Derrick and I spent this weekend camping at Lost Lake! It was really good to get away from the city and, well, life in general. The view was amazing – check this out:

Lost Lake - Hood River, OR

View of the trees from our camp site

It’s on the other side of Mt Hood (from Portland) nestled deep in the Mt Hood National Forest, far, far away from any civilization. I was in love. The water was absolutely freezing and there are no showers at this campground so bathing was… brisk, to say the least. What I liked most about this campground is how big each individual camp spot is, plus they’re all very distanced from each other. Because of this, campers aren’t all piled up on one another – in fact, we could barely see the our neighbors through the trees and brush. They have lots of hiking trails, and a part-wooden trail that follows the edge of the water so you can get a good view of the lake from every angle.

The only downside is that they don’t take reservations, so if you happen to arrive on a busy weekend, make sure to get there early because these amazing spots are in high demand. You can check out the Lost Lake Campground website here.

My two favorite parts of summer: spending 90 degree days at the beach and fresh guacamole. I love spicy food, and my guac is no exception. Below you’ll find my recipe for the most delicious guacamole ever.

Natalie’s Chunky Guacamole 2 Large Hass avocados Or 4 small avocados 1/2 of a red onion, chopped 1/2 lime 1 jalapeno pepper, minced I like it hot, so I leave in the seeds. If the heat is too much for you, seed your jalapeno before mincing. About 3 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt

Guacamole Ingredients

Split avocados and remove pit. Using a fork, mash the avocados up in a tupperware container for storage later. Add red onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, and salt. I love lime juice, so I usually use an entire lime in my guac, but you can use less if you like. I also like my guacamole extra spicy, so sometimes I add a habanero pepper in addition to the jalapeno.

Natalie's Chunky Guacamole

To keep your guac from oxidizing and turning brown, cover it with a layer of plastic wrap inside the tupperware container. Enjoy!