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November 28th, 2008
If you are reading this, that means you’re not shopping… yet. Because really, how could you resist on today of all days? The sales are rick-diculous! We have a friend who wakes up at 4:45 am every year on Black Friday, and is on the road at 5:15 am with her mom to be in front of a store at 6 am… and they still have to wait in line. Craziness! But we bet that your favorite indie boutiques will be having sales just as epic as the big chain stores… with merch that’s a bit more unique. (Just a little bit.) And there’s no better feeling than Shopping Local for the Holidays. Now go—get the heck outta the house. There are gifts to buy, dresses to try on, candles to sniff and wrapping to be done!!! p.s. Forward this issue of Portland Picks to 5 friends and CC picks@portlandpicks.com... you could win a $50 Gift Certificate to Bedford Brown—a gorgeous spot for holiday shopping and décor. |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | No Place Like Home Remember back in college when cinder blocks and plywood made a perfectly good bookshelf, thankyouverymuch? Those were the days. It didn’t matter that we had no money to invest in our house—it was a rental, after all. Now we have homes of our own and a little money in our pocket—not to mention an image to keep up with—so the velvet Elvis painting just won't do. Plus, ’tis the season for holiday decorating, and Home at Last is stocked! We left with enough stuff to fill two homes, and we’re definitely going back for more. |
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| 2 | Uncorked Bliss We claim we seldom care what people think about us, but don’t think for a second you can dawg our culinary palate. We have good taste—literally! You know how some fear the “naked in front of the class” dream? Well we have nightmares about buying two-buck-Chuck and a bag of Lays. Thus we’re thrilled Cork opened up a second location in NW Portland. One of our all-time favorite wine shops, Cork has the same fabulous selection of wine and foodstuffs you’ve come to love from their store on NE Alberta. The wines—from Germany, France, Italy, Chile, Argentina, California, Washington, Oregon—range in price from under $7 to over $40, with quality selections throughout. And Cork also carries Alma chocolates, Amarena cherry jam, gourmet salts, smoked paprika, quality olive oils and vinegars—basically everything you need for a fantastic wine tasting party. Not to mention, Cork has parties of their own; every Thursday evening the store hosts a wine-tasting event, so you can sample a couple of select goodies before you buy. We know what we’ll be giving thanks for this month! Cork Lovejoy |
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| 3 | Candy Cravings It’s unladylike—we know—but we just can’t resist licking the frosting off those darling little cupcakes. What’s more, we could give into these sweet cupcake cravings every day (9 am, midnight, at 3 in the afternoon). But our dentist has warned us otherwise: Sugar fix or pearly whites? Happily, Cupcake Couture is a tart of a boutique filled with all sorts of cavity-free (and calorie-free!) sweetness. Premium denim from Hudson Jeans and 7 for All Mankind, cute tops from Splendid, and everything Michael Stars—super-soft supima cotton tops, thermals for layering, and cowl-neck shimmery-shine sweaters—all in rich, fall hues. Feeling extravagant, we cooed over the gorgeous party dresses from Jennie N. (like her rose bubble tunic in a sultry shade of plum). The Cupcake gals offer a fabu shopping experience and personal “Closet Consultations” in their pink and white, candy-striped boutique. They even carry a line of scrump-dilly-umptious body care products called “Cake.” Now that is some sweet-tooth satisfaction that even makes our dentist smile! Cupcake Couture |
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| 4 | Let the Good Times Roll The reality of winter in Portland is setting in: No sun for months. Which generally makes us want to stay on the couch, wrapped up in a warm, cozy blanket. But where is the fun in that? We're Portland gals—we can roll with the punches and handle a little rain, can't we? So when our girlfriend called from a new oyster bar in N. Portland—while sipping Absinthe, no less—we wondered Since they’re open from 11:30 am to late, we can pop in for lunch, dinner, or post-dinner for some Absinthe (great selection and growing!) and live Creole and bluegrass (rumored to be coming soon). As the guys at EaT say, "Laissez les bon temps roulez!" |
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| 5 | Monkey See, Monkey Do We had this boyfriend who gave us a giant, framed drawing of our alma mater’s basketball stadium for Christmas. While it was thoughtful, the princess in us screamed for a gift that was not centered around sports. We wanted something romantic and girly for cat’s sake—you know, things with jewels and gems. Had he only known about Three Monkeys, one of our favorite Portland boutiques, our gift might have been slightly more suited to our tastes. Three Monkeys recently combined their two store spaces into one clothing/jewelry/home décor boutique extraordinaire. They also took on extra space in the new store, enabling them to expand their scope of home goods and increase the number of always-changing clothing lines on hand. Personally, we could make Three Monkeys our one-stop shop this holiday season. We have already picked out our New Year’s dress from the giant just-in selection and have bought gifts for Mom, Hubby and our little brother. Hopefully we’ll be a little more on target than the misguided Ex. Three Monkeys |
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| Wine of the Week: | |||
Panther Creek Cellars’ Pinot Noir Just in time for Thanksgiving, Panther Creek Cellars, an |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Robot Love Dolls are so totally different nowadays. Back when we were tots (before the advent of parachute pants and sometime after the discovery of fire) we had pretty basic dolls. They were usually in little dresses and their porcelain faces has no personality. How we would have loved Bunk Bots back then! Each “robot” doll comes with a back-story and a hilariously expressive countenance. Forget the kids on our list—this is going in our stockings! |
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| 2 | Share the Wealth (of Knowledge) We’re fully aware of our lucky status in this country, and at no time is that more apparent than the holidays. So this year we’re giving a gift that has resounding meaning for our friends and for women we don’t even know—the Breastfeeding Kit from Mercy Corps. Each kit helps women in Jakarta learn about the benefits of breastfeeding, and empowers them to take a stand against malnutrition and neonatal mortality. Who knew you could do all that with one click? |
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| 3 | You, Dearie, Are an Artist In a former life we worked for a Big Brother-type employer that sent us to India. Once the culture shock wore off, we realized we had a zillion amazing photos... that lived online in a boring, one-dimensional virtual album. |
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| 4 | Deck the Halls We love dressing up the abode for the holidays almost as much as we love opening presents. (Oh, and um, giving them.) And this year we’re treating ourselves to the ultimate holiday decking—a wreath from Bedford Brown. You pre-order them in the store, so stop in now and choose your favorite. They’re designed with elements that can be re-used from year to year, and everything’s attached by wire for easy removal and storage. Genius! |
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| 5 | Personalize It! It’s a photo-personalized book (meaning the child’s photo and name are featured throughout the book and on the cover) and is perfect for the holiday season, party favors, or as an extra-special birthday gift. Snap them up before they’re gone! |
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| Event of the Week: | |||
NIKETOWN Portland Run Club |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 2 | Holiday Sale: 20% Off Everything at Moxie Be still our hearts! Save 20% off everything in Moxie starting today—even sale items! (But not artwork or gift certificates—natch.) It’s your chance to pick up spot-on new items like Tom’s shoes, winter coats, hot denim, jewelry and more. At these prices you can buy something special for yourself and gifts for your friends! What: 20% off everything at Moxie |
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| 3 | It’s Time to Save in Sellwood/Westmoreland! What happens when 75 businesses in Sellwood and Westmoreland get together to create a booklet of discounts and specials, valid for an entire week? Incredible deals! Businesses include Tilde, Fuchsia, Greenloop, Spielwerk Toystore, GR Scrub, Haggis McBaggis, Ste. Maine, Coco & Toulouse Go Shopping, Lucy Palmer Boutique, Stars Antique Malls and more! Pick one up at any participating shop. |
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| 4 | One-Stop Eco Shop CRAVE throws the shopping party of all shopping parties, with 50+ local designers and boutiques, including Portland’s sustaina-savviest, Greenloop. Find eco-fashions on the catwalk and eco-goodies in your Swag Bag, plus eco-fabulous prizes in the raffle, benefiting Go Red for Women. Add a complimentary sake-tini, and this isn’t holiday shopping, it’s a party—with presents! What: CRAVE Green Holiday Shopping Party |
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| 5 | Don’t Miss emily-jane’s Holiday Event You're invited to the emily-jane annual holiday party, so mark your calendar! Stop by for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and their best collection of handcrafted jewelry yet. Spend $100 or more and receive their exciting new emily-jane holiday ornament (a $40 value) for free. The first 25 people to arrive will be entered into a drawing for free earrings! What: emily-jane’s holiday party |
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| 6 | Tis the Season Give your guy a HairM Experience! Choose the perfect package—sure to make him feel like a king. And for a limited time, receive a free American Crew Shampoo or Travel Shoe Shine Kit for his stocking with any Gift Card purchase over |
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| 7 | Need a Little Holiday Rejuvenation? Join the Professional Staff of the Waldorf Center for hors d’oeuvres and wine at their informational open house. Meet the staff and vendor reps, ask questions, and be eligible for free gifts and drawings! While you're there, save 20% off all medical-grade skincare products, and get 15% off Botox® or derma fillers. (Some restrictions apply.) What: Informational Open House at The Waldorf Center |
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| 8 | Hooray for the Holiday Shopping Showcase! Kimelian Events presents their annual Holiday Shopping Showcase, featuring jewelry, home decor and accessories, luxury body products, at-home wine-tasting reps, children's items, kitchen essentials, pet gifts, and more. Shop for that hard-to-please mother-in-law, treat an expectant mother, or surprise a finicky friend with a unique gift. Complete your Shopping Passport and enter a drawing for fabulous prizes! What: Holiday Shopping Showcase |
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| 9 | Holiday Home Tour |
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| 10 | Levé Charity Ball |
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| 11 | Amai Unmei Grand Opening Soiree! |
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| 12 | Shopping & Fun You Don't Want to Miss! |
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