About Face Magazine Issue #4

ABOUTFACE Winter 2012 Issue #4

Portland’s Interview Magazine

Interior Design Issue

Relaxation Entrepreneur

Julian Rose

Moonstruck Chocolatier

Elizabeth VanderVeer, M.D. Cosmetic Physician

Korey Gulbrandson

Encaustic Painter

Larry Olmstead

Leather Craftsman

Chelsea Cain

NYT Bestseller

Huy Nguyen & Rachel Bristol Local Heroes Also this issue

The Recycled Gift Guide

AB OU DE T PO ST RT IN LA p.6 ATIO ND 8 NS &

Briana Borten

9 Local Designers

If you’re thinking of someone while reading this, you’re in love.

“Setting the standard for selection and satisfaction.”

522 S W B r o ad way, Por t l a nd , O r egon 972 05 . 503.22 8.3111 . p a c k ou zje w e l e r s .c o m

JUDITH ARNELL JEWELERS

Find Your Diamond in the Pearl.

Located in the Pearl District: 320 NW 10th Avenue Between Everett and Flanders phone: 503.227.3437 www.JudithArnellJewelers.com

ABOUT TOWN

The 5th Annual OMHOF

Radio Personality, Bob Ancheta

Induction Ceremony at the Newmark Theatre

by Kyle Collins

The 5th annual fundraiser concert and induction ceremony featured a live auction of autographed guitars including: Peter Frampton, Willie Nelson, Heart, Chris Isaak, and more, raising over $10,000. 100% goes of the proceeds go toward OMHOF’s Music in Schools programs and Scholarship program.

This year’s featured inducted artists were: Portland jazz singer and bassist, Esperanza Spalding, legendary radio D.J. Bob Ancheta (The Big B.A.), blues man Norman Sylvester, the Dharma Bums, Sequel, and Sam Henry.

Attendees were treated to an inspired set of music by Johnny and the Distractions and the Crazy 8’s.

Janeen Rundle, Jeff Dehan (Guitar Winner) & Poision Waters

Fred Cole (Drummer), Sam Henry (Inductee), Toody Cole & Terry Currier, Pres. of OMHOF

For more info and to see the entire hall of fame members, go to: OMHOF.ORG Our Music In Schools Children

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Auction Presenter With Chris Issak’s Guitar

ABOUTFACE P o r t l a n d ’s I n t e r v i e w M a g a z i n e Publisher

David Bentley

Editor in Chief Michael Sant Managing Editor DC Rahe Copy Editor Jenn Dawson Graphic Designers Michael Sant, Gary Menghini, Lauren Chikamoto Staff Photographer

Tim Sugden

Account Executives

Kyle Collins, Ann Lucia, Lawrence Martin, Tim Sugden, Glenna Thompson, Thomas Ulrich

Bookkeeper Robin Farm Feature Writers

Chris Angelus, Jenn Dawson, Jamie Mustard, DC Rahe, Becki J. Singer, Mara Storm, Chris Young

Columnists Chris Angelus, Deborah Haynes, Becki J. Singer

ABOUT FACE MAGAZINE 1801 NW Upshur St, #660 Portland, OR 97209 503.922.2731 office@aboutfacemag.com

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ADVERTISING INQUIRIES sales@aboutfacemag.com ABOUT FACE Magazine and the entire contents of this magazine are copyright 2011 Bentley Patrick Inc., all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or part without written permission from Bentley Patrick, Inc.

Published in Portland, Oregon by Bentley Patrick, Inc.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE Winter is inarguably the most loved and hated season of the year. Personally, I find it warm and stylish. Warm because the holidays tend to bring together family and friends. Winter fashion also seems to play a part with more layers and options to express style and taste. On that note, we all know Portland has many looks when it comes to one’s individual style. I do still have to erase the branding Portlandia has done to my out-of-town friends, but that is the great thing about Portland. We are fearless enough to break the rules and embrace all the possibilities without being judged for it.

That brings me to interior designers here in Portland. In this issue we caught up with 9 of the best in the city. Each of the designers have given us a snapshot of their recently finished projects. I tend to recharge from living in a well-designed room. Their talents speak for themselves.

Additionally, we catch up with local celebrity and New York Times best-selling author Chelsea Cain as she prepares her newest book release Killed You Twice, due out early 2012.

Finally, in this issue we have uncovered some great new faces that are rising in notoriety. In one case, we couldn’t make up our minds for our ABOUT HEROES feature. Rachel Bristol CEO of the Oregon Food Bank, who feeds hundreds of thousands annually, or Huy Nguyen who helps provide a Christmas for kids in need. So we broke the rules with running both in the same issue. May they both inspire you.

Occupy an orqanic home

sustainable furniture & orqanic mattresses

So kick back, get comfortable with your choice of beverage and take in a snapshot of the best people in our city.

Best regards, David Bentley

2259 NW Raleigh St. Portland, OR 97210

503.224.0551 @aboutfacemag

facebook.com/aboutfacemagazine

ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

eclectichome.com 11

WINTER 2012 // ISSUE FOUR

DESIGN

CONTENTS 14 ABOUT CUISINE Julian Rose | Hot Chocolate

9 Local

18 ABOUT FASHION

Larry Olmstead | Master Leather Craftsman

Interior Designers

24 ABOUT HEALTH

Elizabeth VanderVeer | More Than Skin Deep

30 ABOUT ART Korey Gulbrandson | Fire it Up

59 Recycled Gift Guide

Objects made by the locally gifted

60 ABOUT HEROES Huy Nguyen | Bellman of Hope & Dreams Rachel Bristol | Feeding the Hungry

68 ABOUT PORTLAND

Most people agree that the heart and soul of Portland are the districts. Each district has its own distinct personality and scene. This issue covers eleven of Portland’s business districts.

38 BUSINESS Briana Borten

BOOKS Chelsea Cain

Stumptown’s Serial Thriller

12

of The Dragontree Spa

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2734

80 ABOUT DESTINATIONS Explore three great escapes in Oregon, Cannon Beach, Astoria and Eugene.

NEW COLUMNS 21 Fashion | On Trend 22 Cuisine | Right at the Fork 37 Beauty | Lip Service

about the cover Model: Briana Borten Photo: Tim Sugden Painting: Janice Griffin Chair: recycled shabby chic Location: Pearl District loft

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Julian Rose

photo Tim Sugden

ABOUT CUISINE

Hot Chocolate

by Chris Angelus

Whenever I want to send or bring a piece of Portland to friends and family elsewhere in the US, the first thing in the package is some Moonstruck Chocolate. It’s delicious, beautifully packaged, and it always gives me the satisfaction of being able to say to whomever will open the beautiful blue-and-gold box, “That chocolate is the stuff they give out at the Oscars.” While I’ve never been to the Academy Awards, it sweetens the deal for me in supporting Portland’s star status in the culinary world by sending that recognition to my loved ones elsewhere. Furthermore, chocolate, like music, evokes deep psychological truths from our pasts.

There are many wonderful niche chocolatiers in Portland. I’ve met many of our chefs and artisans in the short time I’ve been associated with our incredible food community. And when the opportunity arose to interview Julian Rose, the internationally renowned head chef at Moonstruck, it caused me to think about how Portland’s food experience is—or can be—so personalized. We know our chefs, we talk to the very people who produce our salamis, cheeses, and chocolates, and grow our foodstuff at farmers markets; we even get to know them on Facebook and learn a little about their private lives. And so we tend to root for those people. However the face of Moonstruck, to me at least, isn’t just Julian, it’s the extremely friendly staff who pour our hot chocolates and eagerly take direction as we point to the blackberry truffles in the gleaming glass case at their sweet spot on NW 23rd Ave.—one of five such shops.

In the current world where business success has unfortunately acquired some negative connotations, Moonstruck is a local success story that we should all celebrate and enjoy.

Of course, success these days means you can’t just sit on your laurels. It’s about the next best thing. Although, is that the truth with chocolate? Isn’t it just glorious enough?

On a fall Portland day with my windows rolled down, the sun shining brightly between beautiful white and ominous grey clouds, I drove up to Moonstruck’s headquarters to find out. On my journey to that answer, I found myself lost in a new-to-me perspective of the beautiful St. John’s Bridge, walking up steps to a dark green building that family-connected Columbia Sportswear used to call home. Upon entering the lobby on the 2nd floor, I looked down through the gallery windows to see many white-suited workers sporting puffy caps—think Lucy Ricardo during her one-day stint in the chocolate factory. In short time, I was led downstairs and introduced to Julian. It was like pulling back the curtain of one of Portland’s wizards of chocolate.

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How do you draw the line between getting too trendy and keeping your eye on the ball—your delicious, beautiful, classic chocolate?

Most of our customer base is very traditionalist.

Very classic. They want to have a great piece of chocolate. We’re very in tune with what our customers expect from us, and when we do try to push the envelope, it’s usually in a season. So, we have this

Canada. Barely 10 years ago in Europe, you could not use color with chocolate. They would say, “You guys are so American. You are bastardizing chocolate.” Now what do you see in Europe? Colors galore.

We’ve been into the eye appeal for almost two decades. And it’s happening now in Europe.

So that’s the opposite of what one would think— you would think that the French would be influencing us.

Flavor-wise, it’s still very classic in Europe, but they’re jazzing it up with visual interests, visual colors, or beautiful packaging. Moonstruck has carved itself into the market as being very, very unique in what we do, and we do extremely well. And I know a lot of chocolatiers across the country. And every time I meet them, they always say, “How do guys you do it? Because we can’t figure out how to pull this off.”

How is chocolate doing in this economy?

Tremendously well. People have cut a lot of luxuries out of their lives.

They’ve cut cable, they’ve cut all kinds of stuff. And when it comes

So that was in Montreal?

Yep. Montreal.

To me, there’s no other city in the United States that feels more like Montreal than Portland. Do you agree?

Yes, there’s a lot of similarities, you know, just in transit, in how people enjoy life. There’s a nice balance of work and play. There’s a lot of stuff to do outside. The river, it runs through the middle of the city. It was easy for me to adapt here. People are super nice in general. There’s a nice restaurant scene, which is not to be said in all medium and large cities. Sometimes it falls short, I guess. Here, it’s been very nice.

So, do you get to experience the restaurant scene here?

I do.

Where do you like to go?

I want to try everything I can. The only disappointment I have is in the Asian/Chinese Szechuan… the real Chinese food, which is absent completely.

It’s not our strong suit.

“...chocolate, it’s kind of a selfindulgence in a dark room at night...” to a good treat, that is, if you define chocolate, it’s kind of a self-indulgence in a dark room at night with a drink or something.

So you’re hoping for the recession to continue?

photo Tim Sugden

Oh, no. No. Because—well, actually, those customers that have upgraded to our chocolates tend to then stay. Once the economy is going to pick up, we don’t see a dip.

We just see a nicer curve.

seasonal approach to our business—we basically divide the year into six seasons, from fall, Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter, spring, etcetera. We have these six blocks where we can throw in something kind of fun—if it’s fruits in summer or comforting flavors in fall, and holiday flavors for holidays. So... my approach to development in staying trendy and relevant is actually getting to travel across the country and overseas.

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I was in France just two weeks ago. What happens in France is not necessarily adaptable to the US or

When you are all developing flavors, do you have Portland in mind?

We do have very strong Portland, Oregon roots. So, if we can source ingredients that market Oregon well, they are going to be the ingredients of choice.

So we often have strong influence of products available in the Northwest. Specifically if we can get from Oregon, that’s even better. So, that approach to market, we’ve been doing for over a decade.

You started this at a young age?

Yeah, pretty much. My parents had a shop, and my dad had a poster on the wall of our pastry shop that said, “If you like us, tell all your friends. If you don’t like us, tell us.”

So, kind of coming here you would expect—West Coast—all these big Chinatowns. I guess it’s just a small hiccup. Otherwise, I’ve been to small local restaurants on the street, to Thai, French... and the type of fusion Portland-ish scene is also kind of interesting because it’s more laid back, not so stuffy.

So that’s nice. I can’t say definite favorites. I have favorites in every department, I guess.

But do you have a place you like to go regularly?

Yes. Le Pigeon, Meriwether’s, Mother’s for brunch.

Do you have any friends in the food business here in Portland who inspire you, or for whom you have a lot of respect?

I know a few… Earl Hook from Meriwether’s and Pascal Tisseur from La Petite Provence bakery. Earl is a passionate chef with lots of talent and Pascal a great pastry chef who does everything. I would like to know or meet all the chefs in the city. I’m sure it would be eye opening!

What would you recommend to friends as the quintessential Portland experience?

The Pearl District for a walk and maybe a bite or two between shopping, the food carts—since that is very unique, and a tour of the brewpubs and brasseries.

If you could transpose anything from Montreal here to Portland, what would it be?

ABOUT CUISINE I would love to bring the real wood-fired bagels with their shiny crust outside and moist centers. They are pre-cooked in a sweet honey water. So good! If you are in Montreal, seek them out—and bring some back—customs officers are used to seeing them on the x-ray machines! Smoked meat is another favorite—kind of a mix between pastrami and slow cooked cured beef. And French Canadian culture to top it off, just because we like to eat and party.

If you could take the best of Portland back to Montreal to give to your loved ones, what would that be?

“Well, you know, I’m not using this.” So there’s always a level of secrecy and personal information they don’t want you to know. But, yet, I was there as a completely neutral person wanting to help them.

So, I don’t have any apprehension of going into a shop and looking. I’ve done it. But I’m not going to say, “Hey, I’m Julian Rose.”

No, I wouldn’t think you would. I would just assume—I’d like to know what other people are doing. So...

Yep, but we’re so different also.

It would be the great outdoors feel of Portland, beer, and food carts—they are illegal in Montreal!

I don’t know anybody else in Portland who’s doing what you’re doing.

So how about chocolatiers in town? Do you go to any of the chocolatiers just to see what they’re doing? I have to imagine some are inspired by what you do.

I have my agenda and my vision of what I want to do, which is good.

I used to teach chocolate making, so a lot of these chocolatiers around the country know me. I don’t necessarily know them. So it’s kind of interesting how it presents itself. I don’t have anything really to hide, and I’m generous in the information I share.

Because just by nature, I think when people have problems… I’ve had to visit a couple of chocolatiers, and they’re like, “Oh my god!” You know, they almost treat you like some celebrity, which I’m not. I just

It has a specific flavor that people are used to. And it’s all about memories of taste and flavor that you’ve experienced when you were young. And unfortunately, all the big players—they are always challenged in keeping that same flavor, but reducing cost. When you think about it, the Hershey bar that was in 1970, 35 cents, is now 99 cents. And so something’s gone wrong.

So, what are you excited about right now that you’re doing? What’s new at Moonstruck?

As you can see here, there are five racks full of development—from new colors, new flavors; texture is back.

We’re adding crunch and we’re adding bite to something, instead of being all soft and creamy. So we’ve moving into a creative bubble. For 2012, we have

“For 2012, we have texture, crispiness and crunch.”

Have you ever been anyplace where you respect what they’re doing on a much smaller scale? You and I weren’t around here in 1993, but Moonstruck started like that.

I have to be cautious because, I guess maybe it’s just the East Coast background. Smaller, smaller chocolatiers might think that I’m sneaking around or doing stuff like that, which I’m not. I’ve seen more than they can imagine. But I don’t want to be put in a situation where people start chatting about the fact that I’ve been here or there. So that’s, to me, delicate, and I have to stay professional.

I think that’s your East Coast thing. I do. I think if you walked in and tried chocolate and told someone you loved it, whether they knew who you were or not, they’d probably appreciate that you were there.

For me, it’s still delicate. Even when I was teaching, I was working for a very large corporation that supplies chocolate for the industry. And you would go in chocolate shops there, and there would be this,

texture, crispiness and crunch.

And so where did you come up with texture and crispiness and crunch?

Is that just an inspiration that you had? Have you seen it somewhere else?

Well, it follows desserts, if you think about it. So what happens in pastry happens 3, 4 years after in chocolate.

Typically. So in end of the 90’s, everything was mousse, everything was soft, everything was fluffy in pastry, and then it slowly... well, it kind of hit a plateau. And then the pastry chef said, “We need crunch, we need texture, we need bite, we need heavy cakes—not the airy cakes.”

photo Tim Sugden

do what I do. I do it well, hopefully, and I repeat. I don’t have anything against anybody, and everyone has their own niche—from the very small in farmers markets—they do their thing. It’s not for me to say it’s a bad or good execution. It’s what they do.

Very often, they can perceive our chocolate truffles as large and oversized or something, but it works for us.

And I think it’s the same wave in chocolate. For a while, you would go all into cream, and texture, and soft, and velvety, and then you kind of get bored with it. And then you move to—let’s bring back crunch, and let’s bring back layer or something.

I think for consumers, it’s the experience when you buy that you have a crunch in your head that you hear. It betters your experience because you chew a bit more than having something just melt and swallow—which, we all tend to just eat very fast.

I like my Nestlé’s Crunches. And a Hershey’s bar.

Hershey’s does a really nice basic candy bar...

ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

So I am guessing chocolate wouldn’t be your last meal. What would it be?

Everything breakfast. It’s the only meal in the world where you can have eggs, meat, fruits, vegetables, pancakes, bread, butter, croissants and coffee; and no one finds that weird. -AFM-

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photo Tim Sugden

Larry Olmstead

ABOUT FASHION

Master Craftsman: Larry Olmstead of Entermodal talks form, function and what it takes to achieve perfection.

S

tepping into Larry Olmstead’s world feels like stepping back in time to an old world atelier. His workshop, tucked inside Halo Shoes’s new digs on NW Everett, is piled floor to ceiling with leather hides, rolls of canvas and all manner of medieval-looking tools and implements, all waiting to build the latest creation of Entermodal, Olmstead’s inimitable line of bespoke bags and leather goods. One of the few true master leather craftsmen in the world, Olmstead crafts each and every piece in his shop— cutting, sewing and finishing each stitch by hand, often starting over from scratch when a bag feels any less than perfect to his hyper-discerning eye.

The result is a collection of one-of-a-kind bags that seamlessly meld form and function. In the end, Olmstead’s work feels more like art than craft.

These bags are meant to last a lifetime, and anything less than perfection won’t do.

by Becki J. Singer

Tell me a little bit about you got started with designing bags.

It’s kind of funny because a lot of times people will say, I always wanted to be a fashion designer or I always wanted to make this specific thing. Growing up, I don’t know if I had that. It was more a sense of inquisitiveness, I suppose. I really wanted to learn how to sew. I tried to teach myself at home and that didn’t really work well.

Why not?

I was making things inside out and just couldn’t get my head around the construction. I reached a point where I realized if I really wanted to learn how to sew, I would have to rely on it for food. And so, I got a job in sewing production and it just happened to be with a bag company. When you sew production, you have vast amounts of time to just think. Your body kind of memorizes what to do. So I would think to myself, “If this corner were a little bit rounder, I could sew it in one motion.” Eventually, I started saying those things to the owner, which turned into a design apprenticeship. That’s where I originally learned to design bags.

Where did you study design?

At the University of Derby [in the UK]. There is a degree there for performance sportswear design. After I finished school, I went to work with Karrimor, a sportswear brand based in the UK. So, you went from designing active, sport-inspired bags, to much more luxurious, lifestyle pieces—that’s a huge shift.

How did you decide to make that change?

It’s funny—it’s the same as when I started to sew. It wasn’t that I went into it with a set formula. It really came down to, if you are going to make something domestically, it’s going to be more expensive. So, in my mind the quality needs to be higher. I had dismissed leather. Actually, I was doing a lot with canvas and wool. But someone brought me a few antique leather bags to recycle, and I realized, “Oh, this can last a long time.” I realized I was about to take something that’s 100 years old and cut it apart to capture the value that was still there—that material still had value. So, why was I not using that?

That’s an interesting bent on sustainability.

Yes, especially because leather is not the first thing that you think of when you think about sustainability—you know, cattle farming and all of the impacts it can have on the environment. But I thought a lot in the beginning about whether there was a way that I could encourage or push companies to change, to adopt different practices. That goal took us to England, to Italy, meeting with very small, sustainably minded farmers doing really interesting stuff.

The idea was, and still is, that you should be able to go to where the cow was raised, and have a picnic.

I like that guideline. So I know how important the sustainability and longevity of your designs are to you, but can you tell me a little about your design aesthetic?

My aesthetic comes from two perspectives.

First, most everything that I make is out of

a single piece of leather. So, it’s about, how could I fold this, how could I make this into an interesting shape or a functional shape, but use one piece primarily?

Why is using a single piece of leather important?

If you look at these old, antique bags, you can see most of the abrasion points are where the seams are. Where it’s a single piece, the leather is still pretty clean, even still usable. To make a seam, you have to thin the leather down. So it’s a point of potential weakness. If you have a piece that’s all one, there are fewer weak spots.

My technique all comes from the idea of making a bag that will last decades. To me, that’s the first point in sustainability—if you use something for 50 years, that means that you are consuming less. The second part of the aesthetic is really directed from that as well. I push myself not to be too trendy, because this bag is going to be around decades.

The focus of your brand is really on custom, or bespoke bags, but you do also have all of these beautiful bags on your shelves. Are there bags people can just come in and buy, or is everything made to order?

I have only ever sold two pieces off the shelf, which is kind of scary. When someone comes in to look, they see the quality, and it’s something different than anything else they’ve seen. So, we start talking and they realize, “Oh, I could have that an inch taller,” or, “I could have this flap shorter by two inches.” And when you have a dialogue with the customer about how they want to

ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

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“When someone’s involved in the creation of their bag, they welcome it into their life like an old friend.”

use the bag, they realize there is no reason not to make it a custom piece.

You seem to really like that aspect of it—making the bag personal to the customer.

Exactly, yeah. Once I found that I really was able to make a bag that could last 50 years, it dawned on me that that was only half the equation. The other half is how you get someone to use the bag for 50 years. If it just comes from a retailer, that relationship isn’t there. When someone’s involved in the creation of their bag, they welcome it into their life like an old friend. It’s something that they are using from the beginning as a comfortable piece.

Could you explain the process of designing a bespoke bag? When someone comes to you and says they want a bag, how do you begin?

The second way to go is bespoke. Bespoke bags are the same concept, but to the next degree. Those conversations tend to start with the customer saying, “I’ve had this design of a bag stuck in my head for eight years. Can you make it for me?” So, the first challenge is getting that idea out of their head and onto paper. And then there is a lot of discussion about how they are interacting with the bag, what they are looking for that bag to do. Once that’s all clarified, we start talking about leathers, linings and colors.

For the bespoke projects, I make a prototype bag, and they use it for about six months. Then we have a second conversation: what worked, what didn’t work, what changes should we make? And then, from there, I make the final piece. So, bespoke tends to be a lot more expensive, since it’s a much more intensive process. But the client is basically going through the design process with me.

I have a really wide customer base. Because there are not many places in the world that do this, I get a lot of people that fly to Portland from overseas to work with me on a piece. They tend to be people that understand the quality and the luxury of my work on a really deep level and are looking for something very specific.

Then, there’s a second group I sometimes refer to as “recovering” luxury customers—people that have purchased luxury items before and found that the quality didn’t stand up to their expectations.

So most of these people come to you knowing exactly what they want?

You spend so much time thinking about what makes a design work, and how to improve on a piece. What qualities do you admire in good design?

What makes you really appreciate a design?

Yep. And it’s really cool to meet those people, because they’re all super interesting. That’s one of the lucky things about where am I at right now—I get to meet a lot of interesting people.

I’ve found that over time, I’m drawn to design that feels like second nature, is maybe the best way to say it. The quality has to be there first. The aesthetic can add to that, but for me, it’s about functionality.

What made you decide to open Entermodal here versus somewhere on the East Coast, where luxury is more of a mainstay?

How do you balance that tension between form and function in your work?

You are really striving for function, but obviously the piece needs to be beautiful as well.

That can be tricky. There is a lot of subtlety, because people that buy a messenger bag don’t want it to look like a hiking backpack. Part of it’s the construction—how you get it to go together. But a big part of it is the fit—how it hangs from the shoulder, how it molds to the body. And so the form informs the aesthetic.

Who is your typical customer?

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photo Tim Sugden

There are two directions we could go. The first is what I’d call “custom,” when the customer is asking for an existing style with a certain color of leather, some small changes, but nothing really fundamentally unique. That’s really fun because the person is combining different colors, and you get to see what people like.

Well, when my wife and I moved back from England, we were lucky enough that we could choose to move anywhere. We chose Portland because the energy is really good here. There is so much inspiration around, and people doing things that are so cool. The ocean is near, the mountains are near. It’s kind of a magic town in a lot of ways.

So, who should be coming to you for a custom bag or a bespoke bag?

I think people who are looking for a different experience than they’ve had, or people who are looking to replace something special, maybe something that their grandfather gave to them. Those are people that I always find really rewarding personally because, again, it comes down to them having that special kind of

Continued on pg. 84

On Trend

ABOUT FASHION

By Becki J. Singer

‘Tis the season for shopping, there’s no question. But in the midst of all that giving to others, you’ll undoubtedly find yourself in a sartorial situation (or two) that necessitates a little retail therapy on your own behalf. The holiday party season creates all manner of wardrobe stress, and it can quickly feel overwhelming. Splurging on a festive holiday frock is the obvious solution, but I love a holiday look that’s a bit more outside the box (and infinitely more useful come January 1). And so, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite tips to add a little extra style to your holiday spirit.

DO AS THE BOYS DO There’s a reason men only have one option when it comes to formalwear: it just doesn’t get better than a classic tuxedo. Ladies, if you don’t have a tux jacket in your closet now, go out immediately and invest. If there’s a more versatile piece for your holiday wardrobe, I don’t know what it is. Update a classic little black dress, dress up a sleek turtleneck and trouser jeans, tone down a sequined tunic, or, go classic glam with a matching tuxedo pant. Any of those looks will take you to your next holiday fête in serious style. Plus, since the legendary Yves Saint Laurent made these jackets de rigueur back in the 1970s, there’s no danger of this style fading any time soon.

Tracking down this tailored staple in a casual city like Portland can be a bit tricky, but Mercantile downtown and House of Lolo in the Pearl both have positively perfect options in store.

FANCY FOOTWORK Portland’s reputation in the world of footwear can be less than fashion-forward at times. But when it comes to party season, clogs just won’t cut it. A great shoe can make any ensemble instantly party-ready, so treat yourself to one night in a pair of shoes so gorgeous, you won’t care that you can’t feel your toes.

Nordstrom is the grande dame for covet-worthy budget-busters (go see my friend, Scott, in Salon shoes downtown – he’ll make a believer out of you). I’ve also spotted some festive Bettye Muellers at Zelda’s Shoe Bar on NW 23rd, and glitter-infused beauties abound at newcomer SoleStruck on SW 13th.

THE POWER OF POSITIVE ACCESSORIES When it comes to holiday accessories, it’s the more, the merrier!

Whether it’s a pile of bangles from local jewelry designer Amy Wing (find her wares online or at Saturday Market), a slouchy felt fedora from Pinkham Millinery, or a big, bold statement necklace from Mabel and Zora’s impeccable selection, the perfect accessories

add drama and style, and can take your look from everyday to holiday in a snap. Pair a classic black cashmere sweater with a pencil skirt and a pile of pearls for your annual office party, or go for bad-girl glam—swap the skirt for a pair of leather leggings, add a bigger-than-life chandelier earring and an oversized clutch in a bold print.

Relaxed SPARKLE It’s easy to overdose on sequins and feathers this time of year, but you’re liable to end up looking more like a holiday decoration than a glamour plate if you don’t play your cards right. Try tracking down a sequined scarf to drape casually around your neck or tie as a sash around your waist—a look that’s especially magic with a crewneck sweater or fitted button-down and tuxedo pant. But my favorite trick is a slouchy sequined tee or sweater (size up for maximum slouch factor), which can work wonders for making you look simultaneously super glam and too cool to care. Pair it with cuffed boyfriend jeans and a bright ballet flat for your friend’s tree trimming party, or dress it up with your favorite black trousers and a strappy pump. Keep your bottom layer trim to offset the bulk on top, and be sure to let this statement piece speak for itself—no other adornment required. I’ve spied some pitch-perfect (and price-friendly) options at Sloan Boutique and Free People in NW; on the Eastside, Shop Adorn has one of my favorite versions in town. This is also the perfect piece to pick up from your favorite secondhand store—sequins abound in the world of vintage.

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Visit shoppingsmycardio.com for more sparkle and fashion.

ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

1 year.

14 celebrated chefs.

54 cool places they recommend. (with certificates to experience them)

84 memorable courses with wine & cocktail pairings enjoyed by 279 enthusiastic food & wine lovers.

Don’t miss our next adventures

Right at the Fork

by Chris Angelus

Cold butter, exploding ketchup, and hitting on the chef’s wife In Portland, food quality is abundant–from our few, true “fine dining” restaurants, to a huge tier of comfortable, excellent farm-to-table gems, to some great dives, food carts, and markets. Our street food ranges from the mediocre to the sublime (i.e. Lardo), which makes braving the elements worth the wait. It also begs the question: Does standing outside at a food cart that is pretty much devoid of service lower the bar for our service expectations?

Portland has some true professionals who provide good service, however, there are days when they do fall short. As long as the food is wonderful most of us will put up with a lot. The server interrupts your conversation to ask how things taste “so far.” Or, she interrupts again as she picks up the check wallet, asking, “Are we all set, or did you want change?” The $15 tip I’m leaving isn’t enough to expend the time and effort to bring the change back? Please, just let ME say we’re all set. Don’t try to cut a corner right at the end. But, no big deal. I’ll be back.

And then once in a while there’s a service problem that’s so egregious it requires contacting the owner. One such owner— when asked on a subsequent visit why he didn’t respond to my email about how their server handled the ketchup bottle exploding over all my clothes—actually yelled at me. “You think we have time to respond to every stupid customer complaint?”

Oh. That explains it. How stupid of me for not thinking of that. What do I know? I’m only a frequent diner who started this fun thing called Portland Food Adventures. I’m happy to report that the service at our events is always above and beyond, but then again, part of the fun is that the chefs do some of the serving.

I asked three of our finest chefs to tell us what their pet peeves are when they’re out, and—because we all know it can’t be easy on their side of the equation—to enlighten us as to how just how low we customers can go.

Paul Losch chef, DOC

Jan. 1st, 2012 Most amazing 1st meal of 2012! @Broder — 4 courses and House Spirits Bloody Marys Paul Gerald’s Breakfast in Bridgetown adventure Includes book & certificates to Helser's, Sanborns & Cocotte

Won’t come back: Restaurants that serve cold bread and cold butter... what can you really do with that? I can only assume a restaurant doesn’t like their bread if they want you to tear it apart trying to spread the butter.

Don’t come back: We have a guy who comes in regularly, always pulls out a laptop and peruses Craigslist for a date. He gets his dates drunk on cheap bottles of wine, makes out, and treats the staff like garbage over like four hours of this ordeal.

The same guy also had the gall to hit on my wife while I was standing right next to her. Super-creep.

Kat Liebman chef/owner, Cocotte Welcome Back Aviary! @Aviary — 6 courses plus pairings Sarah Pliner, Jasper Shen and Kat Whitehead’s amazing adventure Includes certificates to St. Jack and Salt & Straw

Won’t come back: Feeling like an inconvenience to my server at a restaurant. Isn’t this your job?

Don’t come back: A party of people (in the service industry themselves) was twenty minutes late for their very late reservation—on a slow night. They didn’t call. The whole staff had been waiting around just for them. We, of course, welcomed them with open arms and were nothing but hospitable, yet they spent very little money, camped out for hours, and refused to pay a corkage fee for the multiple bottles of wine they brought. And they left an insulting tip. Awesome.

Photos by Dina Avila

Jan. 17th, 2012

Aaron Barnett chef/co-owner, St. Jack Won’t come back: Crumpled paper towels on the bathroom floor, tarnished silverware, room temperature water.

Don’t come back: Many. I don’t talk about them in interviews—I bitch to Joel, my GM, about it later.

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Elizabeth VanderVeer, M.D. 24

ABOUT HEALTH

More Than Skin Deep

by DC Rahe

While standard medical clinics can be sterile and drab, VanderVeer Center provides an atmosphere that is warm and inviting. Elizabeth VanderVeer, M.D. is President/Medical Director at VanderVeer Center, a Board Certified Internist, a native Oregonian, a published author, and an international lecturer and medical trainer. Overall, Dr. V is a kind and caring physician who is truly concerned about her patients.

photo Tim Sugden

Before walking into the VanderVeer Center, I knew little about cosmetic medicine and the differences between the medical specialities that concentrate on the outer appearance.

Cosmetic medicine is not just for women. Men can benefit from the treatments, too. I discovered that your outer appearance does reflect your internal health, and what appears to be a minor skin condition might turn out to be a much more serious disease. It is good that Dr. VanderVeer has the training, the experience, and especially the time to carefully exam, listen to, and evaluate her patients.

her life. I’ve diagnosed rare diseases in people that they perceived to be cosmetic problems. It is all because of my Internal Medicine background and because I have the luxury of time with patients that I can discover these diseases.

Your primary medical training was at OHSU. Where did you study internal medicine after that?

I did my internship in residency at Providence St. Vincent Hospital. It was just fantastic. I had some of the most rigorous instructors, and some very interesting cases. We received a great number of referrals from small coastal communities. These patients had neglected their conditions for years. We also had a great number of high-tech foreign workers with some unusual diseases that are not normally seen in the U.S. It was grueling; we worked in the hospital over one hundred hours per week. Now, there is a new law that limits total hours per week in Residency to eighty.

What is your approach to medicine?

I have a holistic approach to patient care, that the external is a representation of the internal. And I don’t like the saying, “Look as good as you feel,” because we don’t always feel great every day. I prefer to say, “Feel as good as you look.” I take my profession in cosmetic medicine as seriously as I did Internal Medicine, and as scientifically as I did medical research. I critically evaluate the literature, the studies, the information, before bringing any product or device or drug into my office. I don’t use patients as guinea pigs, and I don’t bring anything into the office I wouldn’t either have in my own body or in the bodies of my loved ones.

I offer my patients something that other doctors may not. First, I am woman and the fact that I use medical services for myself gives me a perspective that’s different from a male physician who may not ever have tried any of his own offerings. Second, I’m afforded the luxury to spend time with my patients, not having to rush like a typical primary care doctor.

In this way, I’m able to get to know my patients on a very different level and help them find resources for a lot of things beyond my field. And if need be, I can give them referrals to top doctors in fields that are completely unrelated to my practice. I’m the luckiest doctor in the world.

What’s the best thing about being a doctor?

Having the privilege of getting to be part of someone’s life in a way that a lot of other people are not.

And it’s such an honor. It’s a very intimate relationship and I respect that boundary. And the best part of my job is when I see the tangible changes in my patients—their improved appearance and improved self-esteem.

I had this patient with a deformity of her nerves due to domestic violence. Other doctors told her that because it was soft tissue it couldn’t be fixed. I used my arsenal of tools to correct her damage. That literally changed

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As internists, we are taught about horses versus zebras. Internal Medicine is a specialty that teaches you to think critically in order to carefully evaluate symptoms, although 99% of what we see is routine medicine colds and upper respiratory tract infections. One percent may be a zebra, a serious disease. I take that same approach when I’m treating a patient for a cosmetic condition—is it a horse or a more serious zebra?

Please explain the difference between a dermatologist, a cosmetic surgeon, and a cosmetic physician.

There is a lot of confusion in the industry about all these specialties in medicine. Internists are trained to treat the inside of the adult body—heart disease, kidney disease, all kinds of blood disorders, and, some dermatological conditions. Dermatologists generally focus on diseases of the skin. A plastic surgeon deals with severe cases such as reconstructive cosmetic surgeries after accidents and birth deformities, augmentations and facelifts, etc.

I like to call myself a “PCP” – Primary Cosmetic Physician - a specialist in cosmetic medicine, which is 100% non-surgical. I, like all physicians, am licensed, trained. and able to do liposuction and even surgery, however, I prefer to send my patients to surgeons who have done a full surgical residency.

I think the best doctor knows their limits and knows what they shouldn’t do. My non-surgical solutions provide real results that often match, exceed, or complement those of surgery. It is best for patients to have options.

If somebody has a cosmetic issue, should they visit a “Primary Cosmetic Physician” before a cosmetic surgeon?

It comes down to the patients’ expectations, their health issues, and what degree of change they desire. I think that youth is defined

by volume in the right places, glow to the skin, small pores, no deep wrinkles and lines, no sunspots, liver spots, or redness or Rosacea. If a patient is unsure if they want surgery, I would highly recommend a consultation with a non-surgical specialist like me..

If you think you might want surgery or want a surgical opinion, you should go to a surgeon. I work closely with a select group of my surgical colleagues because we believe in completely focusing on a patient’s outcome.

When did you realize that you wanted to be a doctor and why?

I was an art student and in my junior year of liberal arts school. My art professor suggested I take anatomy and physiology courses, where I learned about the muscles and the bones and the structures of the human body. I started these courses literally within two and half terms of graduating with an art degree. I walked into my anatomy class, and on the first day… I can remember the smell of the lab, I can remember everything; the lighting, where I sat in the classroom… the light bulb went off above me. I want to be a doctor. I grew up in a household of doctors, but I never considered being a doctor. I’m a fourth generation VanderVeer physician, and the only female physician in the lineage.

So you think the artistic background got you into aesthetic medicine?

I do. The canvas that I now use is the human face and body. There is nothing more intimidating to me as an artist than a blank canvas. The first brush stroke is the hardest. Now that I start with the human form—you are given some shape, some structure, some elements to start with. When speaking with a patient and hearing what they want, I can visualize in my mind a picture of them 6 or 12 months down the road. I think that an artistic eye does help me as a cosmetic physician. But not very many of us are true practicing artists with a degree in art.

When did you begin to have an interest in aesthetic medicine?

The field of cosmetic medicine was just starting in the early 2000s, and I was a patient of this particular center that I now own. I was early in my career as a resident, meaning I was earning less than minimum wage. I needed a supplemental income. I told the owner I was looking for work, and he offered me a part-time medical director position. At first it was first 3 to 5 hours a week and that was just enough to help me pay my bills. As the medical director, I supervised procedures making sure that patients were taken care of and reviewed the charts. I had been trained in Botox®, Dermal Fillers and laser medicine and really had fallen in love with it.

One day, after four months, the owner took the money out of the business and moved out of State. I was left holding the bag. For me this was just a part-

ABOUT HEALTH time gig. I could have either walked away or take over the practice. I decided to stay. I honored all the packages that had been paid to the center’s owner.

Because I was taking over the center with all these patients, I considered it my start-up costs. Then I purchased the lasers, I assumed the lease site, and I did what I could to reassure our patients of the best quality care.

What about the ongoing training that is required?

The techniques and medicines?

I take my annual CME credit hours that I need in cosmetic medicine. I attend numerous medical societies’ seminars, and I lecture at the seminars, too. I do basic scientific research in my office and present those findings at international conferences. Most of the studies focus around laser medicine or cosmetic medicine. I hold the patent and method patent for non-surgical rejuvenation, and I presented those results all over the world.

I am a faculty member of multiple medical societies, and other organizations, where I teach physicians about this specialty. I am also a luminary and trainer for multiple laser and pharmaceutical companies. I also teach doctors and other medical professionals how to inject all of the injectables that we have, like Botox, Restylane and Radiesse. I love to teach, that was one of the best things I learned in residency.

How is it being a physician and business person?

Most physicians are not natural born entrepreneurs.

We usually advocate that to someone else. This is

gon children go hungry everyday? That astounds me, and while I admire people that do things to help these children, we’ve got to do more. I also work with the Breast Cancer Foundation at St. Vincent Hospital to provide breast cancer patients free removal of their radiation treatment tattoo. It’s important to me to also provide my time to these organizations: the YWCA of Greater Portland, The American Heart Association, Komen Foundation, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

How do you find balance being a doctor, businesswoman, community volunteer, and a mom?

When my boys were young, I tried to be supermom and serve lunch at the schools and read to the children and do things like that. Now that they are teenagers the focus is on being home for them by having dinner every single night together—without electronics—just us, t, talking about our days and what is going on in our lives. I want to connect with my boys. I want to know what’s happening in their lives and I want my boys to be at home – my personal goal is to connect with them every day.

“the external is representation of the internal” truly my third career—first was in business in Manhattan in non-medicine cosmetics, second was in art, and then the third is medicine. I come from a business background prior to going to college.

While I was going through med school I worked in my mother’s solo practice. I’ve got a good business background and I have great advisors. You need to surround yourself with people who do things better than you. I have a good group of professionals, accountants and staff, who run the business so I can concentrate on patient care. Being with a patient is where the magic occurs. It makes me want to get up in the morning.

Do you do a lot of community and charitable activities?

I will always be involved in helping non-profits advance their mission and providing financial assistance. My primary focus is non-profits that help children, especially hunger issues. Did you know that one in five Ore-

It’s so hard to balance all the requirements of life. In my case, the raising of my children—teaching them and watching them grow has been the most lifealtering part of my life. I have grown through their growth. I’ve realized that children’s needs aren’t that different from anyone’s. Adults, we become more guarded and more calculating in how we articulate what we want. Kids just tell you.

What do you do to get away from everything and relax?

My favorite recreational activity to do in the world is scuba diving. There is no pager, there is no cell phone. It’s quiet. You only hear your own breath. You see this incredible beauty you would not see on the surface of the earth. You’re weightless, which is a pretty spectacular feeling. It must be what it’s like being an astronaut floating in space. And even if you’re not a gymnast you can

do somersaults in the water. Unfortunately, I only go diving once a year.

I like to write, I like to cook, I like to see nature’s beauty, I like all colors, I like spring flowers. I love the Oregon climate, and music moves me. I am very passionate about music. I love to hear my children play the piano—it fills the house with music. They also play in their own garage band.

The best way for me to recharge my batteries is having a good night’s sleep. We all must make it a high priority; it’s a necessity, not just a luxury. A good night’s sleep makes all the difference. After I have that good night’s sleep, I reward myself with an incredible cup of coffee.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten about anything and want to pass on?

From a physician mentor, “VanderVeer, take pride in your work.” From a colleague, “You can’t do too much Due Diligence.” From my mom, “Hug your kids everyday.”

What would you say is your inner drive for success?

My inner drive for success is wanting to be a part of people’s lives in a positive way that in some way enhances their life.

Describe your ‘About Face’ moment.

It was in 2004. I was at the Oregon coast; I was doodling trying to come up with a brand for my new medical practice. I was doing all these drawings and I finally came up with the concept of “Art/Artist/ Canvas.”. It shows the transition of my life from a practicing artist and painter to a practicing physician with the human canvas. That brand has defined me for the last seven years. It is very much the way I approach life. I have the right medical training, I have an artistic eye and a great canvas to work on each and every day, and that’s really the whole circle of my career. -AFM-

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photo Tim Sugden

photo Tim Sugden

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ABOUT ART

Fire It Up

by Jenn Dawson

Korey Gulbrandson “If there’s a goal to what I’m doing, I’m there,” explains thirty-eight-year-old Gulbrandson. Working out of his garage at home and largely self-taught, the artist currently employs a method that might be called sculptural painting. Gulbrandson begins with a wooden canvas, which he texturizes by distressing or inscribing using various tools. Next, layers of acrylic paint and various gels and additives are added to layers of wax and a torch is applied. The layers are left to dry, and the end result is an abstract, enigmatic visualscape that perhaps finds more resonance with the subconscious than words are apt to describe.

For this artist, life’s philosophy merges amongst layers on canvas. “What I’m doing is not complicated; I’m a simple guy,” he explains demurely.

How did you get your start?

I was sitting out there on the patio watching the afternoon happen—that’s when I was living over on 17th and Lovejoy and First Thursdays were becoming a thing. There weren’t a lot of people at that point, and it wasn’t regulated.

There were only a couple people down on a single stretch of sidewalk at the time because it was kind of a new event.

math. That was my first real sale. And I kept painting because that’s what I did.

Left there, went down to Arizona and then back up to Wyoming and we stayed there. I supported us for the trip—paid for the gas, bought the place to stay, and she said, “You just stay here and paint, because I know you can make a living at it.” And I never really thought about it. Crazy, what are you talking about?

I just goof around with this stuff. How could I make a living at it? But she just kept telling me that. She planted a seed in my head.

I just decided to throw everything in my canvas—you know, like Santa Claus— everything I’d been working on, and go down there because I was broke. I didn’t even prop everything up and in the first five minutes an older guy came up and thought two pieces would be cool in his kid’s room. He said, “I want those, how much?” and just caught me off guard. I said, “I don’t know, 75 bucks a piece?”

“Sold. I’ll meet you for soup tomorrow,” he said. So you know, I went to the café the next day and he cut me a check for 150 bucks. And I sold more and that was it, that night. Every month, that’s how I made my living.

Is that primarily the way you sustain yourself now?

When was that?

Why painting? What can you express through painting that you can’t express using another medium?

It was probably ’99 when I started doing that, maybe ’98. Yeah, it was just a real surprise. It just kinda happened. People would just come back all the time to see what I had made new.

Was that the moment when everything changed for you—when you realized you could make a living out of painting?

A couple of years before that—I went down to Arizona. We just got in the car and drove, my girlfriend at the time and I. I worked up at Mt. Hood. I was painting up there. Actually, I sold a big batch of paintings to a friend of mine. He had a settlement, so he had a bunch of money all of a sudden. I was painting all these little trees and he loved all of them, and so he bought them all. He probably ended up paying $156 per painting, or something like that when we did the

Yeah, ever since that guy bought those first two little paintings. That was it.

Never went back. It’s always a roller coaster though, no matter what. It’s always an up and down. But the lows are lower now and the highs aren’t as high.

Where’s art now? It’s way down on the list of needs, isn’t it? People want to make sure they’ve got gas in their car. My stuff’s pretty fairly priced. I think that’s the only reason I’ve survived.

I was really intent on Realism, you know. Like let’s say a glass of water—all the light refracting everywhere. If you stick a spoon in there, it bends, and I was just fascinated with that. And I’d draw, and I think my eyesight went bad you know because I ended up getting that laser surgery a couple years ago. I was nearsighted for forever because I think I was just so intent on making everything perfect.

But then I ended up—I painted with oils for a while, and that was cool, I suppose. But then I ran out of them and I didn’t have enough money to buy more.

So I started with acrylics. I told everyone I’d never mess around with acrylics cause the colors weren’t there. They don’t pop. And as soon as I went to acrylics I realized that everything was really quick, and you could stick a fan 31

ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

“I build it up and then break it down and beat the shit out of it.” on it and make it dry fast. It was awesome. Make a mark and you can keep truckin’. You don’t have to wait around. And then I all of a sudden just loved that. I have layers of latex, essentially, sheets of latex, and then you put it in between layers of wax, and then it just gives you this crazy texture that I love.

What benefit does the added texture provide to your paintings?

I don’t know where this actually comes from—it seems as though when my mom would drag me around every weekend all weekend to antique stores, I got an appreciation for things that are just beat up and worked-over. They have character. I mean people are kinda going down that road nowadays it seems with faux finishes and whatnot, so other people must appreciate things that are tarnished and worked over and antiqued in a sense, you know.

And you start with a wood canvas that you construct.

Yeah, I’ve got so many layers, and I attack each piece. So, I’m carving into it, beating it up and so yeah, I need wood. I need a wood surface that’s real firm.

How do you decide on the dimensions?

It doesn’t matter—I’ll go buy all the plywood in big sheets and just chop them up. I mean, a commissioned piece, of course you need certain dimensions, but other than that, it doesn’t matter. In fact for me, larger is easier because you have more room to mess around. If you make a mistake, you have other things to lean on. The painting will tell you what to do, and you can look at all these other wonderful parts of it and get rid of what you hate and rework it. But with a small piece, you make a mark and that’s it. If you don’t like that mark the whole piece is gone. So I like working on things that are at least three feet across probably.

And you add heat as a part of your process?

Oh yeah, I torch everything throughout the whole process. I mean there are multiple layers of gels and mediums—there are a lot of different things that I use, and [ones] you can’t use; I build it up and then break it down and beat the shit out of it.

And—know when to stop. I got this damn tattoo a couple of years ago, trying to remind myself that less is more. I used to do too much all of the time and I’d have to cut them up. But I’m learning now, when to stop. It’s almost like too much spice in the soup. Some pieces can take more ingredients and other ones just can’t. And usually more ingredients means there’s too much activity. You can’t live with it in the end; it’s too worked over. And so there’s a whole bag of tricks that I use—molding paste and gels… maybe I’ll use three [elements] in this piece, and maybe this piece will take four of these, maybe this piece will have just two elements. And so each piece is a little different.

How do you think your native roots in the Northwest and your travels over the last ten years reflect in your work, or does it? Does location matter?

I don’t suspect it matters. I like all different types of painting. I suppose— let’s say, I lived in the Southwest. I’d probably be moved to maybe paint the scenery because I really like the emptiness of the desert. I can’t see myself painting mountains and trees and lakes, but maybe the desert would get me going. I like going to Eastern Oregon where there’s just empty expanse and lots of sky. Maybe if there were any type of environment that would move me to do something else, maybe it would be that. So, maybe it does make a difference.

But other than that, I don’t venture to say because everything I’m doing is abstract. One piece just leads to the other. I don’t even know if I’m inspired from the inside or the outside. One piece tells me what to do with the next piece. Because I want something and I’m searching for that thing, I just keep darting out to create another one that gets closer and closer and closer to what I like.

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So is your work more of a journey then? Go with it and see what happens?

Yeah, absolutely. You know, if I describe my encounters with my pieces and everything I do, what it involves—the discoveries, the letdowns, the struggles—it’s just like life. If I describe my painting process to other people, I find that I’m just talking about life. I mean, you go through the same experience doing anything. Hopefully you’re just doing what you love to do.

Does this make any sense? I mean, it’s a mystery to me too, it really is. I never know what I’m doing or where it’s going. It’s kind of—I say this to a lot of people because it’s the best way for me to describe it—you know what direction you’re going, but it’s kind of as if you’re following a wall, but that wall is curved just barely enough to where you can’t see around the corner until you take two more steps (or two more pieces), and then you can see around the corner but the corner keeps going. So you gotta do the next piece and then the next piece and then the next piece, and then you can see around the corner. But just standing there, unless you move forward and keep looking, you don’t know.

Explain your interest in contrasts. I see strong edges and oftentimes, at least two different contrasting colors—one really bold, and one lighter or negative.

The last couple of years I’ve been simply focusing on really honing in on the technique and just trying to rediscover it, I guess, and learn as much as I can about what I’m doing and where I can apply it and how you can blend things together. I dropped the collage. I might go back to it, I don’t know.

The contrast—I don’t know, you got me. It’s just so it’ll pop, I guess. There’s more drama in it I suppose. I’ve been doing a lot of black and white lately.

That’s as contrasting as you’ll ever get.

So do you start in one area of the painting and then move outward, or do you work here and there, or is it more of an all-over kind of movement?

Let’s say you have a big piece, and then the left side you like a lot. So maybe I’ll try to recreate that in a larger piece. But in doing that, you learn a lot because every time you stab out and try something new—I’m always trying to turn the corner. So, I’m always learning, and you always have to edit. You’re trying something you can’t put a label on because you want something. So you end up going down the same paths. You’ll make the same mistakes. But then you’ll realize, well, you can’t do that anymore. That’s how you learn. I don’t know if you learn as much from making what you like as making what you don’t like. That’s where you really start to figure it out.

I know you started out when you were young with drawing and sketching, and then you started painting in high school. Do you begin a painting with drawings or sketches?

No, there’s no sketching. I mean, I’ll sketch out ideas, just little line drawings.

But they don’t really help me when it comes to the painting itself. They just get my brain rolling to a certain direction. Maybe I’ve got an idea, but I’m not pre-drawing any kind of a painting. One thing leads to the next. I just throw down some color and it says yes or no all of the time.

You make a decision; then it says yes or no. If it says no, you try a different color.

What kinds of tools do you use?

I use an ink brayer, mostly. It’s just a rubber roller, real smooth; it’s what they use for ink printing. It just rides the peaks in the painting. And I always rub in a lot of black or dark brown, or whatever. That will sit in the valleys—something that makes it look beat up.

So do you use anything else besides the ink brayer?

Oh it goes on and on. I use squeegees, all sorts of brushes, a lot of metal tools (carving)…

ABOUT ART “I don’t know if you learn as much from making what you like as making what you don’t like.”

Yeah. The hardware store is a great place. You’ll find just about everything you need at the hardware store, really. You just go in there with ideas and something will tell you what to do. Art stores are kinda spendy. I haven’t bought tools in a long time because I think I already have what I need.

How long does it take to do one of your paintings?

Well, it depends on what I was using. Because there’s more porous stuff, there’s less wax or more wax, or more sheets of paint in the center—it all depends. I’ll have layers drying; they’ll have to dry overnight, or maybe over a couple of days. Sometimes I’ll be working on 5 or 6 at the same time.

And then just keep rotating. Some take weeks.

Some I completely give up on, then I’ll pick them up three months later and start again. Some of them I can do in a day.

They don’t look like they were done in a day!

Do you have mentors?

There are just a couple people. Antoni Tàpies, from Spain—he’s a super popular guy from the ‘50s. His books are kind of hard to come by. There are a few big volumes that have passed through Powell’s, but they’re about 90 dollars apiece. I bought thinner books of his and there are only a couple of pieces in there that really get me. I would love to have them hanging on my walls. This guy would use sand and earth and mud. I think he would take windowpanes or something like that and make an imprint—just really raw. I think I’ve thought about his work more than anybody else’s. I used to think of [Robert] Rauschenberg with all his imagery, random imagery. But I don’t mess around with the images much anymore.

The classic, old guys from the ‘50s, you know.

Continued on pg. 85

photo Tim Sugden

Usually, they take about three or four days. That’s pretty typical. There’s all this prep work—you gotta do this, this, this, this. And so if you’ve done that, and then you finish one up that day, then you prep another one before you’re done for the day.

You know, kind of like Henry Ford and the printing

press. Make sure you do that, then you’ve got this one over here, then you keep rotating. And then you crank one out about every two days. I used to do one every day, but God, that’s draining.

photo Tim Sugden

Man made tools.

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ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

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photo Tim Sugden

Briana Borten

ABOUT BUSINESS

The Art of Relaxation

by DC Rahe

As the owner of one of Portland’s more recognized day spas and wellness centers, Briana Borton demonstrates that it is possible to blend business success with a healthy lifestyle. Not a typical businesswoman, Briana comes from an artistic background. When you walk into The Dragontree Spa, you see her artist’s touch everywhere, in every detail. And whether you’re meeting Briana for the first time or walking into one of The Dragontree’s two locations, you will instantly feel at ease.

One of the keys to Briana’s success is her strong committed purpose and passion for her business.

Being a successful entrepreneur also takes an outstanding support system. Briana has that with her husband, parents, family members, friends, staff, and mentors. Her parents and her life experiences have helped to shape her vision, strength of will, and determination. Further, all of her hard work has led her to become a model for the community. For the past year, Briana has had the honor of serving as President of the Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon.

How are you managing in this challenging economy?

We are grateful for our clients. In the eight years that The Dragontree has been opened it has attracted the most amazing, sweet and loyal clients anyone could ever serve. I believe, in this economy we have provided a sanctuary from stress for our clients and they have kept us thriving. What a great relationship! We’ve shown people that what we offer is real health care, something that matters most during hard times.

We have lotions, soaps, shower gels, and a line of tinctures, all to be added to our other products that we offer.

ing. I didn’t realize the healing benefits of massage.

After awhile I started to ask her about her technique and process.

When did you develop an interest in massage therapy?

So she was basically your first massage teacher, giving you an understanding of the whole philosophy behind message therapy?

Recently you’ve added a spa location in the airport terminal and also new product lines?

While I was in art school in Washington I was in a car accident and broke my neck. The doctors wanted to fuse my vertebrae together, which is a pretty intense surgery. After which, I would have had a halo screwed into my skull. My mom who was a nurse and I disagreed with the doctors; we wanted a second opinion. They didn’t want us to get a second opinion at first.

In the last few years a lot of opportunities have become available to us, and as a businessperson you have to know when to hustle. You can’t wait until everything in the world is lined up just perfectly before taking action—or you would be waiting forever.

I mean, we have all felt the crunch in some way, but when we are at the spa it is an absolute “Economy Complaining Free Zone!”

We got a new doctor who put me in a SOMI brace.

It wrapped around my body and held my head still.

I had to be careful because it could move on me. I was released to my mother’s care, and she owned Hospice For Utah. I’m really grateful for my mom, and I was with her for about three months. After a month in the SOMI brace I could get up and go round the house.

You have a new retail product—the Imbue Pain Relief Patch. Where did this idea come from, and how do you plan to introduce it?

As soon as I could be on my feet, I moved back to Montana to live with my dad. He and I are very close.

I wanted to get back to normal as soon as possible. I got my old job back at the coffee shop I worked at in a high school. I had to be there at six in the morning and I couldn’t drive, so I walked one mile there and back even when it was snowy and cold every morning. I remember thinking this is what my mom says about building character.

Yes, we are really excited about our new product. My husband Peter and I have worked for years with people in pain and have used all sorts of liniments and herbs to help them. Peter is a genius herbalist and loves creating formulas for people. Last year I was at a golf tournament speaking with golfers about The Dragontree and I dropped a massage chair on my foot. Man, it hurt! By the time I got home I couldn’t walk on that foot. It was swollen, and I was in a lot of pain. Peter put me on the couch and applied an herbal poultice that he had concocted. It was amazing! Within one hour the swelling was gone and the pain was minimal. By the next day I was back in heels without a trace of pain! That is when we realized we needed to get this out into the world to help with people’s pain. In addition, we are launching a whole new line of products this month as well, so it’s been busy!

What other types of products are you launching?

Besides walking to work while in a whole body brace, did you do any physical therapy?

I’ve had a few neck problems but had a lot of acupuncture and massage to resolve that. I had bad reactions to painkillers so I couldn’t take anything, but I had a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders that was causing me a lot of pain. I went to a massage therapist two times a week. She would work around my brace, mostly to relieve the tension in my shoulders. She did a lot of energy and cranial sacral work to realign things. It helped me so much. I went from severe pain to little noticeable pain. I had no idea that massage could be used in that way. At that time in my life, I thought massage was just about relax-

ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

Definitely. In the beginning I was interested in the energy work. She spoke of trigger points—that it was important to incorporate them with the entire massage. We spoke about realignment and its relationships to pressure. I learned about firmness—to work very slowly while not pushing against the body.

Working with the body you can go deeper. She also helped me learn to breathe, which helped relax my muscles.

Is that when you decided to go to massage school?

Not right away. After seven months of wearing the braces and working in the coffee shop in Montana, I finally got them off. I felt free, so I went to Europe.

How did your experiences in Europe influence you?

I spent most of my time in Czech Republic. That country is just amazing and super friendly. Their hospitality is significantly greater than what I have felt in the States. Perhaps it was just the people I met, but they established connections so quickly.

They were so warm and welcoming.

And their architecture—especially in Prague, such a beautiful city—I loved how walkable everything was and that it was all local and centered. That was especially true in the very small town in which I lived called Český Krumlov. It had stone streets and everything was close by. I don’t think I left a five-block radius for about a year. Everything I needed was in that the community. I loved living there, meeting new people, and finding out about different cultures and religions.

Did you go back to art school?

No. My passion is painting, but I love all art. I think it comes from my father, who is an artist. At school I decided early that I’d be a graphic designer, but the accident changed everything. I still use my arts

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“the accident changed everything.” background in my business—from the interior décor of our spas to the design of our marketing materials.

Tell me more about your father the artist. Did he inspire you?

He is a wonderful musician, illustrator and painter.

His art style is realism and cartoon. I was inspired mostly by his process. There are other artists that inspire me, too, such as the powerful architecture of Frank Gehry. His art is amazing and he is one of my major inspirations. While walking along the streets in Italy, there are always people painting. I used to stop and watch their process, then return later to see the finished work. Those street artists inspired me in a different way.

Do you have any mentors?

My mother is an amazing entrepreneur and has been very successful. She started Hospice For Utah and Hospice of Missoula. I’ve been able to really glean a lot from her amazing wisdom, like keeping your vision, standing firm behind it, and letting other people align to it rather than bending at any moment. My business coach Kathie Nelson—she is my advocate and cheerleader. She has guided me with creating systems and structures. Also, Spike Bailey, my Small Business Administration advisor, he has been an excellent resource in regards to marketing and finance.

When did you open The Dragontree Spa?

I graduated East-West College of the Healing Arts in 2000, after which I got a job at the local spa. I had a lot of great ideas to improve the spa and often encouraged the owner to do things differently. She eventually told me in a loving way that I should go out on my own.

With a business partner, we started The Dragontree while I went back to study at the California College of Ayurveda (a traditional medical treatment native to India). I also had a new boyfriend who eventually became my husband. After about a year and a half I bought out my partner. Then my boyfriend moved his acupuncture practice into the spa. When we got married I gave him part of the business, then a year and a half ago, opened the spa at the Portland Airport. We have been in business for over ten years.

You’re originally from Montana. What do you think of Portland?

I love Portland, a beautiful lush place compared to Montana. It’s amazing to live here especially when all the flowers are blooming. I love the uniqueness of all of the neighborhoods. We live in southeast, but enjoy visiting other neighborhoods—it’s like a little vacation in your own city. I love that, and its convenient proximity to the ocean, Mt. Hood and the Gorge.

How did you end up joining the Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon?

I had a client who was a member of the group and invited me to a meeting. It was a great experience and really seemed very collaborative. People really cared about each other, really helped build each other’s businesses, not just by actually going to them and referring them, but there is also a huge educational component. I was 23 when I joined that group. Most of my friends were bartenders and waitresses and they were not starting businesses. It was really useful to join a group at that time in my life.

Now you’re the president of Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon?

36

Since I joined nearly ten years ago, I have volunteered in many positions for Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon. I have been nominated many times to be the president, and I always turned it down. The president right before me was very passionate and very organized. I wanted to wait until I was ready to put in as much time and energy as she had done. When I finally did accept, I was ready to thrive in that position and really help the organization thrive. It’s like running a lot of little businesses with all these dynamic women. It has taught me a lot about running a bigger organization as well. It has been a privilege.

You’re now running a business with two locations, you’re the president of Women Entrepreneurs, you have a husband and a child—how do you do it?

You know it’s hard sometimes. I have one adorable three-and-a-half-year-old girl. She is very sweet and I just love her a lot. It’s difficult being a mom, but especially if you’re working. You always pull tight when you’re with them, but feel like you should be working more. So that part is really difficult.

I really like to be with her, and we just have such a good relationship. I really enjoy everywhere we wander and I feel rather lucky to be in the position that I’m in. For the first year and half of her life she was with me at the spa all the time, so we got to spend that essential time together. And now she comes to see me at work and everybody knows her.

And, I have a great support system. My husband is amazing. I think that he is from another world. He is just so generous, kind and loving, and he really is so supportive of me all the time. We have an awesome relationship. I feel like I have a lot of really good friends, too. And my family—I have two sisters and a brother and I’m really, really close to all three of them. And my parents, my husband’s parents, and my husband’s uncle have been so supportive of us, and really are there and help me every step of the way. -AFM-

SERVICE

by Deborah Haynes

That is the Question To Shellac or Not to Shellac.

The party line: Vote yes: Everyone loved how long it lasted & its super glossiness. Vote no: The majority said it was terrible to get off.

The company line: CND, creators of Shellac say there are a lot of copycats and that’s when you get nailed badly. This is the original. Your nails will be glossy for 14 days and it’s easy to remove. Do not soak the nails in a bowl of acetone or file off. Go to a CND certified salon to get it done right.

The girlfriend line: One of my gal pals Shellac’d for her Mexico trip and fell in love with it. Her nail job lasted longer than the cabana boy.

The bottom line: Worth it or not? If you’re low maintenance but love painted nails then this is for you. Commitment phobic? Stick to tradition.

Kiss & Tell I don’t like lip plumpers that burn. Is there one that works with no burn?

Is it true that I should wear a different scent in the winter versus summer?

No pain No gain…is so yesterday. Lip Fusion is now. I swipe it on every morning. Even after drinks when gloss is gone the microencapsulated collagen keeps your lips moist, full and luscious for hours. Try Fusion’s Sexy, a sheer red that’s universally flattering and delivers a perfect pout every time.

Wear what you find delightful. Although it’s true that when the temperature drops scents get deeper, more complex & warmer, a tropical splashing can be your fragrance vacation. Try being an alchemist: layer your perfumes. Spritz a deeper (think spicy or woodsy) scent first then top off with a lighter (think floral or green) scent. My layering scent is Amber.

Coveted by Cleopatra, modernized by YSL’s infamous Opium perfume. Amber is essential for winter fragrance layering like a cozy cashmere scarf.

I’ve got spider veins and have been thinking about getting treatment.

What’s the recovery time like?

Gone in a flash, literally. Today’s lasers are effective and have very little downtime. You’ll need to keep those legs covered for about a month so the posttreatment bruises can fade away. Lucky you: it’s winter. The time of year your legs rarely see the light of day. If you’re going to do it, seize the moment.

$38 Lip Fusion Blush Beauty Bar @ 513 NW 23rd Ave

Necessary Indulgence

Opium can be found at The Perfume House @ 3328 SE Hawthorne St

Amber oil can be found at Escential @ 3638 SE Hawthorne St

Attention busy women-at-large: Shut down the multitasking tools, silence the voices and kick off your heels, it’s pamper time. Treat your feet to a professional soak and massage. Your mind will calm and you’ll be brought back from the edge.

My top 3 picks: Barefoot Sage 1844 SE Hawthorne, The Dragontree 2768 NW Thurman, Blooming Moon 1920 N Killingsworth.

Beauty devotees tell me all your fancies & ask your questions here: lipservice@aboutfacemag.com — Be Sparkling, Deborah

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nine stars of interior design written and styled by Becki J. Singer

It’s no secret that Portland is a hot spot for design. We have art, craft, and innovation in spades. So it should come as no surprise that Portland’s interior design world is every bit as cutting-edge as the rest of the city’s creative scene.

From beach hideaways to urban hangouts, we’ve scoured the Rose City to find the best interior design work of the year.

As you’d expect, Portland attracts the best of the best when it comes to hip, irreverent designers. But there is also a fair crop of traditionalists creating calm, luxe spaces with all the sophistication you’d expect from your favorite Architectural Digest regular. Narrowing our list was the only tricky part; talent just seems to be in the water here. These nine designers run the gamut from alternative to tailored, from neon to neutral. But the spaces they’ve created are anything but ordinary.

In our first annual Interior Design Issue— perfectly timed for the season when all you want to do is cuddle up indoors— you’ll find our favorite projects of the year from nine of our (many) favorites in Portland’s interior design community.

You’ll also find their best tips and tricks for beginning a project with a designer or starting one on your own. Whether you find the perfect designer to use for your next remodel, or spy a few ideas to recreate on your own, these pages are packed with inspiration.

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Alissa Pulcrano + Leela Brightenburg bright designlab

A

lissa Pulcrano and Leela Brightenburg may be the “new kids” on Portland’s interior design scene, but their two-year-old fresh-faced design firm, bright designlab, is already making an indelible mark on the city.

Brightenburg, a native Oregonian, studied in Florence, Italy, before returning to her roots to earn her degree in interior design at the Art Institute of Portland. Pulcrano, by contrast, is a California transplant, but has proudly called Portland home for more than a decade.

Together since 2009, the team wasted no time in tak-

ing Portland by storm. Their projects are bold, unexpected and distinctive—it’s hard to miss their bright, modern take on industrial design when you step into a space they’ve designed.

Describe your design aesthetic in 5 words or less. Modern, industrial, unexpected, art + function.

Please give us some details on the project we’re featuring. This was for a small bakery in the Pearl District. Our task was to create a European-style café to complement the amazing Parisian edibles at the bakery. We played with a mix of French 60’s style and a modern punk aesthetic, using the warmth and contrast of reclaimed barn wood.

Where do you begin when starting a new project? What’s the first step? We begin by getting to know our clients, and familiarizing ourselves with the space.

Then we overload our brains with images for inspiration and, with pen in hand, start scribbling and engage in a collective brainstorm.

What tips do you have for someone interested in completely overhauling a room or a house? Trust in your designer. Let your personality weave through the design. Mix textures.

Don’t let fear stop you from pushing out of your comfort zone!

What about tips for a more modest update? Use vintage finds, or seek out interesting items around the house, and stage them together in a vignette for a focal point—it can really refresh a space. Above all, believe in the power of fresh paint!

What trends in design are you most excited about now? Industrial Bauhausinfluenced pieces and saturated color.

Re-use of unexpected objects in modern ways.

What is feeling passé/overdone to you?

Putting a bird on it.

What do you love about design in Portland? It’s young and fresh-faced and we just want to squeeze it.

Photos this page Leela Brightenburg

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ABOUT DESIGN

Richard Codanti bella casa

A

sk Richard Codanti to tell you when he began designing, and he struggles a bit. The truth, he admits, is that he’s probably been a designer from the start. “Even as a child, I loved changing things in the house and in my own space,” he says, “creating things out of something else. I was always trying to give a room more of a designed characteristic instead of being just a space.”

With a lifetime of design under his belt, it’s no wonder Codanti’s style trends toward the traditional. However, contemporary accents keep his spaces feeling fresh and decidedly elegant. A Portland local for nearly thirty years, Codanti has a particular talent for designing spaces that create enough warmth and richness to see his clients through even the rainiest Portland winter.

minute you do, it changes the whole ambiance of the room.

What trends in design are you most excited about now? Mixing different aesthetics—traditional, contemporary and modern—to create a unique look. I try to keep my clients looking as if they’ve traveled the world to find all of the pieces in their home.

What is your favorite unexpected color palette? I never thought I would, but I really like muddy grays lately. There are some wonderful warm grays now that go so well with other colors, especially pops of bright color. They are a beautiful contrast to the blue grays in Portland’s

natural element.

Since it’s the holiday season, what’s your favorite go-to gift? Definitely things you aren’t going to buy for yourself. I love to give a scent for their home or something they can use in entertaining, so they think of you whenever they use it. And a really great lighter—no one ever has a cool lighter, so I love to give one that looks great just lying out on the table.

Photo Jeffrey Horvitz

Tell us about this project. This Pearl District loft is a second home for the clients and their adult children to use as a vacation spot, so they wanted something totally different from their main residence – a space that was clean, uncluttered and very “finished.” It’s a great space because it gives the feeling of traveling somewhere else and being out of their element.

What are some of your favorite ways to transform a room on a budget?

Get a beautiful fireplace screen! The Photos this page Richard Codanti

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Garrison Hullinger

garrison hullinger interior design

L

ooking through Garrison Hullinger’s immaculate portfolio, it’s easy to see this is a designer who accepts nothing less than perfection. Every project feels impeccably pulled-together, fresh and elegant, with not a hair out of place. It’s almost too good to be true—until you hear how Hullinger got his start in interior design.

After years providing technical and design expertise for big-name retailers like Neiman Marcus and WilliamsSonoma Home, it was Hullinger’s hobby as a “serial remodeler” that proved to be his calling. “My partner and I had completed the rehab

of yet another home in San Francisco,” Hullinger says. “Our realtor asked who we used to stage the house. We both laughed and explained that it wasn’t staged – this was how we lived. He whipped around and said, ‘You should be doing this with other people’s money.’”

Hullinger took the agent’s advice, and founded his eponymous design firm in 2006. He has been bringing his signature style—along with his real-world understanding of the budgets, time lines and potential rewards of great design projects—to clients in Portland ever since.

Please give us some details on the project we’re featuring—location, owners,

approach, etc. A beach house in the Pacific Northwest is different than a getaway in a sunny spot. I wanted to utilize the elements of surrounding nature to inspire my color palette, while adding pops of color that would invigorate the soul in an area that gets 82 inches of rain a year.

What tips do you have for someone interested in completely overhauling a room or a house? Have a list of musthaves for your project, as well as a list of non-negotiables (for instance, you have to keep your grandmother’s hope chest in the house), and make sure you voice your opinions along the way. If something doesn’t seem right, it’s okay to make adjustments.

What are some of your favorite ways to transform a room on a budget? Wallpaper! I love how wallpaper can add some drama, and help draw attention away from something you dislike in the space.

What do you love about design in Portland? My Portland clients understand that buying something of quality for their home really does translate to being sustainable. That pushes and inspires me as a designer to look to our local artisans and craftspeople for amazing products.

Photos this page Blackstone Edge Studios www.blackstoneedge.com

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ABOUT DESIGN

Andee Hess

osmose design

A

ndee Hess is something of a wild child in the world of design. Modern, innovative, and irreverent, Hess is intent on creating projects that make you stop and think. Her work teems with clean, linear spaces full of depth, mystery and an almost masculine energy. She is one of few designers who doesn’t feed on the value of natural light in a space. In fact, she seems to almost prefer the shadows.

You’re most likely to know Hess’ tonguein-cheek mod style by her work at the landmark Doug Fir lounge on East Burnside, but her résumé is packed with projects that speak to her signature style.

Viewing the work in her portfolio feels more like a visit to a modern art gallery than an interior designer’s studio—but something tells us that’s exactly what she’d want to hear.

obscures its presence. Once the door is slid aside, a richly detailed, forcedperspective, wood-paneled room is revealed. Panic’s founders commissioned this room as a cozy contrast to the modern architectural environment of the rest of their space.

How did you get into the world of interior design? When I was 11 or so, I accidentally dripped a trail of blue paint all around my bedroom carpet. Not only did it create a fascinating drippy swirl, it also produced dramatic responses! I learned an amazing lesson in how powerful and impactful your environment is, and how much we are affected by it.

What tips do you have for homeowners wanting an easy update for their space? Start with lighting. Lighting has the power to completely transform a space, control how it is experienced and what the focal points are.

What do you love about design in Portland? Portland has so many incredibly creative people! I like to encourage my clients to get involved in their environment in some way—I love being surprised by new approaches.

Describe your design aesthetic in 5 words or less.

Compelling. Expressive. Rad. Please give us some details on the project we’re featuring.

This secret room was designed for Panic, Inc., a software company in SW Portland. The “Panic Room” hides behind a 12-foot drywall door that effectively

Photos this page Chris Hodney

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Joelle Nesen maison inc

J

oelle Nesen, founder and principal of Maison, Inc, knows a thing or two about multi-tasking. She was in the process of building her business while pregnant with her daughter. Intent on finishing what she’d started, Nesen signed Maison’s incorporation papers from a hospital bed—the day after giving birth.

Nesen’s tastes tend toward opulent traditional with a twist (see, e.g., Michael S. Smith and Thomas O’Brien, her industry favorites), but she never loses sight of the details that have made her style a signature in the design world. Gilded mirrors,

ornate lighting, and lush textiles and finishes bring a palpable warmth to all of her interiors. But all this opulence is balanced by clean lines, classic shapes and a few modern pieces thrown in for good measure. The end result is a space that feels luxe, yet inherently easy and approachable—much like Nesen herself.

Describe your design aesthetic in 5 words or less. Classic with a modern mix Tell us about this project. This project was for a young family in West Slope.

The client wanted traditional formal living that could also be family-friendly.

But she is also young, so she was looking for that twist in the details that makes

the room sparkle. And the kids read in this room every night, so it needed to be a warm, inviting space for them as well.

What are some of your favorite ways to transform a room on a budget? I think the most cost-effective way to create a fresh, luxurious, energetic style on a budget is with gorgeous designer pillows and lamps. And a seagrass rug never hurt anyone!

How should a client go about selecting a designer? Look at websites, get referrals and have a meeting. The designer should be interested and communicative, well-versed in your type of project, be able to interpret your ideas and have your best interests in mind.

What trends in design are you most excited about now? I’m inspired by color that starts in fashion. Lately, we have been into blending colors from the same family together to create an edge. Coral, orange and a soft, burnt brown, for example, or navy, peacock and kelly green.

What is feeling passé/overdone to you?

I am so over mirrored furniture.

Since it’s the holiday season, what’s your favorite go-to gift? Candles, hammam towels and a great book.

Photos this page David Papazian

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ABOUT DESIGN

Matthew Boyes & Frederic Koeleman cielo home

T

raditional can feel like a dirty word in the Portland design world, but in the hands of Matthew Boyes and Frederic Koeleman, traditional becomes something truly special. Classic with character and a bit of kitsch is the best way to describe their approach to design. Their typical approach is to ground a room with traditional bones, then dress it up with a unique color palette, generous doses of unexpected accessories, and a tongue-in-cheek attitude. The result is a space that feels somehow warm, classic and modern, all at the same time.

someone that you could become friends with. Some of our dearest friends were clients of our store first. Years later, they are the friends that we see every week for dinner, whether we are working on their homes or not.

Describe your design aesthetic in 5 words or less. Collected, comfortable, welcoming, traditional, unpredictable.

Since it’s the holiday season, what’s your favorite go-to gift? Diptyque candles and John Derian’s decorative de-

What trends in design are you most excited about now? I think that people are more confident in mixing styles, periods, and colors. Just like in fashion, it is the rise of individuality. Who wants their house to look like you ordered it all from a catalog?

coupage pieces are always great gifts.

What do you love about design in Portland? Portland is a wonderful community of creative, educated and traveled people. They are curious and openminded. We love that they share our passion for supporting local and artisanal concepts.

Please give us some details on the project we’re featuring. This project was completed for the 2011 Atwater Place Designer Showcase. Many people that are attracted to condo living are looking to downsize from larger, more traditional homes, but they miss the warmth of their previous lives when they move to the Pearl or South Waterfront. We help them utilize their collected furnishings that often have sentimental value, in the setting of modern or more urban living.

How should a client go about selecting a designer? Any tips for finding the perfect fit? You should feel like this is Photos this page Tim Sugden

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Jessica Helgerson

jessica helgerson interior design

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essica Helgerson is known for her clean, uncluttered and functionfirst aesthetic. When evaluating a new project, Helgerson says her first step is always a pragmatic analysis of the space itself—determining what layout and style will allow the space to flow and function at its best.

But

all

that pragmatism isn’t to say Helgerson doesn’t like to have fun. After all that careful planning, she loves to layer fresh, contemporary elements into a project to give a sense of comfort and elegance, and to provide clients with details that make the space uniquely theirs.

Helgerson is also committed to green design, and embraces any opportunity to push the envelope of sustainability, from incorporating alternative heat and energy sources to bringing new life to reclaimed building materials. In her personal life, Helgerson continues to embrace the sustainability she espouses at work. She and her family of four are currently testing the limits of family togetherness by sharing a 540-squarefoot cottage (remodeled using almost entirely reclaimed materials) seated on five acres of farmland, growing and raising nearly all the food the family consumes.

What can you tell us about this project?

This house is located in Brush Prai-

rie, Washington. We wanted to create a bright, open and airy space for this young family of four, along with a warm, cozy den for family to gather.

Where do you begin when starting a new project? Space planning! The space has to function well and be a pleasure to move through.

What trends in design are you most excited about now? I really like vertical gardens, especially the work of Patrick Blanc. www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com What is your favorite unexpected color palette? I like to go with the feeling of a room rather than fight it. If a room is small and dark, don’t paint it a sunny yellow—go for charcoal grey. If a ceiling is low, amazingly enough, a dark grey or black will help it recede and disappear.

Since it’s the holiday season, what’s your favorite go-to gift? We’ve been doing lots of pickling and preserving.

In a pretty jar with a nice label—I think that’s always a nice gift.

What do you love about design in Portland? I love all the amazing craftspeople and artists here that we get to collaborate with. The creative talent in this town is unbelievable.

Photos this page Lincoln Barbour

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ABOUT DESIGN

Kricken Yaker vanillawood

K

ricken Yaker is the interior design expert behind design/build firm Vanillawood. Partnered with husband James Yaker, the pair has quickly become one of the hottest design duos in town. In addition to her considerable residential portfolio, Yaker recently completed stunning commercial interiors for Trader Vic’s return to Portland, and the hip, modern vibe at Blowout in the Pearl District.

Yaker’s sustainability-focused style typically blends open-plan urban living with functional comfort and luxury. Living, organic elements are key details in all of her projects—whether it’s adding a row of aspen trunks to breathe life into a living space or brightening a clean, white room with touches of live, green moss, Yaker looks for every opportunity to bring organic outdoor elements to even the chicest indoor spaces.

Where do you begin when starting a new project? What’s the first step?

I listen to the client to understand their needs and wishes. I think about their lifestyle and how we can create a space that will capture and reflect what’s most essential about the owners.

What are some of your favorite ways to transform a room on a budget? Don’t be afraid of change. Pops of color, a fun piece of art (there is great affordable art out there to be had), and wallpaper can really breathe new life into a space.

What trends in design are you most excited about now? Sustainability. Function and design are critical, but it’s also

important to feel good about how things are built.

What is feeling passé/overdone to you?

Formal rooms that only get used a few times a year. Design needs to be approachable and inviting, not forbidding and admired from afar.

What is your favorite unexpected color palette?

I’m currently having a love affair with neon, taking cues from street graffiti. And I will never get tired of metallics.

A little bling is good for the soul.

Photo Erica Ann Photography

Please give us some details on the project we’re featuring. This is a classic colonial home in Portland Heights that was built in 1920. From the outside, it’s traditional old Portland, but the family is anything but. Stephanie Kjar and Adam Roth are a young, active family with three kids and a killer art collection.

Our job with this project was to bring the family’s warmth, personality and style to life.

Photos this page by Josh Partee

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Sue Augustyn

said - sue augustyn interior design

S

ue Augustyn doesn’t have to look far to find inspiration. Truth be told, it surrounds her. Augustyn’s relaxed, eclectic style is informed by years of scouring museums and flea markets throughout Europe and Mexico, as well as a lifelong commitment to supporting local artisans here in Portland.

All of this experience has given her a unique eye for perfecting that elusive high/ low combination. Augustyn strives to combine modern and vintage pieces to create an aesthetic that truly reflects her client’s taste and lifestyle.

Augustyn began her design career more than twenty years ago, creating window treatments, bedding and other interior details from her home. She sold her designs to the trade for years before finally opening her own studio and design showroom in 2003, where she continues to provide her signature blend of sophisticated, livable style to clients throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Describe your design aesthetic in 5 words or less. Vintage, modern, artful, collected, comfortable.

Please give us some details on the project we’re featuring—location, owners, approach, etc. This project is a river-

front condo overlooking the beautiful Willamette River. One of the clients is an artist, so it was particularly fun to collaborate with her on colors for the space.

We also wanted to incorporate new pieces of furniture to blend with several beautiful pieces handcrafted by the client’s father.

How should a client go about selecting a designer? Any tips for finding the perfect fit? It is really important to find a designer that you feel listens to your dreams for your home. Don’t be afraid to interview several designers to find the one who you feel you connect with. You will be sharing a lot of your personal life with this person!

What trends in design are you most excited about now? I am excited to see furniture scaled down to a more realistic size, rather than huge oversized pieces that take over a room.

What is feeling passé/overdone to you?

Red dining rooms!

What is your favorite unexpected color palette? Grey, camel, turquoise and offwhite.

Since it’s the holiday season, what’s your favorite go-to gift? I like to give a beautiful throw. We have so much chilly weather in Portland, a throw is a perfect gift, and they come in every price point.

Photos this page Josh Partee Photic Photographic, www.photicphotographic.com

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FRENCH QUARTER LINENS Portland Pearl District 1313 NW Glisan St. Portland, Oregon 97209 503-282-8200 frenchquarterlinens.com 51

ABOUT TOWN

Fashion Week

Backstage Pass to Portland

by Deborah Haynes PDX Fashion Week. I was there. Backstage taking it all in.

In the midst of your typical flurry of backstage activity, the color of Portland fashion emerged and it was green.

Photo by Jai Soots Photography and OSI Photography

Eco-showcasing was the running theme. Seth Aaron’s vision was part recycled plastic bottles, part London’s Underground and a touch of Warhol all blurred together.

Or was it recycled plastic bottles that he found in London’s Underground? Regardless, the collection was spot-on.

Eco-conscious faces ranged from pretty to plastic. Aaron’s models wore an oval-shaped beauty mask made from recycled plastic bottles and a black bobbed wig, also fashioned from recycled plastic.

Anna Cohen’s inspiration came from local Imperial Ranch whose sumptuous organic yarns were the spirit of design for hair and clothing. Ms Wood’s shoe collection utilized vintage wood in her very now platform design. I can’t wait to get wrapped up in her custom-made ribbon platforms.

Designer Lizz Basinger Photo by Joey Stalone & OSI Photography

Backstage looks like designers, hair and makeup artists, models in 5-inch platforms, assistants, reporters and organizers squeezing past each other in a small space with blinding lights. With many hands, designers watched their creations come to life and hoped their collection would have a sustainable impact.

PDX Fashion week because of you, we’re inspired to take our fashion to the green side, true to Portland style.

Photo by Jai Soots Photography and OSI Photography

Photo by Jai Soots Photography and OSI Photography

Designer Bryce Black Photo by Joey Stalone & OSI Photography

Baby Footprint Jewelry

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P O W E R OF PURSE

THE

G I R L S I N C P O P. C O M

Chelsea Cain

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ABOUT BOOKS

Stumptown's Serial Thriller

by Chris Young Climbing the concrete stairs to “the house that Heartsick bought,” you may step around a child-sized mass lying discarded on the porch. The pale violet coloration may be due to the ever-wintry nights, besides, who knows how long it has been neglected since the rains began.

But, upon closer inspection, it may just be the purple bicycle of a six-year-old girl, the kind that might have a clamorous bell and a white basket affixed to the front. As soon as you notice a pair of training wheels on a nearby patio table, the excited yips of two anklesnorting Boston terriers greet you through the glass door.

Welcome to the petrifying, SE Portland house of New York Times bestseller and thriller author Chelsea Cain.

Penning gruesome tales of serial killers, Cain has written four bestselling thrillers in her Gretchen Lowell Series, but she points out that she may be the only “serial killer fiction” writer who does so with a pink Disney pop-up palace in the corner of her third-floor, attic office. Publishing almost a book a year since 2007’s debut Heartsick, Cain likes to refer to her genre as “detective fiction,” and with her fifth book now completed, she’s already beginning to nurture the seeds of book six, ready to “watch it grow,” as she puts it. “There’s not a story I want to tell any more than this one,” she swears.

But remember, her four-part series which also includes Sweetheart, Evil At Heart, and The Night Season, is the sadistic saga of a psychopathic, violent, female serial killer (named after her childhood elementary school) and the cops who hunt her—all conceived by a smiling, sociable wife and mother. But it’s possible that these all-too-common designations make Cain even more apt to write murderous thrillers... along with a few other peculiarities.

A childhood adoration of Nancy Drew alone will not craft a serial thriller. More morbid childhood fascinations with forensic pathology and disturbing medical texts help, but so does having a “formative serial killer of your youth” and presiding over the neighborhood pet cemetery. Cain’s thrillers are engulfing page-turners with a cinematic quality, which she calls her “big love letter” to British cop shows. So when she says, “My life is very much defined by movies, and also by TV shows, good and bad,” she means it. She married her local video store clerk and there’s a Gretchen Lowell film in the works. She has the ability to “get away with a lot” while terrorizing her audience just enough to enthrall, crafting thrillers that are guilty pleasures for all parties involved.

A NW native, spending her childhood in Bellingham, WA, Cain first came to Portland under “dark and muddy” circumstances when her mother’s cancer had metastasized. After trying to leave on several occasions, she’s not only found a home in Portland but also the setting for her bestselling thrillers—from the isolated corners of Forest Park to the flooding Willamette River.

“I had to come back enough times that I was choosing it rather than circumstances forcing it on me,” explains Cain.

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ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

What about Portland kept bringing you back?

I think I have a pretty violent imagination.

It’s why I’m a vegetarian. Even as a little kid I always loved those books that would show pictures of terrible tumors and conjoined twins and things that could go wrong. When I would go out walking I would always keep an eye peeled for a dead body.

There was something essential about this place. A lot of it is the natural beauty. And there’s something in my books that explores this feeling, in particular to the Pacific Northwest, of the danger and beauty of our surroundings. Many people move to Portland and sacrifice financially, but they live here because they want to be here and be a part of all that this city and the area have to offer. So they go up on the mountain and they’re killed by avalanches or killed by sneaker waves at the coast; they drown in currents, they get lost on timber roads, and I love that. And then new people put on their jackets and go out into the forest the next day. I think that the metaphor of the danger of beauty is very much at work in the serial killer I write about in my series.

Or roadkill?

Yeah! When I found roadkill I would always want to bury it. I had a pet cemetery.

I thought all of this stuff was very middle of the road until people started asking me questions... actually I was kind of a macabre little shit [laughs] now that I think about it. But thriller writers are some of the happiest, funniest people I know and I think it’s because: one, we’re very well compensated, and two, we get it all out on the page. There have been times when I’ve been stuck in traffic trying to get over the Interstate Bridge, and the only thing that stops me from going ballistic is knowing that I can murder someone later that day. I can take all that—

Portland plays such an important role your in writing, not only as the place where your stories are set but also with regard to the events that happen in your novels. How much of your writing is based on real life events or actual experiences you’ve had?

A lot of it is based on real life. The whole Vanport backstory is all true in The Night Season, and the present-day flooding is based on the 1996 floods, which I was here for and paralleled my mother’s death—as she was dying the city was flooding. That probably influenced me a lot. But I wrap in a lot of what I love and know about Portland in the books.

And in my version of Portland there are a lot of serial killers [laughs], and yet I hope that I still communicate a real love of this city despite that. I love that in my books—all of these people are being murdered right and left, there’s a new serial killer in town every two months menacing Portlanders, but in the book people still feel lucky to live here. I think that speaks to a certain sort of Portland spirit.

Have you ever thought about choosing a different location as the setting?

No. I think this is such a great location. It’s a pleasure to live in a city that makes a great setting for these books because if I get stuck I can just walk to a street corner and look around. In the next book, book five, there are some scenes that are set in St. Helens. I’m trying to get out of town a little bit but not too far [laughs].

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In your writing?

No, no. Literally. [Long pause]... in my book!

[Laughs] I can take all of that rage and I can find some really creative way to kill somebody.

"My mind goes to murder sooner than most people's. So, I think I'm in the right profession."

I saw a blog post you wrote that said, “Don’t put the word ‘heart’ in the title of your book if you want lots of men to buy your book.”

[Laughs] Right. And then there’s that.

There’s an inherent contradiction in Chelsea Cain. How does a polite, buoyant.

[Laughs] Buoyant? Ouch.

Do you have a title for the next book?

No, no, you’re very cheery.

No. I have some working titles, but not one that’s set.

I know, I get this a lot [laughs].

Will it have the word “heart” in it?

So, how does a friendly, warm mother and wife come to write about a twisted serial killer?

I’m actually trying to decide if I should go back to “heart” or not in the next book. Gretchen Lowell is back, but we moved away from the “heart” thing with the last book.

I used to think that this stuff went on in everybody’s head and I was just writing it down, but I think that that’s not right [laughs] based on the small sample size of people I’ve polled.

So, how many of your ideas come from pent up personal rage?

Oh, I get ideas from all over the place—a lot from the Metro section of the Oregonian actually. Just the weird little paragraph stories that you see about the demented way people behave in public toward one another. I think that my mind goes to murder sooner than most people’s. We’ll be talking about something and I’ll immediately think, how can that be used to kill somebody? So, I think I’m in the right profession [laughs].

As you sat down to write the first book, Heartsick, were you planning on writing a thriller? Had you ever written anything that gory before?

No. When I first sat down to write that book I was pregnant with Eliza, so I definitely think hormones were to blame for part of that. I came up with this idea and started writing it, but I actually had a contract to be working on another book, Confessions of a Teen Sleuth, a parody of a Nancy Drew book. I think part of what drove me to write Heartsick was that it was something that I wasn’t supposed to be doing. I wrote the first half of it without even telling my husband I was working on it; it was totally this book on the sly. I kept working on it and after a year of editing, I became a lot more attached to it and started seeing it as a series because I had all these ideas and I didn’t want to ruin that first book by cram-

ABOUT BOOKS

ming them all in. I took, what I considered at the time, a great personal risk by writing it as if it were going to be a series in the sense that I didn’t answer a lot of the questions. You can say you want to write a series but publishers kind of like to throw one out there and see how it does before they agree to sign a contact for multiple books.

Have you ever regretted writing certain details in a previous book because you want to change something in the current story?

Oh God... constantly! Here’s my advice to anybody out there who’s thinking of writing a commercial thriller series: Don’t ever mention a date. That is my greatest regret in Heartsick. I had all of these dates and once you do that then you are tied to them forever. You’ll notice as the books go on I become more and more oblique about time... “It was about two years ago...” [laughs] from whenever you’re reading this.

You began writing your first novel while pregnant and, amazingly, finished it after giving birth to your daughter.

Yeah, Eliza was a baby in the bassinet asleep by the desk as I was finishing it.

Did being a new mother influence or even change the ending of your first book?

Umm, no. Maybe it should have [laughs]. And she’s—for the record—a very well-adjusted child [laughs].

Because it is a story about teenage girls being brutally raped, mutilated and strangled before being ditched in the Willamette River.

Yeah... I think it will be harder to rape and mutilate teenage girls when Eliza is a teenage girl.

Until then, frankly, they’re thrillers; teenagers are fair game. But I think it certainly will be harder. When she’s thirteen I doubt I will be murdering thirteen year olds.

Or maybe you’ll have more material to work with?

Right. I’ll be murdering scads of thirteen year olds! [Laughs] There’s something about pregnancy; my husband and I took these classes at the hospital before Eliza was born and they’d show these childbirth videos over and over again. They’re really graphic bloody, gory videos in which nothing ever went right. There’s that aspect to pregnancy, something kind of essentially violent to it. And there’s something about the way that your body changes that I think definitely changed my relationship to gore.

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In what way?

When you’re pregnant and certainly when you have a little baby, your life is all about body fluids. You know, it desensitizes you in a way that’s very natural. You’re just up to your knees in it all the time. In some sense that may have been why I was able to be as graphic as I was in a way that I didn’t really even see. When I sent that book in my agent made some comment about it being “graphic” and I wrote back, “Really?

Graphic? Moi?” [Laughs] I wasn’t aware of it because my world was very graphic. The books on pregnancy I was reading were much more graphic than anything I was writing.

Tell me how the Green River Killer inspired your first book.

I was watching this episode of Larry King in the middle of the night and he was doing this show on the Green River Killer. Having grown up in Bellingham, he was sort of the formative serial killer of my youth.

[Laughs]

I don’t think I have a formative serial killer of my youth.

I’ve only just now learned that other people don’t have formative serial killers of their youth. I also have a favorite serial killer, John Wayne Gacy. Some people probably haven’t thought about this. I was ten when they found the first bodies, so growing up he was just the thing that went bump in the night. As kids we thought that it was quite possible that each of us might be his next victim. I was very aware of them finding some new victim every couple of years and that there was this task force of people looking for him. That narrative just played out on the periphery of my childhood.

They caught him 20 years later, and so I’m watching this and it’s all sort of coming back to me.

On Larry King they had footage of one of the cops talking to Ridgway [the Green River Killer] in an interview room, and I was so struck at just how convivial it all was on the surface, that they seemed like old friends, laughing. On one hand, they were two guys who had known each other for 20 years on different sides of the same case. And on the other hand, there were all these levels of manipulation and this high-stakes agenda, and I loved that from a narrative point of view. I immediately thought, wouldn’t it be interesting if the killer were a woman? Because it adds that sexual complication, and that is where the idea of Archie and Gretchen sprang from.

So, I have Larry King to thank [laughs].

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Technology is really changing the publish-

ing world right now. Do you know how many of your sales are electronic?

Evil At Heart, which came out two years ago, was 11% ebook sales. A year and a couple months later The Night Season came out—52% ebook sales. [Imagine] that growth in a year, and sales for The Night Season were way up. In my genre, ebooks do very well because people really want to read them right away but they don’t need to keep them.

I have very mixed feelings, like every author. I think ebooks are great—it’s content. We’re not in the business of selling paper, right? We’re selling content. It gets people content and makes it easy for them to read books. I worry a lot about bookstores because bookstores are where record stores were ten years ago. Just like there are still some really cool record stores, there’s still going to be some really cool bookstores but there’s going to be 90% fewer out there.

People get to choose now with their wallets which bookstores they want to keep. We’re already making a choice by ordering from Amazon rather than walking six blocks to Powell’s or some other independent bookstore. And that’s fine, but I think people need to be aware that they are making those choices.

Favorite bookstores?

[Laughs] That’s a very political question for me. I grew up in Bellingham, WA so Village Books is not only one of my favorite bookstores, but I literally spent hours there every day. My mom had a garden nursery right next door. When I was a kid, they just let me sit there and read books for hours every day, so I owe them a great debt of gratitude. The smell of downtown Powell’s when I walk in that store—there is no more beautiful elixir to me, all those used books. That is my favorite smell in the world.

What’s your place in the literary world?

Do you ever see yourself writing something besides thrillers?

Writing a “real” book? [Laughs] No, I’m very happy here. I don’t have a nagging desire to write something “important” because I wrote that book. I was 23 years old. It was called Dharma Girl. It was a valentine to my parents, and especially my mother. She died two months before it came out, and touring with that little book was a way to keep her alive a little longer. I am lucky to have found a place in the world for that book when I was so young. Now I get to entertain myself. And I get to murder people for money. Why would I ever want to do anything else? -AFM-

Gift Guide

THE

Recycled Objects made by the locally gifted.

Isabella Necklace with Earrings

Chain Necklace

by Mark Ireland

by Jesse Utte

The Isabella Suite is a double strand, gemstone and repurposed crystals bead necklace with paired earrings. Multi-colored crystal stones adorn a vintage circa 1950 pendant. $795. More info at tonyalan.com

Each piece from this local jewelry line is made from vintage elements from decades past, discovered during the designer’s travels around the country. $65. More info at www.etsy.com/shop/jesseutte

Sew Askew Hat

by Teddy McCanna

Individually crafted using reclaimed sweater fabric and vintage buttons, buckles and jewelry embellishments.

Inspired by 1920-40’s vintage fashion and asymmetry. $45. More info at www.sewaskew.etsy.com

Steel Shoe Sculpture

by Micki Shampang-Voorhies Size 8 woman’s steel stiletto embellished with castoff springs, barbed wire, and steel. $150 to $200 each.

All designs are one-of-akind. Contact the artist at diana.voorhies@gmail.com

Soy Wax Candles

by Molly Muriel 100% soy wax candles are lightly scented with essential oils and burn cleanly with a cotton wick. Each candle is hand poured into repurposed vintage glass bowls, goblets and dishes. $32. More info at www.mollymuriel.com

Stuffed Pals

by Lily Cook

Heirloom-quality animals made from a minimum of 50% recycled materials. $25. More info at stuffedpals.com

Felted Handbag

by Kathy Kinsley Felted handbag with flower. Repurposed wool sweaters that are washed multiple times in very hot water. $45 from felt. like.it.designs. Contact artist at feltlikeitdesigns@gmail.com

Whimsical Birdhouse

by Mason Brown

A local landscape designer who utilizes found and re-claimed pieces to create one-of-akind homes for our feathered friends. $59. More info at www.thearrangementpdx.com

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photo Tim Sugden

ABOUT HEROES

Bellman of Hope and Dreams

by Jamie Mustard

Huy (pronounced WE) Nguyen’s mother escaped Vietnam on the last day of the war during the fall of Saigon in 1975. Her own mother sent her back into the city from Saigon Port on a bicycle to find her 3 remaining family members—her father and two brothers. Evading North Vietnamese patrols both ways, she returned with her younger brother atop her handlebars. She was just 17. Later that evening with several of her immediate family members still missing, Tu-Anh Phan, along with 150 other refugees, set themselves adrift into the black of the South China Sea… Huy Nguyen’s life has been about honoring the sacrifices of his mother, leading him as a bellman at Downtown Portland’s Monaco Hotel, to creating one of the largest local toy drives in America.

I’m curious, so why toys instead of a vital necessity like food?

What is Metro Toy Drive and where do the toys go?

What is it like, on a human level, to give a kid a toy?

On a human level, toys feed the souls of children.

Metro Toy Drive is a non-profit organization that collects donations, toys and books for kids yearround. What we do with the toys is we give them to other organizations that can reach out directly to families in need, and, we act and serve as a promotional advocate to help raise collections and drive action within the community.

It is incomparable, it really is. You are giving to a child something that only they have a full appreciation for. When you are a child, the most exciting thing, the most motivational thing in your life, outside the love of your parents, is usually the toys that you receive. Someday they will grow up, and the hope and the happiness—or lack of it—that they experience as children will have a huge impact on what they become. The generosity of others, to some degree shapes who these kids are and their values. Believe it or not, it gives them something to believe in. They will always remember it. Think about the toys you yourself received as a child and try to imagine your past without them.

What’s it like for parents not to be able to buy toys for their kids?

I have seen cases of shame, sorrow, tears, as well as depression. I think most parents, when they come to the realization that they cannot provide for their children with something as simple toys during the holidays, it hits them in profound way.

Do you feel like you have something to prove either to yourself or your mom? I mean, do you feel burdened or pressured by her sacrifice?

Well, my mom raised me to be the best that I can be, to take advantage of every available resource that’s been given to me. My mother having been a refugee from Vietnam, shared a lot of stories about what she went without growing up, having only two sets of clothing throughout her entire childhood. She lived in a household that would struggle every day. It makes me reflect and think about the advantages that I had growing up here in America. I have the opportunity and the freedom to pursue my dreams.

Was the recession the specific catalyst that caused you to start the Toy Drive?

It happened during the holiday season of 2009.

I was sitting down at the kitchen table with my mother. At that point my real estate business—I was a real estate broker for almost five years— started to take a dive with the economy and there were many months where there wasn’t a paycheck. Instead of just rolling with the wave of the down economy, I told my mom that I wanted to do something to help out, that I wanted to do something to really connect with the community. So I asked my mother and her suggestion was, “You should do something for kids.”

I connected with a local toy drive charity and started volunteering for them. Eventually, I decided to start my own organization and broaden the scope.

Tell me more about how the recession impacted you personally and your desire to start the Toy Drive?

It made me take a really introspective look at myself, my worth, what I was capable of. Sales went down. Income started to disappear, and then regular paychecks that a realtor would expect back during the boom disappeared. At that point it makes you think and realize—wow, am I really

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ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

photo Tim Sugden

ABOUT HEROES

living within my means or are my means changing now? Or, what is the point to my life?—there is going to have to be some changes here.

Did your business actually fail?

I wouldn’t say that it failed all on its own. There are people who can succeed, and then obviously there are those who are still thriving today in business; but to me it wasn’t the return for what I wanted to do with my life. It made me think, is this what I want to continue on with for my life, to pursue? And it wasn’t for me.

Do you feel that the recession and the drying up of your business was a blessing in disguise?

Yes. I absolutely agree with that. I believe that without a doubt.

Why? My life is definitely different now. In reflection, it is better overall. The income isn’t there, but the purpose is. The results of what I do on a day-to-day basis, on a weekly and monthly basis—to make a difference—is something that I am proud of and that I can talk about. When I was completely in the business of selling homes, it was great to have more money, but nowadays… Now I sit down at the dinner table with my mother, I meet with friends, I sit down with you, for example, and I chat and I discuss the Toy Drive and what it does to help others—and that is something I am very proud to bring to the conversation. I didn’t get that reaction from being successful in real estate. It has really changed the way I look at life.

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How has it changed you?

It is something that doesn’t escape your mind. You don’t forget it. Once you’ve given a toy to a child, and you’ve given from your heart and walk away with that emotional high, and the look on their parents’ faces… I’ve never experienced that in selling a house or doing a real estate deal.

Do you think that other people that have been hit hard by the recession, if they went out and found something like this where they could give of themselves and get a response, that it would help them in a spiritual way and would improve their outlook on the future?

Absolutely. I absolutely believe that. A toy drive is— it’s so special. And the fact that it’s so simple to do, yet the results of what a person receives by giving isn’t comparable to a lot of other things in life. It fills you and it makes your financial status seem trivial.

During times when work is not out there, volunteering is one of the best ways of moving forward.

It keeps you fresh, it clears your mind, it heightens your creativity and it makes you productive so you feel good about yourself. That kind of person gets hired.

I’ve seen people who experience the recession complain and wallow in it, saying, why am I going through this? and they think that the world owes them something. Then there is another group of people, who say, well, I don’t have anything right now, but I am going to go out there and make a difference regardless, and I am going to see if I can help out my community. I am going to go out there and do something.

Buddhism advocates the relief of suffering. In a huge, huge way the Toy Drive really does that for kids. To alleviate the emotional stress that families are going through, to reduce human pain, is in line with my beliefs. That’s really what it’s all about.

Even as volunteers, at some point or another they are eventually going to be gainfully employed again.

But now they have something that they have worked on that they can be proud of, that they can share with a potential employer. Yes, I was helping on a great cause, even when I was perhaps being affected by the recession and work wasn’t so plentiful. But they are doing something productive nonetheless because that’s what work is all about—bringing value into your marketplace. By volunteering, you are still bringing value into your marketplace by helping others who can’t help themselves.

Are there any similarities with being a bellman and running a toy drive?

What is it about your mom’s influence that most drives you?

Your family is Buddhist. How has this shaped your worldview?

Ultimately, service to others is the greatest reward in life.

Are there other ways in which those hurt by the recession can benefit from volunteering?

I know that she has never ever given up herself in life despite all the challenges that she has gone through, and there have been many, starting with a war-torn environment. If a woman is that strong and incredible and can keep going on even today, I can’t see myself not giving it my all.

Continued on pg. 86

THE

Recycled Objects made by the locally gifted.

Gift Guide Bellows Camera Clock

Leaf Earrings

by Chris Giffin

by Bryn Swain

In 2010, Chris was featured on OPB’s Oregon Art Beat.

The clock is made from an old camera and found objects. $250. Contact the artist at giffin@peak.org

Hand cut from bicycle inner tubes to create simple, charcoal-grey silhouettes of hedge maple leaves. Each earring measures just almost 2”, from the top curve of the ear wire to the bottom of the leaf. $20. More info at www.gloomstopper.etsy.com

Cuddly Critters

by Corinne Stefanick Made from recycled cashmere, merino, and other wool sweaters that are washed in hot water and shrunk. They are washable and stuffed with fiberfill (11” tall). $18. More info at www.etsy.com/shop/corinnescrafts

Silk Necklace

by Jen Goff

Designs are inspirited by the natural world. Ethnic textiles and modern minimal design concepts. Made from recycled sari silk/brass/Ethiopian beads. $68 from Paper Wings. More info at www.paperwingsjewelry.com

Odds-n-Ends Table

by Jay Moody

Glass and steel end table (20” long x 12” wide x 26” high; 80 lbs) $275 from Jagged Edge Studio.

More info at jaggededgepdx.com

Popcan Top Bag

by Andi Yage

730 popcan tabs, pink & blue aluminum rings, fabric-lined interior, ribbonlined strap, and a magnetic closure (7” tall by 11.5” across, with a 56” strap) $90. Contact the artist at andiscreations@juno.com

Birdhouse

by Frank’s Bird House Made from reclaimed woods and accessories. These homes can be opened for cleaning. $38, more info at localdiscoveries.net

Leather Cuffs

by Trilby

Wrap your wrist in a colorful swatch of super soft, recycled leather!

These cuffs are reversible, with a different color on each side. $39 at www.etsy.com/shop/trilbymade 63

ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

photo Tim Sugden

64

ABOUT HEROES

Rachel Bristol

Feeding the Hungry

by Mara Storm Rachel Bristol’s supreme organizational skills and passionate dedication have helped provide balanced nutrition to hungry Oregonians for nearly 30 years. Nevertheless, as CEO of Oregon Food Bank, Rachel must be realistic about the larger picture. “No matter what we do, it’s still just a drop in the bucket!”

Rachel and the OFB extended network actually carry two humongous buckets. One is near capacity, providing over 80 million pounds of food to about one million hungry people in Oregon and Washington County, or 90% of their work last year. The other bucket accounts for about 10% of their work, but the need in this bucket is even greater than the first. Although both are specific to OFB’s unique and audacious mission—To eliminate hunger and its root causes—the profound complexity and enormity of the issue of the root causes of hunger is one that remains largely unaddressed.

Rachel is a nationally recognized anti-hunger advocate. Among 450 advocates around the country, she received the 2009 Dick Goebel Public Service Award. In 2009, she was awarded Portland Business Journal’s Most Admired Oregon Non-Profit CEO, and in 2004, OFB was recognized as the Most Admired Oregon Non-Profit.

I understand your advocacy has produced new benefits for Portland that address a root cause of hunger?

Thank you, yes. Through Multnomah Food Policy Council, we advocated to increase Learning Gardens to help feed the hungry. Commissioner Fish just announced a commitment to start 1,000 new Community Gardens in Portland by 2015. Also, our county chair recently turned an east county lot into a Learning Garden, with the produce designated to the OFB network. One root cause—so many people have left the farm that we’ve forgotten how to grow our own food and its nutritional value.

Tell us about the Learning Garden program and it’s impact.

We run this program each summer across Oregon. Our volunteer coordinator staffs the gardens. Anyone can volunteer. Follow-up studies reveal 80% of participants continue using skills they’ve learned and eat more healthily. The produce is donated to the hungry in each locality. One man that was invited by a volunteer was an isolated retiree. Now he is revitalized, has a meaningful role, and a new community!

Here’s a favorite story about a vacant lot on N. Williams Avenue where drug addicts and prostitutes would hang out near our old office. Our staff worked the neighborhood asking, “What will happen if we turn this lot

into a community garden?” People started coming out of their houses, getting involved in gardening and talking to each other. Children and adults helped plant, harvest and share the produce. The whole neighborhood turned around!

This is community development!

Yes, it addresses my no-brainer question when I started food banking 29 years ago: How can communities develop when people don’t have adequate nutrition? I wish root cause work were a larger part of our work, but OFB cannot be all things for all people. However, we hope these stories will inspire others to help neighborhoods in need.

This is only part of your commitment to fresh food. Tell us about Fresh Alliance.

We piloted Fresh Alliance, a retail recovery program, which has been adopted nationally by other food banks. We pick up, repack at OFB West in Beaverton, and distribute huge volumes of surplus fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat and seafood—fresh and frozen—throughout our network.

and distributed 82 million pounds of food—a 10 million pound increase over the previous year. From this facility 45 million pounds went to the Regional Food Banks (RFB) we own in NE Portland, Beaverton, Ontario and Tillamook, and 37 million came to 16 independent RFBs, all of it for distribution to partner agencies throughout Oregon and Clark County, Washington.

Who are all these partner agencies?

Half of them are emergency food programs, pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens, many run by churches. And half are non-profits with feeding programs that asked us for supplemental food because rising food costs and loss of public funding meant they couldn’t feed their needy populations without help.

Can you breakdown for us where last year’s donations came from?

The donated food OFB network served came from: public food drives, 15%; food wholesalers, retailers and growers, 49%; purchased food, 13%; and USDA (Federal Department of Agriculture), 23%.

Please describe this network.

What influences formed your passion for the hungry? Were you ever hungry?

OFB doesn’t give food directly to hungry people.

We are the hub of a network of 950 partner agencies who feed the hungry. Last fiscal year (July ’10 to June ’11), our network collected

No, but my dad’s stories were a big influence.

He ate frogs and turtles and lived in a one-room house with six older sisters. He went to work at age twelve, when his father died, to feed his 65

sisters. He is certainly one of my heroes. Both my parents came from families used to not much, but were never hungry because they stayed close to the land.

My mother and grandmother were very influential. Avid readers, they talked politics and had opinions! So, I loved reading and went to college and was first in my family to graduate.

I also went through some unemployment and terrible sickness that helped me really feel for people going through tough times.

How long were you unemployed and sick?

When I moved to Portland, I was unemployed five months. At another time, I was so sick my recovery took three whole months. When I left the hospital, a friend and her mother took me in.

But too weak to be any help to them, I decided to apply for food stamps.

I lived in Tualatin and had to drive to Hillsboro to get in a line at 5:30am, standing for four and a half hours to get a number to return in three more hours for an interview! But driving to my parents’ house in Hillsboro, my blood sugar dropped. I broad sided another car and never made the interview.

Going through difficult times yourself definitely lends a greater perspective towards what you do. How did you get into food banking?

In 1983, I applied for a VISTA volunteer job at Oregon Food Share (OFS). Before I started, OFS had lined up 16 RFBs and asked VISTA volunteers to place a volunteer in each one. One of my jobs was coordinating the volunteers.

How did Oregon’s food boxes become fresh?

Initially, it was serendipitous. In December 1982, Ronald Reagan’s Christmas gift to the hungry was to release federal commodities. Ten truckloads a month came almost daily in my first three months, full of cheese, butter and powdered milk. For private donations, we found and sent trucks to the regions to unload packed food into boxes, and we then distributed them through food banks. I was so amazed there was always surplus food and that farmers, retailers and wholesalers were eager to donate it. My nobrainer was: Prevent surplus food from wasting— provide it to hungry people!

What were some of your obstacles to timely food distribution then and now?

In ‘83 we had no warehouses, refrigeration, or trucks, so public distributions happened here.

But in ’84, the feds appropriated funds for transportation and proper storage of surplus food. This enabled us to lease our first warehouse, sharing its 10,000 square foot space equally with Interagency Food Bank (IFB), and to distribute food to the regions.

In 2001 we built this [OFB Headquarters], our main 108,000 square foot facility in NE Portland.

A second warehouse—OFB West—opened last year in Beaverton. Today, we own 20 refrigerated trucks, have refrigeration in all 20 RFBs, and are again near capacity in distributing food. For a decade our efficiency has drawn other state food banks to tour our facilities and learn our programs.

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What accounts conditions?

for

your

near-capacity

In ’88, two agencies, OFS and IFB, merged creating Oregon Food Bank. Our huge growth and capacity is all about necessity—hunger keeps growing! Even with all we do, it’s only a drop in the bucket compared to the need.

How many people are served monthly and annually?

We serve over 275,000 people each month. One million is an estimate of individuals our network served Emergency Food Boxes to last year.

Especially the last two weeks of each month. The number rises dramatically when food stamps are gone.

Is there a difference in people served now than those served before 2008?

People more like you and me make up the additional 75,000 people, compared to 200,000 per month before 2008.

What is the make-up of those you serve in a year? How many are looking for work?

Last year, the largest group—52%—was households with children. Teens 17 to infant were 33% of the people served, and 32% of adults were working full or part-time, some with two jobs, but still unable to feed their families. Another 28% were looking for work, disabled, 20%, caregiving, 5%, and retired, 13%.

What does one food box contain?

One average OFB network box feeds a family of four for four days, or about 48 meals, and contains fresh dairy, meat and produce—such as potatoes, vegetables and fruit—in addition to staples, like rice and beans.

Describe Oregon’s hunger need today.

In Oregon, half the school-age children are eligible for school feeding programs, and 30% of all children are hungry. This concerns me most: despite our best efforts and federal food programs like food stamps, 6% of Oregonians report they still go hungry annually, and nearly 25% of Oregon’s adults experience hunger— since 2008!

What other challenges do you face this year?

After the recent 25% drop in food industry donations, we expect a 9 million pound loss of TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) federal donations. Individual donations make up 60% of our funding. We hope more people will give financially this year, because we’ll need to purchase more food to supplement these losses.

How much food do you purchase?

Since food costs and need rose in 2007, we’ve purchased about 20% of the food we distribute.

That’s one heavy load!

It is 90% of our work and only eliminates hunger for the moment. The flip side is, we’ve lulled people into thinking charity can fill the holes created by those who can’t or don’t pay taxes.

That’s why your root cause work, your mission, is so compelling. It preserves people’s responsibility and dignity by addressing root causes of hunger.

Absolutely! All our root cause work looks for barriers to people’s access to food and work and seeks to eliminate them.

What is FEAST? FEAST (Food Education Agriculture Solutions Together) is a root cause program that identifies ‘food deserts,’ where food is scarce. We bring communities together to assess food needs, identify resources and educate them. It’s more complex than this, but one root cause is when large food chains moved in, small grocers disappear. Residents are forced to drive many miles just to buy milk! We are also advocating for large chains to help small grocers stay open to minimize creation of new food deserts.

When did you start root cause work and how has it expanded?

In 1990, and it has expanded significantly.

We’ve more than doubled our Advocacy and Nutrition Education staff, and added 2 garden coordinators and the volunteer coordinator. Each of our strategic plans—all our advocacy and education—pushes root cause work forward. OFB West added $300,000 to our root cause budget, expanding our Cooking Matters programs.

What is Cooking Matters?

Another root cause is that many people don’t know how to cook and don’t know anything about nutrition. Annually since ‘98, about 150-200 volunteers—professional chefs and accomplished cooks—teach nutrition and basic cooking skills. Cooking Matters is once a week for 6 weeks. Students take home the ingredients to make what they learned to cook for their families.

We are always eager for new teachers!

Where are classes held and where do your students come from?

We use a teaching kitchen at OFB West and a demo kitchen here. Both are always busy!

Students come from all over our network. Last year, 254 students completed various classes, all which come in Spanish and target various groups, like teenage moms.

What obstacles do you face in root cause work?

We go slowly. Building support is not easy.

Growing more on the root cause side with education and programs means we don’t look as efficient compared to food distribution.

What keeps you going?

I hold on to hope that the pendulum must swing back to common sense and love for humanity!

What keeps me going is the people and their stories, their hunger for community, dignity and employment, also, all the people who give generously to their neighbors. -AFMFor further information visit www.oregonfoodbank.org

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DISTRICT NEWS ALBERTA STREET

An eclectic mix of art galleries, restaurants, and locally owned shops. Well known for its Last Thursday events which draw thousands. pg.69

NOB HILL

A trendy shopping district featuring national as well as local favorites on its tree lined streets. pg. 78

NORTHEAST BROADWAY

PORTLAND

N

PEARL DISTRICT

Conjoined to Downtown, the sidewalks are lined with chic shops and modern lofts. Catch a ride on the Portland Streetcar. pg. 79

DOWNTOWN

One of the nation’s most walkable downtowns. Whether it’s up the hill to the museums or downhill to the river, there are many choices for eating and shopping. pg. 75

NW SW

NE

BEAUMONT VILLAGE

It is the heart of NE Fremont with its quaint little shops and fine dining restaurants. pg.71

SE

HAWTHORNE BLVD & BELMONT STREET

A prime example of Portland’s uniqueness with its soulful originality of local businesses and small stand-alone shops. A center for the alternative lifestyle. pgs. 72-73

DISTRICTS MULTNOMAH VILLAGE & HILLSDALE

A little village with a slower pace, it truly has a small town feel. Hillsdale features mid-century architecture strip malls with convenient shops and eateries. pgs. 76-77

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Once you get out of your car, you’ll notice an almost smalltown feel to the sidewalks. It has many nice shops and restaurants that deserve a closer look. pg.70

SELLWOOD MORELAND

A family-friendly neighborhood with a first run movie theatre, and without a doubt, the best spot in town to get your hands on that perfect antique. pg. 74

ABOUT ABOUTPORTLAND PORTLAND

Alberta Arts District N NW SW

NE SE

by Amanda Eckerson

Christmas Tree Tour

traditional tree ornament gifts, check out her crosses—each one has a different personality of design and color. For more information call 503-281-6096.

Sweet Pies and Drinks

Seven Fishes Dinner

Get your walking boots on for Tannenbaum Madness, the crazy and wacky walking tour aimed at viewing 30 themed “trees” on display at local businesses through December. Tied to the ongoing “Shop Local, Shop Late” Friday nights on Alberta, where businesses are open till at least 8pm, grab one of the maps available at participating shops and seek out some notso-typical Christmas trees. Look out for the “Pepperoni Pine” at Bella Faccia Pizzeria, or the “Lollipop Guild” at Frock.

A Very Funky Christmas Mary Taponga has an art studio on Alberta that feels like an alternate universe.

Hail Mary (2928 NE Killingsworth) is her entirely mosaic art store, chock full of everything and anything that can be decorated with shards of colored, cut glass.

From functional pieces, like vases, to ornately designed lamps, there is something artistic and funky for everyone. For more

RED S accessory, home + gift

At Enzo’s (2529 NE Alberta), an intimate family-run Italian restaurant, every month features a seven-course meal from a different region of Italy, either prepared by Enzo himself or a guest chef who was born, raised, and works in that region. December 23rd will herald The Seven Fishes Dinner, the traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner. The full meal will include wine, antipasto, all the courses, and dessert.

The seafood will represent the seven seas, including delectable scampi, sea urchins, and fresh fish. Each guest will receive a small box of homemade gifts to take home and share with the family at Christmas. www.enzoscaffeitaliano.com

DIY Stickers, almost There are literally no limits to the sorts of stickers you can create at No Limits Stickers (1703 NE Alberta). With an easy online upload system and a wide variety of sizes to choose from, your favorite baby’s face could be a sticker, or a brilliant bumper sticker that sums up your philosophy in a funny nutshell. Regular screen prints can also be done at the shop. So get that idea and bring it in! Make it into a reality... or at least a T-shirt. nolimitspdx.com

What better way to celebrate the holiday spirit than with a slice of warm pie and a cocktail? Random Order (1800 NE Alberta) has the yummiest pie options to choose from, like the Tahitian Vanilla Salted Caramel Apple or the Brandied Peach Galette—all made from local and organic ingredients in the flakiest, all-butter crusts.

Paired with an equally exotic and amazing drink, such as the Sweet Tea Ginger Rum & Basil or the Ginger Hot Toddy, it’s Happy Hour meets dessert every day. www.randomordercoffee.com

Sustainably Priced The One Stop Sustainability Shop, or TOSSS for short, (1468 NE Alberta) sells items that are non-toxic, made of sustainable materials, fair-trade, and sourced as local as possible for affordable prices. Stocking everything from school notebooks, to organic cotton aprons, to cleaning supplies, it really is a mini, sustainable general store.

Check out the non-toxic children’s toys like the Made by Me Truck set and the Green Toys Tea Set—Christmas is just around the corner! www.sustainabilitypdx.com

Good Idea

A Manly Place The Modern Man Barber Shop (5018 NE 22nd Ave) is a 1920s inspired, traditional three-chair barber shop, complete with a dark wood and mounted game huntsman’s lodge aesthetic. Don’t be fooled by the straight edge razors—these barbers can perform any sort of modern cut or shave. With each service you can enjoy complimentary beer, whiskey, Scotch, wine, old-fashioned root beer, bottled water, coffee or espresso. Get a free cut if you’re unemployed on your way to a job interview. themodernmanpdx.com

They say Valentine’s Day is all about the roses, but at Origin Flowers & Gifts (1532 NE Alberta), you could put together the most unique bouquet your Valentine has ever seen this February. From bright pink Stargazer lilies to deep purple freesias, there’s no end to the brilliant colors and combinations that owner Beka can come up with for you www.originflowers.com

IL

Visit our new store at 1723 NE Alberta Street, or shop anytime at www.shopredsail.com!

tel: 971.266.8472 email: info@shopredsail.com 69

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DISTRICT NEWS

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Northeast Broadway N NW SW

NE SE

by Amanda Eckerson

Plaid is FAB

The Rose and Thistle (2314 NE Broadway) is Portland’s one and only truly Scottish restaurant and pub. They’ve got 17 beers on tap, including a few rotating cask and nitro beers. Their menu includes Scottish favorites like Haggis, Scotch Broth, a lamb and barley soup, Shepard’s Pie, and Fish and Chips. The establishment is also family friendly until 10pm. With a dartboard and cozy booths, this little neighborhood bar is almost as good as a trip to the British Isles.

Contact them at 503-287-8582.

local dyers who create a lot of unique colorways (there’s even a local gal who made a color line for each of the workers in the shop), you’ll happily get lost in the rainbow of choices for any project. Sign up for a beginner’s class to learn the basics— from purling to binding off, or, invest in an advanced course teaching you how to sew in zippers or take photographs of knitting projects to put online. Of course, you could also just come in and sit on their couches, sip some hot tea, and knit in the company of others for some good old holiday cheer. www.twistedpdx.com

Show Us Your Ugly Sweater

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Just Relax

There’s no better gift to give this season than a massage. Zama Massage (2627 NE Broadway) is a group of independent massage therapists with a common focus— ancient healing for modern-day bodies.

You can choose from a variety of massage options, such as hot stone, Swedish, deep tissue, Thai, or perhaps one that specifically deals with pregnancy or sports injuries.

Check out their couples massage lesson for a gift that works for the both of you. All massages help with stress reduction! www.zamamassage.com

organizations in town, including Oregon Humane Society (www.oregonhumane. org), House of Dreams (www.kittydreams. org), and the Animal Rescue and Care Fund (www.pdx-petadoption.org). If you purchase and donate at least a four-pound bag of food, you’ll receive 10% off your entire pet food purchase. While you’re there, snap up stocking stuffers such as LED collar lights, helping your furry friends “glow in the dark,” or Barnyarn Animals, hand-knit woolen toys stuffed with premium catnip. www.fureverpets.com

PORTLAND Streetcar

Pet Food Drive

DIY Sweater

Twisted (2310 NE Broadway) has everything you need to start a new sweater or a new hobby. Specializing in yarn from

you feel strangely at home for the holidays.

Be sure to snap up your favorite sweater and send a Polaroid to Aunt Elna before she knits you another one of her signature styles. www.iheartretro.com

I Heart Retro (1726 NE Broadway), 1950’s-1970’s vintage furniture and clothing store, is holding their traditional Ugly Christmas Sweater Fashion Show and Sale on December 4th at 2pm. All those Christmas-tree-adorned or bad plaid presents from Great Aunt Elna will get pulled out of the mothballs and be given a spotlight of glory on the runway. The ambiance of velvet davenports, retro typewriters, and knickknacks will make

Stop by Furever Pets (1902 NE Broadway) this December and participate in the pet food drive. They are collecting pet food and supplies for several of the animal rescue

The Portland Streetcar Loop Project is a 3.3mile double-track extension of the existing Portland Streetcar which opened in July of 2001. The Portland Streetcar Loop Project will extend tracks from the Pearl District, across the Broadway Bridge, connecting via Weidler Street to Lloyd Center at NE 7th Avenue, south on MLK Blvd. to OMSI and return north on Grand Avenue to Broadway and the Pearl District. The Loop Project is expected to open in September 2012, which will provide 28 new streetcar stop locations. www.portlandstreetcar.org for updates.

ABOUT PORTLAND

Beaumont Village N NW SW

NE SE

by Amanda Eckerson

Festival of Lights

$1.50 Pitchers of Beer

out the selection of funky socks for him, or natural soaps for her. www.naturalfiberclothingportland.com

Fired Up McPeet’s Portland Pub (4501 NE Fremont) has been around for 32 years, and they’ve got some old-school deals to prove it. Good cheer and good friends are always available, depending on which side of the bar you sit on during the season’s football games. Drink specials on Sundays are only $3, and Old Times Wednesdays mean $1.50 pitchers of PBR and Miller High Life all day.

The annual Fremont Festival of Lights will take place on December 9th. All of your favorite stores will stay open until 9pm, with music and activities up and down the street, including live Celtic music and Christmas carolers. Santa Claus will make an appearance at 5pm, before the tree lighting ceremony. For more info: beaumontbba.com/in-thenews/fremont-festival-of-lights

Photo: www.woolestudio.com

Wool it is

If you think a Portland winter isn’t possible without a pair of wool socks, get yourself over to Woolestudio (4730B NE Fremont). You’ll leave with a custom-made wool carpet, a Heritage Pendleton blanket, and more knowledge about wool than you ever knew you were missing. Like the fact that wool is the fabric synthetics try to mimic.

Or that Westland is a Pendleton brand that makes blankets out of llama from Oregon’s llama co-op. Try the fact that even wool scraps are awesome—local artisans display their wares at the shop in an array of potholders, toy animals, and tree ornaments, all made from reclaimed wool. www.woolestudio.com

Your Purchase Helps Local Schools

Got a craving for something hot, very hot! You got to try the Hot Wings at Fire in the Mountain (3443 NE 57th Ave.).

This local company has recently opened a third location in Beaumont Village. This new location features a microbrewery and outside patio. Their other two locations, one on East Burnside, and their original location on North Interstate. They got more than hot wings they serve burgers made with all-natural Piedmontese beef, and spicy sandwiches. Read their menu at www.portlandwings.com

Across the Street A Children’s Place (4807 NE Fremont) is holding preschool fundraisers throughout December. Anyone who comes in and mentions their school gets 10% of their purchase donated towards a gift certificate for that school.

Hancock Preschool will be on December 7th, Renaissance School on December 8th, and ABC Preschool is December 9th, amongst others. Local author Eric Kimmel will be in the store on December 17th at 1pm, doing readings from two of his books apropos for the season. December 18th, there will be a Fancy Nancy party at 1pm. Visit www. achildrensplacebookstore.com for more details.

Shop Adorn has moved down the street to 4120 NE Fremont St. They have a wonderful online experience at www. shopadorn.com with free domestic shipping on any order over $50.00. Shop Adorn blends sophistication and fun for an edgy but distinctly feminine look.

Shop Adorn is not just for women, they offer a great line of mens clothing.

Take Pride

Natural Gifts Natural fibers are the softest and most ecological way to treat yourself, and Gazelle Natural Fibre Clothing (4100 NE Fremont) has all the items you can think of. The shop features local artists from Portland, Seattle and San Francisco, and everything is made from natural fibers—cotton, rayon, silk, wool, linen, bamboo and wood. There are Folkmanis puppets and wooden toys, jewelry, aromatherapy candles, boxes, scarves, and patterned leggings—a little something for everyone. Check

ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

Pride Financial Partners (4759-A Fremont) opens an office in Beaumont.

They are known for their dedicated to helping individuals and businesses build for their financial futures. While helping to create happiness, wealth, and success for their clients. This is based on their responsibility of providing financial strategies built upon proven economic principles. www.pridefinancialpartners.com 71

DISTRICT NEWS

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Hawthorne Boulevard & Belmont Street N NW SW

NE SE

by Justin Fields

TAKE A CHRISTMAS STROLL

Every year since the 1920s, the Belmont neighborhood has hosted a true holiday tradition—the lights on Peacock Lane.

Each Christmas, a dazzling and elaborate display of sparkling lights adorns the mostly Tudor style homes of this charming neighborhood in Southeast. Rotating Christmas trees, nativity scenes, and lighted replicas of Santa and Frosty complete the festive seasonal spectacle. Located between SE Stark and Belmont, one block east of SE 39th, this old-fashioned and family-oriented tradition is best enjoyed on foot. Residents of Peacock Lane offer hot cocoa and cider for a small charge to keep you warm, but scarves and mittens are also a must. Park somewhere in the neighborhood and enjoy a stroll down the lane. Due to the event’s popularity, it is best to park several blocks away and walk, rather than drive through the area. Better yet, take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage. More info about the carriages is available at www.cowboycarriage.us. The light displays can be viewed from Dec 15th through the 31st, and don’t forget— December 15th and 16th are “pedestrianonly” nights—no motorized vehicles are allowed. Friend Peacock Lane on Facebook.

‘Ahhh HA!’

Portland audiences have a chance this holiday season to see one of Broadway’s newest productions—BEFORE it heads to the Big Apple. Do Jump! Extremely Physical Theatre (1515 SE 37th Ave at Hawthorne), presents Ahhh HA!, a colorful compilation of pieces from the past 34 years, woven together like a patchwork quilt of Do Jump favorites. After debuting in 2010 as Greatest Hits for the Holidays, Ahhh HA! has been renamed, refined, reworked and picked up for a run on Broadway, but not before this important run in Portland for the home crowd, performing now through January 1st. Group discounts are available for this engaging holiday production, making this a great night out for the entire family. For 30 years, founder and artistic director Robin Lane has led the Do Jump “actorbats” in creating a unique blend of theatre, dance, aerial work, acrobatics, dynamic visuals and live music that defies categorization.

Celebrating both individual creativity and community spirit, Do Jump has thrilled audiences throughout North America. In 1983, Lane and company renovated Do Jump’s Portland, Oregon home, the historic

Happy Knits Stocking the yarn & knitting supplies you want

Friendly & helpful staff to assist with shopping or learning a new skill

Open, bright & inviting space to shop and knit 1620 SE Hawthorne (503) 238-2106

www.happyknits.com 72

Echo Theatre, a former silent-movie house, creating what has become an important locus of arts and culture in the vibrant Hawthorne District. The very next year saw the founding of the Do Jump Movement Theater School, teaching Do Jump’s unique style of movement. Classes encourage physical confidence, freedom and grace in a creative, non-competitive environment.

Now creating works on a larger scale, Do Jump has produced many of its shows in the 800-seat Newmark Theatre at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, and tours extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada.

For ticket reservations, show times, and class schedules, call 503-231-1232 or go to www.dojump.org. The Broadway dates are March 26th through April 15th at the New Victory Theater in New York City.

band each week, typically featuring artists that are family-friendly. However the occasional punk band may rock the halls of Burgerville this December as well, and local bands are encouraged to contact Manager Geoff Helzer at geoffh@burgerville.com to get involved. But the music doesn’t stop there! Burgerville released its first album on Tuesday, November 15th, called The Shaker Sessions. The CDs are sold exclusively at Burgerville with 100% of proceeds going to support the Brian Grant Foundation to help Parkinson Patients. Some of the artists featured on the CD include Storm Large, Steve Wilkinson, Ken DeRouchie, Pete Droge and many others. The CDs sell for $10 and include a free admission to the OMSI Body Worlds exhibit ($25 value), so get them while they last! All of the music was written by local artist Rob Barteletti

BURGER & SHAKER MUSIC

If sleigh bells and caroling aren’t your thing, enjoy a burger and a band at Burgerville this holiday season instead.

Known throughout the Northwest for using fresh local ingredients, Burgerville is now expanding its “local first” ethos to include local bands. The Hawthorne Burgerville (1122 SE Hawthorne Blvd) hosts a local

who himself has Parkinson’s. But even if you miss band night and all CDs are sold out, the newly launched Burgerville Radio will keep your jingle bells rocking each visit. The streaming radio station is in all of their restaurants, and about a third of all of the music played is by local artists.

Local musicians are also promoted on Twitter @HawthorneBV, and on Facebook (Hawthorne Burgerville).

ABOUT PORTLAND

Prohibition Era Bar

Set inside a restored building of historic Belmont’s bygone past, Circa 33 (3348 SE Belmont) beckons you away from the winter cold, and into an inviting neighborhood haunt that focuses on great ambiance, delicious food and classic libations. Located on 33rd Avenue, the name pays homage to the neighborhood street it sits on, as well as to the year 1933—the year Prohibition was repealed.

The romantic and exciting era of speakeasies, rum-running and car chases still thrives at Circa 33, where high seating throughout the dining area coupled with shadowboxes filled with Prohibition era relics, adds to the atmosphere. The cocktail menu—created by resident bartender and National Bartending Award winner Leslie Bucher—showcases drinks of the 1900s and drinks influenced by the 21st century.

All cocktails follow a “classic formula,” a combination of spirit, sugar, citrus and bitters, and incorporates some forgotten spirits such as Applejack, dry gin, and rye whiskey.

In addition to

their selection of classic cocktails, they feature over 100 whiskeys in a librarystyle bar. Try one of their 12 beers on draft, highlighting not only the plethora of NW microbrews, but also cider and European-style brews as well. As for the food, Proprietor Josh Johnston refers to the cuisine as “Influenced American,” with two favorite influences being spirits and smoke. Several ingredients are smoked on site daily, such as pork belly, fish, hamburger, Gouda, and onions, creating delicious aromas. The popular Smoked Burger is the house specialty.

Johnston sees Circa 33 as a place where you can either come in casual clothes and sit at the bar by yourself and have a drink, or dress up and bring someone on a first date. The heated outdoor patio is still somewhat of an unfound secret, and a new private event space behind a

hidden door in the back is currently being developed into a speakeasy suitable for the modern dollface or discerning wiseguy. There’s another New Deal that might spark your interest—through a promotional partnership with premier whiskey distiller Bulleit, Circa 33 is able to offer a Bulleit, Burger and a Beer special on Wednesdays for just $10.

Considering a shot of Bulleit alone is generally about $7, it’s quite a bargain.

Brunch is another unusual and tempting option at this unique and welcome addition to Belmont, starting at 9am on Saturdays and Sundays, and ending at 2:30. www.circa33bar.com

FIND OBSCURE MOVIES

In this age of movies by mail and convenience store rentals, it’s comforting to know a place still exists where you can browse the racks for obscure holiday classics not available elsewhere. Movie Madness (4320 SE Belmont) is one of the only places you can walk into today and leave with a copy of Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck (please, not the remake with Arnold Schwarzenegger), or the Laurel and Hardy movie March of the Wooden Soldiers. Christmas horror movies are a campy and fun way to escape from the ghost of Christmas boredom—check out Gingerdead Man starring Gary Busey, or Silent Night Deadly Night. For action, you can’t beat Die Hard, Batman Returns, First Blood, or Reindeer Games—all set at Christmastime. And for comedy, don’t forget the Christmas classics that are good year after year, Christmas Vacation featuring Chevy Chase, or Home Alone. And if you prefer to browse for movies online, Movie Madness has you covered. Their website, www.moviemadnessvideo.com, offers movie search capabilities. With DVDs, Blu-ray movies, videocassettes and more, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for. Movie Madness is truly one of the largest and best independent movie stores in the world. They recently added a new Facebook page as well. Add to your friends, and you will be updated with upcoming events, specials, movie trivia and more.

BEST COMICS COLLECTION

For the true comic book aficionado, there’s only one place in Portland that has everything you’re looking for. Opened in 1974, Excalibur Comics (2444 SE Hawthorne Blvd) is the oldest comic book shop in Portland, boasting 35 years in the industry. Owner Peter Fagnant has worked for three decades to build a store whose reputation and influence as one of Portland’s top comic book stores is undeniable. His daughter Debbie is now the co-owner and runs the day-today operations of this comic cornerstone.

Excalibur boasts the largest back-stock inventory in the Pacific Northwest, including an impressive collection of Golden and Silver Age comics as well as literally millions of current issues that are diligently kept organized and accessible to patrons. Looking for an exciting gift idea for the comic book fan in your life?

Excalibur carries the hottest new comic series, Angel Punk, created by Oregonbased publisher, Relium Media. The

Bierbrasserie

buzz generated by this new fantasy series is palpable among collectors and fans of the genre, and a graphic novel and feature film are in the works. Excalibur also has a wide selection of trade paperbacks, graphic novels, manga, and more. Their knowledgeable staff is happy to make suggestions that will fit your interests.

Thanks to customer support, Excalibur was recently nominated for an Eisner Award for the Spirit of Retailing. They’re also very active with local charities, helping to raise money for shelters for battered women and children, as well as for the crisis hot line. For more information, call the store at 503-2317351 or visit www.excaliburcomics.net

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DISTRICT NEWS

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Sellwood Moreland N NW SW

NE SE

by Justin Fields

Bicycle Repair & More Photo: Maria A. Swearinger

Christmas Ships

The 57th Annual Christmas Ship Parade will set sail again soon, providing fun and festive viewing opportunities on the Willamette and Columbia rivers this holiday season. Sellwood Riverfront Park (SE 7th Ave & Miller St) is situated in a perfect viewing location on the shores of the Willamette. The ships will be viewable from the park docks on December 9th, 11th, 14th, 16th, and 19th, with ships arriving at about 7:45 and 8:15pm, river conditions permitting.

The floating parade is comprised of a volunteer fleet of local boat owners who take great pride in decorating their ships with beautiful lighted Christmas displays. For complete schedules with route details, including viewing locations and times www.christmasships.org.

Urban Homesteaders

Service is a two-way street at Sellwood Cycle Repair (7953 SE 13th Ave), where owner Erik Tonkin has spent 20 years making his shop an integral part of the community. Specializing in parts made in the Northwest, Sellwood Cycle Repair is a full service repair shop utilizing the finest replacement parts available. It’s important to note that while Sellwood Cycle is one of Portland’s biggest shops, the staff of ten is primarily engaged in good oldfashioned bicycle repair most of the time. Due to their emphasis on service, they’re able to rely on their reputation and customer referrals. The retail side of the business is closely allied with local bike manufacturer Kona of Bellingham, WA, making Sellwood Cycle one of the top five retailers of Kona bikes in the country. They also accept good quality used bicycles for sale on consignment, as well as bike parts such as frames, wheels, accessories, and more. The mix of new and used bikes makes shopping there very convenient. Current inventory of new and used bikes and information on the consignment program can be found at www.sellwoodcycle.com.

Stylish kid’s Shoes Whether you’re just starting to can fresh produce or working your way off the grid, Portland Homestead Supply Company (8012 SE 13th Ave) will provide the support and supplies to make the transition to a simpler lifestyle.

This warm and inviting store is a onestop resource for urban homesteaders.

They carry specialty baking products that are very difficult to source locally.

Candle and soap making supplies. They also carry canning goods, such as Weck brand glass jars, grinders for coffee, and many fermentation products for the home brewer or vintner. Livestock such as chickens and goats, as well as feed, organic seeds and tools are also part of the homesteading resources. Gift ideas include hard-to-find kitchenware, glass preserving jars, scales, and other kitchen supplies not available at the big box stores. Learn the ropes of urban homesteading classes starting in January. www.homesteadsupplyco.com 74

clothing, gifts and accessories for kids, including newly launched local clothing brand, Sister Fresh, and other exciting new locally designed brands. Some of their other brands include: Keen, Robeez, Primigi, Merrell, Umi, Geox, Bogs, Simple, Teva, Ecco, Naturino, Tsukihoshi, Blundstone, Simple, See Kai Run, Bobux, and Kamik. www.haggismcbaggis.com

Joy to the World

See the Christmas & holiday show, Dancing Joy to the World, presented

by Dance With Joy Studios (7981 SE 17th Ave). Performances will be on Saturday evening, December 17th from 7-11pm, with a Sunday matinee December 18th from 1-5pm. Enjoy dancing and singing performances from Dance with Joy Studios students and staff as well as special guest performers from the Portland dance community.

A social dancing intermission between the performances will be hosted, followed by social dancing after the show is done. The Sunday matinee will feature live music with a band and time for singing Christmas carols.

For details, call 503-236-8160 or visit www.dancewithjoystudios.com.

Socks, Gloves, etc.

Haggis McBaggis (6802 SE Milwaukie Ave) is a children’s shoe boutique that specializes in fashionable, good-foryour-feet shoes. Owner Riki McLenithan says the store’s goal is to find the best shoes to match your kid’s feet. The knowledgeable and well-trained staff helps achieve that goal by spending as much time as needed to measure and fit your child. They have a wide variety of stylish children’s shoes with a balanced selection of reasonably priced and well-designed shoes that fit a range of feet—from wide to narrow, pre-walker to size six. They also carry a range of

Sock Dreams was started by a girl named Niqkita whose feet were always cold wearing ordinary socks. Now Sock Dreams is best known for their wide variety of warm socks. In there Sellwood store (8005 SE 13th), or online at www. sockdreams.com you’ll find all types of socks made from acrylics to wools in all styles, shapes, sizes, and colors.

And many accessories; leg warmers, arm warmers, garters, leggings, and petticoats.

ABOUT PORTLAND

Downtown Portland N NW SW

NE SE

by Merlin Varaday

courtesy of BlueFly PR

courtesy of Oregon Ballet Theater

Bigger toy store

The Alphabeticians at new Finnegan’s store.

It is time to book your getaway at a downtown hotel. Package highlights: • Accommodations • Champagne • Chocolates, Rose petals, candles • Meals • Massages • Free parking Check with these hotels about their special packages: Benson deLuxe Heathman Jupiter Lucia Inn at the Convention Center Inn at Northrup Station Marriott City Center Marriott Courtyard The Mark Spencer Park Lane Red Lion Inn University Place Vintage Plaza Westin More hotels and more information about Portland’s romantic getaways are available at www.travelportland.com/ deals/more-hotel-packages/romance

HOLIDAY TREASURES Each year, Oregon families describe Oregon Ballet Theatre’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker as the crown jewel of their holiday season.

ART GETS YOU THINKING

Spirit of Christmas

Two years ago the Seymour family decided to stop buying Christmas gifts for each other, and started a new tradition of giving to people who are in need of life’s essentials. They will be distributing the gift bags on Christmas Eve morning along with hot coffee and candy canes to the people living on the streets of Portland. To give support, please call Phoenix at 971-221-4827 or send an email to truespiritofchristmas@gmail. com.

A HOLE LOTTA FUN

Artists Repertory Theatre (1515 SW Morrison St) will continue their 2011/2012 Season with Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol by John Longenbaugh (ends December 24th, 2011 on the Alder Stage), and (I Am Still) The Duchess of Malfi by Joseph Fisher, an adaptation of John Webster’s play.

(January 10th through February 12th, 2012 on the Morrison Stage). “At Artists Rep we have always strived to produce plays that inspire conversations long after the curtain call,” said Allen Nause, Artists Repertory Theatre’s producing artistic director. www.artistsrep.org

SOMETHING GOOD! Photo by © Joan Marcus

Romantic Getaways

This beloved story ballet (showing December 10th through 24th at the Keller Auditorium). For a more grownup holiday escape, join celebrated songstress Susannah Mars and pianist Richard Bower for A Holiday Revue (showing December 10th through 22nd, also at the Keller). It will be a lighthearted evening of dancing and holiday tunes—both old and new! Tickets 503222-5538 or www.obt.org.

courtesy of Artists Repertory Theatre

No holiday shopping excursion is complete without a trip to the toy store!

This fall, Finnegan’s Toys & Gifts has moved to 820 SW Washington Street. The new store offers even more for kids and families. Walls of windows create a light, airy space for browsing and playing.

One-level shopping provides greater accessibility for those stroller-bound.

And the new layout is perfect for special events, including storytelling, magic shows and music. www.finneganstoys. com

changed theater forever. Now it’s back and mesmerizing audiences once again.

Fred Meyer Broadway Across America presents West Side Story, playing at Keller Auditorium January 3rd through 8th, 2012. Directed by David Saint, recreating two-time Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction, West Side Story remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. www.westsideontour.com

More than fifty years ago, one musical

Coco Donuts is celebrating the recent opening of a second location at 814 SW 6th Ave, across from Pioneer Courthouse Square. Hours are Monday through Friday, 5:30am to 6pm. Made from family recipes with high-quality ingredients, Coco Donuts features an assortment of classic donuts including apple fritters, buttermilk bars and more. Specialty coffee and espresso drinks are provided

by Water Avenue Coffee Company.

Coco Donuts’ founded by Portland natives, Prak and Thevy Khou and Ian Christopher. www.cocodonuts.com.

901 SW YAMHILL • 503.223.9510 W W W. T H E R E A L M O T H E R G O O S E . C O M

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DISTRICT NEWS

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Multnomah Village N NW SW

NE SE

by Ryan Abeling

In addition to its regular Monday through Friday schedule, Evergreen Natural Health Center (6610 SW Capitol Hwy) will now be open three evenings a week for acupuncture appointments and two evenings a week for naturopathic appointments. Most insurance policies are accepted, including MVA. Evergreen Natural Health Center provides care for acute and chronic illness.

Dr. Samantha Brody, Dr. Beverly Butler, and Miranda Frear will provide patients with the latest in alternative medicine.

Visit www.drsamantha.com

New Baker In Town Sean Coyne has joined Grand Central Bakery (3425 SW Multnomah Blvd) as head baker for its Portland operation.

Coyne comes to Grand Central after more than 15 years in New York, where he was a corporate chef and bakery and restaurant consultant. Coyne developed a four-star bread program for Thomas Keller at Per Se, Bouchon Bakery and The French Laundry. He was also the head baker at Per Se. Coyne attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. After stints as a pastry chef and cook he eventually settled on bread baking as his focus. Grand

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Central Portland’s former head baker, Mel Darbyshire, now heads up the company’s baking program in Seattle, which supplies bread to its three retail cafes, scores of restaurants and Seattle area supermarkets.

Visit www.grandcentralbakery.com

Getting Fierce

ambro

Puncturing Pain

Fierce Fitness Kickboxing (4356 SW Multnomah Blvd) is beginning another session of its popular Commit to Be Fit program, Saturday, December 10th from 11:30am-2:30pm. The program runs until January 21st. In Commit to Be Fit, participants combine a straightforward, easy to follow nutrition program with fun, gut-busting workouts. The center provides a safe, supportive environment with personal coaching and accountability.

You can select from an early morning class (6:30am Mon-Fri), mid-morning class (9:30am Mon-Fri), or evening class (6pm Mon-Thurs, 11am Sat). Regular attendance and total commitment to the nutrition guidelines required for best results. fiercefitness.com or call 503-245-9500.

Organic Styling HairapyPDX (4460 SW Garden Home Road) is Portland’s Organic and Ammonia Free Salon that uses only the finest, certified organic products and services. Organic Color Systems, the salon’s ammonia free hair-coloring service, offers long-lasting tones without the smell and irritation associated with traditional methods. The company also utilizes KeraGreen, a natural way to smooth curly or frizzy hair and give it a healthy shine. Additionally, the salon offers organic perms and relaxers as well as designer cuts for men and women. You can even book your appointment online. Visit hairapypdx.com or call 503-360-1324.

and studied at the California College of Art and at the Pacific Northwest College of Art before receiving his Bachelor of Science in Painting at Portland State University. Visit www.knackpdx.com for more information.

To see some of his work, take a tour of his website at www.younieland.com

Who Wants Pie?

Crafting An Adventure

Wesley Younie will be featured at Knack (7824 SW 35th Ave) this coming month. Younie’s vibrant and enchanting paintings take you with him on an adventure, introducing you to beautifully detailed animals in fantastic environments.

He is meticulous in his animal representation and utopian in his landscape creation. His work is truly a pleasure to experience. Wesley grew up in Portland

Lovin Spoonful’s (7825 SW 35th Ave) delicious holiday pies are all handmade from scratch and ready for your holiday occasion. All you have to do is just drop by and pick one up, then bake and serve.

The company’s pies are all natural—no additives, no preservatives, and no artificial ingredients. Their apple pie took the blue ribbon at the state fair. The December pie of the month will be Dutch Blueberries & Cream. They also have Marion Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, Blueberry, and Spiced Ginger Peach pies. In addition, Glutenfree and sugar-free pies, or any other fruit flavored pie are available with a 24 hours notice. Also, fresh holiday jams will be packaged and ready for wrapping paper at the Multnomah Village location. Head to their website at lovinspoonfulpieshop.com

ABOUT PORTLAND

Hillsdale

Chanukah Season

Everything Jewish (6684 SW Capitol Hwy) is the only Jewish retail store in the Pacific Northwest. December marks the store’s sixth anniversary. This store is unique because there is a rabbi on site to answer any of your Jewish questions, or just to chat during store hours.

The store sells Jewish gifts, jewelry, religious items, books, food, art, and much more. Chanukah season is the busiest time of the year for Everything Jewish. If you’re not sure what to buy for a Jewish friend, get a gift certificate. Visit www.everythingjewish.biz for more information.

Farm-to-Fork Fiesta

Southwest Portland now has the real taste of farm-to-fork from a cozy café on a once-forgotten corner of Capitol Highway. Verde Cocina Café (6446 SW Capitol Highway) is known for its farmers market offerings of Huevos Rancheros, Chilaquiles, and Gringas, but has been open in brick-and-mortar form since August. The menu is rustic and uncomplicated, much like Chef Noé Garnica. In addition to unique, veg-heavy Huevos Rancheros and Chilaquiles for breakfast and lunch six days a week, check out Gringas–soft, rolled tacos– smothered in a house made molé sauce, a Quesadilla of the Day, and at least three daily specials offered at dinner four nights a week. The café is open Tuesday, 8am-3pm,Wednesday-Saturday, 8am-9pm, and Sunday, 8am-3pm.

Go to www.verdecocinamarket.com

Strung Up Village Beads (7807 SW Capitol Hwy) offers individual and group classes for those interested in learning the fine art of jewelry making with beads. Most private individual classes are available for just

$30 an hour, including past classes— just inquire! The Basic Stringing class is being held Wednesday, December 21st from 6:30 to 8:30pm, or Sunday, January 22nd from 10:00am to 12pm. You will learn how to get started stringing bracelets and necklaces, and then make your own bracelet. For something more advanced, try Intro to Silver Clay for just $45, with silver master Lynn Latta, Monday, December 19th 6:00 to 9:00pm.

Learn how to make your own silver charms. Call 503-244-1821 or visit www.vbeads.com

Grape Love

Korkage Wine Bar and Shop (6351 SW Capitol Hwy) has been invited to chair the inaugural Wine About Winter event that will take place in late February. The event will take advantage of Executive Chef Earl Johnson’s expertise, and feature selected wine and food pairings to deliver on the promise of a fuller wine experience than a typical wine event might offer. More information about the event can be found at their website at www.korkagewine.com/waw. In the meantime, take advantage of their weekly Thursday night wine tasting events.

Don’t Wait For Dessert

SweetWares (6306 SW Capitol Hwy) is Baker & Spice’s new baking supply store located in the Hillsdale Shopping Center. This year, learn how to cook holiday treats from some masters of the craft. SweetWares’s cooking classes are available for registration now. The Cookies For The Holidays class starts on December 11th at 1pm and costs just $35. Anja Spence, who has worked as a pastry chef at Genoa Restaurant and Papa Haydn, demonstrates luscious bar cookie recipes plus a recipe that can be used for three different cookies. Drop

ABOUTFACEMAG.COM

into the store during regular business hours or phone 503-546-3737, or visit www.sweetwares.com

Go For a Swim

The Southwest Community Center Indoor Pool (6820 SW 45th Ave.) is open year-round. It features a 6-lane, 25-yard lap swimming pool heated to 84 degrees, leisure pool with slide and interactive play features heated to 88 degrees, whirlpool spa heated to 102 degrees.

Water depths range from 0 feet to 9 feet.

Program offerings include swimming lessons, lap swim, water fitness classes, and recreational play swims. Hours; Mon-Fri 5:15am - 9:00pm, Sat 7:00am 6:00pm, Sun 9:00am - 5:50pm. Call for details 503-823-2840.

holiday show

Presented by Jewish Theatre Collaborativeat the Mittleman Jewish Community Center (6651 SW Capitol Highway). Get ready for Hanukah with Jewish Theatre Collaborative’s holiday show Hanukah & The Power of Light.

Fun for all generations, this engaging performance of Patricia Polacco and Eric Kimmel’s intergenerational classic, Hanukah & The Power of Light celebrates the human qualities that bring light into the darkness of winter. Open to everyone. Children: $5. Adults: $8. Limit $20 per family. Monday - December 19, 2011. Show time: 4:00 PM. Space is limited.

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DISTRICT NEWS

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Nob Hill N NW SW

NE SE

by Lawrence Martin

HOPE FOR HAITI

A local Nob Hill woman helps create hope in Haiti with a locally based non-profit group called Artisans For Haiti. Lyndsay Anderson, who lives and works in Northwest Portland, has dedicated part of her life to volunteering time to work with Haitian children and teens who have experienced various levels of grief and hardships, trauma and/or loss, due to the 2010 earthquake. Lyndsay and other volunteers of Artisans For Haiti realize the long-lasting negative effects that are suffered and hope that their project groups to help bring hope and healing. Immediately upon arrival in Haiti, Lyndsay and the volunteers realized the importance of their mission. Lyndsay said, “It was easy to see simply by looking into the eyes of the children.” In reflecting on her work Lyndsay adds, “A service to others is at the heart of my passion and my trip to Haiti has served to give me such an amazing sense of purpose.” www.artisansforhaiti.org.

Bank (22 NW 23rd Ave) from 11am to 1pm. Santa will then be visiting various Nob Hill businesses from 1pm to 4pm. Also, many businesses will be collecting for the Metro Toy Drive (www.metrotoydrive.com). For more information about Nob Hill, please visit www.nobhillbiz.com.

Watch This Space

CHICKEN & WAFFLES

In five short months, Seams to Fit Furniture has outgrown its space.

They have moved to a larger location (1820 NW 18th Ave), about eight blocks from the current location. So, good news for you!—there are even more sofas, dressers, lamps, tables, and decor items for your dwelling needs. www.seamstofit.com/Furniture

Every evening at Besaw’s (2301 NW Savier St), they serve Fried Chicken & Waffles made with Draper Valley chicken, a cheddar-chive waffle, and pure maple syrup. Seasonal ingredients like winter squash and greens, sage and pickled veggies from the summer garden can also be found on the menu. For dessert, try roasted pumpkin cheesecake with maple glaze, or honey-baked pears with candied ginger streusel. Enjoy it with some of Besaw’s Hot Buttery Rum made with Myers Dark Rum, cardamom and cinnamon. Besaw’s has a wonderful brunch, featuring Oatmeal Pancakes served with brown sugar and dried cranberries. Whatever the time of day, Besaw’s has something cooking that will satisfy. www.besaws.com

Get a Taste

Grimm Town

FRESH FISH

Make your own sushi. Fresh fish is delivered daily to Mio Sushi’s Fish Market (1703 NW 16th Ave).

Mio Sushi is known for high quality products at reasonable prices. While you’re at the Fish Market, be sure to order their fish and chips lunch special.

If don’t want to make your own sushi, you can stop by one of their restaurants. www.miosushi.com

HOLIDAY FLAVOR

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December 10th will be a festive day in Nob Hill. Carolers and elves will be strolling the streets, while Santa will be in residence at HomeStreet

Something very cool has opened on Quimby Street! Bull Run Distillery (2259 NW Quimby), producers of the very popular Medoyeff Vodka and the newly launched Temperance Trader Bourbon, have set up their distillery and tasting room in a 7,000-square-foot building just off NW 23rd. Owners Lee Medoff and Patrick Bernards invite you to visit their website for information regarding scheduled tours and tasting room hours. www.bullrundistillery.com

One of television’s newest and popular sci-fi shows, Grimm, has some outdoor scenes that will be quite familiar to Portlanders. Grimm’s entire first season is being filmed here, featuring locations all over the city and in nearby surrounding areas. Recently, several intersections in the Nob Hill area were shut down in order to film scenes for the show. One included what was made to look like an auto accident on the corner of NW 18th and Upshur. Tune in to NBC on Fridays to watch the cop drama with a dark, fairytale twist that you won’t forget. www.nbc.com/grimm

ABOUT PORTLAND

Pearl District N NW SW

NE SE

by Ryan Abeling

New chef

jazz icon, Nancy King, with Steve Christofferson and guest accompanists.

Every Saturday you can hear the Kelley Shannon Quartet, featuring Dick Berk (Billie Holiday’s final drummer), and such Portland piano luminaries as Randy Porter, Dan Gaynor, George Mitchell, and Gordon Lee. Visit: www.touchepdx.com

Chef Challenge Bluehour (250 NW 13th Ave) has a new executive chef Thomas Boyce.

He recently worked at Spago Beverly Hills, Wolfgang Puck’s flagship restaurant. His focus on flavor over fanfare drew Bluehour owner Bruce Carey’s attention, and he coaxed the Californian to the Pacific Northwest.

Bluehour has been another success for Carey, alongside Zefiro, Saucebox, 23Hoyt and Clarklewis. Bringing on Boyce is the latest move by Carey to establish Bluehour as the next premier restaurant in the Pearl District. www.bluehouronline.com

On Monday, December 12th at 6pm, head out to the Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House (210 NW 11th Ave) for an intense evening with a few of Portland’s finest chefs for the 3rd Annual Chefs Challenge.

You’ll be privy to award-winning beer pairings and celebrity judges as seven handpicked chefs face off to benefit Morrison Child & Family Services.

Tickets at deschutesbrewery.com

Award-Winning Chef

Show Your Jazz Hands Touché (1425 NW Glisan) presents some of Portland’s best local jazz every Wednesday and Saturday night.

Wednesday you can hear international

The Bent Brick’s (1639 NW Marshall St) Chef William Preisch recently won the prestigious Rising Star Award from

StarChefs. Restaurateur Scott Dolich (of Park Kitchen) and Preisch have put together a menu that uses only locally sourced products. Bent Brick has sustainable and health conscious meals, with a creative approach. From Preisch’s Crab Louie, to his Cucumbers Three Ways, StarChefs was impressed with this young chef. On December 5th, Preisch will be honored at the StarChefs VIP Gala Dinner at the Nines Hotel. www.Starchefs.com.

Mixing and Matching

Modern Speakeasy Come downstairs under the Office Max on NW Lovejoy to experience The Pink Rose Restaurant (1300 NW Lovejoy Ave.). They feature fresh American cuisine inspired by the Pacific Northwest in an intimate setting.

The decor is contemporary in various shades of pink, the windowless room is lit with candles and floor lights. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 10am, Dinner service Tuesday through Friday 4pm-12am, with a weekday Happy Hour in the bar, 4pm to 7pm. Menus and online reservations www.pinkrosepdx.com

celebrating 25 years Kristin Bauer van Straten of TV’s “True Blood” reading About Face Magazine at Folly.

Take a trip down to the Pearl District to check out Folly (1005 NW 16th Ave) new Anna Vest & Three Pocket Skirt, designed by boutique owner and designer, Sarah Bibb. Mix and match these versatile pieces to suit your mood.

Then from January through March, look for this apparel to be pieced together with new fabrics. Visit the boutique at follypdx.com for the latest styles that are available.

Monique Lampe established her Portland boutique in 1987. She moved Monique’s Boutique (429 NW 10th Ave.) into the Pearl District in 2003.

Her store offers an eclectic mix of International clothing and accessories that combine style, comfort, quality and practicality at a modest price level. Monique spent her younger days in Europe as a fashion model, after which, she completed her degree in fashion merchandising and marketing.

Monique’s European background is reflected in the items available in her store. www.moniquesboutiquepearl.com

ecru modern stationer

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OREGON DESTINATIONS Astoria, OR

Canon Beach, OR

Eugene, OR

Explore this quaint coastal city with its Victorian homes and historic downtown with fine shops and restaurants.

It was the setting for some major movies including, The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, and Short Circuit. While you’re there see these attractions: the Astoria Column, the Columbia River Maritime Museum, the Oregon Film Museum, and the Lewis and Clark National Park.

A picturesque resort town surrounded by the rugged natural beauty of forests, ocean beaches, and rivers. Its four mile long beach is ideal for long walks, kite flying, and sand castle building.

Also known as an artists’ community, it has many fine art galleries and quaint little shops to visit.

The Eugene-Springfield area is much more than “Track Town USA.” It is a hub for many recreation and entertainment opportunities. In the winter, there is skiing at Willamette Pass or storm watching over on the coast. In town, there are sporting events at the Matthew Knight Arena, or live performances at the Hult Center.

Painting by George Vetter

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ABOUT OREGON

Astoria, OR

by LeeAnn Neal

BiG BLOWOUT

Astoria will kick off the New Year with a last nod to its 2011, bicentennial celebration. The Clatsop County Historical Society will host a Bicentennial Blowout, New Year’s Eve celebration on Saturday, December 31st, sponsored by the Clatsop Community Bank. The evening will begin with a five-course meal at the Liberty Theater, followed by a silent auction of what organizers call “one-of-a-kind experiences.” The after-party will continue at the Banker’s Suite, where praters can dance, gamble in the casino den, sip a cocktail, avail themselves of the ice cream buffet, smoke a cigar in a heated outdoor booth, or have their photo snapped as a souvenir of the evening. All-inclusive tickets cost $100 per person or $650 for a table of eight.

After-party-only tickets are available for $50 each. Space is limited, so reserve your spot by calling the Clatsop County Historical Society at 503-325-2203. www.astoria200.org

Ink Up

House, Cargo and Lunar Boy Gallery on a one-block section of 11th Street that caters to those with an urban sensibility.

“We like that,” said McDermed, noting that Keepsake added a roll-up garage door similar to those at Cargo and Astoria Coffee House. Keepsake offers custom tattooing, body piercing, and hospital sterilization. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged. www.keepsaketattoos.com

Poets to Gather

In the Middle

Astoria’s Annual Fisher Poets Gathering is one of the few ways the general public can connect with people who consider the sea their home. The 2012 event is scheduled for Feb. 24th through 26th.

In past years, more than 80 fishing and maritime industry representatives hailing from throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond have read or performed their original poems, stories and songs during the event. Venues throughout Astoria participate, and evening reading venues offer food and drink service. More details at www.clatsopcc.edu/community/ fisherpoets-gathering.

NO MORE winter blues

Downtown Astoria’s eclectic 11th Street has recently become even saucier with the arrival of Keepsake Tattoo Studio on Dec. 1. “We’ve been wanting to get closer to the downtown area so we could receive more foot traffic,” said Andrea McDermed, Keepsake Tattoo artist.

She works with Keepsake owner and fellow tattoo artist, Aaron Toledo. Aaron ordered a general remodel of the space, which was formerly on Eighth Street, attached to Deals Only Too. “When we started it was more of a warehouse space. We installed drywall and wiring for light fixtures,” McDermed explains.

The business now joins Astoria Coffee

The event takes place at the Liberty Theater (1203 Commercial St), at 3pm on Sunday, March 25th, and features virtuosic violinist Lindsay Deutsch and world-renowned jazz pianist Dick Hyman, under the direction of Conductor Yaacov Bergman. The program will premiere a new transcription of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” for violin and orchestra, and offer works by Hyman for jazz trio, violin, piano and orchestra. Tickets are available at the Liberty Theater Box Office or through TicketsWest and range from $15 to $25.

Tickets at www.liberty-theater.org, or call TicketsWest at 503-224-8499 or 800-992-8499.

One of the most unqiue lodging experiences you’ll ever encounter, is a stay at the Cannery Pier Hotel. Is like being in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by Columbia River. The Cannery Pier Hotel was built on the site of the former Union Fish Cannery, 600 feet into the river. This Astoria Hotel offers guests unparalleled views of a real working river, as well as views out to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and nearby Washington. Each room has a private balcony and is lavishly wellappointed with a fireplace, and hardwood floors. Cannery Pier Hotel offers unique amenities, classic antique chauffeured cars, vintage bicycles, wine and smoked fish. www.cannerypierhotel.com

Start Your Day This spring, chamber music lovers can combine a trip to the Oregon coast with experiencing the Portland Chamber Orchestra perform All That Jazz.

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For a true diner breakfast eggs, bacon, toast, and a strong cup of joe, you must start your day at the Labor Temple (934 Duane St.). Dedicated in 1925 the Labor Temple building is the oldest union hall in the Pacific Northwest built specifically as a union hall. www.labortemple.com

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Cannon Beach, OR

by LeeAnn Neal

New Japanese Restaurant OPENS

in the wine walk. Wine dinners are purchased separately. Ticket prices and the complete schedule add yourself to the mailing list by emailing info@ savorcannonbeach.com. And follow the festival on Facebook, at Savor Cannon Beach, and on Twitter at @savorcb.

a weekend of yoga, meditation, music, health and wellness, treatments and other activities. Organizers have yet to finalize the schedule and festival pass costs. www.cannonbeachyogafestival.com

Chocolate delights

Local culinary superstars John and Sandy Newman recently opened their second Cannon Beach restaurant, FISHES Sushi & Japanese Cuisine (240 N Hemlock St), in addition to their critical and popular success Newmans at 988, which offers French and Italian faire.

FISHES resides in the former location of JP’s Restaurant. After 18 years the owners of JP’s, Bill and Diana Pappas, have retired. FISHES offers Asian-style meats, vegetarian dishes and sushi. Chef John Newman said the concept is based on his experiences at FISHES Seafood and Steaks in Pacific City and Silks, a restaurant in San Francisco’s Mandarin Oriental hotel. www.newmansat988.com

Savor Cannon Beach

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2012’s Savor Cannon Beach Wine & Culinary Festival will feature more than 20 Northwest wineries, along with wine tastings, wine dinners and special pairing menus. The five-day event, scheduled for March 8th through the 11th, will kick off with a Thursday night “Throwdown,” a wine tasting event showcasing selected Northwest wines. This year, the focus is on red and white blends.The festival tasting events are limited to only 100, and last year’s festival tickets sold out in advance according to festival manager, Gary Hayes. A festival ticket offers admission to all of the festival’s official tasting events and a glass to participate

Photo: www.laurensheehanmusic.com

Folk & Blues ‘songster’

Singer Lauren Sheehan will perform on Feb. 25th at the Cannon Beach History Center (1387 S Spruce St). The concert is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm. The selfdescribed “songster” interprets songs by some of America’s most notable folk and blues artists. Her performances frequently include material such as unaccompanied ballads, Memphis blues, old-time banjo tunes, vintage country songs and eclectic modern folk. For more information on the upcoming concert, call the History Center at 503-436-9301. Although the concert is free, donations are welcome.

When in Cannon Beach you can get your chocolate carvings satisfied at the Chocolate Cafe (232 N. Spruce St.). They proudly serve Moonstruck Chocolates. Warm yourself up with a steaming cup of hot dark chocolate, or choose half milk chocolate and half dark chocolate. Besides drinks they have a good assortment of chocolates to choice from to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Show Your Colors For great beach wear that makes a statement go into Unique Custom Shirts (224 N. Hemlock). They have hundreds of shirts with many different screenprinted sayings and designs. You’ll walk out wearing a cool shirt and a smile.

A Good Glass of Wine

Yoga Festival Returns

The Cannon Beach Yoga Festival, which made its debut last year, will return March 2nd-4th. Sponsored by the Tolovana Arts Colony, Cannon Beach Tourism & Arts Commission, and Cannon Beach Yoga Arts, the festival features instruction by world-renowned yoga teachers during

By the bottle or the glass, Lush Wine Bar (1235 S. Hemlock) is a great place to stop. Lush is much more than a wine tasting bar they offer a full menu of fresh nibbles. Lush is a part of the Kingfisher Farms CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).

Kingfisher Farms is committed to organic farming practices.

No pesticides, herbicides, unnatural fertilizers or soil supplements are used on the farm, also the tractor runs on biodiesel. Todd and Tracy are there to help you select the best wine for you. www.lushwinebar.com

ABOUT OREGON

Eugene, OR

by Ellen King

Spaced Out

will be happening January 27th through the 29th. Come join chefs, foragers, and connoisseurs, for three full days dedicated to one of our regions most cherished gastronomic treasures.

With truffle cooking classes, truffle dog demonstrations, a unique truffle farmers market, and a Grand Truffle Dinner prepared by regional chefs, this year’s truffle festival is sure to be any truffle enthusiast’s dream come true.

For more information about the festival and how to purchase tickets, visit www. oregontrufflefestival.com. The festival will be held at the Eugene Hilton Hotel, located at 66 East 6th Avenue.

works that are both whimsical and deeply connected to the trees from which they came. Many of the creations are functional art, in the form of tables, chairs, benches, lamps, and cutting boards. The gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00am-6pm. For more information on artists and exhibits, call 541-988-9663 or email info@urbanlumbercompany.com.

Broadway in Eugene

Sandwich Revolution Have you ever wanted to travel in space?

Well, now you can! The Science Factory Exploration Dome (2300 Leo Harris Parkway) has front row seats to an amazing deep space adventure with its full-dome show, Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity, narrated by Liam Neeson.

Encounter spectacular cosmic wonders: the beginning of the universe, the Big Bang, the formation of stars, a collision of two galaxies, and a breathtaking journey inside a super massive black hole! This engaging and educational experience is funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA, and was produced by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in association with NOVA. The show will be running Saturdays and Sundays, January through April. Show times are 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 2:00pm. Admission is $4 for nonmembers. For more information about this and other Science Factory shows and exhibits. www.sciencefactory.org

Truffles

Established four years ago, The ’Wich House (840 Willamette St) has become the go-to place in downtown Eugene for fine, panini-style sandwiches and hearty soups. Serving unique creations, such as the Poached Pear ’Wich and the Pot Roast ’Wich, this is not your average sandwich shop. Jeff Fields, biochemist turned sandwich revolutionary, started the ’Wich House with the very simple premise that the best foods are made from scratch. Everything at The ’Wich House is homemade, right down to the bread—white or wheat herb Focaccia— baked in-house daily. Even the meats are cured right there. The Ham ’Wich, pictured above, features house-cured ham, homemade mango salsa, Muenster cheese, and spring mix. Furthermore, you can bring your special someone to The ’Wich House for an extra special Valentine’s Day Dinner. Fancy black tablecloths and candles are coming out for this decadent, five-course meal, complete with wine pairings. For more information, call 541-434-9424. The ’Wich House is open Monday through Thursday, 7:30am to 3pm; Fridays until 8pm; and Sundays, 12pm to 5pm.

Artists In Wood

The 7th annual Oregon Truffle Festival

Eugene’s newest wood art and furniture gallery, Out On a Limb (191 East Broadway), is hosting its debut exhibit through the end of December. Featured artists, Tim Boyden and Seth San Felippo of Urban Lumber, use salvaged wood and repurposed items, such as bowling balls, skis and baseball bats, to create

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My Fair Lady will be performed at the Hult Center (1 Eugene Center, at 6th and Willamette) Saturday and Sunday, January 7th and 8th. Featuring one of theater’s most beloved characters, Eliza Doolittle, and songs such as, “Wouldn’t It Be Lovely” and “On the Street Where You Live,” it’s no wonder My Fair Lady is one of the longest running musicals of all time. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1912 play Pygmalion, My Fair Lady will transport audiences to Edwardian London to experience one of the most beautiful stories ever told about language and love.

Tickets go on sale November 25, starting at only $32.50. Student tickets are also available for $15.

Also premiering at the Hult Center is Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the classic tale of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a young prince trapped in a spell who must learn to love or forever be doomed to remain a beast. Come see the international musical sensation that has already delighted millions! The show runs Tuesday and Wednesday, February 28th and 29th, with ticket prices ranging from $32.50 to $57.50. Tickets at www.hultcenter.org and the Hult Center Box Office.

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ABOUT FASHION continued from pg. 20 piece they’ll use forever. With those sentimental items, we often work to incorporate some aspect of the original piece.

Yeah. It will be there forever.

Is there a project that you’ve done that’s a personal favorite?

Do you use a machine ever?

There was one bag I made from the same leather that they use for the Queen of England’s saddle. The leather comes from a tannery in Belgium. It was for a customer who is from London, and I was only able to get two pieces of this leather, so it seemed fitting to use it for him. That was a really magic bag for me because I had finished it and was getting ready to stamp [my logo on] it—and when I stamp, sometimes I mark on the card with pencil to check placement—but I didn’t realize that some of the pencil mark had gotten from the card onto the leather, and, since it was natural leather, the mark was permanent. So, I had to make it over. That was the first time I had ever rejected something on aesthetic alone. But now I’m way more careful than I was before, so I learned from it. I gave that bag to a really good friend, so every time I see him, I know what the customer in London’s bag looks like today.

And can you still see the pencil mark?

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Tell me a little bit more about the construction details in a piece. From what I’ve seen, you do almost all the sewing completely by hand.

Yep.

I do use a machine for my canvas and wool bags, but I still use hand-stitching for all the details. That’s a price point issue more than anything. In terms of durability, the machine stitch versus hand stitch is probably pretty even in the beginning. The difference is going to be four to six years down the road, where you start to have enough abrasion that a stitch is going to break. And so it begins to unravel if it’s machine sewn; whereas when it’s hand sewn, there are two independent threads that lock together with knots on every stitch.

Oh, so if that stitch comes undone, it’s just that stitch.

Exactly. The knot is what actually forms the stitch.

This process is extraordinary to watch. How long does it take to learn?

Well, there are different philosophies, different techniques. I say to people that are apprentices,

“The first two years are body memory, the second two years are replication, and then the final two to four years is the fun part because you finally get to design your ideas.”

So that’s six to eight years to be able to do this.

Yeah. Originally, the apprentice wouldn’t touch leather for the first three years. They’d be making threads, making brewers pitch, sharpening knives, and just learning by observing.

What bag do you carry on a daily basis?

I switch a lot. Usually I’m testing different bags out.

With a new design, I go through a process of testing it myself before I put it out. I was using [the last bag I designed] for about seven months before I made one for a customer.

Is there anything else you can imagine doing other than this? If you couldn’t design bags, what would you be doing?

Maybe teaching people to sew somewhere, to create things by hand, things that incorporate their heritage. One of the things I really want to do is to open up a school where people that are in transition or are homeless could learn a trade, something that they can do with their hands. -AFM-

ABOUT ART continued from pg. 33 European?

No, American— Rau s c he nb erg , he’s American.

There’s a lot of things going on in the art world that I’m totally unaware of because I’m just in my own head. I don’t hang out with any other artists. I’m not out running around on First Thursdays and whatnot. I’d like to be in the middle of the woods.

I prefer the peace and quiet of just hanging out and not being around a bunch of people, I suppose.

How do you see your artistic style evolving in the future?

I think eventually I’ll just get right on back to where I first took a stab at everything. I’ll probably reintroduce imagery at some point. I’ll probably have a lot more color than I’m working with now. I think it’ll just be bigger and more sophisticated. It will continue to evolve.

So you see yourself coming full circle?

Yeah. I look at paintings I did a long time ago, and I really like them. But the only reason I’m doing what I’m doing now is I’m constantly pushing. And then you keep pushing and you keep learning more

and more and more, but then you want to go back and hook into what you always liked, even though you’re not doing that now. It’s all about the fit…

I recently bought a bunch of oils because I thought I wanted to go out and do some plein air paintings.

You know, just something totally different. I want to go out to Sauvie Island or something and just sit there and listen to the birds. Just paint a field. I ride my motorcycle constantly. I’ll take my camera out and go take shots all over the place. And maybe I’ll paint a landscape one day. But maybe I’ll try to twist it into a surrealist landscape or whatever.

My mind is all over the place I suppose. It takes a long time to move—you’ve got to take action, and then you can’t really expect awesome results when you first start out. I mean there’s a huge learning curve. Just doing what I do has taken forever.

Chuck Close, he painted—Realism, you know. He had an injury or accident or something. He’s in a wheelchair. He’s just incredible. He’s got this contraption that’s attached to his arm and he paints in a grid. And so when you’re up close to these paintings, there’s just a color and another color and, like, a shape. And every one of them will be just a circle and it doesn’t make any sense. But then you back up and you go let’s say, across the street and you look at it—and I mean, he works huge, absolutely massive, and he’ll paint all kinds of famous people. And when you look at it from far away, it looks like a photograph. And I think he said a long

time ago, “Inspiration is for amateurs; artists get to work,” or something like that.

If you sit around and wait for something to move you, you’ll just sit and sit and sit. You gotta get to work. That action, that 20 minutes you put in, will get the ball rolling, and all of a sudden you can’t get away. I’ve had other friends ask, “How do you get going?” You just gotta start. That’s what I mean, it’s just like life; it’s just like anything. -AFMSusan Hodge of Gallery 903 in Portland’s Pearl District, says Korey Gulbrandson’s paintings exhibit both strength and finesse. “They encourage the viewer to put their mind in motion,” she states. Having worked with Gulbrandson for six years or more, Hodge has observed his style becoming more dimensional and more refined. She finds that his work appeals to people of all ages that are interested in abstract art. “No one’s doing what he’s doing,” she says. She thinks demand for his commissioned pieces will increase as people become more familiarized with his work. www.gallery903.com

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ABOUT HEROES continued from pg.62 Is there a type of person that is more likely to donate toys?

It’s across the board, but you are going to find people with very little means donating, and that means so much when you see it. I have seen families with kids who didn’t have much, and they gave the very gifts that they received for Christmas.

They went ahead and turned around and donated their wrapped and unwrapped gifts right back to the Toy Drive. It’s magical.

Is there anyone that you would like to acknowledge that has helped you?

Of course, my mother, my family, and our biggest partner, our friends at Starbucks. They have helped so many kids on a grand scale. Also, our dear friend and chairman of our board, Greg Cox, and our board members as well.

What is your relationship with Starbucks?

Starbucks is an immense supporter of our cause to help others. By serving as collection points throughout the entire metro area, they are a huge proponent of collecting toys and supporting our mission.

How many Starbucks do you work with?

Every company-owned Starbucks store in the Portland Metro area—that’s about 150 locations.

They will be participating in the Metro Toy Drive and collecting donations at all their stores. It goes

into the outer region as well—Starbucks will be collecting as far as Medford, Eugene and parts of Washington—but in terms of a direct influence, it is the Portland Metro area.

Do you need more help—either volunteers or partners?

One of the greatest things that I hope our organization will be known for, in addition to helping children year-round, is creating a viable vehicle for children who want to help other children. One of the programs that we created is called “The Child Hero Program.” We are looking for partners, companies, who can help us with resources to make this program work, to give children in our community an opportunity to help out other children.

We would love to teach the values of service and giving. If children can learn it at a very young age, then when they become adults they will be more compassionate, more oriented towards others, and more service minded. These are also the values of any for-profit business. It makes for better people.

Anything you want to say to the people out there that may be considering donating toys this year?

Yes, I do want to say that for everyone who is reading this, whether it is Metro Toy Drive or not, I would highly, highly encourage that you make a donation to support the cause of getting kids in need a toy this holiday season, no matter the organization you contribute to, as we are all of the same purpose.

Do you think your mom is proud of you?

I think so. I hope so. I hope she continues to become more proud as our organization continues to grow. -AFM-

cannon-beach.net

Village Centre

FREE ADMISSION

Saturday, February 11, 2012 9:00am - 4:00pm

Oregon Convention Center

For more information call 503-736-2770 x 7297.

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