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December 26th, 2008
This is our favorite time of year, because it’s our one chance to drop the “we” for a week. This is when our talented writers get some recognition for an entire year of hard work. (Really hard work! They make it look easy, but these scoops don’t scoop themselves.) There’s no better way to say thank you than with our annual Writers’ Favorites issue, where each Portland Picks contributor shares her numero uno/most-loved place that opened in 2008. Enjoy getting to know our fine writers, revisit some exciting new businesses, and drop us a line at picks@portlandpicks.com to let us know your favorites from 2008. (And btw, you can click here to check out the foxy journos on our staff!) And last but certainly not least, dear readers… here’s to a Happy New Year. We are happy and humbled that you’re sharing it with us. ~ Alisa Sloan |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Ink & Peat
Words Shmurds In the beginning, the BF could do no wrong. But after we tied the knot, his “I do” sometimes became, “Oops, I forgot.” Smart guy that he is, he quickly learned that flowers say “I’m sorry” better than words. Imagine his relief when we pointed him toward a little shop where not just flowers, but anything could blot out his latest faux pas. Both a floral design studio and a boutique, Ink & Peat is filled with all the stuff we love: soaps, candles, pillows, totes, vintage glass, pottery, paper goods, books and botanicals. Our wish list includes quilted organic cotton bedding from Plover, verbena hand crème from Lothantique, and darling ceramic bud vases from Judy Jackson. We also covet the adorable totes from Lotta Jansdotter, all-natural eau de parfum in scents of “Siberian snow,” and reclaimed vintage lockets with heartfelt inscriptions—made right here in Portland. And if our guy was to put ink to paper and actually pen us a Ink & Peat |
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| 2 | Blooming Moon Spa
Over the Moon The older we get, the more we realize the importance of “me” time. Between working, running errands, taking care of the hubby and keeping up with our ladies, we find that time alone equals sanity. And if we feel okay, so does everyone else. Enter Blooming Moon, NW Portland’s newest wellness spa. This teeny little spa, decked in all things Zen, is the key to filling our “me” indulgences. In the past two weeks, in fact, we had a facial and then went back for a massage, which both left us on cloud nine-teen. Our skin is aglow, our back feels right for once, and those tense neck muscles haven’t bothered us all week. Co-owner Ginny Tousignant makes every attempt to book appointments so that there is only one person in the spa at a time—leaving you with absolute peace and quiet. With two estheticians and two massage therapists (one male, one female), they offer a full spa menu at some of the most reasonable prices we have found. With this kind of “me” time, Blooming Moon Wellness Spa |
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| 3 | Oscar Albert
And the Oscar Goes to... A few weeks ago, we were shopping with a girlfriend and it dawned on us that we had nothing to for our sister, whose birthday we just missed. Don't panic, our girlfriend assured us, and off we went to Oscar Albert, a garden boutique and wine bar in SE Portland. As it turns out, Oscar Albert carries the coolest gifts from around the world—soaps, lotions, cards, candles, and a nice selection of sustainable wine and beer. We could even sip wine while shopping inside among the pretty wrapping papers and glassware, and then wander outside to find flowering plants and tons of cute gardening accessories. Naturally, we worked up a hunger as we deliberated over the perfect gift for Sis, remedied by Oscar Albert’s all-in-one yummy lunch offerings. We had a hard time deciding between the mouth-watering paninis and the salads, but after we made our selection, we took our bites outside (during the sun’s rare spotting) and ate on the fabulous patio. Live music on the weekends? Oh, Oscar Albert, of course we’ll be back! Oscar Albert |
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| 4 | Groundspring
Happy Feet Saying we don’t treat our feet well is kind of an understatement. Since we took up running, we eschew pedicures—we’re running out of toenails to polish. So in need of some good foot McLovin’, we turned to the professionals at GroundSpring, a truly remarkable establishment tucked away at the crossroads of Barbur/Multnomah in SW Portland. One of the signature offerings at GroundSpring is Pedistone: luxurious classical Chinese reflexology. We took off our galoshes and socks, rolled our jeans to our knees, and settled into a comfy leather chair. Our eyes promptly rolled back into GroundSpring offers a cornucopia of alternative medicine treatments to promote all-around healing of the mind and body. We suggest calling first for an appointment. We’ll definitely be back. GroundSpring Healing Center, PC |
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| 5 | Fat Fancy
Fancy That The one challenge about bringing you something that's "underground" is that it won't stay hidden for long. So it is with great reluctance that we tell you about our new favorite hideaway... Fat Fancy. Fat Fancy |
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| 6 | Frank James
Bring it On We get a little sad this time of the year. We’re Portlanders through and through, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love ourselves some sunshine year-round. But we manage to get by because we know that we can always count on retail therapy to bring a little sunshine into our lives, which is exactly what happened last weekend when we walked into Frank James. This adorable shop is exactly what we have been waiting for. With dresses by Hype and Minkpink, sweaters by Industry and Kensie, and hard-to-find brand-name jeans including Level 99, Oak, and Naked and Famous, we simply couldn’t be happier. Frank James also carries clothing for men and a beautiful selection of jewelry that would make any girl’s heart flutter. Ours did, especially when we saw the hand-cut metal Braille cuff and the Moth earrings by Aaron Saucier. We say: Bring on the rain, Portland. Frank James will provide the sunshine and a new outfit or two to boot! Frank James |
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| 7 | Pink & White Nails
Girly Girl We’re not gonna lie; the color pink is still our favorite. But it makes us question: Is this something society has ingrained in us females, or is it instilled in us long before birth? A couple glasses of Champagne later, we were best friends Pink & White Salon |
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| 8 | Indigo Bath
Bathe Green Every summer we have the same debate with the hubby—AC or no AC? It's like that credit-card commercial. New AC unit: $5,000. Not being drenched in sweat two minutes after taking a shower: Priceless. Luckily, we've found a cheaper and greener alternative for keeping cool while drying off: Turkish bath towels. We found these amazingly absorbent and lightweight towels last year at Indigo Traders and have been hooked ever since. They take less room in the washer and air-dry quickly, which saves electricity and keeps the house cooler. And apparently, we're not the only geniuses in town. Indigo Trader's bath towels got so popular that they opened Indigo Bath right across the street. They carry 20 designs in every color, as well as a fabulous array of olive-oil soaps, the whole line of Dani bath products, and hand-painted Moroccan tiles. Check out Indigo Bath for beautiful, practical, and unique wedding or baby shower gifts, or join the Cool Club yourself. There are some things money can't buy, but thankfully, bathing in luxury isn't one of them. Indigo Bath |
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| 9 | The Dapper Cap
Hat Trick We've always admired the woman who defines chic with her hat thrown on just so. Then we looked at our own hat selection: one cold-weather beanie, one ball cap from college, one fedora left over from Halloween. No style points there. Our problem was solved when we discovered a gem of a haberdashery in NW Portland that has us (almost) welcoming the wet weather. Tucked in a thoughtfully designed space, with a keen eye to economy and design, the Dapper Cap exudes an old-Hollywood glamour. The owner helped us choose a hat that flattered our face as well as our taste, and left us feeling as stylish as Sienna Miller. We love the variety, too. A wide range of brands from Stetson to Kangol lets us change our look at, well, the drop of a hat! Portland rain, bad-hair days, endless compliments... we just can't stop listing the reasons hats are our favorite new accessory. And with selections for everyone from grandpas to toddlers, plus reasonable prices and monthly donations to charitable orgs, The Dapper Cap is guilt-free shopping at its best. The Dapper Cap |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Year-End Clearance at Spoiled Rotten Visit Spoiled Rotten at West Linn Central Village for their year-end clearance, and take an additional 10% off already reduced items! It's an incredible opportunity to stock up for now and later! Munch on donuts and coffee, and with this ad, save an extra $5 off a purchase of $25 or more. Hooray for shopping—hooray for Spoiled Rotten! |
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| 2 | You Don’t Need a Drink to Celebrate Just because you’re the designated driver doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate. Bring the gang to the Driftwood Room in the Hotel deLuxe for fabulous non-alcoholic cocktails created by bartender Michael Robertson. At just $4 each, you can try a few. Try a Chocolate Espresso Martini, a Cranberry Mojito, or a Poinsettia—you won’t miss the booze! What: Non-Alcoholic Cocktails at the Driftwood Room |
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| 3 | Say Goodbye to Your “Fat Pants” Can’t fit into your jeans? Get into NW Pilates for $18 group classes on actual machines! Four people max per class/no What: $18 group classes at NW Pilates |
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Thank you for a fabulous 2008—here’s to another wonderful year of exploring! |
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