How is it possibly already the last Sunday afternoon before Labor Day Weekend?
When we were traveling non-stop for a year, I remember a few occasions where I tabled the regular posts (read: backlogged adventures) and just served up a few notes about the present. I’m back in those shoes today: still having fun sorting posts from our British Columbia trip, but positively brimming with updates about what’s going on this month and next!
From this morning’s visit to Joseph Wood Hill Park on the top of Rocky Butte, looking out over our potential new neighborhood*…
A HOUSE
First: I started the #twoOhomesearch hashtag last Tuesday just for kicks, because we’d just finalized our loan approval process and started looking for a place of our own in earnest.
Browsing real estate listings. Like a trip-planning rush, only, well, the opposite. Kinda. Like @airbnb for keeps. #twoOhomesearch
— Bethany & Ted (@twoOregonians) August 19, 2014
*Little did I know that would turn into a listing, a tour, an offer, a counter offer, an escrow check, and a home inspection under our belts by lunchtime today. No news yet on the next set of decisions, but wow.
A FEAST
Second: Four weeks from now, Portland will be absolutely buzzing – and not just from collective caffeine levels. Our fare city will be showcasing the Pacific Northwest’s finest food and drink at the third annual FEAST Portland, and I’ve been invited to savor many of the flavors over the four day event.
I’m most excited for Sunday’s Tillamook Brunch Village, because, hey. BRUNCH. Have you seen that episode of Portlandia? It’s all true.*
(*Says the woman who stood in a 90 minute line for brunch at Broder while five months pregnant. That might have been a mistake.)
Anyway, I mean, look at the lineup of chefs for the event! Adam Sappington from our own Montavilla backyard, The Country Cat; Walt Alexander, Kevin Atchley, and Brian Snyder from our favorite, Pine State Biscuit; and guest chefs from New York, Charleston, L.A., Austin, and more.
Tickets are sold out for Brunch Village (though there are just a few package tickets left that get you into all five Marquee events: The Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting, Sandwich Invitational, Night Market, High Comfort, and Brunch Village). Tickets are also sold out for Jami Curl’s “Candy is Magic” hands-on class (but never fear: you can follow her on Instagram at @sprinklefingers for a little extra fun every day).
Good news, though, there are still tickets left for artisanal soda classes, craft brew tasting panels, decadent dinners, and swank culinary parties.
If you can only come to one, join me at the Widmer Brothers Brewing Sandwich Invitational Presented by Dave’s Killer Bread on Thursday the 18th from 6-9pm. It’s going to be a fun night hosted outdoors in one of my very favorite Portland spaces: Director Park.
A TOUR
Third: This past Wednesday, I took Lucie on bus ride with 50 people for a ten-hour tour. (Yes, I’m that kind of crazy mom, apparently.) The Farwest Show is a huge nursery industry event that happens each August here in Portland, and I started attending 20+ years ago as a farmer’s daughter, browsing plant catalogs and snatching chocolate from the booth candy dishes. I began attending the seminars when I was in college studying landscape architecture, and this year as part of continuing ed requirements for maintaining my licensure, I chose for the first time to take one of the trade show tours.
So far, so good. Taking @thelittlepeach out for an all day adventure.
I’m hoping to get the chance to write more about the day. The experience reminded me of attending the International Federation of Landscape Architects’ 2012 International Congress in Cape Town, South Africa. I took an all day tour of landscape sites and tree farms, all the while feeling such a strong connection to my Oregonian roots.
A DIG
Fourth: Speaking of Oregonian roots: Just a bit ago I took Lucie and my brother Drew to Champoeg Park (Lucie’s second trip after our January visit) to visit the Oregon State University summer archaeology dig at the historic 1800s settlement site. We heard stories from OSU professor of anthropology Dr. David Brauner about our great(x6) grandpa, Etienne Lucier, and about many of the French Canadians and others who settled in this part of the world over the past 200 years. According to Dr. Brauner, our our ancestor’s original farmstead (just a few miles from the park) can be considered “most historically significant site in the state of Oregon, and, arguably, the Pacific Northwest.”
Drew and Lucie at the Champoeg Archaeology Dig
Grant’s Getaways: Digging into Oregon History featured by Travel OregonThis coming Saturday, August 30th, Friends of Historic Champoeg are hosting a Pioneer Farmstead Day featuring 60+ costumed volunteers reenacting a day of 19th century life on the French Prairie. If you’re local and care to join us, the event is free with the purchase of a $5 State Parks Day Use parking pass. (Come on, I can’t possibly be the only Oregonian who nerds out over 19th century history, games, music, and food!)
Whew.
Oh, did I mentioned that Ted resumes his grad school classes on Tuesday? Busy, busy, busy.
If this past week is any indication of what to expect, I can’t possibly imagine everything that will happen between now and next Saturday…but for the play by play, free free to follow along over on Twitter (@twoOregonians / @bethanyrydmark) and Instagram (@bethanyrydmark), and keep in touch here on the blog for the full posts as they (eventually) appear. (If you’re interested in subscribing, here you go.)
I think that’s it. Lucie’s about done with her peach popsicle, and it’s time to shut the computer down…
What about you — any updates from life this past week?
xx
Bethany
7 Comments
Don’t know how you and Ted do it all – busy bees for sure but judging by the photos you’re also good at finding time to kick up your heels.
We try to find a balance, Maria. It doesn’t always work, but we give it our best shot ;) Funny, we’d been so busy lately that we blocked out this past Sunday as a totally empty day for R&R…then the house inspection ended up landing in our laps. The excitement never stops.
Congrats on the house possibility! How exciting. Also, I can’t believe you were able to take Lucie on a 10-hour bus tour. She must be a very mellow baby. Of course, I have a very active 2-year-old, so life is a bit different….
Thanks! It’s a big roller coaster ride right now since we really don’t know how everything will settle after all the inspections are finished. Could be great, or could be back to square one. But if it does go through, we’ll have to host a nice big reunion dinner the next time you guys visit Portland :)
I was so impressed with Lucie on that tour. There were several stops throughout the day, so it’s not like she was on the bus for that long at a time, but all the walking around and new people and activity was quite a stretch for her, and she did great. The benefit of this age is that she’s still just small enough to hang out in the Ergo for a while without too much protest. She’s really only just crawling lately, and I can imagine as she gets more and more mobile, she won’t stand for being cooped up that long. But, I told myself if I could see families traveling in rural Asia with babies, I could manage a one-day trial run in the city. And it worked! :)
Marie must be getting so grown up! I miss you guys. Hope to see some updates on your blog when you’ve got time. xoxo
I like that, “trial run.” Before that it was passports. Waiting for the day a new trip is announced ;)
Budapest, maybe?? ;)
[…] a baby. (Don’t believe me? Refresh your memory with the Portlandia Brunch Scene. It’s in this post from last year mentioning FEAST Portland’s Brunch Village.) We were in it for the long haul: I’d packed snacks and toys, drinks and books, but arrival […]