Believe it or not, this is our 100th issue and it falls on New Year's. How spectacular!!! It was actually a January two years ago when we we were home-bound and insane after the last snow storm, and we sent the first Portland Picks to a few friends...and those friends sent it to their friends, and they told two friends, and they told two friends, and so on, and so on...

Ninety-nine jam-packed issues later, we're at nearly 10,000 subscribers.  All via grassroots.

So how did we get here?  A little bit of luck, a big dollop of dedication, and a whole slew of responsive readers who tell us what they like and what they want to see.  It's a very open relationship.  We're big on communication.  We're also big on writing down goals for the new year, because if we're not always improving or changing, we're not accomplishing anything, right?  And though we save the goal-setting for Januaries, we don't call the goals "resolutions."  We just like to make our lists.

Last year we wrote:

• Reach 5,000 subscribers
• Double our income
• Lose 10 pounds

We posted this list everywhere so we'd be constantly motivated to meet our goals, and we actually achieved the first two.  (Thanks to our advanced appetites, we're still working on those 10 pounds!  And we'll fess up: We prefer to enjoy a good meal -- no guilt or obsessing about food.  When forced to choose between a size 2 and a cheeseburger, the burger is probably going to win.  Pants come in different sizes for a reason!)

So, with the little bit of wisdom we have to impart, we would like to recommend this New Year's wish for you: May you achieve and accomplish your own goals in 2006.  At least a solid 2/3 of them!  And we really wish you'll still like us, your Portland Picks.  That's our main resolution -- to make you happy.

And on that note, we want to thank you for letting us share a little bit of your lives.  Here's to another great year for shopping, eating, drinking, pampering and just plain having fun in Portland...and to another great year we'll spend together!

Happy Holidays from All of Us at Portland Picks!

Happy 2006!!!