Washington & Oregon

Day 1: Arrived in Seattle and met up with some friends. We went to Honey Hole for sandwiches and Vivace for one of the best cappuccinos ever (besides our beloved Press, of course). Then we went to the massive Public Market and saw dead fish over ice juxtaposed with rows of bright bouquets. Took the Amtrak to Vancouver and saw some neat countryside and old cobblestone downtowns on the way there. When we arrived his cousin helped us fill our atrophied stomachs with yummy veggie burgers and blackberry milkshakes from Burgerville. A healthy fast-food place––who knew? Would love to have some in the Midwest.



Day 2: Brunch in downtown Vancouver, WA at Mon Ami. Had a delicious pear, brie, and Boar’s Head ham crepe along with a homemade chai. Nom, nom, nom. Then we went on the prettiest drive of our little lives on Route 84 to get to Multnomah Falls. This place looked like it belonged in Lord of the Rings: an 800 foot tall waterfall with a bridge arching over the stream. We went hiking the rest of the day and saw even more waterfalls and got to play in the ice-melt-filled creeks.



Day 3: Lunch in downtown Vancouver at Rosemary Cafe. Fantastic sandwiches and cookies! We drove through Astoria, a neat little seaside town (that apparently was where The Goonies was shot––didn’t know that until we returned). Canon Beach was our final destination and, let me tell you, this place was gorgeous. It was a little chillier than inland, but there was something charming about needing a cardigan and leggings on a beach. You could look miles down the beach and not see any people––only rocks jutting up out of the water and the occasional seagull. My favorite part was a hill of wildflowers just off the beach. Dream-like, really. This day ended with us chomping on some fish and crab right from that ocean on the patio of The Wayfarer as the sun set. (Sigh.)



Day 4: Drove up, up, up the side of a mountain to shoot guns with his (licensed) cousins and his (registered) guns. Bullets and things scare me, but I have to admit some of the shooting was slightly therapeutic. We drove back to have dinner with the whole family. His uncle grilled halibut and salmon that he’d caught in Alaska along with sweet corn from the stand up the street. We washed it all down with some local microbrews. Perfection.



Day 5: Ate brunch at BeaterVille Cafe in Portland and then walked along the river and went to the Portland Art Fair. Drove to Seattle, met up with some friends and ate at Thaiku in Ballard. Had some effervescent brews at Two Bit Saloon. Walked down hilly roads to see the yachts at the pier.

Day 6: Watched the sun rise in the plane and flew towards it as we traveled east. When we arrived in Dayton we picked up some brochures of places we’ve always wanted to go––for future explorations.

Wot-a-Dog: Best Coney This Side of Cincy

Wot-a-Dog was my first job (yes as a carhop, but no, not wearing roller-skates) so it holds a dear space in my heart. Not only does it set my precedent for how root beer tastes, but also how a coney tastes. Skyline and Gold Star have nothing on Wot-a-Dog.

Sure, it's about a twenty or thirty minute drive from Dayton. But trust me, it's worth the gas (maybe in both meanings of the word––heyo!). It's a straight shot from 75. Just take 75 north to 4 north and follow it on state route 235. (You'll also pass a great nursery with the most beautiful, healthy flowers around: Meadowview.)

The food is pretty good but what really makes Wot-a-Dog special is the experience. Go on a sunny Monday night for their weekly cruise-in and see all the old classic cars as you sway to 50s music. You'll feel like you were teleported to the musical Grease.

Here are a couple different options for meals or just get all of it and have a smorgasbord with your Wot-a-Companion.

Footlong coney with cheese and onions

Onion Rings with rebel sauce

Root beer float

Bratwurst with sauerkraut and jalapenos

Curly fries

Milkshake

There's a bike trail directly behind Wot-a-Dog so you can even go for a leisurely stroll afterwards to burn some of those tasty calories. Wot-a-Dog is only open seasonally, so make sure you put a rush on it and get there before mid-September. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!

Jeni’s Ice Cream

I have a pretty intense love for Jeni’s ice cream. If you’ve never been, go ahead and just stop reading this post and drive straight there. I give you permission. It’s that good.

This season she rolled out a new flavor that was like a symphony in my mouth: rhubarb & lime cardamom. I tried it as a float with the rhubarb Dry Soda. So there was this wonderful texture extravaganza with bubbly soda, velvety ice-cream, and fluffy homemade whipped cream. The wild berry ice-cream with the lavender Dry Soda is also life-changing as a float.

I know I’m the target demographic, but I just can’t help but be a huge brand fan. They try to use local whenever possible; they favor flavor instead of sugar; they’re very experimental with mixing in uncommon herbs; their ice-cream shops are beautiful and inviting; and their blog, saltycaramel, is wonderfully written with great pictures. It’s no wonder they’ve branched out to include so many stores. They got it right.

All of the descriptions are fantastic, but here’s one I particularly like:

“Rockmill Golden Ale & Apricots, Rhubarb & Lime Cardamom Yogurt, Strawberry Buttermilk--when I taste these intensely flavorful new ice creams, they remind me of growing up in the summer in the Midwest, of flying down gravel roads in a fearless, handsome boy’s car, the cassette deck blaring as cornfields whizzed by and all cares flew out the windows into the hot and heavy humid air.

All right now dig in. Summer is to be shared.”

Go ahead and read all the descriptions. It's worth the cravings you'll have afterwards. Here's what you should look for at stores (you can find some flavors at The Winds Cafe and Dorothy Lane Market):

Butter Cafe

Not only does this place have delightful food, but their cheery yellow walls and bright white furniture is bound to make your lunchtime a happy time. Don’t let the name fool you, there’s plenty of healthy options.

Here are some of my favorite things to get there:

• Mushroom burger: portabella, eggplant, mozzarella, pesto sandwich, on a kaiser roll.


• Veggie sandwich: peppers, eggplant, tomato, onion on your choice of bread.


• Their soups. For example I had some yummy bean soup (with beans I didn’t even know existed) that was heavily spiced with some very complimentary herbs.

I’m planning on trying the vegan burger next. If it follows the current trend, it’s bound to be tasty. Their sandwiches are served with diced potatoes (with skin on––my favorite) that are sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary. Delish!

Butter Cafe is on Brown Street right by the University of Dayton campus. Give it a whirl.

When Openers Are Awesome

I love going to good shows. Even better, I love going to shows where the openers are fantastic, and I haven't heard their music before, and it's this wonderful, pleasant surprise.

Thought I'd share the wealth of some of my favorite bands that have been openers at other shows:

Headlights
Blind Pilot
Deep Sea Diver
All Get Out
Celebration
Princeton
Maps and Atlases

Sunday in Springfield

Until the weather improves, here's something to do on a Sunday afternoon. I would suggest getting a reservation for both.

Start off by getting brunch at Seasons Bistro and Grille. The restaurant is located in downtown Springfield on Limestone Street. With exposed brick and ductwork they make excellent use of their space, and make even better use of recipes that are both healthy and delicious. I highly recommend the frittata and my husband loved the french toast.

Then, head over to the Wescott House, a stunning Frank Lloyd Wright House built in 1908. Part of the tour is outside, so dress accordingly. Make sure you watch the video at the beginning of the tour––seeing the efforts the renovators made for historical accuracy was remarkable.

Trust me on this one. Plan this day trip soon.

Crafty Christmas

Here's how Christmas looks at the Norman household.

This is my favorite part. It's the tree my mam-maw and pap-paw used for years––since the 1930s, I'd guess. It even has all the original ornaments.

The other tree has some ornaments I've found at garage sales, auctions, antique stores, and my beloved Anthropologie.

Can't forget the stockings. I made these a few years back. I stitched on some buttons from the sewing kit I inherited from my mam-maw and embroidered our names at the top. Our furry children, Persephone and Demeter, also have the privilege of homemade stockings.

It's just not Christmas until you see a cat in a Santa hat. As you can see, Persephone loves hers.

Demeter is as thrilled with this hat as Ralphie was with his pink bunny suit.