Like many a modern lady, enough is never enough when it comes to tote bags. I watched the entire first season of The Mindy Project on a recent flight and I couldn't help but giggle in agreement at this scene (1:25 sec - 2:32 sec) in Episode 2.
And now, I have Miss Millie tote bags. They'll be available on my shop later this week.
Millie x
Possibly the most exciting time of year is adding new sock monkey colours to the kit range. These three will be making their debut in December as soon as the nessesary bits and peices arrive from the printer.
I love having a green monkey in the range. Being made from socks the kits are at the mercy of fashion to a degree and green hasn't shown up as a trend colour for a few years now. When I spotted these socks in bright green + little ladybirds I figured we had a winner.
Millie x
Witness the evolution of my stall for Spring Gift Fair from empty cubicle, to furnished beginnings, and finally to monkey populated completion.
If you're coming to the fair you'll find me in Shed 7, Stall 7122.
Millie x
Just two short blocks full of Portland's food carts separates me from Knit Purl during this 3 month stay. I even became the Mayor yesterday as I joined Sivia Harding and a bunch of keen Oregonian knitters for a full day workshop on the art of designing our own top-down triangle shawl.
I chose a really simple triangle leaf design and used a pretty autumnal shade of copper in silky cotton and I'm quite chuffed with the result thus far. Just a few hundred rows to go...
Millie x
Inspired by our recent Oregon fly fishing adventure I went down to Powells in search of further fishy reading and came across this little gem instead.
Clearly the cover is a bit of an attention grabber, but apart from being a chic gun toting red-head, Georgia Pellegrini describes a life that has gone full circle. From a rural, semi-self sufficient childhood, to trader at Lehman Brothers to the French Culinary Institute and back to the land again, hunting for her own game in some of the most remote parts of the US and UK.
The book is a mix of hunting adventure tales, game recipes and reflection upon the gap in our connection with the food we eat and where it came from.
She describes turkey, deer and boar hunts in a way that makes you wish you were right there in a tweed jacket on a cold winter's morning. She portrays the colourful characters she meets along the way - some you think you'd like to join for a whiskey and a cigar and others you're happy to stay well clear of.
Georgia's writing style is so warm and engaging and without a single hint of the preachiness that sometimes goes with books about food politics. I feel like this book isn't just for committed omnivores, I think anyone who entertains the idea of preparing food they caught (or grew) themselves, or anyone who just cares about where their food comes from will enjoy reading this book.
I'm thinking this might work quite well in Wellington?
However, a start time of 8pm on a Monday may need to be reconsidered.
Millie x
Because I live at a hotel here in Portland, I suffer (prepare the violins) through eating out for pretty much every single meal. I have confronted this challenge with passion and dedication and I'm beginning to have the waistline to prove it.
Here are some of this week's gastronomic highlights:
Cherry lemonade at the Farmers Market. Only a partial coincidence that it matches my nail polish.
Peach glazed chicken, bacon slaw and jalapeno corn bread.
Fancy meat plate at Beast. Course number 2 of 5. At Beast there is no optional menu, you just get what you're given and "substitutions will be politely declined".
Brunch cheese board at Ned Ludd.
Red velvet cupcake ice cream. My new hand-turned wooden bracelet just had to get into the photo.
Millie x
I knew at the time that writing a post titled 'Portland : Week 1' was a bad idea. I heard the little voice in the back of my head saying "You know you're setting yourself up for a weekly schedule you can't possibly stick to". And what do you know, I was right.
So here I am, 4 weeks (a whole month!) on in Portland, Oregon and starting to feel a bit like a local. I even helped a tourist find their way to Macy's on Saturday. Ok, so it was only one block away but the point is, someone thought I looked knowledgeable of the Portland retail scene.
Here's a couple of everyday moments from the past month:
This guys was walking his goat from Seattle to Los Angeles. Just for fun.
Fabio! The real deal. At Whole Foods promoting his newest range of protein supplements or shakes or something.
Portland gets it's fair share of touring acts. This is pre-electronic device shut off at Idina Menzel and last night we went out to see Jayne Lynch. We're not purposely going out only to see performers who've stared in Glee but I guess that's a pretty good gig to be cashing in on at the moment.
I'm not included to homesickness but I do miss my weekly crafty night's at The Apartment. I joined the Linen Knit-Along at Knit Purl to try and sooth that little ache. It's a 10 week programme and I picked a cowl project that was probably a bit basic to string out over 10 weeks. I'm not exactly sure how you photograph a graduated cowl in all it's glory nor how to communicate the awesomeness of linen yarn in pictures but here's my best shot.
Mr Millie celebrated a birthday in early June so we hit central Oregon for a weekend in a log cabin. We learned to fly fish while we were there and above you witness the wild beast I managed to reel in (and release of course). Proving you can do anything with a good manicure in classic red.
To extend the above birthday celebrations we had dinner with local culinary adventurists; Le Pigeon. On the left is a foie gras profiterole. Yep.
Millie x
This weekend wrapped up week number 1 in Portland. I can already tell that 12 weeks won't be anywhere near enough to get through all the great things this popular little town has to offer.
Sadly I was robbed of two days of enjoyment due to needing to make an overnight trip to California on Thursday. The key learning for Week 1: for all the things fast about this country, getting around is not one of them. I spent 24 hours either in a plane, in an airport lounge, in a taxi, in traffic or in a hotel room in order to attend a 90 minute meeting. Definitely nothing like getting around NZ for same day meetings.
We made the most of the weekend though starting off with the Portland Farmers Market which is alive with the abundance of early Spring.
We hit a cooking class on Sunday with the theme: Springtime in Paris. We made goat cheese & beet salad, potato gratin and duck breast for our dinner and a lavender & lemon souffle for desert, pictured below well laden with cream!
I've enrolled myself in two knitting classes, we've found a terrifyingly large number of excellent restaurants to patronise and of course, I am here to do work... easy to forget!
At least the work will now be well caffeinated having found a cafe close by serving the perfect Southern Hemispherian style flat white. I learned recently it's never a good idea to openly criticise the coffee preferences of a country in which you are a guest, but those who have spent any time here in the US will appreciate why this is a wonderful sight.
