Jewelry by Diana Acuesta Designs

Once Alisa & I checked into the Portland Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2008 Party & Auction, we spotted a single jewelry vendor, Diana Acuesta, showcasing her designs across the room. We made a beeline. What happened next was quite a blur. Alisa leaned over the case to take a peek, and introduced herself to the designer—“Hi, I’m Alisa, the Editor in Chief of Portland Picks.”

Then it happened, just as Nicolas Cage described in his 1967 275 GTB four-cam connoisseur scenario to the Ferrari dealer in Gone in 60 Seconds: Champagne would fall from the heavens. Doors would open. Velvet ropes would part.

With that introduction, Alisa had both the designer and the owner of Lily Atelier boutique scurrying, fussing and draping necklaces around her neck, adjusting and arranging so that the layered effect of the jewelry was just right. At first we thought they just wanted her to try the necklaces on. But then we realized, Diana was giving them to her—as a gift—so that she would remember her business and hopefully promote her via Portland Picks. It was so weird. Alisa was in a sort of stunned mode. Neither one of us could believe what had just happened. And then Diana kept saying she needed to also give her one of her opulent lariat necklaces.


Alisa had to promise to stash her scarf in her handbag, so that the adornment of semi-precious stones and hand-hammered, gold-filled metal work could garner compliments throughout the night at the party. While all this was going on, Alisa whispered that she’d give me one of the necklaces later. Very sweet of her.

But then while we were all talking to the designer, Alisa introduced me as one of the writers of Portland Picks. I happened to have this pair of earrings in my hand, admiring them. Diana tells me to just keep them. They’re mine! What a fantastic surprise! The earrings are some type of yellow facet-cut semi-precious stones with silver chain tassels and hand-hammered silver hoops. So I left that night with a little party favor of my own! Yet another perk of writing for Portland Picks!