Our August e-newsletter

The 34th Annual Home Improvement Show™—the largest show of its kind on the West Coast—will be held September 24-27, 2009 at the Oregon Convention Center. Presented by the Oregon Remodelers Association (ORA), this annual event will include a one-night charity auction to benefit the Make-A-Wish® Foundation of Oregon. The auction will take place September 24 from 5-9 p.m. with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the Foundation. During opening night, guests can also visit exhibits while enjoying food & wine from local restaurants and wineries. Before you leave the show, be sure to pick up your FREE copy of Oregon Home magazine!

For more information about the show and auction event, please contact Derek Nollman at [email protected] or visit www.oregonremodelers.com.

New Energy Works Timberframers of McMinnville believes the support of their customers and partners adds to their success. Owner Jonathan Orpin says, “We sing the praises of good folk wherever possible – and we find they do the same for us.”

Case in point, New Energy Works is building a LEED H timber frame home in Portland. The Web site highlights progress and lists information and links for each of its subcontractors.

In recent communications, they’ve included Christopher Bridge Winery, where they’ll be raising a frame this fall. “Chris and Susi make wonderful wines, we’re happy to support them.” Orpin adds, “What’s good for our community is good for us.”

Click these links to tour the Vermont St. Project or to attend the Christopher Bridge Tasting and Raising party or e-mail New Energy Works at [email protected].

TRADE
SECRETS:
18 Tips for Communicating with Contractors

Having a productive and successful relationship with the man or woman who's turning your sorry excuse of a kitchen into a dreamy cookspace requires a well-honed set of interpersonal-relationship tools. Oregon Home talked with two contractors, two architects and a homeowner who's been in Remodelingville about how to make the most of your partnership.

SHOP
TALK:
Shop Northwest Portland

There's more to exploring Northwest Portland than shopping up and down the bustling N.W. 23rd and N.W. 21st avenues. North and south of Thurman St., when the vibe starts to go industrial, the pickings become more one-of-a-kind. Here are some of our favorite shops to explore after you tire of the national chains' outposts and the hipster boutiques.

HOME TOUR 
For the first time, the NW NATURAL STREET OF DREAMS is going urban. This year’s show will take place in the Pearl District of Portland and will feature approximately 10 high-rise condos priced between $1 million and $4 million. Most of the homes include eco-friendly construction, materials and furnishings.
DATES: Through Aug. 30
LOCATION: Various condominiums in the Pearl District, Portland

DAHLIA FESTIVAL
There’s nothing shy about dahlias, so it makes sense that the DAHLIA FESTIVAL 2009 is just as showy, with 40 acres of dahlias in bloom and 400 dahlia arrangements on display. This annual event, which is billed as the largest dahlia display in the U.S. by one grower, also includes flower-arranging and tuber-dividing demonstrations and talks on dahlia cultivation in addition to a beautiful outdoor setting, food and refreshment booths.
DATES: Aug. 29 to 31; and Sept. 5 to 7

LOCATION: Swan Island Dahlias (995 N.W. 22nd Ave.), Canby, Ore.

LAWN CARE TALK

During this NATURAL LAWN CARE presentation, you’ll discover the secrets to growing a beautiful lawn without using harmful pesticides or polluting fertilizers.
DATE: Sept. 12
LOCATION: Metro’s Natural Gardening Techniques Garden (6800 S.E. 57th Ave.), Portland.

OREGON FALL BEACH CLEANUP
During the 2008 SOLV Great Oregon Fall Beach Cleanup, 3,700 volunteers removed 40,000 pounds of trash from Oregon beaches. Since Oregon’s first Beach Cleanup in 1984, similar cleanups have spread to every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries around the word. The goal of the 2009 SOLV GREAT OREGON FALL BEACH CLEANUP is to remove litter and plastic that harm marine wildlife and negatively affect tourism.
DATE: Sept. 19

LOCATION: More than 40 beach sites along the Oregon Coast.