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I headed to the de Young Museum last weekend to catch their latest Modernism exhibition. I also happened to do a fair amount of unintentional people watching while I was there, too—I couldn't resist surreptitiously capturing fellow museum patrons as they mulled over different pieces. Slightly creepy, I know, but as it turns out, I'm not alone in this practice.
Visit: de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, Calif.
It only took a couple of hours after landing in Portland (not to mention, a quick coffee run at Heart) before we hopped in a car and headed to Multnomah Falls. And we weren't alone in our plans. I shouldn't have been so surprised—just a half-hour's drive from Portland, the towering 611-feet falls isn't a sight to be missed. And despite the crowds, we managed to find a few pockets of quiet scenes as we made our way higher and higher up the trail.
Coffee is taken seriously at Heart. From roasting to brewing to their menu offerings, Heart’s approach is precise, meticulous, and obsessive—and it more than pays off. Combined with a beautiful space—think whitewashed exposed brick, wood paneling, and plenty of natural sunlight—it's exactly the kind of space that you'd want to incorporate in your daily coffee routine.
Visit: Heart Coffee Roasters, 537 SW 12th Ave (West Side) or 2211 E Burnside St. (East Side)
Sharing a few snapshots from the Seattle Central Library—plus the many reasons why I love libraries—on Read Instead.
Sauvie Island is a short drive west from downtown Portland. It's quiet and serene here—the perfect little escape from the city. My sister and I visited Sauvie Island on our drive up to Seattle, making a stop at the lavender farm. For just $6 a bundle, you can spend an entire afternoon wandering through the lush fields, snipping stalks of fresh, fragrant lavender from their bushes. Just be sure to watch for bees (luckily the ones we encountered were friendly), and bring a hat to block away the hot sun.
Visit: Sauvie Island Lavender Farm, 20230 Sauvie Island Road, Portland, Ore.
It was late April when I last visited Portland. The weather was damp and gloomy, with one afternoon full of hard showers and hail. The grounds at the International Test Rose Gardens were equally morose—wet and gray, with no blooms to speak of.
Now it's July, and it's hot and the roses are in full bloom. The shots here turned out a bit moody, but really, everything was bright and beautiful and fragrant. Perfect timing.
Visit: International Test Rose Gardens, 400 SW Kingston Ave, Portland, Ore.
Oddfellows Cafe and Bar is the kind of place where you can sit and settle down for hours on end. It's bustling and lively—the perfect setting for drinks and food with friends—but it's just airy and relaxing enough that you can also sit with a book or laptop and a mug of hot coffee in peace. It's no wonder why it's considered a neighborhood watering hole.
Visit: Oddfellows Cafe and Bar, 1525 10th Avenue, Seattle, Wa.
