|
 |
June 1st, 2007
We had a friend who used to get so nervous around guys that she’d get the urge to, um, toot, if one sat down next to her. She would go about her day quite pleasantly, quite without incident, and as soon as a cute guy approached she’d feel a rumble in the jungle. And it didn’t get better as she got older. Her long-term boyfriend used to call her “The Cleaner” because he swore she could empty a room with one of her emissions. (Of course he was just teasing, because as all women know, we have no natural smell.) The thing is, she would get nervous, and that nervousness would manifest itself in a rather unpleasant way. But the saddest part of the story is that she had to stifle all those “cleaners” for years, until she found just the right person to love her, just the way she is. And then the nervousness went away. (It’s magical, ain’t it?) But if she hadn’t found Mr. Right…well, hey…she could have gotten a dog. That is one love affair where one truly cannot offend. |
||
Portland Picks: |
|||
| 1 | Kid Stuff for the Arty Set Shopping for kids in this town is always a blast. First of all, everything looks sooo adorable when it’s wee, and second, so many shop owners have a flair for something that makes their spot unique. Ivy Studio is no exception. They just relocated from their space at the Jupiter, and changed the biz a bit, to focus on babies and tots. They combine adorable apparel with wall art (handpainted “letter” paintings are hard to resist), sassy mobiles, sleek and durable furniture, and even cool books for hipster moms & dads with their design sense. We were ready to procreate upon spotting their cute tees and onesies with sayings like “Future Librarian” and “Peas Rule.” Anything with a robot on the tag is a design by the owners’ son and screen-printed by Dad—and their daughter, Ivy, has her first drawings preserved on t-shirts, too. (Look for the “cat” and “giraffe” models.) It’s oodles of cuteness without being cutesy. Stop in at 1 pm Saturday for their Grand Re-Opening party, and tell them Portland Picks sent you! Ivy Studio |
||
| 2 | Neighborhood Nail Fix Now there are a lot (and we mean a lot) of things we can do on our own, but recently we learned of yet another one of our talent-free areas. As embarrassing as this may sound we can’t...paint…our…nails. Seriously. We tried. A few times. We kept seeing those hip black-tip French manicures so we attempted to recreate the magic at home and turned our nails into tar-dipped claws. When a reader mentioned they knew of a good neighborhood-y full-service salon, we booked an appointment immediately. Days and many acetone-soaked swabs later, we arrived in the cutest little salon in St. Johns. It’s called Trixie’s, and it’s totally the kind of place where you’d see your neighborhood gal-pals and chat it up for hours while you got all gussied up. We had no problems doing just that as Jodie scrubbed our hands and arms with the yummiest smelling organic coconut-lemongrass scrub (they have tons of other flavors, fyi). We looked good, we smelled good, and finally, no more home-based finger fiascos. Indeed, we’re very happy to have them close by. Trixie’s |
|
|
| 3 | Small Bites of Love It’s true. We love, love, love to eat. Our friends like to refer to us as the bottomless pit (endearingly, of course) because it’s our absolute favorite thing to do. Just last week we were trying to decide between a Cobb salad or Pad Thai for lunch and we could not make up our minds. We couldn’t help but wonder, wouldn’t it be great if we could just have both? Well, at Aquariva, the brand-new Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, you don’t have to choose between the fish and the steak. You can have both and then some. Seriously, we had fried baby artichokes, spinach gnocci, grilled lamb t-bone and Mediterranean mussels. Not to mention bites of our girlfriend’s braised beef short ribs and wild mushroom risotto. The plates are small, the portions perfect, and the best part? We didn’t feel guilty about ordering numerous plates of food. We left happy with our bellies full—just make sure to save room for dessert! Aquariva |
|
|
| 4 | Do Something Special Today Sometimes we have to think about more serious issues than where to buy the latest outfit, but in the best of all worlds, our semi-frivolous wanderings about the city can lead us to places where we can do good and help others. One of these places is the Providence “Transitions” shop, in the Ruth J. Spear Breast Center at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. It’s often the first stop for women with breast cancer who want to feel better about themselves, providing everything from sun-protective hats to prostheses. But it’s also a place for friends and family to come and show their support, or ease their minds. The Transitions shop carries lovely jewelry, adorable totes, and ribbon-shaped pins, all in that perfect shade of pink that has become an iconic image for fighting the disease. It’s a serious stop to make in your daily travels, but an incredibly rewarding one. As women, it’s almost our duty to show our support. And with sweet reminders that you and yours are doing your part, you can wear that sparkling pink bracelet with pride. Providence “Transitions,” an Appearance Center |
||
| 5 | Wake Up to Goodness Driving up Foster Road is a bit like entering the Twilight Zone. The odd mix provides just about everything you can imagine; from tango and cake-decorating lessons to guns and ornate European furniture. Foster has a new, more mainstream, addition as well—Bar Carlo, a light-filled breakfast spot housed in a former Russian restaurant that’s one of the most distinctive buildings on the street. While we hear plans for a full-fledged Italian joint might be in store, for now Bar Carlo serves a variety of scrambles, omelettes and sandwiches, stuffed with gourmet ingredients like asparagus, gruyere and smoked salmon. Most egg dishes are served with fruit, toast and potatoes, which come in slightly crispy medallion form and are some of the best we’ve had. Not feeling the huevos? Try French toast with apricots, or crepes with huckleberry butter. For the street that has almost everything, we’re glad to see it add the one thing it was missing—a genuinely good way to wake up. Bar Carlo |
|
|
| 6 | Seamless Sometimes, when we’re wandering around NW Portland, we feel a little po’. It could be because of the lack of tax-refund checks. It could be because of what we spent at the bar last night. But we don’t want to look po’. We want to look stylin’. Which is why time and time again, we end up checking out the duds at Seams to Fit. Seams to Fit has some of the coolest consignments in Portland. Brands range from Banana Republic to Badgley Mischka. All clothes taken in on consignment stay at the store three months, so bring in your items any time, urges delightful owner Sherry Linder. You don’t need an appointment, but the clothes you’re bringing in should be seasonal—don’t expect to go in and see a mink stole in June. We picked up a fabulous sundress and we’re eyeing the earrings and thick silver bracelets for next time. Because, and forgive us for quoting Justin Timberlake, but what goes around really does come around. Seams to Fit |
||
| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | The Daily Show Every time we buy a new piece of jewelry, we promise ourselves we’ll wear it every day. “This is our new signature piece,” we say. And though we’re enamored for days, maybe weeks, eventually it languishes on the nightstand, forgotten, like Corduroy the Bear. Until we found Rock Star jewelry. These ethereal creations are fabulous and wearable—there’s no lingering on the shelf for necklaces of carnelian, smoky quartz, green jade or pearl shell. They’re everyday, wearable art to show off. Available at Jeri Rice in Portland. |
 rockstarjewelry.com |
|
| 2 | Roll Like a VIP Big nights out require a lot of coordination among friends, so make it easy and fun, call VIP PDX. It’s a mobile party for 25-30 of your closest friends! VIP PDX is Portland’s premier luxury coach, with premium entertainment, leather lounge-style seating, and a big bathroom (sooo necessary). You can stand up and boogie (& even bring your own iPod for tunes). They do wine tours, brewery tours, weddings, bachelor/bachelorette parties, birthdays, corporate events or just fun nights out…any occasion where you need to ride in style. |
 vippdx.com |
|
| 3 | Fashion at Your Fingertips Ever wonder how to crib a celeb look, right as it hits the magazines? SheFinds.com can tell you exactly where on the Web to turn it up. Need a new bra? SheFinds has the scoop on the best brassieres around. This ridiculously fun site is a resource for everything from exclusive deals to answers to your embarrassing questions…there’s a blog for daily finds…and they even have a special issue, just for Moms! And if you sign up for their newsletter, tell them Portland Picks sent you! |
 shefinds.com |
|
| 4 | Write On |
 driscolldesign.com |
|
| 5 | Binded by Delight Our home office is more like a Superfund site than a place of work. We literally have to sift through the piles of papers—and read every scribbled note left hither and thither—to find what we need. It’s time for a makeover with these supercute Russel + Hazel mini-binders from OFFICE. They have the same features as a full-size binder—reinforced corners, a dry erase interior, and colorful linen cover—but at a smaller size, just right for the home! |
 officepdx.com |
|
| Dessert of the Week! | |||
| Peanut Beignets from Three Degrees
If you’re a sucker for sweets, try the Peanut Beignets at Three Degrees: peanut butter and chocolate ganache, battered and flash-fried, served hot with caramel sauce and tostones. Our lips quivered, our knees went weak. We made it go bye-bye. With the addition of Chef AJ Voytko, who hails from the W Hotel in San Diego, and other fine establishments (the James Beard House!), Three Degrees truly is a dining destination. Plus, all their ingredients are local and/or organic. Chef AJ, you had us at hello. Three Degrees |
|||
Hip Happenings: |
|||
| 1 | Batik Artist Extraordinaire at Swahili Inc. |
 swahili-imports.com |
|
| 2 | Party at Amalee There’s a new kid on the block and she’s chock-full of adorable clothes and accessories. If you haven’t checked out Amalee yet, they’re having a party—with sales! There will be plenty of sweets, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres to enjoy while you shop, and local designer Gretchen Jones will have a trunk show. Fun! What: Party at Amalee |
 amaleeboutique.com |
|
| 3 | “The Peacemakers” Portland Gay Men's Chorus presents "The Peacemakers," and Governor Barbara Roberts hosts! You’ll be moved by the sound of 120 voices with a 27-piece orchestra. Inspired by Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Jesus and others, “The Peacemakers” contrasts a prevailing hope for peace with the stark reality of war. A portion of ticket sales is donated to Mercy Corps. What: Portland Gay Men's Chorus presents "The Peacemakers" |
 pdxgmc.org |
|
| 4 | The Cinematic Work of Charles and Ray Eames |
 dwr.com |
|
| 5 | Lille Opens Webstore Announcing the launch of Lille Boutique's webstore, where you can shop online and purchase any item found at their retail location, including fine lingerie, antiques and accessories. To celebrate, they are offering an introductory discount of 10% off all purchases made online for a limited time! Visit www.lilleboutique.com. They ship! |
 lilleboutique.com |
|
| 6 |
|
||
| 7 |
|
||
|
Thanks so much for telling us what you want to see more of in Portland Picks. From art shows to plus-size stores to swimming holes and nail salons, you have been terrific about keeping in touch. And as always, let us know if you see someplace supercute in your neighborhood—like all people with enquiring minds, we want to know! |
|||
Log onto www.portlandpicks.com and check out past newsletters (archives). If you like what you see, forward to a friend and encourage them to log onto www.portlandpicks.com and become a free subscriber. If you would like to subscribe or contribute, please email us at Contribute@PortlandPicks.com
Website and Newsletter maintained by Studio Ridge.com |
|||
