Triple date to Urban Farmer

Saturday night, Husband, his brother, his best friend and their ladies and I went to Portland to fine dine.  I'd never been to Urban Farmer, a beautiful restaurant on the eighth floor of The Nines luxury hotel, and it was amazing.  I wish I took more pictures of the restaurant itself, as the ceilings were about six stories tall and it was laid out like an open home floor plan, with three-sided rooms for people to gather, put their feet up and have drinks.  The ambiance in the dining area was perfect, and the menu....well, let's just say we were thrilled about happy hour.

If you go, I highly recommend the cheese cart appetizer to share with your friends.  You get to choose up to six cheeses to try and about 1 oz. of each cheese.  It was so neat to try each one and pair it with crackers and flavored honey.  I also ordered up the beef slider.  That could have very well been the best slider I've ever eaten.  In fact, I'm sure of that statement.  And yes.  I totally forgot about my Paleo challenge that night.  I'd definitely return to Urban Farmer for another late-night happy hour!

 Of course one of my favorite parts of the restaurant was "the library."  You guys.  If there is a library in a restaurant (with a pool table), the owners know what's up.  And if there is a rainbow color-coded library--I'm posing in front of it.  Duh.     

...and some will do handstands on metallic tree stumps in front of said library.

Nights out in Portland always get me thinking that there is way more for us to see and do in that gem of a city.

Any favorite spot recommendations?

A Decadent Sellwood Sunday and Secret Rooms

Yesterday, I headed into the neighborhood of Sellwood, in southeast Portland, Oregon, to spend a much-needed afternoon away with a lovely friend.  Danielle never stops short of showing me an amazing time each time I visit her neck of the woods.

You want to know about this secret room, don't you?  

Well, it all began down on the corner of SE 13th.

Danielle and I were minding our own business when we walked into the fabulous storefront,

Justin and Burks. 

Translation: massive vintage chandeliers, taxidermy at its finest, exquisite antiques, crystal, unusual sea life, and an aroma that will stop you at the table where it's burning before you continue on drooling. 

It was in that moment that I realized,

deep within me, the appreciation for the luxurious life lives.

...a life beyond chicken poop, paw prints and peanut butter faces.

I stood and stared. 

On our way out, the fabulous owner, who was wearing leopard print and drinking from a bottle of sparkling water, invited us upstairs.  "Go two doors down and up the stairs," she said.  "Everything is for sale but the books.  My son hoards them." 

Another book hoarder?  The stars had aligned.

And even though they weren't for sale, I had to see them.

Now I might just start hoarding collecting coffee table books. 

The walls of books and book shelves were stunning.

 Danielle, has been accumulating photos of her in yoga poses in the most creative of spaces.  Posing in this space couldn't be passed up!  Such a beautiful combination.

Over the next thirty minutes, we fell and fell harder in love with what I call, 

the secret rooms.

 

Justin & Burks is located at 8301 SE 13Th Avenue Portland, OR 97202,

and is ran by a mother and son.

 Make sure you ask to see the upstairs!

Thanks, Danielle!  It was the most decadent afternoon!

Simple Beauty at Portland's Saturday Market

A visit to Portland's Saturday Market is always a weekend highlight.  More than the belly dancers in the rain, the cheesy paint bucket drummer, the carmel corn, the ancient Tibetan turquoise that I carried home with me, and the handmade goods that I could have emptied my bank account over, I was enthralled by this:

Portland, Oregon

Simple beauty in a full city, on a rainy afternoon.

All photographs property of Cassie McCully.

Please do not duplicate or redistribute.

cappuccinos and crepes

Ours was a wonderful weekend!  Husband and I did our very best to relax and enjoy each day.  Saturday was an especially a great day, with a massage, a nap, a finished book and a date!  I'd been looking forward to Saturday, as it was our first date in a few months!

On our date, we enjoyed a nice dinner at Newport (we are very much seafood people), watched what turned out to be an intense Blazer game win (with the funniest of commentary by the couple behind us), and the perfect nightcap.

If you are ever in Portland, may I suggest Vivace for the most delicious cappuccinos and crepes?

Our favorite crepe is the

Nutella, Banana, Toasted Almonds and Whipped Cream Crepe.

Delicious.

I hope you had fun this weekend!

What did you do?

Dear Seattle

Plain and simple--

You are lovely. 

Even your rainy tendencies aren't enough to put a damper on the 

umbrella clad, coffee lovers who fill your streets.

Even the out of towners want to feel your rain.

Did you know that even in the fog and the mist that fill these late fall days,

your energy inspires and renews?

I could walk your streets with nowhere in particular to attend

for hours on end--with an umbrella, of course.

I love the way your streets collide with the Puget Sound.
If there was ever a harbor on the edge of a city that took one's breath away,
it is yours.

Give a thanks to your fishermen,

for their abundant catch is jaw-dropping,

and for the florists who introduced the cabbage flower bouquets.

I'd like to personally thank the man who owns the mini-cheesecake shop
and tell him how divine his pumpkin cheesecake. 
I'd like to order one up for each day left in November!
Please tell the European bakeries whose aroma stopped me in my tracks,
to keep baking up that french goodness! 
Next time I visit, I'm yours!

Your antique shop was exquisite (minus the woman who walked the aisles with her arms crossed and her straight-faced glances, making me feel like a juvenile delinquent), 

but you buttered me up with your kind-talking, laid-back baristas and many a warm cup of joe.

Thank you, thank you, for becoming the coffee-capital!  Oh, how we love your brew!

You don't disappoint in the shopping department, either.

Were you hoping to melt hearts when you positioned Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie side by side?
Thank you for this dynamic duo, and their aesthetic, dreamy goodness!

Seattle, you've been good.  Real good.
You've sent me home refreshed and excited,
even about the rain.
Thank you.
I can't wait to walk your weathered streets again.

via

via

via

via

 via

via

p.s. Heather, you were as fabulous as ever!  Thanks for letting me crash at your place,

 and for all the entertainment!  You are dear to me. xo

children do that.

It rained a lot today,

but the sun shone in my soul.

today's loves:

the shops on Hawthorne.

an entire double sided 6x3 foot display of ribbon.

a coffee shop with Powell's books attached.

a steaming cup of joe.

my Asher in all of his glory.

my dear friend,

and quite possibly,

our last coffee-shop-rendezvous

before her life becomes fuller than she could ever imagine,

and bestows upon her huge heapings of love

that will never cease.

It's the sort of love that makes your heart so full,

that it flows over,

changing the way you see everything else.

enormous. unconditional, compassion-seeping. love.

Coming up for air

I can hardly believe that it is Thursday night!  I believe this is the first time that I've been on Blogger all week, even to read!  The days have tumbled by since last weekend as we were busy with various engagements.  Saturday night, Husband and I met with Husband's siblings in Portland.  After quite a bit of city walking, we cozied in for a late dinner at On Deck, a sports bar & grill in the Pearl District. Sunday night, we attended a 30th birthday party which included a limo, good friends, good eats and drinks around a grand piano at a great restaurant overlooking the city. 

We even had a rainbow view of the city that day!

 Thanks to Jeremy.

We have the best friends.

{Tiffany & Brandon}

{Husband and I}

{Birthday Boy Ben}

{Melody & her brother Shawn Lewis--better known as the front man of Hyper Static Union.

This man can rock.  And so can she.  She sang at my wedding.}

{Brittany & Jeremy}

{Ben & Mel}

And then the week took over.  I've been working like I've never worked in my married life since I've had kids!  Yes, I am a stay-at-home-mama, but I also take care of the books for my husband's general contracting business, and write.  But this week was different as we have hired a specialist to teach me a thing or two about my Quickbooks and help me get some things more organized.  So, time gets tight around these parts, and this week--well there's hardly been time for a break!  Husband could hardly take me seriously when I told him that I was feeling burned out earlier tonight.  I'm used to a whole other kind of work--the kind that involves hugs, kisses, meals and baths, not nine hours in front of a computer and sorting files.  He's used to working twelve hour days if need be, and dreaming work in his sleep at times.

On top of this brain-puzzling stress, the sun has finally shown up in this region!  I was afraid we were going to have to wait till next year!  To be inside all day is a bit unfortunate, but is the small price I pay to be the wife of a successful business owner, whom I am immensely grateful! Plus, it is nice to be needed. 

Now, I will wind down with the memoir I am reading called, Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco.  It's a memoir of peer abuse, and I am excited to find out how she overcomes her ordeal.  Tomorrow is one more day hard at it and then I'll do like all the other hard working people and kick back and enjoy the weekend--more than ever.

Adios.

Metropolitan Goodness

Last week, my sis, the kiddos and I drove down into Portland for some metropolitan fun! We took the kids to Powell's, "the largest independent bookstore in the world," and let them search around for a minute in the kiddie section. Afterward, we went across the street and drooled every bit of the store, Anthropologie. I have since signed up for their catalog and am enamored that I can have their eye-candy delivered to my mailbox free of charge! Go here if you are interested, too.

When keeping the our eyes on the kiddos in the "hands in your pocket store" became tiresome, we hopped back in the car to head to my favorite and only cupcake shop that I have ever visited~

Saint Cupcake.

And it only took us thirty minutes to find the place which was a few blocks away! This was mainly because it is tucked in between blocks of homes and offices. We did circle upon circle and back and forth on the one way streets. By the end, my Sis and I couldn't help but laugh. All those streets and gas in the name of cupcakes! It was a tad tricky find, but well worth it.

{A Vanilla with Strawberry Buttercream, mmm}

{My Brooklynn}

{My oldest sis, Tammy}

{My Asher}

{Yours Truly}

{My nephew, Austin}

As you can see the Vanilla cupcake with Strawberry Buttercream was the top pick of the group. I, however, cannot get over the Vanilla cupcake with Toasted Coconut Cream. It is divine, and it is the cupcake that I can count on each time adventure takes me to this sweet little shop.

p.s. Did you know Saint Cupcake does singing telegrams?! How cute!