buy local, portland.

this weekend is all about shopping for most of us. here are a few of the ways you can support you local favorites this weekend:

friday just got a little prettier in portland with plaid friday! plaid friday is the new black friday, putting the focus on portland's favorite local businesses. you can check out the full list of participants on the buy local website, but i am most excited about sampling sweetgrass's holiday gin cocktail and the portland flea-for-all being open on a friday (plus having refreshments while you shop!). the best part of the day.. wearing plaid!

take a photo while you are out shopping local today (and throughout december) and use #happylocalshopper to be entered to win a gift cards to your favorite portland buy local store!

and the other best part of the day, the tree lighting tonight in monument square at 5:30. you won't want to miss this because my favorite childhood musician, rick charette will be there. oh, nostalgia..

let's not forget about saturday! small business saturday is tomorrow. these days, there is no way you can't find everything you are looking for from a local business. to participate, you may not even have to leave your house. there are so many online local small business to shop right from your computer. but if you want to get out and get in the stores, portland is full of them.

here are a few of my suggestions for shopping small this weekend..

for the ladies:
bliss boutique
suncity
judith

for the men:
portland trading co
portland general store
portland dry goods

for the home:
angela adams
more & co
folly 101

vintage:
portland flea-for-all
material objects
moody lords

coffee:
tandem
bard
coffee by design

these are only a few of my many favorite portland stores. get out there and get shopping. remember to shop small this weekend!