Click on the compass above to explore the 95 neighborhoods and 38 business districts in Portland, Oregon.
Are you still worn down from all those scintillating political ads on TV? How about those political phone calls and surveys? Well, you can relax. Neighborhood Notes has factored all that in with this month’s Armchair Mayor selection. After two mayoral candidates in a row, we’ve decided to turn to the arts with folk musician and business owner Richard Colombo of Artichoke Music. Has it really been more than five years since more...
This is the second article in a series (read the first article) about how landlords and their present and potential commercial tenants can work together to create vibrant, livable neighborhoods. As a topic, the relationships between landlords and their tenants is a dicey one, because neither lessor nor lessee seem interested in speaking about it publicly. If there’s any grumbling, it's often whispered to friends, family or more...
This is the final installment in a series about the steps small business owners need to take before hiring their first employee. If you’ve already taken a hard look at your business and determined the right time to hire your first employee as well as figured thevalue your time, you’ve done the heavy lifting. "For a sole proprietor or someone who has a boutique, there's really not a lot invested in bringing in that more...
This is the second article in a series about neighborhood branding. In the first article we explored outsiders’ perceptions of your neighborhood and began to think about how we can change misperceptions. We will now continue to dig deeper into the process of changing the perception of your neighborhood. Potentially dubbed the "Independent Republic of St. Johns" or the "Best Little Town in Portland," the St. more...
PORTLAND OR – The Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division Drinking Water Program (OHA) today denied the Portland Water Bureau’s request for an adjustment to its regulatory schedule to replace the uncovered drinking water reservoirs at Mt. Tabor and Washington parks. The decision by OHA means that Portland’s existing regulatory schedule to end the use of the uncovered reservoirs by December 31, 2020 remains in more...
There are really only two differences between a vodka soda and a Moscow Mule. First, mules are made with ginger beer in lieu of soda, and second, the Moscow Mule belongs to Oprah—it's her favorite cocktail. Given Oprah's full-throated endorsement, it's unusual that so few Portland bars list mules on their menus. Simply asking for one, more often than you might think, may stump your bartender. This may seem strange more...
This is the second in a series of articles that will cover the basics of land use in Portland. For tips, resources and a general overview, please see our first story. Three years ago, Neighborhood Notes ran a story announcing plans to build what is now The Albert apartment complex on North Williams Avenue in the Boise neighborhood. That story generated lots of comments—more than 50—for two reasons. One, because of an more...
Northwest Fair Trade Coalition, Portland’s local economic justice and fair trade coalition, plans to create Portland’s first ever Fair Trade Directory. Local businesses and community organizations who sell fair trade products will be listed in the directory so that people will have a local resource to know where to find and purchase authentic fair trade products. Fair trade products are made under safe and healthy working more...
Twitter or Facebook? LinkedIn, Instagram, Foursquare, Tumblr, Pinterest, Google+, or even MySpace? The options can be overwhelming (don't click here unless you want your head to spin), especially if you don't even recognize a few of the above names, let alone understand what function they serve. So, which one should you choose? "Fish where the fish are," Ben Lloyd, the president of Amplify Interactive, says. And more...
Job growth in Portland comes from local, small businesses. As demonstrated in the last installment of Thinking Local, a discussion of “Job Creation Not Relocation,” resident companies are growing considerably while nonresidents are losing jobs—that’s negative job creation. In a 10 year period from 1999 to 2009, existing Portland companies grew by 63.6 percent while nonresidents (headquartered outside of more...
Event date: Apr 16, 2012 → Dec 31, 2012
Event location: Hellenic-American Cultural Center & Museum
Our newest exhibit features the eclectic collection of one woman, featuring pottery, paintings from contemporary Greek artists, sculpture, jewelry, tapestries, ancient relics, linens and other items representing Greek life from antiquity to present day. Free! Exhibit runs through December 31, 2012. more...
Event date: May 1, 2012 → May 31, 2012
Event location: The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon
The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO) will host free spay/neuter clinics for feral and stray cats in the four-county area—Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, and Clark—throughout the entire month of May. Space is limited so call today! Why May? In the spring months, cats begin to breed and are more likely to produce kittens. Cats can reproduce as early as five months old, but can be safely spayed and neutered at two more...
Event dates: May 26th, 2012, May 27th, 2012, May 28th, 2012
Event location: Hip Chicks do Wine, 4510 SE 23rd Ave.
Join us at our Portland Winery and try any of our wines you would like! $15 admission includes a tasting of up to 14 wines, appetizers, music and a logo glass. We'll be open extended hours 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday. We'll also be featuring rustic yard art from Terry Powers and gorgeous glass artwork from Imperial Glassworks. more...
Event date: May 28, 2012
Event location: Trinity Fellowship Church, 2700 SE 67th Ave.
The South Tabor Neighborhood Association is having its annual Spring Clean Up on Monday, May 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Trinity Fellowship Church parking lot at 2700 SE 67th Ave. Pretty much everything is accepted but not hazardous materials, chemicals, paint, pesticides, contractor loads, concrete/rocks, fluorescent bulbs or ballast or anything containing freon. For more info, visitwww.southtabor.org or call 503.774.7521 more...
Event dates: June 7th, 2012
Event location: Western Seminary, 5511 SE Hawthorne Blvd. and St. David of Wales, 2800 SE Harrison St.
Join business and neighborhood leaders as we design a more resilient future for our SE community. Identify and map out systems for energy, water, waste, food production and local economies. Come share your ideas as we collaborate in facilitated community building workshops designed to turn our visions into grassroots community sustainability projects. Sat. May 19th, 2012 Western Seminary, 10am - 2pm Lunch provided FREE & OPEN TO more...
Event date: Jun 9, 2012
Event location: People's Food Co-op, 3029 SE 21st Ave.
On the morning of June 9, meet at People’s Co-op and hop on the bus for a day of scenery, food, conversation, and learning as we travel to the southern Willamette Valley near Eugene. We’ll be visiting two valley farms—Groundworks Organics and Wintergreen Farms—as well as Organically Grown Company, the largest organic produce distributor in the Northwest. On our bus tour, we’ll learn what it takes to feed more...
Event date: Jun 9, 2012
Event location: Hip Chicks do Wine, 4510 SE 23rd Ave.
Join all nine members of the PDX Urban Wineries Association on Saturday, June 9, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door and includes a tasting of up to 25 wines and light appetizers. Local businesses Roll Chocolates and Portland Creamery will also be on hand to sample and sell some of their delectable products. Wineries include: Alchemy Wine Productions, Division Wine Company, ENSO Winery, Grochau Cellars, more...
Event date: Jun 16, 2012
Event location: Foster-Powell neighborhood
On June 16th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., residents of Southeast Portland's Foster-Powell neighborhood are proud to host their free annual garden tour. Now in its 5th year, the Foster-Powell Garden Tour showcases the wondrous things that are possible on smaller, city-sized lots. The tour is an informal, at-your-own-pace event, and visitors are encouraged to register to win free door prizes from neighborhood businesses. For a map, email more...
