Sunday morning was fantastic - I got to sleep in! Until almost 10am! It was great. Then I made myself a nice breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and hashbrowns. Yummy. By the time I had myself ready to go for the day, it was almost noon...but I didn't feel guilty, because I had really enjoyed my morning. As I got in my car to run some quick errands, the song "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers came on the radio. Since my dad always gives me a call when he hears that song, I decided that it was my turn to call him and wish him a happy Father's Day. Happy Father's Day, Dad!
After my errands were taken care of, I decided to sample some local wines at a nearby vineyard/winery. I drove the five or so miles from the apartment to Montinore Estate and Vineyard. It was beautiful. Besides walking through a vineyard to get to a hostel in Germany seven years ago, I'd never visited a vineyard or winery...this was so exciting to me! I will admit, though, it was a little awkward at first being the only person there who wasn't part of a "couple," but I still enjoyed myself. I walked into the tasting room and was greeted with live music, played by a jazz trio. They sounded great...it really set a classy mood to the place (as if the wine and atmosphere didn't do that enough already!). I walked up to the tasting bar, and the bartender (I don't know if that's the appropriate term for the guy, but it's what I'm going to call him) explained to me how the tasting worked. He handed me a list of the wines that they had available, and I was supposed to choose five that I wanted to try. I began with the 2007 Pinot Gris (a fantastic, basic white wine), continued with the 2008 Borealis (my f
avorite! a blend of Muller-Thurgan, Gewurtztraminer, and Pinot Gris), then tried the 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir (which I didn't care for very much), next the 2007 Syrah "Columbian Valley" (which I did enjoy, suprising since it was a red wine), and finished with the 2007 Riesling Sweet Reserve (a fantastic dessert wine). After my sampling, I bought a glass of the Borealis and sat at a hightop table, enjoying the light jazz music for awhile.After the trip to the winery, I headed into Forest Grove to stroll through the downtown area. I hadn't checked out that area on foot yet, and decided that it was about time I did. I stopped into an
ice cream shop on a corner downtown, and ordered a turkey sandwich to eat for a late lunch. The waitress laughed at me a little bit, saying I liked my sandwich just like her daughter - plain, with just turkey, swiss, and lettuce (except her daughter spiced things up a bit more than me by adding mayo). The place was really cute, decorated with a Coke-a-Cola theme. I'll have to go back for an ice cream cone some other time - they have a ton of flavors!When I had finished my sandwich, I continued strolling downtown. Most businesses were closed (it was a Sunday, after all), but I was able to go in and browse at a neat antique shop for awhile. Originally, it was supposed to rain all day, but the sun was out and it was warming up, so I decided to head to the coast for the rest of the day.
Instead of visiting my favorite, Cannon Beach, I decided to check out a different town. So I went to Seaside, Oregon. This town was a bit m
ore touristy and crowded...I still prefer Cannon Beach. My first stop in town was the aquarium, where I fed chopped up fish (yes, real dead raw fish, and yes, I did touch them with my bare hands....ew!) to some sea lions, touched a few starfish and anemonea, and watched an octopus for awhile. It was a neat place, right on the beach.
After I had thoroughly washed my hands, I grabbed my beach blanket and book and headed to the sand. I walked along the edge of the water for awhile, but my feet started to freeze because the water felt ice cold. I ended up cozying up with my blanket next to a big piece of driftwood and reading my book. Right now I'm reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert - if you haven't read it yet, you definitely should, because it is fantastic. Before leaving town, I walked through the tourist district with many shops and restaurants and food vendors, just looking around. Then I drove home, as it started to rain. It had been a fun, busy day, and a fabulous weekend exploring my part of the state.
Monday, it was time for me to get back to the grind of rotations. Research and encapsulating. It was super. After work, I took the bus/walked to Trader Joe's for some apples and chocolate soy milk (I'm so addicted to that stuff! I drink almost a quart a day! That's trouble...). Once I had arrived back to my car in Hillsboro, I headed to The Human Bean to have a cup of chai tea and work on some paperwork. It's now almost bedtime, and I am exhausted!
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