We are lazy, wandering vacationers. We don't do research on all the best hikes, the places to eat, the most swanky place to stay. I remember my past self as the go get 'em type, but when I think back on the evidence to support that memory, I find I have always been a less than ambitious traveler. Evidence: I often remember a book I read on vacation versus what I did. On our honeymoon to Italy I read Anna Karenina, but I have a hard time recalling each city we traveled to. It takes looking at notes to remember the order.
Back to pre-travel research, sometimes if someone offers up suggestions during casual conversation, we'll turn to each other and say, "Ahhh, that sounds great! We'll have to remember that!" Then normally, we don't remember. We mean to, but somehow, it just falls away. And doesn't discovery take away half the pleasure of vacation? Don't we go on vacation, in part, to remind ourselves that we are capable of discovery, of adventuring?
When we travel, we generally just find a place that allows us to walk to stuff and go for it. We end up not doing a ton, but we always have a good time. So, partially because we don't do much and partially because I don't want to give unwanted advice since I myself don't want it, when I give travel recommendations, I try to stick to one very easy thing. Then I don't get hurt when the people inevitably don't do that thing. Here is the one thing we did. And I won't be sad if you don't do it:
Go to Looney Bean Coffee. It's back yard (it's basically in an old house) is butted up to Drake Park and we loved it because it was fenced, partially shaded, and littered with both adult and kid Adirondack chairs. We were able to let Beckett roam from tree to chair to bench and enjoy a beautiful view of a little motor free lake while sipping on two of the richest and creamiest iced mochas I've ever had. I'm not normally a mocha drinker, but when Tim, who without fail orders an Americano or a drip, ordered one, I didn't want to miss out on the fun. I was reminded that I can still adventure, if only in a tiny, tiny way. Or perhaps this is evidence that I cannot adventure any more, but I chose to not linger on that possibility.
Back to pre-travel research, sometimes if someone offers up suggestions during casual conversation, we'll turn to each other and say, "Ahhh, that sounds great! We'll have to remember that!" Then normally, we don't remember. We mean to, but somehow, it just falls away. And doesn't discovery take away half the pleasure of vacation? Don't we go on vacation, in part, to remind ourselves that we are capable of discovery, of adventuring?
When we travel, we generally just find a place that allows us to walk to stuff and go for it. We end up not doing a ton, but we always have a good time. So, partially because we don't do much and partially because I don't want to give unwanted advice since I myself don't want it, when I give travel recommendations, I try to stick to one very easy thing. Then I don't get hurt when the people inevitably don't do that thing. Here is the one thing we did. And I won't be sad if you don't do it:
Go to Looney Bean Coffee. It's back yard (it's basically in an old house) is butted up to Drake Park and we loved it because it was fenced, partially shaded, and littered with both adult and kid Adirondack chairs. We were able to let Beckett roam from tree to chair to bench and enjoy a beautiful view of a little motor free lake while sipping on two of the richest and creamiest iced mochas I've ever had. I'm not normally a mocha drinker, but when Tim, who without fail orders an Americano or a drip, ordered one, I didn't want to miss out on the fun. I was reminded that I can still adventure, if only in a tiny, tiny way. Or perhaps this is evidence that I cannot adventure any more, but I chose to not linger on that possibility.
We were actually there with my family for my cousin's wedding, which was held at the High Desert Museum. If I were going to recommend another thing to do, which I am definitely not, I would recommend this. What a great place to have a wedding! We saw some birds, sleeping beavers, and learned all over about the perils of the Oregon Trail.
But what will I remember most? Well, although vacationing with a baby doesn't leave a lot of downtime for reading long Russian novels, it does require the same amount of travel. And since Beckett did not sleep well the night before we left to Bend or the night we headed home to Spokane, we were poor in energy but rich with time: we had 6 plus hours to talk and listen to this tender account of a non-traditional family. So the thing I will probably remember best about this trip is a book. We listened to We are All Completely Besides Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler on tape. By tape, I mean CD, of course. (the Spokane Public Library has tons) We highly recommend it. We also recommend that you do not read anything about it, including the article I linked or the book jacket, before you read it. Just dive in.
Anyone have a recommendation for a singular awesome thing in Bend, OR?
But what will I remember most? Well, although vacationing with a baby doesn't leave a lot of downtime for reading long Russian novels, it does require the same amount of travel. And since Beckett did not sleep well the night before we left to Bend or the night we headed home to Spokane, we were poor in energy but rich with time: we had 6 plus hours to talk and listen to this tender account of a non-traditional family. So the thing I will probably remember best about this trip is a book. We listened to We are All Completely Besides Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler on tape. By tape, I mean CD, of course. (the Spokane Public Library has tons) We highly recommend it. We also recommend that you do not read anything about it, including the article I linked or the book jacket, before you read it. Just dive in.
Anyone have a recommendation for a singular awesome thing in Bend, OR?