Hello Concordia! This is our first publication of 2023, and I’d like to wish a happy new year to all of our neighbors.
First, a little recap of our holiday party. We celebrated at Teote Mezcaleria, 2700 NE Alberta St. Thank you Teote for the hospitality, food, and great service. We are lucky to have you in Concordia and for your kindness toward our community.
Musicians and neighbors Robin Jackson, Lewis Child and James Villa were phenomenal entertainers for the night. We sang and danced to their rhythm, and we are looking forward to having them back at future events. If music is of interest to you, connect with Robin, who hosts songwriter soirées, creative and joyful events for inspiration. You can reach Robin on Instagram @RobinJackson.
During the party, we had a silent auction, and I would like to thank the donors: Teote, Peter Keller, Atrum Arte (Brent, Astrid, and Luciana Fustner), Mandy Allen, and Alberta Street Art Gallery.
Congratulations to the winners: Scott V., Hannah W., Barbara R., Margaret R Brittany V., Shannah P., and Trey L. We raised $264, which will be helpful in supporting our community.
Best restaurants
Next, I’d like to congratulate the four restaurants in Concordia (and adjacent neighborhoods) that made the list of the best new restaurants according to Dining Out. The local winners are:
- Bar Cala, 2703 NE Alberta St. This Latin-inspired, pink building hosted our Halloween party.
- Cafe Olli, 3925 NE Martin Luther King Jr. This is a great place to grab breakfast and/or pizza, open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Gabbiano’s, 5411 NE 30th Ave. Delicious comfort food in the heart of Concordia.
- Mis Tacones, 1670 NE Killingsworth St. This vegan/Mexican food fusion is reinventing Mexican cuisine and adapting it to vegan taste.
Year ahead
Moving on to 2023, we are almost done planning our calendar for the year, and we’d like to hear what you’d like to see from Concordia Neighborhood Association this year. We may not be able to accommodate all requests, but all feedback is welcome as we continue to grow together.
I’m currently looking for volunteers to help with the April 8 Egg Hunt. Please email me at Social@ConcordiaPDX.org if you are available to help. We need all hands on deck to stuff the eggs, set up, hide the eggs, and pick up after this event.
In addition to my role as the chair of the CNA Social Committee, I’m also the manager of the community room at the Kennedy School, so I’m excited to share that we’ve rolled out our new community partnership program. This will allow certain groups who use our community room to be reimbursed, making the room free of use.
To do this, groups can apply to use the room for free by filing an application for CNA board approval. Groups can then go online, book a time slot and pay in advance. If the board approves free use of the room, the fee will be refunded. The guidelines are posted on the CNA website.
Follow us on Instagram @CNAPDX, and use #SocialConcordiaPDX for shoutouts. We also have a Facebook group page, @ConcordiaPDX, for updates.
Javier Puga-Phillips holds the Southwest 1 position on the Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) Board of Directors, manages rentals of the McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room and chairs the CNA Social Committee. He is a real estate professional locally, and he is a published author and motivational speaker in Latin America and Spain.