summer turns to fall.

In the last few weeks I have managed to partake in the following:

1. One and only summer vacation spent at a family friends lake home. Lake Winnepesaukee, New Hampshire - you are my perfect definition of an east coast summer.

2. Sunday morning stroll around the Leather District, Dewey Square, and Fort Point. 

mural by Os Gemeos

May be difficult to see but this man was walking to work...in his colonial gear - three point hat, tights and all. 

Boston is beginning to get on the food truck train, but they will never measure up to PDX. 

Discovered the Christian Science Plaza/Reflecting Pool. AMAZING. 

3. I packed. again. I moved. again. I unpacked. again. 

I bought champagne in celebration of new home/new roommate and of course we have not opened it yet. I suppose we are just taking Hester Browne's words of wisdom to heart. "Always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is that you've got a bottle of champagne in the fridge."

The view I wake up to in the morning. My bedroom at my last apartment looked directly into my neighbors kitchen...needless to say my blinds were closed a lot of the time. Never have I appreciated a porch and some trees as much as I do right now. 

More pictures of the apartment soon-ish.

adieu.

This (along with that other lovely write up) is my parting gift to the summer.

It's been grand!

preach it sister.

I'm Sick of Summer
By Stephanie Georgopulos

I'm sick of summer, the sticky skin and the sweaty sheets. I'm tired of competing with the din of the air conditioner and of listening to stories about trips to nearby shores I have or haven't heard of. The sounds of summer are starting to grate, the kids shrieking through sprinklers and the announcement of the ice cream man as he circles my block and your block and every block; can't he tell we're not interested?

I'm tired of shaving and swimsuits and sunscreen, sick of days so long they stretch out for miles. I'm sick of looking at my shadow and thinking about my body and I'm tired of you looking at it. I'm tired of the dresses and how they cling to my torso like wet newspaper or blow in the hot thick wind, revealing all my secrets. I'm bored with showing my toes, bodred with giving everything away. 

I'm sick of watching the shirts with sleeves hang lonesome in my closet, I want to put them on and let you take them off. I want to wear the kinds of things that don't slip off in an instant, the kinds of things with zippers and buttons and layers and depth. I want to feel soft, I want the comfort of a comforter, I want to spend Saturdays in bed with all the windows open. 

I want to spend Sundays in cars with the windows open, too, driving to fields where apples and pumpkins grow. I want to taste the thick of fall in my mouth, in pies and brews and hot coffee. I want confusion over whether or not to wear a jacket and confusion over what hue that tree was three weeks ago, I want everything to change so that I can feel like there's reason to be alert, like there's reason to wake up again.

Because I'm sick of waking up and going to work and being reminded that summer is just summer and not ~!SUMMER!~. I want the feeling of going Back To Something, the feeling that something has moved or morphed even if it's just the pigment of the leaves or the size of my jeans. I'm sick of the stifling summer, its constant heat and relentless greens. All I want is fall, so I can pretend a drop in temperature and a shift in color means things will be different from here on out. 

via Thought Catalog.

summer update.

This summer I have perfected the stay-cation, and I am quiet alright with that. Boston is an adventure all on its own. Whether it is the North End (Boston's own little Italy - filled with cannolis and guidos) or Harvard square (where I can creep on all the tourists and look smart). Here are a few snippets of my new love. 

harvard square. people watching galore. 

a little patriotism in the midst of downtown crossing, not to be confused with downton crossing. It happens people. 

I tend to return to the Charles River quite often, I have a big thing for sail boats. You can also always find a perfect spot to spread out, soak up some sun and read. As my co-worker so bluntly told me after I shared my weekend highlights, "Isn't that what everyone does in Portland? Hang out in parks, drink home brews and listen to The Shins?". I suppose I fit into that stereotype just a little bit.

boston common. 

boston public library. 

mecca. I have been searching for good coffee (aka pdx coffee) since I moved here. When I spotted this sign I practically jumped with joy. Unfortunately the usual sighting of west coast hipsters were not found inside, but that's okay. The coffee made up for it. 

welcome to summer.

This will be my first summer on the East Coast and I already know it's going to be a toasty and humid one. yea! I had mentally prepared myself for this, but waking up sweaty is just a whole other world. I will be in a constant search for things to help cool off. 

These look like they could help!

So simple and refreshing!

Just a few recipe ideas...

Process your fruit (and sweetener, if using) in a food processor or blender until thick and pourable. Then add to empty yogurt containers and freeze for at least 8 hours. If fruit is too soft to hold the stick firmly, freeze fruit a third of the way or so through, then add stick. You can use whatever fruit you have on hand or experiment with different combinations. I would call these "healthy" popsicles. I am not embarrassed to say I would eat these for breakfast. 

triple berry popsicles.

ingredients.

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup blueberries 
• 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced 
• 1 cup raspberries 
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 
• prep.
• 1. Put sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
• 2. Combine blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and lemon juice in a blender and purée until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add 1/3 cup simple syrup and blend just until combined. (Save remaining syrup for another use, such as sweetening iced tea.)
• 3. Transfer purée to popsicle molds (or yogurt cups) and freeze 4 hours. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze an additional 4 to 6 hours, or until frozen solid.

pomegranate swirl popsicles. 

ingredients. 
8 oz pomegranate juice
1/2 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt

prep.

Fill two-thirds of each ice-pop mold with pomegranate juice. Add enough yogurt to fill the molds to the top, about 2 tablespoons per mold. Slide a knife or chopstick into each mold and swirl until a pattern forms. Insert sticks and freeze for about 8 hours. 

My only problem would be waiting for them to freeze. Yummm!

yabba dabba doo.

I have so many great memories of my childhood summers. Lots of camping, water fights with the neighbor boys, chalk paint, fashionably skating around in my Barbie roller skates (and matching elbow/knee pads) and the best part...Push Ups. Ahhh those delightful sherbert-y treats with Flintstones characters adorning the packaging. Pretty much my favorite summer snack. So you can only imagine my joy when I came across Shop Sweet Lulu's push pop containers. YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN PUSH UPS?! Yes, please. 

I may need to create some push ups before the summers end!

summer delicious-ness.

Sangria? I think so. 

Anything that incorporates my two favourite things (wine and fresh fruit) is good in my book. 

Ingredients.

2 cups blueberries

2 cups blackberries

2 cups hulled strawberries

2 cups mixed red and golden raspberries

1 tablespoon superfine sugar

5 ounces Framboise, or other raspberry liqueur

1 bottle chilled rose wine

1 1/3 cups white cranberry juice

Directions. 

In a pitcher, combine fruit. Stir in sugar. Add Framboise; let sit at least 1 hour. Stir in wine and juice. Serve chilled. 

via m.stewart

festivities.

This weekend is the Oregon Brewers Festival, AKA what heaven looks like for Oregonians. If you are in the PNW this weekend, come join me in the fun! There is a Belgian boysenberry ale calling my name. Cheers!

I may need this letterpress art in my home. 

...pictures to come I'm sure!

breathe easy.

Dear weekend. You will be fabulous.

On our agenda is the following.

uno. desperately needed mani/pedi.

                    dos. a glass (or two) of wine and a very interesting book.                                                    (honestly, I went back to college and brought out the highlighter + pen for this one)                                    tres. learning to watercolour (like this?) with lovely friends. 

quatro. yoga at my soon-to-become favourite yoga bogha. 

cinco. Fleet Foxes concert at Edgefield with a little bit of this in my glass.

seis. Starting my graduate school application essay...maybe.

serenity.

Originally I had nothing big planned for this past weekend...but things quickly changed. I was asked last minute to puppy sit in White Salmon, Washington (For those of you who are not from the Northwest, White Salmon is just across the river from Oregon). I have always loved the drive from Portland to the Gorge. The view changes so dramatically,it's hard to believe you are only an hour away from the city.

As soon as I took the pups for a walk...

I started up the grill, popped open some sauvignon blanc and slipped off my shoes. 

 I was in such awe of this view. It just became more and more beautiful! 

Olli...the cutest labradoodle. Who loves him some rainbow sandals.

 Mt. Hood.

I love the city, but I could definitely get use to this view.

bound.

current summer read. check it.

i like to ride my.

On a recent bike ride I discovered two things. 

One. I need to ride my bike more often.

Two. My bike needs to retire.

My dad bought my bike when I was 13 years old. In it's prime, it was probably worth $100.00, which should have been a sign when purchased. It has lasted ten years too long. Time for a sweet replacement.

This color please.

and this basket too.

Public Bikes