Ziva is Z’imply Marvelous, Dahling

Some of us are chemically dependent. (We’re talking about our hair, silly!) Our over-processed, abused and tortured hair needs help, and the folks at Ziva salon and store are there to help us.

You are a beauty queen and it’s only the finest for you, our precious, which is why you need to collect all your beauty accouterments from Ziva. Ziva is an upscale salon and a spacious upscale retail boutique in one. Not only are they one of the leading salons in Portland, their staff is trained in Manhattan at the world-renowned bumble and bumble University (can we get our Master’s there?!?), and they sell only top-shelf salon products.
Forget the drugstore, Ziva’s got you covered with (of course) all the bumble and bumble products (Surf Spray, Wispy Waif, Masque and more) but they also carry skincare products like dermalogica, the best tooth whitening line – Supersmile, and fabulous Joey New York cosmetics and skincare.

Ziva also has state of the art blowers and straighteners, brushes and more. Make an appointment with one of the Ziva team stylists and walk out a new you with a stylish and healthy do.

Ziva Salon-Store
610 NW 23rd Ave.
Portland, Oregon 97210
503.221.6990
www.zivanet.com

We’re Talking Wine at Sip D’Vine

Remember the show “Cheers” where the regulars knew each other’s names? The bartenders were knowledgeable and funny and the camaraderie was half the reason you watched. For a taste of Cheers in real life, visit Sip D’Vine in Multnomah Village. Stop by for wine tastings & education, pop in for one glass (it’s $3-$8 for a generous pour), or buy a bottle and take it home. Prices run $7-$130 – pleasing your wallet as well as your palate.

When you visit, plan to hang out a while. There’s plenty of seating, a gallery of art on the walls and featured wines from Northwest wineries - both of which change every six weeks. Right now it’s Latitude 46, a Walla Walla winery. (We really like to say “Walla Walla winery.” So nice the way it rolls off the tongue, don’t you think?)

Oh, and pop in tonight if you can – there’s live music on First Fridays and you’ll have a front-row seat to the action on the street. Tell them Portland Picks sent you!

Sip D’Vine
7829 SW Capitol Highway
Portland, OR 97219
503.977.WINE
www.sipdvine.com

Was it just us, or did everybody’s mom go through a hippie stage? Flowing caftans, gold platform sandals, face-engulfing sunglasses and of course, long strings of fabulous beads. We couldn’t get enough of mom’s jewelry back then – one part socialite, one part flower child, one part imagination.

You can satisfy your yen for those righteous ropes at Village Beads. They offer group and private classes on Wednesday nights (from Basic Stringing to Rings to Peyote Stitch), individual lessons anytime you like, and a gorgeous array of beads and findings if you’re just there to shop. Ask about pearls and natural stone beads – those are their specialties.

And it isn’t a prissy place. You can bring the kids to Village Beads (there’s a hands-on Bead Mix that’s sure to keep them occupied) and the hubbies, too. They can hang out on the verandah while you channel your inner artiste.

Village Beads
7771 SW Capitol Highway
Portland, OR97219
503.244.1821

Cross Over at Vita Cafe

Vita Cafe is a haven of vegan and vegetarian cuisine for those of the tofu persuasion. Most everything a vegetarian thought he or she was giving up when crossing over to become a veggie – chicken-fried steak, meatloaf, and for those vegans out there, macaroni and cheese – have resurfaced as options once again.

Vita’s menu spans different cuisines, ranging from American to Mexican to Thai, and the selections change seasonally to correspond with the local produce availability. And no, the veggie dishes don’t taste like seasoned cardboard. The almond gravy covered biscuits and gravy or mashed potatoes leave nothing to be desired (except for animal fat and byproducts, of course). Breaded and baked tempeh takes on various, tasty forms, and even desserts (from Buddha Belly Bakery on SE Division) are miraculously wheat/egg/milk free.

But carnivores, fear not. Vita Cafe does not discriminate against animal eaters. They offer organic free-range beef burgers and recently began serving seafood. With an outdoor deck, a variety of wine and beers including organic Fish Tale Ale, indoor seating comprised of large, plywood booths big enough for a whole slew of friends and/or family, and an interesting collection of street-signs-turned-art on the walls, Vita Cafe combines eco-friendly local and organic food offerings with enough chutzpah to keep things from becoming too hippified.

Plus, Vita is kid-friendly. Coloring menus listing seven pint-sized entrees are available for little tykes for $4 and under. And every Monday through Friday from 5-7 p.m. one-kid-per-adult can eat for $1.

Whether you are longing for a slab of vegan lasagna, a batter-dipped tofu “fish n’ chips,” or a 100% natural beef quarter-pounder, try Vita for your vittles next time you’re on Alberta.

Vita Cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Breakfast is available all day long – just ask for the breakfast menu when your friendly Vita host asks for your initial drink order.

Vita Cafe
3024 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211
503.335.8233

Green Apples and Healthy Smiles

We don't need to remind you about our dentist problem. We hate going to the dentist. It's like, well, pulling teeth.

But now we have a fabulous dentist! Green Apple Dentist is a spa experience. It smells like a spa even as you enter. There is a lovely waiting area, healthy snacks, tea, bottled water and really good magazines (Organic Health, Elle, Portland Monthly, Vanity Fair). But there's no wait.

Dr. Kang comes out and greets you and gently goes over the plan so there are no surprises. In the exam room you recline in a massage chair and listen to an ipod shuffle of cool music. They clean your teeth with an imported fluoride ginger-mint toothpaste from Italy that's deliciously fresh. When you leave you get a party bag like the celebrity you know yourself to be. They also took impressions of our teeth, gratis, as a new patient, and our teeth were bright and white after one night's wear.

We love our new dentist. This is the future of dentistry – a la spa!

Green Apple Dental
1320 SW 2nd Ave.
Portland, OR 97201
503.224.0133
www.greenappledental.com

The Answer to Fitness Whiplash.

You know the syndrome. One week it's yoga. The next it's Pilates. First it's aerobics. Then it's strength-training.

Michele Bell solves the problem by integrating all of the latest fitness disciplines into one seamless experience. In an intimate studio setting, Michele combines spinning, sculpting, yoga, plyometrics, and Pilates into an ever-evolving range of high-energy, customized workouts for individuals and groups. No movement is wasted – Michele targets our toughest trouble spots with her signature anti-gravity weight and movement sequences. The result: long, lean muscles, straighter posture, and a dancer's grace.

For time-crunched clients (and who isn't?), Michele recently added “super 30” sessions to her menu of offerings. It's a fast blast total body workout that zeros in on those under-arm jiggles. Michele's focus is “power strength grace” – length without bulk, lean arms – but she's just as good at producing attitude adjustments. You can't help but walk out of her calming studio with core and smile engaged.

Michele Bell
”Power Strength Grace”
503.997.4734
michelebell@comcast.net

Looking for Work? Look Up 52ltd

We are all about empowering our friends and readers. We want to help you figure out what you want to be when you grow up, even if you’re 30, 40, 50...and we want you to always dream big. No settling, you hear?!?

You’re an art director. You’re a graphic designer. You’re a journalist, Web designer, copywriter, or marketing maven and you’re looking for a new job. Or perhaps your company needs creative people, and want ads can’t meet your specific needs. Bottom line? You need to be dialed in to the local job market.

Here’s how to do just that: call 52ltd. They do the networking for you. They find temporary or full-time work for job-seekers and connect companies with creative people. The partners behind 52ltd have years of leadership experience in Portland’s creative community, and partnerships with local businesses and local talent. 52ltd is a consulting firm that specializes in staffing, so each company receives dedicated treatment, and each candidate is unique.

Send them your resume. Send them your job openings. And tell them Portland Picks was the reason you did.

52ltd
1231 NW Hoyt, Suite 203
Portland, OR 97209
503.517.0052

bee and thistle

One of our very favorite stores in the whole wide world, bee and thistle, is having a sidewalk sale blowout. Prices are so low, it’s almost like, well, practically free!

But it’s been too long since we’ve mentioned our favorite store and we just want to tell you how much we love everything they sell. If you’re not quite sure what’s “in,” enter bee and thistle to find out. From leather belts with the coolest buckles on Earth to embroidered jeans, leather hobo bags Sienna would wear (that we’d like to clobber Jude with), sequined and gold tops, cool t-shirts (like their worn, fitted, “shake your Buddha” shirts), and their hunky juicy colored necklaces and cowboy hats.

They have tons of great jewelry – leather bands and rings from Kelly Reese (that are meant to inspire and remind you to breathe), wooden jewelry and bangles. They have a small baby gifts selection, candles, and a glorious array of sequined ethnic flats and peasant skirts. We love their rainbow crocheted jacket and skirt. If you want to be a cool hippie chick or just a hip chick, the bee and thistle has your number.

And why not visit while everything’s on sale!

Friday-Sunday, Aug. 19-21; 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

the bee and thistle
2328 NW Westover Road
Portland, OR 97210
503.222.3397

Don’t know if you’re like us but sometimes the hubbies say, “Oh I’m going to a dinner tonight,” or “out with the boys” or stuff like that, just off the cuff, like no biggie, I’m going to the hardware store or the ballgame. What if you did that? Adoringly saddled with the kids, it sometimes takes all the planning in the world just to leave them with dad while you go to the supermarket. You can’t just throw the kids in their lap, the house in their lap, their life in their lap, buh-bye.....OR CAN YOU?

Well it’s never very easy to get away, but you must. For you. You deserve it, and only the best will do.

Girls’ Night Out

Ladies looking for an excuse to get away for a night of sophisticated fun and relaxation with their friends can now enjoy a Girls’ Night Out package at The Heathman Hotel. Guests will enjoy an executive room with two double beds, two Cosmopolitan cocktails upon arrival, two Happy Feet Packages at The Barefoot Sage and lunch at The Heathman Restaurant. Valet parking is also included in the package at a rate of $184 per person plus tax. Based on availability, Girls’ Night Out can be booked through Dec. 31, 2005.

Take a break Princess. You deserve it.

Check out Portland artist Nicole Linde’s video work at www.brittlestar.org for a breathtaking getaway right now, and prepare to be moved.

Nicole Linde is a video artist creating shorts within the context of abstract and experimental storytelling. She combines textural imagery and sounds in her work to develop personal and poetical pieces with fabulous music in the backdrop.

And you can also buy her cards at www.morningcraft.com. Nicole’s Brittle Cards are handmade, digital prints on quality paper that she creates by selecting stills from her short animations. Give them to others with smiley love.

As for watching her poetic video shorts...don’t forget to breathe...and maybe cry.

You’re invited to the beach for the weekend. What do you bring as a hostess gift? Maybe a family board game, a fancy dish towel and soaps from French Quarter, or how about gourmet Marshmallows for the perfect s’more?

Rubicon Bakery’s soft, sweet gourmet marshmallows are simply divine. They are made from all-natural ingredients without preservatives for a light, sugary indulgence.

With a taste of heaven in each bite, these treats can be eaten alone, accompany your favorite hot beverage, be grilled for the perfect s’more, or used in recipes.

Buy them online at William Sonoma, or at Zupan’s.

A Seamless Impression

The Gap has a sleek new nylon collection that leaves a seamless impression, basically disappearing under your clothes.

Their sexy comfy bra is perfect under all those t-shirts you bought this summer, giving you plenty of support while looking like you’re wearing nothing at all.

Be remembered, be treasured; don’t hand out your Kinko’s circa 1980 card. Before you turn around, it’s in the can. Make it matter because people recognize quality and they ascribe it to you.

We LOVE these! Make a lasting impression with these locally designed calling cards.

How many times have you jotted your name and number on a cocktail napkin – or been the recipient of one such scribble – only to never see it again? Ever meet that guy in a bar and want to give him your card, but aren't ready for him to be giving you that surprise call at work? Are you a busy mom, fumbling among diaper bags and purses, looking for a pen to give out your number for carpool?

For those people you meet on a casual basis, coco pink has created these hip calling cards. Hand them one of these and you'll be remembered with style.

This is not your Grandma’s shower cap, nor is it the boring frumpy one you pilfer from the hotels. These are so cool. Blue Raven’s Cap in a Box! They make the perfect hostess gift.

Save your Do with The Kitty Cap (our fave…get it, kitty cap?) or the Lounge Cap and other kitschy and stylin’ caps. You know these are hip since they are sold at Henri Bendel’s in New York.

Check out their darling website: www.blueravenllc.com

Remember when you were in the seventh grade and your Lip Smacker smelled so good that you ate it? (Or was that just us?)

Well, we found more local treats that are equally delectable, though as a grownup you should probably refrain from eating them.

Craving a little Maraschino Whipped Cream and cherries? How about some Cocoa Sorbet truffles? Or what about our favorite, Banana Pudding! Yummy yummy for our tummy...oh yeah, not our tummy, we forgot, but yummy yummy for our skin!!!

Save the cals and have these delectable body confections from Treat instead, homegrown right here in Portland.

First of all, I love you. I really do. You have made me feel so hip just knowing what's right here in PDX! (Not like the real me, a tired 42-year-old mother of three children under ten who will ALL be teenagers just as I hit menopause!)

I went to a wonderful aesthetician & professional makeup artist this morning named Genelle and got those individual false eyelashes that last for 2-3 weeks (God, they're fun – and totally un-me – something possessed me to want them) and I almost got into a wreck on the way home admiring them in the rear-view mirror.

I also got a fabulous facial where she quite aggressively got me to actually relax while she massaged my neck and shoulders (my mind had drifted to thinking of how I'd had to put the dog to sleep earlier this week & then this afternoon I have to go to Black Butte to spend the weekend with my husband, children, and NON-BABYSITTING in-laws) and she noticed I was not only incredibly tense but wasn't even breathing – she got me to let go, breathe and relax...not an easy feat. Also, she undid a lot of the wreckage I'd made of my skin by using the Renova my dermatologist thought I needed (wanted?) when I only went in to ask about little bump on my face. I've had my fair share of facials around town – but thought she was really great.

Genelle seems to have an interesting background and says she has done professional makeup for 20 years... ays she has many model clients...says has worked for Bobbi Brown corporate...anyway, she was really wonderful & I am forwarding today's Portland Picks to her. She travels to photo shoots, weddings, etc...

Here is the info for Genelle:

Genelle Holub
Sunrise Tan & Spa @Gresham Station North
878 NW Burnside
Gresham, OR 97030
503.706.9679 (Sunrise Spa: 503.492.9302)
faceitaesthetics@comcast.net

We’re still in the Summer of Love. After all, the season is just half over. And with this ipod craze, your life has surely become a montage, at least in your own mind.

Now the simple act of going to the cleaners, the supermarket, and the jog around the block can be fabulous and romantic, as if your true love is there watching you, loving you, admiring all that you do. You can pretend you’re in an exciting Lifetime movie and the viewers are biting their lip as you clean out the fish tank (“What will she do next?!?”), with just the right song in the background.

So let’s just keep those ipods tucked in our ears and believe that the most mundane task is being romantically watched and revered by our secret stalker love. After all, even if it isn’t true, it makes those mundane tasks a little easier and might remind us to put on some lipstick.

Summer of Love Mix, part deux

1. Girl, by Beck
   “And I know I'm gonna steal her eye, Nothing that I wouldn't try. Hey, My sun-eyed girl.”
2. Let Me Go, by Three Doors Down
   “You love me but you don't know who I am. I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand. And you love me but you don't know who I am. So let me go.”
3. Just the girl, by The Click Five
   “She's too much for me, But I keep comin' back for more She's just the girl I'm lookin' for.”
4. Wordplay, by Jason Mraz
   “Are you prepared to take a dive into the deep end of my head, are you listening to a single word I've said.”
5. You and Me, by Lifehouse
   “And it's you and me and all of the people,... And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you.”
6. Summer Nights, by Lil’ Rob
   “Ain’t nothing like those summer nights.”
7. Yeah! ,by Usher
   “Cause I don't know if I take that chance just where is it gonna lead,”
8. Dirty Little Secret, by The All America Rejects
   “Who has to know, when we live such fragile lives, It's the best way we survive.”
9. Let Me Hold You, by Bow Wow
   “Let me hold you, And Introduce you to my world
   And Introduce you to the better side of life that you ain’t been seeing girl.”

Although the Sgroppino is best enjoyed on the Basilico patio, it is also delicious at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon lemon sorbet
• Dash of lemon-flavored vodka
• 3-4 oz. Prosecco

Spoon the lemon sorbet into a chilled champagne flute. Add dash of lemon-flavored vodka and top off with Prosecco. Salute!

It’s a Crave Summer Extravaganza

An exclusive, festive, glam-gal gathering of fun, entertainment, personal pampering, specialty shopping, sipping, noshing and just hanging out with the girls. Wear your comfy pajamas or your favorite leisure ensemble and enter the lush world of "everything you crave" under one roof.

What’s Happening:

• One-of-kind Indian head massages and the new “sugaring” all-natural waxing technique.
• Marilyn Monroe is your emcee hosting live fashion shows and live music by JMatter.
• A succulent salmon BBQ on the patio, wine-tasting and mouth-watering gelato by Staccato Gelato.
• Fabulous raffle prizes abound, with to-die-for “pamper packages” (all raffle proceeds benefit the American Domestic Violence Hotline)
• Space is limited so register today at www.craveportland.com !

An evening or Art, Music & Style... featuring 220 Salon, MC Tony, The Punk Group.

$10 entry to benefit p:ear icludes raffle ticket to win free haircut and color service @220 salon.

Event info:
Call: 503.295.0726
Email: 220salon@gmail.com

Get Physical Summer Sale

August 2nd-27th
Tons of great yoga, run, and fit wear 25% - 50% Off Dress yourself up in fantastic deals on Pure Lime, Sugoi, prAna, Lululemon, Karma, Marika and more.....

Promotion ends on Saturday, August 27th
Store Hours: M-F 10a-6:30p
Sat 10a-5p, Sun 12-5p

Physical Element
1124 NW Lovejoy St.
Portland, Oregon 97209
503/224-5425
www.physicalelement.com