SkyBlue Portland Blog - SkyBlue Portland

Halloween Hoopla at Portland Area Pumpkin Patches

Spooky Hoopla at Portland Area Pumpkin Patches | SkyBlue Portland

Portland Metro knows how to deliver the Spirit of Halloween Past--with all the traditional festivities that make October the most crazy-fun month of the year. Fall in the Portland area is a special time, with so many farms, orchards, and pumpkin growers pulling out all the stops to create a heap of spooky good fun for young and young at heart alike. We've mapped 25 Halloween Hoopla Venues so far, and we're always looking for more. Related: Hauntingly Beautiful Sauvie Island: 10 Reasons We Love It 25 Halloween Hoopla Venues (& Counting) NOTE … Continue reading...

Hauntingly Beautiful Sauvie Island: 10 Reasons We Love It

The first time we set foot on Sauvie Island--a beautiful fall day, many moons ago--we were transfixed. We were just a few minutes from downtown Portland, still in Multnomah County, within Portland city limits. Then why did it seem as if we were in another world entirely? A magically transporting world of winding country roads flanked by fields of roses, corn, cabbage, berries, apples, peaches, grapes, and pumpkin. A world of lowland marshes, rivers, lakes, and long stretches of sandy beach. Enormous flocks of birds in the air and on the water--American coot, … Continue reading...

Remodeling Your Portland Home for Resale

Remodeling Your Portland Home: Curb Appeal

Have you ever wondered how much return on investment you can realistically expect from remodeling your Portland home? Well, wonder no more. Because here are the latest Portland-specific figures. The highest return on your remodeling dollar? According to the Remodeling 2016 National Cost vs. Value Report, attic insulation gets you the highest return on your dollar (117% of investment). Followed by a garage door replacement (92% of investment). The first makes total sense because home buyers today are highly conscious of rising energy expenditures in the the … Continue reading...

Walking Portland: Laurelhurst, Kerns & Laurelhurst Park

Waling Portland: Laurelhurst, Kerns & Laurelhurst Park Photo Gallery | SkyBlue Portland

If it's late October in Portland and a 4-mile walk--with riotous panorama of majestic trees in every hue of golden yellow, flame orange and crimson red--is just what you need, head on over to the Laurelhurst and Kerns neighborhoods. Interactive Route Map Check out our interactive route map of Laurelhurst, Kerns & Laurelhurst Park Walking Loop. Laurelhurst, Kerns & Laurelhurst Park Walking Loop … Continue reading...

Portland: Moving Into Fall

There's no season more spectacularly beautiful in Portland, Oregon, no season more poignant and full, than ever bountiful fall. “When fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.” ...Stephen King In … Continue reading...

Walking Portland: SE Sellwood & Oaks Bottom Nature Preserve

Walking Portland: SE Sellwood-Westmoreland & Oaks Bottom Nature Refuge | SkyBlue Portland

This scenic 4-mile walking Portland loop features the SE Sellwood-Westmoreland neighborhood and one of the city's most beguiling, expansive nature preserves. Check out our Guide to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Interactive Route Map Check out our interactive route map of Oaks Bottom and the Sellwood-Westmoreland ridge overlooking the refuge. Sellwood Boulevard-Oaks Bottom Walking Loop Join Women Who Walk for a guided tour of this remarkable nature refuge. Directions Heading Out Route At SE Milwaukie Ave. & SE Claybourne St. | Head West SE 14th | … Continue reading...

Are You Concerned About Housing Affordability?

As home prices continue to rise due to lack of inventory, home buyers are concerned about housing affordability. Just a few years ago, foreclosed properties sold at significantly reduced prices and the deluge of distressed homes for sale pulled all home values down. It was difficult to sell at any price. It was also difficult to buy -- lending guidelines were strict and buyer confidence was low. After the market absorbed the distressed properties, home values accelerated rapidly, and the market experienced multiple years of double-digit appreciation. Today, … Continue reading...

Walking Portland: Northwest District, Forest Park & Willamette Heights

This four-mile Walking Portland loop features two distinct NW Portland neighborhoods—Northwest District and Willamette Heights--plus Balch Creek Gulch Bridge and the Lower Macleay Park entry to the trails of Forest Park. The Willamette Heights neighborhood of NW Portland is a rarity in so many ways. Many of the residences are relatively historic, built no later than 1939, and in some cases, quite a bit earlier. The variety of architectural styles (grand old houses, sleek modern towers, humble cottages), stunning city views, surrounding Forest Park, and single … Continue reading...

Who Makes the Best Wedge Salad in Portland?

Who makes the BEST wedge salad in Portland? We hit seven popular PDX restaurants to find out. Before I get carried away and name my favorite, let's define Wedge Salad, shall we? Wikipedia says that a Wedge Salad is a head of lettuce cut into wedges, topped with blue cheese dressing and cooked bacon. But wait a minute. Where's the tomato? And will just any lettuce do? I think not. But let's backtrack a bit. Cookbooks, newspapers, and culinary reference books of the 1920's confirm the popularity of iceberg lettuce. But no one seems to know who invented the … Continue reading...

Walking Portland: Westmoreland, Eastmoreland, Reed Campus & Reed Lake

Walking Portland: Westmoreland, Eastmloreland, Reed Campus & Reed Lake | SkyBlue Portland

This four-mile Walking Portland loop features two adjacent Southeast Portland neighborhoods--one nearly a city in its own right and one a serene enclave of historic homes--with a renowned college campus and secluded marshland lake trail. Route Map With our online map, you can zoom in and out to get a better look at the surrounding area. Plus, we indicate best bets for coffee and parties, restaurants and cafes, cool shops, and other items of interest. Click here for our detailed map. Directions Heading Out In Sellwood/Westmoreland, at SE Bybee … Continue reading...