From Coast To Coast

It's really sad to admit, but I'm one of those people who has a fairly nice camera but ends up only taking pictures on an iphone. Hey, it's convenient. When I was packing for Oregon, though, I threw in my nice camera and was determined to take some pictures. Luckily, I got quite a few(in between shots with my iphone to post to instagram) because my trusty little iphone was stolen last weekend. Yep, total bummer. I had updated my phone to icloud a week before I went to Oregon so not all was lost, but here is my Oregon trip via camera minus iphone.

On my way to Oregon, I literally flew coast to coast. I flew up the entire eastern coast from Charleston to Boston. What I saw of Boston as I was flying in blew me away. I wished I could stay and explore. But, I boarded a plane and flew 6 whole hours to Portland. I am going to get sidetracked here and say if you have never flown JetBlue, you totally should. It was my first time and it was an amazing experience. No baggage fees, lots of leg room, TVs on every seat with tons of channels, and yummy snacks that kick those other airlines pretzels butts. Ok, I'm done.

The first day in Oregon we went downtown Portland and went to Boke Bowl. UM, YUM. Boke bowls are bowls of deliciously flavored broths, ramen, and other add-ins. The atmosphere was great and the food lived up to the hype. If you are ever in Portland, check it out. After we went to NW 23rd, a cute neighborhood downtown with cute shops and restaurants.

The next day we packed up and headed to the Oregon coast. The Oregon coast is so different from the beaches in South Carolina and most of the beaches on the east coast. Everything is on cliffs above the beach and the ocean and it creates spectacular views.

Exhibit A

We hit the coast and headed south, stopping at all of the viewpoints along the way. We then stopped at Newport, a cute little town in the bay. It is a fishing town with beautiful fishing boats, fish factories, and  seafood shops. We walked around for a bit and then stopped at Local Ocean for some lunch. Grandma ordered the fresh, local, dungeness crab. When on the Oregon coast, right?? It was hard work getting all of the meat out, but it was absolutely delicious. 

After our late lunch we walked around a I took some pictures. The fishing boats against the giant bridge spanning the bay was so picturesque. 

We then headed to our hotel on Agate beach. We were pretty pleased with our view.

We sat with our doors open to our view and relaxed, talked, and napped. Around dinner time, we ordered the famous clam chowder with a side of grilled cheese. It was pretty amazing. We then got to watch the sunset over the beach with the cliffs in the distance. I've seen a lot of amazing sunsets lately and it makes me feel blessed with the life I have been given.

The next morning we took in our beautiful view and then headed out for more adventures. Even though the sky was clear and the temperatures decent, it still felt a bit cold because of the wind and the lack of humidity that I have grown accustomed to. We decided to go check out the lighthouse around the corner. It was a great sight, but way too windy to stand in line to go to the top of the lighthouse.

Next was lunch in Lincoln City overlooking the beach. My grandma and I are total foodies, always thinking about the next meal and oohing and ahhing over each meal we eat. So of course I took pictures of each meal, but I will spare you all of those. This meal I did have halibut stuffed with sun dried tomatoes and spinach, lightly breaded, and topped with a cream sauce. Ah-mazing. We headed back to Portland after lunch, enjoying the views of the rolling hills, sprawling wineries, and quaint farms. Oregon really is beautiful. 

The next day my grandpa and I woke up early and headed to pick some blueberries. Picking blueberries has always been a favorite Oregon activity of my sister and I. Even at 8 in the morning, there were tons of people there. I didn't last too long, thanks to my allergies. But it was so fun and brought back tons of memories. 

Next up, the farmers market. It was one of the very best farmers markets that I have ever been too. There was stands with tons of fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables. There were also places with dips, breads, sauces, flowers, and pastries. I, of course, had to snatch a pistachio macaroon. 

After the farmers market we headed to La Province at Lake Oswego for a delicious brunch. 

That night grandma and I created a feast for our family and enjoyed time catching up with everyone. It was fun to have everyone together and to celebrate the birth of a new family member, Emily. 

Sunday after church we headed to the Street of Dreams. Every year Portland buys an area where different builders and designers create houses to display their talents. The location was amazing and the houses were beautiful. The interior designer (wannabe) side of me was in heaven. 

Monday my grandpa took me golfing and out to lunch. I wasn't a pro by any means, but I was pretty proud of my golf skills. Maybe I've found a new hobby. 

Later that night it was time to head out on the red eye. It was such a fun trip and I enjoyed spending time with my grandparents. It was hard, though, because saying goodbye to them was my first official goodbye before our move to Japan. I'm not looking forward to a month full of goodbyes, but it is inevitable. 

Thanks grandma and grandpa for showing me a great time. 

Until next time,

M