.is Christmas really over?

"Do you ever wait for the longest day of the year and then miss it? 

I always wait for the longest day of the year and then miss it!" -The Great Gatsby

Sometimes I feel the same way about Christmas. I spend months in preparation- decking the halls, buying gifts, wrapping gifts, baking cookies, decorating cookies. All for Christmas morning to come and go almost as quick as the flash of a tiny twinkle light.

Today is New Years Eve. Tomorrow will be the first day of 2013. Yet I am still enchanted by Christmas.

So today, my friends, I am giving you one last chance to marvel at the the beauty of multi-colored lights strung around a giant evergreen. And to savor the joy of this wondrous season for a few more moments until it is lost in a sea of fireworks and resolutions.

Here's what I saw one rainy evening in downtown Portland, Oregon:

I hope y'all have a sparkling New Years Eve filled with good friends, good conversation, and lots of bubbly.

Carolyn

Photo of me credit: Emily www.plantbywater.blogspot.com

.portland. clyde common.

One of my favorite stops along Emily and I's Portland journey was the 2 hours (give or take) that we spent at Clyde Common.

Clyde Common is the restaurant attached to the uber trendy Ace Hotel. It's atmosphere boasts minimalist decor, with family style seating and a menu that is any foodie's dream- featuring a seasonal grilled cheese and the best french fries in the Pacific Northwest (it may sound like I'm exaggerating, but I promise you I am not). With a long list of local brews on draft and a cocktail menu that encompasses ingredients such as raw ginger syrup, cinnamon bitters, and the ever present lemon peel, Clyde Common truly is the place where hipsters fall in love. 

Here's what I saw while sipping an Oregon brew and munching some house-made french fries:

If you ever find yourself in Portland with a free afternoon, do yourself a favor and pop into Clyde Common for a happy hour cocktail and some tasty nibbles.

Hope y'all had a Merry Christmas!

Carolyn

Photo of me credit: Emily www.plantbywater.blogspot.com

I was not paid or endorsed by Clyde Common for these photos or any of this post.

.merry christmas

"Truly He taught us to love one another

His law is love and his gospel is peace

Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother

And in his name all oppression shall cease"

Merry Christmas to all of my lovely blog readers. 

Carolyn

PS I took this photo in Portland, and it's one of my favorites ever. I didn't even edit one thing on the entire image. Pure beauty. :)

.tourist life. seattle

On Saturday, Emily and I took the Bolt Bus to Seattle. We left Portland at 8:30 am and 3 hours later arrived at Union Station in the heart of Chinatown, Seattle. It was an interesting trip, and I'll spare you the long story. But suffice it to say, the trip consisted of forgotten wallets, pink umbrellas, almost missed bus rides, delicious fajitas, and lots and lots of rain. 

Here's what I saw as a tourist in the largest city in the Pacific Northwest:

Happy Christmas Eve, my friends! Enjoy the time with whomever you are sharing it with.

Carolyn

Photo of me credit: Emily plantbywater.blogspot.com

.portland aerial tram

Friday morning Emily and I rode the Portland Aerial Tram. The tram is a mode of public transportation that primarily exists to transport people from one terminal of the OHSU (Oregon Health and Science University) to another terminal, but alternatively provides some pretty killer views of the city. 

The Portland Aerial Tram bears a striking resemblance to the pods on the London Eye, but instead of traveling in a circle it travels in a "straight line". At 22 mph, it only takes 3 minutes to reach your destination - 3, 300 feet above where you boarded. I mean it's practically like a ride at Disney.

For $4 it's a pretty neat excursion while visiting Portland. I was a cheap date! :)

Here's what I saw one overcast Portland morning:

 

Have a merry Thursday, my friends!

Carolyn

Photo of me credit: Emily {plantbywater.blogspot.com}

.oregon.update

Hey friends!

On my first day in Oregon, Emily took me to some of the most breathtaking sights that Oregon has to offer - the Columbia Gorge.

We saw 3 different waterfalls! I don't think any words I attempt to write will even come close to giving this magnificent place the justice it deserves. So to put it simply, I felt very small and the world God felt very big.

Here's what I saw on a surprisingly sunny day in Oregon:

 Have a magnificent weekend,

Carolyn

PS We're headed to Seattle today!!