See ya, 2010

Happy New Year! I hope everyone is waking up feeling refreshed, motivated and ready to start a new year.  I know I am.  2010 was a year of change for me.  A new job, new passion and new direction in my career.  I’m counting on 2011 to keep me moving in that same exciting direction.

Another new I celebrated in 2010 was a new camera.  Here are a few of my favorite shots from the last few months of the year.  Enjoy, and I look forward to sharing much more with you in ’11.

Wood & Faulk, Portland

Tree at Vintage Pink, Portland

In the spirit of new I also started a new Tumblr. It’s a more personal place where I will be sharing inspiration, photos, quotes and links.

Blake is Great and He Knows It

A few weeks back a friend invited me to attend the grand re-opening of Portland’s designer denim destination – Blake. The store had been a staple on Portland’s famous 23rd Ave until this summer, when Blake shut down and moved shop to a bigger location off the main drag.

The store (owned by yup, you guessed it, Blake) is the place in Portland to get hard-to-find jeans.  Blake stocks his shelves with only the best of the best (True Religion? Blasphemy!). From Rich and Skinny to AG, if you can’t find it elsewhere odds are Blake has it. The store now has room to stock more, including tees, jackets, dresses, even socks.  Blake also stocks one-of-a-kind antiques – all available for purchase – which is one reason I had to stop by and check out the opening.

See the new store for yourself:

Be sure to check out the store and owner Blake’s blog.  Sure, he’s  little full of himself (his clothing is vastly superior to H&M, obviously), but at least he tells you like it is. He’s refreshingly knowledgeable  about denim. And that is why the people of Portland love him.

Up in the Air – Portland’s Got Style

When you think of stylish cities in the states Portland isn’t exactly on the top of the list. But that is what Karin Vitt of website PDX Neat Sheet is out to change. Since launching last year the site has become the number one source of fashion news, events and sales in the Portland area (and one that I frequent daily).

Friday night was the official launch party for the site, hosted by Crave Portland. Held at the top of the beautiful Hotel DeLuxe, the party featured a who’s who of Portland fashion insiders, including a fashion show and shopping booths featuring local designers. The night benefited Willamette Riverkeeper, a local non-profit committed to keeping the Willamette safe and clean.

My friend and I arrived a half hour after the event started and the rooftop was already packed. The crowd was buzzing with the excitement of the event, the clear skies and, of course, the free drinks. We made our way around, grabbing drinks and purchasing raffle tickets to benefit the charity. We were both excited to browse the booths featuring local jewelry designers, artists and authors.

One booth in particular caught my eye – Pasteesh, an affordable jewelry line developed by Carrie and Bette of Portland. The pieces were beautifully displayed on top of vintage books and artifacts (you know I’m a sucker for vintage). The colorful pieces are each made by hand, making each one as much of a treasure as the pieces with which they were displayed.

A number of other jewelry designers were on hand, including Sahlia.

And, of course, my friend Melissa couldn’t resist trying on these fun hats!

There was also a fashion show, featuring Portland boutiques like Mabel & Zora and Oh, Baby.

It was a great event, and I am thrilled I was able to attend. It appears that Portland fashion has made it’s mark, and it’s not going anywhere.

Video Vixen

It’s not often you (or specifically me) get the chance to be an extra in a music video. (Sure, I stumbled into a video shoot for Ashlee Simpson when I lived in Las Vegas, but it was purely by accident – I swear.) So when a good friend called and asked if I wanted to be an extra in Leverage star Christian Kane’s new country music video I jumped at the opportunity. When would a music video shoot in Portland ever again?

So last Saturday my friend and I dressed in our best “country – gothic” garb and headed to Dantes, a shady bar downtown. (Note: despite my Texan heritage, my best “country-gothic” garb ended up being my sequin Rodarte for Target tunic, black leggings and boots). We were hearded into tents with other extras, most of whom seemed to be huge fans of the show Leverage (which happens to film here in Portland). They all screamed when stars of the show would walk through the parking lot we were being held, including the video’s director Timothy Hutton.

After a few hours of waiting in the hot sun, we were handed fake bottles of beer and given our instruction – head inside the bar and dance/sing/scream along to the music. Seems easy right? Well, not when you have to do the take 7 or 8 times, with a bunch of hot, hungry, sweaty extras (one poor girl even passed out!). But I’ll admit, it was a lot of fun and I ended up enjoying the song (House Rules) quite a bit. Here are some photos from our long day:

Christian with his “groupies” (aka. cage dancers from Dantes)

Performing with the band

Director Timothy Hutton

The absolute highlight of my day was seeing Leverage star Beth Riesgraf. Not because Parker is my favorite charecter on the show, but because she was toting around a black Rebecca Minkoff Mac clutch. My friend and I couldn’t stop staring at the bag (I ordered the exact same one in ivory just days before!). I got the chance to tell Beth how much I loved it when she walked by me at one point. We were so impressed that my friend ended up ordering the same bag the next day. How’s that for marketing?

After a long day of sun, fake beer and country music we headed home. It ended up being a fun experience and I look forward to seeing the video on CMT.

Oranj you glad you came?

A few weeks ago I was invited to attend the grand opening party of Oranj studio, a new concept salon/art studio in Portland’s hip Alberta district. The studio, which officially opened in January, was the brain child of Portland stylist Tamara Dayton, who brought her love of the color orange to a whole new level. Upon entering, I was immediately impressed by the bright decor and clean, minimalist use of the space. (Side note: I have never sat in a more comfortable salon chair.)

Oranj also displays Tamera’s husband Eric’s art pieces, creating a unique environment that fits perfectly in the heart of Alberta’s arts district. Starting soon the salon will be showcasing new exhibits every last Thursday.

Salon services start at $55. For a complete list of services please check out the Oranj website.

See you at the Crossroads (Trading Co.)

Lovely Spring weather blanketed the Pacific Northwest this past weekend. For some reason beautiful weather inspires me to get out and shop! So I convinced hubby to head out and do some vintage wandering with me (okay, I technically lured him with promises of pancakes and coffee). We headed to SE Hawthorne, a neighborhood known for its quirky shops and excellent vintage selection. After a sweet breakfast at Bread and Ink Café we stumbled next door to the newest edition to the neighborhood, Crossroads Trading Co.

I had never heard of the store, but I was immediately pleased with what I found. A rack of designer pieces ranging from Diane Von Furstenberg to Marc Jacobs to Le Rok greeted me by the entrance (who knew designer pieces existed in Portland?). The store was laid out nicely, each section labeled so it was easy to find what you needed. I wandered the dress racks finding a mix of pieces from Banana Republic, Target, Ann Taylor and more. The store felt like a less crowded version of Buffalo Exchange with a better eye for what is appropriate to buy.

My husband – who by the way hates shopping for clothing of any kind – found a nice khaki jacket $8. I didn’t find anything to purchase, but I will be back!

Crossroads Trading has 24 stores across the country from Cali to Chicago. They will buy your quality used clothing for a nice percentage of what they will sell it for. Check out the Item of the Week section of their website for a taste of what you can find. From Theory to Givenchy to Steve Madden to Betsey Johnson they have something for everyone.

Bargain Hunting 101

Go easy on me. Other than writing a short-lived blog for a previous employer, I am new to this blog writing thing.

When I first moved to Portland I had no idea how crafty the community here is. I soon learned there are many talented artists with many fantastic opportunities for exposure. When I heard about Bargain Hunting 101 I knew I would be a fool not to meet some of these talents first hand.

I arrived at the Crystal Ballroom within 30 minutes of opening and it was already packed (the fact the event was held on Super Bowl Sunday didn’t scare people away!). Like most public events in Portland, there was a good mix of people. It seemed like everyone in Portland’s fashion community were there to shop. Not just treasure hunters like me, but young women with strollers, grandmothers looking for a deal and even some patient husbands (most of who ended up at the full service bar).

With so much other competition I had to act fast if I was going to find a good bargain. After a quick walk around the main room (with its large chandeliers, beautiful old fixtures and a bouncing floor, the Crystal Ballroom is by far the coolest concert venue I have been to in Portland) I hit up the Kevia booth. Or should I call it 14K heaven? I was immediately drawn to a row of “Bargain bins” lining the back of the booth area. After some digging, I found these two ring (sets) for $5 a piece! They were marked “imperfect” – which to me means “one-of-a-kind”.

With precious rings in tow, I fought the crowds around the booths in the ballroom. The swarms of people made it hard to get to some of the merchandise. But this was good! These unique artists were getting the exposure they deserved and hungry Portlanders were finding amazing bargains. I managed to take some (blurry) photos with my iPhone.

Betsy +Iya

At a cute little booth I decided to purchase a crocheted ring that I had my eye on. The ring was made by Diana Schreiber of MOSS Handmade who was very gracious and humble about her amazing work. I am so happy with my unique find that I have already worn it three times this week.

Downstairs in the much less crazy Lola’s Room I found my personal favorite vendor Appetite. Despite some intense mark-downs I did not buy anything. I was reminded of the cute bag I bought from them at the Portland Saturday Market a few years earlier.

I would have loved to browse the booths one last time, but I needed to head home to prep for a Superbowl get together with friends. But from what I did see it seemed the event was a great success. I fully plan on attending the next Bargain Hunting 101 on Sunday August 15th.

Class dismissed!