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October 31st, 2008
Recently we endeavored to buy our yearly cord of wood for winter. We grew up in a warm climate, and fires still have a novelty factor for us. We'd like to say we called our normal "firewood guy," but we try someone new every year, as we often get burned (no pun intended). One year the guy insisted it was apple wood when it was anything but (again, warm-weather sucker). This year wasn't too bad—the man showed up in the truck from Jeepers Creepers, and began to unload great seasoned cherry wood. It wasn't until 2/3 of a cord was on the driveway that he got to the back of the load—which looked to be cut less than a week before. Between the pick-up, the guy being 6' 5"/300 lbs, and this being the best we had made out in years, we accepted the load, and thus our fate… at least for one more year. We told the neighbor, who was kind enough to help us, that every firewood guy we've dealt with is shady. He had the best, most succinct reply: "That, sir, is why they are firewood guys." Thanks, Neighbor. Have someone you wish to thank? Forward this to five friends and cc us at Picks@PortlandPicksforMen.com and you could win some nifty Man Cards to send out. |
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Portland Picks for Men: |
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| 1 | Be Yourself The other day we bought a sweatshirt. No sooner did we leave the store—which will remain nameless—(we'll call it U.S. Clothing for the sake of anonymity) than we notice another guy wearing the same sweatshirt. We chalked it up to bad luck until the 20th guy that day we saw wearing said item pointed to us and did the "eh, we're twins" motion; at that, we threw it away in disgust. You'll never have this experience if you shop at Ray's Ragtime. Everything at Ray's—which specializes in one of a kind and hard to find vintage apparel—is unique. Whether it's a bowling shirt with "Earl" monogrammed on the breast, a purple pimp hat complete with feather, or a turn of the century Shriner's fez, you're sure to be the only guy in town sporting it. If you're looking for something less garish than a pimp hat or fez, no worries, Ray's has plenty of unique and hip tees, ties, polos, hats, cowboy button-ups and hats, Pea Coats, tuxedos and more. Be unique, stay away from the chain stores, and shop at Ray's Ragtime. And see if you can resist at least trying on the pimp hat. Ray's Ragtime |
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| 2 | Do Not Adjust Your Screen Down-home cooking used to mean something before America was overrun by corporate chains and packaged fast-food conformity. Anyone who's ever had buttery hush puppies, savory shrimp and grits, or a plate of juicy pulled pork knows exactly what we're talking about. Food courses like those are all but extinct in the majority of the South nowadays, but they're alive and cookin’ at Screen Door in East Portland. Whether you're partial to gut-busting portions of New Orleans-style spicy jambalaya with chicken and sausage or Southwestern smoked and barbecued beef brisket with fried onions and a side of potato salad, you can expect to find all your southern favorites right here. To keep the down-home hospitality coming, Screen Door also offers a rotating weekly menu of fresh organic vegetarian dishes for your lettuce-chomping friends. There are dishes like roasted acorn squash, potatoes gratin, and pear salads, plus plenty of artery-clogging old faves like mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and creamy grits. Now, if only they'd install an actual screen door at the entrance, we could warn you to not let it hit you on the way in. Screen Door |
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| 3 | The Rocket Takes Off Portland may not have the most most impressive skyline, but it's still well worth appreciating with a drink in hand. And there's only one bar in town that delivers that skyline and throws in the sunset for free--while it lasts. We'll miss the innovative appetizers, and hope they turn up on the catering menu. The lamb corndog is the best corndog you will ever eat with juicy, tender meat wrapped in a delicious cornmeal blanket and served with homemade ketchup and mustard. And don't miss the veggies, which are actually grown on Rocket's rooftop. We hope they keep that garden going, too. |
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| Gratuitous Photo of the Week: | |||
We'll miss you, summertime. |
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Mandatory Gear: |
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| 1 | Let Barking Dogs Lie There are few things worse than blistered feet on a long hike. And your socks are that thin line between a grueling slog through the woods and a rewarding hike. That's why we love the new HD Drymax socks. They combine all the wicking and warming properties of old-school wool socks, but are 25 times drier and retain far less funk after a day on the trail. What's more, the socks are made without producing dye waste and use far less energy than competitors. How's that for your granola cred? |
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| 2 | A Drink in Hand… One dilemma during a Northwest winter is beverages. That's right. It's been many a dinner party with guests imbibing on everything from Hot Toddies to the served-cold egg nog concoctions. The one consistency is that we can't always get them to use coasters. Enter Canteen Thermal Glassware. Complete with a pocket of air between the glass touching your drink and the glass touching your hand (or table), they are the perfect remedy… and they're also great for cups of TheraFlu! |
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| 3 | Tre' Cool As we have written in these (virtual) pages before, one must always (and this goes for home and office) be on the lookout for objects that are both functional and interesting. Think of it as killing two birds with one stone. Ibride Trays meet these guidelines superbly. Not only are these Louis XIV-esque pieces a tastefully opulent way to serve your guests, but they get even more attention when hung on the wall. Trust us. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Election Night on the Big Screen Not that we're super political, but we love a good election party. And this one, held at the swank Ace Hotel, sounds good whatever your affiliation. Food from Clyde Common, a champagne toast and 10 flat-screens to make results-viewing easy. Plus, all $15 goes directly to your nonprofit of choice. What: Election Night at Ace Hotel |
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| 2 | Cold Weather, Hot Towel There are few things better and more relaxing than a hot-towel shave. It's like the guy's pedicure. So we were thrilled to hear that one of our favorite guy dens', The Vital Barbershop, was offering $10 off both of their famous shaves when you book a hair cut. A great excuse to ditch the ladies during your holiday shopping excursion. Oh, and free beer! What: Ten Bucks Off of shaves at Vital with Haircut |
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| 3 | Belly Up To The Bar What: Happy hour specials at belly |
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Ramping up for holiday shopping? Check out www.PortlandPicks.com to get ideas for what to get the ladies. Happy Halloween. Be sure and VOTE!!!! |
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