We got just back today from spending the last 2 nights camping at Fort Flagler near Port Townsend, WA. It was partly to test out all our new camping gear (WHAT AN UPGRADE), but also to celebrate John's 27th birthday.
We are living in luxury now with our new giant tent and other accessories. We've almost got this whole camping thing down.

We also went to Olympic Game Farm in Sequim, WA (more on that shortly) and tried out a pizza place that was recommended to us by a friend. What an eventful post!

I am very pumped about this tent (Coleman Bayside 6). We (I) got it on clearance from $140 to $70 at Target. Now that we've put it together once, it's pretty simple (color-coded poles and pole sleeves). There is a hinged front door so you don't have to zip and unzip all the time. It's more of an irregular octagon than a rectangle so the air mattress doesn't fit against the wall really. But, there's still room for a queen air mattress (also a new purchase), 2 chairs and the table below. So if it's raining ever we'll still be golden! So there is lots of room for our stuff. There's a shelf thing too that sticks out the back that we just put our toothbrushes on but... just an extra alcove for stuff really. Overall, VERY excited. John can even stand up straight in it, even though his head touches.

Alright, Olympic Game Farm. This is exactly what the name says. It used to be named something different, but we missed that part of the tour. Anyway, apparently Disney used to film some of his older stuff here, like Grizzly Adams (haven't seen) and some other movies I haven't seen. This place is TOTALLY worth going to because you, as the barista down the street described it, "almost pee your pants laughing." However, I would recommend the driving tour only (and buy the wheat bread). In short, aquarium = sturgeon and trout, tour = boring (direct quote: "And to this day these chainsaws would still work if we had leaded gasoline."). Here are a few pictures and a link to a video I mixed to MJ's "You are not alone."

Now to the Pizza Review. We had eaten at a pretty good place before in Port Townsend, right across from the ferry terminal. But our friend Michelle recommended Waterfront Pizza down the road a little, claiming that she has made trips to PT just for a slice of the pizza. Well, we took her word for it and stopped in before heading home. Here is our rating and some pictures.

Waterfront Pizza, Port Townsend, WA - rated June 27, 2010

Everything is made by hand, and the crust is actually seasoned sourdough bread, which is unique. They were heavy on the herbs, but also fairly generous with the cheese and olives. The price was decent ($15 for a 1-topping pizza and salad), too. The by-the-slice section of the restaurant is along the street, but you go up the stairs of the old building to find a small (6 tables, maybe) restaurant area. The atmosphere was chill and casual, with trivia cards at every table. John disliked the fold-up office chairs that we sat at. Staff was friendly. Pizza takes about 25 minutes since it's all handmade. Overall, we were in agreement that this was great pizza with a unique flavor and a fun atmosphere. 3 olives.

School is out. I've survived my first year of teaching. Woo hoo! Although, it turned out to be much more bittersweet than expected. Especially after a skit was performed in my honor, my feelings turned more to sad. In general I've enjoyed the whole of the staff at Sylvester. A select few have become closer friends and some touched me very much. Those are the hardest to leave. I hope that they know how much they did for me and how much their kindness was appreciated.

That being said, here are a few photos from the last days of Sylvester...

We've eaten at Spiro's a lot, but haven't in a while, especially since we moved out of Gig Harbor. Spiro's is in downtown Gig Harbor and has a slight view of the water. It's a popular place for people to hit up on a weekend night, similar to El Pueblito or Tides, but less rowdy. There is a bar area and a sit down area. The feel is nothing too special, a typical Italian restaurant. They offer pizza, pasta, and salads and the options are pretty extensive. We enjoy the Tossed Green Salad to start because it comes with our favorites: mozzarella cheese and olives. The price is on the higher end but still reasonable.

Spiro's Pizza, Gig Harbor, WA - Rated June 11, 2010

What We Like:
- Crispy cheese on top
- HUGE amount of cheese
- Crust is never burnt
- Satisfactory olive ratio
- Salads

What We Don't Like:
- Too much sauce at times
- Little pricey
- Sometimes loud in the bar area

Here's what I've come up with as a plan for the guest room so far. I think I want to start with that room this summer, after I paint the upstairs hallway...

There are tons of cool bed frames and chandeliers on craigslist to fix up. I want it to be a shabby chic sort of room. If I could plan a wedding again I'd probably do a gray and yellow room so that'd be fun for a guest bedroom.... We'll see how it turns out!



In other news, not too happy with Pier 1. Our entry table was supposed to come in before our housewarming party but it hasn't.


Speaking of housewarming party!!! It was a big hit - almost everyone we invited turned out, which was great. I hope that people enjoyed the food and the company. It was a great feeling to see all these people comfortably hanging out in our home. People were on the porch, in the kitchen, on the sectional, out back by the grill. It was tiring but great.

In retrospect, we should've put "no gifts" on the invitation. Our guests were so generous and I feel bad because they just bought us wedding gifts 10 months ago!!

Hopefully I can snag the pictures from my mom and post a few. Overall, a hit! I look forward to hosting more parties and coming up with cute themes and decorations!