Oregon Coast} Bruce’s Candy Kitchen
March 3, 2010 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to eat, places to see
What are your plans for Spring Break? Are you headed out of town, maybe somewhere tropical?
If you are like us and you are sticking pretty close to home we want to spend the next few weeks giving you some fun ideas of place to go in and around Portland during the break.
How about an overnight trip or a day trip to the coast?
One not to be missed Oregon Coast stop is Bruce’s Candy Kitchen in Cannon Beach, just an hour and a half drive from Portland. Bruce’s Candy Kitchen has been around since 1963 and no trip to the beach would be complete for our family without a visit to Bruce’s!
Bruce’s Candy Kitchen is candy heaven! They have the feel of an old fashion candy shop and an amazing selection! There is even candy on their front doors!!
If you are lucky you will be able to watch them make their salt water taffy during your visit.
If you miss it be sure and pick yourself out a nice selection of their amazing, house made taffy!
If taffy isn’t your thing, no worries, there is plenty of other sweets to tempt that sweet tooth!
And if you just can’t decide, you can always try my personal favorite – white chocolate covered gummi bears – polar bears!!
No matter what your candy of choice we can pretty much guarantee you won’t leave empty handed.
Enjoy a sweet treat at Bruce’s Candy Kitchen at Cannon Beach!
Cargo in the Pearl
February 16, 2010 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to play, places to see
Since Monday was a holiday and a sunny day here in Portland it was a good excuse to do a little exploring.
We headed down to the Pearl District of Portland for a girl’s lunch.
After lunch (check out the blog on Friday for where we ate lunch) we headed over to Cargo. None of us had ever been there before but the outside was so intriguing and interesting we had to go in! Cargo is located at 380 NW 13th Ave. in Portland and is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cargo describes themself as an importer of antiques and artifacts for the home and garden.
The selection is amazing at Cargo and it is huge! You could wander for a long time and still not see everything.
Cargo imports from all over the world but there is a strong asian influence as seen in these beautiful votives.
and other Asian themed items.
If you have ever wondered where to find Chinese Chess pieces Cargo is the place!
Or if you are looking for something a little more French – they have a great selection of Eiffel Towers too!
Wondering what to do with those boxes and boxes of old slides you have? Cargo has the answer! How about a lampshade?
We had so much fun exploring and Cargo is definitely the kind of store you explore! There are treasures to be discovered around every corner!
I found a fun little book on eating and shopping in London that I picked up for my upcoming trip and Tessa and Hannah found spy glasses! You never know what you’ll find at Cargo!
When I checked out they asked me if I wanted a bag and being the good Oregonian that I am I said “no”. But when I saw how great their bags were I went back in and asked for one. They are hand made for them in Indonesia.
Whether you are looking for a fun sunny day or rainy day activity a trip to Cargo is sure to please!
Moonstruck Chocolates
February 10, 2010 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to eat, places to see
What began in 1993 in Portland Oregon as “an idea to handcraft superior chocolates, chocolates that would not only taste exquisite but would look exceptional” soon became Moonstruck Chocolates. With five locations in the Portland area Moonstruck Chocolates still handcrafts each piece of decadent chocolate with the best ingredients and the fresh flavors of the Northwest.
You can find Moonstruck Chocolate Cafes at 2 downtown locations, one on NW 23rd, Lake Oswego Village, Beaverton Town Square and St. Johns.
You can sip a gourmet beverage or indulge in an amazingly decadent dessert or just enjoy a piece of chocolate.
This time of year there are plenty of pretty valentine gift ideas to choose from too! For those of you not lucky enough to leave nearby you can order your favorite chocolate online just by visiting their website.
So if you are looking for a lovely valentine for that special someone head on over to the closest Moonstruck Chocolate Cafe – there is plenty to choose from and they will even give you a free sample!
Oregon Museum of Science & Industry {OMSI}
February 8, 2010 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to play, places to see
Located on the East side of the Willamette, OMSI was founded in 1944 and is one of the world’s leading science museums. It is also home of the Pacific Northwest’s largest planetarium. With 219,000 square feet of science at your fingertips the museum offers educational fun for the whole family. Something I am embarrassed to admit I didn’t know about OMSI is that they are completely non-profit. Committed to educating the public about science and technology, and completely dependent on financial support from you and me! I hope you’ll put the family in the van on a rainy day this season and show your support for this amazing institution. For more information on purchasing a membership, hours and exhibits please visit them here.
Santaland
December 19, 2009 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to see
You can find Santa or one of his helpers hanging out in just about every mall in America this time of year waiting to greet you and hear what you want for Christmas.
If you want to visit the REAL Santa though, you’re in luck! You can find him right here in Portland!
For the last 25 years our family has been visiting Santa at Santaland in downtown Portland. Santaland is now located in the basement of Macy’s. Gone are the good old days when Santaland occupied the 10th floor of Meier & Frank and you could ride the monorail around the ceiling!
It was a sad day for our children when they grew too tall to ride!
Although the monorail no longer circles the ceiling of the 10th floor you can visit the monorail museum downstairs in Macy’s.
That is also where you will find Santa! He is only there through 4 p.m. Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th. See their website for hours.
So if you haven’t given Santa your list yet hurry on downtown!
Peacock Lane
December 14, 2009 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to see
On Friday we gave you a list of places around Portland to view holiday light displays .
I have to admit that my favorite on that list is Peacock Lane, a Portland tradition since the 1920’s! Our family has been visiting Peacock Lane for 23 years. It use to be a quick trip, just a few blocks away, when we lived over in Southeast Portland. Now we have to drive a little farther and cross the river but it’s worth it.
We love that quaint little street full of Tudor style homes, each one elaborately decorated! I use to dream about how fun it would be to live in one of those cute little houses! Peacock Lane is nestled in between SE Belmont and Stark, right off of Laurelhurst Park.
You can drive down the street to view the lights but we always park in the Walgreen’s parking alot across the street and walk. There is also a horse drawn carriage you can hire for your ride too!
The lights on Peacock Lane are on and will continue to shine through Dec. 31st. Check out the Peacock Lane Neighborhood Association website for times, directions and a map.
FYI Friday – Holiday Light Display
December 11, 2009 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to see
Today’s FYI Friday list is full of places in Portland to check out holiday light displays. There are lots!
As we mentioned earlier in the week there is:
Festival of Lights – The Grotto
Shilo Inn – right off Hwy 26 on the way to the beach, near the Cedar Hills Blvd. exit. With over 100,000 lights it’s hard to miss! Light display through New Year’s Eve.
Queen Anne Victorian Mansion - located at 1441 N. McClellan St. is open daily from 6-10 p.m. and runs form Dec. 12-27th. The Queen Anne is a 5,500 square foot mansion built in the 1880’s with 2.5 million lights -that’s a lot of lights!! It is an amazing home and display of lights. The home is also open for tours.
Pittock Mansion - another beautiful Portland landmark located in the West Hills of Portland is 16,000 square feet! This year’s theme is “Tinsel, Trees & Traditions: 150 Years of Christmas.” The mansion is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Jan. 3 except for Christmas Day. This display is not so much lights as it is beautiful Christmas decor! Admission: $5-8.00. 503-823-3623
Peacock Lane- A personal favorite of our family as we use to live just a few blocks from there. Peacock Lane is located between Stark and Belmont in Southeast Portland, just a block east of 39th Ave. (Take the 39th street exit off of the Banfield Freeway and head south on 39th) Open from Dec. 14 through the 31st from 6 -11p.m. You can drive or stroll down the street or take a horse drawn carriage ride! Every Tudor style home on the street is decorated. Peacock Lane has been around since 1920 – don’t miss this one!
Christmas Ships – The Christmas Ships have been floating the Willamette and Columbia Rivers since the 1950’s. The schedule of the boats is different each night so be sure and check their schedule for where they will be when and the best place to view. It is a beautiful parade of holiday lights. Bundle up as it can be cold down by the river. The boats parade through Dec. 20th.
Winter Wonderland at the Portland International Raceway – stay nice and warm in your car to view this display of holiday lights. It is the largest animated light show in the Northwest – a drive through movie of holiday lights! The display is open through Dec. 27th opening at 5 p.m. Check out their website for more details. The Raceway is out near the Portland Expo Center at 1940 N. Victory Blvd. Admission is by the car so be sure your car is full of family and friends.
Washington Park Zoo Lights
December 8, 2009 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to see
You are going to need to bundle up for this outing!
A visit to the Washington Park Zoo Lights is worth it though. Zoo lights runs from Nov. 27 through Jan. 3rd and is closed Dec. 24th and 25th. Be sure and check out their website for times and admission fees.
Visiting the zoo after dark with 200 animals made out of lights is a magical experience. You will see monkeys swing through trees, leaping frogs, flying bats, and diving penguins. Soime of the real animals will be available for viewing also.
Local musical groups perform nightly and you will be able to meet Rudolph, some of Santa’s elves and other animal characters. And don’t forget to take a ride on the train to view even more!!
Bundle up to enjoy the zoo transformed into a magical winter wonderland filled with millions of lights.
For a little preview of what you’ll see check this out.
Two Portland Christmas Classics
December 7, 2009 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to see
Tinsel, Trees & Traditions at Pittock Mansion
Celebrating 150 years of festivities, the Pittock Mansion is all dressed up for the holidays. Browse rooms decorated for the season; displays of holiday music, food, and traditions. For more information on pricing and the free holiday shuttle, visit them here.
Christmas ships parade
A Portland tradition, hosted by boat captain volunteers along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Fifty plus boats decorated in festive lights, march down the river in a procession each night from December 9-20th. A magical event for the whole family! Make reservations early at any of the great restaurants along the waterfront, to ensure a cozy V.I.P. view of the spectacle! For more information on this family favorite, please visit them here.
Christmas Festival of Lights – The Grotto
December 3, 2009 by Leigh Anne
Filed under places to see
If you are having a hard time getting in the holiday spirit, a visit to the Grotto should take care of that!
The Grotto is a 62 acre Catholic shrine and botanical garden located at NE 85th and Sandy Boulevard in Portland and each year hosts an annual Christmas Festival of Lights. This will be their 22nd year.
The Festival of Lights runs from Nov.27 through Dec. 30th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the gates close at 10 p.m. There is an admission fee of $7.50 for adults, children ages 3-12 are $3 with children 2 and under free.
For more information or a group rate check out their website.
The Festival of Lights features over 1/2 a million lights as well as a petting zoo, puppet shows, Grotto Carolers and outdoor theatrical performances. They are also the host to the largest Choral festival in the Pacific Northwest with over 140 indoor holiday music concerts. Local choral groups perform nightly in the beautiful Chapel of Mary which has amazing acoustics!
We’ll be there Dec.10th when the Westvew High School choir will be singing at 9 p.m.!
If you have never visited the Grotto at the holidays it is definitely worth the trip and a great way to get in the holiday spirit!
