Road Trip: Aurora Architectural Mills

On a sunny day in February we ventured south of Portland to explore Aurora Architectural Mills. A massive, ramshackle storehouse packed from floor to rafter (and a second floor) with wonderful salvaged house parts, wood, plumbing, fixtures, claw foot bathtubs, stained glass windows, brass and copper widgets galore, furniture, oddities and much, much more.



Their display style is a combo of super-size junk store (read: maximizing every inch) and jumbly-fun vignettes. Just think how many old homes, church buildings, barns and businesses have been dismantled to assemble all of this quality vintage goodness.



The amount of eye candy is overwhelming in such a good, good way. The walls are covered, the ceilings are strung with antique lighting (all for sale), floor space is at a premium. Bins, baskets, wood crates and cupboards overflow with textures. Those brass headboards became secret garden gates in my mind...



My apologies for the slight blur in my photos--forgot my real camera and had to make do with my 3MP cell phone.

Find more information, view more goodies and follow their blog HERE.

Bits and Pieces

bit of condominium


bit of brew pub


bit of courthouse


bit of boardwalk


bit of bridge

Borrowing an idea from my art blog I revisited some of my older photos on Flickr. Playing with the theme Bits and Pieces, I cropped small sections of larger images and added a bit of blur to the edges. I thought maybe I could isolate some interesting lines and textures that, in the larger versions, gets a little lost in the overall composition. Not sure that I've achieved that but here, anyway, are my bits and pieces.

All images © apt3 photography ~ please do not use without my permission.

North Coast Sunday

Many people take a full week (or two) vacation once per year. We schedule our time off so we can have multiple 3-day weekends, and frequent day trips.



Escaping the city for an afternoon at the Oregon Coast is always a good choice.



There's a fantastic fresh, local, organic cafe in Canon Beach that serves up comfort food done right. We adore their pulled pork po'boy and homemade slaw. Cozy booths fashioned from upcycled shabby chic 1930s bed frames, and a playlist of Motown and classic Jazz standards doesn't hurt either.



Canon Beach is truly a town for tourists. Plenty of boutiques, galleries and cafes. Two old-time candy/ice cream parlors and a packed-out family-run grocery store (read: not a chain) are also good features.





We often drive a bit south and end up on the beaches of Arcadia and Hug Point. Less people, more intriguing rocks and tide pools full of sea critters.





There's a few neat inlets and sea caves to explore; carved by the ocean over thousands of years.



One day we won't return to the city. "Going home" will mean to our beach home, and we look forward and build our plans for that goal with every visit to the place that rests our souls.

Relax

Hangin' out in Garibaldi, OR this weekend and soaking up some relaxation. Sunshine, blue skies, acres of evergreens and, of course, the ocean. Hunting vintage for the shop. Hooked up with our friends that we haven't seen for months--mere coincidence that they are just 8 miles up the road this same weekend? I think not. Fish-and-chips are always best at the beach, aren't they?

Hope your Sunday is terrific, too!

Wildwood

We visited Wildwood {Recreation Site and Cascade Stream Watch} for the first time this year...it certainly won't be the last. One of my favorite places in Oregon, on the Salmon River and the flank of Mount Hood and a world away from the concrete jungle.





Visitors have the unique opportunity to explore natural streams and wetlands from boardwalks and interpretive trails. From the Cascade Streamwatch Trail, you can see young salmon and steelhead through a viewing window.



We like to go there just to relax and recharge. There's just no place like Oregon!



Images ~ Tina Pfeiffer, © Apt 3 Photography, 2010.

Hiking at Wahkeena Falls

We went for a hike last Sunday, in the Columbia River Gorge. We cruised the Old River Highway, and the images in this post feature Wahkeenah Falls and the viewpoint at the Vista House. These inspiring natural gems are less than an hour from home--we are so blessed!

We're making plans for more hiking for the spring and summer in and around Portland and Oregon. Tell me about your favorite places to get into nature...

Images by Tina Pfeiffer - Apt 3 Photography, 2010.

Apt 3 Photography

When gas was cheap - Central Oregon, 2009


Backlot Tour - Universal Studios, 2008


Vista Ridge Tunnel - Portland, Oregon, 2008


Boiler Bay - Central Oregon Coast, 2008

Sleepy - Oregon Zoo, 2008

If you've been reading awhile, you may remember this post about my husband, Chris, and his interest in photography. He has just began a correspondence course through the New York Institute of Photography with the end goal of changing his career path.

In that past post I promised to showcase more of his work on occasion. The bad news is that I've been rather lax in making that a reality. The good news is that he recently jumped in the cyber waters and has created his own blog to share his photography!

As any wife would, I'm putting in a shameless plug to all of you to follow his new adventure. His style is more photos, less text so you're sure to enjoy a regular visit to Apt 3 Photography.

Please consider subscribing and sharing comments--encouragement and constructive criticism are both very much appreciated.

All images in this post by Chris Pfeiffer aka Apt 3 Photography, copyright 2006-2010 ~ all rights reserved.

Travel: West Coast Autumn

This post is dedicated to my brother--a very get-way-outdoors-into-nature kind of guy who just happens to be turning 39 today. Happy Birthday, Phil! :)

Flickr Faves: Fleeting Color

Fleeting Color, originally uploaded by Ar'alani.

In a hurry today. I finished my movie poster project for art class {you can view it on my apt3design blog} after 3 redesigns. Two blog updates. Now I'm off to catch the bus for class at 2:00 PM.

Sharing some Oregon fall color with you today...enjoy!

My Backyard: Portland State University

This is where I am today. My first day of Art 112 (Visual Design) at PSU. Just an fyi...my blogs will be updated less often for the next 11 weeks due to school. I'm planning on two articles per week pending my homework load. We'll see how that goes and I hope you continue to enjoy the musings herein. Look for more photos of PSU and Portland in the future--but from my camera lens!

Portland State University (PSU) is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in the state that is located in a major metropolitan city. The university is ranked among the "Best in the West" and as a "College With a Conscience" by the Princeton Review. Portland State differs from the other universities in Oregon partially because as an urban institution it attracts a student body older than other rural universities. In the 2006-2007 school year, it was reported that the average age of an attending student was 25 years. A significant percentage of Portland State's classes are offered at night and Saturdays, and some programs only offer classes at night.

Portland State is part of the Oregon University System. The current President is Wim Wiewel, who began his term in August 2008. Its athletic teams are known as the Portland State Vikings with school colors of green and white. Teams compete at the NCAA Division I Level, primarily in the Big Sky Conference. Schools at PSU include the School of Business Administration, Graduate School of Education, School of Fine and Performing Arts, School of Social Work, College of Urban and Public Affairs, Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. PSU's motto is, "Let Knowledge Serve the City".

Info via Wikipedia.org, images via Flickr.