Currently Cultivating: favorite places

Showing posts with label favorite places. Show all posts

I'd like to say that every time I put fingers to keyboard it's because I have something eloquent and profound to say. Oh to be bursting with wisdom! In all honesty, unless I'm feeling particularly angsty about work or parenthood, I mostly just want to write about the odds and ends of things. You know, that Instagram photo I lurved or the shop I visited or that article I read or the cactus I allegedly flew home in my suitcase because I may have succulent OCD and don't care who knows it. (The tips. are. pink. You wouldn't have listened to reason, either.)

Individually they hardly warrant an entire blog entry. However, these sorts of snippets, combined, make for a wonderful post (says me). Also, I quite like to write stream-of-conscious style. Reading it, however, is a whole different story, I'm sure. Still, here goes.

// Lately I have been feeling the need to really change things up. Today I'm headed to the stylist to do something drastic to this dishwater blonde color that likes to grow out of my head. The lady I've been seeing for a bit is an amazing colorist, but I have noticed during past appointments that she tends to push me toward vanilla when I'm really yearning for rocky road. I'm giving her another shot, because let's face it: finding a good stylist is no easy feat. I'm digging this and this color, though I'm leaning towards darker.

// I've been drinking WAY too much coffee lately. To the point that I'm not even enjoying it. Oh, and I'm sure I exude confidence when I'm getting ready to poke a patient with a sharp needle with shaky (but still capable) hands. The obvious answer is to abandon my morning (and mid-morning and afternoon) brew. But then I thought, don't give up! I've since decided it's an issue of quality versus quantity and so I'm (mostly) ditching the Keurig in favor of a french press and one cup seems to do the work of three, minus much of the jitters. I'm thinking of taking it one step further and investing in a Chemex and some high quality beans like any good Portlandler would have done a year ago.

// The other day I purged my IG feed by subtracting some of the old (nothing personal!) and adding some new. This morning I gave some thought to my blogroll and decided to unsubscribe to the feeds I never seem to click through to in order to read a post in its entirety. Blogger's unsubscribe page has changed since my last purge several years ago, and in my impatience I kept clicking on the delete button before realizing it had actually been deleting the next one and the next one and the next one. I suppose if I don't notice the absence, I probably wasn't reading it anymore. Perhaps an accidental purge is the most effective approach, as it is sans hemming, hawing and guilt-ridden second-guessing. I also carefully eliminated a couple of blogs I like reading, but leave me feeling less-than in one way or another.

// I discovered the wonder that is fire cider last year and take 1 tbsp/day during the chillier months or when I'm fighting a cold. I'm particularly smitten with a local brand I buy at the farmer's market, but I can't always get there and I buy often this time of year. So what is an aspiring hippie to do? Make her own. I followed the ingredient list on the back of the bottle (plus a couple of my own additions) and used this recipe for guidance regarding measurements. On December 2nd I'll have a spicy vinegar concoction of my very own. That's a long time to wait to see if I'm any good at being granola.

// Raising a teenager is hard and requires more patience than I think I have. I try to focus on his more redeeming qualities like his yoyo skills and ability to build a Tardis out of Legos in five minutes flat.

// Pink. Tips. (plus two little nubs that fell off another cactus plant during shipping. By shipping I mean getting thrown around in my checked luggage.)

// Many weeks ago I bought this tiny handmade top at Woonwinkle, a darling Portland shop, and it is hands down one of the most used things in our house. It found its home on our kitchen island, and we spin that thing while we talk, eat snacks, watch the other cook, etc. Sometimes it's the little things. Also, yay for old fashioned toys.

// This raspberry hard cider is delicious. Cider is pretty much the only alcohol I drink, and only occasionally, but I wanted to try something new and locally made when I was in San Diego last month. Unfortunately, the restaurant we were at only offered it in 22 ounce bottles. I went for it, then got tipsy at 11a and drunk dialed my husband from the bathroom. I also couldn't find the bathroom sink, though to be fair it was a communal sink perched outside the two bathrooms. To be fair I ordered a kale caesar salad which totally cancelled out the alcohol health-wise.

// The story of getting toasty at lunch brings me to my next favorite thing, Pigment. It's in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego (across the street from the restaurant where I got lost in the bathroom) and I want to live there. It is the home of pink-tipped cacti and an insane terrarium bar and is hashtag the coolest store ever. And because my impulse control was compromised, I spent three digits on all the beautiful things. I have since ordered another plant from their online store but please don't tell my husband. I don't have cider to blame this time and I think he's starting to have nightmares about being swallowed alive by all of our foliage.

// Truth: On my days off, I sometimes take Kiddo to school in my slippers. Which is fine for the Starbucks drive-through but less so when I walk into Fred Meyer to get a leek for dinner and forget I'm not wearing actual shoes. Could I have actually found my perfect slipper?! Also, have you ever given your feet a bath before bed because you can't possibly sleep with cold feet and when you warm them on your husband he likens it to spooning with a corpse? I'm not alone in my winter foot woes, right? Right.

// I've been drowning my work sorrows in copious amounts of sour gummy worms but I've also been experiencing blood sugar rushes which are the opposite of soothing and encourage anxious feelings. The natural progression would be to turn to booze (I kid), but instead I decided to do a sugar detox. My goal was a week but I'm a whole eight days in and I'm feeling pretty darn good. I think I'm cured. Now for a Gardetto's rye chip detox...

// I completed my very first embroidery project! Yahoo! And thank goodness I had fun because I have about nine more to make in various patterns before Christmas presents go out. Also, since I'm so stellar at the back stitch, I believe I am totally ready to take on a cat quilt:

I'm nothing if not realistic.

This, That and the Other

Monday, November 23, 2015

I have trouble imagining when and where Mario and I are going settle down. Permanently, I mean. As in, established in our forever jobs (having figured out what those are, exactly), leaving our perfect-for-us home every morning, walking to work with thermos of coffee in hand, permanent. Considering we've lived in nearly every region of the US, and been to all 50 states between the two of us, I should have a better imagination for these things. But, alas.

As a result of this conundrum (of sorts), I often ask myself the following questions: Will I know when I find THE place? Have I already found it in Portland? (All signs point to yes; or somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.) This restless soul yearns to wander, always, and I'm rarely sure where we'll be in five years, let alone in twenty. Fortunately, Husband is open to living almost anywhere and shares my love of exploration. We are made for each other in that regard.

Because I so seldom feel at home, in the sense that I have yet to feel 100% settled anywhere, when I find myself contemplating spending my post-collegiate, post-motherhood career years in a particular town, I tend to take note. I am forever on the hunt for that elusive place that meets all my needs (whatever they are). A place where I can imagine practicing my craft long term (whatever that is). A place that has the potential to look and feel like home.

My first maple latte in almost a year. (Insert heart-eyes emoji.)

Burlington, Vermont is one of those places I can picture myself living in long-term. Mario is also smitten with Burlington, which means it keeps its status as The (Potentially) Perfect Place. To be honest, it's a lot like Portland culture-wise, minus about half a million people. The only caveat is New England winters. I've had my fill for a bit, but I (almost) never say never.

I flew in and out of Burlington for my girls weekend, and spent the night there before flying out last Monday. My flight was later in the afternoon, so I spent the morning wandering around Church Street, soaking in the sunshine and mellow vibes. It's easy to feel at peace in Vermont, that's for sure.

Sunday night I had my first Airbnb experience in the form of a tiny house near downtown Burlington. It was a tad out of my comfort zone, the idea of staying in a stranger's backyard while letting myself in and out of the main house to use the bathroom, but I felt a strong call to stay there. The typical hotel experience didn't interest me at all. Perhaps I'm growing wiser and more daring with age.

It was the best experience! The people where super chill and friendly, and I adored the 80 square foot room. It was big enough to comfortably house a queen size bed, night stand, small desk, and a chair. It also served to fuel my obsession with tiny houses. I walked to and from a pho restaurant for dinner, and stayed up late reading The Scarlett Letter with the windows open, to the sound of birds chirping and squirrels pattering across the roof. I even applied my makeup the next morning using my iPhone camera as a mirror. (A previously untapped talent.)

Accidental selfie.

After hours sitting in the terminal and even more time spent cooped up on the runway, my Monday flight was cancelled due to mechanical issues. My first thought was Maybe the tiny house is available for another night! The airline sprung for a room at the Holiday Inn (sad face emoji), but there are worse things than another night in Burlington.

I finally made it home Tuesday afternoon, and spent two days zombified thanks to my lack of ability to adapt to time zone changes. Anyone else have this problem? I mean, really, a three hour time difference threw me completely out of whack. One day last week I fell asleep on the couch while meal planning and woke up covered in cookbooks and grocery lists two hours later feeling like I'd been abducted by aliens. I'm a mess.

And now, it's back to life as usual.

Burlington, Vermont + A Tiny House

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

I'm going to be clichéd and proclaim life to be busy lately. The kind of busy where you're not sure why exactly you're busy but days meld into weeks and next thing you know it is April and yet you are positive you were passing out Christmas gifts and Valentines just last week. Though let it be said that spring is very, very welcome.

Track is in full swing, so Kiddo's got practice six days per week + a meet in addition to the arduous process of making sure his perpetually late homework is turned in in time to get some sort of credit. (Oy! Boys!) Weekends are, well, a brief respite from the hubub but also involve a lot of paper towels. I'm sure you know what I mean: last weekend we used a whole roll because the cat had a case of the pukes and Kiddo managed to miss the giant bowl of pancake batter and cracked an egg right onto the kitchen floor.

This is a season much like the ones that came before, and the many to come. It's not bad or good, it's just life. I'm sure there will be times I look back and think That was nothing! and times when I will think I'm glad it's over. I am also certain there will be times when I desperately miss these experiences. (Well, maybe not the cat puke.) Those are the days I'll be glad I kept this journal; glad that my memories are tucked safely away on a server somewhere, ready to be revisited. A reminder of the seasons, because, man, do they fly by.

Last month, feeling overwhelmed and flustered by motherhood and workforce reentry, I sought the calming influence of the ocean. My love for the ocean is deep and abiding; it's impossible for me to fret to the soundtrack of crashing waves and sand between my toes. Upon my return the same worries awaited me, but I also had an improved perspective. There is nothing like the ocean to make you realize how small your problems are in this vast world.

Seeking out time for myself is a relatively new endeavor; Mario has always been supportive when it comes to me taking a break, but guilt and second-guessing and the tendency to micromanage (What if everything falls apart in my absence?!) always got in the way. I still feel a little guilty leaving him to manage everything, but it no longer stops me from doing it every so often. And let's be honest: a less frazzled version of myself benefits everyone.

This Easter was lovely in a low-key kind of way. We opened our baskets as a family, then headed over to our friends' house for an early dinner. As part of my plan to simplify, I let myself off the hook when it came to dyeing eggs. Kiddo is currently off boiled eggs, and Husband doesn't eat them at all, and I didn't want the pressure of consuming them all by myself. So I said no. Instead, we made Rice Krispies Treat + Fruity Pebbles eggs and Kiddo decorated them with sprinkles and colored sugar. There were also Coconut Lime cupcakes which are always a crowd-pleaser. (Complete with vintage German bird embellishments. And more sprinkles! My domestic prowess was on full display.)

Spring calls for a new doormat and colorful canvas shoes. // April showers bring May flowers. What do May flowers bring? (Pilgrims!) // Lemon everything. (Lemon Trifle candle + my new favorite snack: plain Greek yogurt with a spoonful of lemon custard swirled in.)

A new laptop skin + an exploration of Portland's awesome coffee house scene. (I had my last laptop for 7+ years, so replacing both was a big commitment. I'm incredibly loyal.) // Still coffee free. (She says, as she sips a latte. My first and only in weeks!) // A man that makes pasta from scratch, even after discovering we donated our pasta maker before the move, is a man worth keeping around. // An amazing, oh-so helpful vintage book on plant husbandry + photobombing at its finest.

Kiddo did not get his athleticism from me, so I'm in constant awe of his muscular stature and long legs. (The ropy veins that run through his arms are something to behold, for sure.) // When he was little he used to fill entire notebooks with his drawings and doodles. Recently he's picked it back up and is so. darn. good. (Another thing he didn't inherit from me.) Constant awe, I tell you.

This week Kiddo is on spring break, so we headed to Bend, Oregon for a couple days. The architecture! Swoonworthy. (That yellow Arts and Crafts! Gah! It must be mine!)

While in Bend we had our first stay at a McMenamins property. It's hard to explain the awesomeness that is a McMenamins, but this converted schoolhouse was a rather awesome adventure. (The funky art, the history, the architecture, the nooks and crannies and hidden bars... fascinating!)

In other news, I had a job interview yesterday! For a position I received a rejection email about two weeks ago! It's exactly what I'm looking for, but also daunting, so of course I'm terrified but so happy to have been asked to interview for it. (I can do this? I can do this!) There are several more applicants left to be considered, and it's a bit of a long shot, but gosh if it wasn't a morale boost. A real Hey! Maybe it IS possible to get back in the game!. Plus, my interviewer is a physician assistant and wanted to help a sister out, so maybe? If you could cross your fingers and toes and think positive thoughts for me, I'll bake you all cookies. (Lemon, of course.)