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March 10th, 2006
So, did you watch the Oscars or the Independent Spirit Awards? We watched both and we have to say that, yeah, we’re feeling the ISA this year! Maybe it was the quirky assortment of flicks, maybe it was the relaxed and silly atmosphere at the show (did you see Peter Gallagher do the “Brokeback Mountain” song to the tune of “On Top of Old Smoky”? We couldn’t decide if it was Genius or Hasselhoff!) Or maybe it was Sarah Silverman’s odd and irreverent hosting…no matter what, we decided that those are perhaps Our New Oscars. We will always have a place in our hearts for that gold statuette (plus the chance to swoon over Jake Gyllenhaal and Joaquin Phoenix, whom the Oscar cameras looooove), but oh man do we love an independent spirit. It’s “us,” and girl, it’s you, too! |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | The Root of the Problem We are out of whack these days. (“Whack,” it’s a medical term.) Worse, we’re going through an “ugly stage.” You know the one. There’s the fat stage and its twin, the ugly stage. Not sure which is worse. It’s such a mystery, too. How can you one day be in a cute stage and then the next in an ugly stage? Not fair. And our poor husband. Somehow it’s his fault. We just hate us right now therefore we’re cranky and bratty to anyone in our close proximity...except you of course. You could never do anything wrong. To take control of this ugly stage, to vanquish it, we went to New Seasons and got all these great new probiotic vitamins and Kombucha tea. We liken drinking Kombucha to a Fear Factor dare. There are these wormy things in it and it’s “living bacteria,” but it’s supposed to be amazing for you. Since we’re easily swayed (bring on the placebos) we really think this is starting to work. But we didn’t stop there. To get to the root of the ugly stage we went to Root Whole Body. Root Whole Body is so cool. It’s a swanky wellness center that focuses on our whole being (and believe you/me/us, our whole being is in dire need of attention). It’s a new facility at Irvington Corner that offers yoga, massage, acupuncture, sauna, towels and tea. Their philosophy is two-fold: A) That everyone was born into this world as a whole beautiful being and deserves support to stay that way (see???), and B) That preventive health management is not self-indulgence, but rather necessary self-care that allows one to ultimately take better care of themself and others. So if you’re feeling that ugly stage inside or out, get to the root of the problem and start hanging out at Root. As they say, you deserve it. And we’ll see you there, morphing back into the swan you are. Root Whole Body |
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| 2 | Switch is a Hit! You will Switch your concept of retail when you visit the new Switch store in Multnomah Village. It’s more than simply a place to shop, it’s actually a hub where the community can come together to enjoy the fusion of couture and culture. And the shoes! Girl, these are so cool and comfy and stylish and unlike anything you’ve seen in this town. And they actually sell their shoes in a very cool tote bag, no boxes required. Be the first to blow up the block with these eye-catching shoes that bring the best of fashion and function together for a bold statement to be envied. And this groovy store has more than just shoes to ogle. They have tons of other wonderful accessories and unusual trinkets to fall in love with, too. You must visit soon and say hi to the happy new owners, Rina and Jennifer. And be sure to tell them Portland Picks sent you. Isn't it time you made the Switch? Switch |
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| 3 | Be Posh We just wanted to be a smidge of a tease and tell you how excited we are about this fabulous new store that is opening up in the Pearl. It’s so extremely posh, carrying oh so stylish clothing and accessories for baby and for mom. These are baby items all the celebs bestow on their precious little Apples and Rumours and Phinnaeuses (or something). You’ll find gorgeous cribs and blankets and state-of-the-art strollers, as well as fashions for you that you will flip for. It’s the aptly named Posh boutique, opening 11 a.m. March 18 at Jamison Square Park...so be sure to stroll down, frolic through the fountain, enjoy the park and neighborhood, and then zip over to Posh and be one of the first in line. For a little hint of what to expect, check out their baby store online at www.poshbaby.com. And here’s more good news: Posh boutique will carry equal parts baby and equal parts mama, or simply just high-fashion for her, no baby required. After all, one should always be posh (our new motto!) Posh Boutique |
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| 4 | We Love Recess You’re never too old to take time for recess. Get up off that keister and run around! Get some exercise! Grownups need recess just as much as the kiddies do, after all. Okay, maybe we don’t need monkey bars and swings, and we probably shouldn’t play freeze tag or chase the boys anymore (drat), but we still need to get out from behind the desk, step away from the computer, get that heart racing. And you don’t have to go far because there’s Recess Fitness, and they’ll come to you. Oh yes, they’ll come and get you! Gather your desk-bound co-workers together and shut the conference room door for some kickboxing, Pilates, yoga or body sculpting. Or get your girlfriends together at your house and host a private Group Training class. Are you perhaps agoraphobic like us? No matter! They’ll even come to your home to give you acupuncture or a pedicure, or a massage or facial. Now that’s our kind of recess. Recess Fitness also offers a variety of fun exercise classes at different super secret locations around town. The next class is...shhhhh...at Fitness Boxing in the Pearl. And Recess is happening every Monday, March 20-April 24, noon to 1 p.m. at Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center, 721 NW 9th Ave., in the Billy Frank Conference Center, 2nd Floor. Just $8. This is a fun high-intensity workout that includes three-minute aerobic bursts from punching drills to skipping ropes to plyometric and ball training. See you there! Make sure you email to save your spot. Recess Fitness |
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| 5 | Relief From the High-Brow Crowd Are you tired of the pretentious see-and-be-seen bars downtown? Want to just relax with a cold beer and not worry about what you're wearing? Are you single and looking to NOT be hit on every five minutes? (We know how you hate that!) If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then say hello to your new friend - the Low Brow Lounge. Here, stiff drinks meets laughter and good times - all wrapped in a dark, dive-y atmosphere with a touch of cool lounge chic. If you're not a smoker, beware - the smoking side of the bar is where the magic happens (and tends to fill the non-smoking side anyhow). So suck it up (literally) and kick back with the "real" heart of the Pearl. The Low Brow has been around for eight years now, finding its genesis before the Pearl was even a twinkle in Portland's eye. Located on NW 10th and Hoyt, it's just a stone's throw from a plethora of places that serve $10 martinis and $30 meals. You can have a great time at the Low Brow, though, for as low as $4 for their "meal deal" - a hot dog, tater tots, and a Pabst. (Beware - if you don't order your own tots, you'll definitely be begging your friends to give you some of theirs! Yum!) If you're not into beer, they also have a full bar of spirits which will surely leave you feeling plenty spirited with generous mixing portions. But don't expect any cutesy-named beverages; one of their slogans on the wall says: "Aren't there enough umbrellas in this town without putting them in our drinks?" The Low Brow is soon introducing a new program on the non-smoking side where they will show movies Sunday through Thursday nights. So far they've had NRK sponsor one with a music documentary about The Clash; others are planned in a similar vein. To find out what shows are playing and when, you'll have to stop into the bar and look at the line-up on the tables. If you stop by often enough to check, maybe you'll become a regular; the Low Brow, like smoking, can be fairly addictive. Low Brow Lounge |
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| 6 | Celebrate Good Times We have lots of mottos. Here’s another one: Always Be Nice. In fact if we can’t say something nice we don’t say it at all. And we’re hyper-sensitive if you are not nice to us. It hurts our feelings and we will have to right then and there confront it, nip it in the bud, talk about it, hash it out, and come to some kind of closure. And if you’re a stranger or it’s in public, it can be very awkward...for you. But there’s a fine line. You can’t be too nice, either. We’re a titch skeptical of too nice. It reminds us of really enthusiastic cheerleaders we knew senior year and it gets on our nerves. Or else we think you’re going to break out in song or perhaps you’ve got a good dose of Zoloft going. Sigh...life is so perplexing, and unfortunately you just can ‘t win. Well, we’ve just been to a wonderful store owned by two women that are just the right amount of nice. They are so kind and so genuine and you feel like they’d do anything for you. And the place feeeeeels nice, absolutely filled with good karma from these sweet souls. It’s aptly named Two Celebrate and it’s a gift and jewelry store run by two darlings who celebrate life. They have oodles of locally made jewelry and gift items from around the world like beaded purses, cashmere throws, and so many wonderful gifts. And simply meeting Helen and Yavonne is a gift unto itself. Life is short, it’s time Two Celebrate! Two Celebrate |
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| 7 | Sugar and Spices Okay, we’re suckers for chocolate. This is not a secret. We love it so much that we’d probably be persuaded to give up “actual” food to subsist solely on sweet, sweet cocoa beans. Oh, mama, we have no shame! None at all! And here’s another thing we love: organics. So when we heard about Alma Chocolates – where they use only organic dark chocolate – we just about exploded. Could this be true? And so we went…and it was good. Alma Chocolates has a few things in the store that set them apart from any old chocolatier. (Wait, is there such a thing? But anyhoo.) For one thing, they have original molds that they use to make unusual forms in chocolate like religious icons (covered in 23K gold leaf, no less) such as Buddha, the Virgin Mary, and even tattoo designs! Plus the “regular” assortment of chocolates is mind-blowing. Treat yourself to surprisingly subtle and exotic flavors like the Habanero Crown, Star Anise Ganache, Nutella Cream, Salted Caramels, Lavender Caramel Truffle, Pistachio Toffee, Rosemary Fleur de Lys, and even handmade marshmallows! It’s no surprise they use chocolate to evoke religious imagery, because their chocolates are as close to heaven as you can get! Alma Chocolate |
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| 8 | You’re Hipper Than You Know So how do we know that? Because we just discovered a local publication that we know you will totally read cover-to-cover, and totally look forward to each month. We do walk a fine line by encouraging you to go somewhere else to be entertained and find out about what’s happening in Portland, but we know you’ll always be our girls! So check out PDX Magazine. We won’t mind. They hit on esoteric topics like Portland’s tattoo scene, and then bring it back home with music listings and articles about spring fashion, late-night eats and even kayaking (and that’s just this month!) PDX Mag is available at tons of bars and restaurants, stores and hotels…try picking it up next time you’re shopping at Wild Oats, Zupan’s or New Seasons, seeing a show at the Aladdin or the Bagdad, picking up good reads at the Central Library, dining at Papa Haydn, Dots Café, Oba, the Pearl Street Bakery…the list goes on and on. You will dig this. We promise. |
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| 9 | Savour Savoure’ Part of this whole health regimen to beat the uglies also includes tea. We are really trying to drink at least two cups a day. We have our green tea, our black tea and our detox tea. And we have acquired a taste for it to the point it’s become a treat, like dessert. Well, practically, in a metaphorical way. We’re trying to learn and know all when it comes to tea, like trying out a religion, or becoming an oenophile. We aspire to be tea snobs. And what better way to know and learn and love tea than to study up via Oregon’s own Savoure’ Tea Shop. These guys carry more than 50 of the finest teas and herbs from around the world and have dedicated themselves to the study of tea. They offer the finest tea available, including black tea, green tea, white tea and a selection of organic teas. You’ll also find everything you need for storing and serving tea properly. They even have an education section that contains information about the health benefits of tea, as well as helpful recipes and instructions for brewing the perfect pot of tea. With all this tea we’re consuming, we may just live forever. Wouldn’t that be cool? Savouré Tea Shop |
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| 10 | Soak In It Are we banging the stress drum a little too much here? It’s figuring so prominently lately, seriously, it’s top o’mind, and we find ourselves on a perpetual quest to beat it and find our way back to normalcy. (Whatever that is!) We probably just need to drop out of society for a while. Like, remember that movie with Diane Keaton where she was a high-powered executive in Manhattan and someone leaves her a baby and she drops out of society and moves to Vermont and makes baby food? We’ve probably got it all wrong, but it’s been a decade or so, and we always had the same fantasy. But maybe instead, in our case, we’d just move to Bend and make candles. Dang! Someone has already beaten us to it! And they do it very well. So well they’re sold all over the world. Dani luxury candles, soaps and bath oils are made in Bend and sold at plush spas and boutiques nationwide. Okay, back to the stress drum, we’ll just have to soak in Dani’s new Stress Less Vitamin Bath Soak (it turns an ordinary bath into a healing oasis - promise). We’ll just sit back, soothe, nourish and relax in our tubby. We’ll light a few Dani candles, dim the lights and dream of dropping out of society...and making, um, hmmm...jelly? Jam? Doilies? …um… socks! …no… chocolates! …no… (…to be continued...) |
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| Website of the Week: Woot.com | |||
| Amazingly simple, and clever idea...just like their name. Woot.com features just one product a day and when it sells out, it's gone. It’s quite unbelievable and has really taken off. Woot.com is an online store and community that focuses on selling cool stuff cheap. It started as an employee-store slash market-testing type of place for an electronics distributor, but it's taken on a life of its own. They anticipate profitability by 2043, and by then they should be retired, and someone smarter might take over and jack up the prices. Until then, they're still the lovable scamps they've always been. We’ll woot to that! |
 woot.com |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Movers and Shakers Remember that gizmo that you put around your bum and it shakes your fat all around in the name of a “workout”? It’s always amusing to see someone using it, just standing there shake shake shakin their booty and whistling away. Cardio it is not. However, maybe it isn’t so funny. Based on the same jiggling concept there is now Power Plate. They say when you stand on the vibrating plate you increase bone density and build muscle and improve circulation. Madonna uses it and she’s pretty darn fit, though we’d bet she hasn’t quit her day aerobics. |
 powerplateusa.com |
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| 2 | Pop the Trunk Check out this rad new baby product - Tinybigs (for tinyhineys!) This patent-pending accessory is designed to keep the pants of babies aged 6-18 months pulled up. They are a fun alternative to belts and suspenders. Tattoo-inspired and mom invented, there's nothing else like it on the market. And they are launching this product this month, so once again you can be the trend-setting “early adopter” that you always are. It’s so cool! Droopy Drawers No More from Pop Trunk Baby! |
 poptrunkbaby.com |
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| 3 | Have Toiletries, Will Travel We have loads of toiletries and we can’t feel normal while we’re away without them. So we lug them along...leaving on a jet plane, jumping trains… However, without fail, at least one thing explodes all over our suitcase, usually all over the lone little black dress we needed for that important evening. We even tighten their little caps, put them in baggies, wrap them in towels, all to no avail. Powee! Something explodes. Shampoo, lotions, toothpaste, blech! Now, thanks to one of our super savvy readers, we’ve discovered Pitotubes. These are awesome travel containers that will not explode. They are James Bond-like and will protect your precious ooze and gooze and allow for safe, clean travels. Pitotubes are high-tech, airless, refillable bottles with a tight seal to keep your elixirs safely contained and ready for action. It’s rocket science for your packing. |
 pitotubes.com |
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| 4 | Spray it, Don’t Say it We do a lot of brainstorming at the Portland Picks World Headquarters. It practically hurts to think this much. No kidding. So you can bet that we go through a lot of Smart Water. And when we’re feeling a little brain dead, or falling flat with our creativity, just a little spritz of Sprayology’s BrainPower and we’re revved to go. One of us gets a little brain freeze, we hand over the Sprayology, open, spritz, voila! Problem solved, and the next Super Picks extraordinare is done. It’s that simple. Honest. Whenever we can’t say it, we spray it. Sprayology Homeopathic Oral Spray |
 sprayology.com |
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| 5 | Suit Up Spring Break is almost here, so hurry up and hit the gym...eek! That is, if you’re going to the sun, like we are. No doubt we’re bringing lots of vintage mummus to cover our pasty white bodies, but there will come a time when we’ll have to get into a bathing suit. So here comes the big time, overboard, spray-on tan...since as the week of vacation drags on, the whiter we get...and we’re going to look at this bikini, like a carrot dangling in front of us, as incentive. We will wear it. We will wear it! And then we’ll lay on the lounge chair all day long, afraid to get up out of the skinny position (lay down, bend knees so thigh fat dangles down rather than smooshing out flat, suck in tum, wear an SPF. And a mummu.) But we’ll pick a cute suit like this one, or maybe one with, ummm, more. |
 victoriassecret.com |
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| 6 | Not So Simply Sarah We are so tired of ho hum boring lap top cases. Yawn. Until we saw Simply Sarah’s. You can wear it snug up on your shoulder or under your arm like a clutch and it makes such a not-so-simple statement. Quite the contrary, in fact. This elegant laptop case is designed for the fashionista on the go. The strap can be removed for those of you who prefer to put your computer in your big tote bag. The Simply Sarah Computer Case is 15x13x2" and fits up to a 15" laptop. |
 simplysarahshaw.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | The Library Foundation’s 10th Annual Gala: An Evening in Support of Summer Reading Ten Times the Party: the 10th Annual Gala for Summer Reading! Cocktails, entertainment and surprises in every room of Portland’s beloved crown jewel — the Central Library. Hors d’oeuvres, small plates and desserts from 15 of Portland’s finest caterers. Dancing and revelry until midnight. Join your friends and the fun — it’s the one night of the year you can party in the Library! Proceeds go to support Multnomah County Library’s highly successful Summer Reading program, which reaches more than 50,000 young people to encourage reading skills outside the classroom.
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 libraryfoundation.org |
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| 2 | You Are Such a Doll! Martina Ann Thornhill of Gesundheit Clothing and Amy Darshan Burrell of DarBeka Clothing as The 1949 Production Co. bring you “The Paper Doll Show.” ”Paper Doll’s” goals are to showcase designers and artists in neighborhoods in Portland and Seattle. Come find unique well-made items to outfit and pamper your inner paper doll, and things for your doll house, too. This will be a day of fabulous new talent, music and fun, brought to you by DJ Teenage, in a lovely 40s atmosphere! The first show will be held in the Burnside area between Grand and 30th. This is a perfect example of a burgeoning district of Portland that has started to blossom again after the economic drought. Living in the area we’ve watched new shops pop up everywhere and flourish. We want to promote this atmosphere of prosperous creativity by hosting an event that showcases the neighborhood. But Paper Doll also wants to give back to women. We will be raffling off donated art, jewelry and fashion with all the proceeds benefiting The Portland Women’s Crisis Line (PWCL).
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| 3 | 30th Annual Lake Run and Festival to take place Saturday, May 13, 2006 (It’s the 30th Anniversary of the Lake Run . . . Come and Celebrate!) The Lake Oswego Junior Women’s Club and Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation are proud to announce the 30th annual Lake Run/Walk and Family Fun Festival. The 30th Lake Run is set for Saturday, May 13, 2006. This annual springtime event, with a racecourse meandering through scenic Lake Oswego attracts thousands of racers and spectators from around the Northwest and beyond! The 6th annual family festival will take place on race day Saturday, May 13th, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at Millennium Plaza Park (the race finish venue) with fun activities for everyone in the family. There will be food, entertainment, crafts, info booths, children’s activities and much more! All proceeds from this event will benefit women’s and children’s charities throughout the Portland Metropolitan area. For more information please visit our web site at: www.lojwc.org or www.racecenter.com/lakerun. You can contact the race hotline at 503.644.6822, or email events@racecenter.com. |
 racecenter.com |
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| 4 | Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Sample Sale On our way over to American Apparel this afternoon, we spied with our little eyes.... The Sample Sale at the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams showroom on W. Burnside. Some magnetic force pulled us right into the store, and our eyes feasted on smooth chocolate brown leather ottomen, the most loungey chaises ever, and the perfect garnet-colored "chair & 1/2" - just a smidgen larger than a standard armchair but a smidgen smaller than a standard loveseat. Ahhhh the "chair & 1/2", how we love you. You are one great invention. We had one of these "chair & 1/2"s back in nyc, but that's only because it was the largest couch we could fit into the damn place. That's ok, though. It was roomy enough for us for a night in solitude with best friends Ben & Jerry. It was cozy enough for us when we were chillin' with our hunny. Nowadays, our "chair & 1/2" in our more spacious abode is testament of our former bohemian lifestyle. So, skedattle your little bums over to Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Showroom and partake. Items are so grown-up and savvy, not to mention severely marked down. Custom orders are 20% off, and The Sample Sale will continue until products are cleared out for the new line. |
 mgandbw.com |
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| 5 | A Golden Girl’s Night Out! We have discovered the most amazing line of shoes and handbags from a pair of hot new designers in LA (one of whom went to the U of O). These bags are the hottest thing to hit Hollywood, this season’s IT bag and more, with clients such as Cameron Diaz, Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Eva Longoria and more. Seen in Lucky, WWD, People, In Style! And now you can check them out at a trunk show at the Hotel Vintage Plaza on March 15th, Wednesday, from 5-8pm. Just ask for the Goldenbleu suite. Come for wine, cheese and crackers and great shopping! Hotel Vintage Plaza |
 goldenbleu.com |
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So that’s it! We’re hoping our stress levels will diminish by next week, but we’re not so sure that will happen. In the meantime, there’s tea…and chocolate…and wine! And dreams of Jake Gyllenhaal…ahh…now that’s relaxing! |
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