Roam Oregon

Ten fall events worth the journey

Eugene and Springfield have a lot to offer in terms of activities — one look at our weekly events calendar will tell you that. But since this is the travel issue, we’re encouraging you to take a step outside Lane County and check out what the rest of Oregon has going on this fall. From storytelling festivals to boat parades, hop on a bus or carpool to these autumn escapades.    Oregon’s Alpenfest Joseph, Oregon Sept. 24-27 Continue reading 

It’s About Time – September 2015

September is usually the best month for hiking in the Cascades. The trails are free of snow, and both tourist and mosquito levels have diminished. This year has become a down year for hiking, however, with the extended drought bringing on our worst fire season ever. Ever! We all hope that the rainy season will begin soon after the equinox instead of its usual start sometime in October. Continue reading 

Badass Burlesque

SuicideGirls brings its deliciously freaky boudoir romp to the McDonald Theatre

BlackHeart Burlesque hits up Eugene Sept. 17

Combine Planet of the Apes, The Simpsons, electronic duo Disclosure and 20 burlesque dancers in silver bikinis and monkey masks — and you get the Blackheart Burlesque, a SuicideGirls show set out to beat back traditional beauty standards.   Fourteen years ago, Selena Mooney, aka Missy Suicide, came up with the idea for a website that would showcase alternative beauty, not conforming to the ubiquitous standard of blonde hair and big boobs pushed by the media.  Continue reading 

Living in the Slimelight

Eugene’s new SLUG queen raises awareness for the rights of the disabled

Mark Roberts

Decked in sequins, wearing deep shades of purple and draped in iridescent green fabric, Mark Roberts is so radiant he might be faintly visible from Earth’s moon. Peering out from under the wide brim of his battered leopard-print fedora through a pair of wide, silvery lenses, he says: “I’ve always been kind of a shy person.”  Roberts’ life took a peculiar turn Friday, Aug. 14, when members of the Society for the Legitimization of the Ubiquitous Gastropod (SLUG) crowned him Eugene’s 33rd SLUG queen.  Continue reading 

Take Me to the Chapel

Living in Lane County can be a charming mix of city culture and country life. For example, a short drive west from the city of Eugene is Our Daily Bread Restaurant in Veneta. Located in a renovated ’40s-era church, Our Daily Bread is a full-service restaurant offering home-style comfort with a fine dining twist.  The vintage atmosphere of the church offers intriguing nooks for intimate conversation or open space for a family-style, communal experience. You may even chat with a server who attended the church as a young girl. Continue reading