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!

Las Vegas & Red Rock Canyon 2016

When Gaby asked me a few weeks back if I wanted to go to Las Vegas for the weekend to escape real life and hike red rock canyon and have a generally non-Vegas-y Vegas trip I impulsively said yes and booked the trip. I flew out Friday after work and when I landed in Las Vegas it was still hot as balls. I searched the airport for Gaby, we eventually realized that we were in different terminals, and then when I tried to take the shuttle someone left their purse onboard so police had to be called, everyone had to "step back from the shuttle!!!" and eventually we just decided to catch our own Ubers and meet at the hotel. After checking in and finally finding our room (the MGM is hugeeee) we headed out for a bite to eat. We went to Shake Shack (my first time). By the time we got our food I was so hungry and tired that I only ended up finishing half my beer which might be one of the most shameful things I've ever done. It was my first night in Vegas and it was before midnight. Epic Rebeka Fail. After dinner and after stocking up on SPF80 sun screen for my ginger skin, we called it an early night because we had to get up early for a magical day on Saturday!

^^Vegas night one with my giant beer that I didn't finish/first time at Shake Shack! Also, v obvious screen shot of Gaby's snap b/c I am a narcissist^^

On Saturday morning we woke up early, got a rental car with Oregon plates (!!!) from inside the hotel (so convenient!) and drove out to Red Rock canyon, with a quick stop for iced coffees and breakfast sandwiches along the way.

^^First stop: visitor center^^

Red Rock Canyon is seriously magical. The landscape is so stunning and it's really fun to explore there. You pay $7 to get into the park and there is a 13 mile loop you can drive around and stop at various points to hike the rocks. We stopped three times and ended up hiking around, exploring and climbing up rocks.

^^Here comes a bunch of red rock canyon shots. Are you ready?^^ 

^^Can you spot Gaby and I down there on the rock? Thanks stranger for taking our picture candidly then texting me later!^^ 

Unlike hikes in the PNW, these weren't necessarily long hikes, but instead we would go short distances and explore around and climb up on huge rocks and it was really fun and gorgeous!

 ^^A Gaby sized hole^^

^^Gaby and I^^ 

^^Dancer's pose in the desert^^ 

^^obsessed with the cacti^^ 

^^Stopped at one last viewpoint after all of our hiking^^ 

^^On a giant rock^^ 

^^We did it!^^

On stop two of our hiking tour, we found a hole. It was so magical. It was cool in the hole and the hole had a great lookout and we decided if the world ended we'd like to hide in the hole. It was one of our favorite parts of the trip, being in the hole, rehydrating, hiding from the heat and laughing. I can't explain its magic, but it was real.

 ^^The hole^^

^^Gaby in the hole^^

When we left Red Rock Canyon Gaby told me she had a surprise for me! It was very exciting! She remembered that ice cream sandwiches are one of my favorite things and she took me to this shop where you can choose your cookie flavor(s) and your ice cream flavor and your topping flavor and make your own ice cream sandwich. It was super clever and I loved it - it was sooo delicious. I want to go there always. Thank you Gaby for the awesome surprise! You're the best!!!

^^Can't contain my excitement^^

^^Two double chocolate cookies with peanut butter ice cream and rainbow sprinkles for the win^^

After eating our ice cream and popping into Lululemon we drove a little further to grab some sushi off the strip. The sushi place we wanted to go to was closed for a private event, so we went to another place nearby with good Yelp! reviews called Sushi Fever. It was super tasty and when we sat down and I realized that we'd been in Vegas for a million hours and I'd only had 1/2 a beer, I ordered some Sake with lunch, which is a huge DUH. It was a great decision, I was feeling pretty good after hiking, ice cream, sushi and then some Sake!! Fat kid status!

After sushi we headed back to the hotel to return the rental car, hit the pool for a little bit and then took a nap. Eventually we made our way across the street to Diablo's Cantina (where Gaby knew the bartenders) to eat some Mexican food, share a 48oz margarita, make up fake life stories for the restaurant staff and then call it an early night, part two. This quickly became a theme for us. We were totally good with early bedtimes and plenty of sleep (minus being woken up by drunk girls screaming at their friend Marsha who apparently wouldn't let them into their room. I hate those girls. Where are you, Marsha?!).

 ^^Can't go wrong with margarita and guacamole^^

A majority of the day on Sunday was spent at the pool. It was so nice and relaxing. We paid for fancy, cushioned chairs in the adult only pool (not the party pool, the Revive pool) and ordered drinks and laid in the sun and then under an umbrella and aggressively reapplied sunscreen and got in the water and it was so great. After the pool we went to In-N-Out Burger where we both had burgers and I got animal fries and it was OMGSOGOOD. Gotta keep on top of those bikini bods with a strict diet of delicious fried shit!

 ^^Beer by the pool = living the dream^^

^^Gaby killing it at poolside chillin'^^

We then headed over to another part of the strip, stopped to see the Flamingos at the Flamingo, drank dranks, discussed whether or not this old guy named Gary was gay or just a complete psycho, then took a shuttle to the Flamingo for some Roulette where we won a hundred and some odd dollars. Yes!

After gambling we headed back to the hotel to change into dresses before heading out to dinner at this great place off the strip called Carson Kitchen which was intimate, had lots of gorgeous wood, a magical server named Dakota and there was a deck upstairs that looked like it would be low key fun to grab a drink on during a warm, Las Vegas evening.

^^Gin martini and gin cocktail for me and Gaby, respectively^^

After dinner we took a quick walk up Freemont street before deciding we were exhausted and just wanted to go to bed, so we got in an Uber with a man who told us about how he used to sleep on the sidewalk. He has a bed now. We called it another early night because why end the loser streak on our last night, am I right? The next morning I had an earlier flight than Gaby so I woke up and headed to the airport where I grabbed Coffee Bean (fav) and then flew home (less fav). Gaby had another pool day before catching her delayed (boo) flight that evening.

Best not-too-Vegasy Vegas trip ever! I can't wait until my next vacay with Gaby!!  Cheers!

Baker City visit

Over Memorial Day weekend I headed east for the weekend to see my Bethfriend in Baker City, Oregon. The drive should have only taken about 5.5hours but took more like 6.5hours when everything was said and done because of a car accident on i90 going over the pass. Bummer!

^^The view right out of Baker City from i84. Beth told me they call those mountains the little Alps^^

Beth's parents were also in Baker for the weekend, so when I got to town her mom handed me a tequila shot and then we all loaded up and headed to Beth's aunt's camp site for a family BBQ. After the BBQ, Beth and I changed, put on lipstick and headed out to Barley Brown's Brewery (where Beth works) to watch some live music and drink some beer. We met Beth's friend Carly there, shouted at each other over the music, and eventually we headed to the VFW for some video poker, karaoke, $2 beers and a koozy for me to remember the trip by! When it was time to go home Beth called us a cab and we had to stand outside for approximately 5-10 minutes and HOLY COW Baker city gets hot in the day and then cold as fuck at night. It was like it was the dead of winter in June. How is that even possible?! I was dying. Beth thought I was a baby. Whatever, Beth!

^^Beth's dad took this very red-eyed picture of us before we headed out to Barley's^^

 ^^Music up on a stage at Barley's, genius!^^

 ^^Beth, me and Carly with our $2 beers and our VFW koozies^^

^^Carly killing at it karaoke on the most beautiful karaoke stage everrr^^

Sunday morning we all woke up early and then Beth, her parents, her brother Neil and I headed out to breakfast at the Lone Pine Café. We sat outside and ordered Mimosas which were fresh squeezed and it was all really great. But then, mid way through my delicious meal (I had a fancy BLT that was really good and really overstuffed) I decided to pull out some pickled onion and tomato make my sandwich more manageable and when I pulled out the tomato a LIVE SPIDER CAME OUT WITH IT. It was covered in sauce and it was the weirdest thing ever. We all just stared at each other and then Beth picked it up and threw it off the table and I didn't know what to do because A LIVE SPIDER WAS IN MY SANDWICH. WAS IT THE ONLY ONE? DID I EAT ITS FAMILY? AM I GROWING SPIDERS INSIDE MY STOMACH AS WE SPEAK?! Of course that happened to me.

After breakfast we headed to Beth's grandpa's house (where she lived when she first moved there) so we could meet. I am obsessed with that man. He is the sweetest ever and he of course invited me back to Baker City to stay with him whenever I want because we're now besties.

When our breakfast settled Beth and I met back up with Carly for a hike up Indian Rock Trail with Carly's Frenchie, Herbert, and Beth's Boston Terrier, Baxter. The dogs were not the hugest fans of the hike, but did pretty well overall. And at the end of the hike there was an awesome view which we thoroughly enjoyed (in large part thanks to Carly's forethought in bringing a delicious IPA for us to share) until Beth found a tick on her and then we basically ran back down the hill.

^^Hiking up, up, up through the awesome wildflowers^^

^^Babes + Dogs^^ 

 ^^view from the top^^

 ^^Beth enjoying the view just minutes before she would find a tick on her, EW^^

Beth drove us to the trail head and after a quick stop at the lake we were driving home, Herbert in my lap in the front seat, AC blasting on him trying to get him to cool off when I felt something behind my ear. I instinctively brushed it and immediately knew what was happening. I brushed again harder and a tick fell into my chest. I freaked out, told Beth to stop immediately, jumped out of the car, Carly jumped out with me, I freak out more, the tick was on the inside of my shirt, I pulled my shirt down, Carly tried to brush the tick off, it didn't work, and eventually, after she's seen basically all of my boobs Carly picks the tick up off of me and throws it on the ground. We breathed a collective sigh of relief. I owe her my life forever for saving me from the tick and potential lime disease and just general EW-ness. Thank you Carly!!

After the hike we went home to do full body tick checks and then headed back to Barley Brown's for more, very necessary beers.

That evening Beth and I had a delicious dinner at the old timey Haines Steak House with her parents before calling it an early night.

It took me a million hours to get home the next day despite being on the road at 8:30am thanks to another crash on i90 over the pass. I'm never again heading east on i90 on a 3 day weekend, but the trip was great overall and it was so fun to see where my Bethfriend has been living and to drink some delicious Barley Brown's beer!!