My five weekly items of joy, inspiration and fun.

Beaverton Women's Club Casino Night

My mom is a member of the Beaverton Women's Club, a group that aims to enhance the lives of others in the community through volunteer work and fundraising. One of their biggest fundraisers of the year is their Casino Night, which David and I attended with my mom last weekend.

We all enjoyed great food, drinks, and had fun losing our money playing blackjack and poker. I got to try craps for the first time and met some great members of my community. All of the proceeds were donated to local non-profit organizations, and everyone walked away from the event with a renewed sense of charitable intentions.

Happy Hour at Jo Bar

One of the most well known restuarants in NW Portland, especially for their desserts, is Papa Haydn. It is the perfect place to go for dinner, or equally good if you are just looking for a decadent slice of cake. Attached to Papa Haydn is Jo Bar, a fantastic, comfortable yet upscale bar that is ideal for a rainy day cocktail. After a busy Monday this week a friend and I stopped by for a drink and some snacks and couldn't have been happier with the ambiance, service and quality. Pictured is my Mandarin Dragon, a delicious cocktail that blended the sweet/tartness of mandarins with a bit of heat from a local pepper infused vodka. I also had the Fondue, a tasty blend of fontina and gorgonzola cheeses with apples, carrots and bread for dipping. My friend had the margarita and cobb salad, which both looked delicious as well!

Chew Dining Club

This week I heard about the new Chew Dining Club app from my good friend Ernest and couldn't wait to try it out! It is based out of Portland and right now features 10 restaurant members. Visiting the restaurants and using the app to check in earns you different rewards, from free appetizers, drinks and/or entrees at the restaurant to gift cards and more! When you sign up you automatically get a reward for the restaurant of your choice, and visiting all 10 restaurants gets you a $100 gift card to one of them! Not only is the app a great excuse to visit some new spots in Portland, it is also hoping to foster a community of like-minded foodies in the Portland area. I for one am onboard!

Apple Store Realtor Event

This week I attended an event put on by Chicago Title to help educate Realtors about different apps and tools we can use on our mobile devices to help us with our jobs. We got to go to the Downtown Portland Apple Store, an amazing building on 5th and Yamhill, before the store was open to the general public. The top apps that I want to start implementing in my business are Keynote, Camera+, Noteability & Enlight. I learned even more information and tips for the RPR app, which I am already a huge fan of, and now am dying to get an Ollo Clip! If you need any tips or tricks let me know :)

Nob Hill Business Association

Cooper Realty, the real estate firm that I work for, has been a member of the Nob Hill Business Association for years. Not only do I work in Nob Hill, I also live here, so the neighborhood holds a strong place in my heart. On Wednesday night Joe Lyons, one of my fellow realtors, was voted as the new President of the Nob Hill Business Association! We are so proud and excited to see what he will bring to the organization.