Butter goes to...

My sister is living the fabulous LA life and just happens to live down the street from Runyon Canyon. What is Runyon Canyon, you say? It's the hot spot in LA to go for a run. We used to visit Runyon frequently when we lived in the Hollywood Hills and I have fond memories of walks taken there with my mom and Greg. I don't know why on earth I ever stopped going!

There are a couple of courses to choose from in the Canyon, and one happens to be very steep and quite the challenge. As you can imagine, I was feeling pretty accomplished after reaching the top. My brother Julian patiently waited for us at the top and then we ran back down as one happy little family. 

But the views! Oh, the views- you must see them! You can see the entire city and quite a good glimpse at the Hollywood sign. Plus, it's excellent people watching up there. Hardly anyone is wearing proper work out gear, and I spotted numerous women attempting to "exercise" in bikini tops. 

It's a fun little adventure if you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods! 

Butter Goes For A Hike

Last weekend my sister in law and I went for a hike through Forest Park here in Portland. When I first moved here I would go for walks through Forest Park pretty frequently. My first apartment was only a few blocks away from one of the entrances and I was in love with the fact that unlike Los Angeles, you could have nature and the city all in one. I have to admit, I am by no means the "outdoorsy type", demonstrated by the fact that we leisurely hiked through the park with lattes in hand. Regardless, it was a lovely way to spend our Sunday afternoon and it reminded me of just how much I enjoy Forest Park!

Look how beautiful it is! 

There is this little stone cabin down by the river in the middle of the park. I am so curious about the history of this little house. It has no roof and there are no signs about why it is there. It's two levels and you can walk around in it, but it is quite small. Time to do some research! 

I can't wait to go back! 

Central Park and the UWS

Good job, New York. You really got it right with Central Park. As you can see we had lovely weather over the weekend (although it was a bit too windy) and people were out and about enjoying their gorgeous city. We only saw a tiny portion of the grounds, but it's already one of my favorite places. The photo above is of the Sheep Meadow, which was bustling with happy families and adorable puppies. We also walked up to Strawberry Fields so that I could see the John Lennon Imagine memorial. It was an incredibly moving experience. People were gathered around and singing along to his songs as a fan played the tunes on his guitar.

Tim was happy to see so many runners and next time we'll take our own jog through the park. There was no way our tired legs would have let us enjoy that during this trip. So we took a leisurely stroll instead. 

After the park we visited the Dakota and explored the Upper West Side. There were some great shops and beautiful walk up brick homes. We also stopped by Magnolia bakery and indulged in a pumpkin cheesecake with a ginger walnut crust. It was A-MAZ-ING. 

More to come!

Happy Places: Parks

I am a city girl at heart but nothing makes me swoon quite like a gorgeous park in the middle of a big city.  You can see why I am looking forward to visiting Central Park in NYC- it's the ultimate city park! Today I thought I'd share a few of my favorite city parks.

VONDELPARK: Amsterdam is already a terribly charming city and when you add in a gorgeous park like Vondelpark my little heart swoons. I love watching all of the adorable Dutch families and usually bring along a little snack and fresh juice to enjoy in the sunshine.

FOREST HEIGHTS PARK: This park holds a special place in my heart. Tim brought me here when we first starting dating and it has been one of our favorite romantic spots to visit ever since. It's a small park nestled in the west hills of Portland but it's quite lovely. We grab a coffee in the little village nearby and walk around until we find a bench to sit at and talk or admire the beautiful scenery.

VILLA PAMPHILI: Although this park is a little out of the way it was one of my favorite spots to visit in Rome. It's huge and full of gorgeous umbrella pine trees. You can easily spend an entire day roaming the grounds, visiting the historic villa, and hanging with the locals. 

There's oh so many more I'd love to share but they will simply have to wait for another day!

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Vondelpark photo via switchimage; Villa Pamphili image via this site