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April 2nd, 2010
Wow! What happened to those signs of spring? Sunshine on our faces while we recovered from St. Patrick's Day, remember? Well, $*#@ this weather and St. Patrick. And don't even get us started on Punxsutawney Phil. The good news is that no matter the weather now, we will get a spring and summer soon. This means a new wardrobe, guys. After all, nothing offsets not achieving that "summer body" like well-fitting duds. Keep an eye out for our Spring Fashion Guide—for news on who has the most "in season" goods and special sales, this’ll be where you'll find the skinny. Not, apparently, in your mirror. Face! Want something great for your face? Forward this issue of PPFM to 5 or more friends and CC us at picks@portlandpicksformen.com for a chance to win some free stuff from Hey Dude Skin Care (see below). |
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Portland Picks for Men: |
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| 1 | Is it the Shoes? When it comes to hoops shoes, we’ve been religiously rockin’ our Nikes ever since Spike Lee proclaimed in the famous Air Jordan commercials: “It’s the shoes, money! It’s gotta be the shoes!” But truth be told, these days the major shoe manufacturers have let their games go stale, offering up either the same old retreads or some brightly-colored abomination that looks more like it was designed for an acid trip than a pickup game. Maybe it’s time for a little competition. Enter Li-Ning Sports. This Chinese shoe giant recently launched their first U.S. retail showroom right here in P-Town, offering kicks that combine classic colors, clean lines and fresh, innovative designs. Li-Ning’s line of basketball shoes and clothing is repped by NBA baller Baron Davis, but they also produce a full line of badminton and table-tennis gear (huge in China) along with a surprisingly stylish and incredibly comfortable assortment of Kung Fu and Tai Chi shoes and clothing that’ll make you feel limber enough to round-kick anybody that gives you trouble. Of course that wouldn’t be a good idea. After all, we’ve all learned by now that shoes can’t make you play any better—they can only make your feet look better. With that being the case, Li-Ning is way ahead of the game. Li-Ning Sports |
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| 2 | The Good German When comparing the best Portland restaurants, the difference between “good” and “great” comes down to three things: the level of dedication, the attention to detail, and the personal touch that makes a meal unique—regardless of the cuisine. For all these reasons, the new Alpine restaurant, Grüner, has already earned its place near the top. With an eclectic variety of authentic German, Austrian, Hungarian and Romanian dishes both common (bratwurst and sauerkraut or spätzle and chicken) and obscure (sautéed calf liver or braised pork belly), Grüner demonstrates a versatility sorely lacking from similarly themed restaurants. But what’s even more impressive is how even ancillary table items are made in-house. Everything from a basket of delicious rye bread to the fresh brown mustard, daily soups, and savory and sweet sauerkraut is prepared anew each day, making a meal here feel all the more authentic and exotic. This meticulousness also carries to the drinks menu. Both draft and bottle selections focus exclusively on rarer beers from this region or excellent local examples based on styles originating there, while house cocktails demonstrate a similar inspiration by incorporating foreign herbs, spices, infused liqueurs, gins and brandies. The only problem we foresee is that a visit to Grüner may spoil you on excellence permanently. Grüner |
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| 3 | Revenge of the Nerds When we first set foot in vintage comic-book and toy store All About Heroes, we were on high nerd-alert, fully expecting to see a group of 12-level magic users gathered around an old-school game of Dungeons and Dragons, arguing about how many original episodes of "Star Trek" there were. Really, how can a grown man still be into so juvenile… Ohhhh wait—that’s the Darth Vader action figure we used to have! And isn’t that the G.I. Joe Amphibious Personnel Carrier we’d always wanted?!? And, hey, we used to read that Captain America comic book! As it turns out, you don’t have to be a nerd to enjoy stuff like this, you just have to have been a kid at some point in your life. And All About Heroes rolls deep with memories, boasting thousands of comic books, hundreds of vintage action figures and toys, and a nice selection of DVDs, video games, trading cards and sports memorabilia in their 1,500-square-foot store. Of course, you can’t live in the past forever. After browsing around for a while it was time to go back to being a mature, productive member of…Oh, cool! Chewbacca! All About Heroes |
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| Gratuitous Photo of the Week: | |||
Photo courtesy of www.babygirlboutique.com. |
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Mandatory Gear: |
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| 1 | Drifters Never Slept so Well Whether you’re a nomad particular about style and comfort or a weekend warrior camping out all over the Northwest, you should not take for granted the importance of having a top-notch tent. For both types, the Drifter 2 from Mountain Hardwear is the best new bet. Extremely easy to pitch in the dark, guaranteed to be watertight, and supported by ultra strong aluminum poles; this tent that sleeps two will treat you right for years to come. |
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| 2 | Shave Right For many a lax shaver, this time-honored and socially necessary morning ritual is as tedious as filling out insurance claim forms and as uncomfortable as rubbing industrial chemicals all over one’s face. Thankfully, an inexpensive way to address both of these issues is with natural, paraben-free products. Instead of destroying your skin every morning, revitalize it with The Real Shaving Company’s gel or foam shaving aides full of vitamin E and hydrating jojoba oil. It's truly a better, faster shave. |
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| 3 | Cleanse Often When you’re not scraping a blade across your precious punim, make sure you’re washing away not only impurities, but also all those dead skin cells that tend to pile up in colder weather (artificial furnace-heat contributes to this problem). Get a good, quality cleanser like Dude Wash from the Hey Dude line. The glycolic acid lifts away any excess impurities and oils, while the bevy of other ingredients reduces the development of age spots and other unseemly blemishes. |
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| Cocktail of the Week: | |||
Come summer we’re beer men, but right now sipping a fine whiskey still entices. Hood River Distillers uses glacier-fed spring water from Mt. Hood, then ages it in oak barrels up in Canada to create this smooth-sailing, complex spirit. It was created to celebrate the tradition of the 100-year-old Pendleton Round-up, but you don’t have to be a redneck to enjoy it. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Save and Win Reserve a guest room and stay at Skamania Lodge by May 31, and you'll enjoy $20 off the regular price of your guest room. In addition, you may be the lucky recipient of a 5-night vacation in a 3-bedroom home at Sunriver Resort, in Bend Oregon, just by staying. Win-win-win. What: Save $20 on Guest Room at Skamania Lodge |
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| 2 | Dogs on the Runway |
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| 3 | Oh Canada We swore we were swearing off all things Canadian after they stole the gold medal from us in the Olympics. That is, until we heard Cirque Du Soleil was coming to town. Honestly one of the most sublime things we’ve seen humans do, it is perfect for date night! What: Cirque Du Soleil |
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| 4 | Best. Park. Ever. Whether we’re hiking, mountain biking or just walkin’ the dogs, we all enjoy Forest Park. We brag to out-of-towners about it constantly. Become of member of the F.P. Conservancy this month at Ice Breaker Touch_Lab and they’ll pay half of your $35 membership fee. Spend $200 or more and they’ll cover the whole thing! What: Icebreaker Helps Forest Park (and You!) |
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| 5 | A Day of Wine and Cheese What: 15th Annual Spring Beer & Wine Fest |
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| 6 | Salty’s Sunday Brunch All Weekend Usually places with spectacular views don’t deliver on food. Not so with Salty’s. Consistently ranked among the nation’s top Sunday brunch buffets, they’re sharing the love all weekend this Easter, so get your buffet on whenever you’d like. We’re going both days… look for us frolicking in the chocolate fountain a la the opening credits for “Friends.” What: Easter brunch at Salty’s on the Columbia |
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Call it a bromance—sign up a friend at www.PortlandPicksforMen.com. |
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