I often feel that sometimes my life lacks ceremony. I don't have a lot of family or cultural tradition of my own. I grew up in a culture of fast moving convenience and it seems that life leaves little room to stop and celebrate and embrace moments. This weekend, I had one of those rare perfect afternoons with just the right balance of cheesy and sweet celebratory tradition. And better yet, I got to do it with the amazing company of a long time friend (visit her at Ponyboy Press & Cedar Chest!)

We arrived at Myrtle's Tea House just in time for our 1pm reservation and were seated right by the window. It's was a dreary day, but the warmth of the little house filled with beautiful vintage tea pots and tea cups made the rain melt away.



The pots arrived and we delicately added our dainty little sugar cubes from the gold gilded bowl.





We were each served a darling plate filled with 8 little perfect bites, fresh fruit, a crudite, and a warm tea cup full of homemade soup.





Next, we choose our next pot of dessert tea - I went with a chocolate rose. It was served with a beautiful assortment of tiny desserts. The tiny heartshaped fresh from the oven scone with strawberry butter was my favorite.




After tea, we visited the sweet little shop and pursued the antique tea cups, teas, and series of tea mystery books (did you know that was even a thing?! So cute!)


What cute ceremonious thing do you guys do?

I hope you all had an amazing holiday weekend!

4th of July has never been all that big of a deal in my life I suppose, we never had many traditions to celebrate growing up. This year was a little different, this year was a chance to take a road trip to see some beautiful small town traditions.

A dear friend invited me on a weekend getaway to her hometown of Lincoln City, OR.  It is about a 2 hour drive from Portland.  I got the chance to spend a couple of days enjoying the small towns of the Oregon Coast and the darling little 4th of July activities that came along with them.

Friday afternoon was spent in Glendon Beach, where we shopped some handmade crafts and watched a cute DIY parade that the town puts on every year. Instead of the fancy million dollar floats you might see at big parades, this charming little town encourages anyone and everyone to participate with classic cars, costumes, dance routines, etc. It was a really sweet tradition that I was lucky to be able to check out.

That night, we watched fireworks on the beach. It was a beautiful sight. I am not always super into fireworks, but there was something really magical about my friend and her family surrounding me, the roar of the ocean, and the gorgeous booms of color that made this year special.




The rest of my weekend was spent relaxing, yard saling, and enjoying the beautiful views of the coast.





How was your holiday weekend?

The first few weeks of spring in Portland are always a game of cat and mouse.  It's beautiful, sunny, and hopeful one moment and the very next moment it goes back to grey, rainy, drab as it has been for the past 5 months or so.  Despite all the rainy months, Portlanders are nothing if not optimists.  We make the very best of every single ray of sunshine we see and we brave the chance of rain just to soak up the small moments of sunshine in between.  We know each rainy season has an end and this one is in sight.


Yesterday, I grabbed a friend and took advantage of a break in the clouds to enjoy a bit of wandering in the Portland Japanese Gardens.

The Japanese Gardens are a lovely thing to do when you are in Portland.  They gardens are a part of Washington Park - a 400 acre natural oasis just outside of downtown Portland.  Washington Park is also home to the Oregon Zoo, The World Forestry Center, Hoyt Arboretum, The Portland Children's Museum, and the International Rose Test Gardens.  It's a great place to relax, explore, and take in some amazing views.  You can drive or hop on a blue line or red line max train to the Washington Park stop.

The gardens aren't very big, but there are a lot of little moments of zen and beauty as you walk around.   From waterfalls to serene coy ponds, it makes for a perfect day.

I was really inspired by Jule's series of "Cute Toronto" & I am often getting asked by traveling friends what they should do in town, so I decided to make my own series this summer of my favorite places in Portland!

I was born and raised on the east coast, but I decided to pick up and move 3,000 miles because I fell in love with this city.   Almost 12 years later, I am still just as in love with this city as the day that I arrived.  I find amazing things here that inspire me daily and I really want to share some of those things with you.

I decided to start with one of my favorite drives - The Historic Columbia River Highway (Route 30).  When I first visited Portland, I had never seen a waterfall and I really had no idea that Oregon had such beautiful natural landscapes in store for me.


The drive takes about 2+ hours from Portland and back.  You could skip the historic highway and take I-84 (also named Columbia River Highway for added confusion) out to the falls in 30 minutes and it is a pretty drive along the river, but I am afraid you would really be missing out.


The HCRH starts in Troutdale.  You can either take NE Halsey straight through Portland or exit 16 - Wood Village on I-84 E.   Troutdale is home to a few darling stops including a Barn Museum, The Harlow House, and the Rail Depot Museum, a small outlet mall, and McMennimins Edgefeild.



McMenamin's Edgefeild is usually my first stop because it is an excellent place to grab a bite, enjoy some delicious local beer, or perhaps take a soak in the soaking pool at Ruby Spa.  The grounds are beautiful and it is a lovely experience to just walk around bit and take in the gorgeous gardens, gift shop, and charming old buildings.  They even have a golf course if you are into that kind of thing.  Of course this stop is optional!



After your stop at Edgefeild, you can continue on the to HCRH to your first beautiful site - The Women's Forum.  The Women's Forum is a beautiful viewpoint for you to catch your first glimpse of the gorgeous Columbia Gorge.


Next, follow the winding road onward on the HCRH and head to the Overlook Vista House.  This beautiful building was built in 1917 as a comfort station for travelers of the HCRH & as a momument to Oregon Pioneers.  It offers more breathtaking views in addition to a free small volunteer-run gallery of  Oregon History. You will also find a public restroom here.


There are 4 small falls on the way to Multnomah Falls including Latourell, Sheppards Dell, Bridal Veil,  & Wahkeena.   Each of these falls are just a short hike from the highway and all of the trails are beautiful and easy to walk.  Look for signs & you will find a few small parking lots.  Most of these stops also have picnic areas and view points to take in all the natural beauty.


Finally, you reach Multnomah Falls.  You can't miss it!  There is a parking lot right in front of the falls.   It's a very easy walk right over to the falls.  You can also hike up to a bridge to get a another view of the falls and the gorge.   The falls are 620 feet high and inclue two gorgeous drops.  It's a breathtaking place to be.

There is a free visitor center where you can learn about the local eco system and ask questions of the friendly and knowledgable volunteers.  A gift shop & snack bar are also available.  Hot dogs not your thing?  Be sure to make a reservation at Multnomah Falls Lodge for a beautiful meal.

After Multnomah Falls, you can hop right on I-84 and head back to Portland.  If you are still craving adventure, continue on the HCRH to check out 3 more small waterfalls, Ainsworth State Park, and the Bonneville Dam.  This route will also take you to Hood River, an adorable little town known for the Hood River Fruit Loop - a fabulous route through many darling farms, fruit stands, and shops.

For more information, maps, and history of the HCRH, check out this fabulous website!  Enjoy your trip!