Community – Page 18 – Property Blotter

December 6, 2014December 6, 2014

Giving

We’re all focusing on the holidays right now and all that goes along with that, so I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at things we might be wanting to include on our to-do lists & consider taking care of before the end of the year. Namely…Giving! This is the Celebrating & Giving time of year, and, many want to think ahead about tax time as well. If you’re going to give anyway…. this is definitely the time to do it!

Here are some worthy ideas for your consideration:

In the community of Lake Oswego, there are many organizations doing fantastic work. Click Here for information on a variety of Lake Oswego-based non-profits that could use your help.
Here’s a great resource site to help yopu evaluate the most worthy recipients of your donations based on their research: The Portland “Give Guide”
One of the things that sets Lake Oswego apart is its committment to the arts, and the availability and visibility of art all through the year and on its very streets. If art is important to you, consider donating to the Arts Council.
Speaking of giving, I know from my days in a Lake Oswego Schools Booster Club, that every community has needy families. Some of your kids’ friends may very well have parents who’ve lost a job, or are in some sort of upheaval and wondering how they’re going to be able to pay their bills let alone create a semi normal-feeling holiday for their household . Your favorite local school probably has names of families in need. Give a call to the school of your choice and think about donating a holiday roast or turkey, or just dropping off a few gifts. The school counselor usually knows just what to do with this kind of generosity, and you’ll know you really made a difference for some needy family in your own neighborhood.
If animals are near and dear to your heart, there are lots of options for donating. The Oregon Humane Society is an obvious choice, and/but some smaller outfits that take up the slack and don’t have quite the visibility of the OHS would be heart-warmed to receive your donation. One that is recommended to me by someone in the know is the Family Dogs New Life Shelter. It is a no-kill shelter that does excellent work.
Lake Oswego’s Tryon Creek is such a treasure to the community. If nature and its continued availability in communities, and specifically Lake Oswego, is important to you, consider donating to Friends of Tryon Creek.

There are so many great choices, I thought I’d highlight just a few and give you some links to resources that offer many options. Enjoy your holidays, and the Joys that come with the season!

September 21, 2014

Kiss Comes to LO

There hasn’t been this much excitement over a celebrity sighting in LO since Bruce Springsteen married Julianne Phillips in a midnight wedding at Our Lady of the Lake Church.

On September 14th, Kiss played a charity concert at the home of Rick and Erika Miller on Jantzen Island. I first learned about it when a friend posted on facebook that they had stumbled upon the concert while out on their boat for an evening jaunt. Pretty cool to find a surprise concert.

It turns out that band member Tommy Thayer is the son of James Thayer, now 93, who was a part of George Patton’s 3rd Army that liberated several Nazi death camps at the end of World War II. A military museum is now being build at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas. The new museum, now under construction, is going to be named after Tommy Thayer’s father. It will be the Brig. Gen. James B Thayer Oregon Military Museum.

Honoring the U.S. Military is a passion of the band. There is even a possibility that Gene Simmons mother was in one of the camps that Tommy Thayer’s Dad helped liberate.

The event raised $1.15 million for the construction of the museum.

What I like about this story is that Kiss came to town. I mean, come on, it’s Kiss. The other thing I like is that it means LO is a small enough town that it’s a big deal.

Dianne

August 8, 2014August 8, 2014

The Haps in Lake Oswego

Dianne and I hope you are enjoying your summertime! If you are one of our many Lake Oswego readers, or working on moving to Lake Oswego (call us if you need help : ), here are some of the fun August activities you may want to sample:

* Annual Photo Contest! – Entries must be submitted by 5 p.m Sep. 4th – Photo Submission Categories include Life, Places, People, Positive Aging, Youth and Pets in Lake Oswego – Click HERE for more info.

* Collector Car & Classic Boat Pre- Show and Show – Sat & Sun/Aug 16th & 17th – Foothills Dock / & George Rogers Park – Click HERE for more details.

* Lake Oswego Farmers Market – Every Saturday, 8:30 – 1:30PM – Millennium Plaza Park -Click HERE for more details.

* Moonlight & Music Concerts – Every Sun – 6:00-7:30PM – Millennium Plaza Park (Aaron Meyer Aug 10th) – All are Welcome. Click HERE for more info.

* Movies in the Park – Every Thursday – 8:00-10:00PM – Millenium Plaza Park – Click HERE for more info.

* Master the Art of Poetry – Every Saturday – 10 – 11:15AM – Lake Oswego West End Building Click HERE for more info.

Very Best,

Linda

Note: This is not intended to solicit existing business relationships from other Realtors.

June 27, 2014

The Haps in Lake Oswego

Summer is in full swing and Lake Oswego offers a variety of ongoing family and community events for your pleasure.

The following is a sampling of activities coming right up in Lake Oswego:

* Iron Works Historic Tour – Saturday, June 28 – 8:30-10:30AM – George Rogers Park – Click HERE for more info.

* Kindercamp! – “1/2 Days” M-F thru Aug 15th – 4101 Kruse Way – Click HERE for more details.

* Understanding US Military Patches – Tues, June 24, 7:00 – 8:30PM – Lake Oswego Library -Click HERE for more details.

* Supervised Computer Lab – Every Wed – 1:00-2:30PM – Adult Community Center – All are Welcome. Click HERE for more.

* Star Spangled Parade and Celebration!!! – Fri, July 4th – (staging at 9AM) 10:00AM-2:00PM – Millenium Plaza Park – Click HERE for more info.

* Lake Corp Fireworks!!! (+Road Closure Info) – Fri, July 4th – 9 – 11AM – Click HERE for more info.

June 5, 2014

LO Adult Community Center

I think a well rounded community has services for all citizens, regardless of their age. It goes without saying that nearly every community has public schools and parks. The youth tend to be very well served. However, that is not always the case for our senior citizens. In Lake Oswego, great effort has been made to engage our seniors and the heart of this program is the Lake Oswego Adult Community Center.

Located at 505 G Avenue, in Lake Oswego’s First Addition, the center is open Monday thru Friday from 8:00am to 9:00pm. The programs and services are for those in the community who are 50 years of age and older.

What will you find?

Lunch is served Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon. Delicious hot meals are served for a suggested donation of $4-5. Looking at the June menu, I found chicken, pork, salmon, salad, veggies, and deserts. It a generous meal with all of the fixings.

Friday is movie day every week at 1:00pm.

Lots of classes are offered including fitness, zumba, knitting, painting, meditation, line dance, computers and technology.

Groups meet regularly to enjoy Bridge, Mah Jongg, hiking, pinochle, and scrabble.

There are support groups for arthritis, caregiving, diabetes, and the widowed.

Services are offered to aid with income tax preparation and there is a respite program for those dealing with memory loss, Parkinsons, and stroke.

I have personally taken advantage of the assisted living equipment. Just drop in, fill out an application, and the equipment is free. I occasionally check out a transportation wheel chair for my Mom. She does not need a full-time wheelchair. But we occasionally do longer outings and having one to use enable both of us to see and do more.

The transportation program is amazing. Monday, Wednesday and Friday a bus is sent around town to collect those who no longer drive. It is a door-to-door service that picks them up and brings them to the center for lunch and drops them back home in the afternoon. This is done for a suggested donation of $1.

I think the Adult Community Center in Lake Oswego is pretty amazing. Aging is a challenge. Staying active, both socially and physically, is important. I want to encourage you, if you are 50+ years young, to take advantage of the ACC. And if you are not there yet, consider telling your friends and neighbors about it.

Enjoy!
Dianne

May 23, 2014

Eating Fresh and Local

With the bounty of summer upon us, it just got easier to eat farm fresh and local!

The Farmer’s Market has begun!
Running Saturday’s through October 11th, the market is located at Millennium
Plaza Park. You’ll find a huge variety from the 80 vendors: fresh produce, artisan cheeses, bakery goods, jams and jellies, fresh seafood, the list goes on and on.

I recommend you come hungry and take advantage of the vendors selling freshly made meals. A Vietnamese Bistro, the most scrumptious omelets around, pizza, coffee, baked goods, it’s a great place to find an amazing meal.

This market has a real sense of community. Besides eating and shopping, there is a kids corner, live entertainment from 10:30 to 12:30, and complimentary doggie daycare.

Fresh Produce Approved!
This last week the Lake Oswego City Council passed an ordinance that will allow fresh produce stands all over town. This was prompted by the closing of the Parson’s Produce stand on Carmen Drive. After 25 years the stand was closed due to construction of a new shopping area. It left a huge loss in the community that is now going to be quickly filled.

Produce stands are now allowed in otherwise commercial zoned areas in a size up to 800 square feet. I predict that not only will Parson’s quickly find a new location, but that other farm fresh groups will quickly set up shop as well.

This is fantastic! Strawberries, cherries, fresh corn, yum!

I am so looking forward to the summer months ahead,
Dianne

April 25, 2014

LO’s Peacock Lane

Portland has a very famous street called Peacock Lane. Portland’s street is famous for its Christmas lights, with nary a bird in sight. Lake Oswego also has a peacock lane and it is famous for….peacocks!

The street is Bonaire Avenue in the Lake Grove neighborhood of Lake Oswego.

The flock has been a presence on this street for at least 15 years, that I know of. The birds used to live at the Northern end near Firwood, but were moved to the Southern end near Sunset about 10 years ago.

No one owns them. Several houses feed them. I can tell you that they do fly, nesting in trees and on roof tops at night.

I’d estimate that the flock consists of about 15-20 birds, although it is hard to know for sure as they are rarely all together. Usually you see 3 or 4 wandering about. And they do wander. I have seen them as far afield as Lake Forest, where I always worry that they’ll get hit by a car.

I had a listing on Bonaire about a year ago. The excitement over the peacocks was wonderful. I can tell you that there are prospective buyers who drive this street looking for For Sale signs. People love the idea of living near this flock.

Why would it be nice? Well, these birds are gorgeous. They just seem to brighten the day when you see one. I can also tell you that they do a great job of eating spiders, slugs, and the creepy crawly things in the garden.

The down side? When they are mating, mostly in May and June, they are loud and noisy. They have a very distinct cry. When one does it, the others seem to pitch in. It’s like they’re saying “I’m over here!” “No, I’m over here!”. They like to do this 24/7. So be prepared for the cries to go on all night long in May and June.

Want to see these lovely birds? Just take a drive on a nice afternoon down Bonaire Avenue. You’ll be most likely to find them at the corner of Bonaire and Sunset.

Dianne

April 3, 2014April 3, 2014

The Haps in Lake Oswego

The cherry trees are budding & the rest are growing tiny, light-green nodules that will become leaves. The air is warming, and spring is springing in Lake Oswego! People are eating out on the decks of restaurants on the Lake. Teens are cleaning up their water skiis and getting the boats ready. The shopping Center downtown is seeing extra activity with folks hunting for spring & summer dresses, table accoutrements, & sunglasses. Fresh flowers are gracing all of our homes, and we welcome the heaven that is the spring & summer months here.

The following is a sampling of activities coming right up in Lake Oswego:

* Teen Poetry Slam – Thurs Apr 3rd – 7-8PM – Lake Oswego Library – Click HERE for more info.

* Trillium Festival & Hardy Plant Sale – Sat & Sun April 5th & 6th – 10AM – 4PM Tryon Creek – Click HERE for more details.

* Arbor Week Festival and Tree Planting – Kickoff Sun, April 6th – Noon – 3PM – Millenium Plaza Park -Click HERE for more details.

* Preschool Storytime – Tues, April 8th (repeats weekly) – 10:30 – 11AM – Lake Oswego Library – Click HERE for Program Details.

* Performing Arts – Wed, April 9th – 1-2PM – Lake Oswego Library – Seattle folk singer, Rose Laughlin performs captivating Celtic and American folk songs – Click HERE for more info.

* Boones Ferry Road Project Advisory Committee Meeting – Tues, April 15th – 9 – 11AM – West End Building – Click HERE for more info.

March 29, 2014

Gigabits, Here We Come

The city of Lake Oswego recently announced that it is on the shortlist of towns being considered by Google to receive ultra-high-speed Google Fiber broadband. Both Google and the City are in a joint planning process to formulate a plan to make this happen.

What would this mean to citizens of the City? Holy-cow fast Internet connnections! Google Fiber is 100 times faster than standard broadband. It allows those who are connected to access a “Gigabit” Internet connection almost instantaneously.

If all goes well, construction of the network would begin in late 2014 or early 2015, with hopes of starting to connect households by mid 2015. We will know if the plan is a go by the end of 2014.

As a Realtor, I spend a good deal of time on the Internet. My time is important to me and being able to do what I do more quickly sounds pretty fine to me.

To learn more and to receive updates, click here.

December 12, 2013

Dianne’s Top 10

I really like Lake Oswego and thought I’d share with you my own top 10 list of things I enjoy about living here.

10. Walking. There are just so many great trails and walking paths. The Iron Mountain Trail, the bike path around the lake, all of the many trails in Mt. Park, the trails on Cook’s Butte, they keep me entertained and enjoying my walking habit.

9. The patio at Riccardo’s. It is a little bit of Italy to be enjoyed right here at home. Riccardo has a true Italian menu with a wonderful wine list, but the high-light for me is the back patio. A soothing water feature and wonderful flowers are to be enjoyed, but I think I almost like it better on a cold and rainy day. The over-hangs of the perimeter are generous enough to keep you dry, and the space heaters keep you warm. Cozy and yummy.

8. Breakfast out. I have 3 favorite breakfast spots: St. Honore, La Provence, and Babica Hen. I can’t say which I like best, but they all keep me coming back for more.

7. Summer concerts. I did quite a bit of blogging about them last summer. The point I want to make is go out and do it. A warm evening, a picnic dinner, and free music, it’s the good life.

6. Community School. Schools are a big part of what motivates people to move to Lake Oswego. It’s why I moved here. But there is an entire extra layer to what is available. Community school offers extra programs for kids seeking more. It may be more art, more sports, more language skills, more of what youngsters want to explore. It’s available at community school. I highly recommend the driver’s ed program.

5. Convenience. Lake Oswego is simply a convenient place to live. You are 15 minutes from downtown Portland, 30 minutes from the airport, 10 minutes for a huge shopping center (Washington Square), 3 minutes from a lifestyle mall (Bridgeport Village), it’s amazing. Within a 3 mile radius of my house I have 4 Starbuck’s and 5 grocery stores. Yet I live on a huge treed lot in a quiet neighborhood. Yep, my little slice of heaven.

4. The Arts Council of Lake Oswego. Responsible for the Gallery Without Walls, the Art Literacy Program in the elementary schools, and the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, the Arts Council of Lake Oswego brings art front and center into our lives. For me, art makes life sweet and I want it in my life.

3. The flowers. Lake Oswego won the America in Bloom competition several years ago. It probably helped that one of the City’s former mayors owned a garden center. The hanging baskets in the summer are like fire works during the day. There is pretty much no public median that doesn’t have a planted bed. Even in the winter: there are pansies and decorative kale in abundance. It’s beautiful.

2. A wholesome place to raise a family. No not everyone in LO has kids, but if you do, it is a wonderful and supportive community. My kids got so much encouragement from this community. How refreshing that it’s cool to get good grades! It’s a pretty darn nice place to grow up. I wanted my kids to be safe riding their bikes and to have positive influences in their lives. I found it for them here in LO.

1. Friendly people. I moved here for the schools, but was completely not expecting how easy it is to make friends. I think that’s because it really is a small town. It’s easy to get involved and to have an impact.

Honerable Mentions:
Lakewood Theater
Luscher Farm
The Dog Park
Christmas Tree Lighting with Santa
4th of July Parade
4th of July pancake breakfast
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
La Vang Vietnamese Restaurant
Pine Shed Barbeque
George Roger’s Park
Zupan’s heated lounge
Seeing the Lake
Seeing the Mountain

There you have it! I hope I’ve given you some good ideas of what to expect and what to enjoy in LO.

Dianne