Earring Looks for Autumn

I love Autunm, even though I hate to see summer end!  This has been an especially great summer for Oregon- no real rain since last May until last Thursday, when we had a humdinger 'Mid West' storm with thunder- lightening and two inches of rain! With all this great weather, it's been hard sometimes to hunker down in the studio and work on jewelry.  However, I love the rich colors, shapes and sparkle of the Czech Beads; they are pretty and fun to work with!  Here's a peek at some of the earring I've been designing for the season -

Woodland, nature inspired earrings, never go out of style, and these simple antique brass with pearls are a classic 'go anywhere' look.

More Woodland, with a touch of Whimsy

For a more modern and classy look, I love these Mocha and Orange faceted glass dangles for office or evening.

 Or, these gorgeous silver circles for a real statement!

It was fun to make these Bohemian Chandelier Earrings, with teal, lemon and peach crystals.  I think they would be perfect for a late summer wedding or garden party!

Well, back to work...I know this looks bad, but believe it or not, I'm actually pretty organized in my real life.  I just can't work if things are too neat in the studio though!

Fourth of July in Manzanita

It's always fun to take a ride up the Oregon Coast on the 4th of July weekend, especially since we often have company.  While the guys are crabbing, the women love to break away for lunch and shopping in Gearhart and Astoria!  One of my favorite places to take visitors is Yankee Trader on Hwy. 101 in Gearhart. See more photos from this fun place  from a 2009 post: http://artgardendiva.blogspot.com/2009/07/4th-of-july-on-oregon-coast.html  Carrie Bergin only opens her shop from Memorial Day through December. The rest of the year she makes these spectacular seasonal themed 'cakes' and changes her shop around.  If you've ever seen her amazing shop, you'll realize this is no easy task!

Another vignette ... 

We stopped at Marie Antionette's Cupcake and Espresso Parlor for one of their famous cupcakes.

Of course, the Fourth wouldn't be complete without the Manzanita Parade.  We've had an entry for over 20 years.  When the kids were younger, we were the 'Original Boat' float, but for the past several years, we've entered the 43' Willy's, which was Rick's grandfather's, that he had restored.

Our friends, Mark and Barb were just back from Croatia, but couldn't stay away. They have been our 'partners in crime' for many years, since Barb and I met at a New Mom's class when our oldest were babies!

I felt sorry for this poor guy! This is the second year he's dress up in Oregon Duck regalia!  I think he enjoys it since the crowd goes wild when they see him.  He must really be a Die-hard Husky fan, since nobody in their right mind would bet against the Ducks these days!

Here, Dear Daughter is practicing her best parade wave!  She was supposed to be wearing a gray Old Navy T-Shirt and walking in front of the jeep like everyone else, but somehow morphed into a 1940's Diva!

Katie doing her best Eva Peron imitation!

Well, the guys came through with crab!  Since it's not an R Month, the shells were a bit softer, but none-the-less, delicious!  Our Forth of July menu never changes; it's always hot dogs and burgers, baked beans, potato salad, sliced melon, and berry pie!  AND, brownies! It makes it easy, and you don't feel too bad indulging when it's only once a year! 

Bryan on the BBQ. It's been awhile since both kids have been home to celebrate the forth, but since Uncle Kevin and family were here, they wouldn't miss.

Great to have the family here, especially fun with Jacob and Hayden, nine year old twins who kept things very fun and lively!

More cracked crab for breakfast!

There's no place like Manzanita Beach on the Fourth, but SSShsh!  Don't tell anyone!!

A Memorable Birthday - A Drive Through the Columbia River Gorge in Late September

Last September for dear husband's birthday, we decided to have a different celebration - who needs more stuff? I think after the age of 10, experiences are always the best gift anyway.  

We took the day off and headed east on Scenic Hwy. 14, past Vancouver, WA.  Our first stop was Dickey's Farm Store, which is like an old fashioned hardware store where you can find just about anything!  Garden, pet supplies, one-of-a-kind items, produce, you name it, they had it.  

I'm a nut for pumpkins (and fall decorations), so had to photograph them from every angle. We were planning to be in Europe in October, so I resisted the urge to stock up!

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After checking out this cool place, it was time for lunch, so we continued further east near the Bridge of the Gods.  It was so much fun heading off for a day with no real agenda.

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We stopped at a place called Andrews Pizza on the Washington side, and had a delicious lunch.  They are

famous for their pizza, but I have to say their chili soup and sandwich were yummy too.  

On our way down the highway, we stopped at Maryhill Winery http://www.maryhillwinery.com/, and were treated to a stunning view of the   Columbia River Gorge.  Maryhill Winery has some lovely wines, and some big name summer concerts. We especially enjoyed their Malbec and Merlot.

There's plenty of lovely scenes like this along the way. You wouldn't think land this rugged would be good for wine grapes, but amazing reds come out of this region.

Our next stop was Maryhill Museum of Art, http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/2013/ which looks like an English Castle, and houses a diverse assortment of treasures from paintings and sculpture by Rodin, American Indian Baskets, to Palace furnishings and personal items once belonging to Queen Marie of Romania.  There's a fascinating story of how these items were acquired and her friendship with Sam Hill who built the museum. It's my favorite museum, next to the Frick Collection in New York...OK, the Legion of Honor Museum in SF is right up there too!  But, Maryhill is definitely amazing!

I took this shot through glass in a room when these busts were stored.

We then went to this beautiful replica of Stonehenge, http://www.allmounthood.com/history_museums/stonehenge_memorial.php which commemorates the dead from WW 1. This monument was also built by Sam Hill who was a pacifist. Sam Hill is also buried here.

The way the late evening light passed through these openings was pretty amazing!

We drove along the Historic Columbia River Highway past Crown Point and had amazing views of the Gorge.  Unfortunately, smoke from Eastern Oregon forest fires presented a lot of haze.

Finally, we met our son, who bought us pizza and beer at the Double Mountain Brewery in Hood River. All in all, it was a pretty spectacular day, and a great new tradition.

Summer Street Dance in West Linn

I often find myself writing about happenings on the Oregon Coast and ignoring what goes on locally.  I didn't even know about this fun Street Dance a mile away in Willamette until a friend posted on Facebook.

On a warn summer night on July 13th, the main road through town, Willamette falls Dr. was closed and the fun began.

It was so great to see a good turnout on this lovely summer night, with the street was closed, people and pets  plopped down on lawn chairs and hay bales to people watch and enjoy a meal, which the local restaurants were glad to provide.  

It was a 'bring your own lawn chair event' starting at 5 PM with a Frank Sinatra Tribute by John English, followed by a juggler.  I thought they should have had the juggler first, since people were in the mood for more music and they had to wait over and hour for the band.

Local royalty was on hand ...

When the band started, the kids formed a line dance, and it was fun to see all ages up dancing and having fun until 11 PM!

The band, Pressure Point provided lots of great variety with tunes from Motown to Disco, up to present day.

It was fun to see a revival of this fun tradition from the early 1900's.  If you find yourself in West Linn next summer, this is an event worth checking out! 

Arborbrook 2013 Winemakers Dinner at Cuvee Restaurant

Last year we rediscovered the great wines at Arborbrook Winery, with our friends Jim and Marion.  Arborbrook Winery is a family owned operation, the brainchild of Dave Hansen, and his hilarious wife, Mary.  Jim and Marion are Wine Club members, and were picking up a wine shipment last fall, when we tagged along.  We were hesitant to join another wine club, but Dave was so knowledgeable and friendly, and frankly, the wine was so good, soon we were signing on the dotted line!  I should note, that I love to cook, and enjoy good wines, but am not an expert in either area. You won't find me pontificating on the balance or complexity of various wines, but I will tell you what I like from a 'lay-person's' point of view.

  One of the perks to being in The Club, is being invited to Members Only events. One such event was held at Cuvee Restaurant, in Carlton, OR, in June.  

Rick and I love food and wine pairings, so it's always fun to experience how each enhances the other.  It's not just about taste, but must appeal to the eye as well. It was a lovely June evening, and we lingered outside in the late afternoon sun, talking and enjoying a glass of ArborBrook 2012 Pinot Gris before entering the restaurant.

The first course was a bonus, not on the menu, and was a selection of Pate', Mouse on a boiled potato slice, and a Spinach filled Won Ton.  I wish I'd paid more attention to the ingredients in this little trio, since they were really good.

Here, Rick and I are toasting a really fun evening!

The Second Course, was a chilled Asparagus Soup with Creme Fraiche, served with MLH Sauvignon Blanc. The wine's slightly citrus flavor didn't over power the soup, and I could see this wine as a favorite with seafood, or summer salads. 

The next course was a light Green Salad with Sesame Oil Vinaigrette and Smoked Trout, paired with a Heritage Cuvee Pinot Noir

The Main Course was an amazing Puffed Pastry Baked Salmon, topped with Spinach and a Chive Remoulade.  It was a total melt in your mouth dish, and I ate every bite, not realizing that there was another main course dish coming!  The salmon was paired with a 2010 Origin 1866 Estate Pinot Noir, which was the table favorite.  You could really taste the berries in this full bodied wine with lots of rich flavors.

I was was having such a good time, I didn't realize this wonderful Cornish Game Hen dish with mushrooms and a reduced wine sauce was next! It was absolutely delicious, even the next day!  It was paired with a Vintners Select Estate Pinot Noir. This is Arborbrook's Premier wine and has a fruity flavor, enhanced by a spicy overlay. They didn't make much of it, only 125 cases, and will age for 10 or more years. It was wonderful, and I hope we have a bottle in our collection!

Finally, dessert was your choice of a Cheese Plate or Creme Brulee-that was a no-brainier!  The Creme Brulee was awesome, a rich, dense custard, topped with a hard layer of caramel.  It was amazing!  I'm very picky about this dessert, since it's often been mediocre when I've had it in restaurants.  However, this Creme Brulee was made to perfection!  It was served with one of my favorite wines, the 2011 Sydney Semillon, which was named after the owner's daughter.

Our hosts, Dave Hanson, Winemaker, and his wife, Mary, who was our spirited evening Moderator.
Kudos to Dave and Mary, and chef, Gilbert Henry for a night of amazing wine and good food! We had a great time and look forward to the Arborbrook July Picnic this summer!  Also, in addition to the great wine, we're looking forward to more fun Club Events!