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May 15th, 2009
Today’s the day, gents. The sun is shining, the wine is pouring, and the ladies are waiting. We don’t know if the fairer sex is just more apt to RSVP or what, but it looks like the singles event is stacked heavily in your favor, lads. |
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Portland Picks for Men: |
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| 1 | If Stuart Could Talk Without a doubt; we love our Junk. We nickname it (e.g. “the Giving Tree”), we bestow it upon the lucky, and we trust its judgment so completely that we even let it do our thinking for us. Ironically, with all of our devotion to its satisfaction, we tend to give little consideration to what we cover it with. It’s like gifting a girl with roses stuck in a Big Gulp cup. Under U4 Men can help you out of the rut you’re in (pun totally intended) with over 500 styles of underwear and swimwear to choose from. Did you know that the boxer short has undergone design advancements? Do you know what “low no-show” style briefs are? While you’re getting yourself caught up, check out their selection of boxer briefs, army briefs and bikini briefs. They’ve got tons of colors and designs and even carry loungewear and sleepwear for looking good while cuddling with your date, or just relaxing around the house. Apparently, there is life beyond the boxer brief three-pack. All you have to do is grab it. Carpe Junk! Under U4 Men |
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| 2 | Where There’s Smoke… What happens when two confirmed veg-heads get a chance to open up their own eatery? They serve meat, of course. That may be a too simplistic way of explaining what is going on at the wonderfully delicious—and much buzzed about—new Northeast Portland restaurant Ned Ludd, but that’s pretty much of the story of what happened. Still just months old, this tin-roof-rusted love shack of good eats offers good food at comfortable prices, whether it’s a pucker-perfect plate of pickled veggies or thin slices of smoked artisan meats. And they wood-fire everything here. Diets be damned, any visit to this faux-hole-in-the-wall would not be complete with a few classic forkfuls of calorie-rich creamed spinach and smashed spuds. Belying the owners’ status as former vegetarians, entrees veer toward traditional takes on beef, fish and pork, and in late April included farm-direct beefsteak, ruby trout, game hen and pork shoulder. The wood-burning stove may churn out some impressive embers, but the glow you’ll get from this place is knowing that you’ve dined on a meal fit for a king at pauper’s prices. Ned Ludd |
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| 3 | Davis Saves Us We used to think that anyone looking for an excellent, upscale meal ought to stay as far away from Old Town as possible. But the area’s been booming lately, and we don’t just mean the stereo equipment at the area’s ubiquitous dance clubs. If there’s one shining example of great food done right here, it’s the Davis Street Tavern. The homey, laid-back vibe of brick, wood, and glass conceals all the sweat, blood and tears that must be happening in the kitchen to produce something like the Pan Seared Halibut or the Grilled Rack of Lamb with savory sides like wild mushrooms, potato pastries, and sticky risotto. Davis Street also gets big points for diversifying their menu with cheap eats for happy hour, a tavern menu of finger foods for thirsty bar-goers, and lighter lunch options of sandwiches and salads. On the drinks side, the Tavern lives up to its name with eight local microbrew beer taps and several excellent bottles, an impressive mix of both classic and homemade cocktails, and a massive wine list. It’s almost enough to wipe the bad taste of Old Town from your mouth. Davis Street Tavern |
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| Gratuitous Photo of the Week: | |||
Photo courtesy of www.WickedTemptations.com |
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Mandatory Gear: |
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| 1 | Lean into It Seattle loves biking, the outdoors, and alternative transportation. Two big problems though: 1) the endless number of hills, and 2) the perpetual drizzle half the year. To keep active (and train for those hills) in the winter or anytime, your best bet is the RealRyder training bike. It’s the first training bike to mimic the outdoors by tilting, turning, and twisting while you ride. Keep up the training—the hills are waiting. |
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| 2 | Not a Paper Cup We love coffee, hate waste, but want to be different. What better way to do all three than get a kitschy, seemingly wasteful, yet environmentally friendly coffee mug? The I Am Not a Paper Cup Reusable Coffee Mug is all three. This thermal porcelain cup comes with a silicone top, is double-walled for heat retention, and is microwave and dishwasher safe—it can go places most coffee mugs can’t. |
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| 3 | Grill Long Men belong in the kitchen, but more importantly, in front of the grill. The problem we tend to face is a lack of having a truly manly apron. Not anymore. Check out the F240 Leather Grill Apron from Outset. Made from durable brown suede, this apron protects from flame and hot grease. With an adjustable neck strap for all sizes and two deep front pockets, we can now grill for hours and look good doing it. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Single? Roll with Us Tonight. The sun is out, and tonight’s the night when we round up the single readers of PPFM and throw ‘em to the single ladies who enjoy Portland Picks at Vite Wine Bar. This time it benefits the Red Cross, and you could win prizes from Wayne’s Chicago Red Hots, HairM, Under U4 Men, Nolita, Mamma Mia Trattoria, the Portland Spirit and more. What: PPFM Singles Night |
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| 2 | Trunk Show & Giveaway at Pie Footwear |
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| 3 | Motor City Madness If you have any energy left after Friday's raucous singles event, don't miss The Detroit Cobras. We had the pleasure of catching this raucous girl dynamo back in '05, and after years of lamenting the absence of The Stooges and The MC5, we came to learn that gut-busting R&R is alive and well in the Motor City. What: The Detroit Cobras |
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There you have it. Another issue of PPFM, another grip of reasons to get out of the house this weekend. Enjoy. |
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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. |
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