Highlights From Our Cross-Country Road Trip

Wow. What a whirlwind month it's been!

After taking 11 days to drive cross-country home to Boston, we quickly returned to our respective offices...and life has been non-stop ever since. As I write this, I am actually on a plane to Orlando for my company's customer conference. Talk about getting right back to reality!

Our trip home was nothing short of incredible, though. It was a lot of driving, but our trusty Subaru Outback stayed in great shape the whole way - we didn't even encounter so much as a flat tire. Here was our full itinerary:

Oregon ---> Redwood Forest ---> Reno, NV ---> Park City, UT ---> Denver, CO ---> Kansas City, MO ---> St. Louis, MO ---> Louisville, KY ---> Asheville, NC ---> Richmond, VA ---> Boston, MA

Along the way, we saw a ton of old and new friends, ate a lot of great food, sampled a ton of great beer, and saw #allthesights. It would take me days to recap our entire trip, so instead, here are some of the highlights from our 11-day journey across the country (in no particular order).

1.) The Redwood Forest

We hit the Redwoods on the tail-end of the typhoon that was hitting the Pacific Northwest, so a lot of the parks were closed. However, we stopped at one of the park ranger offices and got some fantastic recommendations for open parks - and frolicked through the massive trees in the rain. It was really a remarkable experience, and definitely a big highlight for both of us!

2.) Louisville, KY

We stopped in Louisville on a whim - it was a great way to cut our original ride from St. Louis to Asheville shorter - and I am so glad we did. Louisville really surprised us: the downtown was gorgeous and quaint, with Louisville Slugger baseball bats scattered throughout, recognizing famous baseball players who used them. (Z loved that part!). Against the Grain Brewery was also a fun stop for dinner and fresh beers, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options to boot.

3.) Vegetarian Reuben from Laughing Seed Cafe in Asheville, NC

Z actually ordered this, and I had major food envy. I mean...how good does this look? It was phenomenal, and definitely a food highlight from our travels.

4.) The roadside scenery

From the Salt Flats in Utah (first photo) to the snowy mountains in Wyoming to the gorgeous views of the Pacific in California (second photo), we saw some gorgeous, ever-changing sights along the way. 

5.) The beer...obviously.

Just like our last cross-country trip, we made a ton of stops at some breweries and beer bars we were eager to check out. Some of my favorites included: Wicked Weed (they have two locations in Asheville, but we both liked the Funkatorium the best); The Answer in Richmond - great hoppy beers and stouts; Side Project in St. Louis; and Sergio's World Beers in Louisville - very unassuming place with a brash yet super friendly owner behind the bar; who will be happy to show you his extensive beer collection, if you're nice to him. This place had some great beers on tap and for sale via the bottle; really impressive options here!

Our trip back to Boston was definitely exciting and too so much fun, but I am so excited to be home - and I promise, I'll get back in the kitchen again soon, too!

Your turn! What's new with you??

The Next Chapter

On October 2, 2015, Z and I arrived in Portland, Oregon. A week before, we had left our home and families to drive cross-country to this city we had already fallen in love with.

When we came out here, we committed to a year, knowing we'd eventually want to return to our house, our loved ones, and our cubicles. (We both work remotely for Boston-based companies).

And here we are: even though we extended our time here a teeny bit, it's almost time for us to pack up the car again and make the trek home. I'm very excited for our cross-country trip - we're taking a different route this time, and double the days to see everything we can - and I am so excited to be home with our families. But I never could have guessed how hard it would be to leave our home here in Oregon.

Tumalo Falls in Bend.

Yes, the scenery, the food, the beer - it's all amazing here. Hell, even the coffee is incredible! All of these things make leaving hard, but the people - the lifelong friends we've made - make it the hardest.

And as I drench my keyboard in bittersweet tears, I am comforted to know we'll be back here. Many, many times. Portland, Oregon has officially become our second home - even if we're not rich enough [yet] to make that officially true. It's our second home in our souls, as cheesy as that sounds. We made some lasting memories and friendships in our year+ here; we have our favorite restaurants, bars, and bartenders; and our favorite day trips, such as to the Coast and hiking through the Gorge.

Multnomah Falls.

If there's one thing I learned from this crazy thing we did - you know, dropping our lives to do something totally different for a year - is that, if you can do something like this: DO IT. We almost didn't. But we were able to make it work, no matter how crazy it sounded in our minds initially. And if you really want to do something like this, you just have to do it. Life's too short not to. I would have totally regretted not doing this, but the worst part would have been not knowing just how life-changing, in the best way possible, this move actually was going to be.

Portland: Thanks for everything. We're sure going to miss you.

Crater Lake

Behold the beauty that is Crater Lake:

Last month, several friends from Boston visited us in Oregon so we could explore Crater Lake. We drove from Portland to Bend, then Crater Lake, then up to the Coast for a few days of road trippin', camping, and hiking.

Crater Lake, as you can see, is a sight to behold, and a must-visit if and when you're in Oregon. (It's a little over four hours from Portland). Mazama Village Campground was perfect for our "glamping" adventure - once you reserve a spot ahead of time, you can drive to find a vacant campsite, park your car right there, and unload accordingly. (The only odd thing is that, even though we reserved a spot, we still had to drive around to find a vacant one versus having our own spot pre-claimed).

Many hikes are within a short driving distance from Mazama, boasting gorgeous views at all angles of the mighty lake.

It was a fantastic trip - one I wish we had time to do again before we leave! (More on that soon...).

Have you taken any fun trips lately?

Summer [So Far]

This is my first summer living anywhere but New England...and as much as I love New England summers, I am relishing in everything the Pacific Northwest has to offer this time of year. The humidity is basically nonexistent; the cool, delightful breezes are abundant; I'm pretty sure mosquitoes don't exist here??; and all that rain we dealt with in the winter? It basically disappears June through October. I've been chasing the sun all summer long so far, and I will continue to do so until those rain clouds rear their ugly (yet necessary) heads again in October.

Here's just a taste of how we've been enjoying our first (and final...more on that later) Oregon summer!

A hike in and around Oneonta Gorge was borderline perfection. The Gorge area is a short drive from Portland (about 45 minutes, give or take), so our sleeping in didn't affect our hiking goals. After the hike, we pulled off at Dalton Point for much-needed beers and sandwiches by the water. 

The Oregon Coast is my happy place, but Bay Ocean Spit might just be the happiest. This hidden gem takes about 10 minutes to walk to once you're parked, but the quiet beach and incredible views are worth every single step.

We've been beyond fortunate to have so many great friends from the East Coast come visit us. Most recently, our friends Steve and Kristen - fellow beer nerds - were in town, and we had a fun afternoon on the patio at Cascade Brewing. 

This past Saturday, we joined friends for yet another hike in the Gorge - this time, Angel's Rest. Although this hike was a bit steeper, it's also a lot shorter than the previously mentioned adventure (it's a little over two miles to the summit).

And what's a Sunday Funday without enjoying beers on your friends' roof deck? Beers, friends, a great view of the Willamette River - it doesn't get much better than that.

I <3 summer.

Adventures + Eats in Bend, Oregon

Last weekend, Z and I spent a fun-filled few days in Bend, Oregon - a little over three hours south of Portland. Planning a trip there yourself sometime soon? Here are some great places to eat, plus a fun adventure to help you burn off all those food calories.

Adventure:

Hiking through Tumalo Falls. Easy 3-ish-mile hike (each way) with gorgeous scenery and a breathtaking waterfall.

Food:

Pizza: From 10 Barrel Brewing. (More on all the beers/breweries/bottle shops to visit later). We needed pizza in a bad way on Friday night, and this hit the spot.

Brunch: Chow. It's worth the 1+-hour wait (they even have live music outside, and a separate bar to order drinks from while you wait). I was a bad blogger (read: hangry) and documented nothing - and there online menu is outdated - but get the brunch dish with polenta. It's amazing. And wash it down with the garlic Bloody Mary!

Bagels: Rockin' Daves, fo sho. Pictured above is Dave's Oh Nelly ($7.25), a bagel of your choice piled high with wild salmon lox, cucumber, tomato, red onion, and dill cream cheese. We even got to meet Dave, and he's super nice - so be sure to say hello to him when you visit!

Dinner: Barrio (not pictured) came highly recommended from Dave, and it did not disappoint. Focusing on Latin-inspired tapas, everything we ate here was incredibly delicious - and had us longing for more. I highly recommend the Fried Asparagus ($11) with shaved fennel and Manchego; the Vegetarian Paella ($14 for a small; $26 for a large), which came with an out-of-this-world Caesar salad, complete with vegan (!!) Caesar dressing; and the Potato Gnocchi ($11) with mushroom confit, butternut squash, and kale. (Bonus: Barrio has some solid local beers on tap, too).

More on our Bend beer adventures - and the adorable B&B we stayed in - soon!

Adventures in Tillamook, Oregon (and Slightly Beyond)

Carefully crafted, sour brews made by a down-to-earth, awesome couple. Gorgeous beaches and views of the coastline. A tree that resembles an octopus. This is what you can find - and more! - in and around Tillamook, Oregon.

We take the 1 1/2-hour drive to Tillamook quite often, mainly for de Garde Brewing. Owned by husband and wife duo Trevor and Lindsey, the majority of de Garde's beers lean toward the sour and fruit-forward varieties, with most brews taking anywhere from three months to over three years in barrels before they're packaged. Each and every sip I've had of de Garde's beers - at the brewery and via the bottle - are clearly well-made, delicious, and unique. Few two bottles taste the same, and they've experimented with a ton of interesting flavors and ingredients so far. (Case in point: last weekend, they released The Truffle, a golden wild ale aged in oak barrels with Oregon white truffles).

A short drive from de Garde is Pelican Brewery and Tap Room. With a variety of their own beers on tap (samplers available!), shuffleboard, and an eye-catching pub menu (elk burgers, anyone?), this is a fun and casual spot to sip a few brews. The beers and atmosphere, in my opinion, are not as outstanding compared to de Garde's, but this is still a spot worth checking out while in Tillamook.

Once you've thrown a few beers down your gullet, it's time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Oregon Coast. I still need to explore a lot more of the beaches and coastline here, but one particular place I've been lucky to experience so far is the Cape Meares Lighthouse - with the Octopus Tree a short walk away.

Like every bit of the coast I've seen so far, the views here were breathtaking, and the Octopus Tree was super neat to see in the flesh.

If you're hungry after all that drinking, walking, and sight-seeing, Tillamook is also home to some of the best Mexican food I've ever tasted. There are several roadside shacks that may not look like anything special - but they're making some damn good, authentic Mexican fare for super affordable prices. (Also: The Tillamook Cheese Factory is supposed to be awesome, too. I've yet to check it out, but word on the street is there are plenty of samples to accompany the tour!).