Portland Picks – Wine, Women and Song

All we know about wine:

Number one. We really, really like it.
Number two. We especially like it come 5pm.
Number three. 5pm anywhere.
Number four. Ummm, see above!

We may not have our PhD in wine-ology but we really really like what we like. The problem is we know so little that we can’t even fake it, like we do with so many other things. Remember, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing…because you know just enough to show folks how little you know! It has been a running fantasy to sit back at a table lined with brilliant companions, sip a glass of chilled white wine and note how the oak balances the peach highlights perfectly instead of saying, “This one is yummy!”

So, we decided this just wouldn’t do at all. As part of being an articulate adult, we needed a very “GOOD” wine education class. Our goal was simple. Knowledge delivered with class and style. We found just the right classes and ideal wines at In Good Taste in the Pearl. Grab your girlfriend, your mom or the hunk and prepare to be educated in a fun, unique atmosphere. (And enjoy some really, really good wine in the process.)

And if we want to be really trendy, and seemingly in the know, we’ll sip the wine out of our new and stylish ‘O’ tumbler from Riedel.

In Good Taste Wine Appreciation Classes: A series of wine classes designed for explorers of taste (hey, that’s us!); an experience for those who want to develop sophisticated palates and knowledge of wine.

Classes include –

• Wine Adventures – Learn about Flavor Components, A Journey into French Wines, and a Journey into Washington State Wines.
• And, coming soon, a course on how to master wine in a day
  
  For an updated list of classes or for more information, check out: www.ingoodtastestore.com

Or make a date night and go to In Good Taste for Friday Night Wine Dinners for delicious regional meals paired with accompanying wine flights. Friday Evenings, you choose when you want a table, any time from 6 pm to 9 pm, for a very affordable evening:

Entrée with salad $ 11.95, and an optional Flight of three wines $11.95.
- - Reservations highly recommended - Call 503-248-2015

Portland Fashion Picks:

Ferran Ribbon Bag garnethill.com $ 158.00

A hint of grosgrain ribbon to accent any outfit is practically a requirement these days. But to avoid looking too much like Muffy, the key word is “accent.” Wear it around the waist of your cotton circle skirt, or carry this ribbon bag from Garnett Hill. We have discovered an up-and-coming shoe designer that has darling ribbon sandals, or just a simple preppy headband made with striped grosgrain will do the trick.

It’s a Wrap!
Surprise, surprise. Wraparounds are back!

Remember those silly wraparound pants from the 7th Grade? And the boys would try and unwrap you, or as you walked, they’d blow open and flash a little leg. Well, as impractical as they are, they’re back!

We’re seeing wrap around skirts, wrap shoes, wrap around pants, wrap around tops. Everything’s a sexy wrap.

We especially love the Donna Ricco Seersucker Wrap Skirt
With a grosgrain ribbon tie at left, this seersucker-striped pattern is accented in front with multicolored floral embroidery.
Donna Ricco at Nordstrom.
$78.00

Seven for all Mankind…
You betcha baby. Seven jeans, once the craze, has now become the new classic. Available at Nordstrom or Meringue in Lake Oswego and Salem. Seven has always been our lucky number.

Have you “heard it through the Grapevine?”
Have you been to Grapevine’s flagship store, the darling boutique in the new Lakeview Village? They have a wonderful store with a huge selection of our favorite designers: Tracy Reese, Elie Tahari, BCBG, Lucky and more. Their summer collection is fabulous, you’ll go crazy in there, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll spend a pretty penny (one of the hazards of this job). We especially love their sundresses and their Mystique buckle sandals. And they will outfit you head to toe, with so many mix and match opportunities. You will leave there in the latest sophisticated styles, so put together, and will be the envy of all your sisters. Grapevine, www.grapevinestyle.com; 310 N. State Street (and A Avenue), 503.635.6009. They have two other stores as well.

Ahoy, mate!
Scarves! Scarves as belts, scarves tied around your neck, scarves as headbands. You can’t go wrong adorning yourself with a scarf as they were worn in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s. They are a great way to add a splash of color to any outfit. Brightly colored scarves are everywhere. Banana Republic (shown), Mercandile, Anne Taylor, Nordstrom, Elizabeth Street, or dig in to the super cheap scarf bin at Three Monkeys.

Surfin’ Summer Picks:

Essential #1: When you’re surfside this hot summer (if we are lucky), you’ll need to make a “cool” impression. First essential: That towel of yours. We can tell a lot about a person by their beach towel. For example, if it’s a frayed bath towel disguised as a beach towel, there should be a bouncer to escort the offender off the beach! Or if it’s really old and balled, or prominently featuring a child’s caricature like the Power Rangers or Hello Kitty, it says a lot, regardless of how hot you look in your bikini. As with most things, simple is usually best. Don’t try too hard.

We love the oversized St. Helena Beach Towels from Restoration Hardware. They are striped, super soft, with a slight retro feel. $39 www.restorationhardware.com

Essential # 2: surfboard, naturally. We love the Yater Surfboard…circa 1959. This Woody style classic will look so bad-ass atop your old Grand Cherokee as you head to the beach this summer for some surfin’ safari. (www.restorationhardware.com)

Just to be on the safe side, before you brave the rip curls, you might consider taking a surf lesson from Cleanline Surf Company, 719 1st Ave, Seaside, OR 97138, 503-738-7888;
171 Sunset Blvd, Cannon Beach, OR 97110, 503-436-9726 or the Seaside Surf Shop, 1116 S Roosevelt, (Hwy 101), Seaside, OR 97138, 503-717-1110

You will be soooo proud of yourself and share a great adventure with your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or kids. Another growing experience for your “Life as a Works in Progress” that definitely demonstrates your joie de vivre (warning: this may be interpreted as a mid-life crisis, but never you mind them!) For more local surf info: www.oregonsurf.com

Essential #3: And if you’re like us, we find it hard to stand there, exposed, out in the open, practically naked in our bathing suits. Instead of tying an obvious ‘hide my ass’ towel around our waist, we look much more cool and confident in board shorts like these old-school classic Birdwell Surf Shorts in Lifeguard Red. $41 Also at www.restorationhardware.com

Speedo Flowered Swimming Cap

Okay, okay these retro flower caps may be dorky with the wetsuit. And not sure they even go with the board shorts, but at least you’ll look like Esther Williams, which is never a bad thing. And you’ll protect those spendy highlights, which is a very good thing. They are so fun and vintage; we might even add synchronized swimming to our adventurous repertoire.

Natural Lip Shine

Next-to-natural lips are the way to go this summer….
Try Aveda’s Lip Shine. A translucent wet gloss that’s made of organic products that heals lips as they shine. Available at Aveda/Dosha Salon. $11

Red Vine Year Round Hair Sun Protection

Hey Goldie-locks, protect your hair year round with this sun protection mist for long-lasting hydration, and color fade protection. The non-oily, leave-on formula is also an excellent pre and post-swimming treatment to protect the hair from salt and from chlorine so you don’t turn green. $16 Sephora.com

Portland Picks Website of the Week: www.thebudgetfashionista.com

Check out The Budget Fashionista for tons of fashion finds, and see this Portland Picks Publisher’s interview on “Dating Style.”

Portland Picks Book of the Week: Zagat U.S. Family Travel Guide

We have always trusted Zagat’s as the best city restaurant guide, the quintessential bible used by every fine hotel concierge. Now they have a family travel guide too. It is the perfect companion text to help you with your summer vacation planning. And we need trusted guidance when it comes to traveling with the kids.

We always look forward to that vacation, but with the little ones, away from routine, it never seems to turn out the way we fantasized. The Zagat’s Family Travel Guide will provide great travel ideas, and a little insurance, as they rate the country’s family attractions, restaurants, and lodging for you. And they know! You can bank on it. www.zagat.com

Portland Picks Restaurant Pick: Skyline Restaurant

From June through Labor Day, Skyline Burger and Malt Shop is reintroducing its Car Hop Service. This is the perfect thing to do with the kids. Eat in your car, no reason for inside voices or bad manners anxiety. No need to nonchalantly gather up all the crap the children have spilled under the table, or leave a big tip to compensate for the high volume and the large mess you made. Just strap them in the car, head up the hill to Skyline Burger and travel back in time. Try their signature Skyline burger, their heap of crispy onion rings, and their thick chocolate malt. The convenience and experience is priceless. We only wish this retro service would last. Skyline Burger, 1313 NW Skyline Blvd, Portland, OR 97229-6824, 503-292-6727

Dinner Pick: The Delivered Dish

Yeah! Another excuse to sit back, chomp away on those low-carb bon bons and let others do the cooking. Reminds us of the now defunct Kozmo.com that we sorely miss. Too bad they can’t stop off at the dry cleaners on their way to bring you dinner, so you can just continue to lay back in that designer recliner of yours, cocktail in hand, and relax some more. At the end of a long hard day, Honey, you deserve the Delivered Dish!

They have a decent selection of restaurants too, like Salvador Molly’s, Noho’s, Bastas, 3 Doors Down, Dragonfish, Kornblatts, and many, many others. Our advice: Stick with what you know. Great for a casual family dinner, or backyard picnic. Check out their on-line menus and ordering information: www.d-dish.com/ or call, 503-239-0100.

Chick Flick/Guilty Pleasure:

We can’t wait for The Stepford Wives movie! We have always referred to the kitschy cult film throughout our lives, aspired to it really, and now it is back. We are so thrilled to go and see it that we’ve practically created a national holiday surrounding it’s re-release. We are going to gather our best Stepford Wife-like girlfriends together and go out for cocktails (always remaining completely lady-like mind you) and see the movie together. Dressing “the part” for this girl’s outing is strongly recommended.

Now go out there and watch the movie with your girlfriends, and remember the Stepford Motto: “You can be everything he wants you to be, and everything you know he deserves. You’ll have the lemony-fresh life you’ve longed for and he’ll have the sizzling, sexpot wife of his dreams.” (Okay, now you can hurl.) I n Theaters, June 11th.

Click here for fun downloads: www.stepfordwives.com (You can even point and click for your special Stepford Makeover or your very own Stepford Guide to Domestic Bliss.)

Random thoughts:

Have you ever Googled anyone (e.g. long lost friend, old boyfriend, crush?)? Have you Googled yourself to see what others might see if they Googled you? It is neither vain nor silly (though may mildly fall into the ‘stalking’ category) and you will be surprised by the results (restraining orders, DUI’s, fame…or worse, no results at all)! www.google.com

Hip Happenings:

Join the 2004-05 Season at the Oregon Symphony. Live symphonic music moves us in ways that nothing else can. It is a personal experience, an electrifying, satisfying soul quencher that connects us. From Beethoven to Brahms, Broadway to the Beatles, Classical, Pops and Concerts for Kids…a new generation have discovered the Oregon Symphony. Now it’s your turn. For more information, call 503-228-1353 or log onto: www.orsymphony.org.

Hub Optix is having a trunk show on May 29th. They will be featuring Face a Face's new line of eyewear. The rep will be there from 10-6. Not to be missed! Hub Optix, Pioneer Place. (And be sure to check out their oh-so-glamorous line of Hollywood sunglasses while you are there!)

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Portland Picks searches high and low to bring all the best and most beautiful offerings back to you. Try a product that we recommended and loved it? Let us know. We can’t answer each email personally (though we try) but we get some great ideas from our wise and witty readers. Thank you for choosing Portland Picks! We work hard so you hardly have to!

This issue of Portland Picks is dedicated to the memory of Karen Brockman. A remarkable woman, superior mother, beloved wife, cherished friend and beautiful daughter who passed away far too soon and will be missed beyond what words can describe.