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September 5th, 2008
We pride ourselves on being perfectionists. (Some call them “control issues,” but tomato/tomato.) In any case, sometimes—very rarely—we slip up. And when we do, it sends our perfectly ordered world into a tizzy. So please accept our apologies, dear readers, for in the Aug. 22 issue of Portland Picks we wrote up the fabulous new digs that Mimi and Madre is inhabiting… which are, in fact, in the same building as Soho Boutique. (Not Sole, as we originally said, though we do love Sole’s glorious shoes and swank handbags, and we need a pair of platform pumps, stat. We must have been daydreaming!) But we digress. The point is that now you can shop for fabulous jewelry at Mimi and Madre and pick up on-trend, personally-fitted denim (plus chic clothing) at Soho Boutique—all in one swell spot! To assuage your emotional pain, we’d like to offer up 15 Gift Certificates for $25 each to Soho Boutique, Mimi and Madre, and Sole! Forward this issue to 5 friends (and please explain that normally, we get things right) and CC picks@portlandpicks.com, and you could win one of those Gift Certificates for yourself. Ahhhh, that feels better already. |
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Portland Picks: |
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| 1 | Day Dreams Do Come True Lavished with jewels from our heads to our toes, we sashayed around the room, all eyes on us. Oh, how our necklace and earrings sparkled in the candlelight. We were the belle of the ball! And just as the handsome guy wearing a crown of jewels leaned in for a kiss, the phone rang. Dangit. Though our fairy tale dreams fade with the summer sun, before we have time to mourn the passing of yet another season our best friend calls with a fabulous idea: let's treat ourselves to something pretty. So we went to Adorn, a new shop in NE that carries designers like Vestal, Paul Frank, Ed Hardy, L.A.M.B., Obey, and even some local wares. Giddy, we perused the vast array of jewelry, watches, sunglasses, bags, and clothing. With a goal of bringing hard to come by designer products to her shop, owner Nicole Whitesell delivers. Though it’s small in square footage, it's big on personality. Find out for yourself next Friday, Sept. 12, from 7-9 pm at their Grand Opening party—if you can wait that long! |
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| 2 | Pack Rats Anonymous When we were little girls we collected things—lots of things—seashells, plastic jelly bracelets, hair ties, fast food freebies. The pack rat in us drove our mom crazy, but over the years, we’ve refined our collector’s taste a bit. As grown-up sophisticates we now only collect things that really matter—handbags, jewelry, and clothes, natch. Our newest acquisition in each one of these departments came last week when we stopped by one of our favorite local boutiques, Frumoasa. We were delighted to discover Frumoasa had undergone a little transformation—no longer just jewelry and French curios, but a clothing and accessories mecca, as well! Dresses, pretty blouses, skirts, jewelry for our neck and hair—we couldn’t ask for more. Oh yes, we left with an entirely new outfit, which included the largest yellow handbag we’ve ever seen. And guess what? We don’t care if our hubby is embarrassed by it; we love it! Next time mom stops by, we can’t wait to show off our fashion-forward collecting tastes. Frumoasa Boutique |
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| 3 | Fast Forward We have this girlfriend who is adorable and she’s the world’s best dresser. Even when she’s hung over or in her PJs, each outfit is perfect. And she manages to have the perfect accessories for every occasion, season and reason. She makes us feel fashion backward. But whenever her cuteness makes us feel inferior, we march ourselves down to one of our favorite Pearl District boutiques, Sole. If you haven’t graced their doorstep yet, you must do so right now, as they’ve got all the latest fashions and trends, including each season’s must-have lineup of accessories. Delicate and chunky, classic and funky, it is what it is this fall at Sole. Right now, they are totally stocked with the best of autumn—shoes and scarves, tights and jewels, in all of your favorite fall colors. And they’re all ready to take you back to school or the office! So next time we have drinks with Miss Cutie Pie, we’re hitting Sole first to pick up a little treasure. Chalk it up to healthy competition—or our own great style! Sole |
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| 4 | Date with a Plate A good meal is about the only thing that lifts the funk when we’re blue. And lately, we’ve been feeling awfully sorry for our single selves. Solution: a “date” with our BFF at an artfully swank new restaurant. Perfect! Located downtown in the recently remodeled Hotel Fifty, H50 Bistro is perfect Date Night material—with your BFF or your hot hubby—with white tablecloths and divine ambiance, plus the chic entry featuring a floating fireplace and a wall of windows looking out onto the Willamette. The entrees—seared halibut with coconut forbidden rice and paella mounded with fresh seafood—were so prettily prepared that we didn’t want to disturb them with forks. Equally impressive were the savory dipping sauces served with the bread, the delicate brie and apricot amuse du jour, and the refreshing lemon mint granita at dinner’s end. Of course, we couldn’t resist dessert on top of dessert—melt-in-your-mouth churros with a side of chocolate yummy sauce, and Stumptown coffee—the true PDX stamp of approval. Whether it’s date night with the BFF or dining alone, we’re putting this place on our revisit list! H50 Bistro at Hotel Fifty |
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| 5 | Dare to Bare… Your Hair! One day we’re Miss Outdoorsy, the next we’re a City Slicker—we’re fairly comfortable changing hats. That said, we are not particularly fond of wearing hats. We just look like such dorks. Yet when we suffer a bad snip of the shears—like was the case in the haircut before last—there is no other way to hide bad hair. Fortunately, we found Chameleon Salon in North Portland, now run by fresh owners who gave the place a facelift in appearance and talent. Always drawn to chic salon ambiance, we heart their eclectic collection of charming wood vanities, leopard-print chairs and a very welcoming lime green chaise up front. Plus, our haircut was spot on, styled just how we like it: short and sweet, without any fuss. Our stylist actually listened to what we wanted, trimming the bangs how we like ’em, and steering clear of heavy hair product as we wished. Huge bonus points! And with their low prices, we are forevermore done paying fifty bucks per trim. Mention Portland Picks and save another 10% off all services! Chameleon Salon |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Go, Earth! Go, Fashion! Go, Feet! When you think sustainable, renewable, eco-friendly, fair trade and made in the USA, do you think “cute shoes”? Certainly our minds have been changed—we found footwear that meets all the criteria—and it’s fabulously fashionable. Form&Fauna delivers the goods. We’re positively drooling over the Cocoa Hot Rod boots (they're so go-go girl meets Elvis movie meets indie rock god) and the Mommo Platinum shoes. (Hello, tights!) Find them locally at Mabel & Zora and Olio United. www.formandfauna.com |
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| 2 | No-Scare Hair Mousse. For those of us who survived the 80s, that is one word that still strikes fear in our hearts. Memories of “mall hair” and crunchy curls still have that deep-rooted (pardon the pun) association. That is, until we found Jason’s Kiwi & Apricot Volumizing Mousse. It contains natural and organic ingredients, and is paraben-free, for styling that leaves your hair silky, smelling great and with plenty of body. Not a crunchy curl in sight—so go ahead, indulge in mousse once again. |
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| 3 | Toss the Bouquet Or we could lather up in this tulip-scented soap from Fantasia by Claus Porto, and have the smell linger all day! And with its pretty paper wrap, it has “gift” written all over it. Find it (and other random goodness) at Flutter! www.flutterclutter.com |
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| 4 | Green with Envy Green living gets easier every day, but not always cuter. Thank goodness for Sparrow Handbags, who prove that organic and sustainable textiles can be downright adorable. Right now we’re eyeing the Taylor, which features a graphic print that was designed in-house, along with a bottom made from recycled tetra boxes and handles of stiff hemp webbing. What’s more, Sparrow isn’t just kind to the earth—they also love animals. Cruelty-free, fashionable and fabulous! www.sparrowhandbags.com |
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| 5 | Moms Know Best We remember spending hours in the hot summer sun and coming home to mom, who’d peel off our smelly clothes, plunk us into the bathtub, and slather us with aloe vera. |
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| Wine of the Week: | |||
Penetration Cabernet by Naked Winery Naked Winery’s wines make us, well, want to get saucy (as in: “Don’t get saucy with me, Bearnaise,” from “History of the World, Part I.” Rent it.). We’re teasingly pleased by the names they give their vintages (“Penetration” Cabernet and “Foreplay” Chardonnay), but the bold fruits in the bottles are anything but silly. This is serious wine! Chill a bottle before a big date… see what happens… we’re just saying… www.nakedwinery.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Roll Out the Red Carpet The red carpet will roll out next Friday on Portland’s rooftop when local fashion icon Alice Dobson, owner and designer of Sofada, unveils her spring/summer 2009 women’s line. The evening will celebrate the debut of her apprenticeship program, and all proceeds go to CARES Northwest, a community-based medical program for the assessment, treatment and prevention of child abuse. What: Sofada benefit fashion show for CARES Northwest |
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| 2 | Join the Race Against Cancer On the serious tip, most likely your life has been touched by cancer. We know the pain and the struggles, and we’re determined to do our part to combat it. So gather up your friends, put on the Pumas and join the 17th Annual Komen Portland Race for the Cure®! Email them if you’d like to run, walk, volunteer or even donate! What: 17th Annual Komen Portland Race for the Cure® |
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| 3 | “Cellar-brate” September Join Naked Winery and Burgidala Wine Shop to enjoy a glass of wine, snack on delicious light appetizers, meet new people and listen to live music. The wine will be fine (we’re big fans of Naked Winery’s “Penetration” Cabernet!), the atmosphere appealing (Burgidala is absolutely lovely!) and the people quite interesting. What:Cellar-brate September at Burgidala Wine Shop & |
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| 4 | Safety in Numbers: 6th Annual PWCL Gala & Auction Feel energized and empowered at Safety in Numbers 2008: Portland Women’s Crisis Line’s 6th Annual Gala and Auction to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. Listen to guest speaker Betty Roberts, Oregon’s first woman Supreme Court Justice. Bid on the Instant Wine Cellar, Weekend Bend Martini Party, and handcrafted items in the silent auction. Help make a difference! What: PWCL Gala & Auction |
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| 5 | Makings of a Mamapreneur Conference Want to find familial harmony while you rock the business world? Spend two days learning how to build a business while raising a family with the Mamapreneurs! Their special seminars will help you find your path, learn the ropes, and make the most of your business acumen with world-class advice from experts. Click here to register. What: Makings of a Mamapreneur Conference |
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| 6 | Muddy Boot Organic Fest The Muddy Boot Festival returns for its third year to promote sustainable living within our local community. The highlights include a keynote presentation on Friday by agricultural visionary, Dr. Wes Jackson, live music by the Freak Mountain Ramblers, Stolen Sweets, Fernando and more, plus plenty of info about sustainable food and farming. What: Third Annual Muddy Boot Organic Fest |
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| 7 | Get Everyone Ready for Back to School! |
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| 8 | Own a Piece of Cooking Light History! Do you love what you see in Cooking Light? Visit the Cooking Light FitHouse and save 35% off the retail price of gorgeous furniture and accessories featured in the August issue on newsstands now! JD Madison Home Furnishings has graciously agreed to donate a portion of the proceeds to their charity partner, Oregon Humane Society. What: Furniture & Accessories sale at the |
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Please tell a friend (or two—or three!) about Portland Picks, and when you’re visiting the shops we mention each week, tell them Portland Picks sent you! Because after all, without You, there is no Us. xoxo |
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