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presenting |
| PORTLAND PICKS | ||
| life + style to you: every Friday | ||
| August 26, 2005 |
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Back when R&B singer Brandy was relevant, she gave an interview and announced, “I am classy.” Now, we’re not always icons of classiness ourselves, but we do know this: If you have to say you are classy, then you are, most definitely, Not Classy. However, every rule has an exception. So we can say with confidence: “Portland is Hip.” How hip are we? We’re so hip that we have our own Fall Fashion Week, Sept. 7-11, featuring nine of P-town’s most distinguished local designers: Emily Ryan and Liza Rietz, Kathryn Towers, Holly Stalder, Adam Arnold, Bonnie Heart Clyde, TRex, Elizabeth Dye and Jess Beebe (of Linea). We may be geographically distant from the fashion world’s traditional hotspots (NYC and Paris), but what we have in Portland is the creative and physical space to nurture and hone world-class talent. Plus, we eschew the typical media-sponsored melee that accompanies a foo-foo fashion week, opting instead for independent-minded fare. We do things differently here, and we still get noticed. Local designers have been heralded by the international press: magazines like Elle, W, Lucky, Venus and others have highlighted our Fab 9 in their pages. To find out who is showing their clothes when and where, check out www.portlandcollections.com.
And finally, say it with us…Portland is Hip. |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Our Day at Red Star We didn’t mean to spend two hours at Red Star, but sometimes the “stars” align just right and you can’t resist having a two-hour brunch. Of course, the do-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar didn’t hurt. For a paltry $8.50, they generously serve your favorite top-shelf vodka over ice in a pint glass (ask for salt or no salt on the rim). Then you’re set loose to sample your favorite Mary mix (try their house blend, our fave), at least a dozen kinds of hot sauces, spices, pickled okra and asparagus, and olives to die for, stuffed with anchovy, jalapeno, garlic or bleu cheese. We could have stopped with the Bloody Marys and the positively decadent beignets, but instead we mustered on with an order of homemade granola and the Tavern Benedict. Aside from chef Rob Pando’s citified and delicious food, we adore the atmosphere at Red Star. We can’t wait to come back one night with a hot date…anybody know where we can get one of those? Red Star’s Bloody Mary bar is available on weekends from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. And if you’re not into Marys, try one of their signature brunch cocktails. They meet twice yearly to come up with boozy concoctions. We’d like to have an invitation to that party! Call us next time! Seriously. Red Star |
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| 2 | Girl Heaven! Have you ever imagined that perfect store where everything is just your
style, you're surrounded by your favorite colors and even the jewelry is picture
perfect? Sometimes dreams do come true, sweeties, and we definitely get dreamy
at City Girl in Lake Oswego. |
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| 3 | Foot Bar It isn’t very often we expose our feet. And we don’t flash our feet for just anyone. It has to be worth the self-humiliation. After the standard apologies (runners’ feet) and caveats (oops, we haven’t shaved), we let ’em all hang out at the new Foot Bar in the Pearl. Talk about happy feet at happy hour. We saddled our feet up to this bar, dipped our toesies into a relaxing footbath and had some complimentary wine and dark Dagoba chocolate. We chilled out in the warm footbath as our feet were expertly massaged, exfoliated, masqued, rubbed, scrubbed, and treated to a hot stone massage. This is indeed a luxurious foot treatment combining the ancient healing arts of a footbath and massage to bring some luster into our active and plain old lackluster feet. The Pearl is a walking community and Foot Bar is here to take care of your “vehicle.” The Foot Bar’s motto: Stress Relief for Urban Feet. The space is a clean, contemporary design, done up café style with a sleek bench and state of the art baths lining one side of the room and a relaxing lounge area on the other. And of course, they use only pure organic products. If you want an alternative to the typical happy hour, come here instead. Have some wine, unwind, and treat yourself and your feet. Instead of a lunch meeting, have lunch and get your feet waited/waded on at the Foot Bar. Soon they’ll provide catered meals, and show movies in the winter, so there will be lots of extra special attention and attractions for you and your feet. This is our new favorite bar. Cheers! p.s. Upstairs they have The Body Bar...stay tuned here for that. Foot Bar |
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| 4 | Sweet as (Meringue) Pie Sometimes there are enormous advantages to being a girl. (None of them happen while camping, fyi.) But in our regular lives we get to flounce about in party dresses, wear belts with sparkles, lounge in fragrant baths and have doors opened for us. Not bad, right? So when we want to feel as Girly as Can Be, we head to Meringue in Lake Oswego. (There's also a Salem location! What fun!) We're awestruck by the sheer magnitude of cute merchandise they offer at Meringue, from frilly frocks to an amazing selection of Seven by Mankind Jeans (hurry up and get your Pink A-Pocket jeans). They have home items like candles and dishes, terrific stationery and invites, and even bath and body stuff. They even have a large selection of items for baby, including cups and plates, tees and bibs, and baby shoes by Jack and Lily. For fall they're carrying delicious items like orange, pink and lavender-colored trench coats by Milly, Swarovski crystal-encrusted belts by B.B. Simon, cashmere wraps by Cris, and adorable crystal-covered flip flops by Lady Lanell. Take advantage of your female status with silver and gold metallics, Pucci-inspired prints, long silk tanks and jewelry by Pieces of a Girl, and get it all at Meringue, your One-Stop Girl Shop. Meringue Boutique 333 State St. |
  meringueboutique.com |
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| 5 | Street of Dreams In our dreams, we’re casually elegant. We know which forks to use.
Instead of “neether” we say “niether.” People who
dress well carry themselves differently than the rest of us schlubs. We wonder,
“How do they do it?” |
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| 6 | Get Fresh We could spend hours in front of our magnifying mirror examining our pores....pick, pick, picking. We know it’s bad, we know they say not to pick, but sometimes (okay, always) we just can’t help it! That’s why we love the facials at the new Fresh Skin Care Boutique in the Pearl (right next to Cheeky B.). Kelly and Jackie Chavez, veteran aestheticians of several legendary local day spas, take their extractions seriously, leaving our pores feeling very fresh indeed! (If you’re not up for such a thorough cleansing, just say the word and they’ll go easy on you.) Because they’re long-term-results-oriented, Kelly and Jackie make sure to discuss whatever skin issues you’re having, customizing your treatment from the three quality product lines they carry (Phytomer, IS Clinical and SkinCeuticals) and discuss an appropriate skin-care regimen to maintain the facial’s benefits. On top of it all, the serene setting and extravagant massage make for a truly relaxing experience. “We don’t want to cut any corners,” says Kelly of the venture, which opened in July. We don’t want to cut any corners either, so we’ll happily trade in our magnifying mirror for their expert hands. Fresh Skin Care Boutique |
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| 7 | We’re Making Arrangements As much as we love shopping for ourselves, we love shopping for other people.
Birthdays, anniversaries, house-warmings, holidays, just-because…almost
any reason with a corresponding date on a calendar is enough to send us looking
for that perfect something. |
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| 8 | Sweet Jane It’s been a while since you heard us gush about our favorite jewelry store: Emily Jane. This is an oasis of Pink Power. Prepare yourself for the most fabulous handmade jewelry in the most luscious pink store. You’ll want to weep, it’s so beautiful. First of all, the name: Emily Jane. If we had a daughter, we’d have to change her name to this. Second, you enter into what seems like a cozy apartment off NE Broadway. It is so Pink! And Jane displays the jewels as if you’ve stepped into her boudoir, with pieces draped on frames of art and tucked in drawers. When you look around you’ll find that there are treasures - treasures everywhere! Spectacular, all-purpose works of art that we’re going to wear with jeans and gowns and jammies! Jane works right there, perched in creative concentration at a tall golden desk. You’re welcome to the champagne, which simply enhances each jewel that adorns you. You can’t help but try on everything. So far, we’ve found it impossible to leave without a purchase. And since then, we don’t want to remove her brilliant pieces. We’ve also found that we need to stop and gaze into each mirror or window that we pass to catch a glimpse at all our sparkles. What a head-rush. The atmosphere, the pink boxes that you get to take home…it makes you want to scream a womanly scream...and then be Jane’s best friend and move in. Emily Jane |
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| 9 | You’re a Maniac Picture yourself like this: A sweat band encompassing your boufy hair, a ripped at the neck, devil-may-care sweatshirt askew off your shoulder, baby blue leg warmers covering those calves... "You're a Maniac, a maniac on the floor!" Jazzercise is once again white-hot. Remember how big it was in the 80s? Now it's big-time again, just like your hair. It's back, just like leg warmers! (Fraid so.) There's nothing better than dancing your way to a frenzy of firmness with your girlfriends. (We actually like to dress the part and make a fool of ourselves since we don’t know anyone...leotard and all...giggling burns tons of extra calories.) Though the atmosphere is plain, it's all about the workout and the music. For $10 you walk in for a 65-minute circuit class. You’ll hear fabulous familiar tunes, and learn dance-y steps that you can get into without feeling insecure and uncoordinated. It's energetic and a girly-girls club, and an amazing workout for every part of your body. Renee Newcomb is our Portland Pick for Jazzercise instructor. Let's face it, it's a good sign when the instructor has a killer figure. It's something that gives us hope, something we can aspire to. ("Maybe if I do this, I can look like her.") Renee has power and energy, she is a fabulous dancer and communicator, she pumps up the room with her vigor and her smile, and she sings beautifully, too. Note: You will be dripping when you leave her class and wake up sore the next day. When Renee teaches, we drive miles to be there. She has quite legion of loyal fans. (And they have childcare!) Visit Renee at the Jazzercise by the Toys R Us near Washington Square. Greenburg Plaza Jazzercise Center #2455 |
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| 10 | Escape the Grind Get away from the daily grind at Urban Grind. This isn't your ordinary coffeehouse experience...it's a community where they know you by your coffee and your name. (Like “Cheers!” with beans instead of brew.) They have the ubiquitous Pearl spot near Cheeky B and an east-side location at Sandy Blvd and 22nd. The clientele at both locations are as creative and hip and diverse as our fair city...just like you! Not only are they attentive at Urban Grind, but the coffee is so yummy. They roast their own at the east-side location. The staff is sweet and unpretentious, they have free wi-fi, and they serve up good food (mmm, curry of the day!) The space is spacious indeed. You can settle in, loiter with your laptop, and turn this into your new office with no fear of others interloping into your personal space. The Pearl store even gets a little funky. They celebrate First Thursday with showings by local artists and every Friday night there’s music. Come one, come all – you’re highly welcome and you'll definitely be back. This is one example where service really reigns! Urban Grind Eastside Urban Grind Pearl |
 urbangrindcoffee.com |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Drama Queen Let’s face it. We are drama queens... on occasion. I remember in college when my boyfriend and I would fight, it was always of soap-opera proportions. After heated words were exchanged I’d race home to hide in the sorority house, and he’d come racing over, professing his love up to my window. (Picture it, the collegiate version of “Stella...Stella!”) Ooh, it was so romantic. As we’ve gotten older, the drama has decreased significantly. We’ve mellowed with age, but we still like our drama in small doses. Just a little attention...at all times. Now, that’s not too much to ask, no? So it doesn’t frighten the kids, we’ve opted for “Drama Queen Style” instead of actual drama. It’s all about playtime now. Who do you want to be tonight? A bombshell, an icon, a glamour puss, a femme fatale, a drama queen? You might Slip on Lash Lingerie's “Bra and Panties” every night to protect your party eyes and to push up, fluff up and swing out your naked lashes. Or maybe you’d rather create natural-looking, shapely eyebrows for an arch that will signal your intentions across the room. Fluff yourself up, girl. Bring back the art of getting ready – with sexy cosmetics and clothes, and of course, lots of drama! |
 dramaqueenstyle.com |
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| 2 | We’re Feeling a Little Quilty About It We tried the Do-It-Yourself thing. We appeared pretty impressive if you were watching us “doing” it from afar. But if you looked too closely, it was a sham. Or maybe just a shame. So we decided to purchase well-made homemade luxuries and pretend our dear old grandmother made them…our ultra stylin, hip old granny…who subscribes to W. And among our favorite luxuries are the most incredible quilts we’ve ever seen. We’ll tell you where to get them, but we won’t tell anyone where you got them, so you can pretend you made them. (Shhh…) Denyse Schmidt makes the most incredible lush quilts we’ve ever wrapped ourselves in. She will customize anything, or better yet, check out her limited-edition couture collection, with names like “drunk love in a log cabin”! We aren’t drunk, but we are in love! |
 dsquilts.com |
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| 3 | Thank You! Since we had a really big birthday, of wedding-size proportions, we thought
maybe we had a year before we had to send thank-you notes. (Tsk, tsk... That
would be a no-no, but it felt so overwhelming, and now it’s been two
months and still, ugh...) We normally pride ourselves on channeling Emily
Post but in this case we’re fumbling badly…very badly. Thankfully,
we’ve discovered a very fabulous way to send our thanks, in much the
same way the 6th grade boys asked us “to go.” (Remember this:
Will you go with me? Check one: Yes, No or Maybe. Flirts that we were, we
always said “maybe.”) For example, the custom multiple-choice says: “Kathi just wanted to say” and then you check off whatever it is you wanted to say! It’s a time-crunched girl (or guy’s) dream come true. Plus they’re charming cards, of excellent quality, and super cute. Finally – no more daunting thank-you woes. You can even say “Congratulations,” “Happy Birthday,” “I Miss You,” and “I’m Sorry.” Just check one...and still be cool! |
 jellyandanchovy.com |
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| 4 | Excuse Us While We Slip into Something More Comfortable When we were little, we loved playing dressup in our grandmother’s black silk slips. We were instantly transformed into starlets and queens in those romantic feminine “gowns,” and they beat out any other item in Grandma’s closet. Well now you can play dressup again, in Glam Garb’s romantic and revived hand-dyed vintage slips. Each gorgeous piece has a unique shade thanks to hand-dyeing, and there are a variety of styles. These are beautiful when they are layered. Try a slip skirt beneath a slip dress and top it off with a camisole and cowboy boots. Slip into a slip. |
 glamgarb.com |
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| 5 | Find Your Sweet Spot We thought we’d seen it all, but apparently we were a little behind the times when it came to cutting-edge hygiene choices for, uh, “down there.” Sweet Spot’s eau de spot, called Spot Delight, are essence-infused, single-use pads that not only make it smell good in our nether regions, but contain essential oils that complement our natural, um, aromas. (Did we just say that?) Each gentle, pH-balanced and alcohol-free pad will keep you fresh as a daisy, all day (or night). Conveniently available in purse-size compacts for the girl on the go. Sweeten your spot at SweetSpotLabs.com |
 sweetspotlabs.com |
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| Portland Picks Book of the Week: | |||
CLOSE CASE... We love playing sleuth! And, with Alafair Burke’s latest Samantha Kincaid mystery, it’s even more delicious fun, because the book is set in our own backyard! Burke used to be a deputy district attorney with Multnomah County, so she sprinkles her characters with spicy personality traits, and you just have to wonder if a certain cop or reporter or county official is being parodied. She won’t tell. But, we’re drifting from the point. What’s really cool, is that CLOSE CASE is a powerfully solid mystery drawn from very familiar local tensions. Deputy DA Samantha Kincaid is called out to a homicide scene on her 32nd birthday – heck of a way to celebrate, especially since she just started living with a hot police officer, Chuck. But, it’s a hot case – the body of a black investigative journalist is found bludgeoned to death, and it appears he’s been working on a story that would cast the local police in a bad light. So, here’s Sam -- still the new-kid-on-the-job -- trying to prove herself as a woman in a tough field. At the same time, she discovers that all the evidence seems to lead to one of Chuck’s best buddies on the force. All of a sudden, Sam is sleeping solo again. There are lots of twists and turns in CLOSE CASE, and it is NOT a snap to solve. We like that Sam is witty and just unsure enough of herself to make her feel like our new best friend – now, we can’t wait for her NEXT adventure.
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 Buy Now! |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Last chance to sign up for the CRAVE Summer Extravaganza on August 31st!
What is 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. You don’t want to miss this:
It’s your last chance, register today at www.craveportland.com |
 CravePortland.com |
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| 3 | Bridge Party As the multi-year restoration of the St. Johns Bridge nears completion, the creative tenants of Cathedral Park Place, who have endured bridge closures and construction, are ready to party. Anyone who has attended the arts-inspired events such as “The Modern Zoo” and “21 Years: Friends of Carton Service” knows these gatherings are immensely fun and anything but ordinary. The Cathedral Park Place Bridge Bash is slated for Sept. 17, from 6-10 p.m. in the building’s courtyard, 6635 N Baltimore. The Mardi-Gras style of the stilt-walking March Fourth! Marching Band will kick off the festivities. A beer and wine garden, a savory barbeque, an outdoor film festival and music by The Road Less Traveled will run throughout the evening. Sure to be a highlight is the Art, Product and Design show. It features the many talented artisans whose creations are given life in the 60-plus studios in Cathedral Park Place. Two blocks away in Cathedral Park, a tremendous line-up of musicians including John Koonce and Jim Mesi will perform from 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on the Cathedral Park Bandstand under the base of the bridge. On Sunday, there will be a Street Fair with a car-free, pedestrian community, so you can experience the St. Johns Bridge and its restoration in full glory. Admission is free to all weekend events. |
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| 4 | Fall is Near and the Boots are Here! Fabulous Boots in many styles have just arrived from Italy. For a sneak peek, please go to www.bellamodadesigns.com. We hope to see you soon! Bella Moda Designs Hours: |
 bellamodadesigns.com |
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| 5 | Sole Style File Style Starts at Sole: Fall 2005 Stud Muffin – Studs, Rings and Grommets “Sole Style Packages” Each package has a combination of shoes and accessories to complete your fall look. Sole |
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| 6 | Olivia Belle’s First Annual Anniversary Sale Select items will be minimum 75% off suggested retail, and all other items will be 50% off. Sale begins Friday, Aug. 19, at 10 am. Olivia Belle |
 oliviabelle.com |
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Here comes fall, girlies, and as usual Portland Picks is here to help you glam up, mellow out and get the goods. You’ll never be left behind as long as you’ve got us on your side, and we wouldn’t be the same without you. We welcome your questions, comments and kudos and invite you to drop us a line. Tell us what you’d like to see on Portland Picks, and all about the things that are important to you. After all, without you, we’d be…well…just plain sad. Oy vey! We’re getting all fahklempt. Talk amongst yourselves!!! |
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