Valentine's Day Archives | The Good Hearted Woman

The Lake House Bed & Breakfast {Otis, Oregon}

Our annual Valentine’s weekend getaway took us to the Oregon coast this year, and The Lake House Bed & Breakfast.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they don’t bite.

Over the last few years, one of the rituals that Mr. B and I have established is to take an annual Valentine’s weekend getaway. Mr B takes charge of making all the arrangements for our annual escape, so all I have to do is pack my bag and hop in the car.

Valentine bliss with my sweetheart, with all the planning done for me – what more could a girl ask for?

This year, Mr B found us a lovely little retreat just a few hours from Portland: The Lake House Bed & Breakfast, located on Devil’s Lake, two miles from the Pacific coast and downtown Lincoln City.

The sign hanging over the breakfast room door at The Lake House speaks volumes. Visiting The Lake House is a lot like visiting your grandparents house – your cool grandparents who make you awesome breakfasts, talk a mean game of baseball, and then leave you alone to do pretty much whatever you want.

We stayed in The Lakeside Room, a lovely suite on the second level of the main house with a private outside entrance and a beautiful view of the lake. The room was homey and pleasant, and our king-size bed was extremely comfortable. The soft mauve and ecru decor, while somewhat dated, was nevertheless pleasant and attractive.

The room has a small sitting area, and a café table by the large picture window where you can enjoy a beautiful lake view with your morning coffee.

The Lakeside Room also comes with a private hot tub on the deck that overlooks the lake, and thick, comfy robes are provided to keep you cozy and warm when you are getting to and from the hot tub. Sitting out in the coastal air surrounded by warm bubbles as you watch the day fade over the lake makes for a wonderfully relaxing way to unwind.

Our hosts, Red and Mary, made us feel comfortable and welcome, and gave us the privacy we desired as well.

Each morning when we came downstairs, we were greeted by Red and Mary and a lovely (color coordinated!) breakfast. The menus were well thought out and the food was delicious. After serving up the food, our hosts joined us at the table each day for a lively conversation, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them.

One thing that really stands out to me is our hosts’ efforts to make our experience as pleasant as possible. On the night we arrived, Red and Mary were just getting ready to eat their dinner. The path up to our room took us by the kitchen, and noticing a plate of smoked salmon on the counter, I made a passing remark about how much I loved it, but didn’t think anything more about it. Imagine my delight when we arrived at breakfast the next morning to find that Mary had prepared a delicious salmon quiche for us! (Mary was even kind enough to let me have the recipe, and I’ll be sharing it with you next week.)

The lake is just a few steps away down the hill from the house, and if you are in the mood to go out on the water, Red and Mary have a rowboat that you can use.

If you are planning a trip to the Lincoln City area and are looking for a peaceful spot to stay, we highly recommend checking out The Lake House. (Be sure and tell Red and Mary that we sent you!)

CONTACT INFO
The Lake House Bed & Breakfast
2165 NE East Devil’s Lake Road
Otis, Oregon 97367
541.996.8938

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The Best of {Artisinful!} Chocolate & Beer Fest

February 2 By Renée ♥ 19 Comments

A recap of Artisinful! Chocolate & Beer Fest – including our choice for Best {Chocolate & Beer} Couple.

Last weekend, Mr. B and I had the pleasure of attending Artisinful! a festival celebrating local artisan crafted chocolates and beers, presented by Culmination Brewing in Portland. I’ll be taking on the chocolate side of things, and Mr. B will be telling you a little about the beers a few paragraphs down.

Before we get too far along, however, we should probably makes an distinction between a Chocolate Maker and a Chocolatier. If you plan on attending an event that involves both, it’s good to know the difference, because some of these artisans are a little finicky about how you refer to them. (Honestly, I don’t blame them a bit: both are proud of what they do, and deserve to be recognized for it.)

So what is the difference between a Chocolate Maker and a Chocolatier?

Glad you asked!

A Chocolate Maker is someone who roasts cacao beans, grinds them, and mixes them with sugar to make chocolate. Portland chocolate makers are fond of referring to themselves as “bean-to-bar” chocolate makers, and saying things like, “Our chocolate is made from fair trade, single farm-sourced beans from >a South American country near the equator<.”

Artisinful! Chocolate & Beer Fest included tastings from three Portland chocolate makers: Cleo, Wood Block, and our personal favorite – the silky, smooth stylings of master chocolate maker Brian Flick of Pitch Dark.

Interesting side-note about the local politics of chocolate making: As we were making the rounds, we stopped to listen to one of the chocolate makers talk about his product. In an effort to impress the gathered crowd, he made the emphatic claim that theirs was the only single-origin (single farm, collective, or varietal) chocolate made in Portland. Having had some previous education on Portland bean-to-bar chocolate, I waited until the crowd dispersed and then asked him if he knew that the Pitch Dark chocolate bars a few tables away were also made from single origin cacao beans. [Read my post on Pitch Dark.] Initially attempting to dispute my claim, he was soon stumbling over his words like Daffy Duck in a tongue-twister contest. (In all fairness, I’m not sure if this was an actual “chocolate maker,” or simply an employee sent to man the table. In any event, I guess the lesson here is that it’s probably good to get your facts straight when you’re presenting to a room full of informed Portland foodies.)

Anyway, back to the second half of the Chocolate Maker/ Chocolatier question: What’s a Chocolatier?

A Chocolatier is someone who takes the chocolate that a Chocolate Maker makes and creates those sweet chocolate confections – dipped and creamy, nutty and smooth – that make us close our eyes and breathe deep. Chocolatiers say things like, “Here, try this one next – it’s brand new,” and, “Try this one now – it’s fabulous!” and, “This one is my personal favorite – you have to try it!”

Just for you, Mr B and I sucked it up and forced ourselves to sample something from each and every Chocolatier at the event. After making at least two rounds of the Chocolate Hall (just to be sure) we narrowed our favorites to two: Missionary and Batch PDX.

Let’s start with Missionary Chocolates and their handcrafted gluten-free, vegan truffles. Missionary was our first stop in the Chocolate Hall, and it took all we had to walk away and make our way to the next table.

Missionary’s chocolates are smooth, sweet, and relatively solid on the tooth. Our favorite flavor as a stand-alone confection was their Blood Orange & Cardamom truffle: the combination of bold citrus and smoky cardamom was sublime. Other flavors that stood out to us were the Meyer Lemon Explosion (aptly named, I might add), and their exquisite Spicy Cinnamon Chipotle truffle.

Missionary Chocolates have an interesting history. They began in 2008 when Melissa Berry, a naturopathic physician, began making chocolates to give to her gluten-intolerant vegan mother. Made with organic coconut cream, fair-trade chocolate and local, seasonal, organic ingredients, they are lactose and gluten free, with no added sugars or preservatives. (Yes Portland, there is a chocolate faerie for each an every one of us!) Within months, Melissa had her own company, and her dairy-free truffles were taking first place at the Northwest Chocolate Festival.

Our other local favorite was Batch PDX. Watching Batch PDX founder Jeremy Karp work is an absolute pleasure, and knowing that he literally has a hand in making those beautiful chocolates adds some elusive ingredient to the mix. Jeremy has the perfect personality for a chocolatier, and he clearly loves what he does.

Jeremy is passionate about his chocolates, mixing new combinations in his mind long before chocolate ever meets heat, like a song-writer composing before his fingers ever strike a chord. My personal Batch favorite is the Spicy Passion with its classic combination of sweet and heat. Mr B was in heaven sampling Batch’s newest offering – a salted caramel truffle topped with a thin slice of candy-cap mushroom that delivered a sweet, smooth, earthy finish.

Honestly, comparing Batch and Missionary, we’d be hard-pressed to choose between the two. I would say that Batch’s chocolates are smoother and a bit softer in the middle than Missionary’s, and if size matters to you, it might be noted that Batch chocolates are definitely single serving size (about 3/4 to 1-inch across), while Missionary chocolates tend big enough to share with a friend… or two. Both have interesting, unique, well-balanced flavors with notes that change on the palate like wine as they flow across your tongue.

Beer Notes from Mr B

The Chocolate & Beer Festival featured eleven beers, one cider, and one mead. Each was chosen because it paired well with chocolate.

I tasted seven of the thirteen pours at the event, including:

Blackberry Habenero Sour {Culmination}, a lovely, spicy concoction that wasn’t quite as flavorful or aromatic as I anticipated.
Choco Mountain {Culmination}, a milk chocolate stout with a heavy cacao flavor; the result of being aged on cacao nibs.
Chocolate Chile Chupacabra {Old Town Brewing}, a tasty beer that would pair well with a savory dish.
Coco Pono Toasted Coconut Cream Ale {Pono Brewing/ Culmination Collaboration}, which will likely be a winner with the IPA-loving crowd, as it turned out to be far more hoppy than I expected from a cream ale.

I could go on and on about each beer we sampled, but instead I’m just going to get right to it. Not that I didn’t appreciate the rest of the beers, but when we are talking about Beer-with-Chocolate, one stood so far above the crowd that nothing else compared – and it wasn’t just because the brewmaster was six-foot something and wearing a kilt.

Dragon’s Gate Brewery, from Milton-Freewater, blew me away with their Belgium Chocolate Stout. This full-bodied brew has a rich, dark head and a flavor reminiscent of espresso laced with chocolate liqueur. It’s quite filling, so it’s not something you’re going to sit around and sip in the backyard on a hot summer day, but if you want a deep, dark, delicious mug of stout on a cold winter night, this is your beer.

Which leads me to our choice for Best Pairing at the Festival:

Missionary ♥ Spicy Cinnamon-Chipotle Truffle
Dragon’s Gate ♥ Le Morte d’Arthur Belgium Chocolate Stout

These two were made for each other. The spicy, smooth bite of the Cinnamon-Chipotle Truffle becomes a strong, sensual companion when paired with the heavy chocolate stout, each complementing and enhancing the other without overpowering, making for a perfect dessert combination.

Where can you find the aforementioned delectable treats?

Dragon’s Gate Brewery is just getting off the ground, and since they are based in eastern Oreogn, their beers are not yet available in the Portland area. Your next chance to try them in Portland will be at the 2016 Nano Beer Fest at John’s Marketplace in SW Portland, April 9-10.
Missionary Chocolates can be found online, at their retail store in Portland, and at specialty stores and food coops around the Portland area.

Disclosure: We received complimentary media passes to this event.

Hood River BnB {Hood River, Oregon}

February 23 By Renée ♥ 9 Comments

An Inspiring Destination.

A year ago, Mr. B. and I hatched a dream – in our second life, we are going to open a Bed & Breakfast. And though it is likely more than a decade away, even now we often stay up late on weekends imagining and planning – acoustic instruments hanging on the walls of a well-lit great room, musical meet-ups and house concerts in the evenings, savory-sweet smells wafting through the house in the morning. Oh, we know it will be plenty of hard work too, and we are prepared for that, but we are so excited about the people we will meet and the possibilities we will discover – the whole of it is a perfect fit for us.

It all started last Valentine’s Day when we stayed for the first time at the Hood River BnB.

The Hood River BnB is not one of your fancy, European-style Bed & Breakfast establishments: it has an easy-going Northwest vibe and is completely devoid of pretense. Beautifully appointed without being fussy, you will feel welcome and at home from the moment you walk through the front door.

The front room feels warm, open and inviting.

There are no TVs in the rooms, but if you must watch, the television in this cozy anteroom will meet your media needs.

The Hood River BnB has four guest rooms in all. Mr. B and I like to stay in the biggest – The Sky Room. Airy and full of light, the Sky Room has a reading nook and a great view of the river. It boasts a large private bath with a Jacuzzi tub/shower, a huge walk-in closet, and an incredibly comfortable queen bed.

The view from the Sky Room.

Mr. B and I love the privacy of the Sky Room too. We always take our music with us, and the little reading alcove gives us the perfect place to kick back and sing to our hearts content without bothering anyone.

This little library, located on the 2nd floor, is open to all BnB guests. As far as I’m concerned, you just can’t go wrong with a place that keeps a vintage Underwood on the selves.

Other rooms include the Mountain and the River Room – both with great views of Mt. Adams and the Columbia River – and the Sun Room, which has a large connected sun and reading room.

Breakfast is offered in three waves. Sign up for the early bird session and you might not see the innkeepers, but they will make sure you have something delicious to start your day.

The Hood Breakfast offers those rising after 7:30 a family-style breakfast that might include such taste-tempters as Jim’s whole-wheat crepes (our favorite!!), omelets with your choice of fillings, French-toast, or a Hood scramble. Secret-recipe granola and locally grown fruit are always on hand as well.

Mr. B and I love this part of our stay: it is the one time we get to meet the rest of the guests and share a little friendly conversation.

There is even a breakfast for the “Sleepy-Hoods.” (You know who you are.) You never have to worry about the “end-of-breakfast” because no matter how late you sleep in, there will be something waiting for you.

We spotted this little guy out the window during breakfast. (I think he is a Western Scrub Jay.)

You can catch a view of Mount Adams from the breakfast room.

The BnB is within easy walking distance of downtown Hood River, and there is something nearby for everyone. Dozens of hiking trail-heads, wind-surfing, wine-tasting, river walks, antiques, and the best brick-oven pizza we have ever had are just minutes away.

But it wasn’t the ambiance, or the great food, or the fantastic location, or even the VW Microbus poster in the breakfast room that inspired our dream – it was our hosts, innkeepers Jane and Jim.

When you arrive at the Hood River BnB, Jane and Jim welcome you like family. Intelligent, personable, and easy-going, they like to chat for a few minutes as they introduce you to the house, all the while getting a feel for what you want out of your stay. They are naturally adept at striking just the right chord between friendly interaction and respect for your privacy.

Jane runs the day-to-day business of the BnB, while Jim splits his time between the BnB and his aerial agricultural imaging work. With California roots (we try not to hold that against them), Jane and Jim opened the Hood River Bnb in 2002, and have now hosted guests from the Pacific Northwest and across the globe, including South America, Australia, Japan, Canada, Africa, New Zealand, India, and all over Europe. Some stay only one night, while others stay a month or more, and many (like us) return year after year.

Jane and Jim keep this cool map on their front room wall: guests can push a pin to mark either their current home or their place of origin.

It was those connections that truly inspired us. Mr. B and I both love meeting people, hearing their stories, and sharing their music. That is a full life, and that is our dream. And it all came from a visit with Jane and Jim of the Hood River BnB. I encourage you to check them out – who knows what they may inspire for you!