Dudes Weekend: What to do, where to eat in Bend, Oregon

We walked and biked all weekend in Bend, Oregon, along the Deschutes River Trail.

Darling Husband, his best friend Jamie and I road tripped down to Bend this summer for Bend Brewfest. We discovered that Bend is sunny and perfect for people like us who like to spend time outdoors.

Read below to find out why "moving to Bend" was a recurring discussion throughout this fun weekend.

The area
Bend is in the middle of the state of Oregon on the Deschutes River. We adventured there in August 2016 and the weather (for me) was perfect -- dry, hot, cloudless blue skies and a likeable mix of desert and green landscapes. The city was larger than I remembered from previous trips, though we spent most of our time downtown and in the Mill District.

We loved our VRBO rental on Hill Street. It was just a 10-minute walk to downtown.

Walkable and bikeable, we really enjoyed discovering by foot and electric bike. There are tons of long, winding paths throughout the city and along the river.

Where we stayed
We decided to save a bit of money. We knew hotel rooms would be expensive, so we booked a VRBO rental on Hill Street, just a 10-minute walk from downtown. For a long weekend, it was nice to have a living area where we could hang out, a kitchen to cook breakfast in (and a late-night popcorn snack) and it was still close to downtown.

The rental was a duplex, but we never heard the neighbors. It was updated and clean inside and had nice finishes. It was a two-bedroom, one bathroom rental, and I loved the original bathtub and bathroom floor tiles. In the morning, I enjoyed coffee and a book on the little deck out back. It was tiny so we definitely heard one another moving about, but a perfect amount of space for the three of us.

These electric bikes we rented were fantastic! I rode tandem on Darling Husband's bike and I didn't even have to pedal!

What we did
I was lucky enough to enjoy Bend with two gentlemen who love the outdoors. We adventured all over the city.

On Friday, we walked for about two hours in the morning, exploring downtown and historic Old Bend and making our way out to the Les Schwab Amphitheater where the Brewfest was held. Both days after our jaunt to the brewfest, we rented large orange tubes from Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe and floated the river. On hot, sunny days, the icy Deschutes was mellow bliss.

On Saturday, we rented bikes at Bend Electric Bikes on Hill Street right by our rental. We rode all over the Deschutes River Trail for about two hours.

We enjoyed this beautiful sunset on the river Friday night at the Crow's Feet Commons.

When the sun went down, we walked to downtown for dinner. Downtown was busy, but we were seated right away at both restaurants Friday and Saturday nights.

What we ate
We stopped at Safeway as soon as we arrived in Bend late Thursday night to pick up breakfast items, snacks and wine. We had lunch both days at the brewfest, taking advantage of the variety of trucks offering barbecue, Asian noodles, Greek, gourmet hot dogs and pizza.

For dinner downtown, the first night we had beers and pub fare at Brother Jon's Alehouse. We got to sit at the tables right outside the front door and enjoyed people (tourist) watching. Note: The Deschutes Brewery Bend Public House restaurant downtown was swamped. Leave yourself some extra time if it's on your Bend bucket list.

Lovin' that sun!

The second night, we enjoyed margaritas and Mexican food at Hola! We again ate outside and enjoyed the sunshine.

After dinner the first night, we walked over to the river to enjoy the sunset. We grabbed a beer at Crow's Feet Commons and sat on the front porch of this gorgeous old house and enjoyed the colors as the sun went down. It was a relaxed, casual atmosphere that we loved.

Verdict: Bend is perfect for people who live to be outdoors. We walked, biked, floated and ate our way through the weekend and we wouldn't have had it any other way.

On our electric bike ride, we discovered Farewell Bend Park. I knew we had to come back here for a photo before leaving town. The men humored me. 

Review: Bend Brewfest in Bend, Oregon

These two tall drinks of water road tripped with me down to Bend, Oregon, to enjoy some suds at the Bend Brewfest.

Nearly one year ago, Darling Husband's friend Marshall suggested we all go to the Bend Brewfest in Bend, Oregon, in 2016.

Well, we make plans and God laughs.

Marshall and his wife Cassie are having a baby in September and Cassie didn't want to go to a Beerfest in 90-degree heat when she's eight months pregnant. Imagine that.

Darling Husband, his friend Jamie and I all benefited from Marshall's bright idea. We took one day off work and headed down to Bend, a five-hour drive, to enjoy this special Beerfest.

Location
The brewfest is held at the Les Schwab Amphitheater. It took us about 25 minutes to walk there from our VRBO rental on Hill Street. The area is walkable, bikeable and right on the Deschutes River. The flowers were remarkable. Bright pinks, purples, yellows and greens poured through the public spaces like a river, washing every scene in delight.

Seriously the most gorgeous flowers I have seen in any city. They went on and on.

I don't know how parking was because we walked both days. The second day, we parked by the Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoes rentals place and walked over to the amphitheater (five-minute walk). We rented tubes after we had our lunch and beer fill and floated the river right back to Tumalo Creek. This was a genius idea.

What surprised me was how small the venue was. I was expecting thousands upon thousands of people, reminiscent of our Watershed Music Festival experience weeks prior. But, when we arrived at noon on the second day of the festival that Friday, there were just a couple hundred people.

On both days, we had to queue up in a short line to have our IDs checked, get our wristbands and buy our tokens and mugs.

The corn hole was free! Beware of the guy from Kentucky who asks you to play doubles. He played this in college and he will win.

Cost
The price was decent. Just $20 got us each one souvenir plastic mug and five tasting tokens. Darling Husband and I only used four tokens each our first day. We bought five more for $5 total to share on the last day and then I wanted a full glass of Burnside's Sun Splash, so I went back for four more tokens, $4, for a full-size beer. That's $29 for two people for a lot of beer and two days of fun!

Food
The first thing we did both Friday and Saturday was start with a meal. On Friday, Darling Husband and I went to the Acme Hot Dog Co. food truck. Inside the venue were about 10 food trucks with different cuisine. I got a hot dog covered in cabbage-style salad that had a spicy aioli. Darling Husband's hot dog had bacon and mac and cheese on it.

The second day, Darling Husband got island noodles, which were decent. Jamie and I had gyros and we all shared a piece of baklava. The gyros were great because they weren't a gut bomb like other typical festival fare.

Most food was right around the $10 mark per meal. Darling Husband and I spent about $40 on food for two lunches over two days.

Jamie enjoyed a barbecue lunch on Friday at Brewfest.

Atmosphere
The atmosphere was so mellow. We arrived right around noon both days and this worked for us. The gal at the hot dog food truck said the festival gets really rowdy after dark and watching the guests stumble or fall was entertaining to her. This made us very grateful to be early birds.

The event was family friendly before 7 p.m., which surprised me. The kids were fine, but there was nothing  for them to do. Or us, for that matter.

There were tables so we could steal some shade at and enjoy a meal. We ended up sharing each time and it was a fun way to meet locals and tourists.

One vendor brought corn hole, which we played on Friday. But, other than drinking beer, there wasn't anything to do. We spent just about two hours at the festival each day, Friday then Saturday, before we sought other endeavors for the day -- namely tubing on the chilly, delightful Deschutes.

Amenities
There were plenty of porta potties to go around. I like that they had filtered water stations too so we could stay hydrated - it was HOT! Amenities weren't great for families. There was only a certain number of tables under shade canopies and you had to battle for a seat. And I didn't see any place where babies could be changed.

The Beer
Oh yeah -- the beer! Because we all shared sips of each others' beers, I lost count of how many I tried and I didn't see the scorecard in my Brewfest booklet until the last second.

Standouts for me:

• Toutle-Loo Pale Ale by Ashtown
• Vanilla Pumpkin Porter by Klamath Basin
• Ferrari Red by Shade Tree
• Infrared Northwest Ale by Old 99
• DJ Jazzy Heff by Gilgamesh
• Sunsplash by Burnside

Verdict: I am glad that Bend Brewfest didn't cost us a ton because in reality, we only spent about four hours total at the event. We did get to try a wide range of beer from smaller breweries we hadn't heard of before, And, the biggies were there too. The variety of breweries was excellent. During and after our trip, we all talked about returning to Bend on a road trip in the future. Some locals said the Bite of Bend was fun too, so we might opt to do that in 2017.

We'll see you again, Bend!

Watershed Music Festival: What to Pack and Wear

It was my first year at the Watershed music festival in George, Washington, and I'll admit I made some rookie mistakes when it came to packing.

Here is all you need to know about what to pack and what to wear for camping Friday-Monday.

Packing List: Clothing

• 3 pairs shorts
• 3 tank tops
• 1 t-shirt
• 1 heavy sweat shirt
• 1 light hoodie
• warm PJs
• baseball-style hat
• 3 swim suits
• underwear & bras
• 2 pairs of tennis shoes
• 1 pair of flip flops
• socks
• jewelry - cheap and fun
• light scarf
• sunglasses

What I did right

I kept it to white tank tops and jean shorts - simplicity is key at Watershed. You are walking 30 minutes from camp to the venue so don't bring anything too bulky. Don't overly plan your outfits. Lovely ladies with special American Flag head wraps and hoop earrings stuck out and made us think "y'all aren't from around here." :) 

Also, I took TWO pairs of tennis shoes, which I swapped out to give my feet relief and prevent blisters. MAJOR WIN!!

What I did wrong

I threw Darling Husband's camo hat in my bag on a fun whim to protect myself from the sun. Camping three days with no showers meant I actually wore it every day. Also, I brought a couple of jewelry items I didn't wear. I pretty much kept it to a pair of cute stud earrings and that was plenty.

This gal in the tank, cutoffs and trucker hat? Nailed it! Photo courtesy of Watershed's Instagram feed.

Packing List: Camping

• grill
• spatula
• sharp knife
• water bottles - refillable
• tongs
• cutting board
• tin foil
• skillet
• paper plates
• paper towels
• plastic cutlery
• trash bags
• plastic cups
• paper coffee cups
• coffee pot
• propane
• tent
• air mattresses
• camp chairs + table
• bleacher seat or short beach chairs
• cooler
• lantern
• flashlights
• first aid kit
• car cell phone charger
• sleeping bags
• pillows
• sunscreen
• bug spray
• face wipes
• baby wipes
• vitamins, ibuprofen, pepto
• hair brush
• toiletries -- DRY SHAMPOO
• aloe vera
• hair ties
• batteries
• lighter
• EAR PLUGS
• camera
• Watershed wrist bands + camping tickets
• beach towel
• deodorant
• toilet paper
• Febreeze
• hand sanitizer
• small mirror
• glow stick
• tent lock
• scissors
• extra blankets
• books + cards
• portable speakers, music system
• Food - whatever you all want to eat and drink. Food and booze inside the venue are $$$$!

What I did right

I was the only member of our party with ear plugs. I slept the best out of everyone. Watershed is a rowdy place at nighttime. Bringing the dry shampoo was also a major win come Sunday. Lastly, Darling Husband borrowed his parents' camp coffee pot. We had plenty of coffee to share with neighbors, and neighbor Susan called us her "Coffee Angels."

There wasn't a ton of space for us in camping. We kept it simple, but remembered to pack the camp coffee pot, thank goodness!

What I did wrong

Darling Husband decided there was not enough room in the car for the pop up, 10 x 10 shade canopy. He regretted this as soon as we got to camp. It was 90 degrees with no shade in sight. The campground was an old alfalfa field. Thankfully, our neighbors brought one and Bunny and Darling Husband were happy to seek refuge from the sun. Bunny did over pack, but we were prepared for that. :) The only thing she desired was music at our camp site. She wished we had brought portable speakers or a radio.

Learn from my successes and mistakes and have a great time! We'll see you at Watershed 2017!

Review: Watershed Country Music Festival, Gorge Amphitheatre - Weekend 2

Watershed 2016 Weekend 2 - The time of our lives!

One of the best parts of summer 2016 has been our weekend at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington, camping and enjoying live country music at Watershed.

I had heard about Watershed last year when my intern Courtney attended the festival. I am newer to country music. I started listening to it when Darling Husband and I moved to Waitsburg, Washington, in 2011 and I was excited by the idea of three full days of live performances. We had seen Craig Morgan and The Band Perry before, and the lineup of Jason Aldean, Eric Church and Keith Urban clinched the deal. We had to go in 2016.

Here is the good, the bad and the ugly of Watershed 2016 Weekend 2.

Buying tickets
Buying tickets was a hassle. Darling Husband had to call one morning while at work, multiple times to even get through, to register for general admission wristbands and camping tickets. Even though he called right when sales opened, he said Weekend 1 was already sold out. But, we got into Weekend 2 and secured a spot in Family Camping, which promised to be less rowdy than General Camping.

Listening to music on Sunday. Photo courtesy of our neighbor Susan and her boyfriend Coal.

Festival prep
Our camping ticket and wristbands arrived via USPS to our house about one month before the festival. I'll detail our full, three-day packing list in another post, but I can tell you we started really prepping about two weeks before.

It was about three weeks before the festival that Bunny bought her wristband too, so she could tag along with us. Between the three of us, we coordinated who was bringing what, what to wear and made a shopping list of what we needed to purchase. We loaded up the car Thursday before the festival and hit the road Friday morning at 9. Traffic was easy and we scored a decent camping spot.

Camp site
We chose to pay a little more for Family Camping after a sleepless night in General Camping at the Jason Mraz concert in 2012. General camping is for hard core partiers. Family Camping was much smaller, with a quiet hour of 10 p.m. Our camp spot was right on the road, but far from the General Camping barrier. With earplugs, I managed 6 or 7 hours of sleep each night.

Our humble abode, right on the road and perfect for people watching.

For the three of us, we took a large tent and two air mattresses. We LOVED being on the road during the day. We sat as if on our own front porch, watching the people walk by.

Best drinking game
Within about 30 minutes, Bunny and I invented a game. Every time we saw someone walk by on the road wearing an article of clothing bearing an American flag, we drank. This was so fun and we even got our neighbors in on the action. We saw hats, tattoos, shorts, boots, bikinis - you name it - with a flag on it.

What to do
The music doesn't start until 1 p.m. each day, so what do you do until then? Many people left the amphitheatre area to boat or float on the river. We stayed at our campsite and read, sunned, chatted with the neighbors and drank water. This is prime time to hydrate as temperatures reached 85 degrees or so each day.

Sitting on our front porch, reading and watching folks walk by.

Roughing it
Even though we paid more for Family Camping, facilities were still rough. There were ample clean porta potties and concrete sinks with running water. But, no showers. Premier Camping had showers and apparently very long lines. We put our hair up and wore hats, cleaned ourselves with baby wipes and went down the giant, inflatable waterslide. When you go down the slide, they spray you down head to toe, back and front. It was marvelous in the heat and I felt so clean after. Also, dry shampoo works wonders.

The walk and food costs
The walk from camping to the amphitheatre is not short. It took us about 20-30 minutes to walk over to the actual concert venue. Keep in mind you are in the beating sun. Wear good shoes, alternate pairs, and drink plenty of water. Do not wear cowboy boots you have never worn before. We saw plenty of gals limping around with painful blisters because they had made this mistake.

We walked back for dinner each night so we didn't have to spend $$$$ on food and beverages. A water in the venue costs $5. A 24 oz. Bud Light was $11.50. If you're on a budget, eat and drink at your campsite like we did,

Carnival rides
Carnival rides are FREE! We went on the Ferris Wheel, big swings and water slide. So. Much. Fun. The lines moved fairly quickly other than the water slide.

We were so happy wildfires didn't ruin our view this year like they did in 2012.

Amphitheatre - Where to sit
We mostly sat up in the grassy area, so we could sit in the heat, rather than stand in the heat, with other sweaty concert goers by the stage. We had a bleacher seat and short beach chair. Folks had Tommy Bahama chairs they could wear to carry and recline in. Bunny went down and stood in the stage area for Jason Aldean's performance. She ended up holding up a drunk girl for most of the time. Choose wisely.

Next From Nashville
The tented Next From Nashville stage was a great place to escape the sun, but could also warm up quickly with body heat. Lesser-known artists performed here, but it was a good break from the big crowds. We attended a sparse Rae Solomon performance and it made Bunny's whole trip when Rae grabbed Bunny's phone and took a selfie with it.

Performances
On the Main Stage, the performers really fed off the enthusiasm of the crowd -- 25,000 fans can be very loud and rambunctious. Eric Church's performance was the big hit of our weekend. He did his finale song and left the stage - and no one moved. We weren't leaving. He came back on stage and said as long as he was having fun he would keep playing. We loved every minute. The confetti drop after Keith Urban's performance was very fun, too.

Some gals just walked around in bikinis and flip flops. I opted for shorts so I could sit comfortably in the grass and on the carnival rides. Closed-toe shoes are ideal for the walk - rocks!

Schedule
Watershed has an app that we downloaded before the trip, but we learned quickly that the schedule on the app didn't update when the live schedule did. Some said the website lineup was the most up to date, so we followed that and the timeline on the screens on the Main Stage. It wasn't a huge issue.

For updates before and during the festival, we loved the videos and posts by the Watershed team here.

Verdict: I'm 110 percent in for next year. Camping was rough, and we'll make some adjustments there to be a bit more comfortable. Perhaps, we'll stay at a camp site away from the concert venue that we heard has a shuttle and hot showers. Darling Husband wants to take a boat and spend the daytime hours on the river instead of reading. That's OK. Bunny and I can read on a boat, too!

How a year of travel improved my marriage, myself - A guide to travel therapy

Check out this guy Darling Husband and I met on one of our first trips to the Olympic Peninsula and the Olympic Game Farm in July 2015.

My 29th year was one of turmoil.

Darling Husband and I had moved to a new city. I experienced culture shock in my new hometown, significant homesickness and Darling Husband was unemployed for about six months. Plus, my new job was rewarding and wonderful, but exhausting, emotionally and physically.

In short, we were a mess. I'm still a hot mess some days, but less so because I invested in therapy and it paid off - travel therapy.

Before age 29, I hadn't traveled much. I had been to California, Oregon, Disney World and to the Bahamas on our honeymoon. That was it.

At the gorgeous lavender farm in Sequim, Washington in July 2015.

Darling Husband and I travel really well together. We can get stressed preparing for travel, but the moment we leave, we find our groove and enjoy the adventure and each other.

My desire to see more of the Pacific Northwest and the U.S., and Darling Husband's ability to go along with my crazy ideas (most of the time), led to a life-changing year of healing, discovery and finding something in us and in myself that has made us better and stronger. Here's how we did it.

How to make travel affordable
Our first trip was right after Darling Husband got his new job. We took a trip two hours south to Portland, Oregon, with one goal - only eat out of food trucks for one weekend. It was delicious, fun, quirky, cheap and easy. I took two larger trips this last year, but really explored our corner of the U.S. in the Pacific Northwest. We were not jet setting off to New Orleans every weekend.

The first Ralphie vacation! We took him on a day trip wine and beer tasting in Woodinville, Washington, in July 2015.

We did a day trip to the famous tulip fields in Skagit Valley, or we stayed with family for a long weekend in Walla Walla. We used Groupon to get a seriously discounted hotel room in New Orleans. I always asked about a AAA discount. We learned to set budgets for ourselves on the trips so we would have some guidelines and wouldn't later argue over how much to spend. And, we used our favorite travel agent who scored us free upgrades and saved us loads of time. Time is a cost, too!

I believe, whatever your budget, travel can be available, it just may not be what you think it will be. Start with a budget and go from there.

How to know where to go
I scoured travel magazines. I have the Texture app that gives me loads of magazines for about $10 a month. I read travel publications like Travel + Leisure, Sunset and even Southern Living to earmark where I want to go in the future. I love reading local magazines like South Sound Magazine and 425 Magazine for day trip ideas. Also, Pinterest caught on that I was traveling and sends me ideas via pins for Northwest, U.S. and international travel.

Bunny and I at our favorite cruise location, Labadee, Haiti, in February 2016.

As for where to stay and where to eat, we rely on TripAdvisor and Yelp reviews, in addition to what I've read in the travel mags. I like to look up menus before we try new restaurants to make sure there will be something Darling Husband will enjoy eating. Plus, it gives me an idea of price point and if we'll need to make a reservation.

How often to travel
Until this summer, I was traveling in some capacity every weekend. No joke - I was never home. If Darling Husband was pulling a shift at the fire station, I called up a friend to go with me, or I went alone.

How I kept my job with so much travel
Some travel, like my trip to Indianapolis, Indiana, was actually for work. I had about 80 hours of PTO in my 29th year and my goal was to use all of it. I hope to never leave PTO hours on the table as I did prior to this year. I thought travel was out of reach for us financially. With PTO and regional travel, I was wrong.

Ralphie and I on the beach at Kalaloch, Washington, in November 2015.

As a type A individual who struggles with perfectionism and saying no, (do you know someone like me?) the hardest day was asking my boss for 10 days to go on a Western Caribbean cruise and to Miami Beach in February 2016. I'll never forget, she said "that's a long time." I replied, "it is..." I had the PTO, I had planned perfectly to go during a slower time of the year at work. She let me go and I left my cell phone in Portland and fully disconnected for 10 days. BLISS.

Outcomes
After one year of traveling nearly every weekend, here is how my life has changed.

Better communication with my husband. He and I have been in crazy travel situations and many long car rides together this year. I have learned more about him, what makes him happy, the little cues that show he doesn't want to talk but is upset, and we are able to communicate with each other more effectively. And, the memories we have made this year mean more to me than any gift, home or material item I have ever owned.

Enjoying my sorbellini at Salon in the French Quarter in New Orleans in April 2016.

Reconnecting with old friends. Bunny and I cheered together in college. She LOVES to travel and is an awesome travel partner. Our friendship this year is just as strong as it was in college, after not seeing each other much for about seven years. I need her positive energy in my life. And, while Darling Husband is my great caretaker, Bunny pushes me to my edge and challenges me to step outside my comfort zone and live a little more. This has changed me for the better.

Travel helped me get through challenging weeks at work. At the end of the day, I would come home and cry into my wine glass over what happened that day. Knowing that I was going to Kalaloch with Darling Husband and Ralphie that weekend gave me something to look forward to.

I have a countdown app on my phone that would tell me how many days until the cruise, until New Orleans, etc. I see now I was using travel as escapism. I needed a way to escape my new city and my job. I needed to focus on something other than my situation and it worked for me. I was able to have a hard day, remember that 67 days from now I'll be somewhere fun, and picked myself back up.

The view from Amavi in Walla Walla, Washington in January 2016.

Self discovery. I was sitting in a gorgeous dress at fancy dinner on the cruise ship with Bunny one night and I couldn't stop stressing about how to handle work when I returned home. She looked me straight in the eyes and said "You know you are leaving your job. You just don't know when. When you know what that next move will be, you'll stop stressing."

One month later, I knew where I needed to go. Two months later, I took that new job. Five months later, I feel like my true self again. The time away from the daily grind gave me the space to explore my reality and use feedback from those I trust to change for the better.

This blog and insight into my career. Two months after I started traveling, I started this blog. I'm not writing this to become famous or make money. I needed to write more for my soul. Part of my communications work at the museum was tourism related, and I learned this year through traveling and the blog that I want to dive deeper. It led me to my new job at a statewide hospitality association and I love working in beautiful restaurants and hotels. Many days, it doesn't feel like work.

Sledding at Town Square in Leavenworth, Washington, in December 2015 - our third wedding anniversary.

To be quite honest, as soon as I left my old job and got a bit more settled in our new home, my need to escape has lessened. In turn, I feel my need to travel go from every weekend to one or two weekends a month.

I find myself in a new season. Darling Husband is at my family's lake house each weekend building us a teardrop trailer and that allows me to join him or stay home and take care of our home (that was a bit neglected when we were gone every weekend). This also gives me space to do a weekend girls trip with Bunny or the Junior League gals.

Travel is not going to end for me, but I'm not obsessively planning escapes every weekend. I have a few smaller trips and a few larger trips coming up in my 30th year that I'm very excited about. We have BIG travel plans for our five-year wedding anniversary in January 2018 that we are looking forward to.

I'll be sharing the details with you here after each trip. Thanks for joining me on this crazy ride in my 29th year.

Suncadia Lodge, November 2015

What to Pack, Wear: Woodinville, Washington, Wine Tasting

Bunny and I had a girl's weekend in early June 2016 to celebrate my 30th birthday. Our Bon Vivant Wine Tour was the main event. Here is what I packed and wore for the weekend, plus wine tasting outfit suggestions for the unpredictable Pacific Northwest weather.

• 2 pairs jeans, one black, one purple
• Trench coat
• Black boots
• Leopard print flats
• 2 blouses
• 2 sweaters
• Underwear
• 1 pair socks
• Toiletries
• Umbrella
• Book
• Camera
• Cash (tasting fees, tipping)

What I wore wine tasting

I was inspired by my most-comfortable pair of purple jeans from Stitch Fix. I painted my nails to match and wore layers. Layers are key in the Pacific Northwest because the weather can go from sunny to wind and rain in about five minutes. Plus, some of the winery storage rooms were quite chilly.

On the day we went wine tasting, the weather was partly cloudy, on-and-off drizzly, and about 65 degrees. Yes, this is June in the Pacific Northwest.

My $10 leopard print flats from Macy's are really the best shoe investment I ever made. They add a touch of edge to balance out any girly outfit. Plus, most tasting rooms have you standing at the bar for an hour or more. Do not wear heels. Wear comfy flats or boots.

Nail polish color
OPI Christmas 2014 Gwen Stefani polish called Kiss Me Or Elf. It perfectly matched a malbec I was sipping at home before the trip.

Photo courtesy of  Liz Hover.

What Bunny wore

Bunny wore jeans and a cute purple top. I love this hat she put on over her curls. She always looks so much cooler than I do. She even had a cute leather jacket with her to keep warm.

And some additional spring Woodinville wine tasting outfit ideas - each with a wine-colored pop:

I hope you enjoy your Woodinville wine tasting adventures as much as we did!

Review: Heathman Hotel + Trellis Restaurant - a Girl's Trip to Kirkland & Woodinville, Wash.

Despite a frustrating reservations experience, a stay at the Heathman Hotel in Kirkland, Wash., was a fun girls getaway. Photo courtesy of Preferred Hotels.

In the past year, I have been treated to some amazing girls-only getaways. I found a travel buddy in one of my besties from college and I'm loving our adventures.

I've been married now for 3.5 years and traveling with Darling Husband is rewarding and beneficial for our relationship. But, my appetite for going somewhere new is quite voracious right now, and when he feels like staying home or is on shift at the fire station, I call Bunny.

I was treated to a birthday getaway in Walla Walla by Darling Husband in early June. The next weekend, I got a girls-only trip with Bunny. She had never been wine tasting before, so I called her up and invited her to a Kirkland and Woodinville overnight (second) birthday trip.

The Heathman Hotel is two blocks from this sweet waterfront park where families can feed ducks and wade in Lake Washington.

Reservations Distress

I'm the only millenial who doesn't prefer to book hotels online. I always call and book over the phone. I like that I can talk to a person, ask questions and I can make sure to request a room away from elevators so I can get a good night's sleep.

Getting a reservation at The Heathman Hotel was not easy by phone. It took four calls to get it right. And, when I got through to the reservationist's line, his computer was too slow and he couldn't complete my booking. I ended up making my reservation online while on the phone with him because it was faster.

The hotel had an option to sign up for a Woodinville wine tasting tour and I selected the box in the online booking form. This tour and cost showed up in my email confirmation from the hotel.

Our room (after we took a nap). Typical, executive-style decor. But, it was one of the cleanest rooms I had ever stayed in.

I waited weeks for email details about the tour, but none came. So, the Monday before our Saturday trip, I called to get the tour details. I learned despite the confirmation email, I still hadn't been signed up for the tour. So, I called (two different numbers) to get the Front Desk and I was officially  signed up for the tour and told to meet at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Bunny arrived Friday night and Saturday morning, I was sipping coffee in the quiet of my home, planning to head to Kirkland at 9 a.m., when I got an email from the hotel guest relations manager reminding me of my wine tour - at 10 a.m.! It was 8 a.m.! I called the number in the email and he answered and said it was definitely 10 a.m., not 11 a.m. as I had been told on Monday. I panicked, knowing it would take 1.5 hours at least to drive from Tumwater to Kirkland.

I jumped up, woke Bunny and let her know we had to get on the road asap, and awaited a call back from guest relations. the staff member was hospitable and said we could do the wine tour Sunday or if we missed the 10 a.m. bus, the hotel would shuttle us to the first winery to meet our tour.

Three cheers for awesome options! We went with option 2, got ready and out the door in 25 minutes and actually made it to the hotel at 9:50 a.m.

The view from our room on the back side of the hotel.

Impeccable Hotel

Life was so much better when we arrived at the hotel. Our room wasn't ready, so we had the valet take the car and checked our bags at the Front Desk.

I ran in to use the restroom before our tour and luxury greeted me at every turn. The lobby isn't huge and there's even a dining table in it ... but it was sparkling clean. The restrooms had Heathman Hs embossed in the toilet paper, the end of the roll folded perfectly into a crisp triangle.

The hotel was bustling on a Saturday morning, with the valet ushering guests in and out and patrons stopping in the restaurant. Staff members were friendly, not New Orleans hospitality friendly, but enough.

We were treated to three mini doughnuts at Trellis for breakfast the next morning. Yes, there was a Starbucks a couple of blocks from the hotel, so Bunny was able to have her coveted mocha.

The Heathman is perfectly situated in Kirkland. It's not right on the waterfront and our room had a view of the parking lot, but it's two blocks from a waterfront park, the departing dock for Argosy Cruises and right by a movie theater and PLENTY of shopping. The streets definitely have some foot traffic, but the front of the hotel is on a fairly quiet street comprised of restaurants, shops and topped with expensive condominiums.

After wine tasting, Bunny and I got settled in our room and took a decadent nap before our 7 p.m. dinner reservation. The floor was quiet. I woke up once at 1 a.m. to someone's voice walking down the hall, but that was it.

The furnishings are typical, convention center-style, executive hotel decor. There wasn't anything that nodded to the Pacific Northwest or stood out in my mind.

Trellis Restaurant

My, my Trellis Restaurant is full of energy on a Saturday night! We had a dinner reservation and LOVED that they didn't hustle us out to turn our table over. We dined for about 2 hours. I had blue cheese salad to start and gnocchi in a red sauce for dinner, with a glass of prosecco. Bunny had tomato soup to start and the gnocchi as well, with a lemon drop.

I wish the server had warned us! Way too much breakfast at Trellis Sunday morning.

At the table next to us was a 10-person wedding party, dressed beautifully in sparkles and white. It was fun to be an observer of such a special day for them.

The wait staff was overly attentive, in a good way. They were always bustling around to fill water and check on drinks.

We made a breakfast reservation as well for the next morning, and dined under the covered, heated patio. Bunny had the croissant sandwich, I had the Kirkland Breakfast with fruit and chicken sausage. The portions weren't large at dinner, so we ordered a bigger breakfast. I wish our server would have warned us. It was SO. MUCH. FOOD. We ended up having more than half boxed up to take home, which we promptly forgot about and left behind in our room when we checked out. :/

Verdict: A night at the Heathman is not inexpensive. But! If it fits in the budget, it is a perfect location for a girls getaway. Bunny and I dined, shopped, strolled the waterfront and greatly enjoyed the Bon Vivant Wine Tour set up through the hotel. It is close to a spa/salon, but we couldn't get appointments the week before. But, that could be an extra fun thing to go with a gal pal if you schedule early enough.

What to Pack for Walla Walla, Wash. - Weekend Getaway + Wine Tasting

This outfit is perfect for a spring/summer day of wine tasting or running around town - if it's cool enough for boots. Swap boots for other casual flat footwear like sandals or tennis shoes if above 70 degrees.

Bachelorette weekend? Graduation? Wine tasting with mom or a significant other? Walla Walla, Wash. has beautiful weather, dreamy landscapes and plenty of activities to fill a weekend.

Here is a rundown on what I packed for an early June trip to Walla Walla and tips on how to dress for specific occasions.

Birthday Getaway to Fat Duck Inn with Darling Husband. Temperatures ranged from 75-90 degrees:

• 2 dresses
• 1 skirt
• 1 t-shirt
• 1 pair espadrilles
• 1 bathing suit
• 1 bathing suit cover up
• 1 pair flip flops
• 1 purse (light)
• PJs
• Sunglasses
• 1 pair shorts
• 1 denim jacket (didn't wear)
• SUNSCREEN - Face, shoulders, chest and ears

Light colors will keep you cooler. 

The lowdown

Walla Walla in June can be HOT. It's HOT and DRY. This means you need to dress in layers of light fabric and your hair will have amazing volume. I love casual dresses for air flow (ha) and because you are never under dressed for the wineries or delicious restaurants you may wander into.

Walla Walla is very much a casual, cowboy jeans, college kid town. Winery tasting room attendants are likely wearing nice tops and jeans. It is not a hipster, or LA, put your hair half up in a bun kind of a town.

I love little lace details that nod to the country lifestyle and anything non-restricting to keep cool in the heat. For women, jeans can be downright too hot. Throw on a dress, or shorts and a tee, and make sure to have a light jacket or sweater with you. Many restaurants and wineries are air conditioned (yay!) but AC can be too powerful at times.

When we were in Walla Walla last, we met a bachelorette party wearing a variety of brightly colored, lace dresses. They looked classy, cool and a little bit country.

I LOVE this outfit that's a little bit country, a little bit girly. Shed the jacket when the temps rise.

How to not stick out as a tourist

In the summer, locals live in shorts and t-shirts. The younger crowd loves a store called Forward, with its blingy jeans and cute Western-inspired tops.

Fancier places
I would recommend an outfit a bit dressier for dinner at locations including: The Marc at the Marcus Whitman, Brasserie Four, Saffron, T Maccarone's, any golf course or the symphony.

Some more ideas for hot spring/summer days in Walla Walla:

Cutoffs are great for concerts, the fair or wandering down Main Street.

This is darling for a girls weekend of wine tasting.

Pair with espadrilles or fancy sandals and this outfit can take you from museums, to tasting rooms, to fancier dinners.

I would wear this outfit with some Keds to enjoy the three-hole golf course and sip wine at Three Rivers Winery.

I hope that helps! Stay cool out there!