Find Comfort in Footwear

We know, we know, we live in Portland – a city of hilly avenues and lovely streets for walking – but we just can’t bring ourselves to fully embrace the concept of comfort footwear. Sure, we get it. We have spent many a night stumbling around on stilettos, looking completely drunk and putting our ankles at risk just for the sake of fashion. But we just…can’t…seem to…buy…Birkenstocks…
 
Thankfully (for our tootsies), stores like Amenity Shoes help take the edge off. Their selection of carefully chosen comfortable shoes – for men and women – is full of cute, comf options that float our boat. There are even wedges and heels that lower our blood pressure while we consider flats and things with laces.
 
And with an adorable selection of handbags and jewelry, Amenity Shoes might even convince us to shuck the stilettos and slide into a pair of supercute Keen sneakers at night! They also carry brands like FLY London, Naot, Camper, indigo, Sofft, Pikolinis, Rieker, Palladium, and even Robeez for the little ones. Plus their men’s footwear selection is outstanding – stylish and practical. So stop in, feel good, and tell them Portland Picks sent you!

Amenity Shoes
3430 NE 41st Ave.
Portland, OR 97212
503.282.4555

MAC Attack

Finally Oregon gets its own MAC Cosmetics store, just opened at Bridgeport Village.  And just in the nick of time.  We have always had a problem applying makeup.  We either look like we just woke up or a little like Darcelle when we give it a go (no offense D, xo) when all we really want is to look like a natural beauty (you know, when we’re slathered in makeup without looking like we’re wearing any.)  Looking back at our yearbook pictures we started off with a bang.  The minute we were allowed to wear makeup, boy, did we ever.  Then we went through the hippie stage and wore very little, and now, in a stage we dub “most normal,” relatively speaking, we know what we want, we just don’t know how to achieve it.   Let’s face it, pun intended, we know our limitations and know when to seek help.  And phew, help has arrived.

So now we can find ourselves at the new MAC shop and ask the professionals there to help us with a little complimentary makeover.  ’Course then we end up buying all kinds of goodies, out of guilt and out of desire.  We’re really like a kid in a candy store.  So many goodies to beautify us.  There’s the Lip Glass to prime our pout, the Zoom Lash to give us that POW!, the Fix to give our skin a ZOW! ...you catch our drift.  MAC is a miracle and we are so happy they have arrived!

MAC Cosmetics
Bridgeport Village
7455 SW Bridgeport Road
Tigard, OR 97224

A Brand-New Jimmy!

Every city needs a good jazz club, and Jimmy Mak’s is it in P-town. Plus they’ve just reopened and upgraded to a big, beautiful space with high ceilings, two bars, a pool table, and a center stage so every seat in the house is a good one! But be sure to make reservations early – they are going to be packed every night – and for good reason.
 
If you didn’t know, Jimmy Mak’s is not only famous in Portland – they’re reputed to be one of the best jazz venues on the West Coast. Not bad – not bad at all. The atmosphere is just right for enjoying the sounds, hanging out with your friends, and talking up friendly patrons by the bars. And it’s a cigarette-free zone, too, so the only thing smoking is the band.
 
Stay for dinner, or pop in for happy hour. They open at 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and the music starts at 8 p.m. every night. Check their website for a list of performers!
 
Jimmy Mak’s
221 NW 10th Ave.
Portland, OR  97209
503.295.6542
www.jimmymaks.com

We Want to Thank the Academy

The Academy Theater in the Montavilla Neighborhood recently went through a million-dollar renovation and reopened in March after 30 years of neglect.  This theater is gorgeous.  It sports comfortable seating with lots of leg room, lots of parking and beautiful décor, and it shows local artists’ work in the lobby.  The food is terrific, too, like Flying Pie Pizza, salads, fruit salads, great popcorn, ice cream, 10 beers on tap, wine, and lots of sweets at reasonable prices.  Looking for something to do with the kids? This is the place to be this summer.  

This is a family friendly destination with all kinds of movies that you and your children can enjoy together.  Or maybe you just need your own “quiet time.”  Well, get this, best of all…ON-SITE BABYSITTING.  At just $5.00 per kid per movie it's a bargain.  They also have Freedom Fridays if you want to sneak away to an afternoon movie while the kids have their own ball in the playroom.  You deserve this!

The Academy Theater
7808 SE Stark St.
Portland, OR 97215
503.252.0500
www.academytheaterpdx.com

Blinded by Delight

Man is an inventor, by design. We’re genetically coded to come up with new things and to try them out, see if they work. If we like it, we stick with it. Take dessert, for example. At some point way back someone mixed sugar with cacao beans and the world hasn’t been the same since. (And when the chocolate met peanut butter, it was pretty much all over for thighs everywhere.)
 
All we can say is, thank goodness mankind also invented treadmills. Especially since there’s a little joint called Pix that makes all your chocolate dreams come true. This is not a place for the faint of heart. Between the entire glass case devoted to truffles and chocolates and the one devoted to glorious individual desserts, there is no hope for you here.
 
Run away! Run away! Because they also have a bar where you can order dessert wines and brandy and port and espresso…and the place itself is so cute and fun to hang out in. It’s open-air on one side, and filled all day with decadent-minded folks who like their dessert with a bit of glamour. Try the Aphrodite – a “drunken” cherry is hidden in chocolate mousse, with extra-dark chocolate ganache and flourless chocolate cake soaked in Moscato d’Asti (that’s champagne!)
 
God help us all.
 
Pix Patisserie
3901 N. Williams Ave.
Portland, OR 97227
503.282.6539
www.pixpatisserie.com

Treat Yourself Right
 
We’d had a rough Friday night. First, there was the aquavit. Then the smorgasbord (no, really, it was a Scandinavian dinner party). And the wine. And more wine. And those weird little Indian cigarettes from that HP software engineer…
 
So we swooned into Brenda Carolan’s immediately soothing space the following morning in need of some TLC. Brenda’s a licensed massage therapist and Reiki master, but oh, is she ever so much more. You may eventually recover from a night of indulgence, but are you ever healed inside and out? We were.
 
Brenda offers massage and energy work, but what she’s best known for, and rightly so, are her Temple Treatments. All lasting 2.5 blissful hours, the Temple Treatments are based on ancient Egyptian healing body treatments. We opted for The Ritual—it starts with a hot-stone massage with Egyptian oils, followed by an exfoliation with Dead Sea salts, then a Mineral Mud Cocoon, in which you are spread with mud and detoxed with the help of a steam tent. After all this, we were practically astral-projecting into ancient Egypt. We can’t remember being more intuitively massaged (and we’re married).  
 
Since she’s located above the Healing Waters and Sacred Spaces store on NE Broadway, you’re welcome to wander the store to bide your time before or after your ethereal treatments. Lastly, two more reasons to go: She’s offering $10 off for your first visit and $15 off for Temple Treatments.

Brenda Carolan
above Healing Waters & Sacred Spaces
2426 NE Broadway St.
Portland, OR 97232
503.799.7677
www.livingsacred.com

Taking Care of Business

We play a girly girl on TV, but in reality we don’t have a lot of extra time for even, well, grooming.   As much as we’d love to, we don’t get the routine mani/pedi, or even shave on a regular basis.  We sometimes even ponder whether we might be okay in the Peace Corps since often it’s hard to even squeeze in a shower and it’s just plain easier sometimes to pretend we’ve just come from the gym.  

You can finally shop online at one of Portland Picks’ most favorite stores, OFFICE, where form, function and affordability still rule. 

The site is gorgeous, and it’s incredibly easy to shop for products and art (with new additions each week – our new favorite is the contact sheet art by Faune Yerby featuring Portland bridges, water towers, and Oaks park), and a it’s also great place to find out about OFFICE’s latest design events and parties (including the upcoming one-year anniversary party on Aug. 10). You can even join the mailing list online and sign up your friends to receive the OFFICE e-letter which comes 2x a month. The best part – NO pay pal, no separate accounts, no additional info needed to make purchases – it’s straightforward, easy, fast, and safe (with authorize.net). Look for cool stuff like distinctive laptop and work bags by Jack Spade, Merrell, and NAVA Design, and more.

Plus check out their huge selection of portfolio and presentation products. …and their desk accessories…it’s all so useful and chic.

www.officepdx.com

Want a Treat?

Portland’s own Treat Beauty has just introduced “Kiss and Make it Butter.”  This new “treat” heals dry chapped lips with sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, vitamin E and cocoa butter. These nourishing ingredients are mixed together with shea butter, honey, and the refreshing aroma of lemon drops to create this irresistible Treat.
 
As with most products in the line, this Treat has a twist, as the mix of soothing ingredients in Kiss and Make it Butter also work as an under-eye treatment at night to smooth fine lines and nourish the skin.
 
And Fresh from Treat in July, watch for Kiss and Make it Butter lip scrub. Made with sugar, shea butter and lemon oil, it smoothes and exfoliates dry lips.

 www.treatbeauty.com

Mod Baby Prods

Luna Lou is a little girl who likes to stay up late, and she is the “Silly That Never Sleeps.”  And Luna Lou is also is a hot new product launch, the character behind these scrumptious new products and blankets; lots of goodies and fun for silly little people.

The 100% recycled-cotton knit blankets are the star of the mod-nursery accessory line, and they are 100% made in the USA. There is nothing like them on the market right now and they are not only for children but for the young at heart. Phrases such as “I Dream of Cupcakes” and “Up All Night, Silly All Day” are knit into the unique 33”x38” blankets which also make great wall hangings.

www.lunalou.com

It’s All in the Mixx

Mixx is a local company, a mix, or shall we say mixx, of artistic folks who create the most amazing bags, and their collaboration makes and creates products that are better for it.  It takes a village...when it comes to designing handbags.

They are a handful of folks in the Pacific Northwest but have origins elsewhere…places like New York, South Dakota, Johannesburg. Some of them are refugees from the Fortune 100 world.   Their quirkily named Fishies, Psycho Snail, or Mod Bird handbags, totes, and computer and cell-phone bags are amazing, tons of fun and sold worldwide. We say a Smash Tote is in the cards for you this summer!

www.mixx.us

Go Organic in the Bedroom

Inspired from their work in the organic apparel industry, the founders of High Desert Naturals in Bend designed their own line of bed sheets, duvet covers, shams, shower curtains and baby bedding made with 100% organic cotton.  Why organic cotton? Because 25% of the world’s insecticides and 10% of the world's pesticides are used to grow conventional cotton.  So, whether you like environmentally friendly products, want to live a healthier lifestyle or simply want to sleep on the most luxurious bedding, you’ll do a solid for the environment when you go organic.  

According to “The CBS Early Show” Trend Watch, High Desert Naturals' bedding and organic decor is the next hot thing.  For more info and retail locations in the Portland area and beyond, log on to www.hdndesigns.com.  

www.hdndesigns.com

Create Your Own Handbags!

At freddyandma.com, you can actually create your own one-of-a-kind handbag. You choose the shape, the accent colors, the hardware, and there are more than 600 gorgeous patterns to choose from (all created by up-and-coming textile designers from around the country).

The bags retail for $85-$500, they are beautiful quality – similar to a Kate Spade bag – and they are really fun to create. Each bag winds up being special because it is a reflection of the person who designed it: You!

Once you've created a bag, you can buy it, save it for later, or email it to a friend for a second opinion. Try it for yourself at www.freddyandma.com

A Diamond in the Rough
 
You know that feeling when you find a forgotten 20-dollar bill in the pocket of your favorite pair of jeans?  Even though you know you just overlooked it, you can’t help but feel giddy, almost as if you’ve uncovered a buried treasure of sorts.  That’s exactly how you are going to feel when you listen to Haughty Melodic, Mike Doughty’s first full-length album since the breakup of his band, Soul Coughing, back in 2000.  
 
Belonging somewhere between the Dave Matthews Band and the Wallflowers in your musical library, this album is almost category defying.  Let’s start with the voice…oh that voice!  Raw, yet undeniably sexy, this voice can only be described as the auditory equivalent of a 5 o’clock shadow…amazing, yet so real. It’s this reality that will transform you into a diehard fan.  Somewhere between the brutal honesty and the wit in which it’s delivered, Doughty’s lyrics make you believe he knows first-hand what he’s singing about.
 
In a musical world filled with bands and artists that can best be described as vanilla, finding a gem like Mike Doughty is bound to make you feel like you found a diamond in the rough. Discover Haughty Melodic today at www.amazon.com.

BecomeX

Be inspired. BecomeX, one of our favorite local non-profits, empowers young women to celebrate who they are and encourages 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. Subjects such as self-discovery, financial management, health & nutrition, and personal style are presented in a challenging yet safe environment where differences are respected and celebrated, and young women are encouraged to come together to discover what they share in common. As individuals and as a group, young ladies gain insight, pose questions, learn, and find strength through each other and themselves.
 
The BecomeX program affords young women an opportunity to build a base of awareness and direction that will last a lifetime! Two sessions will be offered this Summer: the High School track runs July 10-15th and the Young Adult track from July 24-29th. Visit www.BecomeX.org  to fill out a program application and to learn more, or call 503.222.2087.

Big Sale on Baby Goods!

• What: Shop the ultimate baby apparel and  accessories sample/seconds sale!
• When: Friday, June 23, from 11-6
• Where: 1801 NW Upshur St., Suite  390, Portland

Featured brands are…

• Kung Fu Bambini = couture threads for busy babies
• Knuckleheads = little threads
• Baby Wit = you may not be cool, but your baby can be
• baby star = baby products for the design-savvy parent and the texture-loving child
• Posh Baby = essentials with style, hip baby accessories, stylish for mum!

www.babystar.com

Nob Hill’s Annual Sidewalk Sale

• What: Your favorite stores on Nob Hill are all having sales at once!
• When: July 7th, 8th and 9th
• Where: Burnside to Vaughn and N.W. 16th to N.W. 25th

Rain or Shine with prices so low they’re almost free! Experience the Northwest Neighborhood: From Burnside to Vaughn and N.W. 16th to N.W. 25th, it’s all here!
 
Check out steals and deals at A-Ball, Bee and Thistle, Blush Beauty Bar, Ether, The English Dept, Fruition, Hello!, Ipnosi, Music Millenium, Souchi, Two Celebrate, Urbino, Compleate Bed and Breakfast, Nobhill Shoes, Dazzle, Balvo, Twist, Galore, Girlfriends, Dana Lynn, Elizabeth Street, Zelda’s, Urban Outfitters…

A Special Event: The Jackson Tour de Spa

Jackson Hill passed away September 13, 2005, ending a 19-month battle with Osteosarcoma. Jackson was a valiant fighter, from the initial diagnosis when he was only 10 years old until he finally succumbed to the insidious disease at 12 years of age. Jackson's battle was one of multiple treatments and surgeries. He faced rounds of chemotherapy, limb-salvage surgery, lung metastases, leg amputation, two lung surgeries, and drug trials. His family was devastated, and heartbroken, and so they decided to do something in his honor that could help others.

Join us for the inaugural Jackson's Tour de Spa. A three-day cycling adventure (July 22-24, 2006) through the Columbia Gorge. You will experience breathtaking scenery, athletic challenge, friends and fellowship, and spa treatments – it’s going to be a weekend to remember.

Funds from Jackson's Tour de Spa will be donated to NW Sarcoma Foundation, Candlelighters for Children with Cancer, and Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital Foundation, with the hope that their work will help children and families in their own battles against cancer.

For more information, to register or to find out how you can help, log-on to: www.jacksonstourdespa.org