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| PORTLAND PICKS | ||
| life + style to you:
every Friday Jan 13 , 2006 |
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Portland Picks is kind of like our own blog, and it can be very therapeutic. We can fess to strangers about our most humiliating moments, like when this writer was in a meeting with “Elle” magazine. I thought the meeting had gone so well, then I went to the bathroom, glanced in the mirror, and noticed melted lipstick all over my teeth and lips. I was so NOT Elle. I wanted to go back in and say, "Excuse me, just so you know, I know I had lipstick all over my face," as if this confession would make it somehow less humiliating. Or the time at the swanky Manhattan restaurant when I came out of the restroom, back to my table, and my husband said, "What's this?" tugging the tail of toilet paper out of the back of my pants. If he was not already married to me, he would never have called again. (For the record, they had no seat covers. And I had to put t.p. on the seat, okay?) But even more than sharing our not-so-hot moments, we love the two-way communique' most of all. We love it when you email us with your Picks. Because we couldn't do it without you. That’s another resolution of ours, to hear more from you. Let's talk, shall we? Oh, and be sure to dish. We love that. And just to make us feel better, you're welcome to share a humiliating moment, so we're not so pathetic. |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | We'd Like to Thank the Academy They are about to announce the contenders for the Oscars. Yes the Academy Awards are just around the corner, and egads, what are you going to wear? It's a flashy night, all the paparazzi will be there, and you need to plan accordingly or end up at the back of “Us” Magazine. You definitely don't want to be in the same category as Ashlee Simpson or Britney, do you? Heavens no. Bad clothes might happen to other people, but certainly not to you. You shop at Aubergine, after all. And if you hurry, you can make it for the final days of Aubergine’s Winter Sale. You may find just the right special dress or skirt for that upcoming event, or that one unique piece you need to complete an outfit. Aubergine specializes in fine women’s clothing—if you’re looking for something trendy, this might not be your best bet. They offer European lines with classic design. We love their neutral colors and silky soft fabrics. This is on our hit list of drive-by shopping and you’ll probably add it to yours once you check it out. And if you’ve never visited their store, it’s pronounced in French dahling (ahhh-burrrr-jean). Aubergine, for all your glam wardrobe needs. But shhhh, don't tell, or else you'll be walking down the red carpet in the same dress as Naomi Watts and that is sooo not okay. Vanquish the thought, and run down for their sale. |
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| 2 | Baby Cares About Mother Mother Earth, that is. Unless your mom was a hippie and put you in washable cotton nappies back in the day, most likely you were a Pampers baby. Nice, thick wads of plastic-wrapped cotton were shoved between your legs during those formative years when you went from sitting to walking…and because of them, you always looked like you had something “special” in your pants. |
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| 3 | You're so Vain, You Probably Think This Song is About You... But only if your name is Jane! Jane's Vanity Fine Lingerie is so gorgeous, sexy, provocative...frankly, it's wearable art. And a perfect gift for you for Valentine's Day. We know, we haven't even taken the Christmas lights down, we haven't yet lost the holiday heft, and here we are worrying about Valentine's. But surely by then you'll be in your pre-season weight, ready to prance around in your new lace panties and camisole, and Jane's Vanity is the place to go to outfit your renewed, sexy self. If someone is shopping for you (you saucy thing!), send him to JV, as well, unless you want to sport something edible, zippered or otherwise useless. If you have no Valentine this year, buy something sexy for yourself. Knowing you're wearing sexy under-things in the board room will only enhance your confidence. And you deserve nice things inside and out. Jane's Vanity has been a distinctive little jewel on Broadway Avenue in the heart of downtown Portland for over a decade, carrying the luxury and sensuality of fine European lingerie and accessories. "What’s closest to the skin, what covers the heart, should be your heart’s desire." Jane’s Vanity Fine Lingerie |
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| 4 | Deco to Disco For all your Disco needs, or Deco for that matter, Deco to Disco is your store. They are a funky junky vintage furniture store on Hawthorne that sells 20th Century Furnishings in all their big hair, big flair glory. It's a trove of treasures. From their kitschy velvet paintings, to their 50s dishware, glittering balls and deco lamps, and lots and lots of vinyl, naturally. It's a feast for the eyes, a palace of fun and funky shui. And they have clothing and apparel, too, big round sunglasses (big, as in Lindsay Lohan/Mary-Kate Olsen big), sequined disco tops, fur hats, and adorned hand bags. They have great Deco sofas and chairs, stringing lights and beads a la Greg Brady. Their world is your Deco to Disco oyster. They also do custom upholstery (vinyl!) and offer retro lighting. Pay them a visit (their address is 1960, naturally) and have some fun shopping back in time. Deco to Disco |
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| 5 | Wax On, Wax Off! Last year, for a special treat, we got a very modest bikini wax right before New Year’s Eve. Of course, it went unnoticed by the world at large, but still, we felt a whole lot sexier knowing that we had that little bit of naughtiness going on. |
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| 6 | Lovely Loyly Modesty runs in my family. When I was little I used to change my clothes in the closet. I never even saw my parents in their skivvies. And so it goes. After one disturbing visit to the men's locker room at the gym, my son refuses to go in ever again. He claims that "everyone is naked in there." He was certain he saw Chewbacca, Jar Jar and Yoda, and although he's a Star Wars fan, was disturbed to see their privates. Well at Loyly, the Northwest's first Steam and Sauna facility, I'm happy to discover it's women only and you can wear a bathing suit if that makes you more comfy (though your birthday suit apparently makes it a better experience). This is a brand new modern day pristine bath house designed for relaxation in a beautiful, ultra clean and communal setting. It is designed in the tradition of the Finnish Sauna, or Japanese Bathhouse. Their combination of cedar sauna, steam room and showers will cleanse, invigorate and relax even the most frenetic of us. The perspiration, rest and rapid cooling made us relaxed and our skin felt amazing. It reduced our hyper-pace to slo-mo which is a feat unto itself. They say it is supposed to heighten cognitive awareness...but we can't remember. This new facility is open from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. It would make a really unique pampering venue for a Girl's Night Out and they have private parties available. Loyly Sauna and Steam |
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| 7 | You'll Get Plenty of Yardage Outta This We panicked for just a sec when we couldn't find Whole 9 Yards in the Pearl where they were a familiar icon for 14 years. But they just moved, opening up in a larger more glorious space on East Burnside. This store definitely carries the whole nine yards of the finest fabrics around. In fact they are the top retailer in the Northwest of interior fabrics in stock. No more waiting 12 weeks for your goods to arrive. If only we could sew...but no matter. We like to peruse the gorgeous fabrics in all their glory and imagine what we could make "if only." Then we buy the fabric and have someone else do it (delegate—our motto!). They have everything you need, including trim and tassels, for curtains, pillows, slipcovers or fancy duds to dress that old sofa you've been meaning to reupholster all these years. And they can actually do it for you...turn-key! It's done and you're fabulous. They also carry their own collection of cotton organdy sheers that we’re coveting for our Grammy gown, they’re that gorgeous. And there's convenient free parking in this new building they just purchased. A grand thing since we used to get tickets when we visited them in The Pearl. Now we save that money and can put it toward more fab fab. Please pay a visit to the Whole 9 Yards at their brand new store, and tell them your buddy, Portland Picks, sent you. Whole 9 Yards |
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| 8 | Nighty Night What is it about a darkly lit lounge that can be so appealing? Why are dim joints such great places to plan your escape, gossip about coworkers, and flirt with dates? Oh, who knows…maybe we shouldn’t over-think it. We should just put another five in the jukebox and enjoy… |
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| 9 | Belle Epoque The Dorothy Hamill, the Farrah, the asymmetrical do, the Shag, not to mention the unmentionable Sun In/Quiet Touch debacle...we've had them all to our chagrin...and so it goes, ever haunted by school pictures past. But now we don't have to make a cookie cutter, trendy mistake because we have Belle Epoque to help us define our own personal look, forever banishing the bad hair day. Belle Epoque Salon on North Mississippi is one of the most amazing hair salons in Portland thanks in part to its talented business owner, hair stylist, educator, therapist, and life counselor...Dayna Cakebread. "My passion lies in the details of communication of who we are and what we want to say! Hair is very personal. It creates image and attitude. If we look good, we feel good!" Amen, Dayna. Finally, phew, an honest stylist and salon you can trust, that cares about you and what you look like when you leave, and you'll never feel so gorgeous, in so many ways. Belle Epoque |
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| 10 | Designing Your Life Most of the time our idea of self-improvement is a change of hair color or get a Brazilian wax, but around the New Year, we tend to get a little more introspective. We make resolutions, and if we're serious about them, we make a plan. Luckily, we don't have to do it all ourselves. If your resolution is to discover what you truly want from life, look no further than the upcoming "Redesign Your Life" seminar presented by Madeleine Domries of Spirit Thieves. This workshop will help you understand what's holding you back, brainstorm creative solutions to overcome obstacles, devise a simple, easy to follow plan of action and create a community to help you accomplish your goals. The half-day seminar takes place from 12 to 5 p.m. Saturday, January 28th. And mark your calendars... her "Women in Business" seminar (a topic very near and dear to our hearts here at Portland Picks) is right around the corner on Feb. 10. In addition to great discounts from local businesses, experts on attitude and fashion, and much more, you'll also enjoy a formal high tea. Madeleine is a longtime advocate of self reliance, personal responsibility and community growth. Long-time nice girl and motorcycle rider, in her free time she can be found challenging stereotypes as she zips down the highway on her way to ballet class or an oil painting workshop. |
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| Portland Picks Must Have CD: | |||
| James Blunt, “Back to Bedlam” Okay, let's be blunt. We love James Blunt. He croons. We swoon. We melt. We feel it inside. "Cry" makes us cry, but "You're Beautiful"...sob!
Oh man, he is so cute with his darling British accent and his scruffy cool disposition. He seems kind, and of course from his lyrics, sooooo romantic.
He served in the British Army in Kosovo, guarded the queen at Buckingham Palace, and in 2003, swapped a rifle for a guitar and moved to LA and recorded his first song in his land lady’s bathroom, where she kept a piano (go figure).
He has captured our heart with his sensitive, understated ballads, his honesty when it comes to his lyrics and matters of the heart. (Oh, and we heart him so much!)
“You're Beautiful” was written about his ex-girlfriend. The last time he saw her was for a moment in the subway, their eyes met and locked for an instant (pardon our Harlequin-speak). She was with a new beau and James was heartbroken...and so the song was born, "You're Beautiful." (If that were us we would sooo be groveling at his feet now. "Take us baaaack!" Won't someone please write a song for us?!?) Back to Bedlam, James Blunt, buy it or download it now, and fall in love. |
 jamesblunt.com |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Cheers to Skiing Skiing can be cold, and it can be stressful. You might fall after all, and those dang snowboarders pop out of nowhere. Oh, and it's a pain to get the ski clothes on and off and carry your skis and wait in lines, not to mention the million dollars you paid for your cute outfit that you enjoy prancing around the lodge in. See? Total stress. But we've discovered the perfect ski accessory that will make you look cool, ski better, and totally relax you. Forgo the Bota Bag (you don't want to look like a lush, after all) and pick up the Cold Pole Liquid Reservoir. Just a little nonchalant nip between runs and you are a hot doggess (teehee, get it?) Cold Poles actually work with their sturdy handles that can hold you as well as up to eight ounces of a beverage of your choosing. |
 coldpole.com |
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| 2 | Look Better Nakey One of our resolutions is to look better nakey. And we're well on our way. Granted, we still have the lights way low and will only walk sideways in our highest heels (a must!), but what else can we do to look better naked? Why, get ourselves The Look Better Naked Kit, of course. Duh. The Look Better Naked Kit allows you to spa at home. It’s a professional-strength full-body facial treatment used in top spas to exfoliate, detoxify and moisturize even the weariest of skin. Dry & scaly skin be warned, this ultimate do-it-yourself smoothing trio will result in silky, dewy and refreshed skin. (Oh, how we aspire to “dewy.”) |
 thelittleflirt.com |
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| 3 | Pool Boy Wanted We always wanted a pool boy, even though the closest thing to a pool that we have is our rain-saturated grass. But now we've found something nearly as comparable. It's called Splash Cool, Swimming Pool in A Can. You just spray it on. Granted, we just walk to the car and get sprayed in the face with rain, but this is way different. Despite our "moisture problem" here, our skin still feels tight and dehydrated. But if we spray a little Splash Cool Purified Water Spray on our faces, we are instantly refreshed, hydrated, our ph balance resumed, our Zen spirit revived. Their tag line: Splash Cool – Swimming Pool in a Can (Pool Boy not included). Bummer. |
 watersall.com |
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| 4 | Spa Chocolate This definitely beats those Jenny Craig diet meals. A piece of chocolate a day is a "Super Food" and really can have a place in your new healthy lifestyle. With Spa Chocolate, you receive 7 days of chocolate. That's seven pieces, chosen by a dietician, placed in a beautiful box all for you. Just savor one piece per day for one week. (Hey, we can do that.) Ingredients in certain types of chocolate have been linked to improved cardiovascular health, lowered risk of certain types of cancers, and a slowing of the aging process. Pieces include Green Tea Ganache Truffle, Molasses Chip, Naturals Sunflower Crunch and Bissinger's 60. Seven days of healthy indulgence. Wow. And this Spa Chocolate has been celebrated in magazines and newspapers coast to coast. Shed your guilt. Eat Chocolate. Treat yourself well. |
 bissingers.com |
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| 5 | You're Perfect Hanes® Perfect Panty™ really is perfect. And we wear a “small” in them, even though we really don't wear a small, cause they are so stretchy without cutting into our fat. And they are see-through in cute boy cut and low rise styles. And no panty lines, so you look like you’re going commando. There are some wardrobe items you simply can’t live without. The little black dress. Your favorite jeans. That fleecy hoodie. The Hanes Perfect Panty. No other panty moves with you like it does, stretching with your every move in all directions – not just one. They never ride up, and with the no-panty-line seam, well, those faded denim flares never looked better. Sheer, light chiffon in all the wardrobe-basic colors, plus plenty of frisky hues for your more playful moods. |
 hanes.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Happy Hour Brows You are invited to Happy Hour…Happy Hour Brows that is. Join one of our favorite new aestheticians in town, Danielle, at La Muse Salon. Get your brows waxed for only $10, half the price, during Happy Hour Brows.
Call now to schedule your appointment: 503.473.5684 |
 View Flyer |
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| 2 | dragonlily Come to dragonlily and check out their great new gorgeous designs. Like their unique, saucy, creative skirts from Chichigirl. These are really flying out the door! Plus they are having a sale that will last through January, with 30-50% off all kinds of goodies, like dresses from Ipseity and Dervish, sweaters from Garnish, silk Sari jackets from CaraUcci, and so much more! "Life's too short to wear boring clothes!" dragonlily boutique |
 dragonlily.org |
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| 3 | Artful Palate Tickets are now on sale for Artful Palate, an evening of decadent dining and unique entertainment to support Young Audiences, the non-profit organization that brings artists into Oregon and southwest Washington schools to create arts for learning. Artful Palate satisfies all senses as guests dine in art galleries throughout the Pearl District in Portland and enjoy an exotic array of entertainment. Artful Palate takes place 6 p.m. February 25, with single tickets only $125, of which $60 is tax deductible, and Patron Tables of eight are available for $1,500, of which $980 is tax deductible. Call 503.225.5900, ext. 233, 360.693.1829, ext. 233, The public is invited to enjoy this elegant evening in two acts, although tickets are limited and sell fast. |
 ya-or.org |
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| 4 | Kick Off Dungeness Crab Season
January kicks off the Dungeness crab season and McCormick and Schmick’s is celebrating by helping guests make the most of it. Known for its twice-daily changing menu that serves 30 to 40 varieties of fresh seafood, Dungeness crab season brings additional excitement to the restaurants. Guests can choose from numerous menu items like the popular Crab “Tater Tots,” Dungeness Crab and Shrimp Cakes, Dungeness-rich Shrimp & Crab Louis Salad, or whole Dungeness crab, uncomplicated, on its own. A little crab challenged? Fear not. The talented team at McCormick & Schmick’s will guide each guest as much as they want, from how to grab the crab, to cracking and shelling–even preparing at home. Learn more at www.McCormickandSchmicks.com.
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 mccormick and schmicks.com |
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| 5 | Valentines Day Bath & Spa Gift Making Class Herbalist Jewelie Randall
will guide you in making
fabulous spa products for home use
With an abundant selection of ingredients from around the world you will be creating custom spa products for Yourself and your Valentine Reflexologist Kate Wadhams will be offering transformative foot therapy $50 Class fee includes all product supplies, a restorative reflexology session by candlelight and relaxing herbal teas Thursday February 9 Space is very limited reserve your space today Sponsored by:
Class held at Space Design
in SW Portland
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 io-herbalalchemy.com |
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We recently had a friend in town from Phoenix and she was blown away by our fair city. It is so rewarding to give the driving tour and say, “Tell us where you want to pull over and walk around,” and have her reply, “Everything looks so good—I wouldn’t know where to begin.” Ahhh, Portland. Your mossy sidewalks, rainy skies and inviting high streets never look so good as when seeing them through a visitor’s eyes. If we didn’t find Randy Newman so annoying, we’d enlist him to write a song about it. Hawthorne Boulevard? We love it! Twenty-third and Hoyt? We love it! Broadway Boulevard? We love it! Downtown? We love it! We love it! We love it! |
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