Going to Israel has always been on my bucket list. As a Jew, visiting the country means a lot to my culture and religion. Israel offers a free birthright trip for Jewish youth between the ages of 18-26 as a way to connect with the culture and history of the country and get to learn more about life in Israel.
Read MoreTis the season for cozy fires, tasty snacks, and delicious holiday cocktails. With so many holiday parties to host and attend, everyone has a favorite holiday cocktail. I tend to go for lighter, fruitier drinks over the heavier cream based dessert cocktails, but to each his own!
Read MoreHaving Marshall has been such an amazing experience, and I can't wait to spend many more years with him. He is sweet, loving, fun and adventurous. I am able to take him on car rides and to the office, and he loves meeting new people. He wakes us up in the morning with cuddles and loud purrs, and keeps us entertained in the evenings with his wild games. I love him more than I could ever imagine!
Read MoreLooking at Christmas lights has always been one of my favorite ways to enjoy the holiday season. I love driving through neighborhoods at night to see the decorated houses, and it has always been a tradition to check out at least one of the places on the list below each year. Each of the places below offers a different experience, from a leisurely drive to an adventurous walk among the animals. Whichever sort of Christmas light experience you are looking for, Portland has you covered!
Read MoreI love shopping for gifts for my friends and family. I think it is so much fun picking out the perfect present that matches their personality and that I know they will love. Giving out my own list of gifts doesn't tend to come quite so easily to me, but below are some of the items I have been lusting over. David and I just moved into a new apartment at the end of October, so figuring out home decor has been a top priority. These are the items that would make a perfect home decor gift for anyone on your list.
Read MoreOne of my favorite days of the week is always Tuesday, the day my office and I go on Brokers Tour, better known as Tuesday Tour! Every Tuesday Realtor's with new homes put them open on Tuesdays for other agents to see new listings and get a chance to socialize and network with other agents. It is a great chance to look at homes you might not otherwise get to see, preview homes for a client, and spend time with the other agents in my office!
Read MoreOne of my favorite activities is dreaming about my future home. Being a Realtor, I am constantly looking at homes, and I get so many decorating ideas and inspiration from touring different homes. I have so many things planned on how I want my future home to look, and I can't wait until I have the means to make my dreams come true!!
Read MoreI have an obsession with agates. I love the colors, particularly the blue tones, the texture, and the glamorous yet natural aesthetic they provide. I just moved into a new apartment in October, and I knew that I wanted to use agates to help decorate in some way.
Read MoreIt’s kind of sad to say, but even though I have grown up in Portland and lived here for most of my life, I have never actually gone on the OHSU tram! The tram takes riders from the South Waterfront area of Portland up to OHSU, or Oregon Health and Science University. OHSU is both a hospital and school, with different locations scattered throughout Portland, but the main building is up in the SW Hills. It employs many people, most of whom take the tram every day to get to work (there is barely any parking on the hill).
Read MoreThe first thing that strikes you when you meet Nadya Okamoto, Executive Director of Camions of Care, is her unrelenting passion for her cause. At only 17 years old, the fact that she has been able to cultivate such an incredible community around her cause is awe-inspiring, and speaking with her is an inspiring experience in-and-of itself. Her creation is Camions of Care, which advocates for women’s rights and natural needs by distributing feminine hygiene products to underprivileged women. Nadya officially started the program almost a year ago (their one year anniversary is December 1, 2015), but the idea had been brewing for almost three years prior, since her freshman year of high school.
Read MoreI have a lot of history with Santa Barbara. My dad lived there most of his life, and his mom stayed there until just a few years ago, when she moved with my aunt and uncle to Berkley. My mom is from Palos Verdes but moved up to Santa Barbara to attend UCSB for college. She met my dad there, and they lived there for about 5 years before moving up to Oregon together.
Read MoreThis past weekend David and I took a much needed trip to the countryside and had an amazing time staying at the Bali House outside of Silverton, Oregon, about 1 hour south of Portland. We are moving in together (!!!) this Friday, and with all the stresses of the move, the upcoming holidays, and lots of winter travel this year, the trip was everything we could have wanted.
Read MoreThe Heathman Hotel in Portland is known for their tea, and it is especially popular at Christmas time, when the hotel is decked out in decorations and you can enjoy your tea next to a blazing fire. Our experience was on one of the last days of summer, but it was definitely still every bit as beautiful!
Read MoreSeattle is such an amazing city, filled with great food, art and culture. I love exploring the different neighborhoods and walking through town, stumbling across a cool new bar or restaurant.
Read MoreIf you haven't been to Departure, you are missing out! Portland isn't known for their rooftop bars (although this is changing), but Departure is located high above the city and offers amazing views of Portland. With two outdoor decks (one for dinner service, the other a designated bar with a delicious happy hour), as well as a full indoor restaurant, the views cannot be missed
Read MorePortland is known for having great beer and breweries, so this past Saturday we organized a small brew tour through Northwest Portland.
Stop 1: Lucky Lab
Lucky Lab has multiple locations in Portland, but my favorite is located right in my hood, on 19th and Quimby. My favorite aspect is the great outdoor patio, which encourages customers to bring their furry friends for a beer and pizza. I love getting to see all the dogs, and the atmosphere is the perfect spot to hang out with a group of friends on a sunny day.
I've never been a big camper. I love the outdoors, but going to the bathroom outside and sleeping on the floor? Not exactly my idea of a great time. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of it, but in practice I can usually only handle about one night before I start really missing the comforts of home.
Glamping, on the other hand, is right up my alley.
Read MoreI cannot wait to have a dog. I would love to have a little friend that I can take everywhere with me, that I can snuggle with at home, and that gives me a great reason to get outside more and go on more walks (especially to our neighborhood dog park!). However, I definitely know that I am not at a point in my life where I'm ready to be a responsible enough dog-mom, so for now I have to hold off. What keeps me going, though, is dog-sitting!
Read MoreThe Bite is always one of my favorite events of the year in Portland, combining two of my favorite things- socializing and eating!
Read MoreEvery year, Portland hosts a great Real Estate Event called the Street of Dreams. 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the event, and my first year attending as a realtor! The event runs from August 1st through the 30th, and I attended this past Monday, Realtor's Day.
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