Beach Getaway

We made it to the beach last weekend for a quick weekend getaway. Rain or shine, there's just something peaceful about the coast. 

Love these chairs in front of the cabin.

Blake doing his duty and feeding the birds.

This was opening weekend of the Illwaco Saturday Market so we started the day off with breakfast and a slow stroll through the art vendors. 

Breakfast at the Beach House
Kind of a nothing picture.. but I like something about it. 

We also walked down through the marina since it seemed like it might make for good photos. Can I just brag about my hubs here for a minute.. he is not only patient about my newest hobby, but he also actively encourages it. He'll think of places that would be good photo spots, all on his own, he is always willing to stop for a picture when the light is right or when either of us see something that catches our eye and he will stand there and be so supportive when I take frame after frame (after frame...) of seemingly the same subject. I just adore him and feel so adored by him. 

No trip to the beach is complete without a visit to Adelaide's for coffee and a new book, and this trip was no exception.

Simply delicious.

Adelaide's was formerly the Taylor House, and old hotel.
Such a neat building.

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This time I bought Tyler Florence's Dinner at My Place and have not been disappointed. Say what you will about Tyler's personality (he has a bit of a reputation for being arrogant and cocky), but the man knows his way around the kitchen and I enjoy many of his recipes (e.g., my go-to chocolate tart recipe is his). The book is organized by meal rather than course/ingredient and each chapter gives a full menu for one night. The menus are both elegant and practical and the photos are fantastic. I love how cookbooks these days are half art, half cooking. I literally read this cover-to-cover on the way home and have already added several recipes into next weeks meal plan. I'm also making one of the desserts for Bible study this week. (Stay tuned.)

A little surprise bonus was a lengthy chapter on baby foods! It should come in handy in a few years.

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After Adelaide's we were off to take some (more) pictures. My photographer cousin Macey had joined us and Blake was a great sport, along for the ride (okay, he was actually our chauffeur). We were going to walk through a park that we haven't been to on the other end of the peninsula, but we found giant mosquitoes there and didn't make it more than 100 feet down the trail before turning back. Scary. I did snap a couple of pictures though.

Actual size (or so it seemed)

We retreated to the beach and spent a good amount of time there playing with lenses, poses and remotes. We had a blast and got some great pictures. Macey, being a professional photographer, obviously has a little more to show for the afternoon, you should check out her post about the day. It was really fun to get to spend some time with her and our new common interest (it's been her interest for along time, but you know what I mean). She is in the process of moving to Portland and I'm excited that I might be seeing more of her now. She does a great job explaining our relationship in her post, but I'll just say that she is the closest I'll ever come to a sister and it is a joy whenever we get some time together.

So, we thought we'd try out my remote and take some stop-action jumping shots.. I mean.. how fun, right!? We had no idea how funny and difficult it would be.. here's a video (pretty short and no sound.. hope it works) of our attempts...

Seagulls

How fun is this beach chair!?

 Did you know that Blake is silly? Well, he is.

We also couldn't leave without doing a puzzle. This was a great one. Only 550 pieces, so perfect for the shorter visit, but really interesting the way it is designed. Each edge starts it's own garden scene, with all of them meshing together and their skies meeting in the middle. It was really nice to have the puzzle right side up for everyone! 

Well, that was our weekend. What a fantastic little break from reality, it is totally worth the five and a half hour drive there and back. We make the most of the car ride too of course!