Local band and hometown heroes Larry and His Flask recently had their van and trailer stolen while they were on a national tour in Cayce, SC. Suck. Major suck. The guys are still on the road trying to finish out their tour with Foxy Shazam with borrowed, donated and replaced equipment, but the situation is far from ideal. However, YOU […]
Staff Pick
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Most Reasonable Compromise:
Noise Ordinance
With so many examples of how politics can be a divisive sport, where there is inevitably a winner and a loser, the resolution concerning the city’s noise ordinance is prime win-win example. Well played, city council, well played! Over the past year, the question of when venues can host live music and how loud the […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Public Art
Tin Pan Alley Art Collection
With gorgeous views of the mountains, river and forests abundant, continuing to beautify Bend’s more urban areas is important to drawing a not-so-typically Central Oregon demographic of cultural tourists. Visit Bend did just that when it commissioned local artists to paint 4-by-8-foot installations to be hung in the more concrete portions of downtown, and it […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Extinct Club
The Horned Hand
It’s all over now, but while the Horned Hand lasted it was—for our money—one of the best places to get tanked and see a rowdy show in Bend (see last year’s Best Of). This is the last you’ll read of us lamenting the closure of the controversial bar/business for a while, but we have to […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Most Unique Subaru:
The Orange Beast
In the Pacific Northwest, the land of Subarus, it’s hard to stand out as an owner of said Japanese all-wheel-drive vehicle. There are obvious eras of Outback station wagons, noticeable by their gradual increase in size and horsepower. But the real gems are the older models. Remember the stumpy little Justy? Its short wheelbase and […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Movie Selection
Tin Pan Theater
Every good city needs an art house movie theater. As of 2012 Bend has had its very own, thanks to Tin Pan Theater. Tucked away in what also happens to be our favorite alley, Tin Pan Alley, in an area some are trying to label the Minnesota District, is the little 28-seat theater, right next […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Dressed City Councilor
Victor Chudowsky
When debating weighty city topics like the Surface Water Improvement Project, Mirror Pond and sewer upgrades, it is important to look good. Or at least look like you care. Newly elected Councilor Victor Chudowsky cares. But not too much. It’s not like he’s showing up like he’s going to the Oscars. But a nice pair […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Bike (Most Funky):
Wade Beauchamp's Tall Bike
There’s no shortage of interesting/retrofitted/Burning Man/ancient/modern bikes in Bend. There are a couple folks with boom box bikes, which are inventive and festive and all that, but generally speaking, forcing your music on others is obnoxious. There are tricked-out carbon racers—road and mountain—but they cost as much as a home down payment, so we ruled […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Evolutionary Step
Spork
From airstream to mainstream, last year’s winner for Best Food Cart has moved out of its shiny silver kitchen on wheels and into the former Fox’s location on Newport Avenue. We commend Spork for moving on up in the restaurant world and continuing to provide a consistent and eclectic menu with everything from crispy gluten-free […]
Posted inBest Of Central Oregon
Best Place to Buy a Knife
Kitchen Complements
There are two kinds of people in Bend: those who own proper kitchen knives and those who don’t. Those who don’t often live on Pho Viet take-out, Spork’s pork belly sando and frozen pizza from Trader Joe’s, and can be found sawing limes with butter-knife-sharp cutlery for cocktail garnishes. Those who actually use their kitchens […]
