The Wet Spot Tropical Fish, Hollywood District

At the recommendation of a family getting settled into their various bicycles so that they could ride home from the Hollywood Farmers Market, I stepped into The Wet Spot to take a look at the beautiful fish.
 

Were they ever right!
 

Here's what I found at the About link on their Web page, see link above:

We’ve got things to keep everyone entertained!

Our show tanks have some of the coolest fish you’ll ever see. Come in and view our 500 gallon Lake Malawi microenvironment. Sit and relax in our newly remodeled showroom and visit Francis, our Fahaka Puffer. Check out Snuffer the Fire Eel, and Mikey the Bichir. See our large Goldfish including Pig, Tomato, and Pudgy.

 - One of the largest collections of African Cichlids in the U.S.

- Fish you’ve only read about or seen pictures of, including Bichirs, Knifefish, Rainbowfish and Killifish.

- An assortment of fancy Goldfish year round, and Koi in the spring and summer.

- A special Betta section of the store, with all sorts of beautiful Bettas coming in weekly and all the Betta supplies and accessories you need.

- A broad selection of Discus, including wild types.

- Catfish, Loaches, Cory Cats and other bottom dwellers.

- Plecos and Algae eaters of all different sizes and shapes, including rare and unusual species.

- An amazing seasonal selection of freshwater puffers.

- An unparalleled selection of Tetras, Barbs, and Danios

- Many different Livebearers – the best way to have baby fish and watch them grow up.

- Central & South American Cichlids of all kinds.

- A diverse array of live plants - with something for (almost) any tank – and fertilizers, utensils, and complete CO2 systems available.

- Everything you need to set up a nano aquarium and stock it with the coolest micro-fish.

- A huge selection of dry goods in stock at all times, including specialized Aquarium books.

- A knowledgeable and informed staff to help your aquarium flourish.

Rose Festival Fred Meyer Junior Parade on June 6, 2012

Nicknamed by some "the children's parade," last week's event drew a crowd of 40,000-50,000 along its route in the Hollywood District, Northeast Portland. The Rock 'n' Roses refers to the theme for this year's Portland Rose Festival. I took a day of vacation so that I could go for the first time. After lunch at Killer Burger at the corner of NE Sandy Blvd. and NE 47th, I took my lawn chair outside, found a space on the sidewalk at the curb, and settled down to enjoy myself.

I expected to see lots of bands and scout groups, but I didn't expect to see maybe 40 children of all ages being pushed along in their wheel chairs by people who might be parents or who work or volunteer at the Providence Child Center.

Here are two photos of just a handful of the children and those who care enough to provide them with a chance to be in a parade. How neat!
 

I found this online about Providence Child Center which is Part of Providence Health and Services:

Providence Child Center (PCC) has been caring for Oregon’s most vulnerable children for over 60 years. Today it continues to fill an important gap in the community not provided by any other organization regionally. We are rooted in the commitment to promote the inherent dignity of all children by providing each child in our care the opportunity to achieve his or her potential and the highest quality of life in an atmosphere of acceptance and love.

And this explains all about a concept new to me, but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense.
Pediatric recreational therapy

Also known as: Recreational therapy, pediatric; Therapeutic recreation, pediatric

Recreational therapists provide recreational activities and treatment for patients with disabilities or illnesses. Therapeutic activities can include arts and crafts, animals, sports, games, dance and movement, drama, music or community outings. Recreational therapists improve and maintain the physical, mental and emotional well-being of their clients.

The therapeutic recreation team at Providence Child Center provides recreational opportunities for our kids that enhance their health, functional abilities, independence and quality of life. Our therapy staff is supported by hundreds of volunteers who make it possible to provide unique and exciting recreational activities.

The following are highlights of a few of these programs:

• Crafts, music and sports groups are continuously provided by our creative staff, volunteers, and community partners. 
• Community integration field trips to Portland Trail Blazer Games, OMSI, the Saturday Market, the movies and more. 
• The Friend to Friend program partners local students with our kids for a year’s worth of friendship and life-long memories. 
• Holiday parties, like the annual Christmas Present Celebration, a Valentine’s Day Dance, the New Year’s Eve party, and the Chinese New Year’s parade. “Foster” Grandparents who help with everything from getting our kids on the Portland Public School buses every morning to tucking them into bed at night. 
• Special events and typical child-hood traditions including the Jr. Rose Parade, a traditional Prom, birthday parties and summer camp. 
• Alternative therapy services like music therapy and pet therapy– we’ve hosted everything from harps to lamas! 

It is our goal and privilege to provide therapeutic recreational activities that celebrate ability while ensuring every child in our care has access to typical childhood experiences. 

Paulsen's Pharmacy, Hollywood District--they've got a soda fountain!

I took these photos on October 15, 2011. I just found these hours on Yelp: Hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Sat 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.


Found on the Internet at a site about the Hollywood District: Paulsen's Pharmacy has continued to operate out of its original 1918 location at 4246 NE Sandy Blvd. Famous for operating a 1920s style soda fountain, Paulsen's offers old fashioned customer service along with the latest products.


An online review of Paulsen's Pharamacy: Dec 12, 2008
First-class service! Don't automatically bring your prescriptions to a chain store! Paulsen's has been in the neighborhood for years, and it is small enough that you can pretty much always find Mr. Paulsen himself working in there to answer questions. When my toddler was having a meltdown while we waited, they gave her a free treat. They have helped us out with various problems, including doctors' office communications. Highly recommended!


And one more online review: 7/28/2010
I've been filling my prescriptions here as long as I've lived in the neighborhood, and there is something wonderful about getting to know the people who own a local business and that they remember your name when you come in. I've been carrying on a month to month conversation with one of the clerks where we swap notes on board games. Bonus points for the ability to get a mint chip shake at the fountain while I wait for my prescription. I love that there are still "Mom & Pop" businesses like this in my neighborhood.



A piece about Paulsen's Pharmacy at Neighborhood Notes dot com, posted June 17, 2010: Surprisingly, yet another blast from Portland’s past can be found less than two miles down the road at Paulsen’s Pharmacy, which will be celebrating its 92nd anniversary this July. These days, a modern-style Coke dispenser does a lot of the work (customers can add cherry, chocolate or vanilla flavoring to their soft drink of choice), but vintage soda taps are still kept on-hand just in case a traditional flavored soda or sweet cherry phosphate is ordered up. It was these taps that first spawned the moniker “soda jerk,” which described the action of pulling back on the soda tap to add carbonated water to the flavored syrup.

Paulson’s can also fix you up with a shake, malt, float or sundae while you wait for your prescription, and in true vintage form, will pour you a hot cuppa joe for just 85 cents.

I took this photo on August 24, 2011.

And here’s an interesting article about the drugstore and its pharmacist, in the Catholic Sentinel.

He spells it clinker, she spells it klinker, but it's all brick to me.

On May 19 I enjoyed an Architectural Heritage Center Neighborhood Walk, through the Hollywood District. We saw lots of interesting houses and buildings, heard lots of interesting history, and walked lots and lots of blocks. Since I don't have house architecture styles memorized, I can't remember what we saw where, drat it. But I can remember clinker bricks. I've had some fun with Picnik on these photos.


Here's a close-up photo of the same front porch column. I wonder if it is completely made of clinkers or if they just cover the column?


Around the corner and down the block, more clinkers decorate this porch.


I saw this house before the one that is in the top photo, but seeing the clinkers painted gray bothered me too much to put this house as the first photo. However, I have altered the photo in Picnik so that you can see the design developed with the clinker bricks. And thank goodness the person who wielded that doggone paint brush didn't get up on the roof and paint the chimneys!

I think you'll learn lots from this Old House Journal article, “The Accidental Charm of Clinker Bricks”.

And here's some info from Wikipedia: Clinker bricks are partially vitrified brick stones used in the construction of buildings.
Clinkers are burnt under temperatures so high that the pores of the fuel property are closed by the beginning sinter process. Thus they are considerably denser and therefore heavier than regular bricks. Clinkers hardly take up water and are very resistant.
In early brick firing kilns, the surface of the bricks that were too close to the fire changed into the volcanic textures and darker/purplish colors. They were often discarded, but around 1900, these bricks were discovered by architects to be usable, distinctive and charming in architectural detailing, adding the earthy quality favored by Arts & Crafts style designers. Modern brick-making techniques can recreate the appearance of these bricks and produce a more consistent product.
In the United States, clinker bricks were made famous by the Pasadena, California architecture firm Greene and Greene who used them (often in combination with native rocks) in walls, foundations, and chimneys.