Three More Neighborhoods to Check Out in Lake Oswego Oregon

Posted on July 13, 2014 by lovelakeoswego

NeighborsLuckily, in Lake Oswego, most neighborhoods would have Mr. Rogers singing, “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.”

Residents in the Palisades, Westridge and Hallinan neighborhoods have lots to sing about from a community pool (Palisades) to beautiful parks and as always, excellent Lake Oswego School District schools.

In the following chart, I’ve tried to break it down even more for you, but if you’d like to check them out for yourself in person, give me a call at 503.939.9801. I’d love to show you around.

Mom's screenshotPhoto courtesy of winnond at freedigitalphotos.net.

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In Lake Oswego the “Sounds of Summer” Include Music in the Parks

Posted on July 6, 2014 by lovelakeoswego
The Sounds of Summer Concert Series provides another excuse to enjoy the beautiful outdoor summer evenings in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

The Sounds of Summer Concert Series provides another excuse to enjoy the beautiful outdoor summer evenings in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Here is my “Sounds of Summer” list: kids playing outside, lawn mowers, crickets, neighbors entertaining outside on their decks, and…because I live in Lake Oswego, music in the park.

Music in the parks, I should say. Although we are only a town of over 37,000 people, we have three different parks in our city that alternate hosting our summer concert series.

Each venue offers something a little different. You’re likely to find parents and children alike up and moving to the sounds in Westlake Park, while the river view at Foothills Park includes boaters who dock while listening to tunes. Try each one out and see for yourself.

Genita blog table
*MPP – Millennium Plaza Park, 200 First Street
*FP – Foothills Park, 199 Foothills Road
*WP – Westlake Park, 14165 Bunick Drive
**Join the City of Lake Oswego for a Public Safety Fair

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Lake Oswego Salutes Small Town Living with Fourth of July Festivities

Posted on June 29, 2014 by lovelakeoswego
The Lake Oswego Lions Club 4th of July pancake breakfast has been a Costello family tradition for a long time.

The Lake Oswego Lions Club 4th of July pancake breakfast has been a Costello family tradition for a long time.

Small town living doesn’t get much better than Lake Oswego on the Fourth of July. Perhaps that explains why our summer visitors usually time their stay during this holiday. Look what Lake Oswego has in store.

The Celebration Starts Early with the Millennium Concert Band. As band leader Dale Cleland explains, “It’s not that unusual for a community like ours to have a community band.” What is unusual is the level of excellence band members bring to the stage, which explains why last year Lake Oswego’s Millennium Concert Band won the Sudler Silver Scroll Award, North America’s most prestigious award for community concert bands. Come see what all the fuss is about on Thursday, July 3, at 7:00 p.m. in Millennium Plaza Park, 1st and Evergreen.

Fast forward 20 years and we are still showing up for those pancakes!

Fast forward 20 years and we are still showing up for those pancakes!

Lake Oswego Lions Club Pancake Breakfast. This event will make a believer out of you…a belief that there is no better way to start your day than with big fluffy pancakes hot off the griddle accompanied by banjo strumming music and what seems like half the town dressed up in every variation of red white and blue. 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at George Rogers Park, 611 S. State Street.

Star Spangled Parade. How many ways can you decorate a stroller or a bike? Find out as you watch Lake Oswego’s young set parade down A Avenue, finishing up at Millennium Plaza Park, 1st and Evergreen. 10:00 a.m.

Star Spangled Celebration. You can’t get much more small town than a pie-eating contest and Lake Oswego’s begins at 12:30 p.m. The party starts earlier with live music, face painting, food, and balloon animals to keep everyone entertained. 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Millennium Plaza Park, 1st and Evergreen.

Lake Corporation Boat Parade. The flag waving takes to the water starting between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m. as boats line up decked out in their patriotic colors near the Lake Grove Swim Park for a procession along the lake. Good viewpoints include the swim park and Oswego Canal bridge at the beginning, and Millennium Plaza Park, the decks off the Lake Theatre and Café and Stickmen’s Brewery and Skewery, and Sundeleaf Plaza at the end (parade takes close to two hours).

Fireworks on the Lake. Boats sit in waiting, displaying their red and green navigation lights, while crowds plant themselves at the Lake Grove Swim Park, Oswego Canal bridge and waterfront homes. At 9:45 p.m. the west end of Oswego Lake explodes with color as the Lake Corporation show takes to the skies.

The Party Continues with Lake Corporation Ski & Wakeboard Competition. Watch local hotshots show off their stuff in Lakewood Bay. 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 5.

Portland Water Spectacular Ski Show. Festivities conclude with the pros showing us how it’s done in Lakewood Bay. 7:00 p.m. Saturday, July 5.

Lake Oswego knows how to do the 4th! It also knows how to do Farmer’s Markets, art festivals, public education….Subscribe to “52 Reasons to Love Lake Oswego” so you can keep up-to-date on what’s going on and why you might want to live here! Just click the “Sign me up” button in the top right hand column.

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Why the Lake Grove Swim Park Is One of the Best Things About Summer in Lake Oswego Oregon

Posted on June 22, 2014 by lovelakeoswego
My daughters decided they loved summers at the Lake Grove Swim Park so much that they worked there as lifeguards for several years.

My daughters decided they loved summers at the Lake Grove Swim Park so much that they worked there as lifeguards for several years.

Even though we live on the lake, the Lake Grove Swim Park was our family’s favorite hangout during the summer when our kids were growing up. Why?

•It’s beautiful. Situated at the south end of the lake, the view from the swim park is hard to beat. And you don’t have to pay waterfront prices to enjoy it! Just be a resident within the Lake Grove swim park boundaries which you can find here.

•It’s a social spot. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, odds are by summer’s end, you will have forged some new friendships at the swim park. “The regulars” (of which we were included) get to know each other’s idiosyncracies—where you like to park yourselves, who brings the best snacks, who has a running tab at the concession stand, whose dad will play ball with the kids, what mom brings the best magazines to read and share, who has an extra towel-water bottle-sunscreen if you need it.

•It’s well supervised. We were hands-on parents, always taking the “tough” shift of laying out in the sun watching our kids while they played. But it was nice to know that we could visit with friends or read a chapter of our book without risking our kids safety—park lifeguards keep a constant watch on all three pools. They enforce rules too like “no running on the dock” or “no flotation devices” which give the illusion of safety and also can make it harder for them to see all the swimmers in the water.

•It’s refreshing—and I’m not just talking about the dip in the lake you can take here. I’m referring to the fact that it’s a place that encourages you to unplug (from technology) and connect with people and nature. You won’t find a lot of kids checking their Facebook posts here or plugged into their headphones. Instead they are engaging the old-fashioned way—in person.

The Lake Grove Swim Park is open now through Labor Day weekend seven days a week from 12:00 noon until 8:00 p.m., weather permitting. Half hour swim lessons are offered Monday through Friday, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Registration is required. Call for information. 503.635.0355. 3800 Lakeview Boulevard.

Give me a call if you’d like to look at some homes in the Lake Grove Swim Park district boundaries so you and your family can enjoy this magical spot in Lake Oswego. 503.939.9801.

And check out what others are saying about the Lake Grove Swim Park.

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Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts is Full of Surprises

Posted on June 15, 2014 by lovelakeoswego

SurpriseThere is a reason the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts has been around for over 50 years.

Actually, there is more than one reason, but in looking over the schedule for this year’s rendition, I’d have to say it has to do with the element of surprise.

This is not just a show where artists hang their work.

It is a celebration of the arts where artists hang their work, demonstrate their work, talk about their work, and invite the audience to engage in their work.

It’s not just for the stuffy art snobs…it’s also for the rest of us who know what we like when we see it or hear it but may not know why. It’s for the natural artist in our kids who just need a venue and permission to get their hands immersed in clay or their faces decorated with paint.

It’s a place where you’ll find beautiful artwork hanging on walls, mounted on pedestals, hung from ceilings or displayed in booths. But it’s also a place where you’ll find events such as these:

●Martini Mingle with the Artists (Friday and Saturday evenings from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the Lakewood Center Deck)
●Panel Discussion on The Creative Response (Friday at 7:30 p.m. on the Headlee Main Stage)
●Art Demonstrations on Playing with Paper, Totem Animals and Paper Making (check schedule for actual times and locations)
●Clay and Painting Activities for Kids (Saturday from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. in the Lakewood Center Keybank Pavillion Tent)
●Concert by Animotion featuring 80s New Wave music (Saturday at 8:00 p.m. in George Rogers Park)
●Alice in Wonderland performance by Missoula Children’s Theatre (Friday at 4:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in George Rogers Park)
●Costume Parade and Contest (Saturday at 2:45 p.m. in George Rogers Park)

So you see, this is not your average arts festival. It informs, entertains, engages, and surprises you year after year. Don’t miss it.

If you don’t want to miss out on “Reasons to Love Lake Oswego,” then click the “Sign me up” button in the top right hand column to receive weekly updates.

Photo credit: Stuart Miles at freedigitalphotos.net.

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Playground Grand Opening and Rotary Auction Offer Something for Young and Old Alike This Weekend in Lake Oswego

Posted on June 8, 2014 by lovelakeoswego
Youth Action Council crew are excited to unveil their custom made hopscotch game at George Rogers Park's playground Grand Opening this Saturday.

Youth Action Council crew members Emily Liu, Elizabeth Hill and Cydny Fletcher, are excited to unveil their custom made hopscotch game at George Rogers Park’s playground Grand Opening this Saturday.

When my kids were on the playground circuit, George Rogers Park in Lake Oswego was one of their favorite stops.
With the new and improved playground due to debut this Saturday, June 14, it promises to be one of your kids’ too.
Here is what you’ll find:

  • Separate play areas for older and younger kids, each with its own age appropriate climbing and spinning activities. This is a big improvement from the people powered merry-go-round my kids both loved and hated that was not a one-size-fits-all attraction.
  • Larger sandbox area perfect for digging things, hiding things, and scooping things.
  • Twister game. Take a classic favorite and bring it outdoors—it’s bound to be more fun.
  • Covered picnic shelter in prime viewing area which should prove a big hit with parents.
  • Teen designed hopscotch area. Lake Oswego’s Youth Action Council designed a space-themed take on this popular game that offers kids challenges when they land on the rocket (jump four times), Saturn (spin five times) Earth (touch your toes), and Sun (strike a pose).

Come see for yourself between 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon this Saturday at 611 S. State Street. Festivities include free hot dogs and ice cream.

LAKE OSWEGO ROTARY LOBSTER FEED AND CHARITY AUCTION THIS SATURDAY
You can check out some of my earlier blogs here and here if you’re needing a reason to attend this annual event from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. on June 14 at the Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State Street. Add some of these great auction items to the list:

  • Catered winemaker’s dinner for 50 at Hawks View Vineyard includes bus ride, barrel tasting, tour and dinner.
  • Barbecue for 100 at Happy Trails Riding Center on August 16 featuring Buster’s BBQ, line dancing and the Cowboy Poet.
  • Summer party for 16 on Oswego Lake hosted by Lake Oswego’s Mayor Kent Studebaker.
  • A week for 3-6 people at the Pueblo Bonito resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The list is long and fabulous. Buy a ticket for a chance to join in the fun and get in on some of these one-of-a-kind experiences!

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5 Reasons to Check Out the New Lake Theater & Café

Posted on June 1, 2014 by lovelakeoswego

lake theaterThe more things change, the more they stay the same.

Case in point: The Lake Theater & Cafe. Opened in 1940, admission was 25 cents to see a movie. Today, when a matinee at Bridgeport Cinema will set you back $9, the Lake Theater has been featuring $1 matinee showings of The Lego Movie.

In the 40s, the Theater was considered the entertainment hub of Lake Oswego. Today, after an extreme makeover, The Lake Theatre & Cafe strives to be the same, complete with state of the art projection equipment, an event space featuring cabaret style seating and food and drink that you can enjoy while watching the show or enjoying the view from the outdoor deck.

In case you haven’t checked how the new and improved version of this historical spot in town, here are five reasons why you should.

1. The price is right. In addition to the $1 matinee showings of The Lego Movie (you can still catch it today, Sunday, June 1 at 12:00 p.m.) admission prices for both matinees and evening shows are cheaper than what you’ll find at cineplexes like Bridgeport. Check the lineup here.
2. Because man does not live by popcorn alone. Now you don’t have to choose between dinner or a movie…or dinner first and then a movie. Place your order for menu items like a chick pea and spinach burger or fresh mozzarella salad at least 15 minutes before show time, and dinner will be served while you relax in your reclining seats.
3. Because you wanted someplace special to host your next reunion or auction party. In addition to a theater with stadium style seating, the Lake Theater & Café offers an event space that will accommodate up to 100 seated guests and 200 standing. The possibilities are endless with cabaret style seating, access to the private deck, dance floor, a stage and outdoor fireplace. At the grand opening reception, owner Drew Prell explained that several high school reunions had already booked the space.
4. Trivia Nights. Find out everything you did or didn’t know about a myriad of random topics on Wednesday nights from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. As the website says, “The Lake Theater & Café is no longer just about going to the movies.” Entertainment takes many forms here and trivia night is as good an excuse as any to check it out.
5. Cyber-Seniors Documentary. On Wednesday, June 4 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Thursday, June 5, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the Lake Theater & Café is hosting one of the nationwide viewings of the Cyber-Seniors Documentary which will leave you laughing and feeling good about the teenage generation. It follows a project started by two sisters who saw the difference learning how to use the Internet made in their grandparents’ lives and wanted to pass that along. By enlisting the help of friends, they set out to bring residents at a local retirement home up to speed on things like Facebook, YouTube and email. The results are nothing but refreshing as we’re reminded that you’re never too old to learn something new and never too young to make a difference. Admission is $7 with a portion of the proceeds going to the Lake Oswego Adult Community Center and Elders in Action. Call 503.635.3758 for more information.

The Lake Theater & Café is located at 106 N. State Street. 503.482.2135

As you can see, I’m good at finding reasons to do things. If you’re looking for a reason why you should move up, move down, move to Lake Oswego, or stay where you are, I’d love to help you decide. Just contact me at 503.939.9801 or costellok@hasson.com.

 

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Breaking into the Lake Oswego Housing Market—Yes You Can!

Posted on May 25, 2014 by lovelakeoswego

company_color_no_slogan[1]If you’ve been reading my blog regularly, you know that Lake Oswego has a lot to offer as a place to live. But what’s the price of entry? How much does a starter home in Lake Oswego cost?

Granted there are high end homes lining Oswego Lake with listing prices that are out of many folks’ price range. But the median sales price in Lake Oswego real estate last year for both single family homes and condos was $458,779, so that means that there are more affordable options for homebuyers looking for a way to get in.

Last year 32 single family homes sold in what I would call the entry-level range with the lowest at $170,000 and the highest at $250,000. The median price came in at $222,000 or $125 per square foot.

Condos offered even better opportunities with 144 sales ranging between $79,000 and $250,000. The median price was $139,000 at $110 per square foot.

While buying a house in Lake Oswego may require a little more up front costs, there is comfort in knowing that the value in a Lake Oswego home is likely to hold up and/or increase better and faster than in other Portland metro areas.

Consider some recent clients of mine. They paid $250,000 in April of 2012 for a one level ranch style home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a 2 car garage on Cobb Way in the Bryant Neighborhood. Over the next 19 months they made improvements: new paint, refinished the hardwood floors, installed new carpets and quartz kitchen countertops. In November of 2013 they sold it in two days for $350,000.

Breaking into the Lake Oswego housing market is doable, but as you can see, good buys require you to act fast. That’s where an experienced Realtor can help. By being plugged into the local market, I can keep you on the fast track when something is coming available. Word of mouth works in real estate just like it does in job hunting.

If you’re interested in seeing if you can start enjoying some of the “52 Reasons to Love Lake Oswego,” give me a call at 503939.9801. I’d love to explore your options with you.

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Look What Happened in Lake Oswego While You Were Sleeping

Posted on May 18, 2014 by lovelakeoswego

Flower basketsWhile most of you were sleeping Saturday morning, close to 65 volunteers set out in organized groups across Lake Oswego to hang the flower baskets which will paint our streets with color all summer long.

While these early risers (try 4:30 a.m.) put faces (albeit sleepy-eyed) to the effort behind Lake Oswego’s Village Flower Basket program, there are other hands that pitch in sight unseen.

Those include the donors whose contributions from $5 to $500 help the basket committee meet its $75,000 budget.

This year a record 270 baskets were hung at a cost of $300 each which includes not only the planting, but the maintenance throughout the season.

flower basket 1

Here’s what the baskets look like in all their summer glory.

Few volunteer efforts reap such visual rewards. My wife and I have never had a summer visitor who hasn’t commented on their beauty.

The program has earned national recognition too, winning an “America in Bloom” award in 2003 with a 5 out of 5 rating for floral displays. In addition, the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce, which manages the program, receives requests for help from other communities hoping to establish a similar program.

We are blessed to live in such a beautiful spot. The lake is natural beauty which we can’t take much credit for; however, the flower baskets are man-made-hung-and funded. It’s that kind of collective oomph that makes Lake Oswego such a special place to live. You are welcome to join in the spirit of making it all happen. Donations are still being accepted by calling the chamber at 503.636.3634.

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Just When You Thought the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market Couldn’t Get Any Better…It Did!

Posted on May 11, 2014 by lovelakeoswego

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAThe crowds that gather in Lake Oswego’s Millennium Plaza Park on Saturday mornings from mid May to mid October already know that the town’s Farmers’ Market is as good a wake-up call as a rooster’s cock-a-doodle-doo.

From beautiful floral bouquets to fresh picked organic produce to gourmet cheese, there is more than one reason to find your way to Lake Oswego’s outdoor living room where over 80 vendors set up shop, musicians play, and volunteers will even watch your dog for free!

Market organizers aren’t content to roll out the same show every year. That’s why this Farmers’ Market season you’ll find some changes that market manager, Jamie Inglis, is really excited about.

  • Blue Raeven Farmstand joins the lineup offering fresh baked pies featuring produce from their farm. Take your pick from large, 5” mini pies and pocket pies. Blue Raeven’s goodies have been a hit at the annual 4th of July celebration so it will be nice to enjoy them all summer long.
  • Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider will be on hand every other week this season. Another “started in a garage” success story, Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider is made with Oregon and Washington grown apples, including some from another market vendor, Kyokawa Orchards. The cidery creates dry and off-dry hard ciders in a wide range of styles and can be found at Zupan’s, New Seasons and Whole Foods as well as our own Farmers’ Market.
  • TbeeS fills in the honey vendor void the market had since 2012. Ron Stark will be selling his raw bee products (honey, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly), as well as serving as the market’s go-to expert for “everything you wanted to know about bees but didn’t know who to ask.”
  • Sterling Cookies gives culinary meaning to the saying, “Good things come in small packages.” Owner Joe Sterling’s two bite cookies, brownies, tarts and macaroons are favorites at other local Farmers’ Markets including Beaverton and Vancouver and will be adding Lake Oswego market goers to a growing list of fans.
  • Paul’s Paella brings this Spanish rice dish to our outdoor market as a feast to your tastebuds as well as your eyes. You can watch Paul cook it up as he mixes in favorite ingredients like chicken, chorizo, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, smoked paprika…mouth watering yet? Gluten free foodies—count this one on your list!
  • Parsons Farm fans don’t have to bemoan the closing of the popular stand on the corner of Carman Drive and Kruse Way due to the new development there because they’ll be a regular at the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market, offering a variety of fruits and vegetables grown on their four farms in Canby, Sherwood, Dayton, and Dundee.
  • Rossi Farms returns to the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market after a long hiatus (their last year here was 2006). One of the original vendors when the market started in 2001, they’ll be selling a variety of heirloom potatoes grown on their Parkrose Community farm which has been in operation since 1880.
  • Meals on Wheels from our Farms’ Fields is a new service opportunity for market patrons to give to the Meals on Wheels program at the Adult Community Center in two ways: purchase fresh foods from market vendors that will be used in meals cooked for the ACC program or donate cash.
  • CPR Anytime Training will be offered onsite on Saturday, June 28. Market patrons can learn CPR Anytime, a program developed by the American Heart Association that teaches the core skills of CPR in just 30 minutes. Public Safety officials will teach the program under the green canopy at the elevated stage at the park. The training features the hands-only CPR method.

The Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market opens this Saturday, May 17, at the corner of First and Evergreen in Millennium Plaza Park from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Check the website for more details.

***Remember Oswego Heritage Council’s Historic Home Tour this Saturday too. The Jantzen Estate will be one of the homes featured. Tickets available online.

Be sure to check the “Sign me up” button in the top right hand column to receive weekly updates on “52 Reasons to Love Lake Oswego.“

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