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July 6th, 2007
We are such dorks. Enormous, ridonkulous, flubtabulous dorks. Last week we went out with friends to see a band, and we were kind of snoozy and tired—it was late—and we were happy to hang out, but frankly we weren’t really up for it. Yawn. Then a friend of a friend moseyed over and nonchalantly said, “The guy from (our favorite band—we’ll call him X) is here.” What?!? “Yeah, X, the lead singer of one of our favorite bands. I just saw him.” Our hearts pounded, our palms got sweaty. We were instantly awake. Now, we thought….now we have a night! We kept our eyes peeled for X…and finally, there he was. All gangly and gloriously hothothot. We decided on the spot that we had to talk to him. And here’s where the “bad idea” part kicks in. A) We didn’t know we had the “stalking gene,” but apparently it’s in there, and vibrant. B) We’d had three rum-and-cokes, so we weren’t thinking straight. C) We had decided just that afternoon to wear Pumas instead of heels—our regular going-out footwear—because we were sick of getting leg cramps at shows. Nonetheless, we clomped after X, leaning a little to the left, but determined to make contact. We found him seated alone at a table, and approached. “We know who you are,” we said, “and we think your band is awesome.” Sensible people would have stopped here, but we kept going… so… many… words! The only thing goofier than what we babbled at him would have been the truth: We listen to your albums every day, and you have the sexiest voice in rock. But instead, we found ourselves dissing the bands playing that night (which he was also there to see), asked him about another artist (wha?!) and told him a “funny” anecdote about our friends (help)! But to top it off, when we got home and told our boyfriend about the chance encounter with X, he said, “Too bad you had to meet him in comfort footwear.” Oh, the humanity! |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Loosen Up What we love most about summer is how easy the clothes get. We adore tossing on a sundress or linen trousers and being “done” for the day. And a new store opened up that has made summer even easier: Twill. Open since the end of May at the foot of Mt. Tabor, Twill specializes in clothes from sizes 2-20, for every age, from brands like Flax, Habitat, Tianello, Two Star Dog, XCVI Wearables, Glima, French Dressing and more. As owners Heather Thomas and Audra Fleming exhort, they don’t carry anything that isn’t easy to care for. You’ll find natural fibers, and fashion that’s sustainable and wearable. Silks are washable. Cottons have that many-times-washed softness. It’s like wearing your favorite sheets without that whole Animal House “Toga! Toga!” thing. Twill also carries delicate and fun jewelry from local designers, and much of their clothing has been handmade in P-Town, as well. Prices are totally reasonable and the store is bright and adorable—there’s even parking! Take it easy in SE this summer, and tell them Portland Picks sent you. Twill |
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| 2 | Housewarmings Found Here It was a sunny Saturday afternoon and we had barely let the moving-sweat dry before we started thinking presents. We spent the day packing and unpacking our friends’ U-Haul as they moved into their very first house in Northeast Portland. Looking, bidding, buying, and moving into your first home when you’re the landlord can be a mega-stressful occasion, and we definitely think it should be celebrated with gifts. A few hours (and a few beers) later, we went looking around the neighborhood (like many a good Portlander, we like to shop local—as in “around the corner” local) and came across a familiar favorite gift store that we knew would totally have something perfect for our new homeowners. Greg’s on SE Hawthorne opened up a second location up here in the heart of St. Johns not all that long ago, and we’re not the only ones excited about it. The place was packed with savvy shoppers looking for the perfect card, Queen Bee bag, lawn ornament, or gag gift. Score! Greg’s |
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| 3 | Modern English In college, we never struggled to find our major. We knew, even before we were accepted, that it would be English. From the beginning, we happily delved into Emily Bronte, William Thackeray and Edith Wharton. Four years later, we had read enough books and had written enough papers to last us a lifetime, but English still to this day remains our favorite subject, much like the ladies of The English Dept, which has moved from its original location on NW 23rd to a lovely new spot downtown. The new location is intimate, beautiful and simple, with new clothing lines including Kloset Red Carpet, Eley Kishimoto and Plenty by Tracy Reese, not to mention Elizabeth’s own line, Elizabeth Dye. The English Dept is also carrying a new bridal line by Simple Silhouettes. We recommend frequent shopping dates with your girlfriends, as it’s the perfect place to find that one-of-a-kind outfit, but don’t miss their “Grand Opening” party on July 14th from 5-8 pm. After all, one can never have too much English under their belt. The English Dept |
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| 4 | Get Your Yarn On We’re always so proud when we’re able to make crafty things. This is a crafty town, after all, and everyone has handmade handbags or jewelry, and in fall and winter, it’s all about the hand-knitted scarves and mittens. We want to be one of those people. So happily, we found Twisted. Open just over a week, it Brings Sexy Back to knitting. This ain’t your grandmama’s knittery. From the appliquéd skirts on the wall (which are for sale, btw) to the bags, tops & socks, Twisted goes way beyond mufflers and mittens, and brings knitting and fashion together with aplomb. From big-name yarns to hand-dyed beauties (even colorways designed especially for Twisted), and a special focus on sock yarn, it’s fun just to look around. We are definitely signing up for a class on stitiching…and maybe embroidery, too. And we can just pop in for tea, if we like. There’s a tempting list of excellent teas behind the counter, the perfect compliment to comfy sofas and inviting armchairs, a library of great books, and the welcoming owners, who will make you feel right at home. Twisted |
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| 5 | Cuba Libre Short of Cuban cigars and Fidel Castro, we’re embarrassed to say we know very little of Cuba as a country. What’s worse, we had to dig deep to recall Mr. Torginson’s geography class to even picture the county on a map (which was happily buried beneath our seventh grade crush, among other things). That was pre-Pambiche, our new crush. Sure, we’re a sucker for bright decor and summer seating (found here, in the string of picnic tables outside). But one test of their Cuban cuisine and we were hooked. Whether it was the coconut pepper Red Snapper, the white-wine sangrias or the fried green plantains, Pambiche had us praying for Cuba’s peace. Even after we’d stuffed ourselves with one too many empanadas, we couldn’t pass up a piece of their banana rum cake with pina colada salsa. And a coconut chocolate chip cookie. And a rich Cuban espresso. And....let’s just say if we dug the cigar scene, it would have been a good time to bust one out. Pambiche |
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| 6 | Looking Great (at Any Age) When we turned 30, we started to feel old. We wanted to do things like go to bed at 9:30 pm and host dinner parties, rather than dancing til 3 am and eating our “fourth meal” at Taco Bell. So it seems conceivable that when a store turns 30, it might be past its prime as well. Fortunately, people and stores are not alike, and Paloma Clothing—after more than 30 years in business—is more fresh and fun than ever. Over the decades, the boutique has changed a tad—toning down its “gifty-ness” and supplementing easy to pack clothing for travelers with modern, youthful style. While there are still soaps, lotions and jewelry by local artists, the focus is definitely on fashion. We spotted Kensie’s ruffle collar jackets, colorful classics from Nic + Zoe and the most beautiful Asian-inspired sleeveless blouse with embroidered birdies from Citron. Whether you’re looking for Jag Jeans or MiMo handbags, Paloma’s got you covered. And, with any luck, they’ll still be making us look great even when we hit 40…which is the new 20, right? Paloma Clothing |
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| Cocktail of the Week: | |||
| Bellisimo Bellinis at Aquariva Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar At the edge of the river in Portland's happening South Waterfront district, Aquariva Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar offers fabulous food in an unbeatable location. From happy hour to the most innovative small-plates menu, Aquariva delivers. We adore their bellinis, which come in four varieties: White Peach, Pear, Strawberry, and Melon. Just $4 during Happy Hour, from 4:30-6:30 & 10:30 pm-midnight daily—featuring complimentary antipasti!
Aquariva |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Embrace Your Alter Ego We have two personalities. The first is innocent and ladylike. After lots of mirror practice when we were 14, we're quite good with that Princess Diana/Grace Kelly demure expression, head tilted down with a kittenish glance. And then there's our wild side, not clubbing-sans-panties-wild—more like footloose and daring with our accessories. And all of our personalities get a kick out of Alter Ego Jewelry. We love the WTF necklace, super funky earrings, and the awesome “Vintage Bimbo” bracelet with the Barbie doll head! |
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| 2 | Locked and Loaded They’re baaaack! Fresh off their huge success with Isabella Fiore, designers Jennifer Tash and Trang Huynh are tantalizing our accessory senses with their new line, Lockheart. Combining richly embellished leathers with playful details, Lockheart is designed and crafted to transcend the trends. Each bag is functional without looking utilitarian. So you can live in a cellar without reading Vogue for two decades, throw your junk inside, and still manage to look like a rock star. Available at Urban Minx—see their homepage ad for locations or shop online. |
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| 3 | Your Dog’s a Hipster, Too If our little Fido is supposed to resemble us in some way, well then you know he’s gotta have fly clothes! A generic doggie shirt from the mall simply will not do. Fade in image of our dog with a handmade vintage t-shirt… Behold bentleyB—Portland’s very own one-of-a-kind vintage doggie shirts. One woman, her dog, and a pile of well-selected used t-shirts make up bentleyB, so it’s original and fun. Just like you & Fido. And you know what they say about dogs and their owners… |
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| 4 | Beyond Obsession We’re oddballs, since perfumes often irritate our skin, so we’ve found happiness in naturally scented oils. Another oddity about us? We love to smell like food. So when we found the vanilla-scented coconut oil from Monoi Tahiti, we were in heaven. We use it post-shower, add a few drops to a bath, or use it to tamp down frazzled/split ends. It comes in other natural scents, like Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, Jasmine, and is available with sunscreen. We are literally drenching ourselves in this stuff since we discovered it! |
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| 5 | Tiny Reminders Not long ago, we met our twin cousins for the first time. Just a few weeks old, we literally spent hours just marveling at their mini digits. So we can imagine not wanting to forget just how tiny tots once were. Lucky for us, there’s a local outpost of Momentoes to preserve the memory with a quick casting process that results in truly custom art. Whether you pick fingers or toes, gold or silver, with photo or without, you’re sure to come away with a lifelong reminder of way back when. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Brighten Someone’s Day! Looking for a unique gift idea? Check out Keystone Kits! Each kit is a collection of themed items. There are birthday kits, wedding kits, baby kits, auto kits, gourmet kits, kits for her, for him, for the family, and more. Get 10% off any order over $50 through July 31. Use the coupon code pdxpicks10 at checkout! What: Keystone Kits Grand Opening + special offer |
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| 2 | Summer of Love Sale Peace, love and all that jazz! Forty years ago, in Monterey, Calif., hippie men and women gathered for the Summer of Love. Imelda’s and Louie’s version of the Summer of Love involves kicky sandals, coquettish heels and fabulous flats. Don’t miss Imelda’s and Louie’s Summer of Love Sale—with savings of 20-70% off selected merchandise! What: Summer of Love Sale at Imelda’s and Louie’s |
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| 3 | July Summer Sale at Moule Do not miss Moule’s July Summer Sale! Get 30-50% off select men’s & women’s clothing, 20% off shoes from Coclico and Chi Mihara, and 30% off all men’s and women’s denim! Brands like Deener, Drykorn, Rachel Mara, Catherine Malandrino, Sunner, Amo & Bretti, Nation, Eurythmic, Filippa K., Ted Baker, Bread & Butter, Ted Baker, Citizens of Humanity, and more. What: July Summer Sale at Moule |
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| 4 | Huge Sales at haggis mcbaggis haggis mcbaggis is offering two spectacular weeks of savings! The first is 20% off everything in the store from July 5-11—shoes, gifts and kids' apparel! Next up, 20%-60% off summer shoes and selected merchandise from July 13-23. Enjoy exceptional prices on top-quality shoes for mom & kids from Keen, Merrell, Primigi, Aster, Ecco, Havaianas and many more! What: Huge sales at haggis mcbaggis |
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| 5 | Recess Beach Body Kickstart You always say you’ll get in shape—now’s the time! For just $230 per month Recess gives you the bootcamp to end all bootcamps. With classes like yoga and pilates, plus nutrition, cooking instruction and free goodies, you can forget dieting —this is a two-month, swimsuit-body kickstart that makes you healthy from the inside out. It’s loads of fun and super motivating! What: Recess Beach Body Kickstart |
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| 7 | Sample Sale at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams It’s once again time for incredible deals on fabulous furnishings from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. There’s a floor-sample clearance, where you’ll save up to 30% off! Plus, get 10% off current stock and 20% off special-order pieces. Savings on upholstery, case goods, lighting, rugs, fine art photography, and accessories from this trend-setting design company! What: Bi-Annual Sample Sale at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams |
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| 8 | Party for Room to Read Show your support for Room to Read with a party + fundraiser + book drive! Enjoy a local band showcase featuring Sweater, Per Se and The Nice Boys, + a TBD headliner. Room to Read was founded by a Microsoft executive who wanted to build libraries and schools in third-world countries after a visit to Nepal. Cash bar and appetizers! |
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| 9 | Celebrate First Fridays at Lake View Village Spend First Fridays at Lake View Village in Lake Oswego, enjoying music, entertainment, wine, dining and art! Join Meringue Boutique, Grapevine/Merge, Rumi Simone, Fusion, Oswego Lake Gallery, Sur la Table, Bank of Oswego, FiveSpice, Pendleton, Zeppo and Kasab Jewelers for a fabulous time, plus Play Boutique will be open from 5-8:30 pm. See you there! What: Live Music, Art and Events |
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| 10 | Mississippi Avenue Street Fair Hang out at the 6th Annual Mississippi Street Fair! Enjoy music and dance performances, amazing food from Mississippi Avenue Restaurants, a fashion show, local arts and crafts, and much more. Plus, the Boise-Eliot Kid’s Corner, on N. Shaver Street between N. Mississippi and N. Albina Streets, will feature a bouncy castle, face painting, cake walk and snow cones. What: Mississippi Avenue Street Fair |
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My, what a busy week! We’ve barely had time to devote to our favorite thing (sitting on the sofa in our PJs, eating ice cream and watching Suzanne Somers on home shopping) since we’ve been so busy creating this new look for Portland Picks! What do you think? |
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