Oregon Adventure

I'm still coming off the high from our fantastic trip to Oregon last week. Having only visited the Pacific Northwest for the first time in the fall (to Seattle/Tacoma), I'm so glad we had the chance to head out there again to do a bit more exploring!

Here are some of my favorite photos from throughout our journey.

Here's a pretty gorge we passed on the drive from Portland to Sunriver. I also love how the suspended bridge looks like it's sitting right beneath the mountains.

Although the subject matter isn't funny, K and I had a good laugh over this sign's image.

We stayed in a house with K's entire immediate family, so there were 11 of us total, including her five-week-old niece. Here's an early morning shot of our backyard. It's one of my faves from this trip.

We also had a nice little view of Mt. Bachelor in the distance and were only a few minutes away from the Deschutes River. One day, K's sister and brother-in-law went into town and got cheap inflatable tubes and we spent the better part of the afternoon floating down the river. It was heavenly. We also got to raft and canoe on other parts of the river during the week!

This is the photo from the top of Lava Butte, which is a cinder cone and part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. This is the crater at the top, and you can see where the lava descended into the forest below. We had several mini panic attacks here, trying to make sure K's three-year-old nephew didn't fall into the crater while running around!

Here's a pretty shot from our day trip to Sisters, a small town northwest of Bend. As someone who was obsessed with Oregon Trail growing up and is still interested in pioneer history, it was really cool to see details like this throughout our trip. Some of my highlights were driving and rafting past parts of the original Oregon Trail, since you can still see some of the tracks from the wagon wheels.

Me, in my traveling clothes, in front of the Three Sisters mountains. From left to right are South Sister, Middle Sister, and North Sister, also referred to as Charity, Hope, and Faith. Although they don't look like a whole lot here, they're the third through fifth tallest peaks in Oregon.

On our way back to the airport in Portland, we swung through Salem to visit Willamette University, K's alma mater. Don't you wish your campus had a pretty river running through it?

Our final stop before catching our flights was the Portland Rose Garden, which I'll be dedicating a separate post to sometime soon. For now, a shot of some of the prettiest flowers I saw there.

So, there's the recap of our trip in nine photos. I'm already wishing we had more time there to explore Portland, Eugene, and the coast. I definitely have plans for us to return eventually! What about you- have you ever been to Oregon? What are some of your Pacific Northwest must-sees?

Road Tripping

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Even though I recently returned from an amazing trip to Oregon (more on that tomorrow), I'm already concocting my next vacation. Right now I think that an extended road trip with K sounds perfect, perhaps with Montana and Wyoming as the ultimate destinations.

Until then, I'll ogle all of these great WPA posters, particularly the ones advertising national parks.

Breakfast Inspiration

Recently I'd been in a bit of a breakfast rut, which often consisted of me grabbing a container of Greek yogurt or some toast with peanut butter before running out the door to catch the bus.

After stumbling upon this lovely blog, aptly titled Simply Breakfast, I've begun to see the errors of my ways. Jennifer Causey makes and beautifully photographs her breakfast nearly every day and has given me so many inspiring ideas. Perhaps even inspired enough to get up a bit earlier and put a bit more effort into the day's most important meal.

Also, I absolutely love her random assortment of dishes and mugs featured in the various photographs.

Here are some of my current faves...

Everything bagel with Laughing Cow garlic herb cheese, sliced avocado, and red pepper flakes.

Greek yogurt with sliced peaches.

Scrambled egg whites with spinach and tomatoes.

What about y'all? Does cooking up something similar sound like a regular possibility? I'm definitely going to put more effort into my morning meals, but we'll see what happens!

A Walk on the High Line

A few weeks ago, while on a quick trip up to Connecticut and New York, I got to spend a bit of time wandering along the High Line, a new public park in NYC.

 

Stretching 1.45 miles and elevated along the West Side, the High Line was filled with stunning juxtapositions between nature and the city landscape.

Built on what was once a freight train line, the park now follows the same meandering path between buildings and over streets. One of my favorite parts was a sunken ampitheater with a plexiglass window directly over a street, allowing visitors to sit and watch the traffic zoom past.

Have I mentioned that I loved all of the flowers and plants? Because seriously, they're just beautiful.

One of the best parts, though? The gorgeous views of the East River and even a glimpse of Lady Liberty herself (you can't quite see her in the photo above, but I swear she's there!).

 

With beautiful views, lush flora and fauna, and plenty of places to sit and relax, what's not to love?

Pretty Mugs Get an A+

Lately, I've had tea cups and mugs on the brain. Perhaps it's because of the sweltering heat I've come home to in NC (after a blissful vacation in Oregon- photos to come!), but I can't wait to be sipping warm cups of tea in cooler autumn weather. Although I've loved my continuous glasses of iced tea, I'm ready to have a nice warm cup of tea in my hands.

I'm also loving the idea of having a cabinet shelf filled with mismatched tea cups and mugs. The ones below are all so cheerful that I think they'd add a nice little jolt of happiness to each day.

 

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Thought of the Week

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"Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself." -Og Mandino

A+ Picks: Summer Tops

As the summer heat has continued on, I've found myself wanting a few new tops to add some new spice to my wardrobe. Since it can be well into the 100's for days at a time here in NC, having things that are comfortable, breathable, and not too tight are crucial.

Here are some of my current favorites...

I spied this top last night at Old Navy and love the sheer, lightweight fabric and the metallic detailing. I also love that it's work appropriate but can transition easily to a more casual outfit. They also have a 3/4-sleeve version that I adore and decided to go with instead, but for some reason they don't have it up on the website quite yet.

I'm also head-over-heels for this shirt by Merona. I wore it to work and then out for cocktails the other day with a plum-colored skirt and got lots of compliments. It also has really soft fabric, which I love.

Lastly, a slight variation on my go-to white t-shirt. While it's a bit late to wear it to any 4th of July celebrations, they also have it in several other color combinations. I think it would be perfect for a more casual office setting, or to look a bit more pulled-together on the weekends. Have I mentioned that I'm also a sucker for a good rolled sleeve? That plus the stripes and I'm basically in t-shirt heaven.