Happy Halloween and Happy Birthday to the Hubs!

Today is Halloween. It has always been a very important day for me and then 9 years ago it became a day that I love to celebrate even more when it became "Hub's" Birthday. Today he turned 33. He is finally the same age as me. We are 4 months apart and I am a little older. I know! I know! Robbing the cradle! I am such a cougar!!  Friday I threw him a Surprise party and it was the best! He had no idea even though many people slipped and almost let the cat out of the bag. With some help from some great friends and family it went with out a hitch.

We laughed and danced and joked around. It was a nice feeling to be in the room with family and friends. For the first time letting the attention be centered around "Hub's" I know he doesn't like the attention on him but I think for a guy that works so hard never asks for anything goes to work all the time. Always going the extra mile for anyone.  To know "Hub's" is truly to love him.

When I am cold he gives me his sweater.
When I am upset he clams me.
When I am happy he is the one that made me smile.
When I cry he is the one that brings me comfort.
When I come up with a new hair brain idea he does the math for me.
When I am hurt he makes the hurt go away.
When I tell him I want to sell everything and live in a VW bus, he
looks at me and smiles then talks about it in great length and how we will do it
when he retires.
He is my best friend. Because when I fight with my best girlfriends he is there to
hold me and tell me it is okay and we will work through it.
He is my travel partner, and road trips are the most fun with him.
He knows my in's and out's.
He takes my mood swings and my craziness.
I love him so much.
He truly completes me.
He is the half that makes me whole.

Happy Birthday Hub's and Happy Halloween to all my friends.

Ocean Lodge............ Review.

We were so lucky that Wendy the manager at the Ocean Lodge was so kind, accommodating and gracious to host us.  They had us down for a Friday night review but our Wednesday night review canceled with us after we had already checked in with them and was shown to our hotel room and given the keys. In the middle of our breakfast at the Pig in a Pancake the hotel manager called me and told me that they didn't have enough room to have us for the review.  So we had to drive back get our things and give back the key.

The manager didn't give it a second thought if we were going to have to sleep in our car that night or not, stating that it wasn't his problem.  Frantic we had no idea what to do next. Thinking maybe the Chamber might be able to help we gave them a call and Jeff went to bat for us, helping us look as well.  I called the Ocean Lodge to see if they could get us in that night instead of Friday. Without even giving it a second thought when I told them what had happened they said "Kingstongirl we are ready for you right now!" 

So we headed over to the Ocean Lodge, finding the crown jewel of the Oregon coast. This was the kind of place that I had only dreamed about.  Entering the lobby I felt like I had been transformed into a time when it was a slower pace even with all the modern amenities but still all through out the resort you will feel and see just the most subtle hints of a 1940's beach resort.

The fun history of New meets Old time charm, they knew that this location that now is where the ocean lodge sits proudly as if it has been there from the very beginning of Cannon beach, was  a once in a life time opportunity to build this lodge they wanted to create a place that was going to be  something that their children and grandchildren generations from now could be proud of. They hired Raven Architecture of Seattle to help them create a lodge with the ambiance that it has so captured the old meets new feeling. 

When we got checked into the room what we felt was so over joyed with all the things that our cottage had to offer. We couldn't ask for more, excellent and so immaculate. a front porch with an peak a boo view of the beach. The room was spacious with all the comforts of home. The nice jacuzzi with jets in the bathroom, the showers that we had in our room was rather small but, sill it didn't take away from the experience. The bed was good and comfortable,  The wonderful gas fire place made it wonderful to sit and gaze all evening and long into the night at the flickering flames.

The lovely in room Kitchenette that we had was great. It certainly was helpful for us to be able to use some of the items that we brought from home, allowing us to enjoy home made waffles that next morning. To make that breakfast even better was the coffee pot, cafe style coffee cups & Sleepy Monk® Organic in-room coffee, that I have to say being a girl from Seattle gave the S word a run for the money! All the while we enjoyed all of that at a perfect table for 2! ( although it is set up with 4 chairs) It was a great start to a wonderful day at the beach.

So many extra touches that they do for their guest, A large selection of movies to play on your in-room DVD player (no rental fee!) homemade cookies in the lobby of the hotel that are always warm. Sleepy Monk® Organic Fair-Trade Coffee in the lobby 24 hrs a day. Free wifi access available for all the guests.The large private on site library of games and books to choose from that all guest can borrow. A large free breakfast for all the mornings that you stay there. The staff are hospitable and very helpful always informative and so friendly.

The Ocean Lodge believes that nobody has to stay at home when you come to visit Cannon Beach! There are so very many hotels along the coast, that don't feel this way.  The Ocean Lodge is delighted to welcome your pet and has designated select rooms with easy beach access to accommodate you and your pets. Your best-friend is welcome to share your lodging and vacation fun,  with a large variety of pet packages and goodies for your "Fur Babies". What I loved most is that they even go the extra mile by providing a dog wash in the front lawn.  There is a very reasonable small fee per night, per pet, but once you see all the amazing things that your dogs get you wont even thing twice about the fee. There is a two pet per room maximum, although they are so easy to work with I am sure that if you had a third they would be willing to work with you. 

We truly enjoyed our stay and being able to sit and truly relax in the on site Adirondack chairs overlooking Haystack Rock and the beautifully scenic Oregon coast, It is really a wonderful place to let your cares and worries roll out with the waves.  I know that when I go back to Cannon beach I will be coming back to the Ocean Lodge! I added it to my speed dial in my cell phone for when the mood strikes my fancy! :)

Check your bags or Ship them?

I have said this in the past I will say it again I am sure... I over pack. I think I try to take everything and the kitchen sink, it just makes it to hard to try to pick just a few things to bring. I might need this and what if I need that? What if the weather is bad and all I pack is summer clothes? What is a girl to do?

Well now that the airlines have put a cap on what you can bring and if you check a bag it is going to cost you.  In this time of fines, charges, and fees what is the cheaper route to go? With airlines charging $25.00 one way and $35.00 for the second bag not to stop there but then there is the added charges to heavy items and over sized items so what is it we should do? Why don't you try hard to weigh out your options, Here are a few Kingstongirl ideas.

If your baggage is bulky, or heavy shipping might just be the better way to go. Just make sure that you are able to not need to overnight it this is a big way to make it just as spendy as paying the high airline prices to ship your things.

Here is a point UPS can ship a 75lb box from NY City to Orlando Florida for around $57.00, checking that item at the airport will more then likely cost you around $100-175, ONE WAY!!! Make sure you check all your local companies that you are able to get quotes from places such as Fedex, UPS, USPS, DHL. You can also check out an online service Sports Express that are especially for you to get your items like skies, snowboards, golf clubs ect you catch my drift here.

In a time when you want to hit the ground running you are wanting to ship your items to avoid the large waste of time in the waiting game at the luggage carousel. I mean we all need to pretend that we are on the amazing race show and if we are on the plane to Vegas when the drinks are waiting and the gaming tables are hot and ready for our winning streak.  This is the one way to make sure that your bags will be waiting for you when you arrive for sure. Having your items shipped is an almost 100% guarantee.

When you have a connecting flight this is a sure win win to get your bags to the right destination to make sure that you can jump from plane to plane, making your low cost make your own flight deals is truly a good deal by not missing your luggage at the end of your three plane jumping connecting flights. Delivery services do offer far better deals with more bells and whistles then any airline carries can, namely better insurance, & tracking.

All the while it is the best thing to have your things sent right to your home sweet home, never having to sit with the rest of the hacking, coughing, screaming babies, or that one person that stunk up the entire cabin and you were the lucky one that got to sit right next to them.  You can avoid the luggage circus and all those people you are never wanting to run into again by doing one simple thing.........
Shipping your luggage in my mind this is a win, win situation. One that you should try.


THANK YOU PHOTOBUCKET FOR THE PIC'S

Cannon beach Stop number 3!

We pulled off of Hwy 101 to the exit towards Cannon Beach. If you haven't been there  Cannon Beach is located west of Highway 101 and is approximately three blocks between the highway and the Pacific Ocean. I feel like this is my safe Heaven, my retreat a place to go and experience some rest and truly relax. We decided to stay here for most of our week long trip. 

I have been going to Cannon beach for many years it is a perfect place to run away to. Most of the time it is a trip that my Mom and I take together for a girls weekend. This time I was able to enjoy it with my "Hub's"  Cannon beach was named  after a small, iron cannon that came ashore from a shipwrecked U.S. Navy schooner, "The Shark." 

While we were in Cannon beach we went to their lovely farmers market. Open every Tuesday opening June through the end of September.  Some of the upcoming events in Cannon beach are as Follows...

Dog Show on the Beach - Saturday Oct 16th at Surfsand Resort. A community event open to all dog lovers and guaranteed to make you smile. From the surf rider event to the barking contest, it's a fun day on the beach that benefits the Clatsop County Animal Shelter. 9a registration. Show runs 10am-4pm. 30 fun events. Hot Dog Roast. Ice Cream Social. call 436-2274 for details.

Stormy Weather Arts Festival, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (Nov 5 - Nov 7, 2010) is Cannon Beach's fall celebration of the arts. Cannon Beach, home to many galleries and artists, comes alive with creativity. The galleries, shops, restaurants and motels all get in on the act - featuring musicians, artists, performances, and exhibits throughout the weekend.

 

Friday nights Quick Draw event  is an art lovers dream. 15 artists have one hour to create a piece ready to be sold in the auction that follows. Food, drink and original art created before your eyes by well known local and regional artists is a Quick (and irresistable) Draw. Quick Draw tickets sold only in advance. To purchase call 503-436-2623. Galleries and shops pour it on all day Saturday capped off with refreshments beginning in the late afternoon. At 8pm on Saturday at the Coaster Theatre, headliner Linda Hornbuckle fills the air with her beautiful sound. Tickets are still available. 

Haystack Holidays - Thanksgiving thru New Years. Experience the Holidays, Cannon Beach Style. If you are from a metropolitan area, you know how frustrating it can be going out during the holiday season - always too many people and not enough parking. Avoid the hurried, harried city pace and come to Cannon Beach to enjoy relaxed, quality shopping, seasonal events, live theater, and fine restaurants surrounded by the beauty and charm of Cannon Beach, the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Range. Events include Lamplighting, Library Tea and Cider, Wreath Making, Family Fun Camp

live at the renowned Coaster Theatre - "My Fair Lady!" starting November 12 thru December 19, A great thing to do while you are on a girls shopping weekend in Cannon Beach so that you can relax and unwind during the most hectic time of year.  

Some of the great places to shop in Cannon beach are Josephine's  a great place to find that unique gift to give a friend or yourself. It is a great place to get one of a kind Jewelry.  Geppetto's Toy Shoppe you can find the perfect toy for you or someone young at heart! They have a great selection of wonderful unique toys.  Now my favorite as well as the "Fur Babies" is the fun Puppy Love by the sea a perfect place to go and spoil your little four legged friend, or you can get that perfect gift for that dog lover for you know. I am going to do a post just on Puppy love later next month when I highlight the top 5 dog shops to try out and check out. A great place to get a things for any weather to for you to wear to the beach in the summer or a perfect place to find that rainy day wear with a cute set of boots and a lovely little rain coat for your little one. No matter what the need is check out RainNshine  This is just a little selection of the places you are going to be able to shop at when you come down for your very own get away. 

We ate at some wonderful places on our Cannon beach trip,  having so many great eating options to choose from fine dining establishments to cozy cafes like the , great family dining we ate wonderful crapes and crab eggs ben at the The Pig in a Pancake. Pizza parlors like Pizza a' Fetta where we ate the best Crab pizza pie I have ever had in my entire life. Bakery's my favorite is cannon beach bakery where we bought a few loafs of the haystack bread that they are world famous for. 

We had a very nice grown up meal, trying to do one nice evening to get dressed up and enjoy something special. where I ate Draper Farms Chicken Marsala Pasta with spinach, tomato & marsala sauce it was to die for, "Hub's" ate the Lobster Ravioli hazelnuts & marsala cream sauce. I think I ate more of them then he did. It was a great dinner and we enjoyed some very wonderful house red wine and shared their White Chocolate Mousse Parfait raspberries & chambord it was a great ending to a great night. Deciding to try  Newmans 988    we were so happy that we did, we will go back now everytime we go to Cannon beach for a tradition. 

If you are over 21 there are many brewpubs for you to choose. Our favorite place to get great brews and the best fish and chips that you can get on the Oregon coast, is Bills Tavern and brew pub. It is a great choice to eat there and the outside seating is very popular in the summer time. A Martin Hospitality propirty If you want the best cornbread and a great place to have some great beer and still have a place to bring the kids then you need to The Lumberyard Grill 

No matter what you are looking for in Cannon beach to do they have something for everyone.  No matter what time of the year.  With a short distance and public access to the beach and Hay stack rock this is where you will feel closest to the California beach feeling of the Oregon coast. Take the time to enjoy and learn about the Cannon beach History at the The Cannon Beach Historical society. 

I plan to make lots of trips down to Cannon Beach and I truly hope you will join me when I do. I'm in the works with some of the lovely towns people,The Cannon Beach Chamber and many of the hotels to put together a Kingstongirl girls weekend!!!  Stay tuned there are going to be many events to come.  Leave me a comment below if you would like to be part of such an event. 

 

I want to meet new friends!!! Blog hop Friday!!

Friday Blog Hop Link.

It's Mommy Madness Friday Blog Hop!

Life with the Lebedas has teamed up with Call Me Laura Jane and Crunchy Cupcakes to start a weekly Friday Hop!

Want to join in on the fun? 

Here's what to do:

1. Become a follower of the 3 hosts (first three listed) - Life with the Lebedas, Call Me Laura Jane and Crunchy Cupcakes

2. Grab our Mommy Madness button and add it to a blog post or some place on your blog to help spread the word.

3. Link up to your blog and Start hoppin'!

(Blog link only - no giveaways or others, those will be deleted)

As a general rule, please follow everyone back that follows you.
If you leave a comment on their blog it will let them know you found them through Mommy Madness & they can follow back.

Thumbnails:  12 entries so far... you're next!

HAVE FUN & ENJOY YOUR NEW FRIENDS!

Surfsand Resort....

Our stay at the Surfsand resort has to have been one of the best places I have ever stayed in.  They rolled our the red carpet for us but let me let you in on a little secret they do this for all their guests especially their fur babies our four legged friends.

The resort is right on the beach we had such a great time!  Being very lucky, we were able to enjoy some warmer days when the sun peeked out after a chilly morning & it was great, especially the beautiful sunset it made in the evening a great end to a wonderful day in Cannon Beach. Later that night as we bundled ourselves in some nice warm clothes we decided to indulge in a camp fire on the beach with a marshmellow roast, this added so much to our experience as we ate smore's cuddled in blanket together listening to the waves crash and the stars dance above us sharing a bottle of red wine. 

All the while day or night the hotel is able to offer the commanding views of the beautiful Haystack Rock that you come to Cannon Beach to experience it for yourselves.  The other best part of staying at the Surfsand Resort  is within walking distance to downtown. 

 

We had a beautiful one-bedroom oceanfront suite with balcony, on the third floor. The bedroom had no view, but we sat with the balcony door wide open, with the roaring gas fire going as we listened to waves as they crashed upon the beach.  I was able to enjoy the beautiful jetted two person tub all the while enjoying the TV in the bathroom!!! Yes a TV in the bathroom, They truly thought of everything a women would want to have in this room. A great place for some romance or some much needed alone time. 

 

It was a great atmosphere for the two of us and our three little "Fur babies." In our room we also had a small kitchen & stocked up on breakfast foods so we only ate out at the last hour of Lunch time, (another travel trick to save money.) We were able to enjoy the free wifi in our room it is always nice to be able to check in with work a few times and truly enjoyed this convenience of checking in with my blogging friends and Facebook.  If you didn't bring your own laptop the lobby did have a pc that you could use to check email at the activity desk,

 

The day we got there we were able to spy on a wedding that was taking place it was done beautifully. They had a huge bonfire the night after the wedding with all the people that were there. I wish I could have thought of that when Hub's and I got married. Amazing location for a wedding. 

 

When I am able to go back to Cannon Beach we would definitely stay here again. It is a great place that rolls out the red carpet for you and your fur babies. It is nice to feel that you are a guest. The staff when above and beyond helping to insure that our stay was the best we could have with them. Our room and the entire hotel property was sparkling clean. 

Stop two on our week long trip.....

We left Astoria and headed for our second stop on the coast Seaside.We walked around and found many great stores and places to check out and tons of things to dIf you didn't know Seaside is a great family destination.  Thing's that set Seaside apart from other beach communities along the Oregon coast is that Seaside is a  everything is within walking distance and very easy to explore.

Oregon's first seashore resort was Seaside remaining a popular vacation destination, a place to take the time to slow down, relax. It is a place that you almost feel like you have gone back in time, even for a brief minute. The best place to bring your children and take them to the beach so they can build sand castles.

When looking out into the ocean, it is magical and it creates an abundance of activities. With  Amusements, arcades and shopping this town will entertain everyone that comes to Seaside. 

"Hub's" and I truly enjoyed our sunset beach walks with the dogs, the ocean views, the pleasure to enjoy the intimate dining that seaside has to offer. Seaside is much more then than just a day at the beach. It is an endless opportunity for countless memories to be made and I am so happy that "Hub's" and I were able to make many new memories. 

The history of Seaside starts when it was founded in 1937, Seaside is home to the oldest aquarium on the West Coast. 

 

 So this is stop #1 the Seaside Aquarium, Founded in 1937, it is privately owned by descendants of some of the founders that are still active in the aquarium and how it operates to this day. Hosting an amazing touch tank, a family of seals that they have had sense 1983! Along with an amazing under water viewing area making this a must for your Oregon Coast and your stop in seaside.

Stop # 2 : Another fun thing to take note in the landscape of Seaside is the very visible is the Tillamook Head, which Tillamook Rock Lighthouse sits on top of the rock and enjoys guiding ships to safety while approaching the Columbia River past the dangerous jutting headland, being note worthy it is one of the Pacific coast’s most interesting lighthouses. Sitting atop an outcropping of rock surrounded by ocean on all sides, the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse was completed in 1881.

 

Stop #3 is  Fort Steven's. When we were there it was pouring rain it was still so much fun. We even decided to take the time in the rain to walk around and explore. Explore it we did.  Fort Steven's is Located in Warrenton, about 30 minutes North of Seaside, the fort is part of a large park with lots of beaches, hiking trails, lakes, paved bike paths, old army bunkers, and even the remains of the Peter Iredale Shipwreck!( Check below for Stop #4!) Another great place to visit is the the South Jetty in Fort Stevens State Park. Built in the late 1800s, the jetty extends about 2.5 miles into the waters where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. From the observation deck, you can enjoy a spectacular view of waves pounding against the rocks of the jetty. This area is also a favorite location for birdwatching and the  Coffenbury Lake is also a great location for fishing, wildlife viewing, or you can do what we did and walk the 2 mile trail around the lake. Fort Stevens is an excellent place for the whole family to spend the day a weekend or a week long camping trip, with many camping spaces & yurts to rent this is the place to camp!  The KOA there is amazing as well. Located right across the street from the 1st entrance to the park. Both are wonderful to spend some fun with your loved ones in.

 

 Stop #4  When we reached the end of the drive out to The Peter Iredale Shipwreck, you can still see the few parts left of the original ship, that started as a  287 feet long ship that ran aground about 100 years ago during a horrible storm. Thankfully we were able to make our visit there during low tide that makes the shipwreck is easily accessible to park visitors. Just looking at what is left of the ship you can see how amazing it was in its prime. We didn't walk down to it but we got a few shots and to gaze at it through the rainy, windy, weather passing through my window wipers.

Stop #5 shopping on the Prom, this was my first time to Seaside and I have to say I was pleasently surprised when we drove downtown and seeing so many great things to do and so many great things to see. I was delighted in dozens of unique boutiques, specialty shops, art galleries and antique stores. My favorite shop to go to and spend lots and lots of money at is the Beach Puppy Where you can get all your "fur babies" all the things you need to spoil them. We also got our portraits done by oregon coast portraits and it was a great thing to do and a way to always remember our time together. Also we enjoyed the seaside carousel mall.

After a day of shopping we enjoyed the 1.5-mile long ocean front Promenade is perfect for strollers, joggers and bike riders. The “Prom” The wide and sandy beach is available for all kinds of activities, from low rider beach bikes, beach volleyball, and watching the sand castle building, kite flying. You will enjoy such amusements as the carousel, arcades, miniature golf, bumper cars and boats, tilt-a-whirl, paddle boats and canoes.  Seaside is more than just a day at the beach! It's a place to make wonderful memories. 

So these were the top 5 things that you need to do on your trip to Seaside. 
Next stop on the Oregon Coast trail is Cannon Beach......