bend, oregon smells like pine needles

Earlier in the week we were in Bend, OR. Matt had told me wonderful things about it and I was excited to see it for myself. I don't know if the fall weather is making me like everything a little more than I normally would, but it is a pretty great place. We decided that if we could choose any place to endure snowy winters, so we could have all the possible year-round outdoor activities, this would be our pick. It has a secluded, homey feel that you wouldn't expect for a tourism/recreational based city.

Below: We visited Newberry Volcano and Obsidian Field. The Obsidian and Pumice stones were surprisingly sharp.

matt's a diehard fan, i'm more of a bandwagon fan

We went to the BYU/Oregon State game last Saturday in Corvallis. There was a big show of BYU fans and it turned out to be a beautiful, fall day for the Cougars to get another W. We got to see a few friends, spotted Jimmer and were impressed by the Beavs pre-game and halftime shows. I find that away games are much more fun than those in Provo.

waterfalls everywhere!

Saturday turned out to be perfect to hike Eagle Creek Trail in Columbia River Gorge, OR. Our goal was Tunnel Falls, but Matt counted 10 waterfalls on the hike. Most of them were slightly hidden and we would've had to make our own routes to see them with unobstructed views. After 5 hours of hiking, we couldn't feel our feet anymore and were whining like big babies, but having had experienced Tunnel Falls, it was worth it. I have to thank Pinterest for informing me of this beautiful place.

astoria column

We couldn't pass up visiting the Column while in Astoria on the rare occasion of a perfectly clear day. The long spiral staircase made me dizzy, but the view was worth it. The Column overlooks the city, rivers, bay, forest, mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It was fun to watch kids launch little wood airplanes they got from the gift shop.

fish and chips

A friend from church had recommended to me that the next time we went to Astoria that we should eat at Bowpickers where you can get the best fish and chips. It was a fun surprise to see that Bowpickers was actually a fishing boat turned into a little kitchen and parked on a hill just 50 yards from the ocean. A place this unique has to serve exceptionally good food and it did.

Ordering food on a boat parked on land reminded us of a place we ate at on our honeymoon. It was a small, rickety, old wood ship nestled in a forest area with a few, tiny houses surrounding it. Like the boat we ate at in Astoria, there was a staircase built to board, but you actually ate at little tables on the ship. The chef and owner was a former coach for the Olympic Russian women's gymnastics team. He was a short, tan, muscular guy in a cut-off shirt who looked to be in his 50s. Just another foreigner living the "pura vida" in Costa Rica. He and his mama ran the place. No menu and you were given a choice of two options. We were the only customers that night. I don't remember what kind of fish we had and it was served with a side of rice with some kind of cranberry sauce and it was delicious. It was one of those experiences that feels more like a dream. I wish I had taken a picture of the place.

birthday celebration

After making a landscape plan for my sister-in-law, we unexpectedly got a generous gift certificate to eat at DOC and decided to use it for my birthday celebration last weekend. Matt is working in Philadelphia this week and could not be with me on my actual birthday.

The restaurant is small and fancy with a tiny kitchen at the entrance when you walk through the door. We tried the 'Taste Menu', where you get whatever the chefs want to serve. Matt faced the kitchen during our dinner, so he could see what was coming out before I could. When he saw the oysters were coming he said to me "Are you going to eat everything that we get?" I took that as a challenge and said of course. One second later, the oysters were placed on our table and Matt had a big smile on his face. My husband is a trickster. These delicacies are definitely an acquired taste. I had to be extra adventurous to finish my fair share. The two and a half hour dinner was delicious and Matt referred to each dish as another "flavor explosion". It was a special treat.

Afterwards, we saw the new Planet of the Apes and give it a thumbs up. I do not feel mature enough to be 24, but maybe I will catch up this year!