Exploring the Pacific Northwest: Cape Flattery, Hells Canyon, and Orcas

We’ve been taking some awesome trips around the Pacific Northwest lately including camping near Cape Flattery, the most Northwest point in the lower 48, then a jet boat tour through Hells Canyon with my family, and most recently to Orcas Island with and to visit some friends we know from Park City.

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Stopped for late lunch at the Next Door Gastropub in Port Angeles on the way to Cape Flattery and walked to the top of the town stairs for the view of Mount Baker.

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Sunset on Hobuck beach.

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Hobuck Beach is one of the premier surf spots in Washington, which we realized once we pulled into our camp spot.

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In the morning, as I was crawling out of the tent, our camp neighbor whisper yelled that he had spotted a whale in the bay.  We scurried out and saw it blow once before it disappeared.  A couple hours later we leisurely hiked out to the actual Cape point and spotted it again!

A couple weeks later we drove to Clarkston, Washington for a Hells Canyon Jet Boat Tour.

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Heading up the calm part of the Snake River.

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An old cattle ranch with no road access, now operates as a small museum, campground, and lunch spot for tour operators.

The next weekend our friends Quincy and Aaron visited from Park City, and we went up to Orcas Island to stay with Sheetal and Mike, more PC buddies.

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The view from Rosario Resort, where Sheetal and Mike work during the summer.  Rosario is a historic place going through a bit of a remodel.  The changes will be a welcome update and we can’t wait to go back.

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A major highlight of the weekend was brunch at Doe Bay, featuring all local produce and ingredients, I was instantly smitten.  We were all blown away by the house infused arugula vodka used in the bloody marys that were dressed with a pickled fiddle head along with the usual suspects.  The menu changes often and when I looked today the lox was no longer listed.  Is there anything better then salmon, bagel, cream cheese, and oozy egg yolk?  Plus everything was garnished with edible flowers from their garden.

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The Doe Bay soaking tub cabin is an island destination for locals and tourists.  The views from the cabin are sweeping of the sound and massive forests.

We are so lucky to be able to explore this wonderful world.

Enjoy!

xx

-h

 

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp in Jars from a Kitchen Bridal Shower

Yaaaaay! My bff from growing up is getting married!  Over the weekend we threw her a kitchen themed bridal shower.  Invitations from Tickled Peach Studio on Etsy.  I did the printable version which was super easy.

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We decorated the house with vintage tea towels, table runners, napkins, and cookbooks.  Other then that decor was simple, picked up some flowers and put them in jars or glasses, and used strips of fabric for bows where it looked necessary.  I borrowed a giant whisk and strainer from my friend Courtney and they were hilarious sitting on the front porch.

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For dessert I made strawberry rhubarb raspberry crisp in jars that guests could eat at the party or take with them.  We topped the jars with the metal lids and a piece of vintage fabric found at Kristen’s grandmother’s house, then screwed the rings on.

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Rhubarb Crisp in Jars (makes about 32 jars)

You can half this to made 15-16 jars for a smaller crowd!

Topping:
– 4 cups oats
– 3.5 cups flour
– 2 cups pecans toasted then finely chopped
– 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
– 1 cup packed golden brown sugar
(or 2 cups of either)
– 3 sticks of cold butter cubed
– 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Whisk the dry ingredients together then add the butter.  Pulse in a food processor in batches until butter is evenly distributed and texture is crumbly.  If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter or 2 forks, but it will take much longer.

Filling:
– 5-6 pounds of berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
I used 4 lbs of strawberries and about 2 pounds of frozen drained raspberries.
– 7-8 cups of thinly sliced fresh rhubarb
– 2 cups granulated sugar
– 3 tablespoons cornstarch
– 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
– 1/2 cup orange juice
– 1 teaspoon salt

Mix fruit together and then add other ingredients on top. Gently stir until combined and cornstarch is absorbed.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Arrange jars on parchment lined cookie sheets (half pint, wide mouth).  Gently spoon fruit filling evenly into jars.  I did them in batches of 12-15 and went back adding more to ones that looked like they could use a bit extra. Using the back of a spoon push gently on fruit to release any air bubbles.  Sprinkle topping over fruit filling so each jar is filled to the brim.  It will shrink down a lot.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.  Serve warm or cold, with ice cream or my favorite: homemade whipped cream.  Can be made a day in advance.  Wait until completely cool to put metal lids on in order to maintain crisp topping.

Enjoy!

xx

-h

Why Running/Working Out is a Gateway Drug

It all starts with an innocent gym membership. Lifetime fitness is the goal, via your parent’s habits. You use your old tennis shoes, shorts, and t-shirts.

You start working out at the college gym and acquire some yogis from Victoria’s Secret and a couple of bright v-necks because that’s what everyone is wearing to workout.

For Christmas you ask for personal training sessions.

One day, you innocently wander in to LuLuLemon and try a pair of compression capris on. You have no intention of spending $90 on black stretchy pants, so you bargain with your husband that if you meet some extremely attainable goal you have earned the lulu’s.

A couple months later you try trail running with a friend and realize she has some sweet kicks that are super grippy on the rough ground, you pick up a pair with a discount code of backcountry.com.

Your coworker does spin 3 times a week at 5am, you try it, and wonder about buying clip in shoes.

A few months after that, you ride bikes downtown with all your roomies and you can’t keep up on your cruiser so you decide to sell it for a real urban bike. You obviously need some padded shorts (skort) to go with the new bike because no one like a sore hoo hoo. You get a cute under seat bag to stash your phone and money for rides. Then you need a squeazy water bottle because you can’t take time to screw the top off your nalgene while you’re at a stop light.

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You’re husband convinces you to try mountain biking. It’s terrible.  You decide to never ride a bike again. At least you’ve dodged the bullet of having to buy a women’s double suspension bike plus a full face helmet, knee, elbow, and wrist pads.

A trip to the outlet mall includes a stop at Nike and all of a sudden you’re hooked a sports bra that’s is $60, at least it holds the girls down. You buy 2 more.

You try yoga for the first time and buy a yoga mat.

You move and rejoin the gym. You resort to wearing old t-shirts because you’re not impressing anyone at the neighborhood gym you grew up going to.

An old friend loses a bunch of weight and gets super fit doing Insanity, you buy it off Craigslist from someone in a very sketchy deal. Shaun T. tells you that a heart rate monitor is necessary, you find one and geek out on the technology.20130603-224453.jpg

Your sister convinces you to try hot yoga, you buy groupons and utilize first time memberships at 4 different studios before committing to 10 day passes at a couple of them. You buy a hot yoga towel.

For your birthday you get a Brooks reflective yellow jacket for walking/running at dusk.

You join a new gym and try zumba. You resort to not wearing anything zumba branded, that seems too far.

For Christmas you get personal training sessions again and the trainer convinces you to buy some protein powder.

You walk into TJMaxx and forget what you’re there for, you see a neon pink workout tank and thoughtlessly throw it into the basket. You see someone wearing a witty tank on instagram from Etsy and buy one for your friend’s birthday and one for yourself.

In a day drinking blur you agree to run a half marathon. You buy a SPI Belt to hold your phone in a “non dorky” belt bag sort of way. You get fitted for new running shoes and drop $160 at the running store, but earn $15 in credit for your next purchase. On the way home you think about how cute the running skort is and how it would only be $30 with your store credit.

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Pulling into the garage you see the ski gear needs to put officially away for the summer and your husband’s new golf shoes. Guess there’s two people with a bit of a product addiction in this house.

Now….how can I get my hands on another pair of those lulus.

Be active, be well, be wonderful!

xx

-h

Craigslist Finds: Accent Chairs

A good accent chair is the key to pulling any room together.   Here are a couple recent finds off the ol’ Craigslist.

1000 Wonderful Things Craigslist FInds Vintage Cane ChairVintage Cane Back Chair – $45

The upholstery on this already looks pretty good as does the wood, so I would add a bright pillow instead of taking this on as a total project.

1000 Wonderful Things Craigslist Finds Blue Barrel ChairVintage Barrel Chair – $20

I love the blue on this one and same as before, it looks like it’s in pretty good condition.  I would tape off the fabric really well and paint the wood parts glossy white. (Use oil based paint to get super shine.  Just be sure to wear gloves and clothes you don’t care about.  Also, absolutely use a drop cloth.  Oil based paint will not come off anything.)

1000 Wonderful Things Craigslist FInds Mid Century ChairBurnt Orange Mid Century – $165

If you can make this color work, go for it.  I would try to negotiate down if you’re going to reupholster it though.

Happy CL-ing and have a great holiday weekend!

xx

-h