Checking out, Brunch, Shopping, and Home

 Check-out time was 10 am!! Argh.  Normally it has been 11 am.  We needed to be more organized and less relaxed with showers, packing, and cleaning up. Joyce and I were the early risers so we took care of our stuff early. 

We had a visitor on the deck

Barbara put out grapes for it.

Got it.

Looked like it would be a nice day

This time we had the extra job of lugging all of our luggage up the driveway to the vehicles!! 

Finally ready for our group picture. Me, Sharon, Olivia, Judy, Kris, Joyce, and Barbara S.

We headed out at 10:05 am!! Not bad. 

We headed to Fathom Penthouse Restaurant in the Inn at Spanish Head for brunch.  It was very close.  We could not make a reservation so we hoped that we could get in.  We lucked out because not only did we get in right away but we had a table with a great view. 

My eggs benedict

The view from the restaurant

Inn at Spanish Head Resort

We headed to the Freed Gallery to check out the art.  Joyce's car missed the turn so they went to the glass place and Mossy Creek Pottery.  We saw a lot of gorgeous art. We headed off to Mossy Creek Pottery to meet up with Joyce and Barbara S.  

After Mossy Creek we said our goodbyes.  Judy was going to hang out at the beach longer.  Olivia shifted to Joyce's vehicle.  They headed home.  Kris, Sharon, and I made a quick stop at the outlet mall then we headed home. We made an ice-cream stop in Newberg.

You can see the smiley face up on the hill.  It always looks great in the fall because the trees in the face turn orange.

Northwest Cream for ice cream

We went to Sharon's first to drop her off.  George met me at Kris' to take me home.  I was home by 5 pm.  I heard that everyone else made it home safely as well.  

What a fun weekend.  Great food, great house, great company but a terrible driveway.  

Tidepools, Mall and Side Door Cafe

We had a very leisurely morning.  I had my Qia coconut cereal with a lot of fruit.  I went on a short walk while we were waiting for people to get ready. 

Tide pools.  I was looking for sea stars, but I never saw any.

Beach access stairs

Our house

Joyce, Kris, Olivia, and I went to the outlet mall.  I mostly walked around and poked in various shops.  No shopping. Judy and Sharon arrived at the mall just before we left.  Barbara S stayed at the house.  She does not want to go up and down the driveway anymore than she has to.

We came back and had lunch.  There were a lot of left-overs from last night.  

Joyce and I went down to the beach for a very short walk.

I always enjoy trying to take pictures of the waves breaking.

A tiny bit of blue sky over our house.

Joyce and I both tried again to get pictures that showed how steep the driveway was. I guess you just have to see it to believe it.

Judy, Olivia, and I went early to dinner so that we could stop at the Crystal Wizard store near the restaurant.

It is a fun store.  It has been here over 30 years.  But it has recently changed hands.  They had rearranged things and changed some of the items.  No more fairy dust (glittery stuff that you can put on) and they still had the singing bowls but they had them in a location that customers couldn't try their hand at getting them to sing. Judy and Olivia both bought gorgeous kimono-type cover-ups.  

They had a magic ball on the counter and I enjoyed trying to take an artsy picture.

We headed on to the Side Door Cafe.  The rest of the gang were already seated when we got there.

Flowers in front of the restaurant.

Olivia, me, Barbara S

Sharon, Kris, Joyce

Judy and Olivia

Wall decorations.

I had the tomato artichoke bisque which was very delicious.

Olivia and I split the tuna melt.

Sharon, Kris, Joyce, Judy, Olivia, me and Barbara S.

Fashion show with the 2 outfits

Our French wines that we enjoyed.

Parrett Mountain Cellars, Newbergundian, and the Anchor House

My summer beach weekend in Lincoln City with Joyce Wood, Sharon Johnson, Olivia Behm, Kris Trone, Judy Thomson, and Barbara Schierstein.   

Joyce picked me up at 10:30 am on Friday to drive to Sharon's.  I had to say goodbye to Dorothy (George's sister), Ed, Madeline, Roman, and Ivan.  They had been visiting for the week. Once we had all gathered at Sharon's we headed out. Sharon and Barbara S were in Kris's vehicle, Olivia was with Judy, and I was with Joyce.  We left at about 11:15 am.  We drove to Parrett Mountain Cellars.

We did the red and white combination flight. We split each carafe between the 7 of us.

Cool building.  It was built mostly from one 130 foot cedar that was taken down.  The pole in the middle of the main room was the top of the same tree.

Joyce, Sharon, Olivia, Barbara S, me, Judy, Kris

By this time we were all hungry so it was time for lunch.  We went to Newbergundian Bistrot. 

I ordered the beet salad.

I had half of Joyce's turkey sandwich, gave half of my beet salad to Olivia, and had some of Olivia's fries.  Quite the feast.  Service was very slow and we were seated outside.  It was starting to get warm.  Since we did not leave the restaurant until after 2 pm we decided to head directly to the beach house.

Very smokey

We were shocked when we drove to the house.  Joyce and I were the first to arrive. We were warned that there was a steep driveway but we did not realize how steep it was.  Joyce did not want to drive down.  I didn't blame her.

Very treacherous stairs going down beside the driveway.  I'm glad they had the stairs but I wish that there had been a railing.    Kris did manage to drive down and park in the garage.  I was impressed.  Judy parked at the top of the driveway behind Joyce's vehicle. It was quite the challenge unloading the vehicles and getting our stuff down the driveway and up the stairs into the house.

Ahhh, the beach!! What a view we had from the deck.

The deck

The living room

Sharon's room

Joyce and Barbara S's room

Judy's room

Huge master bedroom for Kris and Olivia.  The master bathroom was amazing as well. 

 I got the couch, as usual.

This is a very nice house - once we got inside.  2 and 1/2 bathrooms, and 4 bedrooms.  I think that the driveway will prevent us from ever coming here again.

It was after 5:30 pm before we were all in and settled.  

To kick off dinner, Sharon served Kir Royales. It is a French-inspired drink of cassis and champagne.  She brought a sparkling wine from Ardiri to replace the champagne. 

It was very good.

Dinner was also French-inspired.  There had been an article in the Oregonian about food to have while watching the Olympics.  We all brought various items based on the suggestions. I had made a savory cake with herbs and pancetta (more like bread) and I brought Sancerre wine. We had a variety of cheeses, crudites, charcuteries, breads, spreads, and a caramelized onion gruyere tart. Wow, what a feast. We each took a turn in the kitchen preparing what we had brought after we had finished our kir royales.

The spread

Getting set up just right

My plate.

Dessert station

Beverage station

Another look at the beach and the air pollution from fires.  There was no sunset, it just got dark.