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January 15th, 2010
We are not generally ones for making (or keeping) resolutions. That's why it's a bit awkward talking with co-workers who constantly, every morning, bring up what they have resolved to do, not to do, and who they are to stop inviting to bed. How many times can we shrug our shoulders and change the topic to football or politics without actually addressing what they are saying? So far, 11 times. Therefore, starting Monday morning, we have decided to do something different and continue this trend by never acknowledging others' resolutions, but once a day bring the topic up. Mostly, it's a way to encourage work-place betting on other people's failure. |
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Portland Picks for Men: |
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| 1 | Drop the Purse There’s nothing more simultaneously boring and emasculating than holding our girl’s handbag while she browses through, comments on, and models for us every single item of clothing in a store—unless, of course, we’re at Victoria’s Secret. Assuming your girl has already knocked out her lingerie shopping for the month, the next best thing is to take her to Radish Underground. Located among the trendy boutiques in Portland’s West End Fashion District—normally a no-fly zone for guys like us—Radish offers a small but impressive selection of men’s clothing and accessories that’ll give you something to look at while she systematically ransacks the rest of the store. Items that caught our eye included high quality wool-blend hoodies from local designer Jason Calderon ($40), unique ties made from silk, linen and reclaimed sweater material ($25–$65), and “Thundies”—basically the grown-up version of Underoos ($24). Perhaps most interesting were the accessories, like the handmade cufflinks, belts and belt buckles made with reclaimed materials. If high quality and original designs are what you’re after, this is the spot. And, most importantly, you won’t be stuck holding a purse. Radish Underground |
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| 2 | What You Need Now After a couple visits here, you'll discover that you're a new man—a better, more handsome and relaxed version. DermaEsthetica |
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| 3 | Slap Happy We’ve all been there—waking up in the early afternoon with a massive hangover and the dread that comes from knowing your favorite breakfast joint has already packed away the batter and eggs. Desperate times like these call for Slappy Cakes, the newest pancake house to hit Portland’s Belmont neighborhood and one of the scant few places to find breakfast until 5 p.m. every day of the week. Slappy lets you choose the batter and fillings for your hotcakes and gives you the tabletop griddle to cook them exactly to your liking. Of course, you can let the experts in the kitchen take a whack at it, too, but there’s something instantly gratifying about sizzling pancakes of different shapes, sizes, and ingredients without any concern for cleaning up afterward. As for chasing away last night’s indulgences, there’s nothing like potent Stumptown Coffee, Foxfire Tea, or Slappy’s dangerous assortment of morning cocktails to soothe the throbbing in your temples or jolt away the atrophy in your brain. Afternoon pancakes may not encourage you to rethink your self-destructive lifestyle, but they will certainly improve it. Slappy Cakes |
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Gratuitous Photo of the Week: |
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Mandatory Gear: |
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| 1 | Dope Dopp Kit When it comes to accessories, men often skimp on the things less seen. It does make sense of course—the jacket, hat, bag, watch, and dickie are all things that should be top-notch simply because they are seen by everyone, every day. Our less-often seen items, however, should if nothing else, be made to last. The Kenton Sorenson leather dopp kit is a beautiful container for all your nighttime crap, with the added bonus of becoming cooler the more you use and abuse it. |
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| 2 | Travel Smart The honest truth is that men (for the most part) aren’t great packers. Even if we get it right the first time, after two days on the road our bags tend to look like small towns that Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton drove their portable weather center through. Thankfully, the SPACEPAK from Flight 001 is the perfect thing to keep us efficiently organized while separating our dirty crap from touching our fresh gear. Check it out. |
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| 3 | The Best Brush For those of us who don’t put two pounds of hair product on our scalp every morning, a good brush can be the most important tool in our arsenal. The problem that we often have is that brushes look stupid and become nasty over time because we don’t take care of them because they look stupid. The ebony wood Kent Gentleman’s Hairbrush solves this problem by being a damn fine-looking brush. With it, you’ll end up taking care of your hair and your brush. |
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Brew of the Week: |
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Redhook’s Mudslinger Spring Ale has a medium body and features malty layers of dark chocolate and caramel, as well as notes of brown sugar and vanilla. Brewed with six barley malts and two hop varieties, Mudslinger’s smooth, well-balanced flavor is perfect for pairing with grilled meats, fowl, stews and even smoked oysters or salmon. Enjoy. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | P.E. for Grown-ups When it comes to our fitness needs, monotony is out. Switching it up with unique activities is the way to go. That’s why we love Fulcrum Fitness. Run, jump, swing, throw, row, jump ropes, climb, lift, hang, play wall ball… basically keeping it fresh while working your literal tookus off. Mention PPFM for a free class. What: Fulcrum Fitness—First Class Free |
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| 4 | Your Dog is Your Best Wingman The Oregon Humane Society, LexiDog Boutique & Social Club and the Jupiter Hotel will partner in 2010 for monthly Yappy Hours under the DreamTENT at the Jupiter Hotel. Friendly dogs on leashes are welcome to attend (this means you, old boy), and a portion of all wine and refreshment sales will benefit the Oregon Humane Society. What: Yappy Hour Benefits Animals at OHS |
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PPFM’s Valentine’s Day Gift Guide is coming to the rescue, gents. Look for it on Friday, Feb. 5. It will be packed with excellent recommendations for gifts that will melt her heart—even if the lady you’re buying for is yo mama. Sign up your friends now at www.PortlandPicksforMen.com so they, too, can get the scoop. Trust us—they’ll thank you. |
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