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November 30th, 2007
Who woulda thunk it? This is issue #200 for Portland Picks! A true milestone, especially since it all started as just a wee little email update that was sent to friends to tell them about new shops & stuff. Now we have more than 15,000 local friends, and hopefully we’ll make even more in 2008. (So please—tell your friends about us!) To thank you gals (and guys) for being so darn awesome, we’ve asked some of the spots we’re featuring this week to give you a little sumpin-sumpin to make your experiences even better. So please stop in to all of them, enjoy the discounts, and tell them Portland Picks sent you! |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Make Your Month Exotic We’ve been known to describe Portland as “exotic” to our friends who have never been here, because where else can you get married in a doughnut shop or bike naked? In fact, we think that Portland has its own brand of “exotic” that is very hard to miss when you look around. If you’re looking for a more traditional exotic, however, check out one of the coolest new shops in town—Chinoise Home and Fashion Boutique. Chinoise is home to one of the most eclectic mixes of antiques, modern furniture, personal accessories and home décor that we’ve seen in Portland—or anywhere else for that matter. In December, owner Stephanie Wang will begin selling women’s clothing imported from places like Shanghai and Paris—where the bulk of her merchandise comes from, as well. If you want exotic, you’ll leave Chinoise with new treasures and a new look. You might even stand out among the “exotic” crowd of Portland! And in honor of Portland Picks’ 200th issue, tell them that Portland Picks sent you and they’ll give you 10% off your purchase! Chinoise Home and Fashion Boutique |
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| 2 | What’s Old is Cool Again It’s the season where we think about buying gifts for our friends, our family, our coworkers, our bosses. But … people! This is Portland! You know who else needs some love? Your house! It takes good care of you all year and what kind of thanks do you give it? Yeah. We thought so. So why don’t you take a big ole stocking to Old Portland, our town’s newest and coolest shop for all the stuff your house wants but is totally afraid to ask for. You can check out some of the more outlandish stuff—an ostrich-leg lamp! An anvil from 1916! Or pick up items that will simply make your house more welcoming, like antique hooks and Victorian door casings. All arranged in a way that makes it easy to picture them in your home. Old Portland also has an amazing selection of leaded, beveled, and stained glass; much of it is displayed in the entrance, and when the light hits it right, the place looks enchanted. Don’t you want the same for your home? We thought so. And for Portland Picks readers, from now through December 31 you’ll get 10% off all leaded and beveled glass windows, just by mentioning Portland Picks! You’re welcome. Old Portland |
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| 3 | Shop a Wonderland for the Holidays Fa la la blah. We need more and more excitement each year to make the holidays sing! Heck, we need Jimmy Stewart running down the street and a stocking full of diamonds—but then again, there’s the “Decemberville” event in SE Portland’s Sellwood and Westmoreland neighborhoods…. The month-long holiday event kicks off Saturday, Dec. 1, and ongoing activities will be held every Saturday in December, as well as the Sunday before Christmas. Saturdays will include carolers, twinkling lights, and horse-drawn carriages to take you to and from your cars! The big finale is a community-wide sale on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 29 and 30. Each of the 90 participating business will display a creatively decorated wreath, six of which will conceal a secret item to be found as part of a month-long scavenger hunt. You can vote on your favorite wreaths and seek out the secret items all month long, plus enter in a raffle to win gift certificates donated by neighborhood businesses! Decemberville maps and contest information will be available at each participating business. Suddenly, it’s a month to remember! Decemberville: eat . shop . enjoybulate |
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| 4 | Hip Kids A friend recently said that we’re like a middle-schooler when it comes to boys. Something about crushes and giggling and that we’re “too old for that sort of thing.” Not only is she wrong, we wish she would have thought a little younger. See, if we were toddler-age, we’d fit right in at Little Urbanites! LU is the hot new addition to the Pearl, opening just this weekend. Inside are all the furnishings for a modern nursery—convertible cribs, Eames rockers, Baby bedding and oodles of well-designed options from Nordic climes. And there’s more to offer than just décor. You’ll also find cute clothes for tots (including vintage-inspired options from the store’s own label), cards, and plushies, all perfect for gift-giving. Watch for more specialty lines to arrive, including Stokke, Seimi, Moppit and Edenstar, most of which are hard, if not impossible, to find in the U.S. Don’t forget to mention Portland Picks—for a limited time, you’ll get a free Little Urbanites doll when you do! Little Urbanites |
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| 5 | Diamond In the Rough |
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| 6 | Seasonal Sparkle We recently made friends with a gal who is every bit like us. It’s almost to the point where we tattoo each others’ names on our sleeves. We didn’t know how far it went until we found we are both very proud sisters when it comes to our collections of holiday decor. In a true BFF moment, we planned an evening a week in advance to check out Bridgeport Village’s new seasonal gift and decor shop, The Find. We swooned at the tall trees with glitter, beads, wrapped wire and feathers, the beautiful wreaths, sparkly this and sparkly that. It was then we started planning our annual holiday soiree, once we’d found the party platters, cake stands and appetizer plates, bejeweled and glamorous—which we so adore. Of course, we’re not exclusive with our holiday decorating—and neither is The Find, whose inventory shifts nearly every month. Now, when St. Patty’s Day approaches, we’ll know just where to go for that dash—or full-on spread—of seasonal cheer. Mention Portland Picks and receive 10% off ornaments from Dec. 3-6! The Find |
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| Item of the Week: | |||
We saw these in India and brought one all the way home … then lost it in a move. So when we heard that Rebecca from Kush Carpets came back from a trip to India with a worn-down pair of shoes and a cache of these amazing patchwork textiles, we knew we found our holiday gifts. Each one of these dazzling Rajastani works of art is unique. Created with remnant Saris and other northwestern Indian textiles, they’re the ultimate expression of Recycling as Art. Each one is about 3 x 5 feet, and at only $120 each, they’re about 10 times cheaper than a passage to India. Kush Hand-Knotted Carpets |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Don’t Get Us Wrong As much as we love fashion, sometimes it’s hard to get it right. We leave the house thinking “this will do” and then see other people’s outfits and think “oh no we did-int!” One place we never get it wrong is Phlox, who just expanded their Mississippi Avenue storefront to the World Wide Web! Now beautiful, feminine pieces by designers like Corey Lynn Carter, Level 99 and Lili Bleu are available online. You’ll also find fabu accessories (perfect holiday/hostess gifts), from jewelry to books. Save 10% off your in-store purchase when you visit Phlox this weekend and mention Portland Picks! |
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| 2 | Gifts That Build During the holidays, the excess of what we have is highly contrasted with what others need. So this year we’re adding a hammer, nails and a kitchen sink to our gift list … through Habitat for Humanity’s Gift That Builds program. Give your friends and family an honorary gift to help build a Habitat house. Your giftee will receive a commemorative ornament, you will receive a tax-deduction and a hardworking family will be able to buy a decent, affordable home. |
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| 3 | Memories in a Bottle Anniversaries, birthdays and other special occasions often come with an important accessory—a bottle of champagne or wine! Unfortunately, saving these glassy memories is not always practical. |
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| 4 | Kissably Delicious Our luscious lips are always the first victims of winter weather. And, as much as we love exfoliants, many of them are just too harsh for our delicate skin. That’s why we love Treat’s new Cacao Lip Scrub. Extra gentle and 100% edible, it helps lipstick and gloss slide on and last longer than ever. Sure, it might not substitute for a candy bar, but it’s sweet, citrusy and totally natural. And now, no matter what the season, we’ll be ready with our most passionate pucker. |
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| 5 | Music to Our Ears We are so wiped after stuffing holiday cards that we almost don’t have the energy for (gasp!) shopping! We’d like to knock out the cards and gifts all at once, and Ringo Baby’s got just the thing with its customized holiday card CD covers. You take care of the song selection (legally downloaded, of course) and CD burning, and Ringo Baby does the rest. They include your message and photos, add your song list inside and even include the coordinating CD sticker labels. |
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| Event of the Week | |||
Don't miss a night of one-of-a-kind jewels like you've never seen before. Emily-Jane will be unveiling jewels of 18k gold, precious gems and the rarest of vintage Swarovski crystals. From sexy to sweet you'll find the most lovely pieces for yourself and of course wonderful items for holiday gifts. Enjoy a complementary holiday ornament with any purchase, plus cocktails, hors d'oeurves and photos of you and your friends celebrating the season. What: Emily-Jane Holiday Party |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Designer Sample Sale—One Day Only! Don’t miss the Designer Sample Sale! We’re considering camping out for this one—it’s the easiest holiday shopping you’ll do, with 15 vendors under one roof. Everything from clothing for men, women and baby to accessories like totally adorable totes, cellphone accessories, hats, supercute socks, wallets and more! Bring cash, wear flats, and we suggest carbo-loading, too. |
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| 2 | Recipes for the Holidays: “Portland’s Palate” As you get ready for the holidays, take along a cookbook from the Junior League of Portland. All proceeds support their community work, such as the Child’s Relief Nursery, Between the Lines, and more. “Portland’s Palate” won the 1993 West Regional Tabasco Community Cookbook Award, and features more than 270 recipes, from holiday cookies to elegant hors d'oeuvres. |
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| 5 | Tis the Season for the Mississippi Social! Get into the holiday spirit on Mississippi Ave this holiday season! The December Mississippi Social is Dec. 13, and will feature the Holiday Decoration Contest, along with plenty of wine, cider, art, music and shopping. The stores are amazing (clothes for man/woman/child, home décor, food, wine and more!) and the restaurants and bars will be jumping! What: December Mississippi Social |
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| 6 | Open House at Lucy Palmer Boutique Tis the season to celebrate in style! Grab your girlfriends and hurry over to Lucy Palmer Boutique's Holiday Open House this weekend. Enjoy festive drinks, nibbles, and even candy canes while you shop! It’s a girly wonderland—jewelry, home décor, clever gifts and cards—everything glam and sparkly and perfect for friends, loved ones, coworkers … and yourself! What: Open House at Lucy Palmer Boutique |
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| 7 | Mark Your Calendars: Butterscotch Open House Mark your calendars! Get your holiday shopping on and put your own must-haves on Butterscotch’s Wish List, so your special someone knows exactly what to get you! Stop in next weekend for their holiday open house to shop for ornaments, holiday gifts, office-party gifts, hostess gifts, and their spot-on selection of baby gifts, jewelry and fantastic handbags! What: Holiday Open House at Butterscotch |
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| 8 | Ainsworth Holiday Home Tour Tour fabulous homes and benefit the Ainsworth Elementary PTA! Walk through five Portland Heights homes decorated in traditional and contemporary styles, inspired by the holidays, plus refreshments at Ascension Chapel. Tickets available at Strohecker’s (2855 SW Patton Road), Westside Zupan’s Markets (Burnside & 23rd Ave, Raleigh Hills & Macadam Ave.) and the Ainsworth Elementary School Office (2425 SW Vista Ave.) What: Ainsworth Holiday Home Tour |
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| 10 | Holiday Sale and Benefit Night at Garden Fever! A band of local, creative artists and crafters called “Feast on Art” are getting together for a two-day holiday sales event at Garden Fever, plus entertainment by The Chorus of the Goddess Flora! Ten percent of all Garden Fever and Feast on Art sales on Friday will be donated to the non-profit organization Growing Gardens. Sale continues on Saturday! What: Holiday Sale and Benefit Night |
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| 11 | Holiday Sale at Bella Moda Designs! The best holiday presents are the ones you give yourself! And from now until Christmas you can make your designer-shoe dreams come true at Bella Moda Designs! They’re having a 10% off sale on regular priced merchandise—the shop is a wonderland of shoes and boots from around the world. And if you must, they have gift certificates, too! What: Holiday Sale at Bella Moda Designs |
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| 12 | Sportswear Sale Weekend at Signal Sports Now that the weather outside is frightful, you need Signal Sports for Women! And they’re making it awfully enticing to shop … when you buy two pieces of fall/winter sportswear, the lowest-priced item is 50% off! And with supercute, superhot brands like lole, Beyond Threads, Lizzie Parker and Maralyce Ferree you’ll be the hottest mama on the block. What: Sportswear Sale at Signal |
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| 13 | The Grab, a Ladies-Only Night During the holidays, we spend a lot of time thinking of others and forget about ourselves. Join Hip Chicks do Wine along with Ashiyu Foot Spas, Massage by Crescent Moon Oasis, Alma’s Chocolates, Rose City Pepperheads, Sensaria by Amber, Silpada jewelry by Wendy, and others for a Ladies-only event. Spend an evening indulging in a little pampering! What: “The Grab” at Hip Chicks do Wine |
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| 15 | Shop Olio United's Sale & Give to Big Brothers Big Sisters Shop, save and give! Olio United carries a unique selection of green, sustainable, story-driven clothing, housewares, gifts and furniture. For one day only, Dec. 11, enjoy 20% off everything in the store (including sale items)! Ten percent of that day's sales will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Lines include: Preloved (recycled), Sling&Stone Denim, Loomstate, Ashley Watson Bags, Toms Shoes, Form & Fauna shoes and more! What: Olio United's Big Brothers Big Sister's shopping day |
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So there you have it. Two-hundo issues of Portland Picks, baby. That’s a lot of fabulous finds! And if you have tips for the newest places that should be on our list, you can always get in touch at picks@portlandpicks.com. |
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