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November 10th, 2006
It’s time to settle in, apparently. Party invitations have stopped showing up in our mailboxes. Girlfriends have stopped emailing to ask about dinner. Even our dog is refusing to go outside after 5 pm. It’s like winter is already here! And all we want to do is bundle up and lay on the sofa like dead things and watch “What Not to Wear.” Seriously! It’s like a fight every night to stay awake past 8:00. It’s baaaaaad. So what’s a girl to do? We recommend changing your workout schedule for an evening workout. That extra energy is always good for a few more hours of consciousness. And also getting those “daylight” lightbulbs, so it’s not totally dark in your casa. And one more thing, lots of caffeine. Lots and lots and lots. Remember, though, we are not doctors, and really should not dispense any advice. At all. Of any kind. But if you want to stay awake on these dark and rainy nights, you might consider our “suggestions.” We’re just sayin… |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | The Secret’s Out! Something about a bit of glam and shine seems so right when it’s so gray outside. And sweet and sparkly emily-jane is at the top of our list for shopping destinations during the holidays. If you haven’t been to emily-jane, you’re in for a treat. She has a wonderland of precious gems and vintage Swarovski crystal beads to help you create custom baubles, as well as a selection of lovely items she has created herself. And she offers chocolate and champagne to imbibe as you browse the selection of clothes from Michelle deCourcy and vintage cowboy boots. But it's emily-jane's glistening gorgeous magical jewelry that really shines! So don’t wait on your holiday shopping! From November 12-18 you can enjoy the discounts at their Pre-Holiday Secret Sale! Just mention the word "secret" when you’re shopping to receive 50% off everything you purchase in the store or on the website (just type the word "secret" into the comments field when placing an order, and they’ll deduct 50% when they charge your credit card). emily-jane |
  emily-jane.com |
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| 2 | How Classy Are We? The Portland Picks gals like to eat. In fact, we like food so much that we could probably do a newsletter solely about P-town restaurants. It’s a wonder we can do find the time to shop, really, what with the massive food intake and all. And one of Portland’s newest must-go-tonight dining spots is 23 Hoyt, Bruce Carey’s latest culinary adventure (he of Saucebox, Bluehour and the much-missed Zefiro). Everything we tasted was divine. Plus the room itself—taking advantage of two levels and an incredible floor-to-ceiling view of 23rd Avenue—is at once spacious and cozy. We felt tucked away though we were seated on the balcony. And the food! Okay, here’s what we ordered—you can decide for yourself: ravioli gnudi (stuffed with spinach and ricotta), the frisee salad with julienned prosciutto and gruyere, the grilled New York steak with red-wine shallot butter (one of the best steaks we’ve had in town) and roast duck with spiced red cabbage and roasted apples. For dessert, a decadent chocolate cake. If the place wasn’t so classy, we would have licked the plates. 23 Hoyt |
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| 3 | What Could be Finer Than… Take red leather club chairs, a bar, beer, vodka, an ice machine, a humidor, a flat screen TV, 10 different brands of jeans, happy hour ever Friday with a secret surprise special from 4-7 pm, and what do you get? You get our (latest) favorite store. |
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| 4 | Behind the (Funky) Door Though it has stretches of greatness, overall, Holgate isn't Portland's friendliest street. It's a teensy bit grimy, a tad industrial and there's a train yard smack in the middle, keeping residents (one of our staffers included) awake long into the night. But there's a new bright spot on this stretch...a coffeehouse that welcomes you inside right from the start—The Funky Door.The owners have taken a love for entryways to new heights, incorporating old doors into nearly every aspect of the space. Vividly painted doors make up the counter, the tables and everything in between, but manage to be cute, not cloying. Along with the enviro-friendly "reduce, reuse, recycle" theme, the cafe offers food and drink from local providers—Stumptown Coffee, DragonFly Chai and, most deliciously, Sweetpea Baking Company, who provides treats that are almost too good to be vegan. So the next time you're venturing up Holgate, don't let the lack of so-called "pedestrian-friendly" businesses get you down...you're always welcome to enter the Funky Door! The Funky Door 2815 SE Holgate Portland, OR 97202 503.232.6000 www.thefunkydoor.com |
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| 5 | Won’t You Be Mon Ami? When we go hunting for fabulous vintage finds, we are always drawn to housewares. Delicate china, fancy cake plates, embroidered table linens—these things always catch our eyes, and we have an overstocked kitchen to show for it. Andrea, owner of Mon Ami Antiques, seems to have a similar "problem," filling her ultra-cozy little shop with some of the sweetest treats around. Come winter, things will get even cozier when they light up the brick fireplace right in the middle of the space. Treasures, warmth and free wine on Friday afternoons—we can't think of a better way to end the week! |
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| 6 | Crepes in Cuteland It was a dreary Sunday morning and we were in need of some sweet, savory breakfast. Our first thought went something like this, “… but we don’t want to wait forever in a deafeningly loud breakfast place for gut-bomb food…” Oh yeah, it was like that. So after our whining subsided, our breakfast partner reminded us of that cute crepe place on Alberta that we’ve wanted to try. It fit the bill perfectly. It goes like this: You order your crepe in a vintage Airstream trailer, then sit in the quaint café space sipping your morning beverage while you wait for your crepe delivery. There were so many crepe varieties to choose from we almost couldn’t decide, but luckily Brenda Drain, the owner, was around and helpfully recommended the prosciutto, chevre and fig-onion chutney crepe. If we’d had room for a dessert crepe we would have ordered the nutella with Grand Marnier one, and hey, why not make it extra chocolaty with the chocolate batter option? Oh yes. We’re going back for sure, dreary Sunday or not! Tour de Crepes |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | That Delish Citrus Twist Run out of things to buy with your Banana Republic credit card? Put it to good use at a brand new site from the same people who brought you BR, Gap and Old Navy...Piperlime. While we can't explain the name, we can tell you they are all about shoes—boots, sneakers, pumps and more—and like their competitor Zappos, they offer free shipping and returns. Prices are competitive and the brands are bountiful, leaving anything but a sour taste.www.piperlime.com |
 piperlime.com |
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| 2 | You Can Canoe We’re so excited: Canoe—one of our most favorite stores—is now online! So now even if we flee town we can still shop at Canoe. And we can direct our hipster NYC pals to its clean, well laid out site, when they attempt to malign Stumptown shopping (as if!) And we know we’ll direct our family to Canoe’s brand spankin’ new website when they ask us what we want for Christmas…like the only stapler we’ll ever need, or the Kartio glassware, or the wooden puzzles. They also offer complimentary gift-wrapping and registry services! |
 canoeonline.net |
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| 3 | When the Weather Outside is Frightful …chances are that your hair is frightful, too! So gather your tresses in an autumn cap that will be—you know it’s coming—wait for it...yes! Sooooo delightful. Perfect for fall, the coming holidays and all chilly weather situations, these adorable knit caps from designer Alison Beth will turn heads for sure! |
 alisonbethco.com |
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| 4 | You’re Such a Show Off! We are bad about having current photos of our kids in our wallets. In fact
they're all limp and dog-eared, and circa 1998. Not good. We know some people
who just whip out their cell phones when asked to show pics of their kids, but we don’t know how to do that. |
 peapod announcements.com |
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| 5 | The Laundress You can always spot a new mama with that signature spot of spit-up just so on her shoulder. And then there's the perma-spit-up all over baby's onesies and adorable clothes, not to mention you, on your cashmere, your silk blouse, your new Burberry trench. It's any wonder you bother getting dressed at all. |
 thelaundress.com |
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| 6 | Telling Your Story…Beautifully If we were really clever, we would create a beautiful, handmade storybook that celebrates our family, or our wedding. We would also put our photos into an album instead of stacked inside the cupboard and ever growing since 1999...so the book thing, probably not going to happen. |
 edition-of-one.com |
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| Random Question of the Week: Missed Opportunity | |||
| Have you missed a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity? Wanna share it? Portland journalist Elisa Klein is interviewing people for a new book, and there’s a chance you can be in it! And trust us, she’s heard some doozies: Dave Carchio was the red-hot drummer for a Boston area garage band who took his drums and beat it. Why, you ask, would a 19-year-old abandon his dreams of rock-n-roll stardom while Joe Perry, Steve Tyler and those other young hooligans were jamming in his basement? His mom made him quit. She chided, "You're staying out too late. Driving that motorcycle all over Boston instead of finishing school." Not long after Dave started hitting the books, his buddies skyrocketed to international fame and fortune as Aerosmith. The 53-year-old electrician laments, "When I'm up to knuckles in crap, I've just got to laugh it off. I do get free tickets when Aerosmith comes to town, and I'm mentioned as a footnote in a couple of books." If you've got a great tale of missed opportunity to share, by all means, dish! Klein’s NYC literary agent is waiting for more great stories (and we wanna hear them, too!) Hey, don’t miss your chance...again. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Jeans & Gems—A Nolita Special Event Nolita Denim Bar is inviting you to “Jeans & Gems,” an exclusive event where you can preview the coolest winter jewelry from Kevia Jeffrey, Ruby Spinel, & Winifred that will be hot, hot, hot this Holiday Season! Meet the designers, and enjoy a private SALE just for you! Plus Nolita will have experts on hand for a one-on-one jeans-fitting consultation! Every attendee receives a goodie bag filled with loot, and is entered into a drawing for free jeans! So shop, sip champagne, and nibble delicious hors d'oeuvres from Sungari Pearl, and all for a good cause. A percentage of proceeds will benefit the West Women's Shelter. What: Jeans & Gems at Nolita |
 nolitaonline.com |
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| 2 | Holiday Booze Bazaar with House Spirits House Spirits, one of Portland’s premier micro-distilleries, will open their doors to the public for a one-day holiday Booze Bazaar. Join “Imbibe Magazine,” Alma Chocolate and Viande Meats in learning about cocktail trends and tasting great cocktail fare. |
 aviationgin.com |
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| 3 | Providence Jingle Bell Jam Dance the night away amid a winter wonderland of trees at Providence Jingle Bell Jam. This dazzling event includes dinner, hosted beverages, and live and silent auctions of fabulous items. Dress up in your festive finery and enjoy the dancing in this sparkling setting. Proceeds benefit programs and services of Providence Health System.What: Providence Jingle Bell Jam When: 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 2 Where: Oregon Convention Center, Hall A, 777 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., PDX Cost: $75 per person; table of ten $750 Visit: www.providence.org/festivaloftrees Call: 503.215.5876; RSVP by Nov. 16. Festive attire suggested |
 providence.org |
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| 4 | Go Cold Turkey, Get Cold Turkey Smokers willing to go cold turkey and quit smoking on Thursday, Nov. 16 will be rewarded that day with a free cold turkey sandwich from local SUBWAY® restaurants! Receive a free six-inch, regular cold turkey sub with the purchase of another as part of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout. No coupon is required. Customers can simply ask for the cold turkey special. For nearly three decades, the American Cancer Society has designated the third Thursday in November as a day to stop smoking. Start healthier habits by visiting Subway restaurants Nov. 16—turn over a new leaf and feel great! What: Go Cold Turkey, Get Cold Turkey |
 View PDF Flyer |
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| 5 | Brenda's Holiday Special Feeling like you need some pampering? From now until the end of December, if you purchase one Gift Certificate for any treatment on her menu (Intuitive Massage, Energy Infusions, Temple Treatments, and more) at full price from Brenda Carolan, Massage Therapist, you receive a second Gift Certificate at a 50% discount. The second one must be of equal value, or less. |
 livingsacred.com |
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| 6 | 13th Annual Holiday Home Tour The Lake Oswego Junior Women’s Club Holiday Home Tour is an annual fund-raising event featuring four beautiful homes decorated for the holidays. The homeowners, along with florists, designers and live musicians at each home, create a feeling of holiday warmth and joy for guests to enjoy throughout the day. All proceeds benefit women’s and children’s charities throughout the Portland metro area. What: Holiday Home Tour |
 lojwc.org |
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| 7 | Paul Schatz Furniture Holiday Open House Is your house a Holiday Home yet? In preparation for the upcoming Holiday Season, join Paul Schatz Furniture for an evening of fun and inspiration. This event features a one-time special pricing of an additional 10% off all holiday decorations, accessories, wall art, lighting and mirrors. So stop by and stock up—and enjoy the festivities! What: Paul Schatz Furniture Holiday Open House |
 paulschatzfurniture.com |
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| 9 | Now's the Time for Personal Style Style guru Sara Dahl is hosting a Personal Style Workshop to discuss what “Personal Style” is and how you can obtain it, no matter what your lifestyle or budget. Have fun as you learn what silhouettes work best for you through balance, proportion and fit. Learn from live models and a special workbook as Sara helps you show off the good stuff, camouflage the not-so-good stuff, and even choose the right accessories. It's so easy to be fabulous! (With Sara's help.) What: Personal Style Workshop |
 dahlstyle.com |
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| 10 | Store-wide Sale, Big Party, & Ballet Benefit at Moda Nova Moda Nova, your spot for eveningwear by independent international designers, is putting everything on sale for one whole week! This incredible sale even includes new arrivals from Tilber and Naf Naf, straight from Pret a Porter Paris! Select items are 50% off, and 10% of your purchase will benefit the Oregon Ballet Theater when you mention OBT. Plus, youʼre invited to their Second Anniversary Party from 5-9 pm on Friday, Nov. 17. Enjoy OBT ballerinas modeling evening dresses, a wine tasting by master vintner Joe Dobbes of Dobbes Family Estate, tapas by Bar Pastiche and desserts by Pix Patisserie as you bounce to the Euro/Latin sounds of DJ PA! What: Store-wide sale at Moda Nova |
 modanova.com |
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How is it that every week there is so much to do, see, shop and eat? We love Portland, and want to thank you guys for making it fun for us to put out a fresh and funky Portland Picks every single week. We love you guys!!! |
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