As the weather gets better and better (not that it has really been that bad this winter!) I reminisce about a lovely trip my husband, Ben, and I took to NYC and Boston to visit friends and architectural sites last July. The weather was a perfect, if unusual, 75 degrees. We walked all over Manhattan- up and down, side to side, day in and day out- seeing everything from Renzo Piano’s NY Times building, at least twice, to Norman Foster’s Hearst Tower and Allied Works’ Museum of Art and Design, to the 2 week old (at the time) High Line Park designed by Diller, Scofidio + Renfro. This was the highlight of our visit! It is an amazing and unique elevated promenade on a trestle that was once a railway line for delivery of cattle, out of use since 1980. From this quiet perch, well above street level, framed views of the water and views straight down Chelsea streets abound. It is an urban sanctuary, a contemporary architectural fairy tale gesturing in the direction of Olmsted and Vaux’s Central Park. Bring a picnic, a bottle of wine, a special friend or your own silence and absorb the interface between the natural and urban fabric NYC has to offer. If you are still and observant, you might just be found by a fairy like we were by this one who then followed us home to our children…  If you find yourself in NYC, be sure to find the High Line Public Park! The second of three phases is due to open in the fall ’10. www.thehighline.org

Thanks to our fantastic art scout Bridgett Larabee, this month we are featuring a show by artists from ART FROM THE HEART.  What is Art From the Heart?  Well, besides being one of our favorite shows so far, here is the run down: ART FROM THE HEART is a teaching and working studio that provides an employment alternative for adults with development disabilities.  It also doubles as a fantastic & fun gallery open to the public.  The goal of the center is to foster each artist’s personal creative energy and cultivate an outlet for community connection and contribution for people of all abilities.  The artists that participate with ART FROM THE HEART attend classes for a minimum of two days a week that range from painting to book making to doll creation and everything in between.  Our show featuring paintings, ceramics and dolls will be up through the end of September; come on by and and be prepare to be blown away by the overwhelming talent and passion!

On the market only a week, my buyer trusted his instincts when touring this home. “This feels good” he said. Coincidentally, we disovered this townhome was built by the same builder of another listing he fell for a month earlier, but lost to a cash buyer.

He knows what he likes, and his tastes are refined.

This 3-story, 2 bed/2.5 bath + den townhome in the heart of Belmont is only 3 years new, has high quality finishes, and does just “feel good”. Its warm interior textures, fireplace, and big sky views will be perfect for settling in with a good book on a cold day. And yet, the hip location draws you out to the Portland scene of Stumptown Coffee, music at the Blue Monk, or a mushroom burger at Paradox.

For a cyclist, Belmont also offers a sense of being in the center of all Portland’s great neighborhoods. All my client needs to do now is put up the garage door, roll up a pantleg, and whisk himself away for a few hours… with the joy of knowing the real luxury will be returning to his new home.

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Please join us May 28th from 5-8 pm for an Artist Reception and Open House featuring the photography of Zeb Andrews, Justin Dupre & Scott Hoyle.
Justin Dupre will be exhibiting his enlarged Polaroids and his self published coffee table book “A Polaroid Time Journey”. Scott Hoyle will have his ethereal infra-red photographs on display, and Zeb Andrews features pin-hole photographs of the St. John’s bridge. This is a great show we are honored to be hosting!
Come on down to the opening reception from 5-8 on May 28th. If you can’t make it that night, the show will be up until June 21st.