August already? It goes quick, doesn’t it? Well, there’s still plenty of summer left and you all might regret it this weekend. Hottest day of the year on Saturday, followed up by another day of mid-90s on Sunday. We won’t blame you if you ditch the Foster environs for something, well, a little bit cooler.
Now on to your weekend tidbits….
- Torta-landia is celebrating its first year serving up tacos, tortas, and margaritas to the FoPo denizens tonight. Live music by Brian Francis and company, as well as food and drink specials…oh, and maybe a new menu rollout. If you’re smart, you’d hit happy hour first, but the fun starts at 7 p.m..
- All sorts of neighborhood pride going on. Last Sunday Lents successfully unveiled their community tool library, while also showing off their spirit at the Ramona Street Fair. All this while the Lents International Farmers Market trucked along with good turnout. This week, a little closer in, Mt. Scott-Arleta will have their community ice cream social and barbecue, while the Foster-Powell Neighborhood Association hosts their National Night Out event a day later. The ice cream social takes place on Monday, 8/6, at 6:30 pm at Our Happy Block (8040 SE Woodstock). The National Night Out event, which has drawn hundreds each of the last couple years, starts at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 8/7, at Kern Park. There will be live music at the latter event, and, naturally, food and refreshments at both.
- Also next week, the Bob White Theatre continues its under-the-radar hosting of shows. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will be performing with Pimps of Joytime and Rare Monk, also on Tuesday, 8/7.
- Paldo Market is for sale. Sad, maybe. Intriguing, yes…as I’m sure the local conversation will soon turn to New Seasons, Trader Joes, etc.. Hey, if it sells to another grocer, all I can ask for is some combination of fresh/organic produce and healthier food options than what Freddy’s, 7-11, Plaid Pantry and the Foster Market currently offer…doesn’t have to be fancy, just different than what we already have. Plus, I’m not sure my budget could handle having a New Seasons within walking distance.
- Know of a slab of concrete that would look a lot better with plants in its place? Let Depave know. They’re always accepting ideas for areas to remove concrete and restore native ecosystems. They’ve recently worked with Our Happy Block, where community residents transformed the parking lot of a church (at SE 80th and Woodstock) into a native habitat to go along with a mural and other aesthetic/landscaping improvements. The Foster area can use more projects like Our Happy Block, and it starts with an idea. If you have one, let Depave know about it.
- After years of pushing the city to improve the landscape of Foster Road, including demonstrations, candlelight vigils, town hall meetings, protesting, letters, and doing our best to patiently collaborate with the PDC and PBOT, we have a “real solution to traffic safety problems.” That’s tongue-in-cheek for me, but not for the city, as they have a “transportation safety and neighborhood livability line” to, as the city’s website states, “help guide the public to real solutions to traffic safety problems.” Had I known an 800-number would have solved our problems, I would have started there. Ok, enough of the cynicism. If you have traffic safety and neighborhood livability issues, call the city at 823-(SAFE).
On that note….happy weekend! Be safe, be cool.
