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Giveaway: Hi, Friend. Customized Stationery Gift Sets

August 20, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (1)

We hope that the only time you use any type of standard white envelope is for mailing off “documents.” For important snail mail duties such as sending a birthday note to a good gal pal or word of thanks to a new business connection, there are so many unique and customizable options available that reflect the sassy and sophisticated entrepreness that you are. Hi, Friend. a printed goods and gifts company based in Portland, Oregon offers adorable stationary with patterns and prints with three types of friends in mind: Modern “Liv”, Vintage “Lila”, and Classic “Bree.” Click here to find out which girl you are!

We all know that hundreds of e-mails arrive in our inboxes daily, so when a special message arrives via traditional or “old school” mail it actually means quite a lot. Here’s your chance to win one of two (although you can enter both contests!) stationery gift sets from our pals over at Hi, Friend.

You have the opportunity to win a MODERN or VINTAGE gift set! See below for collage and description.

HOW TO WIN ON FACBEOOK:

1. “Like” Hi, Friend. and CRAVE Portland on Facebook.
2. Visit CRAVE Portland’s facebook page and answer this question: If you win a stationery package from Hi, Friend. who will be the first person that you send a message to?

HOW TO WIN ON TWITTER:

1. Follow Hi, Friend. and CRAVE Portland on Twitter.
2. Tweet an answer to this question: If you win a stationery package from Hi, Friend. who will be the first person that you send a card or message to?
Be sure to @reply both @hifrienddesign & @craveportland to be qualified to win!

One winner will be chosen from each social media site on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd.

Get two chances to win by entering on both sites! We will check to make sure you’ve “liked” or “followed” both CRAVE Portland and Hi Friend!

MODERN
Anytime Stationary: Full set of Silhouette Cards (11)
Custom Stationary: CRAVE set
Set of (3) Cheeky Wine Bags
Modern Notepad (1)

VINTAGE
Anytime Stationary: Fig Cards (5)
Happy Birthday: Sound The Trumpets Cards (5)
Thank You Stationary: Merci Cards (5)
Custom Stationary: A set of of your choice
Set of (3) Getting Around Wine Bags
Vintage Notepad (1)

Summer Entertainment for the Family

July 14, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (0)

Summertime in Portland brings the most enjoyable weather for outdoor activities and entertainment. We’ve compiled a short list of upcoming summer events guaranteed to bring a good time for everyone in the family. From movies in the park to music festivals, join your fellow Portlanders to celebrate history, art and culture!

PORTLAND BRIDGE FESTIVAL
Join PDX Bridge Festival as it kicks-off two weeks of art, music, culture, and fun celebrating the bridges that connect us all in Portland. From July 23rd to August 8th, experience Portland bridges in a whole new way. The opening event of the Bridge Festival will showcase the 2-D, 3-D and performance art works of over 50 Portlanders. From Lift 100 “Hit The Lights” on the Hawthorne Bridge as the opening celebration to Brunch on the Bridge as the finale event, come celebrate history and art in the open-air!

2010 PDX POP NOW!
PDX Pop Now! festivals which have provided the public with the opportunity to see up to 50 of Portland’s finest bands in one safe venue, have drawn audiences in the thousands! This is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating, promoting, and enhancing Portland’s vital and diverse music community. Join them from July 30th to August 1st at Roturre (320 SE 2nd) for a free, all ages music festival!

MOVIES IN THE PARK
Why go to a dark and stuffy mall movie theater when you can relax on fresh green with friends and family for a picnic and free movie in the park? Hosted at parks in various communities throughout Portland such as Irving Park, Laurelhurst Park and Mt. Scott, pre-movie entertainment begins at 6:30PM and showtime begins when the sun sets and the evening gets dark. Don’t forget to bring your blankets!

TUESDAYS BY TWILIGHT CONCERTS presented by LAN SU CHINESE GARDEN
The Northwest’s loveliest and most intimate outdoor summer music series is back for its ninth season until Auguest 3rd. Always diverse and dynamic, highlights of this season include the classical/pop fusion Portland Cello Project, infectious jump blues from the chart-topping Insomniacs and bohemian cabaret from Vagabond Opera. This after-hours concert series brings a selection of music for every taste and delivers it to relaxed audiences sitting around the lake and among the flowers. Get your tickets as they’re going fast!

McMENAMINS PUBS & BREWERIES
McMenamins Pubs & Breweries are a great place for family and friends. Shown both indoors and outdoors (starting end of July), have a refreshing beer and some popcorn while enjoying both old-school and recent releases on the big screen. Don’t forget Two Dollar Tuesdays and specials for the whole family as well as concerts at McMenamins Edgefield on the Lawn!

Photos via Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland Bridge Festival and PDX Pop Now!

Interview with Entrepreness Nicole Whitesell of Shop Adorn

July 9, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (3)

I recently sat down with Nicole Whitesell, the owner of Shop Adorn boutique who I first met “online” when she was promoting her online shopping business, www.shopadornonline.com. Hosting product giveaways and offering free shipping isn’t a thing of the past for Nicole with her new storefront on NE 47th & Fremont in the Beaumont neighborhood. Now she can leverage her online retail while also offering customers face-to-face style consulting, in-store trunk shows and neighborhood parties! Entrepreneurial-minded indeed, maximizing and stabilizing her online business was what she said allowed her to open up a store. Her online customers also receive benefits from her retail storefront, which opened its doors several months ago. They can call Shop Adorn without jumping through loops to speak to a real person who can help guide them through fit and style. With comfy and casual lines such as Fluxus, LnA, Quiksilver, and Siwy, a person can’t help but look and feel good when shopping with Nicole and her team at Shop Adorn!

Read on to read my interview with Nicole …

Can you tell me a little bit about your background and how you started your business.
I studied international business in college. When I graduated I landed in construction, which is the industry my dad’s been in for a very long time. I wanted to work for myself, so I began testing for my contractor’s license and started building houses! This was between 2004-2009. When I became pregnant with my daughter Lily a year and a half ago, I decided I wanted to just focus on the store. My husband took over our construction business and I began to work at stabilizing the online store. Looking back, at first we started out only selling jewelry and watches online. From then we expanded and got more accounts, including clothing. It’s also very hard to get in with new vendors and most require that you have a storefront. Our 200 square foot space was this storefront, and we shipped items out of the back warehouse. Up until four months ago before we opened up our new retail location, our business operated 90% online and 10% in the old store. Just this past October we decided to change, basically relaunch, and hired a professional to update and implement SEO, create a friendlier shopping cart, etc. And can you believe that just within 60 days after, we had a 500% growth because of how search-engine friendly our site had become?

That’s great that all these changes allowed for growth in your business. Do you have a mentor or support system that helped you in your business also?
Yes, her name is Cindy Park and she’s the director of Project Hope, an organization that helps at-risk youth in Portland. My old store was in the same building as hers and she’s become one of my best friends. Cindy has tons of business experience and she helped me formulate plans and processes for my business. She’s full of optimism and always encouraged me. You should always have someone like that in your life.

What kind of style describes the lines you carry at Shop Adorn?
You know, this is something we’re still working on–formalizing who we are. Many of the lines we started out with were pretty much streetwear. When we moved to this storefront, we had to edit some of those lines out to fit in with our demographic and our customers here. It’s a different customer-base. And although we don’t specifically target this group, I get a lot of moms, stay-at-home moms in here looking for something new or a change to their wardrobe. Many of the lines we have right now I like to believe is comfortable, casual, and makes the person wearing it feel good about themselves.

Streetwear can be pretty controversial with their messaging and style. How do you feel about this?
I agree, and I have found that we started to change direction with some of the lines we were carrying because of this. We want to be transparent in our business and to be honest with ourselves and with our customers. I don’t want to carry a product that I don’t absolutely love and wouldn’t see myself wearing also.

What’s your favorite line or item you’re carrying right now?
I have a couple. I’m in love with the Quiksilver Limited brand. There’s amazing detailing, lots of great dresses and the pricing is very good also. Of course Fluxus is also one of my favorites. We’ve been carrying it since the beginning and with its new head designer, has boosted its designs and styles. It’s also a celebrity favorite and so it sells really well online. And everything is made and produced in the USA.

How are you liking your new storefront?
I love it! It’s light, airy and I absolutely love the neighborhood. It feels like a real community here and I really like that. There are a few things I would change about the store, but I know that every day it’ll get more and more to what I want it to be.

What are some of the rewards of being your own boss and having your own business?
Feeling good about what I do, like I never “have” to go to work. I also never have to answer to anyone but myself, and I’ll get as much out of it as as I put into it. I also have a wonderful employee who I can leave in charge if I ever need to go out of town or spend more time with my kids. And one of the best rewards is that being an entrepreneur, it’s pretty much a legacy–something my husband and I can pass down to our kids, to teach them and show them what they can have and earn with hard work.

What are some of the challenges you’re facing right now?
When we moved we had to change and edit our selection while also keeping our brand consistent. That’s what I lay awake in bed thinking about … how to keep both my online and storefront consistent, and to keep both my online streetwear customers as well as my customers in Portland and in this neighborhood. Another challenge is figuring out how to let men know we’re here and that we cater to them too!

What are your plans for the future?
I’m happy where we are and being able to manage what we have. It’s a good place to be but I definitely want to expand our selection and have a larger space in the near future. I also like being in smaller communities and how you’re able to get to know your neighbors. And I don’t want any future plans to take away from my kids. It probably took me the last four years to find a good balance in my life, and I really want to maintain that!

Do you have any advice you’d like to leave with aspiring entrepreneurs or business owners?
It’s important to stay connected, meet as many people as you can. And don’t allow yourself to think that you know everything … I love to pick the brains of others and am not afraid to ask for help. There are tons of free resources out there, and it’s also good to collaborate with others to reach your goal.

Photography by Amy Sexton of Thursday Morning Memories

Win a Table for 8 at “Does This Brand Make Me Look Fat?”

July 7, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (0)

What’s better than tickets to CRAVE Portland and Riley Weiss’s interactive branding session “Does This Brand Make Me Look Fat?” FREE tickets!

Share your favorite local brand and win a table for EIGHT (plenty of room for friends, coworkers, or business partners!) at “Does This Brand Make Me Look Fat?” on July 26th! Here’s your chance to win:

1. Post an image and a link of your favorite LOCAL brand on our Facebook page and say what it means to you!
2. Get all your friends and network to “like” your entry! It’s not cheating to self-promote like crazy! Whoever has the most “likes” wins!

Whether you win or not, we hope to see you on the 26th!

Interview with Entrepreness Arwa Jumkawala of GemKitty Jewelry

June 18, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (2)

Immersed in the gemstone trade since she was a child growing up in Hong Kong, Arwa Jumkawala only felt it was natural that she also ended up with her own gemstone jewelry business GemKitty Jewelry. With the support and love from her parents and friends, she took the leap of faith and moved across the country to launch GemKitty Jewelry, a unique concept where customers get to “string” their own beads onto select styles of necklaces and earrings that Arwa designer herself! Claim bragging rights by picking from colorful natural gemstone beads and adding them to your necklace to create the perfect piece. Not quite sure what you want? Click and choose from several beautiful ready-made pieces from Arwa’s Limited Edition collection. Shipped in beautiful packaging to your doorstep, the best way to shop for busy entreprenesses that still want the ultimate shopping experience.

Read our interview to learn more about the sweet Arwa and GemKitty Jewelry. We love you and thank you for supporting CRAVE Portland!

Arwa, can you tell me a little about yourself?
I grew up in Hong Kong and consider it my home town. My parents imported and exported gemstone beads there and so my childhood consisted of being at the business with them playing with rocks! It only seems natural that I ended up in my business also. Before I launched my business, I was a Pilates instructor for four years in Washington D.C.–I only recently moved to Portland last summer! I fell in love with the city when I visited and knew that I wanted to launch GemKitty in Portland. An interesting fact about my family: I am of Indian and Chinese background and when my parents got married, they had three wedding ceremonies. A traditional Indian, Chinese and white dress wedding!

GemKitty is a unique concept. How did you discover this was what you wanted it to be?
I made jewelry in D.C. in my small studio for fun and always had friends come over to collaborate and I would make them pieces. I was also really inspired by NikeID two years ago and the whole concept of personalization and mass customization. I asked, how can I take what I’m doing with friends now on a larger scale and to bring it online?

What’s a typical day in the life of Arwa?
It varies day to day, but overall I spend about 40% of my time designing and actually making jewelry or fulfilling orders. The majority of my time is spent on marketing, social media, PR efforts, networking, and getting my name out there.

What are the different ways to purchase GemKitty?
There’s two ways to get your hands on jewels from GemKitty:

• Design-Your-Own: You pick the beads and we make it to order. Simple as that!
• Limited Edition: Readymade pieces that pretty much showcase my inspiration. Another reason they are limited is because the beads are often times hard to come across or come in limited amounts. For example, there might’ve just been one rock which made only a handful of strings of beads. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

We just launched our earrings collection, which you can design-your-own or just click and choose from pieces available and ready to ship!

Where do your gemstone beads come from?
They’re exclusively from my parents wholesale gemstone jewelry business in Hong Kong and India. Generally they’re mined in mainland China and other countries, then go to Hong Kong to be turned into gemstones. The quality tends to be better in Hong Kong and there’s also fair labor. Since I don’t get to take too many trips East, my dad is also the person that buys the limited edition beads! He’s been in the trade for 30 years, I trust him!

How do you go about designing your Limited Edition collection?
Generally the beads will come in and for the most part I will experiment and play! It’s pretty much my personal play time, and whatever inspirations I have will come out during this process. I often end up with a wall full of designs that will never make it into production, but luckily a select few make the cut and my customers then get to experiment and play with the beads they’d like to add.

Do you have any advice for beginners looking to get into jewelry making?
I believe that looking for inspiration in magazines, books or the Internet and elsewhere is a good way to practice and to get to know your hands. Jewelry making is a lot of muscle memory, so once you get it your work will become faster and better. Also, attend gem shows that are hosted several times a year. You get better deals and get a chance to see what’s out there. But if it’s super cheap, be aware because they might’ve been treated with chemicals and dyes. GemKitty gemstones are natural, untreated (undyed, no heat added, etc.) and are some of the best quality!

Do you have a national or international following?
I do have many clients on the east coast. I’ve been told that the aesthetic of my jewelry is traditional, kind of like an update to your mother’s pearls. It is also a little more “preppy” and that’s kind of what the style is like on the east coast.

What’s one thing you’re excited about, and one thing you’d love to enhance?
I’m thrilled that my earrings are now available on the website. It’s been my baby for five months and I’m super excited to see where it goes. I would love to update some of the necklace styles I have. There’s currently 7 styles to choose from, and my goal is to update them every season.

What are the rewards of having your own business, besides being your own boss?
I’ve only been launched since October of 2009, but every day I wake up excited, blessed and delighted to be doing what I’m doing.

What do customers get with their GemKitty jewelry?
They’ll get all natural gemstones and sterling silver, free repairs, 30 days satisfaction guaranteed and beautiful GemKitty branded gift packaging. Often times when you order things online it comes in an unsightly brown packaging and bubble wrap, so I wanted to make the experience of getting GemKitty like opening a gift. In addition, I’m confident in offering 30 days satisfaction guaranteed because of the quality and effort we put into making each piece. And each customer technically customizes it herself, so she knows exactly what she’s getting. Up to date, we’ve had no returns!

What are your plans for the future?
I dream of having a tiny studio with a storefront. I miss that interaction with people when I used to have friends come over to my little studio to make jewelry. It would be wonderful to have again! I’d also love to collaborate with local designers and showcase their work, maybe have it part of the Limited Edition collection.

Is there anyone you’d like to mention in this interview?
My parents, there’s no way I would’ve taken the leap without their support. I’m also grateful for the talented Gemkitty website development team and to Sara Gray for taking beautiful photos of my jewelry. And also Todd, whose been an amazing darling!

Do you have any last words for our readers?
I’d love to hear from everyone and get feedback. Find us on Facebook or Twitter!
Also, CRAVE readers get 10% off until 7/5/10 – just enter weheartcrave in the gift certificate box during checkout!

Interview with Entrepreness Kim Sibley of Little Urbanites

May 21, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (1)

Kim Sibley is an influential person in your community and in your business but you may not even realize it until now! Not only is Kim the proud owner of Little Urbanites, a wonderfully curated children’s store in Portland’s Pearl District, she also sits on several neighborhood associations planning and implementing ways to improve our neighborhoods and business districts in Portland. With a degree in Early Childhood Education & Fine Art and seven years of experience working for a children’s museum as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Kim brings her expertise, knowledge as well as energy to Little Urbanites. Offering a unique selection of safe, worldly, and quality products, Kim provides exceptional customer service and gives expert advice for families in Portland and across the nation. Kim set aside some time for me to interview her for our CRAVE Portland Entrepreness feature and it was so much fun getting to know more about her and her business.

Tell me a little about yourself.
I grew up in New York and New Jersey and have traveled 48 out of the 50 states in the U.S.–I’ve lived everywhere too. My background is in art, and I worked at Metropolitan Museum of Art. I’m passionate about education and developing the business districts in Portland. I’m also VP of the Pearl District Business Association (PDBA), on the board for Alliance of Portland Neighborhood Business Associaion (APNBA) as well as a mentor for Mentor Portland. I also love to garden and volunteer!

What aspects of the business do you handle most?
I do all the buying for the store, merchandising, I handle marketing and public relations, web design and maintenance, and I also do sales on the weekends. I oversee all other aspects of the business, but for example financials–that’s not me, I have someone else taking care of the numbers, that’s boring to me!

What’s the significance of the name “Little Urbanites”?
My mom, Suzanne owned a kids’ store in New Jersey and I actually give her all the credit for coming up with the name. We knew that we wanted to have the business in the Pearl District, and so our customers would be city dwellers and their children would be growing up in the city.

What’s your criteria for buying for your store?
I always ask where it’s made and whose making it. In addition to uniqueness, I try to choose products that are safe, environmentally friendly and socially response. I feel that I can make an impact by making responsible choices.

What are some of the most popular products that you carry?
The Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair — “the chair that grows with your child.” It was made in the 1970’s by a dad and is actually in Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) cafe! Baby registry, strollers and stroller advice are also popular products and services. i spend hours and days helping customers find the right stroller!

In addition to your retail store, you also have your online store www.littleurbanites.com. What are the pros & cons of having both entities?
The retail store is fun, interactive, and you get to meet your customers but it also has to be open all days of the week. I really love doing social media online and working on relaunching our blog! The downside of online is the maintenance of everything!

Besides being your own boss, what’s the most rewarding aspect of having your own business?
I get a feeling of personal achievement, that you built something from the ground up and it’s become something successful. I also curate the store and go through a very in-depth selection process and research to make sure that each and every one of my products in the store has a purpose and makes a statement. That’s rewarding to me!

What do you do to maintain a balance in your life?
Balance is very difficult to achieve! I try to take at least one day off a week, garden or spend time traveling. I don’t have any children yet but Little Urbanites IS my baby and that’s where most of my focus is right now.

Do you have plans for the future of Little Urbanites?
We’ve had our online store for two years now and it’s been doing pretty well, but I’d love to grow it even more. I’d also like to open up in other locations in the future.

Any last words for our readers?
Connect with us on Facebook or Twitter! Those are both ways I’m able to connect and interact with fans and customers. I would also love your feedback on how we’re doing and what products you like!

Interview with Entrepreness Sadie Lincoln of barre3 exercise studio

April 16, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (5)

Sadie Lincoln, founder of barre3, is full of energy, passion, and exceptional expertise in what she does. barre3 is an exercise studio specializing in group classes designed to transform the body to one of equal balance, strength, and flexibility. It incorporates the ballet barre, yoga, and Pilates. She explains that the “3″ in barre3 symbolizes balance in all aspects–business, practice, and life. And her constant challenge and mission in life is to maintain that balance. Not only did Sadie launch her company because of her expertise and passion for fitness, she is also a devoted wife, a hands-on mother, and has strong knowledge and experience in business and entrepreneurship–She wants to balance and maintain all of those aspects in her life! Sadie spent 10 years working beside the founder and CEO of 24 Hour Fitness during a rapid global expansion, and helped grow the company into the largest chain of health clubs worldwide! From a single Portland location, in just two years, Sadie and her team have franchised and opened numerous barre3 locations in other parts of Oregon, the Philippines, and soon to be Washington!

Read our interview with Sadie …

Can you tell me a little about yourself?
I created barre3 around being a devoted wife and mother of two. With my business, I can be a hands-on parent–take my children to school and pick them up, volunteer at the school, spend quality time with them, etc. And since my husband and I are business partners, I also enjoy spending time with him and us working together.

What will people experience here that’s different from other exercise studios?
Our workouts are highly effective, efficient, and full of energy. Every second in this workout counts for fast body shaping results and long term postural benefits. You’ll leave feeling that you received 100% out of your workout and you’ll never feel bored. Overall, what I think makes us different is our consistency in giving you an effective workout, but there are also a variety of classes and knowledgeable instructors to keep it creative and challenging.

How did you come up with the concept for your workout?
I’ve taught for 20 years and pulled together everything I knew, and put together a workout that incorporated my experience in Lotte Berk, Yoga, Pilates, and traditional group exercise.

How often do you teach? How often do your instructors teach?
I teach 7 to 12 classes a week, and do all the training and workshops for instructors also. There are 20 instructors, and they teach anywhere between 2 to 8 classes per week. We all love teaching and we love our clients. It’s such a giving environment here, but we also get a lot back in return.

You recently opened a location in SE Portland back in November. In addition, you also franchise barre3 and work directly with the owners to help them create a unique experience, but also consistent with the barre3 philosophy and principles. You’re hands-on with literally every aspect of managing and owning a business.
Yes, we do everything here ourselves, from changing the light bulbs and washing the windows to lending a hand at managing and coordinating. We love to empower one another to do great things. My husband and I started this business on only our life savings, no loans, no debt and we’re proud to be sharing it with others who are passionate about fitness, compelled to run their own business and also in-tune with balancing their professional and personal lives.

What are some of the things you look for or do when franchising or licensing your business?
First off we look for those who are passionate about exercise and fitness, passionate about barre3 and share our mission for balance. Chemistry is also very important for us, and we want to work with people who we connect with and feel that they have the right mindset and capabilities to run barre3. Financial backing is also very important, and a background in fitness. When everything matches up, we go through a 2-3 week training program (once a month after that) for everything. We really want to grow barre3 in the Pacific Northwest and then expand, globally. We also want to grow slow enough so that we can maintain our quality. Each location is different, it’s fitting and authentic to where its at, whether that’s Australia or SE Portland. And although the steps sound simple, we work very hard to keep our quality consistent by selecting qualified entrepreneurs! More info here.

Tell me about your recent project, a 40-minute barre3 Total Body Lift Workout DVD with Exercise TV.
I received a lot of requests from my clients asking for postures while on vacation or away for work, so I created a workout video for all levels and all that’s required is a sturdy chair! In addition, the DVD comes with a Mini FitBALL. Having an exercise mat and light hand-held weights will also benefit you in this workout. Since our classes build up each time, it may take awhile to get back into it so a video helps supplement while clients are away, and you’ll experience barre3’s transformative benefits at home. The DVD and FitBALL will retail for $19.99, which is a great deal since the ball itself sells for $12. The bundle will be coming out soon and will be sold at barre3 locations in addition to online.

What are some of the challenges you face running your own business?
I believe it’s both a challenge and a life-long mission for me, and that’s of course to be balanced, and to be present with my family and with myself. To be present for my children when I’m spending time with them, being present with my husband. When we have date night, there’s no talk of work! And also to take care of myself and take care of my own body, since most of my time I am taking care of everyone around me!

What are the rewards of having your own business?
Wow, there are SO many! The biggest reward is being the DECISION-COMMITTEE OF ONE–that’s being my own boss. Secondly, I love empowering other women, whether it be in the exercise studio, helping them with their health and wellness, or working directly with the owners of our franchise locations to help them grow and learn, and run a business that’s fitting for them.

How can someone make the most of out their exercise at barre3?
First it would be to honor their own truth level–and that means knowing where they are, listening to their bodies, understanding how its working for them, nurturing weaknesses, etc. And it also will benefit them immensely to come consistently, more than once per week. 3-4 would be ideal, but it really depends on what they can do and fit into their schedules.

Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers?
It’s hard to describe what barre3 is in words. I’d love to invite all CRAVE readers, especially business owners to visit barre3, take the classes or even just get together for community and inspiration. I love connecting with local business owners to learn about best practices and to connect on a more social level.

More information on the Total Body Lift Workout DVD will be able on barre3’s website soon!

This Craving Comes in the Form of Silver and Stone – Sahlia Michelle Jewelry

April 15, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (5)

Handmade stacked rings by Sahlia Michelle

What’s it like to be surrounded by beautiful things all day long? I bet it’s healthy. On a lovely and sunny afternoon I visited Sahlia at her studio inside the Ford Building in Southeast. Walking around what seemed like a maze with high ceilings and big double doors all around, I finally reached studio #352, Sahlia Michelle Jewelry Design.

I gazed and ogled at all of her pieces, and each piece had a quality about it that made each one really special. Both delicate and strong, feminine and edgy. And all together, her designs were very cohesive and her studio space and props really play a part in making it that way. The wooden frames and ribbon, the plants, driftwood, big open windows and overall natural environment really made this a fun and relaxing place to be.

Sahlia also shared with me a few projects she’s really excited about. She showed me several new bridal designs, some necklaces and earrings incorporating white turquoise spikes, her new elegant website design and also an upcoming photo shoot she was thrilled to put together! I’m anxious myself to see all of her projects when they’re in their finished stages.

Here are some photos I wanted to share with all of you from my visit …

Torched chain necklaces – I just love the gradient!

Sahlia’s workspace

Can you spot a CRAVE Portland business card?

The one and only!

Above is the pair of earrings I walked away with, a new lovely pair of sterling silver and white turquoise spike earrings! They also come in different sizes and lengths, including some with the torched chains, and Sahlia also does custom orders so you should definitely check out her studio to see all the different varieties. AND she has some gorgeous rings! www.sahliamichelle.com — and remember, she’s revamping her site so check back in the following weeks to see the new and improved.

This is a guest blog from calculated-fashion.com. To read more posts on local designers, boutiques, and fun events that take place in Portland, click here.

Staff Insight: What’s In Your Bag?

April 8, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (6)

The contents of a woman’s bag can tell quite a few things about her. The amount of things she carries might say a few things too! No matter what, she’s prepared for the day ahead and knows she’s equipped with everything she needs to accomplish all she has to do. Here at CRAVE Portland we’re ALL multi-tasking, on-the-go, never a dull moment kind of gals and our bags are by our sides (literally) everywhere we go. Take a peek inside a few of our staff handbags!

Katelin’s purse makes her the go-to person for all sorts of girly essentials, from oil blotting sheets to hair products, even safety pins and super glue for emergencies!

1. Nail File: Manicure maintenance at a moment’s notice
2. DuWop Lip Venom & Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment: Gloss with the perfect amount of plump, and a great moisturizing, sun protecting lip balm.
3. Extra Accessories: a backup pair of earrings for good measure
4. Matte’s-a-Fact: Oil blotting sheets for mid-day shine
5. Round Brush: Great cure for pesky frizz and fly-aways.
6. Gum
7. Sunglasses pair #3476: Only kidding, but boy are these things easy to lose!
8. Burberry ‘The Beat’: Love this scent, and love this little bottle even more. Great for stowing in your purse and freshening up on the go.
9. Superglue & Safety Pins: Because fashion accidents happen!
10. Scharffen Berger Nibby Bar & peppermints: Two of my serious addictions.
11. Coin Purse: AKA ‘parking fund’
12. Mini Frederic Fekkai “Au Natural Dry Shampoo”: soaks up oil, and leaves my hair renewed and fresh.
13. Camera/iPod: What is life without music and memories?
14. Wallet: Because there’s no such thing as free lunch.
15. Day Planner: Absolutely essential to my sanity. There’s something about penciling in and checking off that makes my day.

I’m not even joking when I say Mai is like a secret agent who might be seen on the show “Chuck”–equipped with gadgets galore. From business to health & beauty Mai keeps all of her essentials in an urban and savvy Cole Haan leather overnighter. And just in case she needs to catch the next flight to meet a client across the country, she’s all set and ready to go! Oh–and her laptop isn’t pictured, which mean she’s using it this very minute.

IMMUNITY!

1. Ester-C
2. Vitamin C

BUSINESS MUST HAVES

1. Belkin personal power protector w/USB plugs (to charge it up!!)
2. Blackberry and iPhone USB chargers
3. Blackberry for business
4. iPhone for fun (good resource/search and social media)!

BEAUTY

1. Murryhill Business card / Dental FLOSS!
2. Nivea Shimmer Lip balm
3. Epionce Body Lotion

I’m a small purse kinda gal … because I’m hiding all of my things in two other large bags that I dare not picture! Here’s a look inside my beloved Balenciaga. It easily takes me from day to night, client meetings to happy hour date with girl friends without ever looking out-of-place. The contents of my purse may not be as interesting as my other staffers, but I couldn’t imagine myself being without any of it!

1. Checkbook wallet
2. Leather journal
3. My “can’t-function-without” G-2 ink pen, the best!
4. Small Altoids
5. STELLA by Stella McCartney roll-on perfume

What’s in YOUR handbag that you can’t leave home without?

GIVEAWAY: Cirque du Soleil KOOZA Exclusive Preview Tickets & Dinner for Two at Aquariva – April 8, 2010

March 25, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (1)

We’ve partnered with Cirque du Soleil KOOZA and Aquariva Restaurant to give our fabulous friends and fans an ELECTRIFYING giveaway!

ONE WINNER WILL RECEIVE (2) EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW TICKETS TO CIRQUE DU SOLEIL KOOZA ON THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2010 AT 7:30PM, AND A SPECIAL DINNER FOR TWO THAT SAME EVENING AT AQUARIVA ITALIAN KITCHEN + WINE BAR!

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Post a photo on CRAVE Portland’s Facebook wall of you & the guest you’d like to take to Cirque du Soleil KOOZA. Any photo will work but you both have to be pictured together!
2. Under the caption, give us your e-mail address and reason why you should win.
3. Get everyone you know to comment and “LIKE” your wall photo.

HOW TO WIN:
The photo with the most “LIKES” by Monday, April 6th at 6PM will win! You’ll be notified through e-mail. Respond by Tuesday, April 7th at 6PM in order to claim your prize!

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About Cirque du Soleil KOOZA:
KOOZA tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world. Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA explores themes of fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement.

KOOZA by Cirque du Soleil is coming for a limited time, from April 9 – May 16.
KOOZA will be playing under the blue & yellow Grand Chapiteau at SW Moody Avenue (South of the Marquam Bridge)
Tickets are ON SALE now at cirquedusoleil.com.

About Aquariva:
Aquariva is easygoing elegance, relaxed sophistication, and located perfectly on the riverside just a few minutes south of downtown Portland on the banks of the Willamette River. Enjoy mouth-watering Italian delights in a hip and ambient environment. www.aquarivaportland.com

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