Five weekly items of inspiration, fun and joy.

Moscow Mule Cups

One of my all-time favorite drinks is the Moscow Mule. I am obsessed with ginger, so for me the strong bite of a good ginger beer mixes perfectly with the sharpness of lime and vodka. David goes for the Kentucky Mule (made with whiskey instead of vodka), but agrees that a good ginger beer is the perfect mixer (our favorite is Cock N' Bull, but we have been experimenting and finding other good brands as well!).

One essential to a good moscow, or kentucky, mule is the copper mug. They get incredibly cold and keep your drink icy and fresh. Plus, the copper color looks so good on a bar cart! We got ours on Amazon, but they are all over. Just make sure to get a pure copper set!

Kiva Tea Cafe Spa

I always used to walk by Kiva on my way to work and thought it looked like the cutest place. What has drawn my eye is the great looking coffee and tea, but they also have a highly acclaimed day spa! I finally went about a month ago with my mom, and now I'm hooked!

They have fantastic tea and coffee drinks, as well as different breakfast and lunch bowls, and some Vietnamese Dishes. They also make fantastic fresh fruit juices or smoothies. My favorite drink is the honey matcha latte, and I love the Bombay bowl for a hearty, healthy lunch. They also have a cute little spa shop area, which is always fun to browse while waiting!

The Confidence Project

I attended a fantastic seminar this week hosted by Tracy Hooper of the Confidence Project. Tracy teaches workshops on how to improve self-confidence in interactions and personally. The class I attended was just a teaser, and Tracy spent the time going over what may seem incredibly basic but is actually quite an art: introductions. We practiced saying our name, shaking hands, and handling potentially awkward introduction issues (such as knowing you have met the person before, but not being able to remember their name!).

One of the most interesting things in the class, however, was learning about the power pose. The power pose involves standing with your hands in the air, like you are running through a finish line, or firmly on your hips, like superman, for 2 minutes before an important interview, speech, or another occasion that might make you nervous. There has been research done that doing this pose actually changes your brain chemistry for the better and makes you more prepared to be confident and strong.

I highly encourage you to check out Tracy's workshops if you ever have the chance! Even if you think these ideas seem simple, they are actually so basic that many of us have forgotten how to properly deal with these situations. Tracy is a lively, fun woman and I look forward to learning more from her.

Trivia Night at Cruz Room

I love finding cool events to do around Portland. I try to do things that only happen every so often, such as festivals, special shows or concerts, and other more one-off events. However, a tried and true has always been Trivia Night. Loads of bars around Portland host trivia nights, so you can find on almost every single night!

One of the best bars/restaurants in Portland for a casual bite to eat and a good drink is the Cruz Room. They have about 10-15 different tacos to choose from, but they aren't your traditional taco. With multiple vegan options, as well as plenty of meat for the carnivores out there, everyone will leave happy. Last time I went I had a taco called the Nina's Carnitas with sweet braised jackfruit and fresh jalepeno slaw, The Forager, a roasted cauliflower polenta cake topped with fresh kale in a creamy faux ceaser dressing and crispy shallots, and the more traditional Na-Cho-Taco. Think fine dining on a budget, wrapped in a tortilla. So. Good.

Check out trivia night on Tuesday's for a great host, great food, and a great time!

Ocean Beach, San Diego

My best group of girlfriends and I love to do yearly trips together to decompress, have fun, and spend time together. You might think we don't see each other much, but we actually all live in Portland! It is just a nice opportunity to spend time together away from the stress of home.

This year we are planning a trip to San Diego and we couldn't be more excited!! It has been terrible weather in Portland this winter, so it will be nice to get away from the rain and spend some time in the sun and on the beach. We already booked a place to stay in Ocean Beach, but let me know if you have any recommendations of things to do, places to eat, sights we have to see, etc. So excited!!