1.	Try a new coffee shop. We had two new coffee shops open in Lake Oswego in 2024, on opposite sides of town so next time you’re needing a caffeine fix, try one of them out. Cathedral Coffee is in the former Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf-Starbucks location at 1175 McVey Avenue and is open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. With a motto that “We exist to cultivate meaningful relationships through extraordinary hospitality,” it sounds like a good place to hang out. And their latte art (which always enhances our coffee experience) is top notch. 

On the southwest side of town, you’ll find Roseline in yet another former Starbucks location at 16398 Boones Ferry Road and open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. You can read more about Roseline here in an earlier blog, and we can attest to the fact that Roseline too takes their latte art seriously. 

2.	Try a new restaurant. It appears Lake Oswego is becoming a destination spot for dining with three new restaurants debuting this year. The Lake View Taphouse took over the former Manzana spot in Lake View Village in April, revamping the venue to be more open and lighter. Serving lunch, dinner and brunch on weekends, the menu features casual dining including shareable boards as well as entrees, beers on tap, cocktails and wine. Located at 305 1st Street, hours are Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to. 9:00 p.m., Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

The Driftwood Taphouse opened in June in Oswego Towne Square at 3 Monroe Parkway. It features a curated meu of Mediterrannean inspired small plates and sandwiches as well as expertly crafted cocktails, wine and spirits as well as mocktail offerings like a Berry Margarita Spritz and a Raspberry Mojito. Hours are Monday through Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. 

Mann’s on the Lake opened in late October in what used to house Stickmen Brewing at 40 N. State Street. After extensive renovations to open things up and add more seating inside, owner Eric Mann added yet a third restaurant offering to his Lake Oswego lineup which includes Duke’s Public House and Aji Tram. Mann’s focused on Pacific Northwest cuisine with a seafood forward menu serving lunch, dinner and brunch on the weekends. Hours are Monday and Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

3.	Purchase a pre-sale membership to Lake Oswego’s new Recreation and Aquatics Center. Pre-sale memberships will be activated when LORAC opens and can be purchased for 3 or 12 months. Check online for membership fees. The new center is slated to open in late winter of 2025 and includes a 12-lane competitive pool, 4,500 square foot recreational pool with three additional lanes for lap swimming, spa, and a kid’s area with water slide and play structures, a significant weight and cardio area, 7,250 square foot gym equipped with all types of activities and league play, locker rooms, and multi-purpose group fitness rooms for education and outreach programs. 

4.	Take an awe walk. When students come up to Berkeley psychology professor Dacher Keltner and complain of being depressed he advises, “Get them outside, and go look for awe.” According to Keltner’s research, awe reduces stress, improves your immune system, makes us feel kinder, more creative and more connected to the world around us. What is awe? “A feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world.”  And luckily for us, awe is very accessible. According to Keltner’s research it can be found in something as ordinary as the way a tree casts a shadow on the sidewalk or how a hummingbird hovers over a flower. And the more awe walks we take, the more awe we feel as our capacity to experience it deepens. So take advantage of all the nature paths we have in Lake Oswego, the canopy of trees that line our streets and make awe-walking one of your new year resolutions.  

5.	Play Winter Reading Bingo through the Lake Oswego Public Library. You can download a Winter Reading Bingo Sheet and when you get five in a row – up, down or diagonal – you can return the sheet to the library and win a prize. Bingo squares include activities like: Read a new author, Attend a library program, Read a book that has won an award, Checkout a cookbook. You have until February 28 to play the game. 

If one of your resolutions is to better understand the Lake Oswego housing market and what options you have for buying or selling, then please get in touch with one of us. We are here to help you make a wise investment when it comes to buying or selling your home in Lake Oswego and you can rest assured that we always keep that goal in mind when working with clients. 

Wishing all of you a happy and awe-inspired New Year!

Kevin Costello kevin.costello@cascadehasson.com 503.939.9801
Riley Costello riley.costello@cascadehasson.com 971.322.6205