A Weekend In: Victoria, BC

Last weekend Patrick and I woke up at the break of dawn and boarded a boat to Victoria, BC for a little getaway weekend. Believe it or not it was the first time that we have gotten away together without Mylo! This was totally unintentional but to be honest I’m kicking myself for not making it happen sooner. We are both so independent that we have had lots of time away from Mylo individually but just haven’t made the effort to get away together. It was sooo fun!  It made us both look even more forward to our trip to Argentina in February. I love my child but it was very refreshing to just have Patrick and I together, like it was for the seven years before he was born.

We stayed at the historical Empress Hotel right on the waterfront in a very classy Victorian-style room. Most people hit the Butchart Gardens and have "high tea" but we really just wanted to relax and take it easy so we mostly wandered around the cute little streets, popped into shops, ate delicious food and took in the festive décor of the city. Our one planned activity was a trip to the Willow Stream Spa in our hotel—which both of us agreed were some of the best treatments we've ever had. 

One of the highlights in Victoria for us was the Victoria Public Market, which is a fabulous indoor open market with great little local restaurants, cheeses, wine, vegetables, olive oils, etc. We wandered around in there and Patrick had “the best grilled cheese of his life” at Salt Spring Island Cheese. We also had a great dinner at The Mint and divine brunch at Jam Cafe. We'll be back!

A Weekend In: Bend, OR

A couple of weeks ago Myles and I joined Patrick on a business trip down to Bend, Oregon. I hadn't been there since I was a kid on vacation with my family. We had a blast checking out a few of the local microbrew pubs, Bend is a sort of mecca for locally made beer and the home of Deschutes Brewery. Our favorite was the relatively new Crux Fermentation Project (brewery), great food and beer (I even got a Porter cheesecake!). It was great to get out of town for a few days and Mylo was very flexible with all of the driving and eating out. Definitely check out the beautiful city of Bend if you get the chance!

A Weekend In: Sayulita, Mexico

Patrick and I recently spent a wonderful four nights in the little Mexican town of Sayulita, one hour drive north of Puerto Vallarta. The location came highly recommended by Jenny and a couple of other friends and we were excited about ditching the usual "resort-in-a-box" Mexico experience to spend some time in a small surf town where locals and tourists interact more. We were not disappointed! Sayulita is a quiet surf town of 4,000 people that has a large number of expatriates who live and work alongside the local Mexican population. It has a nice beach, loads of unique and beautiful shops, and abundant delicious food.

We stayed at the Petite Hotel Hafa, which came recommended by Jenny, and were enamored with the French/Moroccan theme and the gorgeous French/Spanish family that ran the place. It was definitely a great spot to stay if you're looking to soak up the atmosphere and stay out late. For me (I got sick -- ick) it was a little loud and might have have been nice to be a bit further out of town. But overall we'd highly recommend the place, especially for $75 per night! Their rooftop deck is out of this world.

There are tons of great places to eat around town but a few of our favorites were El Itacate Taco Bar (I think Patrick went there about six times in four days), Panino's Bakery for coffee and pastries in the morning (we loved to take them down to the beach and enjoy the view), Miro Vino for a nice atmosphere right in the main square and delicious pizza, and our absolute favorite, Il Vizietto for excellent homemade pasta! You can see some photos above of Il Vizietto, every night they hand make a selection of pastas and offer about five dishes to choose from. We went back a couple of times because we loved it so much. You can even sit on their hanging swings if you're feeling adventurous!

Shopping was one of my favorite parts of Sayulita, it's definitely worth meandering the streets and popping in to the eclectic mix of boutiques in town. Two of my favorites were Revolucion del Sueno and Rosemary.

A Weekend In: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

Patrick and I had the pleasure of ticking off one of my summer bucket list items last weekend with a little visit to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. We woke up early and drove up to Anacortes where we walked onto the ferry for a beautiful hour long journey to FH. We slept at a fabulous little place called the Bird Rock Hotel, just a couple of blocks from the ferry terminal in central Friday Harbor (We stayed in the Sucia Room which I would HIGHLY recommend, great views!).

On Friday afternoon we went out on a little whale watching trip with Captain Justin. Although we didn't spot any orcas (tear) we did see Dall and Harbor Porpoise, Harbor and Stellar Seals, and lots of birds. It was a gorgeous day for boating and we had a blast out on the water. I definitely want to go back and try again to see the whales. 

We enjoyed some tasty seafood in FH, including oysters, salmon, and fish & chips at Downriggers, a hearty breakfast at the Rocky Bay Cafe, and pub fare at the Hungry Clam. I'd love to try out the Market Cafe and Backdoor Kitchen next time we are up there.

Have you been to San Juan Island? What did we miss? Would love to hear your suggestions for next time!

A Weekend In: Oregon Wine Country

Top: Dreamgiver's Inn; Bottom: toasting our anniversary, lavender plants, Patrick's happy place sitting on the lawn at Dreamgiver's Inn

Patrick and I spent our anniversary weekend in Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley, 45 minutes south of Portland. The region is known for it's excellent Pinot Noir wines and is a popular destination for wine enthusiasts. While I'm not sure we are at the "enthusiast" level quite yet, we do enjoy a glass of wine and beautiful views and were happy to soak up a few days of Oregon sunshine. 

We stayed at the picture-postcard B&B, The Dreamgiver's Inn just outside of Newberg, OR. It was a quiet little oasis with views of the local vineyards and Mt. Hood and delicious breakfasts both mornings (including Gluten-Free pancakes for yours truly). Linda was an excellent hostess and provided some great tips on what to see in the area. 

Top: Vidon boutique winery, enjoying the view from our B&B; Bottom: Recipe outdoor seating, Stoller wines. 

We visited several noteworthy wineries over the course of the weekend. We'd recommend Stoller for the killer views and tasty Pinot Noir,  Vidon for a more boutique vibe (feels like your in the family's backyard), Adelsheim for real wine-connoisseurs (this was a little hoity-toity for us),  Colene Clemens  for beautiful views and delicious Rosé of Pinot Noir wine (my favorite!), and  August Cellars to taste from a wide variety of boutique wineries and get a great education on how Pinot Noir is made. 

Top: Red Hills Market cold salami sandwich, Colene Clemens winery; Bottom: August Cellars Winery, my bearded jogging partner for the weekend

And now for the culinary highlights of the weekend: we started things off with dinner at Recipe in Newberg, a quaint little organic restaurant in an old farmhouse serving local specialties like onion-duck soup and buttery sole with fresh beets. On Saturday we grabbed lunch at Red Hills Market in Dundee where Patrick enjoyed "the best cold salami sandwich" he has ever eaten (they also have great GF options). And of course, a visit to Oregon wouldn't be complete without a stop off at one of the famous McMenamins restaurants. We chose to hit McMenamins Old Church and Pub in Wilsonville for some pub food to soak up all the vino. Don't miss their tasty Cajun tater tots, they will bring you back to elementary school (in a good way).  

Top: Colene Clemens Winery, Argyle Tasting Room; Bottom: Tire swing at Stoller Winery, view from Stoller tasting room.

Willamette Valley on Dwellable

A Weekend In: Cannon Beach, OR

Patrick and I decided to take a last minute trip down to lovely Cannon Beach, Oregon last weekend. We're so glad we went! I think it was my favorite weekend of 2012 so far. We stayed in a little "Lighthouse" room with a large deck at The Waves Hotel (highly recommend!) and enjoyed the weekend walking and jogging on the beach, eating delicious seafood (see recommendations below), browsing the tiny art galleries and boutique stores, and soaking up some Vitamin D. We also had the pleasure of seeing "Butterflies are Free" performed at the little, wooden Coaster Theatre on the main street in CB.

At the beach, having some wine on the Driftwood patio and Patrick enjoying his
Sleeping Monk coffee on out little deck at The Waves. 

Cannon Beach is a foodie's paradise, some of our particular favorites were: local Sleeping Monk Coffee at the newly opened Insomnia Coffee House, halibut and pints at The Irish Table Restaurant (see pics below...mmmm, brings me back to Dublin), white wine and fried oysters on the deck at the The Driftwood Restaurant, herbed creme cheese and smoked salmon omelets for brunch at Lazy Susan's, buttered pecan caramel ice cream at Osborn's Cremery, and of course tons of salt-water taffy!

The famous Haystack at Cannon Beach, Murphy's Stout and Magners Cider, Halibut in cream sauce. 

There are quite a variety of locally run shops and galleries in Cannon Beach to take in if you enjoy that sort of thing. My favorite shop was House of the Potter tucked back behind a quiet courtyard with a babbling fountain. I ended up getting  a few little gifts in there and was tempted to buy a lot of gorgeous pottery!

Cannon Beach on Dwellable

Tacoma: Washington's Hidden Gem

Tacoma is Seattle's gritty cousin to the south. Over the past 10 years the city has undergone a major transformation and is well worth a visit for both locals and those visiting the NW. My husband Patrick is from Tacoma and we spend quite a bit of time down there and over the years I've grown very fond of the "City of Destiny."  Check out some of my must-see highlights below:

Jog or Walk the five mile loop at Chamber's Bay Golf Course (home of the 2015 US Open!). This place has a Scotland look and it's also a great workout with lots of hills.

Have a drink at 1022 Restaurant/Bar. This fabulous tiny bar on the hilltop in Tacoma was recently written up in the NY Times. Their custom cocktails are unique and interesting. I especially love the lavender coconut concoction.

Stroll the Waterfront in Old Town and stop off for some great afternoon seafood at Katie Downs or the Spar.

Check out the beautiful Dale Chihuly designs at the Museum of Glass and catch dinner downtown at the Pacific Grill or Indochine

Grab a latte at Satellite Coffee (their motto is Coffee in Tacoma that Doesn't Suck, ha) and enjoy the gardens at Wright Park.


Tacoma friends, what am I missing?


(photos via, WA Golf Guide, Patrick, Katy Downs, Vacation Gals, Flickriver)

A Weekend In: Dublin

Dublin is one of my favorite cities in the world! Have you been? Patrick and I had so much fun living there last year and I get asked often what are the best places to hit if you only have one weekend there. Here are my (totally biased) suggestions:

View from Gravity Bar

Cultural/Sightseeing:
*Pose in front of Dublin Castle on your way to the fabulous Chester Beatty Library Museum
*Stroll through through Ireland's oldest and most beautiful university, Trinity College, and ogle at old buildings and students modeling Europe's latest fashion statements.
*Discover the bullet holes in pillars outside of post office on O’Connell Street (also, indulge in the best donuts EVER at tiny stand on the east side of the giant spire).
*Walk down historic shopping row Grafton Street to St. Stephen’s green for a jaunt through the park.
*Give in to being a tourist and take the Guinness Storehouse tour. The views from the Gravity Bar at the top are incredible, go on a clear day if possible.
*Enjoy a play or concert in one of Dublin’s many fabulous theaters - The Abbey, Gaity and Olympia are all great.

Drinking/Eating:

*The Stag’s Head is a MUST SEE traditional Irish pub from the Victorian era. It's always packed but very has a great old feel and lively vibe. If you don’t love Guiness go for my favorite Irish beer, Smithwicks (pronounced Smithicks).
*Sip cocktails and eat great seafood at Coppinger Row restaurant – they don’t take reservations but it’s worth the 30 minute wait. Try the Basil cocktail, it's set you back $18 but it's well worth it.
*Join the young professional crowd at the No Name Bar: Super fun pub/bar with fabulous heated outdoor area. Just around the corner from Coppinger Row, this one is a must see too.
*O’Donoghues Bar is super authentic and a great place to catch Irish music at it’s best.
*Sip a pint at Bono's Octagon bar in the Clarence Hotel in Temple Bar. (He and the Edge have been known to grab a pint there themselves!)
*Grab a microbrew and Irish food at Porterhouse Brewery in Temple Bar.

Shopping:

*My absolute favorite shop in Ireland is the Avoca store and café. Great Irish made clothes, wool blankets, Irish potter, etc. It has a sort of Irish Anthropologie-like feel. The café upstairs is fabulous, try the fish pie, you won't regret it.

*The Powerhouse Centre is full of lovely and eclectic shops and has a really nice ambiance. The Loft Market on the top floor features 8-10 revolving Irish fashion designers work. 
*The Kilkenny Shop is my favorite spot to buy great Irish made gifts, souvenirs, and clothes all made in Ireland.
*And finally, a trip to Dublin isn't complete without stopping off at Ireland's best bargain clothing shop, Penny’s. Crazy low prices and fun trendy clothing that will last for about one wear per Euro paid for it. 

I'd love to hear your recommendations! What am I missing?

A Weekend In: Portland

Patrick and I spent Valentine’s Weekend exploring the great city of Portland, Oregon. We both started new jobs this fall so it’s been a crazy season for us and we were looking forward to our weekend away. How appropriate to spend V-day weekend in the City of Roses! We spent three days eating delicious food, walking the waterfront, indulging in rich desserts and cocktails, and people watching on the streets of Stumptown.

Here are some of the highlights of the weekend. (Disclaimer: As you can see from the list below, we are foodies.  As much as we love to take in local culture, sight see, shop, etc, we tend to eat our way through the cities we visit, seeking out and devouring all the best local goodies.)

(photo via GlutenFree Portland)

Fabulous desserts at Papa Haydn (they have gluten-free cheesecake!)

 

Fresh and locally grown brunch at Tasty N Sons - try their bacon wrapped dates, to die for!

Lovely walks through the eclectically weird and wonderful Pearl District and lovely Portland waterfront.

(Photo via Flickr)

Sipping Stumptown Coffee and browsing the endless books at Powell’s.

One-of-a-kind cocktails and delicious local seafood at Beaker and Flask.

Things we want to do next time we visit: tour Portland's famous rose gardens, spend a night at the luxurious Nines or hip Ace Hotel, check out one of the local brewery’s (Deschutes looked like a fun place to hit up! Did you know one of Portland’s nicknames is Beervana?!), and eat a few strangely delicious Voodoo Donuts.


PS. Portlandia hit the nail on the head with this one:

Portland on Dwellable