|
 |
March 20th, 2009
It’s here! March Madness. The brackets, the drama, the upsets… we love the whole thing. And since college football looks no closer to having a playoff (which should be a no-brainer), we embrace it even more. We have been pulling for Arizona State (we know it won’t happen). We think Pitt would just be too much winning in Pennsylvania for one year. (Steelers, Phillies and let’s just stop there, no?) Our pick for the dark horse is Memphis. Email us at picks@portlandpicksformen.com and let us know your pick. If your pick wins, you could win some swag, and we’ll announce your name (thus heralding you as the next Ace Rothstein) in the subsequent issue of PPFM. |
||
Portland Picks for Men: |
|||
| 1 | It's Only Men's Fashion (But I Like It) The Rolling Stones didn’t invent Rock & Roll; they propelled it forward by doing it right. Charisma and talent aside, their start was largely about recognizing the timelessness in sounds that others had already surrendered to history. By injecting those sounds with their own perspective and fantasy, they made something both conventional and rousingly new. From the Kama Sutra to the Foreman Grill, pairing convention with ingenuity has brought the world many great things. Brooklyn Industries, an East Coast wunderkind brand new to Portland, is a great thing. Entering the store is like entering a Bizarro Universe where variations on common themes just turn out better in their hands. They have caps, hoodies, pea coats, military-inspired jackets, jeans, slacks, and shirts—the difference with B.I. is that great taste supplants pretense, and their prints are too smart to be bogged down with contrived irony. Apparently unafraid of mixing geek with cool, or preppy with urban cerebral, Brooklyn Industries has that “I don’t know what” that defines anything worth getting to know. Brooklyn Industries |
|
|
| 2 | Take Heed We don’t often run across true Italian food. Unlike the Americanized version with heavy sauces, thick noodles and pizza crusts, and an eruption of cheese over everything, true Italian is comparatively light and clean with its measured application of ingredients and a surprising amount of subtlety that totally got lost in translation. So we certainly weren’t expecting to get the most authentic plate of lasagna outside the Big Boot in Bar Due, the tiny drinking annex to The Pearl’s Fratelli Restaurant. The sauce was hearty without being heavy, the cheese persistent without overwhelming everything else, and those noodles were oh-so-soft. And best of all, this magnificent plate of happy hour deliciousness costs just $5, just like the mini pizzettas (also authentic Italian, with a thin wood-oven baked crust and actual mozzarella interspersed with tomato sauce) and other small plates like veal meatballs, braised boar ribs, and spaetzli with smoked ham and Gruyere cheese. But lest you forget, this is a bar, too. Check out Italian-inspired cocktails like the Fratelli Cello Drop, where homemade arancello shares the glass with vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup, or the Cosmo Italiano with homemade limoncello, Absolut Citron and cranberry juice. Bar Due |
|
|
| 3 | Bam Boon In no other city in the country will you find so many restaurants wrestling for the coveted crown of Most Organic or Most Energy Efficient or Most Environmentally Protective. It’s gotten to the point where restaurants are more concerned with titles and honors establishing their green cred than the quality of their food or service, or the ambiance of their locale. Fortunately, Bamboo Sushi just happens to be the first sustainable sushi restaurant in the world and one of the finest sushi restaurants in town. All those endorsements from the Marine Stewardship Council, Green Restaurant Association and Blue Ocean Institute wouldn’t mean Jack if the sushi itself wasn’t expertly prepared with enticing recipes. The specialty fishes here are the wild Alaskan salmon, the panko-crusted Halibut, and the black cod, which are available as entrees all by themselves or in those tiny, tasty rice rolls with other savory fillings like cream cheese and avocado. Vegetarians and vegans are also in for a treat with an extensive menu of meatless options. We’d recommend newcomers start with the assorted veggie plate with its eight-piece veggie roll, two-piece avocado nigiri, and two-piece inari. It’s a delicious introduction to Bamboo’s variety and high-quality ingredients. Bamboo Sushi |
|
|
| Gratuitous Photo of the Week: | |||
|
|||
Mandatory Gear: |
|||
| 1 | Always With You We believe it's necessary to have immediate access to our most important files, but hate the idea of walking around with thumb drives designed to be worn around our neck on a lanyard. No matter how tech-crazy we are, we are not okay looking like Michael Bolton from “Office Space.” Thankfully, we've found itsaKey from LaCie. Sturdily designed for key chains, this 4 or 8GB USB flash drive carries what we need in the way we like it. |
 |
|
| 2 | The Right Degree Growing up, we were taught that if we bothered to do something, we should do it right. When it came to making coffee and tea, this maxim was hard to live out as there had always been so much out of our control—until now. The Breville Variable Temperature Kettle has five pre-set levels that keep their temp for up to 20 minutes. Perfect for French Press and green, white, oolong, and black teas. |
 |
|
| 3 | Quickee Clean For those of us who spend a lot of time on the computer (and who like to snack and drink while doing so), there is always the pesky problem of crumbs between the keys. Cans of pressurized air do a crappy job when dealing with Cool Ranch stuck between the C and V. The KWIK from Dirt Devil is specially designed for just this problem. With interchangeable heads, it’s just what you need to keep order while, um, “working.” |
 |
|
Hip Happenings: |
|||
| 1 | Recess + School = Learn the tricks of the trade while taking a cocktail class with owner/mixologist Lucy Brennan of 820. Open to the public, each lesson demonstrates three of 820's very own cocktails (which are also featured in Brennan’s book). Try them all while learning how they're made! Accompanied by cheese plate appetizer; classes are $75 per person. What: Cocktail Classes at Mint/820 |
 |
|
| 2 | Family Culture The Portland Art Museum has started offering Quarterly Free Family Days, and one is this Sunday. With activities related to the current exhibit of French painting during the age of Madame Pompadour, it’ll be an educational and engaging day for the kids. There will be tours, painting activities and a performance by Oregon Ballet Theatre. What: Free Family Days at Portland Art Museum |
 |
|
| 3 |
|
||
Do local businesses a solid. Sign up a friend at www.PortlandPicksforMen.com so we can keep spreading the word about local haps. |
|||
Be sure to visit www.portlandpicksformen.com and check out past issues in our archives. If you like what you see, forward to a friend and encourage them to check out www.portlandpicksformen.com and subscribe for free! It's easy--there's a box in the upper left to enter your email address. If you would like to make a suggestion, please email us at contribute@portlandpicksformen.com. Share your favorite ideas for Picks, tell us about terrific products or services, announce a sale or event, or let us know what you think of Portland Picks for Men! Website and weekly issues maintained by Studio Ridge.com. |
|||
