My mom, sister and brother-in-law are in town and I wanted to take them on a beautiful and simple hike after we visited Multnomah Falls. Multnomah Falls is gorgeous but the hike to the top is steep and not for those who don’t hike steep trails frequently.
Further down a few more exits is Wahclella Falls. It’s an easy hike with lovely forest views and a trail along the river. It’s only about a mile before you arrive at the end and it opens up to a large pool of water and a spray of mist.
This morning I hiked to the lower bowl of Punchbowl Falls in the gorge. Pretty “beginner level” hike although the trail is pretty rocky. I also would be wary of small children or dogs on this trail since there are some pretty narrow portions of the trail the border on a very high drop.
Today I went hiking on the backside of Hood Mountain. It was a gorgeous hike along a river through trees and a small quarry. You can hike all the way to the falls and if you are nimble enough, climb behind them to really enjoy the spray.
This is such a pretty park in the SE part of Portland. The trees are large and block most of the road noise and houses. There’s a medium sized duck pond and an off leash dog park.
this town has so many fantastic coffee options. i am grateful for the craftsmanship and the caffeine. 
So many changes in my life this past year and it shows in unexpected ways. One of which is that most of the photos in my blog are now broken links. I think I may re-upload the ones to the interviews since those have always been the most important posts to me. Perhaps I will delete some of the other blog posts.
I have set up some interviews and want to continue doing that.
Also considering selling my Cannon and buying a Fuji.
peach portland rose
I met Kylie at our mutual friend Brian’s party. Kylie and I were sitting by each other on the couch commiserating about our gluten free lifestyle. We were both eyeballing the cookies while making chit chat. She mentioned she was a hairstylist, and I reported I had just that week gotten my hair cut. I had my hair pulled back and also was wearing a hat. I dutifully showed her what I was feeling rather apathetic about and she responded by saying we should cut it! I agreed!
She cut my hair with regular scissors in the hallway at Brian’s house in the middle of a party. I love her spontaneity and her infectious laugh. She’s a warm and caring person who is now my new hair stylist!
Jamie: Tell us a little about yourself.
Kylie: I was born and raised in sunny southern California, but now I choose to call Portland my home. I’ve been specializing in men’s haircuts for a little over eight years. I feel like the luckiest person alive because I get to make a living doing pretty much my favorite thing in the world. I also love to read; I have at least three books dog-eared at any given time. That’s right– books. The Kindle makes me nervous and doesn’t smell nearly as good as ink on fresh paper.
Jamie: Southern California and Portland, Oregon are practically complete opposites in some ways, yet really similar in others. What do you love about both places? And what do you miss most about SoCal? I’d love to know about some of your favorites places and restaurants too!
Kylie: They really are so different from each other. That’s what’s so nice about still having family in California. I get to enjoy for a few days and then come back to reality– kind of like playing with my friends’ kids. I love the warmth and smell of California. Maybe my olfactory system is super sensitive, but I think all places have a unique smell. I love that in Portland, you can walk to your neighborhood theatre and watch the Country Music Awards or just a basketball game with fellow beer drinkers. There’s such a strong sense of community here. What I miss most about where I grew up is the Mexican food! not many things are fried in lard up here in the northwest, unfortunately. I did find one restaurant that comes pretty close to SoCal- There’s a divey little joint on East Burnside called Ole Ole. The tacos are to die for and very affordable! Which is good, because everyone in Portland is either retired or working on their doctorate. Another place I love specializes in Ethiopian cuisine. No jokes, please. It’s called Bete-Lukas. The owner is a kick and the food is always fresh and delicious. And because I have three stomachs, I can’t forget about dessert. Rimsky-Korsakoffee House in the Buckman area is as out there as it gets. Incredible and interesting hand crafted pies and coffees. But, beware of the bathrooms- that’s all I’ll say.
Jamie: I thought I was a die hard paper book person too, but my friend Jill gave me a Kindle, and I was surprised how much I do like it! It’s been a lifesaver living in a small place. Haha! What kind of books do you read?
Kylie: I’ll read pretty much anything that I’m given or is recommended to me. I get a lot of books as gifts. It’s pretty interesting to see what people come up with. You can always tell what kind of person someone thinks you are by the books they give you. Chuck Pahlaniuk is my favorite author, so I’ve read all of his work. You may know him from such titles as, “Fight Club.” I’m really into science fiction and memoirs. I’m just fascinated by humans; I’ll read anyone’s story.
Jamie: You seem like a brave and fearless person. Does anything scare you?
Kylie: Turning thirty! No, but seriously, a few things do. I’ve always been deathly afraid of heights. Once I’m at 30,000 feet on an airplane I can relax–sort of. But skyscrapers…forget it. I also have a healthy fear of large dogs; it stems from some sort of childhood canine trauma, I’m sure.
Jamie: I used to love flying, but I like it less and less these days. I do like heights though. They remind me of dreams I have had in which I can fly. But let’s circle back around to the hair cutting thing: when did you get interested in hair cutting? And why are you specialized in men’s hair? What inspires you? Tell me all the things!
Kylie: Do you ever fall in your flying dreams? I heard that’s good luck! Hair cutting…let’s see. I’ve been fascinated with the entire beautification process for as long as I can remember. When my parents would have guests over, I’d walk around the room and paint everyone’s fingernails. I’m sure I did great work at four years old!
Whenever my dad would go in to get his hair cut, even if it was early in the morning, I’d go with him. I’d sit in the lobby and watch intently. I loved the sound of the shears snipping the hair and how effortless and graceful the stylists looked while working. Later in life, I was always the first in the house to notice when Dad came home with a fresh haircut. His face looked brighter and he seemed to have a spring in his step. Men’s hair holds my interest because of the precision involved in cutting, and even styling it. Women’s hair is fun to look at and play with, but the technician in me loves dealing with tight shapes and weight lines. It’s also fun to show a man that a good haircut really can make a difference in how he feels and even acts. I feel that the extra time and attention I’m able to devote to my clients gives them a certain confidence and dare I say…swagger?
I love to flip through cheesy magazines like US Weekly to see what the “beautiful people” of the world are doing with their hair. Since my shop is in a men’s clothing store, I also draw a lot of inspiration from expensive suits. I like to give my clients a haircut that will enhance their style and maybe even get them to switch from a polo to a nice sport coat.
Jamie: Would you like to share some internet links?
Kylie: www.facebook.com/hairbykyliestreed
www.schedulicity.com (online scheduling.)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hair-by-kylie-portland
Thanks to Kylie for participating in my interview series! If you have any questions for her, ask in the comments below! (And go get a hair cut!)
There’s a magical hat shop in Downtown Portland.
It’s called Pinkham Millinery. The owner Dayna Pinkham studied under the late John Eaton in Seattle. She’s a talented and inspired woman. (More of her story you can find on the web and also on her website.)
I first discovered her store by simply walking by it. It was old world. Charming. It was like stepping back in time. All of her hats are custom made. She measures your head, finds out what you want, and custom designs and builds a hat for your unique head.
She crafts using high quality felts and imported straw. The ribbons she uses are imported. The hats are amazing. I wanted one, but I am not prepared just yet for the cost. So I wistfully gawked, and I planned for the future.
But I really lucked out. REALLY LUCKED OUT. I was in Buffalo Exchange a week and a half later searching for a summer straw hat when I discovered a white straw hat with a little black tag that said Pinkham Millinery. I couldn’t believe my fortune! Fifteen dollars! I did glance around furtively to see if perhaps someone would come over and say, “Oops, we mislabeled that!” And then display it behind the counter. BUT NO! It was ignored and squashed. It looked ruined, but I was hoping that Dayna Pinkham could reblock it and restore it to it’s former glory.
I took the crumpled hat to her, and she evaluated it. She guessed it had been made about seven years prior. She said she thought she could save it, so I left it in her care and scheduled my return two weeks later.
And it was beautiful. She did a fantastic job and installed a little elastic cord since the hat was slightly too big for me (that’s why custom hats are so amazing!) I cannot wait until I can order a custom hat for myself-I’m thinking felt for the winter.
After:
What do you think? Do I look glamorous?
You can follow Pinkham Millinery on Facebook here.
There’s this place in Portland that really has it figured out.
How do you combine pancakes and fun in a restaurant? I know what you are thinking, “Pancakes are already fun!”
And I say, “No, they get fun-er. More fun. Having all the funs.”
I introduce you to: Slappy Cakes.
Slappy Cakes offers several batters for pancakes, but the twist is THAT YOU GET TO COOK THEM YOURSELF AT YOUR TABLE!
You choose your batter:
Buttermilk
Whole Grain
Gluten-free
Peanut Butter
Vegan
Sweet Parsnip
You have choices of toppings and ingredients too! We picked lemon curd and blueberries.
You might be thinking, “I don’t really care for pancakes or waffles or any of the sweet breakfast foods.” And that’s fine, they have a full menu.
