A New Season, A New You

Now you’re married, and you’re settling into your real life. Your bride-orexia is a distant memory, thankfully preserved in those spendy wedding photos, and, phew, you can eat again. (If need be, remind him you need a little heft on your bones in order to get pregnant. Tell him your doctor insists.)

You are trying to be a good wife and impress him, showing him the love with your culinary finesse. So here’s what you do: New Seasons.

Yes, that’s it. Buy their kabobs, marinated and ready for the hibachi, their grilled vegetables (eggplant, asparagus, peppers), a few twice-baked potatoes (since we’re not counting carbs anymore), and a bottle of Pellegrino. There! Wha-lah, you rock in the kitchen!

Just make sure you transfer it all to your serving bowls and trays and bury the evidence. This meal is guaranteed to Wow him. Plus you’re demonstrating to him how much you care, slaving over a dinner that is both healthy and organic, and simply fabulous. Yes, you are perfect. You really can do it all. He is sooooo lucky to have you!

Dinner tomorrow? His turn.

The English Department

Chapter 1: The English Department

Once upon a time, two ambitious little minxes hatched a plan. They imagined a store--carefully vented, offering the most cleverly designed clothing, jewelry, and house wares they could find. It must be adorable, but not treacly. Smart, but not snooty. Fresh and forward, but never too nauseatingly "next."

They'd call it The English Department.

Chapter 2: Inspiration

These girls like fine clothes, but they love good design wherever they find it. The typefaces of old New York department store signs, back numbers of British home decor magazines, candy-striped butcher twine, wallpaper swatches, bundles of green-pink hyacinth, weird liqueurs made from stone fruit, colonial kitsch, Japanese sweet wrappers with rabbits on them. A visit to the English Department is like all these things at once.

Chapter 3: what is it?

The English Department is a new shop opening next week on Saturday April, 9th on Northwest 23rd ( 724 NW 23rd Avenue). They specialize in modern women's clothing, cunning house- and giftwares from North America and Europe, and extraordinary, unfussy dresses for weddings and special occasions.

English has always been our favorite subject!

The English Dept.
724 NW 23rd Ave.
Portland, OR 97210
tel 503 224 0724

White House Black Market is filled with everything -- you guessed it, Smarty Pants -- black and white. They’re high quality classic pieces to add to your wardrobe. Black tanks, sexy wedge sandals, black and white circle and tiered skirts, strapless black and white floral summer dresses, white silk island tops, ponchos, wraps, cotton capris and more.

If you have no clue, or maybe you’re truly color blind, or simply need easy mix and match summer clothes for travel, this is the shop. They make it so easy, just like good old Grrrr-Animals for the style challenged. And white is so big right now (and perfect with those huge white Burberry shades). Stock up!

220 A Avenue
Suite #100
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Phone: 503-697-3743

2332 NW Westover Rd
Portland, OR 97210
Phone: 503-224-1773

Mio Gelato East

Hey the sun’s out (well in and out anyway) and you know what that means. The Ice Cream Man!

You know summer is just around the bend when you hear that familiar jingle. We get all giddy and run to the end of the driveway. “The Ice Cream Man, yeah!” we holler, jumping up and down, building his fragile self esteem like we like to do with the UPS man, even though the Ice Cream Man often looks like he really shouldn’t be in this profession (no offense to our Ice Cream Man readers.) You have to admit, it’s such a happy job, we tend to give the ICM the benefit crossing our fingers he’s not like the scary “candy man” from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

I’m more trusting than others since my high school boyfriend was an Ice Cream Man one summer, when he wasn’t working at the cemetery. I got to climb on the back of his ice cream rig and accompany him on his route. (Mind you it wasn’t one of those little parking ticket wagons but more of a Gator....much, much cooler.) Good memories.

As one might expect, things have changed, we’ve changed, and our summer cravings have moved on from the blue alien ice cream bar delivered curbside by convicts, to gelato. And now whether we’re on the east side or west, we can be satiated all summer. Our favorite Mio Gelato in the Pearl is opening up a new store in the upscale historic Irvington neighborhood in May! Now, if we can only get them to deliver.

Mio Gelato
Irvington Corner
NE Brazee and 15th Ave.

Mio Gelato
25 NW 11th Ave
(503) 226-8002

Farmer Girl

Don’t forget that the Farmer’s Market in the Park Blocks up by PSU opens tomorrow morning!

On your way, swing by Powell’s and pick up the Field Guide to Produce: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Fruit and Vegetable at the Market.

It can answer the most pressing questions like, “What the heck do I do with a rutabaga? Is it a fruit? What’s a cumquat???” You’ll wow them with your knowledge!

Drink, Eat, Drink, Watch, Drink.....be merry.

Portland Indie Wine Festival Casts 40 Artisan Winneries in the Starring Role

The Sundance Film Festival has become one of the quickest ways for independent filmmakers to get on the map. The industry buzz alone can fuel a film for years. This is the model for the Portland Indie Wine Festival, May 7th and 8th. Forty artisan wineries will be selected by a panel of judges to introduce and sell their Oregon wines during the two-day festival.

The full city Block Party at NW 16th and Flanders will fill with cool festival-goers in three unique venues: the Chown Garage, Urban Wineworks and The Mission Theater. Saturday and Sunday will feature 20 different wineries each day with all winemakers present to pour and talk about their wines. A Saturday or Sunday $40.00 ticket gets you: a tasting of wines from 20 wineries, a selection of small plates from celebrated restaurants such as Wildwood and Park Kitchen, and a printed passport to collect notes and winery information.

The first 200 advance tickets for Sunday will receive a VIP pass to the Portland premiere of THINKFilm’s indie documentary MONDOVINO. Tickets are $70.00 for both days. Space is limited and ticket sales are first-come, first-serve. Tickets go on sale April 1st.

Click on www.indiewinefestival.com for a full program.

Don’t Stop The Insanity!

Here’s the story of an ex-business professional, turned stay-at-home mom, looking for a creative/intellectual outlet and a way to give back to the community. Deb Seyfert of West Linn started Sanity/Insanity Art & Co. Her company’s name was born out of the craziness of raising two boys—needing an outlet to maintain her sanity as a mother.

Sanity/Insanity Art & Co. makes custom pendant jewelry that showcases people, places and events that are meaningful in life—pictures of the kids, the dog, a favorite grandmother, a trip to Paris or simply meaningful words and phrases. The pendants, made of glass and lead-free solder, are sold on sterling silver necklaces and bracelets. Very hip and chic with vintage undertones, this jewelry makes a memorable gift for anyone.

Because the pendants gracefully capture the image of a child, Seyfert decided to use her jewelry to give back to the community. Seyfert teamed up with Doernbecher Children’s Hospital to donate custom pendant necklaces to mothers who have kids in the pediatric ICU, and those who have lost children. The necklaces celebrate a child’s life with pictures, meaningful words and images. It’s Seyfert’s hope that the mothers find some comfort in holding the image of their child close to their heart.

Sanity/Insanity Art & Co. is selling “Wish Necklaces” to generate community support and funding for the Doernbecher Program. All proceeds from these necklaces go to support this program. The necklaces feature small pendants that say “wish” on one side and “hope” on the other. The wish is for the person who buys the necklace; the hope is for the children at Doernbecher. Selling for only $25, it’s a perfect gift plus one to wear this spring and support a good cause at the same time. And lucky for you, the attractive packaging makes Wish Necklaces a breeze to present.

Sanity / Insanity Art & Co.
Deb Seyfert
503.722.8892
sanityinsanity.com

Dog Gone It!

We never thought we’d be “small dog” people. Growing up, we fancied ourselves more the Golden Retriever/Labrador types. However, faced with the chaos of our current households, the responsibility of one more Being is simply too much to bear. We need something more turnkey like a Beta Fish, so if (when) we forget to feed it or walk it, the little pet still hangs in there (or worst case, we can sneak out and replace it before the kids catch on.)

So we settled on Small Dogs that don’t require walking at dawn, their little mouths can’t do too much damage to your Blahnik’s, and they don’t shed all over your cashmere. Plus, what fun! You can dress them up, carry them in your handbag, and take them shopping with you!

In our due diligence, we learned that the Mercedes of small dogs are Frenchies, French Bulldogs. These little cutie pie’s are sociable and loving with oodles of personality. (Reece Witherspoon has one named CoCo Chanel.) But they aren’t cheap, starting at $1500 to $5000...but their pure devoted love is priceless!

Once you purchase your Frenchie, you can join the small doggie playgroup at Lexi Dog each Sunday (NW 10th/Glisan). And while you’re there, pick up his latest crystal collar, poncho, booties and doggie truffles.

You can also host a birthday party, send him to day care, and basically spoil him rotten, which is encouraged.

“Put your dreams in a jar and shoot for the moon!”

Seattle resident Eulalie Scandiuzzi created the Moonjar which encourages children to think about money responsibly. The moonjar is divided into three sections, one for spending, one for saving, and one for sharing with others (charity).

If we had been given one of these Moons ago, ours wouldn’t currently be divided as such: one for shoes, one for skincare products, and one to “share” with Citibank Visa to pay off our credit cards.

This piggy bank is designed to help children and families achieve their dreams by incorporating strong financial values and practices into their daily lives. They learn to save and they learn to give to charity.

Moonjar is committed to creating products that encourage communication and that empower children with basic life skills. This product very clearly helps your children to start saving, spending, and sharing, and making responsible decisions with their finances at a very early age.

Edun or nudE, depending on how you look at it) for him, for her, just launched and sold exclusively at Saks....

Think chicly rumpled, gently distressed, organic. Think oh-so embracably Portland. Think now. Think boho. Think Bono.

EDUN is the brainchild of U2's Bono, his wife, Ali Hewson, and Rogan Gregory, a designer who emphasizes organic fabrics and ethical guidelines. Conceived as an alternative approach to creating beautiful clothes in a respectful manner, EDUN is a marriage of social activism and aesthetic innovation. EDUN's goal is to build a business while creating sustainable employment in developing areas of the world such as South America and Africa.

The name EDUN itself carries the same sense of significance as the collection. Nude spelled backwards, EDUN is also a play on the Garden of Eden and is meant to imply innocence, sensuality and a return to nature.

EDUN is committed to the lives of the people who help to make the vision a reality. Inscribed in every pair of EDUN's jeans is the statement "We carry the story of the people who make our clothes around with us." "I think you should always have a poem in your pocket," said Bono, pointing to his by German writer Rainer Maria Rilke.

The beauty of the line's aesthetics mirror the beauty of its business model, and from that comes a new chapter of an ongoing story - one that EDUN hopes others will embrace and follow. Sold at Saks, downtown.

Physical Element is turning 2! Please join them as they celebrate their 2nd anniversary!

They want to thank you, their fabulous customers, for making it possible.
And to thank you properly, they are holding a "Secret Sale" for Portland Pick’s readers. Drop by from April 1st -3rd and enjoy 25% off any single item in the store.

They hope to see you this weekend and thank you personally for your business, support and friendship.

Special Event: "Nutrition for the Real World" Next Tuesday, April 5th

We're well into 2005 and feeling our nutritional resolve waning a bit. What with work, running households, raising families, something's bound to give, right?

Well, Pearl Health comes to the rescue. Join Physical Element April 5th at either 12:30pm or 5:30pm to:

• Learn 10 simple ways to super-size nutrition in your day-to-day life
• Get your diet back on track
• Chance to win a massage or initial acupuncture session! Aaah.

So, put your health back on the "Priority " list and join them next Tuesday!

What: "Nutrition for the Real World"
Where: Physical Element
Who: Shari House of the Pearl Health Clinic
When: Tuesday, April 5th at 12:30pm or 5:30pm

Light (nutritious) bites will be served!

Physical Element
1124 NW Lovejoy Street
503.224.5425

The Upside of Anger, starring Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, Keri Russell, Evan Rachel Wood, Alicia Witt, Erika Christiansen & Mike Binder (also directed by Mike Binder)

Let’s face it, Kevin Costner hasn’t exactly been burning up the big screen with well-reviewed movies in the last few years (dare we say over a decade?) Costner is back as Denny, an ex-major league baseball star turned radio show host. He’s at his best and most charming in years. Not without his faults (Denny’s got a bit of a booze and pot problem), he lives next door to Terry (Joan Allen, in a possible Oscar nominated performance) and proceeds to woo her after Terry’s husband disappears with his Swedish secretary.

Sound complicated? We forgot to mention that Terry has four daughters (played by Christiansen, Russell, Wood & Witt), whom she seems to be clashing with as she concurrently nurses bottles of vodka with Denny. This “comedic drama” is long on laughs, with just enough touching moments to make you care what happens to Terry and Denny without being too sickly sweet.

If you’re looking for a non-girlie date movie, grab your honey and catch it ASAP at a theater near you.

Be Honest – You’re Not that Into Him Either; Raise Your Standards and Reach For the Love You Deserve, by Ian Kerner, Ph.D.

You just broke up with your boyfriend because, well, he wasn’t Jude Law. (We understand perfectly.)

Fresh on the Heels of He’s Just Not That Into You, Ian Kerner (author of the sex guide, She Comes First) offers this rebuttal and alternative view on relationships and the part we ladies play in them.

Kerner’s straightforward and witty book asserts that as women we lower our standards simply to date an “in-the-meantime” guy, whether it’s because we’re lonely, or it was just better than being alone --- sound familiar, girls?

Abounding with quizzes and matter-of-fact advice and tools to help us make better choices in the dating world, Be Honest --- You’re Not that Into Him Either is a blunt look at how we all too often sacrifice being with “the One” by remaining with Mr. Meantime longer than we should. How many times have you told your girlfriends not to SETTLE? This is a book that talks to the heart of our mad 30’s dash to the alter. (Think Charlie Sheen, think pregnant and filing for divorce or better yet, JUST THINK!!!)

Get the lovin’ you deserve and pick it up now at www.amazon.com ($13.57).

• Ballet Flats (especially metallic!)
• Aviator Glasses…metal OR Lucite
• White
• Pretty, patterned trenches
• BIG beaded necklaces
• Wedge heals & Espadrilles
• Chunky bangles
• Skinny Scarves
• Crochet & Macramé
• Gem-adorned purses and shoes
• Two-tone sandals --- even better if they’re peek-a-boo!
• Coral accessories and clothing
• Romantic, retro hair and dresses
• Fruity adornments to purses and shoes (think Louis Vuitton!)
• Full, flouncy skirts
• Tie belts and vintage hip hugger belts (think 70s, big buckle, suede)
• Frye Boots
• Turquoise
• Tiered skirt (cute with Frye boots)
• Hoop earrings or nothing at all
• Vintage inspired prints
• Hobo bag (think The Sienna bag; a western style bag named after Jude’s fiance)
• Oversized sunglasses (think Coach and Burberry)

Mangotini

Slip into spring with your latest fling and this yummy seasonal cocktail! For this and more distinctive drink recipes visit www.cocktailtimes.com

• 1 1/2 oz. Finlandia Mango Fusion Vodka
• 3/4 oz Triple Sec
• Splash Mango Juice or Nectar

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into martini glass.

This is vodka’s answer to the margarita with a lot less citrus and tang. Smooth, sweet intersects with sour and you will be in spring nirvana. Garnish with some edible flowers for a stylish girly touch. This is a classy beverage with a bar room punch, two essential ingredients to real fun.

Oh Baby Lingerie is having a "Something Sexy Sale" this Saturday and
Sunday, April 2 and 3.

Merchandise will be 10 to 70% off storewide. It's the perfect opportunity to spoil yourself! There's nothing like sexy lingerie (on sale!) to make a girl feel good.

All Portland Picks readers are invited to a special pre-sale party on Friday, April 1st from 4 to 8pm.

There will be wine and appetizers.

St. Honoré Family Day Celebrates Patron Saint of Bakers with Proceeds Supporting CASA

Children become bakers for a day and help kids in need at the 2nd annual St. Honoré Family Day on Sunday, May 15th from 10-2 p.m. at St. Honoré Boulangerie, 2335 NW Thurman St. Portland. This annual celebration honors Saint Honoré, France’s patron saint of bakers and is also a fundraiser for the local chapter of CASA for Children, an organization that advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children. All proceeds raised from the sales of Galette Sucre ($5 for 4 galettes) will support CASA for Children.

Make Your Own Galette Sucre St. Honoré Boulangerie will transform into a hands-on bakery on Sunday, May 15th as visitors of all ages handcraft their own Galette Sucre, a round, flat sweet brioche bread made of eggs and butter and sprinkled with sugar. Each Galette Sucre will be baked in the clay firebrick oven and served warm.