Summer Salad| Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing

I found this amazing and simple recipe for a Summer salad with a homemade creamy cilantro-lime dressing that is to die for via The Garden Grazer. I played with the recipe and found a vegan variation that I love. Here's what you need to make the dressing:

Ingredients

1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed & roughly chopped
1 ripe avocado
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 Jalapeño Pepper 

1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions

Put all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth

 For the actual salad, I just chop up and mix together my favorite summer veggies (each time I make it I use different combinations). I usually add about a cup of cooked black beans for some added protein and pour the veggies over quinoa for a satisfying meal. Enjoy!

Willamette Valley Vineyards| Memorial Day

For the past three Memorial Days, Paul and I have went out to Willamette Valley Vineyards in Turner, Oregon for their annual wine tasting and tour of the vineyard. This year we brought my parents along for their first visit. The weather was super windy and overcast for most of the day, but we managed to enjoy ourselves. 

We only paid for ten tastings, but somehow ended up on this underground tour of the wine cellar, where they keep all the barrels. 

With that tour, we ended up having six more tastings. Unfortunately, we missed the blind taste test this year. The blind taste test is where you have six types of Pinot Noir from around the world and you have to match them to the five locations on the card in front of you. The guide gives you brief descriptions about the pinot from each place, but it is still incredibly tricky. Everyone who matches the Pinot to the right location gets put in a drawing for the grand prize. The winner gets a private tour and dinner with the owner of the vineyard and 20 of their choice guests to blend their own wine and take a case of it home. 

Last year I matched them all correctly, but didn't end up getting picked for the grand prize. We were so bummed about missing it this year since my parents had never been and Paul was positive he was going to win over me this year. Luckily they have a grape stomping contest in September that the four of us will be attending, which also has a winner and grand prize.

*Here's the book I won last year for matching all the Pinots correctly. It's actually a good read and makes a great coffee table book.

Justin & Shaun | Wedding

I went to my friends Justin & Shaun's wedding this weekend. The ceremony was gorgeous and intimate (about 60 people) in a little enclosed grove behind a white church in Oregon City. The grooms' parents walked them each down the aisle and they had four "groomsmaids" on each side of them. The ceremony was short and sweet, and of course I bawled like a baby because I love weddings. The reception was across the street, luckily indoors because it started to rain shortly after the ceremony. 

It was a 10 am wedding, so the food was a breakfast buffet which included, eggs benedict, pastries, fresh fruit, meats, potatoes, a waffle station, and an omelet station. It also included an open bar which had bloody mary's, mimosas, peach bellinis, and spanish coffee. The rest of the time was spent for heartwarming toasts to the couple and nonstop dancing until we were basically kicked out of the building. I was so blessed to be a part of their special day and wish them all the luck and happiness as they move to California to start their lives off together.

Pacific City| Beach Day

My best friend and I decided to take a trek to my favorite place: the beach. We drove to Pacific City to enjoy the (odd) warm weather the beach was experiencing. I love pacific city because it's usually not very crowded, it always has great scenery, and I get to watch the surfers (my favorite part). Becca and I packed a french picnic to enjoy on the sand. The picnic consisted of champagne, brie, french bread, and grapes. It was seriously the perfect day, I'm so lucky I got to get away from my hectic school life and spend some time near the ocean. The sea is always the perfect therapy.