I have an amazing group of friends. New friends and old friends. Best of all, friends that know how to throw an amazing dinner party in honor of my 50th year.
Jenny and Brent hosted an elegant dinner party for 9 including a champagne fountain, a 4 course meal and a jazz duo (Jenny provided amazing vocals) the first Saturday in April.
It was an amazing evening and one that I won't soon forget. Thanks for my friends who are like family for celebrating my birthday!
Enjoy!
Stacy
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
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
We tried to stay cool over the weekend. I worked from home on Friday and it was a "pleasant" warm...then Saturday and Sunday were down-right "miserable" hot. We live in a house that gets a nice cool breeze off the Puget Sound. Let's call that "nature's air-conditioning" as we have nothing else. Need-less-to-say, we each experienced a bit of cranky pants over the weekend, surviving on little sleep.
Saturday we grilled burgers at my Mom and Kenny's (and took a time out inside as they have aircon) and Sunday we went to the West Seattle Summer Festival early in the day to hear Rat City Brass before the pavement began to melt!
Can't complain, can we? It's the middle of summer and before we know it....there will be frost on the pumpkins.
Enjoy!
Stacy
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
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
Welcome back to me!
I've taken a bit of a break from regular blogging to give time to myself and to honor the wonderful 12 days that I was in Maui....my longest vacation in 20 years and my longest time in Maui ever.
It will also probably be our last trip to Maui for awhile and while that brings me great sadness...I know that there are other place in the U.S. and in the world that we would like to visit...so our time in Maui has come to a sort of end....for now.
Where has the rest of May gone? Next week it will be all talk of Summer and Memorial Day BBQs and fun in the sun (let's hope), but what has been keeping us busy since we got back from Maui?
First off.......
Kentucky Derby Day at Emerald Downs! We had an amazing day and I won $336.20 on a $2 ($24) exacta box.
We also had a family reunion and Mother's Day festivities, plus going to see "An American in Paris" at the Keller Auditorium in Portland.
This past weekend was the Preakness, and although not as financially successful as the Derby, we still cashed some tickets and I wore a hat. Perfect!
Whew.....
I feel all caught up, now!
Enjoy!
Stacy
And just like that.......the weekend was upon us again. I loved the shortened holiday week. How about you?
One of our favorite weekends in July is the West Seattle Summer Festival, the highlight of West Seattle's Summer. Several blocks of California Avenue blocked off for food booths, music, a beer garden and arts and crafts. If only our weather had been a bit better?!
We started our day off with a 3 mile walk down to Lincoln Park and then spent a few hours on Saturday afternoon wandering around the festival before spending most of the rest of the weekend at home. We enjoyed a huge slice of pie at Pagliacci Pizza, had a beer in the beer garden and listen to the musical stylings of Danny and the Sugarmakers. It's a wonderful tradition.
So far it's been a busy month and a little weekend down-time is just what I craved, so after another amazing walk through Lincoln Park on Sunday, we had some nice down time at home.
What's going on in your July?
Enjoy!
Stacy
