Sweetness Bakery
Monday, April 12, 2010 / 6:30-8:00pm / Sweetness Bakery / 3524 SE 52nd Ave NOTE: MEETING STARTS @ 6:35 SHARP
6:30-6:35 Meet and Greet
6:35-6:45 Welcome and introductions
6:45-6:45 Minutes approval
6:45-6:55 May Board elections are coming up.
You might be wondering: what are the responsibilities of each position? We're going to tell you!
6:55-7:05 Neighborhood Cleanup Planning/Volunteer recruitment
7:05-7:10 Powell Streetscape/Repaving update
7:10-7:25 Website update
7:25-7:30 Laurelwood Park funds @ SEUL update
7:30-7:45 Representative Reports:
--Land Use
--Transportation
--SEUL update
--Library update
--Lents Urban Renewal Area / Foster Streetscape
7:45-8:00 General Business, open discussion
This month's neighborhood association meeting was held last night at Sweetness Bakery. Here's what they talked about:
6:40-6:45
6:45-6:45
6:45-7:00
6:45-7:00
--Lents Urban Renewal Area / Foster Streetscape update
--Library update
--SEUL update
--Transportation
--Land Use
7:00-7:20
7:20-7:40
Once you get over the fact that something this awesome can exist in a non-descript strip mall at the corner of SE Powell and 52nd, the dilemma you'll face at Sweetness is what to get. Everything they have looks absolutely delicious, and most likely everything is in fact delicious. So you really can't go wrong here (unless you're vegan, which there doesn't seem to be that many options.) This is such a welcome relief since so many coffee shops offer such lousy pastries.
Often the closest places to me are way overcrowded at peak times, or the quiet spots with great treats just aren't worth the trek on a rainy Sunday.
But sometimes it is worth noting the Coffeehouse Couch-Stink factor.
I think it is a combination of second-hand upholstery, lingering hippies and constant espresso machine steam that creates this unmistakable coffeehouse odor.
Prime examples would be Palio Dessert and Espresso House at Ladd's Addition and Common Grounds Coffee House on SE Hawthorne. In fact, SE Portland seems to corner the market on the most Couch-Stink offenses...Fireside Coffee Lodge, Blend, Sweetness Bakery and Cafe...
Not to say that any of these places are unclean or bad choices. Just that maybe this is just another colorful difference between those sterile grab'n go coffee bars, and those living room coffee houses that seem to say "hey stranger, sit over here, relax, I think someone left half a veggie sandwich between the cushions."
Agenda for Foster Powell Neighborhood Association Meeting
Monday, January 11, 2009
6:30-8:00pm, Sweetness Bakery
3524 SE 52nd Ave
NOTE: WE ARE CHANGING THINGS UP THIS MONTH! MEETING WILL START AT 6:35 SHARP, AS OPPOSED TO THE NORMAL 6:40 OR SO START AFTER THE MEET AND GREET.
6:30-6:35 Meet and Greet
6:35-6:45 Welcome and introductions
6:45-6:45 Minutes approval
6:45-7:00 Representative Reports:
...
What excites you about living in Foster-Powell? That was the question we all had to ask each other at this week's FOPONA meeting on Monday, along with another important question: what do you hope to get out of the neigborhood meetings? Far from the typical, "state your name and whether you're a resident or business owner" introductions, this was a little more thought provoking, and resulted in a variety of responses. Most people expressed excitement over a growing sense of community, while some talked about the potential of the neighborhood (businesses opening along Foster, community gardens, etc). Diversity was also discussed, especially as a point of pride, as well as a source of identity which helps us stand out from many other Portland neighborhoods. This point was driven home when the director of Holgate library spoke about the increased circulation of Vietnamese, Russian, and Chinese books and media, while the Spanish circulation remained high, as well. In fact, of the four aforementioned languages, only two library branches within Multnomah County reached their target circulation for each language: Holgate and Midland. This speaks to the growing Russian and Eastern European population, as well as the formidable Hispanic community and increasing number of Chinese and Southeast Asian immigrants. Yes, Foster-Powell, we have what many other neighborhoods in Portland have lost or are losing...diversity. Let's embrace and promote, everyone.
...