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June 15th, 2007
A couple of weeks ago we went to see one of our favorite bands play. We lovelovelove this band and we’re not the only rabid fans—aside from their great songs, they have a slightly dorky yet smoking-hot lead singer. He drives the girls crazy. He was probably fairly unpopular in high school, then got a little hotter in college when he picked up a guitar, hotter after that when he formed a band, and finally, explosively lustable once he hit the national stage. Anyhoo, so the venue had a restaurant attached, and our friend was there with seven of her friends who flew in to see the show. There were a few guys at the next table who the girls thought were cute, so they sent the guys a note which read, “Are you going to the show?” The guys wrote back, “YES.” Fast-forward 45 minutes. The show is starting, the crowd is giddy with anticipation, the band takes the stage, and the girls let out an “ohmygawwwwd” in unison. The boys at the table? They were the band. Cute, for sure, and much cuter once they climbed onstage where they rocked the house, but (we hate to say this), they were unrecognizable without their hothothot lead singer. |
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Seattle Picks: |
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| 1 | Dress Local In terms of produce and bookstores, we are all about staying local. When it comes to fashion, though, we have to admit, local freaks us out a little at times. The originality is mind-bending, but for every must-have piece we see two with rickrack or Simplicity patterns. Or saw, rather, until we found Bouncing Wall. Bouncing Wall brings “original, wearable, usable art” to upper Queen Anne and is chock full of wares from Seattle- and Portland-area artists and designers. The boutique’s changing inventory of one-of-a-kind and limited-run pieces includes romantically chic tops and bottoms from Suzabelle, handcrafted jewelry by K D’Angel, his and hers graphic knits from Red Boots Designs, and reworked vintage handbags by Megan Leone. Not to mention Rouge body products and the rockinest baby onesies this side of the Mississippi, courtesy of Lil’ Awesome. There’s not a piece of rickrack in the house. Bouncing Wall has reminded us that staying local has its bonuses: creative, unique and exclusive designs. It’s maybe made us a little too keen on the idea, in fact. Now we’re kind of wondering, why would we go anywhere else? Bouncing Wall |
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| 2 | For Damsels in Distress |
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| 3 | J’Adore Mon Chien We had seven, oui, seven years of French between high school and college, and we still can’t translate the back of a cereal box, much less carry on a conversation. When we try to speak French to native speakers, their faces get all squinty and a look of pain passes over them that makes us feel bad inside. So when we discovered Mes Amis, we were thrilled to learn it’s a delightful new boutique for dogs and cats—and not a hangout for Francophiles who squirm at the sound of our accent aigu. Mes Amis is filled with the most adorable, unique and whimsical toys, gifts and necessities—from collars to beds to healthy food and treats. You can outfit your chien or chat in style, knowing that their sporty leash won’t be seen on every Poodle in town! The selection is just plain fun—it’s tempting to bling your kitty with all kinds of great gear—but remember, less is more. Oh wait…no it’s not…more is more! Even for your pets. Mes Amis |
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| 4 | Born Again A kajillion years ago, a friend’s dad had an office in Pioneer Square. His window looked out onto everything—the men sleeping on benches, the litter, the pigeons, the confused tourists wondering, “How did we get here?” But today, tucked away in the (again) up & coming Square, is a gem of a shopping destination—an amethyst in fact—called Violette. Owner Beth Nielsen moved into the charming space in March and, like us, revels in its exposed brick and cozy feel to showcase her stylish clothing, jewelry and handbags, including her own designs under the label Vintage Creations. The variety Violette has to offer is fantastic, from classic tees to flirty dresses and blouses, eco-denim and enviro-bags, bohemian skirts and flattering vintage tops. We’re all about the new Crystalyn Kae clutch for summer, and just try to stop us from stocking up on colorful jewelry from Alisha Louise and Schwa! And check out the sale rack upstairs for 30-50% off deals. Violette’s location might be ahead of its time, but the chic styles are perfect right now. Violette |
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| 5 | Sunday’s Best We are flipping through “InStyle” backward. We always read magazines from the back to the front, since the meat and potatoes (or carrots and celery in the fashion biz) of the photography/stories are always at the end. While perusing the fashion pages we came across the most gorgeous, vibrant pink dress. Hot pink. Not the padded shoulder, crimped hair hot pink—a classier pink, designed by Julie Haus. And guess who will be carrying this talented designer as of July? The Finerie. The Finerie is a beautiful men’s and women’s boutique sitting pretty on First Avenue with a sophisticated collection of national and international designers. The timeless appeal of Marc by Marc Jacobs footwear, Hugo Boss for men and women, and Emilio Pucci ties are represented with brands exclusive to Seattle, such as Castle Starr, Heiki Jarick, KAARTA, and Drykorn. With Father’s Day on the horizon, pop in and check out the men’s section. Convince him Pucci ties are the new paisleys, and perfectly acceptable for work. Then, we will convince ourselves that hot pink complements hair—sans AquaNet. The Finerie |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Something Precious When pressed to name our favorite things to shop for, they have to be shoes, handbags and jewelry. We gotta have our accessories. And we love happening upon upcoming designers who are making their mark. We picked up one of Amy Tavern’s lovely silver rings and have been wearing it every day, eschewing our other finger baubles. You’ll adore her ethereal, modern designs—loose loops and silvery threads—along with colored-plastic pendants and exquisitely simple wedding rings. |
 amytavern.com |
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| 2 | Take the Fashion Express When you’re visiting your Portland BFFs, be sure to plan a day for shopping—outlet style! The Woodburn Company Stores Outlet Express makes great (tax-free!) deals at 90+ name-brand stores like BCBGmaxazria, Pearl Izumi, Aeropostale, Columbia Sportswear and Gymboree a real destination. For just $20 they’ll take you round-trip in a luxury motor coach—lots of “trunk space,” and goody bags for everyone! Make it a girls’ weekend and shop til you drop—plus, take the Outlet Express by July 15 and bring in this ad for a free gift! |
  woodburn company stores.com |
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| 3 | Architect Your Life |
 architectyourlife.com |
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| 4 | Switched Clothing One can never have too many tees. From walking the dog to popping over to the market to the noon Pilates class, well, that’s three we need in just one day! Yes, yes, you have a dresser full of t-shirts with sassy sayings…this we know. But what you don’t know is that Seattle-based Switched Clothing not only makes cute and quirky tees, but they do adorable handbags made from recycled materials, and underwear (for guys and girls) is coming soon. |
 switchedclothing.com |
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| 5 | When It Rains… We have zero idea why Seattle is known as a rainy town. We’re looking outside and see nothing but sunshine! In fact, we are headed to the beach right now. Um, ahem. But for those “occasional” showers, there’s nothing like a supercute umbrella to make a gray day a little brighter. Check out the beauties at RainShop.com. It’s the ultimate destination for high-quality, high-fashion rainwear—there is something for everyone, plus, they defy wind and make great gifts! Genius! |
 rainshop.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Upper Queen Anne Art Walk Need something fun to do? Check out the launch of the new upper Queen Anne Art Walk every third Thursday of the month starting June 21. Close to 20 businesses will open their doors for the art walk, plus you can shop, dine and drink at some truly fab establishments—most places are open late! What: Upper Queen Anne Art Walk |
 upperqueenanne. blogspot.com |
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| 2 | Fremont Fair & Solstice Parade Celebrate the return of summer and the qualities that make us a community: diversity, philanthropy, global awareness, and artistic expression. And we’re talking freedom of expression here…from accessorizing with body paint to going outright nude! After the parade, sample bites and beverages, or pick up a hammer at the United to End Homelessness Home Build. |
 fremontfair.com |
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| 3 | illi spring SALE What: illi spring sale |
 shopilli.com |
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Have you told your friends about Seattle Picks? Forward this link to 5 friends and cc picks@seattlepicks.com to receive free passes to the June 21 screening of the movie “A Mighty Heart” at Pacific Place Theaters, while supplies last! |
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