ReadySetMom

New family moving to SE Portland

We just got an email from Jennifer:

I hope you can help me.  My husband and I and our 13 month old daughter will be moving to Portland at the end of December, and I want to find out about activities that my daughter and I can do together -- music classes, playgroups, story-time, etc.  I can't seem to find this info on-line.  Also, are there any parent listserves in Portland that I can join as a source of local information.  We're going to be moving to Southeast.

There's tons to do in Portland, so hopefully the move will go well, and you'll quickly get settled. The Multnomah County Library offers storytimes in all of their branches, there's Music Together, Kindermusik, LadyBug Theater, Portland Metro Moms -- truly a wealth of things for moms and kids who like to keep busy. We also have a list of things to do broken out by days of the week on our right sidebar.

Any other SE-Portland ideas for Jennifer?

Bus stop safety alert - check your child's bus tag

I heard a horrible story today about a neighbor boy's first day of kindergarten.

He rode the bus home, his first time ever, and mistakenly got off at the wrong stop. I don't know if the driver checked his bus tag or not, but he got off at an early stop, didn't see his mom and, understandably, started crying.

Meanwhile, his already anxious mom was waiting for him at the right stop and, understandably, started panicking when she didn't see her son get off the bus there.

Another parent stepped in to help the boy, but here was the problem. The family's home phone number was listed on the bus tag. The mom wasn't home to answer the call. She was at the bus stop waiting for him. They were somehow reunited, but I can only imagine what a harrowing afternoon that must have been.

If your child rides the school bus, make sure your cell phone number or other reliable emergency number is listed on the bus tag. Or make sure your child knows your cell phone number. Before the bus leaves your stop, introduce yourself to the driver. Make sure he knows your face, if not your name. I know one mom who brings cookies to the bus driver on the first day of school, as extra insurance that her children would be well cared for on the rides to and from school. It couldn't hurt.

Multnomah Village gets a farmers market! (and other SW news)

How cool is that?! The market will be held on Thursdays from 3:30-7:30pm starting June 5. Location: under the outdoor, covered basketball court next to the Multnomah Arts Center. The folks behind the effort decided to have it on Thursdays to complement the Hillsdale Farmers Market, which is held on Sundays. Run out of fresh produce mid-week? No problem. You won't have to go far to get it.

Looks like Food Front is thisclose to signing a lease for the old Wild Oats space in Hillsdale. They hope to open this August! Once they sign that lease, this mom will be sending in her membership dues pronto. I think it will be incredibly exciting to have a food co-op in the hood.

Dava Bead & Trade is closing its shop in Hillsdale and will be moving to a big new space on NE Broadway. A yoga studio is moving into the Dava space! Sacred Onion Yoga is moving from its little space in Vermont Hills to set up shop in Hillsdale. Good vibes all around, folks.

Wanna keep up on all the latest SW news? Subscribe to the Hillsdale News e-newsletter and make sure to read the excellent SW Community Connection!

Shop for toys, build a playground

If you love neighborhood toy stores, head to Piccolo Mondo Toys next Tuesday in the Bethany neighborhood. Get a jump on holiday shopping, check out the shop's recent expansion and help raise money for much-needed playground equipment at Forest Park Elementary School.

From 5 to 9 pm, you can enjoy a glass of wine while you shop this lovely family-owned store. It is not only a hands-on place with an amazing selection of toys, but the shop also tries to encourage cultural awareness by highlighting products from a different country each month and stocking toys from around the world. India is the featured country for November. They have a weekly storytime and other special events, too. On Tuesday, 15 percent of all purchases will be donated to Forest Park school, where nearly 500 students play on equipment designed for 200-something kids.

The store is located at Bethany Village Center, 4768 NW Bethany Boulevard in Portland.

Scary wildfires in Portland? It could happen

We watched from afar last week as wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes in Southern California, but similar danger could be as close as our own backyards. Portland city officials have spent the past couple of months trying to determine how likely wildfires are in Forest Park and developing plans to reduce the risk to nearby neighborhoods, such as my own.

Residents who want to know more can attend an open house this Saturday at the World Forestry Center Miller Hall in Washington Park. Experts will talk about park history, current conditions and how this project addresses wildfire risks. Find out if fir trees are more flammable than maples or alders. View maps of  where fires burned in 1889, 1941 and 1950. Talk to experts about ways you can protect your home from potential wildfire.

Saturday's open house is from 10 am to 2 pm. For more information about this project, go to http://www.portlandonline.com/wildfire or call Mark Wilson at (503) 823-6736.

Slow down! Safety on neighborhood streets

Ah. Here is a topic that is a daily frustration for me, as I'm sure it is for many of you: unsafe residential streets. How many times do cars race through your neighborhood? If you live in SW, chances are your neighborhood doesn't have a sidewalk. How do you get drivers to slow down and respect the neighborhood? Here's Becky's scary story:

I was recently rear ended on Multnomah Blvd b/c a woman failed to notice that myself and the car behind me had stopped. I was turning into my driveway, at the Shadow Creek sign, and I did have my turn signal on. My 11 month old and dog were both in the car. The car behind me was totaled and mine was very compromised as well. The woman who hit us just didn't stop. My question is if you might know who I could contact about the streets that we live on. I tried to look though the archives to see if there is a similar topic but I really didn't notice any. My concern is that our street is not safe! I can't take my stroller out or my dog for a walk because its just not safe. Our neighborhood is marked as residential and yet the speed limit is 40 and almost no one drives that. I can not tell you the countless times that people have zoomed past me through the bike lane as I try and make this turn. I just wanted to know if there is someone who might be able to help. I am not the only one that has been in an accident because of this road.

I'm so glad neither you nor your daughter were injured! I've posted about the traffic situation on my street before and have since done a little research. First of all, contact the Portland Office of Transportation at 503-823-5185 and explain your concerns. They will send you a packet of information explaining how the city can help. Some of the things they offer: yard signs with various "Slow Down" messages (this can be somewhat effective if a whole street of neighbors puts them up at the same time); the police can put a traffic speed monitoring van along the side of the road, which tells people how fast they are traveling; and then there's the speed bump purchase program.

I would also encourage you to send an email to Sam Adams (commissionersam[at]ci.portland.or.us), the city commissioner who oversees the transportation department. He's going to be holding another series of neighborhood meetings all over the city to discuss issues like this. The next one in SW Portland is Sept. 17 from 7-9pm at the Multnomah Arts Center. (Click here for the citywide schedule.) I attended the last one and found it enlightening, though doubtful that the city will ever fund significant improvements.

Does anyone else have experience with traffic calming or any ideas to share with Becky (and all of us)?

Streetcar sightseeing - fun or forgettable?

We have friends in this weekend from the Bay Area and we thought it might be fun to ride the streetcar.

Has anyone done sightseeing by streetcar? Any recommendations on places to hop off? How long does it take to ride the entire loop? Will the kids get bored?

Relocating to Portland and looking for good schools

Can you help Karra:

"I will be relocating from New Mexico to Portland. My son will be attending Kindergarden this fall and I need help. I feel lost and blind because I dont now where to start. What are good public elementary schools that are safe, excellent teachers, and so on.. From there I figured I will find a home. Can you help. Thank You So Very Much!"

Karra, we just had a great thread about neighborhoods in Portland. And you are a wise mom to be thinking about schools. One thing you should clarify in your mind is what you mean by great. When we first moved to Portland, Dianne, our realtor, asked us that. You mentioned safety, and excellent teachers, and you may want to think about parent involvement, cultural diversity in the classrooms, test scores, etc. Having moved from California, I was impressed with Portland Public Schools, and the quality of neighboring suburban schools such as West Linn, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, etc.

Why do you love your elementary school? What makes it special? ReadySetMom readers, please weigh in on the great schools in Portland Metro, to give Karra a better sense of where to start looking for her family's new home.

Best neighborhoods in Portland?

We just got a lovely email from Elizabeth, who lives in northern California with her husband and two kids. They are considering a move to Portland, and want to hear about all the great neighborhoods that make Portland the cool place it is. Here's what she wrote:

"hi there!  I live in No. california and have two young kids and a husband.  We are considering moving to Portland to have a better quality of life and I just stumbled upon your website (from Peanut Butter and Ellie's).  I am so glad to have found your website...it is so friendly and informative!  It makes me feel like if we do move up there I would be able to find some things to do and friends to meet!  So thanks!  Glad to know you're out there!

"I know there are tons of books and websites to guide me on this, but would you mind just listing a few of your favorite family friendly neighborhoods?  When we visited last, we went to the neighborhood where the Ramona supposedly took place (I know, I know, what a tourist!)...I think it was called grant park?  Anyway, I really loved that neighborhood with all those older craftsmen bunglows with the front porches and big trees.  What are some of your favorite neighborhoods?  I'm getting confused with all this NW, SE, SW talk... I can't figure out which area is best.  We would be looking for something in the 500-600K range."

Well, I'll be the first to chime in. I live in Hillsdale, which is in SW. Great neighborhood, lots of cool mixed architectural styles. Hilly (as the name might suggest), but doesn't have sidewalks, so that's a big concern for walking/biking with kids. Bit on the pricey side (DH and I moved here in 2000, from California, but we couldn't afford our house at today's prices, so lucky for us we got in when we did). Other neighborhoods I like are Multnomah Village, Sellwood, Eastmoreland, and  Hawthorne.

In addition to all of Portland's neighborhoods, there's also cities outside of Portland, each with it's own unique character. I know we have readers from all over, who can better describe what they love about their neighborhoods. So chime in readers. Tell Elizabeth about all the great places to live in the Portland metro area.