Westdale Drive

Monday, February 18, 2013

Last night's dinner: Pok Pok

This month’s Bon Appetit listed the 20 most important restaurants in America and Pok Pok was the only Portland restaurant to make the cut, coming in at #8. I was flipping through the magazine yesterday afternoon and immediately started craving their chicken wings. If you haven’t tried them, I suggest you stop reading this and head straight to either Portland location (NE & SE) or Brooklyn. When we order their takeaway we often just get two orders of Ike's Vietnamese fish sauce wings (spicy) and some sticky rice. Their entire menu is great but the wings are the star of the show.

If these walls could talk.

I’ve been contemplating what to do with the wall space above our bed for a few months. Originally, I wanted to do something like this starburst mirror.

P.S. I heart those monogrammed pillows. Wouldn't monogrammed pillows be such a romantic gift? Although it would have to be a gift to yourself since no man would ever think of getting you that (hint, hint).

A decorator I met with suggested that we do something like this plate wall.

But as soon as I saw the master bedroom of Ann McCulloch, of Ann McCulloch Studio, I knew that I wanted vintage botanical prints. Aren't these beautiful? Ann bought them in her teens!

Ann told me that the key to great art isn’t always about how great the art is, but instead it is how you frame it that really matters.

So, I set out on an Etsy quest for the perfect botanical prints and ended up with these, for $6.50 each.

Here they are framed and up in our master bedroom. I'm pretty pleased with them. Now I just need some monogrammed pillows...

Idea images from loveandlifeatleadora.blogspot.com and atlantahomesmag.com.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Our love story.

My version:

I remember the first time that Brent and I met. We were in the main conference room at Babcock & Jenkins for a client meeting. Brent had been called in as a freelance art director and I was so excited that there was finally someone cute at work! About a year later, Brent offered to drive me downtown to meet some friends after a company wine tasting trip. We ended up spending the entire evening talking and laughing.

Brent and I spent the next two weeks dating before I left to be on ABC's The Bachelor. While I was filming in Rome I kept thinking about Brent and how great our two weeks together had been. After I was eliminated from the show, I took a train to small town outside of Rome so that I could email him without being caught by any of the producers. Upon my return to the states, Brent and I dated in secret while the show was airing. Our first real date was with his parents, brother and sister-in-law for his parents' anniversary. Meeting the family on the first date? A little unconventional but that was us.

Brent's version:

As you may or may not know, Lisa doesn't like not knowing what the plan is. She's a bit of a planner so trying to surprise her can be slightly challenging. The summer we got engaged was very busy for us. We had trips to Camp Sherman, Walla Walla, Florida and Mexico. All of which would have been great places to ask her to marry me, but as I mentioned, surprise was key. Now those of you who know me, you know I can be a bit of a procrastinator. That's right, a planner and a procrastinator... a perfect match, right? So Camp Sherman and Walla Walla arrived a little too quickly, and Mexico seemed too obvious... I decided it would be Florida.

Our primary destination was Rosemary Beach for one of Lisa's friend's wedding and Rosemary would have been the perfect place to pop the question. It was beautiful, and the ring was burning a hole in my pocket, but I didn't want to take any of the spotlight from Lisa's friends. So it stayed in my pocket through five days and many questions from her friends asking "So, are you guys next?"

After the wedding we made plans drive up the coast and stay in a little fishing town called Apalachicola. I channeled Lisa's planning skills and called the Apalachicola Visitors Center (yes, there is one) and asked if there were any romantic spots in the area. The woman told me about a beautiful pier in town that extends several hundred yards out into the bay. She said it would be perfect. With that in mind we headed out on bicycles to explore the town. When we finally got to the pier, a father and his three kids were fishing off the end. Although I'm sure it would have been very nice to have them all clapping as I got down on one knee, I decided that this probably wasn't the place. I also had a vision of fumbling the ring as I pulled it out of my pocket and having it drop into the water below.

That night we ended up at a historic hotel for dinner. It had a perfect wrap-around porch and two rocking chairs right out front. As soon as I saw the place, I knew this is where I'd propose. There was just something about it. We went into the bar and ordered a couple glasses of wine before dinner. When our drinks arrived I suggested we sit on the porch outside. After a few nervous minutes of conversation, and several failed attempts to get the ring out of my pocket without her noticing, I was ready. I remember starting with "I've got something very important to ask you." Before I was even down on one knee she instantly started smiling (and crying). So much for surprising Lisa.

So now a front porch in a little fishing town in Florida is part of our story. A little unconventional, but that's us.

I love love.

I love weddings. I love celebrating the love between two people. And, I especially love all the little details that go into planning a wedding. Since today is dedicated to love, here are my top wedding vendor recommendations in Portland.

Wedding planners:

Blush Bridal Consultation

Bridal Bliss

Rose Bean Events

Caterers:
Art of Catering

Photographers: