Tag: Cully

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Four Things I Learned This Week (December 24)

It’s Christmas Eve Day and I’m making tartiflette this evening. Merry Christmas tomorrow and Happy Kwanzaa an Boxing Day on the 26th! It’s a celebration weekend. I hope you and yours will have much to celebrate this year, despite COVID.

Nico’s trailer was stolen and Portland came to the rescue. Earlier this week I learned that somebody stole the trailer that belongs to Nico Vergara of Nico’s Ice Cream. Nico started a GoFundMe fundraiser and Portland really came through—as of this writing $5,620 has been raised out of a $4,750 goal. That’s right, he surpassed his goal in four days. Congrats to Nico and thanks, Portland, for the heartwarming story. 5713 NE Fremont Street, Portland

Did you know…? That DarSalam’s food is halal? It’s true! I’m glad to know it, and now you know it, too. 2921 NE Alberta Street, Portland; 320 SW Alder Street, Portland; 9585 SW Washington Square Road, Portland

Street Disco is operating inside Cup and Saucer. You can find them operating there from 6pm to midnight. Street Disco’s cave à manger is “a natural wine bar of sorts” and “serves ‘inauthentically’ French-American food with a focus on the best in season products of the Pacific Northwest.” They’ll be open 3 days a week to start, and the next time they’ll be open is New Year’s Eve. Check out their Instagram to get familiar with their practice and vibe. 3566 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

That Burger Island sign. I often pass by the Burger Island sign located where the NE Killingsworth turns off from the Portland Highway. You can’t miss it—it has a very distinctive look. I hope it remains there as the Las Adelitas development rises from the Sugar Shack demolition behind it. This week I happened to come across details as to what happened to Burger Island, which I am sharing with you.

The Burger Island building was a tiny drive-in located under the sign, that offered burgers, fries, and shakes since at least the early 1960s. In the early 2000s a car crashed into the building and that set it on fire. The husband and wife who owned Burger Island didn’t re-open at that site (even though they wanted to rebuild), and eventually divorced. The wife opened a food truck, offering similar food from the restaurant; it eventually closed. And that, as they say… is the rest of the story. 6921 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland

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Two Future Openings: Ben & Esther’s and Nico’s Ice Cream

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Photo credits: Ben & Esther’s and Nico’s Ice Cream

Two businesses beloved to many Portlanders are opening new locations: Ben & Esther’s, which opened their first bagel shop in Roseway; and Nico’s Ice Cream, a cart offering New Zealand style ice cream, along with a packaged half-pint program as well. Ben & Esther’s will open in the Alberta Arts District and Nico’s in Cully.

Continue reading “Two Future Openings: Ben & Esther’s and Nico’s Ice Cream”
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Fremont Fest 2021 Is This Weekend

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A plate of Kenyan food I ate at 2018’s Fremont Fest.

Very happy to see that the Fremont Fest is back again this year—it’s a really fun way to celebrate this commercial/mixed strip in NE Portland neighborhoods of Beaumont-Wilshire and Cully. Head over there this Saturday, August 21 from 10am to 4pm. The Fest takes place on NE Fremont Street from 42nd to 51st Avenues. Continue reading “Fremont Fest 2021 Is This Weekend”

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Upright Brewery’s Future Cully Home – Building Status

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While hanging out with The Watermelon Man yesterday,  I snapped a photo of the nearby former auto repair shop that’s slowly making its transformation (it’s a little hard to see but I love the art on the grey patch). Last time I reported on this, the news was that Upright Brewing was moving in with a couple of food trucks. Eater reported last month that Portland coffee roaster Junior’s will join them in that space.

This is a very cool development, and just adds even more value to what’s in store. Probably my favorite detail from the Eater article was this: “Upright and Junior’s feel personally invested in the Roseway and Cully area, as both owners and employees of each company live within walking distance of the new spot.” I absolutely love this.

Last night I perused a bunch of city permit documents about the space and it’s pretty interesting; I love nerding out on this stuff. It’s gonna be a great addition to the neighborhood. Here’s to a fab 2022 opening!

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Checking In With Nathan Hart, The Watermelon Man

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I was on a walk this morning and and decided to stop by Nathan Hart’s truck filled with watermelons. Mr. Hart goes by the moniker, “The Watermelon Man” (it’s on his business card) because he brings delicious Hermiston watermelons to the city and sells them during the summers. From what I can tell, he’s done this for a number of years. His location sometimes changes, and this year he’s parked at the northwest corner of Prescott and 72nd Avenue.  Last year he was over on 82nd Ave near NE Alberta.

I enjoyed our chat—he’s a really nice, personable guy that has become beloved among folks in the neighborhood. “The community has really embraced me,” he said. As an example, he told me a story about a little girl in the neighborhood who gets really excited when she sees him and his truck—“It’s the watermelon man, the watermelon man!” she cries. I mean, how adorable is that?

I noticed on his truck signs indicating that he sells seeded watermelons, seedless watermelons, cantaloupe, and corn. “Of course, that changes as the season changes,” he explained. You can stop by his truck on Mondays to Saturdays until Labor Day; he’s off on Sundays. You can call ahead to order watermelons at 503-756-1257, or just stop on by. He’s a great conversationalist. And his watermelons are fantastic. I’m glad he’s here.