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October 3rd, 2008
It's a great time for sports fans in Oregon. First off, we got to see OSU trounce the mighty USC. This is always a favorite match-up of ours, no matter the outcome; we have even developed a game wherein the participants drink every time the sportscaster says something (inadvertently or otherwise) remotely funny. Case in point: "The Trojans just getting great penetration against the Beavers all day long." Juvenile, we know. But we love to occasionally revisit our latent 14-year-old sense of humor. And for those of us following the Seahawks and Mariners, we are all too familiar with those sideways glances from our brothers to the north when we dare to attend a football or baseball game. As if to imply we are some sort of quasi-fan… unworthy because we live three hours away. To them we say this: "With Seattle-area traffic like it is, it probably takes you three hours to get to downtown Seattle, too." And also, "We'll see you at the Rose Garden for basketball season in a few weeks." |
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Portland Picks for Men: |
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| 1 | Adorn Yourself We're tired of going into stores that treat us like we're subnormal. When did “hip” become synonymous with “snotty” in Portland? When did poor service start to come standard with great apparel? Of course this is not the case with every boutique in town, but it has become entirely too common. Adorn, which specializes in urban streetwear, is the epitome of great service; this due in large part to the fact that the owner, Nicole, mans the store and loves what she does. She will gladly tell you about their great clothing lines like Kid Robot, which makes awesome pop art-inspired tees, hoodies and caps with a slight Japanese anime look to them, or will enthusiastically show you accessories, including sleek Obey leather wallets. What really sets Adorn apart, however, is its huge selection of hip, modern watches by Paul Frank, Julius & Friends, and Vans (a great deal of which are currently 50% off). If you're getting more snarkiness than you can handle on your shopping expeditions, tell em' to drop the attitude and drop into Adorn. Save 15% during October... and tell them PPFM sent you. Adorn |
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| 2 | Burning the House Down Portland pizza ought to know better by now. Shredded imitation mozzarella and canned tomato paste just aren't cutting it anymore. And if it isn't smothered in olive oil and baked in a brick oven, we don't even want to know about it. Alright, so maybe we weren't really pizza snobs before we visited the new Firehouse over in Northeast, but those pies are so good, they have a way of converting you. Check out the salami pizza or the one with house sausage and Walla Walla onions if you don't believe us. Or if you're one of those crazy anti-pizza people, consider the grilled hanger steak or the wood-fired salmon with tomato-basil salsa. While the menu is relatively small, the ingredients are all fresh and of the highest quality, making it impossible to pick a bad plate. Occupying the historic Dekum Firehouse, this slightly upscale restaurant also scores major points for retaining the charm of the original red brick building while managing to evoke an Italian design. Our only gripe: Where's the fire pole? Firehouse |
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| 3 | True Blue We love tongue-blistering beers as much as the next Hophead; in fact, we expect an IPA to rip the enamel off our teeth. But every once in a while, we're hankering for a Belgian beer—something a little sour, a little sweet and spiced, and usually tasting kinda, well, fruity. Before you make some sort of ignorant comment about our sexuality, why not hit The Blue Monk and try one for yourself? They've got a two-sided beer menu filled with delicious choices, the majority in the bottle and most of those hailing from Belgium. If you haven't yet treated yourself to Duvel, Chimay, or Delirium Tremens, trust us: you'll love it, and it may just redefine your whole understanding of beer. After you've finished having your mind blown, head downstairs to the basement pub to catch live blues or jazz and compete with friends over a game of pool or darts. And keep in mind that early comers can gorge themselves on shrimp tacos, meatball or sausage subs and other gut-filling sustenance for just 5 bucks. The Blue Monk |
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| Gratuitous Photo of the Week: | |||
Courtesy of Jane’s Vanity |
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Mandatory Gear: |
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| 1 | Roses are Red They are also for girls. Out of complacency we often find ourselves turning to the floral-smelling soap our lady employs. Then we found the Sea Kelp bar from Milina. We know, sea kelp tends to conjure images of a surf bum, but this moisturizing bar has a truly clean and refreshing scent (think Irish Spring) without drying your skin, and it doesn't smell overly masculine (think Axe Body Wash). PPFM readers: enter MCHOL in the coupon discount box for 15% off. www.milinaco.com |
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| 2 | House of Cards When we recently learned that our sister made partner at her law firm we did three things. We rejoiced, knowing the Xmas presents would be (or better be, anyway) a whole lot better this year. We responded to her e-mail and congratulated her. And finally, we took pen to paper and wrote a proper note of congratulations. You see, guys, a gentleman always sends his Thank You’s and Congratulations the old-fashioned way. And for this, we recommend the aptly named “Man Cards.” www.thoughtfulgent.com |
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| 3 | Bag Man On the rare occasion that Portlanders aren't as green as we should be, our city government goes green for us. By next year, it is likely that when you hear "paper or plastic" there will be a fee attached for either. No worries, though. We've been toting these rip-stop nylon ones from Baggu for a while now. One bag can hold the contents of 2–3 plastic shopping bags and they fold up into a 5" x 5" pouch (practically weightless) that you can put in your pocket. www.baggubag.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Not Just for the Ladies Portland Fashion Week will rock the runways of PDX with some of the hottest (and greenest) designers this side of NYC. Men’s fashion is here, too—and it’s good, good stuff. You can see the forefront of fashion at your feet as local and national talent present their visions. And the people-watching ain't bad, either. What: Portland Fashion Week |
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| 2 | PDX Arts & Musical Festival Take your mind off the humdrum this weekend at the Conflux Arts & Musical Festival. Grab a bottle of wine at the bar and wander aimlessly, reliving the early 80's in the UK, when punk rock and synth-pop were coming of age. And yes, there will be plenty of fashion and art, so you can bring your sweetie. What: Conflux Arts & Music Festival |
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| 3 | Save at HairM's 5th Anniversary HairM is turning five—and you can save. Add a spa service to any hair service and save $10. Add two spa services and save $25. Add three spa services and save $40. What are the services? Try hot towel shaves, massages, nail detailing, face treatments and waxing. You know it. What: Hair M’s fifth anniversary savings |
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