Welcoming Summer to Portland

What a weekend!

Temperatures in the 80's,
amazing sunny skies,

and lots of summer fun.

Here's a little recap of the weekend, in highlight form.

Friday

Friday means softball. Our team, Prestige Worldwide, took on the David Douglas Day Care team.
Sounds intimidating, right?

We played like champs though and did our absolute best to defeat our opponents.

Unfortunately we lost both games and I took a ball to the jaw and chipped my tooth.

Awesome.

I'll be calling the dentist now.

Saturday

Saturday was spent enjoying the beautiful sunshine.

After waking up and watching the world go by with Buoy on our patio, I went over to the gym and squeezed in a spin class before Jeremy woke up.

When I got out of spin I saw I had an email from Foodbuzz.com congratulating me for making their Top 9!

Check it out by clicking here.

I was so excited! My recipe was in the top 9 out of thousands of entries!
Guess everybody loves fish tacos this time of year :)

Later in the afternoon, Jeremy, Buoy and I met up with our friend Matt and his adorable pup for lunch at the Lucky Labrador. Definitely a perfect spot on a sunny day.

Food, drinks, and dog-friendly!

Sunday

Sunday was spent helping Dani prepare for her wedding by doing a bit of shopping at Ikea. Then destressing by heading over to the City Fair and riding the carnival rides until we all felt like throwing up.

Matt and his girlfriend Carrie met up with us for dinner and then we headed back over to the fair. It ended up being an amazing day/night. Too bad it was a Sunday, makes for a tough Monday morning!

I hope all of you had an amazing weekend too! I will be updating sporadically over the next couple of weeks. Dani and Jared are getting married and I'm lucky enough to be involved in a lot of the pre-wedding excitement. Starting with the bachelorette party this weekend!

See you all back here tomorrow! xoxo

Jeremy returns to Portland...and brings the rain with him!

Happy Wednesday!

Dear friends and family,

I'm writing to report that the rain has returned to Portland. The beautiful sunshine that has blessed us on and off for the past few days has disappeared.

{The blanket of grey has returned}

I'm going to try really hard not to dwell on the weather, but let me tell you that's easier said than done!

Instead, let me share with you a little Portland gem Jeremy and I experienced yesterday afternoon.

After hearing the name dropped here and there. Driving by once or twice. We just had to stop by.

Welcome to Dockside.
The very shack-like bar and restaurant just a mile up the road from our home.
The food is delicious. Dive bar atmosphere.
Wonderful staff and just about the most non-Portlandy place we've ever been inside the City limits.

And if you need more convincing you should try this place...two words...

Taco Tuesday.
$1.50

gets you three whole tacos!

Heaven does exist. And just because it's a cool story. Dockside's claim to fame...

the incriminating handwritten note Tonya Harding wrote detailing Nancy Kerrigan's practice schedule was found in the garbage outside Dockside.

Who knew?

I'll also share with you a photo of the delicious lunch I packed for Jeremy and me this morning.

Yummy right?

Inspired by the Little Red House, I toasted up some fresh bread (drizzled with garlic olive oil). Added some fresh tomato, basil, sprouts, and mozzarella.

Then add a few drops of balsamic vinaigrette and you're all set!

Is 9:30 too early to eat lunch?

Just Thought I'd Share...

It's FRIDAY!
I know you all are as excited as I am. Friday means all sorts of fun things for me, including casual work attire (jeans!), Friday night softball, and Shabbot (read: family) dinner!

Tonight Jeremy and I have our first softball game of the Co-ed Portland Softball season. It will be my official debut.

I
am
terrified.

I'm a swimmer. I've never done any sport in my life that involved coordination, balls, or land. This could be dangerous/hilarious for any spectators.
All I'm hoping is I hit the ball.
Even once and I'll be happy!

The other newsworthy information I have to share with you are two important fabulous finds.

Important Fabulous Find #1:

Cha
NW 21st and Everett
Downtown Portland

At the recommendation of our friend Andrea a large group of our friends heading to Cha last night to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. It was the perfect spot. The place was packed, the margaritas were delicious, and the food was top notch. I had the Mahi Mahi and Prawn Tacos...and honestly those tacos were full of the freshest seafood and most amazing mango salsa I could of imagined.
Go. Eat there. Now.

Important Fabulous Find #2:

Me Too 'Princess' Espadrilles
$58.90

I've been in the market for a pair of basic espadrilles for summer. A pair that I can wear to work or out for fun. Not too high, not too low, and preferably comfortable. Me Too designs some adorable shoes that are also work-wearable (read: comfy enough to walk around in for 8 hours). I spotted these (Me Too 'Princess' Espadrilles) on Nordstrom.com but was hesitant to buy them...until a couple days ago when they went on sale! So order yourself a pair before they're all sold out!!

Royal Wedding Detox

Okay I'm forcing myself to take a mini-break from 24/7 Royal Wedding news. I'm seriously an addict who needs help. Thank God the wedding is tonight/tomorrow, because I don't think Jeremy or my brain can take much more of this. For a little girl who grew up loving **princess** stories and still believes in fairy tales...the Royal Wedding is a dream come true, living proof that Cinderella fantasies can come true in the real world. I will be glued to my television tonight and I hope you will too!

Enough about that. Keeping with the UK theme I'd like to make a Portland recommendation. If you haven't been to Kell's Irish Pub in Old Town, you need to go, right now. Live music, great atmosphere, delicious Irish pub fare, and a cigar bar. You might be thinking, why would a girl care about a cigar bar? But let me tell you....you need to try it! Lauren, Tyler, Jeremy and I went a couple weeks back. It ended up being one of the best nights out I've had in months. It was casual and fun, but different than a typical night out.

See? Can't you tell how much fun we are having? PS That awesome nail polish is Essie's Merino Cool.

Wish I could blame that fuzzy picture on the smoke...really that's just what happens when you use your camera phone as a real camera. Sorry Lauren!

Thankful for my Surrogate Family

As I was driving to work this morning I realized what I am most thankful for this Thanksgiving. It may sound cheesy, but I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends here in Portland, and even more blessed to have made friends all over this country who will come visit Jeremy and I all the way up here in the tundra (shout out to Maeve, Veronica, Ray, and Laura!).

By far the greatest thing to come from Jeremy and I going to school in NY and then Jeremy's career in the Coast Guard has been the friends we have made all over. I honestly think we could go to any major city in the country and be able to call on one of our friends. THAT is an amazing feeling. Jeremy and I have spent the majority of the last 5+ years away from our families, so to have such amazing people in our lives is something we are truly thankful for. (Brittany--I know if you're reading this right now you're probably rolling your eyes!)

Last night Jeremy and I spent the evening with our good friends/Portland family...Tyler, Lauren, and Dani (Jared you were there in spirit!). On a night with sub-freezing temperatures, it was great to go out for burgers with our friends and then sit around playing Pop-5 and watching Dancing with the Stars. And if anyone is only reading this for the food recommendations, you should try Little Big Burger--122 NW 10th St., Portland.

For everyone reading this...travel safe this weekend and enjoy your Thanksgiving with your families and/or surrogate families! Love you all.

Veronica in the PDX

Oh what a weekend! I don't think I could begin to recall all the various twists and turns this weekend took...but I'll try my best to share the highlights.

Starting things off right, my very lovely and feisty fellow Trojan Veronica came to visit me this weekend in Portland. Flying into PDX Thursday night, the first thing V said when she stepped into the car was, "I can't believe how fresh the air is!". Well if there's one thing Oregon does better than California...it's air. After Jeremy gave V his world famous history of Portland-- including how the city got it's name (a coin toss between being named after Boston, MA and Portland, ME), Lewis and Clark's involvement, and the geographic and demographic breakdowns--we headed to Widmer. A lovely place to start your first night in Portland, even when surrounded by Trailblazer fans.

After a pretzel, some buffalo wings, and a sampling of our favorite carb, we headed to Deschutes for a nice little taste comparison. Finally finishing up with a quick stop at Bridgeport. When we got home Buoy was very happy to see his Aunt Veronica and V was very happy to be out of the cold. :)

Friday morning V and I prepped for our lovely tailgate Saturday. (We should seriously be professionals at tailgate planning). We picked up the BBQ and purchased some hand-warmers and thermals. Then headed out to Multnomah Falls. The falls were beautiful, but I'm fairly certain V was more in awe of the fashion choices many of the tourists had made. Fashion in the Pacific Northwest is always a bit interesting.

On the way back towards Portland we stopped at McMenamin's Edgefield, or as Maeve calls it "Disneyland for adults". Edgefield is one of my favorite spots in Oregon. We were able to wine taste for $5 and V smoked her first cigar...I wish I had thought to get a picture! It is definitely a great location to spend a rainy day, full of fireplaces and cozy corners. Not to mention, the food is delicious. I recommend the Shrimp Wontons and the Beef Stew.

Friday night V, Jeremy, Pete and I headed to Departure. This restaurant/bar on the top of the Nines Hotel is amazing. It feels like you're on a space ship! The food is absolutely amazing. V described it after as Asian tapas, and I think that's a very good description. Definitely recommend this place for great views of the city and amazing food. Off the menu, must-tries include: Pork Springrolls, Shrimp Har Gau, and the Kobe Meatballs.

So Saturday morning, we packed up the car with all our tailgate supplies and made our way down to Corvallis. The tailgate was amazing. I'll leave it at that. The game itself was horrible and I'll probably never go back to OSU, ha!

Sunday was V's final day in PDX...sad! But we finished things off right with a trip to one of the best breakfast spots in town...Besaw's. V had the Prosciutto Scramble and I had the Breakfast Sandwich. Both were delicious. My sandwich consisted of 2 over-easy eggs on a brioche bun with avocado, bacon, tomato, and goat cheese (perfect for us Lactards!). Amazing!

Now it's Monday and I wish V was still here, but on a positive note--this morning she said when she got to work everyone told her she looks very refreshed! As V puts it, "Portland = Oxygen Facial!" That would make a great postcard :)

Here's hoping by tomorrow Portland not only has great oxygen but a few inches of snow too!

Recommended in this post:

McMenamin's Edgefield-- 2126 SW Halsey Street, Troutdale, OR 97060

Multnomah Falls-- 50000 East Historic Columbia River Highway, Corbett, OR 97019
Departure-- 525 SW Morrison St, Portland 97204

Besaw's-- 2301 NW Savier Street, Portland 97210

A Weekend in Bellingham

Good morning November! It's officially my favorite month of the year :) To start things off right, I will be sharing with you all the great weekend I had up in Bellingham, Washington. Hopefully it will inspire you to take a little drive up North!

As most of you know, my sister is a sophomore at Western Washington University, located in beautiful Bellingham. As you may also know, my parents recently retired and moved to the same town. Bellingham is about 90 minutes north of Seattle, an hour south of Vancouver, B.C. By the time you get up there, you see as many British Columbia license plates as you do Washington state. I've visited this gem of a town about 5 times and each time I find new things to do and explore. Bellingham is one of those places you can only experience in the Northwest. From downtown you can be hiking in the mountains, visiting the San Juan Islands, skiing on Mt. Baker, or shopping in the historic Fairhaven district all in less than 30 minutes.

On Saturday morning Jeremy and I packed up the car with an extra set of clothes, Jeremy's guitar, and Buoy. It was pouring rain all the way through Seattle, but by the time we got to Bellingham the sun was actually out! We stopped at Britt's apartment first and picked her up for lunch. The three of us (and Buoy) drove down the hill to Fairhaven. What an adorable spot! I've included a couple pictures so you can get the idea. All old brick buildings, bookstores, tea shops, cafes, and art galleries...Fairhaven seriously looks like it belongs in some little English or Irish town. We ate lunch at the Colophon Cafe, an adorable little spot where we were able to sit out on the patio. It is on the bottom floor of the bookstore and faces the Farmers Market. This is the spot for delicious soup, quiche, sandwiches, and hot apple cider!

After lunch Jeremy and I headed up the mountain to my parents' house, where we explored a bit and then headed down to Lake Whatcom for a hike. The lake is huge and surrounded by beautiful homes. With the autumn leaves covering the trail it was the perfect afternoon activity! Buoy loved it as well because he knows Lake Whatcom means lots of time to swim.

Saturday night ended with watching the USC v. Oregon football game (I don't want to talk about it), and beef stew my Mom always makes on Halloween.

Sunday morning before we left town, my family all got together for breakfast at Avenue Bakery. The bread here is delicious and they use incredibly fresh eggs and bacon. I definitely recommend this spot. Although, if you're only in Bellingham for the weekend Diamond Jim's is the spot for a classic diner breakfast.

I could make a number of great recommendations to anyone visiting Bellingham, but I'll spare you a million details. Just go! It's a great town with great food and unbeatable outdoor adventures. Not to mention, you always have a place to stay!

Our Sunday Morning Ritual

Since it's Friday and in honor of the weekend, this entry is dedicated to the good old-fashioned All-American diner. Jeremy and I love diners, especially on Sunday mornings. So our quest to find the perfect spot in Portland started months ago. But as wonderful as Portland can be...its culinary scene tends to be a bit too gourmet for the type of diner we were looking for. That is, until we discovered Fuller's Coffee Shop.


Spotlight on Fuller's Coffee Shop:

As Jeremy said on Sunday morning after about 6 cups of coffee...we need to come here every Sunday. I agree! This is it. That diner that serves the perfect plate of eggs and bacon, omelettes stuffed full of deliciousness, and that fabulous coffee you can really only find in a diner.

Fuller's has been around a long time, you can tell by the pictures of the same spot decades ago. It has that charm of a true American diner. Everyone sits at the counter and the coffee flows non-stop. I don't think there's much more you need to know, but if you need a little more convincing...their bread is homemade. The wheat and white toast is absolute perfection.

If you're ever looking for Jeremy and me, chances are you can find us at Fuller's Sunday morning around 11.

Fuller's - 136 NW 9th Street, Portland

Since I know not all of you live in the Portland area, I figured I'd also give you a couple recommendations that might be closer to where you live. (I've sought out good diners all over the country!)

Diner Spotlight - Huntington Beach, CA: Steve's

Owned by a very sweet Greek family, this is a great spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. No frills, just good food and very sweet servers. I went here for breakfast with my family and friends my entire 20 years in Huntington Beach. Highly recommend the Breakfast Special: 2 eggs, bacon, toast, and hashbrowns for about $4.

Steve's Charburger - 6033 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach

Diner Spotlight - Los Angeles, CA: S & W Country Diner

This adorable spot has the atmosphere of a classic diner and the food to back it up. Expect a long wait if you don't get here early, but located in Downtown Culver City, there is plenty to keep you busy as you wait. Highly recommend the Breakfast Burrito.

S & W Country Diner - 9748 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA

Diner Spotlight - New York, NY: Bruce's Restaurant and Bakery

Bruce's is not a typical diner, it's actually more of a Jewish deli...but if you ever happen to make your way out to Long Island Bruce's is a must. The owner Bruce has pictures lining the walls of all the celebrities he has baked for and dozens of others who have stopped in to visit his restaurant. Every meal comes with a delicious assortment of his pasteries, and you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. My recommendation would be to stick with what it's famous for...corn beef sandwiches, matzoh ball soup, and rye bread. Trust me, you won't be sorry you made the trip out to Long Island.

Bruce's Restaurant and Bakery - 34 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, NY

If You Ever Find Yourself in Alabama

A few weeks back I took a trip down South to visit Jeremy. I flew into Gulfport, Mississippi (never thought I'd see the day)...and then we briefly visited New Orleans before heading back to Alabama. I just wanted to make a quick post about this incredible BBQ joint we discovered in Mobile.

Gem of the Month: The Brick Pit BBQ

As many of you know I'm a Yelp fanatic. I am also a true believer in putting in the effort to find local favorites when I visit any new place. Mobile, Alabama was no exception. I used my Yelping skills to find the best barbecue spot in Alabama...possibly in the South (although this will take much more research to confirm!).

Brick Pit is a little hole in the wall place with a meat smoker out front. When you walk inside the first thing you will most likely notice is the sharpie graffiti all over the walls. Don't let this deter you! Jeremy, our friend Ray, and I had the best barbecue pork EVER. As one yelper deemed it, Brick Pit is the "holy grail of barbecue". Both the ribs and the pulled pork are must tries. And of course...like any good southern bbq spot...you can't forget the coleslaw, beans, and sweet tea to tie it all together.

The Brick Pit BBQ - 5456 Old Shell Rd., Mobile, AL

Bone Marrow and Barrels of Wine

Last week Jeremy came home from a very long trip to the Gulf Coast. He was given orders to report to Mobile, Alabama for two months to help inspect the ships coming back into the port from out in the oily waters. Although the two months felt pretty endless at times, I am happy to report he is home now...happy and healthy :) Of course, one of the very first things we did to celebrate was go out to dinner with our friends! We decided to try out this restaurant in the Pearl called Irving Street Kitchen.

Restaurant Spotlight: Irving Street Kitchen

Located on NW 13th Street, this restaurant is absolutely beautiful inside. It has a great vibe to it, lots of wood and a pretty fireplace. Our group of 6 didn't have a reservation, but showed up at 7 and didn't have any trouble getting a table. Our waitress was wonderful, she was able to explain in great detail every wine and entree on the menu in great detail (which is helpful because there are some pretty "out there" options!). I had heard prior to trying out ISK that it was known for serving gourmet southern comfort food, but I would definitely argue it has more of a French influenced menu.

One of the major "pros" about this restaurant is the wine. They had a great selection and all of the wine comes directly from barrels. Meaning instead of ordering by the bottle, you are served the wine in carafes. Our group shared a delicious Riesling from Kings Ridge, in the Willamette Valley, and a Pinot Nior from the Stoller Vineyards in Dundee Hills. We also shared a number of appetizers (Warning: They were not for the faint of heart). The boys in our group were gung-ho about trying the Herb Roasted Bone Marrow. Served with toasted bread, the marrow is spreadable. The boys and Lauren loved it (she was very brave!). I did taste it, but couldn't get past the idea of eating bone marrow. So I stuck with Dani and tried the Meatballs and Marinated Olives.

When it came time to order half our group had the "Cacciucco" Seafood Stew...absolutely delicious. Dani sampled the Draper Valley Fried Chicken (probably the only safe thing on the menu for picky eaters), which was also phenomenal. I don't remember exactly what Jared and Tyler had, but I think Jared tried some sort of Hare and Tyler had the Fillet. I know they both enjoyed their meal. Last but not least, dessert. We tried three different desserts and by far the best was the Lemon Tart. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but the flavor was incredible. Definitely worth saving room for dessert.

All in all, this restaurant was a fun experience, but overall probably not worth the cost. I would go back, but only for drinks or happy hour. It was a great night with friends, but we could of had three dinners at Bridgeport for the cost of this one meal.

Irving Street Kitchen - 701 NW 13th St. Portland

A Taste of Morocco

Restaurant Find: Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant

Saturday night Jeremy and I went to dinner with a group of our friends to celebrate our friend Jared. He's a Canadian (crazy, I know) who's being shipped back to the motherland this week. We're all going to miss him like crazy, so to say goodbye we went out to Marrakesh. It's a fun little Moroccan restaurant on NW 21st that spares no details as they attempt to recreate a true Moroccan dining experience. Think less Casablanca, more pillows on the floor and belly dancers! We decided to go for the Royale Feast Dinner, perfect for a larger group. All five courses are shared family style and there is PLENTY of food. My favorite was the Chicken with Honey & Prunes, but others in our group swore by the lamb dishes. Everything was delicious, the entertainment was excellent, just be ready for your butt to be numb by the end.

Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant - 1201 NW 21st St., Portland