Sunday Stroll, an outfit post

Will and I took a stroll through the Pearl District today while running a few errands at REI and Powells. I'm trying to keep it easy as I have come down with a virus. I hate being sick in the summer and seriously who gets sick in July? Me, that's who.

I love all the brick buildings and loading docks in the Pearl. It really is great composition for photos so we decided to snap some shots for an outfit post.

This blouse is a new find. My brother and his fiancee gave me a gift certificate to Nordstrom's for my birthday and I found this beautiful Nanette Lepore blouse at the Rack marked down from $250 to $38!

My wedges are Kork-Ease and they are the most comfortable platform wedges ever! I have completely fallen in love with cork shoes for how light weight they are.

Blouse, Nanette Lepore

Shorts, H&M

Shoes, Kork-Ease

Glasses, thrifted

I hope you all are having a fun and healthy summer!

Summer is....

Sippin' rosé outside.

Barbecuing with friends.

Coral polish and gladiator sandals.

Hood Stawberries!

Frozen yogurt sundays.

Roadtrippin'.

Beautiful Bend skies.

Fourth of July frock.

Picnicking in the yard.

Cherry stained fingers.

Fiestas!

Summer stew.

Outdoor forts.

Weddings.

Refreshing ginger lemonade (with bourbon).

Salad Niçoise.

Bike cruisin'.

Patio loungin'.

Toasting to new beginnings.

Birthday breakfast.

Birthday cocktail.

Some Faves this Week, Vimeo Edition

I was really inspired and entertained by a lot of videos on Vimeo this week so I thought it only fitting to dedicate this weeks "faves" to some favorite videos I found on Vimeo.


The Village from Pedro Sousa | visuals on Vimeo.

This is such a charming little video of Lisbon shot through pinhole. It almost makes it look like an animation. I loved the soundtrack too, so fitting.




Lifetime Collective Spring/Summer 2012 "The Road Trip" from Salazar on Vimeo.

I am ready to go on a roadtrip now! This video was absolutely breathtaking and nostalgic. I feel so inspired to pack up my car and take off. Maybe Will and I can plan a roadtrip next summer.




beet cake from tiger in a jar on Vimeo.

The most beautiful film of baking/cooking I have ever seen. I love how they brought the romanticism back into the kitchen. The styling and imagery are just lovely.




bike lanes from Casey Neistat on Vimeo.

Lastly, but not least, something to make you laugh. It's a little slow going at first, but I promise you this video is hilarious. I agree that you should not ride your bike in the bike lane 100% of the time, especially in NYC!

Talisman and My Father

Courtesy of Kyla Roma

I really enjoyed reading this post by Kyla Roma today about her talisman. I loved that her talisman is a reminder of her wonderful life decision, but also encourages her to work hard for her goals. After reading, I was inspired to share my talisman.

My talisman is a gift from my father. It is an American Girl locket with a picture of him inside and is a reminder that he is always with me.

I asked for this locket for Christmas when I was nine. That year, my father showered me with gifts, including the locket, however it was the most treasured. I have always had this picture of him in it, even when he gave it to me.

When I was eleven my father died in a freak accident and for a while after, I wore the locket nearly every day as a reminder that he was still close. I am much older now and don't need to wear the locket every day to know that he is close in my heart, but when I do wear it I like to open it and look at his beaming face. It is a comfort to know he is there.

A Night Out at Beast

Last week, Will and I went out, a night early, to celebrate my birthday. I had a gift certificate to Beast from the Bergström family so we decided to go there. We had been once before a couple of years ago, also a gift, but from Will's mom.

One entire wall of Beast is a giant chalkboard. It is a lot of fun with it's food centric quotes, recipes, kitchen conversions and PDX/Willamette Valley recommended eateries. 

Will made our reservation for the chef's counter, which was a lot of fun to watch them plating all the courses.

I decided to have an additional wine pairing with all six courses of dinner! 

Here's what we had:

CHILLED CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP
GARLIC CRÈME FRAICHE & TARRAGON SALSA VERDE
WEINGUT SATTLER ROSE OF ZWEIGELT 2010
BURGENLAND, AUSTRIA

CHARCUTERIE PLATE:

FOIE-GRAS BON-BON, SAUTERNES GELEÉ

CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE, LEAF LARD CRACKER

PORK PATE EN CROUTE, ARAMAGNAC  POACHED PRUNE

OLYMPIC PROVISIONS’ SALAMI

STEAK TARTARE, QUAIL EGG TOAST

WEINGUT NIGL GRUNER VELTLINER ALTE REBEN 2009

KREMSTAL, AUSTRIA

LAVA LAKE LAMB LOIN CHOP

WARM ARUGULA & BREAD SALAD, FRIED PROSCIUTTO 

PICKLED BING CHERRY CONFITURE

CHATEAU PARADIS TERRE DE ANGES 2005

PROVENCE, FRANCE

GATHERING TOGETHER GREENS
CUCUMBERS, BASIL & BORAGE BLOSSOMS
CREAMY LEMON AND SAUVIGNON BLANC VINAIGRETTE
CLOS SERRE ROMANI PROVIDENCE BLANC 2009
ROUSSILLON, FRANCE

Unfortunately, I did not have photos of the last two courses, but they were delicious! 

Here is what we had:

~SELECTION OF CHEESE FROM CHEESE BAR~
CARDOMOM  SHORTBREAD
BITTERSWEET FARMS HONEY
POACHED APRICOT, FRIED MARCONAS
DOMAINE RICHOU ANJOU BLANC 2009
LOIRE, FRANCE

CHOCOLATE TORTE
RASPBERRIES, TAYBERRIES & BLACK BERRIES
LEMON VERBENA ICE-CREAM
CRACKED PEPPER TUILLE
BARBEITO MADEIRA CRISTOVAO COLOMBO 10 YR BOAL
ISLE OF MADEIRA, PORTUGAL

I had a very food centric couple of days for my birthday week. Although I have no actual food photos, I'll post some shots soon of my brother, his fiancee and myself out for tapas on Thursday, my actual birthday. I love food and wine so it was only fitting that I wanted to dine out and drink lots of delicious wine for my birthday. And in case you were wondering, I have kind of gone of the gluten-free diet...well at least for my birthday.

Ginger Lemonade

We have a real weakness for ginger around here. In fact, a favorite libation around here is a Moscow Mule, which is ginger beer, vodka and lime juice served on the rocks in a copper mug. I like to add freshly grated ginger to give mine even more of a kick.

We drink Moscow Mules mainly in the winter (although I'm not sure why because it's quite refreshing) so I thought I would try out this recipe for ginger lemonade, which makes a nice refreshing summer beverage.

True to form I used a lot more ginger than the recipe called for and I loved it. The original recipe also called for straining out the ginger pulp, but I left the pulp in I think my recipe had a nice little kick to it.

At this point, I really wished I had a juicer because I juiced seven lemons and my hands were starting to hurt.

As a reward for all my effort I made it into an adult lemonade by adding bourbon. What a treat!

Ginger Lemonade serves 8

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

7 cups of water, divided

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup ginger, peeled and grated

1 1/4 fresh lemon juice (from about 7 large lemons)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Lemon and lime slices, for garnish

Combine 1 cup of water, sugar and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, or until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Combine ginger mixture and juices in a pitcher with 6 cups of water and stir well. Serve over ice and garnish with lemon lime slices.

Scenes from the weekend

This last weekend we attended my friends, Matt and Nichole's, wedding in McMinnville. The ceremony and reception were on her parent's property which is absolutely breathtaking. They had beautiful gardens, a sprawling lawn and cute little pathways linking them all. My photos do not even do it justice.

Nichole made these cute little signs throughout the gardens and pathways.

It's funny, but Will and I never partook in the photo booth because we were dancing so much. I literally spent the entire night laughing and on the dance floor. My calfs and abs are still aching from all the action!

We camped out with many of Matt and Nichole's friends. While setting up our tent I stole a couple of shots of them while they were posing for the photographer.

There was lots of beer and wine consumed, which may have explained all the dancing later in the evening.

I keep laughing every time I see this photo because I look crazy. This was during the bouquet toss and I was turning around to tell my friends how that bouquet was mine. FYI a little girl caught the bouquet. She's totally next to get hitched.

It was a beautiful wedding and Will and I had so much fun. Next up is my brother's wedding later this summer and I can't wait!