conoe.

one of my favorite things to do in portland is window shop. most, if not all the time, window shopping quickly turns into actual shopping, which is why my husband avoids this sport at any cost (usually a crepe or some gelato are good forms of diversion). however, we do have one little shop that we frequent and enjoy window shopping together. conoe is loaded with such quality goodies, it'll be sure to satisfy your aesthetic senses almost immediately. luckily, my honey has a birthday coming up so i'll be doing some much needed window shopping in the next few weeks!

(found here)

bedtime stories.

i love my husband. but i don't know him as well as i think i do. every night after we shuffle our tired slippers to the bedside and crawl under the covers, i'll ask him to tell me a story. he'll unveil tales of childhood mischief and adolescent anguish. stories about his parents and siblings, friends and workmates. each story shedding more light on the person i'll be spending the rest of my life trying to figure out. at my wedding, my uncle informed me that even after being married to his wife for nearly thirty years, he still doesn't quite know who she is. discouraging? not one bit. but knowing i have to always keep my husband on his toes, well i guess we'll have to see how i do with that one.

(found here)

wedding in film.

i can't believe i forgot to mention our film photos done by our good friend (and my little brothers look-alike) artem, from return the sun. he posted them a couple weeks back during my crazy busy-ness. artem is also working on my top secret project with me. it's pretty exciting. go check out the photos. now.

epitome of coolness.

i hate to say this (again), but i wish i could get re-married. maybe not re-married, but certainly be engaged all over again. not because being engaged is better than being married, but because i would really, really love to take engagement pictures again and again and again. i know i can take "look we're a couple" pictures. but they are just not the same!

so feast your eyes on this super-cool couple and their beyond awesome engagement session. seriously. i am running out of adjectives to describe these folks pretty quickly, but i'm telling ya, they are the epitome of coolness.

oh and be sure to check out other goodies by braedon photography here.

(found here)

serene.

i have been cooped up in my house all week long. well. not really. but it sure feels like it's been all work and no play for me. with good reason - my secret it under major construction and will soon be ready for a revelation party. so since i can't enjoy the pretty outdoors today (or tomorrow for that matter) i will stare into these serene photos and be utterly inspired to ditch any and all work. sigh.

(found here)

plum upside down cake.

i am a lover of all things sweet. my poor husband can attest to my incessant cravings and my even poorer teeth can show you the damage. last summer i found the best dessert in my real simple magazine. so good, i made it every weekend until plums were nowhere to be found. i grew up in a little blue house with a giant plum tree in the back, so this sweet delight gets me feeling all nostalgic.

p.s: sorry i took such a long blogging break. a combination of lack of internet and energy plus a dash of summer baking have gotten in the way.

p.p.s: i also have the vegan version of this treat.

(found here)

dessert.

have you tried piccolo affogato al caffe? it's just some espresso poured over gelato, but it is so good that i've been enjoying this dainty delight all week long. it brings back wondrous memories of italian laziness.

do indulge in this goodness soon my friends.

(found here)