• Election season is coming! That's what Portlander Jillian Hall of NINI Signs wanted to remind me when she introduced her line of attractive (yet repellent) no soliciting signs—NINI is an acronym for "No I Am Not Interested." Says Hall, "I’ve had an aversion to unannounced visitors since growing up in Portland a latchkey kid. Now, as an adult, our dinners are interrupted by unwanted solicitors—especially in a politically active city like ours." I'll admit to occasionally ducking under my own windows when the doorbell rings, because I'm simply not going to open the door while wearing a cat hair-covered slip at 3 pm, sorry, and I'm partial to this stately version:
• Prominent Portland designer Gretchen Jones has announced her resignation as Fashion Director of Womenswear at Pendleton Woolen Mills. Her plans for what's next are unknown as of now, but it seems safe to assume she'll be up to interesting things sooner than later.
• Mark your calendars for Thursday, Oct 1 (5-9 pm), when Orox Leather Co. will celebrate its third anniversary. Guests will leave with a leather Orox coaster, a belly full of drinks and snacks, ears full of live music, and raffle winners will also get either a toiletries bag or small purse. Additionally, 20 percent of all sales during the event will go to benefit Doernbecher Children's Hospital.