Port St. Willow | Holiday

It still feels like winter in Portland and our favorite cold weather record right now is Holiday, the first full length album by Port St. Willow, aka Nick Principe. A follow up to the project’s first EP, Even//Wasteland (2010), Holiday was recorded over the course of a year at Principe’s Portland studio. Full of falsetto, guitar echoes, driving percussion and layers of ambient sound, Holiday accomplishes as much intrigue in the swells as it does in the empty spaces. Written, recorded and produced by Principe, the album represents all that is good in the DIY Portland music scene. It's the perfect record to take with you on a winter escape to the Oregon coast. 

Principe describes the album as meditative, “Holiday is a love record to no one. A recognition of an ending, and an awakening of the self - unarmored and honest.”  The digital album is available to download on the Port St. Willow website, and the hand-stamped limited edition CD is available to order until the end of the month (images below). Listen to one of our favorite tracks on the record, "North".

Railcar Denim

Railcar Denim

Hailing from Arcadia, California, Railcar Denim is the latest addition to our hand-picked premium denim collection at Lizard Lounge. Railcar Fine Goods uses originally designed patterns and crafts their denim using older, traditional, manual and rare vintage sewing equipment including black Union Special and Singer machines.

Railcar Fine Goods founder Steven Gang got his start at the Los Angeles Metro fixing and repairing passenger trains. His mechanical background is reflected in his work, “Every stitch has a function, every angle has a function and with function comes beauty.”

Look for the two styles of Railcar Denim at the Lounge:

The Spikes X001 made of 13.5oz American Cone denim with a red line selvedge edge

The Spikes X009 made of 16oz Japanese denim with a red line selvedge edge

Ghosts from Portland’s Industrial Past

Oregon has its fair share of haunted places, although none are quite as intentional as one of the newest city funded public artwork on SE Grand. The project titled Inversion: Plus Minus features “ghost structures” at sites where industrial buildings once stood like The Phoenix Cast Iron Foundry on Hawthorne. These public artworks are managed by Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) and selected by a panel of local artists and community members as a part of the city’s 2% for Art program. 

The skeletal steel sculptures are re-imaginings of buildings past by Seattle-based artists Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo of Lead Pencil Studio. Graduates of the University of Oregon School of Architecture & Allied Arts, Han and Mihalyo use weathered steel angle iron to create the mysterious structures. The artists received the 2007-08 Rome Prize for Architecture from the American Academy in Rome. Both sculptures are slated for completion by the end of the year.

Black Friday | Little Boxes

This year Lizard Lounge is doing Black Friday a little different.

On top of offering 20%+ off the entire store, we, along with 170+ other small businesses, are teaming up with Little Boxes for their second annual city-wide shopping event.

So how does it all work?
By visiting any of the participating stores Friday-Saturday, you are instantly eligible to fill out a raffle ticket.  Visit 20 stores, get 20 raffle tickets. Sounds pretty good to us!

But wait, we're just getting started...
When you make a purchase at a store you get a stamp on your map. The more stamps you collect the more bonus tickets you get:

1 stamp = 10% off all participating stores
4 stamps = 15 tickets
8 stamps = 20 tickets
12 stamps = 30 tickets

90 prizes are being raffled off from iPads, shopping sprees, gift cards, services, etc...  For the full list visit here. It's seriously worth checking out.

For more information on how to play visit LittleBoxesPDX.com

Good luck this Black Friday and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Mr. Man: A Pop-Up

Barbers, booze, bikes, oh my! 

Indulge in some of your favorite retailers (your's truly, included) at the Mr. Man: A Men's Only Pop-Up hosted by the Good Mod November 16-17th.

In honor of the event, we've featured some of our favorite dapper icons that have inspired us through out history.

Ernest Hemingway

John F. Kennedy

Albert Einstein

Muhammad Ali

Ralph Lauren

Steve Martin

Detective Sherlock Holmes

Clint Eastwood

Theodor Roosevelt

Tickets available here.

Fall Festivites

It's one of our favorite times of year.  Sure, come November we'll begin to mourn the loss of summer, but October is not the month for that.  And why should it be?  The leaves will be turning vibrant shades of reds and yellows soon, seasonal beers are being reintroduced, and it's time to unpack your favorite boots and beanies.  In honor of our favorite month, we've shared our top ways to celebrate the new season.

1. Sauvie Island 

Spend one October in Portland and chances are you've made a trip Sauvie Island. Complete with a pumpkin patch and a haunted corn maze, this 40 minute drive is the perfect destination to get you into the Halloween spirit.
The maze can get pretty muddy so rain boots are essential, especially if you plan on doing the maze at night.  Our Tretorn's helped us get out alive.

For more information visit PortlandMaze.com

2. Shanghai Tunnels Ghost Tours

Declared the most haunted place in the Oregon and possibly the entire West Coast by the Northwest Paranormal Investigations, the specialty version of the Portland Underground tour needs to be booked a week in advance.  To book a tour visit: Shanghaitunnels.info

The tunnels can get pretty chill, we suggest layering up.

3. Run Like Hell 

Every year the Run Like Hell half marathan, 10k and 5k race participants dress up according to the annual theme.  This year (October 21st) it's your chance to revive those child hood memories of saving the world because this year's theme is Superheros! Stay warm and in character post-race with Nau's Down Sweater.

Click here for registration.

4. Tacos and Tarot

Looking for a mellow way to stay in spirit? On October 18th (and every other third Thursday) creep down to Cruzroom to have your future told by the Psychic Terror Tarot Card Readers.  Can't make it? Fear not! The ladies are available for private, group, and party readings.

For booking info click here.

Keep note of what your future hold with Field Notes or discover what the star's hold yourself with Julie Nolan's zodiac bracelets. 

Surfrider Foundation

"Our mission is the projection and enjoyment of oceans, waves, and beaches through powerful activist work."

First Point was considered the "perfect wave" in Malibu, CA during the early 80's, but in 1984, Mother Nature's perfection was about to be destroyed.  However, three surfers were determined not to let this happen.  They worked restlessly working with local municples and organizing their efforts until they saw convincing results that their work was successful.

This was the start of the Surfrider Foundation.

To date, they are actively working in 18 other countries operating as a grass root organization with three chapters in Oregon.

Since 2006, the non-profit has been victorious in 215 of their campaigns.

Statewide, the chapters are currently working on several issues: Ban the Bag, Blue Water Task Force (BWTF), Wave Energy and Territorial Sea Planning, Marine Reserves and Special Places, and the Snowrider Project/Don't Be a Tosser.

The Portland chapter meets at 7pm on the 2nd Tuesday every month at SE Lucky Lab (map).  Meetings are open to the public.  Under 21 welcome until 9pm.  

Join Surfrider here or for more information on the Portland chapter visit here.