0059 -- Seattle (quickly)

This past weekend a gal pal of mine from college had a holiday party that we decided to venture up for. Ms. Boots Brady (I know her as Peach) knows how to throw one heck of a party and everyone in attendance was just lovely!! I'm so thankful that our little circle is getting bigger and brighter every year. 

The drive to Seattle from Portland is only about three hours and it's gorgeous the whole way! There's tons of bridges crossing over the various rivers and streams that flow up here in the pacific wonderland. So much different than what we're used to seeing back south.

Seattle was gray and drizzly, as usual, when we got in. We don't mind this weather so much as it gives me an excuse to layer up and wear all my fun coats and hats! 

We used one of our wedding presents to stay at the Ace hotel in Seattle (we've stayed at 3 now and visited 4 of the Ace chain and we love them more and more every time we go).

I'm not sure is it's sad or just a testiment to how much fun we were having but this is the only photo that I have from the party on my phone. Boots' cheese plate was insane so was the pate, the tuna spread, olives, decor...I could keep going! Really the best part was the white elephant gifting. Jordan and I ended up with some whiskey making treats, chocolates, and a candle we're burning right now!

The next morning before heading home we walked down to Pike's Place Market to see what the artisans had for sale. We came across tons of floral arrangements I wanted to buy, scallops the size of a fist, and the freshest veggies around. I was pleased to be able to pick up a few gifts for my dad while we were there too!

Update again soon!

xxo

0055 -- our first visitor!

This weekend our old roommate and dear friend Dawn came up from LA to visit us. We have been so excited to get to show some one around as well as finally get to put our newly finished spare room to use! Of course I woke up for work on Friday and it was snowing. Yes, you read that right, SNOWING!!! I was too excited to see it, but with it came some seriously cold weather (duh)! Here's what our street looked like on Friday morning!

Fortunately the snow stopped before I had to drive back home, as much as I find it really neat and pretty, I'm still nervous to drive in the snow. We picked up Dawn from the airport and headed right over to grab some dinner and drinks!

Saturday we headed over to the NW to feed Dawn the best donuts up here (sorry Voodoo)! From there we shopped around at all the cute and painfully hip shops in the Pearl area. We headed over to a neat little gift pop up shop back in SE before finally heading up to Mississippi for some lunch and oddities shopping!

We walked around Mississippi picking up fun decorations for Dawn's new place and stopping into a few bars along the way for refreshments! How cute is my Dawny?! Love this girl to bits!

Check out what we ended up creating with all the awesome goodies Dawn found! I hope to make something similar to this soon!

Jordan and I also picked up a new little creepy plant for our house too. Meet Seymore, our Venus Fly Trap! Apparently this little guy will attract his own food as long as we make sure he gets enough sunlight and water. 

Jordan and I wanted to make a nice dinner for Dawn Saturday night so we made some pork chops, apple sauce, and sweet potato curry latkes. YUM! After dinner we walked over to a local bar to meet up with some other friends. Of course, we thought we were so tough walking the few blocks to the bar in 11 degree weather...

On Sunday we started over at City State Cafe, a little breakfast spot over by our house. One look at the menu and we knew we had make the right choice, I mean look at that bloody mary pyramid! 

After breakfast we headed down to Hawthorne to show Dawn some other fun shops and areas of Portland! We paused in one of our favorite knick knack shops and she snapped this hilarious shot of me in a pug mask.

As always, it's hard to let our friends leave (even Larry didn't want Dawn to go). We had such a great time and are really looking forward to having more visitors!!

Update again soon!!

xxo

0051 -- saturday on mississippi

This Saturday we celebrated our friend Wesley's birthday by going out day drinking and shopping on Mississippi in north Portland.

We had been twice (although very unknowingly) but not actually walked around much. The first time we went to Paxton Gate which is an incredible taxidermy and natural oddities shop. The other time we went was strictly to eat the biscuits at Pine State (yum)!!

On Saturday we had planned to eat at Por Que No? But it was closed for renovations so we ended up at Bar Bar for burgers and boozies! I had the veggie burger which was incredible!! The bun was out of this world and they even came with my favorite pickles on top! Along with our banging burgers I had one seriously delicious Bloody Mary! Just the perfect way to start Saturday!

From there we went to an awesome thrift, meets knick knack, meets, decorations shop. I believe it was called flutter. Jordan bought me two of my favorite tarot cards there (the 3 of cups and the 3 of swords). 

Our next stop was cocktails tails again and this time around a fire pit in the back of Interurban. A few pimm's cups later and we were ready for more thrifting! 

Along with thrifting where I finally found the perfect wide brim hat, we did pop into Paxton Gate again so we could pick a piranha for our shelves!!

On the way back to the car before our last bar stop we paused in the most random shop call the Meadow. The shop carries only salts, chocolates, wine, bitters, and a very small selection of fresh flowers. Everything is available to sample and they strongly encourage it. They were very knowledgable and our friends ended up buying the most yummy rhubarb bitters! I can't wait to see what kind of cocktails they create with it!

We ended the evening over at Liberty Glass, a cute little bar with great vegan options and a warm atmosphere! It was a fabulous day and we were so excited to be able to slow crawl and wander into all the shops the area had to offer!!

Update again soon!

xxo.

0050 -- tails and trotters

Since we moved to Portland almost two months ago (can you even believe that?) we've been trying a bunch of delis and sandwich shops looking for the best sandwich. 

We've had Laurelhurst Market on Burnside, Roman Candle on Division, both Lardo locations, and just yesterday we tried Tails and Trotters which is very conveniently located on our street. Now I should warn if you aren't a meat eater, this post is not for you.

Tails and Trotters was started by some guys back in 2009 after they learned everything they could about how raising pigs changes their flavors. Kind of interesting. Walking into their shop it's small, really clean, and all the guys there look like they are nothing more than my other brothers. Awesome! They a few displays of mustards, sauces and pickles, a butcher display, a small freezer with sausages and fats. There's a few stools at the back of the shop.

The sandwich list is perfect. Just enough to choose from without the over complications of too many options. There were a few specials too, but we stuck to the country pâté with pickles on a small soft baguette and a Cubano on a panini. 

Well these guys killed it! They were two of the best sammies we've had here. The pork was truly flavorful. The pâté melted in my mouth! The bread choice was perfect as it didn't cut the roof of my mouth as so many sammies before have...

We still haven't picked a favorite, but was are so thrilled to have this gem so close to home! 

Update again soon!

xxo

0048 -- lone fir cemetary

When Jordan and i came to visit Portland in May we stopped by a really cool cemetery, lone fir cemetery. It's pretty central off Stark in the 20's. When we moved to the house we're in we had no idea how close to this cemetery we really were (less than half a mile)!
So for a little lunch excursion the other day we decided to go for a walk in the cemetery. Now I don't know about you, but I cannot think of a cemetery with out this song:

It was a bit of a dark day, but it was still quite pretty and we got to see so many squirrels (yes they still excite me)! 

It's amazing to see the juxtaposition between the old graves from the late 1800's and the modern day etched tombstones. Kind makes me wonder what these old stones would tell us if they could talk. I mean really, how humbling it it to think about those people who lives almost 200 years before us...wild.

I'll leave you with this cute house that's on our street! The whole side yard is various kinds of ferns (quickly becoming my favorite plans up here, I'm still hunting for a stag horn fern that I can afford).

Update again soon!!

xxo

0047 -- the busy bee

How awful i've been taking 10 days to update again! I have to get a schedule nailed down...anyhow, I've been a busy lady! Marissa, my maid of honor, lady wife, best friend, most bad ass broad was FINALLY in town last weekend! It was so nice to finally be reunited with her and in our new home nonetheless! We went out for walks around my neighborhood to see what was around. Of course we hit up what is quickly becoming our favorite knick knack store smut.
Once we had the husbands back from work, we went out for happy hour to a little New Orleans style restaurant called Tapalaya that makes the most yummy hurricane cocktails that made us all feel nice and warm!!

We also got to do a little catcamp family friendsgiving too which always makes it really feel like the holidays are coming!
 
Our weekend was magical, but of course bittersweet knowing that Marissa had to leave and wouldn't be back again until X-mas.

Along with the reality of Marissa leaving, I also had to prepare for a busy week of interviews. So far I'm not sure where I stand, but keeping hopeful that something comes quick. Interviewing has been inspiring though and has even spurred me to start making a few pieces of jewelry!



Promise to update again soon!

 xxo

0041 -- mount tabor homes

portland has been an overload of cute homes and walkable neighborhoods. we've taken a walk the last few nights and i've been snapping some shots of the homes in the area. (laura, i can't help but think of you as i post these)



update again soon! xxo