The Biggest Little Town in Wheeler County
…just another Whole in the Wall.On a recent road trip to the sleepy berg of Mitchell, 82 miles from Bend, my husband and I stepped into a world that would make David Lynch jealous. Mitchell, population 170, is the kind of town that embodies the wholesome earnestness of Agent Cooper of Twin Peaks praising a…
Minimum Wage Fallacies and Facts
As predictably as thunderstorms appear when the weather gets hot, conservatives call for cutting (or eliminating) the minimum wage when the economy gets cold.
The Year in Restaurants: Dearly Departed and New Arrivals
Times are tough all over, but the local restaurant industry has certainly been taking more than its share of punches. This year saw the passing of restaurants ranging from low-key eateries to the finest in fine dining.
Chef’s Choice: James Malone, Staccato at the Firehall
Hola! Enchiladas Queretanas
What makes your favorite dish taste so good? Is it only the quality and freshness of the ingredients? Is it the presentation? Does the service and ambience affect your palette? I feel it takes multiple elements working in a symbiotic fashion to create a great experience, i.e.
Sorry, We’re Open
The only question about La Rosa's late-night scene is whether you can get a seat.Bend's reputation as a town of early birds is slowly but steadily diminishing.
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Playing hooky at the BlacksmithLet's be honest, the recession hasn't been any easier on Central Oregon's restaurants than it's been on our furniture businesses. We've lost some good, and some great, restaurants as our local industry contracts.
Chefs Choice: TR McCrystal, Jen’s Garden
Zydeco's Grilled Redfish Favorite Central Oregon dish? Tough choice. There are many great restaurants and chefs in Central Oregon.
I’ve Got Your Freshies Right Here
Off the beaten path and right up our alley, Bend's Produce Patch.In winter, the word "fresh" is core to the Central Oregon vernacular.
Chef’s Choice — Gavin McMichael, The Blacksmith
Sparrow Bakery's Croque Monsieur
Believe it or not, my favorite local dish is a pastry, sort of. Because I run a dinner house I don't get to go out in the evenings very much.
Bar Tending: When a stool just sounds right
Braised short ribs with pickled vegetables at Cork. Listening to the latest rumblings, you'd think that no one goes out to eat anymore.
Chef’s Choice: Ryan Barnett
Ryan Barnett, Fireside red Barnett with Ariana’s GnocchiAriana's Gnocchi and peas Since the recent closure of Bistro Corlise, my regular dining spot, I was confused as to where to take my wife for a good dinner. Then I found Ariana and their wonderful gnocchi.
Idol Chatter: Was the Final Vote Rigged?
And now, for a change of pace from politics and economic gloom, a scandal of a different stripe: Fans of "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert are charging that the final outcome was rigged by AT&T.
Just Say Nano
Nothing demonstrates the nature if the Orwellian world we live in more than the official story and cover up of 9/11.
Big Brother (in George Orwell's book "1984") demanded that people accept and believe that 2 + 2 =5. Big Brer Fox (News) and other contemporary mind manipulators want us to accept mathematical and scientific…
Low Leash Esteem
It's been several weeks now since my dog has been 'attacked' while on-leash and I've been debating whether to write this letter because he can't type. We have gone back and forth with the issues and both Olliver and I have decided to go ahead and make it public.
Bring Back the Waterboard
I find it very disappointing, but not surprising, when writers such as C. Jiron (April 30) put pen to paper before they know what they're talking about.
A Diamond in the Rough
I watched in admiration as Gen. Colin Powell addressed the Memorial Day Concert at the Capitol.
Jobless Numbers Are (Insert Ugly Adjective Here)
We'd like to bring you some good news about the Central Oregon economy - really, we would - but there just isn't any out there. If it wasn't for bad news we'd have no news at all.
One Nation, Under Fris (bee)
And Dog said, "Let there be flight!" Well at least it seems that way to 'Frisbyterians.' Baseball may be the Great American Pastime, Football and NASCAR may have the most spectators, but to me, there is nothing more American than the Frisbee.
A Trail Monopoly: Approaching retirement, trails guru Marv Lang gets a pat on the back
Land near his namesake trail at Phil’sAs one of the top trails and recreation planners on the local national forest, Marv Lang is accustomed to being pulled in several directions and, occasionally, getting kicked around a bit by competing users. Recently though, Lang got a very visible pat on the back when the Central Oregon…
Those High-Flying Cessna Dreams
Bend was flying high on dreams of becoming a hub of the aviation industry in December 2007. Textron Inc.
We Sold Our Souls For Rock and Roll: Gonzo at Wal-Mart, mud flap sales and Scientology
The author has been sent on the road to discover a lost country formerly known as America. He is reporting from the catwalk at the annual fashion show in La Pine, wearing a tube-top, cutoff jeans shorts and cowboy boots, on assignment for Or-Bust.com and The Source Weekly.
And the Winner is… Forget Simon, let's…
Slideshows on Fire: Ignite Bend displays the power of Power Point
Next slide, please.It's tough to get excited about Power Point presentations. Who would believe the software that your company's HR departments uses to outline the new personal day policy and your professor employs to bullet point the notable events of the Crimean War could possibly lend itself to anything even mildly entertaining?
Yet this conference…
Revisiting the Silent Spring: The need for clean waters
Male Pacific Tree Frog singing his Song of Spring.The frogs we hear singing their hearts out every evening are our tiny Pacific Tree Frog, Pseudacris regilla, a common species throughout the Northwest. They range from Northern California, all through Oregon and Washington, British Columbia, and eastward to Idaho, Montana and Nevada. These little guys come…
Live in the Moment: Reminders from a tragedy and man’s best friend
STEVE LARSEN REMEMBERED Dogs don't just live in the moment-they lick it, roll in it and breathe it in.Bend lost one of its greatest athletes last week. Steve Larsen, who was only 39, collapsed during a running workout at the Cascade Middle School track on Tuesday May 19th and died. Shock waves rippled through the…
Honor The Code: Avalon Code puts players in charge
Calling all introverts.Streaming video. Digital pictures. Audio files. Like the most active types of media at the beginning of the 21st Century, videogames are composed of electronic impulses. Any digital work of art is encoded in countless electrical on/off signals the same way that a symphony is encoded in sounds and silences. The electronic codes…
They’ll Be Back: Action is Terminator’s salvation
You’re lucky you’re not a stage hand, my friend…Terminator Salvation could very well be the best action blockbuster of the summer and by far the best of 2009. This flick excels in delivering non-stop and well-timed action scenes without skimping on plot. As a great, high energy battle-for-survival adventure, Terminator Salvation's level of intensity never…
Two Wheels on Screen: Introducing the Bend Bicycle Film Festival
The Banana and the Monkey Man – seen around town.Solidifying our place as Bicycle Town U.S.A. has taken some work. We have miles and miles of trails, locally grown road-riding talent of the highest order as well as a massive number of bike commuters and cycling shops. But now we can add another notch in…
900 Wall – An Old Friend, But Now Divorced and Sexier
You know a restaurant has rediscovered its soul when “Miller High Life, ‘The Champagne of Beers,’ Milwaukie WI’ appears on its sparkling wines list. So it is at 900 Wall, which has been liberated finally from the “M” word.
Corner Store Attitude with Sophisticated Tastes: Jackson’s Corner Finds the Perfect Combination
A veggie sandwich on focacia served with sunshine at Jackson’s Corner.It's rare to find an environment where freelancers with laptops, ladies who lunch, families with children and neighborhood locals are equally comfortable, but less than a year after opening, Jackson's Corner has achieved that and more. In attitude, it certainly has the feel of "corner…
Corner Store Attitude with Sophisticated Tastes: Jackson’s Corner Finds the Perfect Combination
A veggie sandwich on focacia served with sunshine at Jackson’s Corner.It’s rare to find an environment where freelancers with laptops, ladies who lunch, families with children and neighborhood locals are equally comfortable, but less than a year after opening, Jackson’s Corner has achieved that and more. In attitude, it certainly has the feel of “corner…
CD Review – Kim Kelley: Bending Blue
Smooth, Deep and Local
Kim Kelley Bending Blue Odds are over the years you've heard the velvety vocals of long-time Bend resident Kim Kelley. She started out as the lead singer and banjo player in bluegrass band Mean Willy. Maybe you caught her in the folk/fusion band Goober. Most recently, Kelley's gone solo and has…
Same Guys, Different Sound: Former Kaddisfly members take a new direction with Water & Bodies
Mirrors, Water and Bodies.Reinventing one's self is tough. Just ask Michael Vick.
But for a band, it's not always that hard. There're myriad acts that have disappeared for a bit, then returned, sometimes triumphantly, sometimes not, with a new look and sound. Radiohead, of course, did it. And so did Fleetwood Mac back in the…
Our Picks for the Week of 5/27 – 6/4
David Jacobs-Strain
thursday 28 We'll tell you one more time to see one of the blues world's brightest young stars while you have the chance. Sure, he comes around a couple times a year, but that's not an excuse to miss him, ever. 8pm. $7. Silver Moon Brewing Co. 24 NW Greenwood Ave. Ian Tyson…
