C O M M U N I T Y // PISTILS nursery

Moving to Portland has been one of the most inspiring experiences of my life. The people, the fresh air, the food, the landscapes and most inspiring of all, the incredible artists and local businesses that make this town what it is. The people behind these gems have always seem to go out of their way to make me feel at home and welcome in this new city. So I wanted to showcase their talents, make some new friends and get a little more involved in the local artistry that is Portland. Today I'll be kicking off a new series on this little blog of mine --> COMMUNITY: a series dedicated to featuring some of Portland's finest.

( FYI : You're going to want to stick around for the end of this blog post, there's a pretty rad giveaway you don't want to miss )

I couldn't think of a better place to start than down at the historic Mississippi District, at one of my favorite spots, Pistils Nursery. They have an wonderfully curated selection of indoor and outdoor plants and their staff is always so helpful at answering questions and making sure that you are getting something that will work in your home. They also have the most lovely home goods, jewelry, pottery, apothecary, books, lighting and even honey.  They have been my go-to, and often my starting place, when I'm looking to breathe new life into the ever changing landscape of my home.

[We are] Committed to cultivating community in and around our neighborhood, the vast majority of our product offering is sourced locally – from Willamette Valley plant wholesalers to Portland-based artists and makers. The nursery is a gathering place for people who are as passionate and curious about plants, urban homesteading and innovative spaces as we are."

As if their impressive plant selection wasn't enough, Pistils offers unique workshops, such as Terrarium building, Tillandsia Mounting and Kokedama Building to name a few (don't worry, I had to look up what all of those things were, too), some of these unique workshops come paired with locally sourced wine tasting... Doesn't get much better than that!

If you're ever in the area be sure to stop by Pistils, I promise it will be worth the trip. And don't worry, if you're not local to Portland, they have a web shop and you won't believe the plants they can actually ship! Check them out at http://shop.pistilsnursery.com/

INSTA - GIVEAWAY!

Pistils was kind enough to offer up one of their gorgeous stag horn ferns to one lucky follower. Don't worry if you aren't local, these beauties ship just fine! We've had our Stag (also known as Harold) in our home for about 5 months now and we LOVE him. Here's how you can win one to call your own.

1. // Follow both @PistilsNursery + @PaigeJonesPhoto on instagram
2. // Like the contest photo
3. // Tag two friends in the comments section
4. // For an extra entree, Repost the image being sure to tag @PistilsNursery + @PaigeJonesPhoto

Winners will be announced Friday July 31st! Good Luck everyone!!

Naples + Ischia

The beginning of our Italian journey started as most do, in a flurry of transportation.  Planes, trains, boats and lots (and lots) of walking... The first few days are a bit of a travel blur, but we set off to Naples with one goal, and one goal only... To consume as much pizza as humanly possible... MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

With our pizza coma in mind, we figured we should stay at a hostel and save some dough for the rest of our trip. I was not expecting much out of La Controra Hostel Naples, so I was pleasantly surprised by how lovely our stay was. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, they had a bar downstairs and lovely patio where guests could sip on their beverage of choice and share stories from their travels. And to top it all off, just outside was an old and incredibly stunning church...I would definitely recommend this gem to anyone making a pit stop in Naples.

After gaining about 15 pounds of pizza weight, we hopped on a ferry to one of the most anticipated stops of our trip. A small volcanic Island in the Tyrrhenian Sea... Ischia.

We stayed at the incredible Costa del Capitano in a small town of between Sant' Angelo and Punta Chiarito. This was our "we're on our honeymoon" splurge, and it was worth every penny.

There were several reasons why we decided to make the trek over to Ischia. It's beautiful beyond words but both Keith and I have a soft spot for natural hot springs, and Ischia has several. But something neither of us had heard of were hot springs, directly on the coastline into the ocean. I've never experienced anything like it, the cool ocean water coming in and the warm thermal water leaking out, it was magical.

We were about to make the hike back to our apartment when a strange man came up, and motioned us into his cave... Yes this sounds like the beginning of a horror film, but Leonardo had kind eyes and we were surrounded by other tourists enjoying the hot springs. This would prove to be one of the best memories of our trip... Leonardo had carved out a portion of rock, just large enough for two people and kept it full of piping hot thermal water. He also used his makeshift ax to shave down pieces of rock and mixed in water to create a mud to be rubbed all over your skin, we spent a solid hour with Leonardo, making as much conversation as possible with our limited Italian and his limited English. He served us moonshine and potatoes cooked by the heat of the springs and we have never been so relaxed in our lives.

Be sure to check back in Tomorrow for the next stop on our trip, Positano and Montepertuso!

Adam + Lauren

Adam and Lauren are one of those couples that you meet and instantly know that you're in for a damn good time... I called it...even before they brought out some "pre-shoot whiskey", and man was I right! Enjoy their lovely San Francisco engagement photos, can't wait for their big day...