User:PattiPruitt79

I grew up in Portland, Oregon, which meant that the Pacific Coast was just a two hour drive away; it was very near, but still too far to go very often. Thus I always considered seafood to be a rare treat, only enjoyed on special occasions at nice restaurants. Only recently have I discovered that there are many easy seafood soup recipes that I can manage in my own kitchen!youtube.com If you, like me, thought that only a professional chef was fit to handle complex seafood stew recipes, think again.youtube.com The truth is that most recipes are not complex at all, and there is no reason to be daunted. Of the various recipes that I have tested in my kitchen, one in particular has become my favorite because it requires very little preparation and cooking time. It uses simple ingredients, but also invites variation when I am feeling inspired to culinary creativity. I use canned Alaska salmon, which saves me time cleaning the fish and picking out bones. I use canned corn, skim milk, and a bit of butter and flour. I usually chop up one or two small onions to cook in butter, which is probably the most labor-intensive part of the whole meal! The real genius of this recipe is using frozen hash browns for the potato base. This saves a huge amount of chopping and cooking time. With those ingredients as the substance of the stew, I am free to play with the seasoning. At the most simple, I use salt and pepper, thyme, and a dash of sherry. Adding Mexican, Cajun, or Southwest spice mixes are fun ways to mix it up. The whole process takes me less than 20 minutes, and just like that I have made a delicious meal that I thought I could only get in restaurants! Play around with various seafood stew recipes, and you will find for yourself how straightforward and rewarding it can be. Arch Cape is considered one of the best places to vacation on the Oregon Coast for surfers, located just minutes from the big waves at Oswald West State Park. Even if you don’t surf, this tranquil beach town makes a great Oregon Coast getaway, offering a quiet retreat and fun outdoor attractions like tide pools and hiking trails. Be sure to visit Hug Point State Recreation Site at low tide, when you can walk along the beach to a waterfall. Though it’s only an 1.5-hour drive from Portland, Cannon Beach feels far removed from the city. Plenty of public access points make it easy to stroll down miles of quiet coastline punctuated by the iconic 235-foot tall Haystack Rock—a favorite background for photoshoots. Or, visit Oswald West State Park to hit the Oregon Coast Trail, which winds through redwood forests and past scenic vista points. If you need a break from the beach, visit one of the many art galleries, cafes, and small shops in town. Coaster Theatre is a favorite among families for entertaining plays and performances. Rentals ranging from quirky dog-friendly cottages to breathtaking beachfront homes easily make Cannon Beach one of the best vacations on the Oregon Coast, no matter what type of traveler you are. Your chance of finding a waterfront vacation rental double in Seaside, which borders both the Pacific Ocean and Garrison Lake. Visitors love taking a kayak out on the water, hiking through the Tillamook Head rainforest, and tucking into restaurants with plates of fresh seafood. An old beached shipwreck, Lewis and Clarke monument, and World War II bombing site add a touch of historic interest, while a busy events calendar make no two visits the same. Look out for big events like the Seaside Beach Volleyball Tournament or the New England Live Lobster Fest to get an extra dose of local character in this great Oregon Coast vacation spot. Grab a fishing pole, beach cruiser, or paddle for a full day of activity in Pacific City, a busy town that visitors love for its size and variety. Though it still feels small-town, Pacific City is packed with things to do, from the trails at Bob Straub State Park to the beachfront dining at Pelican Pub and Brewery. The live music performances, boutique shopping, and good selection of art galleries might even make you forget that you’re vacationing by a great surf spot right on the beach. Rockaway Beach is a sleepy Oregon Coast getaway perfect for a relaxing vacation. Cruise down miles of empty coast, stopping into quirky attractions like the International Police Museum, and then come home to your highly-rated vacation rental for a sunset drink on the porch or a movie night. If you want more action, drive a few minutes down the road to Cannon Beach to hang out at the trendy shops and restaurants there. Seafood tastes extra fresh in Waldport, one of the best places to vacation on the Oregon Coast for fishing, crabbing, and clamming. Spend a perfect day swinging by the Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center to learn about Oregon history before packing a picnic to eat at Governor Patterson Memorial State Recreation Site. Then, relax by the quiet shore and watch the sunset from a beachfront vacation rental from FlipKey. At the mouth of the Siuslaw River (pictured: Siuslaw River Bridge) and just an hour from Eugene, Florence is a top Oregon beach vacation destination for a playful city-meets-sand getaway. The city of Newport is a top Oregon Coast vacation for its huge variety of family-friendly activities, like the Oregon Coast Aquarium, historic Yaquina Bay Bridge, and two beautiful lighthouses. Plus, Newport is home to the popular Rogue River Brewing Company, a fun option for the grown-ups in your group. Unlike other great Oregon beach towns, Newport also boasts a large selection of museums, including the highly-rated Hatfield Marine Science Center, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Pacific Maritime and Heritage Center. I was over at the Oregon Coast this weekend. My wife and I hit a couple of beaches and one of our favorite restaurants, Mos. Mos is a coastal institution. Oregon has Mos. Washington, has Ivars. Both are/were HUGELY successful (I know Mos is and has been for some time, I have insider info; in the last few years, Ive not heard much about Ivars since I havent been there in quite some time). They each receive a ton of notoriety from dignitaries (can you believe they even visit us here in Oregon?!). They get a boatload of free press, all the time (theyre making themselves newsworthy), and their original founders were true northwest characters. They were unique. People liked them. AND, they both offer killer seafood and chowder. People go to the coast just to eat the chowder. Frankly, I like my chowder with their amazing grilled cheese on homemade bread. The card was a promotion of her store right up the street. Buy 1, Get 1, of ANYTHING in her store. Oh, and she read Tarot cards, too. Its irrelevant what she was selling. What is relevant is she located a starving crowd (which is a constant in the summertime in front of any Mos restaurant), made them an irresistible offer, and drove them to her store. Was it grunt work? You bet. Was there a payoff? There was a line out her store; people wanted the Buy 1 Get 1 coffee deal. After all, it was 52 degrees outside (it was 98 degrees at my home yesterday, just an hour away), people were cold, and you can bet they didnt just buy a coffee. They were buying other things in her store. Sure beats sitting in your practice hoping someone will notice your sign (thats probably sub-par anyway) and drop in. Successful business owners are pro-active. They make and force success to come about. They never rest on their laurels. If canvassing neighborhoods, knocking on doors, and making folks an irresistible offer gets them flocking to your door, why is that so bad? [https://evolvevacationrental.com/421011 Oregon coast beach rentals] are the perfect place for you to stay on your trip. You can visit with family, explore the beach, go boating or kite flying, and then come back to enjoy a spacious home instead of a cramped hotel room. You won't have to trip over your suitcase or go to sleep at the same time as everyone else when you rent an Oregon coast beach rental from A-1 Beach Rentals. Click Here For Oregon Coast Beach Rentals! Close to local attractions and located in various parts of Lincoln City, our rentals host couples and groups alike. Now, the whole family can vacation together, or if you're part of a couple, you can take a weekend away to spend time alone. Business travelers will appreciate the proximity of our Oregon coast beach rentals to the local golf course. A-1 Beach Rentals homes offer far more value than renting a hotel room. Like hotels, they come complete with linens and towels and a starter pack of paper goods. Yet they also offer a lower per-person cost and fully equipped kitchens. You won't have to pay to park your vehicle, and you don't need to worry about people in the next room making noise and keeping you awake at night.youtube.com A-1 Beach Rentals rents homes throughout the year, so you can come to the coast in the off-season as well when the area is less crowded. Be sure to check our website for availability, photos and detailed descriptions of the houses. Contact us now to make your reservation or book your home online. A hotel in a small Oregon town has failed in its attempt to sue over a scathing TripAdvisor write-up after a judge protected the anonymity of the review. 74,500 from user Kelly12, who wrote that the hotel was 'nasty' and even claimed the staff were high on drugs. Hoteliers asked a court in Multnomah County to compel TripAdvisor to reveal the identity of Kelly12 so they could sue for defamation. But Judge Christopher Marshall denied the request under laws designed to protect media organizations, the Oregonian reported. A piece of state legislation from 1973 says that nobody contributing to any kind of media can be forced to provide evidence - unless they are doing something criminal. Share The law applies to 'any medium of communication to the public', a definition which TripAdvisor's attorneys said applied to them. Lawyers for the Ashley Inn said the review was obviously false. It referred to a March 2014 stay by a guest from Prescott, Arizona - which the lawyers said did not match any hotel records. The piece itself, published in April, included observations such as: 'laundry and housekeeping are either high or drunk', and 'breakfast is nasty, the rooms are nasty'. The review has since been taken down - but the hotel owners are still unsatisfied. We've all heard the saying, "You get what you pay for," but with ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, you get more. Wyndham Vacation Rentals is the world's largest professionally managed vacation rentals business. As part of the Wyndham Destinations family of brands, more property owners trust Wyndham Vacation Rentals to market, manage, and maintain their rental properties in the U.S. Our commitment is to help our homeowners maximize their property's income potential and provide an overall relaxing experience for you and future rental guests. ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals in Delaware continually strives to make your homeowner experience one of individual attention and professionalism and to help your property realize its full investment potential. We pride ourselves on having a local team with global support, making us the best of both worlds and the perfect partner to manage your vacation rental. Our success as a property management company begins with the trust our owners place with us. We work hard to help our owners get the most value possible from their rentals. Our fantastic team of detail-driven staff takes personal pride in inspecting, managing, and maintaining each property. Huge flakes are falling around the area right now.youtube.com Dale Ireland's cam in Silverdale(attached). This is what the models were indicating last night. This happens in marginal temp situations, like we have now. The Seattle profiler temp soundings show how temps are just at freezing above us (subtract 1C from the values shown--this is actually something called virtual temp which includes moisture effects). Evaporation and melting of snow from aloft helped to push us over. N. Oregon Coast and easterly flow in the 30s along the central WA coast. Vancouver island sufficiently north that Puget Sound will be spared the strong stuff. PS: I am heading to Bainbridge today (Eagle Harbor Books) at 3 PM today to talk weather..and Olympia tomorrow (see info to the right). Will have to shovel my driveway first! Home to multiple art museums, glorious views of the Cascade Mountains and a trendy downtown area, Tacoma is a picturesque city in the Pacific Northwest that's full of fun things to see and do. But if you find yourself longing for a break from Tacoma, consider taking a day trip to one of Tacoma's surrounding cities or attractions.youtube.com No matter what your preference, whether it's hiking, shopping, skiing, eating, wine-drinking, nature-watching or sightseeing, you're sure to find it within a 200-mile radius of Tacoma. 1. Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park (Vancouver, B.C., Canada): If you dare, cross the 450-feet long Capilano Suspension Bridge, which stretches 230 feet above the Capilano River. For more adventure, scale Treetops Adventure, a series of suspended footbridges with stunning views from up to 100 feet above the forest floor. If you're not into heights, check out the rain forest nature trails, a collection of totem poles and a performance by the Pioneer Players. 2. Butchart Gardens (Brentwood Bay, B.C., Canada): Formerly a limestone quarry, the Butchart Gardens is the brainchild of Jennie Butchart, who transformed the area into a 20th century Victorian sunken garden. 3. Wine-Tasting Tours (Spokane, Wash.): Just because you're north of California does not mean there are not any options for wine tasting. Home to 17 wineries and cellars, Spokane produces Chardonnay, Riesling, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and proprietary blends of both reds and whites. At the Spokane Winery Association site, you'll find a wineries map so you can plot your own tour. 4. Experience Music Project (Seattle, Wash.): Walk past the Space Needle, and instead visit the Experience Music Project that's located across the street. 5. Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest (Everett, Wash.): Located on the west side of the Cascades between the Canadian border and Mt. Rainier National Park, Mt. Baker is one of the most visited forests in the country. Year-round activities such as forest hiking, fishing, river rafting, bird watching, snowshoeing and skiing, as well as educational exhibits, are always in a gorgeous setting of glacier-covered peaks, mountain meadows and old-growth forest. 6. Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood (Portland, Ore.): Turn your road trip into a day trip by driving along the Historic Columbia River Highway. This 80-mile stretch between Portland and the town of Biggs features awe-inspiring basalt bluffs and more than 77 gorgeous waterfalls cascading from the glaciers and snowfields of Mount Hood, including Multnomah Falls, America's second-highest waterfall.youtube.com Oregon Coast (Astoria and Tillamook, Ore.): On the northernmost tip of Oregon, Astoria is the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. Here, shop at boutiques and seafood markets, visit the historic Hotel Elliott and Liberty Theater, take the kids to the Astoria Children's Museum and enjoy the parades, performances and food at the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival. In Tillamook, enjoy the cheese the town is famous for, and tour the Three Capes Scenic Drive. 7. Cape Flattery (Neah Bay, Wash.): Accessible by a half-mile cedar-plank boardwalk constructed by Makah tribal members, Cape Flattery is America's northwestern most point. See the lighthouse of Tatoosh Island and the caves carved by the crashing and churning of the waves. Watch gray whales in April, and sea lions, harbor seals, harbor porpoises and sea otters year-round. Discover the natural history and tribal culture of the area at Makah Cultural and Research Center. 9. Salt Spring Island (near Victoria, B.C., Canada): Known as one of North America's top art destinations, Salt Spring Island is home to thousands of artists and curators. Find inspiration in one of the island's 10 galleries showcasing paintings, sculptures, prints, weavings, pottery, stained glass and jewelry, and enjoy free art exhibitions, concerts and theater performances at ArtSpring, a venue featuring local creative professionals. Extending from the seashore to the foothills of the coast range, the Oregon coast encompasses a wide variety of plant communities. Windswept bluffs and exposed sandy beaches, sand dunes and grasslands, make way for dense forests. The moderate year round climate is influenced by the nearly constant temperatures of the Pacific Ocean, while northwesterly winds bring cool air to the coast in the summer months and southwestery winds bring warm air in the winter. The resulting cool summers and mild winters make for a long flowering season. The coastal climate varies from north to south, as temperate conditions gradually shift to a more Mediterranean climate. In the north dense forests and undergrowth predominate, giving way to more California plant species as one reaches the southern Oregon coast. Where mild summer temperatures and fog retain moisture further north, summer on the southern coast is warmer and drier. Here, riparian areas provide the only habitats for plants requiring more moisure. Conditions of soil and topography also vary along the coast and combine with changes in temperature to create different habitats. Plants found on the beach and among dunes will differ from those found in coastal forests, while grasslands will support a different community of plants from those found in wetlands. A generally useful distinction includes beaches and dunes, grasslands, wetlands, and forests. Beaches and dunes host plants with deep taproots and stout stems, which can withstand constantly shifting sand. Sturdy evening primrose, farewell-to-spring (Clarkia amoena), and coast buckwheat may be found here or along the edges of dunes and beaches. Vegetative reproduction gives coastal strawberry and Pacific silverweed an advantage over plants that rely on seeds for reproduction, as seeds are easily buried too deep or exposed to salt air and wind. Grasslands are supported by a thin layer of soil over basalt. Rocky forested headlands fall into the sea, their southern slopes carpeted with grasses and wildflowers. Spring and early summer moisture bring stonecrop, columbine, and larkspur. Later in the summer selfheal, pearly everlasting and goldenrod appear. As one travels south in Oregon, forested shorelines give way to open grassy slopes. Both saltwater and freshwater wetlands support important coastal habitats. Swales, lakes and marshes dot the entire coastline. Where exposure carves sand away to below the water table, deflation plains support unique plant communities and migrating waterfowl. Normally on the lee side or at the base of dunes, they are frequently covered with water in the winter and damp in summer. Forestsalong the Oregon coast support stands of shore pine (Pinus contorta), tolerant of wind, salt spray, and mineral soils, and often growing just above high tide. 185 on coastal bluffs. Western hemlock and Douglas fir form the dominant species in lowland forests of the coast range. Brushfields are formed where forest and grassland meet. Openings like meadows and pastures are slowly overtaken with young trees and shrubs. Here, the azalea, rhododendron,and currant provide a riot of color along the coast come spring. Many of our natives can be found in a variety of habitats. For example, Tiger Lily (Lilium columbianum) grows on hillsides with shrubs and blackberry, on exposed headlands and in partial shade.youtube.com Salal forms thick hedges along coastal bluffs and thrives in the understory of a coastal forest.youtube.com Every coastal gardener will have to assess the conditions of climate and soil at his or her own location. Remember that conditions can vary even within one garden. We hope that the following list will prove useful in choosing plants which will thrive in your garden. 185Horn, Elizabeth. Coastal Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest.youtube.com F,G Mahonia nervosa, Dull/Cascade Oregon Grape photo!