If I lived anywhere besides the Portland area, it would definitely be Bend, OR. The landscapes, the community, the breweries, the seasons, the people, the all around vibes... I love it all!
Huge shoutout to my friend, Max, for inviting me to a "Secret Supper" in Bend this last weekend. It was a beautiful weekend, and just what my body needed in this travel season of my current life.
We stayed at Suttle Lake Lodge, which is EPIC. It is the perfect combination of rustic and modern, with a cozy common area, a warm fire, a trendy bar, an arrangement of popular games, and a record player complete with an impressive collection of legendary records. The rooms are also the perfect mix of spacious and cozy, in a way that you literally look out the window and feel like you are in your own private cabin on the lake. I took a few photos so you know what I mean!
Okay... I had no idea what I was in for going into this "Secret Supper" thing... I had never even heard of it, but apparently it's a thing. A wonderful thing! Truly one of the coolest experiences of my life. The amazing team behind it began doing these secret suppers about a year ago, with the vision of inspiring people through feast, community, and the natural surroundings... and just something out of the ordinary. Mona and Jaret, from Tournant Catering in Portland, are the incredible chefs behind this masterpiece concept (and also the cutest couple ever, I obviously HAD to take a few portraits of them)! They teamed up with a talented team of creatives, Christiann, Danielle, and Eva, to really bring their vision to life. I believe this was their 4th one, and this one was alpine themed. They cooked everything over an open outdoor fire, the candle-lit table setting was to die for, and the people we dined with were genuine, fun, down-to-earth folk that I seriously feel so lucky to have met and spent all weekend with! Sorry for the picture overload, everything was too beautiful - I could not stop taking photos, even though I was there to just enjoy it, oops. Not pictured - Max rounding up 12 of us after dinner to join in the lodge and play a rowdy game of Cards Against Humanity - complete with home-made cookies, more booze, and more laughter.
Buy tickets to their next Secret Supper because you seriously have to experience this yourself to truly know how wonderful it is. We laughed, we feasted, we drank, we shared stories, we cozied up with blankets, it was 30 degrees and we didn't even know it! Anyways, thank you to the Secret Supper crew for blowing my mind... you guys are amazing.
With the obvious highlight of the weekend being the Secret Supper, we also made sure to spare a little bit of time for some hiking and adventure on the way home. We met up with my friend Megan and her cute pup Dally for a hike at Tumalo Falls. We couldn't stop talking about how glorious the weather was that day... the falls and surrounding areas were completely covered in snow but the sun made it feel like t-shirt weather. We worked up a 10 Barrel appetite and enjoyed more of the sunny day at the cute Bend brewery before ending our day at Smith Rock.
All in all, it was an epic weekend. I love to travel, and I love to explore and try new things, this included. However, this was semi-different in a sense that it was a weekend prioritized with NO priorities, NO plans, and I thoroughly enjoyed NOT having a worry in the world, breathing in fresh air, relaxing, and enjoying the people that I was surrounded with. Martha and Thadius - the cutest young couple with old souls... They recently got married, and we loved getting to know them.. they sat across the table from us if you couldn't tell, I took so many candids of them! :) Also, Tim and Deb - I loved getting to know this couple and hearing their stories... Tim fell in love with Deb when she walked into his elementary class, and now they are married with kids my age. It's stories like theirs that you appreciate and really admire. I just adore them! Tim reminded me of MY dad Tim, and had me constantly laughing at the table, as well as in our Cards Against Humanity round-up. Anyways, here's to my new friends, Max for inviting me, the Secret Supper crew, the wonderful staff at Suttle Lodge, and the beauty that surrounded us all weekend! Oh and here's to BEND, OR too :)
