Currently in the middle of my drive across the states to my new home. I'm in awe constantly as I drive through these wide open spaces that make up the fly over states. Nothing short of incredible.
xoxo
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Portland Love: Three Years Gone and It Was Like I Never Left
For some reason I thought I had already posted about Portland. Turns out that I looked at some pictures, didn't edit them, and then completely spaced on it up until now. My trip to Portland was phenominal. The trip was absolutely everything I wanted it to be and more. Portland delivered in the best of ways.
While in Portland I:
- Got to meet up with two gorgeously amazing and wonderful women that I had been conversing with through blogs and instagram. Kara and Mei are doing great things in the world and I highly suggest you look them up.
- Had my friend Lisa add to my arm. I am so frickin proud of this girl, I've known her for many years now and I've seen her decide she wants things and just powerhouse to them. Such an inspiration that girl. If you are in the Portland area and are looking for traditional tattoos hit her up at Jackalope Tattoo!
-Talk about women doing great things, I think that's what this trip was all about! Nicole, one of my besets friends, has had her shop, Victory for about three years now and I finally got to see it. Great vibe, lovely clothes, styled out like a boss. (Her shop is fourth row down, she is 6th row giving the double peace sign at the coast)
- Nicole and I took a day trip to the coast. It was the weekend so it was quite busy, but I love me a good coast view so it was worth it. I rented a car for the occasion and the guy gave me a Cadillac SUV for the price of the compact. Were we stoked? Heck yes! Did we listen to Mariah Carey and other wonderful music on the way? Of course. We also tried desperately to find a path down to the shore but I think we went the wrong way and had the wrong shoes. Maybe next time.
- Nicole also took me to my very first Timbers match. Holy goodness it was soooo much fun. We won, which was so great because the person next to me helped with the dances and chants and the guys on our other side kept requesting kisses on the cheek when a goal was scored. I started to understand why people get so into sports. I'm not about to go picking my teams and spending lots of time with it myself, but I get it. There's definitely a sense of community.
- Ate at Mio Sushi, Nicholas Restaurant and of frickin course Voodoo Donut. I recommend all three definitely. My favorite Mio Sushi is on Hawthorne, my favorite Nicholas's is on Grand, but the one on Broadway is good too, and if you are going to Voodoo Donut I highly suggest getting on the 20 bus over the bridge to the East Side. The downtown Voodoo almost always except for the wee morning hours has a long, long line. I think the other one only has super long lines on the weekend.
- Walked around my old neighborhoods. It was really hot and muggy while I was there which wasn't ideal, but I did get to see everywhere that I use to spend a lot of time. I definitely miss it. Years from now I might just find myself back in the Pacific Northwest. A part of my heart is still there without a doubt.
- I got to dance at Dante's Sinferno as a go-go. I use to do this every couple of Sundays and I had so much fun. It was like getting paid to dance at a club AND see awesome and sometimes strange performances. The show is definitely not for everybody, it can get pretty crass and sometimes lewd, but the talent up on stage is undeniable. Contortionists that balance on their hands and shoot a toy boy and arrow over their head with their feet and hit the target?! Aerial artists on lyra and on silks, funny magicians and of course, the go-gos. It was really by chance that I got to do it, the Portland Gods were definitely smiling down on me this trip.
- And of course no Portland vacation would be complete without a visit to the Downtown Powells followed by some time in the photobooth in the Ace Hotel lobby.
Portland, you have a big part of my heart. I don't plan on staying away for so long ever again.
xoxo
While in Portland I:
- Got to meet up with two gorgeously amazing and wonderful women that I had been conversing with through blogs and instagram. Kara and Mei are doing great things in the world and I highly suggest you look them up.
- Had my friend Lisa add to my arm. I am so frickin proud of this girl, I've known her for many years now and I've seen her decide she wants things and just powerhouse to them. Such an inspiration that girl. If you are in the Portland area and are looking for traditional tattoos hit her up at Jackalope Tattoo!
-Talk about women doing great things, I think that's what this trip was all about! Nicole, one of my besets friends, has had her shop, Victory for about three years now and I finally got to see it. Great vibe, lovely clothes, styled out like a boss. (Her shop is fourth row down, she is 6th row giving the double peace sign at the coast)
- Nicole and I took a day trip to the coast. It was the weekend so it was quite busy, but I love me a good coast view so it was worth it. I rented a car for the occasion and the guy gave me a Cadillac SUV for the price of the compact. Were we stoked? Heck yes! Did we listen to Mariah Carey and other wonderful music on the way? Of course. We also tried desperately to find a path down to the shore but I think we went the wrong way and had the wrong shoes. Maybe next time.
- Nicole also took me to my very first Timbers match. Holy goodness it was soooo much fun. We won, which was so great because the person next to me helped with the dances and chants and the guys on our other side kept requesting kisses on the cheek when a goal was scored. I started to understand why people get so into sports. I'm not about to go picking my teams and spending lots of time with it myself, but I get it. There's definitely a sense of community.
- Ate at Mio Sushi, Nicholas Restaurant and of frickin course Voodoo Donut. I recommend all three definitely. My favorite Mio Sushi is on Hawthorne, my favorite Nicholas's is on Grand, but the one on Broadway is good too, and if you are going to Voodoo Donut I highly suggest getting on the 20 bus over the bridge to the East Side. The downtown Voodoo almost always except for the wee morning hours has a long, long line. I think the other one only has super long lines on the weekend.
- Walked around my old neighborhoods. It was really hot and muggy while I was there which wasn't ideal, but I did get to see everywhere that I use to spend a lot of time. I definitely miss it. Years from now I might just find myself back in the Pacific Northwest. A part of my heart is still there without a doubt.
- I got to dance at Dante's Sinferno as a go-go. I use to do this every couple of Sundays and I had so much fun. It was like getting paid to dance at a club AND see awesome and sometimes strange performances. The show is definitely not for everybody, it can get pretty crass and sometimes lewd, but the talent up on stage is undeniable. Contortionists that balance on their hands and shoot a toy boy and arrow over their head with their feet and hit the target?! Aerial artists on lyra and on silks, funny magicians and of course, the go-gos. It was really by chance that I got to do it, the Portland Gods were definitely smiling down on me this trip.
- And of course no Portland vacation would be complete without a visit to the Downtown Powells followed by some time in the photobooth in the Ace Hotel lobby.
Portland, you have a big part of my heart. I don't plan on staying away for so long ever again.
xoxo
Lately
Lately I've been...
Proud of: My mornings!!! I have been waking up at 6:00am or even 5:45am now for a couple weeks and I love, love, love it. I am no longer such a night owl, I am learning to put down a book when my eyes start getting heavy at night (something I use to fight through). I have been getting close to bed around 9 and then I'm usually close to sleep by 10 or 10:30. It's crazy! And even crazier is that I love it. Back to my early bird roots!
Reading:
The Miracle Morning - Hal Elrod
Bird by Bird - Anne Lamot (re-reading and loving)
Do Cool Shit - Miki Agrawal
The Circle - Dave Eggers
Cooking: Black Bean Hummus, Pita Bread, Skillet Brownies, nutella cinnamon rolls, lots of no knead bread, and unintentionally overcooked chicken
Watching: Orphan Black and Revenge. I went through two seasons of Orphan Black in about a week. Nothing but good things to say about that show. Love the characters, the plot, the twists. Really excited for the third season.
Revenge I started this past week because I am house sitting and the parentals have Netflix all hooked up to their awesome and huge tv. Revenge sucked me in for sure. I am almost completely done with the first season and I'm starting to get less into it but we'll see. Something to watch while I'm working on blankets this fall no doubt.
Working on: My black white and gold granny square blanket. Also have another blanket idea in my mind that I cannot stop thinking about but I promised myself I would at least make the b/w/g a throw size before I start working on the other one. I'm pretty close!
Also working on my resume as I am job hunting in Nashville!
Listening to:
Shake It Off - Taylor Swift (love love love this girl, duh)
Crazier - Taylor Swift, just found this yesterday on Desert Darling
Bartender - Lady Antebellum
Mumford and Sons (all)
Looking forward to: My almost cross country drive to my new state!!! I have some stops planned along the way and I am so very excited!
Proud of: My mornings!!! I have been waking up at 6:00am or even 5:45am now for a couple weeks and I love, love, love it. I am no longer such a night owl, I am learning to put down a book when my eyes start getting heavy at night (something I use to fight through). I have been getting close to bed around 9 and then I'm usually close to sleep by 10 or 10:30. It's crazy! And even crazier is that I love it. Back to my early bird roots!
Reading:
The Miracle Morning - Hal Elrod
Bird by Bird - Anne Lamot (re-reading and loving)
Do Cool Shit - Miki Agrawal
The Circle - Dave Eggers
Cooking: Black Bean Hummus, Pita Bread, Skillet Brownies, nutella cinnamon rolls, lots of no knead bread, and unintentionally overcooked chicken
Watching: Orphan Black and Revenge. I went through two seasons of Orphan Black in about a week. Nothing but good things to say about that show. Love the characters, the plot, the twists. Really excited for the third season.
Revenge I started this past week because I am house sitting and the parentals have Netflix all hooked up to their awesome and huge tv. Revenge sucked me in for sure. I am almost completely done with the first season and I'm starting to get less into it but we'll see. Something to watch while I'm working on blankets this fall no doubt.
Working on: My black white and gold granny square blanket. Also have another blanket idea in my mind that I cannot stop thinking about but I promised myself I would at least make the b/w/g a throw size before I start working on the other one. I'm pretty close!
Also working on my resume as I am job hunting in Nashville!
Listening to:
Shake It Off - Taylor Swift (love love love this girl, duh)
Crazier - Taylor Swift, just found this yesterday on Desert Darling
Bartender - Lady Antebellum
Mumford and Sons (all)
Looking forward to: My almost cross country drive to my new state!!! I have some stops planned along the way and I am so very excited!
xoxo
Monday, September 8, 2014
Big News!!! I'm Moving To Nashville!!!
It is official, I found a place, put in notice at work, parents have been notified...
It's still doesn't feel quite real. I've packed almost everything up because I'm staying at my parents house until it's time to go. My walls here are now bare, everything is packed into a couple bins and suitcases and smaller plastic tubs. I will soon be test running the space I have in my car with the amount of stuff I think I am taking. I'm hoping it will be adequate.
Truth be told, I'm nervous. But I'm also so excited for all the place I get to see and explore. So many states so close together. A new part of the U.S. I dream about this kind of thing often. It's funny how when you get closer to something you have dreamed about it starts to scare you. But I've learned many times in the past that if I'm nervous it's because I'm testing my boundaries, and that's where my growth happens.
Here's to a new adventure. I'm ready, it's time.
I, Corey, am moving to Nashville, Tennessee!!!
Truth be told, I'm nervous. But I'm also so excited for all the place I get to see and explore. So many states so close together. A new part of the U.S. I dream about this kind of thing often. It's funny how when you get closer to something you have dreamed about it starts to scare you. But I've learned many times in the past that if I'm nervous it's because I'm testing my boundaries, and that's where my growth happens.
Here's to a new adventure. I'm ready, it's time.
xoxo
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