The Empire Strikes Back
 
How many Portlanders do you know that are from Portland? Most likely, not many. People are coming here in droves, and aside from the great outdoors, one major draw is that Portland is an emerging mecca for art. Whether it's in the form of music, fashion, literature, paintings or pottery, Portland's on the forefront of creativity.
 
That's why we were pleased when we stepped into Tender Loving Empire—they offer multiple mediums for enjoyment. In need of music? TLE has CDs of local bands that they put out on their own label. Searching for apparel? Tender Loving Empire has hip tees and hoodies with designs by local artists, or they can silkscreen an image you bring in yourself. If you're in need of something to read, check out their selection of short stories and comic books. To see some amazing paintings, check out Santiago Ucedu's collection while you're there, or the Urbana collection, if pottery is your bag.
 
We all need a bit of TLC every now and again, so what are you waiting for? Come get some at TLE.
 
Tender Loving Empire
1720 NW Lovejoy St.
Portland, OR 97207
503.243.5859
www.tenderlovingempire.com

Saké It To Me
 
Oh, alcoholic rice water! How did we ever get drunk without you? For whatever reason, saké bars are scorching hot in this town, with a slew of them over on the east side and our very own sakéry over in Forest Grove. But the west side hasn't seen much love… until now.
 
Tanuki just opened its doors a few weeks back and they're already a hit. If you can find a seat in this intimate nook of a bar, peruse the 16 varieties of saké or consider one of their specialty saké cocktails. We recommend the Saké Shandy, a mix of junmei saké, ginger beer, fresh lime and a splash of carrot juice, but both the Hot Saké Cider and Tanukizake Tonic are brilliant, too.
 
If you're with someone who refuses to try something new, Tanuki offers a solid Asian beer-bottle list, with all the macros you'd expect like Sapporo and Asahi, but also a few oddities, like Echigo, a Japanese stout from the Far East's equivalent of a microbrewery. And if you're hungry, snag a $5 bowl of hot noodles and a plate of moist edamame.
 
Tanuki
413 NW 21st Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
503.241.7667
www.tanukipdx.com

En Garde!
 
The Pearl District does one thing very well: fancy, expensive, gourmet food. But just try finding a restaurant where you feel comfortable enough to loosen that necktie after a hard day's work.
 
Thankfully, Touché manages to replicate some of that swanky feeling with its winding staircase, chandeliers, and slick surfaces, but offsets the pretension-factor with its warm colors, comfy booths, and friendly service. Mediterranean and Italian food meet here for a combination of pastas, roasted meats, seafood, olives, and lots of great cheeses. And the pizza from their wood-burning oven comes out with that extra crispiness in the crust. We recommend the Grilled Prawns marinated in garlic, olive oil, and Moroccan seasoning over a bed of pilaf or the Rack of Lamb with its green bean and red bell pepper ragout.
 
After dinner, be sure to indulge in a massive slice of creamy Tiramisu or head upstairs for a game of pool and a drink from the bar. And keep in mind for your next visit that happy hour bar offerings include $2 gyros, $4 pizzas, and $3 micro brews.
 
Touché
1425 NW Glisan St.
Portland, OR 97209
503.221.1170
www.touchepdx.com

Body Bag
 

Too cold to camp? Damn the weather! And anyway, our significant other likes our grizzled look when we return from cold-weather camping.

We'll probably look a sight more rested this year, however, because we picked up the snazzy new Selk Bag 2 from Lippi. Not only is this bad boy ready for anything the Great Northwest has to throw our way, but it is body-shaped for a comfort and mobility that has us wearing it around the house.

Selk Bag 2

Das Helmut
 
We are big proponents of helmets when it comes to our friends on two wheels, and god knows we got a lot of 'em in Portland. With all the crappy drivers (and crazy cyclists), accidents can happen.
 
And, regarding helmets, fashion accidents most often do happen, which is why we are giving Yakkay Smart One helmets to our friends for the holidays. State-of-the-art helmets with hat-like covers that you can swap out. Plus, they actually look cool.

Yakkay Smart One Helmets

Damn the Headset
 
Gentlemen, something's been lost in this age of cell-phonery. Haven't you ever wanted to fake a hang-up on a faux conversation with a nonexistent subordinate just as a real one walks in? Plus, a really nice phone can be a great power accessory… just ask Don Draper.
 
Our pick? The brass & walnut Pappa Phone by Hulger plugs right into your PC, no software needed. Because they're handmade, expect a six-week wait. Just in time for the Holidays.

Pappa Phone

Wordstock— Portland Book Festival
 
We always wanted to write books, but we could never get past "Chapter One, Page One." So we satisfy our literary leanings at Wordstock—an annual festival of books, writers, and storytelling. It features 10 author stages, a book fair with more than 150 exhibitors, a special children's area and children's literature stage, a series of workshops for writers and for K–12 teachers, a special broadcast of Live Wire! featuring writers from the festival, and more. Will we try again to put pen to paper—certainly Wordstock will inspire us!
 
What: Wordstock Book Fair
When: Nov 8 & 9; 10 am–6 pm
Where: The Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.
Visit: www.wordstockfestival.com and www.oregoncc.org

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 shaves. A great excuse to ditch the little lady during your holiday shopping excursion. Oh, and free beer!
 
What: $10 Off of shaves at Vital when you mention PPFM
When: Through Nov. 15
Where: Bridgeport Village, Tigard
Call for an appointment: 503.598.8656
Visit: www.thevitalbarbershop.com

Make Fitness Fun and Enjoyable
 
Looking to shed some unwanted pounds, and gain some muscle? Breakout Body Fitness provides in-home exercise service for the busy professional, or anyone who desires the privacy of their own home/office. They bring the program and equipment to your door, and provide nutritional suggestions for healthier eating choices. Could it get any easier?
 
What: Breakout Body Fitness in-home exercise
When: Call for an appointment
Where: Your home or office
Email: dustin@breakoutbodyfitness.com
Visit: www.breakoutbodyfitness.com

Weekend Winos

We might be a bit too pumped about this one, but The Northwest Food and Wine Festival is coming next weekend. We don't know if we can actually taste 500 NW wines and food from more than 50 local chefs, but we're going to try. Food and wine samples are included in the ticket price.

What: The Northwest Food and Wine Festival
When: Saturday, Nov. 15, 5–9 pm
Where: Memorial Coliseum
Visit: www.nwfoodandwinefestival.com