Film Events 10/21-10/28
Back to the Future Part II Now that we live in the future that Back to the Future Part II promised us and it is devoid of hover boards, flying cars, 3D shark attacks on street corners, and blow-drying jackets, it’s hard to know whether to be depressed or overjoyed. While the film was much-maligned…
Slings & (Bloody) Arrows
I’m sure if Shakespeare lived in modern times, he would have fully embraced the zombie genre with both doublet-ensconced arms. Imagine the drama that would have erupted in A Midsummer Night’s Dream if Bottom and Puck had to team up to take out some undead a-holes, or if Macbeth had to worry about zombies AND…
Instrument of Rock
With Greensky Bluegrass, it isn’t just the name that’s the inverse of what’s expected, it’s the musical roots, too. Case in point: Bluegrass isn’t what Paul Hoffman, one of the two main songwriters in the bluegrass group, generally dials up when he wants to listen to music for fun. “I don’t listen to very much…
Venturing Out
Last week’s Bend Venture Conference, a two-day event designed to vault promising startup companies into the realm of well-funded enterprises, sold out the Tower Theater in downtown Bend and sent winners home with more than $620,000 in investment awards, cash prizes, and services. Conference attendees enjoyed networking opportunities, educational seminars, and a keynote address by…
Newgrass City
It would be simplest to describe The Lil’ Smokies as bluegrass, which is pretty accurate, but there is something else there not as easily definable. Most bluegrass has an effortless and unattainable vibe to it, where the audience can dance and have a wonderful time, but the technique is so complicated that there is always…
Shiny & New
Although it’s still early fall and Mt. Bachelor is bare, the opening day of ski season is set for Wednesday, Nov. 25, according to Spencer Weimar, marketing director for Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort. During its 58th season, the resort will host new and classic annual events. Weimar says the first event of the season will…
Source Suggests 10/21-10/28
Bombadil Hopefully named after the delightful character from The Lord of the Rings, Bombadil brings its signature eclectic sound to Father Luke’s Room. Described as “Syd Barrett meets the Beatles,” their new album combines every single genre you can think of—appropriate since the band doesn’t really fit into one themselves. As we all know, those…
An Icon on the Move
With winter just around the corner, many local skiers and snowboarders are already taking an inventory of their ski gear. Pants rip, boots wear out, and there is always a lighter pair of bindings or a fatter set of skis to buy. And while there is no shortage of ski shops around town, Skjersaa’s Ski…
Trend Setting
As cannabis legalization moves forward in Oregon, the rest of the country seems to be moving quickly to catch up. Based on information provided by Marijuana Policy Project, the financial news site 24/7 Wall St. identified 11 states that may soon legalize marijuana. Some of the candidates are obvious, like California and Massachusetts. And a…
Top Gear
Whether you’re slaying groomers, lapping the park, trekking into the backcountry (or using a two-stroke to get there), exploring Nordic trails, or just sipping hot toddies in the lodge, here’s some of the best new gear to take your winter to the next level. Backcountry In the backcountry, skis and boots are getting lighter every…
The Boot 10/21-10/28
Last weekend, members and supporters of Oregon’s Democratic Party gathered for a biennial summit in Sunriver for three days of panels, speakers, and networking. To those already a part of the party, the event no doubt felt something like a family reunion. But the undercurrent of self-congratulation, assumptions about unaffiliated voters, and anti-Republican rhetoric revealed…
Ski & Stay in the Backcountry
Winter is coming. Which means it’s almost time to kick the dust off your ski boots and cash in those sick days you’ve been stashing away. For those who find groomed slopes and lift rides too tame, Three Sisters Backcountry has brought a more ambitious skiing option to Central Oregon. There are no greens, blues,…
A New Wave
Central Oregon isn’t known for being well-hydrated. So intrepid farmers have to find creative ways to ensure their crops get enough water and weather extreme changes in temperature. That’s why local company Volcano Veggies is embracing aquaponics, a method that builds on hydroponics by growing plants in water that is naturally fertilized by aquatic creatures.…
Snowriders’ Guide 2015
It’s never to soon too start thinking about hitting the slopes. Whether we’re due for a winter full of fresh powder and blue skies, or an unpredictable and patchy season, it never hurts to be prepared. We highlight some of the best gear and best bets for new adventures, for the snowriders among us. Check…
Out With the Old, In With the Hoppy
Beer, by its nature, is seasonal—not just in terms of seasonal releases, but in the natural churn of brands available across Bend’s shiny beer-shop coolers. Take Orlison Brewing, for example. Remember them? The lager-only brewery, based near Spokane, descended onto the Central Oregon scene in late 2013, offering innovative takes on the classic genre including…
Letters 10/21-10/28
LOCATION, CONGESTION, GREED & BAD LOCATION People move to Bend because of the lifestyle, ambiance, outdoor activities, to get away from congestion, and pollution. However, greed is impacting this. People who work in Bend are having a hard time finding housing with landlords upping rents drastically. If a homeowner feels they aren’t making enough in…
Art Watch 10/21-10/28
For the last several years, the sage grouse has been at the center of a historic conservation effort that recently culminated in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife’s controversial decision not to afford the grouse protection under the Endangered Species Act. The bird’s habitat, the great sagebrush sea stretching from Washington to New Mexico, has been…
Help for the Helpers
Over the last three years, Action Through Advocacy has been operating out of the homes of its volunteer organizers and more recently from a storage unit. The foster care support nonprofit recently rented an office space and its founder, Heidi Myers, says that now it will be easier to help foster parents get items they…
Side Notes 10/21-10/28
The Central Oregon Council on Aging received a $2,500 grant from the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation, which will ensure the delivery of meals to vulnerable Central Oregon seniors. Each year, the Central Oregon Council on Aging serves more than 650 seniors approximately 75,000 meals. Roger H. Baumgart, executive director of the foundation said, “We…
Friends of the Central Cascades Wilderness
Every week, Molly Johnson posts at least one hiking trip to the Bend Adventure Group’s online Meetup page. The trips are typically recreational, but she also leads work parties into the wilderness to install trail signs, clean backcountry camp sites, and, unfortunately, pick up human and dog waste along the trails. Johnson moved to Bend…
Go Here 10/21-10/28
High Desert Tree Peeping Central Oregon isn’t renowned for fall foliage, but it should be. True, we’re lacking in the big hardwood giants that makes going to New England in the fall an item on many a bucket list, but we don’t suffer a lack of autumn awesomeness around these parts either. Shevlin Park This…
Picks 10/21-10/28
thursday 22 Alison Wright PRESENTATION—National Geographic Traveler of the Year is visiting to share her photos and insight on the work women are doing in developing countries. After surviving a deadly bus accident and undergoing 30 surgeries, the photojournalist traveled back to the village three years later to deliver medical equipment to the doctors who…
Take Me Home
The Skinny On Buying a Foreclosure Before deciding to buy a house for a price that seems too good to be true, buyers need to be willing to put money upfront for all the expenses that come with foreclosures. “Typically foreclosure properties have deferred maintenance and there are some additional costs to buyers during the…
So Bloody Romantic
Crimson Peak is going to divide audiences. The advertising campaign is definitely selling, while not quite a different movie, something a little more comfortably defined as horror, when the film is actually a very old-fashioned ghost story. This is a violent gothic romance with some ghosts, secrets, bodice ripping, and face smashing. Anyone expecting something…
