Emery's place is very relaxed, in a quiet neighborhood. There is a busy highway close by, but we never heard it from the inside the house. The only sound heard from the window during the night was the rain. The location is not central (which makes it quieter), but there are some buses just a few minutes walk away that are very convenient and get you to the downtown very quickly (note, that public transport in Portland is *very* good, as opposed to many other places in the US).
We enjoyed the pictures and collages on the walls: they are not of the fake posh style but of the tongue-in-cheek jovial style.
Emery was a very friendly and accommodating host. For example, when we asked for suggestions of places around that were open on Thanksgiving he called some local places to check.
In reality, the place is owned by two cats though you probably will only get a glimpse of the second one. Be prepared to chill out with the more social cat who will demand the back rubs.