abby's table

a few times last month i took a different route home from work because there has been so much construction going on over on mlk and i've been curious about this community kitchen that i just noticed. it's at 609 se ankeny just down the street from the j&m cafe.

well then last week a friend invited me to her birthday dinner and guess where it was? yes, right there at the same community kitchen.


the space that abby's table is located in is shared by at least three other businesses and she runs her vegetarian/gluten free kitchen and dining room there on wednesday and saturday nights.

i had no idea what to expect but was so excited to try something new. i was told that the dinner would be $18 per person and that it was byob. well that sounds pretty good to me so i grabbed some cash and a bottle of wine before heading over to dinner.


the interior of the space is very simple, clean and open but still really warm and cozy. there were 25 of us so we were set up at two tables due to space but it would have been great to be at one long table. however, they were so laid back that they did not mind at all the fact that we were constantly getting up and moving around so as to mingle better.

before the dinner service began, they brought us a wine key so we could start opening our bottles and let us just go over and grab our own glasses. this is ideal for a large group because then there is no waiting around for drinks. it really felt like you were at a catered house party because they were just so relaxed and easy going, yet communicated with us how to go about getting what we needed.


the dinner was a five course meal and we started with these beautiful roasted vegetables. abby is know for her dips and sauces that she sells at the farmers market and around town and this pesto dip with the veggies was delicious.

after the veggies, we were served a spinach salad, ravioli, the entree of dover sole and portobello mushroom and then a deliciously sweet cake for dessert. my favorites were the veggies and the portobello mushroom.

at the end of our meal, you just stuff your cash in the jars on the table and abby splits it with the all volunteer help in the kitchen.

when it comes down to it, i still love my bread and cheese but the atmosphere was so fun and it was such a unique dining experience that i would definitely go here again. especially with a large group, it's perfect for that.

reservations are required because it is such a small space and you can reserve on line on her website.

a horse of course

it used to be that when i walked through the pearl district, i would notice these little horses on a regular basis. after some investigation, it turns up that they were the creation of the artist scott wayne indiana who decided portland needed to put it's horse rings back to use. i don't see the horses very often any more, it turns out people would steal them when they came across them, so i don't think they last as long as they used to.


but then this beauty turned up over in my neighborhood, ladd's addition. i've only seen one other horse in the neighborhood so it made me so happy to stumble upon this one. i hope portland can keep the horse project going, nothing brightens your walk like finding one of these little guys.

que pasa?

hey everyone, what's up? i'm sorry i've been so lacking in posts lately. i have been out and about and taking some photos but it seems i have not had time to get them to my blog. i had a very busy week at work last week and the time seems to be flying by, i hope i can get back into my routine soon.

in the meantime, what do you think of my fab new look? i absolutely love it and i want to give a big shout out to my great friend alissa who did this for me. i think it turned out so great and i love it. thank you so much alissa!

xoxo hawthorne girl

charlotte rocks pdx

i caught the charlotte gainsbourg show at the wonder ballroom last night and i must say it was amazing.

charlotte entered the stage shy and nervous and by the end was comfortable and rockin. she performed most of the songs off of her new album irm as well as a few off of 5:55. i really love 5:55 so i was so happy she threw in a few of those tunes as well. she said this is her first tour and thus the first opportunity she has had to perform any of 5:55 live. i was glad i was there to see it.


throughout the show, charlotte played percussion and keyboards which mixed it up a little. (sorry for the bad iphone pics)


i have always loved her casual sense of style and last night's attire did not disappoint. she wore her signature tank top and designer skinny biker jeans as well as her trademark cowboy boots. and i must add the she is even more beautiful in person than she appears on film and is very gracious as well.

the highlight of the evening is when she "dared" (her words) to perform her father's song melody nelson. she did a great job with her band (which is also part of beck's band) backing her. she definitely has her father's musical chops. she also sang a beautiful version of bob dylan's just like a woman.

the wonder ballroom was full but not packed so we were able to get up close and personal. all in all, it was a great night and i'm glad i was there for her historical first tour.

who hearts pdx?

nyc hearts pdx. and guess what nyc? pdx hearts you back!

my friend jessica who hails from nyc but now calls pdx home shot this photo last summer at a street fair over on mississippi. i thought it was such a great shot i borrowed it from her for my post today.

please stay tuned

sorry for the lack of posts these past few weeks. i'm reformatting this blog a little and will be back as soon as possible with a fresh new look.

i can't wait to see what you think!

xoxo hawthorne girl

go seth aaron!

when it comes to indie fashion design, portland seriously rocks. our own leanne marshall has already won project runway a few seasons back and now seth aaron in in the final mix. i have not been able to keep up with much of this season but i can't wait to watch tonight's episode and see what happens with seth aaron.

after winning, leanne moved to the big apple. do you think designers have to make that move to truly make it big? portland does have it's share of great local designers who have been able to stick it out for years and stay in this city but they are still somewhat small. i would love it if the winner of project runway could stay in their hometown and make a name for themself.

let's really put portland on the fashion map. good luck seth aaron!

rain rain go away...

as i stated last week, i needed a little sunshine on my face and headed down to the southwest.

did i accomplish my goal? why yes i did as a matter of fact!

but now i'm back home and, portland, as much as i love thee, i am really ready for this rain to go away.

(photo courtesy of cafe mama)