LAD's personalized buttons

The 2008 National PARK(ing) Day in Portland was a complete success! Thanks to our sponsors, small parks sprouted up all over Fifth Avenue, between Washington and Alder. There were some very creative minds behind these spaces. Great work to all who participated this year!

LAD sponsored this park with Space Design our favorite floral and design guru in town.

Pazzo and Red Star provided an awesome lunch outside for those strolling by to look at the spaces. Who would really pass up a panini from Pazzo or a pulled pork sandwich and watermelon arugula salad from Red Star?

At the end of the day, Hotel Monaco, Hotel Vintage Plaza, Red Star and Pazzo raised $10,000 for The Trust for Public Land.  Special thanks to our co-sponsor, Space Design whose creative work inspired many to stop and live in our LAD sponsored space.

At 4:00 p.m. the “Party in the Park” kicked off where the Oregon Brewers Guild sponsored beer garden poured local micro-brews such as Deschutes Brewery’s Green Lakes Organic Ale and Hopworks Hub Lager. Vendors strolled the streets giving out snow cones and elaborate balloon animals.

Lota and her balloon alien

This years PARK(ing) Day in Portland was just the beginning for an annual event that will continue grow and gain supporters in Portland. We are all excited to see how PARK(ing) Day will evolve in the next few years. Congrats to Portland’s Kimpton properties!

Here at LAD, we do take pride in our gourmet tastes, but even the most discerning palate craves good old fashioned Americana sometimes - especially on the 4th of July. To celebrate our nation’s independence day, I threw a backyard barbecue bash that included traditional American fare like hamburgers and hot dogs, but the real excitement came when we pulled out the… prepare yourself for this - Jelloshot Flag!

Putting together this edible edifice of patriotism was much more difficult than one might imagine. Who would’ve thought that when I googled “Jelloshot Flag” my search would come up blank!? Well, I intend to cure that lack of online content and offer up a photo and some tips for success. Because another thing that we take pride in here at LAD is our ability to spot a trend a mile away. I might be ahead of the times on this one, but I’m going out on a limb to predict that by next year Jelloshot Flags will be all the rage! So, take advice from the new expert lest you be asked to prepare one yourself…

Jelloshot Flag: “Top Tips From A New Pro”
(more…)