Aaron's place was perfect for exploring the Montavilla neighborhood. Clean, lots of towels and blankets, comfortable bed...and that sectional in the living room was perfection. The AC unit pretty much saved us from spontaneously combusting in the 100-degree heat. Very quiet place even with the proximity to businesses. The neighbor was lovely, too. The area is very walk-able, but we took the #15 bus up to the Hawthorne area and it was as easy as can be.
If you've traveled to Portland a lot, I highly, highly recommend hanging out in Montavilla. It feels like one of the last "pure" neighborhoods in Portland.