Portland and Area Newsletter and Planner - February 2, 2024

Now that the Holidays are over, is it time to start planning your Winter Vacation??

Geri has some amazing ideas for you  AAAAND you could win $5,000 cruise for 2 including airfare!

Click here for more details!

 

---

WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND?
Excerpts From TravelPortland.com

 

 

PORTLAND WINTER LIGHT FESTIVAL
Portland Winter Light Festival returns Feb 2-10, 2024, at various locations throughout the city instead of in a centralized location. The festival’s theme in 2024 is Glowing Under Pressure, exploring the mysteries of the deep sea and inspired by bioluminescent wonders. Visit the Portland Winter Light Festival’s website for maps of installation locations.\

The renewable-energy-powered festival is an extension of the Willamette Light Brigade, a nonprofit that’s been lighting Portland’s bridges since 1987. The mission of the Portland Winter Light Festival is to build community by bringing art and technology to inclusive audiences while invigorating Portland in the winter and lighting up the darkest time of the year.

Inspired by European celebrations like the Festival of Lights in Lyon, France — an annual event that Herring says “blew his mind” when he attended in 2007 — the Portland Winter Light Festival combines creativity with various forms of light. Artworks might feature fire, tungsten lights, and LED lights, along with the playful use of reflections and shadows.

CHINESE NEW YEAR CULTURAL FAIR
This year's fair will showcase both traditional and contemporary Chinese cultural activities, including a Lion Dance and other Chinese folk dances, Chinese instrumental music, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese martial arts demonstrations, children’s games and more.

OREGON CRAFT BEER MONTH
February is Oregon Craft Beer Month, a month-long focus on Oregon craft breweries, highlighting events, beer releases, and more. Why February? It tends to be one of the slowest sales and tourist months of the year. The goal is to help encourage folks to visit and support Oregon craft breweries across the state.

PAINTED HILLS - ONE OF OREGON'S SEVEN WONDERS
Oregon’s Painted Hills are truly unique among natural wonders and a must-see sight. When you visit John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, this unit will undoubtedly be the highlight. Oregon’s Painted Hills are considered one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon. And they totally are. Visiting the Painted Hills really is a treat and it’s perfect for nearly any sort of traveler. We’re going to share with you why we love the area, best hikes, and how and when to visit the Painted Hills.

Some might consider it Central Oregon and some might call it Eastern Oregon, but Oregon’s Painted Hills are located somewhere between the two. One of the three major units of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument the Painted Hills is a combination rolling landscape and jagged canyons. The canyons are what lead to the hills themselves, but half of the splendor and fun of exploring the area is the diversity of the geology and sites.

WYRD LEATHERWORKS AND MEADERY
Set in the basement of a vintage Portland building in the Woodstock neighborhood, is a medieval fantasy-themed mead hall. Made with local honey in their subterranean space, expect to find LARPers and fans of cosplay kicking around this distinctive bar.

HIKE - HECETA HEAD
In 1775, the Basque sea captain Bruno de Heceta sailed up the Oregon coast and in a remarkable coincidence, discovered Heceta Head. Unlike the many tourists that visit Heceta Head in our time, he probably didn't stop to snap an iconic photograph of Heceta Head Lighthouse. On February 3rd, we will make our own voyage of discovery by hiking the 6 mile loop up and over Heceta Head.

Map of hike:
https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/1997531498
Driving Directions:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/R2amc1JNcJ9Wt41j8

NEWPORT CARS AND COFFEE
The Newport Cars and Coffee is the first Saturday from 10am to 1pm at the O’Reilly Auto Parts, 1801 North Coast Highway. Bring your car, truck, or motorcycle and join in for Car’s & Coffee at O’Reilly Auto Parts in Newport. There will be a BBQ vendor barbecuing sandwiches in the parking lot of O’Reilly’s, for participants and spectators

LAZY DAYS BREWING GRAND OPENING
Brewery Grand Opening celebrates in Portland with brewery tours, giveaways, and beer sampling. Lazy Days Brewing Company prides itself on crafting exceptional, approachable beers that unite people. From classic lagers and IPAs to seasonal choices, they strive to serve drinkable brews without all the fluff. 

USS IMPROVISE
The Funhouse Lounge boldly brings you The Next Generation in comedy. This fan-favorite show returns this January for live, unscripted “episodes” of Star Trek, the Next Generation. Get ready to see all your favorite Next Gen characters like you’ve never seen before, along with fully improvised songs. Join us as we boldly and melodically improvise our way through the final frontier… Engage.

PORTLAND OPERA PRESENTS ENCHANTED WOODS: SHAKESPEARE AND SONG 
Enter Shakespeare’s forest: a place of magic, love and transformation. Here, to honor Shakespeare’s first folio, be immersed in an evening of story and song inspired by 20th-century adaptations of his enduring works. Through sweet melody and poignant poetry, celebrate the natural magic of the bard — to honor that which is still enchanting four hundred years later.

Enjoy a picnic and toast to the magic of Shakespeare. This immersive experience will include cabaret-style seating, libations, and savory and sweet treats. Soak in beautiful melodic and tonal music, including works by Benjamin Britten, Betty Jackson King, and other celebrated composers, as we travel through As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and more.

STUDIO GHIBLI FILM FESTIVAL
This year’s festival includes daily screenings, special guest speakers, and an Opening Night celebration focused on the 40th anniversary of Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Watch all your favorites, from My Neighbor Totoro to Kiki’s Delivery Service, all on the largest movie screen in Portland. Select screenings will feature introductions by experts on Miyazaki’s work from Portland State University and Pacific University.

MASTERPIECES IN MINIATURE: THE ART OF NETSUKE SCULPTURES
Portland Japanese Garden is delighted to present its final new art exhibition of 2023, Masterpieces in Miniature: The Art of Netsuke Sculptures. Once immensely popular across Japan, netsuke (pronounced nets-keh) were miniature sculptures that also served a purpose as personal fashion accessories, helping overcome the lack of pockets in traditional men’s clothing by helping hang small items from a kimono sash. What started as simple accessories evolved into beautiful and complicated sculptures created in a variety of exquisite materials over a span of more than two hundred years during Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868).

PORTLAND WINTER ICE RINK
The Portland Winter Ice Rink and Woodsy Winter Village is a family-friendly outdoor ice rink located at the west end of the Morrison Bridgehead on the waterfront in Portland, Oregon.  In addition to skating, enjoy a variety of activities in the Woodsy Winter Village which features a concession marketplace, food, warm beverages, and a cozy lounge.

PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS
Come cheer on the Winterhawks, Portland's junior ice hockey team and three-time WHL champs. Winterhawks games are a great night out for fans of all ages, whether you want to sit right by the glass or a little higher up for a full-ice view.

HOLLYWOOD FARMERS MARKETS
Year-round on Saturdays, the Hollywood Farmers Markets hosts 50+ vendors, bringing you the best of the region’s agricultural bounty. In addition to amazingly fresh, local food,  you’ll find live music, children’s activities, and fun events throughout the season.

• April through September, every Saturday 8 AM to 1 PM,
• October and November, every Saturday 9 AM to 1 PM,, and
• December through March: 9 AM to 1PM on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month

---

FEATURED LISTINGS
(PSSST - Tell a friend!)

Curious about what your home may be worth in our current real estate market? Click here for a no obligation comparative market analysis. Thank you for including us in your real estate journey!

 

 

 

Welcome to your new home in West Linn nestled on a spacious and secluded private lot in a desirable neighborhood. This charming home offers a perfect blend of modern updates and classic charm making it an ideal retreat for you and your loved ones. Step into your own private sanctuary, surrounded by lush greenery and mature trees providing a sense of serenity and privacy that's hard to come by. As you enter the home, you'll be greeted by an abundance of natural light filtering through the brand new windows. Windows are an extruded wood composite (energy efficient and durable). The home boasts a newish roof, providing you with added peace of mind regarding maintenance and longevity. With three cozy bedrooms, this home is perfect for families or those seeking extra space for guests, a home office, or hobbies. Fiberoptic internet.

 

 

• New listings (1,026) decreased 4.4% from the 1,073 listed in December 2022, and decreased 43.9% from the 1,828 listed in November 2023.

• Pending sales (1,309) increased 8.5% from the 1,206 offers accepted in December 2022, and decreased 9.2% from the 1,441 offers accepted in November 2023.

• Closed sales (1,330) decreased 9.2% from the 1,464 closings in December 2022, and decreased 1.0% from the 1,344 closings in November 2023. Inventory and Time on Market Inventory decreased to 2.7 months in December. Total market time increased to 60 days.

• Comparing the twelve months of 2023 to the same period in 2022, new listings (29,689) decreased 18.0%, pending sales (21,363) decreased 20.4%, and closed sales (20,941) decreased 25.2%. 

• Comparing 2023 to 2022 through December, the average sale price has decreased 2.1% from $610,900 to $598,000. In the same comparison, the median sale price has decreased 3.0% from $548,400 to $532,000.