Knowing what to expect and being prepared will make all the difference when you attend the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival. It all started out like an adventure waiting to happen. My BFF Jenny and I packed up the car for some much needed girltime at the beach, where we planned to spend the weekend tasting some of the best wines around and eating piles of delicious seafood. Well, we definitely made a memory - no question about that - but we also got a clear-cut reminder that, … [Read more...]
Camassia Nature Preserve: Wildflowers & Family-friendly Hiking
The Camassia Nature Preserve is a 26-acre natural area known for its beautiful wildflowers, abundant wildlife, and easy, family-friendly trails. [West Linn, Oregon] This post may contain affiliate links, but don't worry - they won't bite. For a few brief weeks every spring, wildflower fields along the Columbia River burst forth in a rhapsody of blue. It is Camas Season. Though it closely resembles a lily, the Camas plant ("Camassia quamash") is actually a member of the asparagus … [Read more...]
One Day in Ashland, Oregon
Ashland, Oregon: where culture runs deep, local cuisine is celebrated, creative inspiration is bountiful, and thespians are the coolest kids in town. Ashland, Oregon is more than just a touristy little town with a world-class repertory theater and a pretty park. It is a place where culture and memories run deep, creative inspiration is bountiful, local cuisine is celebrated, and Shakespeare reigns. I still remember the first play I ever attended in Ashland, many years ago in the Angus … [Read more...]
Beautiful Music: NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit
Every spring, you can find some of the most beautiful and unique instruments being made in the Pacific Northwest at the NW Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit. Music and music-making is a huge part of life in our home, and Mr B and I both have a great appreciation for fine instruments and the people who create them. Last week, we took the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful instruments currently being made in our little corner of the world - at the 43rd annual NW Handmade Musical … [Read more...]
Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa: Your Perfect Oregon Coast Getaway
Head Out. Stay In. Whatever you choose, you'll discover your perfect Oregon coastal getaway at Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa in Pacific City. When I was a little girl, I lived on the Oregon coast for five glorious summers. One of my most enduring memories from that time is of standing on the edge of the world, looking out into the great vastness of the Pacific Ocean and wondering if somewhere out there, there was a little girl on the other side of the water looking out and wondering … [Read more...]
Orenco Woods Nature Park {Hillsboro, Oregon}
Visitors to Orenco Woods Nature Park can choose from wide variety of activities, including hiking, bicycling, geocaching, picnicking, and enjoying the native wildlife. (Oh, and hangin' out with giant Twig People. Don't about forget them.) Last weekend was absolutely Bea-u-tiful here in the Pacific Northwest, so Mr B and I decided to go and explore Orenco Woods Nature Park, a new westside neighborhood park that has been getting a lot of local press attention lately. Here's just one reason … [Read more...]
Take a Romantic Winter Getaway to Hood River, Oregon
Nestled into the Columbia River Gorge against a stunning scenic backdrop, Hood River, Oregon offers visitors a perfect romantic getaway. This post may contain affiliate links, but don't worry - they won't bite. Every year for Valentine's Day, Mr B and I take a little romantic getaway. It doesn't matter if the holiday falls in the middle of the week or on a weekend - we always take at least one day off and head for a quiet destination, usually close to home. This year, as we are wont to do, … [Read more...]
Pennington Farms Blackberry Buckle
Pennington Farms Blackberry Buckle - the recipe for which they have generously shared with us -is just one of the many delicious treats you can find at Pennington Gardens in Oregon's Applegate Valley. If you ever find yourself traveling through southern Oregon's beautiful Applegate Valley between Medford and Grants Pass, Pennington Farms is one stop you must plan to make. I fell in love with the place the first time I visited. My visit to Pennington Farms was included as part of a … [Read more...]
One Fine Day in Jacksonville {Oregon}
Blending small town ambience with sophisticated taste, this 1850's gold-rush town is booming with music, wine, and history. This post may contain affiliate links, but don't worry - they won't bite. Last fall, I had the opportunity to visit Jacksonville twice within a few weeks: the first time as part of a press tour hosted by Travel Oregon, and the second with Mr B - who I dragged south a few weeks later because I couldn't get enough of it on my first … [Read more...]
Rogue Creamery {+ 24 Delicious Blue Cheese Recipes}
Rogue Creamery began producing blue cheese in 1954, and today, they continue to draw both inspiration and resources from Southern Oregon’s Rogue River Valley, offering award-winning varieties of outstanding handcrafted blue cheese, cheddar cheese, and TouVelle. This post may contain affiliate links, but don't worry - they won't bite. For many years, I erroneously thought that blue cheese, Roquetfort, Gorgonzola and the like were distinctly different cheeses. And they are... but they … [Read more...]
