To the coast!

After a few days in Portland, I'm starting to unwind and relax a little - My type A personality and my inner hippie are at a constant battle with each other these days.  I love a good hammock, and Beth and Bert's beautiful backyard kept calling to me.

Huxley is the handsome Labradoodle posing up front.

Friday was an AMAZING day.  We loaded up the Subaru and took Huxley for a ride on the scenic Oregon Coast Highway 101.  To some this may be an obvious statement, but really, Oregon is so green!  The evergreens were huge and just surrounded us on our windy journey.  

Peeking through the trees to the coast below.

A girl needs to eat! Where was our first stop?  The one and only Tillamook factory - cheese please!  

Workers cutting up those big blocks of cheddar into baby loafs.

Moo

Heaven on earth - rows of cheese samples

One grilled cheese, tomato soup, and ice cream cone later, we continued onward.  We stopped to see Haystack Rock which is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.  Haystack Rock's tide pool area is recognized as a protected marine garden.

Final destination -Cannon Beach - a charming coastal town.  It was a rainy day, but we made the most of it and took a long walk along the water. 

Huxley couldn't have been happier!

Me and B

Pretty sure this is the rock from the Goonies.

Down town Cannon Beach

Quick stop at the wine shack for a sample of Oregon's finest.

Seaman

I can't go too long without another food pic.  Bert picked Ken's Artisan Bakery for our "just like Rome" pizza dinner.  I'll let the picture speak for itself.  These pizzas exploded with flavor.  Soppressata and leek and green olive pizza - www.kensartisan.com.

                DC may have had the grilled cheese truck, but Portlandia's got the grilled cheese BUS! Hop on it....

We finished the night at the coolest place ... Another Roadside Attraction.  There was a huge outdoor area with a fire pit, porch swing, and tons of picnic tables and little nooks where you could sit to catch up with friends.  Pam described the decor as "shanty" chic - she's such a hipster.

Cheers!