heather & olive

Well, not sure how another month has speedily passed us by, but here we are: the last (partial) week of August. I am personally very much looking forward to the cozy times to come and easing into all things early fall. Here is what I was up to the past couple weeks:

my sister, brother, and sister-in-law came up for the Gregory Alan Isakov concert at Thompson's Point. We had a delish dinner at Fore Street first, and the concert did not disappoint.

a fun work outing at a Portland Seadogs game (my first time, and I will definitely go again).

hit up scarborough beach a couple of times and got rather tan.

enjoyed the garden at my parents' house.

went to the cape for a mini bachelorette/ bridal weekend for my cousin who is getting married in september (which is crazy to think about).

ordered a new fancy dress for said wedding.

had radishes and brown butter at one of my favorite local spots, friends and family.

the bug swallowed and regurgitated a peach pit, which resulted in a trip to the emergency vet and a major freak out from yours truly, but she is fine.

the best water bottle ever?

the magical straw and guzzle option

I recently got an Owala Freesip water bottle after seeing a colleague's during a meeting a work, and I think it might be my most favorite water bottle of all time. It's stainless steel so it keeps drinks super cold and has an optional handle that pops from the top for easy carrying, but what I love most about it is its built-in straw AND the option to guzzle water if that's the method you want to use to drink. And sometimes, you just need to guzzle, you know? This has officially replaced my hydroflask and yeti as my beverage container of choice, and I cannot recommend it enough.

I feel like the New York Times is an overlooked resource when it comes to design inspiration--I absolutely love its Real Estate section and there have been a number of houses (either for sale or featured) that I have bookmarked over the years--here's one of them that was on the market in 2022:

photo by doublespace photography, via NYTimes

photo by doublespace photography via NYTimes

photo by doublespace photography via NYTimes

photo by doublespace photography via NYTimes

photo by doublespace photography via NYTimes

photo by doublespace photography via NYTimes

táche pistachio milk

It's no secret that I love pistachio flavored things. As a kid I loved pistachio ice cream (and instant pudding, yikes) and more recently I was a huge fan of the seasonal pistachio latte at Starbucks. So imagine my surprise and utter delight when I discovered táche pistachio milk! I just placed my second order--it's definitely a bit pricey (it ends up being $60 through their website for six 32-ounce cartons if you don't subscribe to autoship) BUT I used this exclusively for coffee during my first order and even with a hefty splash I could stretch a carton for a while. It's slightly sweet, thick, and you get a nice but not overwhelming pistachio flavor in every sip--I love it for making lattes with my nespresso and it's also delish with cold brew. 

Oh hello! I'm checking in once again in the throes of an incredibly humid and soggy summer. This weather has not been conducive to good hair days or my marathon training--once again, I think I've been more optimistic in my running abilities than reality allows.

I took a nice trip to Quebec City with my mom at the end of May--I was able to work a few days and also get my fill of croissants. My sister and her husband came up from Pittsburgh for a week in June, and it was great to spend time with them and catch up. And then my sister and I jetted off to Denver for a couple of days for the Head and the Heart concert at Red Rocks, which was incredible. We stayed at the Thompson in LoDo and I couldn't recommend it more--great amenities and location. We had a delicious dinner at Super Mega Bien (get there early and sit and the bar) and also grabbed coffee and pastries at Little Finch and had a tasty brunch at Snooze.

Here are some snippets of the past few months:

all you can eat mussels in quebec city at bistro saint malo.

an always perfect sister visit.

a small dog that lives her best doggie daycare life.

a jaws marathon.

the head and the heart at red rocks.

dinner at leeward, which is one of my favorite restaurants in portland.

a january mood.

Hello! Yes, I'm still here, and I'm fully embracing the concept of a gentle january (which honestly, is so much better than trying to attack a new year with aggressive energy and being burnt out before the month is over with). That's not to say I don't have any big plans--I definitely do, and some are already being chipped away at, but I'm also giving myself a little grace. January through March are tough months, and if I need to sleep a little longer in the mornings and maybe not have a smoothie for breakfast, that's okay.

The end of 2022 was a whirlwind, but was really nice. I spent the holidays with family, and was able to make it up to Quebec between Christmas and New Year's, which was perfect--so cozy and so many croissants.

I'm working on some condo updates and also am trying to figure out travel plans--I'm definitely going to Colorado this summer but might need a bigger trip. Europe? We shall see. And I'm also trying to get back into running shape--I ended up deferring the Chicago marathon last year due to multiple injuries and have been going to PT, so I'm hoping it's in the cards this fall.

In case there was any doubt, Mabel continues to be a delight and an absolute sweetheart.

I'm hoping you're being gentle with yourself as we start 2023, and I promise to not be a stranger.