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August 22nd, 2008
We are terrible at keeping in touch with old friends. But when they visit, it’s like nothing has changed. Not a lick. So when a dear gal pal came through town, we fell into our old habits and trekked into the woods with a bottle of wine (sans cups, no less), saddled up a couple of tree stumps, and reminisced about the wild ways of our youth. Had the water level of the pond been even knee-high, we’re sure the clothes would have come off. Just to prove we still had it. And when the follow-up commenced in margaritas and man-bashing, we saw we’d shamelessly slipping into our early twenties. But it didn’t last long, for we woke with a hangover the next morn and realized: those days were long gone. To top it all off, said friend sent us an age test, which [clearly, mistakenly] deemed us older! than our real age. Yikes. Younger... older... we don’t know which is worse. P.S. Forward this issue to five friends and cc picks@portlandpicks.com to win the fabulous Tanya Lochridge bracelet pictured below. We tell you, it pays to be in the know! |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Desperately Seeking Swoon One of our favorite scenes in one of our favorite movies is when Madonna goes to that Love Saves the Day store in New York and gets that jacket with the pyramid, in Desperately Seeking Susan. At least that’s how we remember it. That store, chockablock with the coolest vintage circa 1985, the clientele—Madonna!—well, who wasn’t a wanna-be back then? And now a shop has opened on NE Alberta that comes close to that 1985 zenith of boho chic: Swoon, which specializes in clothing, housewares, and jewelry both modern and vintage. While we can’t guarantee a pyramid jacket that winks in the sun, we spotted an awesome leather satchel, as well as a slinky black dress we couldn’t put down. We also liked the large selection of vintage jewelry, the kind of stuff that’s not at all fusty (but will have strangers stopping you to ask where you found it) and fun to wear—not to mention, really affordable without being cheap-looking. We’re not so sure we could say the same for 1985 Madonna. Swoon |
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| 2 | The Brunch Bunch We love brunch. It’s the best of both worlds with breakfast and lunch combined, and we don’t feel odd wearing dresses while we dine. What could be bad about that? So when we found belly, we knew we had a new favorite on our hands. When you first walk in you’re greeted by the gorgeous smell of cinnamon rolls. (It was all we could do to stop ourselves from ordering a platter of them to feast on.) And they give you a few bites of them once you sit down. Brunch favorites include an open-faced omelet of ratatouille, feta and arugula, and a brioche French toast with house-made preserves or maple syrup. Yes, please. And the cocktails! Don’t miss the “Bubble Bee,” a delightful pairing of Prosecco and Dolman’s Worker Bee Honey Spirit, or the belly Mary with heirloom-tomato puree and pickled green beans. Check out their dinner menu too, as it’s also excellent, and changes each week. We also enjoyed the way they’ve decked out the place—chic but totally approachable. (Just like us!) But back to brunch… Belly |
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| 3 | Dressed to Kill We had this big event last year that turned out to be a fashion nightmare. We found our dress okay, but the rest of the outfit did not come easy. We spent days, all the way up until an hour before the event, running all over town, trying to find the perfect bag, jewelry, shoes, etc. Did we look fab? Well, of course! But the point is, it was a total pain to pull it all together. Too bad we didn’t know that Mimi and Madre was about to merge with Soho Boutique, into one bustling boutique of all things girl. We could have stepped through their newly conjoined doorway into what has become a mecca of boutique-y type things: hangbags (including Hobo!), jewelry, clothes, accessories, candles. Now that Mimi and Madre have melded with Soho Boutique, we plan on making it our one-stop shop for all future events, big or small, fancy or casual. If only we’d known sooner... that pair of sparkly black loop earrings would have been ab perf with our sleek dress! Mimi and Madre/Soho Boutique |
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| 4 | The Real Happy Hour After about a month of looking for the Best Desk Ever, we finally found it: this petite, solid wood desk painted white with a single drawer. We thought it was the cutest, most perfect wooden desk in the world. Then we realized our legs didn’t really fit underneath it. But we kept it, simply because we didn’t have the energy to resume the search. Plus, it was just so pretty. Needless to say, we’ve had some serious back issues since The Desk entered our life. Our relief? One very simple, but amazing massage at Palaquin. Found in a warm, tasteful space in the heart of downtown, Palaquin adds ease to the lunch break chair massage (which they even do on-site!), the after-work feet treat (bypass traffic!) and the anytime deep tissue massage (“happy hour,” ferreals). Plus, they use owner Becca Fink’s line of Pure Products—rich and nourishing, yet completely non-oily (seriously!), so we can go back to the office without feeling sticky beneath the hose. And as a bonus, new clients save 25% on services when you mention Portland Picks! |
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| 5 | Fly Away Home Enter Bluebird Guesthouse, a bed and breakfast in the heart of Southeast Portland. It offers seven rooms, reasonably priced from 50 to 90 dollars, which sets Mom's thrifty spirit soaring. Each room is named after an author (and one after a Portland musician), and is decorated with a combination of vintage and modern decor. We liked the Beverly Cleary room, with a private bathroom, not to mention the built in memories of Mom reading us endless Ramona books. Chris, the innkeeper, was friendly and set out a simple but hearty continental breakfast each morning. We were relieved to find a clean, charming, and well-priced place to house our dear mother during her trip, with all of the comforts of home, sans uncomfortable moments in ours. We think our boyfriend was, too. Bluebird Guesthouse |
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| Wine of the Week: | |||
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cab 2006 You know summer is on its way out when we swap our series of whites and rosés for a red. But at press time, we are back to bulky sweaters and quilts and have even resumed cooking, which is why this 2006 varietal is on our hot list—great for dinner parties built upon rich entrees like roast duck or Prime Rib, or even hard cheese and salami. A cab blended with Petite Syrah and Cab Franc, this red is smooth and effortless, with a warm note of sweet black cherry. Def something we’d save for a rainy day—like everyday last week (don’t judge)! |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Young at Heart We have this thing where we like to look young and be young. But there is a fine line between looking young and trying to look young. So we stopped shopping the Juniors department. And we started shopping online! When we discovered Tanya Lochridge’s jewelry inspired by the sea and sand, we fell in love for her use of Czech and Japanese glass beads, gold-plated charms, and style—mixing youthful character and sophistication, without even trying. |
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| 2 | Give in to Your Addiction It may take therapy to end our jeans addiction. And when we’re shopping for the latest styles, we don’t have to go much farther than our PC to hook ourselves up. From Aug. 25–31, Lake Oswego’s Meringue Boutique takes their semi-annual sale online, with savings of 25–80% off brands like William Rast, Juicy Couture, Splendid, Three Dots, Seven for All Mankind and more! Get $50 denim, plus $10 tees and casual pants. AND, get free shipping when you enter the code, PICKSFREE at checkout! |
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| 3 | Have a Spa Day—in Your Backyard We’ve been dying to put a sauna in our basement. Forget updating the laundry room—mama needs to relax! And if we put a hot tub outside, well… we may never need a day spa again! We’ll detox in the sauna… followed by wine in the hot tub. And did you know? Half an hour in a sauna burns 300 calories! So bye bye guilt! And hello Oregon HotSprings Spas—with affordable options for the ultimate “home spa” experience. |
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| 4 | Snatch the Pebble from My… Okay, so the show Kung Fu has nothing to do with children, but we couldn’t resist making the reference. Thank goodness our shopping skills are more advanced than our headline skills, though Grasshopper’s online boutique always makes us look good. With absolutely dreamy items—from baby clothes to toys to books and blankets—the biggest problem will be deciding what to order! Enter the code pdxpicks to get free shipping on orders over $100 until Sept. 15! |
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| 5 | Fido Favorites Our dogs are super picky about treats. In fact it’s almost embarrassing the way they turn up their noses at proffered snacks. Seriously—we can’t take them anywhere. So we always bring our own stash of Stam grain-free dog treats. They’re wheat and corn-free (did you know those are allergens for dogs?!?) and contain easily digestible protein, in dog-friendly flavors like Peanut Butter and Blueberry, Sardine and Carrot, and Spirulina and Chia Seed. (We don’t even eat this good, ferreals!) |
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| Event of the Week: | |||
Oregon State Fair—Big Fun for Everyone! We love to eat food on sticks. We’ve tried everything from pizza to pudding, and we’re hoping the Oregon State Fair can deliver something even more exotic this year. Snack foods not your thing? How about events and activities that are wholesome and hip, rockin’ and refined, and uniquely Oregon? Ride a Ferris wheel! Taste Oregon’s finest wines! Catch a concert by Vanessa Hudgens (star of High School Musical)! With more than 9,000 things to do, see and taste, the 2008 Oregon State Fair is too big to miss. What: Oregon State Fair |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 2 | You’ll “Covet” this Citizens of Humanity Event Covet presents the Citizens of Humanity Fall 2008 Event to bring in fabulous fall styles. Check out celeb-worthy denim, cords, sweater coats and fleece jackets. Preview & pre-order the "Birkin" dress, velour pants, and more! Plus save 15% on all in-stock & pre-orders from CoH. Receive a free Citizens of Humanity gift with purchase while supplies last. Be there! What: Covet’s Citizens of Humanity Event |
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| 3 | An Incredible Evening with The Portland Ballet The Portland Ballet presents a Masters Workshop Performance featuring 30 ballet dancers, three renowned ballet masters, and spectacular performances of George Balanchine's "Raymonda Variations,” John Clifford’s “Sonata,” accompanied by Portland Youth Philharmonic cellist Boris Popadiuk, and more! This is the last ballet performance of the dance season. Don’t miss this exceptional evening! What: Masters Workshop Dancers in Performance |
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| 4 | Yoga on the Mount If you like to get your yoga on but hate going indoors for class, then swap studio time for Mt. Tabor time. Start with an evening hike (note: vehicles aren’t allowed on Wednesdays), then enjoy your sun salutations under a shaded canopy of trees with yogi, Nick Manci of One Breath Yoga. Open to everyone, whether novice or advanced. What: One Breath Yoga with Nick Manci |
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