Friday Favorites

I decided that I would try to make my blog a little more interesting by adding a "feature". This feature is telling you whatever my favorite things are on Fridays. Fridays are my favorite days because it kicks off my weekend, so naturally I would share my favorite things with you on this day. It could be anything I'm loving at the moment, from restaurants to Pandora stations to other blogs I enjoy.

Friday Favorite: BAGUETTE's - Downtown Corvallis
 This little restaurant has been one of my favs for a while now. Vietnamese, French inspired sandwiches- they are to die for! All of their sandwiches are under $6. There is nothing that they sell that costs more. The first time I tried it, I was kind of like...hmmm...these flavors are a little weird, but in a good way. And then, WHAM! I was hooked! All baguettes come with cucumber slices, pickled carrot shreds, cilantro, and their special tasty sauces. EVERY SINGLE ONE is DELICIOUS! Last week I had the Lemon Curry Tofu baguette. YUMM! And to go along with it, a roasted coconut drink. I could seriously eat at this place every single day. 

The people who run this place are always there, and are so incredibly nice. They make everything there, fresh, every day.

This is the Lemongrass Curry tofu Baguette. It is a little spicy in the best way. So so good. 

My other favorites are the other tofu with mushroom pate, the Lemongrass BBQ beef, oh, and their shrimp salad rolls with the best peanut sauce. Greg's favorite Baguette (which he rarely deviates from) is the Shumai - which is pork meatballs. I always end up asking for a bite of his because it really is tasty.

Other Friday Favorites are: 

Music: Been loving Mikke Snow radio on Pandora

Blogs: Oh She Glows! (This one is for you Lynn, and all of your vegan friends! :)), and Bluebird Vintage

Product: Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil - not only can you cook with it, but you can use it straight up as lotion. It makes your skin so soft and gives a nice little glow.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

It didn't rain on our parade!

Hello friends! I have a bazillion photos to share from our stupendous weekend! Boy were we busy bees. Friday night out with Michelle and Dustin. Saturday's Lebanon Strawberry Parade, then dinner with friends at our house. Sunday- well, we rested a bit. But I did bake a pie- make that two for the weekend. I actually don't have a picture of either one. First was a strawberry-rhubarb (YUM!), and the second was a mixed berry pie filled with strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. I liked the strawberry-rhubarb better, but both were good, and both are GONE! Pie does not last long in the Royal household.

I could regale you with all of the fun stories and tidbits, but really, that would be kind of boring and I don't want to type that much. So I'll let the pictures do my talking. I've always preferred that anyway!

Dustin & Michelle @ Block 15 

(mmm, day dreaming of beer battered french fries with garlic and parm topping!)

Yours truly & the Greggers

Here is us and the dog Jazzy that Greg walked, pre-parade

I was kind of wishing while we were there that I had brought my real camera instead of just my phone- some of the floats were AWESOME! Just check out these hulu ladies. They looked so great!

This is at the beginning of the parade walk.

Here's a little video I took with my phone. If you get dizzy real easy, don't watch.

This is the dude I got to walk - his name is Deuce, he is a lover of all children. 

He just soaked up all the attention. There were lots of lucky kids who got to pet him on the fly by.
Like his shirt? That gorgeous design was made by the Royals!

 

Mmm, yes, dinner Saturday night. Full of veggies - we did Shiska-bobs on the grill, had artichoke dipped in lemon garlic butter, a cucumber tomato salad, and of course, PIE!

And besides the great food and company, it was still lovely outside- warm enough not to need a sweater.

The sunset was a treasure.

Welcome to June!

Its been cold and rainy here still. And due to the cold and rainy weather we still don't have our garden in. I heard from someone yesterday saying welcome to Junuary! This week whenever the sun came out for a peek I would take my break and go for a little walk. Here's some photos from Wednesday- just a little break from the rain. It's how I want it to be always!

On that particular day I walked over to Many Hands Trading. It is like my all time favorite store Downtown. Check out a part of the card I got for someone special..

The weather people say it is supposed to hit 80 degrees tomorrow! I can't wait! Seriously, I can't wait! It will be such a fun day. Greg and I are going to be walking dogs in the Lebanon Strawberry Parade on behalf of his work- Safe Haven Humane Society. I have never walked in a parade before. I'll certainly report back. Tomorrow night we are having friends over for dinner. It should be a great weekend. And hey- maybe we'll get our garden going!

Pictures!

My friend from work, Melissa, told me she hadn't done family photos in almost 10 years. That is just uncalled for. So I dusted off the ol' camera and we walked around downtown. It was so fun, and we got some great takes! It just happened to be her son Ethan's 14th birthday as well. Ahh, the teenage years...

Proud & Puppies

My brother Chad was in the paper today! Hooray for him! You can check it out here. And here is the photo of him from the article:

I'm such a proud sis!

Yesterday, my two brothers and Kaitlin came for a visit. They moved about a month ago. We've missed them bunches. Its really fun having them, especially because Devin's dog had puppies, so they are visiting too! Last night they got their first bath. It was adorable. Remember how I said that I would not get a dog, no if's and's or buts, until we own a house? There is a crack in my resolve.....

I think you might understand why.

Week Pic dump

Wow, I started this post last Friday, and here it is almost a week later and I'm just getting around to it. I really don't want to write a whole lot, so I'll just describe the pictures at the bottom of them all.

1. I'm officially a member of the Downtown Corvallis Association. 

My big role: Bucket of Bucks raffle. I sell tickets like you've never seen! 

Better not come if you don't have $5 at the door for me.

 

 2. Pretty sunset on my porch.

3. The end of Chad's baseball game at Goss Stadium. 

They won the game and secured their place in Playoff's!

 

4. #4, Chad Naylor, Catcher for Corvallis High School. Voted 1st League All American catcher! 

Woot woot! My lil bro is such a good ball player- so fun to watch!

Laundry

 My sister Jeni started making her own laundry soap. I heard it was super cheap and easy so I made it! You can find the recipe and detailed instructions here. It was SUPER easy, and I feel like it will last forever because it makes so much. I snapped a few pics with my fancy phone while I was making it.

I had to get  a pic of Dora checking out the neighborhood. she loves to stand on her hind legs and peer in between the blinds. Luckily, she never bends them up or ruins them at all, just peeks through like a little person. I think it is so cute!

Last nights Albany Downtown wine walk was so fun! I didn't really get any photos that I can share. I had one taken at the beginning of the night, and if I get it scanned then I will post it. Some of the shops downtown are so cute. I wish the whole downtown area would get more business. My favorite spots are on 1st Street. they all have tall ceilings with beautiful crown molding and tiling. It is so cool. I really need to get some pics to share. I'll just add that to my list. :)