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Portland Picks wades through the cultural swamp to pluck the most luscious
offerings in town. We cover our favorite topics: fashion, retro-inspired
everything, music, dining, shopping, travel and more. Portland Picks, all
about your life....with style.
A few of our favorite things:
Portland Picks likes swanky little boutiques that feature independent
and up and coming designers. We love intimate restaurants, dining with
atmosphere and amazing food. We love to discover out-of-the way holes-in-the-wall,
pampering experiences, ultra-cool nightlife. Each newsletter will cover
a few of our favorite things for you to ponder and perhaps experience
for yourself. So kick-back and enjoy, and then discover!
Portland Picks:
Valentine’s Day is around the corner and it’s time to think
about what to do. Oooh, the pressure. Well, we have the simple solution.
Take yourself and your significant other, or yourself and your girlfriend,
or heck, just your lovely self, to the Barefoot Sage on Hawthorne
for a little well-deserved pampering. Make an evening appointment and make
a real date out of it. It’s such a unique, unconventional atmosphere
and indulgent experience. Entering the dimly-lit earthy room, you’ll
first notice the raised shabby chic-y love seats. You’ll sink into
comfort, sip your hot tea, and think you’ve died and gone to heaven.
But that’s just the beginning. You’ll order your “Foot
Zen” which is a lovely warm herbal infused footbath and magnificent
deep foot massage. It’s incredibly decadent because it’s all
about you. No means to an end, nothing to check off your To Do list, just
simple meditative chillin’. And you deserve it. Happy Valentine’s
Day. We love you! ( And p.s., by spa-like standards, it’s cheap!) Barefoot
Sage, www.thebarefootsage.com,
503.239.7116 1844 SE Hawthorne
Now kick up those well-relaxed heels and zip across the river to Zipadees
on NW 23rd. Do a little browsing, then sit back and relax in the 60’s
decoTeen Lounge. Read your Tiger Beat and watch some tube in between all
that tiresome shopping. Zipadees labels itself a Teen store, but we are a
wee bit older than that and we were delighted with the treasures we found.
It is for all ages. We stocked up on the baby gifts: cowboy burp rags, charm
bracelets, CicciaBella Baby Booties, a gray flannel diaper bag (which we
choose to use as a brief case, thank you very much). They have the coolest
t-shirt collection, clever hunky sterling silver necklaces with glass lockets,
wonderful beauty goodies from favorites like Jacqua (Night Cap and Sweet
Face) and Knotty Girl. You will want to curl up in the groovy girl teen lounge
and hang out all day. Zipadees, 806 NW 23rd.
Now to pay for it all. Umpqua Bank in the Pearl.
Man! This is the life. If you want a grown-up “clubhouse”, this
is for you. This is where you must do your banking….socializing, relaxing,
reading, sipping, and man-spying (if you’re single). This is your new
hangout. Forget the no-fee checking and all the other wonderful perks, you
just want to move-in here. This is banking your style, and how it should
be. It’s truly amazing! Read the selection of papers, watch CNBC, do
a little emailing or web surfing, eat some donuts, and even help yourself
to their quarters if your parking runs out. Umpqua Bank in the Pearl. Where
else can you feel good about Free-checking and Free-loading?! Umpqua Bank,
1139NW Lovejoy Street.
Eats:
Breakfast at the Daily Café.
This may very well be the perfect restaurant. Perfect in the way that
a Jil Sander navy wool suit is perfect. One moment the jacket goes with
a funky t-shirt, jeans and boots. Add a mini skirt you're ready for the
club. In a pinch, add some sparkly jewels and sexy Manolos, you could
work your way into the crowd at a black tie and you'd be just fine. Perfect
in the way that Julia and Jacques (as in Pepin) teach us to cook. It's
the technique - not the recipe. It’s simple, it’s consistently
delicious, and it fits anything you’re up for.
Daily Cafe sports a very spare interior, or as most (NY) reviewers would
say " ...it's a clean well lighted place...." replete with exposed
ductwork and polished concrete floors. Lutece it is not. In that regard,
it is "kid friendly". For that matter, any restaurant with concrete
floors is, by definition, "kid friendly". But like the Jil Sander
blazer, it changes throughout the day. For breakfast and lunch it is something
of a local cafeteria, in the evening, the lights are dimmed and there
is wine and table service.
On Saturday, they serve a very traditional breakfast. Their buttermilk
pancakes are great. On Sunday, they serve a more inventive brunch with
things like huevos rancheros "a mi manera" - two corn cakes
topped with black beans, two fried eggs, ranchero salsa and sour cream.
Order a triple rasher of applewood smoke bacon to wash that down. Their
baking is all done on the premises and is second to none. If they bake
it - order it and eat it. You will not be disappointed. Their soups are
wonderful, as are any of the sandwiches and large quiches. Boxers or briefs?
I prefer Saturday to Sunday.
This restaurant reminds us of one we visited very often in NY's SoHo.
Much to our chagrin, it eventually closed. We found out through the grapevine
that the owners just burned out. It was just too much work to keep the
prices this reasonable and the quality this high. By Portland standards,
or NYC for that matter, this has been around awhile now, and it’s
a keeper. We hope it stays that way.
Pick Lit:
 Eat.Shop.Portland
We LOVE this book. It’s our long-lost soul sister. We sleep with
it under our pillow just so we can dream all about our favorite subjects:
Eating and Shopping. Kaie Wellman has cut to the chase with the perfect
ensemble of charming and unique city boutiques and funky ‘eats’.
It’s well put together in our favorite colors and includes plenty
of photos to get your heart racing. A must-have!
(Makes a great gift!) To order, visit: www.eatshopportland.com
Website Pick of the Week:
www.shesheme.com
Must-have Music Pick:
 Mona
Lisa Smile, various artists
The movie may have been much ado about nothing, but not so with the soundtrack.
Think fresh new artists singing ‘50s classics. Seal’s rendition
of “Mona Lisa Smile” is not to be believed, and Chris Isaak’s
“Besame Mucho” is so sexy! Also look for Elton John, Tori
Amos & Macy Gray.
Skip the movie (or rent it later), but pick up this cd…
Portland Picks Cocktail of the Week:
There’s no getting around it; it’s January, and that means
it’s [nearly] Superbowl and major basketball playoffs month.
Hey, we’re not saying we’re not sports fans, but does the
entire month have to revolve around it?
If you’re feeling a little under-appreciated, and you’re
tired of spending perfectly good shopping days in dark sports bars checking
out the “oh so uninterested in you right now”, then hang onto
the last scrap of your girlhood by ordering (or mixing) a Portland Picks
Chicks Fix!
Now, close your eyes and pretend you’re in the shoe section at
Barneys (go to www.cocktail.com for even more awesome drink recipes).
The Portland Picks Chicks Fix (we couldn’t help ourselves;)
1/2 lemon or lime
1 tsp. Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. water
Shaved Ice
1 1/2 oz. Coconut Rum
1 oz. Pineapple Vodka
Lemon Slice
In a 12-ounce Tom Collins glass, squeeze juice of lemon or lime. Add
sugar and water and stir. Fill glass with shaved ice. Add rum and vodka.
Stir well. Serve with a slice of lemon and a straw. Makes one 12 ounce
serving. (Please always drink responsibly.)
Guilty Pleasures:
 Who
knew a secret ingredient like marshmallow could make your hair so soft and
satiny?
Knotty Girl’s new whimsical line of hair and skin products is
our new fave…and they smell almost good enough to eat!
We’re crazy about the Drama Queen Marshmallow Moisture Balance
Shampoo and Cream Rinse Conditioner, but we’re also dying to
try the Pink Princess Cotton Candy Shampoo.
If fruity’s more your scene, check out the Growing Goddess
Green Apple Conditioner or the Darling Diva Peach Bubbling Bath.
Check out the whole line at www.bigelowchemists.com
or pop into Zipadee’s on NW 23rd.
Pick Sightings – What We're Seeing Now:
- Comfy, furry boots – we’re talking lace-up Eskimo
style…
- Colorful, patent leather pumps…think Mary Janes with
an attitude!
- Scarlett, Scarlett, Scarlett --- but in silk it pops even more…
- Cute knit or crocheted hats with flower appliques.
- Faux fur collars --- Go to http://www.girlshop.com
and visit the Faux Fury Boutique for fun interpretations with tweed
and other fab fabrics.
- White Teeth. Get to a dentist and/or alter your drinking habits
(Red Bull v. coffee; white wine v. red); it’s the best winter accessory!
- Cascading chiffon in skirts, tops & dresses
- Layering with everything --- tanks with tees, skirts with fun
lace overlays
- Lip Balms in surprising flavors --- Twinkies, Cinnabons &
Reeses? Check your local Rite Aid or Walgreens Store. Reminds us of the
old Bonne Bell Lip Smackers…just more decadent!
- Mexico-inspired shirts, skirts & dresses (Could it be we’re
just dying for a tan and some sun?)
- Fishnets over hued hose (not florescent ladies!) with sexy
little skirts
- Chandelier earrings? Still hot, but try a streamlined single
drop earring for major impact!
- Cropped, wide-leg cargo pants
- Bows on shirts and dresses --- especially when creating an
empire waist look…
- Caffeinated Mints
- Emergen-C: A must once a day to stay healthy. Stock up at Natures/Wild
Oats.
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