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March 16th, 2007
We were walking the dog the other day, picking up his “stuff,” and thinking, “This is perhaps the most unglamorous thing we do.” Then, as we tied a knot in the bag (since we’re tidy pet-owners), we realized there’s other stuff that brings our “hot-mama” quotient down more than a few pegs. For instance, cleaning toilets. There is No Glamour in this job, and despite attempts by the media to make it appear sexy (think Kyra Sedgwick in “Singles,” cleaning a toity with her old boyfriend’s t-shirt), it just ain’t. Or taking out the trash. Yass, yass, this should be a man’s job (and this should be 1953), but we often find ourselves doing it, and hoping the neighbors don’t see us (as we are most likely in jog pants and an old t-shirt.) Yep, yep, we definitely need to get out more often and hit some of those parties we keep hearing about. Just for an excuse to wear earrings. Because no matter how grateful the dog is for a walk, he will never appreciate our accessories. |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | The Time is Nau Hold on to your sustainable shopping bags, Portland gals—there’s a new clothing company in town (and no, they don’t screen-print old t-shirts). Nau has just begun their launch after years of conceptual thinking, detailed designing and sustainable planning. We can’t possibly tell you all of their amazing, earth-changing principals in this short essay, however we can say that their clothes look flippin’ fantastic and we won’t be surprised one bit if we see half of the women in this town sporting Nau wear. They have hit the Portland fashion nail on the head with their modern, practical and very sustainable sportswear clothing line. The cotton is 100-percent organic, and some items are made from biopolymer, a renewable-resource fabric. The design of their clothing line is classic, yet urban and active. Okay, okay, so where can you get your hands on the stuff? At the moment they are only selling through the website, but a retail location (or as Nau likes to say, “Webfront”) is expected at Bridgeport Village on March 22... Nau |
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| 2 | Pushing the Envelope We love men who understand our love of fashion—and even more than that, men who love it, too! While it can be a little creepy if your guy has more shoes or hair products than you do, a guy with a great sense of fashion is a plus in our book. For that fashionable man in our life, we went to the jewel box of men’s clothing: Collier. The designers featured in the store share an updated casual look that is as beautifully detailed as it is hip. Standouts in the collection were the handmade Japanese jeans from Kato and Sugar Cane, the decadent Italian hand-stitched Brioni jackets with crocodile embellishments, and the hip track jacket from Christopher Bevans, who once designed for Kanye West. Collier’s attention to craftsmanship is evident in everything from the hand-stitching of the jackets to the cut of the suits, from the woven bamboo to traditional wool crepe. Collier not only knows how to make men look good, but how to push the envelope and make them look fashion-forward. Collier |
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| 3 | Start Shopping for Spring Right now we are all about shopping for spring-break clothes, even though, technically, we don’t get a spring break. But nothing will stop us from taking a few days off and traveling, even if it’s just to the beach, and we need cute, comfy clothes. We’ll pretend we’re in Palm Springs in adorable Bermuda shorts and sundresses from Grapevine. Plus they have a fab selection of tees and jeans that are perfect for hanging around town. We can’t get enough of their complete selection—between Merge and Grapevine, you and your man will find everything you want! (Plus their super-friendly staff makes every shopping trip a pleasant one.) Ooh, and there’s a March Madness Weekend Special just for you! Mention Portland Picks and receive 20% off any t-shirt purchases this Friday and Saturday. Plus, hang out at Merge to watch the game on Sunday, March 17, and receive a 10% discount off denim for men and women. Another reason to love Merge and Grapevine? Every Thursday from 4-7 pm they have Wine Nights with a Savings Surprise!
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| 4 | Feeling Kicky Spring weather has arrived! (We think? We hope!) And we know what that means…spring shoes! And since spring is also the season of rebirth, we need to share news of a rebirth, in one of our favorite shopping zones: Tootsie’s is now Talula’s. Different name, but fear not—everything else remains the same! Talula’s has the same drool-worthy collection of footwear, bags, and accessories. You can still get a pedicure right on site. And now boots are 70% off to make room for the cute sandals, wedges and slides that adorn their tables and shelves. Also, Talula’s is expanding. Their downstairs space will soon house men’s footwear, kids’ shoes, and athletic shoes for us girlies. (We’ll fill you in soon.) So whether you’re stocking your shoe trees for spring or getting a fabulous deal on ankle booties, be sure to stop by. Besides, Talula’s just sounds kinda sumptuous, right? Talula’s |
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| 5 | Down, Girl! We have an old friend who used to have an Irish Setter. Thus, our friend was obsessed with everything Irish setter—which made it really easy to buy birthday gifts for her, and yet difficult at the same time because we couldn’t just buy a Dog Thing. We had to buy an Irish Setter thing. Wish we’d known about Bowser Boutique back then. The original dog boutique—it was at its first location on NW 23rd Avenue for 20 years—Bowser has relocated to the family-friendly intersection of SE Bybee and Milwaukee with its awesome collection of all things canine. Airedales and Boston Terriers and Maltese, oh my! If there’s a dog breed, Bowser’s got a figurine, mug, pencil, or stuffed animal depicting it. If you are a dog person, know a dog person, think outfits on dachshunds are absolutely adorable, or want to match your outfit to Fido’s, hit Bowser on the way to the bark park. And if you happen to have your pooch in tow, Bowser’s got freshly-baked dog treats. Bow wow-wow… Bowser Boutique |
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| 6 | A Match Made in Portland We love Portland. In fact, if someone ever gave us a job at POVA boosting tourism, we’d be in heaven. And the number one thing that makes our heart patter? Well, it’s Stumptown’s independent spirit—the little boutiques and restaurants all run by individuals who had a dream and turned it into a thriving reality. That’s why the thought of an independent gift gallery selling work from local artisans just about sent us over the edge. How could we not adore it? Located right below la muse Salon, the gallery is the place to find repurposed clothing by designer Emily Sunnel, glass vases and chokers by artist Greg Seymour, and handbags from Ginger Abernathy and Anne Banay. It’s also a great place to find note cards, oil paintings and photography, with each item perfect as a one-of-a-kind gift. Best of all, when you’re exhausted from all the shopping, a quick run upstairs will get you a massage or a manicure. Shopping and beauty? Now that’s a match made in Portland. la muse Gift Gallery |
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| 7 | Sweet, Sweet Goodness Deep within Forest Heights, there’s a little neighborhood called Leighbrook. It’s charming, with Euro-village style, old-fashioned street lamps and tons of cherry blossoms. But as perfect as it is, we can’t help feeling like we’re in Disneyland—everything’s just a little too sweet, to the point of being a teensy bit cloying. So when we want sugar without the saccharine, we head right across the street to Sweet Ambrosia, our new favorite place for treats that are 100% real. For breakfast, lunch or dinner, we love every made-from-scratch goodie that we can get our hands on—silky quiches, savory paninis and all kinds of cookies, from chocolate chip to rugelach. While there, don’t forget to check out the cakes, all of which can be custom ordered for special occasions and—in the opinion of one Picks reader—are “beyond to die for.” With Easter just around the corner, do yourself a favor and head for the hills! Sweet Ambrosia |
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| Chick Picks: | |||||
| 1 | Suit Yourself |
 target.com |
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| 2 | Get Fleeced When we moved to Portland we feared the worst—we’d lose all our snazzy east-coast fashion sense and embrace nothing but lumberjack plaid. But we found a fantastic middle ground that brings together comfort, style, and the environment.. Local fleecemaker Cagoule’s garb is made from 87% post-consumer recycled fibers from plastic soda bottles. We’re not sure how they get plush fabric from 2 liters of Diet Coke, but hey, whatev. Now we can sleep at night—all toasty!— knowing we’re doing something good for the world. |
 cagoulefleece.com |
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| 3 | Ifs and Butts Yes, that's right girls. This silicone butt lifter adds a little sumpin sumpin that'll leave you feeling foxy. And should anyone actually cop a feel, it's real to the pinch. |
 feelfoxy.com |
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| 4 | Tool Time |
 ssteindesign.com |
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| 5 | Cute Shoe Alert! So, alas, we just get higher shoes. It’s our secret head-fake that lengthen our legs. The higher the better. And we dig these summer wedges from Sam Edelman...just perfect with our muu-muu. |
 nordstrom.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 2 | Brunch Awaits at Sagittarius If you like your eggs scrambled, then Sagittarius is your new brunch date. From biscuits and gravy (served with tater tots) to the “Rising Sign” scramble (spinach, basil, roasted red pepper and caramelized onions) your tastebuds will be in heaven. (A Jo-Jo’s Bloody Mary and a hot cup o’Stumptown won’t hurt, either.) What: Brunch at Sagittarius |
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| 3 | Hotel Monaco Opens! After 10 years as the renowned Fifth Avenue Suites, the new Hotel Monaco Portland was unveiled. It’s a visually stunning hospitality experience complete with 32-inch flat screen plasma TV sets, DVD players and complimentary wireless Internet access, plus touches like high-thread count linens from Frette of Italy. It’s the next level of luxury! What: Hotel Monaco Portland |
 monaco-portland.com |
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| 4 | Help Bridge the Gap Maggie Elizabeth is hosting a month-long in-store event benefiting the Northwest Children’s Outreach, a local agency serving needy children ranging in age from newborn to 18 years. Bring in your gently loved children’s items, or new items like diapers, and on an in-store purchase you’ll receive a FREE Maggie Elizabeth monogram! What: Maggie Elizabeth benefit for Northwest Children’s Outreach |
 maggieelizabeth.com |
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| 5 | “Spring Fling” at Magical Creations Boutique It’s a party at Portland’s premier Plus-Sized shop, Magical Creations Boutique. Their Citron rep. is in from L.A. for a trunk show on Saturday. Special order any size in styles you love (stunning silks and linens), plus view a virtual fashion show of new FLAX collections! Gift with purchase & door prizes, too! What: Spring Fling at Magical Creations Boutique |
 magical creations boutique.com |
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| 7 | Recess Beach Body Boot Camp Why swelter away in a boring gym when there are fun ways to get healthy? Recess offers a two-month, intensive swimsuit-weather prep coursethat focuses on making you healthy from the inside out. You’ll meet 3 times a week for a killer workout. Reduce stress, increase energy, and meet cool people! What: Recess Beach Body Boot Camp |
 recessfitness.com |
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Did you know that we are publishing a Wedding Guide on April 6? It’s your go-to source for all things wonderful and wedding-related, from photographers to event planners to venues and dressmakers. Tell your friends! |
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