promotes permanency, community, and caring relationships for adoptive families of foster children while offering safety and meaningful purpose in the daily lives of older adults." Over the 14 years of the Chicago Generations of Hope, 90% of the foster children have been adopted. Rhonda brought back the concept to Portland, the city has furnished the former John Ball Elementary school site, and $3,000,000 has been raised towards the project.

Mark Mathabane didn't kill himself those many years ago. His mother convinced him he had value. Mark painted a picture for us, years from now, where one of the graduates of Bridge Meadows will be standing before us, telling us how they discovered the vaccine for Aids, or changed peoples lives with a book they had written.

Windermere has been raising money for the last three years, through our Windermere Foundation, to fund one of the buildings at the community. I'm proud to donate part of every transaction I have to the Foundation, and to work for a company that is part of my community.

Hawthorne: Aberdeen Condo

Under $100,000. Never see it, so luckily the opportunity arose today. Smack dab on Hawthorne and 15th, the attractive 1923 building appears well kept inside and out with a lovely garden and secure front door. This unit is a lower level and as snug as a bug at 360 square feet. Luckily Ikea makes scaled down pieces for just this challenge. Surprisingly, it felt bigger than what I imagined, and has an actual bedroom as opposed to a studio. There is an onsite laundry room and storage facilities.I would have loved it in my single days. $99,000 with HOA dues of $137 a month.

Makes Me Want to Move Here

 

Portland just hit the front page of the Sunday travel section and the article really picks up on Portland's special energy. While it's not uncommon for me to feel a touch of irritation when an "outsider" comes in for the weekend and reports on our lifestyle as if we were some kind of  previously unknown island tribe, author Matt Gross gets a lot of things right. Frugal Portand: NY Times Article.

Radon Facts

I'm not one for conspiracy theories, and tend to take big media stories with a big pinch of salt, but radon is present in parts of Portland and a genuine hazard. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that tends to collect in confined spaces, such a basements. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates radon causes up to 21,000 cases of lung cancer in non-smokers in the U.S. every year. In Portland, basements abound, as do daylight ranches.

When we bought our home in the West Slope area, we had the downstairs of our daylight ranch tested for radon, since two of our bedrooms were located there. Even though our neighborhood is not in the highest risk areas of town, the test numbers came back high enough to warrant mitigation.

It's a pretty simple process, and at the time was about $1,500. Basically, a hole was created in the slab, a pipe system was inserted into the hole, and a fan pulls the radon out of the home to the outdoors.

The first step is testing. You can buy inexpensive kits online, at Home Depot, or have the home professionally tested. By most accounts the test is most accurate when done over a several day period in an undisturbed area to get the best results. The kit is then sent into a lab (usually part of the cost of the kit) and you can either rest easy or pay some money to rest easy. Isn't that the way it always is? More information.

Vynil Goes Live

Like many homeowners, we have more projects planned than completed, so it was great fun to finally install our Vynil that we had ordered from France a year ago. Vynil is the brainchild of designers Stéphane Aurriubergé and Christine Montard who opened up a "publishing house" called Domestic. Designers from the world over create the stick on graphics, a wallpaper alternative. While most wallpaper does not excite me, I found it hard to choose between the dozens of designs available at Domestic. The Vynil package does offer a picture, and rather like the serving suggestion found on a cereal box, one can mix and match between the designs and allow your inner artist free reign. Although pretty expensive for "stickers," they are cheaper than buying a piece of art to decorate with, and will make shaving a lot more fun. Before and after pics.

Hoyt Arboretum

Our dog starts whining as we turn our car towards Hoyt Arboretum in anticipation of a great walk. This time of year, I hope to see the magnolias in bloom on the aptly named Magnolia trail, and we were not disappointed by the thousands of blooms and another chance to choose our favorites. There are 21 trails covering 12 miles in this beautiful 187 acre planned park that was influenced by  the landscape architect of Central Park, Frederick Law Olmstead. Visionary Portland citizens acquired the land for the public after a devastating fire in 1889 that wiped out most of the vegetation in the west hills. Alternating meadows and groves of trees are organized into plant families- so one can choose to walk among oaks or redwoods, with occasional peeks of the city and the Japanese Garden. A great opportunity to bring a camera and a dog. More pictures.

Three Things I Brought Back From Austin

We asked for the family style barbeque, which was a mix of the brisket, sausage and ribs, smoked over a mesquite fire that sits right by the front door, and two minutes later, it was in front of us. Served on cafeteria "no touching" style plates, the manly portions of meat arrived with a couple of cold side "salads" and a big ol' hunk of white bread with margarine. The Salt Lick is BYOB in a small dry county outside of town so we came prepared with a couple of Lone Stars to wash down the super rich smokey goodness. I'm craving it right now.

While visiting my sister, (who's step-daughters are named Ruby and Texy, how Texas is that?) I admired the graphics and color of her coffee cans, and thought they would look nice on display. Who knew it would be featured on the front page of the NY Times Style section? While maybe not from Texas, I did buy the Bustelo there, and they do look right pretty in the kitchen.

 Our very first night in town, we were in the thick of it at the Continental Club. A great mix of graying two-steppers and side burned, high haired rockabilly youth kicking up their heels. Ever since Urban Cowboy, I always wondered if places like this really do exist. In this "Live Music Capitol of the World," the minute we got into our rental car, per sister Julie's strong suggestion, we dialed in to one of the best radio stations, ever, KGSR. We've been streaming it live, here in Portland, ever since.

Staying in Your Home

With all the press about real estate values and  foolhardy lending and borrowing, leading to foreclosures, the truth of the matter is most people in trouble with their mortgages are there because of illness or job loss. Whatever the cause, here's a new website, MortgageReliefOnline.com, that may help homeowners modify the terms of their loan so they can stay in their homes.

While Portland is currently experiencing more short sales than foreclosures, it's very important to explore all your options, the sooner the better, before your choices are gone.

Ninja's Strike Again

In last weeks Ninja meeting we discussed a new OREF form, of which I have used frequently in the past on behalf of buyer clients. Surprisingly, the new form, an addendum for professional inspections, gives the buyer three more business days to complete all negotiations with the seller. 

Normally, the buyer has ten business days to complete all desired inspections and also negotiate any new terms with the seller within this time period. This new form could increase that time to 13 business days. This is advantageous to the buyer.

Not so for the seller. I would imagine most sellers, having had this new wording pointed out, will negotiate for the standard ten business day inspection period. For the seller, ten business days is a long time to have your home "pending" to only have it come back on the market when the buyer and seller cannot come to terms over the inspection report.

This is one of the many terms of a sales agreement that needs close attention, and depending which side of the fence one is standing on, appropriate guidance from a Realtor.

Raleigh Park Garden Tour

Yes, I belong to a garden club, and although my son teases me, asking me where my fancy hat and gloves are, my garden club allows me to meet my neighbors and have greater belonging to my community. Our upcoming garden tour on May 16th, featuring seven gardens from our Raleigh Park-West Slope neighborhood includes a tour of Barbara Blossom Ashmun's garden. Barbara is a locally celebrated gardener, and writer. A variety of gardens have been chosen, a master gardeners booth and volunteers will be on hand, including our very own garden member, Vern Nelson who writes as "The Hungry Gardener" for NWHG at the Oregonian.  Tickets are a mere $15, bought in advance, and sure to provide a lovely day of beauteous entertainment. Call me at 503-860-6397 and I'll be happy to get some tickets to you. Proceeds benefit Raleigh Park Elementary and the West Slope Community Garden- not for fancy hats and gloves.

March 2009 Market Action

Just as I had hoped, the inventory (number of listings available) fell for the third consecutive month. From a shocking 19 months in January, to 16 in February, and now to 12 months in March. This is notable as listings historically are up during this same time frame. Further, comparing March 2009 sales to February, closed sales grew by 38%. Interest rates continue to hover and 5% and under, and first time home buyers are eligible for an up to $8,000 tax credit if they purchase before November 2009. Read the full report from the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS) here.

World Class Coffee

Yes, we're well known for having a "coffee shop on every corner" here in Portland, but when was the last time you had your coffee in a proper porcelain cup, and you actually sat down to enjoy it? Here is the occasion. Barista, on NW 13th and Hoyt, is more than suited. It took several minutes to be served our cappucinos, but it was well worth the wait. Not only did I get to sit next to really beautiful, hip, young people, the coffee was about the best I've ever had. Certainly in Portland. Made from Intelligentsia beans out of Chicago, the hot liquid had body much like a fine wine. It was so smooth that I, a coffee with sugar lover, did not want to, nor need to- mar the taste.

Let my friend, Bruce, fill you in with some more details.

John Helmer's: Haberdashers

If it were up to me, gloves would still be worn by women shopping downtown, and gentlemen would wear hats. Don't  men look more distinguished in a fedora, rather than a ball cap? So when my husband decided a summer straw hat as one of his birthday wishes, we headed into the shop on the corner of SW Broadway and Salmon. Bartholemew Cubbins would have been right at home here, as hundreds of hats were lined on shelves and tables for our perusal. Usually any store is my element, and though I was more than welcome here, it's definitely a manly place. A rainbow of ties, buckets of very personable canes, mens clothing and men shopping for that perfect hat. I've never seen men vie for a mirror before, so that was a treat in itself. 

A very dignified John Helmer "Jr" may wait on you, and completely brings to mind the British actor John Gielgud- such a gentleman, but a bit of a wink in his eye. The shop is rather like that, too. Very dignified, yet approachable.

And the birthday hat? He tried on many, and ended up choosing the first one he cast his eye on as we walked in the door. Just like shopping for a wedding dress- which of course, a haberdashers decidedly does not carry. Helmer's does carry a few carefully selected women's hats- quite suitable for that occasion.

A.E. Doyle: Creator of Downtown Portland's Skyline

 

Even architectural know-nothings have probably noticed downtown's Central Library, or the Benson Hotel or perhaps PGE Park, Riverdale School, and many buildings at Reed College.  In a career that spanned just a few decades into the late 1920,s, Albert Doyle transformed what we know as today's downtown, designing 21 buildings- incredibly, 20 of which still exist. As a student of architecture, Doyle took to Europe, traveling Italy, sketching the Parthenon, bringing back to Portland a repertoire steeped in classic Renaissance architecture. Not surprisingly, he was asked to design several banks as this style of design suggested permanence, including the Bank of California building, whose doors are modeled after the Baptistry (Duomo), in Florence, albeit with the story of pioneer Oregon, as opposed to the gates of hell.

The Meier and Frank department store was another of his commissions, and the first of several he covered in glazed terra cotta. He branched into Art Deco with the Terminal Sales Building, one of the few examples of this type of architecture in Portland. In a later period, he used concrete exteriors, designing the Broadway Garage (currently housing Saucebox).

When he died at just 50 years old, he left one of his hires, Pietro Belluschi, in his office. Pietro eventually bought the firm out.

Curious for more? Read Philip Nile's, "Portland's Architect."