Exploring Crystal Crane Hot Springs in Burns, OR

It's crazy to think that just a few weeks ago, my man and I were on our four-day road trip across three states that I've never really explored before. Our journey from Salt Lake City to Washington had three rules:

1. No driving for more than six hours a day.
2. Leave all of life's stresses at home and let the wide open road try and soothe all of our adulting pains.
3. Hand holding. Lots of hand holding.

This trip could not have come at a better time. My man decided on a route and I just showed up for the ride. There was nothing to do but just sit, look out the window, and be with each other.  

The Pond before sundown.

One of my many favorite moments from the trip was our overnight stay at Crystal Crane Hot Springs. Leave it up to my man to find a totally rustic camping resort of sorts with a massive hot springs pond constantly heated to 100 degrees. The resort itself is in the middle of nowhere and attracts roadtrippers, campers, hikers and people on the natural hot springs tour throughout the region. Though the one great thing about the remoteness of Crystal Crane's location is that it's hard to get to and there really aren't that many people out there. The second best thing? The stargazing was absolutely stunning.

Sunset in Burns, OR at Crystal Crane Hot Springs.

My man reserved the resort's 5th Wheel for the night and I'm so glad he did. Our rental was better than glamping! Our RV was stocked with a kitchenette, dining area, TV, queen-sized bed, and full bathroom. We chatted it up with other travelers and be-friended dogs in the common living area and we grilled up sandwiches in the communal kitchen. The place was definitely quirky and I loved all of the personalities we ran into along the way.

In case you didn't bring your own tent or RV, you can rent a teepee at Crystal Crane!

The pond...The pond was magical. Small pebbles of what looked like lava rock lined the bottom of the huge pond. The water contained minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and silica.The spring water came out at nearly 160 degrees at the water fountain source and kept the entire pond a hot 100 degrees throughout the day and night. We took our first dip in the early evening and the hot water was amazing. There were small groups around us but we later found out that the pond closes to the public at 9 pm and only resort guests had 24/7 access. We came back to a quieter pond after dinner and soaked under the stars and clouds. And we didn't even mind the chilly and crisp high desert air after soaking.

We decided to take advantage of the resort's private cedar-enclosed bathhouse the next day. We figured before we headed out for another day of driving, we might as well treat ourselves one last time. And for $15 per person/per hour, it was a bargain. We packed up the truck and spent our last moments in a private bathhouse. The tub was at about 101 degrees but we were able to heat it up and cool it down as we pleased. We got hooked up with our host's favorite tub and we soaked and steamed before hitting the road again. Our tub was huge and the lounge space around the tub was even bigger so I could lay around when the tub got too hot.

Maybe it was the mineral water or the high desert air. Maybe it was the stargazing. But I definitely felt more relaxed and rejuvenated after leaving Crystal Crane. If it wasn't in such a remote part of Oregon, I'm sure we'd visit more often. 

A day trip to Bainbridge Island, WA

Since my boyfriend moved up to Washington, I’ve looked for all kinds of excuses to explore the Pacific North West. We’ve driven up to Vancouver, Canada and explored the treetops at the Capilano Suspension Bridge. We walked out to the Dungeness Spit and looked for lavender farms in Sequim. We’ve eaten the best food, smoked the best pot, and saw the hippest strippers in Portland ☺.

That being said, one of the coziest, quaintest, totally #PNW neighborhoods is a 45 minute drive from my man’s house. If you know Grey’s Anatomy, you’ve heard of and seen Bainbridge Island. And apparently Vogue.com calls this place the Nantucket of the Pacific Northwest.

So much delicious seafood coming out of Harbour Public House on Bainbridge Island.

The trees during Spring on Bainbridge Island.

The town is teeny, it has some serious seafood, its homes are addddorable, and it makes for the perfect day trip. We first visited Bainbridge Island in the thick of Spring last year and it was beautiful outside. We took the ferry from Seattle, got some seafood from The Harbour Public House, and walked and shopped under the perennial blooms.

Heading out to Winslow Way on a beautiful fall day.

While my man had to work a weekend recently, his housemate and I, who I absolutely love, went on a wild Bainbridge autumn adventure. Matt and I were packin’ and brought along one of my favorite edibles, a mint chocolate dipped Korova cookie. With a latte, about 25mg THC entering our system, and a joint in our hands, we took Winslow Way by storm.

One of our first stops was Hattie Rose, a super feminine boutique that’s oozing French chateau and Bohemian boudoir vibes. Matt and I must have chatted with owner, Liz, for 30 minutes admiring her wares and collectively gasping at how warm and ethereal that October day was turning out to be.  

Inside Hattie Rose on Bainbridge Island.

Sunkissed corners of Liz's adorable shop, Hattie Rose.

Matt and I puttered around a little more before stumbling into the Calico Toy Shoppe. There were so many things to get our paws on and it seriously felt like I was Tom Hanks in the movie Big. A few blocks down, the stunning hunks of amethyst and rose quartz at Gilbert Thomes nearly blinded me. For someone who loves having little crystals around and on her, this place was absolutely insane and I wanted to buy everything in sight.

One of the coolest finds of the day was the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA). Admission was free, our edibles were kicking in real nicely, and we got to spend some time admiring all kinds of photography, sculptures and paintings.

Window displays at Gilbert Thomes

Outside on the sundeck at BIMA.

We definitely managed to goof off for a few hours while my man was away working. Bainbridge Island is so stinking close to Seattle, yet such a different scene. If you Seattlites are looking for a day trip, don't forget about Bainbridge!

My first home delivery with Eaze

Between my move to Oakland, weekend adventures, visitors from near and far, and work, I can safely say that I overdid it in September and October. For as long as I can remember, I've made it a mission to utilize all of the usable hours in the day. From running to a workout straight after work, to somehow managing to be away every weekend for the past six weeks, I've been completely exhausted.

It was just a couple days before my man was coming into town and I realized that I didn't have enough flower to get us through the weekend and I didn't have any time to bike over to my local dispensary for a pickup. And then I remembered I was still holding onto a business card I got at the 420 Games from the guys over at Eaze.

Perfect! I'll just set up a home delivery in between the three other things I was trying to do at the same time!

Goodies from my first Eaze delivery.

I started shopping their deals, created my account and uploaded my recommendation. I was a bit nervous that they'd take too long to review my information and that I'd have to wait to place an order. But just as I was picking out my last joint, I got a notification that my account was active and that I was free to make an order. The turnaround was amazing and a total time saver.

Eaze had some awesome deals on flower that day so I got a couple extra goodies and submitted my payment. What I love about Eaze's interface is that you can actually see the status of your order and when it's en route. I got a text message from my driver asking if there were any special delivery instructions and that she was headed over.

The delivery was so easy and my driver was super friendly. The joints were a perfect travel companion for our adventures. 

Life can be super crazy. And when I have those days where I just want to sit and focus at home, Eaze makes it all the better -- for the busy blogger to the average smoker just wanting to chill indoors.

We did, we totally did...