Tingey Tales

Auto Show

2012-02-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we went to the Portland Auto Show. We had such a fun time last year, we knew we had to go again. We invited our friends Brooke and Marc to come along this year and we had a blast checking out all the cars

It usually ends up being a night of seeing what cars Jeff can comfortably fit in. You would be surprised at how many cars are not built for tall guys.

I can't remember what car this one is, but Jeff seems to be pretty comfortable.

This one is a BMW 7 series. I've always loved BMWs, there is just something about that car. I could definitely get used to driving this.

Kind of a blurry picture of Jeff, I really need to work on taking pictures with my iPhone, It seems like they are always blurry.

Brooke and Marc

Yay, another car that seems to work.

Color of the Year 2012: Tangerine Tango

2012-01-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

Pantone has selected Tangerine Tango as the color of the year for 2012 and I couldn't be more excited. The color of the year for 2011 was Honeysuckle Pink, I blogged about it here. This last year, I've really been into Orange and it's good to know there will be a lot more of it in the upcoming year. Jeff will be happy because Orange is one of his favorite colors.

Here's the description of the color of the year from the Pantone website.

Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.

Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it. Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

How fun would it to be to work at Pantone and help decide the color of the year?

Here are are some examples of Tangerine Tango.

Tory Burch

Image via Apartment Therapy

Kimchi Blue Orange Wedges

Zig Zag Sweater Dress

Orange Lacquer Box

Image via Apartment Therapy

Carnaby Talitha Vase by Jonathan Adler

Image via Apartment Therapy

Jonathan Adler

Orange Sofa

Tangerine Lotus Pillow by Caitlin Wilson

Essie Nail Polish

Orange Wallpaper via Life in a Venti Cup

Diamond Notebook

Dinner At The Table

2012-01-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a wonderful Moroccan dinner at Milwaukie Kitchen and Wine. I've been wanting to go there since it opened a few months ago. One of Jeff's classmates in his MBA program is dating Pascal Sauton the chef and the owner of Milwaukie Kitchen and Wine. So we've had the opportunity to get to know Pascal the last few years. Milwaukie Kitchen is a specialty deli and market. They also have a space for cooking classes and events. Twice a month Pascal is doing a series of dinners called "Dinner at the Table" and each one has a different theme. Last night's was a Moroccan theme and it was absolutely delicious.

The first course was Olives, Fried Chick Peas and Moroccan Salads.

The salads were delicious. I especially loved the fried chick peas.

The the main course was "Couscous Royal". Merguez Sausage, Sweet Spices Roasted Chicken, Braised Lamb Tagine with Almonds, Dry Apricots and Preserved Lemon, a Seven Vegetable Stew and Rose Petal Harissa. All the flavors together were amazing. Pascal explained to us that the number seven is good luck in Morocco, so that's why it's a Seven Vegetable Stew.

For dessert we had and Orange and Cinnamon Salad with Elderwater & Fennel Pollen Cookies.

This dessert was so good, the oranges and cinnamon were such a great combination and the cookies were delicious. I was so full, but I found room to eat both cookies.

Here's the group after dinner hanging out enjoying a little conversation. We had such a wonderful time. I can't wait to go back. Maybe for our next visit, we'll head over for breakfast and some of the pastries.

Celerie Kemble: Black and White

2012-01-14T20:52:00.000-08:00

I've been so excited to get Celerie Kemble's new interior design book called Black and White (and a bit in between). I put her book on hold at the library and it took forever to get, but it's worth the wait, I loved it. It's definitely one I want to purchase and add to my personal library. There's just something so classic and timeless about black and white together. Here are some of my favorite pictures with black and white interiors.

All pictures via my Pinterest Boards

Date Night

2012-01-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday night we saw West Side Story. I've seen the movie, but I've never seen it on Broadway and I've always wanted to. When I heard it was coming to Portland I was thrilled. It was a fun night and we had a wonderful time.

Downton Abbey: Season 2

2012-01-08T17:27:00.001-08:00

I'm so excited for season 2 of Downton Abbey to start tonight! Jeff watched it almost a year ago and really enjoyed it. I finally got around to watching it over Christmas break and I loved it. I can't believe it took me so long. The only good thing about just finishing season 1, is that I didn't have to wait forever for season 2.

Happy 2012

2012-01-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

I'm excited for the new year and I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be a good one. I wish you all the best in 2012!

Picture via sfyearbybay

On another note, I can't believe my last post was in November. Where did the last two months go? One of my new year's resolutions is to blog more.

Real Estate Crush

2011-11-16T21:20:00.000-08:00

If I had $3.75 million dollars just lying around burning a hole in my pocket, I know exactly what I would do with it, I would buy Jenna Lyons' townhouse in Brooklyn. Jenna is the Creative Director at J Crew, I've always thought that would be an awesome job. She and her soon to be ex-husband put their house on the market last week. This townhouse has been in tons of magazines and featured on an episode of Oprah. It's always been a favorite of mine. I love the modern decor with the historical architectural details. The crown moldings and arched doorways are pretty spectacular.

All pictures via Sotherby's

C. Wonder

2011-11-10T20:40:00.000-08:00

I'm always making lists of stores and restaurants I want to check out in New York City. C. Wonder is one of them. This store is brand new and opened by Chris Burch, Tory Burch's ex-husband, I love Tory Burch and I'm sure I'll love Chris Burch as well. I just wish this store had opened in September when we were in New York. Oh well, we'll just have to plan another trip. Here are some pictures from the Soho store.

Love the green door

I'm in love with this rug.

Enamel Bracelets, love them.

These lacquered trays would be perfect on a coffee table.

Ikat pattern, what's not to love about that.

Love the bright orange shoes.

These bags would be perfect for traveling, maybe for another trip to NYC, just saying.

Lacquered boxes are my favorite, I think I need these.

More Lacquered boxes. These were featured on the Nate Berkus show.

All photos via C. Wonder Facebook page.

Fashion Focus: Bracelets

2011-11-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite accessories to add to an outfit are bracelets, and one trend that's been on my radar for a few months are enameled bracelets. I especially noticed the ones at the Hermes store in Las Vegas, only because we had to walk past the store anytime we wanted to go outside our hotel, it was hard not to notice them. Here are some other favorites I found.

Lucky Brand via Zappos

Marc by Marc Jacobs via Zappos

Hermes Bracelet via Pinterest

Kate Spade via Zappos

Juicy Couture via Sarah's Fab Day

H&M

Milly via Bloomingdales

Tory Burch via Nordstrom

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T20:53:00.001-07:00

I love Candy Corn, so when I saw this watercolor by Caitlin McGaughley, I had to post it on our blog. Halloween just isn't Halloween without Candy Corn.

Happy Halloween!!

Picture via Lonny

Viva Las Vegas

2011-10-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time in Las Vegas last weekend. Three days of relaxation, food and shopping, it was great! I think we both needed a weekend like that.

We stayed at the Wynn Encore and we loved it. Since I'm interested in interior design, I had to take some pictures of our room.

I loved the marble floors.

This bathroom was great, I could watch TV while getting ready.

I loved all the windows in our room.

This is not a great picture, but you can kind of see our view of the Vegas Strip.

Entrance to the Wynn Buffet. The flowers were beautiful.

I loved all the decorations at the Wynn buffet.

Jeff is really hamming it up for this picture.

We saw Le Reve, it was such an amazing show. I still can't believe all the acrobatics.

We went to breakfast at Hash House A Go Go and Jeff decided to order Andy's Sage Fried Chicken Benedict. It was also featured and defeated on Man vs Food. This entree was huge. Jeff decided not to try and eat the whole thing, he wanted to be able to enjoy the rest of the day. Just for the record, he did make a significant dent.

Overall we had a wonderful trip and I can't wait to go back.

So True

2011-10-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

I love this quote I found on Pinterest.

Steve Jobs: A Brillant Man

2011-10-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

Photo via Google Images

Since hearing the news of Steve Jobs passing, I've been reminded of how much he's shaped the technology world, which has impacted all of our lives. I love my iPhone and I have no idea how I ever functioned without it. Moving from a PC computer to a Mac was one of the best decisions I ever made. Yes, Lisa, I'm eating my words right now. My iPod has taken me through so many workouts at the gym, I can't hit the treadmill without it. Steve Jobs was truly a genius.

So many blogs I read have posted the Commencement Address Steve Jobs gave at Stanford University in 2005. I didn't want to copy them, but after I read the speech I decided I wanted to post some of my favorite quotes from that speech as well. I would like to be able to come back to this post anytime I may need some inspiration in my life.

"You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Great words to live by. The world has lost a brilliant man, a sad day indeed.

New York State of Mind

2011-10-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Jeff and I took a trip to New York City. I can't tell you how long I've been looking forward to our trip, I just love everything about NYC. For the first couple of days of our trip, we stayed with Jeff's brother Brad, his wife Vanessa and their cute kids. Then we headed to NYC and stayed there for a few days. So here's a recap of our trip. This might be more of a travel log for us to remember our trip, so hopefully it's not too long and boring for others to read.

Also, we are missing some of our pictures. Jeff got a new phone right before we left for the trip, he ended up not liking the new phone and took it back to the store. On our trip he took a bunch of pictures with his new phone, he downloaded the pictures before he took back the phone, but we can't find where they downloaded. So once we find the pictures, I'll have to do a NYC part 2 post.

On a Wednesday night, we took a red eye flight to Newark. I forgot how exhausting red eyes can be, especially when we had a layover in Denver half way through. Also, note to self, Continental seems to have no leg room and is not good for overnight flights. Maybe I'm just getting older. We got to Newark early in the morning and Brad picked us up. Unfortunately, we didn't have our luggage with us because it didn't make the transfer in Denver. We didn't get our luggage until the next morning, 24 hours later. My mom did mention to me before we left to take a change of clothes in my carry on, which I did not do. Another note to self, listen to my mother and don't fly Continental. Anyway, we went to breakfast at a place called The Brownstone Diner in Jersey City. It's been on Triple D and it was great. They have a million different kinds of pancakes.

Brad and Vanessa live in Morris Plains, New Jersey and I have to say I loved it there. Their little town is so quaint and I loved their neighborhood. The mayor of Morris Plains came to their house to welcome them to the town, how cool is that? I can see why they call Jersey the Garden State. While we were there they took us to George Washington's Winter Headquarters and we walked around the museum. I thought it was very interesting. Jeff has pictures somewhere of this. That night we had pizza at Nonna's, it was delicious. Actually, just thinking of it is making me craze pizza right now.

We didn't make it to "The Shore" and I didn't run into any of the "Housewives of New Jersey", but there is always next time. I really enjoyed New Jersey, its a great place.

We had so much fun spending time with Brad, Vanessa and their kids. Thanks again for letting us stay and showing us around. We had a wonderful time.

The next morning was Friday and miraculously our luggage showed up at 6:00am. Which was great because we were planning to go to the Statue of Liberty and then head into NYC. It was also nice to have clean clothes. Brad was our tour guide, which we really appreciated. We took the ferry from the New Jersey side to the Statue of Liberty and there were no lines, it was great. Here are some pictures.

Us on the ferry to Ellis Island, Lower Manhattan is in the background.

Lady Liberty

Liberty Island, the weather was absolutely perfect.

This is the 9/11 memorial in Jersey City to remember those who were from New Jersey who lost their lives that day. The two rectangular towers on the sides are the same width as the WTC towers. The walkway in the middle points to where the WTC towers stood in lower Manhattan. The beams in front are from the WTC site.

That is Jeff in the walkway. Notice all the names of those who lost their lives engraved on the towers.

After we saw the Statue of Liberty, Brad drove us into the city to our hotel, which was so nice because I don't think I want to ever drive in NYC. Thanks again Brad! We stayed at the Andaz hotel in the Financial District. We loved our hotel, it just opened up earlier this year and I felt we got so much more for our money than some of the other hotels in other parts of the city. I was kind of concerned that it was too far from everything, but we ended up really enjoying our location. Plus it was pretty close to subway lines, so it made it easy to get anywhere. I knew that I didn't want to stay in Times Square because it's way too touristy for me. I also loved that our hotel was located on Wall Street and I enjoyed being in the middle of the financial district and all the Gordon Gekkos of the world.

Once we got situated at our hotel, we headed out to see some things in lower Manhattan. We were disappointed to learn all the tickets to see the new Ground Zero memorial were gone. I wish we would have known to get tickets months earlier, but that's something to see next time. We did some shopping at Century 21, and Syms. I'm into discount shopping, especially in NYC.

The next store we went to was ABC Carpet and Home.

Picture via ABC Carpet and Home website

This store has been on my list of things to do for years and I was so excited to check it out. Jeff was just along for the ride, I really don't think he knew what he was getting into. ABC Carpet is huge, ten floors huge. We made it to about three of them. Next time I'll have to spend more time there. I did get to see the Madeline Weinrib rugs and pillows, I love her. Jeff also spotted a celebrity. Jeff has a good eye for stuff like that. He saw Zuleikha Robinson, from the TV show Lost. I still have no idea how he recognized her. He's got skills. Here's a picture of her.

Picture via Google Images

After we wandered around ABC Carpet, we headed over to Fishs Eddy. Another store I've been wanting to check out. I really liked this store too.

For dinner we went to the Momofuku Ssam bar. We both really liked it, I loved the pork buns. I'm usually not a huge fan of pork buns, but these were delicious. The crab was good too.

Jeff enjoying dinner, sorry the picture is so blurry.

For dessert we went across the street to the Momofuku Milk Bar to get some cookies. We had heard so much about pastry chef Christina Tosi, so it was fun to taste the cookies. We got the Compost Cookie, the Corn Cookie and the Blueberry and Cream Cookie. All were delicious, we were most surprised by how good the corn cookie was.

After dinner we did some more shopping around Union Square and the Flatiron district, you can tell that I planned the trip with all the shopping. While we were in the Flatiron district, we went to Mario Batali's Eataly. It's a Market/Food Court with an amazing atmosphere. It's a great place to hang out if you are a foodie.

Saturday morning we had breakfast at The Energy Kitchen. We thought we would start out with a healthy breakfast so we can splurge on calories later. We then headed up to Times Square.

Times Square

More Times Square

The Late Show

The Hello Deli from the Late Show

After Times Square we headed up to Central Park to meet Brad, Vanessa and their kids for lunch at the Shake Shack. We had heard so much about it and I was very excited to eat there. I loved the burger, it was delicious. I really think they need to expand their franchise to the West Coast. Central Park was one of the highlights of the trip. The weather was perfect and it was so much fun to see Brad and Vanessa and their kids again.

Hopefully I'll be able to post more pictures later. Jeff took some great pictures of Central Park and of everyone, hopefully we'll be able to find them.

While we were shopping at a store in Soho, Jeff spotted another celebrity, Bridget Moynahan. I didn't even see her. I was too busy trying to check out the sweaters that she was standing in front of. When I stepped away to ask Jeff which colors he liked best, he said, you know who that is right? Of course I have no idea and when he said Bridget Moynahan, I said oh my gosh, that's totally her. I love her! At this point I think she heard our conversation, looked at us and then walked to the front of the store. I'm so oblivious when it comes to celebrities, I never see them. Which now makes me realize how many celebrities I missed while living in Los Angeles. Anyway, here is a picture of Bridget, like I said I really do love her. She is absolutely beautiful, and I thought it was so much fun to see her. I'm glad Jeff pointed her out. Now I think I need to start watching Blue Bloods on TV.

Picture via Google Images

Saturday night we went to dinner at Aldea. Jeff had heard about the chef on Top Chef Masters and wanted to try his restaurant. The chef George Mendes has a Portuguese background and since Jeff served his mission in Brazil, he wanted to have some Portuguese food. We both got the tasting menu and were very happy with the food.

Sunday morning we decided to go to Rockefeller Center and go to the Top of the Rock. The view was amazing and again the weather was perfect.

View of Central Park

Empire State Building

For lunch Jeff wanted to go to the Peter Luger Steakhouse in Brooklyn.

Picture via Peter Luger website

This place has been on his list for awhile now, so it was fun to finally get to go. We made reservations a month in advance and good thing, because a bus full of French tourists showed up the same time we did. We got the steak for two with a tomato onion salad, german potatoes and the bacon. The steak was the best I've ever eaten, it was absolutely delicious. I don't think I can eat another steak again without comparing it to Peter Luger's. Jeff has pictures of the food, so hopefully I can post those later. I really enjoyed taking the subway to Brooklyn and walking around the Williamsburg neighborhood before lunch.

After lunch we headed back to Manhattan and walked around Soho and Greenwich Village and spent some time in Washington Square Park. Soho is one of my favorite parts of the city. We also saw Mark Consuelos and his son crossing the street. He is a short man, which only made me realize how petite Kelly Ripa is.

For dinner, we decided to stay close to our hotel in the Financial district. We were exhasted and didn't feel like going too far. Jeff remembered that Anthony Bourdain got his start at a restaurant called Les Halles in the Financial District, so we went there.

Monday was our last day in NYC before we had to come back to reality. I've always wanted to go to breakfast at Balthazar in Soho.

The Breakfast was delicious. Jeff also spotted another celebrity, Tom Wilkinson, eating a few tables away from us.

After breakfast we walked around Soho more and then headed to Filene's Basement for more discount shopping. What can I say, I do love discount shopping. It was a great way to end our trip.

We had such a wonderful time and I can't wait to go back.

Photo Shoot

2011-09-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

My sister Steff visited us a few weeks ago and while she was here I wanted her take some pictures of us. Steff has always been interested in photography and has recently taken some photography classes. I volunteered us to be "models" for her so she can practice what she has learned. We love the pictures, thanks Steff!

Brunch on the Bridge

2011-08-07T14:59:00.001-07:00

Today is Jeff's birthday and to celebrate we participated in Brunch on the Bridge yesterday. It was so much fun! Portland closes down the Hawthorne Bridge for a few hours and they put grass and trees on the bridge so it looks like a big park. Everyone brings blankets and food. Now every time I drive over the Hawthorne Bridge, I'll remember our picnic spot.

The entrance to the bridge. It was a little overcast, but still a nice day.

Voodoo Doughnuts was trying to break a world record with the largest box of doughnuts.

All the great crazy Voodoo doughnut flavors. Toward the end of the event, they were giving out boxes of doughnuts.

The view from our blanket.

It was so fun to sit on the blanket, relax and enjoy the morning.

Another view on the bridge.

There was a lot of people watching going on. I guess that's why they say "Keep Portland Weird". I'm not sure why these two were dressed as flowers, but apparently they wanted to make a statement.

The guy's face in this picture cracks me up every time I see it.

We had a wonderful time and it was a great way to celebrate Jeff's birthday.

Tour de Cure

2011-08-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Jeff participated in the Tour de Cure bike ride to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. A friend from Jeff's MBA program got a team of six together and they each did the 43 mile ride. Way to go team! I think that's pretty amazing and I'm really proud of him.

Jeff crossing the finish line.

Jeff with his medal.

Jeff, Barry and Lisa at the finish line.

Jeff, Barry, Michael and Lisa enjoying lunch.

The ride looked like tons of fun and I really enjoyed seeing all the riders cross the finish line. I might even consider doing it next year.

FLOR Carpet Tiles

2011-07-31T17:38:00.000-07:00

Last year when Jeff and I were thinking about what kind of rug to get for our new apartment, we considered getting FLOR carpet tiles. I wasn't sure at first because carpet tiles remind me of a boring office and I've spent way too many hours in boring offices and I didn't want to feel that way at home.

As I did more research, I realized how great carpet tiles are. First of all, they are made from renewable and recycled materials. Second, they look pretty easy to install and if one gets dirty, you just replace that tile. Third, they come in great colors and textures.

If you have watched the new show Home By Novogratz on HGTV, you may have noticed they used carpet tiles in a couple of the episodes. Anyway, Jeff and I ended up renting an apartment that has carpeted floors and carpet tiles wouldn't work for us, but I definitely want to keep them in mind for our next place. There are only a few FLOR stores in the United States, but you can order them online. Also, I noticed that CB2 started selling FLOR carpet tiles. Here are some pictures I liked.

images via FLOR and Green Your Decor

Kate Middleton

2011-07-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

I'm in love with all her clothes, the girl has great style. No wonder everything she wears sells out instantly. I especially loved this green Diane Von Furstenberg dress she wore during her trip to Los Angeles.

Image via Pinterest

Here is the green Maja dress from the DVF website, and of course it's sold out.

Image via Diane Von Furstenberg website

4th of July Weekend

2011-07-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

This is a bit of a catch-up post along with some 4th of July pictures.

A few weeks ago we made a pizza with kale and sausage for Sunday dinner. It was so good and I felt like it was kind of healthy because of the kale. Jeff also made an orange olive oil cake and it was to die for. I can't wait for him to make that recipe again.

I love all the colors on this pizza, it's so appetizing.

Chef Jeff in action.

Finished product.

Orange Olive Oil Cake with Orange Glaze.

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend filled with lots of fun activities. The weather was so nice and that was a huge plus since we've had such a rainy Spring.

One thing that I love to do is workout at the stairs in the West Hills. It's such a great workout and I love being outside. I also enjoy looking at all the beautiful houses. Over the 4th of July weekend I was able to workout twice at the stairs which I found very rejuvenating.

Here are the stairs from the top. I should actually count them one time so I know exactly how many there are.

And here are the stairs from the bottom looking up.

There are two sets of stairs right by each other so it's great to alternate between the two. Here is a picture of the stairs across the street. You can't see the whole staircase because of all the trees, but it goes up to the next block.

Another thing Jeff and I did over the long weekend was go for a walk along the south waterfront trail by our apartment.

Our apartment is with all the buildings on the left in this picture, it's just hidden with all the other tall buildings.

Someone in our ward invited us to watch fireworks at her house. She lives at the top of the hill overlooking all of Portland. The view was amazing. We could even see the fireworks in Washington.

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July weekend.

Happy 4th!

2011-07-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

Picture via Pinterest

I love the 4th of July! I hope everyone is having a great weekend full of fun, relaxation and good food.

Picture via Martha Stewart

Bring on the Green

2011-06-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

The last few days here in Portland have been absolutely beautiful. I think summer is almost here! Everything is so green and beautiful. To celebrate the beautiful weather, here are some green photos I found to bring on the green.

Source: realsimple.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Boxwood Topiaries

Source: aphrochic.blogspot.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Jill Rosenwald Green and While Cylinder

Source: alifemorefabulous.blogspot.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Ikat bowls via Real Simple

Source: emeraldinteriordesign.ie via Jamie on Pinterest

Source: vivafullhouse.blogspot.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Kate Spade

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Jo Malone Candle

Source: 6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Source: sadieandstella.blogspot.com via Jamie on Pinterest

Million Dollar Decorators

2011-05-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

If there ever comes a point in time where I have to choose one TV channel to watch the rest of my life it would be Bravo. I love all the shows. I do realize a lot of the shows are train wrecks, but I can't help it, I'm addicted to Bravo and all their programming.

I'm super excited about the new show that is premiering tonight called Million Dollar Decorators. After hearing about this show for months it's finally here and I can't wait!

Photo via LA Times

Ochre Chandeliers

2011-05-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

When I saw the pictures of Keri Russell's brownstone home in Elle Decor, I was reminded of how much I love Ochre Chandeliers. The Arctic Pear Chandelier is one of my favorites. Here are some photos.

Keri Russell's living room via Elle Decor. Not only do I love the chandelier, I love everything in this room. The detail on the fireplace is to die for.

Keri Russell's dining room via Elle Decor. I love the rustic look with the modern chairs.

Colleen McGill via Knight Moves. Great entryway.

Picture via Ochre website.

I could see myself in this room curled up with a great book. Picture via {this is glamorous}.

Love this loft. Picture via From the Right Bank.

Picture via Ochre website.

Another Colleen McGill picture via Knight Moves. I love the floor to ceiling mirror.

Photo via Remodelista. The pink chair is a nice touch to soften the black and grey color palette.

Sunday Dinner

2011-05-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

Jeff made such a great dinner yesterday, actually he always makes great food. I just remembered to take pictures of the food so I can blog about it.

I'm trying to be better at taking pictures, so we decided to take a couple of pictures after church.

Jeff made Slow-Cooked Hoisin Pork Wraps with Coleslaw. The pork was delicious and it was so nice to come home and have dinner ready. I love the Slow Cooker. Jeff used a Miso Dressing for the coleslaw, which went perfect with the Pork.

Chef Jeff

Jeff was planning to make an Upside Down Pear Cake for dessert, but he ran out of time, so I made it. I have to say I loved the way it turned out and it tasted pretty good too. Now that I'm looking at this picture, I should have put it on a cake pedestal or something instead of an old cookie sheet. Maybe next time I'll work on food styling.

Stripes

2011-05-22T17:24:00.000-07:00

This last year I've been obsessed with stripes. I love them. There is something about that nautical print that reminds me of spring. The navy and white is so classic and timeless, very Audrey Hepburn. A few months ago, I found some really cute striped shirts on the website Chance. Here are some of my favorites.

I think this dress would be really cute with a wide brown belt and some espadrille sandals.

Images via Chance website

Target Calypso Collection

2011-05-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

The Calypso collection at Target launched May 1st and I can't believe I haven't been to the stores to check it out. I previously blogged about it here. I had good intentions to go, but it seems like we have been very busy the last few weeks and other things have been more of a priority. Hopefully I can make it to Target this week and hopefully they still have some items left. Here are some things I liked from the Target website.

All images via the Target website

Knitted Pillows

2011-04-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

While I was living in Los Angeles, I took a knitting class at Suss Design and I loved it. It was so much fun to meet new people, learn a new skill and enjoy all the yummy appetizers. After the class, I was very gung ho about knitting. Sadly, I haven't knitted as much as I thought I would. I have made a few scarves and I still have one to finish that I started years ago. I'm just not very excited about wearing anything I've made. I like the knitting part, but once I'm done, I really don't know what to do with the finished product. I just can't imagine wearing a sweater that I have knitted. When I saw this pattern for knitted pillows, I was so excited because this is a project I can get behind. It seems pretty basic and if it doesn't look perfect, I won't feel like I have to try and wear it.

I love the colors, it kind of reminds me of something Jonathan Alder would do.

From Spud & Chloe click here for the pattern.

Bring on Spring

2011-04-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend here in Portland. The weather was absolutely beautiful. It's amazing how a sunny day can brighten up everything. Everyone in Portland was out enjoying the sunny day. Spring for me means warmer weather, longer days, summer clothes and sandals. I can't wait. I'm a huge fan of sandals, I think it comes from living in Los Angeles for eight years, I really didn't own any other shoes. I'm a big fan of the wedge sandal and in my opinion, they are more comfortable than other sandals. Here are some of my favorites this season.

Tory Burch

Diane von Furstenberg

Dolce Vita

Color Inspiration

2011-04-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. Work has been really busy and I've been working crazy hours. It's so hard to create some sense of balance when work is taking up so much time. Anyway, I think most of the craziness is over and I'm looking forward to finding that life balance again.

When I saw this picture in High Gloss Magazine, I immediately fell in love with the color palette. Seeing the Lavender and the Gold together just makes me happy. I think these colors would be great in a bedroom. I may have to do some redecorating in the next few months. The interior designer is Mary McGee and she is based out of Los Angeles. I wish I would have been interested in Interior Design when I lived there, now I would love to check out some of the stores.

Picture via High Gloss Magazine

Manhattan Print

2011-03-27T19:51:00.000-07:00

I've been watching Secrets From a Stylist on HGTV, and a few weeks ago I fell in love with the Manhattan print I saw on the show. Emily Henderson, the host of the show, posted about the artwork and where you can purchase it.

Manhattan Poster details click here. I'm hoping the artist will do prints like this for Los Angeles and Portland.

Here is another picture of the print with some of the rest of the artwork from the TV episode.

image via Emily Henderson blog

Hood River, Oregon

2011-03-20T14:49:00.000-07:00

We are so happy that Jeff is done with winter quarter at school and to celebrate we decided to take a trip to Hood River. It's about an hour drive from Portland to Hood River. We left Friday afternoon and came home Saturday. It was a bit rainy and cold (at least for me), but it was nice to get away for a couple of days. We stayed at a little quaint hotel in downtown Hood River. The location was perfect because we were able to walk around the main street and check out all the shops. We ate at a fun restaurant called Celilo, I had the salmon and it was delicious.

Here are some pictures from our weekend.

Hood River at night.

Jeff standing in front of our hotel.

Me, also standing in front of our hotel, I couldn't find anyone to take a picture of us together. You can see a little bit of the Columbia river on the right hand side of this picture.

I love to climb stairs for a workout and I noticed this set of stairs close to our hotel. It looks like the stairs go on forever. Next time I'm definitely bringing workout clothes and running shoes.

Downtown Hood River during the day.

Another picture in front of the hotel.

We had a wonderful weekend and I can't wait to go back.

Mma Ramotswe Is Back!

2011-03-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled to hear about a new "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" book coming out later this month. I LOVE these books. I wasn't expecting another book in this series, so this news totally makes my day. I've blogged about these books in a previous post, click here to read. Now we just need to get HBO on board with filming a season 2 of the show.

Image via Amazon

Ikat Prints

2011-02-25T21:32:00.000-08:00

Last year Ikat prints were huge and at first I really didn't care for them, but they are starting to grow on me. Hopefully this trend will continue and I didn't totally miss the boat. Sometimes it takes me a whole year to jump on board with things. Anyway, I think I would like to incorporate a few Ikat things in our decor.

I don't think I could do a whole room in Ikat like this picture below, I don't love it that much.

Image via Elle Decor

I do like this print in small doses and as a pop of color. Here are some Ikat prints I like.

I love West Elm so I was very excited to see this chair in their collection. I love the deep red color.

Image via West Elm

I adore this chair from Urban Outfitters, I didn't even know they sell furniture.

Image via Urban Outfitters

Great curtains from West Elm.

Image via West Elm

Ottoman from West Elm, I love the pattern with the solid colored sofa.

Image via West Elm

I noticed that Ikat is also popping up in fashion. This shirt is from Anthropologie.

Image via Anthropologie

Love this orange clutch from Madeline Weinrib.

Image via Madeline Weinrib

FLOR carpet tiles in an Ikat print. I also love the Hermes orange boxes as decor.

Image via Apartment Therapy

Bowl by Anthropologie.

Image via Anthropologie

Pillows by Madeline Weinrib.

Pillow images via Madeline Weinrib website

More pillows, these are from Dwell Studio.

Image via Dwell Studio

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T21:26:00.001-08:00

image via Martha Stewart

EmersonMade

2011-02-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

This website has been on my radar for awhile now. I love all the clothes and accessories. I was so excited to hear about their recently launched Spring Collection. I'm ready for warmer weather and cute Spring clothes.

Emerson, who started the company, is the model in the all photographs and does all the styling along with designing and making the products. So talented! She definitely looks like she has stepped right out of a JCrew catalog. Here are some pictures from the website.

This is one of my favorite pictures. I love everything about her outfit, it's such a classy look.

Love the fabric and flowers on all the clutches

This is part of the new Spring collection, just in time for Valentine's Day.

I'm loving the color of this dress.

This blouse would be cute for work.

This is probably one of my favorite blouses from the new Spring Collection. I love the accordion pleats.

Love the fabric on this clutch as well.

This dress would also look cute with some chunky espadrilles.

images via EmersonMade

Honeysuckle Pink

2011-01-31T19:42:00.000-08:00

Back in December Pantone announced that Honeysuckle Pink is the new color for 2011 for fashion and home. I had no idea there was a designated color of the year. Apparently this has been going on for years, where have I been? Last year's color was Turquoise, which now explains why there was so much Turquoise around last year. I happen to love Turquoise so I was okay with it. I really like this year's color too. In my mind, you really can't go wrong with Pink.

According to the Pantone's website, Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

Wow, one color can do all that?? It sounds perfect! From the description, I would imagine a lot of thought goes into picking the color of the year, I mean it is the color of the year, that's pretty big, you don't want to mess this one up. So now I'm wondering what colors were the runners up?

Since now I know the color of the year, I can look for ways to incorporate it in my wardrobe or decor (even though I'm pretty sure pink will not be part of our decor, I can't imagine Jeff would be a fan).

Here are some things I think would work.

The Boden Smart Shift Dress, this would be really cute with a cardigan.

Knockout Pout Essie Nail Polish

Banana Republic Cardigan. Anyone that knows me knows that I love cardigans and I really don't need another one, but I don't have one in Honeysuckle Pink.

Kate Spade Bag

Kate Spade Shoes

Balenciaga Handbag

Kate Spade Stationary

The Boden Brittany Jumper, I'm totally into stripes right now.

I think this color is best used in small doses or as an accent color. Here are some examples I found to give that pop of color.

Rug from Target

Jonathan Adler monogram pillow

Kate Spade vase

Jonathan Adler pillow

Here are some examples of Honeysuckle Pink used in decorating. I think some of these may be a bit much, but still fun to look at.

Image via Apartment Therapy

image via Elle Decor

Image via HGTV

image via Apartment Therapy

image via Elle Decor

image via Apartment Therapy

Portland Auto Show

2011-01-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

Tonight we went to the Auto Show. Jeff has been SO excited for this night all week. I had never been to an Auto Show, and so I had no idea what to expect, but I ended up having a great time. Here are some pictures.

Jeff is checking out one of the cars

Testing out the BMW, I've always loved BMWs. I could get used to driving this.

The Ultimate Driving Machine.

Jeff testing another car

The Porsche Panamera was one of our favorite cars there.

Another picture of the Panamera.

Being tall does have some disadvantages, we realized that Jeff cannot fit in some cars. He has always loved the Volkswagen CC, but I guess we can take that one off our list now.

Another car Jeff cannot fit in. There were several more, but I didn't take pictures of all of them.

The new Chevy Volt, I thought it was a cute little car, I would drive it, but Jeff might be a little too tall for this one too.

Just a random picture of the car show.

We had a great time and I'm excited to go again next year.

Portland Print

2011-01-27T20:11:00.000-08:00

I love this print of Portland by Albie Design.

The one of Seattle is pretty great too.

Check out the other prints here.

Calypso for Target

2011-01-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of the collaborations Target does with designers and so I was thrilled to hear about the one with Calypso St. Barth. It sounds like their collection will not only have women's clothing and accessories, but will include home goods as well. I'm super excited about that. I love the Calypso rugs and I can't wait to see what other items will be included in their collection, which will be in stores May 1st.

Advice

2011-01-22T14:28:00.000-08:00

This year I didn't make any resolutions for the new year, but I think I may take some of these words of advice and try to apply them to my life.

Image via Stephmodo blog

Candles

2011-01-16T22:14:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what these candles smell like by Lollia and actually I've never heard of this brand, but I think I would buy them just based on the packaging. I love the colors.

From Recently Updated

Images via Lollia website

Workout Stairs

2011-01-15T20:40:00.000-08:00

One thing I miss from my days of living in Los Angeles is working out on the Santa Monica stairs. I knew that I would miss the stairs, but I just didn't realize how much. The stairs became my Saturday morning ritual and I looked forward to them every weekend. I loved the view of the ocean, it was such a great way to start out the weekend. Also, you never know who you might see working out on the stairs, my sisters and I saw Ray Liotta once (not a huge name, but still a celebrity sighting). Here is a picture of the stairs I found on Google Images. This is the bottom half of the stairs, you can't see the top portion, but on the top there are just as many stairs as the bottom. Such a great workout, I loved them.

Since getting married and moving to Portland, I've been on the lookout to find a replacement for these beloved stairs, but I haven't found anything yet. About a month ago Jeff was reading Sunset magazine and came across a book called "The Portland Stairs Book" by Laura O. Foster. I knew this was a book I needed to get my hands on. I picked it up at the library and this weekend I'm going to drive around and scout out some of the stairs, thank goodness for three day weekends. I can't wait to let you know what I find.

Snowstorm?

2011-01-09T21:13:00.000-08:00

Right now they are predicting snow on Tuesday, six inches! I'm kind of excited. It seems like everything in Portland shuts down when we only get an inch of snow. I really could use a snow day.

I love this picture. It makes me want to stay inside, bake cookies and have a marathon of chick flicks.

Picture via thrilld

The Barcelona Chair

2011-01-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

I love this chair.

I did some research on the Barcelona Chair and it was designed in 1929 by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. I'm amazed it was designed in 1929 and it has stood the test of time, it's such a classic piece. I love the modern clean lines.

But...I am NOT loving the price tag. Why does it have to be so expensive?

Here are some photos I found via Houzz

contemporary living room design by san francisco architect Mark English Architects, AIA

contemporary living room design by toronto interior designer Mark Dodge Design

modern living room design by san francisco architect Studio Sarah Willmer

contemporary living room design by san francisco architect Fougeron Architecture FAIA

modern living room design by san francisco architect Rossington Architecture

living room design by austin architect Winn Wittman Architecture

living room design by photographer Elad Gonen & Zeev Beech

contemporary family room design by denver architect Robert Hawkins

modern living room design by los angeles architect Kanner Architects

modern living room design by new york architect Rodriguez Studio Architecture PC

Christmas Lights

2011-01-01T21:06:00.000-08:00

One of the things I wanted to do this year for Christmas is go to Peacock Lane. Every house on the street decorates for Christmas. You can drive or walk through the street, we decided to walk because the line of cars trying to get to the street was pretty crazy. Even though it was raining, I think walking is better, you can see all the lights and you don't have to wait for the cars in front of you. Plus people watching is always entertaining. Here are some pictures. I really wish I would have taken more.

Food Carts

2011-01-01T19:08:00.000-08:00

One thing we love to do in Portland is go to the food carts. The food is always amazing. So a few weeks ago we had a food cart night and invited a few couples to come along with us. Jeff wanted to try a place called Lardo, don't let the name scare you away, the food is delicious. It amazes me how experienced the chefs are who own some of these food carts. One of the chefs that owns Lardo has worked at Gramercy Tavern in NYC and has co-authored a cookbook that was named a New York Times notable cookbook and one of Food & Wine’s top 25 cookbooks of the year.

Lardo is located in a food cart pod called "Good Food Here" and the name does not lie. We can't wait to go back and try some of the other carts. We did get to sample some delicious garlic bread and marinara sauce from one of the other carts. Next time we go back, I'm definitely getting more of that bread. Here are some pictures from our fabulous food cart night.

This is the garlic bread and marinara sauce we sampled, so good!

Jeff with his Porchetta sandwich.

A close up of the sandwich and french fries.

I got the Tuna Melt and I was very happy with my decision.

Katie and Bart

Marc enjoying his sandwich

Brooke refused to be photographed, so this is a picture of her hand and her cauliflower soup.

This is at the second food cart pod we went to. We tried the pizza and were not disappointed. I love this picture, Marc is pretty funny in the background. The guys also had fried pies from Whiffies.

We are trying to stay warm, at this point during the night it was an absolute downpour. Thank goodness we were able to stay dry.

Marc and Brooke, I finally got a picture of her.

We had such a great time with everyone and can't wait to do it again. Hopefully the Matthew's can join us next time, we sure missed them.

Water Bobble

2010-11-30T19:22:00.000-08:00

I'm loving the idea of a filtered water bottle. It's great for the environment and I love the design. I wish I had thought of it.

Found at the Container Store here.

Too Big To Fail

2010-11-21T18:14:00.000-08:00

I just finished a great book called "Too Big To Fail" by Andrew Ross Sorkin. It's about our financial system and the government's effort to bail them out. It was fascinating for me to read about the interaction between the bankers in New York and the government officials in DC. Even though I knew the outcome of the bailout, it was a real page-turner.

I was really happy to hear that HBO is making a "Too Big To Fail" movie. I'm so excited to see it. They recently announced the cast and it sounds like they have some great people, click here for the details.

There is a documentary out in theaters right now called "Inside Job", which it also about the financial crisis, I'm excited to see this one too.

pictures via Amazon and IMDb

Shoe Crush

2010-11-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

I love this picture! The shoes are amazing and who would have guessed that they would look so great paired with a polka dot dress. The bracelets are pretty cool too.

Picture via The Sartorialist

Scarves

2010-11-07T16:00:00.001-08:00

Since living in Oregon, having a scarf with me at all times is a must, especially in the Fall and Winter months. Infinity scarves have caught my eye this season. Here are some that I'm loving right now.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

Picture via Country Living

Transformer Table

2010-10-28T20:46:00.000-07:00

We have been trying to get some ideas for a table that would work well in our apartment. Our living space is a bit smaller than our last apartment, so we want something that would maximize the space. I found the perfect table on the Apartment Therapy website. We love the design. It's a console table that can expand to a dinner table. It's perfect.

pictures via Apartment Therapy

Halloween Decor

2010-10-24T21:47:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween and all the fun decorations. When I saw this print on a blog I immediately fell in love with it.

Click here to go to the blog for more info on the print.

I also love this image that my friend Jessica designed. She is so creative and has just started a craft blog called Craftily Ever After. This image is offered for free. I can't wait to print it out and frame it. Check out her blog for other fun craft ideas.

Finally....

2010-10-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite stores is opening November 11th in Portland!! I can't wait. I've been waiting for this to happen for a long time. I'm already planning my plan of attack, I just wish I didn't have to work that day.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

2010-10-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

I love these books! I just finished reading the 11th and last book in The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. It's taken me a little over a year to read them all, not because I'm a slow reader, I love the books so much and I just wanted to spread them out a bit. I truly enjoyed reading all about Mma Ramotswe and her adventures in Botswana.

Jeff and I also loved watching the HBO production of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. We thought it was very well done and the casting was perfect. I love Mma Ramotswe's assistant, Mma Makutsi, she is so funny in the books and I loved seeing her in the TV show. She is definitely a comic relief in the show. The only thing I'm very unhappy about is that HBO does not have any plans to make a season two. What are they thinking?? Anyway, if you are looking for something new to watch, I would recommend adding the Ladies Detective Agency to your Netflix queue.

Emily Henderson

2010-10-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late on this post, but did you watch "The Secrets of a Stylist" with Emily Henderson a few weeks ago? I loved it. She had so many great ideas and tips to pass along, plus I really enjoyed her personality. I'm super excited to hear that her show was picked up for 26 more episodes. I can't wait! Emily Henderson won HGTV's Design Star, which I did not watch this season and I'm totally regretting it now. I'm also a big fan of her blog. Another fun fact about Emily is that she was raised in rural Oregon. Yay for Oregon!

In the pilot show she did a home makeover for Ian Brennan, the co-creator of Glee. Here are some pictures.

Emily with her friend Ian

Before picture

After picture. I love the colors she used, especially the rug.

Here is another picture of the living room, she just styled it a bit different. I love the rug in this picture as well.

I love how she painted the back of the shelves a different color. This is definitely a trend I've noticed lately. Nate Berkus had and example of this on his show last week.

Before picture

After picture. I love what she did with the space. The wallpaper is great and I think the bedding is from West Elm, another favorite of mine.

Another after picture of the bedroom.

Before picture

After picture. I'm loving the blues and the grays she used.

She is so creative and I'm excited to see more of her work in the future.

Pictures via HGTV website

Kitchen Crush

2010-09-19T21:19:00.000-07:00

This kitchen is amazing, I love all the space and the glass front cabinets.

Picture via Baden Baden

Rue Magazine

2010-09-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

Rue Magazine launched today, I've been so excited to check out this new online magazine.

Fashion's Night Out in Portland

2010-09-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

Fashion's Night Out originated in New York City last year and it was such a success that Anna Wintour of Vogue wanted to make this year's party international. I was so excited to hear that Portland was participating. Last Friday, I headed downtown right after work to check it out. I really enjoyed going to all the different stores. Banana Republic had live models in their stores and were offering light refreshments. Nordstrom was serving delicious mocktails and had a DJ playing music. Seth Aaron, the Project Runway winner from last season, who is also from the Portland area, was at Macy's. He was doing a little presentation and mostly taking questions from the audience. I only stayed and listened to him for about 20 minutes. I wanted to see what else was going on. There was supposed to be a fashion show in Directors Park, but I must have missed it or it happened later, but I never did get to see that. All in all it was a fun night. Maybe next year I'll have to go to NYC, I heard it was quite the party.

Seth Aaron at Macy's, not the best picture, I had a hard time getting a good one with my camera

Another picture of Seth Aaron

Anna Wintour at the NYC Fashion's Night Out

Wake-Up Call

2010-09-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

This morning we woke up to loud speakers and music. Apparently, the street we live on is the registration and the finish line for the Pints for Pasta 10k. Good thing we don't have to go anywhere for a few hours. It looks like everyone is having a good time and I really enjoyed watching people cross the finish line. Here are some pictures from our balcony.

Finish Line

The after-race celebration. It's such a sunny, beautiful day today. I love seeing the river in the background of this picture.

A Weekend With Steff

2010-09-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my sister Steff came to Portland to visit us for the weekend. I love to have visitors in town, especially my sisters. We always have such a fun time. She flew in on Saturday morning and after we picked her up, we headed to breakfast. Steff loves biscuits and so we took her to Pine State Biscuits. They are known for their wonderful biscuit breakfast sandwiches.

Steff got a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit sandwich.

Jeff got the McIsley sandwich, yes that is fried chicken, with pickles and honey. It's not the most healthy breakfast, but it sure tastes good.

After breakfast, we went to the Saturday Market in downtown Portland. It's always a good time. Lots of great things to buy and tons of interesting people to watch.

The next thing on our list was to visit the Pittock Mansion. Steff found the Pittock Mansion on the internet and wanted to check it out. I had heard of the mansion, but never made it up there. I'm so glad we went. The grounds are beautiful and the view is amazing. Touring the mansion was very interesting too. I think it was well worth the trip. Here are some pictures.

Steff with her Paparazzi camera and gear.

The Pittock Mansion

Jeff sporting his red shoes. People love those shoes, every time he wears them he gets a million compliments from random people. It's actually kind of a game with us to see how many compliments he gets in a day.

We lucked out, the weather was beautiful.

Me and Jeff.

Another picture of us.

I loved all the vibrant colors of the flowers.

Sunday was a pretty relaxing day, we went to church and then Jeff made a wonderful dinner. He made an Indian dish with eggplant and chickpeas. I wish I would have taken pictures of that.

Monday, was the last day Steff was in town, so we headed to the outlets to do some serious shopping. Steff wanted to find some back to school clothes and the outlets did not disappoint. We had a wonderful time.

Thanks again for coming out to visit us! We had a blast!

Vampire Weekend

2010-09-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday night we went with our friends, the Matthews and the Schmitts, to the Vampire Weekend concert at the Edgefield McMenamins. There was rain in the forecast, but it hadn't rained all day, so I thought we were in the clear. Boy was I wrong, as soon as we pulled into the parking lot, it started raining. It didn't just rain, it poured and poured. Jeff and I both wore our raincoats, but soon we were soaked. They were selling ponchos, but by the time I realized that I wanted a poncho, I was already soaked and it really wouldn't do any good. In hindsight, I would have ran right over and picked up a poncho the minute we arrived. Although it rained all night, we had such a fun time. Thanks so much to the Matthews and the Schmitts for a memorable night.

Weekend at the Coast

2010-09-06T17:08:00.001-07:00

About a month ago, we spent a weekend at the Beach House in Lincoln City with Jeff's family. Jared, Cathie and Lily flew in from San Antonio and James flew in from Ohio. Unfortunately Jessica had to work, we definitely missed seeing her. They spent about a week at the Beach House, Jeff and I were only able to join them for the weekend, but we are glad we had the opportunity to go. We had such a fun time visiting with everyone.

Jared, Cathie and Lily had just arrived in Portland and we had lunch at Andina, one of Jeff's family's favorite restaurants. It's a wonderful Peruvian restaurant and the owners are from Corvallis.

On Saturday, we roasted hotdogs and had s'mores on the beach. The weather was perfect.

We had a wonderful time relaxing and enjoying everyone's company.

Next came dessert, I love S'mores!

Jeff made his S'more with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Lily making sand castles.

We had salmon for Saturday's dinner, it was delicious. All the food we had at the Beach House was very good.

Saturday was also Jeff's birthday. He loves Angel Food Cake with peppermint frosting. So we surprised him with a cake. Cathie decorated it. Cathie's birthday was on Monday, so we had a zucchini carrot cake.

I love Jeff's face in this picture, he was definitely surprised.

Thank goodness he was able to blow out all the candles in one try.

Jeff and Lily.

Lily and Jeff had matching shirts. Lily thought that was pretty cool.

A lot of these pictures are the ones that Cathie took, thanks for sharing with us. We had a wonderful time with everyone and can't wait to do it again.

Farmer's Market

2010-09-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning we went to the Farmers' Market at Portland State University. It was so nice to catch the streetcar right outside our apartment and ride it to the Farmer's Market. I really think I could get used to this public transportation thing. There is something so relaxing about sitting on the streetcar and not worrying about driving and parking. I'm super excited about the idea of reading more books as I ride the streetcar. Here are some pictures of our Farmer's Market adventure.

Here is a picture of Jeff, and again, I forget to have Jeff take a picture of me.

Below are some pictures from the market. I love all the different colors. For dinner tonight we had salmon and a corn salsa from the veggies we got at the market. It was so good. I can't wait to go to the market next week.

Jackie O

2010-09-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

I've always been enamored by Jackie O, she is so beautiful and I love her iconic style. Actually, there is something I find intriguing about the whole Kennedy family. So when I saw the August cover of New York Magazine with Katie Holmes recreating the windblown shot of Jackie, taken by photographer Ron Galella, I fell in love with this shot. I can't believe how much Katie looks like Jackie. Apparently, Katie will be portraying Jackie in an upcoming History Channel miniseries called "The Kennedys", and it's scheduled to air sometime in 2011. I can't wait to see it.

Photo via www.Hollywoodlife.com

New Apartment

2010-09-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how long it's been since my last blog post, I've definitely got some catching up to do. First of all, last weekend we moved to a new apartment in downtown Portland. We really enjoyed living in Hillsboro and met a lot of great friends out there, but we wanted to be closer to downtown. We love to go out to eat and were always driving downtown anyway, so we figured that we would make the move to be closer. We found a great apartment in the South Waterfront area of downtown. Also, I'm super close to work now, no more dealing with traffic on the 26 and I'm pretty happy about that. We are still trying to organize our apartment, so once we get that all done I'll post some pictures. In the meantime, I wanted to post this picture. I absolutely love this idea. Jeff saw this in one of the design books I got from the library and he thought it would work nicely in our new kitchen. We got the shelves from Ikea. I love how the cookbooks give a pop of color to the room.

It's Back......

2010-07-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

and I can't wait to see this season of Mad Men. Season 4 starts tonight, make sure you set your DVR.

West Elm

2010-07-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

I'm in love with West Elm's new fall line. I've always liked earthy, warm tones and the color palette they have used totally fits the bill for me. In about a month, we are moving to a new apartment downtown and I would love to use some of these photos as inspiration to decorate our new space. Better yet, maybe we could just buy everything in the catalog----Just kidding Jeff, I know that's not in the budget, a girl can dream right? (Plus, I wanted to see if you read the blog). Here are some of my favorite pictures.

pictures via decor8

I'm also loving some the new bedding.

pictures via West Elm website

Also, this is super cool. West Elm used Portland as one of their inspirational cities. They have posted a neighborhood guide for Portland, I can't wait to check out some of the places they mention. Since we'll be closer downtown, some of these places will be more accessible than before.

We may be in the market for a new sofa and I love how West Elm is now letting you choose from 26 different fabrics.

Farmer's Market

2010-07-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

Finally the summer is here in Portland and one thing we love to do is go to the Farmer's Market. We got up early and went on Saturday. I love all the fresh produce, especially the fresh berries. Here are some pictures. I forgot to have Jeff take some pictures of me.

We love the cherry tomatoes

One of our favorite vendors at the Farmer's Market is Dennison Farms from Corvallis

Jeff enjoying his lox and bagel breakfast

The Devil's Casino

2010-07-03T16:48:00.000-07:00

I first heard about this book while listening to Imus in the Morning. It's about the fall of Lehman Brothers and I love anything to do with Wall Street and finance. The interview with the author immediately grabbed my attention and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the book. She talks about a phone call she received from someone who asked her if she was the Vicky Ward who was writing the book on Lehman. She replied yes, and the person on the line said they have some documents that she would need to see. These documents were firsthand accounts of the last 25 years at Lehman Brothers, kept by senior members of its staff. She met this top secret source at 7 am in a coffee shop 90 minutes outside of Manhattan. From these documents, she wrote her book.

I found it fascinating to read about what went on inside one of Wall Street's leading financial firms. I loved this book and couldn't put it down.

Another book I just picked up is "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis. It's also about the financial crisis and I can't wait to read it. Michael Lewis is one of my favorite authors, he wrote "Liar's Poker" about his years as a bond trader in the 80's. I'll have to let you know what I think of "The Big Short" once I read it.

Domino is Back!

2010-07-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to hear that Brides.com has been granted access to the online archives of Domino Magazine. I loved getting Domino Magazine and was so sad when it ceased publication. I can't wait to browse the magazines again online. Thank goodness we have a three day weekend coming up.

Here are some of my favorite covers.

Komforte Chockolates

2010-06-18T21:03:00.000-07:00

I've decided that one thing I cannot live without is Chocolate, especially dark chocolate. I can't help it, I love it. I think having a small piece of chocolate after a meal completes the meal. When we go grocery shopping at New Seasons, Jeff and I like to check out the chocolate and see what crazy chocolate bars they have. One of the blogs I read mentioned Komforte Chockolates and I had to check it out. The chocolate bars they have sound amazing and I can't wait to try them. I'm not sure which one I'm more excited about, I think we'll have to get all three. I like the packaging too.

Jimmy John's

2010-05-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

I'm sure this isn't big news for most of you, but Oregon got it's first Jimmy John's and it's located relatively close to where we live. We are in heaven!! Jeff and I love their sandwiches and we make it a point to go there whenever possible. The closest Jimmy John's to us was in Seattle. Well, now we don't have to drive too far.

Alice Lane Home Collection

2010-05-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to check out Alice Lane Home Collection the next time we are in Utah visiting family and friends. I can tell from the pictures and the website it's going to be worth the trip. If you live in the Orem area, you'll have to head over to the store and let me know how it is. They also have a blog that shows some of their recent projects, I love seeing the before and after pictures. Here are some of the items that I liked from their store.

Pictures via Alice Lane Home Collection website

Castagna

2010-05-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day, even though I'm not a mother yet, Jeff took me to Castagna for dinner. We had a wonderful time and the food was absolutely delicious. The chef at Castagna has been named one of the Best New Chefs of 2010 by Food and Wine and he did not disappoint. Jeff is still talking about the dessert he had with beets and sable caramel. You'll have to check out the menu here.

We took advantage of the nice weather and took a walk around the neighborhood by Castagna. We both had a wonderful evening and we can't wait to go back and try some of the other things on the menu.

24 Hours in New York

2010-05-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

I love this print by Fernando Volken Togni. I hope he does one for Los Angeles and Portland. Check out some of his other prints here.

Beast

2010-04-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to dinner at Beast with a few other couples from our church. It's one of our favorite restaurants in Portland. We went last year for Jeff's birthday, you can read more about that experience here. The food is absolutely amazing. The chef, Naomi Pomeroy, has been nominated for a 2010 James Beard Award. Last year she was one of Food and Wine's Top New Chefs of 2009. Her name is constantly popping up in magazines, blogs and TV shows.

We had such a fun time with everyone and can't wait to do it again.

The menu changes weekly and like I said before the food is amazing. Here is the menu from last night:

LEEK AND GREEN GARLIC SOUP
CARROT CREAM & ESPELETTE

CHARCUTERIE PLATE:
FOIE-GRAS BON-BON, SAUTERNES GELEÉ
STEAK TARTARE & QUAIL EGG TOAST
CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE & PICKLED SHALLOT
BOUDIN NOIR & DUCK FAT APPLE PASTRY
CARLTON FARMS PORK SHOULDER RILLETTES

LOCAL QUAIL
STUFFED WITH KEN’S BRIOCHE, RABBIT LIVER,
RAMPS, MORELS & SPRING HERBS
WILTED FRISEE & SEARED FRENCH BREAKFAST RADISHES

GROUNDWORK FARMS SPRING GREENS
HALIBUT CHEEKS, ASPARAGUS & PARMESAN
BROWN BUTTER & 30 YEAR AGED BALSAMIC

~SELECTION OF STEVE’S CHEESE~
ANISE & FLEUR DE SEL SHORTBREAD
OREGON WILDFLOWER HONEY
POACHED APRICOTS & MARCONA ALMONDS

RHUBARB GALETTE
PISTACHIO ICE CREAM
CARAMEL SAUCE

Here are some pictures of Naomi Pomeroy and her restaurant Beast that I found from Google Images.

Charcuterie Plate

Fusion Brands

2010-04-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

As you probably know, Jeff loves to cook and he is always looking for cool kitchen gadgets. While browsing through one of his cooking magazines, he found Fusion Brands. They make the coolest kitchen gadgets ever! Right now we are loving the food pod, the ice orb, and the poach pod. All their products look great and we can't wait to try more of them.

Lonny Magazine

2010-04-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

The fourth issue of Lonny Magazine is out! I love flipping through this online magazine and getting new ideas about decorating. Check it out here and make sure you look at the previous issues if you haven't seen them yet.

Happy Easter

2010-04-02T22:25:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend!

image via Martha Stewart