Countless cloudless days. Nights alive with abundant stars. Beautiful hiking, biking, downhill and cross-country trails. A creative, inspired, informed community…and at the end of a long day, a delicious glass of a locally-made and well-loved spirit of our choice. Life in Central Oregon is good, isn’t it? We think so. While we do have to […]
Bend Oregon News
An Acoustic Life
I know that this is a gross oversimplification, but I’m going with it anyway: Brett Dennen is a hit with the ladies. That’s not to say that his music is aimed at women specifically, but over the last few years, I have had at least two dozen women try to introduce me to Brett Dennen’s […]
Modern Taste of Oregon
As this issue comes out, six members of the 5 Fusion team are accompanying chef Joe Kim to the James Beard House in Manhattan to prepare an exquisite five course meal for patrons of the American culinary tradition. You may wonder why a chef would travel clear across the country to cook for just one […]
Cannabis Policy in Bizarre-o World
Nearly 50 years ago, President Nixon declared war on certain drugs. A lot of people weren’t convinced that cannabis was terrible, so Congress established a commission to study cannabis. That commission reported that cannabis was no more harmful than alcohol and that the harm of the drug was not enough to warrant intrusion by the […]
Little Bites: When a Pancake and a Sandwich Make a Baby
I don’t often write food reviews, but anytime someone mentions “Korean” and “taco thing” in the same sentence, I’m pedaling away on my sad first-gen Diamondback faster than you can say, “Don’t forget your helmet.” With that, it wasn't long before I pulled up to EMW Fusion’s location on Cyber Drive, sad bike brakes squealing. […]
Little Bites: Enough with the Pumpkin Spice, Already!
Pumpkin Spice Lattes are all the rage – becoming synonymous with things like Ugg boots, yoga pants and a general need to roam in packs of fellow Brandies, Tracis, and anyone who dots the “i” in their name with a heart. Yes, pumpkin is delicious. It’s a fall flavor and people are putting it in […]
Melts in Your Mouth
Bowtie Catering Co. sits in an unassuming strip mall on the south side of Bend, nestled in between a liquor store and a video poker placeโnot exactly a spot where you would expect to find carefully-prepared dishes and a menu curated for a Pacific Northwest palate. Still, that’s what’s happening. Bowtie’s space on Hwy 97 […]
August Real Estate Stats: Redmond is Hot
Central Oregon may be a hopping real estate market overall—but it’s Redmond that’s seeing the biggest changes. According to the Beacon Report, based on MLS statistics, the markets for Bend and Redmond can be summarized as follows for Aug. 2016. I have also added Aug. 2015 figures to provide a comparison and calculated the percentage […]
Beer Along the Columbia
People from across the continent visit Bend to take in both the inspiring beauty and the inspiring-in-other-ways craft beer at the same time. Those who live here all year, though, might have a jaded sense of that—like the proverbial New Yorker who’s never been to the Statue of Liberty. To bring back that sense of […]

