Oregon Road Trip Highlights
I spent the first week of August exploring the state of Oregon, a place I had never been to before even though it’s my neighbor to the north. On my road trip, I stopped in Ashland, Portland, Hood River, and then drove the entire Oregon coast home all the way back to California. It was a lot of driving but I wanted to visit my northern neighbor by car to see the mountains, rivers, and explore the towns. I had to make my way through several northern counties in California before crossing the border. The golden plains turned to hills and then mountains covered in forests as I made my way toward the Pacific Northwest. It was almost dusk as I crossed the border into Oregon where I stopped on the side of the highway to photograph the “Welcome to Oregon” sign as semis whizzed past me at high speeds almost blowing me over. At sunset I arrived in Ashland, Oregon and I had just enough time to make a last seating for dinner downtown. I dined under globe lights in an outdoor cafe and while I ate I struck up a conversation with a local theater manager. She offered me a quick walking tour of the town after dinner, pointing out various sights I should see during daylight. Friendly locals always have the best tips and remind me of the kindness of strangers. The next morning I set out on foot to explore the town in daylight and snapped a few photos with my phone. Ashland is known for its theater productions but I will remember it for its small town charm. Highlights: the interior of the historical Ashland Springs Hotel which will transport you to another time, and the very cute shops and restaurants next to Lithia Park. After soaking up the parks, cafes, and shops I headed north to Portland. I didn’t get to spend anytime in Bend, which I’ve heard is really wonderful and in hindsight I wished I’d budgeted an extra day to see it. Arriving in Portland my immediate impression was the opposite of Ashland. It was big, crowded, and confusing to navigate. I checked into the Hoxton hotel and headed to the rooftop bar to relax with tacos and sunset views.
I loved the interior of this hotel, its decorated with a cozy mid century vibe (see more pictures here) and it was a cozy place to relax and have morning coffee.
I explored Portland on foot for two days. They take pride in their local motto “Keep Portland Weird” and I had mixed feelings about Portland downtown, but I found some spots that were cool like Pioneer Square and the Pearl District. In Portland I discovered (and I had been warned) that the city struggles with a serious homeless population. The downtown areas are covered in tents and there were a lot of transients walking around. It’s tragic and those of us who know San Francisco are acutely aware we have the same problem. I don’t know the solution but I do know it impacts the vibe of a city. The highlights of Portland for me were popular Powells Books, the Saturday Portland market, and my outdoor lunch at Luc Lac kitchen. My most favorite stop was my hike through Washington Park to the zen Japanese garden, it was so beautiful and worth the long walk to that side of town and uphill hike through the park.
I left Portland and headed east to Hood River, a town I’d been wanting to see since reading about it. The drive east is beautiful, winding through the Pacific Northwest along the Columbia River, it’s hard to keep your eyes on the road with such natural beauty all around! Hood River looked like a place where they’d film a Netflix series. You know they type: a few charming downtown streets filled with shops, cafes, and breweries, surrounded by craftsman style homes, where life moves slowly and it feels like everyone meets for coffee every morning and knows everyone in town. I rented a private room at the best Airbnb that was decorated with such cute and quirky furnishings and decor. I had two amazing experiences in Hood River, the first was whitewater rafting with ZooRaft. So much fun! As a solo passenger I was partnered with a really cute family and spent a few hours riding rapids and drifting down river with them. It was one of the most pleasant travel experiences I’ve ever had, being on the water riding through a canyon surrounded by beautiful forests. Hood River is a place where there are a lot of outdoor adventures: windsurfing, kayaking, and hiking, no wonder it’s such a happy place to be! Another highlight was the Gorge White House, a stop recommended to my by my cousin. This farm had orchards and flowers and delicious hard cider, I highly recommend this place if you’re ever in Hood River! I left Hood River and followed the Columbia River to the coast. What a beautiful drive! I took two days to drive the Oregon coast home, it was a long but another extremely scenic drive. I started in Astoria where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean and turned south down Highway 101. Astoria has a really cool maritime museum and a really cute downtown where I stopped for an early dinner at a great brewpub. I stayed for a few hours then headed down a gently winding highway to stop in Seaside for dinner and to sleep for the night. I could tell why Seaside was a vacation destination. It had a very cute downtown and beautiful beaches! I stayed at the chic Saltline Hotel for the night and was lucky to catch a beautiful sunset. I stopped in Cannon Beach for a quick walk along the beach and to check out the famous rock. It was crowded with tourists and I could see why, Cannon Beach felt like it was straight out of a movie with its shops, manicured gardens, and seaside homes with stunning ocean views. I stopped briefly in Depoe Bay to check out the views and grab some coffee. Wow what amazing vistas! My final stop was Newport where I had dinner by the waterfront where all the locals enjoy amazing seafood. My favorite coastal towns along Highway 101 were Seaside, Cannon Beach, Depoe Bay, and Newport! Thank you Oregon, my neighbor to the north, for showing off your scenery! My trip to Oregon had highs and lows. Travel isn’t always rainbows, but knowing that I still do it for the new experiences and vistas. Travel always teaches me something and I come back with stories to tell, like the motel where I was scammed! I made the mistake of not checking reviews and ended up at a total dump that used fake pictures to advertise and had no room available when I arrived. Thankfully I got my money back but that wasn’t a pleasant experience.
This road trip was a solo adventure. I’m lucky that Matt is the kind of person to say to me “go, explore, have fun!” while he handles the family obligations. When I travel solo I have a lot of freedom and solitude and I gain clarity being alone with my thoughts. I also have an opportunity to meet locals and strike up conversations with strangers I might not talk to if I was traveling with others. Exploring new places makes me feel alive, and I always return from a solo trip as a relaxed, inspired, more evolved version of myself. Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/10/oregon-road-trip-highlights.html October 08, 2021 at 07:54PM
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DIY: Faux Marble Candle Holders
I have this thing with the wood aisle at Lowe’s. They have a great selection of short poplar pieces in various sizes and they always inspire ideas, like these table leg candlesticks from last year and these basket planters a few months ago. I spied a chunky 3×3” piece and thought, hmmm, if I wrapped that in marble contact paper I bet it I could make them look like a high end marble candle holders but on the cheap. I liked this style but wanted a trio in different heights. These candle holders have a high end look but were really cheap to make. I wrapped wood cut at different lengths with black marble contact paper and topped them off with spray painted copper caps to create them. (Compare to versions like this and this that are way more expensive.) To recreate these here’s what you need: one 3x3x48” poplar square; black marble contact paper; 3/4” copper caps; gold spray paint, black spray paint (optional); spray adhesive; super glue; sanding wedge; scissors; miter saw. I found the 3x3x48” poplar square but you could also use 2” square or 3” round circle pieces too!
The copper caps I found in the plumbing department, the 3/4” size fits standard taper candles. There are various kinds of copper pipe connectors and caps in the 3/4” size, I chose the simple cap for my project. Trim the blocks to desired height, these are 5”, 6 1/2” and 8” height. Sand the edges to remove any roughness. I spray painted them black thinking the contact paper would stick better to painted surface instead of raw wood. Here they are without the contact paper wrap and these look good too! Of course you could paint them any color and add the copper cap top in its raw state or painted a contrasting color. A larger group of these wood candle holders would make a great Halloween candelabra! The faux marble surface is created by wrapping the blocks like a present. The one thing about contact paper is it has an adhesive back but to make it stick better, unwrap the block and give it a light coat of spray adhesive for greater adhesion then rewrap. Wrap the long sides first then trim the edges and fold them over the top and bottom. I spray painted the copper caps with gold leaf spray paint and super glued them to the top. Voila! An easy project for adding faux marble decor to your space! You could use the same contact paper to create bookends, cover trays or desktops, planters and canisters too! Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/10/diy-faux-marble-candle-holders.html October 05, 2021 at 11:54AM
Weekend Reading 10.3.21
Hello October! It’s been so beautiful the past few weeks, I’m soaking up the autumn flavors and sights all around me. We’ve been lucky to not have any wildfires locally so the air is clear and crisp. So far we’re catching a break this season. Today I’m finishing up the wallpaper in a bathroom renovation then I’m attending an Oktoberfest celebration at a local beergarden with some lovely friends. Prost! Favorite links from the week: What a perfect shade of blue in this sunny cocktail room. A garden shed becomes a teen hangout. Fab DIY: mirrored wall using IKEA stick on mirrors. This interior planter built into hardwood flooring. :) This unexpected use for wine corks. Very cute for your fall table: mini plaster pumpkins & tealight holders. How to carve your pet’s face on a pumpkin for Halloween. Remodeling expenses by region: actual cost versus resale value. Always impressed when celebrities recycle their gowns. Twelve places in the world where it is never cold. What if we all measured success by these standards? A beautiful reflection on the month of October. Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/ via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/10/weekend-reading-10321.html October 03, 2021 at 01:54PM
Sculptural Mirrors in Organic Shapes
On that model home tour I shared earlier this week, I spied an amazing live edge wood mirror on the wall in the dining room of one of the staged homes. (I was also happy to see my favorite small round dining table also used in this client’s dining nook.)
Rounded edge rectangle and circle mirrors with pencil thin or wood trim edges have been popular in the past few years but I love that we’re seeing more organic flowing edge mirrors. These live edge and asymmetrical mirrors mimic more of the shapes you’d see in nature. They make great focal points and as always, mirrors are that perfect solution for bouncing light around a room. live edge 36” / custom live edge wood live edge / 48” live edge
wavy wood / hickory swirl mirror organic oval / midcentury wood black wavy edge (also gold) / edgebark black irregular edge (also brass) / brass set of 3 asymmetrical set – irregular shape gunmetal / champagne organic shape Do you love these more organic shapes too? Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/09/sculptural-mirrors-in-organic-shapes.html September 30, 2021 at 03:54PM
7 Smart Storage Pieces That We Rely On Every Day
Anyone who lives in a small-ish space knows that thoughtful storage can upgrade so many aspects of your life at home when it’s done right (and it can be a daily frustration when it’s not done well or at all). No matter how big your rooms are or how many you have, you just want to be able to access things easily & keep them in a smart spot – and downsizing from our 3150 square foot house to this 1400 square foot home last year definitely challenged us to be even more mindful about how we incorporate the most useful storage systems into our home. Suddenly we were living in 6 rooms (down from 14!) and we also no longer have a garage, an attic, a big outdoor shed/workshop, or even a closet in most of the bedrooms (of our 3 bedrooms, only 1 had a closet when we bought this house!). Continue reading 7 Smart Storage Pieces That We Rely On Every Day at Young House Love. Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/09/7-smart-storage-pieces-that-we-rely-on.html September 29, 2021 at 05:54PM
Model Home Tour: Design Takeaways
Over the weekend I toured some nearby model homes in a new housing development. I love peeking into model homes to look for creative design ideas. These designers/stagers had some great takeaways which I was going to share on Instagram but instead decided they were worthy of a blog post. I shot these with a cell phone so the quality is not as good as if I had brought my dSLR camera, but they capture the the spaces and details adequately enough. I’ll share more closeups and video in today’s Instagram stories. Think bigger: display large scale art instead of a gallery wall of smaller frames.
Turn macramé curtains into a bed canopy.
Say yes to subtle patterned wall to wall carpet.
Classic hue + modern shapes = this opaque blue glass tile mosaic.
Blend different shapes of porcelain tile flooring.
Consider rectangular open cabinets instead of floating shelves for storage.For drama, stack rectangular natural stone tiles in a shower.
Group smaller tables to create one larger interesting coffee table arrangement.
Tuck an ottoman under nesting tables for texture and/or extra seating.
Hang wall cubbies asymmetrically in kids rooms.
Stained wood slats over dark paint make a dramatic backdrop to bookcases.
Better in threes: group small pendants in corners or above nightstands.
Hang white brick wallpaper on one wall for subtle texture.
Install textured tile in creative stripes inside small showers.
Display opportunity: Shelves in front of windows.
Small spaces are perfect spots for focal point wall treatments.
Group same size mirrors together in an abstract wall display.
Which one is your favorite design element? Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/09/model-home-tour-design-takeaways.html September 28, 2021 at 11:54AM
Weekend Reading 9.26.21
I had a lovely birthday weekend! My best girlfriends picked me up on Friday and took me wine tasting then out to dinner, and the rest of the weekend I’ve been relaxing and taking it slow. Practicing the art of slow living leads to such good things. Food tastes better, plants and flowers are more lovely, time with friends and family is savored. It feels rebellious to slow down in our fast paced world and appreciate things as they are in the moment, but should it? If slowing down makes life more meaningful then I’m starting to believe the ones caught up in a fast pace or the ones wanting more more more might be doing it wrong. :) Feel like renting a cottage in the English countryside? Take your pick. An oh so lovely, light and bright courtyard transformation. This pool house is a well done inside to out transition. Inspiration for decorating your porches and patios for autumn. Spray paint for the (big) win! Tips on how to plan and pack for a pandemic trip to Europe. Why some older couples have great relationships. How to remember what you read. Being brave enough to live life creatively. 40 beautiful moments to remember to savor. Today I toured some model homes near me and I’ll share the design takeaways in tomorrow’s Instagram stories. :) Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/ via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/09/weekend-reading-92621.html September 26, 2021 at 05:54PM
Spicy Sesame Avocado Salsa
Avocado mixed with sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, cilantro, and hot sauce. This simple to make yet delicious spicy sesame avocado salsa goes well with chips, crackers, and bread for an afternoon snack. Hi! This is Andrea from Cooking with a Wallflower, and this month I’m back with a brand new recipe perfect for an after school or a game day snack. To be honest, I’m not the biggest sports fan. But my dad and my boyfriend both are. Which means that Sundays are generally spent watching football games in the fall. For me though? It’s less about the game and more about the food and snacks. And one of the things I’m obsessed with is chips and dips. There’s something about savory and crunchy snacks that just does it for me. Classic chips with guacamole or salsa or ranch dip are some of my favorites. But I thought I would change it up a little bit with an Asian twist. This spicy sesame avocado salsa is so delicious, perfect for pairing with your favorite tortilla chips, pita chips, crackers, or even toast. It takes just a few minutes to make so you can easily serve it for a late afternoon snack or make a bigger batch to serve the family for Sunday game days. I love that there is a hint of sesame and lime and spiciness. It gives this dip so much flavor and so much depth. But at the same time, it’s so simple to make with ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge and pantry. In a medium sized bowl, mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, lime juice, and hot sauce. Add chopped avocado and chopped cilantro into the sauce and mix until combined. Top the spicy sesame avocado salsa with more hot sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Serve the spicy sesame avocado salsa with chips, crackers, or toasted bread. Enjoy! Andrea
Spicy Sesame Avocado Salsa
Roughly chopped avocado mixed with sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, cilantro, and hot sauce. This simple to make yet delicious spicy sesame avocado salsa goes well with chips, crackers, and bread for an afternoon snack.
Author: Andrea Giang
Recipe type: Side
Serves: 2-3 serving
Ingredients
Instructions
3.5.3251
The post Spicy Sesame Avocado Salsa appeared first on Ask Anna. Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/09/spicy-sesame-avocado-salsa.html September 24, 2021 at 07:54AM
Bathroom Design: Fixed Shower Panels
Yesterday I shared on my Instagram stories some progress shots on our little two bedroom flip house and created the final to-do checklist before we can list it for sale. For both bathroom remodels, I chose single pane glass shower panels. It’s a contemporary look, but one I prefer in small to mid size bathrooms with walk in showers. These tempered glass panels are available in a few different styles: framed, frameless, screen, and etched. Installation requires U brackets secured to the wall and shower floor with added silicone on both sides of the glass to stabilize the pane. For my shower remodels I bought two of these frameless panels in satin brass, they were a lot less expensive than a local bid I got for shower doors. I’m so pleased with how light they feel compared to the alternative of framed sliding or a hinged shower door. (And less glass to clean!) The same panels are also available here with multiple bracket finishes available. This “barely there” frameless style works for any walk in shower where there is additional space for entry and exit beyond the panel. Below are a few examples where other designers have installed a similar fixed shower panel. Also find budget friendly sources for a similar style if you’re planning a shower remodel in the future. :) Budget Friendly Shower Glass Panels:
frameless panel (U bracket in chrome, bronze, black & brass) arched top (multiple finishes) Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/09/bathroom-design-fixed-shower-panels.html September 21, 2021 at 01:54PM
9 Kitchen Updates That Help Us Make The Most Of Our Small Kitchen
“We just couldn’t figure out why you weren’t tearing out the kitchen.” That’s what one of our contractor’s guys said to us right as we moved in last year. I understood his confusion. We were redoing floors, moving doors, vaulting ceilings, etc – but we left the small old kitchen relatively untouched – complete with mauve laminate countertops. You can see what I mean in this post. But to know us is to know that we strongly prefer to live with an expensive-to-renovate room like a kitchen first, just so we don’t rush into spending major money on big permanent changes that we might later regret or wish that we thought through a little longer. So we spent the last 16 months debating various big ideas for this room, all while peppering in some simple smaller updates to get a feel for how they help improve the space and what we might want for our more long-term plan. Via Architecture http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://kerialcraft.blogspot.com/2021/09/9-kitchen-updates-that-help-us-make.html September 20, 2021 at 11:54AM |