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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1999)
a come all ye procrastinators, the Internet shall be your salvation! Send your mouse shopping O At this late date, an assault on a mall may require more stamina than you pos sess. If you have online access and a credit or debit card, you can point and click your way to just about anything you or the people on your gift list desire. Many site operators will wrap your gift, sign a card and ship it directly to your intended. Of course, you may be needing express delivery, but the surcharge pays for itself in reduced hassle factor. By all means read the fine print regarding shipping guarantees. Or, hey, send millennium gifts instead! The Internet has largely proven to be a safe place to shop, with a few caveats. Only buy from a company with a secure, encrypted payment area. Most sites will trumpet the fact in large type; you can also watch for other signs on newer browsers, such as an unbroken key or closed lock that might appear in the lower left comer of your screen. The security system will scram ble your personal data so that your information is not likely to be intercepted. Many of these recommended sites also have toll-free phone numbers, so you can place your order by phone if you prefer. Also, it’s a good idea to notice if the company has a physical address and phone number if you are unfamiliar with them. Don’t hesitate to verify basic infor mation before you type in your credit card number. That said, here are some fun Internet sites we’ve checked out that offer queer-flavored gift ideas. If you’re still nervous, stick with the brand name sites for the first few times you shop online. A painless cure for last-minute shopping panics by O riana G reen Another tip is to shop with a site that has an actual counterpart in the real world, such as A Different Light Bookstore in San Francisco, one of the world’s largest gay and lesbian book sellers. The store’s URL is www.adlbooks.com, where you’ll find all kinds of temptations for readers on your list. One useful feature is the list of all the recent Lambda Literary Award winners with direct links to in-depth informa tion on each book. A large site brimming with pride merchan dise can be found at www.allpride.com. There you can ferret out rainbow collars and leashes for cats and dogs—and probably ferrets— attractive rainbow party decor and even queer- themed license plate holders, including one for Love Makes a Family and one with rainbow paw prints for bears. During December and January this retailer is offering free shipping on orders over $20. Looking for some funny T-shirts? Try www.clothes-encounters.com, where you’ll find gems like “I fantasize about the UPS man,” as well as other queer-themed sayings. For the jocks on your list check out www.lavenderink.com, which offers this shirt: “Women with attitude PLAY BALL,” plus many variations for both men and women. For those with decidedly kinkier tastes, you can visit www.leathermasters.com for all your dominant desires. For some unique greeting cards, go to www.touigroup.com and check out Chocolate - Kitchen open past midnight. BREAKFAST Saturday & Sunday I HOULI MAKAHlfcl HoU A C offee H ouse P roudly serving GALEE D’ARTE COPELE & ESPRESSO Reservations Recommended The new hot spot for Pan Asian Cuisine 288-3960 1214 NW 21M BETAVEEX XORTHRUP AX’D OVERTOX 274 2559 Lunch M-F Dinner every night We Cater All Occasions WE DELIVER M ele kalikimaka BREAKFAST & LUNCH: Saturday & Sunday 10AM - 2PM LUNCH: Monday - Friday 11AM - 2PM Upstairs Dining Room for DINNER: Tuesday - Saturday 4:30PM - 10PM LOUNGE: Tuesday - Thursday 4:30PM - 1AM Friday & Saturday 4:30PM -1:30AM FREE LIVE MUSIC Tues, thru Sat. in our underground Mad Hatter Lounge ■ ORIANA GREEN is the Entertainment Editor of Just Out and occasionally indulges in retail thera py. Send your fave queer URLs for future columns to onana@justout.com. MON-THURS 7;30 am -11:00 pm The Rabbit Hole Re/touront & Riad Hotter lounge 203 SE Grand Ave. • 231-2925 berries & Cream, a new company offering a box of tasteful blank cards with photos of women of color loving women. The site at www.gaywired.com is good for one-stop shopping for many things queer. It features Project Angel Food tree ornaments, which generate donations to help feed people living with AIDS. It also offers several styles of pride ornaments to spruce up your pine. For the hutches on your list, look at the colorful silk ties designed by gay artist Keith Haring. And for fans of boxer shorts, don’t miss the Don’t Panic collection, which sports a variety of fun sayings, such as “Wish you were here” and some X-rated suggestions. Another all-purpose site, www.bproud.com offers a wide array of queer goodies, including jewelry for bisexuals—featuring mixed rainbow gender symbols—and even some androgynous people pins for those mystery friends. This retailer also carries some attractive rainbow pet iden tification tags that can be engraved. And the best all purpose gift we’ve found this season is from this site—the next stage of evolution in automobile trunk emblems: the homo fish. So, all you last-minute-Martys, there’s no need to get out of your PJs, just cuddle up to your monitor and shop till your mouse drops. Best of all, you won’t have to go anywhere near a post office or a Mailboxes R Us. díOOOllf 1411 NE Broadway MdôOm-wvOO:» MHS — y includes: v *5 course dinner New Years Celebration Rest Your Spirit Wild Abandon töueh^tone« 1 se belmont starts at I I pm Dancing and Caberet Live T.V. coverage too • Champagne Toast & Fireworks at Midnight hompagt e01* Featuring ALL ORGANIC COFFEE, — Fresh Pastries, Soup and Sundries C ommunity LIVE MUSIC F Ì R esource R oom OK RESTAURANT & BAR 2000 NE 40th • 460-2682 Seating starts at 7:30pm $75 per person Reservations Required reservations (not required) 503.232.4458 w w w.c il \ search.coin/pdx/wikl Charming Garden C5O3) 262- Fri & Sat 7-9pm M-Th 7am-7pm J ft, -9pm Sat 8am-9pm Sun 8pm-2pm 7613 631NE Glisan * Portland, OR 97213
