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March 24 th, 2006
We are thinking really hard about the future. We’ve accomplished so much at times, and at other times we’ve been reduced to shivering, babbling lumps that can’t make decisions past when to roll over on the sofa to avoid getting bedsores. But lately it seems like so many decisions need to be made that will affect us in years to come…two on our staff are in the process of buying new houses, we’re thinking about what we’d like to do professionally for the long term, we’re thinking about our past choices and where they led us…oh, it’s almost too much! So what do we do when we get attacks of The Thinkies? Simple: we shop. Take our advice, tis better to have too many shoes than too many regrets. That’s our latest motto. That, and Everybody Wang Chung Tonight. |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Let it Bead There are certain therapies that help more than others in certain situations. For stress, massage and visualization are good to help you relax. For bursitis, try acupuncture or anti-inflammatory foods. For anxiety, exercise and heavy, sedating medication can be effective, and for general I-can’t-sit-still-and-nothing-worksiness we recommend crafts. But good crafts – things you can be proud of – not the crappy crafts you made at summer camp. (Friendship bracelets are a definite No!) Lucky for us, there’s Let it Bead, a super bead store in downtown P-land that has the most amazing array of beads and supplies (findings, tools and books) that can have you making the most precious baubles while at the same time finding your center. Check out their classes (from basic wire manipulation to group parties) and then see if you can keep your browsing to under 30 minutes. We dare you! With everything from ethnic wood and painted beauties to bugle beads, Swarovski crystals, vintage German glass beads, Czech glass and pearls, as well as funky pendants (check out the ones made of shards of Chinese pottery), you are certain to find something to occupy and beautify. Let it Bead |
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| 2 | Carb Therapy Why is good bread one of the Best Things Ever? From Biblical times people realized the power of flour, and learned to make the most delightful edibles from simple ingredients. We would almost – almost – give up chocolate if we had a regular supply of good bread. Mmm…sourdough…and the kind with Kalamata olives…and scones…and…and…and! We will never be skinny. This we know. But darnit we’re going to be “healthy” and happy because unlike skinny people, we’re going to eat the bread they bake at Grand Central Baking Company’s newest – and coolest – location – out in Northeast, just off Mississippi. The bakery just opened in a huge, airy building with high industrial ceilings, a very urban vibe, AND a huge parking lot! Does it get any better than that? If you live close enough (or you want to burn off those cals from the chocolate croissant) you can ride your bike to GCBC, as there’s plenty of room on the bike rack. But then again…eh. Just go and eat! Our favorites are the cranberry scones and bread pudding that’s almost like a muffin. They also serve soups, salads and sandwiches in addition to the artisan breads and pastries. As David Spade would say, “Right arm!” Grand Central Baking Company |
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| 3 | Good Gravy! Sometimes you need more at breakfast than that bowl of Special K with strawberries – because. um, A) those strawberries are slightly freaky if you think about them, and B) sometimes you need to feed. When you’re in the mood for hearty food + a relaxed hipster atmosphere, may we suggest Gravy? They use local and organic ingredients, and they’re Vegan-friendly, but mmm…they also have fried-egg sandwiches (perfect for curing a hangover!), out-of-this-world scrambles and omelets (we like the Greco – tomato, spinach, mushrooms and Fontina cheese), French toast (made with Challah bread), decadent pan-fried hash browns (good for everything that ails you), “double-wide” thick-cut bacon (only good for pleasing your taste buds) and smoothies made with organic yogurt and soymilk (for those who are only partially lactose-intolerant.) The vibe is warm and welcoming, mixing funky original art and painted wooden chairs with exposed ductwork. Expect to wait for a bit on weekends, and to sit close to other diners, but they won’t mind, as everyone is hunched over their huge plates of food or deep in conversation. Oh, and nothing on the breakfast menu is over $8.75…such a deal! (Lunch and dinner, too…but…fried egg sandwiches! Fried eggs!!!) Gravy |
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| 4 | Cheese Louise We love cheese, though we don’t know a thing about it. When we entertain we just randomly choose cheese that makes us look like we know a thing or two but to anyone that really knows, we’re a sure giveaway, especially when they ask, “What is this?” or we end up pairing it with, say, Budweiser. But now we’ve discovered Curds and Whey. They will give you elegant wine that goes with just the right unpronounceable cheese and write it all down so you can head fake even the most knowledgeable cheese whiz. Curds and Whey is just off Tacoma in a sweet little house on SE 13th. You can choose your cheese, your wine, send a gift basket, or sit and stay awhile and taste it all in the little restaurant. They carry carefully chosen cheese, and foods that complement cheese: chutneys, sauces, jams, seasonings, cured meats and wines, and many products from the Pacific Northwest. These guys are experts and your palate will be so pleased. It’s just charming; a lovely place to stop by and stay awhile, sampling, browsing, and learning something new from the proprietor (The Big Cheese!) Grab your buddy and make it a field trip, and tell them Portland Picks sent you. Curds & Whey |
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| 5 | Make a Pointe What do you do when you have an immediate need for a facial, a manicure, and eek, a highlight? We are not those that plan way ahead with our grooming. We usually just wake up one day and realize that we are in desperate straits, we have an event and our nails look wicked or our hair shameful and we didn’t see it coming. Still, we don’t want a drive-thru, we don’t want to settle, we need the real deal. And then there are the kids, oh yeah. But pshaw, no worries. The new Pointe Spa at the Riverplace Athletic Club has you covered in many more ways than one. And you don’t even have to be a member. You can go with your girlfriend for an Opulence Pedicure or a glorious French Facial. They have a Wassage, a dreamy bath massage in a high-tech tub with 122 air and water jets. Sure beats our Mr. Bubble at home. Sweet tooth? How about a Chocolate Papaya Mud Wrap...yummy! They even have personal training and rock climbing to add to your total spa day. But the best part? Childcare! Your little tots will be in good hands, just like you. You must check it out, in fact make a “Pointe” of it. It’s a whole new decadent world for you mommies...as it should be. The Pointe Spa |
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| 6 | Mr. Clean We all know cleanliness is Next to Godliness. And it sure helps our Godliness when there’s Scrub. GR Scrub is a charming new shop in Sellwood that carries solutions and tools for housekeeping with oodles of whimsy. This store carries everything related to cleaning. It’s so clever. Their products smell yummy, like their wood wax that smells like lavender, and their Caldrea line for kids in their growing kids’ corner. The owner is from the East Coast and often writes for House and Garden. Yes, Glenn knows cleaning. He combines his love for design, his knowledge of housewares and his retail experience at GR Scrub. He offers his customers a limited amount of high-quality product to do the job so you aren’t buying a bazillion different mediocre things. If you wonder how to dust, clean and care for the different surfaces in your home, from your hardwood floors to dusting the various moldings to your marble counters and chrome faucets, he has the perfect tool for you. Plus they have cool stuff: hamper totes that divide the whites from the darks, quirky wastebaskets, adorable dish towels…good-looking products with a retro feel. If you care about your home, and are discriminating, even persnickety like us, and you scoff at mainstream supermarket cleaning products, this charming shop was made for you. Please pay Scrub a visit, and tell Glenn hi from us. GR Scrub |
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| 7 | Oh My! Portland used to be the land of Birkenstocks but now there’s everything from Dolce and Gabbana to Steve Madden, from Nike to Prada. Bottom line, our shoes are as diverse as we are. And now, appropriately, there is a local shoe company that is getting national attention. They are combining comfort and the health of your feet into affordable high heels you can literally stand. If you are on your feet all day, these shoes are for you. In fact, these shoes are made for walking. They are Oh Shoes and they are practical high-heels. In fact, they call themselves Sexy Healthy Heels. That’s nearly an oxy-moron. And it seems so natural that they come from Oregon. They are carefully engineered and constructed with shock absorbers. So if you have a job where you are on your feet all day, you no longer have to wear those white nurse-looking Famolares. Yay and phew! Check out OhShoes.com for all their styles. You’ll ooh and ahh...or at least oh...at Oh Shoes. |
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| 8 | The Skinny on Boot Camp Are you like us, avoiding the full-length mirror with your bathing suit on? Too afraid that you're not in tip-top, cellulite-free shape for spring break? Where did the tone-up time go? Mexico is just weeks away! Just in time, we've found a terrific fitness regime at a place called Genesis Fitness. It's guaranteed to firm you up in all the right places. Be all you can be with Missy Gifford's Boot Camp! Missy is a certified body-builder-type gal with a program that delivers results. It's hard work, but boot camp is a winner. The program incorporates variety of exercises and training movements: sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, boxing, lunges, squats, and inner core-strength exercises. Each class concludes with abdominal exercises and stretching. If you want to pay extra, and it's worth it, you can follow the aerobic workout with the 20-minute circuit weight training program. The fitness programs at Genesis are little spendy, $250 for the daily exercises classes, $500 if you include the circuit training and over $6,000 for the 12-week Extreme Makeover. But hey, our friend says it's money well spent. "Thank you sir, can I have another?" 5795 SW Jean Road, Suite C Lake Oswego OR, 97035 503.699.8887 |
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| 9 | Ivy League If we could have any professional help we needed, we would forgo the cleaning lady and the chauffeur, and choose a chef to make all our meals. We fret over the daunting prospect of what’s for dinner, and we are oft overwhelmed by the blurry of choices at the supermarket. And then we have to spend so much time cooking. It’s enough to drive us to drink, which, actually, we do while we’re cooking, that beckoning glass of wine, just to take the edge off this merciless task. But we like to feed ourselves and our family healthy, organic meals that are big on taste. That’s the most frightening prospect of all...the latter...the taste part. So to relieve our stress, we granted ourselves this wish after we met Chef Ivy. Dear, wonderful, super-heroine Ivy. She brings us dinner. And it’s fabulous; she brings lasagna, and Thai food, made only with the freshest ingredients. There it is at our door. We just heat and serve and voila! Then we just kick back and enjoy it, with our celebratory glass of wine of course. She’s amazing...and a dream come true. And she can be yours too! We don’t mind sharing. You will love her! Oh, and do we have a great gift idea for a baby shower gift: give Ivy! Get your girlfriends together and go in on a week with Ivy. Believe us, she will love and appreciate this far more than just another baby blanket. Ivy = Priceless. Chef Ivy Manning |
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| 10 | It Becomes You Remember those blissful days when you were a young woman in your late teens, early twenties…you could eat a gallon of ice cream and not gain a single pound and your biggest concern was what outfit would make the boys swoon? That was then—this is now—and today’s young gals face some tough pressures. Whether they’re being bombarded by everyone’s favorite question, “So honey, what do you want to be when you grow up?” or trying to measure up to beauty images from the media, many young women could use some extra support. Fortunately, there’s hope for today’s progressive young women! BecomeX is one of our favorite local non-profits that works with young women between the ages of 16 and 26. Each quarter (yes, that means spring, summer, fall and winter), BecomeX provides an 11-week program dedicated to empowering young women to celebrate who they are and encouraging them to embrace the possibility of who they might become…get it?…BecomeX…it’s all about helping young women live lives directed by choice rather than circumstance. Classes are taught by local professionals on topics that promote a healthy soul, mind and body, including self-discovery, financial management, health & nutrition, and personal style, to name a few. So if you know of any young gals that fit this bill, visit www.BecomeX.org or call 503.222.2087 for more info. Hurry, spring classes start April 11th! |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Period Pal Don’t Leave home without your Pal. Sometimes life can throw you for a loop, even the most organized among us. And thanks to the season’s big bag, there’s ample room for all your emergency kits. Preparation is all-important for life’s little emergencies, and Urban Aid has a cute kit every for every emergency situation, for every woman on the go. Your purse should never be without the Urban Aid Period Pal Kit. For just $12 you have an extra thong, 2 tampons, one panty liner and a packet of pain reliever, because one can never be too prepared. |
 urbanaid.com |
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| 2 | Podfitness.com Everyone, well practically everyone, has an iPod these days. So there’s no excuse not to exercise, now that there’s Podfitness.com. Just download your workout, pick a celebrity trainer and your style of music, and you’ve just customized your new fitness regime. You can listen to the songs you love and get an amazing personal trainer for next to nothing. And it’s as easy as downloading songs from your iTunes music store. Fitness has never been so easy. It’s in the palm of your hand. |
 podfitness.com |
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| 3 | Mix and Match Spring break is near and much to our chagrin we have to get into a bathing suit. We hate to spend a fortune, since we are only temporarily going to be fat, not quite at our summer weight. That’s why we love Target and their wide selection of cute mix and match suits. So we can buy that small top to go with our large bottoms (as in bikini bottoms!) Target has a great selection of styles to choose from for any figure, to bring out your best assets, or if you prefer, to hide your assets. We’re seeing lots of browns, embellishments, and embroidery. Tankinis and bikinis and boy shorts, and even terry cloth skirts to wear as a cover-up (oh, how we love the cover-ups!) |
 target.com |
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| 4 | Shame on You Speaking of emergencies, God forbid this would ever happen to you, but let’s just say, if it did, you should definitely be prepared. Definitely. This aptly named emergency kit is called Shame on You and includes one toothbrush...so you never have to have that morning breath, one pair of panties…because a girl should always wear clean undies, and three condoms…because three are better than one, natch. Then there’s one “emergency” phone card that you can use when you are ready to flee, a packet of pain reliever, and one “leave behind” note because courtesy is a must for any, ahem, lady. Maybe you’ll never use it...but what if?
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 urbanaid.com |
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| 5 | Get your Mood On Lighting is everything. It affects our mood and it sets the mood. Remember how in January we had about 8 hours of sunlight? Well, of daylight anyway…we’re not sure about the sun part. It’s no wonder we hibernate and start feeling a little moody. Mood-lites allow you to bring colors in light to set the mood for each room, with only a twist of a light bulb (goodbye, repainting!) Feeling mellow? Pop in a Tranquility bulb. Frisky? Try Passion! Or how about starting your day with Energy, as it sure beats the glaring bright white you are probably used to waking up to every day! Check out their website and get your mood on at the Mood Lounge and see what all the celebs are saying.
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 mood-lites.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Calling all Party Animals! The Lippman Co., Portland’s largest locally owned party store, is the place for pooch party supplies. Drive by the display window on SE Water & Yamhill to get some great ideas for your next “Pooch Party”! Doggie’s birthday is a perfect opportunity to reward him for doing so well at obedience school this year or for helping you stay in shape by taking you on all of those early morning walks! Stop by the store to pick out your canine party ware, paw print treat bags and balloons, favors, & decorations. While you’re there, don’t forget to get your best friend a doggie party hat that he can wear on his special day, so his friends at daycare will treat him royally.
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  lippmancompany.com |
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| 3 | Food and Wine Pairing Class With the abundance of pinot noir in Oregon, it's helpful to know what to pair with it. This would be a fun class to do with a date, friends, or even on your own. Bites and Flights Love pinot noir but don’t know what food to pair with it? Learn basic food pairing, featuring a selection of Bishop Creek Cellars and local heavy red varietals. The class costs $45 and includes delicious little bites that will pair well with the featured wines. Contact Urban Wineworks to reserve your spot. Space is limited. Urban Wineworks |
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| 4 | Race for the Roses On your mark! At 7 a.m., Sunday, April 9, at the Oregon Convention Center it’s the 8th Annual Race for the Roses. This is a major fundraiser for Albertina Kerr Centers and
Albertina Kerr Centers |
 race4theroses.org |
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| 5 | Locks of Love On Tuesday, April 11th, from 10-5 Untangled Salon will be doing Locks of Love cuts. Appointments are encouraged, but not required. Haircuts will be on a donation basis. Anyone donating $15 or more will receive a can of w8less plus hairspray.
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 untangledsalon.net |
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| 6 | Let’s Hear it for April! Along with taxes being due, April is Stress Awareness Month! Providence Health System is offering a special class called "Stress Relief: An Introduction to Stress Management." at two different Providence locations. Are you constantly feeling overwhelmed by stress in your daily life? Is stress affecting your mental, emotional and physical health? Do you feel like you don't know where to start to manage your stress? Providence Health Education Services will be holding a special class series, “Stress Relief: An Introduction to Stress Management.” These two class sessions will help you look at the way you manage the stress in your life. You will be given an opportunity to listen, talk and practice ways to decrease daily stress. You will create a stress management plan that works for you and leave you feeling in control. Register today!
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 providence.org |
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| 7 | Bravo! Wedding Affair Don't miss your chance to be a part of the Bravo! Wedding Affair. Seats are limited and the show is almost sold out! Planning your wedding has never been easier. In one three-hour session Bravo! is equipping you with all the tools needed to plan your entire wedding; including the Bravo! Wedding Planner – a $30 value, free with admission. In this unique workshop, Bravo! will present four extraordinary wedding receptions designed and planned by local consultants, each featuring its own unique style and personality, overflowing with exciting trends and fresh ideas you never thought possible. Following each reception, you'll have the opportunity to meet personally with photographers, dress designers, caterers and other wedding experts to get their advice or book their services. And before you walk way with new ideas and valuable information to plan your wedding, you'll have the chance to indulge yourself with a little relaxation and much-needed pampering.
Win tickets to the Bravo! Wedding Affair. Send an email to denise@bravoportland.com with your name, email address and date of your wedding and Bravo! will pick 10 lucky brides to attend the Affair. |
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| 8 | Portland Farmers’ Market Portland Farmers’ Market, the city’s kitchen garden and flourishing farm-direct marketplace, opens Saturday, April 1, 2006, for its 15th season. Spring produce, locally raised meats, wild fish, artisan foods, vegetable starts and bedding plants galore underscore the pleasures of locally grown food and gardening. A perennial fixture at the south end of the city’s Park Blocks on the campus of Portland State University, the Saturday farmers market operates from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 1 through December 16, 2006. |
 portlandfarmersmarket.org |
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| 9 | 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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Is it obvious? We’ve eaten this week like food is going out of style. We’re going to have to hit the gym every day this week…or at least think about it. Does thinking about it count??? |
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