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April 14th, 2006
Once again we find ourselves looking through our spring wardrobes left over from last year and we have to stop ourselves from either A) crying, B) laughing, and C) frantically throwing everything into a pile for Goodwill and writing apologetic notes to everyone we offended by wearing certain outfits. The Kelly green loafers? Yeah…um…sorry. The peasant tops with embroidery? Again…whoopsie. The skinny jeans? We need a billboard on Burnside to apologize for that one. Anyhoo, so this year we vow to mind our fashion Ps and Qs. To watch Style Network and read magazines and pay attention to what’s not just “hot,” but cute enough to last through an entire year, so we never ever have to cry in our closets again. |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Reinvent Yourself Do you ever have sleepless nights wondering what can be done with that old toilet paper roll? Do you ponder other uses for that abandoned flea collar? Maybe you’re a saver and always knew those old Lite Brite pegs would come in handy again one day. If this is you, then we’ve found your second home. Redux...innovative reinventions. Think reclaimed wine tumblers, typewriter jewelry, vintage phone-cord purses, bicycle-chain can openers...these are genius man, genius. But its their jewelry that really rocks. Stunning. The shop and gallery, a beautiful new space in LoBu, is really a showcase for the artists, and about the ability an artist has to elevate an object from trash to treasure. As well as being consignment gallery of contemporary crafts and functional art that showcases good design, Redux is a jewelry and accessories boutique, and also offers up crafts, housewares, furniture, lighting, wearables, jewelry and art objects that have in some way been manipulated, reclaimed or reinvented through various deconstructions or the use of recycled materials. The proprietress is cute Tamara Goldsmith, a jeweler and a crafty lady who came to Portland in 1997. She continues in her lifelong mission to seek out good design, good conversation and the perfect cut of sushi. Think you can relate? Pay Tamara a visit and check out the wonder of it all. Redux |
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| 2 | In Retrospect… Okay, remember that one girl in college who always looked so funky and chic, like a cross between Value Village and Vogue magazine? She always had the coolest sunglasses, and she scoured thrift stores, sewed her own clothes and dressed with such aplomb that the rest of us—in our “run-of-the-mall” outfits from Express—might as well have been wearing white jumpsuits a la Logan’s Run. We often wonder, where is that girl, and what does she look like now? And is she still as cool now as she was then? If she is, then she is most certainly shopping at Retrospect. And she’s bringing her superhot vegan boyfriend, too. Retrospect has clothes for men and women—handmade, vintage and reworked vintage, and some really righteous t-shirts that make us happy to get up in the morning, with slogans like “Macho Man,” “Mr. Sexy,” and “Keep on Truckin’.” You’ll also find lacy camisoles, pretty blouses, cute skirts, and fun accessories like jewelry found-object keychains. We love Retrospect and will try our best to channel that girl’s quirky and luscious sense of style…and if we don’t quite nail it, at least we can fake it. Thank you, Retrospect! Thank you. Retrospect |
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| 3 | Renew and Recharge at Sunriver Resort As women, it’s always the right time to think about healthy living and find balance in our lives. Now you can learn about wellness, consider what’s important to you, and get pampered in the process. We recommend taking a couple of days for yourself, or with some close girlfriends or relatives, to experience the “Women’s Wellness Weekend” at Sunriver Resort. Sunriver Resort in Central Oregon, in partnership with St. Charles Medical Center in nearby Bend and sponsored by SPA Magazine, is introducing its first-ever “Women’s Wellness Weekend,” designed to give participants the opportunity to “renew, recharge and rediscover.” The keynote presentation will be delivered by Dr. Anne Nedrow, medical director of the Women’s Primary Care/Integrative Medicine Center for Women’s Health at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. Her keynote speech (“Mind-Body-Spirit Wellness”) on Saturday, April 22, will explore a holistic approach to healthy living, optimal wellness and stress management. In addition to Dr. Nedrow, a lineup of experienced advisors and health professionals will lead various workshops, offering practical tools for living with integrity and purpose. The price is $350 per person and includes lodging (based on double occupancy), instruction, planned meals, and morning and evening activities. Add-on spa services are also available. Much more information is available at the event Web site — www.sunriver-resort.com/wellness. |
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| 4 | Fun and Funky in Westmoreland There’s a new fun and funky boutique in Westmoreland! In a neighborhood filled with antique stores Fuchsia is a stand out, like Zots in a bowl of brown M&Ms. Mind you, we love M&Ms, particularly the peanut butter ones, but Zots, wowza, if you catch our drift. And we’ve always loved fuchsia, we just could never spell it. In fact our bridesmaids wore Fuchsia, which was a little much in hindsight... Thankfully, Fuchia (the store) is fun and fresh—you’ll find bright colors, cool jewelry, hip décor items and amazing prices. They are open every day 10 to 6 through the summer. They are a stroller-friendly space and even well-behaved dogs can join their people if they want. It’s a killer shop for bridal gifts and jewelry in particular. We love their bright bangles and yummy totes. It’s a deliciously pink store of course and it makes us very very happy. You must visit, and say hi to adorable Anne, the owner, and tell her Portland Picks sent you. Fuchsia |
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| 5 | Saddle Up to the Bar One of our fave past Picks, Nolita, has just unveiled a 600-square-foot addition to its current Pearl location, making it even easier to find the perfect fitting jeans. Re-opening today, you can walk into the newly expanded store, where the quest to find your perfect denim match has never been easier. Whether you choose to browse the self-serve tables, or be ‘served’ at the denim bar, Nolita has a full selection of jeans styles and finishes. In addition to their basic denim collections, the Denim Bar features specialized fits: curvy, long, relaxed, or skinny, to name just a few. For those not thrilled at the thought of low-rise jeans, Nolita stocks mid-rise fits. Woohoo! And as an added bonus, their denim specialists assure you have the right length, so the jeans nearly touch the floor in the back. Plus their seamstress stitches them so the original hem stays on. Saddle up to the bar and check out their extensive collection of men’s and women’s denim including True Religion, Rock & Republic, Seven for all Mankind, and Habitual. Clothing lines such as J.Jindeberg, L.A.M.B., Fred Perry, and 12th Street round out the product mix. On average, more than 50 bangin brands have a home at Nolita. Situated on the boardwalk near Jamison Square in the Pearl District, the Nolita Denim Bar will surely become a destination for Portland’s denim shoppers. Enjoy! Nolita |
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| 6 | Baker and Spice and Everything Nice I love cookies. Cookies have really always been my destiny. When I was a little girl, my mom wouldn’t allow cookies in the house, except for the Tollhouse she made for my dad, which she would hide in his underwear drawer (where my sisters and I would inevitably always find them). My neighbor across the cul-de-sac from our house always had Nutter Butters, however, and when they weren’t home I would sneak through their dog door and steal them. As fate would have it, my first real job was at Elephants Deli as the Assistant Cookie Chef (?) when I was in the 9th grade (honest). It was my very important job to make the giant cookies, cracking 60 eggs a batch. You’d think this cookie-rich life would leave me sick of cookies by now, but not so. As a grown up, I don’t often allow cookies in my house, enabling the vicious cycle of creating a cookie disorder in my own kids. It’s not for their sake, but because of my own lack of cookie willpower. I’d eat one and it would be all over—they’d all be gone in a sitting. Not to brag, but I feel very competent judging cookies, and I’ve found another winner: Baker and Spice. Their shortbread cookies are to die for. They sent me gorgeous Easter cookies, probably to share, and not only were they darling to look out, but they tasted incredible. Trust me, I know. I ate one, and to be sure, I ate another, and another. Yep, fantastic. It all started with a modest bakery stall at the Portland Farmers Market. From the beginning, Baker and Spice became a destination spot for market regulars looking for seasonal baked goods—savory and sweet handmade pies, flaky pastries, hearty breads, and cookies! Still a fixture at area farmers’ markets, they established a bustling bakery nestled in the SW Portland neighborhood of Hillsdale in January of 2005. The draw of the bakery confections and breads is just as strong here, where six days a week, customers linger over pastries and locally roasted coffee, or enjoy rustic homemade soups and sandwiches layered with farm-fresh ingredients on artisan breads. And then there are the cookies. Baker and Spice |
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| 7 | Green with Envy Our kids have dog names and our dogs have people names...but our discriminating needs for all remain equally high. So when we shop with the kids in mind, you’ll find us at New Seasons. When we shop with the dogs in mind, you’ll find us at Green Dog. You’ve heard of the band Green Day, thanks to the kids, but have you heard of Green Dog? For all your pet supplies, run – don’t walk – your pooch over to Green Dog Pet Supply on NE 46th and Fremont. What makes this so special, and worth the trip if you’re not from the ’hood, are the owners, Mike and Christine. Thanks to their efforts, Green Dog carries locally made products for your pet and they focus on “green” pet supplies, which are a no-brainer on our list. Local + green = Portland Heaven. There. Done. Piece of cake...or decadent dog cookies and treats, which you’ll find here, too. One of readers has a Mastiff named Coltrane (ooh, potential boy’s name?) that she takes with her when she shops at Green Dog. Mike showers her pup with love, and he and his wife have even tried to set them up on a play date with another local Mastiff pup. Talk about customer service. Those are the little things that make this store worth the trip. One visit and you and Fido, or Max, or Fred, will be hooked. |
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| 8 | Walk On We know it’s unfathomable, unthinkable even, to voluntarily spend a Saturday walking around in the rain, but rain shmain, we’re Oregonians. If you can’t brave the rain then you’ll just have to stay put in your cave 10 months out of the year. Instead, you need to get out there and do something, this way you can tell people you actually did something, as opposed to what we do, which is mostly nothing. And if you like to shop or eat or shop and eat and walk with a bit of guidance, check out Portland Walking Tours. These fun and award-winning guided walking tours explore the history, food, architecture, neighborhoods, bridges, parks, fountains, artwork, and unique places in Portland, the "City of Roses." They have a menu of extraordinary tours, including the popular "Best of Portland," the beautiful architecture of the "A Walk Through Time" or the exciting "Epicurean Excursion" culinary walking tour, which CitySearch says is one of the "Top 10 Things to Do this Summer." Our favorite is the Epicurean Excursion, where you will sample food and drink and meet artisans in their shops, all in the beautiful and thriving Pearl District. Everything is included in the price of $59 per person. Walkers will taste the best of Oregon—local produce, teas, jams and jellies, beer, pizza, coffee, sorbettos and gelatos, fresh chocolate truffles, and artisan breads and sweets fresh from bakery ovens. Check out all their tours at www.portlandwalkingtours.com, and let’s go for a walk! |
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| 9 | We Believe the Children Are Our Future We’ve been having these long conversations with a prego friend of ours about how to raise children. She’s a vegan (and surprisingly, does not live in Portland, though we’re trying to lure her up here), she’s politically active, she’s an avid reader—she doesn’t even own a TV. Anyhoo, she is panicking, thinking she’s going to raise some pasty-faced hippie weirdo who doesn’t know about McDonald’s and The O.C., and we’ve been telling her it’s okay…it’s fine. Just do what you think is best, don’t be overly protective, know when to say no and by all means, give the kid a real hot dog now and then. Our friend would probably be incredibly happy with Fairies and Frogs, a sweet little store with an inspired collection of child development toys and items for pure fantasy. It’s whimsical, magical and practical, with offerings like tiny tulle tutus next to crib blankets and painted measuring sticks to follow little Billy or Betty’s height as they grow from toddlers to teenagers. Pick up a super cute diaper bag for yourself while your little one enjoys the perfectly sized play area in the center of the store, and then pop a Wishing Wand into your basket. Hey, it can’t hurt. Fairies and Frogs |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Fabulass, Dahling! You might be a fabulass or you might have a fabulass, but either way this cheeky new slogan will announce your assets to all whose eye you catch! The latest funky design and self-confident sentiment from www.Mistersandmisses.com, fabulass is available in t-shirts and hot shorts. Perfect for women in their twenties to eighties, this slogan suits women who actually eat, exercise, and take care of themselves (you!) and who love to be recognized for it. From curvaceous and loving it to active and athletic, to those working at getting into shape and yummy mummies, all will enjoy the delight of the word that graces their saucy bods. 10% of sales from any fabulass items will go to The Global Fund for Women (www.globalfundforwomen.org), which provides flexible, timely grants to women's groups around the world striving to improve women's human rights. |
 MistersandMisses.com |
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| 2 | Make Your iPod® nano as Colorful as Your Music! We have this reoccurring dream where we suddenly ourselves at school…and our iPod has no clothes on! God forbid you take your iPod out without her clothes on. Don’t be caught nakey, heaven forbid, because now there’s stylish Magpie. And you can change her stylish wardrobe every day if you’d like, so she won’t wear the same thing two days in a row, like a neglected Barbie Doll, or your small dog. Magpie has the cutest iPod and nano outfits. And thankfully, you'll never see another girl with the same Outfit. Magpie Outfits rescue your iPod nano from the fashion doldrums because unique is always chic! Get shopping! |
 magpieoutfits.com |
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| 3 | Chocolate Love For those who want to give themselves an Organic Cocoa treat without the calories, the Rhassoul Deep Condishes are just the thing. So instead of a Hot Oil treatment, why not detoxify your scalp & hair while you imbibe in a little chocolate decadence. Each Rhassoul Deep Condish is individually wrapped in white tissue paper, placed in a white box then tied with a Black Organdie ribbon & bow. Launched in December 2005, Anita Grant Ltd. is a family owned business providing all natural deep condish treats, hair butters, skin smoothies & the power of moisture direct to her customers’ doors, providing pure and wholesome care for your skin and hair. |
 anitagrant.com |
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| 4 | Simply Sublime We have just discovered L’Oreal’s Sublime Slim Patch. L’Oreal Laboratories have created a unique patch that claims to smooth cellulite and concentrate on those pesky areas that exercise alone hasn’t helped. These patches are specifically designed to firm those problem areas. We decided to give it a whirl, buying up a dozen or so kits, essentially mummifying ourselves with patches (since we’re basically one big problem area), and it seemed to work, or at least we thought so. Give it a go! |
 drugstore.com |
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| 5 | Wine Lines and Beer Bands When attending or throwing a wine party, there is nothing so devastating as mixing up glasses and dealing with someone else's cooties. Gross. How unrefined! Anyway, never again suffer such indignities with Wine Lines, snappy rubber bands that wind around wine glass stems and have color-coding as well as individual text labels like "mellow but charming," "easily approachable," "supple," or "earthy." Do they describe you…or the wine? Worse, when I was in college I’ll never forget picking up a beer I thought was mine and taking a sip...a sip of someone’s tobacco spit! With Beer Bands, there’s no chance of that. Check out Beer Bands and Wine Lines at Urban Outfitters. |
 urbanoutfitters.com |
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| Book of the week: | |||
| ”The Night I Got Lucky,” by Laura Caldwell What would you wish for if you could have anything you wanted? We immediately wish for a promotion with a huge bank account, the perfect partner who totally dotes on us, cute guys that hit on us, and no annoying people anywhere. Wishing for things—anything you want—is the premise for Laura Caldwell’s new chick-lit offering, ”The Night I Got Lucky.” A newly-married 32-year old PR woman—whose dad named her Billy because he wanted a son, and then split when she was a kid—is given a ceramic frog by her therapist, and her life immediately turns upside down…in a good way! Billy sees all her wishes come true overnight. But, is that a good thing? Of course not! Why not, we ask? Why can’t we just have all the goodies and just live happily ever after? Billy keeps throwing away the frog, but it magically turns up on her nightstand the next day…until she learns her lesson. ”The Night I Got Lucky” is a very cute and relatively painless story about Billy getting what she really wants. There’s even a happy ending. But, don’t even think you know what’s coming!
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 Amazon.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Taste of the Nation Have you been meaning to try out newcomer Vindalho on Clinton St. but find your car heads only to the wonderful clarklewis on Water Avenue? Have you heard the buzz about Olea but aren't ready to give up the delights of Fratelli just one block down on Hoyt? On April 24, 2006, for one night only, sample the culinary delights of 70 restaurants and bakeries from Portland and beyond as well as wine and beer from 50 Oregon and Washington wineries and breweries - all in one place! The event is the 19th annual Taste of the Nation, Portland's premier tasting event, held this year in a new location at the Oregon Convention Center. Tickets are $70 per person for general admission from 6 pm to 9 pm. The ticket price includes tastings from all purveyors with no additional costs. For $95 you can purchase a VIP admission that gets you in an hour earlier and includes passed hors d'oeuvres and a chance to win an exclusive VIP door prize. You must be 21 or over to attend. The event includes live music and a silent auction. 100% of the proceeds from tickets sales and the auction benefit the fight to end hunger in Oregon and SW Washington. Check out the web site at www.portlandtaste.org for a list of all the restaurants, wineries, and breweries and to purchase tickets. The number of Oregon's most celebrated chefs, vintners, brewers, and baristas that will be on hand to dazzle and delight you is amazing! |
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| 3 | Alpenrose Dairy Easter Egg Hunt Bring your children, ages 3 to 8 and your smiles, to Alpenrose Dairy on Saturday, April 15, 2006. There will be an enormous amount of prizes available for all the children, with the grand prize being seven 6-foot bunnies (one for each age bracket). And Moms, you had better be prepared also, because at 11:30 am you too will have a chance for some fun and excitement. And Dads, if you have not yet seen your wife participate in this event, then you are in for quite a treat! It’s a free-for-all, but the stakes are high and the atmosphere is frenzied. So come join us for one of the biggest and most anticipated Easter Egg Hunts west of the Mississippi. And don’t forget to arrive EARLY! This year celebrates the 42nd annual Alpenrose Dairy Easter Egg Hunt. Last year’s hunt was a huge success. The prizes were plentiful and the smiles were bountiful. Such a joy it is to be able to bring so much happiness to so many people. That is why we at Alpenrose Dairy get such a thrill out of events like this. So many lives are touched in such a positive way. It’s nice to know, that even in today’s society, community involvement still means something. To this very day, we still hear parents say that they remember coming up to Alpenrose Dairy and participating in the Easter Egg Hunt themselves and now they are bringing their children. What a great tradition that is!
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 alpenrose.com |
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| 4 | Girl’s Night Out – Friday’s at Nirvana Gather the girls and head over to Nirvana for Girl’s Night Out. Nirvana has incorporated a 'seasonal' rotating schedule for their clientele that allows them to have this special treatment on Fridays only and not part of their normal spa list of treatments. This month and next (during Spring ) is the Nirvana Apple Blossom Manicure and Pedicure. An exotic blend of apple scrubs, lotions and essential oils. Each footbath is showered with actual apple blossom stems to infuse this original foot bath cocktail. Each service is complete with Nirvana's own complimentary Apple Martini. As always, each 'Girl's Night Out' has the option of either Tarot Card readings, Henna Artists, palm readers or Astrologists for a small additional fee. A delectible tray of complimentary Hors D'oureves awaits each guest as they arrive. For more information or to reserve a spot for you and your friends: Nirvana Apothecary & Day Spa |
 nirvanadayspa.com |
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| 6 | Six Steps to Better Health Want to keep your New Year's resolution this year? Umpqua Bank, Physical Element, Urban Pages and Recess offer a free workshop "Six Steps to Better Health" every 1st and 3rd Tuesday in March and April. The four workshops (March 7, 21 and April 4, 18) review cornerstones of overall well-being and health including: hydration, nutrition, exertion, relaxation, recreation and relations. All workshops go from 6-7 p.m. and take place at the Umpqua Bank Pearl District branch at 1139 NW Lovejoy Street in NW Portland. The April 18 seminar is on relaxation, recreation and relations Studies show that, all other factors held constant, those with close bonds suffer fewer illnesses and rate themselves as happier than those without. Discover practical things that you can do in everyday interactions to deepen your relationships with loved ones, coworkers and friends. An important part of life is the ability to enjoy it. Establish techniques for reconnecting with your inner child and doing things for the fun of it. Snacks, drinks and giveaways will be provided. We will be drawing winners for the following prizes at this event. Anyone who attends is eligible to win the following prizes (donated by Urban Pages):
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 recessfitness.com |
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What’s the perfect way to make friends and influence people? Recommend that they check out Portland Picks! Did you realize that you’re one of more than 10,000 tuned-in, super-cute, super-saucy and hip subscribers? Girlfriends—and boyfriends—you are truly at the head of the pack. But don’t keep us to yourself…tell a friend! |
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