A carry on bag and a personal item are the only pieces of luggage I’m planning to take on our three week trip out West. Yes…you read that right. Trust me when I say I usually overpack for our trips. Just look at this photo of the back seat of our car when we head […]
Road Trip Photos Revisited…With New Ones On The Horizon
Looking through old photos makes me happy. And while browsing today I realized it’s almost time once again to start packing. Yes…It’s almost Summer Road Trip Time! Soon we’ll be packing our bags for a sort of “Trains, Plane and Automobiles” type of adventure. We’re planning to drive to Denver where we will fly to […]
Hello Dutch Brothers Coffee…Good-Bye Oregon
We were up before the sun to begin our long drive home to Iowa, and as we headed out of town I realized I still had one Bucket List item left unchecked! All week long I had seen LINES of cars…waiting to buy coffee at little kiosks all over Yamhill County. People were waiting in […]
Grape Pie? Oh MY! Then Dragging The Gut Revisited
It was hard to believe our long-awaited Oregon adventure was nearly over, but we had one final evening to spend with our friends before we headed back home, and we still had two “Bucket List” items to check off of our list. First, a taste of warm-from-the-oven Grape Pie, and then a slow drive up and […]
Valley Commissary – McMinnville, Oregon
When award-winning winemaker and winery owner Rob Stuart of R. Stuart Winery recommended his favorite spot to head for lunch near his winery in McMinnville Oregon…we listened! And his suggestion of the Valley Commissary turned out to be a highlight of our culinary adventures during our stay in that small Oregon city. The wide open […]
R. Stuart & Co. Winery and Wine Bar
As I began planning our Oregon trip this summer I began to read and follow all sorts of wine related articles and posts about Oregon. And that’s when I stumbled upon a wonderful blog called The Life And Times Of A Pinot Mom. I loved the wit, humor, and thoughtful, insightful stories from author Maria […]
Meandering in McMinnville…An Iconic American Town
McMinnville Oregon is an amazing place. It’s a wine lover’s paradise. But if wine is not your thing you’ll still find plenty of reasons to visit. I’ll take you on a stroll down 3rd Street, the “main street” in town. And FYI…This street earned second place in Parade Magazine’s “Best Main Street In America” poll. […]
Depoe Bay…A WHALE Of A Way To Spend A Day!
A trip to Depoe Bay to see migrating whales was next up on our Oregon agenda, and our friends Rick and Candy (and their four-legged boss Sally) treated us to a wonderful meal before we left McMinnville. Candy was “The hostess with the mostest” as my dear old dad used to say… We loved her […]
Cherry Hill Winery – Rickreall, Oregon
Our winery tour with Mayor Olson and First Lady Candy continued with a scenic drive to Cherry Hill Winery. This winery sits smack dab on the 45th parallel…exactly half way between the equator and the North Pole. And what makes that parallel so special is that the wonderful wine region of Burgundy, France is also […]
The Block House Cafe – Dayton, Oregon
After our late morning winery stops we were more than ready for lunch, so Rick and Candy directed us to the small town of Dayton. But I must admit I wasn’t prepared for The Block House Cafe to be located in a church! I was very happy to see the historic designation prominently displayed on […]