The Urban Scout

PDX Collective Sale

2009-09-09T10:44:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again - end of summer sale at The Cleaner's at The Ace Hotel (1022 SW Stark) this Sunday from 11am - 5pm. Great deals to be found from 11 Portland boutiques including Nolita, Le Train Bleu, Radish Underground, Pin-Me, Shoefly and Moxie to name a few.

Pimientos de Padrón

2009-09-02T15:26:00.000-07:00

Pimientos de Padrón are one of the oldest non-hybrid peppers. As the story goes, Franciscan monks brought them to Spain from Mexico in the 18th century. They gained a name for themselves in the town of Padrón in the northwestern province of Galicia. On a recent visit to Spain I discovered these tasty little peppers, which are typically sweeter than they are spicy. However, it's said that every 1 in 5 is hot, which makes eating them fun - in a culinary russian roulette kind of way. They are a favorite in tapas bars.

These peppers came from the Portland Farmer's Mkt by way of Viridian Farms. I'm going to lightly sear them in olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy them tonight with a glass of chilled rosé.

Gilt Club

2009-09-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the dark photo, but I couldn't resist this outfit worn by one of the servers last Friday night at Gilt . Naturally I noticed her shoes first, which I also happen to own a pair of - Fryes - the Carson pull on. These soft, slouchy, antiqued vintage leather boots paired with a satin red dress from Rock n' Rose vintage clothing store, and a belt by Diesel were effortlessly pulled together. This is how to shop, and dress! Oh yeah, and the Moscow Mule - served in the traditional copper cup - is a must-have at Gilt.

Dumpster "Dive"

2009-08-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

I love this idea! Old dumpsters turned into urban pools. This project was developed by a trio of design creatives at Macro|Sea, they created secret pool hangouts in abandoned parking lots in Brooklyn. Their objective, to show people that "with not too much expense you can creatively reuse what is basically considered urban detritus and make something really cool and fun and also fairly easy to put together.” It took them 12 days to gather their materials and assemble the pool. All you need is a big dumpster, seal up the seams, add a liner, fill it with sand for a soft bottom, add a tarp and a lot of water. Portland, take note....2010.

Street Art - Amsterdam June 2009

2009-08-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

Walking along the street in Amsterdam near Utrechtstaad and Hotel V this caught my eye. The bottom photo shows a close up of the cat in the main image. I like the unexpected usage of mixed media in this otherwise graffiti-like mural. I didn't notice until later when looking at these photos that to the right of the cat is a little mouse, also depicted as fur art.

No Oil

2009-08-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken in Spain, but I think it makes a nice complement for a post about a bicycle blogger I read about in last Sunday's Style section of the New York Times.

Bike Snob NYC "the most talked-about bike blogger of the moment" is an avid cyclist, who writes/vents about his cycling encounters for the amusement and betterment of others. His criticism is fierce, yet entertaining and harmless, and he maintains an anonymous identity which is critical to his online persona. http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/

What caught my attention in the article was his reference to Portland. (a little game I like to play is to count how many times Portland is mentioned in the NYT - they seem to be smitten with our fair city) It was this quote from the Bike Snob that lead me to read his blog...

“Is there any news or pop cultural event around which the people of Portland will not form some sort of kitschy theme ride?” he wrote about a Michael Jackson tribute ride in the cycling mecca of Portland, Ore. “Do they just sit around waiting for things to happen or for people to die so they can put on stupid outfits and jump on their bikes?”

Funny, after reading this I started noticing how true it is... Portland loves theme rides. Bike movie night at Cyan, Cyclorama night at the Clinton St Theatre, bicycle bar tour organized by Clever Cycles, naked rides.... well, and why not, it's summer! Our most cherished and shortest season of the year in the pacific NW, we love to take full advantage of it.

While I'm by no means an avid cyclist (I live in Portland, I own a bike), I find this guy's blog pretty entertaining and I particularly like his cynical and witty writing style, so check it out.

Speaking of organized rides - beware, the Bridge Pedal is this Sunday - so sleep in and avoid the insanity of people who ride their bikes once a year in a group of thousands.

The Mary Nell

2009-08-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

Possibly the most photographed bloody mary in Portland right now - and you can see why. It's a meal in a glass! Cafe Nell serves up an artfully garnished bloody mary complete with a jumbo poached prawn, pickled beans, pepperincini, an olive, pearl onion, and my favorite part which was unexpected - a skewer of spanish style chorizo and sharp cheddar cheese. Deelish!
NW 19th & Kearny http://www.cafenell.com/

Barcelona

2009-08-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Barcelona I was especially enamored by the freedom of style that women there have. Nothing is too tight or too short. And because everyone seems to be tall and slim, not to mention beautiful - they were all able to pull it off. I love fashion, and I love when people are comfortable with themselves and expressive and push the boundaries a bit, so I particularly enjoyed watching what the women wore while commuting by motorcycle or scooter. This is by far the preferred mode of transportation in Barca so it was quite prevalant. What I love the most is that they didn't let the motor bike dictate the clothes they wore. In fact, it was as if they embraced it - and even pushed it as far as they could. Here are a few of my favorite photos from our trip.

Summer Sale at Covet

2009-07-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

Covet, located in the West End, an area I also referenced in my previous post, is having a 75% off summer sale! While I didn't find anything I couldn't live without (clearly I was exhibiting an unusual and rare act of restraint), however, I did love this display done by Space Design. The woman behind these arrangements does amazing work with succulents. You can also see her terrariums at the Ace Hotel. www.spacedesignonline.com. Once things cool down I may go back to Covet for one of the new long sleeve Velvet tees that arrived for fall, a rich chocolate brown or deep navy, can't decide which one yet.

Frances May

2009-07-30T13:37:00.000-07:00

Frances May is a carefully curated boutique blending modern silhouettes with nostalgic charm. This is my new favorite boutique in the area that has recently been coined the West End. They carry local independent designers like Church + State as well as NY labels and favorites like Vena Cava, Clu, Alexander Wang and more. The retail space is elegantly simple - open and airy, the shopgirls are friendly and of course fashionable, and to top it off - they even have a men's line! I'm always excited to find a new boutique that carries unique and stylish gear for my man!

Rock 'n' Rose

2007-04-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

The 600 block of Burnside has been going off! The most recent addition to join the ranks of Burnside Proper, B Side and RonTom is Rock 'n' Rose (616 E Burnside) a welcome new, vintage clothing store. Now at first you might think - does Portland need another vintage store? Well, I can assure you that after you visit Rock 'n' Rose you'll agree with me that this one stands apart from all the old faves. The space is amazing! Designed and built by the owners themselves, they have created a stylish and well-designed space that nicely complements their quality clothing. They definitely have a eye for good stuff and choose their clothing with care.

I can't say enough good things about this place. I was excited to check it out today for the first time, and went in hoping to score my latest obsession - a members only jacket, size s for women (a tough find, if you've tried looking). Not only one did they have one, but two! Prices are great and the staff, aka owners, well... they Rock! I will definitely be frequenting this place.

Lille Boutique - Making E Burnside Sexier

2007-04-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

You can’t blink these days without a fabulous, new, locally owned boutique or restaurant opening up in this stretch of lower East Burnside. This week it was Lille Boutique (1007 E Burnside), a French country themed boutique, specializing in high-end lingerie made of natural materials, and showcasing hard-to-find designer labels such as Dessous and Araks. You’ll also find French brands like Eres and Princesse Tam Tam and British label Ciel.

Anna Cohen Bikini

2007-04-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

I always get excited when I tear through the New York Times Sunday Styles and see a shout out to a Portland designer. This week featured Anna Cohen’s string bikini, made of scrap fabric from Olympic speed skater uniforms.

Anna Cohen is not only an accomplished designer - she spent several years in NY and Italy studying and working with MaxMara and Guess - but her work embraces a sustainable design model. Her lines are manufactured domestically and are created from organic cotton, sustainable bamboo and surplus mill-end fabrics. If you’re like me, who tends to equate organic and earth friendly fashion with Patagonia-like garb, think again - Anna Cohen has taken eco-conscious-wear to a sexy new level!

You can find her locally at Le Train Bleu (748 NW 11th Ave)

STRUT Runway Fashion Show - May 11th 2007

2007-04-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

Because last year was such a success, they're gonna do it again. The second annual Strut fashion show benefits Basic Rights Oregon and will be held at the Wonder Ballroom.

If you read the previous post, you'll be excited to know that Rachel Mara will be among some of the other great Portland designers showcasing their spring collections - including Portland faves Jonny Shultz Designs, Magali Corzo, Makool, Leanimal, WeMa, and Sameunderneath. What better way to support a great cause, and get your fashion fix on?!

To Mold, Shape or Form - Portland Welcomes Moulé

2007-04-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

This refreshingly new, ultra chic boutique from Winnipeg is located on NW Everett between 12th & 13th streets in the Pearl. Although the Pearl is becoming over-run with ultra clean, fancy pants places, this store has indie roots. Owned by Beverly Gorenstein, mother of Rachel Gorenstein, who is not only a buyer for the store, but also has her own fabulous clothing line Rachel Mara http://www.rachelmara.com. Rachel got her start here in P-town and first debuted her line in Spring of 02. Five years later she is going strong. If you aren't familiar with Rachel Mara, get ready! Her Spring 07 collection is femine and sexy with a edge. Fundamentally her style is classic, but her designs riff off of some of the fun, retro trends in fashion right now - including a must have pants suit a la Charlie's Angel's. Hot stuff!

Moulé carries clothing for men and women, as well as some household items, books, candles and more. You'll find well known labels like Velvet, Vince, Citizens for Humanity, as well as Eurythmic, Rachel Mara, Victory and more. Drop by and check it out. Be sure to ask questions - the women working there are not only warm and friendly, but also very knowlegeable.