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The Bloody Mary, that quintessential tomato and vodka drink, is no longer considered just a hangover corrective. When well garnished with vegetables and perhaps a shrimp (and even a hamburger, as I found at one Junction City spot), it’s a darn good approximation of a soup and salad — virtuous enough to provide some vitamins while smoothing out any roughness of the day. Continue reading
The people behind popular Eugene restaurant Party Downtown, located at 55 W. Broadway, apply a “make-it-in-house” ethic to everything they do, from curing meats to baking bread. Bartender James West is particularly passionate about house-made liqueurs — distilled spirits infused with the flavors of fruit, berries, herbs or even flowers. “I want to make things that are for sale in the liquor store,” West says. “But if we have as good or better ingredients in the valley, I will forgo buying something and make it myself.” Continue reading
Donie Smith started working at the Horsehead Bar about a year ago, but that was enough time to garner her a “sexiest bartender” win. A Cottage Grove native, Smith says she was a bit surprised to hear she had won. She shouldn’t be, because voters raved about her “perfect smile,” “great personality” and “sweet-ass tats.” Continue reading
Ben Lundberg, 33, was born and raised in Eugene and has been tending bar at the Starlight Lounge for more than four years. In his spare time, he’s a photographer, which adds to the list of admirable qualities that voters mentioned, including his “boyish charm” and “phenomenal personality.” One voter opined that Lundberg is “downright a good person.” What could be sexier? Continue reading
My dad approached parenting in his own way. When my older brother Taylor started wearing obscene clothing during his rebellious youth, my dad responded by wearing a brown bag over his head like a chef’s hat the next time the two of them went grocery shopping. He’s a maverick in just about every way except his fashion, so it makes sense he made me attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting after I was caught drinking during high school. Continue reading
From food cart to store front, Red Wagon Creamery has come a long way. The ice cream shop is well known for wonderfully eclectic, handmade ice cream flavors like carrot jalapeño, peach rosemary and Saturday Morning, meant to taste like the milk left over after a bowl of Fruit Loops. But stick around after 10 pm on Friday and Saturday, and the creamery transforms into Red Wagon After Dark, where bartender Amanda Hoffman throws booze into the mix of creamy deliciousness. Continue reading
A Ynez tiny house being built at Oregon Cottage Company. Photo by Trask Bedortha Continue reading
March is the month when the valley woodlands begin greening up. Two shrubs, osoberry and snowberry, are the first to give a light green wash to the understory. The osoberry (also known as Indian plum) flowers at the same time as leaf-out but snowberry saves flowering for late spring. My favorite color is spring green, the color of freshly emerged leaves. I am particularly fond of vine maple because its leaves stay this fresh, spring green throughout the summer, especially under a forest canopy. Continue reading
Although people consider the downed trees from the recent ice storm to be an unfortunate and unsightly look around Eugene, Anna and Noah Wemple of Cougar Mountain Farm know of a sustainable use for the remnants. With the help of Jude Hobbs, permaculture expert, teacher and co-founder of Cascadia Permaculture Institute, the Wemples will host a Shiitake Mushroom Log Inoculation Workshop 10 am to 4 pm Saturday, March 15, at Cougar Mountain Farm, 33737 Witcher Gateway in Cottage Grove. Participants will leave with their own inoculated oak log. Continue reading
Four hours after the factory shut down, the worker who had crawled into the depths of the conveyer belt finally finds the plastic bag that caused all the commotion. Carefully removing the bag, the worker wriggles free. “It’s dangerous work,” says Lane County Waste Reduction Specialist Sarah Grimm. “It’s time consuming and the whole time the whole sort quality is compromised.” Continue reading