On a whim, hoping to make the most of our adventure, we decided to skip our flight and drive back up to Portland via Hwy 101. I, being the pragmatic non-spontaneous sort, had to let go of my planned agenda but in reality it all went off without a hitch - even finding cool places to stay (old town Eureka & Florence) along the way in the busiest time of the summer! What's not to love about staying in big old houses (a Victorian & a Craftsman) with no AC?! There were amazing sights the whole journey north from vineyards, to redwoods and some stunning rocky coast lines. Here's a few last scenes from our trip through northern California up the Oregon coast, back home to Portland.
napa :: finding my roygbiv inspiration
Taking off to Napa, I had no idea of what to expect. For some reason the acronym ROYGBIV had been stuck in my head for a couple of days before I left for this trip, so I decided to go with that and find my ROYGBIV inspiration in Napa. Honestly, it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.
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the week's best :: 8.01.14
I'm heading out on vacation tomorrow to St Helena California, a city in Napa County, and all I can think of are picnics, oh and lots and lots of yummy wine! So I'm not sure if my picnic will consist of the world's cutest bike and vintage lunch boxes and radios, but I am looking forward to stellar food and slowing does a bit to appreciate the great countryside. I've never been to this area of the world, and I can't wait to check it out! Until then, though, here's where I've been spending time on the web - check them out for yourself...
- Enjoying the summer issue of sweet paul magazine.
- I love these color block pillows, linens, and rugs from Milk Farm Road.
- Getting to know more about emerging artists and what's trending through little paper planes.
- Dreaming of traveling further afield? Global city guides, hotel picks, day trips and travel tips can all be found here.
- My friend Serena and her boyfriend Julio just launched their Etsy shop, Steel and Stones. Showcasing one of a kind handcrafted sterling silver jewelry with amazing stones, there's certainly something for everyone's taste. Please support their shop!
art inspiration :: summertime
It's mid-90's this week in Portland. Short shorts and pasty skin are ruling the streets these days as people embrace the heat and slow it all down. Today's art inspirations are keeping with that theme, but hopefully making you feel more cooled off than scorching hot. All these artists are featured on the site 20x200, a site devoted to get art in the hands of everyone and allow artists to gain further recognition. This is a great site to start your art collection acquisitions, or just find a little lazy day inspiration.
Images courtesy of Daniel Seung Lee, Helena Wurzel, Ian Baguskas and Christian Chaize
Newport :: two days
Back in 1993 my boyfriend and I drove to Oregon, impetuously deciding to move there to follow the next chapter of our life somewhere other than the midwest. Winding the curves of Highway 20, Newport was my first peak at the Pacific Ocean and the very first beach I experienced on the Oregon Coast. Cresting the highway and seeing Newport below, almost like a mirage against the backdrop of the ocean, is still crystal clear in my memory even 21 years later, that's probably why we dropped everything and ended up moving there for two years. I don't get back there as often as I would like, but it definitely holds a special sentimental place in my heart where everything seemed very simple and all the opportunities of life were ahead of you.
So I was super excited to be invited back for the weekend to Newport by a friend who was, in fact, the first person I met when we moved there back in the day. Her place, just blocks from Nye Beach, is part of an assembly of little cottages ringing a beautiful garden and grassy lawn. Look up and your surrounded by those wind swept coast trees, Sitka spruce and Douglas Fir alike. A little private nook to play board games on the grass or let the kids run off some wild energy.
The walk down to Nye Beach was warm, the hardy flowers that exist on the coast (although I was never able to successfully grow them when I lived there) where all in full bloom: hydrangeas, wild roses, purple asters, lots of things I don't know what they're called, too. The beach itself was windy, very good for kiting, not so good for trying to keep warm even with a cup of coffee from our favorite bakery (Panini's) . My friends were superior sand castle builders, utilizing multiple buckets and garden shovels dragged down from their garden shed, they obviously have the skills down! Although Newport holds much sentiment for me, it's a little coast town that I would genuinely recommend to anyone, even if you've seen the Pacific Coast a ton of times.
