city news...
Dec 31,2008
Notes of Interest » December 30, 2008
by shooter
Here is our last Notes of Interest for 2008. It covers everything from Vanport Square Attaining LEED Gold Status to a Head Shop moving onto NW 23rd St. We have such a great diversity of neighborhood news in Portland. That's one of the things that makes doing Neighborhood Notes so fun!Thank you again for reading Neighborhood Notes, we appreciate your support!
We wish all of you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
posted at 12:54 PM
0 comments 
Dec 19,2008
What's Brewing » Coffeehouse Northwest
by pearlgirl
"Where should we meet?" is one of my favorite questions, because the answer is almost always an opportunity to explore Portland—and, sometimes that means discovering a place you've overlooked in your own neighborhood. On Tuesday, we met a new friend at Coffeehouse Northwest at 1951 W. Burnside. Even though this coffeehouse is a familiar part of the neighborhood landscape, we never took the time to actually stop by and give it a try. Not sure why, but I'm happy to have rectified an obvious misstep in local coffee culture. Coffee has always been a big part of my family life. I was indoctrinated into coffee culture when I was only three. It may have been hot in Southeast Texas, but drinking [hot] coffee was a large part of the daily routine. Sharing a cup of coffee was something special that I did with my dad every morning. Joining my grandparents and extended family for afternoon coffee was a rite of passage into adulthood. In short, coffee was always a
Read More...
posted at 12:33 PM
3 comments
Dec 18,2008
Bunk gets an A+
by Julie D
The quest of three girls to find the best breakfast sandwich in town landed us at Bunk today. It certainly did not disappoint! The folks at Bunk seem to understand the importance of the breakfast sandwich, a menu item that has long been a personal favorite of mine. I find far too many restaurants seem to throw this on their list of offerings without much thought or curation leaving me dissatisfied far more often than satisfied. What makes a great breakfast sandwich? For starters, the perfect bread. Bunk's version comes served on a lightly toasted poppy seed bun made locally at Fleur De Lis Bakery & Cafe. The bread is delicious. It is a smidge doughy, very soft, and not at all crumbly. There is nothing I hate more than a lap full of crumbs. The egg seemed just right. It was cooked pretty thoroughly so the yolk didn't drip, but wasn't overcooked either. The cheese was a sharp cheddar which gave the sandwich a little kick. And finally the smoked applewood ba
Read More...
posted at 10:53 AM
3 comments
Nov 16,2008
I Give My Heart to Two Tarts
by northwest nola
I tried Two Tarts today. Let me be more specific; I tried two cookies at the Two Tarts Bakery today. I tried the oatmeal peanut butter cream and the s'mores. Holy cats I'm in love. I'm glad that these cookies are rich and little because if they were any less rich, I could eat more than my fair share's worth of their deliciousness. And if they were any bigger I'd probably break into the sugar sweats eating them. Two Tarts started at the Portland Farmer's Market and now has a retail location on NW 23rd. So, now every single time I walk down NW 23rd, which is often since i live right here, I will have to walk by the store, which is a devilish temptation for me. And I will be inevitably haunted by thoughts of oatmeal peanut butter cream cookies swimming in my head. And I will need to stop and get one. And then I'll have to try some other flavor and eventually I'll grow big as a house eating Two Tarts cookies -- or "artisan sweets for the soul," as they say. Devils! Or, Ang
Read More...
posted at 10:37 PM
0 comments
Nov 13,2008
Portland Loos Coming Soon...
by jenniferd
I can hardly hold it -- the excitement I feel in letting you know that the Portland Loos will make their much awaited debut early this December. What is a Portland Loo, you ask? The Portland Loo is Portland's newest form of relief -- a place to go when you gotta go. No longer will you have to hold it until you get home because conveniently located on the street corner will be on oasis to Portland's bladder stretched coffee fiends -- a bathroom. (You might also have heard them referred to as Leonard's Loos in honor of Commissioner Randy Leonard who has so delicately taken these toities from conception to fruition.) The Portland Loo offers high durability and a unique and balanced blend of privacy and security, all at a cost that is a fraction of current stand-alone restroom models. The Loo can be installed almost anywhere that water and sewer hookups are available. They will be open 24/7 and are ADA accsesible. The Loos are solar powered. The first Loo will be installe
Read More...
posted at 12:27 PM
0 comments
Oct 15,2008
Essential Ingredients of Great Neighborhood Breakfast Spots
by pearlgirl
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially when it's shared with good friends at a favorite local breakfast spot. But, breakfast can easily become the most frustrating meal of the day if you pick the wrong restaurant. We all know this place: the notoriously long wait and poor service makes otherwise stellar food regrettable. I used to be convinced that a long wait and poor service were hallmarks of a great neighborhood breakfast spot—they're so busy, it must be worth it! Not so much anymore. Over time, I've learned to separate the, um, buckwheat from the chaff. In addition to consistently delicious food and coffee, I've learned that truly great neighborhood breakfast joints share some other key ingredients: they serve breakfast every day, have a diverse mix of patrons, are reasonably priced, and, above all, they have an efficient process. Breakfast Served Daily Good food is not an accident. Great breakfast restaurants serve it every day, not ju
Read More...
posted at 10:11 AM
3 comments
Oct 6,2008
The Perfect Office Space: Your Neighborhood Coffee Shop
by dariusmonsef
With the economy where it's at... saving some money is a good idea. While financial advisers often tell you to avoid expensive coffee shops when on a budget, if you can save on the major expense of paying for office space by leveraging your local coffee shop... Grab your laptop, order a drip coffee and move your office into your neighborhood coffee shop... just try and stay away from the pastries. I've been what they call down south in the valley a "New Bedouin," working primarily from a home office and a number of coffee shops around town for a couple years now. I can't do my writing at home with all my normal distractions, so I leave the nest to find comfort in a cafe with a cup of coffee. I know the shops that have food, quiet space for meetings and the ones that are open late. While Starbucks are useful, because of their mass number of locations and consistently decent coffee, they still charge for wireless access and I'd prefer to support my local independent shops.
Read More...
Read More...
posted at 11:04 AM
8 comments
Sep 19,2008
Leftbank + Backspace = Coolspace
by shooter
Backspace will set up a coffee shop in the lobby of The Leftbank Project . Backspace had a temporary café setup in Leftbank for the TBA Festival—a setting that featured cardboard tube benches made by PNCA students. Very fun! The coffee shop will offer Stumptown coffee drinks, juice, teas, and baked goods. As soon as we have more details, we'll post them. Meanwhile, read the announcement at Leftbank.
posted at 12:40 PM
0 comments
Jul 18,2008
You mean we won't have a Starbucks on every corner?!
by shooter
Starbucks released its full list of stores that will be closed over the next year or so. Two Portland stores are on that list: 1864 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. and 2045 S.E. Division St., the infamous fire-bombed store. Don't fret, there are still more stores in the Portland area than you can drive-thru in a week. A quick search on Starbucks site lists 81 stores from Beaverton to I-205.
Or you could just walk to that local coffee shop around the corner...
posted at 08:41 AM
0 comments
Jul 8,2008
Cafe Reese—NW Portland's New Third Place?
by pearlgirl
Having a third place is important. It's not where you live, it's not where you work—it's the place you hang out. Third places are highly accessible, within walking distance for many, usually offer inexpensive food or drink, and serve as an informal "anchor" for the community it serves. A multitude of people use it for a variety of purposes: meetings, work, social gatherings or just hanging out. Most of all, a third place has to be welcoming and comfortable. But as easy as this sounds, a third place is more than the sum of these ingredients—a good example is Cafe Reese in NW Portland. Cafe Reese is a fairly new addition to NW 23rd. You may remember the space as the former home of Fruition—or not, because sadly, Fruition just wasn't that memorable. Regardless, there have been many improvements to the interior that make it feel, well, good ! Cafe Reese is open, bright and spacious. Best of all, it offers a variety of se
Read More...
posted at 12:13 PM
4 comments
Currently viewing records: 1 - 10
- 1-10
- 11-11
- Older Posts
