In anticipation of BeerFest this weekend, Palate (yes, coffeeshop, but they also sell beer) hosts a blowout tasting and music mini-festival. Beers from Base Camp, and music from the popular Second Son. And, oh yeah, its free. Starts at 5:30 pm.
Phil Busse
Phil Busse has done his tour of duty with alt-weeklies, starting in 1992 right after graduation from Middlebury College as the first environmental beat reporter for San Francisco Weekly. After a brief detour through the University of Oregon School of Law, Phil returned to writing as the first Managing Editor for Portland Mercury. In 2006, he started the Media Institute for Social Change in Portland, through which he continues to host a summer program teaching college students to produce documentaries.
Until he was 25 or so, Phil thought that he would be a spy, and took scuba lessons to prepare, and learned to drive a motorcycle and an 18-wheeler. Perhaps, then, it is unsurprising that his favorite holiday is the Fourth of July (he loves blowing stuff up). He feels at home with Joseph Conrad's fictional characters.
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Coffee
Backporch Coffee Roasters
Dave Beach started roasting as a hobby while a student at the University of Oregon. At the time, he explains, his then-girlfriend was out of town for a term, and to fill the time, he picked up the new hobby. When she returned to Eugene, she dumped him, but the skill set—and love for coffee […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Radio Personality
Kris Arnold, 92/9
Although not old enough to attend concerts during Detroit’s musical heyday—from Motown’s catchy R&B to the proto-punk of The Stooges—Kris Arnold’s hometown still has left its mark on her music sensibilities. With long, spiky blond hair, Arnold strongly resembles '70s punk diva Debbie Harry, and she admits, she likes her music “Down and dirty gritty.” […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Health Club/Gym
Juniper Swim and Fitness Center
The facilities at Juniper Swim and Fitness Center are remarkable, and so incredibly versatile—with slides and a splash parks pleasing for kids, and outdoor Olympic-length lanes for the serious athletes (and almost always a lane open!). But, dear teenaged Juniper lifeguards: Sitting outside all afternoon by the pool is what is known as a “cush” […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Lunch (Sunriver)
Sunriver Brewing Company
Sunriver Brewing Company reflects the style and sensibility of the city it calls home—easygoing, approachable and fun. Serving as much of a centering point for the town as anywhere else, the brewpub has recently expanded its production facilities, a measure that says a lot about its popularity and aspirations. Its beers are fun and dedicated […]
Posted inOutside
Neither Sleet, Snow nor Forest Fire…
…can stop Blitz to the Barrel
One of the unexpected casualties of June’s massive Two Bulls Fire that raged through the forests just west of Bend was the ultra-fun mountain bike race, Blitz 2 the Barrel. With fire and smoke threatening the flank of Mt. Bachelor, organizers postponed the early summer race to now, late summer. Blitz 2 the Barrel is […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Fine Dining (Sisters)
Jen’s Garden
Like many businesses in Sisters, the quality and sophistication at Jen’s Garden far outpaces what is commonly expected in a small town. One of the finest and best-thought-out restaurants in Central Oregon, if not the state, Jen’s Garden nestles cozily into two rooms of a French country house—and, of course, spills over into a comfortable […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Beer Named After a Person
No Quit Wit
A decade ago, Gary Bonacker, Sunnyside Sports co-owner and mountain bike pioneer who spent the '70s and '80s bombing around Mt. Bachelor on a clunky bike, hit perhaps his hardest obstacle yet: He was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. But Bonacker, now 60, went through chemotherapy and survived with his wit, charm and dedication […]
Posted inNews
PICK: Him & Her Comedy Tour
monday 11 The Him & Her Tour COMEDY—With a saucy mouth and racy jokes, Barbara Gray sets a conversationally hilarious tone. In the Him & Her Tour, Gray is joined in frank tone and naughtiness by fellow comedian Dave Ross and his keen observations about the everyday. Presented by Bend Comedy. 8 pm. Summit Saloon, […]
Posted inNews
PICK: Oregon Observatory at Sunriver
ASTRONOMY—With 11 telescopes trained on the summer skies, the annual Perseid Shower racing across the night, and a full August moon, do you really need more reasons to take up star gazing? 9-11 pm. Oregon Observatory, 57245 River Rd, Sunriver. $8 adults; $6 children ages 2-12.
