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Gift Giving Guide: The Boyfriend

KEEL — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 08:01:02 +0000

Male Partner: Next on your “WHAT do I buy this person?” list is the oh so adorable man in your life. Boytoy. Beau. Manfriend. Husband. Partner with a pe… okay, you get the idea. The man that makes you feel beautiful in sweatpants and happy even when it’s still pouring rain in May. Of course he has his less-than-desirable moments, but the holiday season is the optimal time to let him know how much you appreciate him through all the ups and downs of your relationship.

Blah, blah, that’s all well and good but how?! With what gift? Sometimes, the one you’re supposed to know the best can be the most difficult to buy for. With men it’s nice to strike a balance between functional and fun. Get back to one of the most basic reasons for gift giving: provide him with an item he’d never buy for himself.

Rugged Outdoorsman
The “rugged” part might be debatable, but in any case, this guy loves to be outside and active. He adores his bike, fresh air, and even camping in the winter (yeah…what?). Indulge and encourage what might be his healthiest hobby.

CAMPING & OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Portland Preparedness Center (7202 NE Glisan St., Portland, Oregon 97213)

BIKES
West End Bikes (1111 SW Stark St., Portland, OR 97205)

OUTDOOR EPHEMERA/GARDENING:
Paxton Gate (4204 N Mississippi Ave., Portland, OR 97217)

Clotheshorse
Realistically, this gift might be aspirational for your guy. A starting point towards a more complete wardrobe (i.e. items other than jeans and t-shirts). Some men get it when it comes to clothes while others need a bit of help. Either way, that’s where you – and these awesome gift suggestions – come in. Buy him a shirt that actually fits and flatters his body type, start or expand his collection of man-cessories, and/or provide some coverage while dancing around the apartment to LMFAO.

CLOTHING NEW:
abrahams&duffy (2215 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211)
MACHUS (542 East Burnside St, Portland OR 97214)
Lizard Lounge (1323 NW Irving Street Portland, OR 97209)
UnderU4Men (800 SW Washington St., Portland, OR 97205)
Communion (3556 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97214)

CLOTHING VINTAGE/SECOND-HAND:
Animal Traffic (429 SW 10th Ave., Portland OR 97205) & Animal Traffic (4000 N Mississippi Ave., Portland OR, 97227)
Red Light Clothing Exchange (3590 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97214)
Hollywood Vintage (2757 NE Pacific Street, Portland, OR 97232)
Rock n’ Rose (616 E. Burnside, Portland, OR 97214)

SHOES & ACCESSORIES:
Sock Dreams (8005 SE 13th Ave., Portland, OR 97202)
The Shoe Store. (1603 NE Alberta st Portland, OR 97211)
Myoptic Optometry (3978 N Williams Ave, Portland OR 97227)
Halo Shoes (938 NW Everett St, Portland OR 97209)

Other
We don’t see small stocking stuffers and/or gift certificates as a cop-out AT ALL. Think of it as quality control at its best: let him do the shopping at a location pre-sanctioned by you. Perf!

FURNITURE & HOME GOODS:
Porch Light (225 NW 11th Ave Portland, OR 97209)
Perch Furniture (923 NW 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97209)

Maven Collective (7819 SE Stark St., Portland, OR)
Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. (2181 NW Nicolai St., Portland, OR 97210)

BODY ART:
Icon Tattoo (149 N. Russell St. Portland, OR 97227)

ACCESSIBLE MANSCAPING:
Wolf’s Apothecary (920 SW Morrison St., Portland, OR 97205)

PRINT MEDIA NERD:
Reading Frenzy (921 SW Oak St. Portland, OR 97205)

GAMER:
Cloud Cap Games (1226 SE Lexington St., Portland, OR 97202)

This shop guide was brought to you by guest blogger Anna Reed.

Anna is a nonprofit professional by day, part-time shop girl on the weekends, and occasional freelance writer who enjoys coffee, jewelry, shopping local, and Instagram.

Drag ‘em along! (they’ll end up having fun, promise).

KEEL — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 04:08:44 +0000

This post comes to us from the super great Jen Neitzel of The Maven Circle and so many other awesome things. All pictures provided by the Little Boxes shops and their websites.

I was happy to be asked to write a post about my preferred shopping route for LIttle Boxes for a number of reasons.
1). I totally believe in shopping local/handmade whenever I can.
2). I have many friends who own awesome businesses in and around Portland and I’m happy to spread the word to remind people that there’s plenty of alternatives to the traditional “Mall Holiday Shopping” experience.
3). When you shop local/handmade you can find amazing treasures! Forget the mass produced trinkets that you can find at the big box stores, when you shop local it’s all about quality, the details and thought that went into the production of the product. Best of all, it’s way easier to find gifts to “fit” the people in your life.
4). When you shop local/handmade, buying from stores and artists you are casting a vote with every purchase about what you value and the kind of world you want to live in.

OK, enough with the reasons, now let’s get to shopping. I will probably be dragging my husband along with me to do some shopping, but we’ll make a stop or two for food and drinks- this will help keep the torture level to a minimum on his end.

I think we’d start at Presents of Mind. It’s the place where you can get almost anything, from earrings, to clothing, to random oddity- they pretty much have it all. I might try to distract my hubby and get him another one of Season’s t-shirts. He loves her shirts. Oh, who’s Seasons? She’s the owner of Presents of Mind and she’s a good friend of mine, who does great work.

Next we’d go over to Redux to shop and visit with my friend Tamara. Tamara owns Redux and her style is so specific and cool. I would call her style something like extraordinary nature-inspired art with a touch of the macabre. Lots of things made from natural materials: leathers, bone, gems and more. Something about her style is just a little bit dark and also a little glamorous, so I know I will find gorgeous things that I won’t find other places.

After that we’d head over to North Portland and get some more Little Boxes awesomeness, by hitting up Queen Bee Creations. I hope that my friend Rebecca Pearcy will be working when I go. She’s the owner of Queen Bee and really one of my craft idols. She started her business in her bedroom and has grown it into a handmade empire! She uses great materials on her bags and they are brilliantly made. I have about six Queen Bee bags so when I try to buy another one for myself and my husband will look at me like I’m crazy. I know this will happen because I always want a new bag when I go to the Queen Bee studio, but this time I’m going to try to stay focused on gifts for others. Wish me luck with this goal.

My friend Regina is in serious need of a new wallet. She’s like the Seinfeld episode where George’s wallet is so full of receipts that he can no longer close his wallet. She might need a bigger wallet, so maybe I’ll find something for her there.

After that we’d head over to Flutter to look at shiny things. Flutter is the type of store that has so many fun and unique gift items that it’s hard to even guess what we might find, but I know it will be feminine and cool. The store is so visually appealing that it feels like the layout of the store is a piece of art in and of itself. Last time I went there I got this really good smelling perfume, which generally I don’t like or buy, but they had something I liked that didn’t make me sneeze (this is a major qualifier for me when it comes to perfume). I just met the owner of Flutter, Cindy last night. My husband, Trent, and her husband, Oliver,work together at Wieden and Kennedy and last night was their company party, which is where we met. She’s so cool!

Break time! Next we’d head to The Box Social for one of their amazing cocktails. My husband and I will probably get a couple of their old fashions because we LOVE them! They do ‘em stiff, and delicious with one of those big ice cubes. So good! We might have a bite to eat if it fits with our schedule.

I know I’ll plan to head to Jet to check out dresses, but then I’ll realize that if I go in there I’ll buy myself something and it’s not about shopping for me, so I’ll probably have to wait to go shopping there after Christmas and because I will have waited I’ll be able to buy extra! The thing I love about Jet’s clothing is it’s mostly ready to wear, stretchy, eco-friendly, stylish clothing that’s made for a body in motion. Yay for comfort and style!

Next we’d head to Frock to visit with my friends who own the place, Ali and Angie. I will try on some dresses and find at least a few I love and then I’ll remember that it’s not all about me and buy for others. Ali and Angie always have some really reasonably priced gift items: socks, jewelry, etc and typically, each year they do some of their own designs on t-shirts, scarves, flasks and more. I personally love their anatomical heart that is divided into areas of Portland. If you don’t know what I mean, you’ll have to go there and see for yourself.

By this time, my husband will be very, very done with shopping so I’ll suggest that we go over to Stickers, which is near our neighborhood. Stickers is a delicious little Thai, Chinese, Korean, Indian fusion street food place with great food and prices, but on the way there I’ll offer to drive and make a quick stop off at collage, the best locally owned art store anywhere! I hope that my friend Maria will be working. She owns the place and she is really honestly probably my best friend in the craft community. We worked together for years (I used to own and run DIY Lounge). Maria and I really enjoy each other’s company and understand each other. Whether Maria is working or not, I’ll go and paw through the washi tape, which is really an obsession of mine. I hoard the stuff and I’m not kidding. Washi tape is decorative Japanese masking tape and it’s the perfect thing for decorating packages, embellishing cards and more. In truth I can get everything I need to make any sort of card making, gift wrapping papery sorts of things and more at collage. It’s really a wonderful store, with such a cool, hand-picked selection of art supplies and materials.

By this time my hubby will be so over shopping that when I say, “But Tilde is just right next door.” He won’t tolerate anymore and I’ll power window shop for what I might need to come back for on another day. Speaking of another day, when I have more time, I’ll hit more handmade stores like: Union Rose, Eden, Betsy and Iya, Yarnia, and Crafty Wonderlandl.

Whew, I better start my warm up calastenics and put on my shopping sneakers for this marathon shopping trip. PS. If you know my husband Trent, please don’t show him this article. I like to keep him guessing.

Thank you, Jen! This IS an exhausting route, but one where you’d find everything you need and enjoy it all along the way.

Gift Giving Guide: Sisters

KEEL — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 23:24:22 +0000

This holiday season, approach shopping for your sister as if you were shopping for yourself. You have the same genes, so surely there have to be similarities in taste. Let her pamper herself with Butter London nail polish from Shop Adorn, or the Roger & Gallet gift set from Be Smooth. Or, if you want your good taste to rub off on her, get her earrings from Grayling Jewelry or a Seaecho pouch from YO VINTAGE. Make sure that it’s something that you wouldn’t mind “borrowing” and then never giving it back- and yes, I’m talking revenge for your favorite top that mysteriously disappeared. That’s what sisters are for!

1. Seaecho Nevilyn pencil pouch in Swan Island from YO VINTAGE! (413 SW 13TH Ave., Portland, OR 97205)

2. Organic and Chic Cookbook from ink & peat (3808 N Williams Ave., Portland, OR 97227)

3. Butter London Lips & Tips in Trout Pout from Shop Adorn (4120 NE Fremont St., Portland, OR 97213)

4. Clothes Pin Cashmere Scarf by YARNZ from Parallel (1016 SW Washington St., Portland, OR 97205)

5. Ceramic Multiple Flower Vase from Presents of Mind (3633 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214)

6. Voluspa Dahlia Orange Bloom from Flutter (93948 N Mississippi Ave., Portland, OR 97227)

7. Curve earrings from Grayling Jewelry (107 SE Washington St., No. 135, Portland, OR 97214)

8. Dragonwell Green Tea from Manor Fine Wares (907 NW 23rd Ave., Portland, OR 97210)

9. Roger & Gallet Gift Set available at Be Smooth Waxing and French Skincare Boutique (120 NW 13th Ave., Portland, OR 97209)

10. Handmade Journal from Ex Libris Anonymous (4185 SE Division St., Portland, OR 97202)

This sister gift giving guide was brought to you by Saxon Trobaugh:

Hi, I’m Saxon, a Fashion Marketing student (graduating in December-yay!) and sales associate at Ellington Handbags. I spend most of my free time listening to music, watching movies, spending time with friends, and buying all the jewelry and handbags that I can. I’ve lived in the Portland area most of my life and feel so lucky to be surrounded by all the amazing creative people and places that the city has to offer.

Dream Route from afar

KEEL — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 22:26:06 +0000

This post comes to us from Portland’s fashion queen, Eden Dawn. Beyond doing so many awesome things, she writes regularly for Portland favorite, Portland Monthly Magazine. All pictures in this post provided by the Little Boxes’ shops and their websites.

Despite the fact that I am sadly out of town this year for Little Boxes, I’ve developed an idea itinerary to push on my family and friends. It’s a two fold approach with step one being these are the places I would go if I could and two, these are the places I want them to go to buy prezzies for me.

First: I’d hit downtown when my coffee buzz is at an all time high and my patience level can still handle the downtown crowds by stocking up on potions at Wolf’s Apothecary. The brand new pop up shop carries all kinds of oddities (like Rapunzel’s Hair Oil) and I think giving gifts that aren’t size/color/taste related relieves a lot of buying pressure.

(And before I leave downtown, I would absolutely stop into Animal Traffic to scout out a new bedazzled reindeer sweater for upcoming holiday parties).

Next up I’d head to Mississippi (first enjoying a Bloody Mary at Gravy), to wander to Paxton Gate and all their kind of creepy goods. Someone I know must need some python rib earrings. If not, I probably just need new friends.

Finally I’d head to Southeast to circle back to my own ‘hood. Rumor is Mag-Big on Hawthorne has adorable terrarium sets which is a good gift for anyone. And it’s next to Gold Dust Meridian which has the best green beans in the world. Plus then I can just wander up and down my favorite street watching (primarily bad) street musicians and artists loving my city.

Thank you so much, Eden! Ending the day with green beans!? Genius.

HMMM… HIM

KEEL — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:19:54 +0000

This post comes to us from the incredible Isaac of The Ambidextrous Brain. I hope someone takes his route suggestions because they ROCK (aaaaalmost as much as him). All pictures provided by the Little Boxes’ shops and their websites.

I have been looking forward to Little Boxes this year for at least three months, and I can’t wait to jump out there and support my neighborhood-owned businesses. What better way to support a local economy and put your holiday shopping dollars directly into your neighbors’ hands? Right? Glad we’re on the same page. Added value: no early-morning lines to wait in! All of the participating shops open at 10am, so grab some coffee and fuel up with a hearty breakfast before you get crackin’. Ready? Let’s go!

Let’s talk about guys. Dudes. Men. Boys. Male-types. You’ve gotta shop for him but you don’t want to put down for the latest XBOX game, a Blu-Ray, or another hoody from that vertically factoried retail chain. That’s just boring, right?! No problem—you care more than that and it’s time to wow him. Luckily, Little Boxes has everything you need to find something for your special guy (or even the not-so-special ones) in every price range. And ladies, don’t you worry. Almost every shop here has something for you, too. So don’t feel afraid to make your own wish list or treat yourself. Just remember that Friday it’s all about the guys!

First stop on my prescribed route? Wolf’s Apothecary on SW Morrison and 9th Ave, and you might want to plan to spend some time there. This pop-up shop has a collection to impress! The honest truth is that every guy likes to be pampered, they just don’t quite know how or what’s “okay” (ugh, masculinity can be so boring). At Wolf’s Apothecary, you’ll find everything from all natural, affordable men’s fragrances to shaving brushes and moustache wax. What better way to congratulate him for successfully avoiding the task during “No-Shave November” and encourage him to get back on the grooming track in style?

If he’s a freshly shorn Don Draper type or “stubble challenged”, don’t worry! There’s more at Wolf’s than just shaving paraphernalia. Keep your eyes peeled for spearmint toothpaste (smelled so good I wanted to put the whole canister in my mouth), studly porcelain bowls and jars from Syrk Tableware, and some great vintage decor. Bonus: snatch up a vintage 60s-era leather travel wallet custom built for gate passes, car park tickets, and a passport before someone else does! (Unless someone else already did.)

Next up? Head down 10th Ave to Radish Underground and Tender Loving Empire. Between the two you’ll find great screen-printed apparel, indie music, handmade undies, and a slew of awesome accessories like MapleXO’s recycled skateboard money clips, cufflinks, and belt buckles.

From there, it’s time to choose your own adventure: for a Streetcar-friendly route, head into the Pearl District and hit up Moulé, or, if you’re biking or driving, pop across the Burnside Bridge to MACHUS. Both have terribly fashionable clothing and accessories with classic style and contemporary sensibilities!

If you go the Moulé route, be sure to visit Lizard Lounge and Halo Shoes, then kick it up to the Thurman neighborhood and swing by Schoolhouse Electric and round things out at Betsy & Iya. You might be surprised at what you find there for your guyfriends, from bridge cuffs and Portland map screenprints to wallets and Goertzen leather messenger bags. When all is said and done, it’s time to applaud yourself for a day well dedicated to shopping local. Rest your gift-laden arms and knock back a cocktail or three at neighborhood favorite Besaw’s.

And if you head East to MACHUS, check out Rock ‘n’ Rose for the vintage and new rockin’ weekend wear, then head up to the Alberta District and hit up abrahams&duffy for local clothing designers, then Red Sail for fun décor and accessories. And since you’re there, pop into digs inside&out for a wonderland of color-coded décor and accessories that will make your head spin. Keep your eyes peeled for the unusual, too. Last year I nabbed The Elements of F*cking Style, a most hilarious and irreverent riff on Strunk and White’s writer’s bible. Who’d have thunk? At this point you’ve gotta be exhausted! Take a load off at Every Day Wine and sip a glass of vino while you recount how much you supported Portland’s thriving independently owned businesses!

Isaac B Watson has an ambidextrous brain and enjoys wearing lots of ridiculously stylish but fantastically professional hats. He is passionate about supporting a local economy and doing his part to make the world a better place. He blogs about community, creative business, and productivity at The Ambidextrous Brain.

A Little Boxes store guide to finding great gifts for your coworkers

KEEL — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 05:21:30 +0000

Our final installment of the Little Boxes 2012 “Gift Giving Guide” is aimed at the men and women who labor tirelessly right alongside you at your job. Ideally, your collective efforts towards a common goal have created mutually respectful relationships, and perhaps even a few solid friendships. Realistically though, a lot of us know very little about the people we see every workday, and that can make gift buying even more difficult when preparing for the upcoming Office Holiday Party &/or Secret Santa exchange. Whether you know way too much about your coworkers or only a few defining details, impress your 9-5 clan with these crowd pleasing options.

“Hmm… well I do often overhear him/her always talking about his/her pet…”:
All for Paws LLC (1430 NW 23rd Ave Portland OR 97210)
LexiDog (416 NW 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97209)
Meat for cats and dogs (2205 E. Burnside St., Suite A, Portland, Oregon 97214)
NoPo Paws (2148 N Killingsworth St, Portland OR 97203)

Office Space Swag/Happy Cubicle Happy Worker:
Cargo (380 NW 13th Ave., Portland, OR 97209)
Crafty Wonderland (808 SW 10th Ave., Portland, OR 97205)
Flora (917 SW Washington St., Portland, OR 97205)
Noun: a person’s place for things (3300 SE Belmont Portland, OR 97214)
ZimZim (2805 SE Ankeny St. Portland, OR 97214)

Who Doesn’t Need a Solid Selection of Cards &/or Stationery?
Ecru Modern Stationer (1215 NW 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209)
Lark Press (3901 N Williams Avenue Portland, Oregon 97227)
RED SAIL (1723 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211)
Troolie (5501 NE 30th Ave, Portland, OR 97211)

Oversharing Parent (“OBVI I want to see 500 kid pictures on your phone, dear co worker!”):
Child’s Play Toys (2305 NW Kearney St., Portland, OR 97210)
Grasshopper Boutique (1816 NE alberta, portland, oregon 97211)
Oodles 4 Kids (7727 SE 13th Avenue, Portland, OR 97202)
Queen Bee (3961 N Williams Ave, Portland OR 97227) (*Chickpea Baby line)
SpielWerk Toys (3808 N Williams Ave., #121, Portland, OR 97227)
Zenana Spa and Wellness Center (2024 SE Clinton St. Portland, OR 97202)

Creative Soul:
Ex Libris Anonymous (4185 SE Division street Portland, Or 97202)
Framed Art Studios (8237 SE 17th Ave Portland, OR. 97202)
J. Rollins Art of Framing (2335A NW Savier Street, Portland Oregon 97210)

Screaming Sky Gallery (1416 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR 97211)
The Make House (1732 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211)

We hope visiting these suggested shops will help make your mandatory celebration of unspecified December-January holidays *slightly* less awkward.

Happy Shopping, local lovers!

This shop guide was brought to you by guest blogger Anna Reed.

Anna is a nonprofit professional by day, part-time shop girl on the weekends, and occasional freelance writer who enjoys coffee, jewelry, shopping local, and Instagram.

Gift Giving Guide: Your Nephew

KEEL — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:48:41 +0000

Admit it, you spoil your nephew more than his parents do because you want to make sure they are always entertained and always look adorable. This is easy to accomplish.

Get him the Livie & Luca Rex Boot from Branch and Birdie and he will be the center of attention at any holiday party. After the attention gets old, keep him busy with Monster Doodles from Child’s Play and Urban Robots paper toys from Grasshopper. And don’t be afraid of gifts that make a lot of noise, after he’s opened it, it becomes his parents’ problem.

7 Great Gift Ideas for your Nephew

1. Anorak magazine from Reading Frenzy (21 SW Oak St., Portland, OR 97205)

2. Monster Doodles from Child’s Play (2305 NW Kearney St., Portland, OR 97210)

3. Spot it from Cloud Cap Games (1226 SE Lexington St., Portland, OR 97202)

4. Paper toys urban robots from Grasshopper (1816 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211)

5. Livie & Luca Rex Boot from Branch and Birdie (8021 SE Stark St., Portland, OR 97215)

6. Me in Mind Lumber Jack Beanie from Black Wagon (3964 N Mississippi Ave., Portland, OR 97227)

7. Spitfire Bag of Dinosaurs from Bridge City Mercantile (4759 NE Fremont Unit B, Portland, OR 97213)

This gift guide was brought to you by Saxon Trobaugh:

How many Little Boxes Shops Can a Girl Hit in One Day?

KEEL — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:00:29 +0000

All pictures provided by the Little Boxes shops and pulled from their awesome websites!

We caught up with the lovely Chelsea Fuss of {frolic!} blog. Beyond having the coolest name and the best style, she’s offered up her preferred Little Boxes route.

In order to get the most out of this meaty route, she’ll start in the West End by fueling up at Stumptown Coffee at The Ace. Since they open super early, she can enjoy her chai and bacon cheddar biscuit (ummm…YUMMMM) over good conversation before starting off right at 10am when all the Little Boxes open together on Black Friday.

And then she’s off!

Woonwinkel:

Yo Vintage!:

West End Bikes:

Next, she’s crossing the river and heading north to the Williams Avenue, Mississippi, and Alberta Street neighborhoods!

Her route wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Little Big Burger for a chevre burger and truffle fries. Who could pass up such simply delicious local ingredients? We all agree, a stop to Little Big Burger in Portland is not to be missed.

Then she’s back over the river to:

Schoolhouse Electric:

Thanks so much, Chelsea! This is one heck of a route!

All pictures provided by the websites of highlighted Portland restaurants and courtesy of the Little Boxes shops.

Treat yo’self.

KEEL — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:03:09 +0000

This LB route coming to us from darling Serenity Ibsen, Technical Services and Archives Librarian at Pacific Northwest College of Art, amateur mycologist, professional nerd.

I have a confession: I usually make my holiday gifts, so Little Boxes shopping? It’s all for me! Us single ladies have to treat ourselves right, especially during the holidays. I’m going to ride my bike, so everything has to fit in my messenger bag…

First, It’s time to replenish my sassy jewelry collection with a visit to betsy & iya. It helps that I can mix and match B&I earrings because I keep losing just one, but I’m ready for some new pairs. The ONLY trouble with B&I is that I love too many styles and it’s really difficult to pick just one or two. However, I’ve been eyeing the Dune Drip Earrings and the Reckoner Earrings. Sexy, sassy, and classy. Plus, check out the description for the Simple Sterling Rings, “I spent the entire day in the library. And then I danced all night long. Alone. It was perfect.” That is SO me.

Now it’s on over to NW 23^rd to drool over the juicy leather handbags at Ellington. Seriously affordable, these sumptuous bags are go-anywhere, do-anything types. I’m kind of in love with the chic and functional Naomi Tote in paprika. It’ll hold my books, umbrella, camera, some snacks.. well, everything.

Quick pit stop to refuel with an Americano at Barista on NW 13^thand Hoyt. Always hopping, always delicious, and always — no matter what — served with a smile. Plus, these cats are as nerdy about coffee as I am about libraries; ask them anything.

Now it’s time to head up North to get a delicious sandwich from Brass Tacks, the best sandwiches in town from a women-owned, locally sourced (when available) shop.

Last stop of the day is Icon Tattoo where, for the Month of November, they’re having specials on literary-themed tattoos in support of literary causes! Or you can get a discount on any tattoo by bringing in a donation for Portland Books to Prisoners. I love Icon Tattoo. They have a beautiful space and the most lady tattooers you’ll ever see in one shop.

*Thanks so much for sharing, Serenity! This seems like a perfectly chill Black Friday experience, ride alone or take a friend. Awesome! (All photos provided by highlighted shops and their websites.)***

Something for the Mister AND Me.

KEEL — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:03:49 +0000

This post courtesy of the amazing Jena of Miss Modish and The Maven Circle. She is one special lady and I highly recommend checking out her wonderfully inspiring blogs. All photos courtesy of the highlighted Little Boxes shops. Thank you, Jena!

I’m so excited for Little Boxes! I always shop small/handmade during the holidays, and I’ve never actually shopped on Black Friday cause it seems like the most hellish experience I can think of being anywhere near a big box store on that day, so I’ve always avoided it completely. But now that I have an added incentive to shop small on that day, you can best believe I’m gonna be getting my bootay out there!

I like to start my holiday shopping right here in my hood, and in Montavilla my favorite spot for gifts is Branch & Birdie! I’d take my mister with me to not so subtlety hint at all the things I wouldn’t mind ending up in my stocking. And then I’d pick up a little something for all my favorite ladies- Anna carries the best candles, perfumes, pouches, nail polish, scarves, tea towels, jewelry and so many little things that are perfect for all the females on my list.

Then we’d stop at Por Que No for a bean and rice bowl, to fuel up before hitting Presents Of Mind, which is my go-to place for cards and little gifties and stocking stuffers, like funny notepads and cute key covers and cool books.

Then I’d have to drop the mister back off at home before heading down to Sellwood to shop for him! First to Stars Antique Mall to find some vintage toy cars for his collection, and maybe a cool old film camera cause he’s been into shooting film lately. Then I’d head over to Sock Dreams to nab some warm wooly socks for his stocking, some nice cashmere ones for a few friends, and if some fingerless gloves, totally not for me, I’m shopping for gifts here people, happen to fall in my basket on accident- so be it.

And then I’d head up the 99E, to Burnside to head east towards home, stopping off at Lille Boutique on the way for, okay, a gift for myself. Cause momma’s been needing some new bras for a loooong time and I’ve never been in there before but would love to finally have the chance to treat myself a bit, with a discount!

And that’s about all the shopping this girl could handle in one day, so then it’d be time to snuggle up on the couch with my cats, my mister and a pint of Cannoli ice cream (thank you Ben & Jerry’s.)

littleboxespdx.com

Gift Giving Guide: The Boyfriend

Drag ‘em along! (they’ll end up having fun, promise).

*This post comes to us from the super great Jen Neitzel of The Maven Circle and so many other awesome things. All pictures provided by the Little Boxes shops and their websites.*

*Thank you, Jen! This IS an exhausting route, but one where you’d find everything you need and enjoy it all along the way.*

Gift Giving Guide: Sisters

Dream Route from afar

*This post comes to us from Portland’s fashion queen, Eden Dawn. Beyond doing so many awesome things, she writes regularly for Portland favorite, Portland Monthly Magazine. All pictures in this post provided by the Little Boxes’ shops and their websites.*

*Thank you so much, Eden! Ending the day with green beans!? Genius.*