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The biggest and best marriage news of 2012 was the advance of equal rights for LGBT folks: Washington, Maryland and Maine voted to legalize gay marriage and Minnesota voted not to constitutionally ban it. But that also leaves gay people in a patchwork maze of marriage recognition laws. Continue reading
Three-ring binders full of pictures clipped from magazines are out. Pinboards are in. When you hear the engaged say “Pin it!” chances are they’re not talking to a tailor, but instead saving images to their Pinterest accounts. Continue reading
When I tell people that I will not wear white for my wedding (if ever and whenever that may be) I’m usually greeted with puzzled looks. Even my pragmatic, progressive Dutch South African mother flat-out told me I was being silly. “Well, why not?” she asks, baffled. Continue reading
A good friend calls late at night, breathless with exciting news: “He proposed!” she exclaims. And whether you whoop with joy or nervously gulp chardonnay like Kristen Wiig’s character in the wildly funny movie Bridesmaids, one thing’s for certain: You’ll soon be making room in the closet for a dress you most likely have no control over picking out. In addition to letting it gather dust or letting it gather dust at Goodwill, there’s another option: the upcycle. Continue reading
Studies show that native plants attract a wider variety of pollinating insects than standard garden ornamentals do, and pollinators need all the help they can get these days. That’s just one more reason to include native plants in your landscape. This top 10 list of showy, well-behaved native shrubs reaches a bit beyond the boundaries of the Willamette Valley, but all will tolerate conventional garden conditions, including summer irrigation. Vine maple (Acer circinatum) Continue reading
One minute you're hearing former Eugenean Mat Kearney sing "Breath In, Breath Out" on Grey's Anatomy or it's "Nothing Left to Lose" while you're driving down Highway 58 (avoiding that ammo someone spilled this morning) and the next you're like, "Oh, shit, is that a song about Chip Kelly?&quo Continue reading
Zot! I never could’ve guessed that here and now, at the end of the whole world, indeed all existence, I’d be strapped to the bench tapping out another wine column. I always imagined myself huddled with my loved ones, sharing final kisses, maybe slurping down that last bottle of 1961 Dow’s Port as the mushroom clouds rise on the horizon. Continue reading
For those unfamiliar with Roller Derby, it’s time you knew: This is one of the most exciting, brutal and enjoyable-to-watch sports ever created. And the best part? It’s for ladies only. The Emerald City Roller Girls hit the rink this week to begin their sixth season of what some have called “rugby on skates.” It’s more like speed-skating meets wrestling. Ferocity is encouraged. Fear is not an option. Fun is a given. So, if you’re intrigued (which you should be), roll on down to Lane Events Center this weekend and see what all the fuss is about. Continue reading
You’re not a true Duck fan until you stick one in the oven. Belly’s owner and chef, Brendan Mahaney, a prestigious James Beard Awards semi-finalist, says that getting your hands on duck can be a bit difficult, but in Eugene he’d head straight for Long’s Meat Market. “They’ll carry it — usually frozen, sometimes fresh — and they can order more for you if you need it,” Mahaney says. Continue reading
“Resist impulse decisions to donate.” That’s one of the pithy bits of advice on charitable giving that the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) sends out along with a list of the worst charities in order to keep the generously inclined from getting scammed. EW begs to differ: Impulse donations are awesome. Then again we are the kind of folks who pull over at a green light to give dollars to the people holding signs that say “made some bad decisions” or who have cute dogs with them. But it’s all in whom you give to. Continue reading