Our New Life on the Oregon Coast Forever: Part 2

This is just week two, you guys. Week two! And it’s massive. And I’m starting the post with a skinny bearded man in plaid because Oregon.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Let’s seeeeee…..when I left you last, we were headed to the Farmer’s Market. (two weeks ago today. my bad.) So let’s start there. Kansas City has some incredible (huge!) farmer’s markets, but the quaintness and charm of this Manzanita setup is right up my alley. It’s not DINKY by any means, but also not oozing with psycho people shoulder to shoulder trying to grab the juiciest stone fruit they can find.

And it’s open at NIGHT. I’d never heard of such a thing! A night market. You do know what that’s code for, right? Wine in a water bottle. I knew we were alike, you and me.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

The man said, “Take a cherry, kids! Try them!” And my gremlins took that to mean eat all the cherries. So I then felt obligated to buy 67 pounds of cherries. Never looked back.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

I mean…

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

BEST. SMOKED. SALMON. I’ve ever eaten. I don’t know the company who sells these (maybe Neahkahnie Smokehouse?), but I’ve bought it twice now and it’s become the way of my soul. The first time I bought the collar (oilier, a little less expensive, eyes-to-the-back-of-the-head-delish), so this time I wanted to try a fillet, but I couldn’t remember that the collar was called the collar, and when I was describing the collar to my in-laws (post on their visit coming next week!) I said, “Last time I got the neck,” and everyone stared at me in total confusion bordering a barf. And the salmon dude goes, “You mean the collar.” And then Aaron said, “Save the neck for me, Clark!” and I’ve decided that SALMON COLLAR should never be two words placed back to back.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Absolutely LOVE this market. Going back tonight for our last time waaaaaaah! And getting me a dang salmon collar. Ugh.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

You might remember (from Instagram) that we went to Seaside the next day! I can imagine the charm it once possessed in its earlier years, because sooooo many of you reminisced on your childhood vacations. I wasn’t in LOVE with Seaside (it’s a bit rundown), but we sure did find a gem of a restaurant called Osprey Café. Off the beaten path, and not overflowing with tourists (besides me with my phone out all, OMG THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE CUTEST). You can tell it’s a local favorite. Just a darling little place with scrumptious grub. An absolute must if you ever make it to Seaside.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

But we did feel the seals at the aquarium and ride the carousel! And by we I mean not me.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

This is was another total highlight of our stay here. WE BOATED FOR CRABS. Actual crabs in the water that you pull up in a net and eat if it’s male and large enough. Complete craziness. And look, I’m holding a crab! I screamed the whole time.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

I posted a whole slew of photos to Instagram, so I won’t torture you with double obnoxiousness, but look at this crab! We (and by we I mean Aaron and not me) caught one crab (he caught tons actually, but this was the only male that fit the scale for eating) and they boiled it, cleaned it and served it with SEA BUTTER (it’s an actual thing. I think she called it crab butter but I prefer sea butter), and we cracked our way into crab utopia for about an hour.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

And Will even ate it! And LOVED IT. Nat’s our seafood lover, so for Will to excitedly crack open the shells and suck out the meat and ooooh and aaaahhh was an absolute shock.

‘Atta boy.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

The next day we spent in Astoria, which is just the cutest river town ever. Colorful houses stacked in the mountain side, the scent of coffee mixed with fish and chips, and HI THE GOONIES. (I swear some day I’ll stop talking about Goonies.)

Started at Street 14. Spacious, hip and bustling, I had a cappuccino with three vegan apple bites, and they even made Nat a tiny foamer for free! I call it a foamer at home. It’s frothed milk. But foamer is cuter.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Will was clearly thrilled about our impending plan to climb something like 876 steps to the top of the Astoria Column.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Here we are, about to climb to the top and throw our balsa wood planes off. Aaron took this photo and cropped the top of the column off, but I didn’t complain about it at all! (^^lies.)

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

So the kids didn’t make it.

I barely did.

I was determined to climb all 1,973 steps to the top and see OREGON, GOSH DARNIT.

And I did. I climbed all 8,734 steps and threw my plane off and took my photo. Nearly barfed, but I did it.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Then Aaron did! And we watched his balsa wood plane make it to Washington. Those things FLY, man.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

When I got to the bottom of the 12,724 steps, I saw this painter painting his view, so I had to photograph it. A photograph of a painting of a view. I hope someone took a photo of me photographing this painting with a view. And maybe someone was drawing the photographer taking a photo of me taking a photo of the painting of a view.

Never mind.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

After that, we made our way to Bowpicker for fish and chips!

Guys, I don’t think I’ve EVER had fish and chips. Maybe as a child? I can’t remember. And – are fish and chips places always in little boats or huts or trucks? I’m now obsessed with this whole fish and chips phenomenon. And yes I know it’s fish ‘n’ chips, but that’s hard to type! And my spacebar is stuck. How do I unstick it?

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Oh, hi! Is that Linda?

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

CRISPY. Crunchy. Flakey. Not a hint of sog. And tuna! Absolute perfection.

You must.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Then we Goonies’d, obviously.

I wonder if Mikey’s dad is working today!

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

I was mildly freaking out. It’s the opening scene location!

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

YOU CAN JUST GO IN THERE. The whole place is now a museum of all kinds of movie relics shot in Oregon. Kindergarten Cop, Goonies, a few others. Nothing from Twilight that I saw. HOW DARE THEM. They. Whatever.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

After buying little Goonies treasure boxes in the gift shop because that’s what you do, we hit up the local ice cream spot. Lots of you recommended Frite and Scoop, and it was delish! At least the kids said it was.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Yeah, it was.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Why is Oregon so pretty all the time?

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Brewery time! We hit two of them, because yolo. And you all equally recommended these two spots. First up, Buoy. Which I pronouncing like, “Boiiiiiiii” and it didn’t drive Aaron bonkers at all.

Right on the water, beautiful views, incredible turmeric hummus, obsessed.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

However, the sea lions had migrated south, so we didn’t get to see them through the glass floor. But the kids still bent down on all fours and put their faces on the dirty floor, so that was awesome! Ugh.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

After that, Fort George. I liked the VIBE (hello, plants) of this place a little more than Buoy, but it’s a touch inland. Both really fabulous though. Kid-friendly, tall ceilings, bearded men everywhere.

You know.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Look at that chandelier!

And those plants in the back.

All you see is Nat’s visor, don’t you.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Cute place! A must.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

OKAY WE TRIED. I feel like the house is riiiiight up and around that path. I wanted to walk up there and sneak a pic, but I was nervous about a SWAT team swooping in and locking me up for life.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

But we did see this!

“IT’S NOT A TOOMAH.”

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

We also saw friends! When you’re on the complete other side of the country and you find out old Arkansas friends are also on the other side of the country, you carve out an afternoon to beach it at Twin Rocks while the gremlins play in tide pools whilst drinking beer and rosé. They played in the tide pools. We drank the beer and rosé.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Also, listen to what freaking happened. And I’ll make it fast because I know you all have lives.

Gina and I were standing together on the beach, watching our guys and kids play, when we noticed this major Big Lebowski-style dude walking toward us. Clearly beyond hammered. He stumbled up, shirtless (not, um, in a good way) with a plaid flannel wrapped around his waist, flinging a near-empty beer bottle around in the air. Aaron and Alex notice and start walking our way immediately. Long story long, he gets too close. He screams at us. He starts to walk away after we’re like, “Uh dude leave us alone.” He throws his bottle our way. He screams a nice strand of expletives while double birding us and stumbles down the beach. Aaron calls the cops! AND THEY ARREST HIM.

Although, we didn’t find out they arrested him until a handful of days later. But they came to the beach and discovered he’d been harassing people (and dogs, what?!) all day. So in jail he went. But probably not the Goonies jail.

The police officer took Aaron’s official statement to add to the report. Aaron’s basically A CRIME FIGHTER IN TILLAMOOK COUNTY, GUYS.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

I also told you that story to distract you from the fact that I posted three Twin Rocks photos in a row.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Nehalem. It’s a neighboring town, just two miles from Manzanita, with one main strip of antique stores and restaurants. And I just think it’s so cute! I love TINY. And Nehalem is tiny.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Behind a string of shops lies Riverside Fish and Chips, an itty bitty boxy white truck that you order from and sit on picnic tables right by the water. Hi, adorable.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Compared to Bowpicker, these didn’t quite match the CRISPY CRUNCHY-NESS that we’d experienced, but they were also very, very good. Bigger fish pieces! Although it was cod. And I’m not a cod eater because of the worms. But I did enjoy it!

I’m trying not to sound snobby.

They were great!

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Also, Buttercup is totally worth a stop. It’s strictly a chowder and ice cream shop, also darling in aesthetic. And the CHOWDER….

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Curry. Green curry chowder. I’ll never be the same.

(and I desperately need that tray.)

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Another place we visited was Short Sand Beach! Just a hop skip up the 101 (said like Fred Armisen in the Californians), it’s this unbelievably scenic surfer haven.

With all kinds of drift wood! Look at all that. It’s so Oregon.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

It also has giant trees that you hug because that’s what you do with big trees.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

This is me pretending to be a cool hiker while sitting on a log and charging my phone. #reallife

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

Aaron was like, “I can do that.” And I said, “Can you really?” And he said, “Sure!”

More on that soon.

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

And that’s a wrap of week two! (just one photo left, are you okay?)

A) Can’t get over that mountain.

B) Still have so much to share, but I value our relationship, so week three (with my in-laws) will come next week!

Oregon Coast Forever / Bev Cooks

C) Headed to Portland tomorrow! If you’re in town, I’m having a meetup at Tope (top of Hoxton Hotel) from 4-6pm. I’d love to meet you! Come hang and have a rosé with me. I won’t bite.

Very hard.

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26 Responses to Our New Life on the Oregon Coast Forever: Part 2

  1. Maggie June 21, 2019 at 10:27 am #
    This trip looks amazing and makes me want to take a trip out to Oregon. By chance, can you share where Nat's visor is from? I'm on the hunt for something like that for my daughter.
    • Bev Weidner June 21, 2019 at 10:35 am #
      Found it on Amazon a couple of years ago!
  2. Lynn June 21, 2019 at 11:33 am #
    That last photo of the mountainside in the fog - UGH. Sealed the deal. Must go.
  3. Kristen June 21, 2019 at 1:01 pm #
    Bev - can you try your hand at remaking that green curry chowder? I've only had it once at a seafood place that is no longer (sob) and I'm DYING to recreate it but it's been too long ... I'm old. Help a sister out. And I heart your blog. xo. kb
    • Bev Weidner June 22, 2019 at 9:47 am #
      I should totally try it this fall, yes!
  4. Becky June 21, 2019 at 2:26 pm #
    We live in the Vancouver area and are headed out for our family Vaca to this area in 2 weeks. Your trip is literally the basis for my google doc for OUR trip. I've never been to the area and I'm so stoked to have all these great starting places for our trip. AND THE COMMENTS ON YOUR LAST OREGON POST. SO MANY GREAT TIPS! Basically thank you for doing all the planning work.
  5. Ali June 21, 2019 at 3:48 pm #
    This all looks so dreamy. Love that you guys are there!
  6. Anonymous June 21, 2019 at 6:17 pm #
    I need to know what the deal is with cod and worms ?
  7. Megan June 21, 2019 at 9:28 pm #
    Please explain more about the cod and the worms ??
    • Bev Weidner June 22, 2019 at 9:47 am #
      Cod worms! Herring worms. I'm sure lots of fish have worms, and they die when you cook the fish, but still. Nope. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1990/03/20/worms-in-fish-what-you-should-know/d7fdd8b6-afdd-4d14-84cd-15b1446c7c0e/?utm_term=.28d916b93e39
  8. Nicole June 22, 2019 at 7:40 am #
    I have the same question....WORMS?!? ??? I’m scared to know, but at the same time-I must know....before I make fish tacos tonight....
    • Bev Weidner June 22, 2019 at 9:46 am #
      Yeah, they're called cod worms! I'm sure almost every fish has worms, and they die when you cook the fish, but I've ALWAYS been nervous about cod. There are tooons of articles online, but here's one! https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1990/03/20/worms-in-fish-what-you-should-know/d7fdd8b6-afdd-4d14-84cd-15b1446c7c0e/?utm_term=.28d916b93e39
  9. alison b prescott June 22, 2019 at 11:29 am #
    i want to feel the seals, too! jk- adorable post and pocs and everything.
  10. alison b prescott June 22, 2019 at 11:29 am #
    *pics*
    • Sharon June 23, 2019 at 8:54 am #
      I just found your blog! I was so excited to find it as we are heading to the Netarts in the end of July. I was already thinking it is going to be hard to leave and come back to Chicago. Lol
  11. Mari June 22, 2019 at 12:36 pm #
    My family and I just returned from our first Oregon trip. Unfreakinbelievable!! How is it that we've been living in burning hot south Texas all this time, when Oregon existed? We did Cape Meares, Tillamook, drove through Manzanita, Garibaldi, and Cannon Beach! We want to move to Oregon ASAP!!
  12. Kristin June 22, 2019 at 5:08 pm #
    I've been following on Instagram, but love this! We didn't make it to Bowpicker when we were in Astoria, and now I am bummed. I think it might've closed by the time we got to town. And we are heading for cod in an hour or so, so THANKS A LOT! I guess I've been eating it for my whole life and never noticed a worm (beer batter is great at hiding things like that) so I am still getting the cod!
  13. Trisha K June 23, 2019 at 7:54 am #
    Soooo much friend my friend!!!
  14. Allison McEver June 24, 2019 at 6:23 pm #
    Love you and your blog!!! And may or may not of made me obsessed with taking a family trip to Oregon now. Easy family vacation from North Georgia I think...still working on getting the husband on board. Hahaha!
  15. Marina June 25, 2019 at 2:21 pm #
    My husband and I went on an epic Oregon trip nearly 3 years ago. First trip to Oregon but definitely not our last. We loved all the tiny towns and my husband tried to eat Clam Chowder DAILY because Oregon. It is fun to see Oregon through your eyes and experiences. Thanks for sharing.
  16. Lexie August 1, 2020 at 6:36 am #
    May I ask where you found your month vacation rental? Did you just Airbnb? Considering booking something south for a month this winter if school is virtual...
  17. tunnel rush July 31, 2024 at 1:52 am #
    I especially liked the part about salmon collars and the family climbing the stairs to the Astoria Tower. Bev's emotions as she climbed what I thought was 876 steps but turned out to be 1,973 made me laugh out loud.

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  1. Our New Life on the Oregon Coast Forever: Part Three | Bev Cooks - June 27, 2019 […] we picked up salmon collars (at least I didn’t say neck) and spicy jams, we took them to our favorite little spot, Bread […]

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