Denise Castañon

Portland

Editor-in-Chief at PDX Parent

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Articles

This Portland, OR Food Cart Pod Has Games and Rooftop Seating

Sep 24, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

Bright and colorful new inner eastside cart pod WonderLove packs in tasty food, room to play and spectacular views. Portland loves its food cart pods. And new groupings of carts are springing up all the time. The new WonderLovepod on the corner of SE Main and 2nd Avenue is setting itself apart with space for events and a very cool, three-level, storage-container building that holds a bar, indoor seating and a rooftop seating area with excellent views of downtown.
Hapa Pizza is ranked one of the best pizza places in Portland, OR, and the US

Aug 20, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

Nationally noted Hapa Pizza in Beaverton slings inventive pies — plus plain cheese for finicky kids. My family visited Hapa Pizzain Beaverton three days after The New York Times named the establishment to be one of the best 22 pizza places in the United States. According to Hapa Pizza’s website, “hapa” refers to a person of mixed racial heritage with partial roots in Asian and/or Pacific Islander ancestry. And the pizza very much reflects a mix of cultures.
Kids Love the Dumplings at This Portland, OR Restaurant

Jun 13, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

Dough Zone’s newest Oregon restaurant is a fun, family-friendly spot for discovering new favorites. I felt like a parenting champ after my family’s visit to the new Dough Zonein the Clackamas Town Center. My kids actually tried new-to-them foods without a fuss (and liked them!) and we all had a really good time together. The Portland metro’s newest Dough Zone is housed in the former California Pizza Kitchen space. The Chinese dumpling chain originated in Bellevue, Wash.
Meet Aaron Nigel Smith, beloved Portland, OR musician

May 30, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

Local music legend Aaron Nigel Smith’s list of accomplishments is long and substantial. The father of two adult children, he has developed music education curricula for preschoolers to high schoolers; was a guest composer on PBS Kids’ Between the Lions; founded an international youth arts nonprofit; organized the Rox in Sox kids’ music festival in Portland from 2013 to 2017; and has recorded 10 Reggae albums, including with his buddy Andy Furgeson, aka Red Yarn.
Mokdong Gimbap Makes "Seoul" Food the Whole Family Will Love

May 14, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

Kid-friendly Korean katsu and kimbap land on Southeast Hawthorne. Always up to try something new, my family ventured to Mokdong Gimbap for lunch a few weeks after it officially opened in the old Frog & Snail space on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard. The Korean restaurant offers katsu (breaded and fried) chicken, beef and fish; bibimbap; and kimbap, Korean sushi-style rolls filled with veggies or cooked meat and fish.
Where to Get Our Favorite Chopped Sandwich in Portland

Mar 12, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

The new Dos Hermanos Bakery and Cafe brings fresh and inventive chopped sandwiches, and delicious bread to inner Southeast Portland. My family ventured to the new Dos Hermanos Bakery and Cafe in inner Southeast Portland for a Saturday lunch. We were already fans of Dos Hermanos, which had a booth at the summer-and-fall Woodstock Farmers Market. We’d often pick up danishes, brightly colored pan dulce, or a sliced loaf of slightly tangy Miche bread, the perfect base for breakfast sandwiches.
6 New Portland Summer Camps

Mar 7, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

There are a lot of great summer camps to send your kids off to each summer. If you’re looking to mix up your child’s routine, these six new — and new to you — camps might just be the ticket for summer camp fun. This creative arts program has just moved to a new and bigger location. The added space means they can now offer camps for kids ages 10 to 14. This camp from a former life coach helps middle-school girls learn more about themselves, and develop courage, compassion and friendships.
Get Serious Air at This Indoor Portland Park

Feb 19, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

The new Sky Zone trampoline park in Gresham provides high-flying fun for kids of all ages. Last year was the year of Sky Zone parties for my 11-year-old daughter, Adela. She bounced, flipped and flew at the Sky Zone Vancouver location at least three times between birthday parties and end-of-season celebrations. So when I heard about a new Sky Zone opening up in Gresham, I was excited to have a trampoline park option that was slightly less of a slog for us coming from Southeast Portland.
Neighborhood We Love: Foster-Powell

Jan 5, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

Foster-Powell, the triangle-shaped neighborhood tucked between Southeast Powell Boulevard and Southeast Foster Road, combines the best of new and old Portland: delicious dining options, a strong community feel and that Keep Portland Weird quirkiness. Foster-Powell has added more retail shops and restaurants along Foster Road in the last eight years, including the popular Portland Mercado, but has not completely gentrified. A perfect example?
Neighborhood We Love: Troutdale

Jan 5, 2024 | pdxparent.com | Denise Castañon

The City of Troutdale, 16 miles east of downtown Portland along I-84, bills itself as the Gateway to the Columbia River Gorge. And in this Southeast suburb you are indeed closer to outdoor adventures in the Gorge and on Mount Hood.