Back in our college days, we frequented this bar called Rennies. We were there nearly every day, our fake Idaho ID in tow. (Not that we condone that now that we’re real grown ups!) We loved the special treatment that came with being regulars. That is until we were busted and banished for our remaining years. (Ever desperate, we once even wore a disguise and scaled the roof.)
Now we have a new neighborhood hang out, The Slide Inn; eclectic, warm, and unlike our college haunt, extremely inviting. At the corner of SE 24th and Ankeny, this funky low-lit mid-century modern space specializes in German-American comfort food ranging from sausage and kraut (from local sources), to hand-made Bavarian pretzels, schnitzel, grass-fed burgers (Slide Inn Sliders), fondue, and German inspired cocktails and bier. There is a collection of Margaret Keane art on one wall, starry mod mirrors along another, a cozy sofa and seating area by the funky fake fireplace, and if we don’t feel like talking we can always do some etch-a-sketching (yes they have a dozen Etch-a-Sketch on hand. Genius!)
Auf Wiedersehen Slide Inn. We’ll be seeing you again, like tomorrow.
The Slide Inn
2348 SE Ankeny
Portland, OR
503-236-4997
www.slideinnpdx.com
When we were 23 you could still meet a friend at the gate if you picked them up from the airport. JT had not yet brought sexy back and was just the curly blond guy in *NSYNC. And we had the worst fashion sense ever. We suspect it was a combination of no money and not really knowing ourselves very well. We’d gone to college and fallen in love but when it came to fashion we had a lot of growing up to do.
But why dwell on the past when we’re oh so much more fashion forward and can celebrate that at Beyond 23, a new boutique on, you guessed it, NW 23rd. Beyond 23 is a light and airy shop filled with all the unique pieces we crave. Their collection of clothing and accessories pop with color and have an eclectic world groove vibe. Our favorite was a white dress by Angie, which would be fun to pair with any one of the colorful belts sprinkled around the store. An impressive array of bags, shoes and jewelry would round out the look.
Ah…to be young again. Just kidding! We’d way rather be beyond 23 and bringing sexy back ourselves!
Beyond 23
725 NW 23rd Avenue
Portland, OR
503-841-6682
Lately we’ve found ourselves jumping at the chance to run errands. Quick trips to Freddie’s for toilet paper, dropping off overdue library books, coffee runs. We’re not really trying to be extra helpful, we just want a break from the noise at home. (Mom, mom, mom!) And we’re not ashamed to say that occasionally we take the long way home or allow ourselves to get distracted. On a recent escape/outing to return videos, we spotted BIN 21 off of Alberta and decided that we definitely deserved a glass of wine and a snack.
BIN 21 rounds out the tenant list in the building that already houses recent buzz-makers Salt & Straw and Bollywood Theater. A cozy wine bar with modern finishes, BIN 21 is the perfect spot to grab light nibbles and a glass of wine. They offer a variety of varietals on tap (why is that so cool? It just is.) as well as a selection of beer. The charcuterie plate and roasted spiced nuts were the perfect complement to the juicy Sokol Blosser rose we picked.
Our baby-daddy may have wondered what took us so long, but we were so relaxed when we got home. And you know what they say, happy wife…
BIN 21
5011 NE 21st Ave
Portland, OR 97211
503-336-5266
www.bin21pdx.com
We are working on the coolest little craft project. The only problem: it’s been in progress for about two years now. And by “in progress”, we mean it’s now gathering dust in the corner of our guest room. Whenever we find someone with the talent and drive to not only start such projects but painstakingly finish and market batches of them, we are more than willing to pull out our wallet (especially since our crafty friend just made a fabulous one for us).
Crafty Wonderland’s retail outpost managed to gather the wares of over 160 beloved and talented local designers and artists, including My Little Buffalo, Frock and more. Everything in this colorful corner shop is handmade and local, from limited edition lithographs to letterpress greeting cards to hip jewelry. Once this pop-up shop decided to extend its downtown presence indefinitely last year, it quickly became our go-to stop for gifts, creative home accents and more.
Crafty Wonderland Retail Shop
808 SW 10th Ave.
Portland, OR 97205
503-224-9097
www.craftywonderland.com
Our beloved grandma was a crazy old bird who had seven kids, a polyester pantsuit for every occasion and a glass of scotch in her hand everyday at 5 o’clock sharp. She was funny and tough, but she was a disaster in the kitchen. We are not one of those families that passes down cherished recipes, unless burned steak and mushy vegetables count. (It doesn’t.) But lucky for us, Charles Hude’s Ma Maw, Miss Kate, was the cooking kind of grandma, and now he’s bringing the taste of Vicksburg, Mississippi to Mississippi Avenue.
Miss Kate’s Southern Kitchen is the newest food cart at the Mississippi Marketplace. We were immediately lured in by how cute the cart is. A cute food cart? Yes, it’s adorable. But the menu is the real standout here. Fried chicken served with big fluffy biscuits, deep fried pickles, pulled pork, all your favorite southern sides, and the best beignets west of NOLA. Our friend could not shut up about the biscuits with bacon gravy. The River Boat Fried Chicken sandwich with creole sauce had us clutching our pearls and claiming a case of the vapors.
While our own grandma may not have been able to fill our bellies with yum yums, she would surely raise her glass to Miss Kate.
Miss Kate’s Southern Kitchen
Mississippi Marketplace
4237 N Mississippi Avenue
Portland, OR 97217
www.facebook.com/MissKatesSouthernKitchen
We love any reason to visit NE Portland’s Beaumont Village, with its charming Euro-chic vibe. So when we heard that Shop Adorn had reopened its doors there, no one needed to twist our yoga-toned arm to revisit the boutique.
After honing its act in a smaller space up the street for the last year, Shop Adorn is now settled in a spacious (and gorgeous) storefront in the heart of this quaint shopping district. The extra square footage allows owner Nicole Whitesell to better showcase favorite lines like Prairie Underground (their denim “girdle” leggings are an oh-so-flattering hit with all shapes and ages), and bring in new vendors like San Francisco’s Amour Vert, who manage to combine sustainability with dead-on style. (We snapped-up their collarless silk blouse in yummy coral.) Other winning lines and looks include super-soft tees by LA Made; classic and colored denim by Agave, Paige, and J Brand; and boldly-scaled bags and jewelry by local designer Ms. Wood, her fringed white leather purse is now our go-to carryall—perfect for exploring the neighborhood!
Shop Adorn
4759 NE Fremont Street
Portland, OR 97213
503.505.7424
www.shopadorn.com
We’re overdue for a vacation, and we’ve been dreaming about a culinary jaunt through Europe. So we hopped online to book our trip, and realized that our writer’s salary might be more in line with a slightly more, er, domestic trip (like say, Hood River). As we sullenly unpacked our leiderhosen, we had an epiphany—we don’t have to leave Portland to have a European taste adventure!
We booked a trip (or “made a reservation” if you want to spoil our fantasy) to Grüner, a cozy yet sophisticated downtown restaurant that specializes in melding warm, hearty Alpine comfort food with the farm-to-table traditions and bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Dishes like Alsatian flatbreads and farrotto with braised duck pair perfectly with an extensive wine and signature cocktail list, fittingly heavy on European choices. We enjoyed our tastebud tour so much, we are already planning our next Grüner visi…vacation.
Grüner
527 SW 12th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97205
503.241.7163
www.grunerpdx.com
As women who live large—or at least strive to—we know a few things about crossroads, those juicy decision-making moments in life. And while sometimes the choices are daunting (like whether to take that job in Dallas), we secretly prefer the easy ones—like whether to have granola or gummy bears on our fro-yo.
That’s why we’re thrilled to discover the Crossroads Trading Co. on NW 23rd Ave. Like its sister store on Hawthorne Blvd., the San Francisco-based retailer allows us to sell, trade, or consign our own apparel, shoes, and accessories—a scenario that makes it easy (and crazy-affordable) to choose plenty of pieces to update our look. We also love that Crossroads has simplified the shopping experience for us by offering their savvy mix of new and used men’s and women’s looks in an expertly merchandised space. Should it be this effortless to find wide-leg Hudson jeans, a Vince cashmere cardi, and a True Religion shirt for our main squeeze? We certainly hope so. It lets us save our energy for life’s bigger decisions: like where to have dinner…
Crossroads Trading Co.
128 NW 23rd Avenue
Portland, OR 97210
503.241.2545
www.crossroadstrading.com
Our dog is fussy (he’s French). He likes things tidy, sleeps in our bed, eats off bone china, and refuses to go outside when it’s raining (this is a problem). That’s why you’ll often find us at Sniff.
Sniff is sleek, modern and spacious with over 2000 square feet of play space in their super squeaky-clean indoor play park. (Unlike our house, no dog hair or dog smell. Seriously, no Shih Tzu. How is that even possible?) Need a sleep-over? Upstairs in the hotel, your pup can choose from standard, junior, or deluxe suites with city-views, webcams, flat screen tv’s and luxury bedding. There is a kitchen where meals are prepared, and each dog has his own cubby. There is a salon and spa for bubble baths, brush-outs and blow-outs; or maybe it’s time for a massage or paw-dicure (including moisturizing paw rub and nail polish.) Whether your dog is a pampered pooch or a modest mutt, Sniff has something for everyone.
But our favorite is happy hour at the Sniff Café where we can sip and mingle with other dog lovers while our BF’s socialize, get their hair done, or like our indulged pup, get some much-needed training.
Sniff Dog Hotel
1828 NW Raleigh St.
Portland, OR 97209
503-208-2366
www.sniffdoghotel.com
Miraculously, summer decided to grace Portland with its presence before July this year. This is fabulous news until about 3pm each day, when we begin to melt into a sticky, AC-less puddle. As such, we’ve decided to trade our daily coffee habit in for a little ice cream until things cool off.
Though the frozen portion of the menu is virtually identical to its eastside brethren, this shop offers something new: some of the best morning pastries we’ve had in forever, Stumptown coffee drinks and more. Okay, so maybe we’ll stop in for coffee and a baked donut on the way to work, and a scoop on our way home…make that on the way to the gym.
Studio Ridge, LLC
