BEST LANDSCAPED BLOCK
BEST DRAGON BOAT CAUSE
BEST WAY TO TRAIN FOR HOOD TO COAST
BEST VACATION FOR SEEKING ENLIGHTENMENT
BEST SAFETY INCENTIVE
BEST LOCAL HIKE THAT ISN'T DOG MOUNTAIN

Best Landscaped Block
Sean Hogan and Parker Sanderson worked as horticulturalists at, respectively, the arboretum of the University of California at Davis and the botanical garden of the University of California at Berkeley. They brought more than 4,000 kinds of plants when they moved to Portland four years ago, only a fraction of which would fit (even given their predilection for cram-scaping) into the lot of their rental house at 2827 NE 11th Ave. Proving that even good fences can't stop good neighbors, they began to treat the rest of the block as an extension of their own beds, passing off plants and designing plots, with neighbor discounts and a heavy subsidy of plant material. Their passion for horticulture has spread like kudzu through the neighborhood, and since they use the local beds partly as a testing ground for Cistus, their design firm, the unusual and attractive gardens they create include specimens you won't find anywhere else in the city.

Best Dragon Boat Cause
Racing down the river at the Rose Festival, one dragon boat team had a mission to prove: "There is quality life after breast cancer." Clad in neon pink, the official color of breast cancer awareness, the members of the Pink Phoenix dragon boat team are all breast cancer survivors dedicated to raising awareness about the disease. Competing for the second year, Pink Phoenix boats placed sixth and 10th this June. The team also took home the Gorman Memorial Cup, in honor of the late Michele Gorman, founding captain of the Pink Phoenix.

Best Way to Train for Hood to Coast
When you signed up, it sounded like nothing more than the state's biggest slumber party, complete with a cool T-shirt, free massages in the team van and all the beer you can drink at the finish line in Seaside. But here's a little eye-opener for you: In two months you're going to have to run three legs, around 15 miles total, over a mere 24 hours or so. That's the kind of grueling pace that fills up area doctors' offices with blown knees in the weeks following the Hood-to-Coast relay. If you haven't been training, don't panic. The folks at the Oregon Road Runners Club promise that even if you can barely struggle through a few miles, they can get you into shape, whether you're looking for training motivation or just to get on a regular exercise program. They have four coaches who specialize in developing moderate training programs for everyone from trepidatious beginners to seasoned marathoners. The group meets every Thursday evening at Lewis & Clark College. The cost is $75 for six months, $99 for 12. Once you join, you become a member of Team Oregon, which gets you discounts at local running stores and road runs. Call 646-7867 for more information.

Best Vacation for Seeking Enlightenment
Forget the glut of Titanic-inspired luxury cruises. Do you really need to gain weight, improve your shuffleboard skills and risk your life doing a Winslet on the bow? Let Orca Sailing (800-664-6049) take you on six-day trip, starting in Portland, through the San Juans or Gulf Islands of British Columbia ($995-$1,195). You can learn about Jungian psychology, hatha yoga and sailing, while munching painstakingly prepared vegetarian Thai food. Don't be scared off by the touchy-feely aspect of Orca; Capt. Michael Sawyer is a fun, down-to-earth guy who likes hanging out and exploring the islands. His boat is a giant Benetau yacht; each trip is limited to six guests, who are accommodated in comfortable, roomy cabins, and his guest instructors are always part of the boat's social life.

Best Safety Incentive
Usually boaters bristle when Coast Guard vessels pull them over, but these days the perception of patrollers on the water has shifted from curmudgeonly cops to ice-cream officers. The Coast Guard, Marine Patrol Officers and Power Squadron do routine boardings to enforce federal and state safety regulations throughout the boating season (April-September). Federal law requires that there be one personal flotation device to fit each sailor on board a moving boat--they don't necessarily need to be wearing the life jackets. The new, tougher Oregon law insists that any child 12 or younger must be wearing a flotation device. Employing the age-old reward of ice cream, the Oregon State Marine Board and Dairy Queen have teamed up to prevent a repeat of last summer's drownings by doling out coupons for cones to anyone 16 or under who's properly buckled in.

Best Local Hike That Isn't Dog Mountain
Silver Star Mountain is close enough to downtown for an after-work jaunt and scenic enough for a full day's excursion. It takes less than an hour to get there, and it's well worth it. From Portland, take I-5 North to Exit 1A (eastbound Washington 14) and drive 16 miles to the Washougal exit (15th Street). Turn left and drive north on what becomes 17th Street and then Washougal River Road. Go seven miles, then turn left at the Bear Prairie sign and head steeply uphill. After three miles turn left onto Skamania Mines Road, which after about three miles crosses a bridge and becomes a gravel road. You'll pass a major gravel road coming in from the right and then turn left at the fork with the wooden sign that reads "Picnic Area 6 Miles; Yacolt 22 Miles." Continue for almost six miles to a pass with parking for several cars. Once you're out of the car, it's less than a seven-mile hike to the top of the mountain. From the summit, you can see from Three Sisters to Mount Rainier and all the volcanoes in between. At 4,400 feet, it's higr than Dog, but less steep on the way up. Don't be in too much of a hurry--even late in the summer the trail is bordered by wildflowers.