The City of Portland’s SmartTrips program is revving up for another successful year as the SmartTrips Green Line program gets underway at the end of March. SmartTrips is an individualized marketing program sponsored by the Portland Bureau of Transportation. The program, which was implemented by the city in 2004, is designed to reduce drive-alone trips by increasing biking, walking, carpooling and public transportation more...

Once you learn, you never forget. But cycling, having shaken off the yoke of the beasts of burden it replaced a century ago, and recovering from the detour it took for a spell as something simply to do for fun, is again coming full circle. That is to say, bicycling is no longer a recreational pastime; it's no longer greasy kid stuff. But this time, forgetting how to ride is the least of a modern cyclist's concerns. It's more...

Work isn't a word generally associated with the month of December. No, work gets lost in decorating and shopping, baking and eating, watching movies, and well, partying. And believe me, I'm not complaining! But I couldn't help feeling like a bit of a slacker when I got back from visiting family to find over twenty new businesses in town. (*Some of which opened in November. I know, it's hard for one lady to keep up! So more...

As a loyal reader of Neighborhood Notes, you’ve probably noticed some recent changes to our web site. But whether you’re new to Portland, new to Neighborhood Notes or just seeking to connect with our community on a deeper level, we’d like to outline our web site’s new features. OUR COMMITMENT Neighborhood Notes continues its daily stream of smart, thorough hyperlocal information that's important more...

Warmest wishes for a wonderful holiday season from all of here at Neighborhood Notes. We're taking a little time off to enjoy the holiday with our friends and family, so you won't hear anything from us until Monday. Until then, enjoy the yule log! more...

Me oh my, Portlanders have been a busy, entrepreneurial bunch over the past month. I thought we had a doozy of a debut list last month, but there are nearly as many newly opened businesses this time around—and in half the time! (Okay, there are a few stragglers that I missed in October, denoted with an asterisk if you’re keeping track, but still....WOW.) Check out the nearly thirty restaurants, bars, salons, and more...

The holiday season is about to kick into high gear, and brings with it a whole series of questions: What to buy? What to wear? Where to celebrate? Though you may be sorely tempted to visit a big box store or a mall for the convenience factor, we implore you to keep your dollars and holiday spirit local. Portland's proud DIY culture has sprouted a wealth of creative retail endeavors—from clothing to art to food to more...

The holiday season is about to kick into high gear, and brings with it a whole series of questions: What to buy? What to wear? Where to celebrate? Though you may be sorely tempted to visit a big box store or a mall for the convenience factor, we implore you to keep your dollars and holiday spirit local. Portland's proud DIY culture has sprouted a wealth of creative retail endeavors—from clothing to art to food to more...

The holiday season is about to kick into high gear, and brings with it a whole series of questions: What to buy? What to wear? Where to celebrate? Though you may be sorely tempted to visit a big box store or a mall for the convenience factor, we implore you to keep your dollars and holiday spirit local. Portland's proud DIY culture has sprouted a wealth of creative retail endeavors—from clothing to art to food to more...

The holiday season is about to kick into high gear, and brings with it a whole series of questions: What to buy? What to wear? Where to celebrate? Though you may be sorely tempted to visit a big box store or a mall for the convenience factor, we implore you to keep your dollars and holiday spirit local. Portland's proud DIY culture has sprouted a wealth of creative retail endeavors—from clothing to art to food to more...