What’s the market doing? This is a common question you receive when you are a real estate professional. And it can be a challenging one to answer. But today, the story in Bend is all about balance. After a stretch of rapid appreciation, low inventory, and intense competition, today’s market is settling into a more […]
The Bend Market Isn’t Hot or Cold. It’s Honest.
Posted inFood & Drink
Surviving Shilo
When the Shilo Inn closed back in February, my first thought was for Real Taste of India. Tucked into the restaurant space attached to the hotel, the delectable Indian restaurant and buffet overlooks the pool and garden area. I’ve been here long enough to see several restaurants inhabit the space (pour one out for Fat […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Farmers Markets Return in May
Elevation Farmers Market On May 1, the Bend Factory Stores changes its name to Elevation Bend and launches a weekly Friday Farmers Market through October. More than 50 vendors are scheduled for the inaugural event. “The market will feature a wide variety of local vendors, including fresh vegetables and berries, flowers and beef products, along […]
Posted inFilm
Under the Radar Picks for 2026
We’re already a third of the way through 2026 and the movies that have made big money have been the usual suspects (“Super Mario Galaxy” and “Scream 7”) with some word-of-mouth crowdpleasers (“Project Hail Mary” and “Send Help”) and a viral micro-budget horror movie with a massive YouTube fanbase (“Iron Lung”). But several pretty great […]
Posted inCulture Features
Celebrate the Power of Books and Bookstores on Independent Bookstore Day
I travelled to Phoenix last week and my seven-year-old niece was so excited to tell me about the book she’s reading in school: “The Trumpet of the Swan.” Then she sat down and read a book with me, swapping pages back and forth. The last time I saw her she wasn’t reading fluently, yet there […]
Posted inRestaurant Guide
Food Cart of the Year: NorthFresh Sushi
You’d be forgiven for assuming that local sushi chef Jeff Berneski has it all figured out. Source readers, after all, voting in the 2021 Best Of Central Oregon contest, elected Berneski’s NorthFresh Sushi Best Rookie Food Cart. And Berneski had only just relocated to Central Oregon the year before. And this year, NorthFresh is also […]
Posted inRestaurant Guide
What It Takes to Run a Restaurant Right Now in Central Oregon
Running a restaurant in Central Oregon in 2026 is not for the faint of heart; by nearly every account, it’s harder than it has ever been. But the ones who make it work are rewriting the rules in real time. “Hands down the most difficult challenge in operating restaurants right now is trying to make […]
Posted inRestaurant Guide
Rookie Restaurant of the Year: Ken’s Artisan Pizza
I’ve been dreaming about the next time I can go to Ken’s Artisan Pizza for at least the last 15 years, so it feels odd now to be naming it the Rookie of the Year. But many will already know that those two things can co-exist, because Ken’s has been a world-renowned pizzeria in east […]
Posted inRestaurant Guide
Rookie Food Cart of the Year: The Dominican
Robert De Los Santos’ love language is serving someone up a delicious plate of food. He’s been that way since his days growing up in the countryside of the Dominican Republic, where it’s customary for people to have a meal ready for anyone who might happen to walk in the door. The love behind the […]
Posted inRestaurant Guide
Restaurant of the Year: Sen Thai Noodles & Hot Pot
Several things make Sen a remarkable dining experience, but it’s the combination of all of them that solidifies it as the Source’s restaurant of the year. First among everything, as delicious and groundbreaking as the food is, the hospitality is what is immediately apparent. There is a genuine warmth to the staff that makes Sen not just a destination location in Bend, but reminds […]