Neighborhood News

by HAND Board Member, Wendy Kunkel

At the June HAND Board meeting, elections of Board officers were held. The list of the 2007-2008 Board officers are: Joe Hagedorn, Chair; Linda Nettekoven, Vice Chair; Carolyn Brock, Secretary; Holli Ballestrem, Treasurer; Frank Dufay, Land Use & Transportation Chair; Liz Gatti, Communications Chair; and Sean McCusker, Southeast Uplift Representative. Congratulations and thanks for being involved. Contacts for all the Board members can be found at the HAND web site www.handpdx.org.

After nearly 10 years and an extensive clean up process, Reach Community Development Corporation has a proposal to develop the brownfield on the corner of SE Ladd and Division. Representatives from Reach and the architecture firm designing the site were present at the June meeting. The proposal brought neighborhood residents to the meeting, some that supported and some that disapproved of the idea. To review the design yourself, once at the HAND website, scroll down for the plans. Reach is proposing a mixed-use building with retail condos on the ground floor and a mix of affordable and market rate housing on the floors above.

The Portland Fruit Tree Project organizes people in the Portland community to gather fruit before it falls, and make it available to those in need. They would like to register fruit trees around the city, coordinate harvesting parties, and offer workshops in pruning & fruit preservation. To register your fruit tree, to volunteer or to request assistance with harvest, contact: Katy Kolker at 503-939-4914.

The next HAND board meeting will be Tuesday, September 18th at 7:00 pm at St. Phillip Neri. Please join us. In the meantime, keep watering the trees and pruning the roses.

All HAND meetings are open to the public and held at St. Philip Neri Church, 2408 SE 16th and Division. HAND's web site has been updated and includes great information in an easy to use format. The site includes meeting agendas, maps, a link to sign up for the HAND list serve and useful posts about current events. Check it out at www.handpdx.org.

Welcome to the Neighborhood News - our e-newsletter filled with timely and important news. If you do not wish to receive future issues, use the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the page. It's easy to use the Send-A-Friend box below. You can contact me at lindsey@myneighborhoodnews.us.

This is a big weekend in our Southeast part of town with tons going on that offers something for everyone. The Division-Clinton Street Fair is underway right now with fun on the streets from 12th to 60th running until 5pm and music until 10pm. Come out for sidewalk sales, food and fun, music and of course - a parade. Read on for the details and for everything else you need to know.

FLAG PICNIC ON SUNDAY

The Friends of Ladd's Addition Gardens host their annual summer picnic on Sunday, July 29th in the Center Circle Park. The picnic is for Ladd's Addition neighbors and garden volunteers who pitch in every year to care for the four historic rose gardens and the Center Circle Park. The fun begins at 4pm rain or shine and is a pot-luck. Bring a savory or sweet to share. Also bring your own utensils. There will be games and prizes and lots of time to enjoy the park and the company. FLAG was founded by neighbors more than 15 years ago as a way to bring the community together. Since that time FLAG has thrived and is a critical partner to other organizations in the community and across the city. FLAG works with the City to care for and advocate on behalf of the city parks in the neighborhood. Learn all about FLAG at www.laddsadditiongardens.org. This handy site includes the pruning schedule for the year and easy ways for everyone to get involved.

DIVISION-CLINTON STREET FAIR
Hit Division and Clinton between 12th and 60th today to enjoy a good old street fair. Celebrating "Commerce & Community" this is the 15th annual event. Hosted each year by the Division-Clinton Business Association (DCBA) this year's event is better than ever. There is a community parade, a trolley offering free rides along Division, a pizza eating contest at Hammy's, inflatable bouncers, blender bikes at Starbucks and info and give-aways at numerous locations. Spend some time on the streets today and see what makes our neighborhood unique.

TOAST - COMING SOON

A great new cafe is coming to the community, opening at SE 52nd and Steele. Owned and operated by Woodstock neighbor and hospitality veteran Donald Kotler, Toast will feature brunch all day from 8 am - 2 pm, offering delicious breakfast and lunch options made with the best local ingredients and served in a friendly environment. Tasty baked goods - breads, scones, biscuits and more will be made inhouse by their talented crew. Coffee will be from Courier Coffee, hand-roasted and delivered by bike to serve Toast's customers. Small plates will also be available in the evening and a full bar will serve wine, beer and specialty cocktails not long after the planned August opening. Toast will be a welcoming eatery for all kinds of folks including kids. The surrounding neighbors, including Mayor Tom Potter who lives nearby, are heralding Toast's opening as a much needed addition to the 'hood. Toast will be replacing the former tenant known as Angie's Bad-Ass Video. So get ready for some bad-ass breakfast when Toast opens later this summer.

NUESTRA COCINA ADDS ON

Since they opened in March 2004, Nuestra Cocina (Our Kitchen), the family-owned and operated restaurant of Benjamin and Shannon Gonzales' at Division and SE 22nd has enjoyed tremendous success. The menu features dishes from the distinctive culinary regions of Mexico. Recent trips to Mexico City by Chef Gonzales and Sous Chef Raymond Anderson are influencing the nightly specials. Remember to check out the nightly ceviche special for innovative flavors and preparations. This summer Ben and Shannon have added on and created their Mole Room where they will host private parties and conduct cooking classes. Warm shades of chocolate brown cover the walls along with pretty tiles. Tables and banquets will accommodate private dinners and receptions. Call the restaurant at 503-232-2135 for details including menus created for your special gathering.

CAFE CASTAGNA - LUNCH TIME

The neighborhood's favorite Hawthorne eatery with delicious food and a minimal aesthetic has done us all a wonderful favor and added lunch to their menu. Open Tuesday through Saturday,11:30am-2pm, their lovely outdoor patio is the perfect spot for a summer lunch made from the freshest ingredients around. The menu will offer seasonal options including sandwiches made from homemade bread, soups, salads and a few of the much-loved items from the evening menu including that tasty burger, pizzas and the unbeatable Caesar salad. Owners Kevin Gibson and Monique Siu encourage you to ask about milkshakes prepared with housemade ice cream - you won't be sorry.

CASTAGNA'S ROSE WEDNESDAYS
If milkshakes at the Cafe aren't your thing, maybe you're more of a rose with French cuisine type. A series of casual family dinners paired with rose wines will dominate the month of August and end with a September 12th dinner. The three-course dinners will be paired with two glasses of rose and each begin at 6:30 pm. Cost is $45 per person and gratuity is not included. Call 503-231-7373 for reservations.

CHAMBER MUSIC FOR THE RAINY SEASON
As a wildly successful summer festival draws to a close Chamber Music Northwest has announced their schedule of concerts called the 2007-2008 encore series of performances that run from October through May. This expansive series of eight fall-winter-spring performances includes selected shows at Reed College's Kaul Auditorium located in the Eastmoreland neighborhood. Visit Chamber Music Northwest for more information.

NEW SHOP - BLINK!
A fantastic new retail opportunity is open and in full swing offering the classiest and sassiest eyeglasses in town. Blink, located at 2719 SE 21st just past Clinton Street, offers full service eye care and a fun and friendly crew to help you find just the right specs for you. Blink is open seven days a week offering eye exams every day. You'll soon learn that eye wear has become fun with so many designs and styles to choose from. Great colors and unusual materials are the new, new thing. Blink, owned and operated by two optometric physicians, has the best selection of the ultra-cool line created by designer Ann Sacks. Called Amy Sacks this surprising line of high-fashion eye wear will open your eyes to how cool glasses can be. Stop in at Blink, try on a few pairs and see what looks good. Call 503-546-2565 for more info or to make an appointment.

LONE FIR EVENT
Though you drive by often chances are you haven't given much thought to Lone Fir Cemetery at 2115 SE Morrison. Luckily for us, a group called Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery give the 100 year old SE landmark a great deal of thought. In fact, they are hosting a Midsummer's Night in Lone Fir Cemetery inviting all of us for an evening to appreciate this special and historic place. On Saturday evening, 5-7pm there will be music and stories to share the history of Lone Fir. You can bring a picnic and your friends and family - no alcohol or dogs however. $5 for individuals, $2 for children and $10 for families will go to the preservation and restoration efforts coordinated by the Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery.

THE BIKE TRAIL
An item in Willamette Week Online's July 17 issue notes that a long-sought greenway bike path connecting the Springwater Trail and the Eastbank Esplanade may become a reality. A local hearing officer ruled that the waterfront development project of SK Northwest's plans must include a public connection of the trail and the Esplanade. Stay tuned as the project moves forward.

THE CALENDAR
Summer Concerts in Portland Parks continue at Mt. Tabor at SE 69th and Taylor. On July 31st head up to the park to listen to some reggae played by the band Rhythm Culture. Music begins at 6pm.

Lots of fun folks who live on and around Grant Street get together and put on quite a party. This year's Grant Street Fair is scheduled for Saturday, August 4th. This year's celebration will be the 8th annual event. The gathering runs from 3pm and wraps up by 10pm. Highlights include making hoola hoops, a dunk tank, fire truck and more. There will be a potluck, barbeque and a kid's open mic and three bands performing. Come out and enjoy a silent auction to benefit the fair, music and a fire show that starts at 9:35 pm. Find the fair on SE Grant Street between 32nd Place and 34th Avenue. Have questions - call Allen or Nancy at 503-236-3657.

Put Hawthorne Day on your calendar for Saturday, August 18th. This annual celebration will gather folks together on Hawthorne Boulevard to enjoy music, great food, the end of the construction and Streetscape Project (yahoo!) and much more. An additional important activity during this daylong party will be to conduct a blood drive with the Red Cross. This activity will is being put on by New Heights Integrative Therapy at SE 23rd and Hawthorne. Call Brian at 503-236-3108 to schedule a time to donate blood or to find out how you can help make the blood drive a success.

The Muddy Boot Organic Festival is scheduled for September 7-9th and is working to celebrate sustainable and organic living in our local community. The event kicks off with a keynote presentation by Jean-Michel Cousteau, founder of Ocean Futures Society on Friday, September 7th at 7pm at St. Philip Neri Church. Tickets are available for $35 each at www.muddyboot.org or by calling 503-231-4955. The festival continues through the weekend and features live music, organic food and drink, kids' activities, information booths and educational workshops. The goal of the festival is to help promote the spirit of sustainable living to people of all backgrounds and experiences.

SE neighbor Adam Sappington who is the chef/owner of The Country Cat restaurant in the Montavilla neighborhood will be the much-lauded top toque in the Chef in the Garden event that benefits Growing Gardens. The event is scheduled for Sunday, August 19th, 4-9pm. The cost is $125 per person ($80 is tax deductible.) Tickets are going fast so contact Growing Gardens at 503-284-8420 right away for details. Learn more about this great organization that helps low-income families grow their own organic food and get at the roots of hunger in Portland. Visit Growing Gardens.