Heather Loved It!: April 2012

The weekend before last I went on a little girls-weekend on the Oregon coast. Ahhh the Oregon coast. The rain. The mist. The clouds. The rain. I must admit though, the coast is not without it's charm. If you ever visit, I recommend my favorite parts: Manzanita and Cannon Beach. Plan on spending most of your time inside. (preferably by a fire. even in the dead of summer.) Pack a rain coat and deal with the fact that your hair is probably not going to look it's best. Then, go exploring! You'll fall in love with the small town feel and adorable stores. Oh, plus, the ocean is pretty cool too.

Manzanita:

This little beach town is just what it claims to be: A town. It's real small. Basically one main street a few blocks long. But what cute blocks! The main grocery store in town has everything a gourmet cook would want! (if it's not there, it's not anywhere) A wine bar. Vino. Love. Shops that have actual cute items. (i.e; not t-shirts that say MANZANITA with a picture of whales forming a heart.) Here are a couple pictures from my decidedly favorite of the shops, Wisteria Chic.

Oh, by the way, I am known now for the term "loved it!" but just so you know, I just as frequently use the term, "hated it!" when something rubs me the wrong way. And let me just say, the cute little toy store in Manzanita has rightfully earned the title "HATED IT!" Do me a favor, if you're ever in Manzanita and you really want to buy a toy for whatever reason, just don't buy it from the mean-clearly-not-cut-out-to-run-a-toy-store lady in Manzanita. If you see this sign, steer clear. (or go inside and whip out your camera and take as many shots as possible!)

If you're hungry from all the shopping (or running from the toy shop lady) time to stop for a burrito! Make your way across the street down to Left Coast Siesta. And if you like hot sauce this place was meant for you!

the hottest hot sauce of them all? The Ultimate Burn!

South of Manzanita is a place called Tillamook. You may know the name from the ice cream you buy. Yes, it is the same Tillamook. If you decide to drive down there you must take the Tillimook Cheese Factory tour! And the one other place to visit is the Blue Heron French Cheese Company. Endless dips, sauces, dressings and cheeses to sample! It's a barn full of wonderfulness! Don't go without doing a wine tasting.

after the wine tasting:

...just kidding!

Now it's time to head north to Cannon Beach. Cannon Beach is my favorite place on the Oregon coast! Great places to eat and shop! The best store in Cannon Beach, if you ask me, is a store called Sesame and Lilies. It's a gift shop meets a home goods store meets and interior design company peppered with some seriously nice clothing. In other words, there's a little of everything. The downstairs part of the store has lotions, jewelry, bathrobes, gormet olive oil and balsamic vinigar. (you get the idea, right?) The upstairs of the store has rooms they've furnished, giving you an idea of how they could design your interior- and everything is for sale of course.

Of course, there is more to Cannon Beach than Sesame and Lilies. (although, trust me, you'll never want to leave that store.) Two more shops are worth checking out. Josephine's and Purple Moon. Josephine's is an adorable gift shop/kitschy home goods and jewelry shop. Purple Moon is a great clothing store. (and also sells shoes and accessories.)