Oregon’s Magazine
TRIP PLANNER: CENTRAL OREGON RESORT SPAS PG. 86
Curated Condo Living
Oregon’s Hidden WWII Heroes
“Pot” Luck Recipes
January | February 2020 RESORTS + CASINOS
WATER 11 RESORTS
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LIVE
THINK
EXPLORE
OREGON
January | February
volume 61
Once we know what you love, we won’t stop until you have it. All in, for you.
The Cutting Edge photography by Elijah Hoffman Yohhei Sato practices his craft by traveling from place to place around Portland—a pet store one day, a restaurant the next. What stays the same is his commitment to sharpening blades, by hand, in the tradition he was taught growing up in Northern Japan. Sato’s commitment to keeping Portland sharp is a win for chefs, gardeners and knife enthusiasts alike. (pg. 52)
Yohhei Sato works on a knife at one of his sharpening pop-ups in Portland.
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FEATURES
There’s no shortage of ocean views at Overleaf Lodge.
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020 • volume 61
58 Woods and Water It’s time to plan your vacations for 2020. Oregon’s woods and water lend themselves to adventure and relaxation—you choose.
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The Secret WWII Mission of Oregon’s Triple Nickles
Forging Ahead
Seventy-five years ago, the all-black Triple Nickles rode into Pendleton and fought World War II stateside, protecting the West Coast from fiery destruction.
Each year, the Cascadia Center for Arts & Crafts hosts Blacksmith Week, bringing together experts and enthusiasts to explore this ancient craft.
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photography by Jessica Smith
Overleaf Lodge
written by Kevin Max & Sheila G. Miller
Pictured: Co-owner Kathy Jones-McCann planting a tree with the youngest members of her family; Ava (5), Parker (8), and Jake (6).
At Seneca, we plan for generations of trees and generations of family. If the 40 million seedlings weʼve planted were laid end to end, they would cross the U.S. 5 ½ times. This is our impact: clean air, clean water, thriving wildlife. Seneca is cultivating a legacy of innovation, sustainable forestry, and renewable building materials for the communities of today—and tomorrow.
DEPARTMENTS
LIVE 16 NOTEBOOK
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020 • volume 61
U.S. Ski & Snowboard
Get out and do something in 2020—we have events that will help you try new things. Then go home and read Joe Wilkins’ wonderful new book, Fall Back Down When I Die.
22 FOOD + DRINK
After a ski sesh, there’s nothing better than a winter beer and a warm fire. Plus, start your year by doing something for others with a dessert that benefits the Never Again Coalition’s Chocolate For Congo fundraiser.
26 FARM TO TABLE
Give your new year a kick by cooking with cannabis. We go behind the scenes at East Fork Cultivars in Takilma to learn more about this increasingly popular crop, then learn how to safely cook with it.
34 HOME + DESIGN
When it was time to downsize, this couple picked a Beaverton condo that was a blank canvas, then customized it to fit their lifestyle.
40 MIND + BODY
Jacqueline Wiles was on track to crush the 2018 Winter Olympics when a devastating knee injury put her skiing future in jeopardy. Now, she’s fought back to elite levels.
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42 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Daniel Austin Sperry spends his days in Ashland’s Lithia Park, bringing joy to passersby with his cello skills.
THINK 46 STARTUP
TrovaTrip connects eager travelers with trips that combine learning with adventure.
48 WHAT’S GOING UP
New hotels in Redmond and Bend provide new options for accessing Central Oregon’s playground.
50 WHAT I’M WORKING ON
Leah Sottile’s groundbreaking podcast, Bundyville, delves the world of anti-government movements in the Northwest.
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Editor’s Letter 1859 Online Map of Oregon Until Next Time
Charlotte Dupont
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Shauna Intelisano
52 MY WORKSPACE
If you’re looking for an expert to sharpen your knives, Portland’s Yohhei Sato is your guy.
54 GAME CHANGER
At Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, women who have committed unspeakable crimes get a chance to give back, raising puppies with the Canine Companions program.
EXPLORE 80 TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT
The Collier Logging Museum is a walk back in time through the industry that made Oregon what it is today.
82 ADVENTURE
Winter is a great time to watch elk, and we’ve got three of the best places to see the massive ungulates.
84 LODGING
Kex Hotel in Portland has much in common with its sister hotel in Reykjavik, including the massive sauna in the basement.
86 TRIP PLANNER
Central Oregon’s resorts offer some of the best spa experiences in the state—here’s a three-day guide to ultimate pampering.
COVER
photo by Talia Jean Galvin Wallowa Lake Lodge at Wallowa Lake (see Woods and Water, pg. 58)
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92 NORTHWEST DESTINATION
The Long Beach Peninsula in Washington is an unexpected spot for food and drink enthusiasts. JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
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CONTRIBUTORS
SHIRLEY HANCOCK Writer Game Changer
KAREN ELAND Illustrator Beerlandia
Blame a wee bias for cats, but it took a beat to appreciate what my neighbor was sharing about the Canine Companions for Independence program at Coffee Creek. After she said the program has a zero recidivism rate, I was soon behind bars to learn more. Ironically, the word “freedom” kept coming to mind during my interviews. These women—surrounded by walls— have finally found freedom and redemption, all because of a puppy’s love. (pg. 54)
This illustration was created using only beer and water. I’d been painting with coffee since 1998 after a happy accident in a coffee shop, giving me lots of practice with an all-brown palette and proving to me the benefits of experimenting with new media. When I moved to Bend in 2009, it dawned on me that perhaps beer could become paint, too. Porters and stouts give the best results, and the Northwest has an endless supply of tasty ones to sip and then dip my brush into. (pg. 22)
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MATT WASTRADOWSKI Writer The Secret WWII Mission of Oregon’s Triple Nickles When I first heard about the Triple Nickles, I knew this story had to be told: The 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion may have only been around Pendleton for a few short months in the summer of 1945, but its legacy in Oregon—and its close connection to the state’s brushes with World War II—lasted long after the final member departed that fall. (pg. 66)
SHAUNA INTELISANO Photographer Game Changer This story is unique in the opportunity to go inside a prison, a highly restricted space, and see a program that both helps to reform the participants and serve the community. The inmates discussed their experiences over the years of staying up with sick dogs, training them, being with the dogs throughout their work day, sharing their tiny cell with a roommate and K-9, and all that it has taught them. Photographing in a prison was a bit more emotional than I had anticipated. Being escorted through locked doors and a perimeter wrapped in barbed wire is impactful. (pg. 54)
EDITOR Kevin Max
MANAGING EDITOR Sheila G. Miller CREATIVE Allison Bye
WEB MANAGER
OFFICE MANAGER
DIRECTOR OF SALES
Jenny Kamprath
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Kennedy Cooper
Cindy Miskowiec
SALES ASSISTANT Elijah Aikens
HOMEGROWN CHEF
Aaron Opsahl
BEERLANDIA COLUMNIST
Thor Erickson Jeremy Storton
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Kimberly Bowker, Melissa Dalton, Shirley Hancock, Michelle Harris, Jennifer Hinsley, Sophia McDonald, Valerie Rogers, Ben Salmon, Ethan Shaw, Jen Stevenson, Matt Wastradowski, Mackenzie Wilson, Nicki Yowell
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Christopher Dibble, Charlotte Dupont, Talia Jean Galvin, Elijah Hoffman, Shauna Intelisano, Jessica Smith
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Karen Eland
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JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE 9
WE BEGIN THE new year in the places that make you whole. We start with four Oregon resorts that are adjacent to bodies of water, to help you reset and refocus for the year ahead. Next we move into with woods with four resorts in or on the edge of calming forests, whose trails all lead to your inner Waldenlust. No resort piece is complete without invoking the greens and tees and hospitality of our favorite golf resorts, too. We end the piece with a brief history of the tribes behind our casinos. Turn to pg. 58 to read more in our annual Resorts and Casinos issue. Our Trip Planner for this issue (pg. 86) takes us to the hardship post of Central Oregon resort spas–Black Butte, Brasada and Pronghorn. We did the legwork—well let’s face it, the neck-, the back- and body-work—to assess the relative merits of spas in the high desert. There are no losers here, just different pastoral settings you may want to consider. For those as obsessed about World War II as I am, Matt Wastradowski looks back at the secret and seldom-told story of the Oregon Triple Nickles, an all-black parachute infantry battalion that eagerly wanted to do its part in the war effort, and did—just not in the way anyone expected. Fighting against fascism meant fighting Oregon forest fires from Japanese aerial balloon bombs and enduring racial oppression here at home all the while. Read this thoughtful history on pg. 66. On the snowy slopes of Mount Hood, Jacqueline Wiles grew up with skis on her feet. At age 27 and on the U.S. Women’s Alpine Team, she is now fighting to come back from a blownout knee from a downhill crash in a FIS World Cup race that came one week before the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. Looking to make a splash in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the downhiller has been combining strength, cardio, coordination and physical therapy to keep her dream alive. Read her story and workout regimen in Mind + Body on pg. 40. While Wiles is burning down the slopes with gold on her mind, many Oregonians will be cooking with cannabis this year. In Farm to Table, we dive into the emerging fusion of cuisine and cannabis. There are always the given standards of pot cookies and brownies, but we take it to the next level with sour cream cannabis coffee cake and our Homegrown Chef ’s
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Jenn Redd
FROM THE EDITOR
misinterpreted “garden” party that brought us Fabienne’s chocolate marijuana ice cream. I like to go out with a parting shot—a nightcap. One place that makes that stylish and peaty is the new Scotch Lodge in Portland. Wood, marble and leather may sound like tasting notes but also describe this dim whiskey den in Southeast Portland. Try something new and raise your glass to the new year!
A new kind of care, backed by everything we know.
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Introducing OHSU Health, a system of doctors and nurses, researchers, clinics and hospitals. 52 locations, including that one right near you.
1859 ONLINE More ways to connect with your favorite Oregon content www.1859oregonmagazine.com | #1859oregon | @1859oregon
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have a photo that shows off your oregon experience?
fivepine lodge getaway for two
Share it with us by filling out the Oregon Postcard form on our website. If chosen, you’ll win 1859 gear and a chance to be published here. www.1859oregon magazine.com/ postcard
Win a romantic getaway to FivePine Lodge in Sisters! One winner will receive a two-night stay in a FivePine Lodge cabin, a couples massage, tickets to the Sisters Movie House, daily membership to the Sisters Athletic Club and more. Contest runs through January 31. Enter online at www.1859oregonmagazine. com/live/romantic-getaway-contest
photo by Mia White Alric, 7, shares a treasure at Olallie Lake, in the shadow of Mount Jefferson.
ENTER TO WIN
meredith lodging luxury getaway Win a three-night luxury getaway to one of Meredith Lodging’s treasured Oregon resort communities, Bella Beach Resort, Olivia Beach Rentals or Mt. Bachelor Village Resort! Additionally, all readers of 1859 Oregon’s Magazine will receive 20 percent off when booking a stay of 2+ nights before May 20 at available resort properties (some restrictions apply). Book online at www.meredithlodging.com using promo code 1859MAG. Come #staywithmeredith and live the Resort Life in 2020! Contest runs February 1-29. Enter online at www.1859oregonmagazine.com/live/ meredith-grand-giveaway
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SEVEN MILES OF BEACH. ENDLESS FUN.
With so many fun things to do, great places to eat, and oceanfront places to stay, Rockaway Beach on Oregon’s north coast is the place families love to visit.
Plan your trip at: VisitRockawayBeach.org
FOOD + DRINK 22 FARM TO TABLE 26 HOME + DESIGN 34 MIND + BODY 40 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 42
pg. 34 A Beaverton couple downsized to a condo, but gave up no style.
Christopher Dibble
NOTEBOOK 16
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SILVIES SIMPLY AMAZING SINCE 1883
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New Winter Fun & Experiences at The Retreat, Links, & Spa at Silvies Valley Ranch Written By: Hank Hickox
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A Special Time On The Ranch
Winter is a special time to be on a ranch – especially one with a world-class restaurant, luxury log cabins with private hot tubs and fireplaces, a terrific new spa and a sleigh pulled by a pair of beautiful Clydesdale draft horses. Silvies has put together incredible packages just for 1859 readers: for a fun winter getaway, a special Valentine’s Day, and once-in-a-lifetime “Kidding Days“ packages (when 800 baby goats will be born at Silvies starting in February). “Cool Golf” (a new winter golf game developed at Silvies), gourmet meals, sleigh rides, cross-country skiing, scotch and wine tasting, ice fishing, shooting and many other activities are waiting for you at the ranch.
Step Into Serenity
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, treat your special one to Eastern Oregon’s most luxurious spa. We invite you to try our wide array of personalized treatments and services including facials, single and couples massages, manis-pedis, hot rock treatments, you name it! Silvies’ Rocking Heart Spa encapsulates the spirit of the Oregon high desert with it's Native American inspired warm ambiance, signature services and indigenous products. Amenities include a fitness center, quiet room, climbing wall, saunas, a large lap pool and a schooner-sized outdoor hot tub to gaze at the clear, star riddled nighttime sky. With a glass of champagne, of course! World Class Spa
Exclusive Valentine’s Offer for 1859 Readers! Call us at 1-800-SILVIES (745-8437) and mention ‘1859” to redeem, or visit us online at www.silvies.us/1859 for complete details.
Help with baby goats!
Hank is past General Manager of Bandon Dunes, Skamania, Salishan, and Sunriver Resorts and presently Chairman of The Retreat, Links & Spa at Silvies.
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Tidbits + To-dos
camark le you nd r ar My Muddy Valentine Head to Lee Farms in Tualatin for a new way to take on Valentine’s Day. The muddy obstacle course race, in either 5K or 10K distances, will take place this year on February 15. More than twenty obstacles are sure to get you down and dirty with your loved one or friends. Elite wave options are available, but no matter your skill level, you will finish with a post-race party complete with bonfires. www.terrapinevents.com
RediRoot BREATHE Start your new year by cultivating a green thumb. The RediRoot BREATHE combines beauty—a pot with a Japanese cutout design that symbolizes waves and water and represents resilience and good luck—with function. The pot allows plants to grow a healthy root system that eliminates overwatering, prunes root systems with light and air when they reach the edge of the planter, and works indoors and out. www.rediroot.com
Blendily Skincare Kitchen If one of your new year’s resolutions is to take better care of yourself, Blendily Skincare Kitchen is a good first stop. Ivy Chuang founded the company with an eye toward using fresh herbs and flowers to create healthy bath and body products. Chuang calls it a seed-to-skin revolution in skincare. We call it delightful. www.blendily.com
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Newport Seafood & Wine Festival For forty-two years, this event has taken over this coastal town and filled visitors to the brim with culinary treats and glasses of Oregon’s finest wines. The event, this year from February 20-23, calls itself “the original and still the best,” and for good reason. A three-day pass is $48, and you won’t run out of vendors to visit and new flavors to experience. www.seafoodandwine.com
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Brine, Brew & Barrel Festival
La Familia Cider
You may not know it, but you love fermented food and drink. Find out more at Medford’s Brine, Brew & Barrel Festival, January 24-26, at the Inn at the Commons. Tickets are $15 and kids 12 and under get in free. Try fermented products from kombucha and beer to chocolate, cheese and coffee. Finish out the weekend with the Hot Sauce & Bloody Mary Brunch Buffet.
Salem’s La Familia Cider is quickly becoming a cult favorite. The Gonzalez family are proud Oregonians with Mexican roots who took grandma’s cider recipe and added the flavors they love—from guava to tamarind. Now, La Familia is preparing to open its Cider House, where visitors can try flavors and learn more about the brand.
www.medfordfermentationfest.com
www.lafamiliacider.com
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE 17
Dustin Chambers
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Musician
A Multi-Faceted Music Machine
Fruition continues its ever-developing sound with two albums Listen on Spotify
written by Ben Salmon
THEY SAY THERE’S two sides to every story, and certainly, there’s a story behind the popular Northwest roots-rock band known as Fruition. In the early days, that story centered on how the group came together back in 2008, after Jay Cobb Anderson, Kellen Asebroek and Mimi Naja spent an afternoon playing for tips on the streets of Portland. (They named their debut album Hawthorne Hoedown after the city’s bustling eastside boulevard.) In the 2010s, Fruition’s story hit the road, and the band became one of the hardest touring acts in the region. Along the way, the band recorded and released a couple of albums that showcased not only its string-band chops, but also its ambition to be more than just a jam-grass act. And in the past few years, the band has blossomed into a prolific and multi-faceted music machine that makes big-tent Americana music infused with folk, rock, blues and pop and tied together by a strong sense of melody and unmistakably tight vocal harmonies. Now, Fruition is growing again with two new albums, one released last November and the other in January. The former, Wild as the Night, oozes a distinctly after-hours vibe, as if you’re sitting and listening to the band jam on a front porch covered in empties and bathed in moonlight. The latter, Broken at the Break of Day, is brighter and more propulsive, like a sun-kissed tour van hurtling down the highway, full of heavy gear and lots of time to think. The band considers the two records to be “companion releases,” Naja said. 18 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY
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“The vibe and content aren’t polar opposites, but more like two sides of the same coin,” she said. “The sessions were done back to back, so they have a kindred spirit to them, while reflecting their own moods.” That kindred spirit can be summed up in one word: soul. Over its elevenyear existence, Fruition has staved off the kind of stylistic stagnation that stymies so many jamfriendly bands. Instead, it has developed a sound that’s warm, rich and deeply soulful. Some of the credit goes to the simple passage of time, Naja said. “I don’t think the way we write or approach (the music) has changed. I think we just have become more well-seasoned from tour and multiple studio experiences,” she said. “We’re more willing to experiment and see what works and what doesn’t feel as good.” But maturity doesn’t tell the whole story. There’s also a collective artistic restlessness in Fruition that has fueled the band’s journey from acoustic string band to an adventurous and well-rounded rock ’n’ roll outfit that knows how to show off all its sides. “The soul hasn’t changed, the tools have,” she said. “We all have eclectic musical taste and always have. We just started this band with a specific toolkit that didn’t convey those things as much.”
MENS WOMENS KIDS BABY
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McMinnville’s Joe Wilkins runs the creative writing program at Linfield College.
Bibliophile
Pride of Place
Joe Wilkins’ new novel explores rural challenges, and charms interview by Sheila G. Miller
IN JOE WILKINS’ debut novel, Fall Back Down When I Die, a hardscrabble young man, raised in the shadow of his father’s worst deed and subsequent disappearance, finds himself raising his nephew. The book’s quiet prose belies explosive topics ranging from land use and politics to child abuse and the drug epidemic. Wilkins grew up in Eastern Montana, then went to Gonzaga University. He majored in computer engineering. “I wanted to do something practical to make money,” he said. “I didn’t realize writing was something you could choose to do. I didn’t know it was an option. … I had this idea that you weren’t supposed to like your college classes.” After an engineering internship, Wilkins realized he wouldn’t survive a career in it and, senior year, took a creative writing workshop on a whim. “I was immediately converted,” he said. How lucky for us. Today, Wilkins has published books of poetry, a memoir, and dozens of other pieces in literary journals. He’s the director of the creative writing program at Linfield College and lives in McMinnville. Next up, he’ll publish a book of essays about the various places he’s lived in his life, including Oregon. 20 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY
2020
How is writing a novel different from the writing you’ve done in the past? I think you just start writing. When I was a student, I started with poems, and then that eventually turned to larger projects. But I think as a writer, each time you sit down you teach yourself how to do it again. I have in a drawer a novel I had been working on before this one. It ultimately failed. It didn’t work. But I taught myself a lot about voice and narrative in writing novels. When I found these characters, it wasn’t quick or easy, but compared to the grind of that first novel, pretty early on in the process I thought, ‘Something is working here.’ Once I found those characters, they took over the story and I just tried to keep up. The deep anger we see today surrounding land use and politics in rural America is on full display in your book. Why was that an important theme in this book? In many ways, this story is particular to Eastern Montana, but you see some of the same things in Oregon, where there’s this subtle divide between the western part of the state and the agricultural, eastern part of the state. This is the question the country is facing right now—how do we be a part of particular places but understand our particular commonality? We pay lip service to agriculture, but how can we transform
to be a more sustainable system with independent operators who can make a living, versus chemical and equipment companies? That’s particular to Montana and to Oregon, but it’s also one of the major questions we’re all facing—how can we knit the coast with the interior, how can we not draw division between them? I really believe that we’re all in it together, and we need to plan and think these real problems through. The land seems almost like its own character in the book. Is that particular to being raised in Montana, or do you think all people have that tie to their home? We live in a wider culture that tries to eschew the importance of place—you can go to the same restaurants everywhere. You can get on an airplane and be somewhere new in a few hours. You can go into the ‘no-place’ of the internet from anywhere. But even for that, we are all imprinted deeply with home, and I think it would behoove us as human beings to recognize that more. I grew up pre-internet, and in a lot of ways, that place is what I had. I’d get home from school, put a slingshot in my back pocket and head out into the back forty. It’s what was available. Even if culture says it’s people who matter—and they do, sure they do— place matters deeply.
BURNING MAN ON THE HORIZON
N E W E X H I B I T O P E N 2 .1 — 1 0 . 4 . 2 0 2 0 59800 SOUTH HIGHWAY 97 | BEND, OREGON 97702 | 541-382-4754 | HIGHDESERTMUSEUM.ORG
Supported in part by
Burning Man Project, a nonprofit benefit corporation In partnership with
food + drink
WINTER WARMERS Here are some winter beers I plan to earn and enjoy by the fire this season:
Beerlandia
written by Jeremy Storton | illustrated by Karen Eland I’M NOT MUCH of a skier—that is to say, I have skied, but I don’t ski. It has something to do with preferring flip flops to snow boots. That said, I have enjoyed some righteous, full-day ski sessions, my quads begging for mercy while my brain rationalized just one more run. Sweeter still is the après ski R&R, staring down the rim of a dark, brooding winter beer. Despite my inexperience as a skier, I have mastered the art of cozying up to a well-deserved beer next to a fire. I think there is something to experiencing significant muscle fatigue and badly needing a shower that makes beer taste better. Perhaps it has more to do with sharing some ski stoke with friends in the afterglow of the effort. Either way, earning our beer and enjoying it with the warmth of others is a key ingredient to enduring the rest of the season. Now that we have survived the sprint of the holidays, it’s time to settle into the groove of the darkness and cold of winter, and, if the last two winters are any indication, lots of snow. Maybe we’ll see each other on the mountain for a gleefully exhausting cycle of hill repeats. Maybe we won’t. Either way, we ought to carve out time for friends, family and digging into some of Oregon’s best winter beers.
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2. Dunkel Buoy Beer Company Chocolate, toffee, caramel and freshly baked bread wrapped in a crisp lager.
7. Festivale Terminal Gravity Brewing Eastern Oregon sends greetings in a bottle full of dried fruit, blackstrap molasses and coffee balanced with spicy hops.
4. Slippery Slope Cascade Lakes Brewing Company Like graham crackers warmed by the fire and balanced by Northwest hops. On draft only this winter. 5. Nordic Highland Winter Saison MadCow Brewing Company When a French Bier de Garde visits Oregon in winter. 6. Ill-Tempered Gnome Oakshire Brewing
9. Salted Caramel Stout Breakside Brewery Dessert and beer pairings? How about dessert in beer pairings? 10. Laughing Face Imperial Coconut Porter Wild Ride Brewing When facing several feet of snow, sometimes I close my eyes and imagine palm trees and coconuts in my beer.
• 1½ ounces Plantation Original Dark Rum • 2 dashes black walnut bitters • ½ ounce egg white
Dry shake ingredients together (without ice), then wet shake ingredients (with ice). Strain over ice. Garnish with nutmeg and mint.
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
8. Longest Night McMenamins If a British beer came to Oregon to shake hands and have a stiff drink.
Jordan Hughes
recipe courtesy of G-Love
• ¼ ounce St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram liqueur • ½ ounce lime juice • ¾ ounce spiced pineapple syrup
One of my old favorite winter beers. Caramel and pine make this brown ale fit for a fireside cuddle.
3. Red Chair NWPA Deschutes Brewery Nearly a decade ago, this beer let the world know why we love Oregon in winter.
The Beers of Winter
Cocktail Card
1. Yellow Snow Rogue Like an Oregon forest, except with more berries and bubblegum.
Crafting premium quality beverages and giving back locally & globally since 1998. To learn more visit us at... thehumanbean.com
Winter White Maloy's oers a fabulous selection of antique and estate jewelry and fine custom jewelry, as well as repair and restoration services. We also buy.
food + drink
CRAVINGS:
FINGER LICKIN’ FRIED CHICKEN HAT YAI BELMONT Whether your standing order at the original North Killingsworth location is the hallowed Hat Yai fried chicken combo or a bowl of the terrifically rich brisket curry, James Beard Awardnominated restaurateur Earl Ninsom’s new inner Southeast Portland shop has you covered. Slurp the shrimp and clam curry with tender young bamboo and spinach, or the crab noodles with chanterelle mushrooms, or, if you don’t believe in messing with a good thing, the infallible Hat Yai Combo. 605 SE BELMONT ST. PORTLAND www.hatyaipdx.com
BIG’S CHICKEN
Oui! Wine Bar + Restaurant will participate in Chocolate For Congo with a dessert, like last year’s spiced dark chocolate pot de crème.
Gastronomy
Chocolate For Congo written by Jen Stevenson IF YOU’RE GENERALLY on the fence about ordering dessert, hop off in February—all month, Portland’s Chocolate For Congo lets you eat your cake and help a good cause too, with $1 from each participating dessert going to Action Kivu, an organization that brings vocational training and education to the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sponsored by Seattle-based Theo Chocolate, the first organic and fair-trade chocolate factory in North America, and Portland’s Never Again Coalition, co-founded by former pastry chef Lauren Fortgang and dedicated to ending genocide and other crimes against humanity, the benefit brings together more than a dozen top Portland restaurant and bakeries like Le Pigeon, Baker & Spice and Oui! Wine Bar + Restaurant. In years past, special-edition sweets have included Canard’s chocolate banana cream pie, caramelized persimmon-studded chocolate persimmon tea cakes by Bakeshop, and Bistro Agnes’ frozen dark chocolate marquise with pistachio anglaise, candied kumquats and kumquat-zested meringue. For a full list of this year’s partner restaurants and all mouthwatering dessert details, go to www.neveragaincoalition.org/ chocolate-for-congo. 24 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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Longtime Portland chef (and winner of Food Network’s “Chopped”) Ben Bettinger’s Alabama-style chicken shack is back up and running after a devastating fire took the original Glisan location offline in 2017. There is also now a Beaverton outpost, dishing up the same hearty fare as the original— plump, moist smoked birds served grilled or fried, alongside heaps of homemade coleslaw, crispy jojos, black-eyed pea salad, and mashed potatoes. Dirty up your order with chopped smoked chicken, Creole gravy, cotija cheese, green onions, and housemade Fresno pepper and tangy mayonnaise-based “white gold” sauces. 4570 SW WATSON AVE. BEAVERTON www.bigschicken.com
BIRD & RYE Uniting whiskey and fried chicken, chef Neil Clooney’s cozy brick-walled downtown Ashland pub—formerly Smithfields Pub & Pies—promises plates of crispy fried chicken (buttermilk-soaked or Nashville Hot), fried chicken wings, fried chicken thigh sandwiches and popcorn chicken with Sriracha ranch, plus a slew of stick-to-your-ribs snacks and sides like pimento cheese hush puppies with charred green onion aioli. 23 S 2ND ST. ASHLAND www.facebook.com/birdandrye
SIDE A BREWING This former firehouse turned brewpub—brainchild of childhood friends Nicholas Fairbanks, Scott McConnell and Travis Hansen—doesn’t disappoint on the pub grub front. Sourcing from Eastern Oregon ranchers and farmers such as 6 Ranch and Jen’s Garden, the internationally influenced menu includes Korean-braised pork and kimchi tacos, chimichurri mayo-slathered burgers and a formidable fried chicken sandwich stacked with pickled fennel, spicy arugula, and chili mayonnaise, on a pillowy potato bun from nearby Kneads Bakery. 1219 WASHINGTON AVE. LA GRANDE www.sideabeer.com
food + drink BEST PLACES FOR
PIZZA PIES WHEN THE RAIN & SNOW FLIES GRACIE’S APIZZA Cross the St. Johns Bridge for New Haven-style pies spun by East Coast native Craig Melillo, who expanded from his popular pizza cart into the Lombard Street space. Using homemade mozzarella, tomato sauce and naturally leavened dough—made with stone-milled whole grain flour from Skagit Valley’s Cairnspring Mills—Melillo’s pies range from the exceptional tomato pie to the caper, Castelvetrano olive and oil-cured olive-topped Briny Pie, with a fennel salami calzone or two in between. 8737 N LOMBARD ST. PORTLAND www.graciesapizza.com
GRACE AND HAMMER Inside a century-old former Presbyterian church converted into a bustling pizzeria by relocated Austin pizza makers Chad and Cinnamon Nemec, a steady stream of Redmond locals congregate for crisp-leafed, sheet-pan salads and virtuous pies like the pepperoni and Calabrian chili-topped Saint Stanley, and béchamel, goat feta and oyster mushroom-crowned Propriety. Wash down your slice with a Crooked Halo cocktail, mixed with Austin-born Deep Eddy grapefruit vodka, fresh jalapeño and lime.
The Scotch Lodge feels like a modern speakeasy hidden in Southeast Portland.
Dining
Scotch Lodge written by Jen Stevenson
Dough-loving duo and Ava Gene’s alums Ross Effinger and JoMarie Pitino brought their dream of a small-town watering hole with primo pasta and pizza to life via a spring Kickstarter campaign that fueled their early fall opening beneath the artsy, stylishly historic Jennings Hotel. After unbundling your winter layers, unwind with a bottle of Idealist Wines’ pinot noir and a bowl of locally sourced 6 Ranch grass-fed beef meatballs in creamy heirloom polenta, and a piping hot, beautifully blistered wood-fired caramelized onion, caciocavallo and Calabrian chili pizza.
WHEN THE HOLIDAY euphoria fades and January digs in its dreary heels, it’s best to have a designated grey day den to retreat to, preferably one with Burnt Orange Sherry Cobbler cocktails, soft shell crab sandwiches and a single malt Scotch collection one dreams of getting snowed in with. Enter the Scotch Lodge, a peaty, piquant inner Southeast speakeasy by prized Portland bartender Tommy Klus, who mixed and muddled at Teardrop Lounge, Multnomah Whiskey Library and La Moule before opening the doors of his muchanticipated, instantly revered “cocktail bar for whisky lovers.” Nesting in the cozy, sunken space formerly occupied by beloved Biwa, the bar feels like a secret. Patrons enter via a nondescript door at the corner of SE Ash and 9th Avenue, twist to the right and down, and eventually emerge in a warm, whisky-filled womb of dark wood and gleaming marble, soft forest-green leather and whimsical floral wallpaper. The lighting is dimmed to a “date night” glow, and there are artfully placed barware and books as well as a boggling lineup of bottles, many collected by Klus over the years for his own private collection. Klus’ signature cocktail, a heady blend of scotch, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth and amaro, perches quietly near the bottom of the cocktail list as the “Namesake,” preceded by fast favorites like the elegant Moneypenny, made with London dry gin, scotch and sea bean-infused dry vermouth. Perpendicular to the bar is chef Tim Artale’s (St. Jack, La Moule) busy open kitchen—stay for Artale’s elevated bar snacks of crispy dark gold bricks of fried brie stacked in a spiral of verjus syrup and tangles of hot dill-pickle-spiced fries with sour cream for dipping, then move on to the exquisitely plated, oft Asian-influenced “modern French” small plates. Sweet seekers are not left hanging—try the popcorn panna cotta with orange caramel or barley semifreddo with huckleberry sauce, or, if you prefer your dessert measured in drams, anything Ardbeg.
100 N MAIN ST. JOSEPH www.goldroompizza.com
215 SE 9TH AVE. PORTLAND www.scotchlodge.com
641 SW CASCADE AVE. REDMOND www.graceandhammer.com
GRATEFUL VINEYARD Billed as Mount Hood’s first winery/cidery, third-generation farmer and fermenter Katrina McAlexander’s scenic Parkdale tasting room has one more delicious distinction up its sleeve— pizzaiolo Ryan McAlexander’s hot, fresh, beautifully blistered, from-scratch artisan pizzas that mirror the season, thanks to produce sourced straight from the family’s surrounding Mt. View Orchards or foraged from local forests. 6650 TROUT CREEK RIDGE RD. HOOD RIVER www.gratefulvineyards.com
THE GOLD ROOM
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farm to table
Farm to Table
High Time East Fork Cultivars practice green growing methods for their cannabis written by Sophia McDonald
SINCE OREGON LEGALIZED recreational cannabis in 2015, there has been an explosion of producers creating food and drink with tetrahydrocannabinol—THC, which produces the high—and cannabidiol, or CBD, which is the medicinal compound. According to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), the value of edibles and tinctures sold in the state was $59 million in 2018.
From left, Aaron Howard, CEO Mason Walker and Nathan Howard of East Fork Cultivars.
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Brothers Nathan and Aaron Howard started East Fork Cultivars in Takilma in 2016 with the purest of intentions: growing medical marijuana for a sibling who suffered from chronic pain. Their timing was right to serve the adult-use market as well, but because they intended to use the plant as medicine, they were always committed to farming in a way that maximized the plant’s beneficial characteristics. According to Anna Symonds, the company’s director of education, the Howards decided to
Olivia Ashton
Oregonians, of course, tend to have a DIY streak, enjoying both the fun and cost savings of making their own at home. If cooking with cannabis is high on your list of things to try this year, the first thing to investigate is getting the right pot to put in your pots. There is still a rampant black market for cannabis, and illegal products don’t go through the rigorous safety testing process required by the OLCC. For those reasons, cannabis for cooking should be purchased from a licensed dispensary, and, if possible, from a farm with a reputation for quality.
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
everyone needs to commune with the tides
So come visit Seaside for a few days and slow down, breathe a little deeper, take some long walks along the beach, explore hidden treasures like the estuary, and watch storms roll in across the PaciďŹ c from the cozy conďŹ nes of your hotel suite window. To give your mind and body the vacation they need, visit SeasideOR.com.
Two truffle-filled weekends in the Willamette Valley:
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January 23-26 & February 14-16 Tickets: oregontrufflefestival.org
100 mile bakery | camas country mill | beehive cheese company eugene cascades and coast | graduate eugene | new world truffieres oakway catering | oregon culinary institute | oregon wine press springfield creamery | the healthy pet | travel oregon willamette valley visitors association
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grow according to the practices of regenerative agriculture. They use compost tea and biochar; ferment beneficial bacteria and add them back to the soil; and use drip irrigation, which lowers the amount of water needed for this notoriously thirsty crop. Although marijuana can be grown indoors, planting outdoors allows them to save energy and take advantage of the region’s terroir. Southern Oregon has a reputation for producing some of the best cannabis found anywhere, thanks to its climate and soils. The Howards seed their plants in the spring and harvest them in October (known as “Croptober” in the industry). Plants are hand-harvested by cutting the stalks close to the ground. The lower leaves and stems, which contain very little THC, are stripped away and set aside for use as compost or other beneficial products for the farm. The remaining leaves and flower buds are dried for twelve days. The buds are snipped off and carefully sorted. “People definitely have opinions about aesthetics,” Symonds said. “A cannabis connoisseur wants to see a nice bud structure. It’s part of the appeal of the plant.” The less appealing buds and leaves will be sent for processing, including oil extraction. Though growers face stiff competition in this rapidly growing market, Symonds is, at this point, more concerned about the challenges for buyers. “This is still a hard environment for consumers,” she said. “They have to do a lot of research to determine if what they’re putting in their body is safe and is being produced in a way that they agree with environmentally and socially.” One of the biggest worries is pesticides. Since marijuana is not regulated at the federal level, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issues no guidance about what pesticides and other treatments are safe, which leaves states to do it—or to not weigh in at all. “Pesticides are a concern because cannabis plants, including hemp, are bio-accumulators,” Symonds said. “They will suck up toxins from the soil they’re grown in and the environment they’re grown in. They’re used for remediation because they suck up heavy metals and chemicals and things that are toxic to the environment, even in small doses. That’s great for the environment, but not for the body.” Despite these problems, Symonds is grateful that the prohibition against marijuana has been lifted and that it is legal for use as medicine (and more). “What I love about this job is the chance to help people,” she said. “That’s what our mission is. … I think that’s a major motivator for all of our team. It’s a sense of purpose that’s really special.” Laurie Wolf, author of the books Cooking with Cannabis and HERB, sought cannabis for medical reasons. She’s also a leading authority on how to use it in the kitchen. “When I talk about cooking with cannabis, the first thing I say is, ‘It’s kind of like cooking with a new herb that doesn’t taste very good,’” she said. Instead of mincing up a flower bud and tossing it into a bowl of brownie batter, Wolf recommends using oil infused with cannabis. She likes to use coconut oil, but any cooking fat can be used, including butter, olive oil or sesame oil. When marijuana is first harvested, it contains a non-psychoactive compound called THC-A. That substance must be converted 28 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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Photos: Olivia Ashton
farm to table
FROM TOP A worker harvests the 2019 crop. East Fork Cultivars saves energy and takes advantage of Southern Oregon’s terroir by growing outdoors.
to THC through a process called decarboxylation to produce the high. Before infusing any oil, cook the marijuana at 240 degrees for forty minutes (more information is included in the step-bystep instructions included). Before using marijuana in the kitchen, cooks should spend some time thinking about what effects they want after eating. “Nowadays we have many options, and we have access to more information about that plant material, so you can get something that’s high in THC but balanced with CBD, or you can get something that’s high in CBD and has very little THC,” Symonds noted. Dispensaries should be able to provide information about the amount of THC and CBD in a product, which makes the chef less likely to serve a soup with so much THC that guests get paranoid or dizzy. Ready to try cooking with cannabis? Wolf shared a recipe for a sour cream coffee cake. If you’re nervous about infusing the oil correctly, used a spiked chocolate bar from Serra to make classic pot brownies. This recipe comes from Holly Hukill, product development director for Groundworks Industries, Serra’s parent company. People cooking with cannabis for the first time should start with low doses and move to higher ones until they get the effect they want. It’s also very important to clearly label any THC-laced foods that will be set out with other foods, so people can make decisions about whether to partake and how much to eat. If baked goods will go in the freezer, make sure the bag is clearly marked. It could be dangerous to serve the wrong treat to children, and downright embarrassing to put the wrong plate of cookies in front of your mother-in-law.
farm to table
Oregon Recipes
Cooking With Cannabis Cannabutter
Laurie Wolf, cookbook author MAKES 2 CUPS • 4 sticks butter or coconut oil • 1 ounce shake, finely ground, decarboxylated • Cheesecloth FOR DECARBOXYLATION The decarbing process is what turns the non-psychoactive compound THC-A into the psychoactive cannabinoid THC. It’s important to do this step to ensure potency. Preheat the oven to 240 degrees. Break up the cannabis flowers and buds into small pieces. Put the cannabis in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the cannabis for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so that it bakes evenly. Remove the baking sheet and allow the cannabis to cool. It will be crumbly. In a food processor, pulse the cannabis until it is coarsely ground (you don’t want a superfine powder). Store it in an airtight container and use as needed to make extractions. FOR CANNABUTTER In a medium saucepan bring water to a
boil. You can vary the amount of water, just be sure that the cannabis is always floating 2 inches from the bottom of the pan. Once the water is boiling, add the butter to the water and allow it to melt. Add cannabis and turn down the heat to a low simmer. Cook for three hours. While the cannabutter is cooking, set up the bowl that will hold the finished product. Place a double layer of cheesecloth over the top of the bowl and secure with twine, tape or rubber band. Strain the marijuana butter through the cheesecloth into the bowl, trying not to spill. When the saucepan is empty, carefully undo the twine, pick up the cheesecloth from all four sides and squeeze out the remaining butter. Allow the cannabutter to cool at room temperature for about an hour. Place in the fridge until the butter has solidified and separated from the water. The THC and other properties have attached to the butter. Run a knife around the edge and lift the butter off the water. Place upside down on your work surface and scrape off any plant matter and milk solids. Your cannabutter is ready to use. Store in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
Serra X Woodblock Chocolate Pot Brownies MAKES 16 BROWNIES, EACH CONTAINING 3.125 MG THC • 1 large Serra bar + 40 grams non-infused chocolate for a total of 90 grams of 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped • 45 grams non-infused 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped • ½ cup unsalted butter • ⅛ cup cocoa powder • ¾ cup granulated sugar • 2 large eggs • 1 teaspoon vanilla • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a double boiler and stir in the 90 grams of roughly chopped dark chocolate until melted. Gradually whisk in cocoa powder. Remove from heat and let cool. Gradually add sugar, whisking until incorporated—the mixture may appear grainy. Whisk in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and salt, whisking until the batter pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Use a spatula to fold the flour into the mixture. Stir in the remaining 45 grams of finely chopped dark chocolate. Pour batter into a parchment-lined and lightly buttered 8-inch square pan. Bake until the top looks dry and crackly and the interior is moist but not raw, about 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly. Cut into 2-inch squares.
Infused Magic Shell 1
2
SERVES 1 • 1 square of your favorite Serra X Woodblock chocolate bar • ¼ teaspoon coconut oil
3
4
1) Once butter is melted, add marijuana. 2) Once cooked, strain through cheesecloth. 3) Allow cannabutter to cool until it separates from the water. 4) Lift butter off water, clean it up and voilà! Cannabutter.
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Melt the ingredients in a double boiler, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Immediately pour over your favorite ice cream, fruit or pie for a delicious treat. Dosage varies depending on bar.
farm to table
Sour Cream Cannabis Coffee Cake SERVES 16 • Baking spray • 1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted • 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks • ½ cup brown sugar • ½ cup chopped dried apricots • ¼ cup quick-cook oats • 1 tablespoon cinnamon • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom • ½ teaspoon nutmeg • 4 ounces cannabutter, softened (see recipe at left) • 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened • 2 cups sugar • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten • 2 cups (1 pint) sour cream, room temperature • 1 tablespoon plus two teaspoons vanilla • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon baking powder • ¼ teaspoon salt Preheat the oven to 340 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan. In a small bowl, mix the walnuts, chocolate chips, brown sugar, apricots, oats, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and 2 cups of sugar. Add eggs, blending well, then the sour cream and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and fold into the creamed mixture, beating until just blended. Do not overbeat. Pour a third of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the nut/chocolate mixture. Repeat. Then add remaining batter. Bake until the center of the cake is set, about 50 to 60 minutes—a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
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farm to table
Homegrown Chef
Pot Luck
MAKES 1 QUART
written by Thor Erickson photography by Charlotte Dupont IT WAS EARLY summer in the early ’80s, and I was 15. I was at my friend Jason’s house to attend a garden party that his mom was having. I loved these parties, as Jason’s mom, Linda, was a wardrobe specialist at a local repertory theater and had an eclectic group of friends. The group of actors was outgoing and engaging, always fast with humor and fun to be around. The crew (set builders, prop managers, lighting technicians, etc.) were just as funny, but a bit less enthusiastic. I had been told that this was a potluck, and being the young cook that I was, I prepared a pasta salad— classic summer fare—a crowd pleaser. What I did not realize is that this was a “pot” luck. Every dish had to include marijuana in some way. I was a bit embarrassed, as my pasta salad did not contain any of the green, as I had never consumed or smoked marijuana. In looking at the wide array of dishes, theatrically presented with cards that identified each preparation, I was amazed at the creativity. There were hash brownies, cannabiscuits, rasta pasta, tater pots, pot roast, bong waterpoached salmon, mutton “joints,” Crock-“pot” potatoes, “buddernut” squash soup, and everything in between. I was a stick in the mud as I filled up on my own pasta salad. I watched as the levity in the party rose, plateaued, and then quieted to a pleasant hum. An actor named Fabienne brought me a dish of ice cream she had made. “It is not that strong,” she said in her thick, French accent. “Try it.” The ice cream was rich, cool and delicious. The flavor was mild and herbaceous. This was my first time experiencing marijuana. Thank you, Fabienne. In 2015, non-medical cultivation and uses of marijuana was legalized in the state of Oregon. By 2017, dispensaries started popping up everywhere, rivaling some popular coffee chains. The availability of cannabis for cooking purposes is greater than ever. I recommend starting with something on the lighter side if you wish to use it in cooking or baking. Here is the recipe for Fabienne’s famous ice cream. 32 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
Fabienne’s Chocolate Marijuana Ice Cream
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FOR CANNABIS CREAM • 2 cups heavy cream • 6+ grams of cannabis buds, wrapped in cheesecloth Set stove to low. Pour cream into large bowl or container that will fit on top of a large pot like a double boiler. Fill the large pot halfway with water. Place cheesecloth sachet of cannabis in bowl of cream, then fit bowl on top of the pot. Place pot of water on stove burner. Cook over very low heat for one hour, ensuring the cream does not form a skin on top. Remove from heat, transfer the cream to a storage container, and chill. FOR ICE CREAM • 4 eggs • ½ cup sugar • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder • 1½ cups prepared “cannabis cream” Separate the eggs and place in two separate mixing bowls. Beat the egg whites until peaks begin to form. Gradually, add the sugar, one teaspoon at a time, until you have used ¼ cup. Mix thoroughly until sugar dissolves. In a second mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining ¼ cup sugar. Together, this mixture will become thick and pale. Add the vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Combine egg mixtures and fold together gently. Pour the “cannabis cream” into an empty mixing bowl, and fold beaten cream into egg mixture. Finally, pour this mixture into a shallow container with a lid and freeze until solid.
Bring chocolate marijuana ice cream to your next “pot” luck.
farm to table
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home + design
Floor-to-ceiling bamboo shelving in the living room, plus a reading nook, are perfect for Dori’s love of books.
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home + design
A New View Beaverton condo makeover transforms a blank box into a custom-designed sanctuary written by Melissa Dalton WHEN MAURICE AND DORI KING first walked through the door of the Beaverton condo they now call home, they saw a beautiful treelined view through the living room’s tall windows. But that was soon followed by a plethora of drab builder finishes, from taupe carpeting to beige bathroom tile. Turns out, that was exactly what the couple needed. The unit had not been modified much since the building’s construction in the early aughts, making it ripe for reinvention. “What excited me more than anything else was that it was a box,” Maurice said. Before considering condo life, Maurice, a sales director at Nike, and Dori, an educator at Oregon Episcopal School, raised two children and, most recently, lived in a modern Craftsman in Bethany Village. That 2,000-square-foot house served certain purposes well. “We are people who love to gather others and collect so many wonderful people,” Dori said. “It was a great house for that.” Something with a smaller footprint, however, grew more appealing when the couple realized their oldest son would not be moving back home after finishing college. “It’s like parental permission,” she said. “‘The world is open to you, Mom and Dad, do what you like.’” In 2018, the couple pivoted to a condo in The Round, a crescent-shaped, mixed-use development in Beaverton, outfitted with sixty-three luxury units, ground-level retail, and curving around a public plaza for farmers markets and outdoor theater, all beside the Beaverton Central MAX station. They liked the condo’s single-level conditions for aging in place, the hassle-free commute to their jobs, and the potential of a closer-knit community: “Whether you see your neighbors all the time or not, I think it’s important, especially as you get older, not to insulate,” Dori said.
Christopher Dibble
A Mindful Downsize Moving from 2,000 square feet to a two-bedroom, two-bath home just under 1,200 square feet required significant JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
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home + design
“We sweat the details. Every room was intentional.” — Maurice King, homeowner downsizing, but the couple found an agile guide through the process in their interior designer, Stephanie Dyer, of the Portland-based Dyer Studio. “As an athlete, I have not taken on any sport without having some sort of coaching,” Maurice said, noting that hiring a design team felt similar. “I’m always better by being able to approach anything with some sense of an education.” Dyer helped the Kings identify their most important belongings and all of the activities that their new home needed to accommodate. “We dubbed it a mindful downsize,” Dyer said. The project quickly earned the nickname “Books and Shoes” for the couple’s favorite pastimes, including her love of reading and his affection for sewing clothes, and Dyer’s design prioritizes their interests. In that way, although their new home is smaller than their previous Craftsman, it feels bigger. “When you think about houses that were built in that time period, in the early 2000s, everything was big,” Dori said. “So, there is a big cavernous bathroom, this big cavernous closet, but it just wasn’t as thoughtful.”
Now, upon stepping inside the Kings’ new home, a wall of floor-to-ceiling bamboo shelving in the living room is an eye-catching focal point for Dori’s books. It echoes the scale of the tall windows, and Dyer varied shelf depths to create multiple opportunities for display. Sections backed with sage green paneling makes the installation textural. A column of inky black steel defines the fireplace and disguises the television, while also providing separation for a cozy reading nook. Across from it, a sectional from Perch Furniture can easily seat eight. “There are a couple of zip codes going on here,” Maurice joked of the sofa’s size. For the once-lackluster kitchen, the team refaced the existing cabinets, updated the sink and appliances, and fashioned a bamboo-wrapped peninsula that’s a multitasking 36 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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Photos: Christopher Dibble
Seamless Form and Function
home + design
FROM LEFT The kitchen includes a bamboo-wrapped peninsula that hides the refrigerator. A huge sectional is a living room centerpiece.
powerhouse. The peninsula hides the refrigerator, provides extra storage for both the entry and kitchen, and acts as a prep space and dining spot, with several sleek HAY stools tucked underneath the counter. “We sweat the details,” Maurice said. “Every room was intentional.” The evidence of that approach is seen throughout, from the laundry closet that also hosts a “garage” for storing road bikes and sports equipment, to the desk space in the “everything room” that doubles as a sewing table, to the wingback chair in the bedroom, nicknamed “Dorpheus” for its resemblance to a Matrix set piece, which gives Dori another quiet spot to curl up with a book. Artful décor pieces express what Dyer calls the couple’s “refined but playful” aesthetic, with a palette of soothing grays and greens, graywashed oak floors, and pops of orange and indigo, all inspired by Maurice’s favorite Pendleton wool blanket. In the bathroom, green and gray tiles run in graphic stripes from the soaking tub through the walk-in shower and up the opposite wall, behind a bamboo vanity topped with a
custom concrete sink. Artwork from local makers includes accent walls in Makelike wallpaper, a mesh sculpture by Eric Boyer and Bobbie Specker vases in the living room. When the project wrapped in 2019, the couple had not one but two parties to celebrate. “We had forty-plus people in here, and everybody fit comfortably,” Maurice said. The first party was for their family, as well as the design-and-build team and their families. “We had such wonderful artisans who worked on this place,” Dori said. The second party was for their new neighbors. “It was a nice way to be able to say thank you, because for almost six months there was a Ram Board runway from our door almost all the way up to the elevator,” Maurice said. Since then, the Kings have seen just how well the home works for them, whether hosting a weekend get-together or just coming home from work during the week. The remodel “has made the space so livable,” Dori said. “I refer to it as a sanctuary. It’s like you can come home from a really busy day and feel like, ‘Ah, I’m at home and everything’s great.’”
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Christopher Dibble
home + design
The Kings used wallpaper to freshen up a bedroom accent wall in their Beaverton condo.
DIY: Basic Wallpaper Terms For Beginners WALLPAPER DESIGNS HAVE significantly evolved from their outdated predecessors, and papering an accent wall with a modern pattern or print is a fun way to punch up a décor scheme. It’s often recommended to use a professional installer for wallpaper installation (check www.wallcoveringinstallers.org for someone near you), as the process requires patience and precision. If you’re thinking about tackling this DIY, here’s a cheat sheet of common terms to know. ROLL COUNTS: This is the number of rolls you’ll need for adequate coverage. Measure the wall surface and pay close attention to the manufacturer’s description to order accurately. Google “wallpaper calculator” for additional help. PATTERN REPEAT: The vertical distance of the pattern before it reoccurs. Pattern repeats come in a variety of scales, which is an important consideration when choosing one for your space. A solid or textured wallpaper will not have a pattern repeat, so can be easier for first-timers to hang. PATTERN MATCH: This refers to how the pattern matches from side to side, at the seams, or edges of the paper roll. LINER PAPER: Proper wall prep is important to get the 38 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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finished installation looking good. Depending on the condition of the wall surface, guides recommend removing old paint or wallpaper, sanding rough spots, and priming the wall beforehand. In the case of particularly rough or uneven surfaces, liner paper is applied prior to wallpaper to ensure a smooth surface. PLUMB LINE: It is important to hang the first strip of wallpaper straight on the wall. The plumb line is the straight line you draw for your guide, using a level or smartphone app. BOOKING: Always check manufacturer’s instructions regarding the preferred paste to use with your wallpaper product and for your wall conditions. Booking is when the paste has been applied to the paper and sits for several minutes, so the paper can correctly soak up the paste and expand.
home + design
Pop Products Get the Beaverton condo’s organic modern look
For their new kitchen hardware, the Kings chose the Knurled Knobs from Schoolhouse Electric. We love the way the cross-hatched design feels, and the subtle texture dresses up simple cabinet faces. www.schoolhouse.com Makelike is a Portland-based, multidisciplinary graphic design collective that specializes in hand-screen-printed wallpaper. Its gold-on-blue Contour pattern adorns the wall in the Kings’ second bedroom, bringing depth and unexpected drama to the scheme. In the master bedroom, the Roll Right design is a restful backdrop.
Kris LeBoeuf
www.makelike.com
Perch Furniture on NW 10th Avenue in the Pearl District has been outfitting Oregon living rooms with comfortable, stylish and customizable upholstered goods since 2010. Whether you need a swanky Mid-century couch, a traditional Chesterfield chair, or a sizable sectional that fits your space to the exact inch, Perch has you covered.
The sculptural zig-zag ceramic vases from Bobbie Specker are popular for good reason—they make for a striking silhouette no matter the tableau and are uber-local, since Specker makes each one by hand at Thurman Street Studios in Portland.
www.perchfurniture.com
www.mantelpdx.com
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mind + body
Back on Track
Jacqueline Wiles returns to the slopes after a devastating injury written by Mackenzie Wilson
Jacqueline Wiles trains with the U.S. Ski Team at Copper Mountain in Colorado in 2019.
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Photos: U.S. Ski & Snowboard
mind + body
Wiles hopes to stay healthy and head to the 2022 Olympics.
THE NEXT TIME you’re driving 70 miles per hour, imagine not having a protective steel cage around you. Then, imagine crashing. In February 2018, Jacqueline Wiles did just that—on skis. “It all happened so fast,” Wiles, 27, said. “I was in a state of shock.” Wiles, an Olympic skier, was competing in downhill on the FIS World Cup circuit in Germany. It was a week before the Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where she was set to compete. At first, Wiles thought she just had a deep bruise from the crash. Race protocol required her to be airlifted to the nearest hospital—she was hopeful she’d bounce back for the Olympics, but then her doctor came into the room, crying. “She knew (it was over),” Wiles said. “And having to tell an athlete that their dreams are crushed, it’s pretty hard.” Wiles had dislocated her knee and torn almost all of her ligaments, broken her fibula and suffered nerve damage. The Olympics were out. Skiing competitively again was a maybe, but Wiles was determined to get back on the slopes. She started physical therapy the day after surgery and a year later had another surgery to remove a plate and five screws. “I realized early on that I would have to stay in the process every day and not think about how far I had to go,” she said. Wiles grew up skiing on Mount Hood. She got her first pair of skis when
she was 2 years old, and when she was 5, her parents put her and her brother in a ski-racing program. “It was cheaper than lessons,” Wiles laughed. To say her life has revolved around skiing would be an understatement. Having her identity taken away at the peak of her career was devastating. “The fighter inside me couldn’t give up,” Wiles said. “Not only was I not willing to just kind of throw in the towel, but I also wanted to get better so I can have a healthy rest of my life.” It took more than two years to get her knee back in skiing shape. Last April, she got back on the snow. “It was crazy how excited, joyful and at home I felt,” Wiles said. “I had no pain and it was like, OK, I did rehab right.” Skiing again is one thing. Competing is another. In December, Wiles was set to compete in the FIS World Cup circuit. “I already get clammy just thinking about it,” Wiles said in November. “I think there’s going to be a ton of emotions, a lot of excitement, nervousness, anxiety, pressure.” Right now, Wiles is focused on staying healthy, but deep down she wants what was taken from her—the Olympics. She competed in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and realistically, she knows she only has a few more shots. “I want to ski race as long as I can and hopefully go to two more Olympics and bring Team USA home the gold,” she said.
Jacqueline Wiles Olympic Skier
Age: 27 Born: Portland Residence: Portland
WORKOUT “I do full-body strength training, cardio, agility, coordination, as well as physical therapy. I love incorporating pilates, yoga and massage to be more well-rounded.”
NUTRITION “I consume healthy foods based on their nutrient content and value. I love Four Sigmatic’s medicinal mushrooms. They have a ton of health benefits from different mushrooms that range from helping with immunity, energy, focus, relaxation and improving sleep.”
INSPIRATION “My parents instilled in me the joy and love of following your dreams and working as hard as possible to accomplish them. I strive for excellence and to be the best that I can in everything I do. To that, I owe them and I am extremely grateful for their love and support.”
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Christopher Briscoe
artist in residence
Tenor Continuo
Cellist Daniel Sperry interprets Ashland’s Lithia Park for music and emotion written by Kevin Max
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artist in residence
THE VOICES OF young kids bounce along the turning leaves of Lithia Park. A man submerges a cylindrical wire frame into a bucket and pulls it out, wet and dripping. He makes a slow arc with the wet frame, and an oblong bubble fills and trails behind it, growing to a size equal to the child waiting to chase it into the sky. The bubble separates from the implement and floats out of reach of the small saboteur. The smooth tenor of a cello follows the bubble’s plight as it rises slowly, soon to burst on an oak branch above. The notes subtly gain pitch as the bubble rises like Icarus to its certain demise. The cellist sees all of this and is, at once, sympathizing with the plight of the Icarus bubble while taking in the kid commotion and reading the emotion on the faces of those seated on park benches across from him. With great expectations, the bubble touches the overhanging branch and explodes to somber decrescendo notes—the resolution of a plot. Cellist Daniel Sperry has played this spot in Lithia Park over the past decade, bringing musical improvisation to moods, emotions and floating bubbles. “Of all instruments, the cello has the closest range to human voice and has the closest approximation to human feeling,” Sperry said. “Its voice appears to drop like a ton of soul on people in the park.” Sperry, 64, was born to a musical mother in Tampa, Florida. She was a classically trained cellist who studied in France, played in various orchestras in the United States and eventually earned a chair in the State Orchestra of Mexico. As luck would have it, Nelson Cooke, a world-renowned cellist and principal cellist in the London Symphony Orchestra, was teaching at nearby University of Southern Florida. His mother realized this opportunity and got her son lessons with one of the best. Young cellist Daniel Sperry benefitted mightily. Life as a musician took many turns thereafter. At age 19, Sperry, won a chair on National Symphony, but said he “lost heart” and wanted a life that was more stable. Eventually he began working in sales and marketing in Iowa. That life brought him marriage and a family of his own, but burnout, too. “I decided that if I was going to do music, I was going to play for anyone who asked,” he said. He did just that for a friend who invited him to play at a gathering at her house in Fairfield, Iowa. There, he performed improvisation pieces around poetry that he read—feeling the crowd and interpreting the poems. He played beautifully, one woman said, but, if he were to go further along that path, he would need a proper instrument. Sperry couldn’t afford his own cello, so he had rented a cheap one for the evening. She bought him a $10,000 replacement. With a new cello, Sperry found himself in Lithia Park in the fall of 2008, visiting his son and throwing around a football. His son asked him if he wanted to play his cello instead. He opened his case, sat down, closed his eyes and began to play. “That cello was almost like a mythical instrument, and
“Of all instruments, the cello has the closest range to human voice and has the closest approximation to human feeling. Its voice appears to drop like a ton of soul on people in the park.” — Daniel Sperry, musician after about thirty minutes, my son said, ‘Look in your case,’” he recalled. More money than Sperry could have imagined was strewn about. For the next two years, Sperry took up an ersatz residence alongside the quietly gurgling Lithia Creek and beneath the maples and Port Orford cedars, improvising around, delving, crying with and healing his audience with the assuring voice coming from his new cello. While his music was a salve for others, it was increasingly stressful for him to find viable work during winters. In 2010, he put together a plan to leave Ashland and take his music on the road in a tour of intimate gatherings. From home to home he traveled, couch surfing and bringing music to poems and personalized compositions for paying patrons. “It was incredibly intimate and precious, and people were deeply moved by the music,” he said. “But it was also destabilizing and disorienting. After a while, I had to come to grips that I was a homeless musician.” He returned to Ashland to face another existential moment in his musical pursuits. “In early March 2014, I came to the park with the question, ‘Am I going to do this again?’’’ A Leonard Cohen song and a choir helped Sperry with his dilemma. Unsure whether he was making the right choice, the cellist began playing Cohen’s soul-searching “Hallelujah.” By chance, a visiting college choir entered the park and spontaneously began layering vocal harmonies over Sperry’s rendition. “I was stunned and overcome,” he said. This February marks the sixth year since Sperry and his cello returned to Lithia Park, bringing a tenor continuo to passersby and time—a connective tissue between rising bubbles, children chasing them and parents gaping at their rainbow refraction. MORE ONLINE
Find Daniel Sperry’s music at www.danielaustinsperry.com or www.danielaustinsperry.bandcamp.com
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STARTUP 46 WHAT’S GOING UP 48 WHAT I’M WORKING ON 50 MY WORKSPACE 52
pg. 52 Yohhei Sato’s apron provides social commentary.
Elijah Hoffman
GAME CHANGER 54
g n i m o C ! n o o S
Brand New Sandhill Spa
Sandhill Spa’s New Location will be located behind the Golf Pro Shop 5790 Coopers Hawk Road, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601
Make it a Stay & Play Golf 18 Holes on Oregon’s Only Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course
RunningY.com
541.850.5500
startup
Out and About
TrovaTrip connects travelers with the vacation of their dreams written by Sheila G. Miller
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Photos: TrovaTrip
startup
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP TrovaTrip sends travelers to interesting spots all over the globe, including to Peru’s Rainbow Mountain. Trips often include stays in exotic locales like Costa Rica. Two of TrovaTrip’s founders, Nick Poggi and Lauren Schneider, on location. Trips center on a skill or theme, like yoga.
YOU NEED A vacation—we all do. Beaverton startup TrovaTrip wants to help take your vacation to the next level. In December 2017, Nick Poggi and two friends started the company, which offers highly curated trips with topic experts. Poggi came up with the idea when he was working for a software startup in San Francisco. “I was ready for a vacation, so I started looking around to see what sort of options there were for young professionals,” he said. He couldn’t find quite what he was looking for. “How cool would it be if you could not only travel the world, but also learn about a topic that you’re passionate about while traveling?” He decided to travel abroad for the next four months, seeing what opportunities were out there and finding a window for the curated itineraries he envisioned. Poggi was born in England and raised there and in Massachusetts. “Travel was ingrained in me,” he said. He moved to Oregon before high school and went to the University of Oregon. After living and working in the Bay Area startup sector for six years, he was looking for an opportunity to move back to Oregon. The business atmosphere here appealed, as did Portland’s startup ecosystem. The trips are designed to appeal primarily to young professionals. However, while TrovaTrip is a company centered around trips, the actual customer is the topic expert leading the trip, according to Poggi. It’s the yoga teacher, or the photography expert, or the blogger who have what Poggi called a “teachable skillset” that his company focuses on. TrovaTrip identifies hosts with at least 15,000 followers on Instagram, Pinterest or YouTube, then reaches out to them. “It’s a pretty cool opportunity, because they have the opportunity to monetize their work, in an authentic and onbrand way,” Poggi said. The experts offer travel experiences to that audience—a photography course in Costa Rica or a yoga retreat in Bali, for example—and TrovaTrip makes that trip a reality. The company builds trips in a couple ways. First, TrovaTrip’s employees vet tour operators around the world to make sure that a host who signs up to
run a trip has a curated itinerary from a qualified tour operator. Each trip has three staff members— the host, who serves as an attraction and runs the workshops or other programming; the local guide, and a TrovaTrip manager who makes sure everything runs smoothly. “Quality for us is so important and so vital,” Poggi said. “It’s a way to travel in a group and feel safe going to places you might not want to go solo.” Second, the company provides software to sell the trip—TrovaTrip creates a trip webpage, handles all bookings and payments, communicates with travelers and handles any challenges that may come up. Travelers may find the trip they want to go on through the host’s YouTube site, but they will book through TrovaTrip. TrovaTrip sold forty trips in 2019 and hopes to increase the growth rate. In the coming decade, the company wants to serve as a go-between for more than just trips. While right now TrovaTrip primarily offers international trips, Poggi would like to see the company expand into day trips, domestic itineraries, and even partnerships with brands. “We could create very cool experiences for customers, or events in line with product launches,” he said. “We see this as a monetization channel for anyone with an engaged audience,” Poggi said. “Eventually it will be additional experiences, whether that be a day trip to Napa or something international.”
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what’s going up?
Ready For Visitors
New Oregon hotels emphasize sustainable building practices and the outdoor lifestyle
The SCP Redmond opened in December.
written by Jennifer Hinsley SOUL COMMUNITY PLANET (SCP), a hotel group focused on personal wellness, social good and the environment, opened SCP Redmond in December 2019. The forty-nine-room property is the city of Redmond’s first upscale, boutique full-service hotel. A two-year, $7 million renovation nods to the original 1927 NeoGeorgian architecture while transforming the historic gem into a stylish, modern vision of the Central Oregon aesthetic and lifestyle. Its four stories, topped by The Rooftop (cocktails and small plates along with unrivaled Cascade views), include minimalist design and the use of sustainable and regionally sourced materials. Considered a basecamp for Smith Rock visitors and outdoor enthusiasts, rates start at $125 per night. Coming in March 2020, Bend will be home to the Element by Westin property, located across from Pioneer Park near the heart of downtown. The all-suite hundred-room hotel is built on Westin’s “green without compromise” premise and features keyless check-in, bicycles for guests to borrow, a saline pool and a kitchen in every suite, as well as complimentary breakfast.
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At Soul Community Planet,
our mission is to make the world around us a better place by serving those who value personal wellness, social good and the environment. At SCP Redmond, enjoy 49 mindfully-designed guest rooms, fresh, locally-sourced food and beverages at Provisions market, and panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains from The Rooftop, (the only rooftop experience in Redmond). Our coworking space is also a welcoming hub for those who want to take advantage of everything the SCP brand has to offer.
www.scphotel.com/redmond
541-508-7600
521 SW 6th Street, Redmond, Oregon
what i’m working on
On the Edge Leah Sottile’s Bundyville podcast explores anti-government groups in our backyard interview by Michelle T. Harris
WHEN LEAH SOTTILE first began reporting in 2016 on the Bundy family, a Western ranching family who led two government standoffs—one in Nevada in 2014 and another at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016—the Oregon-based journalist was determined to get to the bottom of it. After covering the story for two years, however, Sottile still felt there was more to be told. In 2018, she partnered with Longreads and Oregon Public Broadcasting to create Bundyville, a podcast series that dives into the history and politics behind the Bundys, their anti-government movement, and the aftermath. What inspired you to create the Bundyville podcast? After covering the 2016 trial for the Malheur occupation, which ended in acquittals, I figured I’d get a lot more answers about why the Bundy family believed what they did about the federal government when they stood trial for the 2014 Bundy Ranch standoff in Nevada. I went to that trial in Las Vegas. The patriarch of the family, Cliven, would be on trial. But that trial pretty quickly ended in a mistrial—so lots of my questions were never answered. I had to keep reporting. My editor at Longreads, Mike Dang, asked if I wanted to try to turn my reporting into a podcast, and I said, ‘Why not? I’d give it a shot.’ Two seasons later, here we are. Did you have to do a lot of additional reporting for Bundyville? It took tons and tons of work. Three years of reporting, actually. So, yes, I did a ton of reporting—and I’m still reporting out a lot of aspects of the story I am still curious about. Does your approach in telling the story via podcast differ from your approach through writing? 50 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
Leah Sottile did a deep dive into the anti-government movement of the West in season two of her podcast, Bundyville.
Absolutely. It’s something I had to learn on the fly, though, when making the first season of Bundyville. I worked on the podcast with three amazing Oregon producers: Ryan Haas of Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Peter Frick-Wright and Robbie Carver (who has since left for Washington) of 30 Minutes West Productions. They showed me very quickly that reporting for audio is a totally different beast than for print. You have to write for sound. As evocative as you can be with writing on the page, it’s a different skill to write a podcast.
on a long, long history of antigovernment ideology. People should pay attention, because the ideas of these movements, suddenly, have gone mainstream with the rise of President Trump. Many people in the militia movement, for example, which is inherently anti-government, love Trump. So … the anti-government loves the (current) government. They are, potentially, getting what they want. I also think a lot of people’s confusion over what is going on in America can be explained by understanding the history of discontent in rural places like Stevens County.
While season one chronicles the Malheur occupation and trials, season two explores Bundy-inspired extremist groups, particularly in Stevens County, Washington. Why do you think these stories need to be told right now, and what are you hoping your audience will gain from the podcast? I think we make a compelling case that these movements that the Bundy family represented shouldn’t be disregarded, or made a punchline. Within those movements are people with violent, divisive ideologies. And each of those movements is built
Throughout Bundyville, you take listeners along on your quest to fill in some of the holes that weren’t answered after the Bundy trials. Do you feel like most of those questions were answered after working on the podcast? Most of my questions were answered, but they just created new questions. I have a greater understanding of Trump, of the shifts in the Department of the Interior right now—things like that. So there is clarity on that front. But I certainly have new groups and new people I’m very interested in understanding more about.
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my workspace
Yohhei Sato, a Portland resident and knife-sharpening expert, is a man of many passions—theater, bicycles and whiskey are just a few. Sato even considered embarking on a career in archeology. But these days, his business Sato Sharpening is his primary focus.
Sato grew up “close to the middle of nowhere” on a farm in Niigata Prefecture in northern Japan. Niigata Prefecture is known for its knife-focused culture and many artisan trades, such as metalwork and kimono construction. At around age 6 or 7, Sato began to learn sharpening techniques.
My Workspace
Looking Sharp Sato Sharpening keeps Portland’s chefs’ knives on their A-games written by Nicki Yowell photography by Elijah Hoffman 52 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY
2020
my workspace
In 2003, Sato made Portland his home. He began casually sharpening knives for Portland-area food carts. Before long, customers were bringing their own implements to Sato personally, asking for help and gleaning some of his expertise. Sato Sharpening, his popup knife- and tool-sharpening business, began in earnest.
From Landmark Saloon to Fang Pet and Garden Supply, Sato arrives with dog, Spiky, in tow, offering his sharpening services and know-how all across Portland. Spiky has proven to be a valuable furry partner in business. His friendly pleas for pets amuse waiting customers. “He really helps with the business,” Sato said.
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game changer
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game changer
Puppies in Prison Woman’s best friend is freeing lives outside—and inside—prison written by Shirley Hancock photography by Shauna Intelisano AMY DUARTE’S FREEDOM is rooted in Oregon’s postcard landscapes. As a child, collecting bugs in the high desert. As a snowboard instructor, guiding young shredders down a volcano. As a wildland firefighter, lugging 40 pounds of gear up a mountain. But one violent, summer night in 2011, Duarte’s freedom shrank to a 6-by-12-foot cell. Arrested for domestic violence, she claimed it was in self-defense that she grabbed a lamp and swung. Her sentence—almost six years in Oregon’s “big house” for women, Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. “I was like a zombie. An empty shell, with no hope,” Duarte said. “Hearing that cell door shut—that was the most traumatizing moment of my life.” Two years later hope arrived, in a wiggly pup named Sonic. Duarte is among sixty-four Oregon women who, since 1995, have earned coveted volunteer jobs as puppy handlers for Canine Companions for Independence. The nonprofit prepares service dogs for people with physical challenges. Some of the training occurs in prisons where inmates have time, motivation and an ear for following instructions. It’s a noble circle—volunteers train inmates, inmates teach pups, pups lavish inmates with love and then give life to people with disabilities. Here’s the bonus. Across the country, puppy handlers have much lower recidivism rates than other inmates. At Coffee Creek, the rate is zero. Not one puppy handler has reoffended. “It’s a notable accomplishment,” said Oregon Department of Corrections director Colette Peters. “Part of it is these women wake up every morning knowing they’re needed. They’re repaying debts to society by helping others.” “This program humanizes me,” Fivea Sharipoff said. “We live with our guilt and shame. I took so much. Now I have a second chance, paying it forward with what I teach the puppies. That’s my freedom.” Handlers are chosen for best behavior, teamwork and ability to take constructive criticism. They go everywhere with their puppies, AT LEFT Fivea Sharipoff (left), Ashley Summers (middle) and Lucretia Karle (right), participants in the Canine Companions program, work with dogs in the newly installed $40,000 training yard at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville. The proceeds were generated from fundraising efforts.
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game changer
even sleeping in the same cell. “All the while they’re developing skills they both need for success—communication and discipline,” said prison coordinator Laurene Brenner. “And we have very high expectations.” Brenner and Heather Ohmart, a contract trainer for Canine Companions, have worked together for thirteen years, and are widely credited with Coffee Creek’s puppy success. No nonsense yet encouraging, they train the women and pups over eighteen months to master thirty key commands, before the dogs leave for professional training. “Ms. Ohmart and Ms. Brenner are setting the foundation for me to be a better person, out there,” said Lucretia Karle, who has been in prison since her teens. “It’s so easy to just go from point A to B in life. I’m learning a new way, and it’s kindness.” “Dogs mimic our emotions and behavior, and taking care of them brings out compassion,” Ohmart said. “This is the women’s bridge to the outside world. After leaving, they can volunteer or raise puppies.” After winning her post-conviction appeal, Amy Duarte is free again. She returns to Coffee Creek, this time as an encourager. Sonic lives with a young girl with autism who, because of his role in her life, is able to attend public school, drive, and dream of becoming a forensic scientist. “This program works miracles,” Duarte said. “It taught me how to love. Not the grasping, co-dependent kind of love you should release. The puppies put me back together, and made me realize I’m a good person.” 56 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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AT TOP Lucretia Karle works with dogs in the Coffee Creek training yard. ABOVE Shannon O’Brien (left) and Fivea Sharipoff (right) sit with dogs in the Canine Companions program. The prisoners selected to participate spend nearly 24/7 with the dogs. Going everywhere with their companions gets the dogs used to being at “work” and focused for when they accompany the person they will ultimately be placed with.
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SNEAK AWAY
FivePineLodge.com Sisters, Oregon 541.549.5900
Photos, from left: Stevi Sayler Photography/Steamboat Inn; Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
WOODS
FROM LEFT Steamboat Inn’s riverview cabins will get you away from it all. Bandon Dune’s Sheep Ranch golf course is a golfer’s dream.
AND
WATER Whether you prefer water or trees—or even golf tees—Oregon’s resorts have the vacation you seek
Plus: A brief history of the tribes behind local casinos written by Kevin Max and Sheila G. Miller
WATER
Water is in an Oregonian’s DNA. From Portland, where rain falls winter and spring, to the coast, where the Pacific Ocean laps our shores, to Central and Eastern Oregon, where the Deschutes, the Columbia, the Grande Ronde and John Day rivers run, water is at the center of our world. Given our connection with water, it’s no surprise that we seek rivers, lakes or the sea when we travel. Here, we explore Oregon’s best resorts and hotels that are bound to the water.
Lake of the Woods Resort
Overleaf Lodge & Spa
If rustic is your fancy, Lake of the Woods Resort will appeal to your senses. Tucked into the mountains west of Klamath Falls and sitting on the edge of Lake of the Woods, this resort is known for fishing, birding and hiking. In summer, this clear lake is also used for waterskiing, canoeing, even scuba. Lake of the Woods restaurant beckons with prime rib dinners, a meatloaf sandwich and blackberry chicken. Each of the thirty-three cabins on the property has its own character. Some of the cabins have gas stoves to cozy up to, or stay warm under down comforters and Pendleton blankets. If you’re interested in sleeping under the stars, there are U.S. Forest Service campgrounds on site as well. Plus, there’s a universal season pass for the lake and its neighbor, 4 Mile Lake, for $40 (or $6 per vehicle per day).
Sleep comes easier at the Oregon Coast. That’s certainly true at Overleaf Lodge, which sits on cliffs overlooking the Pacific in Yachats. Yes, you could spend a delightful weekend here looking at the ocean while drifting in and out of sleep. But Overleaf’s amenities make a visit more eventful. First on the list is the spa, which has a full menu of massage, facial and other services, as well as an ocean-facing pool and hot tub, and a sauna and steam room. Then check out the weekly wine tastings, the complimentary breakfast, and the fresh, frozen and canned fish available for sale in the lobby each day. Use the Overleaf as a jumping-off point for coast adventures—see the sea lions, hike up to lighthouses, or explore aquatic life in tidepools. You can also stay above it all and take a seat, grab a glass of local wine from the Overleaf wine cellar and watch the tides go in and out.
YACHATS
www.lakeofthewoodsresort.com
www.overleaflodge.com
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1) Bandon Dunes Golf Resort 2) Callahan’s Mountain Lodge 3) Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa 4) FivePine Lodge 5) Lake of the Woods Resort 6) Metolius River Resort 7) Overleaf Lodge & Spa 8) Silvies Valley Ranch 9) Steamboat Inn 10) Sunriver Resort 11) Wallowa Lake Lodge
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Stevi Sayler Photography/Steamboat Inn
PLAN YOUR TRIP
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Overleaf Lodge
KLAMATH FALLS
Steamboat Inn IDLEYLD PARK
If you’re hoping to take solitude to the next level, Steamboat Inn is your spot. Sitting atop a bluff above the North Umpqua River, this property has beautiful gardens, a restaurant that serves locally sourced gourmet meals with local wine, and the rush of the Umpqua River along the floor of the national forest. There are a number of options for stays—from cabins to suites to cottages and three-bedroom houses. No matter what, you’ll be there to disconnect, as there is no wifi, TVs or other electronics, which means you can enjoy a digital detox. Grab a book and sit by the fire in the library, tuck in to a Northwest-inspired meal made from scratch at the restaurant, and explore the waterfalls and solitude of the North Umpqua River. If you’re into fly-fishing, this is a postcard for anglers. You’ll find nearby hiking and biking trails—and Crater Lake National Park is just 72 scenic miles away. www.thesteamboatinn.com
Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Overleaf Lodge & Spa sits on the Pacific Ocean. Gardens abound at the Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa. The Steamboat Inn is the perfect place for a tech detox.
HOOD RIVER
Romance resides on the grounds of the Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa. The forty rooms at this stunning property have views of the Columbia River, lush gardens of topiary and tulips and tucked-away nooks to steal a kiss. The spa at the hotel may be small, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in quality. Fresh pears and apples at the front desk come from the local terroir of Hood River’s produce-laden Fruit Loop. The rooms feel old-fashioned in a charming, luxurious way, and the restaurant serves roast duck and lamb and filet mignon, and Columbia River steelhead cake for a starter. The Valentino Lounge has a full bar and happy hour 4 p.m to 6 p.m. on weekdays. The hotel is also close to the action of Hood River, so you’ll be able to experience more fine dining, craft breweries and wine that makes this small town feel big. www.columbiagorgehotel.com
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WOODS
A walk in the woods, forest therapy or Waldenlust—all trails lead to a place where the mind is calm. The woods will take you deep into a place where letting go and cutting cords go hand in hand along its forest trails.
FivePine Lodge
Metolius River Resort
FivePine Lodge in Sisters is a walk in the woods nicely interrupted with modern cabins, nicely appointed rooms with Missionstyle furniture, down quilts, a gas fireplace, a sunken tub in the Romance Cabin and a full spa on the campus. Outside, traipse into the Sisters National Forest and along the 25-mile Peterson Ridge trail network on foot or mountain bike. For a truly pristine walk in the woods, head farther south on Three Creeks Road to the trailhead for Whychus Creek Trail. Back in town, reward yourself with a pint and a plate at Three Creeks Brewery, one of the amazing nearby bakeries or a film from the Sisters Movie House in a modern red barn, before returning to your cozy cabin at FivePine.
In the shadow of Mount Washington and Three Fingered Jack, Metolius River Resort is a sanctuary seeded with monster Ponderosa pines. The campus features eleven modern cabins, many with full kitchens and river rock fireplaces, but all with access to hiking trails to the crystal Metolius River and its headwaters, marking the spot where the river comes out of the ground. If you’ve never been to a riverhead before, this, one of the largest spring-fed rivers in the country, is an aqueous nativity scene and awe inspiring. For dining, there is Hola!, a restaurant that serves nouveau Mexican and Peruvian dishes, such as pork tamales and Peruvian ribs and potatoes. Also nearby is the Camp Sherman Store, with some gourmet goods and local wines. In the summer, hop on the nearby storied Pacific Crest Trail or plan on knocking off a bit of the 22-mile Three Fingered Jack Loop.
SISTERS
CAMP SHERMAN
www.fivepinelodge.com
Wallowa Lake Lodge JOSEPH
On the banks of the pastoral Wallowa Lake and surrounded by the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and Eagle Cap Wilderness, Wallowa Lake Lodge and its rustic cabins are the consummate wooded retreat. Wallowa Lake Lodge has a seasonal lodge with twenty-two rooms and eight small cabins open year-round with views of the lake. This is where you take yourself to attempt a digital detox, as cell service is scarce but the Chief Joseph, Aneroid Lake and West Fork trailheads into Eagle Cap Wilderness are just a mile walk away. Bighorn sheep, deer, bears, waterfalls and the snowy peaks in the Wallowas are compelling natural media, without having to resort to posting photos of your feet. The Camas dining room at the lodge is open from Memorial Day and through the summer. In Joseph, many options abound, including Vali’s Alpine Restaurant with Hungarian cuisine, Old Town Cafe and Embers Brew House. www.wallowalakelodge.com
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www.metoliusriverresort.com
Callahan’s Mountain Lodge ASHLAND
In one of Oregon’s most scenic regions of Southern Oregon, Callahan’s Mountain Lodge is a destination within itself or a basecamp for adventuring beyond. In the Siskiyou Mountains and along the Pacific Crest Trail, Callahan’s has twenty-three guest rooms with wood-burning fireplaces and jacuzzi tubs. The restaurant at the lodge offers a diverse menu of filet mignon, house-smoked salmon, fish and Italian dishes. Nearby Mt. Ashland Ski Area provides a weekend of great downhill pursuits or, in summer, trails to hike. Spring and fall should almost exclusively be dedicated to the alternative sport of wine tasting. Southern Oregon winemakers are growing and bottling some of the best pinot meuniers, syrah and malbec. www.callahanslodge.com
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FROM LEFT Sunriver’s golf courses serve up remarkable scenery. The lodge at Sunriver is pure Oregon history.
GOLF RESORTS
There is little so satisfying as an unhurried golf shot. Sight the pin, take a practice swing or two, set your feet, breathe and swing. These are the moments of Oregon’s famed but uncrowded golf resorts across the state. Quietly, Oregon has found itself with a portfolio of courses from some of the industry’s top designers—David McLay Kidd, Tom Doak, Ben Crenshaw and Robert E. Cupp. Because of the dearth of warm months, Oregon is not considered a venue for serious golfers. Oregon does, however, play long when it comes to world-class scenery.
Sunriver Resort
Photos: Sunriver Resort
SUNRIVER
Long the gold standard of golf in Oregon, Sunriver Resort’s four courses include Caldera Links, Woodland, Meadows and the famed Crosswater, one of Golf Digest’s top American courses. Though golf may be at its heart, Sunriver is a year-round resort with dozens of restaurants, hiking and biking trails into the Deschutes National Forest and a village center with shops and sports gear rentals. Recreation abounds with a daily shuttle to nearby Mt. Bachelor in the winter and an outdoor pool with hot tubs and private cabanas in the summer. Take the kids to the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory to teach them the wonders of the natural and celestial worlds. When the day is done, head to the Village Bar & Grill or Marcello’s Cucina Italiana for dinner and a drink. www.destinationhotels.com/ sunriver-resort
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TRIBAL CASINOS You know that Oregon’s eight tribal casinos are full of fun. There’s gambling, yes, but also amenities that range from spas to golf courses to a five-screen cineplex. What you may not know is the history of the tribes behind these casinos. Here’s a look at who brings you this entertainment.
www.indianheadcasino.com Chinook Winds Casino Resort is operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, a group of twenty-seven Oregon, California and Washington tribes. This group, which at one time occupied a 1.1 million-acre reservation, had its tribe terminated in 1954, then was restored as a tribe in 1977. Today the confederated tribes have a smaller reservation and operate the casino in Newport. www.chinookwindscasino.com Kla-Mo-Ya Casino is operated by the Klamath Tribes—the Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin, all of whom occupied the Klamath Basin. The tribes believe everything they need will be provided by the earth in their home east of the Cascades, and even as they signed treaties in 1864, they retained the right to hunt, fish and gather on their lands in perpetuity, which has led to ongoing litigation regarding water rights. The tribes prospered in their early reservation days, in part due to the rich natural resources at their disposal, though a Congressional act in the 1950s terminated the tribes. The tribes’ federal recognition was not restored until the 1980s. www.klamoyacasino.com Seven Feathers Casino Resort is operated by the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians of Oregon, a conglomerate of a number of tribal groups who lived between the Cascade and Coast Ranges in southwest Oregon. The Cow Creek band came together as one of the first two tribes to sign a treaty with the U.S. in 1853. The treaty ceded a great swath of southwestern Oregon to the U.S., but the treaty was ignored by the federal government
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for more than a hundred years until recognition was restored in the 1980s, without a reservation. www.sevenfeathers.com Spirit Mountain Casino is operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community. The group is made up of more than thirty tribes and bands from Oregon, California and Washington. The tribes spoke a variety of languages and eventually settled on Chinuk Wawa as the tribes’ common language. In 1856, the Umpqua, Southern Kalapuya, Rogue River and Chasta bands were forced onto a reservation in the Coast Range. The Grand Ronde Reservation today, about a sixth of its original size, is on that land. www.spiritmountain.com The Mill Casino-Hotel is operated by the Coquille Tribe, who traditionally lived on the southern Oregon Coast. After signing a treaty in 1856 and being removed to the Siletz/Coast Reservation, most Coquille people stayed there as members of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, but some are now recognized separately as the Coquille Tribe and are located near Coos Bay. The Coquille have proposed another casino in Medford. www.themillcasino.com Three Rivers Casino Resort is operated by the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw, a group of three tribes who lived between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Range on the south-central coast. The tribes lived peacefully and depended on the bounty of the sea and mountain range, and lived in cedar plank homes along the area rivers. www.threeriverscasino.com Wildhorse Resort & Casino is operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation. The reservation, east of Pendleton, is made up of Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla tribes, and reserved rights to fish, hunt and gather food and medicine on its ceded land—today, the area of northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. In addition to the casino, the tribes also operate Cayuse Technologies, a software development company. www.wildhorseresort.com
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Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
Indian Head Casino is operated by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs— members of the Warm Springs, Wasco and Paiute tribes. The Wasco bands lived on the Columbia River and primarily fished using scaffolding along the river and spoke the Chinook language, while the Warm Springs bands lived on Columbia’s tributaries and spoke a different language—Sahaptin. They traveled between summer and winter villages. The Paiutes were a southeastern Oregon band who spoke Shoshone dialect and lived much differently on the high plains of the state—less fish, more game, and a great deal more migration.
Silvies Valley Ranch
FROM TOP Silvies is set in the high desert with charm to spare. Bandon Dunes’ newest course features a mile of coastline.
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
Silvies Valley Ranch
Find your way down the southern Oregon Coast for a golf getaway that rivals any other, anywhere. If its five Scottishinspired links courses were not enough, Bandon Dunes Golf Resorts’ newest, Sheep Ranch, a 7,000-yard, eighteenhole course with 1 mile of ocean frontage and stunning Pacific Ocean views on every hole, opens June 1, 2020. A walk along any Bandon course— the overcast coastal weather, the bright shock of yellow gorse bushes and the rolling green terrain—is a proxy for Scotland, the home of golf. Bandon Dunes’ founders created the massive but tasteful resort in the image of golf’s original Scottish settings. More than golf, the resort has luxury accommodations, dining at McKee’s Pub, The Gallery Restaurant and Tufted Puffin Lounge, and a network of meditative walking trails. The Labyrinth, for example, is a maze set in the trees and used for walking and quiet contemplation. The town of Bandon itself has local seafood restaurants not to miss—Tony’s Crab Shack, The Wheelhouse & Crowsnest and Bandon Fish Market. Now grab your clubs, make haste and don’ aywis be at the cow’s tail, as our Scottish friends say.
This curious destination brings out the best of us. It’s desert meditation, world-class golf, a luxury spa and … goats for golf caddies. The resort has two eighteen-hole courses, a ninehole family course and seven-hole challenge course. Goat caddies wear specially designed goat golf bags and dutifully carry a golfers’ clubs while eating on the job. Silvies nails the male-female experiences with target shooting, cattle drives, a climbing wall, a luxury spa, horseback riding and wine tasting. Luxury cabins have stone floors, hot tubs, fireplaces, knotty pine logs and flat-screen TVs. The family style ranch-to-table dining room serves grass-fed beef, locally grown vegetables and sourdough bread made from a 100-year-old starter. Silvies Valley Ranch is the high desert place to play hard and then get knotty.
BANDON
SENECA
www.silvies.us
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The Triple Nickles embark on one of thirty-six fire missions undertaken in the summer of 1945. (photo: National Archives and Records Administration/courtesy of Oregon Travel Information Council)
THE SECRET WWII MISSION
OF OREGON'S TRIPLE NICKLES
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S E V E N T Y - F I V E Y E A R S L AT E R ,
the Triple Nickles leave a lasting legacy in Pendleton written by Matt Wastradowski
ON MAY 5, 1945, the all-black 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion—more commonly known as the Triple Nickles—boarded a train for Pendleton Field in rural Oregon. The soldiers, comprising the nation’s first all-black parachute infantry and the first military smokejumpers in U.S. history, had trained for months at Camp Mackall in North Carolina when they received a classified mission that spring. “The men were anxious—really, really anxious—and were thrilled to have a part [in World War II],” said Dr. Bob Bartlett, a public sociologist at Eastern Washington University who has studied the history of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion. But the soldiers remained unclear on their mission, known only as Operation Firefly, as they made the cross-country trip. “Even at that point, they thought, ‘Maybe we’re going to Japan, because at least we’re going West,’” Bartlett said.
The soldiers never went to Japan. Nor did they fight in Europe. Instead, the Triple Nickles—yes, that spelling is by design—spent their summer in Pendleton, fighting a secret war far from public view and even farther from the front lines. This war would be fought not with guns or bombs, but with parachutes and fire hoses. And, as the battalion boarded that train in North Carolina seventy-five years ago this spring, that secret war was claiming its first lives some 2,800 miles away in Southern Oregon.
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T H E S O L D I E R S , C O M P R I S I N G T H E N AT I O N ’ S F I R S T A L L - B L A C K PA R A C H U T E I N FA N T R Y
AND THE FIRST MILITARY SMOKEJUMPERS IN U.S. HISTORY, HAD TRAINED FOR MONTHS AT CAMP MACKALL IN NORTH CAROLINA WHEN THEY RECEIVED A CLASSIFIED MISSION THAT SPRING.
The Triple Nickles prepare for a jump. (National Archives and Records Administration/courtesy the Oregon Travel Information Council)
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ABOVE, FROM LEFT Smokejumper Jesse Mayes prepares to jump. A Japanese balloon bomb during World War II. (photos, from left: National Archives and Records Administration/courtesy of Oregon Travel Information Council; National Museum of the U.S. Air Force)
“BALLOON BOMBS” STRIKE THE U.S. When the Triple Nickles boarded that train, Japanese forces had been creating elaborate “balloon bombs” designed to start fires and cause mass panic throughout the United States. The balloons, each about 33 feet in diameter, were filled with hydrogen gas, tethered to a basket (similar to a hot air balloon), and armed with conventional bombs and incendiary bombs. In all, the Japanese military sent roughly 9,000 balloon bombs into the jet stream during World War II, hoping that each would sail across the Pacific Ocean before making landfall in the United States and exploding on impact. “Their goal was to burn the whole West Coast, thus causing panic and diverting attention away from the war,” Bartlett said. And to an extent, the plan worked: Balloons landed as far north as Alaska, as far south as Mexico, and as far east as Iowa. But only one bomb claimed the lives of U.S. citizens—and that balloon was discovered on May 5, 1945, just outside the town of Bly, roughly an hour east of Klamath Falls in Southern Oregon. That day, minister Archie Mitchell—along with his pregnant wife, Elsie, and five children from their Sunday school class—went for a picnic near Bly. Mitchell parked the car while Elsie and the children went ahead. They told Mitchell they’d found a balloon—but it exploded before he could warn them against touching it. The explosion killed Elsie and the children.
WORLD WAR II TAKES A TOLL The tragedy marked the only time Americans were killed by enemy fire in the continental United States during
World War II—but it was far from Oregon’s only brush with war. A Japanese submarine shelled the U.S. base at Fort Stevens in June 1942, near the mouth of the Columbia River, and a seaplane dropped a bomb in a forest near Brookings later that summer, causing minor damage. (The latter was the first aerial bombing on the U.S. mainland by a foreign enemy.) By 1945, when the balloon bomb exploded near Bly, Oregonians were understandably on edge. “During World War II, most people in coastal communities had bags by the door, ready to go, with food and family pictures—kind of like you would in tornado country,” said Doug Kenck-Crispin, resident historian for the Kick Ass Oregon History podcast. “And it was because of a Japanese invasion, that’s what they feared.” The U.S. Army, worrying that news of the deaths would incite further panic, worked to keep the balloons out of the headlines. “They did not want the American people to know they were being bombed by this secret weapon, and they did not want the Japanese to know they were successful,” Bartlett said. But the Triple Nickles, traveling west, had no way of knowing any of that.
THE TRIPLE NICKLES ARRIVE IN PENDLETON World War II had been raging for years by the time the Triple Nickles came to Pendleton, and black service members stationed in the United States had lobbied President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to allow them to serve in combat units. The Army was heavily segregated at the time, and it wasn’t JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
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until December 1943 that the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion was officially activated. The Triple Nickles arrived in Oregon in May 1945 and reported to the mostly deserted Pendleton Field just outside town. There, they were briefed on Operation Firefly: The battalion would train with the U.S. Forest Service to become the military’s first smokejumpers, deactivate balloon bombs, and put out wildfires—whether caused by bombs, lightning strikes or careless campers. “Most of them were like, ‘What are you talking about?’” Bartlett said of the soldier’s reactions. “They were told Pendleton was their new home, and that they were not going to join the war overseas. They were trained to put these fires out, get hauled out, and not talk about it.” All summer long, the battalion did just that, deactivating bombs and fighting wildfires all over the Pacific Northwest and in southern Canada. Of the 300 members, 200 remained in Pendleton; the others were sent to Chico, California. One smokejumper died that summer—Private First Class Malvin L. Brown died in August 1945, when he fell from a tree while fighting a fire on Lemon Butte near Cave Junction. Brown is the first smokejumper to die on a fire jump.
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BLACK PARATROOPERS FACE DISCRIMINATION When not fighting fires, the 555th faced racism and discrimination in Pendleton. In a sense, it wasn’t all that surprising. The Provisional Government of Oregon had voted to exclude all black settlers from the state just 101 years earlier—and when Oregon became a state in 1859, it was the only free state admitted to the Union that prevented African Americans from establishing residence. In fact, the last of the state’s anti-exclusion laws weren’t repealed until the mid-1920s—just two decades before the Triple Nickles arrived in Pendleton. Around town, the men couldn’t eat in most restaurants, their visiting families couldn’t rent hotel rooms, and locals didn’t make them feel welcome. Officer Bradley Biggs wrote a book about the 555th—The Triple Nickles: America’s First All-Black Paratroop Unit—and in it, he described only being able to drink at two bars around town. “There were just places they couldn’t go, that they knew were off limits to them,” Bartlett said. Bartlett said the men, nonetheless, found ways to make the most of the time in town. They hunted, fished, attended the Pendleton Round-Up that September,
W H E N W I L D F I R E S E A S O N E N D E D T H AT FA L L ,
THE 555TH HAD PARTICIPATED IN THIRTY-SIX FIRE MISSIONS WITH MORE THAN 1,200 INDIVIDUAL JUMPS, ACCORDING TO THE OREGON ENCYCLOPEDIA.
AT LEFT The Triple Nickles prepare for a jump. ABOVE A member of the Triple Nickles at the military air base in Pendleton. (photos: National Archives and Records Administration/courtesy of Oregon Travel Information Council)
and even put together a softball team—and competed against friendly locals. A few members even took flying lessons while stationed at the airfield. But by and large, they kept clear of downtown. “To the majority of the folks in Pendleton, they were like ghosts,” Bartlett said. “These guys were invisible.”
THE TRIPLE NICKLES’ LEGACY When wildfire season ended that fall, the 555th had participated in thirty-six fire missions with more than 1,200 individual jumps, according to the Oregon Encyclopedia. The battalion was then assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, that October, where it became a key part of the previously all-white 82nd Airborne Division. Some seventy-five years later, the legacy of the Triple Nickles continues to be felt—and honored— in Pendleton.
In the summer of 2018, a plaque was installed in downtown Pendleton, touting the group’s bravery, dedication and sacrifice for serving its country. It was the second such recognition of the Triple Nickles’ time in Pendleton—the nearby Pendleton Air Museum hosts a small display with information on the group and Operation Firefly. Another marker pays tribute to Malvin Brown and the Triple Nickles at the Siskiyou Smokejumper Museum in Cave Junction. As Bartlett sees it, the recognition is better late than never. Even if they only spent a few months around Pendleton in the waning days of World War II, the Triple Nickles played a key role in protecting the region, preventing mass panic, and paving the way for future smokejumpers—regardless of race. That, he said, warrants recognition. “This is where it all started,” Bartlett said. “If anywhere there should be a marker or museum, it needs to be in Pendleton.” JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
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FORGING AHEAD photography by Jessica Smith EVERY YEAR, the Cascadia Center for Arts & Crafts hosts Blacksmith Week at its Government Camp site. People from around the state come to learn more about this ancient craft. Throughout the week, blades are sharpened, hot metal is shaped into tools and converts to the craft are born. 72 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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FROM LEFT Sparks fly as Master Smith knife maker David Lisch presses his newly forged blade against a belt sander during a demonstration at Government Camp’s annual Blacksmith Week event. While the craft used to be learned through apprenticeship, “the traditional route is harder now,” he said. In addition to selling his own award-winning knives, Lisch teaches classes to carry on the tradition of preserving and passing on the craft. Lisch’s unfinished knife rests on an anvil between a hammer and a pair of farrier tongs.
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CLOCKWISE, FROM FAR LEFT Once the roughest edges are smoothed, Lisch polishes the knife with a finergrained sandpaper. After the blade is sharpened and polished, Lisch will form the handle using epoxy to fuse carved antler pieces to the knife’s tang. Benjamin Czyhold of Artificer Forge crafts an artisan bell for a crowd during Blacksmith Week. Audience members are allowed to trace the outline of Lisch’s knife so they may attempt to mimic its shape when they return home. Inside the workshop at Cascadia Center for Arts & Crafts, an iron praying mantis sits on display among tools and supplies.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT During a demonstration, John Williams retrieves a piece from the forge, which typically ranges from 1,400 to 2,000 degrees when working with iron. Audience members watch closely, taking notes and pictures for later reference, as Williams molds hot iron with a hammer and an anvil to craft a pair of farrier tongs. The Cascadia Center for Arts & Crafts hosts classes and demonstrations for aficionados of every skill level at the blacksmith workshop.
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TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT 80 ADVENTURE 82 LODGING 84 TRIP PLANNER 86 NORTHWEST DESTINATION 92
pg. 86 Visitors to Brasada Ranch are greeted by an old trestle bridge.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO EXPERIENCE UNFORGETTABLE Between the true blue waters of Crater Lake and the prehistoric tunnels of the Oregon Caves is a land of lush farms, winding waters flowing in wild rivers, vineyards growing every variety of grape you can think of, picturesque downtowns to shop and stroll, and a nearly year-round Shakespeare Festival boasting productions rivaling ones you’d see in London itself. Experience Southern Oregon and one of our unique properties. Enjoy mineral soaking baths, historic ambiance, lush gardens, retro-modern design, wine garden and more.
Downtown Ashland - Historic Ashland Springs Hotel
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Ashland Springs Hotel • Lithia Springs Resort • Inn at the Commons Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites • LARKS • Luna Cafe • Waterstone Spa
Oregon State Parks
travel spotlight
Travel Spotlight
A Logging History Collier Logging Museum provides insight into the state’s forestry past written by Kimberly Bowker STREWN AMONG THE trees along the banks of Spring Creek rests a treasure of Oregon’s history— the Collier Logging Museum. Established in the 1940s when the prominent Collier logging family donated land, the now-state park hosts the largest inventory of logging equipment in the Northwest. It is a record of traditional and innovative logging practices, culture and equipment that has shifted through the decades. Visitors walk the timeline of an industry that built Oregon, from the homestead cabins constructed in the late 1800s, through the “high wheels” pulled by horses to transport timber, to steam- and gas-powered advances and modern logging approaches. The impressive equipment is displayed within its natural environment of the pines of southern Oregon, 30 miles north of Klamath Falls off U.S. Highway 97. Part of the fun is discovering the details within the relics, including everything from handforged saws and axes to a tugboat once used to transport logs on Upper Klamath Lake. Admission is free and donations accepted. The museum comes alive during a living history day and other special events throughout the year, or explore at your own pace summer days from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the winter.
A railroad log loader is among the relics on display at Collier Logging Museum.
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Oregon’s Alpine Village since 1849
Fiber Art...Give yourself an ‘Art Retreat’ ...
Register/Info: www.cascadiaart.org New classes for Spring /Summer 2020 Blacksmith Week, August 13th through 16th
adventure
Eyeing Winter Elk
Elk are easy to spot around Oregon —if you know where to look written by Ethan Shaw SAVE FOR THE burgeoning population of moose in the northeastern corner of the state, the heftiest deer in Oregon are elk, also known by the Shawnee name wapiti. While outdoor enthusiasts can run into these striking, shaggy-maned ungulates any time of year—from the tablelands of Hells Canyon to the tidal meadows of the Salmon River—there’s no easier season to spot elk than wintertime. That’s partly because Oregon’s migratory herds cluster together on winter ranges this time of year, and partly because in certain places, wildlife authorities feed wintering elk to keep them off nearby agricultural lands. Three Oregon wildlife areas in particular offer reliable looks at wintering elk. Before we profile them, though, let’s knock out a little Wapiti 101.
Oregon’s Elk Oregon is host to two subspecies of elk. West of the Cascade crest roams the Roosevelt elk—the hulking wapiti of the Pacific temperate rainforest. With bulls occasionally reaching 1,200 pounds or more, Roosevelt elk are the biggest elk in the world (and the second-biggest deer of any kind after moose). Rocky Mountain elk, meanwhile, live east of the crest, primarily in the eastern Cascade foothills and in the Blue Mountain Province of Northeast Oregon. Marginally smaller than Roosevelt elk—bulls tend to max out in the 800-pound vicinity— they nonetheless grow proportionately larger, broader racks. Rocky Mountain elk are usually migratory, cycling between summer ranges in the high country and winter ranges in foothills, valleys, and basins. Roosevelt elk are generally less migratory than their east-side cousins—a reflection of the milder maritime climate they’re subjected to—but some populations do make seasonal journeys between higher and lower ranges.
Where to See Them JEWELL MEADOWS WILDLIFE AREA Set in the Northern Oregon Coast Range below the rugged basalt massif of Saddle Mountain, the 1,114-acre Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area—managed by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW)—provides winter pasture across a few separate tracts for several hundred head of Roosevelt elk in winter and early spring. You’ll find several developed viewing areas and parking lots along the Nehalem Highway that offer reliable looks at wintering elk in the low-lying fields of 82 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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adventure
A Rocky Mountain elk at Elkhorn Wildlife Area.
Fishhawk Creek’s valley, with additional elk-viewing opportunities up Beneke Creek Road to the north and east. From November to about March, lounging and munching elk tend to be visible most or all of the day here. DEAN CREEK ELK VIEWING AREA Much farther south down the Coast Range, the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area, jointly overseen by ODFW and the Bureau of Land Management, is not only a prime winter wildlifewatching spot—it’s just about the best place in the state to consistently see Roosevelt elk year-round. About 100 elk use these pastures—nestled between the lower Umpqua River and rumpled hills—in all seasons, with several pullouts and parking lots along Oregon Highway 38 providing convenient observation points. ELKHORN WILDLIFE AREA Far from those green Coast Range meadows, the Elkhorn Wildlife Area—a multi-unit complex including ODFW, Forest Service, BLM, and leased private lands—provides winter digs and supplemental hay and alfalfa for roughly 1,400 Rocky Mountain elk in the northeastern foothills of the Elkhorn Mountains, the highest subrange of the Blues (which aren’t normally considered to include the nearby—and loftier—Wallowas). Easily reached from both La Grande to the north and Baker City to the south, the wildlife area’s biggest parcel, edging the North Power Valley, provides an interpretive kiosk overlooking a heavily used winter elk hangout along Anthony Creek.
Keith Kohl/ODFW
ELK VIEWING TIPS While generally speaking early morning and evening are the best times to look for Oregon elk, you’ve got a good chance of seeing wintering elk just about any time of day at the above spots. Bull elk drop their antlers—used for showing off and fighting during the autumn rut—in winter or early spring, the exact timing depending on all sorts of factors such as physical condition and social rank. You’ll likely see both antlered and antler-less bulls on winter visits to these viewing areas. Telling apart antler-less bulls from cow elk is difficult to the inexperienced eye. By winter, elk calves born the preceding season have lost the spots they initially wear for camouflage. But you can usually still identify calves-of-the-year among the herd by their smaller size and stubbier snouts. Watch for subtle or not-so-subtle social behavior among feeding elk. It’s not uncommon to see elk concentrated on winter range engaging in little dominance spats, which most dramatically include the animals rearing up on hind legs and “boxing” with their front hooves.
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Budget-savvy solo travelers and couples who prefer to invest vacation dollars in experiences can book one of the hotel’s fourteen cozy, private king and queen rooms, while families, groups, and hostelers will appreciate the fifteen stylish bunk rooms with en suite bathrooms. Bunks are outfitted with privacy curtains, outlets, canvas sleeves for personal items, and roomy storage drawers. In the private rooms, beautiful refurbished fireplace mantels sourced from Oregon’s Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage are reborn as headboards, while restored European antiques serve as nightstands and desks.
FEATURES
Unlike some basements, the Kex’s subterranean space has a few non-scary surprises in store, including a well-appointed guest kitchen, twelveperson cedar sauna built by Portland-based Finlandia, and the Gym & Tonic, a communal event space hosting everything from artist receptions to chef collaboration dinners. If the sauna whets your appetite for some serious spa time, Knot Springs is a block away, and it’s a five-minute walk to Golden Hour, a serene spot for a relaxing and affordable chair acupuncture or cupping session.
DINING
The ground-floor restaurant, Vivian, is an allday Nordic-meets-Northwest concept helmed by executive chef Alex Jackson, formerly of San Francisco’s Michelin-starred Sons & Daughters, and Icelandic chef and culinary director Ólafur Ágústsson, who led the kitchen at Dill in Reykjavik, the first Icelandic restaurant to earn a Michelin star. In a nod to its Icelandic ties, Vivian’s menu emphasizes the practices of fermenting, pickling, drying and smoking, with dishes like bay scallops with horseradish milk, wild mushroom soup with pickled chanterelles, and roasted duck breast with Brussels sprouts and smoked leeks. Kex general manager and Le Pigeon alum Sean O’Connor runs the beverage program, while bar manager Lydia McLuen (Bar Casa Vale, Palomar and Tope) oversees a whimsical, seasonally driven cocktail menu. The hotel’s rooftop bar, Dottir, opens in spring of 2020.
AMENITIES
Painstakingly collected by hotel designer Hálfdan Pedersen is a mix of 1920s to 1970s Dutch, French, Icelandic, Egyptian and Oregonian antiques, artwork and reclaimed materials. These lend the guest rooms and common spaces an inviting, stylishly lived-in feel. All rooms and bunks sport organic, eco-friendly mattresses from Boulder, Colorado-based Suite Sleep, organic cotton linens, pure Icelandic wool blankets by Geysir and full-size bath products from Firsthand Supply apothecary in Massachusetts.
Photos: Mikael Lundblad
ROOMS
Lodging
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP An oval bar sits at the center of the hotel’s lobby. Private rooms have king or queen beds. Bunk rooms sleep larger groups.
Kex Portland written by Jen Stevenson BRINGING CHIC NORDIC sensibilities to Portland’s ever-evolving Central Eastside, this Reykjavik-rooted “social hotel” is a design-forward and sustainability-conscious roost for budget-savvy travelers who refuse to sacrifice creature comforts like a Michelin-starred, chef-helmed restaurant, rooftop craft cocktail bar, and of course, cedar sauna for twelve. Sharing the same designer as its sister property in Iceland, Hálfdan Pedersen, the newly opened Kex is the culmination of a nearly decadelong collaboration between founder Kristinn Vilbergsson, Portland’s ChefStable restaurant group and Greenlight Development. Set inside the beautifully restored National Register of Historic Places-honored 1912 Vivian apartment building, the hotel’s front desk, lounge and allday Vivian restaurant blend seamlessly in a 3,000-square-foot open space centered around a beautiful oval bar with 360-degree people-watching. After a morning sauna and the European-style breakfast spread served to guests each morning, relax with a Good Coffee cappuccino and hotel library book in one of the lobby lounge’s window banquettes before heading out on a city adventure—downtown Portland is a ten-minute walk west across the Burnside Bridge, while the eclectic southeast Hawthorne, Alberta and Mississippi neighborhoods are a short drive or Lyft ride. A few blocks from the hotel, guests can explore the Lower Burnside neighborhood’s hip boutiques and galleries, as well as top-tier restaurants like Le Pigeon, Canard, and Nong’s Khao Man Gai. Sip craft cocktails at Scotch Lodge or Bar Casa Vale, plan a spa day at nearby Knot Springs, or take in a show at Doug Fir Lounge or Revolution Hall. Then it’s back for a sauna, nightcap with new friends, good night’s sleep, and repeat. 100 NE MLK BLVD PORTLAND www.kexhotels.com
Lake Quinault Lodge A unique destination to help restore your senses
Indoor Pool . Dry Saunas . Game Room . Dining Room . Wi-Fi . Unique and remodeled guestrooms . Rainforest Tours . Pet Friendly . Acres of hiking trails & waterfalls
Restore your senses at our lowest rates of the year take a virtual tour visit www.olympicnationalparks.com or call 888-896-3818 Lake Quinault Lodge is managed by Aramark, an authorized concessioner of the U.S. Forest Service.
Beautifully Updated Throughout
Awarded No.14 out of 100 Best in Oregon!
Bandon Inn “Overlooking Old Town to the Pacific�
Complimentary transportation to all your favorite local courses! Includes local airport transportation.
355 HIGHWAY 101, BANDON, OR 97411 | 1.800.526.0209 | WWW.BANDONINN.COM
trip planner
Spa-ing in Style Central Oregon’s destination resorts have luxurious spa specials to spare written by Sheila G. Miller
I’LL ADMIT IT. I have caviar tastes and something close to a Cheez Whiz budget. I enjoy the finer things in life, and I have no business ever tasting them in the first place. There are certain work assignments that are not, shall we say, hardship posts. This trip planner is one of the delightful perks of working at a magazine. When my editor asked me to check out Central Oregon’s destination resorts and focus on their spa offerings, I felt sure 2020 was really going to be my year. So I did the hard thing—I went to Black Butte Ranch, Pronghorn and Brasada Ranch. I tried the food, I toured the properties, I checked out the amenities, and most of all, I got spa treatments. I had some parameters. I wanted to try out a spa’s specialty—the treatment it called its signature. It was a hard job, but someone had to do it. This was for you.
Pronghorn Resort has thoughtful amenities all over the property.
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VISIT
REDMOND OREGON
THE TOP 4 THINGS TO DO IN REDMOND BEFORE WINTER IS OVER: 1) TAKE THE KIDS SKATING AT THE REDMOND ICE RINK 2) HIKE OUT TO CLINE FALLS AND WATCH A GORGEOUS SUNSET 3) WARM UP WITH A LOCAL BEER AT ONE OF OUR MANY BREW PUBS 4) USE #VISITRDM TO DOCUMENT YOUR ADVENTURE IN REDMOND!
541-923-5191∙ WWW.VISITREDMONDOREGON.COM
Pursuing excellence through fitness 61615 Athletic Club Drive
(541) 385-3062
trip planner
Day BRASADA RANCH Brasada Ranch is the fever dream of everyone who loves a good destination resort. It appears like a mirage after driving through the dense juniper and volcanic rock—did I make a wrong turn? What on earth is a top-quality resort doing out in Powell Butte? The placement of this resort is no mistake—its mountain views are absolutely stunning. And though it can serve as a jumping-off point to a variety of all-season adventure, there’s really no reason to leave Brasada the entire time you’re on site. When you arrive at the property, you’ll drive under a wooden trestle that I (wrongly) assumed was built to up the resort’s rustic feel. Little did I know, this resort is on an old sheep and cattle ranch, and the trestle was once an invaluable part of irrigating the property. Today, you’ll see golf carts passing across it. If you’re visiting for a romantic weekend, stay in a suite at the Ranch House. The rooms are adults-only, right in the action, and have private amenities such as a hot tub and private patios. For 88 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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larger groups or a bit more privacy, one of the Sage Canyon cabins or a room in one of the cabins will be a better fit. In addition to having a variety of lodging options on the 1,800-acre property, the Ranch is also a residential resort. The Ranch House will also be your center for dining while at Brasada. With a huge stone fireplace warming the space, it’s a gathering space with stick-to-your-ribs breakfasts, classic ranchstyle dinners and a very Central Oregon happy hour. Or swing through the General Store in the complex, which sells both staples such as eggs and milk, and high-end locally made artisan treats and souvenirs. There is also a coffee shop on site. Now to the main event: the fun. There is a long eighteen-hole golf course on the property that winds deep into the ranch, and within the large acreage are a variety of hiking and horseback trails. Many feature a little surprise at the terminus—a set of chairs placed just so to admire the view, for example. Visitors can ask a resort concierge to arrange any number of activities—from horseback rides, bike or e-bike rentals to outdoor excursions away from the ranch. There are also several pools on
trip planner
Day BLACK BUTTE RANCH
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Brasada’s location is rustic and gorgeous. Black Butte has a new Lakeside Pool with great views. Brasada’s spa is relaxing and inspiring.
the property with an athletic facility at the center—families will love the resort pool complete with slides, and couples will want to check out the adults-only pool. Both close in the winter, but an indoor, heated lap pool and outdoor hot tubs remain open year round. And the reason I visited—Spa Brasada. Guests can choose from a range of spa treatments, from the tried-and-true massages and facials to the signature. Once you’ve donned the robe, you can sit in a comfortable room with lavender cookies and drink options, or visit the steam room. I went for the High Desert Salt Stone Therapy, which combines massage with Himalayan hot stones rubbed along sore muscles. It was exceedingly relaxing—and different from the usual spa experience. My esthetician asked specific questions about what I was looking for, and was able to customize my massage as a result. I’d have liked to stay forever—sit in the steam room, go for a quick swim, maybe ride an e-bike up into the hills and get a good look at the Three Sisters. But it was time to head to my next destination—destination resort, that is.
Sometimes, the oldies are the goodies. Black Butte Ranch has been around since the 1970s, and it’s known to Oregonians for its family-friendly vibe, its horseback rides and its general feeling of ease—this is a place for a great vacation. The Ranch has old-school cool that may get overlooked these days. But don’t sleep on Black Butte, because it has recently added a variety of amenities that make it more cutting edge than you remember. For starters, the new $11.5 million Lakeside facility has brightened up the resort. The complex includes a big pool and hot tub big enough for a crowd, plus a restaurant and a rec center. The views of the mountains from the 15,000-square foot facility are incredible. If you’re traveling with kids, you’ll want to check out the Lakeside Activity Center’s games and playground. You can get there, and everywhere else at Black Butte, on the many paved trails that run throughout the resort, which are great for a bike ride. Two championship golf courses are contained on the property, and in winter, Black Butte is a perfect jumping-off point for skiing at nearby Hoodoo Ski Area, which always feels a bit like stepping back in time. Meals at the ranch center on the Lakeside Bistro and the Lodge restaurant, both of which have Northwest flair. A variety of fine steaks are the order of the day at the Lodge Restaurant, while the Lakeside Bistro is more down to earth, with pizzas and burgers. Then there’s the spa. Tucked away deep in an older part of the resort, the Spa at Black Butte Ranch is housed in the Glaze Meadow Recreation Center, which also has indoor and outdoor pools and a hot tub. The spa itself is surprising—it feels a bit like you’re headed to the gym because unlike more recently built resorts, there isn’t a sumptuous waiting area or woodpaneled lockers. You receive your (lovely) robe and sandals, then head into a locker room to change and return to the small spa space. But what it may lack in initial presentation, it makes up for in the quality of the spa treatments—and really, that’s the best part. I’d happily sit in a dentist’s office if it meant getting a wonderful massage. Black Butte’s spa is filled with talented practitioners. The woman who booked me suggested I get the Ranch Signature Package, which includes an hour of massage, a forty-five-minute Thai foot massage (or pedicure) and a sixty-minute “back to nature” facial. If it sounds decadent, please know that it is. The facial was soothing and left my skin perfectly hydrated and ready for winter, while the massage had just the right level of pressure. And really, if you have the opportunity to get forty-five minutes of attention on your sore feet, I highly recommend it. JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
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trip planner
FROM LEFT Pronghorn offers a variety of treatments, including green seaweed masks. Pronghorn’s new Huntington Lodge focuses on the landscape surrounding it.
Day CENTRAL OREGON RESORT SPAS
PRONGHORN RESORT EAT Lakeside Bistro www.blackbutteranch.com Cascada www.pronghornresort.com Ranch House www.brasada.com
STAY Huntington Lodge www.pronghornresort.com The Ranch House at Brasada www.brasada.com Black Butte Ranch vacation rentals www.blackbutteranch.com
PLAY Spa day www.blackbutteranch.com Swimming www.brasada.com Golfing www.pronghornresort.com
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All good things come to an end, and so it was with not a small amount of sadness that I started my journey to Pronghorn Resort for my final spa experience. But that sadness disappeared quickly as I rolled up to the resort. Pronghorn feels the most remote, and perhaps the most luxurious, of the three I visited. It’s a straight shot out of Bend, but once off the highway, you travel almost 5 miles into juniper and scrub before arriving at a gate. Pass through, then find yourself in what seems like a series of enormous Italian villas. Pronghorn’s motto is Living Well, Perfected— and it’s accurate. In 2019, Pronghorn opened Huntington Lodge, which has 104 rooms, as well as a big lobby and an outdoor pool. The lodge looks out over the eighteenth hole of a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, and has great views of the Cascades. If you have a larger group, you can also secure a vacation rental in the form of a condo or house. In addition to the two golf courses (one designed by Jack Nicklaus, the other by Tom Fazio) and the excellent dining options (if you’re a bold person, you’ll get the “Mercy of the Chef” six-course tasting menu at Cascada and love every minute of it), there is a surprising amount to do out here in the sagebrush. JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
Ever heard of a “phat scooter”? It’s what it sounds like—a scooter but with fat tires, topping out around 20 mph. These are a fun way to get around the resort, or you can use an e-bike or a cruiser. The resort also has lawn games and other treats hiding around each corner. The spa is tucked in to a quiet space in the clubhouse, and it is true heaven. I was treated to a Signature Body Glow, which started with the resort’s signature scent—a sort of reminder of the juniper and sage that cover the landscape. It was one of those treatments that can easily be weird, but at Pronghorn it felt completely comfortable—first, a layer of warm oil rubbed in all over the body, then a warm mint body polish. After a quick rinse off in the locker room’s showers, I returned for a full-body application of the resort’s signature after bath—essentially a thick lotion that left my skin looking remarkable. It was a great defense against the cold weather, and it felt like a true indulgence. As an add-on, the esthetician rubbed coconut oil into my scalp and hair, leaving it silky. Did I really have to go back to real life? I had truly become accustomed to this lifestyle. But the good news—I can go back whenever I want, even if it’s just for a weekend at a time.
northwest destination
Bill Wagner/Visit Long Beach Peninsula
Long Beach Peninsula has 28 miles of coastline.
Long Beach is For Lovers Finding joy on the Washington Coast written by Valerie Estelle Rogers
MY HUSBAND AND I find that our favorite destinations often fall under 15,000 population, so when we visited the sweetness of The Long Beach Peninsula, which has fewer than 5,000 residents, we had arrived in small-town paradise. Ten little villages blend together effortlessly and cover the Long Beach Peninsula. Long Beach is for lovers. After a leisurely drive up the Oregon Coast highway, a cloudburst of rain welcomed us to Washington while crossing the Astoria-Megler Bridge. We soon arrived in Ilwaco for lunch at Salt Pub, inside Salt Hotel along the Port of Ilwaco harbor, offering visiting adventurers a place to rest and refuel. I quickly ordered a signature cocktail called the Cranbarita, a salty margarita made with Starvation Alley cranberries, and offset it with fish and chips while my husband enjoyed a beer and seared albacore tuna tacos. This was the beginning of a three-day culinary challenge of consumption as we discovered the peninsula for the first time, one meal at a time. Next we found the secluded China Beach Retreat, our home for the next few days. The Audubon Cottage is adjacent to the main house and private from other guests, except the resident deer that return every year with their little ones. I always enjoy the crossover of stories, generations and threads that weave time in small towns. David Campiche and Laurie Anderson, owners of China Beach Retreat, are former 92 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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owners of The Shelburne Hotel, and after forty years passed that baton to new owners in 2018. We had dinner that evening at The Shelborne Hotel in the town of Seaview, though a visitor doesn’t really know where one town stops and another begins. Soft music, candles glowing, good wine, and the menu (and chef Casey Venus) completely had me with pan-roasted sole piccata with butter sauce and herbs. There is such a thing as a perfect date. The next day we drove to Roots Juice, Java and Salads and ordered brunch sandwiches and strong coffee to kickstart our full day ahead. In our effort to discover the area, we decided to drive as close to the water’s edge as we could, and snaked our way up the 28 miles of coastline. At the top of the peninsula we arrived at Leadbetter Point State Park and enjoyed the views. Oysterville is an easy jaunt back south, so we moseyed to Oysterville Sea Farms and unintentionally ate our weight in oysters and washed them down with beer. Our next stop was Crown Alley, a newcomer to the neighborhood making quite a splash. Crown Alley is a clever bar owned by Dan and Aubry Tobin, who spent five years trying to find the “just-right location” for their Irish pub and found it in Ocean Park. Featuring local musicians and guest headliners, Guinness was on tap and flowing, as was the warm hospitality. We strolled along the half-mile beach boardwalk to walk off some day-drinking and shellfish. Somehow we made it to
Visit Long Beach Peninsula
Bill Wagner/Visit Long Beach Peninsula
LONG BEACH PENINSULA, WASHINGTON
northwest destination
The Depot Restaurant www.depotrestaurantdining.com Roots www.facebook.com/ilwacoroots Oysterville Sea Farm www.willabay.com 42nd Street Cafe www.42ndstcafe.com Pickled Fish www.pickledfishrestaurant.com
STAY China Beach Retreat www.chinabeachretreat.com Salt Hotel www.salt-hotel.com Adrift Hotel www.adrifthotel.com
PLAY Crown Alley Irish Pub www.crownalleyirishpub.com Adrift Distillers www.adriftdistillers.com North Jetty Brewing www.northjettybrewing.com
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The boardwalk in Long Beach is big on coastal views. The Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is accessible by walking paths. Finish your day with seafood at Pickled Fish.
dinner … and we were hungry. We made reservations for 42nd Street Cafe. At three decades running, this restaurant is still the breakfast and brunch buzz around town. My scallop dinner did not disappoint, nor did the signature corn chutney on fresh bread as a complimentary appetizer. I bought two jars. Adrift Hotel is trendy, approachable, warm, family-friendly and bonus, has hipster bikes! On the top floor, there is a restaurant called Pickled Fish with windows on all sides of wood tables and walls and a chalkboard menu. We waited for the lunch menu simply to access the cocktail menu, called “Daylight Stories.” We held hands across the table, sipped fancy drinks and ordered pasta with Dungeness crab. After lunch and a neighborhood stroll, we explored the World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame and were inspired to always carry a few kites in the back of our SUV at all times. Every August, Long Beach hosts a week-long International Kite celebration. Adjacent to the museum is Adrift Distillers, where we stopped in for a small flight of house-made liquors ranging from vodka and gin to coffee and cranberry. What really stands out is the delicate care each batch goes through and the use of local products. We ventured to the walking paths of Cape Disappointment and the North Head Lighthouse. Just over a half-mile out and back, we enjoyed sweeping water views and forest sounds. For
EAT
World Kite Museum www.worldkitemuseum.com
the more adventurous, there is a trail loop that is more than 6 miles long. I’ve made a note to return to this path with a bit more planning and a backpack full of snacks. One more stop for a frosty one before dinner. North Jetty Brewery and Tap Room is in Seaview and has made a great impression on the brew scene over the last four years. Erik and Michelle Svendsen are surrounded by a great group of supporting locals whose names line the walls of the tap house, representing donations given to help launch a dream. This is community at its finest. Our final dinner on our romantic Long Beach weekend found us sitting at the chef ’s table at The Depot Restaurant, and we may have saved the best for last. The Depot Restaurant is housed in, yes, an old train depot dating back to the 1800s. What was once a mail run on rails is now an open-air kitchen serving sophisticated casual dining by chef-owner Michael Lalewicz. The long bar with stools hinged to it anchors the room. My recommendation is to order whatever the chef wants to cook you—trust me. Did we remember to take a photo in front of what may be the world’s largest frying pan? Why yes, we did. At 14 feet by 9 feet wide and in celebration of the annual Razor Clam Festival, the pan has adorned the center of town since 1941. Long Beach Peninsula not only captured the romance of our weekend, it entirely captured our hearts. JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
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1859 MAPPED
The points of interest below are culled from stories and events in this edition of 1859.
Astoria Seaside
Milton-Freewater Hood River Portland Tillamook Gresham
Pendleton
The Dalles La Grande
Maupin Government Camp
Pacific City Lincoln City
Baker City
Salem Newport
Madras
Albany Corvallis
Prineville
John Day
Redmond
Sisters Florence
Joseph
Ontario
Bend
Eugene Springfield
Sunriver Burns
Oakridge Coos Bay Bandon
Roseburg
Grants Pass Brookings
Jacksonville
Paisley
Medford Ashland
Klamath Falls
Lakeview
Live
Think
Explore
24 Bird & Rye
46 TrovaTrip
80
Collier Logging Museum
24 Side A Brewing
48 SCP Redmond
82
Elkhorn Wildlife Area
25 Grateful Vineyard
50 Bundyville
84
Kex Hotel
26 East Fork Cultivars
52 Sato Sharpening
86
Brasada Ranch
40 Mount Hood
54 Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
92
Long Beach Peninsula, Washington
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Join us in Willamette Valley wine and truffle country for two unforgettable weekends filled with culinary adventures!
Oregon Truffle Festival Eugene Weekend January 24 – 26, 2020
Yamhill Valley Weekend February 14 – 16, 2020
Book weekend packages and à la carte events: oregontrufflefestival.org
100 mile bakery | camas country mill | eugene cascades and coast | graduate eugene | new world truffieres | ninkasi brewing co. | oakway catering oregon culinary institute | oregon wine press | silvan ridge winery | springfield creamery | travel oregon | willamette valley visitors association
1859.FP.No.3.2.indd 1
10/9/19 4:44 PM
Until Next Time
Come Saturday Morning written by John Kelly
THE FOOTBALL ARCED high, spiraling in perfect symmetry against the sky as I raced along the edge of our backyard grass, arms reaching out, sensing the timing. The ball crested, sailing down, the pigskin seemingly just out of my reach. I stretched out, my 12-year-old frame barely 4 feet in length, and for a wondrous moment I was flying parallel to the ground, the ripe smell of cut grass and wet leaves filling my nostrils with autumn. My fingers touched the ball, gripped and closed around it just as I crashed into the ground, air punching out of me. I rolled over, sucking in air, looking at the marshmallow clouds above me. “That-a-baby,” he said, chuckling, amused by my Lance Allworth dive. I pushed the ball into the air and lifted my head to see him at the other end of the yard, nodding and smiling. I couldn’t help but laugh, thinking that life on that fall day was absolutely perfect. Saturdays were special because I had Dad the whole day instead of him being at work. Sweating energy and contentment, I followed Dad into the garage. In the back alcove, I moved stacks of wood as he went over to a gray metal shelf that housed some files, quarts of oil and an ancient plaid trunk. As I heaved another piece of wood on the growing stack and moved past Dad, I noticed he’d grown quiet, his back to me, the plaid trunk opened on the floor at his feet. I moved around his shoulder to see what he was looking at. He held a yellowed sheet of paper with light typing. He read it as if finding a long lost treasure map, and perhaps it was. “What is that?” I asked, looking over his elbow. I always felt wonderfully secure standing so close to Dad, his calm presence reassuring, as if I had a warm force field around me. “Our crew sheet,” he said, rubbing the edge of the paper with his thumb. He lifted a large black-and-white photo out of the pile of papers. It almost looked like a still from a ’40s film. Eight young, smiling men, adorned in leather flight jackets huddled in front of the massive nose and left engine of a B-17 bomber. A beautiful woman, legs outstretched and wearing high heels, rode 96 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
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the side of the plane, with the name ‘Miss Bea Havin’ painted directly under her. “Hey, there you are,” I said, pointing at the smaller gentlemen kneeling in the front row. Dad nodded, his eyes taking in details and memories I could never know. “Is that your plane?” “That’s her.” His voice soft and low. “When was that taken?” He thought a moment. “After our tenth mission or so. They had a photographer take shots of all the crews at our base.” “England, right?” “Lavingham,” he nodded. I wanted to ask him if he was ever scared, if they came close to being shot down. But I just stared at the picture, at the man who was my father, a lifetime before me. We looked on silently a moment longer and then he put the papers back, sifting through other items I couldn’t really see. “Were you good friends with them?” He knelt down to get a closer look at other items in the trunk. “We all got along pretty good. We worked together as a tight unit. A really good group of men.” I knelt beside him, my hand on his knee, looking in the trunk. There were medals, certificates, a rubber-banded group of small pictures and postcards—a part of his life I’d never known, a private space he was letting me into. I turned to him and smiled. He looked back at me, his eyes holding mine for a moment, and smiled back. I still have that plaid trunk with his WWII memorabilia. It once held cherished memories for him. Now it holds some of my own.
Every Moment Covered
Chad Dotson, Nature Conservancy Zumwalt Prairie Preserve
Full Spectrum News | opb.org 1859_slogans-image2018_FINALS.indd 4
12/16/19 5:07 PM
Oregon’s Magazine
TRIP PLANNER: CENTRAL OREGON RESORT SPAS PG. 86
Curated Condo Living
Oregon’s Hidden WWII Heroes
“Pot” Luck Recipes
January | February 2020 RESORTS + CASINOS
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volume 61
