Stumptown Girl...

PORTLANDIA's second season premieres today. Great article in the New Yorker this week about Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen, read here. I love the title of the article, possibly referencing my favorite coffee beans? Carrie is adorable, she lures you in with her awkwardly charming characters. It is difficult to define why I like this show, I just do.  It makes me laugh uncontrollably. 


FYI: If you don't have the IFC channel like me, itunes offers a Season Pass.

A French class, number 2 pencils and old-school craft...

I have been preoccupied with a new endeavor, the task of learning French...compliments of the province of Québec. All immigrants are strongly encouraged to learn the official language = free classes, yes please!  And this is no joke, the classes are 6 hrs/day, 5 days a week, for about 2 months for level 1. (Other levels also available for free).  I have about 3-4 different instructors throughout the week.  It is really quite impressive.


I suddenly found myself in need of #2 pencils.  While shopping at my favorite stationery store, papeterie nota bene, I came upon a stack of 
Field Notes pencils with the following inscription:   About the pencil: Lacquer-free, renewable Cal-Cedar Wood Casing, Recyclable Aluminum Ferrule, Enviro-Green Degradable Eraser and Certified Non-Toxic Imprint Inks.  I immediately thought, "...this sounds like something Made in Oregon".  I bought a few and because I possess an inquisitive mind, I googled the name.  It turns out that Field Notes is from Portland, Oregon. (Created by the Draplin Design Co. in collaboration with Coudal Partners). The man responsible...Aaron Draplin. Read more here.  
The pencils work great, but the Vimeo videos below (thanks Coudal Partners) . . . WOW . . . they motivated me to share this find with you...Contemporary old-school Craft at its best! 


IMAGE credits:  Aaron Draplin pic borrowed from House Industries. Other images borrowed from here. COLORS image borrowed from official site.

Hammer & Hand

Hammer & Hand is a design-build shop who fosters a collaborative environment with sustainable craftsmanship. And a what a shop!...Let's all take a moment to salivate over these shots taken by bright design lab.  I want one, don't you?  Thank you Zack for allowing me to share your workspace with my readers.  I hope to get an official tour one day.  You should be featured in Grain & Gram.  

Hammer & Hand, another reason why Portland, OR is simply a peerless city.

Well done Grain & Gram...YES I am jealous.  My friend Kelly wrote a great piece about this exclusive journal...read HERE.

Grain & Gram: Blair Sligar, Woodworker from Grain & Gram on Vimeo.

put a bird on IT...

Charles and Ray Eames put a bird on it years ago (circa 1950's)....

I watched the second episode of Portlandia last night (via itunes season pass)... 

...it reminded me of my friend Elsa's online shop Elsa + Sam...so visit her site and PUT A BIRD ON IT...haha...

(Elsa use to have an adorable store on Hawthorne Blvd in Portland. Now she is a mommy and runs her dishware boutique from home...bonjour Elsa.)

images: (top) I believe this image is a detail from the Charles and Ray Eames film, Powers of Ten. 2. Eames Bird sold by Vitra.  (bottom) ELSA + SAM: 1. Circa ceramics bowl,  2. Fine Little Day Cheeseboard “OK”  3. Wren old-fashioned glasses.

Libros...

(Books) and innovative craft...two of my favorite things.  I have an abundance of postcards, pamphlets, cassettes, old books, match boxes etc...that I have collected through the years. Perhaps making books à la Marcel Duchamp is the therapy I need to fix my artistic hoarding tendency. My nomadic acquisitions deserve a creative existence!


WHERE: Museum of Contemporary Craft, Portland, Oregon 
EXHIBIT: Object Focus: The Book: November 18, 2010 – February 26, 2011

Curated by: Geraldine Ondrizek, Reed College and Namita Gupta Wiggers, Museum of Contemporary Craft; in collaboration with Barbara Tetenbaum, Oregon College of Art and Craft.

Portland on my mind...

I don't know how many of you have seen the new satirical wonder, PORTLANDIA created and written by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein; but if you are attached to Portland, Oregon in any way, this series will make you pee your pants.  Mark and I lived in Portland for almost 2 years but due to the horrid economy we decided to head north (well NE to Montréal, Canada) to  c o l d e r  p a s t u r e s.  We actually find ourselves reminiscing about Portland quite frequently and are strongly considering moving back one day.  Portland takes their food, their coffee, their literary spots, their eclectic neighborhoods, their GREEN spirit and their savory beer very seriously. 


WE MISS: Powell's Books. Stumptown Coffee. The fashion boutiques RADISH UNDERGROUND & Idom Designs. Hopworks Brewery. The Living Room Theaters. Albina Press coffee shop. Pix Pâtisserie. Ampersand Vintage bookstore.  The Museum of Contemporary Craft.  Alberta Street...SE Portland...Laurelhurst Park...


Here are a few pics we took during our brief stay...Kettleman Bagels, Stumptown Coffee: SE Division St. neon sign, Sapphire Hotel eggs benedict, Deschutes Brewery sampler paddle, The WHOlE Bowl, Pok Pok's calamari, NW 23rd Avenue's architecture (great pedestrian shopping), Ace Hotel Portland sign, MAGPIE: fashion vintage shop (window display), Federico Aubele at Doug Fir Lounge...

First impressions are everything and this intro of Portlandia is hysterically well executed.  From L.A. to Portland, Oregon...ha ha...so many have made that move!  Fast Fact:  The harmonious & dandy men in black are the Portland Gay Men's Chorus...read more about them HERE.

Nostalgic finds = edgy-chic jewelry!

Ever wonder what to do with old architectural signage, vintage drawer handles, unique industrial pieces?

 . . . well Betsy had the vision for you!

Check out  Betsy + iya designs.