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Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher

January Events

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January 2020 is here and we are excited about so many events all over Portland! Whether you are looking for a fun day with the family or a wild night on the town, we’ve got you covered with our list below.

Gorgeous Resolution Run

Thursday, January 2nd

Looking to get a jump start on those resolutions to make this the year that you really start running? Gorgeous Series is here to help get you on track (haha). Meet at Sasquatch Brewing for a 3 or 5 mile run, followed by a raffle of cool swag and a rewarding post-run beer. 2531 NW 30th Ave, 6:30 pm, Free.

More Info

O-Shogatsu Japanese New Year

Sunday January 5th

Portland Japanese Garden celebrates the Japanese New Year with a traditional Lion Dance, tea ceremony, and harp concert. In addition, there will be an ink-wash brush drawing session and Hyakunin Issyu (a poetry game) plus pounded rice cakes to share. 611 SW Kingston Ave, 11am-3pm, Adult $16.95, Youth $11.50, Members Free.

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Biggest Clothing Swap in the NW

Sunday January 5th

Every year, hordes of people descend on the Crystal Ballroom to pass on clothing that no longer works for them and dig through piles to get new duds. There are three floors of swapping goodness and all gender identities and sizes are included. Bring a bag of clean, wearable clothing to trade. 1332 W Burnside St, 12pm-3pm, $8 advance, $10 at the door, $5 for an empty bag.

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Portland Onesie Bar Crawl

Saturday January 11th

What better way to stay warm this winter than to don your favorite fuzzy onesie and hop from bar to bar? There will be drink specials, DJs, a scavenger hunt, and a whole lot of silliness. Registration is at the Barrel Room. 105 NW 3rd Ave, 4 pm -10 pm, $20 in advance.

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Dragons Love Tacos

Saturday January 18th-February 16th

Oregon Children’s Theatre presents a fun and dance-filled tale of a boy, his dog, and a quartet of hungry dragons. Based on the book by Adam Rubin, this show is sure to delight. 1111 SW Broadway, Sat shows at 2 pm and 5 pm, Sundays 11 am and 2pm, $15-$37.

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Ramen and Whisky Fest

Sunday January 19th

Willamette Week and Fubonn team up to bring us a battle for the ages. Six of Portland’s best ramen chefs compete to take home the title, as voted by you. Your ticket gets you a sample ramen and paired whisky cocktail from each table, plus the right to cast your vote for the coveted People’s Choice award. 101 N Weidler St, 12 pm- 2:30 pm and 3 pm- 5:30 pm, $45.

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Wizard World

Friday January 24th- Sunday the 26th

The Oregon Convention Center will once again fill up with cos-players galore to celebrate all things nerd. Celebrity guests include Dylan McDermott, Cary Elwes, and Emily Swallow. 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Fri 4 pm- Sun 4 pm, $30-$150.

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Stout Bout

Saturday January 25th

Stout Bout is one of my favorite events every January. Portland Brewer’s Collective hosts this annual all Stout homebrewers competition. Show up to taste and vote on 12 or more homebrews. Sometimes traditional, often experimental, you’re sure to find something you like. There is a People’s Choice award and a raffle to boot! 2235 SE 11th Ave, 2 pm- 5 pm, Free.

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OMSI After Dark: Cards and Consoles

Wednesday January 29th

OMSI After Dark this month focuses on all things gaming, with demos on counting cards, board game mechanics, and drunken goggle gaming. Food and drink vendors and samples, plus admission to the current featured exhibit, Exquisite Creatures. Is this my dream event? Yes, yes it is. 1945 SE Water Ave, 6 pm-10 pm, $16.

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Portland Seafood and Wine Festival

Friday January 31st-Saturday February 1st

Head over to the Oregon Convention Center at the end of the month for a celebration of delicious seafood and wines. There will be over 190 exhibitors, including 60 wineries, plus it is the very height of Dungeness Crab season. Yum!!! 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Fri 2 pm-10 pm, Sat 12 pm- 10 pm, $13 advance, $15 at the door.

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Which of these January events are you most excited for? Did we miss an awesome January event in Portland that you want to tell us about? Let us know in the comments!

New Years Eve Parties

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New Years Eve is quickly approaching, and it’s time to run down the best parties to celebrate in Portland! Remember, we are ringing in not just a new year, but a new decade, so it’s time to go big or go home! Read below for some of our suggestions on where to party it up this NYE.

  • 2020: A Space Oddity at the Crystal Ballroom – 1332 W Burnside– The Polish Ambassador will be headlining this space-themed ‘inter-dimensional soiree’. Dress accordingly and prepare to dance like crazy. Doors 7:30, Show 9pm. $39.50 advance, $45 at the door. https://www.mcmenamins.com/events/212755-the-polish-ambassador
  • DJ Anjali and the Incredible Kid at Polaris Hall – 635 N Killingsworth Ct– For a super fun and multicultural dance party, be sure to check out this rocking duo. There will be Bollywood, Bhangra, Desi, Latino, and banging beats all around. 9pm. $28 in advance, $30 at the door. https://www.anjaliandthekid.com/
  • Midnite NYE at the Custom Blocks – 1355 SE 10th Ave– Dress to the nines for one of Portland’s biggest NYE bashes in a warehouse-style event space in inner SE. DJ Crooked will keep you dancing well past midnight. Doors at 8pm. $100-$2000, with reserved tables available. https://midnitenye.com/
  • Bobby D and Cooky Parker at Hey Love– 920 E. Burnside– Dance in the decade with a booty-shaking array of soul, funk, R&B, and more with dual-awesome DJs. Doors 8pm, Show 9pm. $10 cover. https://www.heylovepdx.com/calendar
  • BONUS: Video Dance Attack at Hood River Hotel– 102 Oak St. Hood River, OR– Video Dance Attack is always a fantastic time, and this year they are taking their annual NYE show to Hood River. If you’ll be in the Gorge for NYE, check this one out. 9pm, $20. http://www.videodanceattack.com/

Did we miss the BEST New Years Eve parties out there, Portland?? Let us know in the comments!

Chinese food on Christmas Day

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Like many Portland transplants, my Christmas Day traditions are somewhat… non-Christmas-y. One that I started several years ago was to get Chinese takeout and Champagne and binge on cheesy action movies. Die Hard? Check! The Long Kiss Goodnight? Absolutely. Sometimes, I’ll even throw in something newer, like John Wick. If you are thinking, ‘Heck, yes! Sign me up,’ then here is a list of where to grab Chinese Food in any of Portland’s wonderful neighborhoods on Christmas Day.

Did we miss your favorite spot to grab Chinese Food on Christmas Day? Let us know in the comments! Also always taking suggestions for good cheesy action movies 🙂

Photo credits to: @duckhousepdx, @bigdcharm, @gisellesheeran, @eaterpdx, @sambakall

Our Favorite Up and Coming Areas

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Hey Friends, Today we are going to be telling you all about our favorite up and coming neighborhoods in Portland. They are the perfect place for you to invest!  Check out this short video for all the details! If you are prefer to read the transcript, skip ahead!

The dream is to be in Irvington, or Laurelhurst, or Ladd’s Addition, but if you are looking for your first home, or an investment property, those neighborhoods may be out of reach.  I also want to talk about some of the mistakes that people can make when it comes to buying in an up and coming area.  

Make a Plan

When you are buying in an area that isn’t as established you need to think of it as a long term investment.  The Portland Market has been in a quickly appreciating city for many years. While everyone has benefited from this appreciation, the “up and coming” areas did so a little slower than the rest of the city.  We don’t want you to purchase a home and expect to have a huge return on your investment the following year.  We will help you to come up with a 5 year or 10 year plan so you know exactly what you are getting into.  

Trust Your Advisors

We will help to guide you so you can avoid any big missteps.  I want to be sure that you don’t overpay for a home, or buy something that needs a ton of work.  We will make sure that you are equipped with a market analysis for the areas that you want to seriously look in so you know what you should be paying for the houses we see.  We will also use our years of experience to identify any inspection red flags.  

Now that you know how to buy in an up and coming area, our favorites are….

St. Johns

I love St. Johns because they have such a strong sense of community, great restaurants and bars, and easy access to the rest of the city.  This neighborhood has become more popular over the years, but it is still one of the most affordable places to live.  You also get to be near the amazing Cathedral park!  

Foster-Powell

I love the Foster-Powell neighborhood for many of the same reasons. Ever since Foster Rd went down to 2 lanes last year, we have been seeing a new boutique, cocktail bar, or coffee shop pop-up practically every other week! In addition, there is a really strong sense of community and many great neighborhood focused events. While prices are certainly increasing as many are realizing the great investment opportunity, you can still find homes that are affordable. 

There are plenty of other areas that are still affordable, if you want to talk with us about your specific needs, definitely reach out to us and give us a call! 

Do you want to take a look at our buyer or seller guides? You can download either of those here

We are always happy to share our resources with you and answer any of your real estate questions.  Also, make sure to follow our blog for lots of great information and our favorite local bars and restaurants.  Thanks so much for joining us today and we will talk to you soon! 

Hat Yai – Belmont

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For our Hot Spot of the Week, we decided to check out the newly opened SE branch of Southern Thai spot Hat Yai. With counter service and checkered plastic tablecloths, this casual eatery is a perfect spot to grab a bite while checking out the great bars along the Belmont strip with friends. If you want to check out the menu, or see more information, you can do that here

As usual, we each got a cocktail to start. While the cocktail list here isn’t extensive (3 options and a seasonal special) we were both able to easily choose something that catered to our preferences. The Turmeric Sweet Tea was a lovely Thai twist on the classic, and was perfect alongside the fried chicken. The Tamarind Whiskey Smash made me seriously wish it were a hot sunny afternoon. If cocktails aren’t your thing, there is also a no-frills wine and beer list to choose from.

For dinner, we decided to share the famous fried chicken. We opted for the half-chicken portion so we could try several different dishes. The dark meat was, of course, the winner. Even the breast was tasty when doused with the Thai chili dipping sauce. We also shared the Goong Tom Gati, a shrimp and clam curry served with sticky rice. The curry was fine, but we wished we had gone with our instincts and ordered the special Jungle Curry. With trout belly and Chanterelles, it sounded outstanding. However, the person at the counter somewhat warned us off of it saying, “It’s a 9/10 on the spicy scale.” Sometimes in Thai restaurants, that would mean inedible, but once we had tasted the other curry, we felt that we certainly could have handled it.

Our surprise winner of favorite dish of the evening was the seasonal special pea tips. Simply sauteed and served in a light curry sauce, pea tips have been an exciting discovery for me in restaurants this year. They were my favorite of this evening, as well as another spent at delicious newcomer Eem a few months ago. After this experience, I know I will be ordering them every time I see them on a menu! Have you been to Hat Yai yet? What should we order next time?

What Hot Spot should we try out next? Let us know in the comments!

Holiday Light Displays

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There are so many wonderful ways to spend the holidays, one of my favorites is definitely looking at all the holiday lights. We put together a list of some of our favorites around Portland. Let us know which ones are your favorite down in the comments!

Peacock Lane

Peacock Lane, portland

December 15th – December 31st

6pm – 11pm daily

*15th, 16th, and 17th are pedestrian only nights*

Info and Website

SE 40th Ave between Stark and Belmont St.

Free

Peacock Lane has been a favorite to Portlanders for decades. The street is lined with primarily tudor homes and they all decorate to celebrate the holidays. You can drive slowly through the neighborhood any night with the exception of the first 3 nights which are pedestrian only.

The Grotto

November 29th – December 30th

*Closed Christmas Day*

5-9:30pm Daily

Info and Website

8840 NE Skidmore Street, Portland

Tickets $12.50 sold at door

Tucked into a beautiful setting in NE Portland, The Grotto has thousands of holiday lights covering all of the lower level of the grounds. There are also many performances to see from local choirs, carolers, and puppeteers.

Zoo Lights

November 29th – January 5th

5-9 pm Daily

Info and Website

Oregon Zoo

Tickets $19.50 *save $2 and buy online

Visiting the zoo in the evening to see over a million Christmas lights is one of the best experiences of the holidays. Most of the animals will be sleeping, but all the lights and the walking path make it worth the trip. Also, if you happen to be a member, tickets are free!

Winter Wonderland at PIR

November 29th – January 4th

5- 11pm Friday and Saturday 5:30-9:30 all other days

Info and Website

1940 N Victory Blvd, Portland

Tickets $20-$25 Click here

Considered the largest light show in the Pacific Northwest, there are over 250 different light displays laid out along the raceway. Most people drive the raceway listening to holiday music, but there are also bike nights and dog walking nights.

Miracle of a Million Lights

December 8th – December 28th

6pm – 10pm Daily

Info and Website

1441 N McClellan Street, Portland,

Tickets $5 – $8 Click here

This stunning victorian home covers nearly every inch of it’s interior to wow visitors. they also decorate the 2.5 acres that the home sits on making this home a true winter wonderland.

Christmas Ships

December 5th – December 22nd

Starting at 7:30pm

Info and Website

Columbia and Willamette rivers

Free

Ships sail up the Columbia and Willamette rivers every night for 2 weeks. You can gather along any of the shorelines to watch this wonderful show.

We hope to see you at some of these wonderful holiday lights events! Want to be notified every time we put together a Portland’s best list? Be sure to subscribe to the blog!

Buyer Closing Costs

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Today we are going to be talking all about closing costs! Check out the video below to learn all about them! If you don’t like videos, read on below.

Last week we went through closing costs when you are selling a home, but there are also closing costs associated with purchasing a home.  Most buyers are aware that they need to save up for a downpayment. They also know they need to pay for inspections. But, many people don’t realize there are also quite a few fees that you need to budget for.  

I had a buyer a couple of years ago that had to let their dream home go because they didn’t have enough cash to close on the home. This could have been solved if they had know to budget for an extra 3%.  I really don’t want you to end up in that situation. So here are my 3 tips for buying a home when it comes to closing costs.  

Write out a budget

Meet with your realtor and write out a budget. Depending on the time of year that you are buying, closing costs can vary from 2-4% of the purchase price. That means if you are buying a $500,000 houses here in Portland, you can expect your closing costs to be about $15,000.  We have a great buyers guide for you once you are ready to get serious about buying a home. You can download it HERE

Be honest about what you can afford

Take a look at your finances and budget for what makes sense.  Just because you are approved for a $500,000  house doesn’t mean that is what you should spend.  If you only have $7,000 to put towards closing costs, we may want to look at buying a cheaper home.  You don’t want to move in and be immediately house poor, so lets come up with a real budget and decide what kind of purchase makes the most sense to you.  

Stretch your money

Make a plan for your money to go farther.  Depending on the health of the overall market, we may be able to ask the seller to pay for some, or all, of your closing costs. This means that your money can go farther.  While this is an option in all markets, if we end up writing an offer on a home with multiple offers, the chances of our offer being accepted and getting closing costs covered is very low.  There are things we can do to combat this, so we just need to sit together to plan everything out.  

Closing costs are not a fun part of the real estate transaction. They do however pay for your new deed, so they are crucial to buying a home.  If you want to sit down to discuss the specifics about what fees are covered, or if you just have general real estate questions, I would love to chat with you anytime! 

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube so you are always up to date with what we are doing!  You can also sign up for our monthly newsletter and we will send you fun events happening in Portland.  

Thanks for joining me today and I will talk to you soon!

Straightaway Cocktails

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We headed out to try the relatively new tasting room for straightaway cocktails this week. You may have seen some of the cans of white wine spritzer on the shelves of your local new seasons and that had me very curious!

straightaway cocktails building, Portland Oregon

We sampled both the cocktail flight and the spritzer flight, both of which come paired with a little snack. The cocktails were all delicious, perfectly strong, and less sweet than you would imagine for a pre-made cocktail.

Straightaway Cocktails has 6 pre-mixed cocktails tat you can sample or buy. These 6 classic cocktails are the Lintik, a gin martini, a cosmo, a negroni, an old fashioned, or a paper plane. Each cocktail has a unique twist on to give you a little surprise, as an example, the martini also has a dash of orange bitters. My favorite of the bunch was the cosmo, not just because I am a vodka girl, but also because it had a really nice dry citrus bite to it. Each cocktail comes with it’s own pairing snack, which for the most part, were wonderfully flavored popcorns. We tried a mexican chocolate popcorn with the negroni and they both really complimented each other.

The Spritzers are served on a tray with a nice amount of kettle chips. These help you get that salty element you crave while drinking a white wine spritzer. There are 4 choices; the last word, the apertivo, the fiore, and the negroni. They are all made with sparkling pinot gris, a liqueur, and some bitters that vary drink to drink.

The staff was incredibly kind, knowledgeable, and very excited that we were in to visit. We were given really great pairing notes and information about where all the delicious snacks and flavors were sourced from. You can’t get a full sized cocktail in the tasting room, but just doing the smaller platters was a ton of fun! they have a small shop inside the tasting room so you can bring a bottle home with you. I bought a sample pack just in time for the holidays.

Have you tried this awesome new distillery yet? Check out the menu and website here! Let us know what you think in the comments!