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January 15th, 2010
We have officially hit rock bottom with trash TV… so why don’t we feel any guilt? The “last straw” was a show called “Conveyor Belt of Love,” where five single women judged men as they literally rolled by in front of them on a conveyor belt. After a brief (and often bizarre) “Hey ladies, here’s what I can do” introduction by each guy, the women held up signs reading “Interested” or “Not Interested,” and lined up the guys they picked out for a date. We kind of loved it. And we’re kind of jealous. Where’s our conveyor belt of love? Where’s our unending stream of suitors that we can Yea or Nay on a whim? But then again, is life truly like that? We’ve certainly had our fair share of boyfriends, one after another… maybe they really do just keep coming and we’re not paying attention. Apparently, they need to drift by our television screen in order for us to notice. |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Locals Only Oh, damp and dreary January. We could sure use a post-holiday vacay to warmer climates—say, Maui? We remember visiting our cousin on the island and getting the coveted inside scoop on the local scene—snack shacks, beaches and boys! Sometimes we consider moving there, too… but paradise just doesn’t have enough boutiques. That said, one of our fave boutiques, Union Rose, recently moved to the Montavilla ’hood. Inside Scoop: Union Rose stocks their new shop with fabulous merch entirely from local designers—apparel, jewelry and accessories. Always has, always will. We hit the jewelry first—stainless-steel cuffs with photo-etched botanicals from Wonderlust, hammered silver chains from Amy Wing, and vintage-inspired Lucite earrings from Plume. We paired a Lolabelle gemstone necklace with a geometric cowl-neck knit dress from Clair and topped it off with a darling shoulder shrug from Blanche & Stella. With unique finds from Hubris, Sofada, Dress Up Alice, Knot Ugly, GirlBand and more, it’s easy to shop local. They even carry apparel and accessories for men and kiddos. Hang-ten with us, Portland lovies, we’ll hook you up! Union Rose7909 SE Stark Portland, OR 97215 503.287.4242 www.unionrosepdx.com |
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| 2 | A Mazi-ing We’d eat sushi every day, even if it gave us more mercury than an old-school thermometer. As it is, we eat it so often that we hardly notice what we’re eating anymore. So when we decided to try a new spot—Sushi Mazi—we were knocked out. In a good way. Open for lunch and dinner, Sushi Mazi has a pleasant, serene atmosphere, with some surprising roll combinations and fresh everything. We were wowed from the get-go with complimentary green tea that was among the best we’ve had (and we recently returned from Asia). The rolls were huge, gorgeously presented and tasty. Fish is cut perfectly. You can’t help but be mindful and eat slowly. Sushi Mazi has pretty much every combination and permutation of fish, vegetable, rice, spicy, crunchy, even sparkling. (Pop Rocks in a sushi roll? Trust us, it works!) And they’ve recently revamped their menu to feature more vegetarian options, like one of our new faves: the Temple roll, with sweet potato, tofu, and avocado. We’ll be making this a regular stop for sure. So should you. Sushi Mazi |
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| 3 | Mother Nature Would Approve We had that grandma. You know—the one who could beautifully make everything by hand. She was reducing, reusing, and recycling before that was even a buzzword. While her abilities were amazing, we did not get those genes. However, we did get the super-sleuthing, sniff-out-new-stores-and-fabulous-sales-a-mile-away gene (from our other grandmother, the one who hosted cocktail luncheons on random Tuesdays...) So when we stumbled upon Mississippi Treehouse, a new children's boutique with a large selection of eco-friendly, handmade items (mostly) from local artists, including toys, clothes, and gifts, we were reminded of Grandma's panache. With cool stuff like bibs and blankets from Minnie+Lola, paintings from Aaron Frey, funky tees from Eclectic Kid, stylish shoes from See Kai Run, wooden toys from Melissa and Doug, and even second-hand clothes and shoes, the choices are plenty and the guilt (for not being more "crafty" ourselves) relatively small. Mississippi Treehouse also hosts a weekly musical storytime for tots. We think Grandma would be proud of our finds at Mississippi Treehouse. Now let’s go get a drink! Mississippi Treehouse |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Choose Your Own (Necklace) Adventure Designing our own jewelry always seems fun on paper, but we never seem to get around to buying the materials and spending an entire weekend crafting them into something remotely fashionable. Enter Gemkitty’s “Design Your Own Necklace.” Give them your material, size and color preferences online, and the Bridgetown-based artisans assemble (and even smartly giftwrap) your one-of-a-kind accessory in short order. Now when friends jealously ask if we made our necklace, we can finally (mostly) be honest when we answer, “Of course!” |
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| 2 | Ward, Go Easy on Him… We're not 12 years old anymore, but we still want to giggle when admitting we reside in the "Beaver State." Childish, to be sure, but still fun fodder for us frisky Oregonians. That's why we dig these cute undies from Frozen Peas. With scenic Mount Hood on the front and the always apt "I Heart Oregon" on the bum, these panties make the perfect gift for native or transplant. Really, isn’t it about time you showed off your Beaver pride? |
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| 3 | Smitten With Mittens Speaking of cold weather, we darn near froze our fingers off the other night when we mistakenly thought we could go out sans mitties. Big mistake—huge—and one we won’t make twice because we’re never again leaving home without our Smittens. Made from upcycled wool sweaters, each pair is totally unique and embellished with bead work or cool vintage buttons. They’re warm, snuggly goodness that’s eye-catching and easy on the earth! |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Some Like (the Oregon Symphony) Hot You want something totally hot? Get tickets now to see Storm Large’s “Crazy Love” with the Oregon Symphony (she’s absolutely electrifying), or enjoy a night of cool jazz with Chris Botti, the red hot Oregon Trumpeter. Either one would make a great girls’ night out… or treat your Signif O for a pre-Valentine’s evening you’ll remember forever. What: Chris Botti concert; Storm Large’s “Crazy Love” |
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| 2 | Expect the Unexpected: Beaux-Arts Ball You’ll fall in love with the Portland Art Museum’s Young Patrons Society Beaux-Arts Ball. This year’s theme is “Icon: Come as You Art.” Enjoy interactive art and performance until 2 a.m., plus entertainment by Morningwood and burlesque performer Lily Verlaine! Not to mention the amazing outfits the partygoers will be wearing. Glamour and excitement? We’re in! What: Beaux-Arts Ball |
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| 3 | Bat Those Fabulous Lashes! We think our eyes are our best asset—the flirty windows to our sassy souls. Lucky for us, Midori Lashes is offering $30 off her award-winning lash extensions during January. Even better—you can try before you buy—Midori offers a consultation and free sample lashes before you get your full set. Just mention Portland Picks! What: $30 off Lash Extensions at Midori Lashes & Skincare |
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| 4 | Mission Possible: Project You at Fada Your mission, should you choose to accept it: Book your $40 appointment for the “Project You” Event at Fada to receive a personal hair and makeup consultation; a cut and treatment; a makeup application; a complimentary stylebook; and 10% off any bumble & bumble product and Premiere Mineral Makeup Line. The reward: You’ll leave looking like a million bucks! What: “Project You” at Fada Salon |
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Tell a friend about www.PortlandPicks.com or www.PortlandPicksforMen.com. We promise you’ll feel good after you spread the word. Oh, and our Mommy Guide is coming up in March—it will be filled with amazing ideas for taking care of all our mamas—especially if you are one! |
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