Lynne's

Montavilla Goes Euro -- The stretch of Southeast Stark Street from 70th to 80th avenues has always possessed main-street charm, but its renaissance has been slow in coming. The wine bar Why Not Wine? (7907 S.E. Stark St.) will soon join Flying Pie and Ya Hala, creating a critical dining mass to draw customers from beyond the neighborhood.

Lindy Palmberg, mapmaker by day, got the itch to open a wine bar after living in San Diego, where "there were all these beautiful, superquaint bars." Traveling abroad cemented the idea and she began looking for a space in Southeast. "In Portland, a lot of the wine bars are restaurants as well," Palmberg says. "In Europe, they're smaller and the ambience is sweeter." The size of a one-bedroom apartment, Why Not Wine? will emulate the European model, though its wines hail from the Northwest. Palmberg plans to open by January.
Source: Oregonian's A&E

The Bipartisan Cafe is another reason to visit the neighborhood. The cafe occupies a great space. They serve Stumptown coffee, muffins, bagels, soup, quiche and pie. (City Commissioner Sam Adams appears to be a fan of the pie.)

Oh that wine bar sounds great! I love quaint cozy atmospheres. Glad you stopped by Messy Cucina! Try making ricotta sometime- it is E-A-S-Y. I don't know if you read my "about page" but I'm currently living in Iowa but from Spokane, so take an extra glance at the beauty and mountains of the PNW for me!

The Montavilla 'hood has a lot of untapped potential, I think, but I hope it never loses its unpretentious charm--all those businesses along Stark that look like they've been there, totally unchanged, since the 40s or 50s.

Darlamay - We had a wonderful weekend here. I got up on the roof to clean some gutters and the view of Mt Hood was just stunning.

Rozanne - It is sorta a mixed bag. Many of those businesses have recently left and the stores are just standing empty. But yeah, I hear what you are saying I don't want it to lose its unprententious charm either.

Have you been to that antique store on Stark yet?

Nope. I haven't been to that shop. The one on 84th or so?