An early Saturday morning rise, followed by breakfast in bed started a wonderful birthday weekend in the Northwest.
On the road by 5AM, we were anxious to get to make it to Bend, Oregon in time to see the town.
Bend seems like an active community, with many residents pedaling around town and skiing at the nearby Mt Bachelor. It was hard to believe how much snow was still there in the 70 degree weather.
After church on Easter, we drove through Mt Hood National Forest to Portland. It was a beautiful drive and the alpine forest was majestic.
We stopped in Sandy, OR for old fashioned sodas and the most delicious peanut brittle cannoli.
Ashely and Brett's Portland cottage:
A trip to Hawthorne Street in Portland made for a verrry interesting afternoon.
A Prince cover band (with an actual Prince impersonator) playing in a thrift store? I could not dream this up if I tried.
We walked along the Willamette River before dinner; the weather was perfect.
Giant Douglas firs grow all over Oregon...I especially loved these in Ashely's yard.
Monday, we drove to Seattle where we spent my 28th birthday relaxing and roaming the city. After eating lunch with a friend who works at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (wow, what a security system) we headed to the market on Pike street.
Olives, daffodils, peonies, lobster tails, and artisanal cheeses made for vibrant colors and smells.
We visited the Starbucks flagship store on Pike Place
My favorite part of the day was our stop at the Edgewater Hotel where we enjoyed happy hour sitting in the sun overlooking the Sound.
Seattle skyline
Mmmmm, Franz chocolates
