All To Myself

If I am lucky and can find time and the resources, taking a day trip to Portland is an absolute luxury that I try to embark on at least every couple of months.  Such an opportunity presented itself this last week, and I made the most of it.

I loaded up my car, and tried to channel my inner Amber Valetta, as I was going to travel in style.  Had I known better, I would have checked the weather report before I headed out the door.  (I was greeted with rain and wind – a perfect Winnie the Pooh day.) Oh well.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I had my list, and by golly, I actually checked everything off by the day’s end and not a stitch more; well, maybe an extra top and then a few extra boxes of my hard to find pasta.  However, I have to say, I wanted to pat myself on the back because this doesn’t usually happen.

What was on that list you might be asking?  Well, that’s why it was so enjoyable to tackle.  A few items for my wardrobe, essentials for an upcoming dinner party, and a mandatory stop at my favorite grocery store to pick up ingredients that I can’t seem to find in the little town I live.   Have a peek at the collage of images that made my day such a treat.

 

  

 

Items searched for and discovered (in order of appearance above):

(1) A freshly baked baguette from The Pearl Bakery for the dinner I was going to make upon arriving home as a way of toasting what turned out to be a very successful day.

(2) A delectable meal at The Everett Street Bistro, – a cod sandwich with a side of deep fried shallots (yum!) and some of the best service I have had in quite some time (Thanks Ashley!)

(3) Dark denim straight leg jeans from Citizens of Humanity.

(4) Another fantastic photo from The Pearl Bakery

(5) World Market – a must for those mix and match items in the home – I was in need of a rug that was dispensable for the duration of my dog’s puppy stage – FOUND IT!

(6) Stocked up on simple T-shirts at American Apparel – Love, love, love.

(7) Thanks to Uptowne Papers for helping me pick out a casual, yet appropriate invitation for my upcoming wine tasting weekend.  These are perfect!

(8) Found the necessary bucatini pasta and some Argentinean parmesan – delish – at Whole Foods Market.  Couldn’t wait to make a quick, yet delicious pasta dinner.

Surprisingly enough I only had to stifle a few yawns by the end of the day, but boy was I thankful to arrive home.

Reflecting back on the time when I decided to officially move from Portland to a rural community, I made a promise to myself that I would not be deprived of the goodies and luxuries that Portland offers.  And while it has taken me a few years to be able to afford the luxury of traveling to my former home town on these types of occasions, I am thankful every time I pull into my garage and sluggishly sit on my couch to take off my flats after such a long day.  I love coming home to a quiet sleepy town, but am thankful to play the “city” gal every once and awhile.

So, for the time being, my purse will be resting at its rightful place, gearing up for the next shopping adventure.

Have a beautiful day.

Car image - Philip Karlberg,  Purse image - Marcus Ohlsson