Single Summer Shenanigans

It's been 6 years since I was single last and I couldn't think of a better time to be newly uncoupled than summertime in the PNW. The weather is magical, the days are long, everyone wants to be out doing stuff, work has temporarily slowed down for about a month and I have a slight suntan. CHEERS.

This month has been a whirlwind of saying yes to what feels good while also being gentle with myself. There has been less exercise and more drinks with friends, less salads and more dinners out and I'm really into all of it. I've been out of my apartment more, hanging with people I love who I lost touch with a bit, and generally packing in all the things I feel like I missed out on or couldn't want to do in the past few years.

My sorority sister Julia got married at the end of July. We went out the weekend before her wedding for a bachelorette party that included almost naked men, a rooftop bar, dropping it low at the Alibi Room downtown and finally late night Mexican food. I had a blast, and more importantly, so did Julia.

^^The bachelorette party outside the Triple Door^

^^Sisters^^

^^Julia (far left) onstage at the Buckaroos show (YAS)^^

Julia's wedding was on her family's farm on Camano Island. Dolly's fiancé (now husband!!) Wes drove Erin and I up to the wedding. We stopped at the Stanwood Saloon on our way for a few pre-wedding drinks and then threw it back, college style, with a few cold Coors Lights in the car before walking over to the ceremony site. Always keeping it classy.

^^Stanwood Saloon, beers and a tequila shot each before the wedding (obviously)^^

^^Car Bar SnapChat Selfie - PS can we talk about how hard it is to save photos from SnapChat now? Someone show me how.^^

The wedding was really beautiful complete with great food, friends, live music, drinks, cupcakes and an option to camp which we were going to take but last minute Erin decided to drive us back home. I was so happy to wake up in my bed the next morning, even though I was covered in mosquito bites which still haven't quite healed. UGH.

^^Love my PC05 Sisters^^ 

^^I definitely put on my bright yellow Ocean Shores sweatshirt part way through the wedding when I started to get cold. Gotta keep it classy!^^

I've been lucky enough to spend a bunch of time with Erin and Alli lately. Alli just recently moved back from Brooklyn and lives so so close to Erin and I (who live less than a mile apart, the best)!! It has been so nice to have a single friend to do all of the things with. Erin's man friend has been gone the past few weeks so the three of us have been having the most fun together which makes my heart so so happy. There have been yoga classes, drinks, flirting with random men, talking about random men, watching the new ghostbusters movie, dinners, shopping trips, etc. and it has been so, so good.

 ^^Sister Erin and I out in Ballard^^

^^Sneaky shot of sister Erin and a man we met at the bar who was definitely interested in taking both of us home so we left together in an Uber without him, lolz^^

Gaby came up to visit one weekend too (well, she came up for work and I got to hang out with her which was amazing). We spent one entire afternoon drinking ALL the beers at the Latona Pub (I've actually spent a lot of time there in general lately, it's my go-to neighborhood spot and I'm so thankful it exists and that the people who work there exist too).

^^Gaby and I single lady day drinking at the Latona Pub^^

Also, I spontaneously booked a trip to NYC!! EEK! I've always wanted to go and I figured now is the perfect time. I go for a night by myself and then Gaby meets me the following afternoon and I cannot fucking wait. Gaby is the best travel partner and we've talked about going to NYC foreverrrr and it's finally happening (because single Rebeka is sooo spontaneous) and I am about to burst. I'm really, really doing what feels good and it's the best. I would recommend it to anyone going through a change, or just anyone in general, really.

What else, what else?

There was also pizza for dinner with my law school+ group of friends right after Brittan and Brian got back from traveling the world. Then there was an evening in Columbia City in the park with them where we drank entirely too much pink wine, ate snacks from PCC and listened to music while sitting on blankets. I eventually had to send myself home in an uber and watched Netflix in my bed for most of the following morning. Worth it. 

^^Paul La's arm, Natalie, Brittan, Brian, me, Gaby, Erin and her man friend, Ambur and Adam. Rob is behind the camera^^

Oh! And Adam and Ambur finally set a date for their wedding. It's so soon and so small and I'm bursting at the seams with happiness for them. I will happily add one more wedding to my summer if its theirs. Congrats friends!

So yes, because I feel like I get asked every day how I'm doing here we are. I'm doing well. I'm keeping busy and I feel mostly really happy. Life lately has been an adjustment but I think I'm adjusting for the better and morphing into a really great version of me. So, for the next few months I'll be soaking up as much summer as possible and doing all the things that seem fun and hopefully popping in here to recap the good shit (even though all of my life is pretty good these days, I'm not going to lie). Thanks for all the support, friends. Cheers!

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!

a few December things

A few weekends ago Dustin and I went to his co-worker's wedding. I was obviously really excited, since I love weddings. We got dressed up, got in the car and drove over to Greenlake. When we got inside the wedding venue, we signed the guest book and then were almost immediately hearded outside, through the rain, toward the lake.

 

Guys, it was an outdoor wedding ceremony. In December. In Seattle. SURPRISE!

 

Needless to say it was unexpected, freezing, the pastor took his time doing his thing, and AND to top it all off... the groom was good friends with one of my ex-boyfriends from college #soawkward  

 

After we got back inside we had some food, a few drinks, avoided my ex boyfriend at all costs, chatted with Dustin's co worker, had a generally great time, watched the bridge and groom cut the cake, and then snuck out. 

After sneaking out, we decided to head down the block and grab a drink before heading back to our neighborhood. Since we were all dressed up, you know!

When we finally got home and parked, we still weren't ready to call it a night, so we went to the little French place across the street (where I demanded Dustin take me for my 26th Birthday). I ordered mushrooms and wine. Dustin had a beer.

We got home, put on SNL and I promptly fell asleep on the couch #standard

But not before THIS happened...

 

The next day Dustin and I braved the Sunday, Christmas season crowds to get some things for our VERY FIRST Christmas tree. Never again. Target at Christmas time is a zoo. We were both exhausted by the time we got out of there.

 

After Target we went back home, took a deep breath, bundled up, and walked two blocks in the rain to the Christmas Tree Stand. We chose the smallest, cutest tree they had, sipped some cider to warm up, and then carried our perfect tree home in the rain. 

Now we're working on adding presents and avoiding Target until at least the new year. Have I mentioned that online shopping is my new best friend? I just hope all my presents get delivered before Christmas.

Portland Wedding Fun

A few weekends ago Dustin and I went to our last wedding of the season (shed a tear, wedding season is over). The wedding was in Portland so we drove down on Saturday morning, giving me just enough time to walk over to Nordstrom, drool over some Proenza Shouler bags, buy a big shirt (aka dress – the one you see below, to be more specific) and wander happily for a few minutes before we had to start getting ready. Ahh staying downtown, so good…

The view from our hotel room 

The wedding was perfect. It was held in a sort of understated and rustic venue right across a bridge from downtown. There was awesome food, awesome people and lots of drinks (what better form of social lubrication, am I right?).

 Signature Cocktail, don’t mind if I do…

Dustin even gave a speech. And his speech was so good. What a guy!

I’ll miss you, wedding season! Until next time…

What I wore | big shirt & necklace from Nordstrom and bright pink NARS lipstick

I love weddings (true story)

Weddings are one of my very favorite things. What’s not to love? They’re filled with joy and love, friends, wine, great food and dancing! Oh the dancing!

This past Friday I took off work early and headed to Yakima for my sorority sister, Stephanie’s wedding. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. The whole thing was a blast!

In case you don’t believe me, I’ll tell AND show you why it was the very best:

I had a hot date who left his vacation early to come meet me in Yakima for the fun:

My sorority sisters were there (PC05):

I got to catch up with Danielle and Steffen, who I hadn’t seen since their wedding:

 and maybe even make super top secret plans with Steffen!

And (maybe my favorite part?), I got to drink wine and dance with some of my favorites. They even played CALL ME MAYBE! At which point Danielle RAN to me, I knew we were friends for a reason!:
        

Don’t worry, this is just me singing “and this is CRA-ZY” as Dustin plays photographer:

And then we went to the afterparty. Where I took a Patron shot or two (definitely two, which I didn’t need). But I wouldn’t have traded this night for the world.

Congratulations Stephanie and Michael!!