Commissary Cafe, Greens and Selfies {What I'm Loving Now}

Commissary Cafe

Commissary Cafe is a relatively new spot in Portland and just so happens to be a few blocks from my apartment.  The coffee is robust, the food tasty and everyone who works there is so kind!  The space is truly inspiring and lust-worthy!  The giant windows and skylights keep everything light and bright, while taking in the beautifully tree-lined street.  The furnishings are simple yet memorable, lending themselves to the beautiful architectural features.  The cafe also houses a very distinct piece of mirror art.  It is a social media darling and some kind of hack is certainly in the works.  I have no doubt about that.  I am already trying to find ways to capture this "feeling" in my own home.  What spaces and shops inspire you?

Spring Meals

Spring has arrived in Portland and I certainly don't hate it!  The days have been sunny, it gets greener every day and the happiness is radiating from everyone's face!  We have also had rather consistent evening rain storms which smell fantastic.  

Another perk of Spring is the light, healthy,  and yummy meals.  Last night I prepared artichokes and warmed up a medley of olives.  It was very easy and felt like such a special treat.  My friend who joined us for dinner had never had artichokes outside of dip.  How do you like your artichokes?  Do you have a favorite Spring meal?

Sunday Selfies

Selfies aren't really my thing.  I would much rather share pictures of my food or environment, not my mug.  I don't mind being in group photos taken by others, or, even orchestrating said shot.  This past Sunday, after lots of cleaning and a light work out I snuggled up with my roommates dog, Athena, while we all chatted.  Snuggles are to Athena, like selfies are to me.  So, this show of affection and quality snuggle time needed to be captured.  Hey, if Athena is willing to go out of her comfort zone to make me happy, I can go out of mine to photograph the milestone!  Do you selfie?

Friday Five {What I've Been Eating}

Portland is a food city!  There are so many amazing restaurants and creative people.  The Food Carts, restaurants and bloggers always bring so much to the table.  It is inspiring.

It can also be a bit unhealthy.  Which is why I try to follow a rule of thumb that I cannot eat out more than three times a week.  This includes coffee runs, lunches, etc.  Because of this rule, I cook a majority of my meals at home.  Shocking!  I know.  I eat more than three meals a week.  And, I write a food blog.  BUT, for me, that is still a lot of at home cooking.  Especially when trying to keep it original, tasty and healthy-ish!

If you are following me on Instagram you already saw my version of pepperoni pizza.  I stopped by City Market and grabbed a few cheeses and spicy salami options.  I then pan crisped the dough in EVOO on the stove , assembled the pizza and finished it off in a 475 oven.  Best part... it cost less than $10 to make!

This week, I was able to have coffee with the lovely Jane from In The Pink and Green!  The conversation was delightful, the weather gorgeous, and, the drip coffee with steamed hazelnut milk was magical!

Remember Portland Dining Month?  Well, it is still happening!  And, I was able to eat at Genoa.  It was a truly memorable experience.  The service was top notch and the food was so delicious.  It was also an incredible deal.

I made this Pinkberry Original Fro-Yo Copycat recipe this week!  It tastes like the real thing!

I also sauteed cabbage in lemon juice and dijon mustard this week.  It was crunchy, tangy and very filling.

Paris in Portland with Peachbuzzed

I always factor in the restrooms when judging a restaurant.  I think it says a lot about the establishment.  Do the owners care about the little details?  Is hygiene a top priority?  Do they remember patron's needs -- good lighting and dry shampoo-- when hitting the loo?

This past weekend I was able to have lunch at Maurice with my friend Peaches!  The bathroom is absolutely fantastic!  The most charming translations of "Attention" have been painted throughout.  Its bright, fresh and cheery!

Oh, wait!  The food!  Yes, yes!  It was fantastic!!!  Hence, why the exclamation mark count for this review is off the charts.  While this is a new addition to the Portland food scene I had heard a lot of great things. It did not disappoint!  Every last detail was pure perfection.  Not at all pretentious.  But so very inspiring. 

We each started off with drip coffees.  They were tasty and certainly woke me up.  

The cups and silver creamer were a great touch!

I had the Lefse with Gravlax, Creme Fraiche and Caviar.  

It was a bright and fresh dish; not at all fishy.

Peaches had chicken pot pie's fancy, elegant, gourmet cousin.  And a cutie.  Never forget the deliciousness of a cutie.  

We split one of the most delicious pastries I have ever consumed.  Paris status pastry magic!  If a donut married a brioche roll and lived in a house made of eclairs and nutella this is what it would produce.  And it would be called, perfection! 

In addition to the fantastic food and snazzy salle de bain, the service was top notch!  Our server, James, was an absolute delight.  He was funny, knowledgeable and completely tolerated my obsession with the bathroom.  The owner and food artist Kristen kindly answered all of my questions about her food, social media accounts, the bathroom, and, the beautiful plates.  She is truly passionate about Maurice, and it shows in every detail.

One more for posterity's sake!