Weekend Getaways

The Artful Side of the Gorge

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:00:00 -0700

Find form fused with function, like this pottery from local Melanie Thompson, at the Hood River boutique Twiggs.

The Columbia River Gorge has an image problem: it’s typecast as the ultimate outdoor adventurers’ paradise. And, of course, it is. But while our signature chasm’s mighty river, mountainous terrain, and plentiful sunshine certainly shine as a grand outdoor playground, when seen through a camera lens, reimagined in watercolor, or translated into song (thank you, Woody Guthrie), those same features serve as inspiration for artists.

The Gorge as muse isn’t an entirely new idea: since the mid-19th century, it’s stirred landscape photographers such as Carleton Watkins, Fred Kiser, and most recently the late, great Terry Toedtemeier. But the western Gorge’s growing artistic energy offers good reason to leave the hiking boots behind for a day. Just this fall, for instance, Troutdale’s Corbett School (one of the country’s top public schools, according to both Newsweek and the Washington Post) rehabbed the historic Springdale schoolhouse and reopened it as an art school.

Meanwhile, bronze sculptor Rip Caswell is about to break ground on a live-work artists’ community on the northeast side of town. A few miles down I-84, in Cascade Locks, bronze-casting prodigy Heather Soderberg, whose childhood artistry was featured in National Geographic and People, among other magazines, runs a foundry right across the street from longtime Gorge gallery Lorang. And in April, the Hood River area will celebrate its seventh annual open studios tour—an opportunity to examine the work (and in many cases homes) of 29 Gorge artists. There’s even a Maya Lin sculpture near Troutdale.

The art of the Gorge can range from the sublime (Lin) to the, shall we say, folksy (you be the judge). But then, that’s part of the region’s charm—and what makes finding a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece part of the thrill. After all, whether you’re hunting art or adrenaline, the Gorge’s siren song calls to a desire to discover. Answer it.

DO

Image: Bob Meador

The Sandy River Delta Bird Blind Confluence Project by landscape artist Maya Lin

Image: Lauri Streaker

Troutdale General Store

DOWNTOWN TROUTDALE
There’s more to Troutdale than outlet stores and Edgefield—namely a quaint little downtown that makes an ideal midday meander. Highlights: Rip Caswell’s gallery, where you might find the bronze artist himself, at work on an eight-foot-tall statue of Admiral Chester Nimitz, commissioned by the Naval Order of the United States to stand guard at the entrance to Pearl Harbor; Italian glass jewelry maker (and perennial favorite at Portland’s Real Mother Goose) Marco Polo Beads, which moved to Troutdale last summer; and the Troutdale General Store, a 7,000-square-foot paean of nostalgia featuring candy and toys kids of the ’80s will love—and an ice cream counter today’s tykes will, too.

Image: Lauri Streaker

The 301 Gallery in Hood River

DOWNTOWN HOOD RIVER
In July, the 301 Gallery and wine bar transformed an 89-year-old, A. E. Doyle–designed bank building that housed the city’s parking enforcement office (among other things) into a bright, art-centered space serving creative small plates and many regional wines and beers. The fledgling gallery—which still gets people trying to pay parking tickets—joins downtown’s cadre of galleries, among them the Pines and the Columbia Center for the Arts, the community arts group that helps organize April’s Open Studios Tour. For some “functional” art, stop by Twiggs, a home décor and accessory boutique featuring local work, such as Melanie Thompson’s cheerful, colorful pottery.

GLASSOMETRY STUDIOS
If you want to make art instead of just ogle it, pilot your car up to Odell. Glassometry’s surprisingly affordable “blow your own glass” options (from $20) teach you the basics of handling and shaping 2,000-degree glass from veteran glassmaker Laurel Marie Hagner and her associates. Plus you’ll walk away with the best kind of souvenir: one you made.

EAT

Image: Ashley Rodriguez

Mussels and frites at Pfriem

Pfriem
First came Full Sail. Then Double Mountain. Last summer, Pfriem joined Hood River’s expanding brewery universe. Former Full Sail brewer Josh Pfriem debuted the family-friendly brewpub on the edge of the still-being-developed Waterfront Park in August, much to the relief of beer fans taxed by the sometimes hour-plus wait at Double Mountain. The Belgian-centric beer list shines with stars like the creamy, mildly spiced Wit and the hefty Belgian Strong Dark, an in-your-face chocolaty ale that demands your attention. The upscale pub grub contains both hits and misses, but file the onion rings and mac and cheese under sure bets.

Knead
Knead puts the “art” in artisan baking with delicately decorated tarts and pastries and its popular “fougasse,” a kind of French pretzel bread carefully painted with an olive oil, herb, and salt glaze.

Nora’s Table
With an almost exclusively locally sourced menu, Nora’s has long been a locals’ favorite for dinner. And now it’s becoming a beloved breakfast spot, too. This fall the seven-year-old eatery just off of Oak Street began serving tummy-filling wake-up calls like Dutch babies piled with cinnamon bourbon apples and a Bombay-town fry featuring curried potatoes, spinach, oysters, and red onion date chutney.

STAY

Hood River Hotel
Hood River’s oldest hotel—listed on the National Register of Historic Places—provides easy access to downtown’s bevy of galleries and brewpubs from the corner of First and Oak Streets, where it has stood since 1911. Even better, the elegantly restored 41-room hotel has continued its centennial celebration into 2013, offering guests Sunday-night stays for $100. From $100

Image: McMenamins Edgefield

The other side of Edgefield

Edgefield
We’ve all swayed and played at this poor farm–turned–concert venue, golf course, and McMenamins hotel. But tucked amid the property’s 74 verdant acres, you’ll also find a resident potter and glassblower—and a dozen other reasons (Rudy’s Spa and a 102-degree saltwater soaking pool among them) to turn your day trip into an overnight. From $30

Click to see full-sized map.

Wine Country Weekend: Newberg or McMinnville?

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:22:00 -0700

Image: Michael Novak

A glass of 2011 Nicholas Estate riesling from Newberg’s Anam Cara Cellars

Oregon wine country has come a long way since its stormy beginning in the 1950s (see “Perfect Storm,”). Today the Willamette Valley boasts nearly 300 wineries, many of them scattered throughout Yamhill County. A couple of years ago, the Allison Inn seemed like the second coming, but now a number of hotels, restaurants, and shops are adding quality—beyond the wine—to the valley. Along Yamhill County’s main artery, Highway 99, two towns have emerged as titans of wine tourism: Newberg (and its satellite, Dundee) and McMinnville. While McMinnville typically has shined brightest in size—and in scope of eating and shopping options—Newberg and Dundee have boasted the lion’s share of wineries and tasting rooms. Recent additions to both towns’ arsenal of attractions, though, have evened the field. We lay out the best of what’s new in each place, from the ’Berg’s tasty new eatery, Recipe, to Mac’s punk-chic Remy Wines. As for crowning one town wine-country king, well, we’ll leave that to you.

McMinnville

Image: Michael Novak

Atlas Decor

DO Funky N Mississippi Avenue has nothing on McMinnville’s 3rd Street, where a host of boutiques tempt would-be wine-tasters away from their glasses. Among the newcomers: Yamhill Valley Dry Goods, where chic outdoor brands like Lolë and Patagonia mingle with boots, sandals, belts, and bags; Atlas Decor, a mere months-old home and accessory store that sells work from small designers—many of them from the Northwest; and Rag & Bones, a new, mostly man-centric vintage store with more Pendleton on one rack than Portland’s Animal Traffic has in its entire store.

The Evergreen Space and Aviation museum, home to Howard Hughes’s legendary Spruce Goose (the largest wooden airplane ever built), has long been a popular spot for aeronautics buffs. But the debut of the museum’s Wings and Waves Waterpark last summer, complete with 10 waterslides, a wave pool, and an education center, turned it into a hit for the masses. Rumor has it that in 2014 they’ll be revealing a restaurant and lodge, too—sounds like Olympia’s current aquatic adventure king, Great Wolf, is about to get some competition.

EAT From the family behind longtime McMinnville fixture Nick’s Italian Café comes the year-old salami shop Fino in Fondo (“until the end”). Tucked into a hard-to-find warehouse on a dead-end street, Fino’s pocket-size tasting room doles out slices of calabrese, sopressata, pancetta, and more. We dare you to leave empty-handed.

Pork-passionate Eric Bechard and Emily Howard—the duo behind McMinnville’s renowned Thistle—have been busy. In March 2011, the pair launched (and later sold their stake in) Community Plate, a priced-for-locals breakfast and lunch spot peddling simple, locally sourced dishes like heritage pork hash and winter squash. And this spring they debuted Tacos de Los Muertos, a late-night taco spot serving pork, tongue, and fish tacos in house-made tortillas in a former tattoo parlor.

Image: Michael Novak

Tamami Chocolates and a taste of Anthony Dell Cellars

STAY Housed in an 1885 bank building, each of the four apartments inside the year-old 3rd Street Flats adheres to a different design theme. Among your choices: a romantic wine country suite dressed in warm hues, soft textures, and dark wood accents or a luxurious 750-square-foot modern space showcasing exposed brick, a king bed, and its own fireplace. All come with well-appointed kitchens, a shared laundry machine, original local art, and an emphasis on sustainability—think low-VOC paints, bamboo floors, and counters made from recycled paper (really!). thirdstreetflats.com; from $170

SIP Family-owned Anthony Dell Cellars has been producing wine since 2002, but just opened a tiny tasting room below the 3rd Street Flats in February. If you’re staying at the Flats, your visit comes with a flight of Anthony Dell’s wines. But if not, it’s still worth stopping in to pair pinots with handcrafted treats like habanero dark-chocolate truffles from new Tamami Chocolates.

Image: Michael Novak

Remy Wines’ tasting room

When you tire of tasting pinot—c’est possible?—head to McMinnville’s industrial district. Here, just down the road from pinot pioneer Eyrie, Remy Wines’ punk-chic new tasting room and bar, baR, pours single-vineyard old-world Italian-style reds like barbera and sangiovese. And be sure to ask owner and winemaker Remy Drabkin how her Three Wives label got its name—just order a glass first. It’s quite a story.

YAMHILL VALLEY

NEWBERG

Image: Michael Novak

Recipe’s burrata

EAT Inside a quaint, restored downtown Victorian home, Recipe is a locavore’s French-tinged fantasy. Dishes feature produce grown in the restaurant’s own garden (30 varietals of heirloom tomato!), and the flourish of former Farm to Fork chef Paul Bachand. Not to be missed: the house-made burrata, a carefully crafted homemade mozzarella enveloping a mascarpone-like creamy middle. Pair with one of the many glass pours drawn from the Willamette Valley. Or walk two blocks to Anam Cara Cellars for dessert in a glass.

Image: Michael Novak

Bocce at Red Hills Market

Eat (and drink and play) like a local at Dundee’s year-and-a-half-old Red Hills Market, where hazelnut shells decorate the planters and regional picnic supplies such as Dundee’s Briar Rose Creamery cheese, McMinnville’s Fino in Fondo salami, and 30 Oregon wines line the shelves. It’s the perfect place to pack a picnic for your day, or to cap it off with a piping hot wood-fired pizza, a game of bocce out back, and a pint of Oregon beer, served in a ceramic stein handcrafted by Bradley Speer, a local ... naturally.

Newberg’s Painted Lady restaurant has been quietly dishing out exquisite modern fare in the heart of downtown Newberg since 2005. And now this hidden gem is serving up a picture-perfect place to overnight, too. A two-bedroom cottage next door to the restaurant debuted at the end of May, with no detail forgotten, from an espresso machine on the counter to fresh eggs, fruit from nearby Viridian Farms, and milk in the fridge. Even the fire pit in the cute backyard comes complete with kindling stacked in a match-ready teepee. thepaintedladyrestaurant.com; from $235

Image: John Valls/Courtesy Paulée

Paulée

Former Sel Gris chef Daniel Mondok’s sleek steel, stone, and glass Paulée grabbed headlines with its May debut. While its ingredients are sourced locally, its James Beard–nominated chef’s menu roves wildly across the globe, nesting tartares alongside dishes like Israeli couscous mac and cheese. But the biggest splash may well be the all-raw menu.

STAY Stationed slopeside just outside of Newberg, practically within sight of several Dundee wineries, the 18-month-old Le Puy Inn’s eight luxe rooms come with valley views, complimentary wine tastings, and tips about restaurants and wineries from affable owners (and inn residents) Lea Duffy and Andy Kosusko. Come morning, step into Le Puy’s convivial breakfast nook and nosh on expertly prepared pain perdu—oven-baked, almond-milk-soaked baguette—and watch wine country wake up. lepuy-inn.com; from $195

SIP Decked out in midcentury mod furniture, with Jackson Brown B-sides playing on the turntable, Longplay Wine’s downtown tasting room looks more like a vintage store than a sipping space. But its single-vineyard wines are modern revelations: five of its 2008 and 2009 pinots and chardonnays earned 90 points or more from Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast.

Sprinkled atop the Dundee Hills like lavish toppings on a delicious landscape of vineyards lolling toward fir-rich forested slopes, Alexana Winery, Thistle Wines, and Bella Vida Vineyard all boast new tasting rooms with spacious sunny decks and spectacular views. Play bocce at Bella Vida, sip a 92-point pinot at Thistle, and up the feel-good factor at Alexana, where your vino is poured inside a LEED gold–certified tasting room.

Ashland’s New Act

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:00:00 -0700

Image: Jared Cruce

WITH THE RENOWNED eight-month-long Oregon Shakespeare Festival and quaint turn-of-the-century architecture elegantly weaving its way up the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, Ashland has long been the state’s answer to the Renaissance village. But in recent years the city has enjoyed a cultural rebirth more fitting of the label, with the meteoric rise of Caldera Brewing, the revival of the historic Railroad District as a food and shopping hub, and more than 20 flights daily (including four to Portland). Even the festival has had a makeover: under the guidance of artistic director Bill Rauch, who joined the organization in 2008, it is producing more original work than ever before, with four world premieres this year alone. The collective boom means Southern Oregon’s Stratford-upon-Avon is no longer just a place for theater geeks, but a diverse little city bubbling with energy, eclecticism, and—as the Bard himself might say—plenty of places where you willingly could waste your time. *

* QUOTE, UNQUOTE

In fact, Shakespeare did say this in As You Like It, although he was referring to the Forest of Arden. Arden, Ashland … details.

EAT

SMITHFIELDS RESTAURANT & BAR
Former Oregon Iron Chef Neil Clooney debuted this meat-centric eatery last year and has been filling it most nights ever since. The environs whisper Portland (chalkboard menus, Edison bulbs, and dark woods), but the menu screams Ashland: NY strips from the Salant Family Ranch in Jacksonville, brined pork chops from Ashland’s Willow-Witt Ranch, and locally grown produce. Home cooking, indeed. smithfieldsashland.com

Photo: Courtesy Noble Coffee

NEW SAMMY’S COWBOY BISTRO
Nestled in a former service station just outside of town, the 10-table Sammy’s is no longer a secret, so call ahead to make sure you get a seat for supper. Your diligence will be rewarded with exquisite dishes like bacon-wrapped quail atop a bed of roasted almonds and mustard greens, all crafted from organic ingredients by former Chez Panisse chef Charlene Rollins. Even better, pair your meal with something from the 3,000-bottle wine list. Yes, 3,000. Fortunately co-owner, sommelier, and husband Vernon Rollins is happy to help. 541-535-2779

CALDERA BREWING
The first Oregon micro beermaker to use cans, Caldera moves into a 28,000-square-foot brewing facility and brewpub this fall. Meantime, stop by its current taphouse along Ashland Creek to sample some of the 15-year-old company’s 25 well-balanced beers. calderabrewing.com

STAY

LITHIA SPRINGS RESORT
This 28-room resort got a face-lift last year when the owners of downtown’s historic and impeccably appointed Ashland Springs Hotel renovated the property into an oasis of flower gardens, koi ponds, and in-room spa tubs fed by mineral-rich Lithia Springs. You’ll have to overlook the car dealership down the street, but the spacious rooms and bungalows make up for the nearby eyesore. lithiaspringsresort.com; from $149, includes breakfast

PEERLESS HOTEL
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Peerless once served as a boarding house for railroad workers: 14 rooms and one bathroom. Today there are only six rooms, but you get your own bathroom (some even have two-person jetted tubs), plus easy access to the burgeoning Railroad District. And if you leave your window open, you might awake to the rich smell of espresso wafting down the street from neighbor Noble Coffee. peerlesshotel.com; from $165, includes breakfast

Image: Kasey Cordell

The new Bandersnatch Trail begins in Lithia Park, near the gurgling Ashland Creek.

DO

BANDERSNATCH TRAIL *
Designed by Golden Gate Park architect John McLaren, Lithia Park stars as Ashland’s central natural gem, with Ashland Creek bubbling past grassy knolls and gardens and pooling in a (frigid) swimming hole. But there’s more treasure in the hills beyond it, where a network of trails carries hikers through stands of pine, fir, madrone, and cedar. The new Bandersnatch Trail connects Lithia Park to the popular Alice in Wonderland area of the Rogue River–Siskiyou National Forest. Here the steeper White Rabbit Trail delivers hardy hikers to panoramic views of the Rogue Valley. ashlandtrails.org

* BANDER … WHAT?

An invention of Lewis Carroll, a bandersnatch is a ferocious creature with a long neck and snapping jaws. See also: Alice in Wonderland and “Jabberwocky.”

HISTORIC RAILROAD DISTRICT
Home to the other golden spike—the one that closed the circuit for trains to circle the nation in 1887—Ashland’s Historic Railroad District was a nexus of shops, cafés, and hotels until 1926, when trains began diverting through Klamath Falls rather than climb the Siskiyous’ steep grade. Neglected, the neighborhood withered. Decades later a collection of Ashland artists (of course) began triaging the dilapidated area back to life: first came the galleries (pioneering sculptor J. Ellen Austin planted the Jega Gallery and Sculpture Garden in the mid-’90s), then the coffee shops (Noble Coffee Roasting opened in 2009), and eventually restaurants (Coquina began serving in 2010) and bars (British-inspired pub Playwright debuted last year). Sound familiar? (Ahem, Pearl District.) Today more than 20 shops, restaurants, galleries, and hotels line this charming neighborhood, where you’ll find nary a quill nor a kitschy costume. ashlandrrdistrict.com

OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

The festival debuts four world premieres this season, the most in its 77-year history. Among the shows not to miss: All the Way, a theatrical rendition of Lyndon Johnson’s first year in the Oval Office, staged in the historic (and repaired) Angus Bowmer Theatre, and The Very Merry Wives of Windsor, Iowa, a clever, humorous take on Shakespeare’s tale, on Ashland’s outdoor stage. osfashland.org

Photo: Courtesy Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Oregon Shakespeare Fest’s Elizabethan Stage

Spring Bounty

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:00:00 -0700

Photo: Courtesy Jason Todd Cooper

Eugene’s 33-year-old farmers market

AT THE START of the 2010–11 college football season, as Duck fans licked their chops in anticipation of a potential national championship, a different kind of mouthwatering movement simultaneously swept across Eugene: a growing number of locally focused foodie spots began to sprout up among the town’s beer-and-burger joints. Osterio Sfizio, a well-regarded Italian locavore eatery, had opened that summer, dessert got a makeover with locally crafted frozen yogurt from Vanilla Jill’s, and 16 Tons Bottle Shop—Eugene’s answer to Portland’s Beer Mongers—debuted downtown, with shelf after shelf of Oregon brews. Plenty more have followed.

“Everyone is aware of what’s been going on with food in Portland,” says Stephanie Pearl Kimmel, owner and James Beard–nominated chef at Marché, an eatery with a French take on locally sourced ingredients. “That’s been inspiring for young people with a passion for food and an idea. Plus, we’ve got incredible farm resources and livestock producers.” Add to that the recession’s silver lining—lots of available space and lower rents—and suddenly, there’s more to Eugene than football and Phil Knight. And with the recent debut of the sleek Inn at the 5th—Eugene’s first new downtown hotel in three decades—and the reopening of the Saturday and farmers markets this month, there’s no better time to rediscover Eugene and the bounty of spring. (Just get there before the rest of the country does: the US Track and Field Olympic Trials arrive in June.)

EAT

Le Bar at Marché

marcherestaurant.com
Opened in 1998, the Fifth Street Market’s Marché helped plant the seeds for a foodie bloom and quickly became a kind of Chez Panisse of Eugene, focused on exquisitely prepared dishes sourced locally: wood-oven-roasted steelhead from Northwest waters or Moroccan tagine stocked with Willamette Valley veggies, for example. This winter, the Good Food Award finalist revealed an expanded dining and bar section next door, Le Bar, and room service to the Inn at the 5th (in case you prefer your brioche French toast in bed).

Photo: Courtesy Matthew D’Annunzio

Soup’s on at Heidi Tunnell’s barn dinner

Heidi Tunnell Catering Company

heiditunnellcatering.com
Inside a 19th-century barn at Creswell’s lush Furrer Farm beats the figurative heart of Eugene’s locavore scene: Heidi Tunnell’s Barn Dinners. The Willamette Valley native pairs her passion for locally grown ingredients (she sources her menu from the farm down the road) with Culinary Institute of America training to produce intimate, family-style, four-course suppers featuring Willamette Valley wines. Think braised lamb neck, paella, and whole-roasted pig. If you miss these once-a-month meals, which begin in June, stop by her Creswell bakery for lunch on Tuesdays or sign up for an in-town family supper, offered Thursdays. You won’t get the musky, sweet scent of straw and grass, but your steaming vanilla bean pot de crème will still come in a mason jar.

Vanilla Jill’s

vanillajills.com
You can buy organic frozen yogurt made by two-year-old Vanilla Jill’s—which uses locally crafted Nancy’s kefir—in a few stores in Portland. But there’s no substitute for a freshly pulled bowl of vanilla bean drizzled with chocolate ganache … or any of the other 30 toppings on offer at this popular Eugene spot.

STAY

Photo: Courtesy the Inn at the 5th

Eugene glass artist Sue Zeitner created the chandelier and many of the lamps inside the new Inn at the 5th.

Inn at the 5th

innat5th.com; from $209
Within shouting distance of Marché and the Fifth Street Market’s collection of high-end shops, this brand-new inn’s plush rooms house original pieces by local artists, fireplaces, and private butler cabinets if you want to collect your room service without being disturbed. A few also boast jetted tubs and body-swaddling bathrobes so luxurious you won’t want to leave your temporary nest. Indeed, just order room service and drop a bucket from your balcony to retrieve a bottle from LaVelle Winery (downstairs), and you won’t have to.

Excelsior Inn

excelsiorinn.com; from $99
Last fall, this Euro-chic B&B one block from the U of O campus transformed five acres of fertile Willamette Valley land into a farm to supply the inn’s devoted slow-food, Italian-inspired Ristorante with ingredients for delicious dishes like artichoke heart ravioli with roasted red pepper chèvre sauce and wild boar polenta.

The inn at the 5th is Eugene’s first new downtown hotel in 30 years.

Photo: Courtesy Trask Bedortha

Small plates from the Whiteaker neighborhood’s Izakya Meiji

Dorris Ranch

willamalane.org
Established in 1892, Springfield’s Dorris Ranch stands as the nation’s oldest commercial hazelnut farm; half of the country’s hazelnut orchards are believed to have originated at the ranch’s nursery. Miles of trail crisscross the ranch’s 258 lush acres. Whether you choose a route that takes you past grand stands of filbert trees or through a cedar-and-fir forest tracing the Willamette River’s edge, you’ll have no trouble working up an appetite for supper.

Whiteaker Neighborhood

Just west of downtown, the gritty and growing Whiteaker neighborhood has become a magnet for culinary up-and-comers. Anchored by Eugene’s Ninkasi Brewing and the vegetarian-friendly Pizza Research Institute, the area also boasts local coffee roaster Wandering Goat, Sweet Life Pâtisserie, and the teensy-tiny Nib restaurant. The real gem, though is Izakaya Meiji, an East-meets-West, whiskey-centric Japanese small-plates pub that opened in 2010. Savor salmon onigiri (shredded salmon inside a rice ball), rice and shrimp gratin layered with parmesan cheese, and house-made pickles while you sip a perfectly crafted Bourbon Ginger (bourbon shaken with house-pressed gingerade) beneath the gentle glow of Edison bulbs against dark wood. Then convince your dinner partner to stay for dessert. It won’t take much.

Saturday Market and Lane County Farmers Market

eugenesaturdaymarket.org; lanecountyfarmersmarket.org
These two quintessential Eugene experiences share space at Eighth and Oak every Saturday starting this month. Pick up organic produce and fruits from local farms like Lost Creek or eclectic vegetables from Candy’s Farm before perusing the Saturday Market stalls for souvenirs from one of the hundreds of local vendors.

Axe and Fiddle “Bread Club”

axeandfiddle.com
Turns out the happiest place on earth isn’t Disneyland. It’s inside Cottage Grove’s quaint Axe and Fiddle pub and neighboring Kalapuya bookstore, where, on Thursday evenings at 5, cheerful townsfolk sip local brews, share stories, and sell their handmade goods to friends, neighbors, and serendipitous passers-through. On display during a recent visit: microroasted coffee, homemade cream cheese, goat’s milk soap, and freshly baked pecan pie. Beat that, Space Mountain.

Photo: Courtesy Colin Miletich

Pre’s Trail offers a classic, four-mile running path through scenic Alton Baker Park

Pre’s Trail

Burn off that barn dinner on this classic four-mile running trail through Alton Baker Park. The moderate route passes open meadows, quiet canals, and hulking Autzen Stadium as it loops along the Willamette River. The best part? You won’t need your iPod here; the plentiful waterways and canopy ensure a constant concert from waterfowl and songbirds.

Resident Expert

Photo: Courtesy Marché

Marché founder Stephanie Pearl Kimmel’s Eugene Foodie Picks

Farmers Market Must-Stops: Ground Work Organics, Sweet Leaf, and Horton Road Organics, all farms that supply Marché

Long’s Meat Market: A butcher shop that specializes in local meats. You can get any cut you’d like here, Kimmel says. If you just want two slices of pancetta, they’ll do it.

Newman’s Fish: The original store is more than 100 years old, and is still a fabulous place to get fish, according to Kimmel.

Plaza Latina: This super-market boasts a vast collection of specialty ingredients, for Latino food but also Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and more. The real gem, though, is at the front of the store, where you can fill your belly with fresh homemade tortillas stuffed with pastor, lingua, and the like.

Agave: For can’t-miss cocktails, visit this Latin American restaurant helmed by former Marché bartender Brian Hepp.

Spring Break Escapes

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:00:00 -0700

Image: Dennis Frates

Some like it hot. Some like it cold. And some like it salty. We’re talking, of course, about vacation destinations. (What did you think we were getting at?)

Whether you’re a toes in the sand, sun-soaking kind of of Spring Breaker, or a powder hound seeking out the last spring stashes, we’ve got the inside scoop on 25 places full of the one thing we’re all after: relaxation.

FOR SUN
Near (and nearish)
Hood River: Fruit farmers, vintners, and brewmasters are turning this outdoors hub into a gourmet destination.
Bend: Every year, the PGA picks only about 30 places to play its Champions Tour. There are reasons Central Oregon always makes the list: 300 days of sunshine, rugged desertscapes, and an audience of snowy giants watching over every drive.
Southern Oregon Wine Country: Less famous than Willamette Valley wines, the Umpqua and Rogue valleys’ vintages have been earning points with warmer-climate grapes such as tempranillo, malbec, and even gewürztraminer.
The Steens Wild mustangs, secret hot springs, and a mountain that rises from the desert floor: Welcome to Harney County, USA.
Wenatchee Planted smack in Washington’s geographic center, the Wenatchee Valley, with its prodigious orchards, verdant farms, and 300 days of sunshine, also sits at the heart of the state’s culinary scene.

Far
San Diego: An idyllic coastal city
Santa Monica: LA’s hottest beach town
Las Vegas: A desert oasis in more ways than one
Maui: Hawaii’s isle of romance
Santa Rosa: Gateway to wine country
Santa Cruz: Surfing mecca with small-town charm
Catalina Island: Conservation meets luxury off the coast of LA
Palm Springs: Desert decadence with a splash of Hollywood glamour
Oahu: A classic Hawaiian escape
Big Island: Find adventure aplenty on Hawaii’s biggest island

Cape Arago, Oregon

SAND
Near (and nearish)
70 Ways to Discover the Oregon Coast: Five surefire itineraries for foodies, families, outdoor adventurers, naturalist and history buffs
Long Beach: Beauty abounds (but crowds do not) on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula.
Pacific City: The beachfront town of Pacific City isn’t all that cute. Yet. And that is precisely its appeal.

Far
Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara promises a two-pronged cure for any lingering winter blues: beaches and vino.
Kauai: Paradise Found: The Hawaiian island of Kauai offers an escape that’s equal parts adventure and peace
Sayulita: Sayulita is Mexico’s hush-hush resort town. Get there before the word gets out.

Tumalo Mountain by Mark Gamba

SNOW
Close Range: 12 Northwest mountain escapes where you’ll find plenty of powder—and none of the crowds, including: Willamette Pass, Mount Bailey, Tumalo Mountain, Leavenworth, North Cascade Heli-skiing, Meany Lodge, Wallowa Alpine Huts, Ski Anthony Lakes, Ferguson Ridge, Red Mountain, Baldface Lodge, and Whitewater Winter Resort.

Methow Valley, Washington: Cross country skiing and nature’s quiet symphony

Tamarack, Idaho: Ever wonder what Vail looked like before it became Vail? Head to Tamarack.

Park City, Utah: We love Mount Hood as much as the next powder hound. And Bachelor. And Rainier. But every now and again, we yearn to stretch our skis beyond the Northwest’s familiar terrain. With three ski resorts—Deer Valley, Park City Mountain, and the recently overhauled Canyons—plus six nonstop flights from PDX to Salt Lake City per day, Park City promises an easy way to scratch that itch.

Fall Getaways: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:00:00 -0700

OK, SO SUMMER 2011 WAS A BIT OF A BUST: slow to start and a little gray even once it got going. But look on the bright side: solar deficit disorder offers all the more reason to escape the gray as winter approaches with an extended weekend elsewhere (to say nothing of the screaming shoulder-season deals to ...

Wild Wheels

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:00:00 -0700

Image: Chad Segeser

Almost there! Cruising the upper section of Oakridge’s Alpine Trail.

IN OAKRIDGE, where the verdant fingers of Willamette National Forest curl east toward the central Cascades’ fir-covered spine, the screech of the bald eagle isn’t the only call of the wild. You can also hear it in the rattle of metal on mud, the whir of wind through spokes, and the gleeful, unbridled hollers of mountain bikers hurtling down fern-laced singletrack.

Welcome to the “Mountain Biking Capital of the Northwest.”

Twenty-five years ago, you’d have been more likely to hear the growl of chainsaws and logging trucks echoing off the western shoulders of the Cascade Mountains, which shelter this town of roughly 4,000. But that was before the ebb of Oregon’s timber industry—before Pope and Talbot Mill, which once employed 500, closed its doors for good. Today, Oakridge measures its prosperity not in board feet but in miles of singletrack. And there’s plenty of that. Three hundred and fifty miles, to be exact.

Piggybacking on the success of 1995’s inaugural Cascade Cream Puff (a 100-mile mountain biking race), Oregon Adventures began running fat-tire tours in 2000, and Oakridge hasn’t looked back since. Not that you need a guide to savor the endless web of trails, crisscrossing lush forests of 400-year-old trees, precipitous gorges, and slopes ablaze with wildflowers. But with the arrival of two bike-friendly B&Bs, a revitalized brewpub, and a new bakery, there are plenty of local experts on hand to point you to your piece of pedal paradise.

Image: Double Diamond Lodge

Double Diamond Lodge

STAY

DOUBLE DIAMOND LODGE B&B

2diamondlodge.com
from $50

Perched on the northern edge of Hills Creek Reservoir, the Double Diamond provides stunning views of Diamond Peak framed by endless pines. Owner Norm Coyer took 12 years to build this dream lodge, putting 40 fir trees from the site to use as brawny beams. Comfortable rooms, organic breakfasts, and a hot tub make for a rustic refuge, while a dock on the reservoir lets you soak up your surroundings (or dive right into them).

OAKRIDGE HOSTEL

oakridgehostel.com
from $35

This newly remodeled home opened as a hostel last year, offering a convenient, inexpensive lodging option. It also defies the convention of a “hostel,” with light-filled rooms, spacious bathrooms, a communal patio with a hot tub, and complimentary breakfasts of fresh fruit, granola, and seasonal frittatas.

DO

WILLAMETTE MOUNTAIN MERCANTILE

mtnmercantile.blogspot.com
rentals from $35

To tackle the roots, rocks, twists, and turns of Oakridge’s trails, you’ll need a comfy, full-suspension ride. If you didn’t drag your own along with you, Willamette Mountain Mercantile will set you up with the right bike, plus area maps, tool kits, and cheerful advice about current trail conditions.

OREGON ADVENTURES

oregon-adventures.com

Randy Dreiling’s Oregon Adventures gives bikers access to Oakridge’s real singletrack gems. Daily shuttles offer rides to hard-to-reach trailheads—such as the Alpine Trail, an intermediate 15-mile quad-tester through undulating forests and ravines—while three- and five-day group tours let you explore farther afield.

SALT CREEK FALLS

fs.usda.gov/willamette

A half-mile hike along a paved trail leads you to this cascade. Plunging 286 feet into a gaping, moss-laden basalt canyon just south of Willamette Pass, Salt Creek Falls is Oregon’s second-tallest waterfall (after Multnomah Falls). For a real treat, wind down to the base of the falls, where spray from mountain runoff hurtling down at 50,000 gallons per minute puts you in the middle of the action.

SALMON CREEK TRAL

adventuremaps.net

With no sustained ascents or descents but plenty of storybook scenery, the Salmon Creek Trail is a perfect river ride for families and beginners. Starting just east of town, the trail flanks Salmon Creek on two sides: the north side stays smooth and flat, while the south side provides some technical thrills and sharp turns. Salmon Creek Falls marks the turnaround point—a prime spot to refuel beside the river’s blue-green pools.

MOUNTAIN THERAPEUTICS

mountaintherapeutics.us

Zap the lactic acid from a full day of “Oakridging” in this cozy spa with the weapon of your choice: Swedish, hot rock, or Ashiatsu massage.

Image: Lion Mountain Bakery

Baguettes from Lion Mountain Bakery

EAT

BREWERS UNION LOCAL 180

brewersunion.com

Part brewpub, part café parlor, and part community center, the Brewers Union is the social hub of Oakridge. Several house-brewed, cask-conditioned ales, as well as a selection of other regional microbrews, are available on tap. Savor them with a helping of live blues and bluegrass almost every night.

LEE’S GOURMET GARDEN

47670 Hwy 58, 541-782-2155

You won’t find much by way of atmosphere at Lee’s, but you will find some seriously good Chinese food. Owner Jeff Lee was a personal chef to Jackie Chan and Robert Redford, and he expertly prepares everything from kung pao chicken to Szechuan beef.

LION MOUNTAIN BAKERY

48273 E First St, 541-782-5797

Before you hit the trail, make a pack-stuffing stop at this year-old bakery, where shelves of fresh-baked breads, bagels, brownies, gingerbread, and pies promise row after doughy row of carb-loading options.

Desert Greens

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:45:00 -0800

Image: Photo courtesy Pronghorn

The 13th hole of Pronghorn resort’s Jack Nicklaus course

EVERY YEAR, the PGA picks only about 30 places to play its Champions Tour. There are reasons Central Oregon always makes the list: 300 days of sunshine, rugged desertscapes, and an audience of snowy giants watching over every drive. Of course, you don’t have to be Tiger to enjoy the best of Bend golf. With 22 courses easily accessible from town, Bend promises a delightful—and, during spring, discounted—escape from the soggy greens west of the mountains. The new Central Oregon Golf Trail, a collaboration of 22 Bend-area courses, makes coordinating your trip a gimme. PGA pro Tommy Berg, who helped establish the trail last summer, can give you insight about the character and difficulty of each course and even help you book tee times at some of Bend’s private courses, such as the much ballyhooed Pronghorn resort. Built in 2006 as a private, gated golf community, Pronghorn opened to the public last May, offering weekend stays at its posh villas and access to its perfectly manicured greens. So go on, pack up your sticks and see how the other half lives—and plays.

STAY

Pronghorn Resort
pronghornclub.com $150

Nestled in a juniper forest, Pronghorn resort’s lavish suites come complete with a gourmet kitchen, jetted tub, two fireplaces, plasma screen, and outdoor fire pit. But our favorite amenity is the freshly baked cookies awaiting your arrival.

Image: Photo courtesy Oxford Hotel

10 Below restaurant at the Oxford Hotel

Oxford Hotel
oxfordhotelbend.com; from $189

This year-old boutique downtown hotel pulls off modern rustic with panache: think white leather sofas, silver stump end tables, and splashes of lime green. And if the fire crackling on the plasma screen doesn’t help you sleep, the Oxford’s “library” of five pillows will.

DO

Pronghorn Courses
pronghornclub.com; $145

Pronghorn’s 7,379-yard par 72 designed by Jack Nicklaus offers the best of high desert golfing: fast greens, jaw-dropping water features, and vistas of nine snowcapped peaks along the gently undulating terrain. Pronghorn’s second course, Tom Fazio’s 7,456-yard par 72, features challenging obstacles—like the exposed lava tube on the par-3 eighth hole—that give the place an otherworldly feel (but you’ll need a member or staffer along to play this course). Oh, and both courses’ fairways, not just the greens, are seeded with bentgrass. Did we say otherworldly? We meant out of this world.

Pronghorn PGA Tour Academy
pronghornclub.com; $125/hr

Pronghorn also boasts one of only nine PGA Tour Academies in the country, where PGA pro Joey Pickavance fine-tunes your swing with V1 video analysis. Using three cameras, Pickavance records your swings and then uses computer software to create a split-screen diagnostic, including comparisons to pros.?

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Image: Photo courtesy Pronghorn by Joseph Eastburn

Tetherow’s 17th hole

Tetherow
tetherow.com; $99

Created by Bend resident David McLay Kidd—who also designed Bandon Dunes and the Castle Course at St. Andrews—Tetherow’s 7,298-yard par-72 links-style course was named the country’s no. 1 new golf course when it opened in 2008 by Golf Digest magazine. Perched atop a lava flow that was cleared of trees by a fire 20 years ago, Tetherow bobs and weaves along a rolling landscape of fescue-fringed bunkers, with majestic views of the Cascades at nearly every tee.

Widgi Creek ?Golf Club
widgi.com; $25

Towering ponderosas line the fairways of this par-72 course, which follows the graceful curve of its namesake creek and boasts one of the longest par 5s in the country (the 653-yard third hole). Fortunately, Widgi’s generous forward tee boxes assure that—despite what Twain said—even novice golfers will enjoy their walk along Widgi Creek.

Anjou Spa
anjouspa.com

Anjou’s 60-minute sports massage ($90) promises to work the links-induced kinks out of your back and shoulders. (But you’re on your own when it comes to working the kinks out of your swing.)

Image: Photo courtesy Pronghorn by Joseph Eastburn

Blackstone Benedict at Chow

EAT

Chow
chowbend.com
Brunch spot Chow showcases the best of Bend with inventive dishes like bacon French toast (French toast, poached eggs, bacon, and maple- lime hollandaise) and classics like corned beef hash, all made with ingredients from local vendors.

The Blacksmith
bendblacksmith.com
If you like the Ringside, you’ll love the Blacksmith, an old-school steak house dressed in exposed brick and dark woods and serving up perfectly seared cuts of meat and equally well-considered sides.

10 Barrel Brewing Company
10barrel.com

One of the younger members of Bend’s eight-brewery Ale Trail, 10 Barrel’s newly opened brewpub regularly hosts a wait. But it’s worth it for a taste of the Apocalypse IPA.

Sunshine & Wine

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 12:00:00 -0800

Image: Jay Sinclair, Jay Sinclair

Breakfast beachside at Santa Barbara’s Shoreline Café.

IT’S A WONDER there aren’t more accidents on Santa Barbara’s beach-hugging Highway 101. With postcard-worthy views of the Pacific to the south (yes, south—Santa Barbara owns one of the few equator-facing shorelines on the West Coast) and the shadowy Santa Ynez Mountains to the north, the 8-mile trip from Santa Barbara’s palm-studded municipal airport to downtown is fraught with neck-craning distractions.

Despite SoCal’s reputation for ornery commuters, none of the Saturday-morning drivers I’m sharing the road with seem to be in a hurry. “Wow,” I breathe to my sister, Tami, as we parallel West Beach, where an impossibly perfect blue sea laps against the mile-long stretch of sand. “I see why they call this place the American Riveria.”

But this laid-back beach town (pop. 92,000), with its 300 days of sunshine and average highs of 72, isn’t all sand and sea. Beyond the live-oak-cloaked peaks sits a world-class grape-growing region: the Santa Ynez Valley, made famous in the popular 2004 indie film Sideways. The area’s unique topography—the east-west-running Santa Ynez and San Rafael mountains—funnels cooler ocean air into the valley, lengthening the growing season and creating the ideal conditions for cultivating Portlanders’ favorite grape, pinot noir, along with Rhône varietals such as syrah and viognier. Currently more than 80 vineyards are spread among the area’s four AVAs.

Any winter-weary Portlander on a visit here faces a tough choice, given that a journey to the vineyards is, at minimum, a 45-minute drive away from the beach. Fortunately, Santa Barbara’s burgeoning Urban Wine Trail, a tour of tasting rooms inside city limits, offers the best of both worlds. Initiated in 2006, the trail added three more wineries last year, bringing the total to 11, six within a cork toss of the beach.

After settling in at the hipster-ific Presidio Motel—a modest, centrally located spot with decal-decorated walls—Tami and I began our vino adventure at Jaffurs Wine Cellars. Set on the east side of town, this family-owned winery crafts its highly regarded syrahs on-site from grapes grown largely in the Los Alamos and Santa Maria valleys, and neighboring Santa Rita Hills. “When people write about syrah, they call him,” said our convivial host, Roger, motioning toward a photo of owner Craig Jaffurs, a grape-loving surfer featured three times in Wine Spectator.

A few blocks away, Carr Vineyards & Winery’s cavernous tasting room boasts a lively scene: young people clustered around the horseshoe bar, indie rock, and a party ambience (enlivened on our visit by Captain Jack’s wine-tasting shuttle, whose revelers had clearly gotten the most out of their $50 boarding pass).
The wine list, however, promises plenty for the oenophile. Pours range from the clean, crisp 2009 Turner Vineyard pinot gris to the tobacco-tinged 2007 cabernet franc, awarded 95 points by Wine X magazine and a steal at $30 a bottle.

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Image: Margaret Haas, Margaret Haas, Margaret Haas

Presidio Motel’s sun deck.

We emerged from Carr just as the sun began to slip, and headed for dinner at the Boathouse restaurant at Arroyo Burro Beach. Blessed with myriad tide pools and small waves, the two-mile-long beach promises hours of family-friendly activity. It’s a favorite spot for locals, many of whom had stashed their surfboards and joined the throngs at the Boathouse’s outdoor bar, where mesquite-grilled seafood can be savored beneath a sunset coloring the sky a thousand shades of pink.

The next morning, we ditched the rental car in favor of the Presidio’s free turquoise beach cruisers. (Santa Barbara is laid out in a very bike-friendly grid.) Fortified by French toast from Tupelo Junction Café, we whizzed down State Street, a popular shopping district, to the heart of the Urban Wine Trail.

Here, sandwiched between city and the sea, six wineries perk up five blocks of industrial landscape. Oreana, a cute little tasting room housed in a former tire shop, helped instigate the wine trail in ’06, although back then owner Christian Garvin called it Cellar 205 and several boutique winemakers shared the space. The true original, though, sits across the street: Santa Barbara Winery. At 38 years old, it’s the area’s oldest winery—unless you count the vineyards at Santa Barbara’s Mission, which were planted by Franciscan friars in 1782 for ceremonial wine.

Image: Loredana Photography, Loredana Photography, Loredana Photography

Municipal Winemakers

Around the corner, tiki-themed Kalyra Wines claims a large cult following: Sideways fans will remember Kalyra as the vineyard where Miles and Jack met the sexy Stephanie (Sandra Oh). But the sleek, modern space at syrah siren Kunin attracts the biggest crowds. You can take a break from the masses at Municipal Winemakers, whose funky, eco-conscious approach to wine sampling (tasting notes come on iPads at this paper-free winery) woos visitors almost as much as their Dark Red, a full-bodied shiraz-cabernet blend.

By the time we untangled ourselves from Muni’s grapey grip, there was barely time to cruise to East Beach, a popular haunt where dozens of volleyball courts inspire hope of sighting an Olympian. (Rumor has it gold medalist Todd Rogers practices here.) But the only things on display that day were a handful of beautifully bronzed wannabes, picnicking families, and the ever-present oil rigs, hulking two miles offshore and drawing up 18 million barrels of crude annually.

When the sun rose on our final day, Tami and I traded wine for waves, munching breakfast burritos from Ledbetter Beach’s Shoreline Beach Café, with our toes buried in the sand, hardly uttering a word. But as I swilled my last sip of coffee, I spied three dorsal fins offshore and squealed, “Look!”

Just beyond the whitewash, where sunshine winked off the crystal blue waters, three darting, dancing dolphins gracefully sliced through the waves, flipping and grinning, as though they hadn’t a care in the world. And in easygoing Santa Barbara, they surely don’t.

Weekend Plans

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 10:00:00 -0800

Hoyt Arboretum
More than 1,000 species of plants and trees reside inside the Hoyt Arboretum. How well do you know them all? Odds are, you’ll be something of an expert after tagging along on a tour of the place with Hoyt Arboretum Friends. The group’s popular 90-minute guided nature walks return this weekend. Choose from a 9:00 a.m. outing detailing the arboretum’s collection of conifer trees, or an 11:00 a.m. tour to admire a batch of flowering trees. ($3; All proceeds benefit Hoyt Arboretum)

Love Your River
Pssst. Hey, you got any drugs? Wait… that came out all wrong. Let me start over. Last month I posted about Oregon Environmental Council’s Love Your River campaign in which OEC would be issuing a series of challenges meant to raise awareness about caring for our local watersheds. Well, this month they are back at it. November’s challenge: Keep Your River Off Drugs. It doesn’t get much easier. Simply take your left over or expired medication to an official drug take-back event location. The drug take-back event in our area will be at the Lake Oswego Adult Community Center from 10-2 (503-675-3992; 505 G. Avenue; Lake Oswego). Or if you can’t make it to L.O. this weekend, OEC advises that you throw that stash in the trash, instead of flushing it down the toilet. Otherwise, all those funky meds end up right in our rivers, and weird things start to happen. Like finding male fish with female sex organs. And, well, I’ll just leave it at that. Sign up for the challenge at loveryourriver.org, and you’ll be entered to win a backpack from REI, which, coincidentally, could come in handy for hauling all your expired Advil to the trash.

Oregon Mountain Community
On Saturday, OMC is hosting a Backcountry Expo. Stop on by to check out topnotch touring gear, telemark skis, Nordic skis, snowshoes and more from the likes of Black Diamond, Garmont, and Fischer. Not to be outdone is their used gear sale, at which you can browse the shop’s rental gear from last season. A scuff or two on these boots and skis means some deep discounts and scoring gear that already has built-in character. (503-227-1038; 2975 NE Sandy Blvd; 10-6)