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Urban Farmer Dinner
Friday Finds

{Friday Finds} Portlandia

2 Comments Friday Finds
Instagram photos from my evening at Urban Farmer

Today’s {Friday Finds} it totally about the Portland area…. sorry to those who don’t live here! However, bookmark this post in case you plan on visiting soon.

I moved to Portland six years ago. And, while it is much more expensive and has a limited job market compared to my mid-western home, it is one of the most amazing places I’ve ever been. Living in Portland is like living in a big city that has the feel of a small community. We live about an hour from the mountains, an hour and a half from the coast, a few hours from the dessert, and close enough to get away to Canada if things get really rotten. 😉 This post may wax a little poetic about this town I’ve grown to call home.

So, here are some of my Portland {Friday Finds}:

  • Last night I had the opportunity to tour the kitchen, see a demonstration, and eat dinner at Urban Farmer. Urban Farmer has been on my list of restaurants to visit for some time now. I love their sustainable practices and the fact that they use organic, local food whenever possible. Last night’s experience confirmed it as an awesome dinner destination. I’ll be posting about my visit next week…. but, if you’re looking for a delicious steak dinner PLEASE visit Urban Farmer. You will not be disappointed if you get even a fraction of the experience that I had last night. I even ate beets there…. I am not usually a beet fan! (Although, I once made Beet Pierogies that were fairly tasty.)
  • After dinner at Urban Farmer you should totally check out the bar upstairs called Departure. It is like walking into a space ship. A space ship that serves good cocktails and has a beautiful patio with a view of the city!
  • The creative community here is one of the biggest reason’s that I am IN LOVE with this city. There are so many opportunities to build connections, do creative collaborations, or just be inspired by some pretty amazing creative people. If you are in the Portland area check out these awesome groups: Portland Bloggers (gotta plug it), Creative Connection (a women-only group of creatives), Portland Preservation Society (canning group… I can’t wait to be more involved with it), and The Crave Company (women entrepreneur group).
  • The Timbers (Portland’s MLS team) have started playing. I haven’t been able to get tickets to games yet, but it has been fun listening to updates and seeing my friends post photos from the game. I can’t wait to bring the little guy to a game.
Also,
  • Spring is near… and, with that the tulips are coming out! Today, Friday, March 8, all Whole Foods Markets are selling 3 10-stem tulip bunches for $10…. that is 30 tulips for $10. If, [cough, cough], someone’s husband thought to grab a bunch after work today then I’m sure it would make his wife extra happy.
And,

Happy International Women’s Day!

* I did receive a free meal from Urban Farmer curtesy of the PR firm, Little Green Pickle, however no promises for positive reviews were given. I really enjoyed it and want to tell everyone I know about it! No other compensation was given for this post. *
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A Well Crafted Life

{Weekend in Review} Valentine’s Day, Ladies’ Night Out, and a Lazy Weekend

3 Comments A Well Crafted Life
My weekend began on Thursday with a lovely Valentine’s Day! I mean… it was the BEST. My little guy and I hung out during the morning hours and met my husband for a delicious Japanese lunch at Koji Osakaya in downtown Portland. We love this restaurant for its authentic cuisine and great service. The little guy even managed to work his chopsticks a bit! While my husband went back to work the little one and I hit Playdate PDX for some good ole fashion playtime. I was certain that after 3 hours of playing hard on the Playdate PDX indoor playground X would go to bed early in the evening. But, alas…. he was not giving in! I made a steak for dinner and topped it with a spicy cherry salsa. SO GOOD. And, finally, the night ended off with a nice hot bubble bath with a glass of wine. It was the best Valentine’s Day I’ve had in a long, long time. What did you do for Valentine’s Day?
Lately I’ve been trying to make a point out of hanging out with just the ladies at least once a month. Friday night the hubby watched the kiddo while I went out to paint the town red with a few ladies. The night was an evening filled with delicious Paddy’s lemon drops, an amazing steak sandwich from the Realto, and a lot of laughs. The pictures above are at the end of the night when we started getting silly with our iPhone cameras. Jenn, of Pfaus Photography snapped the beautifully lit shot of us ladies being ridiculous with her iPhone… check her out on Instagram!
After such a busy couple of days we decided to hang out at home and be a little lazy. We played outside in our pjs, enjoyed homemade cauliflower-crust pizza, and chilled on the couch. I did get some new sketchs done and they’ll be heading to my Etsy shop soon!
What did you do this weekend?
* This is a for-profit blog that accepts sponsorship in many forms…. however, none of the companies mentioned on this page are sponsors of A Well Crafted Party. I really did go to these places! No product/money was given in exchange for this post. 
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nuvrei sandwich
Portland

Restaurant Review: Nuvrei

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I love finding new restaurants to try in the Portland area. I had never heard of Nuvrei until the Portland Blogger’s Meetup where we received a small gift card in our swag bags along with two macaroons. I love macaroons, almost as much as I love cupcakes. I love the bright colors and the great different flavors. But, let me tell ya, Nuvrei’s macaroons were the best I’ve had so far.

So, with an appetite whet for macaroons and a gift card burning a hole in my pocket I decided to visit the little shop located in the Pearl district of Portland. The bakery isn’t very large, but it is full of charm. The bright yellow chairs created an inviting dining area right outside of the cafe’s windows.

I brought my son in his stroller and it was very difficult to get around with him and the stroller. I couldn’t find an entrance that didn’t have stairs (although, I might have missed it). I also didn’t find the area very kiddo-friendly (no high chairs). But, the staff were so sweet to me and my wiggly little guy. And, my plan was to get my food to go anyways so it didn’t matter too much.

I brought two sandwiches, a cookie, and a macaroon to share with my hubby on his lunch break. I brought my adorable little white bag with a bright pink sticker out at the park and dug in. It was delicious! And, the hubby loved it so much he went back twice since then without me.

If you know him please tell him to at least bring me home a macaroon!

** Full Disclosure— Nuvrei helped sponsor the Portland Blogger’s event by donating items for the swag bags. In the swag bag I received macaroons and a gift card. While macaroons are a way to this girl’s heart they are not a way to get a review. I decided to review my trip to Nuvrei because I liked the restaurant and wanted to share it with you. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this post.

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