How many years have gone by where your New Year's resolution was to exercise and get in shape, but by the end of the year you've found yourself having to renew that promise?If you aren't a hardcore athlete, and don't plan to be, then yoga lessons may be the genie in a bottle that makes your New Year's wishes come true in 2009.Creative Commons | judepicsEspecially if you have prior joint and bone injuries, doing plyometrics, more...

Thank you for reading Neighborhood Notes!  We appreciate your support, feedback and, most of all, conversation. Your participation has been a real gift. We'll be taking some time off for the holidays, though we may post a story from time-to-time.  Happy Holidays and we'll see you in the New Year!! Shooter & Pearlgirl more...

I spent a bit of time out in the snow shooting photos and had a ton of fun. Call me crazy, but I enjoyed going out in the worst of it.  Here, for you, are the results of my excursion.  Enjoy them in the warmth of your home, that is, if you're not sick of seeing more...

Indoor Active Play at Pearl Court Activity Center and Cami Curtis Performing Art Center is closed for the year. Indoor Active Play at Pearl Court Activity Center will return at 3:30 on Monday, January 5th.The Tuesday Indoor Active Play never really caught on, so it will not resume in January.We look forward to playing with you in the new year.   more...

A special invitation from Sam Adams...Neighborhood, business, and other community-based organizations play an integral part in assuring community and neighborhood livability. I continue to be committed to working with Portland neighborhoods, businesses, and community organizations to provide services and information to assist in empowering residents to identify and support issues that benefit Portland. One way we can support each others more...

Recipe: Take one relatively unknown director (David Winkler), one bizarre screenplay, and one beloved and outstanding actor. Combine together with one of America's biggest obsessions: Elvis dead or alive? The most compelling reason to see Finding Graceland is Harvey Keitel. Can you think of anything more incongruous than an irresistible Harvey Keitel doing Elvis? Keitel plays a mysterious drifter who identifies himself as more...

Commissioner Randy Leonard challenged two of the bureaus he oversees to do something different this holiday season. He didn't challenge them to boost morale or work harder during these stressful economic times. Leonard challenged the Portland Water Bureau and the city's Bureau of Development Services to a friendly holiday competition; a competition to fill barrels for the needy.The Water Bureau allied with Portland Fire and Rescue's Toy more...

"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 more...

"Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries." Library use is up around the country. Here in Multnomah County alone more books, movies, and music are being checked out than a year ago. Haven't discovered your local library yet? Here are a few reasons libraries can help in tough economic times: FREE books, movies, and music to check more...

The City of Portland advises commuters to expect variable road conditions throughout the day Thursday and therefore to take transit. If you have to drive, pre-fit and carry chains in your vehicle. According to the National Weather Service, the system that arrived today may bring more precipitation and freezing temperatures through tonight, the Thursday morning commute, and the evening commute. Portlanders could wake to freezing rain more...