NE Portland Findings

A glimpse of my world in NE Portland

Date Night Review & Halloween!

November 3rd, 2009 No comments »

So I never followed up with our cheap date. Here’s the deal:

Branch is awesome – go there and have the gnocchi, it will change your world.

The play: Was alright. But here is the deal. I don’t like Shakespeare. I want to like Shakespeare – I minored in English (without taking one Shakespeare class mind you) but I just don’t. We left at intermission.

Halloween has come and gone. My wonderful husband humiliated himself and dressed in drag to be Miss Piggy while I was an uber-adorable Kermit the frog. We had about three trick-or-treaters (up from 1 last year) which means we have about 5 pounds of candy to eat.

Consequently, I have joined a gym.

The dog also dressed up – she was a prisoner – K98URSHOOS – get it!

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Posted in Home

Cheap Portland Date Night

October 23rd, 2009 No comments »

I’m taking my hubby out on a date tonight. I think it is probably one of the cheapest dates in the history of dates, so I thought I would share! Because seriously, who doesn’t like a cheap date

I’m signed up for Groupon, which is a daily deal service. It’s pretty amazing. Basically because they guarantee the business a certain number of people will sign up for the offer, those businesses will give you a screaming good deal. Caveat – the deal doesn’t go through if more than 20 people don’t sign up, but usually hundreds do, for the good stuff at least.

I scored a coupon earlier this week for Branch Whiskey Bar not to far from our house. It was $10 for a $25 gift certificate. Plus Dylan has art hanging there this month, so we like to support the businesses that throw some love Dylan’s way. Chances are we’ll spend more than $25, but it is still a good deal.

Portland also offers this program called Free Night of Theater. Tickets are released in October for shows throughout the month. There are still a few shows left but I recommend signing up for their email list for next year because tickets do go fast. I mean, they are free after all. So we are seeing the Tempest at the Blue Monkey Theater. I had to not tell Dylan where we were going because it’s one of those things that if I told him before hand we were going to see a Shakespeare play he would have thrown a fit and I would have had to drag him out of the house kicking and screaming. But if I just make him go, chances are he’ll probably enjoy the show.

I’ll try and post tomorrow my review of the show and what Dylan really thought!

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Posted in NE Portland

Tags: bars date night plays

How to Make Applesauce in a Crockpot

October 22nd, 2009 No comments »

So you really don’t need a post to explain how to make applesauce in a crockpot, but I feel like my cooking adventure last night reveals a lot about my cooking abilities in general.

1. I’m not a particularly good cook. I am an excellent recipe reader.

2. With all of Oregon’s fall goodness I’ve been completely apple obsessed. Last weekend I bought a bunch of apples with the intention of making applesauce, and finally got around to it last night.

So here is how it goes. And I didn’t take any pictures because it’s really that unimpressive.

Cut up about 6-7 apples. Don’t need to peel them, just slice thinly.
Throw them in a crockpot with 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, some lemon juice and some cinnamon.
Cook on high for about 3 1/2 hours.

Now, that was all I read in any other recipe I found online. And if you follow those directions you will come back 3 1/2 hours later and have a crockpot with what looks like cooked sliced apples and something that does not look like applesauce. In my mind, it would all just magically form in the crockpot.

And at 10:00 at night I’m staring at my crockpot saying, how the hell could I have possibly messed this up!!

And then I grabbed a spoon and mixed it up all up, and realized that then I had applesauce!

Crisis averted. And there are few things better than a warm bowl of applesauce on a foggy fall morning.

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Posted in Cooking

Tags: applesauce Cooking

Summer Recap

October 20th, 2009 No comments »

Why hello blog. How are you? Long time no see.

I’ve been busy.
Or have poor time management skills
Or after spending my days at work in front of computer often find it hard to open my computer in the evenings or weekends.

So, as we here in Portland are being thrown full speed into fall/winter, I thought I would share a few photos from my adventures this summer. And because I did a lousy job keeping my blog updated through all these adventures in a timely manner. Ok, here we go.

Summer started with a roadtrip from Portland west to Tillamook, south to Davis care of San Francisco and back home to Portland. It was our first big trip with the dog too…

Roadtrip with the dog

She prefered to ride in the front.

We made 3 stops along the coast from Yahats to someplace in Northern California

Considering it was early June on the Oregon/California coast, we did get some good weather, and no rain!

Kim and Tele at the beach

But also found time to relax at our campsites. Nor were we eaten by bears (obviously)

For our wedding last year we were given a hot air balloon ride from my aunt and uncle. We were able to do that right before the 4th of July. For all those who have forgotten since the sun doesn’t currently come up until after 7:30 – to see the sunrise in July you need to be up in the 5’s.

But it was well worth getting up early.

Inside a Hot Air Balloon

Newberg, Oregon

Next on the agenda was our annual Wikiup camping trip in Central Oregon. General mayhem ensues.

Things like shotgunning beers while driving throug the woods at noon.

Sometimes you find a few minutes to just enjoy the beauty of it all.

We again had the dog, and were hit by a nasty storm one evening. Here the dog was exhausted and couldn’t care less about the impending doom of the storm – and possibility of the tent blowing away.

Please ignore the dog’s freakish eyes in this picture. Also ignore our mess of a tent, it was windy. And wikiup is a drunken mess.

But we did get some cool scenery

Besides all the outdoorsy stuff, we found time to party it up Portland style in true 80’s fashion. While not the best photo, it’s the only one where you can see my entire awesome dress. And the creepy guy in the background…we don’t know him.

In September we got to spend a weekend in Long Beach, Washington at one of Dylan’s co-worker’s beach house. It just so happened to be the big hot rod festival that weekend – which is really deserving of its own blog post.

On September 20th we celebrated our first wedding anniversary, and my honey took me wine tasting. And consequently I got too drunk to make it to dinner. But really, that’s only because it was a beautiful day at great wineries and I had just too good of a time.

Patton Valley Vineyard

Montinore Estate

I can’t believe I’m posting this photo, just ignore the drunkness factor and it’s kind of cute.

See, look what fun you can have wine tasting. Happy Aniversary babe!

Then we spent a weekend in Bend visiting Dylan’s parents and went on a great hike along the Deschutes River.

Deschutes River, Bend Oregon

And my last big trip of the season was technically the first week of October when I went to the East coast for my grandpa’s 80th birthday and a business trip in NYC.

We ate lobster.

And had a big birthday bash for the old guy. This is just his children (and spouses) and two of the four grandkids – Aimee and I.

I chose to awkwardly stand on the hill. Don’t ask why I do the things I do.

I also took a hundered pictures in NYC, here are just a few of my favorites.

That is where they stick the Christmas tree every year in Rockefeller Center. In case it wasn’t obvious that its not the real Christmas tree.

The view of the Empire State building from the Top of the Rock. I could touch it. Hehe.

We went into St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This is one of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken. I’m still learning my new fancy camera but am really happy with how this came out.

And lastly, a trip to Serendipity with my gracious host Amanda.

Well thats it. Kudos if you made it all the way through. I’m exhausted just going through it all again! I promise I’ll do better from here on out.

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Posted in Adventures

Update on Firehouse Restaurant

September 30th, 2009 No comments »

I think someone may have read my blog post because this is exactly what Dylan and I had for dinner. Or Jennifer Coughlin and I just have good taste and ordered some of the best things on the menu.

If you want to read this great write up on our little neighborhood from Neighborhood Notes, please do. We love our little spot in NE Portland. And the art in the pictures in the back of the Good Neighbor Pizza photos are Dylan’s. You can mostly see John Graeter’s work who is also awesome and we have one of his pieces in my office at home.

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Posted in NE Portland

Portland Girl Meets SMX East

September 30th, 2009 No comments »

So I leave on Friday night for New York City. I haven’t been since high school when my grandmother passed away. I’m going this weekend 1. because it is my grandpa’s 80th birthday and my whole family will be there and 2. to go to SMX East in New York next week. For all non-internet marketing professionals, you can call it geek fest. Look, they even give you a badge to put on my site (which I try to keep as non-geeky as possible.)

Anyway, while I have been excited to go to this I was also facing a huge dilemma. You see, at the company I work for, there is hardly a dress code. People are lucky that I shower in the morning and show up to work with my hair dry. In jeans and a t-shirt. A sweater when it gets cold. And I’m going to business functions in New York City. I also watch too much Mad Men and have probably overly glamorized the whole thing.

But nevertheless, I went shopping yesterday for some “NYC appropriate” clothing. I think my biggest problem will be shoes. At 5′1, flats don’t really do it for me. But I’m envisioning serious pain after trekking through NYC, on subways and at a conference all day in 3 inch heels. Sex in the City is real, I know people do this, right?

Also, are peep toe shoes and colored tights still in style because that is what I’m planning for these, and I know the west coast is a little behind on our fashion. If so I’ll just pack my rain boots and north face and be the laughing stock of the whole thing.

Also, I have lots of adventure stories that I’m way behind posting to this blog, so I’l try and get that done tonight.

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Posted in Adventures

Tags: new york city shoes SMX East

One Year Ago Today

September 20th, 2009 3 comments »

Fortunately there are no pictures of me before a certain part of the day – probably because I was white as a ghost and had terrible dark circles under my eyes from not sleeping the night before.

But eventually all the girls got in the limo and headed over to Edgefield to continue getting ready.

And the boys got ready too

I finally put some makeup on so I could be properly photographed.

Monica helped me put my shoes on. Oh how I love those shoes…

Took some pictures

Lots of pictures. I’ll spare you from all 3,000.

But at some point, this had to happen:

And no surprise, Dylan was making jokes.

I on the other hand, said only nice things. This is what Dylan looks like when he listens.

But eventually we got to the good stuff.

And then more pictures.

And FINALLY, we got to party

I almost forgot to mention that we had one of the cutest flower girls ever.

And things got rowdy.

I think the DJ put Living on a Prayer on – something totally ridiculous/awesome for my wedding. I couldn’t help myself.

Basically a good time was had by all.

And the boys got in a fight during the garter toss. I thought the ladies were supposed to do this. Apparently we have unique guy friends.

In the end, my cousin and his girlfriend ended up with the bouquet and garter. Still waiting for a wedding invite…

Ah, what a great day.

Happy Anniversary baby. We’ve come a long way!

Corvallis, 2004

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Posted in Uncategorized

Bouffant Salon in NW Portland

September 17th, 2009 No comments »

My long-time salon closed recently. I had been going to Hello Gorgeous off and on for years now, but had been a loyal customer as of recently. I toyed with the idea of trying some place new that would be closer to home, but in the end decided to stay with my guy Nate and follow him to Bouffant, which is just on the edge of the Pearl District at 9th and Couch.

So, I had my cut and color appointment last night, and here is why I now love Bouffant:

My guy Nate is awesome. I think he can read my mind. Or I’m just that predictable when it comes to my hair. And he’ll do saucy things to me like this: Oh the chocolately-brown goodness. The blond highlights were fun for the summer, but it’s quickly becoming fall and I needed a change. And a bob.
Bouffant serves wine! I was always jealous of Dylan getting to enjoy a beer while being pampered at Hair M, so I’ve finally found a place where I can have a glass of wine while reading gossip magazines waiting under those crazy heat bubble things for my color to set.
They have great products and things to take home with you. They’re a bumble and bumble salon which I love. They also had 50% off their demalogica products which I use on a regular basis, so that was very exciting.

All in all, it was a fun little salon to go to. They offer manicures, pedicures and facials on top of all the usual hair services. And it has a great name!

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Posted in NW Portland

Tags: haircut

Firehouse Restaurant Review

September 14th, 2009 1 comment »

Dylan and I had been to this restaurant before, as it’s within walking distance to our house, but Sunday night we had returned home from a weekend at the beach and neither of us wanted to cook. We wandered down to Firehouse and indulged ourselves.

They have a new cocktail menu as of a few weeks ago, so Dylan ordered an Old Fashioned due to his Mad Men obsession and I tried…dang it, I’m not going to remember what it was called. Anyway, both drinks were a little different then we expected but not bad. I really wasn’t a fan of my drink but that had a lot more to do with my ability to order things that I’m going to like than the restaurant making a bad drink.

We started dinner off with the Bruscetta which was fantastic! I haven’t been able to get enough of tomatoes this summer, and this appetizer was covered with them! And cheese. And olive oil. It was a great summer snack, and it’s probably good I didn’t know about this earlier.

I ordered gnocchi for dinner which was simple, included a big glob of ricotta cheese in the middle and was topped with more tomatoes. Dylan had the hanger steak, which I had had before and we both agree is one of the tastiest things that is consistently on the menu. Dylan order a glass of wine to go along the steak which was quite tasty.

Throughout our meal we had great service and a chance to talk with both owners as we left. This is a a cozy neighborhood restaurant that leans towards the upscale side, while still being very reasonable (the steak was $16). They do specialize in their pizza’s which I have yet to try. They’re all cooked in a big wood oven, and looked really tasty. So did the desserts. This is a tucked away little restaurant that is definitely worth finding!

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Posted in NE Portland

Tags: firehouse restaurants

How Does Your Garden Grow? Dahlia Update

September 10th, 2009 1 comment »

One of my life goals to achieve within the next 5 1/2 years was to grow dahlias. This year was my first attempt, and although I started a little late in the season I’ve had some success. Check out this bloom:

And this one.

Just ignore the ugly white stuff on that leaf. Not bad for some hand-me-d0wn tubers I threw in the ground in June and hoped for the best. I’m waiting to see what color the other plants that have come up are – as I don’t know what they look like yet. And then I’ll need a few more for the yard.

If you want to grow your own – this is the place to go: Swan Island Dahlias. I went with my family a few weekends ago when they have their big show. Lots of pretty flowers to chose from, but you can order online too and they will ship them to you in the spring when you need to plan them.