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November 2nd, 2007
So you survived a week of Portland Picks for Men. All that testosterone! We swear just thinking about all those Portland guys makes us a little light-headed, and we get the urge to talk like Southern belles and say things like “I declare!” and “I’m gettin’ the vapors!” (And can someone please tell us: Is “getting the vapors” a euphemism for, um, tooting???) In any case, thank you so much for indulging us in our first PPFM outing. Did you tell the guys you know to sign up? No fair keeping all the Picks-y secrets to yourselves, ladies. Anyhoo, now it’s back to business as usual … lots and lots of girl stuff. I declare! |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Make a Bee Line We love fall—cozy sweaters, darling topcoats and leg-lengthening boots. But we shudder at Puddletown’s wet season, when Mother Nature drenches our precious lambskin handbags. A girl can’t leave home without her stuff, and we’re not about to wrap everything up in plastic. (New fashion statement—we think not!) But don’t despair. We found some stylish carryalls that are water resistant, eco-friendly and oh-so-cute. Queen Bee Creations, now celebrating 10 years of crafty goodness, has a new line of Re-Wool totes (big enough for your laptop) and adorable satchels (with colorful blooms you can change depending on your mood), all handmade from recycled wool felt scraps. How about one-of-a-kind graphic messenger bags cut and assembled from reclaimed outdoor banners—can we just say, great idea? And of course, we can’t resist their fall line of sweet vinyl totes, purses, truckette bags and wallets, all pieced by hand and lovingly stitched with birds, botanicals and whimsical designs. With so many fetching rainy-day options, what are you waiting for? Buzz on over to the studio and tell them Portland Picks put a bee in your bonnet. Queen Bee Creations |
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| 2 | Life on the Fringe We were counting down the hours until all the cool Halloween parties, because of course we wanted the perfect costume. But a peek into our closet revealed we had nothing good to wear this year. We wanted to be the belle of the ball, unique and stylish, but we just aren't that creative, and Goodwill is, well, old school. What was a girl to do? Lucky for us, Fringe Vintage recently opened in NW Portland, unveiling a wondrous collection of retro clothes from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Their small space offered endless possibilities with tops, sweaters, skirts, slips, pants, jeans and more. And you can complete your ensemble with cute accessories from head to toe. The best part about Fringe Vintage? We can add a touch of fun and funky vintage wear to our everyday wardrobe, long after Halloween, and sport these clothes year-round. And they created our only dilemma for Halloween: too many cool things to choose from! Did we want to be an 80s prom queen or a 50s housewife? A rock star or a debutante? We settled on all four—why not? Fringe Vintage |
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| 3 | Endless Summer We're not the only ones who are in denial that summer is over. While we're freezing our toes off in last season's sandals, new ice cream and frozen yogurt shops are cropping up everywhere. As true Portlanders, we love sticking it to the man, Old Man Winter, that is. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold (and with lots of toppings), so take that, Winter! Skinnidip, the latest addition to our fro-yo scene, is a sunny spot for indulging in four guilt-free flavors: original, mango, raspberry and strawberry. All are non-fat, low-cal, and sans preservatives or additives, and pleasantly tangy with just enough sweet richness to make you forget they’re healthy. Toppings include fresh seasonal fruit such as pomegranate and honeydew, and naughtier selections like Cap'n Crunch and marshmallows. Our favorite combo this week is original and mango swirl with fresh honeydew. Yum! Although summer is over, we take cold comfort in knowing that Skinnidip will be open all winter. So stop by, but before you get brain freeze, remember to tell them who sent you! Skinnidip |
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| 4 | Steak Service at Ramen Prices For an entire summer, our cousin lived in New York City on a strict budget of $1 per meal. There were lots of beans and ramen noodles, and when a visitor swiped a plum, it meant no breakfast. If she had spent those months in Portland, Bishop's Barbershops would have been her savior. Bishop's, the Salon, however, would have been her downfall … our family blood doesn’t run thicker than martini manicures! Indeed, we’ve fallen hard for the new salon in the Pearl, which offers an upgrade from Pabst to house-made cocktails, the waiting list has become real appointments, and you get a shampoo instead of a spray down. And they don’t just cut hair in this sleek, chic and all-white environment; they’ve branched out to waxing and nails, with comfy pedicure stations that can be closed off from the rest of the space. Be sure to check out the color dryers that process hair with infrared technology and reduce processing time in half, allowing you to touch up those roots over lunch … whether or not it includes ramen. Bishops, the Salon |
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| 5 | All Grown Up We've seriously outgrown our mishmash of hand-me-down furniture and we're ready to take the next step toward adulthood: buying new furniture. We'd love a sleek Italian-leather sofa, but unfortunately they're just not practical for extended periods of sitting, snuggling or napping. We want a sofa that can withstand the rigors of pets, kids and couch-potato husbands, but it also has to be beautiful and affordable. Good luck, right? Luckily, our Picks-trained eyes spotted Modurne as we were driving down Macadam. An illegal U-turn later and we had finally found it—a sleek sofa of utmost quality that was also cozy and inviting. Expecting major sticker shock, we were happy to learn that the owners keep costs low and pass those savings onto the customers. They specialize in beautiful, functional furniture that fits our casually elegant lifestyle. Plus they have impeccable taste and offer their design services for free! So did the sofa pass the husband test? Well, let's just say that he wouldn't mind spending the night on it, and neither would we. |
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| 6 | I Wanna Dance! At our most recent “Girl’s Night In,” we joined nearly a dozen normally professional women and plopped in front of the tube with something like seven bags of popcorn, eight kinds of candy and two cheesy ’80s movies, natch. It was post-movie and at the peak of our sugar high when we did something wild—we choreographed a dance of our own. Sure, we giggled like eighth graders the entire length of it, and it was perhaps the saddest dance of all time. But it reminded us how fun and cardio-fabulous it was to bust a move. At Vega Dance + Lab, they have hot classes like hip hop, lyrical, street jazz and tease + tone, creatively put into action by instructors who bring a bit of sass and high energy to the floor. And since we haven’t really done much dancing since grade school, we especially love that Vega caters to all abilities and is adults-only (especially since we’re inspired by the moves of a young, pre-“Sex and the City” SJP—you know the movie). Vega Dance + Lab |
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| 7 | Double Your Pleasure In two seconds flat we can decide where to go on vacation, if we should dump our boyfriend, and what to have for lunch, but put us in front of a display case loaded with shiny things and we lose all sense of reason. So—no surprise—we love Flutter. With an ever-changing array of fabulous objects—from goth knickknacks like hands and crows to opulent soaps and lotions, exotic greeting cards, Victorian wrapping paper and vintage furniture—we have literally spent hours here. And now they’re expanding—almost doubling in size—and bringing in new home items, new jewelry, custom furniture (choose your fabrics and appliqués!) ... plus a whole corner devoted to Frocky Jack Morgan for vintage wedding dresses, ball gowns and ballerina outfits that are reconstructed into decadent modern fashions. And did we mention Flutter will offer online shopping in December? Tell your friends! Or better yet, bring them to Flutter’s Grand Reopening Party next Thursday, Nov. 8, from 5-9 pm. See the big space, check out the new frocks, and have a glass of champagne! Flutter |
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| 8 | Hour of (Beauty) Power One time in college, a nasty ex-boyfriend called us high-maintenance. At first we were offended, but the more we thought about it, the more we realized something—being high-maintenance only means we take extra great care of ourselves—especially our skin—and that’s a good thing! To prepare our skin for winter, we had a European Facial at Amorice Skin Care. Owner Raquel Rodriguez treated us to a papaya enzyme mask, and toned, moisturized and rubbed. Not only did she rub our face, she rubbed our necks, shoulders and arms. Ahhh… She extracted all sorts of miscreants from our pores and left us with a beautiful, clean glow. We were so relaxed after an hour of pampering that we could hardly stand up. We looked in the mirror at home and not only did our skin look smooth, but it felt smooth too—no trace of blackheads, whiteheads or those pesky dry patches. Amorice means “love of life,” and after this facial, we have a new one. We may be hi-maint, but we’ve sure got good lookin’ skin! Amorice Skin Care |
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| Party Idea of the Week: | |||
An Inflatable Kingdom Birthday Bash! Who says birthday parties are just for kids? While Inflatable Kingdom offers awesome children’s birthday parties, it’s also the perfect location for hosting an adult birthday party, or any other event you're dreaming up! And we’re talking private parties—you don’t have to share with anyone else, in true “it’s my party” fashion. Want a casino night? You can do it here. Mini-golf, game tables, carnival games, laser tag, entertainers, game shows—even Pizzicato pizza—Inflatable Kingdom makes birthday wishes come true. Inflatable Kingdom |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Diaper Bag as Fashion Statement? Our friend has a major Coach fetish. She’ll buy a purse to celebrate a new job, birthday or even just getting up in the morning. When she has kids, our guess is that she’ll obsess over diaper bags too, so we know where to send her—Oregon-based Baby Oliver Boutique. Pick from the simplicity of Skip Hop, the fun and funky fabrics of OiOi or the glam-a-rama of Fleurville’s G-Luxe line. And if bags aren’t your bag, you’ll find enough bedding, accessories, art and toys to keep any impulse shopper (for baby) on their toes! |
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| 2 | Blast from the Past Some of you may be too young for Shrinky Dinks, but us old farts have fond memories of spending afternoons coloring on weird plastic sheets, popping them in the oven, and then watching them bake til just the right moment so we could give them to Tim, our second-grade crush, as an expression of our love. Say hello to Kinky Dinks, sexy shrink art—the perfect marriage of a childish pastime and some truly saucy imagery. Wonder what Tim is doing now? Hmmm… |
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| 3 | Eat What You Like We love when someone says we look thin, but we also love food. This is a dilemma for us because eating chocolate cake doesn’t help with that whole skinny thing—but we’re hungry, for the love of cats! Luckily, we have a new best friend—Hungry Girl. Her website is full of low-fat recipes, products and suggestions. And we actually like her fun-foodish recipes—chicken fingers, milkshakes and pasta alfredo—all low-cal! What could be better? Check her out—your thighs will be so happy you did. |
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| 4 | Flavor Flav and the Funky Bunch Breath Palatte’s unique toothpastes make brushing fun in a grown-up sort of way. With 32 flavors, including Sweet Salt, Tropical Pineapple, Fuji Apple and Caramel, it’s a funky mix of gourmet and mundane. We think we love it. |
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| 5 | 20/20 Style We’ve all heard the saying that guys don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses, but we wear them and can assure you it’s just not true. Frames are more stylish than ever and can be as attention-getting an accessory as a hot pair of heels. For those seeking cute and chic, we highly recommend Amy Sacks’ new bamboo eyewear collection, designed by local maven Ann Sacks. Whether you want renewable readers or green glasses, our vision’s definitely 20/20 when it comes to these beauties. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Head to Greenloop Tonight! Celebrate First Friday at Greenloop, and meet Sameunderneath designer Ryan Christensen! He’ll be schmoozing and previewing the Spring 08 collection (in case anyone missed it at Portland Fashion Week). Want more? Greenloop is taking 20% off all fall Sameunderneath styles tonight. Enjoy free beverages and stock up on Sameunderneath's incredible bamboo blends for men and women! |
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| 2 | Give a Gift That Captures a Moment A gift certificate to Moving Pictures makes a fab holiday present for just about anyone—loved ones, friends, co-workers… And if you haven’t taken your family portraits yet, now is the time! (You’ll need them in time for holiday mailings.) Moving Pictures takes gorgeous photographs that tell a story, so your gift is guaranteed to be remembered for years to come. What: Gift certificates to Moving Pictures |
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| 3 | “The Art of Accessorizing” What: The Art of Accessorizing Cocktail & Shopping Party |
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| 4 | Healing the Dieting Mind Be Nourished invites you to a free lecture about the harmful cycle of dieting, called “Nourishing the Body and Mind,” to discuss how we change, why we diet, and offer recommendations for a satisfying relationship with food and body. Or sign up for “Skills in Conscious Eating,” from Nov. 26-Dec. 17, $35/week, just in time for the holidays. What: “Nourishing the Body and Mind” free lecture |
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| 5 | Make a (Delicious) Difference As you get ready for the holidays, take along a cookbook from the Junior League of Portland. All proceeds support the work they do in the community, such as the Child’s Relief Nursery, Between the Lines, and more. Their latest book, “Raindrops to Roses,” delivers more than 130 elegant recipes from the Pacific Northwest and highlights local ingredients. What: Junior League Cookbooks (make great gifts!) |
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| 6 | Anniversary Sale at Bella Moda Designs You’re unique, and your shoes should be, too! High-tail it down to Bella Moda Designs this Saturday for 20% off the entire store. Shoes and boots from around the world—designs you’ll only find here! This is a bear-hug thank you from Bella Moda Designs to you, their loyal customers, for four exciting years! What: Anniversary Sale at Bella Moda Designs |
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Have you seen a new spot in your hood that looks Pick-able? Email picks@portlandpicks.com—or just reply to this email—and let us know about it! |
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