Going Green Machine

Sustainability. Food/Cooking. Nature. Outdoor Explorer. Marketing. Social Media. PA to VT to OR.

[goinggreenmachine]

04/07/15: Family adventures at Cannon Beach! 

[goinggreenmachine]

March 8th, 2015: It was unseasonably warm this past March so we drove down the coast to Cape Perpetua within the Siuslaw National Forest. We first hiked a few miles in the old growth forest and saw the 2nd oldest tree in Oregon. After hiking back to the ranger station we spoke to the volunteers and they told us to head over to the beach to see Thor’s well. The terrain is a bit difficult, but it is so worth it to check out Thor’s well and spouting horn. I highly recommend checking out Cape Perpetua. It is well worth the three and half hour drive from Portland. 

[goinggreenmachine]

It's been a month since this meet up and I still cannot believe Alaska is real. This was my first time visiting our 49th state and I hope it was not my last. I was picked up by our fearless leader and tour guide Matt (@mbliston) and hopped in his truck and was instantly greeted by Jill (@JAG83) and Tami (@twinkledfeet) like old friends. We instantly began chatting away and only stopped when Matt drove us over to Kincaid Park where we proceeded to see 5 moose. Day 1 Began with a scenic drive to the trail head through the Chugach National Forest. We arrived at the Devils Pass Trailhead and off we went! We didn't get far before the rain began. Despite the light rain we were completely in awe of our surroundings. The 10 miles in was smooth sailing, but when we saw the cabin we couldn't help, but feel relieved. I was also psyched because that meant it was almost time for dinner! Day 2 Tami headed back to the trailhead to get back to work and Jill, Matt and I decided to scramble up the Mountain behind our cabin aka Mt Yonder! After a lot of bushwhacking and scrambling we made it to open ground. We stopped to snack, take photos and just enjoy the view. Once we scrambled back down it was time for naps, camp games and of course dinner! We also made sure to set our alarms that night and were able to see the Northern Lights (faint but they were there!). Day 3 meant our time in the Chugach National Forest was coming to an end. We packed up, ate breakfast and said goodbye to our humble abode. The sun was shining on us and our mantra "Pizza, Beer, Dessert" kept us pushing forward. After a few hours and multiple breaks for selfies we made it back to the car. We took a quick pit stop to see the Kenai and then headed back to Anchorage to dine on Pizza, Beer and Dessert. Thanks Alaska. You did not disappoint.

My post reminiscing about my Alaskan adventure!  

[goinggreenmachine]

A few weekends back we hiked to June Lake at Mt Saint Helens / Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The hike to June lake was short so we continued on and scrambled around the lava fields. The clouds moved in and covered the mountain, but the views beyond did not disappoint. 

[goinggreenmachine]

Last selfie before we’re out of the woods. My first adventure to Alaska was one I’ll never forget. 

[goinggreenmachine]

Yonder is live! Download the app for free to your iPhone & discover the outdoors! http://bit.ly/YonderApp

[whatshouldwecallme]

How I feel about my finances

On pay day:

After I pay rent:

[goinggreenmachine]

I feel this way every pay day.

[goinggreenmachine]

[goinggreenmachine]

My co-workers have been raving about @WorthyBurger the past couple of weeks so I decided to check it out.  It's a very small venue located in the old Freight House in South Royalton, VT.  We walked in and it was packed (good sign)!  They use a lot of local ingredients included local eggs which were delivered by the farmer right in front of us.  He even stayed to have a burger.  I got the TurDucky, (turkey and duck confit burger) with local mushrooms and local cheddar.  It was delicious!  Plus on the specials board they parmesan truffle fries which were again delicious.  I washed it down with a Vienna Lager from Trapp.  Loved their pickles and pickled grapefruit.  Overall it was a great time.  I will definitely be going back.       

[natureshare-blog]

To celebrate The Crossley ID Guide by Richard Crossley Raptor edition Josh Haas has written a post “Reenergizing the Red-tailed Hawk”. Check it out and learn how you can win the Ultimate Crossley ID Guide Sweepstakes! See more of Josh’s work here.

[goinggreenmachine]

Water Street Café Review

Guest Post by Tom Deterling 

Whenever I find myself in the Laconia area, I always make it a point to stop by the Water Street Café. Whether it’s an early morning for breakfast or noontime for lunch, I have never been disappointed with the food or service. It is a great clean and welcoming place to stop by for a quick meal or sit for awhile and relax.

The breakfast menu is quite thick with plenty of different offerings. They offer a standard diner menu from eggs and omelettes to pancakes and French toast with plenty of options to make it the way you want. They also offer a wide selection of breakfast sandwiches, burritos and benedicts. The portions are generous and are a great price. Also they have great specials running that definitely break from away tradition, like the pulled pork pancakes with Jack Daniels maple syrup. And finally, they know how to make an egg, something that is getting harder and harder to find in a diner.

They also offer a great selection of lunch and dinner options. I always go with the turkey club for lunch, by far the best club I’ve ever had. No processed turkey, real thick turkey breast and real fresh bacon. Sandwiches, burgers, steak, and seafood is all available on the menu, and even offer beer and wine if so inclined. 

Water Street Café is a great place for a meal anytime of the day. The staff is friendly and attentive, they have plenty of seating, and the food is always top notch. It is a place I recommend to all my friends and family in the area. For the best food at a great price in the lakes region, look no further.

[goinggreenmachine]

My #backyard. #latergram #vermont #snow #winter

[goinggreenmachine]

More than 100,000 vines were posted to Twitter this weekend which means the new social app seems to be overcoming the obstacles they faced recently.  Do you vine? What do you think about it? I think 6 seconds is a little short, but I have seen many successful videos in the app.  I did notice an increase in activity, but I also saw an increase in porn.  I think vine is doing better at monitoring this (after the editor's pick fiasco), but they still have a long way to go to beat their photo competitor Instagram. It will be interesting to see how this app shapes up.  http://on.mash.to/Y7q5KD

[goinggreenmachine]

Vote Now For Water St. Cafe! (Pg. 5 Under Best Breakfast) Help Them Become Best Breakfast In NH because they deserve it! So many great and unique specials like Chocolate Cake French Toast or Pulled Pork Pancakes w/ Jack Daniels Whiskey Maple Syrup! 

[goinggreenmachine]

We had a blast this weekend playing in the snow with our Boxer, Recchi.  He loves chasing his tennis ball and running through the fresh snow.  Something to entertain us as we shovel out the cars.  What did you do this weekend to get outdoors?

[goinggreenmachine]

Would you buy a Facebook Gift Card for your friends or family?  Facebook has only rolled this out for 4 companies, but I think this could be a great thing for brands.  Users are getting used to the idea of gift cards through Amazon and iTunes, I think Facebook is the next logically step. via Hubspot.

[goinggreenmachine]

Interesting infographic from Social Fresh.  It will be interesting to see if more brands begin actively participating on Pinterest.  This is the perfect place to be if your target market is females 25-34. http://socialfresh.com/pinterest-users/