happy easter!

headed home to to my folks soon to celebrate Easter with the fam. very thankful. 

heard some sad news about a good friend that puts life into perspective.  thinking of you pam :) 

all of this said while i am watching real housewives of nyc..

i got these bad boys at Canoe in portland.  sweet store.  canoe

man vs food

mac 24/7.  biggest pancakes i have ever seen. they were for realz featured on that show man vs food. walks was certain he could do this.....

he tried.  really hard.  he stopped twice and went back in.  he was sweating bad. sweating butter.

after an hour he threw in the towel and surrendered with the white napkin.

he claimed not going number two before was his downfall.

i'm still proud of him.

hawaii

was in two words.  Awe Some. 

in fact, right now i am suffering from postpartum depression.  hide the razors.

here are some photos of our recent trip to Oahu.  we used miles, so we splurged on the hotel.  we arrived expecting our ocean view suite, the sounds of the ocean and a bed made of diamonds... instead we got a partial ocean view with the sound of the street and 800 thread count sheets (the nerve!).  for the scrill we were spending, i wanted that ocean view to slap me in the face when i walked in the door.  i don't know if it is the sales person in me, but i don't mind asking for upgrades or complaining to the front desk/waiter when something is wrong (especially with minorities - i am totally kidding).  my friends and i still always try and get VIP for free wherever we go, even if we are the only ones in vip - it's a victory.  anyway, to my surprise, walker wanted that ocean view to slap him sideways as well. so he told me he would handle it.  and boy did he.  can you say upgrade?  i can.

he told me later that he went down to the front desk and said that i was bawling and threw a huge fit.  "basically, act like a raging bitch, because they already think you are"...

thanks for the hat blossom!

The Halekulani was by far one of the best hotels i have ever stayed in. it is the perfect location, very quiet, very accommodating (hello mrs. templeton), private beach, within walking distance to everything.  i loved all of the accents around the pool. and all of the 5 year olds  in speedos. so euro. walker wouldn't let me take pictures of them.

 

sunset sail. beeeautiful.

lots of relaxing was done.  lots of running and walking in the heat.  lots of eating.  we ate our way around the island one day - finding all the spots locals frequent.  not once, but TWICE walker claimed he had the best meal of his life. i warned him of the aggressive nature of the first statement, but he did it again...

katsu = fried.  i did not know this until i accidentally ordered it. who knew?

best garlic shrimp, best pie,  best mangos....wt

We biked (electric bikes - so much easier than regular ones) to the Kahala Resort about 5 miles down the road.  i half expected c diaz and a rod to walk around the corner.  this place was nice...this raging bitch would take 'Kulani over it.

beachhouse. num.

we are eating in for the next month.  Hawaii might be the most expensive thing ever.  $20 for two beers.  our retirement age has now been extended to 67 thanks to this trip.  well worth it though.

blue crush or bust. paddle boards are heavy!

north shore. mai tai's. chicken katsu. back rubs. sand. paddle boarding. beers. swim suits. the smell of burnt skin.

love it.

keep the razors hidden.



maupin, or

a few weekends ago we went to maupin for a "business meeting".  walker and some homies are working on developing some houses (or something like that) and needed to get some shiz done.  i think they worked like 2 hours out of 2 days.  for those of you who don't know, maupin is a town in central oregon where people go to raft and fish...i was a little apprehensive about the trip because both activities can not be done in 20 degrees. however, with a little help from my friend, vodka, we managed to entertain ourselves.  seriously, vodka is so awesome.

we shot guns, played games, went on hikes, ate elk meat, had a dance party, wore cowboy hats, shot more guns...not really a gun person per se.... i have only shot a gun once before in college on a squirrel hunting adventure - it was fun then and it was fun now.  who knew?  just call me sarah palin!  actually, don't. please.

kristen got the dance party started

can i get a p r e t t y?

the owner - john

we stayed in a house on 600 acres!

taking mental notes before shooting - safety on, check.

 i learned that pickle juice is a great chaser for whiskey shots.  try it.  trust me.

good times.

fixer

sorry sports fans.  i am a terrible blogger.  I have received a few requests to update the blog - ok just one.  but the person was not my sister, so i think the lib blog is about to go viral.  anyway, i wanted to post some photos of the house, because it's rad.  i have come to the realization that we will always buy fixers.  i have a love hate relationship with the idea.  i really don't mind it as much as i thought i would, but i hate the dust and walker sands shit all the time (walls, furniture, counter tops, his face).  no matter how much you cover something with plastic, dust will get through - in your couch, on your dishes, on your clothes, in your eyes (allergies 24/7) ..... HATE IT!  but - i do LOVE the outcome.  both of us are not big fans of new cookie cutter construction. so- i am destined for fixerville - until we find a nice piece of property in the country and we design and build our own home.  then walker can sand and play in the dirt and build barns and eat hay and wear carharts all day long. his heaven.

some before and after of the living room, dining room and kitchen

new hardwood floors, new paint on walls and doors, knocked out walls and shelves to open up space, new counter tops, smoothed out ceiling (lots of sand), painted ceilings.... lots of work in not even two years!  the bathroom and deck are other projects that are in posts coming soon. and yes, i did spruce up the "after" photos.  marketing 101 kids.

Heavens Waiting Room - Palm Springs

i love it.  the old, the gay, the heat, the tacky, the stylish, the modern...  all of it.  when walker and i make it big, we are getting a house in palm springs.  PS is the perfect escape from this nastiness we call the nw in the winter (and fall and spring). 

we wanted to try something different so we booked the Ace. we moved after one night.  it was too hipster for us and we live in portland and own high top converse.  cheap modern rooms, everyone smoked at the pool, girls in jean shorts and boots (80 degree weather), the room next to us partying until 3...  The Ace made me feel taken and old and it bothered me.  the single libba at 25 would have been all over the it, the married libba at 28 wanted out. walker is grandpa-ish already (ask him to show you his running shoes), but way more laid back than myself, the ball was in my court.  we left and went back our staple.  The Colony Palms.  my waiting room.

i can't get enough of the restaurants and boutique hotels so we made an effort to try them all - in 3 days.   Parker, Melvin's, Copley's, Viceroy, Trio, The Riveria...  We ate, we sat by the pool, we drank, we rode bikes, we went on long walks and looked at ranch homes, we went on hikes, we had a great time.  i fell in love all over again - that was a lie.  i love him the same.  why do people say that?

love love love

some of the decor was cool

bubble tree

sunshine!

templeton bunny ears

bottom line - if you live in the nw, take advantage of the cheap flights.  your depression symptoms will thank you. 

Note - get to airport early.  it is tiny, but old people are slow and kinda dumb - no you still can't take water bottles through security... and those in wheelchairs are allowed to cut in line. jealous!

new bedroom

being married to an architect/builder is great.  however, unlike most men, he has an opinion on interior design (and clothes - it's weird).  most of the time it works.  however, our tastes are different, he =  modern, minimalist / me = all over the map, but doesn't want to live in a concrete box.  we have to meet in the middle on lots of decision.  the other night he told me the bedroom is all mine.  yes.  muahhahaha.  seeing this photo of kate spade's bedroom made me want to change ours.  this isn't the color scheme or direction i am going, at all, but it made me realize i want a change.

i do love the frames

currently, we have a platform bed (duh) and matching nightstands.  i hate platform beds, i dread making them, i sometimes wait an extra week to wash the sheets just so i don't have to make the bed up.  that was gross, but it is true.  first thing i want is a normal bed with a box frame and headboard.  i want walker to get a piece of reclaimed wood and make it, like this one.

can i get an A M A Z I N G?. via this bad boy is $5,600 - i got a guy (wt) who can do it for $600. tots awesome.

one thing i know we agree on and love is WHITE.  i love white walls, white trim, white dishes, white sheets, white decorations.  so fresh and so clean (thank you outkast).  so classic.  so over it for my sheets/duvet.  everyone does it.  I received a Kerry Cassill duvet and pillow covers from wt for xmas.  they are more girly than i normally like, but i love love love them:
          

 love the combination.  how in the fudge to you align three pictures on one line in a blog? 

light hardwoods, dark walnut headboard, colorful sheets, mirrored nightstands?  now i am stuck.  i have too

many looks. walker is going to kill me. 

clean. like the look. don't like platform bed. old brand new

to feminine.  like the nightstands.  don't like headboard. lonny mag

i am sure i will change my mind a few times before i do the bedroom (which won't be until the new house now)... i need to see the space before it comes together.  until then - this is what i got.

peace in Egypt.