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The Original Halibut’s hits the road, Forge moves in

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses
Chicken hind quarter with garlic cilantro mojo served at Forge, one of Alberta Street’s newest restaurants. Photo by Carl Jameson
Chicken hind quarter with garlic cilantro mojo served at Forge, one of Alberta Street’s newest restaurants.
Photo by Carl Jameson

The Original Halibut’s fish and chips shop at 2529 NE Alberta Street closed last summer and moved down the road to the Piedmont Station Food carts at 625 NE Killingworth Street. They still serve the same menu of fried chips, fish and chowders, but from a bright blue food truck.

Their next door neighbor, Enzo Lanzadoro of Enzo’s Caffe Italiano, has moved into their former space and created a new restaurant in its place: Forge.  At a soft opening in mid-April, the large fireplace was the center of attention with Forge. chefs cooking with its crackling wood fire. Forge also features concrete floors and counters and a bar that seems to be a long stack of bricks. There are rough-hewn wood tables and iron work throughout.

Customers enjoy the outdoor seating at Forge. Photo by Carl Jameson
Customers enjoy the outdoor seating at Forge.
Photo by Carl Jameson

Forge is a counter-service only restaurant that seeks to be both casual and friendly. It will be open from breakfast through dinner. By late-May Forge will have a full menu of wood fire-cooked meats and vegetables.

“The idea is to have an open fire – nothing gets cooked on a stove. Imagine yourself camping in the morning you’re going to have eggs and bacon cooked over the fire – with the smell and everything,” said Lanzadoro.

The rest of the day’s menu will feature steaks seared on hot coals of either alder or oak, a variety of fish, yard-long sausages on hardwood planks and slowcooked rotisserie chicken. There will also be a lot of vegetables, not just meat. Mushrooms, eggplants, zucchini, cauliflower, and broccoli will all be available roasted over the fire and with sauces.

Forge has a full bar with a limited beer and wine selection. There’s outside seating in the front and sides of the restaurant. An on warm days, the windows will be thrown open to let in the breeze.

2nd Annual Spring Alley Clean Up and Revitalization

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News

Story and photos by Carl Jameson

Concordia’s alleys are an underutilized community asset according to Garlynn Woodsong, Chair, CNA Land Use & Transportation Committee (LUTC) and cleaning them up is the first step toward their revitalization. To that end 30 volunteers, mostly students from Concordia University, fanned out over the 120 alleys in the Concordia neighborhood and picked up trash and other debris on Sat., April 16.

What they found wasn’t surprising. The alleys were littered with cardboard, paper, plastics and the occasional tire. Some of the alleys were blocked wit h mud, blackberry vines and laurel bushes making passage by impossible. “Once we pick up these alleys people will see this sort of neglected space where they can walk their dog, or go for a walk with their kids, or maybe imagine planting some flowers and improving the muddy surface with permeable pavers or just new load of gravel.” said Woodsong.

Alleys are a public right-of-way, but, like sidewalks, their maintenance is the responsibility of adjacent private property owners. Many were once used for car access to the garages in back of homes, but have since been abandoned. Woodsong said, “What we are really trying to do is inspire the adjacent private property owners to band together and start maintaining or improving this neglected public right of way.”

Concordia residents interested in alleys or any other issue related to land use and transportation are invited to attend the Concordia Neighborhood Association Land Use and Transportation Committee (CNA LUTC) meetings at 7p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month, in the Community Room in the SE corner of McMenamins Kennedy School. Click here to join the LUTC mailing list.

CNA continues efforts to connect community, help those in need

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Concordia News

Chair’s Corner

Greetings Neighbor – Thanks for checking back in with me. As you may have already noticed, the Concordia newspaper has been transformed visually to rival any other Portland newsletter now in publication. As CNA Chair, it has been a priority to help us connect with one another, and Concordia News is by far the best mechanism to do so.

Fortunately my goals have been supported by like-minded believers in the First Amendment. CNEWS has always been available to readers who wish to dig deeper into community issues. But like so many books on library shelves that don’t get read unless the cover is attractive, CNEWS was in need of a makeover.

We believe the improvement in the paper’s readability will make it more enjoyable for everyone. It is not our intention, however, to make the publication just a pretty face — we also aspire to produce a publication with more muscle and content.

In our push for journalistic quality, we did create a bit of a monster. Over the last four months CNEWS has risen to a high level of professionalism guided by volunteers. These folks did so with the hopes that other volunteers would step in to continue these efforts. But in the process we realized that a professional paper was going to need a professional staff, so the CNA board is carefully considering pay for several key positions.

The decision to do this is based on the realization that if we do not, CNEWS will go back to being at best a newsletter – with limited opportunity for growth and improvement. We will keep you up to speed on the paper’s progress. We welcome your feedback and input, and also invite you to take pen in hand and write about that which you are most passionate.

We are also fortunate to have Sean Duffy join the board. He will be representing the Northwest 2 district of CNA. More about Sean in the next issue of Concordia News but for now, let me just say it is was great to see a person under 30 who stood up to join with us in making our community one in which we can be proud. Our board now has an amazing level of diversity regarding age and interests; and it’s critical that we recognize the importance of diversity to our future.

Parenting as grandparents
 From time-to-time, I have heard comments about grandparents and others who have taken on the role of parent. They are often overwhelmed by the enormous task in front of them when close to retirement and looking forward to the “Golden Years.” I am the grandparent of a 4 year-old and 2 year-old and I help out with them occasionally. I have to tell you, it is one tough job, even when parttime — I can’t imagine going alone on this.

Ironically, I was asked to attend a grandparents support group (Ties That Bind) by Betty Harris to see if CNA might assist in getting the word out and/ or to provide ideas for grandparents or others who find themselves desperate for help in figuring out how to raise a child in today’s environment. This situation is cause for alarm, as some children are truly at risk. We can, and should, help as we are one of the resources that can bring a personal touch of support as neighbors. I have asked Ties that Bind representatives to submit a regular column in the Concordia News, so watch for upcoming articles to see how you might help, and certainly to see if there is information that can help you with your grandkids.

Reaching out to Concordia University on land use issues
I recently had the opportunity to meet with Concordia University Administration to discuss working together to develop a strategy for influencing design for new student housing construction while being sensitive to neighborhood character. The meeting was initiated as a result of some neighbors’ concerns about preliminary plans and a desire to have input into final design.. The meeting was initiated as a result of some neighbors’concerns about preliminary design plans and a desire to have input into final design.

University administration and I were in agreement on the necessity of early communication of planned activities so that we are part of the process and not at the end critiquing something that could have been avoided up front.

The University, like any one individual or business in our community, is a vital part of the fabric that binds us together and I believe it is important for all of us to promote each other’s progress and well-being.

It is for that reason I am going to encourage each institution and business to provide a liaison to CNA Board meetings, as we are all integrally connected and dependent for mutual success. More next month on CNA and Concordia News progress.

Isaac Quintero
Chair/Concordia Neighborhood Association

Making Space for You on Mother’s Day

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Health and Wellness

It is no mistake that as our days get longer, and spring gifts us with more time and energy, our lives get busier, especially if you are a Mother. Some days I feel like I just don’t get time to breathe. I am a mother of three, domestic goddess and homemaker, wife, teacher, and human being- which is like having a few full-time jobs.

I know I am not alone in that story. It’s the way we do life. It’s the way we survive. It’s installed into our genetics; Master Multi-Tasker! This is also why I am a big supporter of self-care and rest. I actually find time to make space for ME because I know that if I am not grounded, centered, and nourished, I have nothing to offer others in my life. That might require that I go for a walk by myself after dinner instead of sitting around – or that I get up an hour earlier than my children to journal and drink my tea in silence. But I have learned the value of this time and space. It gives me my happiness and my sanity.

Here are some simple ways, that I hope you find helpful, to begin a new habit and give yourself a gift:

Get out of Your House!
Leave the place that you constantly clean, but it doesn’t ever seem to stay that way. Changing up the venue – taking a walk, going for a hike, moving your body in a yoga or dance class – or just going outside to take a few deep breaths while leaving the mess behind can do wonders to make you feel peaceful again.

Connect with a Friend
My best friend and I love to go soak at a local spa and sauna. It is so relaxing. I also enjoy visiting with friends while sipping a warm beverage at a local café and just getting real about the life we are living. Relationships are essential to living a life fulfilled.

Make a Gratitude List
Nothing shifts the bad story I have playing in my head about how I did not do enough, or make the right decision, or whatever the judgement is that is keeping me grouchy. I will just write it down wherever I am if my journal is not within reach, and let my life regain a sense of perspective.

Read a Few Pages and Reflect
I tend to be an all-or-nothing type person; it’s either chocolate or vanilla, read a whole book or don’t bother, but this kind of thinking is what stresses me out. I give myself permission to read a page (or paragraph) or two of something inspiring, and then I will contemplate it, meditate on it, or write about it. It’s a great practice to cultivate positivity.

This Mother’s Day, I hope you find time to give yourself what you deserve, and if you are the partner to a wonderful Mama, then give her the best gift of all; some space to rejuvenate.

Jennifer Allison is a parent-child teacher and early childhood educator at Gnome’s Home. Please go to http://gnomeshome.org/ for more information on classes for children and adults.

Culinary Herb Gardening

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Gardening

By Jolie Donohue, The Gardening Goddess

Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal and spiritual. Generally herbs are defined as any plant used for flavoring, food, medicine or perfume.

Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices based on the part of the plant that is used. An herb refers to plants used for their green leafy parts—either fresh or dried.

A spice is a culinary product from another part of the plant such as seeds, berries, bark, roots and fruits. Some plants are used both as herbs and spices, such as dill weed and dill seed or cilantro leaves and coriander seeds.

Many herbs are beautiful as ornamental plants in the garden. In addition to their fragrance, herbs have a wide variety of colors, textures and shapes to delight all the senses.

Growth habits of some common culinary herbs are:

  • Evergreen woody perennials: bay laurel, lavender, rosemary, and lemon verbena
  • Evergreen perennials: thyme
  • Herbaceous perennials: bee balm, chives, fennel, lovage, mints, oregano, roman chamomile, sage, tarragon.
  • Biennials: angelica and parsley
  • Annuals: basil, chervil, cilantro, dill, and German chamomile

Most herbs prefer well-drained soil and need full sun, 6-8 hours a day. Direct sunlight is needed to achieve maximum flavor and fragrance. Herbs grown in the shade become leggy and lack intense flavor. Some herbs that can be grown in partial shade are mints, lemon balm, chervil and wintergreen. Some herbs that can be grown in full shade are angelica, sweet woodruff and yerba buena.

Notorious for thriving in poor soil, most herbs do not need much fertilizer. Watering depends on the season, the location, and the type of herb. In the warm dry weather of summer, herbs grown in containers dry out more quickly than herbs grown in the ground. Once established, most herbs are quite drought tolerant.

Pinching back new growth as it emerges will develop a bushier growth habit and a fuller appearance for basil, and most other herbs. Herbs that develop into a woody shrub, like rosemary or lavender, can be pruned after flowering. Herbaceous perennials like mints, bee balm, and sage can be cut back to a few inches above the soil during the winter.

Harvest fresh herbs as needed for cooking. Morning is the best time to harvest herbs, as that’s when they have the most flavors. Leaves have the highest levels of oils when the blooms just begin to appear.

To dry herbs, hang small bunches from the ceiling in a dry, dark location with good ventilation for one to two weeks. Store dried herbs in a clean sealed glass jar in a cool dark place. Consider making herbal pesto and freezing in an ice cube tray. These make great winter additions to soups, stews, sauces, and salad dressing.

Children & media: How much is too much?

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Family

By Jennifer Allison

Media. This has to be one of the biggest topics in early childhood that everyone wants to know how to define. What is too much screen time?

Let’s start with the basic facts about young children, and dive into what is going on developmentally in the newborn and the young child. Children, specifically from 0 to 3 years of age, come into the world very open to life, with heightened sensitivities and completely dependent upon us for love and care. They are not able to filter out the adult world, which is full of stimuli and fast-paced demands. Their brains are in a state of constant flux, reacting to their surroundings, developing and pruning unused neural pathways in their first 3 years of life, and adjusting to the state of immense sensory input they now find themselves in.

When we give our young children a screen to watch, the learning becomes passive, which will change the way the brain process information with long-term exposure. Strong images live deeply in the mind of children under the age of 7, which is also why you will see a child who has seen a lot of TV engage in play that is scripted. Their own imagination is overridden with what they perceive as real and intense images that they have taken into their being when they watch TV. Also, because it is a mental activity, young children who are exposed to a lot of media have trouble being in their bodies. They get agitated easier, and sometimes you can see them bounce around the room right after they have watched a television program or listened to loud music. I am sure we have all experienced this.

We are also a culture of instant gratification when it comes to media and information technology. We can just pick up a smart phone and get the answer, or pass a short YouTube video off to our child at a grocery store to pacify him/her to get a few extra minutes of quietude as we finish shopping. I wonder if we didn’t put so much on ourselves and live the lives we do with all of its demands, there might just be more of us to go around, so these modern conveniences would not need to be our default mode.

Most importantly, what I want to share that has been true from my own experience, as well as from talking to other parents, is that my family is happier when we feel connected to one another. We play games, we go hiking, we laugh, and we read together, we make arts and crafts, we bake, we have mud fights in the garden, and we enjoy snuggling at night. We find other ways to share time together that cultivate relationships beyond the television. I think it is important to know what is happening developmentally with your child, to be aware of how your scheduled home life affects your child, and then to make choices about media in your home that model your values and the life you strive to live. When is doubt, I always lean towards simplicity. The last week in April is TV turn off week, and I challenge you to go for it! Who knows, you may just find a deeper, richer connection with your family if you try going screen-free for one week.

Jennifer Allison is the parent child teacher at Gnome’s Home. Gnome’s Home is the little brother of Heart in Hand Preschool and focuses on fun and wholesome classes for the littlest ones and their adults! For more info please check gnomeshome.org

The convenient (or inconvenient) mirror

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Health and Wellness

By Kim Magraw, L.M.T.

As a massage therapist, I witness the many ways our bodies harbor the stresses that we subject them to.  I am also witness to the body’s astounding ability to process and release stress – be it physical injury, mental stress such as from overwork, or emotional trauma – and to do so seemingly autonomously when circumstances are just right.

More and more, I find myself appreciating the extent to which the body is a reflection of the mind, and the mind a reflection of the body.  Stresses on the mind become stresses in the body and healing of the body can facilitate healing of the mind, and vice versa.  Taking this another step, our approach to the world around us – our perception of the world – can be seen as a reflection of our minds and our bodies.  For example, I might ask myself, “Am I in touch with the world around me?  Do I treat it with reverence and respect?  Do I take only what I need or do I take what I can?  Do I see connections and commonalities or differences and winners/losers?  Do I engage and try to make the world a better place, or do I just go along?”

Then, I can take these same questions and pose them about my mind (my inner world) and my body (my interface between inner and outer worlds), and I find a surprising consonance among the answers.

Of late I have often heard:  “What you think about, you bring about.”Taken to its logical extreme, this statement seems absurd.  I don’t believe that I can bring about world peace, or a hot fudge sundae, just by thinking about it.  But, in the proper context this statement speaks powerfully to the connection between our inner landscape (our thoughts and feelings) and the outer landscape.  We can’t make ourselves more confident simply by repeating positive affirmations ad nauseam, but we can make room for greater confidence by modeling confident thinking.

For that matter, it could equally be said:  “What you bring about, you think about.”For example, a nice walk in the woods is a great way to transform an attitude of frustration into one of possibility and hope.

No doubt, there are plenty of stressors in the world, in our bodies, and in our minds.  It also seems to me that we have much to learn by examining our relationship with each of these, and to use one as a mirror to explore and develop another.  Maybe my body is lethargic because it has been raining for ten straight days.  Maybe that over-confident guy at the gym bothers me because I dislike the same quality that I perceive in myself.  Maybe I enjoy the sound of a small airplane engine because it reminds me of trips I took with my father.

Contact information for Kim Magraw, L.M.T., can be found by visiting the www.ConcordiaMassagePros.com directory. 

Community Acupuncture is Everywhere!

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Health and Wellness

By Hana Lanin LAc, LMT

Did you know that community acupuncture is happening all around Portland? You may have heard someone mention a “community” or “group” acupuncture clinic they’d been to, but wondered what exactly they were talking about.

Community acupuncture is a mission! Its aim is to make acupuncture accessible to a broader economic spectrum than only those who have health insurance or can afford private treatment rates. It’s low cost, low frills, effective acupuncture, facilitated in group settings by licensed acupuncturists. The community acupuncture movement is alive around the country and it is especially popular here in Portland!

What to expect
At a community acupuncture clinic, there may be from four to a dozen reclining chairs and massage tables arranged for maximum comfort in an aesthetic, if sometimes Spartan environment. There is usually a waiting and/or payment area. You may hear soft music wafting through the room, the lighting is peaceful; people speak in a slight hush. When you enter, you may notice a few folks who’ve already been given their treatment by the acupuncturist on staff and are resting with the needles. There is a lulling, nurturing sense brought about by all who are present; who’ve taken an hour out of the rush of the city day, to rebalance the health and flow of their bodies via the gentle yet powerful persuasion of acupuncture treatment.

What does it help?
What ailments can acupuncture help? There are many! Acupuncture is best known for its effectiveness in relieving body pain due to injury, aging, arthritis, headaches, menstrual cycle, digestive issues – just about any sort of pain in the body may respond well to acupuncture.

Other conditions include women’s health, sleep issues, health maintenance from pregnancy through labor, childhood and adolescence to healthy aging, immune support, including treatment of wintertime colds and flus, as well as seasonal allergies and asthma, skin problems, mental and emotional rebalancing, adjunct support for cancer patients, the list goes on.

Nowadays, people are learning to turn to modalities like acupuncture to assist in handling day to day life stress, which we know can be disruptive to our health and well-being.

How much does it cost?
Prices for treatments at community clinics will vary – some operate on a sliding scale basis while others offer a flat fee. The usual range for an acupuncture treatment at a community clinic is $20 to $40. Some clinics will have a nominal extra fee at the first visit for an initial patient intake.

There are several community clinics in each quadrant of the city, where group treatments are either an option to private treatments, or where group treatments are the sole mission of the clinic. Some of the clinics participate in the Community Acupuncture Network, others may be located by Googling “community acupuncture Portland OR.” Still more clinics may have flyers posted on neighborhood bulletin boards.

So now, when a friend tells you they had a great experience at group acupuncture or when you see a “Community Acupuncture” flyer posted at the corner coffee hub, you’ll know the drill!

Hana Lanin brings you People’s Welcome Health Space in Hollywood, offering community and private acupuncture sessions, as well as massage therapy. She has been an acupuncturist since 2002, LMT since 1993. For more information visit www.kunlunmountainhealing.com or call (503) 432 3322.

OPINION: Diary of demolition & development – Part 6

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Land Use & Transportation, Opinion

By Luke Griffin

Everyone in Concordia has had the opportunity to watch a house be torn down to make way for new houses, duplexes, and skinnies, for better and/or for worse. This is the continued chronicle of my personal experience.

Unlike last year, this winter has been very Portland: rainy, dreary, and chilly. It seems it has rained every day since November. The rain is great though, especially after a year of drought, unless you have a poorly designed duplex next to you with no gutters. Then, you get a pounding waterfall cascading down onto your side yard, foot deep water the length of your house where your grass and flowers once lived, and a serious potential for dreaded basement flooding.

One morning during a deluge, I went outside to assess the damage. Because the building was poorly designed, the roof did not send water down the front, back and sides, off many peaks like normal houses in the area, but instead directed the waters into the center and then off to each side. Without gutters, there was a sheet of water pouring off and into my yard. Witnessing this, it was obvious there was a real chance of the water swamping my basement.

I had yet to complain to the developer about anything but thought he should do something now to keep my house from flooding. I called him and without any apology he told me they would do something sometime soon.  I explained he really needed todo something ASAP, but he dismissed my worry.And in many ways, why wouldn’t he? There is no city code mandating that developments have gutters, real flood control, or anything that would protect neighbors. If my house was flooded, it wasn’t his problem. There would be no fines or actions taken by the city according to officials. And, as the developer does not live in the neighborhood, he wouldn’t have to deal with meat all. Panicked, I tried one last time to get him todo something. He hung up on me.

I called the city inspector and was told there was nothing against the law, the city had inspected the site during the survey and would not return until final inspection. I was transferred to erosion control. They told me I could dump sand in my yard. Later that day workers had covered the swampy mess with hay. The rain continued.

The next month was continuously wet. Though no visual water seeped into my basement, the humidity got to 90%. I know: I can’t prove the cause, so said the City, but the conclusion isobvious to most. On top of this issue, one Sunday loud construction began at 8am, a violation of the noise ordinance. Numerous neighbors complained. The police finally showed up around noon but the work did not stop until about four.  At most, the developer received a $250 fine for the incident, a tiny drop in the bucket compared to the expected profits of over half a million dollars. The workers kept piling trash in front. They repeatedly blocked my driveway and rudely told me they’d eventually move.

And the City? Well, there wasn’t much they would do about any of it. With few regulations, minuscule fines for infractions, a maze of uncommunicative bureaucracies, and little motive to hinder the development boom, they were of no help, even if the lady at ONI was nice.  The City That Works…but for whom?

Five weeks of almost continuous rain after the yard flooding began, they finally put up gutters.

Luke Griffin was born and raised inNE Portland. He’s been a Concordia resident for the last four years, and is a former CNA board member. Luke works primarily in the legal field engaging in social justice in the areas of employment, housing and the environment.

Social media, crowdfunding bring Chromebooks to Faubion School students

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Family, Schools
Faubion School teacher Gabrielle Quintana, center, with two students at an outdoor school program. Quintana recently raised around $1,100 for class room technology through social media and crowdfunding efforts. Submitted photo
Faubion School teacher Gabrielle Quintana, center, with two students at an outdoor school program. Quintana recently raised around $1,100 for class room technology through social media and crowdfunding efforts. Submitted photo

There’s much talk about crowdfunding in business –it’s a way to raise small amounts of money from many “investors” or donors. An enterprising Faubion PK-8 sixth grade teacher recently put this fundraising tool to work to raise money for technology in her classroom, spreading the word via social media platform Nextdoor.com. Her project was fully-funded to the tune of around $1,100 within just a few days of posting her appeal.

Gabrielle Quintana’s classroom is currently housed at Tubman School while a new school is constructed to replace the recently demolished Faubion School. Quintana was looking to raise money for five Chromebooks. According to an article on Laptopmag.com, a Chromebook is a laptop that doesn’t run on Windows 10 or Mac OS X – instead it runs on Google’s Chrome OS. These machines are designed to be used primarily while connected to the Internet, with most applications and documents living in the cloud.

Quintana feels that getting this technology in the classroom is vital to the student education process.

“It’s logistically difficult to have regular technology in our classroom. With these Chromebooks, I can now provide writing stations so students can actually publish their work in the classroom and also have access to interactive math games.”

Quintana said she is usually hesitant to ask for money for her students, but she feels crowdfunding is “pretty amazing.”

“$5 from many donors adds up, and often other companies will often match funds. Or, if they see that a project is gaining momentum, they will pay the rest,” she said.

Quintana used the crowdfunding platform Donors Choose, which she billed as a “very reputable organization that manages the money and purchases materials for classrooms.”

Susan Trabucco is a business communications consultant. She lives in the Beaumont Wilshire neighborhood, just a few steps from Concordia. Reach her by email or call (503) 440-7732.