Employee Picks

Adam Arnold Designer, Portland, OR www.adam-arnold.com Adam Arnold creates clothing that is–unlike New York runway designs–both eye catching and wearable. Check out his website, but first check out his fashion “don’ts.” – DON’T be a copycat: “No one wants to be approached by a Ross Dress For Less version of Renee Zellweger.” – DON’T ever […]

Patrick Allen From the Portland Steak & Chophouse 121 SW 3rd New Year’s Eve means many things, but mostly it’s a good excuse to splurge on an elegant bottle of sparkling wine. To be even more elegant, order it in a nice restaurant, or just seek out Patrick’s recommendations in the store: – Schramsberg “Cremant” […]

Trio Vargas Seven-Year-Old The candy issue of the Portland Mercury would not be complete without the voice of a true connoisseur like Trio. His recommendations are a welcome relief to the yammering banter of adults: – Nerds (Strawberry/Grape Duo Pack): “Sometimes I suck on them so they last longer. I don’t like the purple ones. […]

Aaron Renier id.sito.org/rnr/ A local cartoon writer and author of such fine tomes as Banana Soup, Aaron graciously extends his artistic sensibility to your yard. Because when it comes to Christmas lawn ornamentation, it’s not about getting mad, it’s about getting even: – Snow: “Be the only house on the block with a white Christmas […]

Genna Golden From Gold 1524 NE Alberta One of the only things that can act as an effective distraction from the fact that we’re all freezing our little nubbies off is the onset of holiday partying! Find small comfort in the prospect of nights of food, libation, and, of course, sexy, stylish holiday party clothes. […]

Obie Hill From Reflections Bookstore 330 N Killingsworth Next Saturday at 6 pm, Reflections hosts revolutionary activist and former black panther Billy X, who brings with him a stunning photo installation documenting the Panthers, their gatherings, and pieces of the political party’s history. In order to prepare for this event, Obie recommends the following black […]

John Doyle From No Fish! Go Fish! 3962 SE Hawthorne Now that it’s the other side of Thanksgiving, what in blasted hell are you supposed to do with all this leftover turkey??!! Take a couple tips from John for something more creative than a turkey sandwich: – Turkey Soup: “I think it’s much better than […]

Philip Golden From Stereotype Records www.stereotyperecords.com Philip, of record collective Stereotype Records (and recognizable from projects like Mission to Mars), is dedicated to the idea that a good record is more than just a collection of singles to be sold on iTunes. And looky here, the year’s almost over, which means it’s cultural list-making season. […]

Craig Olson From Design Within Reach 1200 NW Everett There are more no-nos to decorating than just erroneous feng shui. Craig warns of pitfalls that could make your house less happy: – DON’T homogenize: “Don’t fill up a whole room with furniture that’s one style. Contrast between pieces is more interesting and avoids the ‘model […]

Mick Weathers From Temptations Video 330 SW 3rd As long as you’re cozying in for the winter, perhaps you might like to enjoy a little pornography with your hibernation? Hmm? Mick knows what the most popular selections are on the market: – Bad Boys From The Big City (man-on-man): “Any porn that runs for five […]

Will Watts From Everyday Music 1931 NE Sandy Will spends his days surrounded by CDs. New CDs, local CDs, crappy CDs, used CDs–you get the picture. So who better to share with us his current fave music picks? – Wheedle’s Groove: “It’s a compilation from a record label in Seattle [Light in The Attic]. A […]

Philip Editor at Dark Horse Comics Philip knows his comics and he knows his audience. His picks are guaranteed to appeal to die-hard fans as well as those who’ve never cracked a comic (but should!): – “Headcase” by Sam Chivers: “This dialogue-free short story from the recent Prophecy Anthology Vol. 1 is my favorite comics […]