How could I forget

our quest to try a good veggie restaurant in Portland?! Trying to be prepared, I went to VegPortland.com and printed a list of veg-friendly restaurants, nicely organized by region, and off we went, planning to pick a restaurant depending on where we were when lunchtime rolled around. We first decided to try the Blue Moose Cafe since it sounded like it had a wide enough variety to please me as well as the omnivores I was dining with. We got there only to discover it was closed up and apparently being remodeled into a different restaurant. Dang. So then, we picked a pizza place, Dove Vivi, and discovered they didn't open until 4p - it was Sunday... and only 1-2p. Running out of nearby options, we decided to check out LaurelThirst Public House since it said they served breakfast 9-3 daily. It had to be open! It was! One of the three of us voiced reservations about going in - it's next to a tattoo shop. She referred to it as a "biker bar." heh Okay, it was super dark inside and the staff was a bit, well, odd... and not so good at math... but the food was great! I got the vegan breakfast burrito. It came with these yummy potatoes and was easily enough for two meals. That and a drink for under $10! I left happy... even if it was so dark in there I could barely read the menu... =)

OR and SoCal Revisited

Yeah, I finally uploaded the rest of my pics from January so there are several new pics from Oregon and a few from SoCal on my flickr pages (the links will take you there). =) Here are few highlights...

My last weekend in Portland, we not only hit the falls that I posted previously, but we also went off in search of Pittock Mansion which we'd heard provided a gorgeous view of downtown PDX and Mt Hood. We were not disappointed...

even if there was a pesky cloud hovering over Mt Hood. haha Being winter, the grounds were not at their best, but I can't wait to see this place in the Spring/Summer! It promises to be absolutely beautiful.

Even in winter though, I love the PNW. I love how everything is covered in a blanket of cushy, vibrant moss and ivy, making everything seem so soft and inviting.

I really can't wait until I can call this are "home" permanently. It's just a matter of time...

With the pouring rain nearly every day the first week I was there, I didn't do a lot of shooting in SoCal. It figures I'd get there just in time for the ONE rainy week of the whole year! heh Though, when it wasn't pouring down rain with solid grey skies, the passing storms did make for dramatic skies.

It was a week before I knew these snow-capped mountains were even there!

What a nice surprise! It really is a pretty area, but definitely not somewhere I could live.

At times, I take for granted the places I get to go, the things I get to see with my current job. I feel my time on the road is coming to an end. I'm not sure I'm truly ready to put down firm roots anywhere quite yet (will I ever grow up?), but having a bit more control over where I am is sounding better and better lately. Having a life/friends I see on a regular basis. It all sounds so good. And I feel a pull toward school again. It's time to move forward...

Finally joined the 21st century

Friday, I finally got a phone that does more than just make calls... oh, so much more! I didn't order any of the cases available so I pulled out some cotton and a crochet hook and went to work...

Not too bad. I used a simple single crochet stitch and added a foldover, overlapping flap so I wouldn't need a button. Does the job.

The phone itself is awesome. I went with the Moto Droid and I'm already hooked on one of the games I downloaded. haha And my nook is supposed to be delivered on Tuesday...

Double Blooms with a Single Leaf

I'm liking this whole crochet thing. It's fun learning new skills and I'm having a blast looking for new patterns to try. I found a great pattern for a flower bath puff and added a knitted leaf (Ravelry link), knit in the round so there's no wrong side. The yarn is Lily Sugar'n Cream cotton in Violet Stripes - nice long color changes. Here's my first attempt at following a crochet pattern:

And the finished product:

Quick, fun and easy. Now... on to the next project! =)

Crochet 101 - Results

Finished my first crochet item! Here's the result of 5 skeins of Lion Suede - 3 in eggplant and 2 in vineyard.

I worked the majority in double crochet, changing colors as each skein ran out and finished with a row of single crochet on the edges. Finished size is 50" x 17", total cost = well under $10. heh This was a nice, easy first crochet project - great for practicing but simple enough for my brain to check out after a long day of work. =) I'd originally thought I'd use this yarn for a blanket, but this was all I had. I do have more of some other colors that will go nicely together so a cozy blanket may yet be in my future...

A slightly damp weekend...

We decided to hit a few of the local falls this past weekend. Of course, we started with Multnomah Falls! Gorgeous, as always!

Then we headed down the road to Latourell and Wahkeena Falls.

After the Fall tour, we headed for the Vista House to check out the view (and nearly be blown off the ridge!). Beautiful view!

Is there anywhere in Oregon that isn't beautiful? I'm sad to be leaving tomorrow. Can't wait until I can once again call this part of the country "home."

As always, more pics posted here.

Crochet 101

I want to learn to crochet this year, so I'm teaching myself via books and YouTube videos. =) I have 5 skeins of Lion Suede I'd bought with a blanket in mind. This is the result of one skein.heh So... looking more like a wrap is in order here. haha I'm working this in double crochet and started with a chain about 5' long. Worked up fairly quickly on the first leg of my flight back to Oregon Sunday. Unfortunately, the purple ran out just 4 stitches shy of the end and I didn't have another skein of purple in my carryon so I had to put it away and read the rest of the way. Not sure this yarn was a good choice to learn on though. It's fuzzy nature makes it difficult to see the stitches. Of course, it also makes it nearly impossible to see mistakes either... =)