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May 25th, 2007
We are recently obsessed with lemon-scented everything. It’s like a sniffing sickness. We can’t get enough lemon—especially the stuff that smells like lemon meringue pie. It started with a lemon-scented candle from a local boutique. We actually bought it for a friend (since we’re generous like that) and then obsessed about it for weeks afterward. It was impossible to resist…we had to get one for ourselves. Later, at the grocery store, we discovered a lemon-scented soap. And online we found a lemon-scented body wash. Then we saw some decorating show where they dribbled a scent into paint, and we wondered A) does it come in lemon meringue, and B) do any of our rooms need repainting??? We have seriously spent like 50 bones in a month just to reek of dessert. It’s a cry for help, right? |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Don’t Do It Yourself You know how they make everything look so easy on the DIY home and room makeover shows? Buy this, change this, move this, fix that and, “ta-da,” the picture-perfect house is created. Yeah, we don’t buy it either… But, still, we love shopping for the home, which is why we were stoked to hear about Montgomery Klash Interior Design. It’s a design studio and a retail store all in one. We couldn’t resist picking up every single item in the store and picturing it in our own home. From the limited special-edition of Marcel Proust’s “Le Questionnaire” to the beautiful cashmere blankets, antique boxes, pure beeswax candles and Ankasa pillow, we were smitten. Owners Amanda and Emma are professional interior designers, who specialize in residential design. They hand-select each and every beautiful item in their store, which range from traditional to modern to eclectic. We found only the very best at Montgomery Klash, and we wouldn’t expect anything less. Maybe the perfect house (or even the perfect room) isn’t out of reach after all… Montgomery Klash Interior Design |
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| 2 | Having a Ball We’re fond of Multnomah Village. Its narrow streets and small-town feel remind us of the good things in life. And now there’s one more good thing to add to the area, so good that we classify it as fabulous: Anne Bocci. Anne’s known round town for her jewelry designs, and now she’s finally set up shop in SW Portland to showcase some of the best indie designers around. The new boutique is positively brimming with coolness, full of truly one-of-a-kind exquisite items like Anne’s Tahitian pearl earrings, Dolce purses from Seattle, adorable dresses by independent designer Suzabelle, hand-screened t-shirts of the perfect softness, bags made from board games and recycled fabric, snappy trenchcoats in time for the June rains—all this stuff you’re going to want, and you’re going to want it now. Stop by Friday, June 1, starting at 6 pm for First Friday, showcasing the works of photographer Elisa Lazo de Valdez. And whew! It’s a good thing that Anne gets new stuff in every day—we don’t have to wait long to get our fix. Anne Bocci |
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| 3 | Fall In Love Again… We just fell in love again…with dresses. We have so many events this summer to wear them to…parties, grand openings, our BNF’s wedding… (that’s “Best Neighbor Friend,” fyi. It’s much like the regular BFF scenario, but—bonus!—they live down the street!) Anyhoo, we can’t wait to get to shopping. And since we’re shopping specifically for dresses, we are going to their Portland mecca—Mabel & Zora. They have ridiculously cute taste and hot brands like SweetPea, French Connection, Mixie, Pirouette, Hart, Porridge, Olive Percival and more. And they’re affordable, too! (But if only we had more scratch, we’d buy them all.) Not feeling the dresses this season? Mabel & Zora has you covered with super-soft jersey SweetTees that pair perfectly with Joe’s Jeans. And their accessories are to die for—lots of bold colors and adorable designs that pair perfectly with their handbags…oh, it’s too much! June is their 1-year anniversary and they’re having parties on the 16th (a Catherine Manuell luggage trunk show) and Last Thursday (Jenna Robertson’s Woolies artwork.) Stop in to shop, and tell them Portland Picks sent you! Mabel & Zora |
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| 4 | Sake It To Me Girlfriends always help you get over the “don’t wanna be home” blues, even if you spend two hours talking about shoes. Wait a minute, we mean especially if you spend two hours talking about shoes! Which is exactly what we did at a very cool little spot called Zilla Saké. It’s pronounced sah-kay, not sah-kee (we looked like rubes, so now you don’t have to. You’re welcome.) Zilla’s owners visited saké bars from New York to Japan, and now share their incredible knowledge with us. There’s a thick book on the table, all about saké, but just ask if you have questions—they’re sommeliers of saké, and bring you the perfect bottle or cocktail (there’s a full bar, as well). We loved the Sayuri Nigori—delish, plus a cute pink bottle! And you can nibble there, too. (We devoured the pan-seared tuna with saké marinade.) Order a bottle—you choose your own “choko”—the little cup it’s served in. And remember, it’s saké etiquette to never pour your own, so bring a friend to Zilla Saké! It’s a must! Zilla Saké House |
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| 5 | Celebrate the Centennial Portland is known for a few very important things—its contributions to indie rock, its low-key lifestyle, its emerging designers, and most important, its roses. More specifically, the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade, which is one of the Top 5 parades in the country. (That’s a fun fact to share with outta towner friends!) We are preparing the blankets, the coolers and the jugs of iced tea for this year’s Portland Rose Festival Centennial Celebration, happening May 31- June 10. The Portland Rose Festival celebrates 100 years of Tradition, Innovation and Celebration with once-in-a-lifetime events. Expect gala affairs, historical programming, and more magical, phenomenal, fantastical spectacles than ever before. If you’ve only seen it on TV, this is the year to attend. One hundred years! It’s fantastic and historic and guaranteed to be a good time. It’s an unprecedented tribute to Portland's history, culture and community. And bring the kids, because they’ll have a blast at Portland's #1 family event, the WaMu Waterfront Village! Portland Rose Festival |
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| 6 | Le Grande Café Last Sunday we allowed ourselves to do something we haven’t done in months: Nothing. No getting up for work, errands, running, shopping, houseguests. We slept in (nowadays that’s 9 a.m.), read a trashy novel, ate cheese, didn’t shower till 2 p.m. We then decided to go for a walk. And we ended up at month-old Legare’s, paper in hand, ready to while away the day. Coffee and tea lovers peacefully coexist at Legare’s. In addition to their rare collection of loose teas—like yellow tea—Legare’s features high-quality coffee like the ultimate and hard-to-find Kopi Luwak. They also offer baguette sandwiches, salads, soups, smoothies, and Asian-inspired pastries, like Durian cake, and their guava cookies, made on premises, are the perfect melding of fruit and cake (take that, Fig Newtons!). Artwork from local artists adorns the walls, the gallery in the back, and the loft area above the entrance. Owner Jonathan also stresses that the space can and will be used for community activities and lectures. So we can learn something, when we’re not having as lazy a day. Legare’s Community Resource Center |
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| 7 | Celebrate Home Fashion in the Pearl We are often amazed at how much time we spend in the Pearl District. Between the shopping, drinking and dining (in 100 city blocks—who knew?) you’d think we’d wise up and get a high-rise condo there! And events like this are one more reason the Pearl is a top-notch hood. This weekend there’s a spectacular Home Fashion Celebration showcasing the latest trends in sofas, chairs, lighting, accessories and other home furnishings. With approximately 60 home-furnishings stores and galleries all within walking distance, you can’t miss this event. It’s like a super showcase, happening all at once! This is a must-shop weekend, even if you’re just peeking in windows. You were planning on staying home, you say? Taking advantage of the extra day off to loaf around? You must nix those plans. The yardwork can wait, trust us. And when you need to take a break from shopping, relax in one of three parks, including Jamison Square Park, a family-friendly hotspot known for its unique fountains. For details, directions and parking info, visit www.explorethepearl.com. Explore the Pearl District |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | What a Girl Wants Coco Chanel said it best: "A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous." Get noticed this summer with a Beijo bag. You'll be stopped by strangers asking, "Where did you get your beautiful bag?" Colorful with a beautiful pearlescent finish, Beijo bags are water-resistant—a must for women in the Pacific Northwest! Even better, they’re affordable—prices range from $60 to $130. Beijo bags are only available through sales representatives; contact Micah Harkin of Beijo Bags Northwest for information. beijobagsnorthwest@yahoo.com, 503.708.9301. She ships! |
 beijobags.com |
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| 2 | What’s Your Sign? We’re an Aries and the first thing anyone says when they find out our star sign is, “Oh, you’re stubborn.” And, yeah, we are…though we prefer to think of it as being “passionately persistent.” There are others out there who see beauty in this inner strength of character, namely Portlander Melissa Stiles, the brains behind Stubborn jewelry. Stubborn’s designs are wholeheartedly modern and incredibly attractive. We’ll be stubborn until one ends up in our hot little hands! |
 stubbornworks.com |
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| 3 | Get Your Legs On They’ll surely be all the rage in the park, and can you say “shower gift”? Forget tights—they were so last year—and hit mum up for BabyLegs! |
 babylegs.net |
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| 4 | This is Wild |
 wildbleu.com |
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| 5 | Suit Up Summer is almost here, so we’re kicking it into overdrive at the gym (now that we’re actually going to the gym.) And we’ve already chosen our ideal bikini from Seattle designer French Fifty. |
 frenchfifty.com |
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| Event of the Week! | |||
| Signal Sidewalk Sale
Enjoy super savings for spring and summer at Signal’s Sidewalk Sale! Year-round, Signal is a hip resource for adorable street and sport togs. And now you’ll find great deals at their Sidewalk Sale! Save on sportswear from Lifetime, WESC, Marmot and more at 20-40% off, plus discounts of up to 40% on shoes from Merrell, Nike, Privo and Gravis. Bags and packs are on sale, tennis wear is up to 60% off…it’s just awesome! And this sale happens rain or shine…so pray for sun! What: Signal Sidewalk Sale |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Columbia Sportswear Store Now Open! We’d wear Columbia’s supercomf, supercute clothes to fancy dinners if we could. Now you can shop til you drop for sportswear, outerwear, footwear and accessories (for the whole family) at their new store in the Woodburn Company Stores. Print this ad & bring it in to get 25% off a single item during the grand opening! What: Columbia Store Grand Opening (+ savings!) |
 columbia.com |
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| 2 | SakéOne Summer Concert Series Treat yourself to the SakéOne Summer Concert series! Next up is the Vagabond Opera, May 26. They’re a romantic, bohemian, absurdist cabaret, executed with indomitable stage presence, exuberant skill and a gritty vagabond edge. Bring a picnic! Saké, sakétinis, beer & soda will be available. 21 & over with ID. What: Vagabond Opera concert at SakéOne |
 sakeone.com |
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| 3 | To Do: The Niketown 5K for Kids Raise money for schools and have a blast at the Niketown 5K for Kids. A full 100% of the registration fee is donated back to the school of the runner's choice for play and PE programs. There will fun activities for the kids and finishers 18 and under will receive a medal and kids' activity bag. See you there! What: Niketown 5K for Kids |
 niketown5k.com |
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| 5 | The Shoe Sale You Cannot Miss… We know you've had your eye on some cute summer sandals....now is the time to take advantage of the fantastic savings at Bella Moda Designs. Their incredible selection of shoes you won’t see anywhere else is yours for the taking! Get 20% off your entire purchase Memorial Day Weekend—we’ll race you there! What: Bella Moda Designs’ Memorial Day Weekend Savings |
 bellamodadesigns.com |
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| 7 | It’s the Good Life at Wilf’s Wilf’s is one of our favorite destinations. The fabulous food, the house-infused cocktails, the jazz, the lounge-factor… This weekend, celebrate Tony Pacini’s third anniversary playing at Wilf’s with hip, tight piano by the Tony Pacini Trio on Friday, and old-school vocals by the Sandy Dennison Quartet on Saturday. Great food + great music + easy parking + no cover = heaven! What: Tony Pacini Trio; Sandy Dennison Quartet |
 wilfsrestaurant.com |
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| 9 | German-Austrian Dinner at 23Hoyt 23Hoyt transforms into an Alpine chalet for a German-Austrian Dinner, complemented by Triage Wines, featuring visiting winemakers and Sommelier Dana Pickell, one of the few female sommeliers in the city! The a la carte menu replaces the regular dinner menu for this one evening only. (The regular menu is available in the bar.) What: German-Austrian Dinner at 23Hoyt |
 23hoyt.com |
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| 11 | It’s Arthur’s World at PCM Visit the Portland Children’s Museum today to kick off the Arthur’s World exhibit. It shows children and families a world where reading is cool and friends and family rule! It's a full day of fun, from songs and storytime to hands-on activities. You can even meet Arthur at 1:00 and 3:00 on Friday and Saturday! What: Arthur’s World at Portland Children’s Museum |
 portlandcm.org |
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| 12 | Sample Barney Butter! Due to overwhelming requests from Portland Pick readers, Wizer’s and Lamb’s are carrying Barney Butter, and New Seasons, Market of Choice and Whole Foods are deciding this very minute (fill their comment boxes, gang). Barney Butter has the all the great taste of peanut butter, but is America’s first no-stir almond butter! Kids love it, moms crave it. What: Sample Barney Butter at Wizer’s |
 barneybutter.com |
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All we can say is thank goodness we’re high-energy people. Between the new shoes and the pedicures and the handbags and the clothes and the feathering of the nests and the dining and the cocktailing and the running around town, we should be beat, but we’re actually raring to go. So send us your scoops! Tell us about some new fabulous spot you just discovered, and maybe you’ll see it in the Picks. Just reply to this email with your juicy tidbits…anytime! |
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