SkyBlue Portland Blog - SkyBlue Portland

Walking Portland: Pearl District, Nob Hill & Kings Heights Loop

This four-mile Walking Portland loop features three adjacent Northwest Portland neighborhoods--one undergoing a major high-rise building spurt, one a historic enclave of Old Portland-style mansions, and one a jaw-dropping showcase of stunning homes with million dollar views. This scenic, energizing walk includes three close-in Northwest Portland neighborhoods, four city parks, a mile of Old Portland-style homes and gardens along NW Overton, and an otherworldly stretch of the northwest hills with breathtaking views of the city below. For info on our monthly … Continue reading...

Who Makes the BEST Pastrami Sandwich in Portland?

Higgin's Reuben Sandwich with Housemade Pastrami

I was going to title this post Who Makes the BEST Reuben Sandwich in Portland? But then I’d have to define “Reuben” and that’s a topic for serious debate. Our best and your best may be completely different. But let me attempt a definition anyway. How about this: A CLASSIC Reuben sandwich consists of the following key elements: The Meat (preferably housemade) Corned Beef: beef brisket (or the belly/navel cut next to the brisket), slow cured in a spice and liquid-brine, and then BOILED slowly to break down the tough connective tissue. --OR-- … Continue reading...

This Portland Life Photo Gallery

If you've perused this site, you know that we LOVE Portland and its Metro communities. Every day in Portland, Oregon is a day of adventure and discovery, and I never leave home without a camera. Follow along on Facebook--one day and one photo at a time--as this girl and her camera hit the streets to capture the unique essence of this quirky, weird, and stunningly beautiful city. This Portland Life Photo Gallery Hover over each photo for a description. Or click any photo to launch the slideshow view. Copyright 2018 Susan S. Bradley. All Rights … Continue reading...

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

Our guide to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, a 168-acre wildlife preserve in Portland's close-in Sellwood neighborhood, replete with wetland, meadow, forest, and 185 species of birds. One of the things we love most about Portland, Oregon is the proximity of multiple natural wonderlands to the city core. Most wildlife refuges are far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. But not in Portland. Just a few miles from downtown Portland, in the heart of the southeast Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood, is a 168-acre wildlife preserve replete with wetland, meadow, … Continue reading...

Portland Signs of Spring

There's no season more glorious in Portland, Oregon than ever blessed spring. “It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” …Mark Twain I start looking for early signs of spring in February. But in the Northwest, spring doesn’t arrive with any conviction until March. I know this. I know it absolutely. It doesn’t matter. I still start looking. One of the first signs is the occasional sighting of a rubber boot … Continue reading...

75+ Quirky, Cool, Perfectly Weird Reasons We LOVE Portland

Every year, a slew of articles pop up, local and national, that include all the weird and wonderful reasons we Portlanders love Portland. Cool Factor All the cool kids live here. Linus Torvalds lives here. We live here. Everyone’s moving here. Seattle envies us. Portlandia! Duh… Culture Weird is the local mantra and mindset. Tango dancing capital of the universe. Tattoo capital of the world. Well, not quite. We rank #8 in America. Burnside Skatepark, anarchist architecture and global icon of skater culture. World-class … Continue reading...

1265 SE Regan Hill Loop – Just Listed for Sale in Estacada OR 97023

Be the first to see our new listing in Estacada’s lovely Regan Hill Heights neighborhood. 1265 SE Regan Hill Loop – Just Listed for Sale in Estacada OR 97023 Stylish open floor plan with wrap-around kitchen island and breakfast nook opening to informal dining room, vaulted living room, and covered patio? Private, beautifully fenced yard with entertaining patio and garden/tool/bike shed? OPEN HOUSE THIS WEEKEND 1/27 & 1/28 (12:00-2:00) Two-car garage with room on the side for secure, out-of-sight RV parking? How about all the space you need for a … Continue reading...

Portland Market Action Report November 2017

All the real estate numbers from RMLS Portland Metro Market Action Report November 2017--plus our buyer and seller tips on how to navigate the current market. The November 2017 RMLS Portland Metro Market Action Report is out, and Year-to-Date Sales comparing 2017 to 2016 are all down. And prices are climbing. November Market Highlights New Listings increased compared to November 2016. Active Listings increased slightly to 4,596. Total Inventory decreased slightly to 1.9 months. Total Market Time increased to 51 days New Listings (2,416) increased 16.2% … Continue reading...

Making Merry: Alberta Arts Main Street

Making Merry: Alberta Arts Holiday | SkyBlue Portland

Northeast Alberta Street--nestled between NE 15th and NE 30th--is one of our favorite independent shopping and noshing meccas in Portland--especially in December, when we need MORE GLITTER. It’s a 15-block blast-from-the-past, replete with small, local shops, coffee enclaves, bakeries, and eateries. Plus, some of the most inspired wall art you've ever seen. Sometimes it's the pie that lures us. Random Order Pie vies with Lauretta Jeans (on SE Division) for THE BEST PIE IN PORTLAND. We're suckers for their all-butter crust and seasonal fillings. And we love their … Continue reading...

Northeast Portland Coffee Shops

Northwest Portland Coffee Shops | SkyBlue Portland

If you love coffee like we do (wildly), you know that Portland, Oregon is Coffee Nirvana—a mind-blowing playground of meticulously sourced, mindfully roasted, small-batched, artisan coffee. And Northeast Portland coffee shops are among the best in our fair city. It’s no wonder that coffee cognoscenti, food writers and entrepreneurial seekers of the distinctive brew make regular pilgrimages to the City of Roses for insight and inspiration. Or that Portland is a hotbed of barista superstars for whom coffee-crafting is part art, part religion, and part … Continue reading...