Dresser

Love this dresser from Eco First Start

Eggs!

It's raining and I've got spring fever. Pale blues, aquas and all things spring-y are on my mind.

... like this Bird's Nest Pendant by Starry Designs that a friend found. Sterling silver and amazonite for $34.

... and this perfect, Robin's egg blue bird feeder by J Schatz. Also available, egg banks, lamps, planters and bird houses. Featured in Sunset magazine.

The "Oregon For The Holidays" List 2010

FASHION

Ellington Handbag's Bella Hobo bag makes a great travel bag and can be worn cross-body or as a shoulder bag. Follow on Twitter @ms_elli

Souchi, Warm & cozy for winter, Add leggings boots & cashmere turban for a complete look. Follow on Twitter @suzisouchi

Langlitz, for custom-made motorcycle jackets and more.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Wine, Oregon produces some of the finest Pinot Noirs in the world along with other varietals. There's something for everyone.

Oregon's Choice Tuna & other products: Line caught & BPA-free

Beer, Oregon has a myriad of breweries to choose from. Pick up a few 6-packs from breweries around the state for that beer-lovin' friend this holiday season.

Harry & David, gourmet fruit, chocolate and more. Featured on Oprah's Favorite Things 2010. Follow on Twitter @HarryandDavid

MISC

Oregon Chainsaw, because you never know when you'll need one.

Square Root Industries, artist Todd Loewy, can craft you a beautiful table that's not just functional but art.

Check back, because I'll be adding to the list regularly!

My latest WANT

Body Bling by Scott Barnes and available locally at Fez Beauty.

I tried it out (on the back of my hand) at Fez today and it's just beautiful. I tried it out thinking it was a shimmer lotion and was surprised when it gave the back of my hand subtle color and just a bit of sheen. All I could think of was how sexy and lovely it would look on bare legs, particularly in the winter when most of us Oregonians are a pasty, white color. I tried both the Platinum and the Original, one on each hand, and either would look great, camouflaging those little imperfections without having to rely on hose.

Recycle!

Loving this from The Container Store:

2-Bin Recycler

We don't have a lot of room in our kitchen for recyclables but a couple of years ago, I found a great two-bin unit that fit in the stairwell to the basement (near the kitchen and on the way to the garage). Ours doesn't look half as nice as this one.

Test Drive

Today I was given the opportunity to test drive a prototype of the Nissan LEAF. It's the first (or one of the first) 100% electric, no emission vehicle available. I've driven a couple of Toyota Prius (what IS the plural of Prius?) before and while it's a nice car, I'm just not that enthusiastic about it so I was interested to see what I'd think of the LEAF.

Always one to throw people for a curve ball, I brought along my 3 year old daughter. Hey, if they want to sell this car to moms, I'm gonna test drive it that way, carseat and all. The carseat fit well. Since it's a prototype, it didn't have the latch system (I had to explain what that meant) but easy enough, that's what seatbelts are for. In went the carseat, in went the child. The real deal WILL have the latch system, if you're wondering.

I climbed into the front seat with my host, a Nissan rep, in the passenger seat. We didn't take a long drive but long enough that I was able to get the feel of the car, test out the "go" from 0 to slightly above the speed limit (I won't say how much above but I was impressed at how quickly and smoothly it accelerated), ask plenty of questions and give lots of opinions from my mom-perspective.

The LEAF is nice. Supremely quiet. Ever the thinker, I immediately thought of my father-in-law and, increasingly, my dad, who are getting a little hard of hearing. If you know people that are losing their hearing, you know how difficult it is to have a conversation with them in a loud spaces. Well, this car is made for those people. The only sounds you hear are outside the car because there isn't an engine to mask them. Turns out they had to tinker with the windshield wipers because, in this car, you realize exactly how loud regular wiper systems are.

After pondering how great this car would be for people who aren't able to converse in loud settings, I asked my host about sight-impaired people and seeing-eye dogs. I read somewhere that electric cars can be quite dangerous for the sight-impaired because electric cars are too quiet. Turns out Nissan has solved that problem. They've added a noise that you can hear OUTSIDE the car, if the car is going below a certain speed -- basically your toodling around town speed when you're most likely to encounter crosswalks and that sort of thing. There is no added noise above a certain speed because at some point, noise happens. Cool.

The interior. The seats were cushy. I liked that as I have a bony rear and hard seats are the bane of my existence. Well, one of the many banes. Bonus: Turns out they are made of RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES. Yes! So glad to hear there is something being produced out of those insidious things besides more plastic.

The car is fully equipped with GPS and all that good stuff. One of the most exciting (to me) features included the "fuel" gage. It not only tells you how many miles you have left in your charge but also how far you can go. Yup, with a map. The car I drove had a "fuel" radius that would take us past Vernonia (the car was less than half full). Probably further but I was so fascinated with the fact that a map was telling me how far the car could go on its current charge that I wasn't really looking past that, plus, I was driving. Gotta keep the eyes on the road!

Like most cars, it has a place to plug in your iPhone, your iPod and all of the other doodads that I didn't recognize. Something about a prong system?! Anyway, it's loaded. Plenty of cupholders and the glove box is big enough I suggested adding a shelf.

The other suggestions I made? More places to put stuff. It has one of those keyless starts and if you have a car with one, consider yourself lucky if you're not always losing the keys. If you're me, you lose them in your purse, if you're my husband, you lose them in that skinny spot between the seat and the console, argh! Earlier this year I rented a car while out of town and the car had a little cubby for the keys. Loved it and suggested it.

I also mentioned a special pocket for iPhones and the like. Much better than having your phone sliding around or offering temptation because you see a text come in and well, we know YOU don't read/respond to text messages when you're driving but human nature says a lot of people do.

I also suggested some "mom" things like automatic hatchdoor (is that a word?) and video screens on the headrests for the kidlets. Nissan Man said they were trying to keep the price affordable, which makes sense but there's a reason moms drive mini vans and while space is one issue, some of the amenities definitely matter when you're carting around a 3 year old... or any kid(s). I told him these things could be offered in the "luxury" package and he seemed to like that idea.

Oh, and for those wondering if an electric car will put your baby to sleep the way a gas guzzler will? We arrived back at PGE with my angelic 3 year old fast asleep.

Oh, one last thing: The Battery. Unlike your iPhone, the batteries do not have a number of times you can charge them before they die. After about 10 years of use, the charges won't hold quite as well but still will hold. When the battery does die? It goes to PGE who will use it for solar power or something like that (I should have taken notes). The important thing is, it will live another life, NOT head for the landfill.

You can charge this car on any regular outlet. Seriously. If the car is on "empty", it will take about 20 hours for it to be "full" on a regular outlet; unless you are doing some looooooong drives, a regular outlet is more than sufficient. And by regular outlet, I mean like the one you plug your blender into, nothing special. Just plug the car in at night, like you do your iPhone and in the morning, unplug and drive w/more than enough charge to get you where you want to go. If you want to go the exciting route, you can buy yourself a fancy, schmancy charger that is about the size of a shoe box but snazzier looking and ready for insta-charge. The charger isn't cheap but you do get a tax credit. IMO, most people won't need the charger so nothing to stress about if your pocketbook is aching.

*Thanks to PGE for giving me the opportunity to learn more about The EV Project and the Nissan LEAF

** Thanks to @OnPointCU for directing me to the plural of Prius article

WTH?

The Flair Hair Bandana available at Catalog Favorites

Things like this make me question the intelligence of humanity.

Hello Kitty Assault Rifle

... because every kitty needs a gun.

I admit, I'm a Hello Kitty fan. She's cute and I'm old enough that I remember when Hello Kitty came to the United States. Somewhere, tucked into a trunk full of my childhood toys, there are various Hello Kitty knick knacks and doodads. Through a little effort, I've managed to pass my Hello Kitty fascination onto my dear, sweet toddler which enables me to feed my addiction at her expense. Regardless, I will not be securing a Hello Kitty assault rifle, for either of us...

Cheese

I love the Zyliss classic cheese grater. It's better than any of those box-style graters, IMO. Maybe it's just me but every time I grate cheese with a traditional style grater, I end up grating my fingers and / or nails -- not only is it painful but it's gross. The Zyliss classic cheese grater is easy to use and there's no risk of finger / nail damage. Yay!

It's not practical if you need a large amount of cheese but I've used it for up to a cup at a time before. Additionally, the cheese is finely grated which allows you to cover a larger area with less cheese, flavor with fewer calories.

Rain Rain Go Away

It's the season of rain here in Oregon. ~ nine long months of drizzle, sleet and an occasional monsoon. As an Oregonian, I love my rain. It keeps things clean and green. Our rain is soft, not hard and pelting. It smells good, fresh.

Generally, true Oregonians don't carry umbrellas but that's not a hard and fast rule and some of the best umbrellas you'll find are by ShedRain, an Oregon company.

For a list of Oregon gift ideas & products see Buy Local, Buy Oregon

mmmm, check out Coffee Butter Scrub by Lilypad Bathworks. Nice way to perk up in the morning!

For a list of Oregon gift ideas & products see Buy Local, Buy Oregon

Pacifica's Mediterranean Fig soy candle makes a wonderful hostess gift or gift for yourself!

For a list of Oregon gift ideas see Buy Local, Buy Oregon post

Buy Local, Buy Oregon

Oregon products make great gifts. I'll be adding more ideas daily. Please add your own suggestions in the comment section!

Candles & Body Products:

- mmmm, check out this Coffee Butter Scrub by Lilypad Bathworks. Nice way to perk up in the morning!

- Smell good this holiday! Candles, perfumes, body butters and more! Pacifica

- Treasures from the Oregon Coast for the holidays Newport Bay Candle Candles to light your way.

- More candles! From #NOLA to PDX, Orleans Candle Co

- More organic personal care products made in Oregon, Wild Carrot Herbals

- Organic personal care products for mama & baby, Earth Mama Angel Baby

For Parents:

- Chic Papoose, keep your bean close and snuggly while ur on the go!

- Comfy and organic baby wraps made in Oregon Baby Bundlers

- Organic personal care products for mama & baby Earth Mama Angel Baby

For Kids:

- Healthy, soft & custom shoes for baby? You can get 'em right here: Soft Star Shoes

- Fun, non-toxic modeling dough made in Oregon - Mary's Softdough

- What's local at Bella Stella? Pullipants,Wood Toy Shop, @littlelark, Ivy Studio, @branchandbirdie, Kool Kid Legs,Turtle Turtle, @Picaflorkids ...

- Great LOCAL gifts for kids! http://bit.ly/5DMsDm

For Your Pet:

- Locally made items for the pet in your life: Bebop pet products and more great local ideas for your pet

Fashion:

- 141Eyewear every purchase buys someone less fortunate a pair of glasses.

- Emily Sunnell's designs scream femininity and what I love the most is that she can take items you once loved and reconstruct them into something fresh and new.

- Kate Towers, utterly feminine fashion

- mmmm, cashmere... Souchi

- Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II commissioned a hat by Pinkham Millinery. You can too!

- Paperdoll Fashion's parcel cloak brings sunshine to a cold, grey day

- The holidays and beyond, every woman needs a wrap dress. This one organic and designed in Oregon, Garnish Apparel

- What's on the #buylocal #buyOregon list today? Check out the Pagoda skirt at Donna and Toots Too cute!

- For the men in your life, how about a swank gift from DEFYANCE?

- Loving this skirt. Made in Oregon and organic from @MakoolLovesYou

- Cold but can't wear mittens or gloves for work? The perfect solution, made in Oregon by FrostyPetals

- For the fashionista in your life, a unique silk purse (check out the Tonya) from Ginger Abernathy

- Love to Tell Dress-o-Matic my deepest desires! Dress of the Month Club @DressOfTheMonth

- Hand made womans clothing by a PDX designer, Piper Ewan @piperewan

- When the weather outside is frightful... u need a good pair of Danner boots!

- Multnomah Leather, custom-made clogs

- How about a pair of lovely, custom made shoes? ExIT Shoes

- Queen Bee Creations makes their stylish bags, panniers, and diaper bags in PDX

- Amai Unmei clothing, coats & accessories

- How cute is this dress? You can find it at Sofada

- Warm & fuzzy doesn't have to be dumpy & frumpy. Check out these feminine hats from Precious Knit by Laura Irwin

Jewelry:

- How cute is this necklace? #WANT So perfect for PDX!

- Lori Presthus Art, Jewelry/artistry

- Amy Wilson's jewelry

- Lockets & cuffs Locket2You

- Beautiful, hand-carved, wood buttons, pins & hair accessories by South4th

To Eat:

- Blossom Vinegars to add fun, fresh flavor to your food & recipes.

- Tuna from Oregon is lower in mercury than tuna caught elsewhere. Oregon's Choice Gourmet Albacore: Another reason to #buyOregon

- Bob's Red Mill products for healthy goodness.

- Did u know Oregon has famous prunes?

- Tony's Smokehouse in Oregon City has great smoked salmon--a wonderful hostess gift!

- Hot Lips jam

- mmmm, Brigittine Monks fudge. Makes a great hostess gift or surprise for friends

- Our Lady of GuadalupeTrappist Abbey Famous Fruitcake & honey! Makes for a great hostess gift!

- Puddin' River Toffee -- best hazelnut toffee ever.

- Cupcake Jones Cupcakes!

- How can u go wrong with chocolate? Alma Chocolate, Cacao, DePaula Confections, LLC, Euphoria Chocolate, Moonstruck Chocolate, Petit Noirs

To Drink:

- Organic & sustainable vodka: Elemental Vodka

- Entertaining? Need gift for a coffee lover? Vodka lover? Hazelnut lover? Here's your all-in-one: Bendistillery Cofia Hazelnut Espresso Vodka

- Oregon is all over the wine world but how about some Portland made vodka? New Deal Distillery

- It's 5 o'clock somewhere! For your favorite out of state beer lover, Oregon IPA makes a great gift, Bridgeport, (just one of many)

- Wine from Southern Oregon, family-owned & operated, Girardet Winery

- Family-owned & operated wine from McMinnville, Westrey

For the Home:

- Lovely handcrafted furniture made in Portland - Made Studio

- Mini sockmonkeys by hoffeeandanuffin

- Check out this cute pillow from @BranchandBirdie Perfect to add splash of fun to bedroom or family room

- Pendleton still makes all its famous Native American style blankets in Oregon

- @cheflisapdx's fabulous cookbook, Mother's Best: Comfort Food That Takes You Home Againfeaturing yummy recipes from @MothersBistro, buy it @Powells!

- Birdhouses by S&K Creations

Art:

- http://samroloff.com/

- Fab art from Ryan Berkley. It'll make you happy!

- Photo art from @jandroid

Outdoor / Athletic Goods:

- ShedRain umbrellas

- When someone tells you to go fly a kite, make sure it’s one made in Oregon! Guildworks

- PDX-made tools from Leatherman
- A wall tent or other canvas goods for the trail? http://beckelcanvas.com/

- A locally made bicycle by Vanilla Bicycles

- Bike clothing made in Oregon from J&G

- A custom made cargo bike from Metrofiets?

- Terracycle makes all their recumbent bikes in Portland

- Co-motion bicycles are made in Eugene

Misc:

- For the music lover on your holiday list, you can't go wrong with a little Pink Martini

- For the gourmet in your life: Traeger Grills (they even have a pig grill!)

- Cool gift ideas featuring PDX Bridges.

- Looking for a Guitar or mandolin made in OR? Breedlove Music - except their Atlas, Passport, and Retro lines

- Here's a made in Oregon gift for people who have NEARLY everything: Columbia Helicopter

More Ideas:

- Portland Saturday Market

- Made In Oregon Catalog & Stores

More Favorites

AmLactin Moisturizing Lotion

I recently started waxing my legs and regular exfoliating in the shower wasn't enough to prevent ingrown hairs for me, probably because my hair is really fine. Adding an alpha-hydroxy lotion has helped a lot. I like it well enough that I've been using it all over.

UrbanWaxx

Best place in Portland to get your legs waxed. The service is fantastic, they do a great job and everyone is really nice.

Lululemon

Seems everyone is wearing it these days and there's a reason. It's not inexpensive but it's the most flattering and best-fitting workout wear I've found. My favorite tanks are the Deep V and the Power Y. Pants -- you can't go wrong with the Groove Pant.

Floppy Seat

My baby is no longer using high chairs and she generally wants to walk rather than ride at the grocery store. Still, this is a favorite because I now love to buy them as baby gifts. I loved the Floppy Seat when Daughter was young because I didn't have to worry about her putting her hands and mouth on a grimy restaurant high chair or grocery cart. It also provided a bit of padding in case she decided to take a nap (which happened occasionally when she was younger).

My favorite things...

Aquafor

I started using it for the baby's diaper rash, both to prevent and to heal. DD has sensitive skin and I've found it works great to prevent rashes if I use it all over her after bath. I like using it too; I slather my hands and feet with Aquafor before bed and dry skin, be gone!

Extreme Training
Best training facility in Portland. Top notch equipment and fantastic trainers.

Haagen-Daz Fleur de Sel Caramel
You didn't think I worked out just for the fun of it, did you? This is the best ice cream since the demise of my old favorite, Haagen-Daz Cappuccino Commotion.

Olympia Oysters on the half-shell
One of the smallest oysters out there.

White Truffle Cream
Spread on a crusty baguette, decadent!

Semiramis Pastries
Hands down, the best baklava I've ever had in my life. DH and I discovered them in London but it appears the London store is no longer in operation.

I'm not sure what it says about me that so many of my favorite things are food! I should probably mention that I don't eat the above foods on a regular basis (=

Carry on... Or don't but, pack like a pro

Packing is my thing. I'm *really* good at it. If you can carry on your luggage versus check, you can arrive later at the airport, you save time when you arrive (no waiting for the carousel!) and you don't have to worry about lost luggage. Carrying on is also immensely convenient if you miss your flight or connection (trust me!).

Some of the items in my arsenal of packing tricks...

Lush Massage Bars instead of lotion. They sell tins to keep them in or you can just use a plastic baggy. When you need lotion, just rub on. Benefits? Besides not having to worry about bottles breaking and lotion ending up everywhere, the bars are exempt from 1-qt ziploc bag status! Another company to try: Lilypad Bathworks
**NOTE: These are scented and some of them have dyes -- these dyes will come off on your clothing so please keep that in mind when you choose your massage bar.
If you want something that's scent-free and good for sensitive skin, try Mustela Hydra-Stick.

Nivea Cream, the small containers, the ones you find in the sample section. I carry one of these in my purse regularly. They are slim, creams don't spill or leak and I've managed to take them through airport security outside of the ziplock bag. I did notice, recently, while going through security in Europe, a picture of the larger-sized Nivea cream in the "don'ts" so keep that in mind.

Colorscience Sun Protection Mineral SPF 30. Great protection and because it's a powder, ziploc exempt! I have the tinted version (Perfectly Clear) and it doubles as foundation if you only need light coverage.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder A lifesaver. It comes in 3 sizes and it not only helps you keep things wrinkle-free but it can halve the space your folded clothes require. I have two and never travel without one.