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presenting |
| PORTLAND PICKS | ||
| life + style to you: every Friday | ||
| Sept 9, 2005 |
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In our marriage, our partnership,
we split the tasks. Granted, he does a lot of mysterious “Guy Projects”
where we never really reap any benefit, but he also does other vital jobs
as well. For example, it's his job to coil the hose and change the light
bulbs. These are very important tasks that need to be done and if we were
suddenly single we’d live in darkness with a messy hose...they’re
just not our job and we’re not programmed that way.
There are some jobs that fell in our lap that we didn't really ask for
(laundry, stupid frivolous errands, supermarket shopping), yet someone
has to do it for the family’s sake. And then there are the jobs
we love, the ones we fought for and hoarded. Like back-to-school shopping
and school-supply shopping. We get a certain nesting urge come fall and
like to organize our clothes and our lives. There’s a duplicity
to our back to school feeling – the one we remember as a child,
the excitement of the new school year, the wonder of it all, what could
be...and of course the current feeling, the obvious spring in our step
because finally school is starting and our lives will be back to normal
for at least seven precious hours a day. Zippity do dah! |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | "Oh Madge, You're Soaking In It." D'Lish is a lush little shop on Hawthorne that is a yummy delight to the senses. It's like an ice cream parlor for grown-up girls, with dreamy handmade bath and body confections that look good enough to eat (but don't!) and that will pamper you silly. You must pay a visit to D'lish...it's, well, delicious, naturally, sans any of those pesky cals! You saddle up to the counter, check out their deli menu and pick your favorite flavors for bath and body, homemade right there in the shop. Choose from 80 different fragrances, made using only natural ingredients. All products are enthusiastically tested on themselves (not animals). They have gorgeous bath bombs and bubble bars, sweet truffles and push-up sticks, sole food for your tootsies, glitter dither and other d'lish delectables that you must see (and try) to believe. They even have a Virgin line for any of you girls that are sensitive to fragrance. You must drop by for a free soak at happy hour. This adorable new Hawthorne shop just moved from Pioneer Place to where it belongs and shouldn't be missed on your next Hawthorne outing. Run – no – skip! – over to this candy store and get your pampering! D'lish |
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| 2 | Home Ec. Long ago, when we lived in Manhattan, we strategically rented a studio apartment on the upper-west side near where John F. Kennedy, Jr, lived. The apartment remained bare as a baby's bottom for most of our time there; our dowry long consisting of a potato masher, a really big pastel poster (which hurts our fillings now just thinking of it), and our state-of-the art stereo (a cassette and record player in one!) Not a chair or table in sight, just a mattress and taped-up photos of our left-coast life in the loft. (Yes, we had a loft, which sounds cool, but it was just three feet high, no room for a box spring even...we were like a giant Alice in Wonderland, banging our head each time the alarm went off.) In our dreams, our "pad" would have been decked out in 50s kitsch with lots of bright linoleum. We would have had a black velvet framed piece of "art," the kind they sell on the side of the street. We would have had tiki cocktail tumblers, an original Easy Bake oven (for all the baking we enjoy so much), and some Elvis memorabilia for sure. Cute and kitschy Home Ec on Hawthorne has everything you need for your funky pad, including a to-die-for blue fuzzy portable bar and fabulous Doris Day china, circa the early 1960s. And if that's not enough, they even have a book of 70s iron-on patches to adorn any t-shirt or jean jacket. Lots of bright vinyl, retro lamps, pinup posters and atomic cocktail glassware, harkening back to the glory days of Love American Style. Check out Home Ec and be the master of your ultra-cool domain. Home Ec. |
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| 3 | Mmm…That Old Black Magic
Who among us has experimented with a bit of voodoo now and then? Maybe
you’ve poked a doll with needles to spite a grade-school rival or
an old boyfriend. Maybe you’ve lit a candle to ward off bad vibes.
But have you topped a doughnut with Captain Crunch? You can order delights like the eponymous Voodoo Doughnut – a voodoo-doll
shaped donut with a pretzel-stake through its heart; the interesting and
savory Maple Bar with Bacon (we dare you); the Arnold Palmer (a cake doughnut
covered with lemon and tea powder); or even the Triple Chocolate Penetration
(a chocolate-glazed chocolate doughnut topped with Cocoa Puffs). |
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| 4 | Let's Face It Let's "face" it, you are so discerning. You want the very best. You buy your produce at the farmer's market. You buy your Jewelry at Carl Greve. You change your oil at...at…that oil-changing place. So if you're thinking about serious skincare, forgo the spa and hit Faces Unlimited. Faces! That's all they do. And of course, they do it very, very well. Pat Warren's Faces Unlimited has earned its reputation in this city and has been around for decades. Located at Uptowne Shopping Center, this shop has the longest menu of exceptional facials for every skin type (and you can join their frequent facial program!) They have peels, makeup lessons, intense masks. We love their signature facials for firming and regeneration of cells ("a biological facelift"). Frankly, we'd do anything, pay any penny for youthful skin, but we can get a legitimate return on our investment at Faces Unlimited. Real amazing results (as opposed to the not so good investment of the half-used skincare products that line our sink...expensive crappy products we bought into and got gypped...but that's another story.) Two words for that beautiful face of yours: Faces Unlimited. Faces Unlimited |
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| 5 | You Need Fuelin’ We love love love what’s happening on Alberta Street. It’s
home to one of our favorite shoe stores (pedX), our hip homies at OFFICE,
and some nifty galleries, shops and studios. It’s also home to some
downright good grub. |
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| 6 | CoCo & Toulouse Go Shopping.... We adore this store. It makes us happy. It reminds us of a children’s book; a sort of Eloise at the Plaza thang. It makes our heart go pitterpatter in a way a guy just couldn’t understand. We love our girlfriends and we love women and this shop is all that! They have nifty little kits that make a clever gift where you can design your own bracelet or necklace. They come in little round tins with charms, vintage beads and quaint clasps and links. They have loads of inspiring and hilarious girl books with titles like “Stressed is Desserts Spelled Backwards.” They have kitschy cheerleader postcards (really vintage cheerleading-inspired “fashion”), very cheesy, reminiscent of our much too enthusiastic past (“Ready? Okay!”) They have clever retro sachets from Misfits, lingerie and pajamas, and the coolest jewelry. They have book frames and stationery, candles and cosmetics. They have darling fun new t-shirts from Clothesline Design. They carry a baseball hat we had to have. It read, front and center, “I usually look better than this.” An oft-heard apology from our own lips, especially when we run into old boyfriends in the supermarket. They also have many Parisian-influenced gift items, frames, and an address book titled, “I am so popular.” Make your day! Pay a visit and pick up a girlfriend gift for you and your best gal pal, and be sure to tell them we sent you. Coco & Toulouse Go Shopping... |
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| 7 | Make It A Memoir We can’t get enough of handmade items. There’s something
about a blouse that’s hand-sewn that makes us feel original, smart,
sexy, and funky all at once. And when we can find hand-knit scarves and
sweaters, and original items like handmade jewelry and stationery, we’re
practically in heaven! |
 memoirpdx.com |
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| Portland Picks Book of the Week: | |||
“When It Comes to Guys, What’s
Normal?” Maybe it’s not such a mystery after all, what “normal”
guys are like. They’re nice, a bit bad; they want to have flatter
abs, and are fiercely patriotic. Seventy-five percent say, yes, there’s a heaven. But here’s the kicker…only 31 percent think they have a good shot at getting there!
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 Buy from Powell's! |
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| Chick Sightings: | |||
What We’re Seeing for Fall
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| Portland Picks Must Have CD: | |||
| The Like We love Like, we mean we like LOVE The Like. No really, The Like...it’s a new Indie girl-band from Los Angeles. Well first, we want to be them...there’s that girl-band fantasy we haven’t quite attained (but we will, for sure, one day). And we want to look like them and sound like them and dance to them. We really likey The Like. Their sound is reminiscent of The Sundays and The Pretenders. Get ready sistahs! You’re going to hear, like, a lot about The Like. And if you hurry, they’re opening tonight in Portland for Tori Amos. |
 ilikethelike.com |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Thank you Egads...e-thank yous?! This is totally against our religion but we find ourselves rationalizing that maybe it's okay, as long as it's our words, and we customize our note on a pretty card (vs. cheesy, like those from your girlfriend who recently discovered email). It's not ideal, granted. It's not lovely snail mail on fancy Crane stock, but what's worse? Never writing the damn thank you notes or getting a clever one via email that doesn't require – heaven forbid – finding the address, then not having any stamps, so it sits in “the pile”' on the kitchen counter eventually getting lost forever like the socks in the dryer? Now you can choose and send the cutest girly thank-yous. And another bonus, especially for those of us who have the same handwriting we had in grade school, is that you can write your note in cursive. (Which is good because we have forgotten how to write in cursive, and now no one will be the wiser.) Our penmanship has improved dramatically with just a click of a button...we're Bewitched...just by joining iomoi.com ($15). You must check it out. You have our permission. Just tell everyone it's all the rage and Portland Picks said it was okay. Hey, no worries, you will still be leaving your impeccable impression. Give it a try. Click here and send a free note. |
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| 2 | Eye Love You I remember this guy in high school. I had a crush on him. He was tanned with a little scruff and intensely blue yet gentle eyes. He was James Dean bad and I knew I could save him. His eyes told all. He was certainly a soulful, deep creature. This had to be true because he was so quiet, lost in thought, harboring intense intelligence and philosophical wisdom, a hint of sadness, and of course a hidden true love and deep passion for me. For sure. Even though he didn't give me the time of day, I could just tell. It was those blue eyes. He was John Travolta in “Grease” and I would be his Sandra Dee. Well, eventually I found out he was just stoned all the time and that "look" in his eyes and that "deep thought" was nothing more then simple visions of a DQ Peanut Buster Parfait; he had no thoughts at all, no personality to speak of. And that secret love he felt for me? He didn't even notice me. The moral: The eyes are a fake window on our soul so we might as well get some for ourselves. I pick blue to go with my fake blonde hair. I want eyes that will hypnotize others, and now we can do just that, without a prescription (however we would still recommend clearing it through your optometrist, absolutely). Any of us, even those of us with 20/20 vision, can change our eye color as easily as we change our lipstick. Check out icolour Fashion Lenses at Onlyonefix.com from Italy. Fashion Color Lenses for cosmetic purposes. Cool. |
 onlyonefix.com |
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| 3 | Hey Girlfriend You must check out Bari J's Girlfriend Collection. Each handbag is handmade, made of corduroy, bright colors and adorned with vintage buttons. They have a retro, carpetbag feel though are clearly contemporary. We LOVE them! Bari J, a San Francisco designer, started designing accessories originally for herself, drawing her designs on freezer paper. Others saw them and demand grew. And the rest is history. The perfect gift for you and your girlfriend! |
 barijonline.com |
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| 4 | Oh, Audrey We've always had a shoe fetish. We've always longed to be a little like Audrey. And now we can! We can add a little sparkle to our lives and our shoes with these classic rhinestone shoe brooches from Absolutely Audrey. And be sure to check out their vintage collection…stunning! Inspired by Audrey Hepburn, a fashion icon of elegant style, Absolutely Audrey is a unique accessories design company that marries the elegance of vintage-inspired shoe clips with the latest fashion trends. Absolutely Audrey introduces all Shoe Divas to the latest fashion trend in footwear. These amazing shoe clips will add a touch of edgy glamour to your look. You can wear them on your shoes and also on your jeans, scarves, jackets, shirts, handbags, etc. They make a great gift for everyone on your list… including yourself, of course! |
 absolutelyaudrey.com |
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| 5 | Sexy Hose These printed sexy hose from Stockin Girl is all the rage. We want to be sexy, we want to be one of those girls that dresses in sexy hose and garters all the time, not just when we expect someone might see them...instead of granny undies when we’re sure no one will. But they take so damn long to get on (those clasps!) And we’re always late to work as it is. And when we sit down they creep below our skirt, and they’re uncomfy. Let’s be real, they’re totally unpractical. But we should try...and these are soooo beautiful. You really are a Victoria’s Secret model...or actually a Stockin Girl (which is even cooler). These are printed thigh highs. Easy on, comfy, sexy, and so amazing to look at! You’ll be the cat’s meow (or a pink cheetah, or a china girl, or a flower or camo, or a reptile...) |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Creative Minds Join Forces to Make a
Difference!
Craft Revolution and Etsy have teamed up to provide
a venue for shoppers to support the victims of Hurricane Katrina with
all proceeds going to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund. Go to www.crafters-united.com They have the coolest items that have been donated by talented artists and crafters and have so far raised thousands. And now you can shop and donate, and make a difference! |
 crafters-united.com |
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| 2 | First-Ever Cowgirl Ball! Git your boots on, gals, because Saturday, Oct. 1, marks the first-ever Cowgirl Ball, sponsored by Forward Stride. The Cowgirl Ball is a fundraiser to benefit the non-profit Forward Stride’s therapeutic recreation services, which targets individuals with disabilities and medical issues across the Portland metropolitan area. The Cowgirl Ball will feature:
Event Roundup:
Advance tickets are $75. Corporate sponsorships & tables available. Purchase tickets and learn more at www.cowgirlball.com. |
 cowgirlball.com |
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| 3 | Make Like a Pirate at Lippman Co.! Sept. 19 is Talk Like A Pirate Day and it’s a good opportunity
to learn about pirates, but it’s also a great excuse to throw a
party! Everything you need to host an unforgettable pirate fest is available
at The Lippman Co., Portland’s favorite locally owned party store. We have loads of booty for your pirate party, including several lines of tableware, wall cutouts, treasure chests, nautical props, a huge selection of skulls and skeletons, gold coins, Jolly Roger flags in several sizes, pirate balloons, pinatas, and a wide array of party supplies to complement your pirate theme. We can also help you dress like a pirate with our costume accessories: eye patches, pouches, sashes, wigs, bandanas, and many styles of hats. Think of Lippman for Halloween, too! The Lippman Company |
  lippmancompany.com |
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| 4 | TBA CAFETERIA @ THE WORKS (no
reservations required for this) Every night at The Works we will be working a kind of alchemy. We have invited the regions top "white tablecloth" chefs to play a little game. The rules we presented them with are simple: combine your haute cuisine ingenuity with the culinary muscle of an American icon – the cafeteria. Not only will there be fabulous cabaret performances, throbbing music, riotous dancing and cocktails galore, every night at The Works a different critically acclaimed chef will be making their own version of American institutional cooking – aka SLOP. Expect it to be the best slop you have ever tasted! The chefs that have agreed to play this game include, but are not limited to: Philippe Boulot from The Heathman, Vitaly Paley from Paley's Place, Morgan Brownlow from clarklewis, Pascal Sauton from Carafe, Michael Clancy from Giorgio's, and Josh Blythe from ROUX. |
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You might have noticed by now, we don't often take ourselves very seriously. Our goal in life is to bring you a little cheer and a mini-break once in awhile from a very serious world. But we are so sad about what's happened in New Orleans and all those affected in the wake of Katrina, we just wanted to send our prayers and condolences. We won't reiterate all the charities where you can give because you certainly know by now, but it's truly amazing how giving you all are and we appreciate you for that! This is an amazing place. |
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