Tag Archives: vacation

Weekend Away: San Francisco Part 1

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It’s one of our favorite cities! I suspect we could go back every year and not do the same things twice. This time we revisited a few of our favorite places plus had a few new adventures.

We treated our selves by hiring a car for the drive from the airport. You know the guys in suits and shades who hold the signs with people’s names on the card? So cool!
I should have made our driver pose for a cheesy thumbs up photo. Alas I didn’t want to ruin the “I’m pretty cool!” vibe of having a driver.

We stayed at the Sir Frances Drake Hotel near Union Square

Jef and I love the historic location and were very well taken care of.

Our favorite place at the hotel was the bar in lobby where, after an afternoon of site-seeing, we had a lovely beverage made by the charming bartender.

First thing we do upon arrival in San Francisco is high-tail it to Chinatown and our favorite lunch spot.
The Far East Cafe is.. okay, can I be honest? It’s pretty touristy, being right on Grant Ave and the food is American style Chinese. I’ll wager it’s not terribly authentic as far as Asian cuisine goes.

But guess what? I don’t care! The proprietor himself greets you with a big smile as you walk in and seats you right away.

The atmosphere is everything a Chinatown restaurant should be, combined with a nice cold Tsingtao beer and a big plate of something fried and covered in sweet and sour saucy stuff…that’s my idea of a great start in San Francisco!

After lunch, if you’re very lucky you could meet the Emperor of Grant Ave.

He likes a nice scratch behind the ear.

More SFO in a bit, stay tuned!

The Packing Project: Episode 5

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San Francisco is about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Eugene in the summer. It was weird packing jeans and sweaters and jackets, I had a few doubts along the way, but I put my faith in the forecast and did it.

So, happy I did! The mornings were chilly, afternoons sunny but not too hot, and the evenings were perfect.

The best thing I had this trip was my big fat leather tote bag. I could take off my sweater and stow it away and still have room for lots of souvenirs, plus a picnic lunch. I’ve nicknamed this bag the Tardis!

Weekend (Day) Away: Portland

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My son bought tickets to see Harry and Potters (yes this is a real band) with his friends.
We drove up early so Kell and company could have a day enjoying the city, teenager style.
Hanging out with the kids for hours was not going to happen.

So what did Jef and I do for a day? We went to all the places we tell other people to go when they ask what they should do in Portland.

Our first stop was breakfast at our favorite coffee shop, Pazzoria bakery.

Then we walked up to Pioneer Square and bought an all day pass for the Max out of the machine and headed to Chinatown.

First stop: Lan Su Chinese Garden

It had been too long since I’d visited. I was struck again by how the moment you step into the garden the busy city melts way. So lovely.

From there, we walked West a few blocks and found a bus stop near the corner of W. Burnside and 1st. We hopped on the #20 bus and it delivered us right to the front door of Powell’s City of Books!

For those who don’t know, it’s a square block building and four floors worth of new and used books! My advice, step in and check out the big sign in the lobby. It’s a busy place, but take the time to get acclimated. Don’t forget to check out the rare books section! I always bring a list and a BIG tote bag!

Not far away is the Pearl District, where there is always something good to eat. We gave Henry’s 12th Street Tavern a try. Really nice flat bread pizza and a cold beer, hit the spot!

Thusly fortified, we walked around the corner and waited near the corner of N.W. 11th Ave & N.W. Couch, (pronounced “Cooch” btw) for the street car which whisked us to within a few blocks of the Portland Art Museum.

It always has the perfect mix of Devine:

…And ridiculous:


I am very sad to say that I still didn’t see everything! They had to shoo us out for closing time. Next time I’ve sworn to start at the top and work my way down!

Oh well, it was nearly time to pick up the concert goers anyway.

Our little day away reminded us why Portland continues to charm and remains one of our favorite cities!

Beach Blanket Treats: Part 3

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Photo courtesy of HairColorCorner

If you’re like me you’d rather not have to fuss with your hair while at the beach. That being said, I’d also like it if I had a modicum of style. Is it too much to ask?
Here are a few links that make beach hair easy!

First, a tutorial from Oh So Pretty: The Diaries on how to achieve perfect beach waves in mere moments!

Also, over on Twitch Vintage you can make your own poolside turban ala Joan Collins. I’m definitely going to try this!

Then of course…

When in doubt, put a hat on…

Beach Blanket Treats: Part 2

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Photo courtesy of Oh Happy Day!

Can you tell me why the lighting in dressing rooms is so bad? Especially when trying on a bathing suit! Anyone?
Also? I need a tan.
Fortunately I have a plan that will spare the populace of Maui from witnessing my translucent complexion.
First exfoliate very, very well. I like to use bath gloves and a moisturizing body wash. Make sure to spend extra time on elbows, knees and heels.
Then apply lotion and let it sink in for a few minutes. The self tanner will go on evenly and, if there are any dry patches you’ve missed, it will prevent you from looking splotchy.
Now the self tanning lotion. I use Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel It is a little on the pricy side but for me it’s worth it, as your tan will last about a week, the color is subtle and natural looking, and the scent is light. You won’t smell like a chili cheese corn chip.
Don’t forget to wash your hands immediately after applying.


I’ve been trying out sunscreens in an attempt to find something that doesn’t make my very fussy skin break out. The winner is Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid

All this about tans and swim suits is making me very excited for our vacation!

Beach Blanket Treats: Part 1

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Photo courtesy of The Enchanted Home

It’s been years since I read a “beach read” on an actual beach! I’m suitably excited, so I set off on a search of this Summers offerings and this is what I’ve found.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead

And then, I thought I’d re-read an old favorite by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
Agnes & The Hitman

Now all I need is a drink with a paper umbrella….

Weekend Away: Disneyland

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We are big Disneyland fans. Huge! We’ve been taking the kids since they were very little. This trip differed because they are no longer little.

How to have a fun family vacation that includes a big dose of “cheesy” without all the eye rolling? We who have teens, run into this often.

Fortunately my kids were raised on “cheesy” so it was easy to get them on board. Plus, ditch school for 2 days? Sure, no problem Mom!

We stay at The Grand Californian Hotel. Can I just say, it’s worth the extra money to stay right in the park. Plus, the pool, restaurants and amenities are awesome.

(No this isn’t a sponsored post. But hey Mickey, call me!)


Photo courtesy of Grand Californian.

This time around, instead of bunk beds, we got king/double-double adjoining rooms. That way everyone can have their space when inevitably, we all get a little sick of each other.

We purchased our 5 day Park Hopper passes online. It’s a big time saver, I can’t recommend the practice more! Disneyland is famous for its looong lines, ticket lines being the longest.

As we were staying in the hotel, we started our days at The Storytellers Cafe. Like all the restaurants in the resort hotels it’s a “character breakfast”. I was curious as to whether or not the boys would be into interacting with the characters this time around. It was really fun when they goofed around and posed for pictures between bites of Mickey shaped waffles, just like the younger kids.

I’m sure you’ve heard that a “Disney strategy” must be employed in order to escape a “meltdown” by your youngster. Things were a little different this time. We’ve reached that “Mom and Dad, who…?” stage, in which Jef and I get ditched. I did tell them that I’d like it if we could all go on at least one ride a day together.

My kids are pretty good at humoring me.

We met back up for lunch at old favorites like Taste Pilots Grill and there were a few new places in Frontier Land, Downtown Disney, and California Adventure Park that are now on the list of favorites.

Our dining splurge was for dinner the second night, when we ate at Napa Rose. We avoided the nice restaurants on past trips but, as the boys don’t smear everything within a three-foot perimeter of the table anymore, we thought we’d check it out. I’m glad we did, it was a very nice meal.

We had a great time on our cheesy Disney trip! It’s probably the last time we’ll go to Disneyland, just the four of us, so it was particularly meaningful.

If you have any questions about our trip leave them in the comments!