Archive for the ‘Misc’ Category

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Valentine’s Photography Special: You don’t want to miss!

January 11, 2010

Are you looking to give that special someone something fun and unique for Valentine’s Day? Amber strives to provide her clients with a photography experience unlike any other. From the start to finish, Amber addresses the needs of her clients and works to provide them exactly what they are looking for, and more. Children have a blast as well, and are greeted with a fun surprise at every session. If you’re looking for a great gift- here is your chance for an excellent deal!

Right now Photography by Amber is offering a limited special Buy One, Get One: Gift Certificate Promo. For example, purchase a $100 gift certificate, and receive another $100 gift certificate- purchase a $500 gift certificate, and receive another $500 gift certificate, etc. Yes, you read that right. ;)

You can combine the gift certificates for yourself, or give one to another special someone as a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day. This is also a great opportunity for those who are on a tight budget to take advantage of this offer- we all know that every little bit helps, and we need to work together as a community to provide each other with products and services that are of exceptional quality and held to the highest standards.

This offer is valid until Thursday, January 14th 2010 at midnight. Please e-mail Amber to take advantage of limited time offer.  Also, be sure to share this with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

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Happy New Year Portland!

January 4, 2010

I hope everyone has had a great holiday season, and a happy new year so far. The holidays have been wonderful this year (our first season in Portland, OR, and we are *loving* every minute!), and I am definitely looking forward to whatever 2010 has to bring! Photography by Amber is officially open again now that the holidays have passed. Please keep watching for our Valentine’s Special, which I will blog about in the next couple of days.

I know, I know, we just made it through Christmas, New Year’s, etc, but if you’re looking to get some photos done for that special someone, family, etc, you will totally want to take advantage of this offer ;)

Again, I hope everyone has enjoyed themselves this holiday season, and may 2010 bring only the best!

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Holiday Events in Portland, OR

December 19, 2009

There are so many things to do around town this holiday season. Here are some last minute things in the Portland area that you and your family might enjoy going to (if you haven’t been already!).

Zoolights (at the Oregon Zoo)- My husband and I took our kids to see the zoolights last night, and I must say, we ALL had a blast. They have a million lights (literally!) and you walk around this winter wonderland. There are animated animals, the train is decorated for the holidays, etc. Definitely worth going to for children and adults of all ages.

Peacock Lane- Apparently every year (since the 1920s!) this neighborhood in southeast Portland has been decorating their houses for Christmas. It gets very crowded here, so don’t expect to drive through quickly. It’s definitely worth checking out! I know my kids love driving around and looking at Christmas lights, so it’s nice to find a neighborhood that goes in together like this to make the holidays fun for everyone.

The Grotto- We haven’t been to this yet, but I’m really wanting to go. It looks beautiful, and I think it will be enjoyed by all. The Grotto is having their 22nd annual Christmas Festival of Lights (until December 30th).  They have over half a million lights, events, puppet shows, chorus, food and beverages, etc.

The Pittock Mansion- They are having their Tinsel, Trees, and Traditions: 150 Years of Christmas. They have rooms decorated to celebrate the traditions of Christmas. Very interesting, and worth checking out it you can.

The Fantasy Trail (in Oregon City)- This trail is so neat. It’s decorated with thousands of lights, and you walk through a 40 ft castle with holiday scenes. Such fun for the little ones!

Miracle of a Million Lights (at the Queen Anne Victorian Mansion)- We haven’t been to this yet, but I’d really like to go if we can. It looks fun. The mansion is decorated for the holidays (with 2.5 million lights!), and there are 10 uniquely- decorated Christmas trees, homemade apple cider, and more. They have a gift shop with unique stocking stuffers as well.

The Nutcracker (at the Oregon Ballet Theater)- I remember going to see this when I was little (not out here, but back in TN). I was so excited and I’m hoping to take my son this year, as I think it would be a great holiday tradition.

Winter Wonderland (at the Portland International Raceway)- We are actually going to this tonight. It’s known at the “largest light show west of the Mississippi.” It’s a drive-through light show, with over 250 colorful displays and 40 fully animated scenes. Apparently, this year, you also can drive through a tunnel of lights. Should be fun!

There are many more events going on in and around the Portland, OR area as well. Hopefully this list will help you in finding some fun things to do around town. And, as always, if you have any suggestions, please let me know! We love finding new stuff to do around this awesome city!

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Project: Got Breastmilk- Model Casting Call! {Portland Area}

December 16, 2009

Many of you know that I am the co-founder of an amazing breastfeeding project, Project: Got Breastmilk.  This project is a collaborative project that myself, and my colleague and friend, Nicole Hill, have been working on over the past few years. I have photographed nursing moms and their little ones all over the country for this project.  Nicole and I share the dream of making breastfeeding the norm, rather than the exception, through fine art photography.

Currently, I am seeking “models” in the Portland, OR and surrounding areas for this project. If you or someone you know are interested, please e-mail me as soon as possible, and I will send you more details. I’m alloted a certain amount of time for this project, and am only accepting a limited number of “models” at this point. You can view some photos from the project on my website, http://www.photographybyamber.com. Just click on the “Portfolio” section, and enter the Project: Got Breastmilk? gallery.

Project: Got Breastmilk Casting Call in Portland, OR

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How Kid-Friendly is Portland?

December 2, 2009

This is a question that my husband and I asked ourselves before we decided to move to the Portland area. We have found that Portland is pretty much the most kid-friendly city we’ve been too (although San Francisco is pretty up there as well!). There is so much to do year-round. It’s great!

We only moved here a couple months ago, so we haven’t really experienced everything this wonderful city has to offer. But we definitely look forward to it! Since the majority of my blog readers are parents, I would like to share my opinion on places we have been so far (I will leave out the supposed kid friendly but really not places ;) ).  If anyone has any places they would like to suggest, please let me know. We are definitely open to checking out new places!

Shopping for Kids

Finnegan’s– I must say that this is one of the best toy stores I have ever been to. They have unique toys and products, and my kids love the experience of going downtown to the toy store (getting them out of the store is a different story! It’s fun though!).

Steiner Storehouse- This is a small store that carries many Waldorf toys, art supplies, books, etc. They also have some natural beauty products. We bought our son some wonderful block crayons and other goodies from this store.

Spring Creek Store (at PWS)- If you are looking for another great Waldorf store, the one in Portland Waldorf School is great. They have both new and used toys and books. Also tons of art supplies. Definitely worth going to check out!

Spielwork Toystore- Another cute, little toy store with unique and hard to find toys and goodies.

Thinker Toys- Ok, I haven’t actually been to these next three yet, but they look like a GREAT stores! I am going to be checking them out soon.

Milagros Boutique- A very cloth diaper, breastfeeding friendly store (you all know how I feel about breastfeeding, just take a look at my photos from Project: Got Breastmilk ;) ). They have eco friendly toys and products, baby carriers, and more. They also have workshops and events at their store *all the time* (I’ve been wanting to bring my daughter to some actually!).

Grasshopper- This looks like a cute toy store as well (with lots of eco friendly stuff!). Definitely going to check it out soon!

Eating Out with Kids

We all know how it is when you go to a place to eat with kids and it’s not very child friendly. It’s not fun. One of the great things about the city of Portland is how many wonderful restaurants there are (with fresh, organic local food even!), and how many of these places are very kid-friendly.

Café Sip-n-Play-  This is probably my favorite so far, although it’s actually in Vancouver, WA, so a bit of a drive for us. There is a children’s play area that you can see your child at from virtually any of the tables there. They also have free wi-fi, so if you have some work you need to finish up on, or just want to sit there and browse the internet, it’s great. The food is pretty good as well.

Burgerville- This is a fast food restaurant, but we have fun going inside also. They have great food (and veggie and bean burgers as well!), and the atmosphere is so fun. There are crayons and pictures for the kids to color, and they almost always have balloons there for the kids (just be careful with the little ones of course!).

Voodoo Doughnut- Now, I know this isn’t really a restaurant, but it is a fun place to go. They have SO MANY different doughnuts there. Really good stuff too.

Laughing Planet- There are several around town, and it’s a great place to bring the kids. They have a healthy, organic menu, and toys, etc for the kids to play with while you’re waiting.

Old Wives’ Tales Restaurant-  We love this place. The food is AWESOME, the service is always great, and they have a neat play area for the kids. It is a very vegetarian friendly restaurant as well.

Around Town with Kids… coming soon :)

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Columbia River Gorge. Waterfalls. Beautiful.

November 29, 2009

One of the reasons I love living in the Pacific Northwest is the scenery. It’s gorgeous. Unbelievable. In the spring/summer, everything is so green it’s almost unreal. In the fall, there are so many beautiful colors. We haven’t experienced winter here yet, but I’m sure it will be worth mentioning as well. I don’t think I have ever seen as many waterfalls in one area in my life. So many rivers. It’s a photographer’s dream really.

We had family in town over the holiday, and decided they *had* to see the Columbia River Gorge area. So, we left Portland and drove the Historic Columbia River Highway. It was chilly outside, as this is late November, but the weather was beautiful. With two young children in the car, we didn’t make as many stops as we would have liked to, but we still had a wonderful time. At Multnomah Falls, we stopped and ate at the Lodge, and of course visited the gift shop below. We got a great table near the fireplace with a view of the falls. I must say, their garden burgers are great as well.

Here are some photos at a few random stops along the highway. I’m hoping to get out that way again in the winter- I can just imagine how beautiful everything is with the snow covered trees, etc.

Sheperd's Dell Waterfall

Shepperd's Dell Falls

waterfall in the gorge

Columbia River Gorge

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Pumpkin patch, autumn leaves, & free session

November 2, 2009

I hope everyone is having a wonderful fall. The colors are GORGEOUS here in Oregon, and my kids are loving the leaves everywhere. My son was so excited to bring home different color leaves from school. He hasn’t seen the color change in the last couple years we have been in southern California!

We, of course, went to the pumpkin patch and had a blast. My daughter is apparently not too fond of the big pumpkins in large groups- so that was interesting to say the least! Also, yesterday we went to Wilderness Park in West Linn to play in the leaves and walk the trails. It’s a beautiful park, and I highly recommend it. The kids LOVED it. My daughter would chase after anyone walking their dog, my son wanted to make the biggest leaf pile ever (which, of course, his little sister would not allow this to happen ;) ). It’s a great place to go with the family and just walk around, check out the nature and beauty of the area.

Also, we have officially reached 100 fans on facebook, so the drawing for the free session will be tonight! If you want to be included, you still have until this evening to become a fan. I’m so excited and I would like to say thanks to all fans- also, keep checking back for more news and specials from Photography by Amber.

Here’s some quick photos from the pumpkin patch and playing in the leaves (mainly my daughter, a post for my son will be soon, there’s big news for him I can’t wait to share!)

If you have small children, I would HIGHLY suggest getting one of the Radio Flyer Wagons like the one my daughter is in below..SO great, and she prefers it over the stroller.

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Want to win a free session?

October 22, 2009

Now that we are finally getting settled in the beautiful Portland, OR area, I am offering a chance for one of our Portland area facebook fans to win a free photo session!

Once Photography by Amber hits 100 fans on Facebook, a local Portland fan will win a free photography session! Hurry, we don’t have much more to go until we hit the 100 mark ;)

Click here to become a fan!

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Castle Ruins..some of my own little ones

September 28, 2009

My husband and I decided to go out to the castle ruins once more before we move. I had such a fun time with my bridal/boudoir session last time, I thought it would be a great pace to take the kids. Wow- I was wrong! It was about 90 degrees when we got there. We got there too early, and had to entertain them for an hour and a half before we could start shooting (we didn’t want to hike back, just to hike out again). Also, apparently this place is more “discovered” as there was lots of broken glass, trash, etc everywhere. It’s so unfortunate the way people treat places.

All turned out well, of course :) We did encounter a rattle snake on our hike back to the van, but thankfully it was a non confrontational encounter.

I absolutely love this place, and I am so excited to explore around the beautiful Pacific Northwest once we get out there- there are so many places I can’t wait to do sessions at!

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Kid Friendly Places to Visit (Portland area)

August 3, 2009

I promised to post some of the kid friendly places that we visited while we were in the Portland area. Of course, there are literally endless possibilities, but with the time that we had, here are some places I definitely recommend you visit if you get the chance:

Jamison Fountain (in the Pearl district)- My kids absolutely *loved* this fountain. With the “waterfalls” and the shallow “tidal pool”, it was perfect for both my 6 year old and 16 month old. Children of all ages were there enjoying cooling off (for free btw) at this cute fountain in the middle of the city.

Cafe Sip-n-Play (Vancouver)- My husband and I were looking for a good place to take the kids to play and have lunch. This is the perfect place. The food was surprisingly really good, and the play area for the kids was *very* clean. There was even a smaller area for non-walking babies as well. Oh, and they have free wifi as well. It’s set up so that you can sit, have coffee, use your computer, etc while the kids go play and you can see them from where you are sitting. Very convenient. All the other children there were really well behaved as well (we have been to play areas where things get crazy and the little ones get trampled on, but here was surprisingly peaceful). The staff was super friendly as well.

Old Wives’ Tales Restaurant (Portland)- We weren’t expecting the amazing food that we had at this place. Maybe because we had had a long day, and the kids were restless, but when we got here, we were pleasantly surprised at the neat children’s play area, and fresh, natural foods. The kids had a blast playing in the play area (there are apparently three dining areas, so you have the option of sitting near the play area, or in another area for a more relaxing meal (if you don’t have kids of course ;) ). The food was *so* good. Definitely stop by if you get the chance, even without the kids. They are super vegetarian friendly as well.

New Renaissance Bookstore (Portland)- Conveniently located on NW 23rd in Portland (which is fun to walk around there also), this bookstore has so many neat books and other goodies. The children’s area is great. There is a little (very little, actually, but it kept the kids busy for a while!) area they can play in next to the children’s books. It had books, toys, etc they could play with.  They have all sorts of books ranging from religious, values, different perspectives on life, etc. Definitely worth going to if you’re in the area. And Powell’s isn’t too far either.

Whole Foods (Tigard)- Yes, that’s right. Whole Foods. The one in Tigard is seriously the coolest Whole Foods I’ve ever been to in my life (Although the one in Vancouver, WA had the friendliest people I’ve ever met in my life!).

Multnomah Falls- Beautiful. Gorgeous. Even just the drive there. Words can not describe how beautiful the Columbia River Gorge area is. The kids loved exploring and both thought the waterfalls (we saw several on the Historic Columbia River Highway) were just the coolest things ever.

Dutch Bros Coffee- Seriously *the* best coffee my husband and I have ever tasted. Ever. If anyone knows of a coffee place that beats out Dutch Bros PLEASE let me know, because I have never tasted coffee so good! WHY are there not any down here in southern California? Even northern California has some. They have kid friendly drinks there as well :)

That is my short list. There is a lot more. There are so many cool parks, nature trails, etc that we went to and I am bummed out I didn’t catch the names of them. Hope this list is helpful, and don’t forget to check these places out if you live or are ever in the area!

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