Noelle and Tim's Wedding Weekend in the Gorge

The week of the 4th of July was a crazy one to say the least. I was at home in White Salmon/Hood River from Saturday to Tuesday to: pick 40 lbs of cherries with Sarah, wear red white and blue, teach my first Zumba class, hang with my besties, drink drinks and watch fireworks. On Tuesday I came back to Seattle and my 6 year long relationship ended. I worked and tried to function like a normal person on Wednesday and Thursday (extra big props to Katie, Natalie, Beth, Gaby and everyone else who helped with that fun couple of days) until I could head back to Hood River on Thursday after work for a weekend of fun celebrating Tim and Noelle.

^^The best Bing Cherries from the Larsen orchard^^

 ^^Beth, me and Gaby getting full on patriotic at Ben Berger's house for the 4th of July fireworks^^

^^And one more for fun because look at this! PS Beth is in little boy's cargo shorts from Top to Bottom, LOLz^^

When I got to Hood River on Thursday night I immediately headed to Solstice to meet Josh and Sarah for dinner and then drinks at Camp 1805. I followed that up with a beer with Brian and before I knew it, it was Thursday morning and I was hazily getting Dog River Coffee and getting ready for a hike up the middle of a river. 

We drove out past Multnomah Falls to the Oneonta Gorge where we first did a "dry" hike the boys promised us would be super quick up to Middle Oneonta Falls and back down to Horsetail Falls but ended up being a few miles longer than expected which was fine except Elee and I were wearing $4 WalMart water moccasins. After the dry hike we met up with the rest of our group and headed up the freezing cold Oneonta Gorge (via the middle of the river), over log banks, into chest deep water, until we finally reached the lower Oneonta waterfall. When we got there the boys swam into the pool for a picture or two and then we turned around and waded back down the river which wasn't quite as cold because our entire bodies were super numb. High five to MOH Elee for forcing me to go the final distance in the deep part of the river to get to the waterfall. I felt like a total badass when it was all said and done and I was really glad I finished the whole thing!

^^Elee and I bringing up the rear of the hiking crew^^

^^One of the log jams in the middle of the river we had to climb over, they were intense. Thank the baby J no one fell off and broke an arm or something the day before the wedding!!^^

After the hike we headed back to the rental house (which was SO gorgeous, OMG) to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. I ended up heading out before the rehearsal dinner to grab a beer and a salad at Double Mountain with Gaby because I was starving after all the hiking and a way too small breakfast.

When I got back to the house Alli, A Jo and Erin had arrived from Seattle and it was time to get the party started!! The rehearsal dinner consisted of smoked meats, mac and cheese and pie! It was super good (nice choice, Tim!) and the cateror was wearing overalls and a shirt that said PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) and on the back it said "you can jerk anything" Lolll what, why? Stay classy, Hood River!

^^Sisters at the rehearsal: Erin, A Jo, Noelle, Alli, Elee and me^^

^^Full Sail beer in Full Sail glasses and the amazing view from the deck of the house^^

After the rehearsal din I met our my old roommie Kylee for a beer and then ended up seeing Tim and his friend out and decided to stay out to hang with them, Gaby, Josh and Jon and ended up staying out later than expected having fun with friends at the British Pub.

Saturday Alli, A Jo, Erin and I woke up in our communal room (took us right back to Sorority sleeping porch days), got ready in less than 20 minutes (SO impressed by that) and headed to downtown Hood River for coffee at Dog River followed by Colby's pop up Ramen at the Hood River Farmer's Market for breakfast which was mind blowing. Soo tasty!!

 ^^Colby in the pop-up-Ramen tent^^

^^Ramen porn^^

While we were enjoying our ramen (and our first beer of the day thanks to the Full Sail beer tent at the farmer's market) Colby came over and showed us his 1999 yearbook which he had scribbled all over as a kid. There were doodles of his name, notes, stars next to some people, some people were scribbled out, the word "hot" under a few people and when I got to my name the words "very hot" were there and it was the best thing ever. Thank you Colby for making my whole week! It's exactly what my newly single heart needed!! That yearbook was pure gold, we all loved looking through it so much!!

^^my first ever, 6th grade boyfriend Colby and I at the Hood River Farmer's Market^^

After the farmer's market we did a few minutes of shopping to kill time before the Full Sail Brewery opened, which A Jo was dying to try. We got tasters of beer, made fun of Erin for always embarrassing us (see: painting all 10 of her fingernails at Parts+Labour while Alli was buying a romper), gave Kerry a hug, chatted with Brian, enjoyed the view and then Alli DD-ed us back to the Gorge White House to get cider for Elee (the MOH) and to take some pics before heading to the rental house to get ready for the BEST WEDDING EVER!

^^Full Sail is open, RUNNNN^^

 ^^Me, A Jo, Erin and our Full Sail taster trays, out on the Full Sail Patio^^

^^A Jo, Erin, me and Alli at the Gorge White House^^ 

^^Gorge White House groupie!^^

Noelle and Tim arranged for a school bus to take us from the rental house, pick up some folks at Full Sail and then head over to Underwood, Washington where the wedding was happening. It was super fun drinking cheap beers on the bus with my fav college ladies!!

^^A Jo and I, school bus drinking in the back seats, like you do!^^

 ^^Erin and Alli bussing it up!^^

The wedding was at Gorge Crest Vineyards which is the MOST beautiful venue. It was partly cloudy for the wedding which was great for pictures but meant you couldn't see all of Mount Hood (worse things have happened). Tim's brother officiated the wedding and did a really impressive and wonderful job. He was so sincere, short but sweet and captured them and their relationship perfectly. I got to sit in the front row with Noelle's mom and brother, Erin, Alli, A Jo and Kylee which was so, so special. After they said I do we enjoyed the bombbbbb reception - the food was super good (bacon and bleu cheese mashed potatoes!) and assortment of cakes were some of the best I've ever had, there were a ton of drinks (being poured by Morgan from the Red Carpet!!), Elee's MOH speech was sooo funny, we learned how to use Boomerang, and best of all, the dance floor was hopping off with jams from the coolest DJ! Noelle did such an amazing job planning everything and I think everyone there had a really, genuinely good time.

 ^^Noelle and Tim saying their vows^^

 ^^Mount Hood peeking out. At one point I was standing off to the side of the dance floor, looking at this view, filled with joy for the day and though that I was really, genuinely happy for the first time in days. I had this moment of clarity that everything was going to be ok and that I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful place with such amazing people^^

 ^^Me, A Jo, Erin, Alli and Kylee^^

 ^^ZTA sisters with our sister bride!!^^

^^This DJ knew how to get down with the BSB and Ja Rule #collegefratjams^^

After the wedding was over we all loaded back on the bus and headed to none other than Jack's for the after party!! We drank way too many scorpion bowls, danced our faces off, ate $181 worth of fried appetizers and partied it up until 1:30am when we were finally shuttled home and I immediately passed out on my twin bed in the communal bedroom.

^^Me, A Jo, Erin and Noelle on the stage at Jack's^^

The next morning we woke up, packed up, at breakfast sandwiches from River Daze and then Alli, A Jo and I headed back up to Seattle in my car. It was so nice having company on the drive back. I had the very best time this past weekend celebrating Tim and Noelle and spending time with some of the very best people!

Two Weekends of Emily's Twenty First

Beth's sister Emily turned 21 recently and Beth and I had only been looking forward to it for like 4 years. Emily is rad and we were excited to finally be able to take her out in Hood River. On the weekend after her birthday (which was on a Tuesday) I rented a house in Hood River with the whole Runnels family (Beth, Emily, Brother Neil, Mom & Dad Runnels). I bought decorations on Amazon, ordered customized beer koozys and the house was party-central for the weekend, complete with a hot tub.

^^View from the house + personalized koozy^^

^^Birthday girl, personalized koozy, gold wall, rental house magic^^

^^Saturday morning yoga at the rental house^^

On Friday after Emily's birthday we planned a bar crawl complete with clues (for which bar we were going to next) that the bartenders had waiting. We went from the Trillium to Double Mountain to Brian's Pourhouse for dinner, then to the Pub before finally ending up at River City where more friends were waiting. We then ended the night walking up a million stairs back to the rental house and we were all sore the next morning hah. It was a fun night, even if it wasn't a total surprise because Emily had seen the Facebook invite open when her boyfriend was browsing Facebook one day, ha!

 ^^Emily and I at Trillium, stop one on her 21 run^^

^^Brother Neil and I at Emily's Bday Dinner^^

That Saturday was the Double Mountain Anniversary Party which was super fun. We day drank beers in the sunshine, and then night drank beers under a tent, ate pizza, chatted with our favorite people, listened to live music and eventually ended up at the Pub when the party shut down. We ended the night by walking up the million flights of stairs to our rental house and kept the party going (just 4 of us at this point, Beth, Emily, Emily's BF Kelly and me) in the hot tub with PBRs. Breakfast the next morning followed by the 4 hour drive back to Seattle was in a word, rough.

^^Me and the entire Runnels Family at the DM Anniversary Party^^ 

 ^^Gaby, Emily and I at the DM Anniversary Party^^

^^Take 2!^^

The one thing that was missing from Emily's 21st birthday weekend though, was Jack's. Jack's is magical and it was closed for an entire month starting on her birthday. They reopened the weekend after I got back from Mexico, so Beth and I met once again in Hood River to take Emily to Jack's for the first time. Can I say success? SHE LOVED IT! We had some beers at double mountain, followed by dinner at Henni's and then a dance party at Emily and Kelly's apartment. Eventually we made our way to the Pub to wait until the appropriate time (Jack's O-Clock) to head down to Hood River's most magical bar. We obviously purchased scorpion bowls and an appetizer platter (fried Chinese food, yes!). After our snacks and drinks we danced and danced and at one point on the dance floor Emily shouted "CAN WE COME BACK TOMORROW?!" Lol. So good.

^^Day beers on the patio at Double Mountain are the best beers^^ 

^^Shout out to Phinny for the multiple shots^^ 

^^Emily's first ever Scorpion Bowl^^

The next day we went to Hood River Cider Fest and then out to dinner and then I called it an early night because I can't party like that two nights in a row.

Celebrating Emily and going on 2 21st birthday extravaganzas was super fun and made me feel kind of old, but also kind of proud that I was able to hang! Happy 21st Emily, we love you!

a concert, friendship and hood river summer goodness

This weekend I headed back down to the Columbia River Gorge for the second weekend in a row. I got to Hood River right around dinner time. I met Gaby for a margarita and some chips and salsa before heading to Sarah’s house. I got there a little before her so I took some selfies with my favorite dog, Kiva:

When Sarah, Tonya and Gaby finally got to Sarah’s, we all walked down to the waterfront to have dinner at Sarah and my favorite restaurant, Solstice.  There was a bit of a wait for a table so we headed next door to the new distillery, Camp 1805. They are in their soft opening phase so we tried some their mini-cocktails (that only have about a 1/2 shot of alcohol in them and are served in mini-glasses) before dinner. They were fantastic. So was dinner!

After dinner Sarah and I were walking back to her house when we ran into our friend Abbey. Sarah decided to go home and I hung out with Abbey for a bit before Beth text me to let me know she was off work and headed to my favorite dive bar, The Red Carpet! I met her and some of her work friends for a beer, some girl talk, and some jukebox jams/dancing. It was a fun time.

The next day I met Beth at Lampoei’s food truck for some Thai food before Christa joined us and we headed down to the Hood River for some sunshine.

^^Christa and Beth taking a selfie on the tiny beach^^

After the beach, Beth and I headed to her house to change before she went to work and I went to a concert at Edgefield. Edgefield is a McMenamins property in Troutdale, OR (which is just outside Portland). It was originally built as a poor farm in the early 1900s and then was transformed into a resort of sorts. On the grounds there is a hotel, a golf course, multiple restaurants, even more bars (some tiny, some bigger), a winery, a distillery, a brewery, a soaking pool, a glass blowing studio, a movie theater, etc. It’s very charming. They also have outdoor concerts there. This was my first one at the venue, NONONO and Foster the People were playing. They were really great, high energy and entertaining live. Sarah, Gaby and I had a blast! It was so nice out (despite being REALLY hot until the sun went down) and we had a really great time listening to live music and people watching in the grass.

^^left to right: me, Sarah, Gaby^^

After the concert we ran back to our car and got out of the parking lot just in time to escape the horrible traffic. We headed back to Hood River and got into town right about when Beth was getting off work. Beth and I went to the Pub for a drink where we ran into our friends Tonya and Christa. We ended up taking shots and going to Jack’s to dance them off. I’m not going to lie, my legs are still a little sore from dropping it low with the girls. Dance parties are my favorite!

The only down side to the night was when I ended up waiting over an HOUR for a cab back to White Salmon. It was so ridiculous and the cab driver didn’t have enough room in his cab when he finally arrived so I ended up in the “trunk” of his Subaru because I refused to wait alone for another cab back to White Salmon. Ha! Whatever, spooning with my favorite Fluffy cat that night was worth cab-waiting, trunk riding and not sleeping on a friend’s couch.

Sunday I woke up to my dad making me huckleberry pancakes (with freshly picked huckleberries), ham and eggs. It was awesome. I then had the most uncomfortable run-in with an old friend on the street in downtown Hood River who looked physically uncomfortable/upset that he had to talk to me for like 1 minute (WTF?) which in turn made me really upset and so I immediately got in my car while saying “what the F*CK” out loud, and drove straight to Portland to meet my cousin Tad and his girlfriend for lunch. We ate at Beaches on the Columbia River and it was so great to catch up with them. Hooray for positive encounters that make me feel a million times better. Overall, my heart is full from a really wonderful weekend.

Today at work I was telling my coworker, Justin, about my awkward encounter and he had some really great insight on the whole thing. He basically told me that I’m like an excited puppy who just loves everyone so much and I’m so excited to see everyone and that’s overwhelming for some people (introverts), especially if they are having a bad day or were unprepared to run into someone and have a conversation. He also said that while I enjoy maintaining relationships with everyone near and far, for most people maintaining friendships with people who are far away and who they rarely see/talk to is hard and disappointing because when you’d like them to be there, they aren’t and it’s hard to deal with that. He said he mentally puts people like that in a box and just puts them off to the side because he can’t cope. I’m just going to assume he and my other friend are the same way and not let it make me feel bad anymore. Because, if I’m being totally honest, that encounter kind of ruined my day. And then it made me feel upset that it affected me so much and I didn’t understand why I felt so bad after an awkward run in with that person. It’s not like I’m super close with that person. I was just excited to see them and it wasn’t reciprocated and it sucked. On my way back to Seattle, though, I was thinking about it and I think that the thing that fulfills me most in the world is meaningful relationships with other people. All the other things I do come second to my interactions and connections to others. I think the people I love the most understand and reciprocate that and it makes me love them even more. I’m a total lover! And apparently (duh) a total extrovert.

Anyway, most of the weekend was so good and was filled with so many good people. It really was a wonderful time. I just wish my favorite weekends lasted more than 2 days!

FIVE things

Today I have like FIVE things for you that probably (mostly) deserve their own posts, but sometimes life gets in the way, you know? So here they all are, an update of sorts. Enjoy!

ONE.
I got sworn into the bar the other week. It felt like more of a hoop than a monuments occasion, but it was nice to get dressed up and celebrate my last law-school-ish-related-thing, nonetheless. Hello being a real lawyer.

Dustin went with me to the ceremony and acted as my cheerleader/photographer (he may have been more excited than me, considering he had to deal with my stressed out self for like three years of law school and bar studies - someone give him a high five) and afterward took me to the Ballard Annex Oyster House for seafood - I had oysters, bites of Dustin's clam chowder, and a lobster roll - and champagne to celebrate.

TWO.
That same week, I went back to White Salmon where it was beautiful and fall-like, to do some hunting. I ended up getting a deer opening morning which was so, SO exciting and after tracking it through the woods with my dad and brother Jim, I took this picture in which I was exhausted and so happy.

Note to self: it might be a bad idea (or the best idea) to spend Friday at a coffee shop working really productively (Hood River is the most magical for all things), then go get a manicure (which held up so well through my hunt) before meeting up with pretty ladies for dinner and then letting them convince you to go out for a drink or two and dancing at Jack's until like 1am. But it was really fun and I was really exhausted when I had to get up before daylight to go hunting and when my dad let me go inside and nap while he finished skinning my deer for me, you'd better bet I did just that.

 

And then, that evening, instead of hiking through the woods looking for a deer, I was able to go to dinner with Josh and Sarah, and then grab another drink with everyone in Hood River before I called it an early night because I was SO tired, you guys (spoiler alert, see: THREE below).

 



And, this last weekend, my really cool brother Jim got his deer. I wish I could have been there. Also, jeal that his was bigger than mine (it ALWAYS is).

 

THREE.

I definitely got strep throat last week, which was a total bummer. My tonsils swelled up to the size of cherries and got all white and disgusting, even the Doctor was shocked when he looked at my throat which made me LOL really hard, because you don't expect a doctor to freak out when he looks at your throat, amiright? After not getting sick at all last winter coming down with strep so early in the season was not a fun one. Hey antibiotics forever.

 

FOUR. 

Sunday someone had a birthday. We celebrated with Ba Bar for dinner followed by a drink and a shot for him thanks to our gracious bartender, then home for cake (vanilla with raspberry filling, made by yours truly) and presents.

FIVE.
This next month is going to be full of travel for me and I'm so excited. This weekend it's back to Hood River for some Halloween fun, picking up a freezer full of deer meat and getting my teeth cleaned.

Then, next week I fly to Tampa to swoop up my friend Gaby and drive with her back to the northwest. I'm really excited for our cross-country road trip. We're doing the whole thing in 5 days, Tampa to Seattle (to White Salmon for her). We're definitely stopping in Nashville, St. Louis, Cheyenne(ish) and Boise. Does anyone have any must-sees or dos along the way?

Then, right after my birthday, Natalie, Danielle, Brittan and I are going to San Francisco for a long weekend. Again, if anyone has any must-dos in San Francisco please let me know. I am just so excited about all of it (my bank account, on the other hand, is not, but YOLO, amiright? ha)!

xoxo

Scenes from the Weekend: Hood River Style (yes, again)

On Thursday I headed down to Hood River to soak up a little more Hood River Summer goodness. Surprised? Didn't think so. Anyway, let's get on with this.

When I got to town I met Beth and we went to Lampoei's, which is this really amazing Thai Food truck, to grab some (of the best) Thai Food and take it down to the river to enjoy while we dipped our toes in the cold water and read for a little bit.

After the river, we met our friends Sarah and Launa and headed to White Salmon to Henni's Kitchen for an amazing, leisurely dinner complete with lots of small plates, wine, and amazing main courses. We sat outside, chatted and watched the sun go down, which made girls night extra amazing. After dinner we grabbed a quick beer at Double Mountain before calling it a night.

Friday morning I woke up early, walked downtown to Ground for some breakfast. On my walk I ran into Dustin's parents which was a fun surprise. After breakfast I walked across the street to the TREW gnaRV (pop-up-shop), said hi to a few of my guy friends who were working the morning shift and bought myself a new sweatshirt which I can't wait to wear all the time when the weather gets a little cooler.

I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon working alongside Beth and Marissa at Dog River. After work I met up with Josh and Sarah, who made me a delicious dinner (chicken with chanterelles and an awesome organic salad). I also got to spend some quality time with my favorite dog, Kiva, during dinner. She's the sweetest ever.

After dinner we met up with friends at Double Mountain and then sat outside at the Pub for the rest of the night.

Saturday morning Beth and I met up with our friend Abby at River Daze Café for breakfast sandwiches on their homemade English muffins (YUM). After which we walked around, visited the TREW pop-up-shop so Abby could get a sweater, got juice from the Juice truck and then ran into our friend Ashley. She suggested we make an impromptu trip down to the river for an hour and we obliged. We ended up swimming in our bras and underwear and drinking PBRs for a little while before heading back into town. It was really spontaneously fun.

^^Beth and Abby in the River^^ 

When we got back to town I had to go change and get ready for Katie and Josh's final wedding-related-party at Katie's mom's house. Katie told me I should bring a plus one since I likely wouldn't know many people there, so, since Beth was working, I invited my friend Greg to go with me. Apparently I did not adequately prepare him for the awesomeness of the wedding (I said it would be in White Salmon, it was in Mill-A; I said it was a wedding reception, there was no dancing or other traditional wedding-related-events; I didn't say anything (or know anything) about the chickens or totally legal-weed-grow-operation, or the people who would judge him for windsurfing etc.), but the food was awesome and there were drinks and it was fun to hang with Josh and Katie, so it was all good. Plus, now we both have a really good story and probably he will never go anywhere with me ever again ;) ha! I definitely deserve that.

 ^^Greg and I in front of the weed and the chickens, because, I mean, how could we not?^^

^^Josh and Katie^^ 

After the wedding we grabbed a drink at Celilo to re-class-it-up before the decline that went like: Waucoma Club, Pint Shack, Ladies dance party at Jack's, the coolest ever Chinese restaurant bar/dance club (I loveeee Jack's!). While at Celilo we saw some friends who joined us for a drink and the rest of the night I just kept running into more people which was so much fun!

Sunday there was breakfast at the Riverside Grill followed by Beth, Tonya and I heading to Rasmussen Farms and then to the Hood River Lavender Farm to pick flowers. Afterward I met Marissa and Zara for a few minutes, then headed to Stevenson to see Jessica, her husband and sweet baby before driving back to Seattle.

 

 ^^Rasmussen Farm's U-Pick flowers^^

^^Beth and Tonya with their lavender^^ 

^^The Columbia River Gorge as seen from the Bridge of the Gods on my way back to Seattle^^

 

I probably say that all of the weekends in Hood River are my favorite, but this one was definitely up there. It was so packed full of good people and fun times. I'm in love. Take me back? 

 

It should also be noted that I successfully spent 6 days in a row with Beth. She's moving to Boise in a week and a half and I hate hate HATE to see her go. I'm going to miss her so much (I mean obvi I'll still see her, but probably not AS often). It was good to get almost a whole week together, celebrate the end of summer and make lots of memories. I'll be back to the Gorge soon for her going away party and Hood River Hops Fest. I can't wait (minus the whole moving thing which I may be in denial about a little bit)! #ILOVEITTHERE