Nancy's Portland, OR Blog

With the current construction project, the Steel Bridge will remain closed to all vehicles through August 24.

Crew are working on:

• Enlarging portions of the structure’s northwest edge
• Strengthening girders
• Installing tracks and communications equipment
• Building pole foundations
• Erecting poles and stringing wires for the overhead catenary system

Bikes and pedestrians are still allowed on the bridge during construction. If you need more information about construction projects around the city, go to the Portland Online website.

You may have heard that Starbucks is closing 600 stores this year. Five of 'em are in Portland. The list of stores on the chopping block:

20th/Division
18th/Hawthorne
Clackamas Town Center
Cornell and 188th (Hillsboro)
18000 NW Evergreen Pkmy (Beaverton)

I can't say I'm sad to see these stores go away, but I do feel for the employees, some of whom didn't realize their stores were closing until they were contacted by the media.

Starbucks says it will find jobs for as many of these employees as possible, and offer severance packages to the others.

If your coffee shop is closing and you need a new one, check out a list of some of Portland's best places to drink coffee.

Cooking and kids can be a fantastic combination, and with a little help from the Portland Farmers Market, your kids can learn how to make all kinds of snacks and treats. On July 26, bring your kids downtown for a lesson on making homemade ice cream. What could be more summery?

When: 8:30 - 10 a.m. on July 26
Where: PSU Farmers Market
How much: $15/student

Get the details from the Portland Farmers Market website.

Get a listing of Portland-area farmers markets.

Beer enthusiasts have a full calendar this month, from fancy brewers' dinners to tastings and beer trivia night. If you haven't gotten in on the action yet, don't worry—there's still time. Check out the New Old Lompoc’s Festivus in July: a celebration of the Seinfeld created holiday, complete with a Festivus Pole! And the Oregon Brewer's Fest happens in Waterfront Park at the end of the month, too.

Get the details for these and other July events in the July Events Calendar for Portland.

You don't need to worry about squeaky theater seats to watch movies in downtown Portland this summer. Just bring a lawn chair to Pioneer Courthouse Square for Flicks on the Bricks, the FREE, family-friendly outdoor summer movie series. First up, The Goonies on July 25.

Get the details and schedule for this season's Flicks on the Bricks at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

A real estate blog, Gay Real Estate USA, puts out a yearly list of "prized metropolitan areas throughout the USA that are most in vogue with the diverse GLBT community."

Portland tied Atlanta, GA for the top spot. Several Portland neighborhoods were highlighted, including Hawthorne, the "Burnside Triangle" and the Pearl District. I'm proud to live in a town that's known for diversity and acceptance. However, I do crave more ethnic diversity in all of our neighborhoods.

I recently visited The South on a trip that combined a little business and a little pleasure. Of course, I had the opportunity to eat out. A lot.

Now, I like a plate of fried chicken and grits once in a while, but for the most part, I opt for healthier fare. Sadly, it was very, very hard to find decent food wasn't either deep fried or otherwise fat-filled. Give me sushi, give me salads, give me a big bowl of fruit and yogurt. These things aren't so easy to come by in The South.

Traveling made me appreciate my health-conscious hometown even more, as it generally does, and I came back craving fruits and vegetables more than usual. I can't take for granted the fact that there are lots of places to get healthy meals in this city. We are so spoiled, and I'm so grateful.

Nothing says summer like a blocked-off street, crowded with entertainers, neighborhood food vendors, and craft peddlers. Street fair season has officially begun!

In July, there are at least three great street fairs worth checking out:

July 12
Mississippi Street Fair

July 26
Division + Clinton Street Fair

June 28 + 29
Good in the Neighborhood (held in NE Portland)

Also check out the Portland street fair schedule for the rest of the summer. If you know of fairs I don't have listed here, please feel to email me at portlandor.guide@about.com.

I've always loved picking berries. Going directly to the farm for food feels fantastic, and so does having a fridge (and freezer) full of delicious fruit. Plus, you save a lot of money by picking your own.

I recommend heading to Sauvie's island for your berry-picking adventure. It's not too far, and while you're there you can also enjoy the beach, a hike, or a bike ride.

Before you go, visit the official Sauvie Island website, and call the farms to make sure they've got what you want. Prepare to get a little bit dirty, and bring your own containers if you've got 'em.

Living without a connection to the Internet makes me uncomfortable, and of course, it's an occupational hazard since I write for the Web. As a laptop-toter, I have the option of working just about anywhere. And with so many Portland coffee shops and other public places offering free wireless service, I rarely find myself having to pay for this necessary service.

But it still bummed me out when I heard that MetroFi is ending their "free wireless" service for the city of Portland. The idea was wonderful, the execution was lacking. I tried. From my SE Portland neighborhood, I had "MetroFi" pop up on as an available wireless network on my machine, though it never seemed to actually deliver. Were you ever able to connect to their network? And if so, was it reliable enough to use for more than just a few minutes?

We're not the only city that got our hopes up about having free Wi-Fi. MetroFi's other projects in California and Illinois are also kaput.

Luckily, there are plenty of resources for finding free Wi-Fi hotspots in the city. Try WiFipdx, locate a place to hunker down, and take a minute let these generous businesses know you appreciate what they're doing.