Good Clothes Open All Doors
 
When we first started creating a wardrobe, Mom always counseled us to buy “investment pieces.” We had no idea then what she was talking about. Did she mean only expensive clothes? Could we enhance our own style?  Would all the clothes be dowdy, or worse, navy blue???
 
Once we met Pam Skopil, Portland’s Carlisle representative, we figured it out. Investment dressing isn’t about how much you pay, or where you buy your clothes, it’s about gorgeous, exclusive designs and unique fabrics in timeless-but-fashionable pieces that won’t go out of style with the next issue of Lucky Magazine. This is truly one of those “Best-Kept Secrets” that even your best friends don’t want to tell you about!
 
The Carlisle Collection is all about designer clothes at bridge prices—European fabrics, classic cuts, and stylish options that you can select to fit your own fashion sense, in sizes 0-18, so everyone can look like a million bucks. Pam will help you choose the colors and designs that are right for your body type (after 19 years of dressing Portland’s fashion divas and busy women, Pam gets it right). Plus she offers the service of having them tailored to perfectly hug your curves and flatter the “good parts,” which makes good clothes look custom-designed for you. So genius! Ooh, and accessories, too: belts, scarves, handbags and jewelry to tie it all together.
 
From now through July 24, Pam is showing Carlisle’s gorgeous fall collection by private appointment, so give her a call or email for your personal consultation. You will be as smitten with investment dressing as we are, trust us.
 
Pam Skopil/Carlisle
503.244.8222
SkopilsClassicCollections@comcast.net

Sweet and Low

We were browsing the other day in a shoe store stocked with supercool kicks, but they were all priced around $300.  Picking up shoe after shoe, the shock deepened…how can they charge these prices? Who pays them?!? And it happens in clothing stores, too. We love that Portland is fashionable enough to command New York prices, but we’re not about to shell out $268 for a skirt. Purchasing any one item of clothing that’s more than a car payment is just not happening.
 
And then we found Mabel & Zora – thanks to a tip from a Portland Picks reader! They just opened last week on Alberta, and they bring the fun back to fashion because everything is adorable and affordable. No kidding – and we’re talking hot clothes, too. Tailored, polka-dot blouses – in three colors – for under $40. Dresses – wrap, tank, floral, tube, short, long, whatever – for under $60. And cute shoes, though it’s a small selection, but they’re also under $50. (We’re hoping they carry more as they get rolling…hint hint.)
 
The owners went for a “Doris Day” vibe, as she inspired their fashion sense as well as their moxie. The clothes are all a touch retro, with some outstanding touches like cuffed sleeves or tiny pockets or perfectly spaced eyelet. And they carry well-priced accessories, too. Everything from luggage (choose black and white checks or pink mock-croc) to sparkly rings and earthy earrings that complement the ladylike clothes. We dare you to walk out with just one thing, when for around $250 you can snag an entirely new, saucy look, head to toe. It’s like buttah.

Mabel & Zora
1468 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211
503.335.6169

Yo Momma

Paint this picture: It’s late night, you’re downtown, and you’re looking for something tucked away and low-key, but still glam enough to feel like your night hasn’t ended. And then you find yourself at the Velvet Lounge, and it all makes sense.
 
The dessert/bar/late-night-bite spot is brand new, adjacent to Mother’s Bistro, and it’s hung with the same gorgeous chandeliers that you’ll find next door, but with a definitely more romantic vibe. The walls are covered in gold-flocked wallpaper. Brocade curtains hang from the double-tall windows down to the floor. Mirrors (and the occasional velvet painting) cover the walls, and the marble bar and dessert cases are nothing more than perfect. They did such an amazing job decorating that we were almost relieved when the food and drinks – and especially the desserts – were just as well-prepared.
 
We especially loved their chocolate cake and panna cotta, but they have everything from cream puffs to rugelach to satisfy your sweet tooth. And signature cocktails are far from ordinary – try the Chai Punch, which is Herradura Anejo tequila with Grand Marnier and Oregon Chai, or mix up your own blend of mojito – we became instantly addicted to the mango & jalapeno version. Trust us, it’s delish.
 
So next time you’re out, spend some time at the Velvet Lounge, and tell them Portland Picks sent you!
 
Mother’s Velvet Lounge & Café
212 SW Stark St.
Portland, OR 97204
503.464.1122
www.mothersbistro.com

Juno What We’re Talking About

When I was in college I had a dream that I had two beautiful little girls and there we were, at the beach, and they were dressed in sweet white cotton frocks and I was dressed just the same. We were barefoot, straw hats and all, the wind blowing our long blonde tresses and billowing our ultra-feminine dresses.  And I knew that most certainly this was a premonition.  I, after all, had that special gift.  Until years later when out popped twin boys, and another boy and so on.  So much for my “special gift.”  Which is maybe why I’m defiantly attracted to all things girly and why I am so excited about the new “Boutique Juno” that just opened in Sellwood.

Boutique Juno just moved from Tacoma to a new Portland location in a charming house.  Now you can find more than just antiques as you stroll down SE 13th.  Juno is a welcome addition to this adorable neighborhood, where boutiques are sparse.  Inside this charming cottage you’ll find sugar and spice and everything nice.  Gorgeous ultra-feminine dresses (and white cotton frocks!), romantic lace tops, cool tees, hip handbags, ooh la la lingerie and quaint jewelry from local designers. It’s pink, it’s feminine, and it celebrates chic style and romance.

We are smitten with Boutique Juno and so happy they made the move.  And you’ll love them, too.  Juno what to do: Stop by and tell them Portland Picks sent you!

Boutique Juno
8235 SE 13th Ave.
Portland, OR 97202
503.230.0501

Hot Time in the City

Ahhh, there’s nothing like summer in Portland.  Most people around the country flee their hot towns each August and take a vacation or head off for a weekend where it’s cool.  But in Portland, August is the best time of year for locals, and people actually come here to visit!  Imagine!  But still, vacation is vacation...especially an exotic one...when you have a chance to unwind, unplug, and relax among alluring aromas of, say, the balmy tropics.  But it’s so nice here that you can’t bear to leave, right?  Here’s the answer: visit Salon Nyla for their Caribbean Days.

Ah, the tropics.  Close your eyes and be whisked away.  Inhale coconut-derived moisturizers, with scents of mango, lime, and aloe.  Luxuriate in Caribbean oils and body creams as you revel in a Caribbean Body Wrap, body scrub, massage, or even a Caribbean mani or pedi.  It’s just like a Caribbean vacation…without the hassle and big bucks.  And then afterward you can just hop in your kayak, on your mountain bike or go for hike, right here in pristine Portland paradise.

Oh, and if you want a deal, “visit the Caribbean” on Tuesday or Thursdays for 20% off any Carribean treatments (and 25% off if you go with a friend).

Salon Nyla
327 SW Pine St.
Portland, OR 97204
503.228.0389
www.salonnyla.com

Get Saucy at Saucebox

Our husband calls us Monkey. It works when he does it, but the inevitable Monkey jokes, plastic monkeys, monkey tablecloths, well, they’re a little much. But there’s one Monkey that we’ve got no problem returning to again and again—the new, neon monkey sign that adorns Saucebox.
 
Saucebox has premiered its summer menu, and it’s a delight. The duck breast and long bean salad with a sweet soy vinaigrette and crunchy shallots and peanuts is lick-your-plate good, and the chilled asparagus and tomato salad delicately seasonal. The low-carb friendly ahi tuna tataki should be renamed tuna ta-tasty (sorry, we had to).  But you’ll need something to soothe that parched 100+ degree summer soul/savage beast.
 
Luckily the cocktails are always tasty, especially the strawberry margarita or the mango lime rickey. “The Best Drink” is rightly named, with gin muddled with mint, ice, lemon-lime, and ginger. As for atmosphere, if you want dark and trendy, hang in the bar. If the ‘rents are in town or you need to impress bidness peeps, take ‘em to the white room. If you want to catch some rays and mock passers-by, sit outside. There really is something to drink, eat, and watch for everyone. Especially Monkeys.

Saucebox
214 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97205
503.241.3393
www.saucebox.com

A Nice Place to “Wine Down”

 We were meeting a friend downtown and wanted to get a glass of wine before we headed off to later festivities. But we’re not huge fans of hotel bars and their accompanying tourists, clown-like doormen, and tinkling pianos. Nor did we want to visit a restaurant; we didn’t want a meal, we just wanted a nice glass of wine. And we’re big fans of trying before we buy.

Luckily there’s just that place downtown: Oregon Wines on Broadway. You can choose from a virtual sea of vino: 36 reds (30 Oregon Pinot, 6 Eastern Washington varietals), and about 6 whites. For the commitment-phobic, try a taste of any (ranging from $2 to $20), but once you find one you like, commit to a glass ($6 and up) or even a bottle. They also offer pinot flights anywhere from $10 to $16. Even better: Oregon Wines on Broadway sells what they pour; it’s probably most cost-effective to buy a bottle, pay a $5 corkage fee, and just hang out either at the bar or at one of their small round tables and while away the afternoon or evening. Often the winemakers come and sit at the bar and tell good stories, an experience that’s so very Portland.  
 
Oh, and don’t forget their nibbles that go perfectly with what you’re imbibing—cheese plates, duck-liver mousse, olives, dried fruit, Pearl Bakery bread. It’s a great setting and a great time.
 
Oregon Wines on Broadway
515 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97205
503.228.4655
www.oregonwinesonbroadway.com

Tea For Two

Fitpod.com is the online community for everything fitness and everything iPod.  

You can learn about new products.  Share workout and wellness techniques.  Find new music.  You can catch the latest iPod and fitnes news.  You can create, upload and share fitLists (fitness playlists) and even download free ones.  And you can connect with fellow fitPodders.  

Welcome to the club.

www.fitpod.com

Something Precious

When pressed to name our favorite things to shop for, they have to be shoes, handbags and jewelry. We gotta have our accessories. And we love happening upon upcoming designers who are local and making their mark.

We recently discovered Amy Tavern Jewelry, though she was first discovered by Relish, Memoir & Duchess, Yes, Donna & Toots and Seaplane, and sells nationally. We even (unknowingly) picked up one of her lovely silver rings at Memoir and have been wearing it every day since, eschewing our other finger baubles. She has a website where you can order online if you don’t find what you want at a local shop. You’ll adore her ethereal but modern designs – loose loops and silvery threads – along with some fun colored-plastic pendants that hang from earrings and necklaces.

Check her out online, and tell her Portland Picks sent you!

www.amytavern.com

Are You the Key Master?

When we’ve gone jogging, we’ve been known to put our key and a couple of bills in the bottom of our shoe when we have no pocket available (which is like, always).  And if you jog a bit, you well know it can get pretty awkward, and soggy, and even impractical.  Well, now we have the perfect solution from lululemon.  It’s the key cuff.  And hey, it’s cool and cute.

So no pocket, no worries.  With the key cuff you’re set to the hit the trails and you don’t have to hide a key or sweat on it in your shoe.  Now your key is safe and sound...and looks good, too.

www.lululemon.com

Bump Babies

Bump Babies are cool, attractive, and, dare we say, sexy.  The creator is genius and we can so relate.  She created these adorable t-shirts because of that crazy transition in the beginning when no one can tell...and you know they are wondering “has she just gained weight or is she pregnant?”  And they aren’t exactly sure, so there’s terrible angst for all involved.  And you, the prego one, wants to immediately tell everyone that you’ve got a bun in the oven, before they can wonder if you’re just getting pudgy.  Well never fear...the bump tee will tell the whole world that your belly is expanding for a good reason.

Wear it proud, you cute mama.

www.bumpbabies.com

Between Me and You

My 93-year-old grandmother is getting older and there are so many things I still need to find out about her and our family.  Sometimes, though, it’s hard to ask the right questions, so this amazing journal does it for you.  It’s a gift you should give to your mother, your father, your sister, your daughter, and your grandmother.  It’s an amazing, beautiful tool to gather history and inside scoop from all your loved ones.  

This book even asks some of the harder questions, and gives people the ability to write them down, when sometimes they can’t be answered out loud.

www.sanddunebooks.com

Swaddling Made Easy

We’ll never forget how ridiculously incompetent we were when we were learning to swaddle our twin babies.  It really was like learning origami, and we were total failures at it.  If only there was Swaddleaze back then.

Calling all sleep-deprived parents! New baby keeping you up all night? Tired of fumbling with those swaddling blankets that require 10 steps by the nursery nightlight? Time to get the swaddling blanket that is like no other. Get Swaddleaze and get some sleep, baby!  These are amazing and babies love them.  And it really works.  Why didn’t we have this then?

www.2virtues.com

We wanted a a good summer iTunes mix...something to pump us up...get our groove on even as we sock’n’bop through all our errands to all the gazillions of camps we’re driving around to, and of course to get us moving just a little crazier when we’re at the gym.

A mix that would jazz us up and that we would want to share with the world, windows down.  So we browsed our iTunes library for some rediscoveries and did a little shopping for some new stuff and voila!  

A nice iTunes mix of love, passion, anger…something for everyone, every emotion, and every time of the month.  

We highly recommend it.

• “Burning In The Sun,” Blue Merle
• “In My Place,” Coldplay
• “If I Could Give All My Love,” Counting Crows
• “All At Sea,” Jamie Cullum
• “Beautiful Soul,”  Jesse McCartney
• “Someday We'll Know,” New Radicals
• “Love Love Love,  Tristan Prettyman
• “Nothing Left to Lose,”  Mat Kearney
• “Looking At the World from the Bottom of a Well,” Mike Doughty
• “Chasing Cars,” Snow Patrol
• “Such Great Heights,” The Postal Service
• “Harder To Breathe,” Maroon 5
• “Barely Breathing,” Duncan Sheik
• “You Oughta Know,” Alanis Morissette
• “Iris,” Goo Goo Dolls

Be Inspired – 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 10-15, and the Young Adult track from July 24-29. Visit www.BecomeX.org  to fill out a program application and to learn more, or call 503.222.2087.

Mother/Daughter Empowerment Workshops

Do you want to make the relationship you have with your daughter even better?  The Precious Relationship mother/daughter workshops were created for mothers who already have a great relationship with their daughters, but want to enhance it even more.  By attending with your daughter, you will develop your communication skills, practice bringing awareness to your choices and life results - which will create new possibilties for you both.  We are all about empowering  our young women to create the lives of their choosing -  and believe there is no more important role model than a mother.  So let's roll up our sleeves, work and play together...to create something grand.

• What: This Precious Relationship
• When: July 22-23
• Where: The Westin Hotel
  750 SW Alder, Portland, OR
• To sign up: Register online today at
  www.workshopsforwomen.net or call 503.223.1612. Space is limited to 60 participants.
• Cost: $475 for a mother/daughter pair; $350 for a single mother or daughter ticket. (Daughters of all ages 14 and over are welcome).
  
  

Mimi & Lena’s Summer Sale

Mimi & Lena’s summer sale begins Friday, July 7, at 10 a.m., so set your alarms, ladies!  This is the only sale Mimi & Lena has this season, so you have to check it out!  All of their unique seasonal collections for women and children will be reduced 20%-60%.  They have dresses and separates by Rebecca Taylor, Diane Von Furstenberg, MarieMarie, Stella Forest, Rachael Mara, and others.  They also have fabulous Italian shoes from Tentazione on sale, and children’s spring/summer clothing will be 50% off.  Don’t miss this rare opportunity to get all of the feminine, sophisticated styles you need to complete your summer wardrobe.
 
Mimi & Lena
1914 NE Broadway
Portland, OR 97232
503.224.7736
Store hours: 10-6 Mon.-Sat., 12-5 on Sun.

Dinner at My House for Our House

A moment in time spent with kindred spirits in a place of sensuous flower wonderment full of color and amazing culinary splendor will turn you inside out. The menu features the fresh, floral cuisine of the enchanting Ligurian Coast and Tuscany. The five-course menu created by Pazzo’s Executive Chef, John Eisenhart, highlights Virginia line-caught striped bass with many other specialties of the region, all served with carefully chosen Italian wines. All of this happens in a magnificent Portland prairie-style home owned by your host, the artist turned floral designer Kim Foren, owner of Geranium Lake Flowers. This home has been called “creative, flowing, and full of eye-candy.” The beautiful gardens have been featured on many garden tours; inspired design uses lush unusual flowers and rare plants. Hospitality is abundant when every guest is given a keepsake table charger specially designed for this evening by Kim.

• What: Dinner with Kim Foren & Bette Sinclair of Sinclair Public Relations, with celebrity chef John Eisenhart.
• When: Wednesday, September 20, 7:00 p.m.
• Call: 503.736.9276 to reserve the dinner with John Eisenhart, Kim Foren and Bette Sinclair (dinner #26), or visit www.ourhouseofportland.org to learn more about Dinner at My House for Our House and view the other dinners available. A vegetarian option is available.

Oregon Humane Society’s Diamond Collar Hero Awards

The Diamond Collar Hero Awards will be an elegant and whimsical night that will recognize and honor animals who have acted to save a human or animal life in peril, performed services within the community with undying loyalty, or overcame incredible odds in order to survive.  Winners can also be humans who have had a positive impact on the lives of animals, exhibiting courage and compassion in the pursuit of animals' well-being.

The night will include entertainment, cocktails, appetizers, local celebrity presenters, and there will also be special guest appearances by OHS shelter animals available for adoption.  Attire is “tails optional.”  For those who would like to meet the heroes in person, general admission tickets are on sale now for $65.  All proceeds benefit the shelter animals looking for loving homes.

• When: 6 p.m., Saturday, July 22
• Where: The Wieden + Kennedy Advertising Agency, 224 NW 13th Ave., Portland.
• Contact: Purchase tickets securely online at www.oregonhumane.org, or call 503.285.7722, ext. 427.

Who Killed the Electric Car?

It was among the fastest, most efficient production cars ever built. It ran on electricity, produced no emissions and catapulted American technology to the forefront of the automotive industry. The lucky few who drove it never wanted to give it up. So why did General Motors crush its fleet of EV1 electric vehicles in the Arizona desert?

WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? chronicles the life and mysterious death of the GM EV1, examining its cultural and economic ripple effects...

Check out this provocative documentary in Portland on July 21st at the FOX 10 THEATRE.

Visit Meringue Boutique at the Crave Summer Extravaganza & Sample Sale!

Enjoy a day of shopping all the hottest brands at discounted prices from Meringue Boutique!  Be there for top denim brands like True Religion, Seven for all Mankind, Bella Dahl, Juicy Couture and much more, all at $50! Get the best summer styles in skirts $30, dressy tanks $40, and casual tops all only $20!

Don't forget to pick up a stylish handbag, all priced at $40 and shop everything for baby at $20!