7/52: Valentine's and Kasey Musgraves

I didn't get to spend Valentine's Day with my love, but Chick and I had a wonderful dinner and presents in Beaverton and Brian and I set out on an adventure Saturday the weekend after Valentine's Day (Thankfully all the snow had finally melted!)

Monday night was Kasey Musgraves in Portland and she was fabulous.  Soccer Mommy opened the show and they were also really great.

We had an amazing dinner at Swank before the show and although the food was mixed (some dishes were great and others just so so), we had a wonderful bottle of wine, our service was excellent and the restaurant itself had a great vibe.  We'd try it again, or head next door to Swine, their Bistro/Pub next door.

Enjoy!
Stacy

5/52: Welcome February

We kicked off February with a girl's weekend in Portland with a Friday night crab feed, Bob Seger in Concert on Saturday night and then Super Bowl Sunday.

Enjoy!
Stacy

39/52: Girl's Weekend featuring Keith Urban

We had a long Girl's Weekend this year that started off with a road trip to Eugene to see Keith Urban and Kelsea Ballerini at Matt Knight Arena.

The show was amazing and we had a fun evening catching up with friends at the Wild Duck in Eugene before the show.

After a quick trip to see my Mom and Kenny's new home in West Eugene, we had a relaxing Friday night back in Beaverton with plenty of time to cuddle with cats in pajamas (us not the cats) while eating a classic wedge salad along side a steak dinner.

Saturday was our annual trek down NW 23rd for shopping and lunch.  We each bought a few trinkets and our lunch, including a rich and creamy wild mushroom papardelle was fantastic.

Sunday was spent relaxing while watching everything from the 1976 version of "A Star is Born" to a couple of really good football games followed by 4 episodes of General Hospital.

It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to September and welcome October.

Enjoy!
Stacy

32/52: Train with Hall and Oates/Summer Baseball in Seattle

Chick bought tickets (Bday gift) to see Train with Hall and Oates at the Moda Center in Portland.  The show was last Thursday night and it was fabulous!

Pre show drinks and dinner at Altabria City Tavern on a 95 degree day in Portland!  We couldn't sit outside, but we had a nice table in the restaurant that looked out over the city.

Train opened the show and they sounded amazing and played for about an hour....so many great songs.  We have seen them before and they are always exceptionally good live.

Hall and Oates came out and played just over an hour (with encore) and opened their set with Maneater and ended the evening with You Make My Dreams Come True.  All their classics and even a few songs with Train front-man, Pat Monahan.

Saturday night in Seattle, Brian and I headed over to White Center to see the Highline Bears final game of the season.  The Highline Bears baseball organization is a summer collegiate team in the Pacific International League.

It was a fun night to see small community baseball in a small park.  It reminded me of being a kid and watching baseball at Civic Stadium in Eugene.

Fun summer memories!

Enjoy!
Stacy

12/52: John Gorka

Brian and I had a great evening hearing John Gorka perform for the Seattle Folklore Society on Saturday night in Greenwood.

Brian's been listening to John for many many years and I only discovered him when I met Brian 14 years ago.  I really enjoy his songwriting style, baritone voice and amazing guitar playing.  Accompanying him on tour is the very talented Amilia K. Spicer.

We had pre-show drinks and dinner at the 74th street pub (check out Seattle's famous Chicken Sandwich).

A fun night in Seattle!

Enjoy!
Stacy

39/52: Colin Hay Concert and a Dinner Party

Colin Hay was back in the Pacific Northwest last Friday night and Brian and I saw his performance at Benroya Hall in downtown Seattle.  Pre-show cocktails and an outrageously good burger at the W in Seattle made this a perfect date night!

It's been 4 years since Colin's been in Seattle.  His last show was so incredible that Brian and I have been watching his tour schedule to make sure that we didn't miss his next Northwest performance. 

Friday was no exception to what this amazingly talented artist can do.  His latest album, Fierce Mercy finds him at the top of his game once again.  Through his story-telling in song, Hay's solo shows are peppered with comedic outbursts and life anecdotes from his life altering experiences traveling around the world performing.  He was fabulous!

Saturday night we were invited to a dinner party at Lake Morton...cocktails and wine flowed and a gorgeous Prime Rib roast was served.  Girls versus guys in Pictionary (we lost) but had a wonderful evening!

Enjoy!
Stacy

36/52: A Concert and Girl's Weekend

I got back to Portland and back into a routine with some fun things on the calendar to start the beginning of September/end of Summer!

Last Sunday Sandra and I went up to Ridgefield, Washington to the Sunlight Amphitheater to see Lady Antebellum along with Kelsea Ballerini and Brett Young.  A fun night, which started off at Joe's crab shack and ended about 12:15 am the next morning!

This last weekend was annual girl's weekend and our trek down 23rd avenue in Portland for treasures, people watching and lunch with wine at JoBar (cupcakes from Saint Cupcakes)!

Summer in winding down...our air quality has been bad with forest fires in the area and the sun in now setting earlier and earlier each evening. We continue to sneak in as much summertime fun as possible in anticipation of the changing season.

How are you spending the last days of summer?

Enjoy!
Stacy

50/52: A few of my Favorite Things

This time of year, before the sun comes up is the best time to be in front of the Christmas Tree with a hot cup of coffee in my favorite Christmas coffee mug. 

Celebrating with friends is the best part of the holidays. Experiencing new holiday events make the season bright!  This past weekend we were treated to a wonderful choir concert with good friends.

Cats under the Christmas tree....they are always fascinated by the lights.

What are some of your favorite things?

Enjoy!
Stacy

Paula Fuga and Makana at the Alberta Rose Theater

After over 20 years of being closed to the public, the Alberta Rose Theater in the Alberta District of Portland has re-emerged as Portland's premier setting to hear acoustic music, art house films and live performances.

Opened in 1927 as a motion picture house, it showed movies until 1978 then closed. In 2010, Joe Cawley turned the 1920's movie house into a unique and intimate concert venue.  The theater has 300 fixed seats, a mid-sized listening room where every seat feels close to the stage and the artists performing.

Last Wednesday, Chick and I saw Paula Fuga and Makana perform at the Alberta Rose and it was an amazing evening! 

Praised for her spellbinding vocals and ability to stir the deepest emotions with her soulful melodies, Paula has established herself as one of Hawaii's most sough after live performers.  Her music featured soul and jazz-infused lyrics, and seamlessly mixed English and Hawaiian languages, supported by the traditional Hawaiian instrument, Ukulele. 

After Paula performed an hour set, we were treated the the talents of Makana, an internationally acclaimed slack key guitarist, singer, composer and activist. He is recognized as one of the top guitarists in the U.S. by Guitar Player Magazine and was honored by his peers in Hawaii with the Ki Ho'alu Foundation (Slack Key) Legacy Award.  His songs ranged from traditional to highly original, both instrumental and lyrical.

Before the show we had cocktails and appetizers at the Whiskey Branch Bar located next door to the theater.

Enjoy!
Stacy