Sunnyside Family Swap Shop and Play Space » Karen Hery

A Thanksgiving Thank-you Letter

Karen Hery — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:23:39 +0000

A THANKSGIVING THANK YOU LETTER:

I get to hear so many great things from our families and our sponsors every month, it was delightful to open my email on Thanksgiving to this post that sums up so many of the sentiments I get to be a witness to every day. Hope it warms your heart like it warmed mine . . .

On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 9:08 AM, Helena Reid wrote:

Dear Swapshop Community,

I wanted to send a short but heartfelt message about how grateful I am for the SwapShop Community and every good thing that it brings to my life. I tried to think of all the people that make the Swap Shop possible, from Karen and the board members to the countless unseen volunteers and then I also thought of all the people, businesses and community members that donate time, materials and services to keep the building alive and working. It’s truly overwhelming – thanks to all who make this wonderful place possible.

In my not so long life for reasons that I won’t go into, I moved a lot and have lived in many different communities. Portland is my 12th city in 4 different States plus 3 different countries abroad and about as many continents. I wasn’t an army brat but might as well have been one. My husband and I visited some 7-10 other cities and researched countless others to find the right place for us. Barring the usual unforeseen circumstances that make up the fabric of life, we are finally home.

Thanks Swap Shop!

Road to Tibet

Karen Hery — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 05:48:21 +0000

I’m guessing that Yeshi’s life sounds much more romantic in the telling than it does in the living of it but she’s a little living miracle right in the heart of the Hawthorne shopping district. Her shop – Road to Tibet – is sometimes open, sometimes closed in the rhythm of her balancing act between sharing Buddhist items and South East Asian clothing and gift items with the rest of us while tending to her aging parents, teenage daughters and preschool son. If the open sign is in the window when you pass by, duck in and be transported. There is no web site to share with you. The address is 3335 SE Hawthorne. It’s right next to the Herb Shoppe so I go in every time I’m getting the latest treatment or tincture to help me in my journey to wellness. Yeshi want you to call 503-753-2257 if you want to make sure she is open when you come by.

I’m fascinated by the felted slippers and assured by an impartial third party that they are as great as they look. She’s started carrying belly dancing clothes right along with the inspiring wall hangings with words of wisdom from the Dali Lama. It’s a sweet combination. The sweaters from Nepal, I’m pretty sure could keep you warm in the arctic and all your clothes will have the sweet smell of incense for days just from stopping by.

If you really want an interesting story, ask her about her life in Nepal and the six different languages she speaks – one of which is Norwegian.

She doesn’t have a web site but you can find her on Face Book as Road to Tibet Imports.

Reunion Apparel

Karen Hery — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 05:10:04 +0000

If you have any memory left of life before kids when you were super young and in love and ready to take on the world on a shoestring budget, you’ll already know everything you need to know about Reunion apparel resale. William and Tara have a little spot about the size of your average inner SE bedroom on 18th just off Morrison sandwiched between a record store and a one seat hair salon. I only found it because I was parking around the corner from Zafiro’s house for her open house of her four-child, at-home toddler day care (which is very sweet). Search for Zafiro in your past Swap Shop emails and you can read all about it.

Either Tara or William will be behind the counter at Reunion noon – 7 Tuesday – Saturday while the other one is turning up Portland for funky and fashionable vintage men’s and women’s clothes. The store is full of the kind of comfy, beautiful things you can wear with grace in your home town and, at the same time, torture your brother in suburban businessland with as a gag gift. Plaid shirts for men . . . got ‘em. Sweaters from the 80′s . . . of course. That dress for your holiday event that you are confident no one else will have . . . there’s a darn good chance. Other than slogging through the bins yourself or waiting for your wonder outfit to arrive at the swap shop, it won’t get more affordable. That velvet, flowing long dress that both my daughter and I can swirl around it beautifully cost me $14. Remember, this is a young couple with simple needs. If you want to shop for the pure joy of it, help them make their rent and, as is their goal: reunite a classic bit of clothing with an appreciative new owner . . . this is your own little hidden treasure. Hunt it down and tell them you heard about their romance at Evergreen College that landed them in Portland from the swap shop.

Halloween Candy Swap

Karen Hery — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:07:03 +0000

HALLOWEEN CANDY/TOY SWAP NEXT MONDAY NIGHT:
This is a super fun co-op tradition. Just remember to include us in your trick or treating route if you are going out. Come to the top of the main Yamhill church building stairs on Halloween night from 6:30-8:30 and get some trick or treat candy and a chance to come in the main lobby to trade any and all candy you already have for different candy or toys. Kids 3 and older have an absolute blast doing this (and parents of babies and toddlers can trade what you’ve been given for things you really want.) One person’s least favorite candy is someone else’s treasure and you can swing your kids away from their sugar and into some lower calorie plastic which you can turn around a few months from now and donate back for the Winter Carnival.

Swap Shop featured in NW Kids Magazine

Karen Hery — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:26:41 +0000

NW Kids Magazine featured the Swap Shop and our local Swap n’ Plays in this month’s issue.

Winter Open House January 7th and 21st

Karen Hery — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 02:43:57 +0000

Swap Shop open houses are a great time to play for the day, tour all our play spaces and fill out paperwork to become a member.

Our two Winter open houses will be:

Saturday January 7th and 21st, 10 am – 4 pm

Click on the Play Pass Schedule for other dates to play for the day and take a tour of the Swap Shop.

Know Your Neighbors – Schools and Classes

Karen Hery — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 19:13:44 +0000

Whether you have a one year old or a fourteen year old, like the idea of circus skills for fun or Saturday school for better academics, this swap shop post about schools and classes connects you with our neighbors that make it their passion to steward our kids in a lifetime love of learning.

If your first child isn’t out of diapers yet, dive in to the first few paragraphs below for opportunities you may not have realized existed for you and your little one. If preschool is on the horizon for you or the center of your world, skip down just a bit to hear about 3 and 4 year old programs.

And for everyone who cares about learning second (or third languages) or the fine art of juggling and trapeze, swing on down to the end of this post.

UNDER THREE AND HAPPY TO BE: It’s common to think of preschool starting at 3 years old but it starts even earlier than that at Wren’s Nest just three blocks from the Swap Shop. Not yet two year olds through 5 year olds thrive in the Montessori School Environment stewarded by Michelle La Follette. It’s a great break for parents and beautiful progression to healthy independence for the toddlers and preschoolers that weave their way through “work” time and play time indoors and out in a family home setting.

Programs like this including children under three are rare and all her spots for her youngest kids are full right now. Just check in with her now and then at 503-235-0093 or vassarlearningcenter©yahoo•com (vassarlearningcenter©yahoo•com) to see when a space opens up if you are interested and your child is under three. Spaces are available for the fall for 3-5 year olds.

PARENT AND ME CIRCUS ARTS CLASSES WITH DO JUMP: The fall schedule has been posted for Do Jump which includes a class I wish I could have taken with my children when they were babies and toddlers. You and your child get on the trapeze together (best swing in town) in baby circus classes for kids one and a half and older (up to 3 ½). There are morning classes on Wednesdays and weekend classes for working families too at their Echo Theater location off Hawthorne. Discounts available for active swap shop families.

EMILY ALEXANDER’S PRESCHOOL OF THE ARTS: You don’t have to wait until the fall to begin or add to your child’s preschool experiences. Both Wren’s Nest and Emily Alexander’s Preschool of the Arts (at 14^th and Hawthorne) run year round. Emily has a few spaces still open this summer. Signing up for a few days a week for the rest of the summer or one of her week long camps is a great way to ease the transition to school in the fall. She is already close to full for the fall so won’t be holding an open house but you can call for your own tour. Emily draws on all the great talent in Portland to bring performing arts and visual arts to her preschool space which looks just like an artist’s studio and can be rented for birthday parties (great for early elementary kids too.) This is the first year she will have both morning and afternoon preschool sessions available – you choose one or the other – it is not a full day program.

LANGUAGE IMMERSION OPPORTUNITIES: Young minds learn languages differently and more easily than teens or adults. If you have a second language already in your family you’d like to see supported or know that some exposure to at least one more language is valuable to you and your kids, we have many great opportunities in our connections as a co-op. The closure of a French Immersion school gave us a beautiful opportunity this summer to hear French spoken in part of June and all through July. The International Leadership Academy concluded their summer camp program last week and is concentrating on the opening of their school for preschoolers through elementary in Lake Oswego with information nights every Thursday 6:30-8:30 at their new school location.

A split in the German American Society has inspired the formation of a new German Saturday School that our Roost sponsor, Bea Weiss-Kruel, Attorney at Law, is involved in. For now, you’ll need to drive to Beaverton to participate in Sophie Scholl Schule but they are looking for a Southeast annex to their program. You can contact the director, Dr. Lynn Reis, email:SchollSchule©gmail•com (SchollSchule©gmail•com)
phone: 971-217-7212 if you are interested in seeing more German opportunities in and around the Swap Shop. I was impressed with how affordable the program is for all the time and attention your 3 year old or older student receives every Saturday – $495 for the year plus 5 parent hours helping out the school. A real bargain if you divide it into the weeks of the year. The school is set to start on October 1st. Classes are from 10:00am until 12:30pm.

Co-op member, Jasmeen Hanoosh, is ready to restart the Arabic classes she offered this summer as soon as there are a group of parents that can commit to a time for 4-7 year olds to gather and learn the Arabic alphabet and language sounds. If you are interested and haven’t already contacted her or have contacted her but want to let her know you are still interested: yasmeensh©yahoo•com (yasmeensh©yahoo•com) 971-270-6574.

KIDS OF ALL AGES (and Adults too): If you are already a Do Jump fan, this is your reminder that the fall schedule is posted and registration has begun. If you have a little monkey who climbs the walls in even the best of weather or missed your own opportunity to run off with the circus before you had kids, now is your chance to sign everyone up to swing, juggle, flip and flop your way to creative expression. Do Jump teachers steward 1 year olds to 99 year olds through all sorts of interesting moves most every morning, afternoon and evening at the Echo Theatre off Hawthorne and in the same gym that we use above the swap shop (convenient for hanging out with the sibling not in class or just before or after class). There are class discounts for active swap shop members and occasions when the Do Jump administrative staff is able to provide partial scholarships for some class spots. Costs and registration information at www.dojump.org.

Your investment in the arts and in these schools does more than just help your child grow their mind and mind/body connection. Investing in community insures that our artists and teachers have a living wage and acknowledgement of their great work. Where would our village be without our artists and teachers? Be sure to thank them when you see them and tell them heard about them from the swap shop.

Portlandia filming at Zupan’s today

Karen Hery — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:10:41 +0000

Our swap shop weekly post comes with a bonus tweet today . . .

The crew of Portlandia is filming at Zupans this morning at the corner of 33rd and Belmont. Not sure how long they will be there but, when I jogged by this morning, the co-stars were in their trailer getting their make up done and the crew was setting all their filming equipment up around the last cash register.

If you want to grab some groceries and a chance to be in or see tv filming in action, now’s your chance.

If you are tired of wondering if it’s going to be wet, dry, cold or warm at any given moment . . . our indoor and outdoor play areas are just a few steps a part and you can run in and out as the mood and the weather strike you.

Know your newest neighbor – International Leadership Academy

Karen Hery — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:14:49 +0000

I am happy to announce that we have brand new neighbors not just nearby the Swap Shop but actually right inside our space.

If you have been around the past few weeks you will have noticed a lot of French being spoken and you might have already met Massene, Patricia and Cary, two teachers and a teacher’s assistant from the Portland French School that closed down early for the school year.

It has been delightful to provide them and just a few of the more than 200 students they taught over the past 10+ years a place to be for the end of the school year.

They say one person’s loss is another person’s gain and this week’s know your neighbor post is a testimony to that truth.I won’t even try to do justice to the circumstances of the school’s closing in this email.You may have already followed the story in the news or you can read several articles on line.

The most important thing to know for our community is that some really dedicated and passionate teachers each with over 20 years experience working with preschoolers to middle schoolers and one of their most dedicated parent families, the Muros, have started theInternational Leadership Academy.Their first activity, before opening a French immersion school in the fall, will be offering French Immersion summer camp opportunities for the children they already know and our kids as well starting this upcoming week and all through the month of August using the Swap Shop and church gathering spaces at their home base.

Their immersion philosophy has made them great `house mates’ in our space.While they are in the swap shop or our back yard space this summer with their campers, your kids can join in with the activities they are doing and soak up some French (as long as you are hanging out nearby) and if you would like the ability to know that your kids are in great hands, learning some French and enjoying the run of the church building’s many fun spaces and the surrounding park areas, they would love to register your 3-11 year olds for one or more weeks of summer camp adventures in their care.

Every camper will be a swap shop member for the months they are in an International Leadership Academy Camp and all our swap shop members receive a $30 discount on one camp registration per month.

Summer camp costs in Portland run all over the map from subsidized city programs that are less than $100 per week to full price all day programs that are over $300 a week.

International Leadership Academy (ILA) camps are 9-3:30 for $200 a week (with a few special activities costing extra).Early care from 7-9am is included if needed by your family and 3:30-6:30pm care is available for an extra cost.

If you are reading this with a young toddler on your hip and can’t imagine being away from your child for that long, trust me when I say, as a parent of 10 and 13 year old siblings, that that day may come (especially towards the end of a long summer) when a nice, healthy break from each other is the best thing ever.

Every week of summer camp has a different theme.Massene and the 5-7 year olds will be playing soccer together next week while kids of all ages explore an ocean theme in age appropriate ways.Through out the summer there are opportunities for everything from zoo trips to African drumming to pastry making all with an exposure to the French language side by side with fluent speakers from France and Senegal and the United States.

We’ll be a little United Nations this summer and I’m delighted to do my part to help babies, toddlers, preschoolers and school age kids mix often and mix well.ILA is looking at both the possibility of starting their full time French immersion school in Lake Oswego in the fall or, if our relationship with each other can really blossom and grow, continuing on in the fall inside the Sunnyside Methodist Church building.

However long we are neighbors, it is great to have a place in sunshine or rain for kids to play and communities to grow.

To find out more about ILA summer camp weekly themes and special activities and to register forcamps:

1)Pick up registration sheets from the community info table in the hallway outside the swap shop

Crank!

Karen Hery — Tue, 10 May 2011 23:57:46 +0000

Crank – one of the newest bike shops in Portland . . . almost to Burnside a block off SE 28th on Ash. Run by two great young guys, Chris and Justin, this place is, as the word on Yelp says, unpretentious, super helpful and affordable.

If any of these brands are on your wish list:

Bicycles and Frames: Fuji, Redline, Breezer, Dolan, Leader, Ciocc, Casati, De Bernardi, Pake, Soma
Parts :Shimano, Sram, Campagnolo, Velocity, White Industries, Velo Orange, Phil Wood, DT Swiss.
Clothing: Pearl Izumi, Shiela Moon, Showers Pass, Swrve, Spiuk
Accessories: Ortlieb, PDW, Kryptonite, Planet Bike, Fuji
Tools and Supplies: Park Tool, Pedros, Hozan, Shimano, Sram Pitstop, Dumonde Tech

Crank is your new go-to source.