Tualatin Community Advantage Magazine September 2023

Step into Skincare

Apply order to your daily skin routine

What’s the best order to apply your skincare routine? While some steps may be obvious, others not so much. Just as important as the products you choose are the way you apply them and the order.

1 Pre-Cleanse > The secret to an effective, thorough cleanse starts here. Start with a makeup remover to purify and remove any traces of makeup, excess oils and other debris from the face and delicate eye area.

2 Cleanse > The most important step in your skincare routine is cleansing. Quite simply, cleansing removes excess oil, any leftover makeup residue, free radicals built up over the day and any other impurities. Cleanse both morning and evening, regardless of if you wear makeup. It’s important to wash the day away with your precleanser, then go in for a deeper cleanse.

3 Exfoliate > Glowing skin is linked to exfoliation, which encourages the cell regeneration process, and removes dull surface cells and follicle debris. It can also break up areas of discoloration to reveal brighter skin. One of the benefits I love is how exfoliation helps clear the skin to allow other products to absorb more easily. Start by exfoliating once a week in the morning or evening (not both) and increase if needed (up to five times a week). Use a liquid exfoliant or scrub, depending on your needs.

4 Mask > Treat your skin with a mask one to three evenings per week to nourish skin beyond the uppermost layers. Find the mask that fits your needs. There are masks for breakout-prone skin, dry skin, aging skin or to give an instant glow.

5 Tone > Toners assist in evening out skin’s porosity, giving your serum and moisturizer a smoother, more even application. Tone after cleansing morning and night. Depending on the toner, use your hands or a cotton pad to press into the skin.

6 Face and Eye Serum > A serum is the ultimate product for transforming your skin. Serum formulations are concentrated and absorb quickly to a deeper level of the skin, delivering active ingredients to target your skin issues. During the day, use a vitamin C serum for its antioxidant benefits. Vitamin C protects the skin from free radicals while promoting healthy collagen and skin brightness. At night, use a serum that targets your skin conditions, whether it’s acne, sensitivity, hyperpigmentation, uneven texture or aging. With regular use, serums will help you tackle any skin concern and get one step closer to the radiant, healthy complexion you desire. For products with retinol, allow up to 30 minutes for penetration prior to applying moisturizer for optimal benefits.

7 Eye Products > Follow your serum with a nourishing eye cream. An eye cream will deliver targeted ingredients dosed preciously for the delicate eye area, where the skin is a little thinner, to help brighten, de-puff, and reduce the appearance of dark shadows and fine lines. Pat your eye cream gently, never rubbing or pulling at the skin.

8 Moisturize > Help your skin maintain its optimal moisture level by using a moisturizer morning and evening that helps seal and treat surface dehydration. Regardless of skin type, it’s important to moisturize twice daily. It not only encourages healthy cell turnover but helps fight the signs of aging.

9 Sun Protection > I can’t stress enough the importance of SPF all day, every day, even in winter. Daily application of SPF 15 or higher sunscreen reduces the risk of developing melanoma by 50% according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Don’t just apply it to your face; apply it to all exposed areas of skin, including your chest, neck and the back of your hands each morning.

Thrills and Chills

Local author is ‘thrilling’ to read

By Active Media Staff

Kelly Romo is a local author and retired educator with a passion for writing. She has always been fascinated by unique characters, stories and settings in books. Once her children grew up, Kelly went back to school. She completed a master’s degree in fiction at Pacific University and successfully published her first novel shortly afterward. She has published four novels so far: two historical fiction and two thrillers.

Kelly used her love of fly fishing and fly tying to create a bone-chilling thriller series set on the Deschutes River—complete with a serial killer who ties his victims’ hair in his flies. In the first two novels, she wanted to capture and incorporate the elements that make the Deschutes River special to her. She included whitewater rafting and fly fishing, the smell of sage and juniper, as well as the sound of a train chugging along the bank and the buzz of cicadas.

“DEAD DRIFT” and “I AM THE RIVER” are the first two books in the three-book Whitewater Thriller series, and they are receiving positive reviews. According to award-winning local author Craig Lesley, “Romo’s chapters with the killer are the most sinister I’ve ever read.” Kelly is currently working on book three.

Kelly incorporated fly fishing into her novels since it is an integral part of the Deschutes River. She says there is a natural peacefulness and release when she stands in a rushing river and casts her fly. Sometimes it’s like hunting. She watches the water to spot a fish or its disturbance on the surface. When she sees it, she drops her fly right before the trout and hopes it will strike. Other times, she dead drifts to make her fly mimic an actual insect on the current, drag-free with no tension on her line — which is where she came up with the title “DEAD DRIFT” for her thriller.

Kelly also ties her own flies, which are little works of art she loves to create. Her novels take a year or two to write, but she can complete a fly and hold it in her hand in twenty minutes. Since the flies are tied with feathers and fur, Kelly feels they represent the land, air, and river all bound together with thread and copper wire. Kelly needed a serial killer for her story, so why not make him a fly-tying serial killer who wraps a single strand of his victims’ hair into each of his flies?

Kelly’s second book in her Whitewater Thriller Series titled “I AM THE RIVER” just released this past June. She is also working on a third historical fiction novel. So if you love thrillers and want to read a book set in Oregon, pick up a copy of “DEAD DRIFT” and brace yourself—it is a wild ride.

For more about Kelly and her novels, visit her website at kellyromo.com.

Also Make Sure to Check out Kelly’s Historical Fiction Novels

The Best Mediterranean for 7+ Years

Same delicious and healthy cuisine, but in a new location!

— that old fixture of the downtown cityscape which had the purple octopus over the entryway. It was a favorite Portland dining spot for years, and the place where Fayad started his culinary journey. From there, he moved on to Daphne’s (another incredible Greek/Mediterranean eatery) and a few other fast food restaurants. It was there, in the fast food industry, where he gained a lot of his managerial experience, working his way up to district management, and overseeing as many as 14 locations!

Although he temporarily dipped his toe in interests beyond the food industry, he soon discovered that this was where he belonged. When a very close friend of his (who owns several Gyro House locations around town) happened to be interested in selling one of his locations, Fayad took advantage of the opportunity. Purchasing that location and transforming it into an entirely new endeavor, Fayad opened the doors to the one and only Mr. Gyros on April 20th, 2021!

By Dennis McNabb, Staff Writer

Photos by Carly Carpenter

Living in the Portland Metro Area, we are very fortunate, and perhaps a little spoiled, to have such a rich, vibrant, and flourishing food culture. We have as many restaurants serving as many fantastic and unique varieties of cuisine as the imagination can conjure. Some serve relatively standard fare: decent, hearty dishes that fill the void, but do little to excite the palate. Some serve exotic fare which tantalizes the taste buds, but is unsubstantial, and leaves you feeling unsatisfied. Still others serve food that tastes great and satisfies your hunger, but leaves you feeling overlyfull, heavy, and sluggish. Wouldn’t it be amazing to find a place that straddles the line? One that serves incredibly delicious and unique dishes that indulges your every food craving, satisfies your hunger, and leaves you feeling sated but still light on your feet? Well, that place exists, right here in Wilsonville, and it’s called Mr. Gyros Mediterranean Grill!

Fayad Zinab, owner and founder, has been in the restaurant business for over 20 years. Anyone who has lived in the greater Portland area for some time will remember the Greek Cusina

Of course, opening a new restaurant, especially during COVID, was a huge challenge, but Fayad says he was welcomed with open arms. He has had an incredible response from the community, and is grateful for the support! And, just in case you were unaware, by the time you read this article (or perhaps shortly after), Mr. Gyros will have relocated to its brand new spot next to Dotty’s Deli in the same Fred Meyer Shopping Center in Wilsonville where it was previously. So, if you go looking for your favorite gyros in town, and you see that they’ve left their old location, don’t fret! Mr. Gyros has only moved across the parking lot!

Beyond that, it’s all about the food, so let’s discuss the menu. First and foremost, and perhaps it goes without saying, but these are the best gyros in town. They are his most popular item, and a must-try for first-timers, although everything on the menu is incredible. Other local favorites

include Fayad’s Falafel (made completely from scratch, not a mix!), his Lamb Shank entrée, his Kabobs, and his various bowls.These are all Fayad’s recipes, made with his own proprietary blend of spices, and using only the highest quality, local, and ethicallysourced ingredients. It’s all

fresh and all made from scratch, even the hummus, Baba Ganoush, and Tabbouleh. And portions are exceedingly generous, so bring your appetite, but because the dishes are light and full of fresh vegetables, you won’t regret indulging. Many of the dishes are, in fact, vegetarian. So for those with dietary restrictions, this is an ideal place to find a variety of alternatives which fit your specific needs.

Try something delicious and healthy while supporting local business! Eat at Mr. Gyros today!

Mr. Gyros is located at 30200 S.W. Boones Ferry Road in the Fred Meyer Shopping Center in Wilsonville. Call 503-486-5198 for more information. Delivery is available through DoorDash.

Newspapers to Roses

The history of the Pittock Mansion

the time — many of whom leaned in the same direction. Over the next few decades Pittock expanded The Oregonian from a weekly publication to a six-day-a-week newspaper, eventually adding a Sunday edition due to popular demand. By the turn of the century, The Oregonian had become the largest newspaper in Oregon, in both circulation and popularity.

Having diversified his business interests into real estate, transportation and industry, Pittock had acquired a sizable fortune. It was this fortune that made possible the construction of his famous mansion. In 1909, Pittock hired the Oregon-born and nationally famous architect, Edward T. Foulkes, to design his dream home. The 16,000 square foot home, built on a 46-acre wooded estate, was constructed in the French Renaissance style on the exterior; however, the interior reflected a variety of styles.

By Robert Matsumura, Contributing Writer

The mansion on the hill: this is how many local residents think of the stately French Renaissance-style mansion with the red-tiled roof perched high above the city in the West Hills. One of Portland’s beloved landmarks, the Pittock Mansion has been treasured for generations, and is symbolic of the ambition, glamor and spirit of those intrepid entrepreneurs who shaped the city of Portland at the turn of the 20th century. But just who were the Pittocks, and how did they amass the fortune to build such a palatial estate in the first place?

Born in London, England and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, Henry L. Pittock learned the printing trade in his family’s printing firm while completing his education at the Western University of Pennsylvania’s preparatory school. By 1853, he had moved west to Portland, where as a poor but industrious youth, he found work at the Weekly Oregonian newspaper owned by Thomas J. Dryer. By 1854, Pittock had risen to the position of business manager and partner. By 1860, due to debts Dryer had incurred, Dryer mortgaged the newspaper to Pittock and departed town. Only 24 years old, Pittock had risen from a penniless transplant from the East Coast to the proprietor of Portland’s primary newspaper. It was in 1860 that Pittock married Georgiana Burton, a woman of privilege whose family had migrated to Portland on the Oregon Trail.

Republican, conservative and pro-Union, Pittock found himself in good company with Portland’s business elite of

Among the different styles featured on the interior were an Edwardian style mahogany-paneled dining room, a French-styled oval drawing room, an oak-paneled Jacobethan library and a Turkish smoking room with a hand-painted

Georgiana & Henry Pittock

was also designed to be a family home. While the third floor consisted of servants’ quarters and Henry’s office, the second floor included three separate suites, each consisting of bedrooms, sitting rooms with fireplaces, bathrooms and sleeping porches. Also on the third floor was a children’s playroom with space enough for riding tricycles. The underground level featured an oval billiard room with adjoining card rooms, wine cellar, vault and laundry facilities. In addition to the masterful layout of the rooms themselves, the house included technical innovations such as an elevator, walk-in refrigerator, central vacuum and dumbwaiter.

On the estate grounds was a fourstory gatekeeper’s lodge, and a three-car garage with a chauffeur’s apartment above. Renaissance style gardens and a terraced flower garden were accompanied by a tennis court and access to the nearby trails of what was to become Forest Park. Henry’s wife, Georgiana, a passionate advocate for women’s rights and a prominent local philanthropist, delighted in cultivating many varieties of roses in her flower beds.

In 1888, Georgiana founded the Portland Rose Society, and in 1889, as a benefit for her Unitarian church, organized a competition on her property for the best home-grown roses. It was from this event that Portland’s famous Rose Festival emerged.

Although construction on the Pittock Mansion was completed in 1914, with the family moving in the same year, Henry and Georgiana, sadly, were not able to enjoy the fruits of their labor for very long. Georgiana passed away in 1918, and Henry a year later.

Their family, however, continued to live in the mansion till 1958. The last family member to reside at the mansion was Peter Gantenbein, who was also born there. The house stood empty for six years, during which time it sustained damage from squatters who occupied the property and the 1962 Columbus Day Storm, which severely damaged the mansion’s roof. Recognizing the cultural and historic significance of the house, the City of Portland acquired the neglected structure in 1964 for $225,000, and in the process protected the 46-acre estate from developers who planned to turn it into a subdivision. Amazingly, some of the original craftsmen who had worked on the mansion were still alive at the time, like

Fred Baker, who had installed the lighting, and Bruno Dombrowski, who laid the wood floors. Both of these craftsmen agreed to come out of retirement to help with the restoration of the mansion, which took fifteen months.

Today the Pittock Mansion is a public museum that hosts 60-70,000 visitors per year. The estate has also been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974. Due to its unique character and striking appearance, the Pittock Mansion has garnered the attention of Hollywood on a number of occasions. In 1993, the mansion was featured prominently in the movie “Body of Evidence,” starring Madonna and Willem Dafoe. The estate was also used as the finishing point for “The Amazing Race” in the finale of the show’s 13th season. In the literary realm, the mansion figures into the plot of local author/musician, Colin Meloy’s novel, “Wildwood.”

The next time you’re driving in the West Hills, and you see a sign for the Pittock Mansion, stop by for a visit. Enjoy the breathtaking views of Portland from the grounds of this historic estate where a young, industrious entrepreneur named Henry Pittock helped lay the foundations for the city we know today, and whose wife Georgiana’s passion for roses led to Portland being known as the “City of Roses.”

“Wildwood,” The Wildwood Chronicles

Written by Colin Meloy & Illustrated by Carson Ellis

Pittock Mansion, 1964

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Thinking Inside the Box

Fair shares tools for growing children’s brains

By Patti Jo Brooks, Contributing Writer

Rotary Club of Canby and Todos Juntos of Canby/ Molalla have partnered together to bring local residents and neighboring communities a unique opportunity to explore early childhood development resources available in the area. Education and literacy, as well as maternal and child health, has always been one of Rotary’s primary focus areas. Last year’s president of Canby’s Rotary Club, Craig Johnson, was inspired by seven-year-old Molly Wright’s TED Talk: How Every Child Can Thrive by Five. Looking back on the resources and help he received with his own child, Craig was excited to collaborate with family resource advocates, Todos Juntos, on their “BrainBoxes” project. These boxes contain age-specific items ranging from infant to six years old, such as rings, blocks, toys, safety scissors, etc. to encourage hand-eye coordination and dexterity which helps pre-K children “grow their brain,” explains Craig Johnson.

Canby’s first-ever Early Childhood BrainBox and Resource Fair, a one-day event

on Thursday, Sept. 14, will be held indoors at Clackamas County Event Center’s Horning Hall from 4:30 to 8 p.m. In addition to Todos Juntos, who will be handing out free BrainBoxes to pre-registered families, numerous community partners will be onsite to present the services they offer in support of early childhood development. Preschool leaders, Head Start and early intervention representatives will be among the community partners invited to share what they do in helping young children develop their brains and prepare for kindergarten.

Interaction between a caring adult and their small child has been established as important for brain development and emotional health, especially during the first five years of life. “I wanted to do something to support small kids,” Craig says. “Inviting Todos Juntos, finding a way to work together and learning about BrainBoxes, I got so excited.” He adds, “Collaboration is one of my core values.” Rotary is helping to purchase some of the boxes, and Todos Juntos will be present at the event to familiarize recipients with some ways to play with or utilize items in the boxes. Both English and Spanish versions are available, and Jovanna Leon, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, will be present at the Todos Juntos table along with Ravin Lopez, Youth and Family Program Manager of Molalla/Canby. “Once a family registers for a BrainBox,” explains Ravin, “they are automatically included in the program until their child ages out.” Guests will also be able to participate in family activities, win prizes, learn about additional early childhood development resources, sign up for services and register for any remaining BainBoxes.

If you’re in the area and you have a small child in your life, stop by the Early Childhood BrainBox and Resource Fair for an educational and fun-filled evening!

The Early Childhood BrainBox and Resource Fair is Sept. 14, located at Clackamas County Fairgrounds, Horning Hall, 694 N.E. Fourth Avenue, Canby. For details, contact Ravin Lopez at 503-719-0610 or ravinl@todos-juntos.net.

1. Clothes

Perhaps obvious, clothes shopping is essential for your kiddo every year. Set a budget, and let your kids pick out their favorites (within reason and appropriate for its purpose). And doing this late summer will avoid crowds, lines, and the anxiety of waiting too long. If your kids wear a uniform, get them fitted and ordered sooner than later. Additionally, go through last year’s clothes to make room for new clothes!

2. School Supplies

Whether your kids are homeschooled or go to public / private school, they’ll need supplies, and most schools provide a list. Writing utensils especially, such as pencils, pens, erasers, markers, and rulers are super important. And a pencil case isn’t a bad idea either to organize your supplies.

3.Homework Station

Create a quiet, comfortable space where your kiddo can focus and do their homework with little to no distractions. Be it a desk or lap desk (my favorite) for mobile studying, they need somewhere to work. The nice thing about a desk or lap desk is it works for homework, a laptop / tablet stand, eating table, and more.

4. Backpack Drop Zone

Kids’ stuff explodes when they come home, so having a designated area is key to keeping tidy. Set up a backpack / coat station–often using a coat rack and bench combo–in a foyer, hallway, or mudroom to hang their things, such as a backpack, coat, lunchbox (when empty), and more. This will keep the clutter contained and from taking over your house!

5. Adjust Your Schedule

The school schedule is 100% different from summer when the kids are home, so get ready for those hectic early mornings now. Restart the habit of making bag lunches the night before to save time in the morning, and verify their lunch boxes are still usable. And a few weeks before school starts, have your kids start going to bed earlier each night and wake up to an alarm clock so they get in the habit when school starts. A sunrise alarm clock will gradually wake them and also works as a bedside light.