Rachel Comey Belts SALE!

That's right. Three great styles to choose from. Get them while you can.

Sights from the Farmers Market

In Portland, there are a few things that mark the spring/summer months. One of those things is Pedalpalooza and the naked bike ride, to which we were treated with a rather generous helping last weekend, while enjoying our desayuno cubano. That is, however, a story for another day.

Another of these markers is the proliferation of farmers markets throughout the city and suburban sprawl. For instance, Wednesdays in downtown Portland-- where I spend the majority of my days--are typically marked by bustling crowds of people armed with the requisite bouquet of fresh flowers and/or bag(s) of organic vegetables and fruit.

Beaverton, home to SOTTO, boasts of a rather large farmers market, one that we, unfortunately, haven't visited in a while. By the time the warmer months have returned, I am surprised by how much I enjoy farmers markets; I don't know how we ever do without them. PLUS, they are a great way to support local growers, while getting cheap, fresh veggies and fruit. If you can, go. NOW.

I love perusing the local vegetable offerings and, ummm, pastries.

A drawback of the Beaverton market, unlike the downtown Portland market, is the prohibition on pets in the market area. PROBLEM SOLVED: He played in the appurtenant park and terrorized little kids.


Then, we sat and enjoyed vegetarian samosas with chutney and a great cup of chai (REAL chai, mind you) ... and examined our purchases from the day, which I hope to whip up into a spring risotto.

Mlle. Pandora ... Pandora

Everyone is clamoring about the much anticipated addition to the blogosphere, Miss Pandora Pandora, a blog authored by Sartorialist-fave, Louise.

I first noticed Louise in this Sartorialist picture -- yes, that is a rosary:

source: The Sartorialist

While I cannot read French (her blog will be, I assume, predominantly French), certain things are universal. And, such great pictures are worth a thousand words--French, English, or other.

A glimpse here:

source: Pandora

Allison, one of our favorite bloggers--and coincidentally, one of our favorite customers--provides her rendition with my favorite belt, lending additional support to my belief that Rachel Comey makes the best belts:

source: Allison Wrote

And, since we're perusing Allison's blog, she also shows us a thing or two about wearing Blood is the New Black tees:

source: Allison Wrote

(Seemingly) Dichotomous Pairings

A few weeks ago, a bedridden, sick and reluctantly-rested me peered over her bed, mindlessly bored. I was shunned from the outside world, an outcast. I had caught the flu. But for the saving grace of the internet and newly-discovered blogs (fashion and otherwise), I would have surely perished.

After hours of perusing blogs and shops and of constructing a mile-long mental list of wanted non-necessities, I chanced upon a few interesting posts about the adult teeter-totter of being a professional (in a non-creative field) and preserving some semblance of creativity. How, if at all, do you strike the delicate balance?

Now, for those of you in careers in which a perfect marriage of creativity and professionalism exists (or I suppose for the aesthetically-challenged who don't give a damn anyway), you will not readily understand or, I assume, not to the same depths as others. For the vast majority (of my friends, it appears), however, there is a constant struggle. Some even come to the loathsome conclusion that to adopt a professional identity is to forego one's creative identity. Equally tragic, in my eyes, is the misconception that anyone who is mildly neurotic about aesthetics and/or design must be devoid of any substance.

Imagine my delight when I came across these blogs:

THE SUNDAY BEST and TINLAND: These are two separate blogs, written separately by a budding barrister and/or solicitor couple. That's "lawyer" in the American lexicon, although a dear friend constantly reminds me that the American term "lawyer" does not have a direct equivalent in other countries, including, but not limited to, civil law countries, where the profession may be bifurcated. Yes, I had to clarify. Back to the bloggers:

source: The Sunday Best

The Sunday Best is a staunch advocate of, among other things, the re-buttoning of one's wardrobe and thus a proponent of ushering all of society into the re-buttoning fray, one wooden button at a time. I admit that I, too, am a chronic re-buttoner. How can you say no to cute wooden buttons? I certainly can't. Neither should you.

source: Tinland

Likewise, Tinland quickly dispels the notion that "lawyers" are stodgy, non-creative relics that garb themselves exclusively in the hegemonic navy suit.

DREAMECHO: She once mused, "Fashion + Electrical Engineering = ???" Ummm... after looking over her blog, I'd say, err, greatness.

source: Dreamecho

Enough said.

And I must mention SHOPPINGSMYCARDIO, the author of which is a lawyer by trade, but lovely, fashion-addict by choice.

Refreshing.

Summer Arrivals: Charlotte Ronson and Eskell

Father's Day did, in fact, usher in summer. Finally.

Here, a few shots of a few summer dress faves:

The Charlotte Ronson sailor dress screams "summer" to me. With its white hot skirt (adorned with buttons in the back - adorable) and striped shirt top, it is a perfect easy piece in which to lounge on BBQ days such as this.






Okay, while this isn't a new arrival, this Charlotte Ronson knit dress lends itself well to Portland's capricious weather. Here, I've paired it with our last Ashley Watson bag, the structured Plover, and (surprise, surpise) my Rachel Comey belt.


These shots of the Eskell dress don't quite do it justice. It is a blue pinstripe material with bright yellow and orange accents in front.

Bicycle Love from Afar, Part 2

Here are more pictures to add to my repository of cute bicycle pictures:




Source: Facehunter

Summer Dreaming

No, this isn't the fall preview I promised earlier. Those will come slowly.

Today was a gorgeous day. GORGEOUS. It was so gorgeous that it made me think of the many, many things about summers in Portland that I enjoy, which include: farmers markets; the July Jazz Festival in Cathedral Park; lazy sleepy afternoons romping around the waterfront; frequent trips to the coast; even more frequent trips to yogurt shops during sweltering days; Pedalpalooza; hikes in the Gorge; sunset at 9pm (or something like that) ... the list can, and likely will, go on.

These pictures also made me long for summer:

source: Hel-Looks

My resistance is futile when it comes to brilliant pops of color, especially when it involves any variation of the blue and tomato red combination. This picture just makes me happy. And, well, that vintage attaché ... do I even need to finish this sentence?

source: The Sartorialist

I love rompers, jumpers, and anything one piece and effortless. Particularly in the summer and as the weather warms up, I find that I have less patience for any sort of calculation in dress. And, this look is certainly that--effortless and chic. I also adore the vintage shoes with the vintage jumper.

Plotting

Father's Day is just around the corner. And with that, hopefully, summer will promptly show up.

The notion of my father immediately conjures up childhood memories of brightly colored gobs of paint, the outer shells of which were hard with time, yet soft and maleable inside, waiting to create. His painting palette usually held the remnants of past works: that smudge of near-crimson flame that comprised the sun, the circle of azalea blue that formed the ocean. It all lay there, at his fingertips. And with a quick stroke of his brush, an expanse of possibilities suddenly appeared.

Particularly, as a child, I remember peering up and over my father's drawing board, where, usually, there lay the discards of some woodwork, an etch or two of a building designed, and often the skeleton of a new painting or drawing. Most were in fledgling form, though certainly some were closer to full existence than others. I must have spent hours upon hours staring--meticulously calculating and examining--these items.

My father has since given up painting and sculpting incessantly, having pursued more of a green-thumb creative approach. What to get him indeed ... I'm plotting. Yes, something special.

On an unrelated note, we're also excitedly plotting away for fall. Yes, fall!!! Summer is not yet here, but as soon as the end of this month, fall 2008 merchandise will slowly trickle in. We still have a few summer pieces coming in--namely, some playful Charlotte Ronson dresses and Mociun tanks. For next season, however, expect some of our favorites from this season and a few new names.

We'll post previews soon.

Mooka Kinney Nevele Jumper UPDATE

To all the gals who have diligently emailed us for weeks about the Mooka Kinney jumper, you should be glad to know that they are en route. We hope to have them up by the end of the week or next weekend. Thank you for your patience!

And, for those who don't already know, there was a last minute overhaul on the fabric choice. Goodbye, black flora ... hello, well, some other very cute print. We will post soon.