Thursday 15 – Friday 16 “The Night Before the Night Before Christmas” CHRISTMAS SHOW—This show puts the “fun” back in dysfunctional as we follow an older man on his mission to cancel Christmas. From local playwright Cricket Daniel, “The Night Before the Night Before Christmas” is a reprise of the run that sold out 2nd […]
Pacific Northwest
Posted inCulture
Deck the Hall with Booze and Cocaine
“Office Christmas Party” brings the laughs
Writing reviews of comedies is always a fickle mistress, because it basically comes down to describing very relative crap that makes you laugh. Another interesting aspect to think about is whether to hold comedies to the same standard as other movies in more serious genres. If a comedy succeeds in making you laugh then hasn’t […]
Posted inOpinion
What’s Next, Legislature?
Governor’s budget works to protect seniors and students, but it can only go so far
Early this month, Gov. Kate Brown released her recommended budget for the 2017-19 biennium. The budget’s title: “Strategic Investments for Challenging Times.” “Sustaining hard fought gains is nearly impossible with a tax system that is unstable, inadequate to meet our essential needs, and fundamentally out of balance,” said Gov. Brown. In November, voters approved Measure […]
Posted inNews
The Battle to Smoke in a Public Space
As Smoke Signals noted a few weeks ago, Denver took a big leap forward last month by becoming the first major city to legalize “social” use of cannabis. After Colorado legalized cannabis in 2014, Denverites began exploring the limits of the new law. Like other nearby towns, entrepreneurs in Colorado’s largest city sought to open […]
Posted inCulture
Night Moves
“Nocturnal Animals” is a challenging work of art
The opening credits for “Nocturnal Animals” let the audience know exactly what they’re getting into. Slow motion shots of morbidly obese women grinding with American flags and sparklers as director (and designer) Tom Ford’s camera lingers on their eyes, pouty lips and massive flesh. Within seconds, my jaw dropped and remained that way for the […]
Posted inMusic
Ski Town, USA
Crow’s Feet Commons brings back the party
Aprés Ski is defined as “the social activities and entertainment following a day of skiing.” That’s still somewhat a thing as people hook up for food and brew somewhere warm and talk about their day, but the act of aprés ski used to be much more of an event. David Marchi, the curator of Crow’s […]
Posted inMusic
Behind the Mask
Patrimony becomes Faceless
Patrimony was one of Bend’s best local bands for years before its members hit the road and headed to Nashville. For the seven years they resided in Bend, they performed over 300 shows across 17 states and grew the reputation for being a band not to miss. Patrimony sounded just as confident, whether they were […]
Posted inCulture
Maker’s District Holiday Pop Up Sale
Seven eclectic makers will come together for a Holiday Studio Sale and pop-up shop in the Makers District on Saturday, Dec. 17. Utilitu and Teafly are at it again for the holidays, bringing artists and makers together in one space to satisfy your desire to buy gifts that are unique and local this season. The […]
Posted inNews
Tiny Homes for Retirement
Tiny home living is often considered to be an alternative housing option for younger people—but in actuality, between 30 and 40 percent of tiny home dwellers are age 50 or older. The biggest appeal is cost. According to TheTinyLife.com, the average price to build your own tiny home is $23,000, or have someone build it […]
Posted inOutside
Book Talk: Oregon’s Lone Wolf
As a young girl, Beckie Elgin was the daughter of a zoo director in Des Moines, Iowa. That’s where she first encountered wolves. As she studied them, she became fascinated by their secretive and wild nature. She also knew they were not meant to be pets and needed to be free to roam in the […]
