i like you like you

hi!

as i write this, i’m watching the junk guys haul just an absolute ton of backyard debris out from my neighbor’s neglected property. it is trash can after trash can getting poured into a giant blue dumpster parked out front. and i have to say, the sheer satisfaction i’m getting from this front-row seat to an irl ep of fixer upper is alarming. check on ur girl, folks. she may never look away:

1.  a perfect day with mom: soak at society, lunch at white salmon baking co, wine tasting at cor.
2.  sole2sole‘s “unwind” foot massage is pdx’s best kept secret. 90min for $85. book it same day.
3.  mind-blowing that this property is someone’s 2nd (3rd?) home. money money money money.
4.  holding sat 9.21 for the eileen fisher + pgf sale. used, slightly flawed ef clothes for, like, $10.
5.  my mom had this sunday ritual too, but her church was the barnes & noble cafe on grape rd.
6.  friend in town asked 4 a boba tea rec. sent her to tea bar, but wanted to suggest tons more.
7.  my latest taylor street kitchen sweet treat obsession: their brown sugar mochi snack bread.
8.  speaking of obsessions, have we talked about feel good? they’re in slabtown now g-bless.
9.  julie generously gave my mom / me a soho house tour & i’m still dreaming about tile choices.
10.  something for my millenials: sylvan esso recently remixed the district sleeps alone tonight.
11.  s/o 2 my sil ryann on the official release of burdened, her brilliant book on student debt.
12.  finally watching veep (1st time!), but only able to do 1 ep a week so we’ll finish in early ’26?
13.  thinking dishman might be a simple way 2 incorporate lap swimming into my current routine.
14.  “i’m barely listening to last demands. i’m staring at the asphalt wondering what’s buried underneath.” – postal service

check on ur tile choices.
amy

fun fact:
i occasionally earn a commission via some of my links.

*waves*

goodbye summer, goodbye severance, i loved you very much. hello fall, hello… y’all? yes, i’m fully putting it out there — i’m avail for hire (full-time or freelance) in case anyone needs a brain like mine. (oh god she keeps talking about job stuff!) ugh, gross. manifesting is the worst. in other news:

1.  watching the house next door get gut-renovated after decades of neglect is my super bowl. 
2.  visited lifetime as a guest & omg it does not disappoint. also, iso: legit bathing suit for laps.
3.  friend might restore a classic car & i’m excited. hey, u know what’s a great movie? the chase.
4.  just upgraded my bathroom decor with the prettiest lil’ toothbrush holder there ever was.
5.  stumbled upon meet west studio so obvs i’m now plotting a whole new life in nw arkansas.
6.  then discovered they curate a special playlist for their projects. overwhelmed by good taste!
7.  outta my mind for this sweet, spicy, savory onomomo mix. it’s the seasoned bugles for me.
8.  “it’s not cara delevingne she was a child then.” – big lols watching this perf tiktok investigation.
9.  of course nyt hits milos just a scant 5 yrs after our honeymoon there. time to go back i guess!
10.  really wanna lean on this custom fab’d curved bar. oh, to be a reproductive endocrinologist.
11.  don’t know rick from adam, but 100% rooting for his high-concept cocktail bar malpractice.
12.  asked my derm re: wrinkles & her rec was the big ass cetaphil (green cap). game-changer.
13.  next book in bed before bed is taffy’s long island compromise. so far so very very very good.
14.  “i am against august. when i try to explain this position, some people instinctively want to argue. these people seem to love the beach beyond all reason, to have never suffered a yellowed pit stain on a favorite white t-shirt in their life, and to eagerly welcome all thirty-one days of august as though they are a reward for a year well-lived rather than a final trial before the beginning of another. these are people who vacation with peace of mind. to them, i say: go away. to the people who agree with me, i say: go on.” – hayley mlotek

100% very very very.
amy

fun fact:
i occasionally earn a commission via some of my links.

hiiiiii!

can’t stop thinking about this little coastal community we happened upon while in california last week. apparently, whenever the state tries to put up road signs leading to the town, locals tear them down. everyone was surprisingly friendly despite its no new friends rep. 10/10 gonna visit again (sorry!):

1.  bad love landed on my discover weekly and now i’m a full blown dehd head. post-punk me!
2.  stoked to learn ollini (little sister to fav cafe olli) is opening soon in the old st. beatrix space.
3.  if you scoop up alexandria’s ceramic house #s (& u should) pls show me your before / afters.
4.  love that susan tagged martini stuff & a giant glass fruit bowl as “judaica.” honestly? it tracks.
5.  thorn: lost my fav water bottle on vacay. rose: new one came with a much nicer matte finish.
6.  halfway thru nightbitch (reading before bed) and it’s def working some devious magic on me. 
7.  convinced our backyard needs an enormous cantilever umbrella (on sale). seth: less sure.
8.  wine thingies i really wanna check out: parallel wine bar on sandy and cho wines in hillsboro.
9.  didn’t realize crinkle swimsuits were such a big deal. do i want one? am i being duped? help.
10.  caro’s cookbook is here & it’s inspiring me to zhuzh up lunch. appreciate this starter guide!
11.  happy 2 confirm little lark’s misty rainbow version of this nikibiki crop top is fun, fab, comfy.
12.  thanks to eater pdx i now know there’s a breakfast cart in the st. john’s pod i must must try.
13.  totally forgot abt these city goats until i needed to show my aunt something perfectly pdx.
14.  “ghosted, coastin’, feeling free. windows open, infinity.” – dehd

perfectly devious zhuzh.
amy

editor’s note:
everything listed here is always independently selected by me. trying a new thing though — i now earn a commission via some of my links.

hi!

heading to the california coast next week — the one and only summer vacation we planned this year. that’s a lot of pressure for ol’ stinson beach, but just getting outta dodge, totally unplugging (read: no thurs list next week), not thinking about linkedin, hanging with fam, watching sam s’mores it up with her cousins… i’m loving being this hyped. tsa precheck me bro:

1.  nothing better than a treat yourself t-shirt & jeans just a few days before the beachy vacay.
2.  memories from san antonio: strong migas vibes from the b-fast burrito from cheryl’s on 12th.
3.  the sad-looking bargain rug bin at the nw west elm is a national treasure. got a 5×8 for $149!
4.  suites + a spa? who knew, snow peak campfield?? long beach remains my fav coast town.
5.  any time i’m in pizza thief and/or bandit bar i’m reminded what a delightful pairing those 2 are.
6.  prediction: someday soon this 64oz bubble refill will be my most purchased amazon order.
7.  speaking of the kid, would sure love her new mini backpack to arrive before our flight to cali…
8.  i’m a lightweight short waffle robe kind of gal. gives the daily shower a little spa day energy.
9.  in a complex world, try a decidedly complex coffee: the midnight oil latte from never coffee.
10.  waxahatchee will be in pdx 8.16! listened to tiger’s blood on repeat all day today to prep. 
11.  my fav sando food cart is moving outta the pod walkable to my house for alberta. harumph.
12.  eying a new lessa. p sure our old one can only exit our upstairs bedroom via chainsaw tho.
13.  the need to make a vacay mix gets real reduced when seth has a dope 500-song playlist.
14. “we were young for so long, seersuckers of time. drank someone else’s juice, left only the rind.” – waxahatchee

complex lil treasure.
amy

editor’s note:
everything listed here is always independently selected by me. trying a new thing though — i now earn a commission via some of my links.

hi there!

the job hunt has entered its latest predictable stage: getting mildly obsessed with the idea of organizing a home tour in arbor lodge / upper overlook. why not us, you know? unclear if this idea makes any discernible sense. but if someone’s going to find out, i think it’s going to be me:

1.  still floating after a mind-melding reiki sesh at vero wellness (sry woowoo-averse readers).
2.  attn pnw-ers w/ basements! my latest joy: new dehumidifier drains directly into the utility sink.
3.  revamped my sleep hygiene b/c the insomnia came back. out: TV, IG. in: books, tea, THC. 
4.  jason‘s wife erika is finally selling her gorge wall quilts on etsy. phases of a thought please!!
5.  was asked if i had a knife sharpener rec. i do! his name is jimmy & he lives in milwaukie. :)
6.  camille and i had lovely, cozy dinner date at yaowarat on tuesday. try the kuay teow kua gai!
7.  gonna say hi 2 the dudes who welded our lovely porch handrail at fremont fest on sat 8.3.
8.  the n killingsworth atomic pizza is 4 sale. sweet baby j the things i’d open up on that corner!
9.  hanna andersson + the yo store sat 8.10?? they had me at free face painting for sambino.
10.  the vague ’90s thriller vibes of jamming 2 yet another playlist curated by a substacker‘s dad.
11.  soap box derby, alanis, & the 26th annual elephant garlic festival: my picks 4 aug in pdx. 
12.  tj’s really is the holy land of new pantry snack possibilities. related: enjoying these / these.
13.  “why are you so petrified of silence? here can you handle this…….” – alanis morissette

all i really want.
amy

editor’s note:
everything listed here is always independently selected by me. trying a new thing though — i now earn a commission via some of my links.

oh hello!

a fact of life: our joint credit card gets compromised every three or four years, and this week was one of those weeks. there doesn’t appear to be anything we’re doing wrong or that we could do to prevent it, so we live with the understanding that this is just something that happens. it’s almost becoming a cleansing ritual: we pay with cash for a few days and remind ourselves of our recurring payments and purge a few we no longer need. i kinda can’t wait to do it again in 2028:

1.  got these straws to encourage myself to drink more water. hey, well, at least sam uses ’em.
2.  toddler breakfasts are easy to do but hard to nail. the lil battler’s brekky at proud mary wins.
3.  attn beach bums & water babies! popina is closing & their epic swimsuit sale ends on 7.28.
4.  morning walk on ne 20th btw brazee & alameda. sounds of the wind blowing thru the trees.
5.  the mixtape caro’s dad made for their family trip to bald head, nc is a vacay in and of itself.
6.  very proud: my acupuncturist won best acupuncture & massage in ww’s best of reader poll.
7.  add this collapsible laundry basket to the list of silly little house things that make me happy.
8.  new builds aren’t usually my thing, but i’m a sucker 4 a home tour. see u @ street of dreams?
9.  last week it was smoothies, this week it’s chilled noodles. still gotta eat in this hot hot heat.
10.  i’d love to know who shot the latest zara x collagerie collab. such dreamy, delicious images.
11.  been meaning to replace a pumice stone i lost ~7 years ago and finally got around to it.
12.  our local new seasons is now carrying “the cookie” & good lord does it live up to the hype.
13.  “when no one steps on my dreams, there’ll be days like this. when people understand what i mean, there’ll be days like this. when you ring out the changes of how everything is, well my mama told me there’ll be days like this.” – van morrison

sucker 4 the trees.
amy

hellooooo.

2 head colds in 1 summer?? take me to vegas, y’all, your girl’s on a roll. may your own sinuses remain clear and your tissues soft and lotion-y:

1.  got a kid-friendly coffee table in ’22, but sry seth, mama’s getting exciting abt replacements.
2.  missed the beam & anchor closing sale? me too. good news: it’s still on through this wknd.
3.  appreciating the mercury’s juice & smoothie round-up. got my eyes on tita’s and best friend.
4.  can still hear the precariously placed salt shaker flying off my bubbie & zaidie’s lazy susan.
5.  no upgrade 2 small 2 matter: had a jankier brush 4 many yrs, but it’s a new day around here.
6.  prob only 1 week left to score ripe blueberries from the sweetest little sauvie picking spot.
7.  on the other end of the nutritional spectrum, pizza jerk ne is toddler / toddler parent paradise.
8.  honestly, i thought u could renew a passport online. maybe that was just driver’s licenses?
9.  finally saw soho house pdx — wowza. still adamant they should call it something else tho!
10.  interested in a mega-viral clip many yrs late? lol’d at ben’s armageddon dvd commentary.
11.  prime day is the f-ing worst & yet… 2nd gen airpod pro’s for $169 seems like a great deal?
12.  book club’s reading a little life & i would like cash prizes 4 anyone who finishes it in a month.
13.  joey fatone: “hey ian. we’re gonna kill ya!” *finger guns* – my big fat greek wedding, which i streamed on a sick day only to remember that every line is an g-damn banger.

a little dvd commentary.
amy

yes, hi!

took sam on a boat for the first time and learned that while she likes the feeling of wind in her hair and a good thrill, she dislikes losing her sunnies in the lake. welp that’s life, i guess. may the likes keep outweighing the dislikes and all your sunnies stay put:

1.  nothing makes my inner child feel more seen / heard than a dusty ziplock of puppy chow.
2.  bath mat hath been secured & it’s reeeeal good. was also wow’d by austin‘s bath stone rec.
3.  sea sponges always remind me of the honeymoon. to quote lost: “we have to go baaaack!”
4.  milkglass’ veggie and everything at walter french’s are satisfying my 2024 sando cravings.
5.  you know you’ve worked in agency advertising when this all seems v normal. what? it’s r&d!
6.  these, but only buy the 20-piece tins. dosage for drops’ 2-piece tin is insane. trust me on this.
7.  big sports bra purge after retiring an old go-to. new gal in town: zenvy ribbed. good job nike. 
8.  had heard abt missing money but didn’t act ’til seth confirmed it was legit. cashed 2 checks!
9.  hung out w/ a girlfriend who was raving about l’orange. looks divine. come at me date night.
10.  gutted that beam & anchor is closing but equally amp’d for the everything must go sale 7.13.
11.  went to get chip clips at target, left w/ a fab toddler towel instead. what’s cuter than bathtime.
12.  speaking of adorable kid sh*t, s/o to mr. ben‘s sun am music show at wonderwood springs.
13.  the current season feels like a miss? but this the bear s1-3 playlist is for sure in the rotation.
14.  “yes, hello. the password is gofastboatsmojito all one word. yeah. go fast boats and then mojito. all one word.” – richie, s2ep1

big inner child energy.
amy

yes hi!

i know next week is supposed to be the weird short week, but this one is all funky time warped too. late june / early july, you matching somebody’s freak:

1.  3915 ne stanton, the one that got away. redfin-ing when u can’t buy? annoying fun 4 all!
2.  okay, looks like i’m gonna rewatch better call saul in 2025. until then, maybe a trip to the oc?
3.  a great round-up of street fairs now thru mid sept. def count me in for multnomah days 8.17.
4.  met annie at her place for a walk & am still thinking about her stunning gwc concrete stairs.
5.  well i’ll be, there’s a cathedral park swimming hole opening this sat 6.29. good job, portland.
6.  will future gen’s maintain the bag of sentimental matchbooks? like a lil’ flammable diary.
7.  back on the horse (aka my at-home bike) & hoping these stay in my ear as advertised.
8.  given that i devoured a random 2018 season of survivor last year, i’m down 4 frontier house.
9.  s/o to hayley for the mcconnell’s chocolate chocolate chocolate rec. needed a new drug…
10.  these happy beakers: bought by chef husband; loved by kid who pours her own cereal milk.
11.  nary a resto i recognized but tickled nonetheless 2 see the scuttlebutt makin’ a comeback.
12.  milestone unlocked: sam’s in her band-aid obsession era so lotta welly bargaining lately.
13.  served an ad for big night’s book & lost hrs down their e-commerce rabbit hole. olive picks!
14.  ryan: “sometimes i think you talk just to make sounds.” seth: “well, sometimes i do.” – the oc

bikes, beakers, band-aids.
amy

hey! hi!

woo-woo warning: told a friend it feels like there’s been a shift this week — a good shift. just something in the air where things might be trending for the better, toward getting unstuck. maybe it’s the weather. ok, yeah, it’s probably it’s the weather. anyway, i like it:

1.  s/o 2 the perfect insulated tumbler a vendor gave me last year. an 8oz joy to hold & behold.
2.  black baseball hats are a wardrobe staple of mine, but maybe it’s time 2 try another color…
3.  why is the new washed out album so dang catchy? can’t stop listening to the pre-releases!
4.  wait, parents, do y’all have bounce / houses in storage?! wild imagining owning 1 of these.
5.  met a gf for lunch at broder and the hour wait led to a delish yama meal instead. spontaneity!
6.  love when outta-towners visit for the summer because i get to mention my fav nopo airbnb.
7.  highly rec a blue bottle subscription (lots of diff versions fyi). no better mail 2 get than coffee.
8.  surprisingly difficult 2 find gardening gloves that fit a 2.5 yo’s hand. i hope she likes these.
9.  dm’d vail to confirm: blueberries at the croft farm will be ready for picking in ~2 weeks (!!).
10.  the toddler grabbed these at checkout. acquiesced to thwart a meltdown. plot twist: v tasty.
11.  pike’s coming over to give us a shade sail quote. delightfully obsessed with their reviewers.
12.  just really need to give a thumbs up to the taylor st kitchen aleppo tuna sando. good lord.
13.  excited for this fam event at topaz farm this sat to make time fly in the pre-nap wknd shift.
14.  “i’ll tell you you’re right when you want.” – sade, another strong contender for the most romantic thing anyone could possibly ever do for me.

time flies [when] delightfully obsessed.
amy

hiiiiiiii.

after a week-long hiatus, the list is back! s/o to my toddler’s daycare for the unexpected break. got taken down, hard, by a terrible horrible no good very bad summer sickness. the flu? in this weather? rude. anyway, i’m back [mostly] and brought y’all some treats from my time away:

1.  who knew that the “i want to be literally swept off my feet” wasn’t just a me thing? one of us!
2.  never occurred 2 me that my entry doormat could be something special. okay, heymat. go off.
3.  september is a long time to wait, but i’ll take it, jamie xx. i’ll take it. get me outta this music rut!
4.  stopped counting the # of times this rotating flat plug has come in handy. she’s beauty, grace.
5.  did urdaneta w/ a bff & told the waiter 2 take us for a ride. treasure that drunk, delicious night.
6.  i’m a graf lantz coaster / trivet junkie. you’ll find them in pretty much every corner of my home.
7.  stupid pleased with my new wallet, c/o the woolly made guys at the nw marine open studios.
8.  silver lining to finishing the sopranos? open timeslot. first up: twisty spy drama slow horses.
9.  been staring at our copy of beautiful world for yrs. maybe i wait for intermezzo & do a two-fer…
10.  speaking of books, it’s pdx book week! how toddler-friendly do we think a rare book fair is?
11.  ferguson on nw 18th: seeing so many top knobs, kohler, & delta irl was like spotting celebs.
12.  been wanting to recco this a+ sandalwood toilet spray 4ever & it’s finally not sold out. run!
13.  weird that sam’s couch is significantly more comfortable than our adult couch, but it’s true.
14.  “my house is old, my house is new, my house looks like an ugly stew.” – come with us: children speak for themselves

significantly something.
amy

yes! hi!

short weeks, man. turns out even when you’re not working in a “job” they still leave you a little bit off. a monday-less week always makes me feel rushed or just with, like, a vague sense i’ve missed something. you too? just me? either way, finger’s crossed it’s actually thursday:

1.  not me recommending a&f jean shorts that fit just right over mom hips and thighs (w/ room!).
2.  my neighborhood obsession w/ irvington rages on: enormous yard sale sat 6.1, 9am-2pm.
3.  oh, the restaurant concepts i’ve dreamed up for 1425 nw glisan. someone buy this firehouse!
4.  just found out taffy’s new book comes out in july. pls dear lord let book club choose this one! 
5.  this “slightly deranged fabric patterns” insta is so unsoothing it loops back to being soothing.
6.  where my midwesterners at? frozen custard update! they better not be stingy w/ the toppings.
7.  more treats: we went to cloud city on sun. best ice cream you’ll ever find in a shopping center.
8.  loved pairing a sepinwall reading w/ every sopranos ep. finally, homework i actually like.
9.  a wild home on the irv home tour. 5 beds up, each w/ an ensuite. outside yes, inside ooh noo.
10.  def thought i was the lone mom shopping used kids clothes on poshmark. next up, kidizen!
11.  ahh, chess club‘s next pop-up is at bardo sun 6.2: slow living, global mags, ambient jams.
12.  while pregnant, my 3rd place = bernstein’s (all i ate). cried when sam met my bagel friends.
13.  always liked our bedside lamps, but these / recs make me wonder if it’s time for new ones…
14.  “i remember how you did speeches. i saw you do a lot of them at awards shows and stuff, and invariably you would scratch two or three thoughts on a sheet of paper and put it in your pocket, and then not really refer to it. and consequently, a lot of your speeches didn’t make sense. [but] it didn’t matter that it didn’t make sense, because the feeling was real. the feeling was real. the feeling was real. i can’t say that enough.” – david chase, eulogy for james gandolfini

ensuite bagel friends.
amy

hey!

every 2 years or so i get the urge to fully re-organize all the crap stored downstairs in our unfinished basement and oh my gawd on monday did the urge hit hard. 72hrs of sifting n’ sorting later, i’m finally coming up for fresh air. no shiny before / after photos, just a little thing that makes my heart sing, for me. big love to my fellow cuckoos:

1.  ordering sit tite‘s rigaton’ for the sopranos finale. started this in sept, ends tonite. no spoilers!!
2.  that xtreme storage makeover is thx to these shelves + bins & a situationship w/ my labeler.
3.  rec’d a root membership to a pal wanting a treat like soho house but with, like, less soho.
4.  bath mat’s discontinued so browsed tekla 4 a new one. “accidentally” buy a $$$ robe instead?
5.  speaking of $$$ (how gauche!): capital one 4.25% savings. saw 5% here, but caps at $100k.
6.  xoxofest reg open until wed 5.29. v excited 4 the indie media circus — kottke & garbage day!
7.  used this stainless steel scrubber last oct at my mom’s. completely revived her toaster oven.
8.  caro put together a grilling guide! now i just gotta convince seth to grill up a ceasar salad…
9.  “wine bar and bottle shop in a garage off belmont. bring a friend or make a friend.” – company
10.  also wanna check out their sister space collector bar, reno’d by my old friends taylorsmith!
11.  snagged a studio mcgee lamp 4 the study. small-ish, but punches above its weight class.
12.  my fellow nyc / la transplants: sole 2 sole is closest i’ve found to cheap beauty in this town.
13.  as one of the few folks to actually see fall guy in theaters, proud to confirm it was a delight.
14.  tony: “sil, break it down for ’em. what two businesses have been recession-proof since time immemorial?” silvio: “certain aspects of show business and our thing.” – the sopranos

bring a friend or make a friend.
amy

hey!

i’m stoked for the weekend to get started — my mom’s flying into town later today and we’re gonna get into some trouble (which, for us, obviously, is the irvington home tour). this one goes out to my spring/summer 2024 homies breaking a sweat getting the guest room duvet into the duvet cover:

1.  proud 2 announce i replaced our grill’s corroded / broken / parts (even burners!) all by myself.
2.  “global mags, art objects, mineral waters” — whoo chess club! next pop-up industry one 5.29.
3.  very impressed by tj’s chunky spicy guacamole. tasted a lot like sue’s famous guac recipe!
4.  book club almost chose nightbitch for june. got sold in the room tho, so might read it anyway?
5.  caitlin & i love providore‘s chilled spaghetti squash salad. a perfect summer lunch we say.
6.  everything bagel galette from tea bar in nw and spotting 2 mallards wading in tanner springs.
7.  the swimply fun continues: going back fri to the pool we booked last sat (mvp 2 sam’s floatie).
8.  sam was tagged by little lark wearing their “rainbow dress” that she demands 3-4x a week.
9.  s/o to mandala. i arrived w/ flames on the side of my face & lindsey literally knocked me out.
10.  was wearing my “i love art” hat & got asked “who’s your fav artist?” hm! shoulda said james.
11.  less impressive than the grill but: i also assembled a water table for the kid. been a big hit. 
12.  ain’t none of us got privacy anymore but true people search really puts a gloss on it. grim.
13.  part of my spring cleaning routine is replacing our doormats b/c it makes it all feel fresh af.
14.  “everybody asks me how she’s doing. has she really lost her… everybody asks me how she’s doing since she went away. i said i couldn’t tell you i’m okay, i’m okay, i’m okay, how are you?” – dave matthews band, with whom i’ve been rekindling an affair because life is cyclical and it might be time to feel like an emotional overachieving high schooler again. 

flames on the side.
amy

hi!

there’s busy weeks, and then there’s busy weeks. my birthday on monday, seth’s yesterday, (mother’s day this weekend). and for what? older? sure. wiser? only time will tell. either way, we’re def reelin’ in the years:

1.  after coveting these 2 (went pending in mere hrs), determined to hit the irv home tour 5.19.
2.  can’t wait for lavender lounge to open up for the season. swimply pools are the real deal.
3.  speaking of outdoor blessings, just upgraded my hose, hose holder, and nozzle. little wins.
4.  see u at the st. john’s bizarre (sic) 5.11? xo weirdo pdx things with something for everyone.
5.  helped a friend rethink her bedroom & was reminded how fab homies lumbar pillows are.
6.  seth made pb cookies from a toddler cookbook recipe that makes 40. sooo 2 wks worth?
7.  we’ll be at moda for postal service & death cab 5.15, see you there fellow elder millennials!
8.  open studios 6.1 + 6.2: rumor is there’s a model train thing + powell’s sale next door too.
9.  a friend got some masayaco outdoor furniture & boy did it lure me down a browsing hole.
10.  i think i love this 16pc puzzle c/o grasshopper as much as sam. djeco stuff is sooo nice!
11.  this “did you know?” got me wide-eyed and thinking about all the things we gotta ™ now.
12.  a dusen dusen oven mitt is 40% off. an angel gets its wings. their whole line is perfection.
13.  kate said her dream interior is dragonfly inn, but i was thinking the coffeeshop. not far off!
14.  “how had she become one of those people who wears yoga pants all day? she used to make fun of those people. with their happiness maps and their gratitude journals and their bags made out of recycled tire treads. but now it seems possible that the truth about getting older is that there are fewer and fewer things to make fun of until finally there is nothing you are sure you will never be.” – jenny offill, dept. of speculation

little weirdo wins.
amy

hi friends!

week’s been cute so far. went by in a flash, but i’m not mad about it. i like a bit of flash sometimes! for example:

1.  must b on a derelict mall art show kick cause i saw mall rats’ flyer & was like hell yea let’s go.
2.  sam’s latest daycare cold had me blowing my nose off. this magic cream saved my schnoz.
3.  love everything near n. russell, esp beam & anchor. u been to the upstairs meditation space?
4.  wild that 52 doesn’t mention this gorge (albeit expensive) blomus waste bin is also soft close.
5.  confession: seth and i are big fans of crafty wonderland. gonna see what sam thinks sat 5.4!
6.  “when u jump into the pool, ur jumping into the sky.” – le sirenuse‘s def on le bucket list now.
7.  makes me v happy mother tongue is still pumping out issues. lovely to have, lovely to hold.
8.  a fun game: asking eater pdx’s private facebook group for incredibly specific dining reccos.
9.  can’t stop thinking about these slim brown teva’s i got served on insta last month. go for it?
10.  s/o to cutting edge y’all. needed 2 custom shelves to finish my pantry re-org. $30 in <2hrs.
11.  taylorsmith did a house in our ‘hood once. felt like spotting a celebrity. be a trip to hire them.
12.  i do declare: my fav shmancy latte is a tie btw never‘s midnight oil and prince‘s stroop latte.
13.  this mustard backsplash c/o mercury mosaics. my god. haven’t felt that since i found klh.
14.  “even in a basement light, free speech lipstick in the moonlight.” – cat power

celebrity soft close.
amy

yes. yes! hi!

nothing quite like a spontaneous walk with a wonderful friend in a neighborhood you haven’t strolled before to make you feel some kind of invincible. wowee. to more of that:

1.  a dangerous discovery: milk glass mrkt‘s granola, the perfect ratio of salty & sweet (like me!).
2.  ooo all of sudden there’s two art shows i wanna see: will’s today and raul’s till the end of may.
3.  we don’t really have a laundry room, but 10/10 this clothesline makes me feel like i kinda do.
4.  had the loveliest friend date at montelupo in ne last week. still dreaming about that bucatini.
5.  wish mattel had thought of easy scrabble when seth and i started dating. i never won once :/
6.  was especially tickled by the footnote in these recs that “cup of jo” got hers in late. lol rude.
7.  cheating on my lagree studio w/ another lagree studio. peak underemployment? who’s to say!
8.  very intrigued that (a) mine didn’t make the cut and (b) best overall is also a drugstore buy…
9.  impulse bought this beach ball that’s bigger than sam. look, she likes it boinged off her head.
10.  finished rob’s finale. had 2 go back 2 the song exploder ep that made seth & me cry in the car.
11.  every time i water my plants i think to myself how much i love this combo can. little things!
12.  lost my mind for 48hrs & completely reorganized our tiny pantry using only clearspace bins.
13.  there’s a zillion versions of this recipe out there, but my matzo crack bible will always be sk.
14.  “i know who i want to take me home. take me home.” – semisonic

peak tiny pantry.
amy

hey, hello!

muuuuuch better week so far i think. maybe it’s the bird songs. or the dogwood blooms. or… idk. maybe sometimes life’s just a bitch and then you keep living. anyway, here’s to not sweating the small stuff:

1.  i love this gal for many reasons, but a new one is sharing taylor st w/ me. those cookies!
2.  the best sleep comes after reading a physical book in bed. sloane’s latest is no exception.
3.  got a pair of motivas & invincible 3s so i can do longer house-ogling walks. it’s workingggg.
4.  between the merc’s say nice things & ww’s taster, pdx’s free weeklies are on a hot streak.
5.  don’t mind me, just having an aggro wint o green life saver renaissance. your girl is fresh.
6.  caitlin blew my mind serving a sorbu salad the other day. she said the sandos r incredible too!
7.  the mint green in “function of colour in factories, schools & hospitals” takes me to a place.
8.  love cortados but they’re 2 small so guilder told me to order a half caff 8oz quad latte. genius.
9.  trust me: get the high-end $$$ olive oil. “best all around”? best all around my pasta more like.
10.  i investigated & the same ppl who own this kenton gem own this fixer. v invested in the reno!
11.  tina & amy live show highlight: amy reminding us that the breaking in this sketch is heaven.
12.  what’s a thing you think you hate but are wrong about? for me: onion rings, thx to ringside.
13.  wait, the aerial tram reopened to the public last year?! i had no idea! we gotta take sam!
14.  “doesn’t every child think of their mother as a sort of lunatic? don’t we often hear: my mother is a lunatic, a madwoman? that doesn’t preclude love. i myself am a mother. am i crazy? i don’t know… in the end, i think motherhood makes you obscene.” – marguerite duras

high-end reasons.
amy

yes, hi!

hope everyone’s having a weird week! personally, i’d like to cash in on a 180° and focus on things i can control and that make me feel good and smart. or, you know, as my toddler would say, “imma do dis”:

1.  never not in the mood for bernstein’s garden delight + za’atar (and lox if i’m feeling wealthy).
2.  landmass only produces stunners so v excited for endless season’s release party sun 4.14.
3.  downside: house had a stink(??). upside: i get to open all the windows and use this a+ spray.
4.  still mourning the disappearance of whole foods’ granola bar. may her memory be a blessing.
5.  s/o to seth for hacking sam to eat literally anything as long as it’s cut into one of her shapes.
6.  our place night & day glasses are a real dream to hold. is the rest of their stuff this nice??
7.  songs u can test your left/right headphones to like such great heights & one trick pony. mmm.
8.  hot take on a cold one: p’s & q’s makes pdx’s best chicken salad sando. prove me wrong!
9.  if you’re looking for a reno to follow, highly recco watching mattie‘s craftsman kitchen unfold.
10.  piedmont station and bottles & cans are still the kid-friendliest food cart pods in town. bless.
11.  not shocked the a to my q “why is the mcdonald’s frozen coke so good?” is “syrup ratio.”
12.  saw serena styled in my tennies via a photographer i love and was like holy shit i nailed it.
13.  despite caps creeping into my personal life, thurs list house style will always be lowercase.
14.  when i’m frazzled, i like to come back to this. (tip: “shower” is a satisfying task to cross off.)
15.  “pardon me while i burst into flames.” – incubus, lyrics infinitely looping in my subconscious while on hold with a state government entity that shall not be named…

frazzled granola bar stunners.
amy

yello.

we didn’t go anywhere or do anything particularly interesting for pdx spring break. and, you know what, it was great. 10/10, would buy from again. here’s to more of them good ol’ sunny days and dispositions:

1.  worked from providore‘s wine room this week. in awe how perf & versatile that whole store is.
2.  had these dish + hand soap bottles since my nyc days & idk they just make me really happy.
3.  so what if i insisted on a breakup song as the last dance at my wedding? timeless banger.
4.  related: we had alexandria‘s ceramics on our registry. she’s still fab, hosting a workshop sat.
5.  ooooo river cabaan is super discounted midweek this month and avail memorial day wknd.
6.  lots of summer dates open at our beloved sauvie staycation spot too. everyone go chill ok?
7.  pro tip: shower w/ music on. i’ve got two of these guys: one for home & one for outta home.
8.  smoke out confessional from sit tite has taken the early lead to be my fav cocktail of 2024.
9.  daylio really helped me out of a major funk last year. the no frills journal part was def the star.
10.  fell down a luxury portland redfin rabbit hole after a friend texted me this. ended up here.
11.  these handmade rugs are so fun and lovely. also feel familiar. kinda remind me of a kindah?
12.  no mudroom, no problem. schoolhouse coat hook and yamazaki shoe rack fix you up right.
13.  finally found a match to this amazing neon orangey red i chose off a pedi rack months ago.
14.  “c’mon and blow it a kiss now, but quick ’cause it’s changing in the big sky, it’s changing in the big sky now, we’re looking at the big sky.” – kate bush

super discounted midweek chill.
amy

yes! hi!

i finally saw birds in the acrylic feeder i purchased “for sam” and when i tell you i don’t think i’ve whipped my smartphone out that fast in memory, i am not exaggerating. they saw me futzing and flew away, but i could tell they were impressed. some other things that made my heart flutter:

1.  the quiet, stylish, work from here no purchase necessary no q’s asked-ness of the kex lobby.
2.  if u see me with a large bag of this spicy, seasoned popcorn pls don’t ask for some. spoken 4.
3.  despite living in literal niketown, i rarely buy new shoes so when i do i really try to get it right.
4.  went with best overall and my fav mascara no longer smudges under my eyebrow. finally!
5.  might be the sopranos watch, but pinning lots of “transitional, but with an italian influence” rn.
6.  was driving around nw & 2004 nw irving had me stopping traffic staring. now that’s a façade.
7.  u know it’s gonna b a good read when sue, aka mom, snail mails the bon appétit pdx feature.
8.  11yo amy is hella excited for this, & 37yo amy will keep her tradition of bailing pre-iceberg.
9.  i’m sry but the only flavor of this cult yogi electrolyte powder i will ever fuck with is grape.
10.  honestly, not sure what’s more shocking: that this is a new build or that it’s in indianapolis.
11.  s/o to my therapist for an unnecessarily excellent sock rec. i’m rocking a rose roll top fyi.
12.  seth makes this smoothie 4 sam, but i’m about it too: frozen mango, kale, banana, oat milk.
13.  umm this is genius. has everyone been doing this and just, like, keeping it to themselves??
14.  “that’s a pair of them docks, mooring out two separate lochs. ain’t that some kind of quandry.” – bon iver

unnecessarily excellent iceberg right ahead.
amy

hey there!

the sun was here! and now. it’s gone. going to give just, like, an enormous eye roll to that nonsense. no links for you, fake spring! these are for my real ones:

1.  the chiro said i was injury prone b/c i drink maybe 1 glass of water a day. ok i’m listening…
2.  i’m back on my dry brushing bullshit btw. best part is how tingly hot showers feel right after!
3.  diy salad dressing: olive oil, aardvark, & nutritional yeast. sounds gross but it’s delish i swear.
4.  i know the market is weird rn, but still. how is heidi caillier‘s washington cabin still for sale??
5.  i’m def about to piss some folks off, but w/e: springle jangle is better than jingle jangle.
6.  it’s official, i’ve swapped out all my lulu aligns for nike zenvy leggings. end of a friggin era.
7.  binged lib s6 and just bewildered by their constant “it’s giving…” and “not me…” gen z-isms.
8.  shout out to my acupuncturist who tipped me off to bardo, this legit tea shop in ne. wowza.
9.  gah! ty june for the gripper pad rec! been meaning to fix my breakfast nook rug foreverrrrr.
10.  mesmerized by adam’s small scale pen plotted artworks. reminds me of my fav rollerball.
11.  i took a chance on this bougie hand soap sight unseen and ooowee blessings, baby.
12.  as a dillon t pickle stan, i for one am thrilled they‘re opening a bar on n mississippi today.
13.  toddler hack: for ~6mo, blasting emily i’m sorry was the only way to calm sam down in the car.
14.  “you said you wanted to feel alive, so we went to the beach. you were born in july ’95 in a deadly heat. you say you’re a winter bitch, but summer’s in your blood. you can’t help but become the sun.” – boygenius

not me giving rare exceptions.
amy

well hi!

thank you for all the sweet notes and pings btw. it really feels special getting to connect with you folks via this silly email project of mine, something i’ve missed dearly the past few years. y’all really make this weird earth life a lot less weird! ok, without further ado, some fresh new links for ya:

1.  to entertain sam on sat we hopped on the 72 bus & it lead to the loveliest cookbook shop.
2.  treated myself to a midweek lunch and ooooo lawd bluto’s on belmont is something else.
3.  yea, back-2-back pod recs is a bold move, but wtf let’s gooo: 60 songs that explain the 90s.
4.  ideal fri night couch film is either 90s noir thriller or straight up apocalyptic. dtf either way :)
5.  wait, monkey game didn’t make the cut? you’ll be hearing from my toddler in the comments!
6.  icymi the reigning king of otc cold meds is still aleve-d 12hr cold & sinus. carry on, sickos.
7.  kottke‘s been back for a year & he’s nailing the return. never would have known about xoxo!
8.  yrs ago a friend asked me for a no-show sneaker socks rec and i finally have a response.
9.  super stoked the good food awards is opening its tasting event to the public. i’m so down.
10.  also down 4 seth to bake us crackly brownies. s/o to fair & reasonable divisions of labor.
11.  in other carb news, sebastiano’s moved to sellwood and no saint is doing daytime service!
12.  really hoping this bird feeder provides the endless childcare entertainment it promised.
13.  in a biiiiiig music rut. current solve: asking the barista for a link when i’m feeling the tunes.
14.  “not to put too fine a point on it, say i’m the only bee in your bonnet. make a little birdhouse in your soul.” – john flansburgh & john linnell

crackly 90s noir brownies.
amy

hi!

ok yes, let’s rip this band aid — i was laid off at the end of feb. awwwwww. hey, don’t worry about me — i’m doin’ ok. anyway, now that i’ve got a nice chunk of time on my hands i’d like to do a thurs list pop-up for the month (or however long it goes before i land gainful employment). also, pls note: it’s been 3 years since my last list so excuse the cobwebs. danke schoen:

1.  about to pull the trigger on these pants thx 2 a nice, chic af mom at our palm springs resort.
2.  tried mamma khouriis a few weeks ago & holy hummus batman. what took me so long??
3.  signs i’m too old & married & millennial: what i can’t live without is better than sex diaries.
4.  ngl wait, should i not be drinking airplane coffee was a truly riveting podcast ep. chills.
5.  not sure why 90s alt rock is my underemployed / between jobs safe place, but here we are.
6.  chocolate quadratinis but frozen, as recco’d by someone in hayley’s snacks comments.
7.  been on a 4 year body wash hunt and finally calling it: olay cleansing & firming all day baby.
8.  one of my fav internet moms wrote a cookbook and i’m so excited. wish we were friends.
9.  this same mom also +’d up my wardrobe w/ a perfect (pre layoffs…) pullover. very good rec.
10.  end of the world-y girly: station 11, last of us, the dreamers, leave the world behind. yas fin!
11.  prob gonna take my ass to deep lake for a treat later this week / weekend. will report back…
12.  speaking of treats, chocolate cadbury mini eggs come in royal dark?!?! a king among kings.
13.  more signs i’m too old & married & millennial: tix 2 these guys but also hoping it ends early?
14.  it’s a toss up where you’ll find me — prince coffee on nw 19th or electrica on nw nicolai.
15.  “in the space between chaos and shape there was another chance.” – jeanette winterson

cadbury mini millennial chic.
amy

good day to you honeys!

yesterday i put out all our lawn furniture and outdoor cushions and uncovered the picnic table and put out the umbrella and deep-cleaned every inch of our grill — all in an attempt to bribe the sun to stick around for the rest of the weekend. i think it’s working? trying not to jinx it tho:

1.  finally hit up honey bagel! they were sold outta chopped chocolate so i went poppy. a+.
2.  seth says i can’t steal his matzah anymore or he’ll run outta sandos. q: we only got 1 box?!
3.  “sam the eagle is the only hot republican. i will not be taking questions.” – vulture is the best
4.  rooting 4 ruby b/c i too have an unrelenting sweet tooth & appreciate fab product design.
5.  percy‘s a big boi now, but i like to remember him as pyt, a pair of ears surveying the lands.
6.  daaaaang taylorsmith how the hell you gonna make us believe this a basement? prove it.
7.  y’all tried república yet? i wanna go — now that we’re half vaxx’d, feels like i’m halfway there. 
8.  woo! it’s almost taurus szn! gonna try and channel bone bone‘s big birthday energy this year.
9.  idk how i got on strategist uk, but i can tell u this: we own a lot of imported status choco now.
10.  the aerial tree walk at the just reno’d leach botanical garden! love me some aerial things!
11.  rach, queen of the playlists, is truly keeping me going w/ this 90s/00s summer mixtape.
12.  re: 90s/00s goodness — hands on a hardbody (’97) & last days of disco (’98). both so great.
13.  prob our most pandemmy habit: ordering weekly fresh baked bread from a sweet insta lady.
14.  “still, it is the house on meadow lane that may be the designer’s most passionately austere creation. it stands as a subtle rebuke to contemporary excess and gaudiness, etched like salt spray on the sparse landscape: silent, transparent, elemental.” – in south hampton, a beach house not like the others, t: the nytimes style magazine

half vaxx’d & sorta relaxed.
amy

howdy friends!

there’s a decent view of the street from our dining room and i’ve spent much of this indoor year looking out that window and clocking whenever a doggo walks by. the other day i was in there having lunch and looked up from my gut-friendly lettuce wrap (desperately trying to mix it up) and noticed a big ole chalk drawing at the end of our driveway. not just some basic neighborhood hopscotch graffiti, like, a full-ass chalk mural: hearts and peace signs and butterflies, all surrounding one word, “JUSTIS.” near the bottom, the middle school vandals included a drawing of a pair of roller skates and tagged their piece “the roller girls.” there were no other murals on our block, not in front of our next-door neighbors or across the street. it was hard not to feel special to have been selected, a random act of heartfelt ephemera just for seth and me. i took out my phone to take a photo, and saw all the way on the next block two girls in roller skates busy at work on their next masterpiece. i put my phone away instead, and went back inside. it’s a pretty great world out there sometimes:

1.  took a year to discover it’s v easy to get a rapid test in pdx. here’s 2 the day this info’s moot.
2.  i’m a real mug elitist (esp handle feel) & lemme tell u covet & ginger ticks every dang box.
3.  already est. billie is endlessly impressive to me so i’ll gladly accept cool vids of her anytime.
4.  linds & i just got these cute wrist weights to power walk our blues away. ooof 1lb’s no joke.
5.  more things like noah’s “interestingness of a photograph as it relates to time” in my feed pls.
6.  still thinking about these 3 diy petting zoo goats living their best lives a few blocks from us.
7.  confession: this immediately transports me to the hills circa 2006. unwritten was such a bop!!
8.  wait a min there’s a plant-based grain bowl juice cafe in kenton now? nopo movin’ on up y’all.
9.  here’s how we’re escaping now: seth’s geoguessr-ing & i’m full slow tv. brb sailing 2 grenada.
10.  kai sent me down a future of work spiral & now my brain’s twisted up but i wanna read it all.
11.  new 2021 vision board candidates: cool af lisa, saucy debby, & a lil hedgie doing his lil best.
12.  le pigeon x jupiter next is truly one of the classiest pandemmy pivots out there rn. ends 4/3!
13.  “they let us into the life of a creative mind in quarantine, but they asked to share one caveat: ‘obsessing over what it did to me specifically almost inexcusably leaves out my constant awareness of the damage to my community, the arts in general, to say nothing of the half a million dead americans,’ wrote the composer nico muhly. ‘this whole thing is very bad.'” – 75 artists on how they spent a year in lockdown

slow nopo goat tv.
amy