Small Town America. The Queen of Dairy. Part 3.

I visited the local La Pine Dairy Queen for a custom Blizzard (choco chips, cookie dough, and carmel) and visited with the cashier, Kayla.  

Christmas

Kayla

Name: Kayla

Favorite Blizzard: Reindeer Bites

Favorite town visited: Bend, Oregon

Best place to shop in Bend: Rue 21

Routine

Heat

Small Town America. Bi-Mart Guns. Part 2.

I stopped in La Pine's local Bi-Mart to look around and I was lucky enough to run into Cheryl, a local hunter and long-time La Piner.  She knew everything and more about hunting and guns so I was naturally curious to ask her about her hobbies, considering I've never been hunting or held a gun.

Death at the Grocery

Guns

Cheryl

 Scope

Name: Cheryl E. Heutzenroeder

Favorite animal to hunt: Elk

Favorite animal to eat Elk

Favorite gun: My custom built 270 (10.5 pounds)

Favorite holiday: Christmas

Ma's New Toy

Cheryl showed me the store's album of pictures that hunters had brought to the store after a day of shooting.  She explained that this picture is a reason why you should never set up a self-timer on a tri-pod camera while hunting in the woods by yourself.  The man, posing with his freshly killed elk, had no idea that there was a cougar moving in on his game.  It wasn't until he had the photo developed that he noticed the cougar only feet away from him, ready to attack the claim the dead elk.

Small Town America. Part I.

This is my first installment of my short series on small town America.  These pictures were taken in La Pine, Oregon, a town of about 1,500 in central Oregon, close to Bend and Sunriver.  These three pictures were shot at the local St. Vincent De Paul store in the out skirts of town.  The store contained hundreds of decorative santas, stockings, wreaths, holiday attire, and fake Christmas trees.  I found an amazing silk, hand-beaded and sequined top from the 80s that I will be rockin' on New Years Eve and my early January ugly sweater birthday bash.

Name: Lorraine Lovett

Things Lorraine Collects: Lighthouses (which are abundant at St. Vinny's)

Name: Ele

Favorite bi-weekly nail Salon: Nails by Joe (Most women in La Pine have a permanent appointment with Joe who has been doing their nails for years.  He is famous for his artistic ability and airbrush nail talent at affordable prices.  I once had my nails done and painted red, black, and white zebra stripes- see below)

Names: Cindy Smith and Becky Vowell

How long have you lived here?: (Cindy) I have lived here for 19 years and Becky has been here for 20.

Favorite things to do in La Pine: Fishing and hiking.

PAC. MAN.

Once again, I must apologize (hopefully for the last time) for not posting anything for so long!  I had a very intense and busy summer including a surgery, a trip to the bay area, the sale of my childhood home, and a cross country trip from Wisconsin to Oregon with Ben.  I also attended my aunt's wedding in Grants Pass, Oregon.  During my short visit, I walked around the quaint and beautiful town and documented the signs adorning the many old brick buildings.

Wisconsin. Cheese Factory.

I got back from visiting my boyfriend, Ben, in Wisconsin a few days ago.  On one of the first nights of my visit he took me to his friends house.  In their back yard you can find The Cheese Factory, which looks like an old garage from the outside, but was once really a cheese factory.  Ben and his band practice their music and have concerts in the rustic old building.  These are some pictures I took while watching them play.
Also, my picture is up on America's Next Top Model and I would love it if you voted for me!  Click here to vote, I am the first person pictured in the white skirt! Thank you!

Stripes and Signs.

Once again I must apologize for the lack of recent posts!  I just came back from visiting my wonderful boyfriend in Wisconsin.  I was there for two weeks and spent most of my time lovin' on him and taking pictures.  Now I am home and there will be many Wisco pictures to come!  However, I haven't quiet had the time to sort through those pictures yet so these pictures come from a fun day out with my girlfriend Tayler yesterday.  We spent most of the day with one of my friends from college, Kelly, at the Jazz festival in North Portland, St. John area.  We bathed in the sun while chatting, eating gyros, and taking in the music and people.  I took these pictures of the signs all over St. John, which are fabulously old and beautiful!  


On a totally different note, today Tayler and I auditioned at the cycle 16 America's Next Top Model casting call in downtown Portland at a local beauty school!  It was interesting to see the people who showed up at the casting call.  The whole experience, aside from being extremely time consuming, was simultaneously fun/exhilarating and bazaar.  Soon my picture will be up online on the website and I need my readers to vote for me!!  I will let you know when the opportunity to vote arrives (will be sometime around Tuesday).

On me: shorts: vintage LUX, shirt: Urban Outfitters, purse: Goodwill, shoes: Goodwill.

One Dress. Seven Venues.

Recently, I went out with my best friend Tayler for a day of shopping, eating, and exploring.  We created a photo essay of our day featuring our outfits!  On me: Dress: Urban Outfitters, sandals: Steve Madden, Purse: Banana Republic.  Which one is your favorite?

  

Restaurant. Le Pigeon.

For Father's day, my family went out for an exquisite dinner at Le Pigeon in Portland and devoured the perfect three-course meals.  This restaurant has been named one of the best restaurants in the country (and a few say the world) by countless magazines including; The New York Times, People, The Oregonian, Gourmet Magazine, Bon Appetite Magazine, and The Washington Post.  The restaurant itself is small and romantic with an open kitchen where people may view chef and owner, Gabriel Rucker, at his best.  The menu changes regularly but always includes interesting items like bone marrow and pig's ear.

Above: Dad enjoys pig's ears over spring onions, radish, and mustard cream (also seen below) for Father's day.

We also shared a lamb tongue appetizer (not featured) with peas, morels and truffles.

Above: Mom had the smoked pork with funnel and white beans.

Above: Dad and I both had the Duck with bread pudding, porcini, and walnuts (it was fantastic).

Above: though we were all quite full, we managed to squeeze room for dessert!  This is Dad's creme brulee with chocolate shortbread cookie and espresso pot de creme.

Above: Mom enjoyed her cashew cake with chocolate semifreddo and tiramisu mousse.

Above: I had a wonderful strawberry marscapone trifle with strawberry salad and basil lemon shortbread.

Above: jacket: Nordstrom, shirt: Frenchi, undershirt: Banana Republic, jeans: Citizens for Humanity, heels: Steve Madden.

Above: I had the pleasure of meeting Hannah Rucker, the owner/chef's wife who posed for a picture of her and her lovely outfit.  On her: shirt: vintage Ralph Lauren from Hatties, jeans: Levi's "San Francisco," shoes: Jeffery Cambel (they have pink stitching, I love them!), watch: Swatch, bracelet: AIDS awareness.  I hope you visit Le Pigeon if you are ever in Portland and I hope you have the pleasure of meeting Hannah!  She is so nice (and stylish)!