Tillamook Creamery: Learning About How Cheese Is Made ... and Trying Some, Of Course!

Tillamook Creamery in Tillamook, Oregon is a very well-rounded family experience. During our visit to Oregon, we spent two days along the Oregon Coast and I knew that we had to check out Tillamook once. Well, we loved it so much that we went twice.  The centerpiece of the creamery allows visitors to see cheese being made and parts of the production process you may not think about like cutting the blocks and making adjustments to create standard blocks. However, there is much more to experience at the creamery!

Wednesday Weekend Windup {Hummingbirds, Vintage Days, Air and Water Show and More}

Back-to-School is here! Good thing there is still summer fun to be had this weekend! Hummingbirds, Air and Water Show, Venetian Fest, Viking Ship, Vintage Days and more fun will fill out your weekend. Check out my picks in the Chicago suburbs and nearby:

Admiring the Washington State Capitol Campus

After arriving in Seattle via the Amtrak Empire Builder, we decided to amble down to Portland, Oregon with a couple of stops in Washington. We first stopped in Tacoma to have a bowl of Duke's famous clam chowder and to soak up the waterviews we fell in love with a couple of years ago. Then, we headed on a new adventure to the Washington State Capitol in Olympia.

Traveling on the Empire Builder Train to Washington and Oregon

We just returned from a summer adventure riding Amtrak's Empire Builder to Seattle and returning via Portland, Oregon with several excursions in Washington and Oregon. Our overall trip lasted 10 days with four days of train travel. Our adventures in between our train treks included hiking, visiting gardens, enjoying beach days, learning about cheese making, exploring Washington's capitol and more. We packed in a lot of exploration and the train trip was a great part of the adventure! Follow along as I share our discoveries including:

Tasty Bites from Lola's Pizza Palace in Arlington Heights

Tucked away a little from the busy shopping area of Rand Road in Arlington Heights, IL is family owned Lola's Pizza Palace. Someone that knew I love unique local spots recommended Lola's to me awhile back. Since then, we have visited a couple of times and I can say that we quite enjoy the little joint! Being near the high school, it is a popular spot for the young set but it is also a great place for family fare.

Wednesday Weekend Windup {Kite Festival, French Connection, India Day and More}

Are you ready for another fun summer weekend? Some great events this weekend including the Annual Kite Fly, French Connection Day, India Day and more. Here are my picks for this weekend:

Interview with Local Artist Carol Foster of Foster Moments

Artists Carol Foster and Lisa Riedl at Crabtree Nature Center's art display.

I am happy to introduce you to an amazing local artist here in the Chicago suburban area, Carol Foster! Carol Foster is a talented painter and also helps organize and facilitate public art programs and events throughout the suburbs. Carol and I met through our mutual passion for all things local and support of small business and local artisans. Please meet Carol Foster of Foster Moments and Artistic Journeys. Please enjoy my interview with Carol: