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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. | … Continue reading...

Are You Concerned About Housing Affordability?

As home prices continue to rise due to a lack of inventory, many people are concerned about housing affordability. Just a few years ago, foreclosed properties were selling at 50 cents on the dollar and the glut of distressed houses pulled everyone's home value down. It was difficult to sell at any price. It was also difficult to buy -- lending guidelines were super-strict and buyer confidence was low. Once the market absorbed the distressed properties, home values accelerated rapidly and we had multiple years of double-digit appreciation. Today, inventory … 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...

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...

Guide to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | SkyBlue Portland

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...