It's Rented: A Rent the Runway Review

(Photo courtesy of Rent the Runway)

Galas, company holiday parties, cocktail parties ... It's that time of the year and how many ball gowns do you have in your closet?

Since Darling Husband and I moved to the West Side of Washington State, we find ourselves attending more formal events. Sure I have cute dresses I have worn to weddings and (eep) in college... But sometimes I need a dress that is more formal. I also have that silly desire to not wear the same dress to every event.

I had a vision of what I wanted to wear to my company’s holiday party in December, but I couldn't find anything that made my dreams come true in my city. I wanted a jewel toned, satin party dress with great shape and quality fabric. Olympia had nothing like that.

I went on Kate Spade's website, but I just couldn’t whip out my American Express and spend $400+ on a dress. That's a plane ticket and I would rather go somewhere fabulous.

Desperately searching online, I found Rent the Runway had Kate spade dresses to rent from $30 to $100. This was much better. They had exactly what I was looking for. Unfortunately they didn't have a free backup size for me to add to my order - so make sure to rent early for more options! 

I ordered my size 2 Kate Spade Molly Dress and the necklace pictured with it (after reading all of the reviews on the site). I chose to rent for four days, rather than 8. I really like how you could keep it longer.

The dress arrived on my porch in a plastic bag to keep the luxe garment bag dry from the rain. Wow. The dress was clean and pressed. The necklace was in a good sturdy box.

The dress fit was spot on. I slept so well that night knowing my dress was perfect.

My co-workers loved the dress. One told me I looked like Audrey Hepburn. I loved that I could put my hands in the pockets and I may have twirled. Maybe.

After the party, the dress and necklace went back in the bag and Darling Husband dropped it in a UPS drop box the next morning. Easy! 

Verdict: In terms of travel, I could totally see myself renting again for formal nights on a cruise, at a destination wedding or on a girls weekend to Palm Springs. This was so fun when I needed something special. It would also be great to rent a wedding dress (you only wear it once, ladies) or Homecoming and Prom dresses.I have a Fireman's Ball and Gala coming up in the next couple of months and I will definitely be renting again!

Myself and my favorite gals I work with.

Note: Rent the Runway in no way paid or reimbursed me for this review. But, the site did give me 20 percent off my first rental as a first-timer.

Portland, Ore. - The Perfect One-Night Getaway from the Olympia Area

Cheers! Happy Halloween, Blazers fans!

Darling Husband and I hadn't meant to spend Halloween 2015 in Portland, Ore., but we did want to attend a Trail Blazers game on a Saturday and that's how it worked out. 

This certainly wasn't our first visit to P-Town, but the city is huge and ever-changing. There is always something new to discover.

Here is what we discovered on our Portland trip just the two of us.

1) Portland floods. It was really rainy on Halloween this year. When we showed up in Portland about 3 p.m. Saturday, traffic was moving slowly and water had pooled at high levels downtown. We should have taken the truck instead of my little Ford Focus.

Our view down Broadway from our 10th floor corner room at The Benson.

2) Step back in time at The Benson Hotel. I love historic hotels. Dane and I got married in one. Wow this hotel was so gorgeous. When we arrived, the front desk upgraded us to a corner room on the 10th floor. The room furnishings were outdated and you could see its age in some areas. But it was clean and the bed was divine. Plus, for Halloween the staff was keeping a giant front table in the lobby stocked with Halloween candy, which Dane and I enjoyed throughout the night. The free wine taste at 430 p.m. was a nice touch, but the server knew very little about the wine she was pouring.

3) Because the city was flooded, we walked to dinner. We enjoyed a fresh Italian meal at Ristorante Roma. The starter salad was so big it had to be shared. I had the ravioli special and Dane had spaghetti and meatballs. The ambiance was a little lacking, but the food was delicious and well-priced. 

I sported team colors - red and black. I'll get Dane on board next time.

4) Our first Blazers game! It was fun to dress in red and black and cheer on the team. The fans go crazy and the entertainment in the form of stunt team and dancers was great. The Blazers lost by 11, but we didn't care. It was just plain fun.

5) When the city floods, take the Max! It was easy to get from downtown to the Moda Center by Max. I was so glad we didn't drive. It is definitely public transit, but it was all families and Blazer fans after the game.

6) Have a cocktail with John in The Benson's Palm Court lounge. The best waiter ever, John was attentive and humorous. With a pianist and jazz singer, it was the perfect nightcap.

Dear Portland: Your brunch system is broken. :( Yes, I'm at the back of this line trying to get our name on the list at
Tasty n Alder.

7) Brunch in Portland. Sigh. Ok, if someone is grumpy or hungry when you go to brunch, don't go. Find a Starbucks and get them food STAT. We selected Tasty n Alder as our spot. We waited in line for 30 minutes to get our name on the list. Then, we waited one hour to get a table. The table was so close to the couple next to us, we were practically involved in their conversation. But, the food was really good. I had a bloody mary and cheddar biscuit. Dane had the steak sandwich. Worth the wait? We were in for the long haul. We had nowhere to be. But I don't think we'll go back.

Verdict: Portland is the perfect one-night getaway for anyone in the Olympia area. The city floods and brunch is broken, but there are plenty of back-up options (Blue StarDonuts) to save your trip. Just pack your rain coat and rain boots and have fun!

Loved this candy table at The Benson Hotel!