Subscribe
1928 Tattoo
Dylan had been itching to fix a tattoo of his pretty much since the day he got the original tattoo. Last weekend he finally took the plunge, worked out a concept and took the plunge. After visiting several tattoo shops in Portland (and trust me, this city has a few) we were sent to 1928 Tattoo on NE Alberta, which is conveniently close to our house.
Shauna was awesome and quickly hashed out just what Dylan had in mind, and they got going. Here’s Dylan’s old tattoo, a sun he designed himself.
Sunday Dylan and Shauna got about halfway through. All the outline was done as well as one rose that covered up most of the sun.
Yesterday Dylan finished it all up. I need to get some finished pictures to post, but here are a few more along the way for now.
Everyone at 1928 is awesome. Super friendly and talented folks. I’m sure Dylan and I will both be back there. And if you’re ever on Alberta on Last Thursday, stop by 1928, pull a word out of a box and get a random-ass tattoo for the bargain price of $75!
Clotheslines
One of the reasons I love our house.
I love the big backyard that we have, and that we would never want to get rid of this in order to make more space. You can’t find this in suburbia.
Bolt Fabric: NE Portland
I have “known” how to sew since I was a little girl. My mom is a fabulous craftswoman. I grew up in home-sewn dresses, my American girl dolls had mommy-made dresses, and even in college, I had a cozy momma-made quilt. So, numerous times I’ve been taught how to operate a sewing machine. And I’m starting to get the hang of it, although I’m not so sure I have the patience to do a quilt well, they always turn out a little wonky.
Anyway, not the point. Because no matter how badly my seams line up, I will keep heading back to Bolt Fabric on NE Alberta St. here in our little corner of Portland. Not only do I love it because I could walk if necessary, but they have just the best fabric selections. It’s like they have tapped into my brain and bought fabric that I didn’t even realized I wanted. You walk in and are inspired to begin so many new projects its unhealthy.
Here’s a sampling of their fabric that I’m collecting. Some of it is for dedicated projects, others are just waiting for the perfect chance to shine.
This big print in the background I am in love with. I need to turn this into a pillow for our basement living room.
They also offer classes for the less than crafty out there. Having met several of the girls at Bolt, I bet they’ll even be super patient with you. I have been meaning to take one as my skills really are limited. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Oh, and they are having a sale this next weekend (Aug 22-23). All fabric will be 20% off. I’ll probably be back.
On The Menu: NE Portland Cookout
On Saturday I invited my mom, her husband, my aunt and her husband over for dinner. In the spring, we had my uncle build us a great picnic table, and it was finally going to be warm enough to have everyone over for a good old fashioned BBQ. Except that it really wasn’t, but that didn’t stop us.
So, because I was entertaining, I pulled out all the stops for the family.
Appetizers: Goat cheese filled figs with honey
Main Course: Pepper Steaks, Broccoli slaw, homemade focaccia bread and Scalloped Potatoes*
Dessert: What ever my wonderful Aunt Leslie brought
*I didn’t make the potatoes either.
So, here is the scoop, I’m sure you’re dying to know.
The figs are super easy and delicious. I was scared of them at first, and Dylan thinks they are gross (but he also has the taste buds of a 10 yr. old boy)
I used Turkish figs which can be found at your local New Seasons. Slice them into quarters, without slicing all the way through the fig. Fill with as much goat cheese as your little heart desires. Then pop those suckers onto a cookie sheet and into the over at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or so. They will come out all warm and gooey. Top off with a drizzle of honey and you have yourself a delicious snack. I would even eat these as dessert as they are fairly sweet and the goat cheese is divine.
Don’t you love my countertops in all their 50′s glory? It really wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t have 60 years of wear and tear. This was a kitchen that has seen a lot of love.
Figs up close and personal.
Dylan was also kind enough to snap a few photos while I was kneading bread. The recipe is from one of my favorite Cookbooks, the Newlywed’s Cookbook. Reminds me of the housewives of Mad Men with all these classic recipes that I feel like I should only prepare in an a-line dress and apron.
As you will see, that is not what I wear when I cook.
And here is the bread after several session of rising and kneading and poking. Right before you pop it into the oven.
Maybe some day I’ll get better at taking more pictures – particularly when I’m done making things. In the case of the figs I was too busy burning my hand taking them out of the oven.
Por Que No Tacos, Portland Oregon
There are probably two restaurants in Portland, both beloved by many, that make up a large portion of our diet. They probably shouldn’t but its so freaking good, Por Que No?!
*crickets chirping*
Every major news publication and food blog in Portland has written about this fabulous taco shop, so I won’t get into too much detail here. But the food is consistently good and fresh. I crave the pescado tacos. I never thought it would be possible to sit outside on a cold spring day in Portland and feel like you were eating out of a beach front shack in Mexico, but that is what happens at Por Que No. Let a margarita warm you up, order the homemade chips and guac, finish it up with some tacos, and it’s the recession-proof trip to Mexico you’ve always wanted.
We were there this past Thursday taking a guest from out of town and I snagged a few shots of their sangria and tacos. The two on the end are the Pescado (fish) tacos and the middle was a special – sweet and spicy chipotle chicken with fresh citrus. I hope they put this one on the menu permanently.
Traditional Sangria
Pescado & Sweet and Spicy Tacos
Spa La La, SE Portland
Borrowed from my original blog, hence the confusing new house references:
I decided to reward myself for good behavior this evening. I have been so busy with moving and fixing up the new house and planning a wedding that I decided I was in need of a little me time, and needed a pedicure. So with the help of some trusty websites, I discovered Spa La La not too far from my house and made an appointment.
The salon includes everything I would want if I was going to run my own spa, complimentary wine and champagne, lots of pink, chandeliers and girly things to buy. I had a wonderful pedicure with a glass of wine for the bargain price of $30! Thats like half a tank of gas! So I don’t even feel the slightest bit guilty about indulging in some girly fun.
I assure you I will be taking all my girlfriends out to the east side to have girls night out and pretty-up our toes at the same time.
30 by 30 Update
Dylan recently asked me how my 30 by 30 list was coming along and I do have one thing crossed off the list (Go Zags! NCAA basketball tournament game complete!)
But one of my bigger goals is to read every book that has won a Pulitzer award for fiction. That’s a lot of books. I think I got this hairbrained idea watching Jeopardy and it was a category and I thought that would be cool to have read every one of those books, so I started.
Here’s the one’s I’ve read so far:
- 2007- The Road
- 2003 – Middlesex
- 2001 – The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
- 1993 – A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
- 1988 – Beloved
- 1985 – Foreign Affairs
- 1963 – The Reivers
- 1961 – To Kill a Mockingbird
- 1932 – The Good Earth
- 1926 – Arrowsmith
- 1921 – The Age of Innocence
So 11 out of probably 80 some-odd books left to read (good thing I have a few years left to get this all done!) It’s an interesting experiment to see the differences in story and writing that will win you this award. Of course some that I’ve read I enjoyed more than others. And I don’t think I ever finished The Age of Innocence, I had to read it for a college class and despised that book. Sorry. And honestly, I haven’t read anything yet that I’ve been totally in love with. I should probably re-read To Kill a Mockingbird because I read it in 8th grade and probably doesn’t count anymore. Although I will say that I did particularly enjoy the Reivers, but if you are not a Faulkner fan then you might not like it.
I picked up another Pulitzer Prize winning book at Powells before my last vacation and have since discovered that it won for Non-Fiction, so that’s not helping my list any. Sigh. I’m about halfway through with it so I might as well finish it, right? I also need to get a big bookshelf for our house because I have books scattered everywhere and it’s driving me crazy 
Things You May Not Think About Before Getting a Puppy
Tele is my first dog. There is plenty I don’t know about owning a dog, let alone a puppy. While she is a little ball of love and fun, let me warn you about what a week (this week) may be like with a puppy.
Monday Evening: Took Tele to the dog park after work while still in work clothes. Wasn’t prepared for the park to be a mudhole and seriously messed up expensive boots and got designer jeans covered in mud. Got home, and threw in the laundry pile.
Tuesday: Took Tele to a different dog park after work, dressed prepared for mud – this is Oregon in February after all. Played. Put muddy puppy into car. Car is now covered in mud.
Dog gets inside, immediately jumps on white sofa. Clothes are muddy, couch is muddy, puppy is muddy.
Puppy gets a bath (also had one on Sunday) which she is not a big fan of.
Bathtub is now muddy.
Therefore I must clean the tub.
Do a load of laundry to wash muddy clothes from Monday and Tuesday.
Wednesday: Taking Tele to daycare so she will be extra tired. Drop her off at 6:45. Get home, get ready for work, take all couch cushion covers off to wash and bleach (thank you IKEA).
No other messy dog events as puppy is exhausted from a full day of daycare.
Thursday: Play fetch with Tele in the backyard, not very muddy. Then go for a walk, also stay fairly clean. Come home, decide the house smells like dog so I light some candles and put them on a table where the dog or cat cannot get to. However, this does not mean they won’t chase each other around the table, bumping into it and giving me cause for concern.
Move candle to shelf in living room.
Forget about candle until red wax drips onto freshly bleached white couch.
Awesome.
Now I must figure out how to remove red wax from a white couch and wool blanket (at least the blanket is about the same color). Google “How to remove wax from fabric“. Think I can get this under control with an iron and oxyclean.
Ugh.
30 Things by 30
Well, in the spirit of new years resolutions and overall life achievements I have decided to actually write down 30 things I want to accomplish by the time I’m thirty. I’m giving myself 6 1/2 years become some are pretty ambitious and time consuming, and I’m a pretty busy gal. Here they are.
- Read every work of fiction that has won the Pulitzer Prize
- Run a marathon
- Go to Europe
- Pay off student loans
- Learn to speak another language – enough to hold a basic conversation with a native speaker
- Have a poem published
- Drink a REALLY expensive bottle of wine to see if its worth it
- “Finish” our house projects (is it ever really done though?)
- Plant Dahlias and get them to grow/bloom
- Read the bible
- Finish a crossword puzzle on my own – on a hard day
- Have a well trained dog (please, oh please)
- Take a train
- Learn to surf
- Find my signature drink that makes me look cool/sophisticated/classy
- Learn to snowboard
- Learn to confidently drive a car with a manual transmission
- Splurge on an expensive piece of jewelry for myself
- Camp in a yurt
- Go to Hawaii
- Make a quilt for someone
- Grow a vegetable garden
- Re-learn how to play the piano
- Go to an NCAA basketball tournament game
- Make a good profit selling our first house
- Own real furniture (as in furniture not from Ikea)
- Upgrade to a king size bed (I like my space)
- Go to South American (lots of travel, I know)
- See a great concert in awesome seats
- Host Thanksgiving dinner for all our family
Just a few things to do. I know that if you write all these things down you are 100x more likely to accomplish them, so there we go.