2015 LANE Monthly Winterland Issue

BRINGING YOU THE BEST OF LANE COUNTY

There’s no business

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ISSUE 8

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January is “Truffle Time” in Oregon! | p26 Making Merry!

Lane County performing arts shine bright during the holidays | p41

Special Holiday and New Year Edition

WINTERLAND

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FANTASTIQUE

what happens when Charles Dickens meets Ella Fitzgerald...

Your Family’s new holiday

contents

PUBLISHER

Free Press Publishing EDITOR IN CHIEF

Suzi Steffen editor@lanemonthly.com

THIS ISSUE

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ISSUE 8

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ART DIRECTOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Terri Sheets ASSISTANT GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Bill Sangalli CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Living in the Lane: Winter recreation offers plenty of options for enjoying the outdoors............................................ 6

Eugene Johnson, Joanna Bartlett, Melissa Nolledo, Linda Wallace-Trunnell

Head to the Oregon Coast for a “whale of a good time”............................................ 9

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Bergs Ski Shop: There’s no business like snow business....................................... 10

Joanna Bartlett Joey Emil Blum Anthony St Clair Ulrick Casimir Joshua Isaac Finch Ruby McConnell, Natasha Naidoo Serena Markstrom Nugent Don Root Vanessa Salvia Linda Wallace Trunnell

Wanderings with Joey......................... 13 The Holiday Market: Buying local and loving it!.......................................... 14

Dirty Laundry with Serena Markstrom Nugent.................................................. 21

Classical to contemporary, holiday music abounds this season..................... 41

Wintertime is the perfect time to visit the Jordan Schnitzer and Museum of Natural History..................................... .22

The Eugene Ballet performs an enduring classic..................................... 42

Locally sourced goodies: The 100 Mile Bakery dedicates themselves to local food.............................................. 25 January is “Truffle Time” in Oregon...... 26 LANE Monthly’s 2016 Wall Calendar..... 28

Open Enrollment: Now is the time to get covered, Oregon Insurance briefly explained............................................... 17

Bend Getaway..................................... 30

Cookies!: Holiday favorites for the whole family................................ 18

December Events Calendar................ 34

Winter Beers....................................... 32

Partner Dancing all winter long............. 44 Lane County Theatre, Turning an Old Story New: Ballet Fantastique “Jazzes” up An American Christmas Carol................. 47 Joshua Isaac Finch: Live music in the Lane............................................ 50 Home, and the Holidays: Books about our complex lives......................................... 52 Giving Local: Our Lane Monthly list of local non-profits............................................. 54

January Events Calendar.................... 38

ADVERTISING CONTACT

Michelle Naidoo michelle@lanemonthly.com Bill Kievith billkievith@gmail.com LANE MONTHLY

1430 Willamette Street, Box 622 Eugene, OR 97401 |υ541.228.9644 sales@lanemonthly.com lanemonthly.com PRINTING

Eagle Web Press, Salem, Oregon Lane Monthly

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Artisan Showcase 14

Winter Activities in Bend and Central Oregon 30

Two Great Museums 22 4

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editor’sletter

BY SUZI STEFFEN

Let’s talk about the end of the year, the holidays, the return of the light and everything that goes into making this time both fraught with expectations and a bit glowy with possibilities for something great to happen. ounTy T oF LanE C ou THE BES Bringing y

. 2016 D E C. 2 0 15/J a n

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There’s no business | p10

One of my favorite things about this time of year is that we have a bunch of

like snow business

holidays that feature lights both physical and metaphorical. Whether it’s Hanukkah, the

January is “Truffle p26 Time” in Oregon! |

story of a small miracle that led to lights burning longer and stronger than they should;

Making Merry! ming Lane County perfor ing arts shine bright dur the holidays | p41

Solstice, the festival that marks the longest night and shortest day; Christmas, which incorporates both European Solstice/Yule traditions and Christian beliefs about the birth of the savior; or Kwanzaa, a truly contemporary, emotionally resonant and communityminded celebration of those affected by the African diaspora, much of the United States is involved in forms of celebration that involve family of origin, chosen family, friends and/or the larger community.

That sounds a little anemic, but frankly, with war tearing apart the Middle East and poverty and hunger in Lane County, I’m doing the ol’ Mr. Rogers “looking for the helpers” thing. That’s a meme that seems to be pulled out with alarming frequency

Special Holiday and New Year Edition

WINTERLAND

these days, but it’s both humbling in its simplicity and inspiring in its call to all of us not to just look for helpers, but to be helpers in the deepest and most challenging sense.

Sometimes being a helper means letting other people care for you and not considering yourself “a burden.” Sometimes it means being the carer. Sometimes it means heading to meetings with city officials about making our cities places that welcome all kinds of people and welcome industries that provide people with jobs and benefits. Sometimes it means protesting when a gallery is shut down, and sometimes it means heading to talk about what should happen with the gallery space. (If you’re a person interested in what the soon-to-be former Jacobs Gallery space should be, by the way, please do come to the City of Eugene Cultural Services’ meeting 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, in the Atrium Building in downtown Eugene.)

Helping can be making sure Greenhill Humane Society’s giving tree at Fifth Street Public Market has all its wish lists met; giving to the Lane County Toys for Tots (check the organization’s Facebook page for opportunities at facebook.com/lanecountytoysfortots); plucking an ornament off the Looking Glass tree at the Oregon Contemporary Theatre (3-7 pm M-F or before shows) and fulfilling the request on it by Dec. 20.

This is far from a comprehensive list, and I don’t want to forget mentioning basic things like helping ourselves—taking in what keeps us balanced, letting go of what doesn’t, trying to make routines and communities that give us both grounding and flexibility.

Lane County contains exquisite natural beauty and a wealth of human knowledge and skill. May the holiday season and the coming year be a time when we live in ways that celebrate and encourage us to live in interdependence, both helping and being helped.

With love and thanks in this holiday season for all that you’ve meant to us at Lane Monthly this year.

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Winter in and around Lane County brings plenty of options for enjoying the outdoors. Ski or snowboard in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains! Take a snowshoe hike around a lake or shoot the hills tubing and sledding at one of our regional SnowParks. Two regional resorts and multiple SnoParks cater to skiers, snowshoeing and riders of all abilities. Offering a wide variety of activities that the whole family can enjoy. Drive into the mountains or take a Eugene-based shuttle to the slopes. Daily busses leave from Berg’s Ski Shop, to Willamette Pass and Hoodoo Ski Resort once the mountains have opened, call 541.683.1300 or check bergsskishop.com for details.

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Willamette Pass is just over

sixty minutes from Eugene on Highway 58. Willamette Pass offers Nordic track, downhill, tubing and snowboarding opportunities for family members big and small. Daily lessons and rentals are also available.

The mountain offers 555 acres of skiable terrain and six lifts, call (541) 345-SNOW or visit willamettepass.com for details.

Hoodoo Ski Area sits on the summit of Oregon’s Santiam Pass

and is Oregon’s most centrally located destination for winter sports enthusiasts. Just 85 miles east of Eugene Hoodoo Ski Area offers more than 800 acres of terrain, 34 runs, five lifts and one of the largest tubing parks in the West. Rentals and lessons are available, call (541) 833.3799 or visit skihoodoo.com for details.

Gold Lake Sno-Park

Gold Lake Sno-Park is an ideal hub for snowshoeing and cross country skiing adventures. Around the lake enjoy hut-to-hut Nordic trails with routes suited for beginners or advanced skiers.

Start your trek from the Gold Lake Warming Hut located at the trailhead. The hut features vault toilets, fireplace, warm beverages, maps and information and is staffed by a volunteer ski patrol.

Located one-half mile NW of Willamette Pass, on Abernathy Road 5899, 30 miles east of Oakridge. Sno-Park permit required. Road #500 off Hwy 58, Oakridge, OR 97463, (541) 782.2283

Salt Creek Sno-Park

Salt Creek Sno-Park is popular for sledding and tubing and is a maintained Snowplay Area.

It features a tubing hill cleared of trees and a vault toilet. Nearby snowshoeing and cross country ski trails lead to Oregon’s secondhighest waterfall, Salt Creek Falls, with viewing platforms. Dogs on leashes are permitted in the parking lot and trails, but not on the tubing hill.

Located at milepost 57 on Highway 58, about 23 miles east of Oakridge on Forest Road 5893. Elevation: 4,000 feet. Sno-Park Permit required. Hwy 58, east of MP 58, Oakridge, OR 97463, 541.782.2283

Waldo Lake Sno-Park

The Waldo Lake Snowmobile Trail is accessible from here. Enjoy miles of scenic winter views on snowmobile routes all around the lake. Snowmobiles are not allowed in the designated Wilderness area. Snowshoe and cross-country ski along Island Lakes Trail and Twin Peaks Trail. Located 3 miles west of Willamette Pass on Waldo Road 5894, 25 miles east of Oakridge. Elevation: 4499 feet.

Formed by glaciers 10,000 years ago, Waldo Lake is one of the purest lakes in the world. There is a vault toilet and small parking lot. Sno-Park Permit required.

Adults, $5.00 for Seniors (55+), Students (with ID), Kids (17 and younger), and Military (with ID). Group rates and private rentals are also available. Visit therinkexchange.com or call (541) 225-5123 for additional info.

Winter Driving

Drive the roads throughout the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region safely. Travel with extra water, snacks and blankets in your car and keep your gas tank at least half full.

• Watch for deer, turkeys and smaller animals crossing the roadways, even in urban areas.

• Watch for cyclists throughout the towns and along the scenic byways.

• Plan your trips by checking weather and road conditions before you go.

• Chains may be required seasonally when traveling over the Willamette and McKenzie-Santiam passes, even if the weather appears fine.

• Highway 242 between the McKenzie River and Sisters is typically closed November-June. Instead drive Highway 20.

• The Aufderheide connecting McKenzie River to Oakridge is not maintained during the winter.

• Report drunk drivers to 800.243.7865.

• Report wildlife and arson violations to 800.452.7888.

Remember to stay alert, and to spend the night in nearby hotel if you are feeling tired at the wheel. From rustic to ritzy, the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region of Oregon offers numerous fine choices for overnight stays. Reservations are recommended.

A Sno-Park permit must be displayed in the windshield of

vehicles parked in designated Winter Recreation Areas located in 100 spots across the state, including most ski, snowmobile and snow-play areas. Passes may be purchased through the Eugene Cascades Coast Visitor Center, online at, eugenecascadescoast.org/ plan/talk-local/ or in person at 3312 Gateway Street in Springfield, daily between 9am and 6pm. The Adventure Center also offers complimentary regional maps and visitor information.

Rentals Tactics Boardshop 375 W. 4th Ave., Ste. 202, Eugene (541) 349-0087 Ski Equipment & Snowboard Rentals Berg’s Ski Shop 367 W. 13th Ave, Eugene (541) 683-1300 Ski Equipment & Snowboard Rentals REI Eugene 306 Lawrence St., Eugene (541) 465-1800

Ice Skating

The Rink Exchange at the Lane Events Center offers public skating 5 days per week. Skate rental is $2 and admission is $7.00 for

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BY RUBY MCCONNELL

A WHALE

of a Great Time Stay patient and be rewarded on the Oregon Coast

L

ATE DECEMBER IS PERHAPS THE LAST TIME OF YEAR you would expect to find throngs of visitors crowding the lookouts of the Oregon Coast. But every year, thousands of Oregonians do just that: Stand, bundled and facing into the rain, peering through binoculars at gray skies and even grayer water, looking for something…gray.

For those who are more adventurous and looking for a closer view, there are also several local companies that offer whale watching cruises. Not up for the rain? You don’t have to brave the cold or the crowds to enjoy the whales. Post up at your favorite watering hole or bed and breakfast with a view to watch in style and comfort.

It’s an annual pilgrimage of sorts, tied to the peak of the gray whale season. Gray whales migrate more than 20,000 miles annually from the Arctic Ocean to the coast of Mexico to give birth and back again. They are one of the largest whale species in the world, and they, and their signature spouts, can be seen from shore even with the naked eye (but use binocs; you’ll be happier).

Whales can be elusive, and the ocean is a pretty big place, but with more than 18,000 migrating whales and up to 30 per hour passing the Oregon Coast, your chances are pretty good. It’s an exercise in patience, but it’s more than worth the wait.

Pointers for Spotting Gray Whales:

Gray whales put on a spectacular display of breaching, blowing and fluking (displaying their tails), and Lane County has some of the best seats in the house. There are plenty of great places to whale watch for free. Any raised viewpoint will do, but local favorites include Cape Perpetua and Heceta Head State Park, and Devils Churn just to the north in Lincoln County. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, Oregon State Parks long ago developed a whale watching interpretive program called Whale Watching Spoken Here, a series of 24 whale watching sites along the coast where volunteers count the number of whales (and watchers) spotted each year. They offer friendly guidance, a good eye and sometimes an extra pair of binoculars. Lane County’s sites are the Sea Lion Caves lookout and Cook’s Chasm Turnout.

• Bring binoculars. Look for whales about a mile from the shore and in the morning light, which can help distinguish them from the water.

• Scan the water looking for a series of blows, about 15 feet high, spaced 30 to 50 seconds apart. Each blow lasts about five seconds.

• Watch for diving whales to reemerge 3-6 minutes later, south of their first location (to the left).

• Be patient. Bring warm clothing and some snacks and be prepared to be outside for at least an hour.

• Remember beach safety. Be vigilant of children in pull-out areas and near cliffs, and never turn your back to the ocean.

Whale Watching Spoken Here: www.stateparks.org Reference: US Fish and Wildlife Service

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BUSINESS PROFILE

BY LINDA TRUNNELL

There’s No Business Like Snow Business

A

s you drive past 13th Avenue and Lawrence in Eugene, you’ll see a long, red and brick building with a tree growing out of the middle. This retro-looking business with the alpine feel that takes up most of the block is Berg’s Snow Sport Specialists. The tree is a reminder of the evolution of this business over the years from three original buildings: a gas station, a sorority for a bible college and Jonesy’s Market. Inside is a vast wonderland of all things snow related. But if you are a skier, snowboarder or snow sports enthusiast of any kind, you’ll know this place well.

agendas,” he says, smiling, “they always come back.

We call it the boomerang effect.”

The Berg family has snow in their blood—their last name (originally “Berge”) appropriately translates into “mountain” in Norwegian. Founder Al Berg from Norway at 18 and eventually settled in Eugene, opening his gas station business in the 1940s. As his boys got into skiing, he decided to open his own ski shop, but wife Emma was not thrilled with the idea.

Grandson Svein says he remembers the story well: “Grandma was adamant about just keeping things as they were, with the gas station.” But sons Dave and Paul won their father over, and Berg’s Nordic Ski Shop opened in 1955. Al eventually closed the gas station in 1975.

“We are a generational business and have a family connection to the community.”

Berg’s has been an indispensable staple for winter sport enthusiasts in Eugene for more than 60 years and is one of the top five continuously operated, family-owned ski shops in the Northwest.

The name has changed with industry transformations, incorporating “snowboard” in the early ‘80s and dropping “Nordic” from the original name after the word became associated specifically with cross-country skiing in the 1960s.

Whatever name you know the store by, if you are a regular customer of Berg’s, you are part of their family. People don’t rush in and make a quick purchase; they take their time, they chat with staff whom they know well, and they know they’ll get answers to their questions. Svein Berg, owner Dave Berg’s son and hard goods manager of the store, says this is one of the things that sets the store apart.

“I’ve known these customers most of my life,” Berg says. “We are a generational business and have a family connection to the community.” He says kids who came in with snowboard needs in the ‘80s are now teaching their kids to ski. He also said the store has always been a safe place for kids to hang out, kind of like a giant toy store.

And it’s not just the owners who know their customers well; the store has an amazing rate of staff retention. Berg says he feels lucky to work with old friends and extended family and says there not for the money but for the love of the sport and the people. “If they do ever leave to pursue other 10

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One reason for Berg’s longevity is that the family embodies the cultural traits of their Norwegian ancestry: hard work, humbleness and treating others fairly. People come from far beyond Eugene for the exceptional customer service they receive at Berg’s. Svein, with 25 years’ experience in the business, specializes in custom fitting each client to their boots. He says, “If someone comes in and says they want to try on boots, the first thing I ask is, ‘Do you have an hour?’” Although Berg’s does have an ambitious website with hundreds of products and winter clothing selections that ship anywhere, Berg truly believes in helping people face-to-face whenever possible.

Svein Berg’s extensive knowledge in fitting ski boots has recently taken him to a new level. A shop from Portland sent a customer his way for a unique problem: A lifelong skier, the man had developed a medical problem that caused his lower leg to swell immensely. Although he could manage it in his daily life, no one could fit him into a ski boot. “My favorite thing to hear,” Berg says, “is when someone says ‘no one can fit me.’ But this was my biggest challenge to date.”

After two months of trial and error and designing custom add-ons to an existing boot, he was success-

UPCOMING BERG’S SPONSORED EVENTS FOR 2016: January 22 and 23 Backcountry Festival at Hoodoo February 20 Moonlight Tour at Gold Lake (Willamette Pass), three levels, snowshoes or skis

Berg’s Ski & Snowboard Shop (541) 683-1300 (800) 800-1953 367 West 13th Ave., Eugene bergsskishop.com Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Sunday Noon-5:00 p.m.

ful in creating a boot that allowed his customer to ski again with his family. This success also attracted designers in the top ski manufacturing companies who then invited Berg to join them each year when they brainstorm equipment needs for the next ski season.

The depth of combined industry experience in a store like Berg’s also translates into its products.

They carry top-of-the-line equipment that is fieldtested by Berg’s staff. “We have a very methodical and structured testing system that Uncle Paul incorporated many years ago,” Berg says. “We can test a dozen skis in a day; 18 is our record. It’s a bit of work (changing all the gear), but it’s still skiing.”

He points to a wall of skis, saying he has skied on every one, and to an even bigger wall of boots that have all been on his feet. “We hand pick our products for a reason,” he says. Although their prices are very competitive (a sign in the store says ‘We will gladly match anyone’s prices. We simply don’t expect you to pay more for shopping at Berg’s.’),

March 19 Preview the New at Hoodoo (try next season’s gear, for free!)

Berg says they are not trying to be the giant box store. “Our customers have been there, done that.”

This humble business has a far-flung reputation for quality and service. One customer drives up from Mammoth, California, each time he needs a new pair of boots fitted. Former UO students from around the US have been known to continue to choose Berg’s for their snow sport needs. Tim Boyle, CEO of Columbia Sportswear, purchased his first pair of cross-country skis from Berg’s.

Berg’s has also, over the years, become known as a kind of ‘think tank’ for the ski industry. One former employee, an engineering student, developed the “jig,” a pre-set template for attaching a binding to a ski. This innovation seriously reduced the number of errors and time necessary for the process.

But it’s what they do in the community that seems to drive the Berg family. For years, they have negotiated with local ski resorts to provide bus transportation to the resorts, trying ultimately to keep the trip and lift ticket the same price as just

the lift ticket. The buses have volunteer chaperones for kids (6th grade and up) whose parents may not be able to go. In the busy seasons, they’ve provided 5-8 buses per weekend to Hoodoo, Willamette Pass, Bachelor, and recently Mount Hood. And Berg’s has very competitive rates for equipment rentals.

Berg says, “We try to keep skiing as affordable as possible.”

The past two seasons have been devastating for many ski shops, with last year breaking records for lack of snow. How has this affected Berg’s? Berg says, “Last year was bad for everyone. I know of at least 13 shops that closed (in the Northwest) in the past two years. But we have always planned ahead and been proactive as a business, so we’ll be OK.” And as for this year? “We are always optimistic,” he says. Right on cue, another staff member enters the room and says, “Hey, it’s starting to snow on the mountain!” and the conversation veers off into excited snow-talk. n

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A Cross: the Great Divide

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HE SKINNER BUTTE CROSS stood on the butte when I moved here in 1991. Each year, in the weeks leading up to Christmas a vibrant, if occasionally predictable, debate took place as it had since the first cross was erected in the 1930s as two intractable sides slugged it out with a public battle far different than the legal one in the courts. For a brief time each year the community engaged in a discussion about not only the significance of the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the United States Constitution’s First Amendment, but also about whom we are as a people. In the weeks leading up to Christmas our community waged a healthy and open discussion about one of the most divisive issues in America.

The pro-cross arguments ranged from their belief that we are and always have been a Christian nation to somewhat expedient arguments that the cross was merely honoring veterans. Those opposed to the presence of the cross said that it marginalized non-Christian believers or strongly held to a view that the First Amendment clearly erected a wall between church and state that forbade the cross being in a public place.

THOUGH NOT A CHRISTIAN, I did not feel

marginalized or discriminated against by the cross, nor did I feel marginalized or discriminated against by my daughter’s school’s annual Christmas celebration. I always enjoyed the warm celebration of a holiday held in high esteem by 97 percent of the students in the school and was saddened when they later renamed it the neutered and safe “ winter program.”

As a child born ten years after the Holocaust into a family whose religion had us in its crosshairs, I am well respectful and attuned to the defenses from, emotions of and need for protection from discrimination. I strongly resist and will defy anyone who tries to impose his or her beliefs on me and I know that it hasn’t been uncommon for communities in America’s past to display outward symbols as signals of their hostility to outsiders or those whose creed or color was not welcome. On a bus trip through New England decades ago I recall seeing church steeples dotting the skyline of towns and it didn’t make me feel welcome. The Ku Klux Klan, once with a strong presence in Oregon, used to burn crosses in public as symbols of their intolerant creed.

I RECALL A HUGE ARGUMENT I had years ago when I defended the right of the American Nazi Party to march through the streets of Skokie

WANDERINGS WITH JOEY

BY JOEY EMIL BLUM Illinois, a Jewish community. My reasoning was this, “It is their right as citizens of the United Sates to march and express their beliefs and it is my right to kick their asses if they ever decide to threaten me with their hatred!”

On June 14, 1997, and as a result of the 9th Federal Circuit’s ruling, the cross was subsequently removed and reinstalled at Eugene Bible College near Churchill High School and a flagpole flying an American flag was erected in its place.

Now each year as Christmas approaches there is no more debate and I believe in winning a single battle, the war is lost. I don’t miss the cross as much as the debate. The debate about the cross was more vital to addressing our disagreements than was removing it.

IN A WORLD DOMINATED BY pathetically

neutered (politically correct=censored) or strategically crafted and targeted commercial speech, I think a little “shake-em-up” is good. I prefer powerful speech, dissenting voices and words that force us to actually deal with who and what we are. The Eugene Celebration Parade once was a funky expression of our community until everything that made it meaningful was purged until all that remained was a few fire engines, community service groups and every possible excuse to march kids down the streets to put a soft face on the agendas of their parents and ended by the manure sweeping of a member of Congress. I valued the Rickeys as I respected when superstar musician Sinead O’Connor, a devout and sincere Irish Catholic woman, tore up a picture of the Pope to protest the Vatican’s views about women.

strive for? Does purging unpleasant words or symbols eradicate beliefs or by doing so, do we not simply hide our darker impulses in crepuscular lairs?

A younger friend of mine once disparaged what he described as my generation’s moral relativity. I asked him what he meant by that and he said, “Your generation likes to treat everything as if it has some merit, but some things are just right and wrong and need no debate.” Hmm. The seeds of intolerance fall many places, but I choose to wear his insult with pride instead of shame. I do believe that very few things can be set into tidy categories of right and wrong.

MY MIND REMAINS OPEN to the opinions

of others, even those whose opinions with which I strongly disagree. I don’t want those opinions to go into hiding, and I value that I am often wrong about things. We need to talk, we need to argue and we need to debate, but we have to regain both a respect for and the behavior of civility than can allow for debate that does not make those with differing opinions Enemies. Perhaps it is naive to believe we can do this, but if we cannot, then what remains of our American ideal?

One of the things my daughter studied in college was social justice. She sent me her papers to edit (often the night before they were due). I struggled to navigate through a world of well-reasoned arguments about the complexities of justice in society, and I understand there are some heavy thinkers who would grind my thinking (and this column) into minced meat, but at least mincemeat is evocative of a Charles Dickens-like spirit of Christmas that this citizen of a pluralistic United States finds very comforting. n

My vision of a pluralistic society is one that allows for the free expression of all beliefs rather than the suppression of any. Isn’t that what a tolerant society should

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BY VANESSA SALVIA

The Holiday Market Is Back, And Bustling We profile four of many worthy local artisans

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ITH MUSIC, FOOD, VENDORS, AN ACCOMPANYING FARMERS MARKET AND MUCH MORE, the Holiday Market is an annual tradition in Lane County. If you’ve never made your way to the Lane Events Center at the Fairgrounds in the middle of Eugene’s Jefferson Westside Neighborhood, December is the time to enjoy the hustle and bustle, people smelling soaps and trying on repurposed aprons and buying lamps made of (also repurposed) tuna cans and comparing the fairy wing and cape prices at different tables.

Holiday Market Hours: Lane Events Center Lane County Fairgrounds 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (except closing at 4:00 p.m. Dec. 24) Sat.-Sun., Dec. 12-13 Sat.-Sun., Dec. 19-20 Tues.-Thurs., Dec. 22-24

Eggnog lattes, pad Thai, tofu boats, Dana’s cheesecake, Ritta’s famous burritos and much, much more await Lane Countians and our holiday visitors in the food court in the middle of the center. Get there early or circle, watching like a hawk for a seat to open up, a place where you can tuck your packages under your chair while you enjoy the music on stage. Or take your food out to the hallway, where on the first weekend alone, visitors could be entertained by a young trombonist; a full jug band; a duo playing folk music; and a man performing A Christmas Carol (bring spare $1 bills for tips, if you please).

Once you’ve made your holiday gift purchases, if you would rather someone else do the wrapping and/or you’d like to support the fine work of WomenSpace, remember that volunteers provide wrapping services at the front of the main hall for very reasonable prices.

We enjoy the entire Holiday Market—and hope you don’t miss Holiday Hall, where everything from sweaters repurposed into baby leggings to infused oils line the vendors’ spots—but we also worked with the Holiday Market staff to pick a few new and experienced vendors to spotlight this year. Enjoy!

Art for Your Arm When Celeste Wong graduated from high school she wanted to make watches. There weren’t any watch-making schools in the United States at that time, though, so she earned an engineering degree instead and mostly forgot about her love for timepieces. In 2008, her desire was rekindled.

After a few years of practice, Wong began her own handcrafted watch line with two designs. She uses imported precision movements but fabricates everything else herself, including sewing the leather bands, creating the cases and making the shell inlay.

“I really wanted to use different materials in my watches which required a lot of material study and time to work out the technical difficulties,” she says. “Even though these watches really look like something you should only wear on a special occasion, they are designed to be super durable.”

The Nostalgia design has a wooden face with an abalone shell inlay, which is tinted in several vivid, iridescent colors. The Radiance design features a brilliantly colored ceramic sunburst set into a mother of pearl background. Each design is available in several colors, with an unscratchable sapphire crystal lens (only diamond is harder, so keep wedding rings away) and is fastened to the wrist with soft, hand-sewn vegetable tanned leather. Wong began selling her watches at Saturday Market in July of this year.

“I don’t want to make watches that you can go to store and find,” Wong says. “Some stores have really nice watches, but they all look the same. I have only two designs, but they come in a huge assortment of colors. I would say there’s something for everybody.”

Celeste Watch Co. | www.celestewatch.com Photos by Kim Still 14

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Beautiful and Functional Utensils Daniel Yanchury starts with a log of green wood and ends up with a spoon, a spatula, or knives or forks made with nothing but elbow grease and a sharp knife. No machinery of any kind enters into play when Yanchury makes his kitchen utensils, which he crafts in a traditional Scandinavian carving style.

Yanchury, who grew up in Minnesota near a Swedish population, has done many things in his life, but dedicated himself to full-time wood carving in spring of this year. “What I focus on is truly doing the best work,” he says. “I want to create the finest form and craft of spoons that I can do that I know to exist. That’s my goal in my work. I’m a traditionalist, so if you want work done completely by hand without any use of machinery, I’m the person to come to.”

He says that machine- or sand paper-finished wooden utensils abrade the surface fibers, so when the spoon or other item absorbs moisture again from cooking or washing, the fibers “pop up” and make the spoon “fuzzy.” Yanchury uses a very sharp knife to cut the fibers to finish his work, so they tend to stay clean and wick water more easily without getting that fuzzy, used look and feel.

Corylus Crafts recycles hardwood from area tree services. Yanchury offers a full range of kitchen utensils for serving and eating and some bowls and serving trays but plans on introducing more of those in the coming months. Some items are ornately carved, while others are left blank for on-the-spot customization such as a name or date on the handle, if the customer desires.

Corylus Crafts | www.coryluscrafts.com

Photos Turned Into Fabric Angelia Peterson is a photographer; her mother, Judy, is a quilter. The two have neighboring Saturday and Holiday market booths. Together, they create quilts that are representational images of photographs. Angelia has been taking photographs for more than 20 years, and Judy was a professional oil painter before being bitten by the art-quilting bug. When they are finished with a piece, it looks like a photo, but made of fabric.

Angelia says some people walk into her mom’s booth and walk out because they think they are seeing photographs and not fabric. “They say, ‘I don’t see any quilts here,’” she says. “They look like pictures until you come up and feel them.”

The pair use numerous different techniques to re-create photos in fabric form. The inspiration can come from one of Angelia’s photos or one the customer provides. Common themes that reproduce well are animals, architecture and landscapes. “We basically do whatever we need to to make it come out like we envision it,” she says. “It is not traditional quilting in any sense of the form.”

Their quilts use strip-quilting or confetti techniques, for instance, and some portions of the photographs might be actually printed on fabric. Judy often uses a stippling technique that looks like the edges of a puzzle piece, where the sewing lines meander across the fabric without a set pattern or specific design. They have 12 quilts traveling internationally now, and one quilt was selected to become part of the permanent collection of the Paducah Quilt Museum in Kentucky.

Quilted Pics | www.quiltedpics.com

Nod to Nature—Copper’s Warmth and Beauty Wife and husband Jennah Litecky Yost and Paul Yost have made a big impact on the local art scene since they started FireSmith Copper Designs and first began selling at the Saturday Market in 2013.

They are known for their warm wall hangings made of copper with custom-made frames, but this year they got to expand into a bar top for the new restaurant, Board, that opened in the space formerly known as Tiny’s Tavern. The bar top is 17 feet long and 21 inches wide, with two wings that are about 2.5 feet square.

At Holiday Market, though, the pieces they primarily offer are 4 by 12 inches and 8 by 12 inches, ranging from $35 to $55, and framed pieces ranging from 8-by-20-inches up to 2-by-3-feet, and also diptychs and tryptichs from $250 to $2,000.

Litecky turns thin sheets of copper into art using torches burning different gases, along with a variety of machine tools such as punches and bead rollers to add texture. Burnishing tools add shine and dimension, and Litecky has found a spray that has let her experiment with adding additional texture to the metal.

Copper brazed and burnished in this way is a unique look that many people haven’t seen. “FireSmith Copper can provide really unique, different gifts for people,” she says. “There are a lot of options in our designs.”

Nod to Nature | www.nodtonature.com L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

What You Should Know About Open Enrollment for Health Insurance

O

PEN ENROLLMENT FOR THOSE BUYING HEALTH INSURANCE BEGAN NOV. 1 AND RUNS THROUGH JAN. 31, 2016. It is the time of year for Oregonians to enroll, renew or change health insurance plans. For those who do not have insurance, it’s especially important to buy a plan to avoid a potential penalty on 2016 taxes.

“Even if you already have insurance, take some time during open enrollment to look at all of your options through the marketplace,” says Patrick Allen, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS). “Prices and plans – as well as your health needs—may have changed considerably. You also may qualify for financial help.”

Last year, consumers who shopped and switched plans saved nearly $400.

Visit healthcare.gov

Keep in mind you will need to apply by Dec. 15, 2015, to ensure you have coverage beginning on Jan. 1, 2016. If you wait until the last day of the enrollment period, your coverage may not begin until February or March 2016, depending on specific plan details.

Now that you know the important dates, you may have more questions or need assistance with understanding the different plan options, qualifying for financial help, and what happens after you select a plan and enroll.

Oregon has a network of insurance agents and community organizations ready to help people enroll free of charge. You can find an agent or community partner in your area by going to OregonHealthcare.gov or calling the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace at 1-855-268-3767 (toll-free).

OPEN ENROLLMENT November 1, 2015 – January 31, 2016 Do you have questions about medical insurance?

We can help you enroll directly with a carrier or through Healthcare.gov.

Open Enrollment Deadlines December 15 – effective date of January 1, 2016 January 15 – effective date of February 1, 2016 January 31 – effective date of March 1, 2016

(541) 341-3478 or (503) 223-3638 Toll free (866)341-3478 800 Willamette Street, Suite 620, Eugene, Oregon 97401 621 SW Alder Street, Suite 680, Portland, Oregon 97205

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Every Decision is an Insurance Decision

DCBS also provided grants to 24 agents to create free, drop-in enrollment centers during open enrollment. Scott Littlejohn of Littlejohn Insurance in Eugene was one of four Lane County agencies that received a grant. “An agent can best explain your deductibles and co-pays, while walking you through the enrollment process. It cuts through the red tape,” Littlejohn says. “And it costs the same with or without an agent, so why not make an appointment and get some free expert help?” You can find the list of enrollment centers at OregonHealthcare.gov.

Financial help is also available for many Oregonians if they enroll through HealthCare.gov. Based on income guidelines, there are tax credits available to help pay monthly premiums and additional assistance with out-of-pocket costs. Three out of four Oregonians who signed up through Healthcare.gov last year qualified for financial help. And the average premium tax credit in 2015 was $199 per month. Use the calculator at Healthcare.gov to find out what you might qualify for.

After you sign up, if you have problems with your insurance, you can contact the Oregon Insurance Division. Visit http://www.oregon.gov/DCBS/Insurance/ gethelp, call 1-888-877-4894 or email cp.ins@oregon.gov.

While advocates cannot offer legal advice, they can most importantly help clarify the sometimes confusing and frustrating aspects of insurance. The next best thing to the peace of mind that comes with having insurance is knowing where to go when you have questions.

To start shopping for plans, visit HealthCare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 (toll-free) (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). n L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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BY JOANNA BARTLETT

The Annual Holiday Cookie Ritual Begins Here are a few ideas for the family, or the neighborhood

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O MATTER HOW YOU CELEBRATE them, the holidays come with a lot of obligations, both unavoidable and self-imposed. In my family, I’m the tradition-maker and enforcer, so I have no one else to blame when I begin to feel overwhelmed with the mountain of tasks I set myself to do.

dairy-free butter or shortening for butter, and they’ll turn out fine.

To begin with, there are holiday cards with a (hopefully smiling) photo of our gaggle of kids, an annual letter hitting just the right mix of funny and interesting, and a photo calendar of the year ahead featuring the best photos of the one just past. Then there’s the tree, the Advent calendar and the presents. And the cookies. We have to bake cookies.

Plus, if you have any kids of your own or can borrow some, you can put them to work rolling out the little dough balls. The cookies may not all turn out the same size, but that’s OK. You all get to eat cookies afterward.

Holiday cookie traditions Snowball cookies are our traditional Christmas cookie. It started with our younger kids’ grandma, Donna Gustina, who passed on the tradition from her childhood started by her mother, Betty.

Betty was a member of the New York State Home Bureau where she shared household advice and recipes with the other women.

Donna’s favorite of those recipes was Snowball Cookies. After the first batch, the family was hooked, and they began making them together every year.

The tradition carried down to the next generation, substituting nondairy margarine for butter due to a dairy allergy. And, with my kids, it’s continued, this time using gluten-free flour so I can eat them, too. The original recipe calls for pecans, but I use whatever nuts I have on hand.

Thumbprint cookies have long been a favorite of mine, mostly for their chewy jammy centers. This recipe uses almond meal, which you can buy at the store or make yourself by whizzing up some almonds in the blender until they’re crumbly.

Finally, I always think of gingerbread around the holidays and balance my craving for knowing on gingerbread people against a dread of rolling out dough, carefully transferring the cut out shapes to a baking dish and then having to ice them. It seems so fussy. But this gingerbread recipe really is no fuss.

Keep it simple In keeping with the idea of simplifying what we can, these holiday cookie recipes use ingredients you probably already have at home (I did have to buy molasses), rather than 30 weird, one-time-use ingredients. You don’t use much rose water in everyday cooking, it turns out.

Each of these recipes can be made gluten-free and/or dairy-free by substituting your favorite gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour and

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My current favorite gluten-free flour blends are Gluten Free Mama’s Almond Blend or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour (if you’re also nut-free).

That’s the thing about traditions and the holidays—while it’s good to carry them on, being flexible helps. The cookies, and the holidays, can still turn out delicious. n

s r a B d a e r b r e g n i G Easy own sugar ¾ cup packed dark br d 1 cup butter, softene 1 egg ¼ cup molasses ur 3 cups all-purpose flo 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp ground ginger on 1 tsp ground cinnam eg tm ½ tsp ground nu gar 2 TBSP granulated su 0°F. 1. Pre-heat oven to 35 gar, butter, egg and mixer, combine the su nd sta or wl bo g xin mi 2. I n a m speed until creamy. molasses. Beat at mediu nutmeg. Beat at low ginger, cinnamon and , da so g kin ba ur, flo 3. Add the speed until well mixed. n. Dough will be sed 15”x10” baking pa ea gr y htl lig a o int h 4. P ress doug . to smooth the surface thick, roll with a glass ted sugar.

5. Sprinkle with granula und the edges. til lightly browned aro un or tes nu mi 0 -2 16 6. Bake for and cool completely.

7. Remove from oven or cut into bars. es with cookie cutters 8. Cut into desired shap

Gramma’s Snowball Cookies

1 cup margarine or butter ½ cup sugar 2 cups sifted flour 1 TBSP cold water 1 TBSP vanilla 1 cup finely chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts Powdered sugar

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. 2. In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.

3. Add 1/2 of the flour, the water and vanilla and mix.

4. Add the remaining flour.

5. Mix in the nuts.

6. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hou rs.

7. Roll dough into 1” balls and plac e 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 13-15 minutes unti l slightly brown underneath.

8. Place the powdered sugar in a baking pan or bowls.

9. Once cookies are cool enough to handle, roll them in the powdered sugar, coating completely.

10. When completely cooled, roll in powdered sugar again.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies. Can eas ily be doubled.

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Thumbprint Jam Co okies

½ cup butter ½ cup sugar 2 TBSP milk 1 tsp vanilla extra ct 1 cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup almond mea l ¼ tsp salt ½ cup jam—straw berry, fig, grape, whatever yo u fancy

1. Preheat oven to 35 0F. 2. Cream together th e butter and sugar until fluffy.

3. Mix in the flour an d ½ cup of almond meal.

4. Add the milk and vanilla extract and be at until combined.

5. Put the remaining ¼ cup almond mea l in a bowl.

6. Form dough into 1” balls.

7. Roll the dough ba lls in the almond m eal, covering the en 8. Place them on an tire ball. ungreased cookie sh eet and flatten light palm of your hand. ly with the 9. Press a hole in th e middle with your thumb and place ½ each hole. tsp jam in 10. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

Makes approximately

1½ dozen cookies.

Eugene Saturday Market’s

Open Weekends:

Handcrafted Gifts International Food Live Music

Lane Events Center, 13th & Jefferson Free Admission • Free Parking

Nov. 21-22 Nov. 27-29 Dec. 5-6 Dec. 12-13 Dec. 19-20 + Dec. 22-24 Hours: 10 AM–6 PM Dec. 2 4 only, 10 AM–4 PM

54 1 -686-888 5 • holidaymarket.org L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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IPPI WAS BORN AFTER FIVE HOURS OF LABOR and two pushes. No complications, scares or tears. My water broke during the second push. I went into hard labor the morning after turning in my last column, and at the time of this writing, she is exactly one month old.

SINCE MY BREAKDOWN MOMENT I’ve

been asking myself: How do you know when you are “back”?

When you stop bleeding? When the dark hormonal patches on your face fade? When you stop crying all the time? When you can leave a urine sample at the doctor’s office without spraying your hands? When you start to want a margarita again?

The highlight of the 24-hour hospital stay was the grilled processed cheese sandwiches I ordered with every meal.

And if you know you aren’t recovered, how do you resist the social conditioning that rewards bouncing back prematurely?

Hospital staff only insisted we take a few tests and watch a DVD on caring for a baby. With such an anticlimactic birth story, part of me didn’t think I needed much to recover.

My theory is that for someone like me, the actual reason that newborn babies need to feed all the time and take forever to fill their tiny bellies is so that I will sit still and heal both emotionally and physically.

Five days later, my husband returned to work part-time. As a small business owner, he doesn’t get paternity leave. My aunt and cousin came over to keep me company and help with the kids.

In the United States of America, being fast, doing more and spreading yourself thin are particularly rewarded by outside praise.

LYING IN BED and sitting around on the

couch are not my style. That day I was a cleaning dervish, and it felt great. The next day my husband was home, and I felt a bit hungover and sore. The next day a friend took the morning shift and left when the kids were both asleep.

WHEN IT COMES TO RECOVERING FROM CHILDBIRTH, we don’t have a cultur-

ally prescribed way to do it. Early on in my recovery process, I started to long for, read about and fantasize about postpartum practices in other countries.

My mother was to cover the afternoon but texted that she was running late. No problem, I tried to tell myself. But I didn’t know exactly when she would be there and started to panic. Quinn woke up early, and I rushed into his room. Pippi stayed asleep as I soothed Quinn.

One friend brought over a book about Chinese medicine that described a “golden month” after birthing a baby when the mother is given sponge baths of ginger water, fed hot broths and generally pampered. I thought, “We should have something like that here!” Poor American women with our inadequate maternity leave policies and expectation to lose weight right away.

We had averted crisis. No harm no foul. Everything was under control. I had survived 45 minutes alone with two babies.

YET (HORMONES), I FREAKED OUT.

I couldn’t raise two. I shouldn’t have had them so close together.

I might have gotten through that moment, unstable me told all my parts that were trying to maintain composure, but I was ill-equipped to handle all future moments. I was ruined, unstable me insisted.

My mom arrived and I was still trying to talk myself down and not be mad at her. She had, after all, not done anything wrong. No one had told her we were trying to avoid me being alone. Soon I was crying, muttering fragments of the above defeatist thoughts, pushing around small pieces of furniture and knocking over books.

“You need to calm down,” said my mother, who raised five kids on her own.

I’M LEAVING, I THOUGHT. Then I thought, No, you leave, Mom.

She said she wasn’t leaving my kids with me like that. I hid for a while in the bathroom, weeping about my inadequacy. My body started to hurt more.

The episode didn’t last long, and I knew at the time how irrational it was. In a way I’m grateful it happened because suddenly I started to take my postpartum recovery seriously.

Also my husband, sister and mother were sufficiently alarmed by my outburst that they called in backup and decided to not leave me alone with the kids until I started to feel more like myself.

Woman-teacher after teacher filtered through my home, and continue to do so, to share information, stories, nutritious food. They convinced me to be gentle with myself and told me how vulnerable this time is, even without physical trauma or a difficult birth. Energetically, postpartum women are wide open and more depleted than most of us realize.

One of my caregivers made me eat liver.

In that first month I was never alone with my kids again, and friends streamed in to feed me, rub my shoulders, take my toddler to the park.

I had so many offers for support coming in, but the scheduling felt exhausting. Where was my kindly female relative with no life of her own to tend to me?

ANOTHER NEW MOM snapped me back into an important reality that coexists in America in the cultural void of postpartum ritual. This friend gave birth in China, home of the golden month.

Her partner’s Chinese mother insisted my friend abide by her customs, and that essentially meant taking over the whole show. My friend was not enjoying this and really wanted to take a shower.

She ended up telling her in-law to leave.

There may not be a set way to do it, and our medical establishment might not give adequate coaching to prepare women for what’s ahead, but we have the freedom to patch together a postpartum experience that works for us. We might have to claw for it and advocate for ourselves, but we can get it if we really try and plan.

I THINK IF I HAD ANOTHER KID OR TWO I would get it right.

L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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BY JOEY EMIL BLUM

OUTINGS Two Museums in One Special Day

December is the festive holiday month that turns the Earth back towards the sun.

W

HETHER THE WORLD OF ART OR THE EXTRAORDINARY WONDERS OF THE NATURE, thanks to the University of Oregon’s deep cultural presence in Lane County, there are two fine museums to visit during the holidays that can fill you with special wonder. Both museums are free on Duck football Saturdays for those who want some indoor entertainment before or during the games.

HISTORY The Museum of Cultural and Natural History (MNCH) is a gem of a museum with entertaining and informative exhibits telling the evolving story of the Earth. The MNCH is full of all things natural history: science that focuses on the cool stuff like fossils, volcanoes, dinosaurs, earthquakes, saber toothed salmon, buzz saw sharks, polar ice regions, mammoths, rocks, plants, all living things and all things that once lived. That’s not to mention the Earth’s most dominant current resident, humans, and our fascinating evolutionary trail, especially as relates to the large piece of ground we call Oregon.

Self-proclaimed fossil lover Kristin Strommer, the MNCH’s communications director, explains, “You can see the amazing creatures from Oregon’s deep past” as we tour the recently installed exhibit, The Buzz Saw Sharks of Long Ago. This show is equal parts National Geographic and Shark Week. The colorful exhibit features the work of playful, erudite artist Ray Troll from Ketchikan, Alaska, whose undying curiosity spearheaded research about a

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mysterious evolutionary curiosity that once roamed the oceans. As we stare at a life-sized model of the great shark, Strommer says, “Science is a process that is often hilariously messy.”

The museum’s annual Winter Solstice Celebration is coming up. This year’s theme is Arctic, Northern Lights and will be held 5-8 pm Friday, Dec. 18, in the museum and adjacent Many Nations Longhouse. The museum is partnering with the Oregon Folk Life festival to fill its space with music and festivity including Inupiat dances, fisher poets from Alaska and fiddlers. Admission is $5 or free for each person who brings a food donation for FOOD For Lane County.

Additional MNCH exhibits include:

Highlights of the Jensen Arctic Collection Showing 3000 years of natural and human life spanning the eight nations ringing the Arctic Circle, The Jensen Collection is a valuable and stunning record of life in a rapidly changing region.

Site Seeing: Snapshots of Historical Archaeology in Oregon From a 19th-century working-class family in Portland to a Chinese mining community in Jacksonville, this exhibit tells the stories of five historical sites recently excavated by museum archaeologists, including the endearing remnants of a privy used by Irish immigrants striving to emulate the aristocratic customs of their affluent Victorian counterparts

L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

Oregon—Where Past is Present (closing December 10 for a major overhaul) This show attempts to cover 15,000 years of Northwest cultural history and 200 million years of geology. Realistic environmental displays portray four geographic regions of Oregon, each a different time in history and a different season of the year.

Where Past is Present occupies about a third of the MCNH telling the story of Oregon’s earliest people, drawn from many perspectives including the tribes whose contributions and collaborations with the museum lend a profound dimension to its vitality.

Tradition Keepers—Shayleen Macy Artist Macy is a Wasco/Yakima/Warm Springs member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and a graduate of the University of Oregon’s BFA program. Her prints, beadwork and mixed media pieces are inspired by the powwow culture in which she grew up.

ART After you enjoy the history and culture of our area, take a 10-minute or so walk through the university campus to the intimate but richly curated Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA).

The JSMA’s collections galleries present selections from its extensive holdings of Orthodox icons and Chinese, Japanese, Korean and American art.

Special exhibitions galleries display works from the collection and on loan, representing many cultures of the world, past and present.

Upcoming Featured exhibits include:

From the Heart: The Photographs of Brian Lanker This retrospective exhibition explores the range of photographic work by one of America’s masters of the medium, Brian Lanker (August 31, 1947March 13, 2011). Lanker won the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for a black-and-white photo essay on childbirth for The Topeka CapitalJournal. Lanker moved to Eugene in 1974, when he was appointed graphics director for The Register-Guard, a position he held until 1982. He also actively pursued his own work, which appeared in Life and Sports Illustrated, among many other commercial assignments, as well as book and exhibition projects. The exhibition accompanies a major new book of Lanker’s photography, of the same title.

OPENS JANUARY 23

First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare The exhibition that is part of the international events planned for 2016 in observance of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death—will bring the 1623 original edition of the playwright’s first published collection to Oregon. OPENS JANUARY 6 with free admission from January 6-February 3.

CAT

Expanding Frontiers: The Jack and Susy Wadsworth Collection of Postwar Japanese Prints.

Olga Volchkova: The Nature of Religion Trained as an icon painter and conservator, Russian artist Olga Volchkova uses her knowledge of Orthodox iconography and her love of botany to create provocative paintings that explore the history of florae. Through June 13, 2016.

While the greatest gift of all is strolling through either museum, the Schnitzer has a charming satellite restaurant from the Fifth Street Market’s Marché and each museum has a splendid gift store if you need to find a special holiday gift.

brochures ebooks

fundraising materials

Artist Project Space. The 10 combinations of monotype, drypoint, and chine–collé included in this exhibition were created by Bartow in collaboration with Mika Boyd, printmaking/fibers studio technician in the Department of Art, for the JSMA permanent collection during Spring 2015.

Through January 24, 2016.

posters

Line and Lineage: New Work by Rick Bartow and University of Oregon Students and Alumni

event graphics

This year’s exhibition features the work of Casey Benson, Jordan Bell, Dwayne Benjamin, DeForest Buckner, Megan Conder, women’s golf, Tyrell Crosby, Tony Brooks-James, Jalen Jelks, Jordyn Fox, Janita Iamaleava, Glen Ihenacho, Canton Kaumatule, Hanitel Louisi, Austin Maloata, Tui Talia, and Kira Waggoner. Through January 24, 2016

publications

Art of the Athlete IV

newsletters

Woodblocks, intaglios, lithographs, screenprints, and mixed-media works by seventy-seven Japanese and Western artists. Ongoing.

HAIRY JOBS NOT A PROBLEM

graphic design | advertising | print specialist MediaNation, Terri Sheets | 541.279.6602 L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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Feed your party!

Fresh, delicious, wholesome catering Order for your holiday party at your neighborhood Dari Mart and pick up at the same store! There are lots of great choices!

darimart.com facebook.com/darimart instagram.com/darimartsm

BY JOEY EMIL BLUM

More Than a Concept

M

The 100 Mile Bakery and Sprout brighten up downtown Springfield

INUTES BEFORE A RECENT PROGRAM AT SPROUT IN SPRINGFIELD, a program in which artist Ray Troll would excite a full room of visitors with an animated talk about the buzz saw sharks of long ago, Leda Hermecz came out from her adjoining 100 Mile Bakery to deliver a mouthwatering confection to one of the event’s visitors.

Some customers, she says, see the word bakery and “come in expecting a chocolate chip cookie or brownie, but cacao will never grow here.” That is challenging for customer and baker alike. “Chocolate is a huge moneymaker for a bakery,” she says, “and there are some who head for the door when they don’t find it, but many more people simply see a menu of good food. Almost everyone who comes in finds something that they want.”

All eyes in the room turned to the sumptuous plate moving through the room. In that moment, no one thought about the bakery’s central tenet of sourcing from within 100 miles; no one thought of efficiency, energy savings, waste disposal, transportation, distribution issues or the integration and contribution of “local” to the economy that underlies the 100 Mile Bakery. In that moment, it was all about the food.

Hermecz plans the bakery’s menu based on what farmers have and what’s good at the moment. “There is so much being grown here that the challenge is introducing it to the customers a little bit at a time so they’ll try it and come back.”

Hermecz came to Oregon when her brother, a UO Law student, told her she would love the lushness, water and hiking here.

Bakery and is owner, chief cook, baker and inspiration for the restaurant that is one of the anchor tenants in Sprout, the innovative regional food hub run by community development organization NEDCO.

This was a particularly good year for local variety because “the growing season started early and went late,” she says. “In fact, we’re still, using fresh tomatoes and peppers!”

But, as our shorter days attest, winter is coming.

Hermecz says she’s been holding off on buying kale “because we’re going to be eating a lot of kale here for a while, and I don’t want to burn the customers out on it.”

Hermecz, who learned to cook when her mother went back to school and then cooked her first meal for 40 people when she was just 14, is a food industry veteran.

Sprout is located i418 A Street in Springfield, site of the former First Christian Church. In 2011, NEDCO (Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation) bought and renovated the church to accommodate a regional food hub supporting new food entrepreneurs and easing their path to bricks and mortar or food cart establishments of their own. Sprout tenants have use of a fully functioning commercial kitchen as well as business support and counsel.

When she was 17, she started down the commercial bakery path. “I bluffed my way into baking at a French restaurant in Fairhope, Alabama,” she says, “at the urging of a friend who said she’d show me how if I got the job.”

At the bakery, Hermecz’s goal is to source and serve foods that come entirely from within a 100-mile radius of the bakery. “One of the amazing things about local food,” she says, “is that if it doesn’t touch you directly, it touches your neighbor.”

She got the job. Later, after she moved to Oregon, she found herself even more immersed in the world of food. During the past 15 years, she has involved herself in a wide variety of food-based enterprises, from the first locally sourced café in Lane County to baking for a decade in Eugene’s Sweet Life Bakery.

Luckily, Hermecz says, there is a rich palette of food available in Lane County and slightly farther afield.

The only things she misses are lemons, non-GMO sugar (sugar is available from local beets, but not to her non-GMO standards), black pepper, and chocolate. Otherwise, the food, beverages and confections of the 100 Mile Bakery are a satisfying menu of comfort foods, baked goods and beverages from wines to ciders.

In December, Sprout continues its year-round Farmers Market on Fridays from 3-7 pm (of course it’s closed on Christmas Day) as well as its first Youth Holiday Market on December 4. Sprout is available to rent for business meetings, weddings, class reunions and other community events. More info on Sprout: sproutfoodhub.org/sprout or (541) 345-7106.

The bakery owner says, simply, “He was right.” But it’s not like she has a ton of free time to pursue the outdoors right now.

Earlier this year, Hermecz opened the 100 Mile

Customers come anyway, for the pies she “loves to get her hands in” and more. The bakery may be in pursuit of an ideal, but Hermecz says, “You can have practical and idealistic together if you’re willing to work hard enough.”

The 100 Mile Bakery is open 9 am-6 pm MondaySaturday (closed on Sundays).

100milebakery.com or 541.603.6354 Photos by Doug Fuerst

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BY DON ROOT

The Oregon Truffle Festival Celebrates Everyone’s Favorite Fungus Three terrific, truffle-filled weekends coming in January

T

HEY’RE STRANGELY NEITHER PLANTS NOR ANIMALS, BUT AS EVERY CHEF KNOWS, FUNGI ARE INDISPENSABLE PARTNERS IN THE KITCHEN. The mushrooms in your spaghetti sauce? Fungi. The yeast in your bread? Fungi. The bleu in your bleu cheese? You guessed it. And in the culinary realm, one fungus stands out, exalted above all others: the truffle. Top European specimens of this flavor-packed delicacy routinely fetch around $4,500 per pound.

In January, truffle fans will celebrate the undisputed Dom Perignon of the fungus world at the 11th annual Oregon Truffle Festival, which offers three weekends of events in and outside of Eugene. It’s a veritable “Truffle Summit,” acknowledging our region’s increasingly lofty place in World Truffledom. Some 40 distinguished chefs from the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia will be participating, and a host of guest truffle experts will be on hand.

Festival co-founder Dr. Charles Lefevre is a Eugene mycologist and owner of New World Truffieres, Inc., which helps farmers nationwide grow truffles on their land. According to Lefevre, the idea for the festival took root around 2002.

“The reputation of Oregon truffles at the time was that of an inferior and inexpensive alternative to European truffles,” he says, “but I question whether anyone had ever really compared them directly. I had French black and Italian white truffles in the refrigerator, and I was also harvesting native Oregon truffles recreationally. When we compared the European and Oregon truffles side by side, the Oregon truffles fared far better than their price and reputation suggested.”

Lefevre and former Oregon Country Fair General Manager Leslie Scott inaugurated the Oregon Truffle Festival in 2006, hoping to lift the reputation of Oregon truffles into the global pantheon of culinary delicacies. “If the tenfold increase in prices for top quality Oregon truffles is any indication, I believe we’ve succeeded,” he says. “Today Oregon produces about 5 percent of the world’s truffle supply, and Oregon truffles command prices higher than all but the two most famous European species.”

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So just what is a truffle? Richer, earthier-tasting cousins of mushrooms, truffles are the fruit of various fungi (usually in the genus Tuber) that live in a beneficial symbiosis with the roots of certain trees. “They differ from mushrooms only in that they depend on animals eating them to disperse their spores,” explains Lefevre. “Because their spores are not dispersed in the wind, truffles usually don’t bother to emerge from the earth, relying instead on powerful, attractive aromas to guide animals to them.”

Ripe truffles (the ones you want) emit a distinct, delicious smell. Our weak human noses can’t pick up the scent emanating from underground, but animals can. European truffle hunters traditionally used pigs to find the buried treasure. But there’s a problem: When the pigs find the truffles, they eat them. (Can you blame them?)

“While pigs are still used by a few people to harvest truffles,” says Lefevre, “by far the majority of truffle hunters use trained dogs. Dogs are less likely to eat the truffles, they have more stamina, and they’re easier to get into your car.”

Lefevre says dogs have played an instrumental role in the development of Oregon’s truffle industry.

“There were no working truffle dogs in the western U.S. when we started the festival, but promoting the use of dogs to harvest truffles was among our principal goals,” he says. “Dogs can only detect a truffle if it is ripe and aromatic, which represents a form of quality screening. They only select the best.”

Which brings us to the Oregon Truffle Festival’s first weekend: The Joriad Truffle Dog Championship, Jan. 16–17, tests the olfactory skills of amateur trufflehunting canines from around the country.

It begins with preliminary rounds at Lane County Fairgrounds on Saturday, followed by a hunt in the woods on Sunday. The winner is crowned that afternoon at a gala awards ceremony—complete with food and wine pairings—at Willamette Valley Vineyards in Turner.

The following weekend, Jan. 22–24, the festival moves north to the NewbergYamhill area, where program highlights include a truffle hunt, an advanced Photo: John Valls

Dr. Joe Martin, MartiN, DDS, DDs, PC pc general geNeral DentiStry DeNtistry

Photo: Georgia Freeman

truffle-cooking class at Argyle Winery in Dundee with local Jody Kropf (Red Hills Market) and Wendy Bennett (Wine Country Cooking Studio), and a Black & White Dinner series at five of the areas most acclaimed restaurants.

Finally, the festival returns to Eugene January 29–31 with three separate programs of truffle-filled events to choose from. One features a walkaround feast at Chef Stephanie Pearl Kimmel’s Provisions Market Hall at 5th Street Marketplace—including not Photo: John Valls only truffles but also Oregon seafood, meats, wines, and craft brews. Another includes a trufflicious four-course dinner with paired wines at Pfeiffer Vineyards in Junction City. All programs include a Saturday truffle hunt and winery luncheon, the Grand Truffle Dinner, and entry to Sunday’s Fresh Truffle Marketplace, where you can buy fresh truffles, view trufflecooking and truffle-dog demonstrations, taste artisan foods and wines, and attend part or all of a day-long lecture series. n

“Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.” ~Jay Danzie Now acceptiNg New patieNts most insurance accepted

1400 executive pkwy, 310, eugeNe 541.485.4646

For more details and a complete schedule of Oregon Truffle Festival events, and to purchase tickets, visit the festival website at www.oregontrufflefestival.com. Questions? Call 888-695-6659 toll free.

BON APPETIT!

Photo: David Barajas

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FEBRUARY

JANUARY

First Run of the Year 10K/5K December 31, 2015/January 1, 2016

Book of Mormon at The Hult Center for the Performing Arts—February 2-7

Winter Music Festival in Florence January 16-17

KLCC Microbrew Festival 2016 February 12-13 UO Climate Change Research Symposium—February 17

Good Earth Home, Garden and Living Show—January 22-24

31st Oregon Asian Celebration February 20-21

Oregon Truffle Festival—January 29-31

MARCH

Jersey Boys at The Hult Center for the Performing Arts—March 1-6 Lane County Home & Garden Show March 10-13 St. Patrick’s Day Lucky Clover 10K/5K—March 17

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

Annie Get Your Gun at Cottage Theatre April 8-May 1

Ballet Fantastique presents Scarlet Flower: Beauty and the Beast—May 6-8

Pepsi Invitational at Hayward Field April 9

Eugene Rotary Mother’s Day 5k—May 8

NCAA D1 Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships June 8-11

TAC International Film & Video Festival May 12-15

Black Sheep Gathering 2016 June 24-26

109th Florence Rhododendron Festival May 20-22

Oregon Bach Festival—June 24-July 10

The Great Gatsby by the Eugene Ballet Company—April 9-10 Million Dollar Quartet at The Hult Center for the Performing Arts—April 26-27 28

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JULY

l a n e m o n t h l y. c o m

AUGUST

Coburg Car Classic—August 7

2016 U.S. Olympic Trials—Track & Field July 1-10

Whiteaker Block Party Date TBD

Springfield Light of Liberty Celebration for 4th of July—July 4 Oregon Country Fair—July 8-10

Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival Date TBD

Bohemia Mining Days in Cottage Grove July 15-17

Coburg Car Classic—August 7 Festival of Eugene—August 19-21

Lane County Fair—July 20-24

SEPTEMBER

Oregon Covered Bridge Festival September 3 Walterville Community Fair & Waddle 5K—September 10 Coburg Antique & Vintage Fair September 13 Lane County Dahlia Show Date TBD

DECEMBER

NOVEMBER

OCTOBER

A Christmas Story at Cottage Theatre December 2-18

Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Day Run; and Turkey Stuffer 5k—November 24, 2016

Lone Pine Farms Corn Maze October 1-31

64th Annual Springfield Christmas Parade—Date TBD

Wine Country Thanksgiving Events November 25-27

The Mushroom Festival October 30

Eugene Saturday Market’s Holiday Market—Nov.-Dec., Dates TBD Florence Holiday Festival Date TBD L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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BY CORINNE BOYER

Beyond the Lane

Bend and Central Oregon are a perfect winter getaway Just a few hours east of Lane County, lies the winter playground of Central Oregon. Whether you’re into skiing, drinking beer or experiencing the high desert scenery and real winter weather, check out Bend.

At 3,625 feet, the city of 76,000 is situated between the lush forests of Sisters and the Cascade Mountains.

Bend is great for trail running, paddle boarding (or SUPS, if you prefer), kayaking and climbing. Almost everyone tends to stay outdoors—even during the winter. Most activities are kid friendly, possibly except backcountry skiing outings, and children are even welcome in most breweries as most provide a family setting and a kid’s menu.

Hiking For those not willing to shell out too much cash for winter activities, take advantage of Central Oregon’s hiking trails. The Pilot Butte trail offers an easy hike for people looking to stay outdoors. It’s only one mile to the summit, and it’s within the Bend city limits. You can hike or drive the top of this dormant cinder cone, but either way the views of the snow-capped Three Sisters, Mount Bachelor and the sunny high desert are worth the short trek.

The Lava Butte trail, also a cinder cone, is 10 miles south of Bend. You can’t miss it driving south because it’s situated just to your right, towering above the surrounding trees. If you decide to take the .25 mile trail to the fire look out, don’t forget to dress warmly and wear very sturdy shoes. A paved mile-long path goes through the middle of the Lava Cast Forest with views of old lava flows. Stay on the trail and practice caution; the rocks are razor sharp, but it’s well worth the trip and trek.

You can run or walk along the Bend Urban Trail System, which is part of the Bend Parks and Recreation District. The Deschutes River Trail winds around junipers, hills and, of course, the Deschutes River. The district has more than 65 miles of trails, so feel free to meander through Bend without ever getting in a car.

Bend Ale Trail If you’re looking for a self-guided activity, chose your own path along the Bend Ale Trail. There’s no charge to tour the West Coast’s largest beer trail. You may have to spread your tour out over a couple of days as there are 16 breweries throughout downtown Bend, and you’ll want to try the craft brewed IPAs, ambers and stouts.

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Bend Area Hotels and Lodging Pine Ridge Inn 1200 SW Mt. Bachel Dr., Bend (541) 389-­6137

Hampton Inn & Suites Bend 730 SW Columbia St., Bend (541) 388-­3000

The Riverhouse Hotel & Convention Center 3075 N. Business Hwy. 97, Bend (541) 389­-3111

Hilton Garden Inn Bend 425 SW Bluff Dr., Bend (541) 617-­6111 Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites 20615 Grandview Dr Bend (541) 317-8500

Mill Inn 642 NW Colorado Ave., Bend (541) 389­-9198

La Quinta Inn Bend 61200 S Hwy 97, Bend (541) 388-­2227

The Dunes Motel 1515 NE 3rd St., Bend (541) 382-­6811

Outdoor Snow Activities Snowshoeing bonfires are the perfect opportunity to hike under the stars. Casey Lamont, the office manager at Wanderlust tours, says the tours are also a perfect way to hear about the old-growth hemlock forest from their expert naturalists guides. “They tell you all about what you’re seeing, what’s important, how it got there and they make the forest snow and winter come to life.” The tour guides transport you from the Wanderlust office to the mountain and provide a quick lesson on snowshoeing. After trekking through the forest, enjoy hot chocolate and treats provided by local guides around a night bonfire. Wanderlust also hosts special hikes during New Year’s Eve. The tour is $95 per person and $110 for special events; kids 11 and under are $55.

Wanderlust also leads horseback riding and sleigh rides for guests staying at their ranch when it gets snowy. They offer guided trail rides, private rides and pony rides. Prices begin at $95 for a 1.5-hour ride; for a 2-hour ride, it’s $135 per person. Remember to dress warmly, in wicking layers, and be ready to ride with gloves and a hat. Wanderlusttours.com or For ski lovers, the abundance of Nordic trails, backcountry paths and the rated trails at Mount Bachelor and Hoodoo will keep you in your skis all day.

The Mount Bachelor ski area has Nordic trails and downhill skiing, and if you buy a pass of three days or more in advance, kids under 12 ski for free. If you need a break from the slopes, check out the Snowblast Tubing Park, but make sure to buy your tickets in advance because tubing sessions can sell out—especially around the holidays. Don’t miss your chance to spend a Friday or Saturday night under the neon lights, listening to groovy tunes. For $5 dollars an hour, you can say you slid belly down at “the world’s only cosmic tubing.”

If you’re skiing on a budget, check out night skiing at Hoodoo ski resort on Fridays and Saturdays from 3:30 to 9 pm for $20. Hoodoo also offers snowbike lessons for those who aren’t into skiing or gliding downhill and hosts multiple races during the winter months.

Both Hoodoo and Mount Bachelor ski areas have backcountry skiing trails, too.

Backcountry skiing isn’t for the novice. Even seasoned skiers need to be aware of avalanches and make sure to always hit the off-the-beaten path territory with friends. Visit Bend suggests bringing a shovel, a probe and a beacon.

Bend has something for everyone and if you happen to find yourself in the middle of a blizzard, catch a movie at the historic Tower Theatre, indulge in a bowl of Vietnamese pho or wander into an a downtown art gallery. A December trip to Bend wouldn’t be complete without a freshly bake croissant and a cup of hot coffee. n

Marriott Towne Place Suites 755 SW 13th Pl., Bend (541) 382­-5006

Wall Street Suites 1430 NW Wall St., Bend (541) 706-­9006 Bend Dutch Vacation Rentals, Inc. 777 NW Wall St., Ste 106, Bend (541) 322-­0218 Bend Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott 1626 NW Wall St., Bend (541) 318-­1747 Bend Riverside Inn & Suites 1565 NW Wall St., Bend (541) 389­-2363 Bend Vacation Rentals 2754 NW Crossing Dr., Ste 206, Bend (541) 385­-9492 Black Butte Ranch 8 Miles West of Sisters on Hwy 20, Black Butte (541) 595­-1252 Brasada Ranch 16986 SW Brasada Ranch Rd., Powell Butte

McMenamins Old St. Francis School 700 NW Bond St., Bend (541) 330-­8563 Metolius River Lodges (541) 595­-6290 My Place Hotel 550 SW Bond St., Bend (541) 213-2108 Paulina Lake Lodge 22440 Paulina Lake Rd., La Pine (541) 536-­2240 Rodeway Inn & Suites 904 SE 3rd St., Bend (541) 382­-2111 Seventh Mountain Rest 18575 SW Century Dr., Bend (541) 382­-8711 Sugarloaf Mountain Motel 62980 N Hwy 97, Bend (541) 330-­5998

Comfort Inn & Suites 62065 SE 27th St., Bend (541) 617-­9696

Summer Lake Hot Springs 41777 Hwy 31, Paisley (541) 943-3931

Cultus Lake Rest 55885 Cascade Lakes Hwy., Bend (541) 408­-1560 Days Inn 849 NE 3rd St., Bend (541) 383­-3776

Sunriver Rest 17600 Center Dr., Sunriver (541) 593­-1000 The Lodge at Summer Lake 53460 Hwy 31, Summer Lake (541) 943­-3993

Deschutes Property Management 605 NE Savannah Dr., Ste 1, Bend (541) 385­-1515

The Oxford Hotel 10 NW Minnesota Ave., Bend (541) 382-8436

DoubleTree by Hilton 300 NW Franklin Ave., Bend (541) 317-­9292 Elk Lake Rest 60000 Century Dr., Bend (541) 480-­7378 L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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Cheer Local! Craft beer, cider & more for the holidays There’s a reason “cheer” rhymes with “beer.” Local breweries, cideries and more have just the right tipple for the craft beer lover on your gift list, pairings with your holiday dinners and parties, or winter warming on wet and chilly Lane County evenings.

Contact your preferred bottle shop, growler station or the brewery for availability of these winter seasonals and limited releases.

Claim 52

Plank Town

Sugar Plum Fairy

Releasing Dec. 7 for the annual Nutcracker, Sugar Plum Fairy is a Belgian-style dark strong ale. The name inspires the recipe, which includes dark Belgian candi sugar, the tartness and earthiness of plum and a magic touch: Belgian yeast from the Achouffe brewery in the Ardennes or, as the brewery calls it, “the valley of the elves.” These three elements come together in a balanced, drinkable dark beer that satisfies with raisin and plum notes.

2014 Oud Nöel & 2015 Oud Nöel

Oud Nöel combines an English style of strong beer called “Old Ale” with the singular complexity of Belgian yeast and the addition of warming holiday-style spices. Both beers will be released as part of Claim 52’s Winter Ale Fest on Dec. 12 at Claim 52’s Taproom. Along with this year’s 2015 Oud Nöel, the 2014 Oud Nöel is a limited-release from one keg cellared after the 2014 festival.

Brewery & Tasting Room: 1030 Tyinn St, Eugene, (541) 554-6786 The Abbey Tap Room: Sprout! Marketplace, 418 A St., Springfield claim52brewing.com

Hop Valley

Festeroo Winter Ale

Hop Valley’s winter warmer is a Northwest take on an English-style old ale. The rich garnet color of Festeroo evokes the warmth of reds seen in lights and decorations during the holiday season, but at 6.8% ABV and 60 IBUs, there’s enough warmth and bitterness to get your blood flowing on chilly nights.

Restaurant: 980 Kruse Way, Springfield, (541) 744-3330 Tasting Room: 990 W 1st Ave, Eugene, (541) 484-2337 hopvalleybrewing.com

Kris Kringle Winter Warmer Ale

McMenamins’ traditional Yuletide brew combines the earthiness of chocolate flavors with the sweet warmth of a complex malt profile. Cascade and Centennial hops meld bitterness and aroma with a gentle touch of refreshing ginger and cinnamon and a 6.8% ABV— perfect for dessert pairings.

3 Eugene locations: East 19th Street Cafe: 1485 E 19th Ave., (541) 342-4025 High Street Brewery & Café: 1243 High St., (541) 345-4905 North Bank: 22 Club Rd., (541) 343-5622 mcmenamins.com

Ninkasi

Sleigh’r Dark Doüble Alt Ale

Brewed for ale’s warming complexity but fermented at lower temperatures for a lager’s satisfying crispness, the deep, toasted malt flavors of Sleigh’r yield to a dry finish and a warming 7.2% ABV. Try it with your cheese course, or with roasted beef or lamb.

272 Van Buren St, Eugene (541) 344-2739 ninkasibrewing.com D E C E M B E R

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The Springfield brewpub serves savor with spicy cherry aromas, a long warming finish, hints of rye whiskey and apricots, and a deep mahogany color in this seasonal barrel-aged ale. It clocks in at 9.7% ABV, so sip and savor as a digestif or with your cheese or dessert courses.

346 Main St., Springfield (541) 746-1890 planktownbrewing.com

WildCraft Cider Works

Snake River Rye-Barrel Aged Hard Cider

The area’s craft beverages bring us not only the best of the grape and the hop but of the apple as well. In the tradition of “settler-style” dry ciders, 7.5% ABV Snake River Cider is fermented with the fruit’s ambient yeasts, then matured for three months in American Oak Stein Rye Whiskey barrels from eastern Oregon. The end result is 500ml bottles of spicy whiskey notes with apple scents and vanilla character— a perfect small-glass refreshment to welcome folks to your holiday gathering.

390 Lincoln St., Eugene, (541) 501-7031 wildcraftciderworks.com

BY ANTHONY ST. CLAIR Honorable Mentions

McMenamins

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Pique your palate with these other special-release craft beverages:

Brewers Union Local 180, Oakridge

Oakshire

brewersunion.com (541) 782-2024

oakbrew.com (541) 688-4555

Frost on the Bumpkin

Ill-Tempered Gnome Winter Ale

Claim 52

Plank Town

2014 Glasgow Bourbon Barrel Wee Heavy 2015 Bourbon Vintage Olivia 9 McMenamins Limited-edition Holiday Distillery Gift Packs: spirits, recipes, and glassware. Available locally at McMenamins North Bank.

Ninkasi

Noir Milk Stout with ColdBrewed Stumptown Coffee

Barrel-Aged Unobtainium Double IPA Barrel-Aged Blue Pool Pilsner Sam Bond’s Brewing

Holiday Cream Ale

sambondsbrewing.com (541) 246-8162 Viking Braggot Company

Winter Squash Imperial Porter drinkviking.com (541) 653-8371

We Go anyWHeRe and eveRyWHeRe! Eugene - Newport - Bend - Portland

Group Rates $75 per hour Holds 11 passengers Wedding • Birthday Party Camping Drop off • Airport Drop off We accept all major credit cards

541-912-9061

Since 1983

Over 500 Oregon Pinots!

Free Tastings • 5 to 7 pm Friday 12/4: Wines of Languedoc Saturday 12/5: Sokol Blosser, Oregon • • • • • • •

Friday 12/11: Wines of Portugal & Spain Saturday 12/12: Sarver, Oregon

open daily until 7 PM

• • • • • • •

Friday 12/18: Pinots Noir, Gris, & Blanc Saturday 12/19: Montinore, Oregon • • • • • • •

Saturday 12/26: Rainsong, Oregon Sundance Wine Cellars

Local mercahants, the heart of our community

2441 Hilyard Eugene 541-our-wine orwine.com L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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eventscalendar

DECEMBER

Courtesy of Eugene Cascades and Coast

1st Annual Very Victorian Wreath Festival, December 1-6

Hockey Eugene Generals vs West Sound, December 4-5

Acting Showcase-Lane Community College, December 5

Recurring daily: Tuesday–Sunday : Varies: Shelton McMurphey Johnson House: 303 Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-484-0808. Everyone is invited to donate a homemade holiday wreath for the 1st Annual Very Victorian Wreath Festival. All donated art will be made available for a silent auction the first week of December, proceeds going to the educational programming of SMJ House.

Recurring daily: Friday & Saturday, 7:35 p.m. : Free-$10: Lane Events Center/The Rink Exchange: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-2255123. Eugene Generals Hockey vs West Sound at The Rink Exchange.

Saturday, 7:30-9:30 p.m.: Ragozzino Performance Hall, Lane Community College: 4000 E 30th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-463-5643A showcase of scenes and monologues from the Intermediate Acting and Acting Shakespeare classes.

Annie Jr.-Upstart Crow Studios, December 4-13 Recurring daily: Friday & Saturday, 7 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. : $14: Upstart Crow Studios: 855 w 1st Ave, Eugene OR: 541-688-8260. With equal measures of pluck and positivity little orphan Annie charms everyone’s hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find her parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan.

Choose ‘n’ Cut Christmas Trees, December 1-24 Recurring daily: Daily : Varies: Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm: 36777 Wheeler Rd, Pleasant Hill OR: 541-746-5161. Take a hayride to the Christmas tree fields to choose from a variety of cultured firs and pines. Cut your own tree or choose from pre-cut trees. Stop in our store afterwards to warm up with hot drinks and to browse through our holiday ornaments and wreaths.

Christmas at the Village Green, Through December 25 Recurring daily: Daily, 5-9 p.m. : Free: Village Green Resort & Gardens: 725 Row River Rd, Cottage Grove OR: 541-942-2491. The Village Green Resort is hosting the second annual Christmas at the Village Green, featuring a beautiful exterior holiday light display in the Wedding Garden. While enjoying the lights, patrons can cozy up to a fire pit, enjoy a warm mug of gluhwein or hot cocoa, and make s’mores!

Music Showcase-Lane Community College, December 4 Friday, 1 p.m.-noon: Ragozzino Performance Hall, Lane Community College: 4000 E 30th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-463-5643Enjoy a musical showcase from Lane Community College students.

No Harm Intended: Lane County Medical History, Through March 31, 2016 Recurring weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: $1-$5: Lane County Historical Society and Museum: 740 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-682-4242.

Major exhibition on Lane County medical history from 1840 to 1940 with over 250 objects, including items on loan from Peace Health laboratories. Explore medical science before penicillin and antibiotics.

The exhibition runs from November 13 through the end of March 2016.

Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.: $20: River Road Park & Recreation District: 1400 Lake Dr, Eugene OR: 541-688-4052. Welcome to the 8th annual River Road Holiday Market! It’s bigger and better than ever with more space and more shopping. A fantastic selection of handmade gifts, made by local artists at affordable prices-what more could you ask for? You’ll find something for everyone on your holiday list.

Saturday, 8 p.m.–midnight: $5: Ford Alumni Center: 1720 E 13th Ave., Eugene OR: 541-346-8581. The Oregon Country Fair Dance Program is excited to bring you a unique opportunity to engage with social partner dancing with our event FUZE, featuring live music from Portland based musician Subaqueous. Dance lesson at 8 p.m. with a social dance from 9 p.m.-midnight.

Friday, 9 a.m.-noon: $10: The Science Factory Children’s Museum & Exploration Dome: 2300 Leo Harris Pkwy, Eugene OR. Meet some animals that live it up in the winter! They burrow, hibernate, get fluffy and change color. See if you can spot a camouflaged snowshow hare, help a squirrel stock up on food or make a cozy habitat for hibernation.

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Play in the Frostbite at Laurelwood Golf Course, December 5 Saturday, 11 a.m.: $30: Laurelwood Golf Course: 2700 Columbia St, Eugene OR: 541-484-4653. Tournament time is right around the corner. Get your practice in while you sill have time! Sign up for the the 2 person scramble, shot gun start at 11 a.m.

Santa Visits The Fifth Street Public Market! Through December 19 Recurring weekly on Saturday: Saturday, 1-4 p.m.: Free: Fifth Street Public Market: 296 E 5th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-484-0383Visit Santa as he makes a special stop at the Fifth Street Public Market. Santa will be there from 1-4 p.m. every Saturday from November 28 through December 19. Visits with Santa are always free and photo packages are available for purchase.

Holiday Bazaar at the Schoolhouse, December 5-6

Saturday Market’s Holiday Market, Through December 20; Dec. 22-24

Recurring daily: Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Free: Pioneer Schoolhouse: 91949 Purkerson Rd, Junction City OR: 541-968-1986.

The Camas Country Mill is putting on a Holiday Bazaar at the Pioneer Schoolhouse. The Schoolhouse will be transformed into a wonderful, inviting holiday gift bazaar where local organizations such as Singing Creek Educational Center will be selling gifts and items for your home.

Recurring weekly on Sunday, Saturday: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Free: Lane Events Center: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541686-8885. Come join this vibrant hub for local artisans! Nearly 200 booths feature locally handcrafted gifts, international foods and entertainment. An iconic Eugene event, the Holiday Market is a must see for locals and visitors every season, and will also be open Tuesday through Thursday, December 22-24.

Holiday Bazaar in Junction City, December 5 Tot Discovery Day: Winter Animals at The Science Factory, December 4

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Sunday, 8:30-10 a.m.: $5: Valley River Center Food Court: 293 Valley River Center, Eugene OR. Join Santa for breakfast at the Valley River Mall! BJ’s is the sponsor this year and will be hosting a wonderful breakfast inside their restaurant. All proceeds go to support Food for Lane County. Tickets are $5 per child (no adult tickets) and seating is limited so be sure to get your ticket early!

Recurring weekly on Sunday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: ThursdaySaturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m.: $19 Adult, $16 Youth: Cottage Theatre: 700 Village Dr, Cottage Grove OR: 541-942-8001. This dramatization of the C.S. Lewis classic faithfully recreates the adventures of four children who wander, quite by accident, from an old wardrobe into the exciting and magical land of Narnia.

FUZE: An OCF Dance Program Event, December 4

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Breakfast with Santa at Valley River Center, December 5

Holiday Bazaar at River Road Park, December 5

Friday, 9 p.m. : $20-$25: McDonald Theatre: 1010 Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-345-4442. Collie Buddz Blue Dreamz Tour comes to McDonald Theatre with opening act Hirie. Doors open at 8 p.m.

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Saturday, 9-10 a.m.; 10-11 a.m.; 11 a.m.-noon: $6: Gymnastics NW: 30043 Leghorn Ave, Eugene OR: 541-688-8955Come have breakfast wtih Santa at Gymnastics NW! Includes breakfast, picture and open gym. Sign up now as space is limited in each session.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Cottage Theatre, December 4-20

Collie Buddz at McDonald Theatre, December 4

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Breakfast with Santa at Gymnastics NW, December 5

Eugene OR: 541-346-4363. UO choirs will ring in the season with holiday and folk music from around the world. The performance will feature the Chamber Choir, University Singers and Repertoire Singers.

Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Free: St. Helen’s Catholic Church: 1350 W 6th Ave, Junction City OR: 541-517-2977. Come to the Holiday Bazaar where you’ll find handmade crafts, concessions, gift wrapping and more. This is a fundraiser for Junction City Great Grad Night 2016.

Holiday Choral Concert, December 5 Saturday, 7:30 p.m.: $5-$7: Beall Concert Hall: 961 E 18th Ave,

Springfield Christmas Parade, December 5 Saturday, 1 p.m.: Free: Downtown Springfield: 3rd & Main St, Springfield OR: 541-998-0955. It’s the oldest and coldest parade is Oregon, and this year’s theme is Twelve Days of Christmas! Santa Claus has promised to visit again this year, escorting the finish of the parade and ushering in the holiday season. See decorated cars, horses and floats of all kinds. Start the day with the annual Tuba Concert at noon! Don’t miss the 63rd Annual Christmas Parade along Main Street.

Tuba Carol Concert, December 5 Saturday, noon: Free: Downtown Springfield: 3rd & Main St, Springfield OR. Kick off the Springfield Christmas parade wtih a tuba concert held at Two River/Dos Rios School. Tuba, euphonium, baritone and sousa musicians perform holiday carols at this seasonal celebration and cultural mainstay.

UO Women’s Basketball vs Utah Valley, December 5 Saturday: Matthew Knight Arena: 1776 E 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541346-4461. Cheer on UO Women’s Basketball as they take on Utah Valley on the home court! Go Ducks!

Westfir Bridge Lighting Festival, December 5 Saturday, 6-8 p.m. Free: Office Covered Bridge in Westfir: 47365 First St, Westfir OR. Santa Claus is coming to Westfir and he’s arriving by fire truck! When he gives the orders, the bridge lights will be lit. Live music by Albany musician Isaac Turner, real reindeer, a face painter, bonfire, props for selfies, cookies and hot drinks and of course, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus! It’s all free. New this year is an Ugly Sweater Contest!

Winter Light Faire at Eugene Waldorf School, December 5 Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: $1.50: Eugene Waldorf School: 1350 McLean Blvd, Eugene OR: 541-683-6951. Eugene Waldorf School’s annual magical Winter Light Faire includes candle dipping, puppet shows, crafts, cake walks, the Crystal Cookie Cave, a Hanukkah room, the Nutcracker Ballet, the Russian Tea Room and the Rose Café as well as the Golden Goose! Whew! Happy Holidays from Eugene Waldorf School.

UO Gospel Choirs and Ensembles, December 6 Sunday, 5 p.m.: $5-$8: Beall Concert Hall: 961 E 18th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-346-4363. Andiel Brown will direct the UO Gospel Choirs and Ensembles.

Jazz Combos-Lane Community College, December 8

Hockey Eugene Generals vs Wenatchee, December 10

Tuesday, 7-9 p.m.: Building 6 Blue Door Theatre 103: 4000 E 30th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-463-5643. Enjoy a concert featuring jazz combos performed by Lane Community College students.

Recurring daily: Thursday, 6:05 p.m.: Free-$10: Lane Events Center/ The Rink Exchange: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-225-5123.

Eugene Generals Hockey vs Wenatchee at The Rink Exchange.

Open Mic at Axe & Fiddle, December 8

Holiday Light Parade in Veneta, December 10

Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: Free: Axe & Fiddle Public House: 657 E Main St, Cottage Grove OR: 541-942-5942. Axe & Fiddle Open Mic night is popular so sign up early! Sponsored by Habitat for Humanity.

Donations welcome.

BJ’s Food for Lane County Benefit Night, December 9 Wednesday, 4-11 p.m.: BJ’s Restaurant: 1080 Valley River Way, Eugene OR: 541-344-2200. Enjoy delicious food in a fun atmosphere along with your families and friends to support a great cause! With each flyer presented during this fundraising event, BJ’s will donate 15% of food and soda sales to Food For Lane County. Flyers must be printed and presented to the server.

Anything Goes at The Shedd Institute, December 6 Sunday, 2 p.m.: $22-$38: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts: 868 High St, Eugene OR: 541-434-7000. Filled with fabulous Cole Porter songs, breathtaking dances, and more than a few unforgettable lines, 1934’s Anything Goes was the best musical comedy from a decade full of brilliant ones, and has continued to be a hit ever since!

Breakfast at the Lowell Grange, December 6 Sunday, 8-11 a.m.: Donation: Lowell Grange: 51 E 2nd St, Lowell OR. Come and enjoy home cooked eggs, hashbrowns, waffles, pancakes, sausage, bacon, fruit and beverages! Donations are gratefully accepted. Proceeds go to the Building Restoration Fund.

Meet Dave Imus-Artist Series, December 9 Wednesday, 4:30-6 p.m.: Free: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. The Museum of Natural and Cultural History invites you to a special artist appearance at Past and Presents—The Museum Store. Meet local cartographer Dave Imus, browse unique inventory emphasizing local and Northwest artists and authors, and enjoy 20% off your purchase of any non-consignment item.

at the photo booth and sit on Santa’s lap. Free chocolate mustache pops to the first 40 through the door.

Little Wonders-Stories and Activities for Preschoolers, December 11 Friday, 10:30 a.m.: $3-$5: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. You and your child are invited to learn and play at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History during the monthly Little Wonders event. This month’s theme is “Arctic Animals” with stories and fun activities about animals living near the North Pole.

Parade of Lights Junction City, December 11

Thursday, 7 p.m.: Free: Downtown Veneta: Starts at 8th St & West Broadway, Veneta OR: 541-935-8443. See the crowd-lined streets of Veneta illuminated in festive, twinkling color at the 12th annual Fern Ridge Light Parade! Brightly lit parade floats wil make their way through the streets, delivering holiday cheer to onlookers young and old.

Friday, 7 p.m.: Free: Tri-County Chamber of Commerce: Downtown Junction City, Junction City OR. A fairyland phantasmagoria of lights and floats celebrates the season. This popular family-friendly parade visits three communities over the weekend starting with Junction City and finishing in Coburg.

Pop in for a Pint! December 11 Springfield High School Winter Choral Concert, December 10 Thursday, 7:30 p.m.: Free: Springfield High School Auditorium: 875 7th Street, Springfield OR: 541-744-4394. Enjoy this traditional Winter Choral Concert, complete with candlelight and Christmas carols! With over 275 singers, trees, lights and the smell of cinnamon and pine, you won’t be able to help but get into the spirit.

Friday, 5-8 p.m.: Free: Downtown Eugene: Broadway & Willamette, Eugene OR. Oakshire and Hop Valley will be offering tastes at participating merchants for procrastinating shoppers. Free gift wrap in Broadway Commerce Building atrium.

Second Friday Art Walk in Downtown Springfield, December 11 Recurring monthly on the 2nd Friday: Friday, 5-8 p.m.: Free: Downtown Springfield: 541-345-7106. Every second Friday join a guided tour of local art and murals. Meet local artists, musicians and merchants in beautiful downtown Springfield. Venues and artists change monthly.

An American Christmas Carol Ballet presented by Ballet Fantastique, December 11-13

A Dickens of a Christmas Concert Choir, December 6 Sunday, 3 p.m.: Hult Center for the Performing Arts, Silva Concert Hall: 7th & Willamette, Eugene OR. A choral adventure through past, present and future depicted with musical numbers from a 16th century renaissance yuletide feast, merry olde England of the 1800s and today’s holiday carols. Show your ticket at participating downtown Eugene restaurants to enjoy dining discounts before and after the show. See www.EugeneCascadesCoast.org/Show-Your-Ticket for promotion details.

Recurring weekly on Sunday, Thursday: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.: $18-$34: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts: 868 High St, Eugene OR: 541-434-7000. Shirley Andress returns with her 8th Annual Christmas At The Shedd, featuring Tracy Williams, Marisa Frantz, Bob Cross and Bill Hulings fronting Jesse Cloninger and the Emerald City Jazz Kings in Christmas Swing configuration!

Recurring weekly on Sunday, Friday, Saturday: Friday & Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m.: $28-$53: Hult Center for the Performing Arts: 7th Ave & Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-342-4611. Experience Ballet Fantastique’s sparkling new holiday tradition, An American Christmas Carol. Donna and Hannah reimagine Charles Dickens’ beloved story in iconic post WWII America with new choreography set to the velvet voice of international chart-topping jazz singer and local sweetheart Halie Loren. Show your ticket at participating downtown Eugene restaurants to enjoy dining discounts before and after the show. See www.EugeneCascadesCoast.org/Show-Your-Ticket for promotion details.

Anything Goes at The Shedd Institute, December 11-12

Women in Wine Dinner Series-Stoller Family Estate, December 9

Recurring daily: Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m.: $22-$38: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts: 868 High St, Eugene OR: 541434-7000. Filled with fabulous Cole Porter songs, breathtaking dances, and more than a few unforgettable lines, 1934’s Anything Goes was the best musical comedy from a decade full of brilliant ones, and has continued to be a hit ever since!

Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.: $80: Route 5 NW: 248 E 5th Ave #25, Eugene OR: 541-342-3612. Next month’s installment welcomes Melissa Burr of Stoller Family Estate. Join in on an evening of wine, food and discussion.

Dappers and Flappers at Granary Pizza and Nightclub, December 11

“Swinging On A Star”—Emerald City Jazz Kings at the Shedd, December 10-13

Friday, 9:30 p.m.: $5: Granary Pizza and Nightclub: 259 E 5th Ave, Eugene OR. Join Cirque De Licious to celebrate the high season in the roaring 20’s style! Dress to the nines, think bow ties, top hats, feathers and finery. Dance to some of Eugene’s DJs, get your picture snapped L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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Special Concert: Yo-Yo Ma-Eugene Symphony, December 11 Friday, 7:30 p.m.: $175: Hult Center for the Performing Arts: 1 Eugene Center, Eugene OR: 541-682-5000. The world’s leading cello virtuoso returns to collaborate with the Eugene Symphony for the first time in nearly a decade to help celebrate this anniversary year. He performs Dvorak, the greatest of all concertos for his instrument, preceded by a trio of rhapsodies by composers from Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria-Music Director Danail Rachev’s home country. Show your ticket at participating downtown Eugene restaurants to enjoy dining discounts before and after the show. See www.EugeneCascadesCoast. org/Show-Your-Ticket for promotion details.

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Breakfast with Santa in Junction City, December 12 Saturday: Viking Sal Senior Center: 245 W 5th Ave, Junction City OR: 541-952-0387Wake up after the annual Parade of Lights and join Santa for a very special holiday breakfast at Viking Sal Senior Center in Junction City.

Saturday: Free: Tri-County Chamber of Commerce: Downtown Junction City, Junction City OR. A fairyland phantasmagoria of lights and floats celebrates the season. This popular family-friendly parade visits three communities over the weekend starting with Junction City and finishing in Coburg.

Holiday Teas at Shelton McMurphey Johnson House, December 12-20 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Saturday: Saturday & Sunday, 1 p.m.: $25-$30: Shelton McMurphey Johnson House: 303 Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-484-0808. Come for tea at the House, a perfect way to celebrate the holidays in the Willamette Valley. There will be four separate seatings for tea, each beginning at 1 p.m. Enjoy delicious Christmas treats including Queen’s Cream Scones, and cucumber and goat cheese sandwiches.

Santa’s Smorgasborg, December 12 Saturday, 8-11 a.m.: Free: River Road Park & Recreation District: 1400 Lake Dr, Eugene OR: 541-688-4052. Visit with Santa, listen to holiday music and enjoy a holiday breakfast. All ages are welcome. Donations will be accepted at the door to cover cost of food.

Breakfast with Santa: “Little Hands Can” Fundraiser, December 12 Saturday, 9-11:30 a.m.: $5: Old School Eugene: 207 East 5th, Suite 120, Eugene OR: 541-515-0469. Get your picture taken with Santa, eat a delicious breakfast, make a Christmas card for the Eugene Mission, bring some cans of food to donate to the food bank, check out Old School Eugene and participate in the silent auction! Little Hands Can is 501(c)3.

Second Saturday Gallery Tour, December 12 Recurring monthly on the 2nd Saturday: Saturday, 3-5 p.m.: Free: 541-902-8575. Each second Saturday, liven up your day with fantastic art from local Florence artists. Backstreet Gallery, The Vardanian Gallery, The River Gallery, Old Town Coffee and Gallery, The Gallery Above the Silver Lining and the Siuslaw Library. Refreshments will be served along the way.

Christmas in Coburg, December 12-13 Recurring daily: TBA: Free: Coburg Community Grange: 32661 East Mill Street, Coburg OR: 541-345-6791. Celebrate the season with friends and neighbors! Enjoy Breakfast with Santa, 9 a.m.-noon at the Coburg Community Grange. Kids always love Breakfast with Santa!

After breakfast, donate to the Community Food Drive, 10 a.m.-noon.

On Sunday, join the Community Sing, held at the United Methodist Church, at 5:30 p.m. Once you’ve had your fill of carols, watch the Coburg Christmas Light Parade, beginning at 7 p.m., followed by the Lighting of the Park. End this festive weekend with the Coburg Grange Chili Feed and Bonfire. Merry Christmas, Coburg!

Stained Glass and Wine Class at Noble Estate Urban, December 12

Emerald City Roller Girls Derby Bout, December 12

Matthew Knight Arena: 1776 E 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-346-4461.

Cheer on UO Women’s Basketball as they take on Portland on the home court! Go Ducks!

Saturday, 6-9:30 p.m: $12-$15: Lane Events Center Auditorium: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR. Welcome to the Emerald City Roller Girls Home Team Season 9 Closer! This is the last game of the season, and your last chance to catch the action when the Andromedolls take on Church of Sk8in. Get your tickets in advance!

Holiday Fair at Domaine Meriwether Winery, December 12-13 Recurring daily: Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Domaine Meriwether Winery: 88324 Vineyard Ln, Veneta OR: 541-935-9711.

Enjoy live music, artisan vendors and food carts while sipping from a selection of fine wines.

Holiday Lights Parade in Harrisburg, December 12 36

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Saturday, 4-6 p.m.: $25: Noble Estate Urban: 560 Commercial Street, Eugene OR: 541-338-3007. Linda Knox, glass fusion artist from Dragonfly Studio, will help you create a one of a kind stained glass ornament while you sip a glass of your favorite Noble Estate wine.

UO Women’s Basketball vs Portland, December 12

Celebrate the Season with Cascade Chorus, December 13 Sunday, 2:30 p.m.: $12-$15: Sheldon High School: 2455 Willakenzie Rd, Eugene OR: 541-607-6937. Celebrate the Season with a special performance by Cascade Chorus at Sheldon High School. Reserve your tickets today.

Holiday Lights Parade in Monroe, December 13 Sunday: Free: Tri-County Chamber of Commerce: Downtown Junction City, Junction City OR. A fairyland phantasmagoria of lights and floats celebrates the season. This popular family-friendly parade visits three communities over the weekend starting with Junction City and finishing in Coburg.

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Santa visits The Oregon Coast Military Museum, December 13

Hockey Eugene Generals vs Seattle, December 18-19

Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.: Free: Oregon Coast Military Museum: 2145 Kingwood Dr, Florence OR: 541-902-5160. Santa Claus is coming to the Oregon Coast Military Museum! There will be treats for kids and photo opportunities with Santa. This is a free event. Families can take the time to tour the Museum and gift shop featuring tons of retro candy.

Recurring daily: Friday & Saturday, 7:35 p.m.: Free-$10: Lane Events Center/The Rink Exchange: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-2255123. Eugene Generals Hockey vs Seattle at The Rink Exchange.

The Nutcracker by the Eugene Ballet Company in Florence, December 15

Recurring daily: Friday, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2-4 p.m. & 6-8 p.m.: Ragozzino Performance Hall, Lane Community College: 4000 E 30th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-463-5643. Identity Dance, a live dance performance presented by We 3 Concert at Lane Community College.

Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.: Eugene Ballet Company: 1590 Willamette St Ste 100, Eugene OR: 541-997-1994. The Nutcracker is a family tradition that begins early and the memory lingers throughout the years.

OrchestraNext and the Festival Singers will join this performance.

UO Women’s Basketball vs UC Riverside, December 15 Tuesday: Matthew Knight Arena: 1776 E 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541346-4461. Cheer on UO Women’s Basketball as they take on UC Riverside on the home court! Go Ducks!

Meet Ketzia Schoneberg—Artist Series, December 16 Wednesday, 4:30-6 p.m.: Free: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. The Museum of Natural and Cultural History invites you to a special artist appearance at Past and Presents–The Museum Store. Meet local painter Ketzia Schoneberg, browse unique inventory emphasizing local and Northwest artists and authors, and enjoy 20% off your purchase of any non-consignment items.

Identity Dance-Lane Community College, December 18-19

Miracle on 34th Street-Radio Redux, December 18 Recurring every 3 days: Friday & Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.: $18: Hult Center for the Performing Arts: 1 Eugene Center, Eugene OR: 541-682-5000. Radio worth watching! Dreams come true after a kindly old gent who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane only to be rescued by a young lawyer who defends him by arguing in court that he is the real thing. A warm holiday story that everyone can believe in. Live staged retro-modern radio program.

Northern Lights-A Winter Solstice Celebration, December 18 Friday, 5-8 p.m.: $3-$5: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. Light up the darkest time of year at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History’s annual winter solstice event. From crafts and face painting to live music and performances, the whole family will enjoy this Arctic-themed celebration of winter!

“Swinging On A Star”—Emerald City Jazz Kings in Florence, December 17 Thursday, 7:30 p.m.: $30: Florence Events Center: 715 Quince St, Florence OR: 541-997-1994. Shirley Andress returns with her 8th Annual Christmas At The Shedd, presented at the Florence Events Center. Featuring Tracy Williams, Marisa Frantz, Bob Cross and Bill Hulings fronting Jesse Cloninger and the Emerald City Jazz Kings in Christmas Swing configuration!

UO Women’s Basketball vs Portland State, December 17 Thursday: Matthew Knight Arena: 1776 E 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541346-4461. Cheer on UO Women’s Basketball as they take on Portland State on the home court! Go Ducks!

Anything Goes December, 18-20 Recurring daily: Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 1 & 7 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.: $22-$38: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts: 868 High St, Eugene OR: 541-434-7000. Filled with fabulous Cole Porter songs, breathtaking dances, and more than a few unforgettable lines, 1934’s Anything Goes was the best musical comedy from a decade full of brilliant ones, and has continued to be a hit ever since!

The Nutcracker by the Eugene Ballet Company, December 18-20 Recurring daily: Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.: Hult Center for the Performing Arts: 7th Ave & Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-682-5000. The Nutcracker is a family tradition that begins early and the memory lingers throughout the years.

OrchestraNext and the Festival Singers will join all four Eugene performances. Show your ticket at participating downtown Eugene restaurants to enjoy dining discounts before and after the show. See www.EugeneCascadesCoast.org/Show-Your-Ticket for promotion details.

Eugene Holiday Half Marathon & Hustle 10K/5K, December 19

Lane Blood Drive in Veneta, December 23

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Lane Events Center: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR. This year will be the fourth annual Eugene Holiday Half Marathon and Hustle 10K/5K featuring a free kid’s race! A community favorite, the event starts and finishes at the Lane Events Center, utilizing the Fern Ridge Bike Path. The perfect race to get you into the holiday spirit! All half finishers receive a custom event medal.

Wednesday, 1-6 p.m.: Free: Veneta Fire Station: 88050 Territorial Hwy, Veneta OR. Lane Memorial Blood Bank’s Blood mobile will be at the Veneta Fire Station taking blood donations. Walk-ins welcome or call to schedule an appointment.

Recurring weekly on Sunday, Thursday: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m.: $15-$79: Hult Center for the Performing Arts: 7th Ave & Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-682-5000. Set in the Scottish highlands, this opera recounts the tragic love between Lucia of Lammermoor and Edgardo, Master of Ravenswood-separated by family hatred and political ambition, united by love. Sir Walter Scott’s historical romance The Bride of Lammermoor inspired this ever-popular opera.

Last Friday ArtWalk in the Whiteaker Neighborhood, December 25

50 Years: A City and Its Symphony, Through December 31

Recurring monthly on the last Friday: Friday, 6-8 p.m.: Free: Whiteaker Neighborhood. Stroll through the Whiteaker to see public works of art ranging from wall murals to sculptures. Neighborhood galleries, artist studios, eateries, live music venues and tasting rooms open their doors to share local exhibits and promote local art. The Whiteaker neighborhood is located just northwest of downtown Eugene around Blair Blvd.

Recurring daily: Daily: Free: Eugene Public Library: 100 W 10th Ave, Eugene OR. Eugene Symphony started in 1965 with a bold notion-that Eugene could and should have its own symphony orchestra. Over the next 50 years, that idea, first dreamt of in a living room and nurtured by visionary volunteers and dedicated musicians, has grown into one of America’s preeminent regional orchestras. This exhibition tells the remarkable story and is dedicated to the many people who gave their time, talent and financial support to cultivate Eugene Symphony.

Winter Whale Watching on the Oregon Coast, December 27-31

Christmas In Coburg Annual Light Parade, December 20 TBA: Free: Downtown Coburg: E Delany, Coburg OR. The wonder and joy of the holidays shines bright during this annual celebration for the community to enjoy. Gather and watch the “Parade of Lights”, see Santa, enjoy treats and activities, and create a great memory together.

Don’t forget to stop in at the Grange for the Annual Chili Feed as well, and warm up a bit with some homestyle comfort food! Donations to the Coburg Food Pantry graciously accepted.

The Christmas Festival Chorale-Junction City Arts Council presents 3rd Sunday, December 20 Sunday, 3:30 p.m.: Free: Saint Helen Catholic Church: 1350 W 6th Ave, Junction City OR. Under the direction of Nadine Wiles, The Christmas Festival Chorale will perform the cantata Let the Whole World Sing by composer Joel Raney. In this cantata the composer combines well known Christmas carols with newly inspired music and scriptural narrations to present a wonderful celebration of the Christmas story.

Recurring daily: Sunday-Thursday: Free: Cape Perpetua Visitor Center : 2400 Hwy 101, Yachats OR: 541-765-3304. People come from all over to learn about the gray whales that migrate past the Oregon coast each year, an awesome sight to behold.

UO Women’s Basketball vs Seattle University, December 28 Monday: Matthew Knight Arena: 1776 E 13th Ave, Eugene OR: 541346-4461. Cheer on UO Women’s Basketball as they take on Seattle University on the home court! Go Ducks!

Satin Love Orchestra New Year’s Eve Ball at Valley River Inn, December 31 Thursday, 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m.: $40: Valley River Inn: 1000 Valley River Way, Eugene OR: 541-743-2059. Spend NYE with VRI and Satin Love Orchestra. Ring in the new year in style, Bond Style. This James Bond: Diamonds are Forever party will have live funktastic music, casino games and more!

Holiday Science Adventures at The Science Factory, December 21-23 Recurring daily: Monday-Wednesday, 1-4 p.m.: $17-$20: The Science Factory Children’s Museum & Exploration Dome: 2300 Leo Harris Pkwy, Eugene OR. The Science Factory offers half-day workshops during winter vacation so your child can explore a variety of fun science topics. Monday, December 21, learn about Candy Makers! Tuesday, December 22, it’s Toy Engineers. Wednesday, December 23, learn about How to Have a Green Holiday! These adventures in science are for children grades 1 to 3.

Recurring daily: Daily: Free: Eugene Public Library: 100 W 10th Ave, Eugene OR. On the walls of the 2nd floor Magazines and Newspaper Room, view street corners from around the world, each with different people from different walks of life and different stories to tell. The photos range from South Africa to Arizona, Berlin to Colombia. These are images of ordinary people captured as they rest, work or ponder their futures.

Trans*HeART Show, Through December 31 Recurring daily: Daily: Free: Eugene Public Library: 100 W 10th Ave, Eugene OR. ºTrans*Ponder Eugene and the Gender Diversity Awareness Week organizing committee present two displays in the cases of the Magazines and Newspapers Room in recognition of the National Transgender Day of Awareness and in celebration of Gender Diversity Awareness Week. The Trans*HeART Show shares works by local Trans* artists.

Scientific at the Core, Through January 10 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: $3-$5: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. Think like a scientist! Explore an interactive laboratory that offers hands-on science-based activities for visitors of all ages.

Holiday Science Adventures at The Science Factory, December 21-23 Recurring daily: Monday-Wednesday, 9 a.m.-noon: $17-$20: The Science Factory Children’s Museum & Exploration Dome: 2300 Leo Harris Pkwy, Eugene OR. The Science Factory offers half-day workshops during winter vacation so your child can explore a variety of fun science topics. Monday, December 21, learn about Amazing Astronomy! Tuesday, December 22, it’s Life in the Ice Age. Wednesday, December 23, learn about Awesome Animals! These adventures in science are for children grades 1 to 3.

Street Rhythms: A Photographic Journey

by Ron Verzuh, Through December 31

First Run of the Year, December 31, 2015–January 1, 2016 Recurring daily: Thursday, 10:30 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m.: $10$35: Valley River Inn: 1000 Valley River Way, Eugene OR: 541-4849883. Run in the new year! You can choose to participate on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day or both. Courses are on bike paths along the beautiful Willamette River. For the night race, the 10K course is different this year and will be well lit wtih street lights.

Site Seeing—Snapshots of Historical Archaeology in Oregon, Through January 10 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: $3-$5: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. New views into nineteenth-century Oregon. From a working class neighborhood in Portland to a Chinese mining community in Jacksonville, this exhibit tells the stories of five historic sites recently excavated by museum archaeologists.

Highlights of the Jensen Arctic Collection, Through January 10 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: $3-$5: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. Journey into the unique cultures and ecosystems of the Arctic. Adopted in 2013 from Western Oregon University, the Jensen Collection represents one of the largest assemblages of Arctic material in the United States and a valuable record of life in a rapidly changing region.

2pm Talks at the Museum, Through February 28, 2016 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Tuesday-Sunday, 2 p.m.: $3-$5: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. The Museum of Natural and Cultural History offers exhibit talks Tuesdays through Sundays at 2 p.m. covering a wide range of topics–from Oregon wildlife to Northwest cultural history. Perfect for solo visitors, couples, or groups the talks are are included with the price of.

Explore Oregon, Through February 28 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: $3-$5: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. 300 million years of Northwest natural history. Go Deep.

Explore the forces shaping Oregon’s landscapes and ecosystems.

Discover the giant sabertooth salmon and other amazing animals from Oregon’s past, and take part in a dialogue about climate, conservation, and our future.

Oregon—Where Past is Present, Through February 28 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: $3-$5: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. Discover Oregon’s deep history and the artistry and technologies of its first peoples. See the world’s oldest shoes–10,000-year old sandals recovered from an Oregon cave. Please pardon our dust as we add fresh content and new, interactive displays to our signature cultural history exhibit!

The Buzz Saw Sharks of Long Ago, Through February 28 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: $3-$5: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. Featuring the Art of Ray Troll, dive into the deep past and unravel the mystery of the buzz saw shark! Fun for the whole family, the exhibit combines original art, spectacular fossils, and a good dose of scientific humor to shed light on this freaky and fascinating fish.

Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti, December 31, 2015–January 3, 2016 L A N E M O N T H L Y . C O M

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eventscalendar

JANUARY First Run of the Year, January 1 Recurring daily. Thursday, 10:30 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m. Admission: $10-$35. Location: Valley River Inn Address: 1000 Valley River Way, Eugene OR Phone: 541-484-9883. Run in the new year! You can choose to participate on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day or both.

Courses are on bike paths along the beautiful Willamette River. For the night race, the 10K course is different this year and will be well lit wtih street lights.

No Harm Intended: Lane County Medical History, Through March 31 Recurring weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $1-$5. Location: Lane County Historical Society and Museum. Address: 740 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-682-4242. Major exhibition on Lane County medical history from 1840 to 1940 with over 250 objects, including items on loan from Peace Health laboratories. Explore medical science before penicillin and antibiotics. The exhibition runs from November 13 through the end of March 2016.

Courtesy of Eugene Cascades and Coast

Lucia di Lammermoor—Eugene Opera, December 31, 2015-January 3, 2016

Guaranty RV Seminar: Accessories, January 9

Recurring weekly on Sunday, Thursday. Event Days & Times: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m. Admission: $20-$87. Location: Hult Center for the Performing Arts. Address: 7th Ave & Willamette St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-682-5000. Set in the romantic Scottish highlands, the opera recounts the tragic love between Lucia of Lammermoor and Edgardo, Master of Ravenwood-separated by family hatred and political ambition, united by love. Inspired by Sir Walter Scott’s novel The Bride of Lammermoor, this all-time favorite has been thrilling audiences since 1835.

Saturday, 10 a.m. Admission: Free. Location: Guaranty RV Super Centers. Address: 93668 Hwy 99 S, Junction City OR. Phone: 541998-4285. Guaranty’s knowledgable technicians go over what’s right for you and your RV so you can make informed decisions on the wide variety of accessories available. All questions answered. Snacks and coffee provided.

Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti, December 31, 2015-January 3, 2016 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Thursday. Event Days & Times: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m. Admission: $15-$79. Location: Hult Center for the Performing Arts. Address: 7th Ave & Willamette St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-682-5000Set in the Scottish highlands, this opera recounts the tragic love between Lucia of Lammermoor and Edgardo, Master of Ravenswood-separated by family hatred and political ambition, united by love. Sir Walter Scott’s historical romance The Bride of Lammermoor inspired this ever-popular opera.

Holiday Science Adventures at The Science Factory, January 4-5 Recurring daily Monday & Tuesday, 9 a.m.-noon. Admission: $17-$20.

Location: The Science Factory Children’s Museum & Exploration Dome.

Address: 2300 Leo Harris Pkwy, Eugene OR. The Science Factory offers half-day workshops during winter vacation so your child can explore a variety of fun science topics. Monday, January 4, learn about Holiday Mysteries! Tuesday, January 5, it’s Computer Creations. These adventures in science are for children grades 1 to 3.

Holiday Science Adventures at The Science Factory, January 4-5

Larry Pattis at Tsunami Books, January 2 Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Admission: $10. Location: Tsunami Books.

Address: 2585 Willamette St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-345-8986.

American guitar master Larry Pattis of Pleasant Hill comes to Tsunami for a very special solo performance. This is becoming a wonderful annual event here at the book barn, always a pleasure.

Ideas on Tap: Fossils, Myths and Fantastical Creatures, January 6 Wednesday, 6-8 p.m. Admission: Free. Location: Sprout! Address: 418 A St, Springfield OR. This month, join UO art historian Nina Amstutz and museum exhibits developer Lyle Murphy for a talk about fossils and folklore, exploring the delicate balance between science and creativity in the interpretation of natural history.

John Pizzarelli at John G. Shedd Institute, January 7 Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Admission: $29-$39. Location: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts. Address: 868 High St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-434-7000. John Pizzarelli oozes charm with every riff he plays and each note he croons. It’s that old school magnetism along with his masterful musicianship that has kept the guitarist and singer a fixture in the American jazz scene for nearly thirty years.

Little Wonders—Stories and Activities for Preschoolers, January 8 Friday, 10:30 a.m. Admission: $3-$5. Location: University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Address: 1680 E 15th Ave, Eugene OR. What can footprints tell us about animals? You and your child are invited to explore different animal tracks with the Museum of Natural and Cultural History and make some of your own tracks to take home!

Recurring daily Monday & Tuesday, 1-4 p.m. Admission: $17-$20.

Location: The Science Factory Children’s Museum & Exploration Dome.

Address: 2300 Leo Harris Pkwy, Eugene OR. The Science Factory offers half-day workshops during winter vacation so your child can explore a variety of fun science topics. Monday, January 4, learn about Evergreens! Tuesday, January 5, it’s Ice-Cold Science. These adventures in science are for children grades 1 to 3.

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Second Saturday Gallery Tour, Through April 9

A Community Conversation About the Jacobs Gallery Space, January 13 Fun with Fermentation, January 9, 2016

Saturday, 4-6 p.m. Admission: $38-$43. Location: Noble Estate Urban.

Address: 560 Commercial Street, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-731-3507.

Paint a glorious snowy scene at Noble Estate Urban with artist Piper Ruiz. She teaches step by step painting and you take home your new 18” x 24” artwork on canvas. Feel free to bring food and enjoy Noble Estate wines. Come with a friend or meet new friends at the party.

Register in advance.

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Saturday, 7:30-10 p.m. Admission: $6-$8. Location: The Jazz Station.

Address: 124 West Broadway, Eugene OR. Phone: 206-890-1098.

Portland jazz quintet Under The Lake delivers an original combination of funk, soul and jazz they refer to as jazz, groove and attitude.

The show has been called effervescent, vivacious and all-together engaging.

Recurring monthly on the 2nd Saturday. Saturday, 3-5 p.m. Admission: Free. Location: Various Locations. Phone: 541-902-8575. Each second Saturday, liven up your day with fantastic art from local Florence artists. Backstreet Gallery, The Vardanian Gallery, The River Gallery, Old Town Coffee and Gallery, The Gallery Above the Silver Lining and the Siuslaw Library. Refreshments will be served along the way.

Pink Buffalo Paint and Sip at Noble Estate, January 2

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Jazz, Groove and Attitude at The Jazz Station, January 9

Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $5-$10. Location: Unitarian Universalist Church. Address: 1685 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-686-0921. Fun with Fermentation is an educational event that focuses on discovering how fermentation is used in making many foods consumers eat every day and how to make fermented foods at home via four live demonstrations. Free fermented foods and beverages samples, fermented meals and a raffle.

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Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Admission: Free. Location: The Atrium Building. Address: 99 W 10th Ave, Eugene OR. The Jacobs Gallery has long been a significant organization showcasing visual arts in this community. While Eugene is losing an important gallery, it is not losing it’s commitment to investing in the evolution and promotion of visual arts. Cultural Services looks forward to facilitating a conversation with artists and organizations that may be interested in utilizing this dynamic space.

Honey of a Dinner—A Celebration of Bees, Honey and Oregon’s Ecosystems, January 28

Dogs compete in the 2nd annual Joriad Truffle Dog Championship with a series of qualifying events. Watch teams race to search for hidden truffle-scented targets. Finalists from Day 1 will advance to the Joriad Field Trial-a head-to-head and nose-to-ground action in the wild where nature alone determines how many truffles are hidden.

Thursday, 5-8 p.m. Admission: $60-$80. Location: UO Ford Alumni Center, Guistina Ballroom. Address: 720 East 13th Ave, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-346-1671. Featuring a talk by Oregon State University honeybee expert Carolyn Breece. Explore the roles that bees play in Oregon’s environment and food supply and enjoy a special menu showcasing the work of these amazing pollinators. Advance reservations are required.

Winter Music Festival in Florence, January 16 Recurring every 2 days. Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission: $12.50-$50. Location: Florence Events Center.

Address: 715 Quince St, Florence ORPhone: 541-997-1994. The new Winter Music Festival, presented by the Friends of the Florence Events Center.

At the Hearth of the Crossed Races—Talk and Book Signing with Melinda Marie Jetté, January 13 Wednesday, 5:30-7 p.m. Admission: Free. Location: UO Many Nations Longhouse. Address: 1630 Columbia Street, Eugene OR. Despite Oregon’s founding mythology, the Willamette Valley was not an empty Eden awaiting settlement by hardy pioneers. Join historian and author Melinda Marie Jetté, PhD. as she explores the relationships among indigenous peoples, early French-Indian settlers and Anglo-American pioneers.

Hockey Eugene Generals vs Tri-Cities, January 15-16

Matthew Pavilanis, Virtuoso Pianist— Junction City Arts Council presents 3rd, January 17

Saturday, 9 p.m. Admission: $27.50-$72. Location: McDonald Theatre.

Address: 1010 Willamette St, Eugene OR. Reserve your tickets for this special show. Anjelah Johnson at McDonald Theatre, presented

by KDUK.

3:30 p.m. Admission: Free. Location: Junction City United Methodist Church. Address: 750 W 10th Ave, Junction City OR. Join a musically enchanting afternoon with pianist Matthew Pavilanis. Originally from Michigan, Pavilanis is a young, enigmatic classical pianist whose main goal is to share his passion and love for music with others.

Keola Beamer & Henry Kapono at The Shedd, January 23

Chase Rice at McDonald Theatre, January 18 Monday, 8 p.m. Admission: $29.50-$35. Location: McDonald Theatre.

Address: 1010 Willamette St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-345-4442.

Country singer and songwriter Chase Rice comes to McDonald Theatre with The Cadillac Three and Jordan Davis opening. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Oregon Matt Hartner Memorial Classic, January 16-18

The Movement Project at Wildish Community Theater, January 16 Saturday, 7-9 p.m. Admission: $15. Location: Richard E. Wildish Community Theater. Address: 630 Main St, Springfield OR. The Movement Project is a dance concert featuring both local and non-local groups that will benefit Cure ATRT Now, which is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness and funds new treatments for a rare and aggressive pediatric brain cancer known as ATRT (atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor).

Truffle Dog Championship-The Joriad Day 1 Competition, January 16 Admission: $12-$15. Location: Lane County Fairgrounds Horse Pavilion. Address: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR. Phone: 503-296-5929.

Monday, 7:30 p.m. Admission: $34-$38. Location: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts. Address: 868 High St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541434-7000. After his soulful ballad Walking in Memphis won him a Grammy Award, Marc Cohn established his place as one of this generation’s most compelling singer/songwriters.

11th Annual Good Earth Home, Garden and Living Show, January 22-24

Friday, 7 p.m. Admission: $10-$30. Location: Florence Events Center.

Address: 715 Quince St., Florence OR. Phone: 541-997-1994.

Although most people won’t have the chance to dine in the cafés of Seville or dance in the clubs of Havana, it is possible to experience a sense of that passionate cultural vibe through the musical talents of Jesse Cook and his band. Performing live at the Florence Events Center.

The Magical Moombah: “Gloria’s Habitat Hotel,”January 23

Dash N Dine 5K/15K Race, January 24

Marc Cohn at The Shedd Institute, January 18

Jesse Cook in Florence, January 29

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Admission: $27-$35. Location: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts. Address: 868 High St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-434-7000. Hawaiian musical greats Keola Beamer and Henry Kapono have joined forces to create a soul-stirring celebration of contemporary Hawaiian music, allowing audiences to metaphorically escape to the Big Island without ever leaving their seats!

Saturday, 10 a.m. Admission: $5. Location: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts. Address: 868 High St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541434-7000. GLORIA builds a house where each visitor will feel right at home, no matter where they come from! The different rooms simulate all kinds of natural habitats and dwellings, including an igloo, a pueblo, a fish tank, a tipi and a dome. She invites all the Moombahteers and their guests to come!

Recurring daily Friday & Saturday, 7:35 p.m. Admission: Free-$10.

Location: Lane Events Center/The Rink ExchangeAddress: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-225-5123. Eugene Generals Hockey vs Tri-Cities at The Rink Exchange.

Recurring daily Saturday & Sunday 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Monday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission: Free. Location: Moshofsky Sports Center.Address: 2727 Leo Harris Parkway, Eugene OR. This is an exciting three day junior girls club volleyball tournament featuring teams from around the west coast competing at U14s, U16s and U18s age groups. These teams are among some of the top club programs in the country.

Anjelah Johnson—Presented by KDUK, January 23

Sunday, 10 a.m. Admission: $5-$20. Location: Holiday Inn Express, Eugene. Address: 2117 Franklin Blvd, Eugene OR. Both distances start and finish in the south lot of Holiday Inn Express on Franklin Blvd.

The 5K crosses the Willamette River via the Autzen and Knickerbocker bridges, the 15K crosses the river via the Greenway and Knickerbocker bridges.

Hockey Eugene Generals vs Wenatchee, January 28 Thursday, 6:05 p.m. Admission: Free-$10. Location: Lane Events Center/The Rink Exchange. Address: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-225-5123. Eugene Generals Hockey vs Wenatchee at The Rink Exchange.

Recurring daily Friday, 5-9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: Free. Location: Lane Events Center.Address: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-484-9247. America’s first sustainable home and garden show returns! Over 250 sustainable exhibits for the home, garden and life. Explore seven pavillions of Green Good Earth Living. Enjoy national green building experts, sustainable living experts, NW authors, live music, organic eats and more!

Free admission with a donation of canned food. Free parking.

Oregon Truffle Festival, January 29-31 Recurring daily Friday-Sunday. Admission: Varies. Location: Hilton Eugene & Conference Center. Address: 66 E 6th Ave, Eugene OR. Phone: 503-296-5929. The 11th annual Oregon Truffle Festival has three elegant and unique Weekend Experiences to offer bridging the Old and New Worlds of all things truffle. As always, enjoy new events, new venues and new faces to help celebrate Oregon truffles, culinary tradition, craft beers, artisan spirits and the best of Oregon wine.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, January 29-February 14 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. ThursdaySaturday, 8-10 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.Admission: $20-$25.

Location: Cottage Theatre. Address: 700 Village Dr, Cottage Grove OR. Phone: 541-942-8001A hilarious musical romp through a middle school spelling bee, complete with audience participation.

Winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best Book. Rated PG for brief sexual reference.

The Wood Brothers at McDonald Theatre, January 29 Friday, 8 p.m. Admission: $25-$27. Location: McDonald Theatre.

Address: 1010 Willamette St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-345-4442. The Wood Brothers perform with opening act Liz Vice at McDonald Theatre.

Doors open at 7 p.m.

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“In The Mood”—Emerald City Jazz Kings in Florence, January 30

Hockey Eugene Generals vs Seattle, February 5-6

Saturday, 2 p.m. Admission: $25. Location: Florence Events Center.

Address: 715 Quince St, Florence OR Phone: 541-997-1994. For the second installment of Swing Era classics, the Emerald City Jazz Kings will examine the great songs of 1939-42. You will hear more from Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, the Andrews Sisters, and great songs from Glenn Miller, Harry James, Artie Shaw, Vera Lynn, Helen Forrest, and Bing Crosby.

Recurring daily Friday & Saturday, 7:35 p.m. Admission: Free-$10.

Location: Lane Events Center/The Rink Exchange. Address: 796 W 13th Ave, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-225-5123. Eugene Generals Hockey vs Seattle at The Rink Exchange.

Shall We Dance 2016—Angel Hair Foundation, January 30 Saturday, 5:30-11 p.m. Admission: $100. Location: Venue 252. Address: 252 Lawrence St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-344-5135. Six local celebrities, one dance each, the audience votes for the winner. Tickets go on sale December 2015. Ticket includes admission, food, beer and wine. This event will sell out, so don’t wait!

Ideas on Tap: Stories and Songs of a Commercial Fishing Woman, February 3

Florence Crab Crack, February 6

Wednesday,6-8 p.m. Admission: Free. Location: Sprout! Address: 418 A St, Springfield OR. Join the Museum of Natural and Cultural History for Ideas on Tap, a conversation series held the first Wednesday of the month at Sprout! This month, journey into the world of maritime labor through the extraordinary sea tales of Fisher-Poet Moe Bowstern.

Saturday, 4-7 p.m. Admission: $35. Location: Florence Events Center.

Address: 715 Quince St, Florence OR. Phone: 541-997-9599. All-YouCan-Eat Crab Dinner to benefit Florence Food Share. A no-host bar will be available. Tickets can be purchased after December 1 and advance purchase is required. Only 400 tickets will be sold and the deadline to purchase is January 25. There will be no ticket sales at the door.

Winter Shorts—Lane Community College, February 5-13 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Thursday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Admission: $5-$10. Location: Building 6 Blue Door Theatre 103. Address: 4000 E 30th Ave, Eugene OR. Formerly known as “Spring Inspirations” this evening of short plays written, directed and produced by theatre students at Lane is an opportunity for students and community members to participate in the enlightening process of presenting full productions of brand new works for the stage. Feedback from audience members is an important part of the experience!

Book of Mormon presented by Hult Center for the Performing Arts, February 2-7 Recurring weekly on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Admission: $35$100. Location: Hult Center for the Performing Arts. Address: 7th Ave & Willamette St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541.682.500. With praise from publications like The New York Times, Washington Post, and Entertainment Weekly, you’re going to want to see what it’s all about. Hailed as the best musical of this century, Book of Mormon will provide the kind of evening that restores faith in musicals.

“In The Mood”—The Emerald City Jazz Kings at the Shedd, February 4-7 Recurring weekly on Sunday, ThursdayEvent Days & Times: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Admission: $17-$29. Location: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts. Address: 868 High St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-434-7000. For the second installment of Swing Era classics, the Emerald City Jazz Kings will examine the great songs of 1939-42. You will hear more from Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, the Andrews Sisters, and great songs from Glenn Miller, Harry James, Artie Shaw, Vera Lynn, Helen Forrest and Bing Crosby.

ONE CARD: MANY STORIES, February 5-7 A First Friday Pop-Up Gallery Event featuring the premiere showing of photographic greeting cards by Robert Charles Le Moon.

Friday February 5th though Sunday February 7th with a Reception for the Artist Friday Evening from 6:00-8:00PM. Saturday and Sunday. hours 10AM to 6PM. Refreshments provided.

Location: 1095 Est 35th Avenue, Eugene, Oregon 97405.

For information about schedule of events or directions please contact 541-731-7132.

Mark Hummel’s Blues Harmonica Blowout 2016, February 2 Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Admission: $36. Location: The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts. Address: 868 High St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541434-7000. Mark Hummel celebrates the 25th Annual Blues Harmonica Blowout with a stellar lineup that includes Curtis Salgado, Anson Funderburgh, Lil Charlie, Aki Kumar, Big Jon Atkinson, Kyle Rowland, Kim Wilson, Wes Starr & RW Grigsby. The theme for the evening will be Generations of Blues Harp.

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2016 Emerald Team Challenge, February 5-7 Recurring daily Friday-Sunday. Admission: $5-$15. Location: Willamalane Center for Sports and Recreation. Address: 250 S 32nd St, Springfield OR. Phone: 541-344-2002. Almost 1,000 gymnasts from across the Western United States and Canada will compete in one of the top gymnastics competitions held in the West. Presented by the National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics (NAAG).

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Mardi Gras 5K, February 6 Saturday, 4 p.m. Admission: $20-$25. Location: Oregon Wine LAB. Address: 488 Lincoln St, Eugene OR. Phone: 541-484-9883.

Celebrate Mardi Gras with a run and a party. Live New Orleans jazz music, beads, masks and costumes. This is a 5k for people who like to party. Start and finish at the Oregon Wine Lab. Come with friends and celebrate being alive! Must be over 21 to enter. Prizes to be awarded for best costumes, masks and the most Mardi Gras beads.

Lane County performing arts

shine bright

during the holidays

The Song of Winter

BY SUZI STEFFEN

As our year winds to a close and the new one begins, classical music lights the way My fingers are crossed that you’re opening this

issue of Lane Monthly not too many days after watching Diane Retallack’s Eugene Concert Choir and Eugene Vocal Arts ensemble present their marvelous holiday offering, “A Dickens of a Christmas.” Every year, the group does something pretty spectacular and definitely family-friendly for the holidays, so if you missed out this year, don’t forget to sign on for next year’s concert.

Three days before that, the Eugene Symphony produced the charming “American Spectacular” evening, complete with a world premiere, Broadway songs, Gershwin and Copland and Ellington and Bernstein. I also hope you were there at Beall Hall to hear the orchestra and singers, not to mention the 50th anniversary commission of composer Roberto Sierra’s “Loíza.”

But what if you missed some of this? Not to worry!

There’s still one chance in December to see the Eugene Symphony: They’ve got a special performance with celebrity cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Friday, Dec. 11, at the Hult Center. Though very few tickets remain—and they’re pricey!—it’s always fun, and well worth waiting for returns or paying for the nosebleed seats, to see how the Symphony supports its special guests. Ma, who last played in Eugene almost a decade ago, is bringing Eugene the work of Eastern European composers, including the towering Dvorak Cello Concerto.

If you pick this issue up in time, you may make it to Chamber Music Amici’s Monday, Dec. 7 concert in the beautiful Wildish Community Theater in downtown Springfield. The group, which is always enjoyable to watch and listen to and which fills a chamber music gap in Eugene’s neighbor, features the singing of alto Karen Esquivel and the regular group’s playing in a concert of Mozart, Brahms and Shostakovich. For tickets for that show or any of the group’s other shows during its seventh season, call 541-953-9204.

In Eugene, the firmly revived Oregon Mozart

Players perform their annual holiday show, probably the biggest classical music holiday attraction around, with the Candlelight Baroque concert. I grew up with this kind of concert in Kansas City, and for a long time, it didn’t occur to me to wonder how Baroque music—the music of Handel, Bach,

Purcell, Telemann and many other Euro guys of 1600-1750—became associated with the Christian winter holidays.

Kelly Kuo, the artistic director of the Mozart Players, says that much of the work of those Euro guys was of necessity written for smaller churches and intimate venues. But that doesn’t mean the Mozart Players’ December offerings were always focused on Baroque music (after all, they are the Mozart Players).

“It morphed into Baroque music, which is great for Eugene because the Oregon Bach Festival is so famous, but they perform in the summer,” Kuo says, “and the Eugene Symphony’s home is a big space, not appropriate for some of the more intimate Baroque works.”

Candlelight Baroque runs two nights and

usually sells out, so get your tickets as soon as you can. This year, the performance includes some Scarlatti, a Bach harpsichord concerto (No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052, if you’d like to prepare your ears), Handel’s overture to the opera Samson, and back to Bach with the Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major.

One of the things about performing at the First Christian Church in downtown Eugene instead of the acoustical gem that is Beall Hall, Kuo says, is that “the dome is gorgeous, but it creates some unusual musical characteristics. You might hear only violas, or you might hear only harpsichord.”

He adds, with a laugh, “I always encourage people to move around.” Or come both nights—7:30 pm Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18 and 19—and experience the same concert in a completely different way.

Tickets ($15-$45; $10 for students) at oregonmozartplayers.org. “The atmosphere of the church, with the candlelight and our harpsichordist,” Kuo says, “makes it our most popular concert.”

But that’s not the end of the music in 2015. The Eugene Opera, reunited with its thoughtful, talented and energetic music director Andrew Bisantz, takes on a grand challenge for New Year’s Eve at the Hult Center: Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. The show also opens the 2016 music season on Sunday, January 3, in a matinee, but the traditional New Year’s Eve opera at the Hult is always a marvelous

treat. The story is romantic, the music Romantic, and the principals a mix of Metropolitan Opera singers and strong local voices. Don’t miss the NYE party at Perugino after the opera winds down—it’s a chance to meet the stars and sip champagne with the dedicated and lovely Eugene Opera Chorus (tickets for the opera and the party, not to mention the Eugene Opera’s Aria Auction Dinner on Dec. 13, are available at eugeneopera.com).

As the new year expands into January and a new term begins at local colleges and universities, the music plays on.

One of the bigger treats might be Sunday, Jan.

10’s Chamber Music@Beall (or CM@B, if you prefer) concert with pianist Olga Kern. Kern, whose accomplishments would fill the entire magazine, is a magnetic and serious performer, and—as with many of our classical options—Eugene is one lucky small town, and Lane County one lucky Oregon county, to have her play in Beall. Tickets are $21.50-$49.50 at hultcenter.org or 541-682-5000 (and I’d advise you to get them soon if you want to be on the side of the hall where you can see the pianist’s hands).

A few days later, the Eugene Symphony’s most recent former music director, Giancarlo Guerrero, conducts two Italian masterpieces by Ottorino Respighi at 7:30 pm Thursday, January 21, at the Hult Center. (Tix at eugenesymphony.org or hultcenter.org or 541-682-5000). While he was here, Guerrero was known for his passionate desire for the musicians to perform well; it will be a treat to see how he’s changed and how the orchestra, under music director Danail Rachev, has also changed and grown.

As school gets back into session, Beall Hall will be hopping with music faculty performances, with senior recitals, with the UO Gospel Choir and far more. The tickets are affordable, and you can find the list of events a few weeks to a month out at music.uoregon.edu/events.

Happy December to all, and as the year turns

and we move back toward (slightly) longer days, we hope you’ll make time for some of the music! n

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BY RUBY MCCONNELL

Time to Enjoy the

and the Sugar Plum Fairy Mice Tiny Dancing Nutcracker season

is here again, and here’s why

D

ECEMBER, IN DANCE, IS NUTCRACKER SEASON, and this year will be no different. The only popular story-ballet to be set at Christmas time, The Nutcracker has been wed to the holiday season since its debut performance a week before Christmas in 1892. The American holiday tradition in particular has embraced The Nutcracker ballet’s imagery and iconic music since it’s western premiere in the 1940’s. There are story books, movies, decorations, remixes, and mash-ups all based on the fun and captivating ballet.

As The Nutcracker has grown in familiarity and popularity, more and more companies have made it a winter staple of their performance season. In modern times, with so much competition for audiences and attention spans, if you find a ballet that reliably puts people in the seats, you dance it.

The Nutcracker has become so important to the success of modern companies that it is estimated that up to forty percent of the income for some companies is generated by Nutcracker ticket sales, more than enough reason to keep giving the people what they want.

And what they want is the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The Nutcracker ballet, based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffman, was composed by Tchaikovsky and originally choreographed by Marius Petipa (with Lev Ivanov), the grandfather of classical ballet. There have been countless variations on the original ballet since its debut; however, it is Balanchine’s uniquely American 1954 version that brought the ballet to mainstream audiences, and it was Balanchine’s student, Mikhail Baryshnikov, who would eventually craft the modern version we now know best.

In the 1977 CBS broadcast of Baryshnikov performing his version of The Nutcracker with American Ballet Theater, the American public fell in love with its exotic characters and athletic choreography. The performance solidified the ballet as a perennial classic.

The story itself is simple and lends itself to variation based on the needs of the production, but generally follows Clara, a young girl, through her family’s Christmas party. She receives the gift of a soldier-like nutcracker which, after conquering an army of dancing rats, transports her to a magical kingdom filled with dancing treats. The ballet’s loose narrative and themed variations leave room for countless interpretations. In any given season, just in Lane County, you might see three or four versions of The Nutcracker, some classical, others more playful or irreverent, replacing the traditional choreography with hip hop or fusing more than one kind of dance into a single show.

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The music is also a big part of the ballet’s popularity. It’s one of the only classical ballets whose score is recognizable to the general public. The Nutcracker Suite music was popularized long before the ballet itself in the 1940 release of Disney’s Fantasia, making the entire production more familiar and approachable to general audiences.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of The Nutcracker, and the best part of the Eugene Ballet’s version (which, full disclosure, I’m in), is the inclusion of children in the cast. While company members still do the heavy lifting—there are some stunning moments from the male dancers in the Russian Trepak variation, for instance—the kids steal the show.

Toni Pimble’s version of The Nutcracker is brimming with young dancers cast as angels, bon bons, party children, and more, each one sweeter than the next. There have been years that the collective gasp from cute overload was audible in the Silva Concert Hall as a row of unbelievable teeny dancing mice took the stage. It’s a wonderfully inclusive production that fosters the development of young artists. That being said, the kids also add a pleasant note of unpredictability to the show and bring a fresh energy and lightness that is missing from some of the other classical ballets.

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Ultimately, we go to The Nutcracker because of nostalgia, it’s familiar and warm, and the music and dance together resonate in our collective consciousness.

For that alone, it’s worth making a part of your family traditions to celebrate the season. n

To get your fix of waltzing snowflakes and bouncing bon bons in Lane County this year: Eugene Ballet Nutcracker, Florence December 15, 7:00 p.m.

Florence Events Center Eugene, with orchestra next December 18 & 19, 7:30 p.m.

December 19 & 20, 2:00 p.m.

Hult Center for the Performing Arts hultcenter.org Ballet Northwest Academy’s Kingdom of the Sweets December 6 Wildish Theater, Springfield Petersen Barn, City of Eugene Nutcracker Recital December 16, 6:00 p.m.

North Eugene High School All That Dance Company’s Miracle on 5th Street (featuring the Sugar Plum Fairy) December 12, 3-7:00 p.m.

5th Street PublicMarket

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Put On Your Dancing Shoes Partner dancing is a fun (and healthy) option over the holidays

BY RUBY MCCONNELL

D

ECEMBER MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE WINTER PARTY SEASON. There are galas, winter weddings, holiday parties and New Year’s Eve extravaganzas, and they’re all opportunities to dance. One of the best ways to ring in the New Year, reconnect with your sweetie or meet someone new is through partner dance.

Luckily, there are plenty of places to cut a rug and plenty of help for the bashful, the twoleft footers, and all the rest of us. Put on your dancing shoes! The bands are playing.

Lane County is home to a vibrant partner dancing culture.

Mark Baker, a Eugene native, is a two-time U.S. Latin Ballroom Dance Champion and was the 2004 European Latin Ballroom Champion. He thinks part of the revival of partner dancing has to do with reconnecting to people. “Partner dancing is for people to come in and communicate in a different way,” hee says of the form. “It’s a whole new way of having a conversation.”

Baker is on the dance faculty at Oregon State, but he’s also been teaching in Eugene for the last six years, training competitive dancers, couples and lots of people that just want to be able to go out and dance. Now, he’s excited to be opening a new, ballroom-focused studio for all levels of interest and ability in downtown Eugene. He’s a firm believer that everyone can, and should, be able to partner dance. “I took my first classes in college and was really really bad,” Baker says. “But I loved it, and I found out that I had a talent for it.”

The social aspect is a big part of the appeal of partner dancing. “It’s really fun,” Baker says. “It creates an old-time social experience. We’ve lost that pastime, that part of our culture.”

In Lane County, groups like Eugene Salsa, the University of Oregon Ballroom Dance Club and the Eugene Swing Dance club are helping keep partner dance alive. There are classes and social dances nearly every day of the week, most focusing on one or two particular types of dance.

Introductory classes are worth it and can make a great holiday present. Classes or an evening out dancing are romantic, unique gifts, and something you can do together. Once you have a basic skills set, Baker says, “You can just walk up to someone and ask them to dance.”

The Oregon Dance Center opens in January at Venue 252 in Eugene, Oregon. For more information email baker.mark32@gmail.com. n

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A by-no-means-full-list of some local dance options: • Eugene Country Dancing (English and Scottish) Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.

Vets Club, Eugene Find them on Facebook • Tango—La Milongita Sundays, 5:00-7:00 p.m.

420 W. 12th Avenue, Eugene Mrizik@aol.com • Blues Dancing Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.

Ballet Northwest Academy, Eugene crossroadsbluesfusion.com • Ballroom Fridays, 7:30 p.m.

Gerlinger Ballroom, University of Oregon uoregon.orgsync.com/org/ballroomdance/home • Salsa Fridays, 9:00 p.m.

Vets Club, Eugene www.eugenesalsa.com • USA Dance Sundays, 5:00 p.m.

Vets Club (every other Sunday), Eugene eugeneballroom.org/ • Eugene Swing Dance Club Mondays, 8:00 p.m.

Vets Club, Eugene www.68swing.com

Consider the Glow of the Footlights

BY SUZI STEFFEN Lane County theaters put on holiday shows Just like ballet companies with The Nutcracker, theaters around Lane County have some pressure on them to produce Christmas fare at this time of year. And, aside from not having enough plays about Hanukkah or Solstice or Kwanzaa to choose from (hey playwrights! Get on it!), there are good financial and heartwarming reasons for the panoply of holiday-themed shows.

Lots of kids (of any age) go home for the holidays—my mom just asked me if I wanted to see the Kansas City Rep’s annual Christmas Carol or the KC Ballet’s Nutcracker when I’m visiting in December— and lots of parents and grandparents enjoy the ongoing traditions of festive productions.

Theaters, like small businesses, need your attention and funding, and part of the joy of holiday plays is that they can make experimental plays or musicals more financially palatable at other times of year. The holiday plays and musicals are also just plain enjoyable on several levels.

In Eugene, the Oregon Contemporary Theatre has the time-tested— though adapted by director Elizabeth Helman—A Christmas Carol humming along as we go to press. The adaptation includes several people who acted in last year’s Carol as well as new cast members.

The show, suitable for all ages, runs through Dec. 20, with ThursdaySaturday evening performances at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Get your tix at octheatre.org or 541-465-1506.

If you want a Christmas Carol filled with local families and music, not to mention the possibility for dinner and cocktails, head to Actors Cabaret of Eugene for the very pleasurable Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens version. This one opened Nov. 20 and continues at 7:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 19. Tix are $16-$42.95. Don’t forget to bring cash to tip your servers! actorscabaret.org or 541-6834328 for tickets.

Perhaps you’re over the story of Scrooge and Marley and the

ghosts. Luckily, there are other things going on. For fans of Miracle on 34th Street, Fred Crafts’ marvelously fun Radio Redux has you covered. Is the old man who says he’s Kris Kringle mentally ill, or is all of society the real problem? I’ve said before and will say again that Radio Redux’s recreation of radio plays, with the audience in the Soreng Theater as the radio play audience, is an exceedingly fun experience and, indeed, unlike any other theater you’re likely to see.

Performances are limited to one weekend only—7:30 pm Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18-19, and 2 pm Sunday, Dec. 20—which is almost always the cause of great tooth-knashing in the area. Get your tickets ASAP at hultcenter.org or 541-682-5000.

At Cottage Theatre in Cottage Grove, the final play of the theater’s 2015 season is The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. That play, whose holiday theme includes Father Christmas giving out gifts once the White Witch (spoiler!) has been defeated, includes quite a few children as the lead actors, not to mention teenagers for the armies.

Executive Director Susan Goes says that play director Kory Weimer, who played Jesus in the recent run of Jesus Christ Superstar, has been training all of the kids in fight choreography and has designed original weapons for the production. “They’re drawn from a rich range of inspiration,” Goes says, including Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, historical medieval weapons and more.

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“One of the things we try to do with our December production is choose something that appeals to multiple generations,” Goes says. “We have a lot of subscribers who are seniors, and they’re adding tickets for their grandkids. Multiple generations of family can watch theater together.”

At press time, the entire Dec. 4-20 run is sold out, but Goes notes that people who want to see the show can call 541-942-8001 to get on a waiting list; cancellations are pretty common at any theater, so do give it a try.

At the Very Little Theatre, smart counter-programming means that you can see the funny, poignant Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron show Love, Loss and What I Wore through Dec. 13 in the VLT’s not-quite-a-black-boxbut-still-alternative and usually quite enjoyable Stage Left space. The show features six women on a minimal set talking about how clothes set the stage for various moments in their lives. Tix at $12 apiece for the 7:30 pm Dec. 10-12 and 2 pm Dec. 13 shows are available at thevlt.com and 541-344-7751.

After the turn of the year, there’s little time to pause and breathe before shows begin again, and luckily there are some strong contenders for warmth and live action during the cold start of 2016.

First up is the OCT’s The Last Five Years. This 2001 musical has a cult following that did not approve of the 2014 Anna Kendrick/Jeremy Jordan film, so if you’re one of those people, note that the local production will be extremely pure—no added characters, no supporting actors, just Cathy and Jamie and the story of their love and loss. Director Craig Willis, who’s also the artistic director of the OCT, says, “We can all identify with a love that we really want to last, and we love love stories, but we know that love stories don’t always end well.” (This is not a spoiler; the first song is chronologically the final song, as Cathy sings about the breakup.)

The two performers for this show are local favorite, YouTube

sensation and founder of the UO’s a capella women’s group Divisi Evynne Hollens (see her Last Five Years medley with husband Peter Hollens at www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ITPyVPM_P4) and former Portlander Ethan Crystal, who just completed his BFA at Carnegie Mellon. The OCT’s commitment to live music means that music director Nathan Ales will have a small band (with more musicians than actors, as a matter of fact) to keep the action going, and just a reminder: OCT pays its performers and designers, so if the tickets are slightly more than other local theaters, remember where that money is going. Tix are $16-$32 (or $35 opening night) for the Jan. 15-Feb. 6 run and available at octheatre.org or 541-465-1506.

Also opening Jan. 15 is To Kill a Mockingbird at the Very Little Theatre.

What else needs to be said about TKM at this point? It’s a classic; we all have a variety of feelings about Atticus at this point that might be a little more complex than they were before To Set a Watchman came out; probably you know the story but want to see how local actors pull it off. The show runs through Jan. 30 on the main stage at the VLT; tix will soon be available at thevlt.com or 541-344-7751.

COTTAGE THEATRE 2016 Season Tickets

NOW ON SALE

January 29 – February 14

April 8 – May 1

June 10 – 26

August 12 – 28

October 7 – 30

December 2 – 18

At the University of Oregon, director Theresa May brings 2012’s Pulit-

zer Prize-winning Water by the Spoonful to the Hope Theatre stage. This play, the best-known and certainly best-reviewed of Quiara Alegría Hudes’ trilogy about Iraq War veteran Elliott Ortiz, features the young man in his hometown in North Philly, trying to figure out how to fit back into civilian life and deal with his family and their issues as well as his nightmares.

But it’s not only about the veteran; the various characters connect around online chats, addiction and recovery, divorce and the bonds of a Puerto Rican family. The play, which ran at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2014, has a strong script; I’m both curious to see if the students at the UO can pull this off and hopeful that they can. Tix for the Jan. 20-30 8 pm Thursday-Saturday and 2 pm Sunday shows will go on sale in late December at the EMU Box Office, tickets.uoregon.edu or 541-346-4363. n

www.cottagetheatre.org ● 541-942-8001 700 Village Drive, Cottage Grove Oregon

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BY SUZI STEFFEN

Ballet Fantastique

Turning An Old Story New Ballet Fantastique’s ‘American Christmas Carol’ combines Dickens and Fitzgerald—Ella, that is

An American Christmas Carol Friday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2:30 p.m.

Soreng Theater, The Hult Center, Eugene hultcenter.org or 541-682-5000 for tickets $31-$58.50

W

INTER HOLIDAY TRADITIONS ARE HARD TO BREAK, and perhaps even harder to start. But Ballet Fantastique is ready for its second year of a new tradition: An American Christmas Carol.

Ballet Fantastique, the “chamber ballet” in residence at Eugene’s Hult Center of the Performing Arts, revels in combining unusual elements and coming up with something new and fresh. Last year saw Artistic Director Donna Maria Bontrager and Executive Director Hannah Bontrager (daughter of Donna and co-choreographer and producer) heading up a holiday combo: Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, Ella Fitzgerald’s music and the voice of singer-songwriter Halie Loren with the choreography of the Bontragers and the BFan company.

“It’s one of those things that just kind of snowballed,” Hannah Bontrager says. “We come up with a concept and start playing with ideas, and it unfolds from there.”

So obviously, the story isn’t quite what you might see at the Oregon Contemporary Theater’s more traditional A Christmas Carol.

“We’re taking Charles Dickens and wondering what happens if we introduce him to Ella Fitzgerald,” Bontrager says. “We’re using the concept that Christmas Past is the Roaring Twenties, the present is the ‘40s, and the future is the 1950s.”

Instead of using Jacob Marley as the conscience/inspiration for Scrooge’s change of heart, the Bontragers found inspiration in a Cab Calloway song called “The Ghost of Smokey Joe.” Thus Jacob has become Smokey Joe Marley. “It’s a really fun way to add a little bit of grit as a counterpoint to all of these really warm, cheery songs,” Bontrager says.

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Brooklyn gangster Smokey Joe Marley is played, or sung, by Adam Goldthwaite, who duets with Halie Loren on the Calloway song. ‘He’s singing it with his Tom Waits voice,” Hannah Bontrager says.

Loren is well known to adoring Eugene audiences and far beyond, and her 2015 album Butterfly Blue is in the Grammy balloting process for Best Vocal Jazz Album. “She’s taken songs from her repertoire for this performance,” Bontrager says, but also “was such a good sport about adding songs to the project that are new to her.”

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This production, Bontrager says, is perfect either for a family outing or for date night. No matter whether you go with the grandkids or a holiday date, watch for the clock that takes Ebeneezer Scrooge from the day-to-day world into the jazz fantasy of An American Christmas Carol.

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The success of last year’s nearly sold-out performances didn’t stop the Bontragers from reconsidering everything this year. Anyone who’s observed (or been a performer in) their rehearsals knows that neither Hannah nor Donna will be satisfied with something she finds stale or imperfect.

“We can’t help it,” Hannah Bontrager says. “We’ve got a few new twists this year.

If ’s fun for us to get to play up different elements!” n

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Toast with Oregon Sparkling Wine this New Year’s Eve! Forget champagne! This year, celebrate living in the Pacific Northwest with sparkling wine.

DOMAINE STE. MICHELLE NV Brut Rosé One of the best-known bottles of bubbly from the Northwest, Michelle is crafted in the same way as traditional Champagnes, using Méthode Champenoise.

Around $14

SOKOL BLOSSER Evolution Sparkling Wine This hip, citrusy bubbly is easily paired with food at your New Year’s Eve dinner party, or save it for a midnight toast. $20

ARGYLE 2012 Vintage Brut This Willamette Valley favorite from the 2012 is tailor-made for a New Year’s Eve party with friends—and an extra bottle makes a great gift for your host.

Around $24

CAPITELLO Brut Sparking Head to Capitello’s tasting room in Eugene, where you can try this bright brut with extra-fine bubbles while getting a free education in the complicated sparkling wine process. $27

DOMAINE MERIWETHER Discovery Brut Cuvee The Veneta vineyard is becoming known for their wide-ranging sparkling wines.

Kick off 2016 with this smooth, sophisticated Cuvee. $20

RAINSONG Oregon Sparkling Wine A light sparkler produced by a Cheshire, Oregon vineyard that’s best known for allowing customers to buy and bottle a barrel of their wine. Starts at $20

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BY JOSHUA ISAAC FINCH

Don’t forget to breathe Year after year, the winter holidays can create such a hubbub that one can easily neglect all else. Taking a break to smell the roses (frozen or not) is crucial self-care that can often get lost in an explosion of sales, preparation and gift hunting. If you’re an avid non-joiner, hiding from the holidays can be just as much work, leaving you feeling spread thin, frantic and inches from throttling some well-meaning carolers. Take this opportunity to remember to stop and breathe. Even if that breath comes in the form of desperate gasps of air humid with the combined sweat of a hundred moshing strangers, it can still be therapeutic. Take five from the holiday shitshow and let music soothe your weary soul.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11

Lo’ There Do I See My Brother will overtake The Black Forest. The Tacoma prog-rock quintet have seen a lot of growth since their 2012 debut With Our Eyes Open, We Fall On Our Swords. Featuring a powerful sound with feet firmly planted upon the shoulders of This Will Destroy You, Pelican and other champions of the sound-alike post-rock and instru-metal scenes, Lo’ hit the I-5 corridor hard. Though excellently performed and thoroughly listenable, LTDISMB’s debut failed to establish a sound that was inarguably theirs. The sole exception to this was the sparse and moving vocals of guitarist Adam Wolbert.

2015’s Northern Shore takes this strength and sharpens it to a point, featuring a post-hardcore influenced sound unlike that of its predecessor, with six of its eleven tracks not only featuring vocals, but vocally and lyrically driven. The five instrumental pieces remain within the realm of post-rock, but feature a more condensed presentation (think 65daysofstatic), reaching those soaring heights through layers and production rather than mere track length. Lo’ There Do I See My Brother has not only found their sound in this sophomore release, they’ve found direction and show no signs of stopping as they tread toward an apex not yet in sight.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15

Cascadian folk act Aerial Ruin will take the stage at Wandering Goat.

Beginning in San Francisco in 2005, Aerial Ruin was intended to be the noncommittal studio project of Erik

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Moggridge of Bay Area stoner metal band Old Grandad as well as 90’s thrash monster Epidemic. Due to the nature of the project, his debut EP 133 306 668 was given to a few friends in CD-R format, burned, traded, gifted and re-gifted, gaining steam without any promotion, official release or live shows. Aerial Ruin offered a gloomy pop sensibility and ‘70s rock influences, and demonstrated an understanding of patiently crafting a complex gateway into the artist’s head and heart in lieu of typical long-haired aggression.

By 2008 Old Grandad was waning, and Aerial Ruin began to transform into a live act, finally offering fans the opportunity to experience Moggridge’s dismal beauty in person. He toured the West Coast sporadically, eventually relocating to Portland and releasing 2011’s Valleys of the Earth.

The LP captured a doomy folk sound and drew from such disparate influences as Pink Floyd and Nick Drake, that it found favor with a broad and eager audience.

2015’s Ashes Of Your Cares sees Aerial Ruin sliding down the rabbit hole of 1960’s folk and emerging with a slightly sunnier disposition, possibly making him the only artist ever to move to the dreary PNW and actually perk up. Ashes offers up 8 sparse and gorgeous pieces of arguably perfect mood music that range from carefree Sunday soundtrack (“Were…

Are…) to rainy day overture (14 minute opus “Alter,” which features Don Anderson of Agalloch). Aerial Ruin continues to humbly offer a stylistic breadth rarely embodied by solo acoustic artists of this caliber.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20

Jazz vibraphone virtuoso Mike Dillon will shake the dust off Sam Bond’s Garage. The term “jazz” falls terribly short when describing what Dillon and Co do. Their music, the end result of years of collaborative experience with everyone from Les Claypool to Ani DiFranco, is anything but traditional, combining the urgency of The Minutemen, the all around gruff weirdness of Tom Waits and the hard bop of Horace Silver for a unique blend that scratches a very particular itch.

Dillon’s 2014 release Band Of Outsiders “simmers like a gumbo” that showcases influences from throughout his varied career and previous such as The Dead Kenny G’s and Billy Goat and Hairy Apes BMX in an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink jazz-rock-experimental record of epic proportions. Joining Mike are Carly Meyers on trombone, Patrick McDevvitt on bass and Adam Gertner on drums. The resulting band is a force to be reckoned with, capable of fusing hip hop beats, ska grooves and rock ’n’ roll structures for a sound you’ll have to see to believe.

Zappa would be proud.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29

The Wood Brothers will bring their warm and cozy folk music to The McDonald Theater. The New York act, known for their razor sharp harmonies—as well as Wood Brother Chris being the “Wood” in jazz fusion act Medeski, Martin & Wood—are joined by multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix. Despite both having multiple accomplished projects under

their belts, The Wood Brothers has emerged as their primary focus.

The collaboration was born in 2004 when Medeski, Martin & Wood brought in Oliver Wood’s blues rock act King Johnson to open a show in North Carolina. Oliver wound up sitting in on MM&W’s set, and the brothers agreed they should be playing music together.

Eleven years, five albums and multiple tours later, the brothers are touring on Paradise, a new album recorded at Dan Auerbach’s (of The Black Keys) studio, Easy Eye in Nashville. Paradise seamlessly fuses rhythm and blues, country and soul for a unique take on postmodern Americana music.

Sometimes it pays to take five. Check in with yourself. Ask “Is the mall is really worth the inevitable fist fights and sea of entitled but enthusiastic shoppers?” Whether you’re caught up in the warm buzz of holiday bustle, or have succumbed to humbuggery, you deserve to be soothed.

decembermusic Hot Club Eugene at The Jazz Station, December 5

Bustin Jieber and Human Ottoman at The WOW Hall, December 10

Curtis Salgado at Axe & Fiddle, December 19

Mac’s New Years Eve Bash, December 31

Saturday, 7:30 10 p.m.: Free: The Jazz Station: 124 West Broadway, Eugene OR. The name and music pay homage to the Quintet of the Hot Club of Paris, an acoustic gypsy jazz group from the 30’s and 40’s which has sustained a loyal, almost fanatical, following over the last 70 years.

Thursday, 8 p.m.: $7 $10: The WOW Hall: 291 W 8th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-687-2746. The Community Center for the Performing Arts proudly welcomes Bustin Jieber to the WOW Hall along with special guests Human Ottoman. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, 8:30 p.m.: $20: Axe & Fiddle: 657 E Main St, Cottage Grove OR: 541-942-5942. Salgado’s awards are amazing: 2013 Blues Music Award Winner, B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year and Soul Blues Album of the Year. Blues Revu calls Salgado “triumphant, joyful blues-soaked R&B…one of the most soulful, honest singers ever.” Don’t miss this amazing show!

Thursday, 8 p.m.: $12 $33: Macs at the Vets Club: 1626 Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-344-8600. Come to Mac’s New Years Eve featuring entertainment on two floors! In Mac’s Restaurant and Nightclub, see Karen Lovely ($15 advance, $18 day of show). Upstairs in the Vet’s Ballroom, Kelly Thibodeaux & The Etouffee Band will be rocking until midnight ($12 advance, $15 day of show). Buy tickets individually, or combine both shows ($27 advance, $33 day of show).

Happy New Year!

Smoke Season at Axe & Fiddle, December 5 Saturday, 8:30 p.m.: $8: Axe & Fiddle: 657 E Main St, Cottage Grove OR: 541-942-5942. Smoke Season plays a double feature show at Axe & Fiddle with The Peach Kings.

Tommy Hogan at The WOW Hall, December 5 Saturday, 9 p.m.: $10 $12: The WOW Hall: 291 W 8th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-687-2746. Tommy Hogan is an acclaimed artist on an international level. First and foremost, he delivers an astonishing blend of his masterful guitar, smooth and bluesy vocals and award-winning music delivered in the power trio format of guitar, bass and drums.

Dappers and Flappers at Granary Pizza and Nightclub, December 11 Friday, 9:30 p.m.: $5: Granary Pizza and Nightclub: 259 E 5th Ave, Eugene OR. Join Cirque De Licious to celebrate the high season in the roaring 20’s style! Dress to the nines, think bow ties, top hats, feathers and finery. Dance to some of Eugene’s DJs, get your picture snapped at the photo booth and sit on Santa’s lap. Free chocolate mustache pops to the first 40 through the door.

Jake Joliff and Alex Hargreaves at Tsunami Books, December 20

Friday, 8:30 p.m.: Free: Axe & Fiddle: 657 E Main St, Cottage Grove OR: 541-942-5942. Acoustic western music from Jenny Don’t and the Spurs. Free show at Axe & Fiddle.

Sunday, 7:30 p.m.: Tsunami Books: 2585 Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-345-8986. Mandolin master Jake Joliff of Yonder Mountain String Band and fiddle master Alex Hargreaves of The Brotet join up for a night of absolute musical perfection. These fellows performed at Tsunami Books in September to an absolutely packed house. Tickets will sell out for this very special show, call to reserve seating.

As Duas Meninas at The Jazz Station, December 12

Sunday, 8 p.m.: $15: The WOW Hall: 291 W 8th Ave, Eugene OR. That 1 Guy flies in the face of the idea that music needs to conform to stuffy prescribed notions or staid classifications. His music is shockingling fearless and unique and yet completely spellbinding.

Doors at 7 p.m.

Saturday, 7:30 10 p.m.: $8 $11: The Jazz Station: 124 W Broadway, Eugene OR. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, As Duas Meninas (The Two Girls) bring you Bossa Nova, Samba and Brazilian Jazz.

Original compositions and timeless Brazilian standards enriching the ever-expanding American music lexicon. Fabiana Passoni (vocals) and Stephanie Ozer (piano).

Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: Free: Axe & Fiddle Public House: 657 E Main St, Cottage Grove OR: 541-942-5942. Axe & Fiddle Open Mic night is popular so sign up early! Sponsored by Habitat for Humanity.

Donations welcome.

Wednesday, 9 p.m.: $12 $15: The WOW Hall: 291 W 8th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-687-2746. Josh Heinrichs is a stalwart in the American and worldwide reggae community. Playing with Skillinjah and featuring Animo Cruz at The WOW Hall. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Thursday, 7:30 p.m.: $30: Florence Events Center: 715 Quince St, Florence OR: 541-997-1994. Shirley Andress returns with her 8th Annual Christmas At The Shedd, presented at the Florence Events Center. Featuring Tracy Williams, Marisa Frantz, Bob Cross and Bill Hulings fronting Jesse Cloninger and the Emerald City Jazz Kings in Christmas Swing configuration!

A Benefit for the Cascade Raptor Center at Cozmic, December 10 Thursday, 9:30 p.m.: $8: Cozmic: 199 W 8th Ave, Eugene OR: 541338-9333. Join the 5th 2nd Thursday fundraiser benefitting Cascades Raptor Center in Eugene. This month will be featuring Satori Bob Large Band, Norman Mesman and Steel Wool closing out the night. Kaysea Creations will be working on her 5th painting in the series during the show. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Ages 21 and older.

Thursday, 9 p.m.: $40: McDonald Theatre: 1010 Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-345-4442. Ring in the New Year with Nahko and Medicine for the People at McDonald Theatre. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Now Open…The Highest Quality…

Come Celebrate Lyfe!

Saturday, 8:30 p.m.: Free: Axe & Fiddle: 657 E Main St, Cottage Grove OR: 541-942-5942. Blues, R&B and soul from Soul Deception at Axe & Fiddle.

“Swinging On A Star” Emerald City Jazz Kings in Florence, December 17

Wednesday, 7 p.m.: $25 $35: McDonald Theatre: 1010 Willamette St, Eugene OR: 541-345-4442. Yellow Claw present the #AirJagerTour.

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Nahko and Medicine for the People at McDonald Theatre, December 31

Soul Deception at Axe & Fiddle, December 12

Josh Heinrichs and Skillinjah at The WOW Hall, December 9

Yellow Claw at McDonald Theatre, December 9

Saturday, 8:30 p.m.: $10 $12: The WOW Hall: 291 W 8th Ave, Eugene OR: 541-687-2746. The Community Center for the Performing Arts proudly welcome Patchy Sanders back for their final tour of Eugene along with special guests Steep Ravine. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Jenny Don’t and the Spurs at Axe & Fiddle, December 11

That 1 Guy at The WOW Hall, December 6

Open Mic at Axe & Fiddle, December 8

Patchy Sanders at The WOW Hall, December 19

Bearcoon at Axe & Fiddle, December 17 Thursday, 8:30 p.m.: Free: Axe & Fiddle: 657 E Main St, Cottage Grove OR: 541-942-5942. Bearcoon is an indie folk band made up of Solange Igoa and Andrea Walker.

The California Honeydrops at Cozmic Pizza, December 17 Thursday, 9 p.m.: $12 $16: Cozmic: 199 W 8th Ave, Eugene OR: 541338-9333. The California Honeydrops don’t just play music they throw parties. With diverse musical influences from Bay Area R&B, funk, Southern soul, delta blues and New Orleans second-line, the Honeydrops bring vibrant energy and infectious dance party vibes to their live shows. Doors open at 8:30 p.m.

Conveniently located in Eugene’s downtown cultural district!

Experienced, knowledgable, friendly and inspired staff.

Serving both medical patients and the general public, 21+ ID required.

Artisan small batch and wildcrafting, boutique growers Living The Lyfe We Love And Loving The Lyfe We Live 114 W Broadway Eugene, OR (Corner of Olive and Broadway)

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BY MANDI HARRIS

Home, and the Holidays Books about our complex lives I’VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT HOMETOWNS LATELY. Until recently, no one had ever heard of my little hometown nestled between the north and south forks of the Umpqua rivers. I used to describe it to non-Oregonians as “three hours south of Portland.” I can make the drive down I-5 from Eugene with my eyes closed. In my head, I can see every curve, every landmark that used to tell me I was close to home, close to safety. Because that’s what the postcard notion of home is, isn’t it? Safety, comfort, familiarity. But home can also be danger, instability and violence.

I never imagined my hometown would ever be famous. But as happens with so many suddenly famous small towns, my hometown became famous for violence. Now when I tell people where I’m from, I can see it play out on their faces the way it used to on mine when someone told me they were from Littleton or Aurora or Sandy Hook. The confusion, the “where have I heard that name before,” the realization, and then the look, a blend of sadness, fear, and trepidation at being so near someone from one of those towns. I want to grab them and say, “My hometown is so much more and so much less than what you’ve seen on the news. It is beautiful and ugly, new and rundown, wonderful and awful. I was happy there and I was miserable there. I loved it and hated it and now the resentment I used to have toward it makes me feel guilty.”

I drifted further and further away from my little town, and now I haven’t been back in more than five years. The idea of going home for the holidays always feels poignant because we know we can’t go to that particular home. We can’t go to those places where everyone is loving and everything smells like cinnamon all the time—because those places don’t exist. Above all, home has to be real, a real place for us to be our real selves, the good all mixed up with the bad in the world and in ourselves.

Here are some books about home:

China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan Random House, 2015; $26.95 print; $12.99 ebook There are not words to describe how much I loved this book. Well, clearly there are, and I’m about to use like 100 of them.

I hadn’t read Crazy Rich Asians when I picked up its sequel. I was worried I’d be lost, but the first page pulled me into such a richly detailed world that I felt as though I were jet-setting from Singapore to California to Hong Kong to Paris to London. The most fun novels feel like a gossip session with their author. This book is the best gossip session I’ve ever had. I could try to tell you the plot, but there are about a thousand different plots, and they all intertwine. You will meet so many characters and not want their chapters to end that you will realize this is Game of Thrones but with billionaires and backstabbing rather than dragons and frontstabbing. There are mansions and apartments that cost nine figures and planes nicer than any place I’ve ever lived, but above all, this book sends the message that home is where the people who know how to emotionally blackmail you are.

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The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham Penguin Books, 2015; $16 print; $9.99 ebook You can go home again. You just might not like what you find or who you’ve become when you get there.

Tilly was known as Myrtle when she was growing up in the small bush town of Dungatar. Life for a bastard child was never golden in that small 20thcentury Australian town, but it got unimaginably worse one afternoon, and Tilly was forced to leave.

She made her way to Paris and discovered her near magical talent with needle, thread, and fabric.

We meet Tilly 20 years after her exile, when she returns home to care for a mother who is as unstable as she is just plain mean. Once there, Tilly forms friendship, weathers insults from townsfolk with long memories and designs haute couture gowns for those same townsfolk. And hopefully, by God, gives those townsfolk with elephantine memories a little of what’s coming to them.

A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis HarperCollins, 2015; $17.99 print, $10.99 ebook I don’t believe that age recommendations on books have any bearing on their quality or their ability to scare the crap out of you. I had to quit reading A Series of Unfortunate Events because they got too dark and started making me super nervous and totally bummed out. A Madness So Discreet is a young adult novel that filled me with overwhelming dread, vengeful bloodlust, and hope.

A Victorian mental asylum isn’t someplace most people would want to spend any time, but this book asks you to step into the halls of just such a desolate and inhumane place. Our main character is sent to an asylum when the horrors of her home threaten to tarnish her family’s reputation. And while things do get better for her, I will spoil just enough of the book to tell you that she only escapes from a horrific mental asylum by moving to a different asylum. Some homes can be a prison and some can be a palace, even if the only difference is in our own minds.

Firefly Hollow by Alison McGhee Illustrated by Christopher Denise Atheneum, 2015; $16.99 print, $10.99 ebook And now for something purely, blissfully happy. I promise, the other books will bring you hours of happiness, joy, and escapism despite my sometimes snarky tone, but this book? This book is a pure confection of sweet delight.

Cricket wants to play baseball. Firefly wants to fly to the moon. But crickets can’t catch things with their wings. And fireflies don’t soar above the branches of their tree. And neither is allowed to leave Firefly Hollow. Then they meet David. David is a giant, but Cricket and Firefly brave a friendship with him because he is still only just a miniature giant. All David wants is to not miss his best friend anymore. Together with a wise old river-faring gentleman named Vole who’ll tug at every heartstring you have, they each find the courage to catch, to fly, and to be brave in a world that can feel so very large and scary.

(If I ever have a child, I will decorate their nursery with the gorgeous and whimsical illustrations in Firefly Hollow.)

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman Berkley, 2003; $16 print, $12.99 ebook I know Practical Magic seems like it should be a Halloween book, what with the witches and murder and all. But the majority of it takes place during the summer, and it ends at Thanksgiving, and there are wintertime scenes, so to me, it’s a holiday book. It is also unabashedly about reconciling with your family, your home, and yourself, so it is absolutely one hundred percent perfect for the holidays.

Sally and Gillian Owens are orphans, sisters, and witches being raised by two spinster aunts in Massachusetts. Their family’s reputation and a few traumatic events cause Gillian to vow never to set foot east of the Mississippi and Sally to pursue a life of staunch normalcy. But staying away from your family is hard when you fall in love with a deadbeat in Tucson and accidentally murder him in New Jersey, and being normal is overrated and difficult, especially when you’re raising two magical, hormonal teenagers.

(This book is one of my favorite holiday reads because my Christmas wish each year is to develop magical powers.)

Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015; $27 print; $13.99 ebook Another novel about difficult women and complicated families. I’ll let you in on a little secret: my favorite women are difficult and all families are complicated.

This is the fictionalized true story of Constance, Norma and Fleurette Kopp, three sisters who refuse to back down in the face of injustice and intimidation. It is 1914, and the Kopp sisters are driving their buggy into town when it is destroyed by group of men in an automobile. The owner of the car, Mr. Henry Kaufman, is…am I allowed to use extreme profanity in this column? Well, let’s just say he’s every swear word, and I despise him. I pumped my fist every time Constance stood up to the man, and I cowered every time Kaufman tormented the Kopp women, cringing in anticipation of what he might do next. But the Kopp women never cringe. Those dames have moxie, and a few hundred pages of moxie is just what the doctor ordered for the stressful holiday season. n

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Pay it Forward Lane County!

We have much to be grateful for here in Lane County! Clean air and water, access to nutritious and local foods, a fairly strong and stable economy, employment opportunities, entertainment, culture and the outdoors, and for most of us, a clean and safe space we can call home. While many of us enjoy these comforts, there are those in our communities who need our help with food, shelter, safety, healthcare and mental health services. December is an excellent time to give to the causes and charities you support! We have compiled a short list of local non-profits and encourage our readers to make a tax deductible gift or donation to one of these agencies this giving season.

Sheltercare

Our Mission is to bridge the digital divide. Educate the public on the value of reusing materials and the importance of proper recycling techniques. Protect the environment by diverting hazardous materials from the landfill. Reduce manufacturers’ dependency on raw materials.

499 W 4th Ave. Eugene, OR 97401 (541) 686-1262 Sheltercare.org ShelterCare shelters and supports families and individuals providing each an opportunity to live the fullest possible life in an environment that fosters wellbeing and success.

Kind Tree Productions, Inc. (541) 935-0700 P.O. Box 40847, Eugene, OR 97404 Kindtree.org

We offer a variety of housing support services for the homeless or those facing homelessness with a committed focus on the community’s most vulnerable individuals dealing with psychiatric disabilities, acquired brain injuries and homeless families.

Womenspace 1577 Pearl St # 400 Eugene, OR 97401 (541) 485-8232 womenspaceinc.org

Kind Tree Productions, Inc. is a small Oregon nonprofit, all volunteer organization. Officers and board members include home managers, direct care givers, parents, specialists in the field of autism and people with autism.

Hundreds of hours are volunteered by community people to help with the Art Program, the newsletter, the award winning web site, the support group, and the unique Summer Autism Camp / Retreat.

Food For Lane County

Our mission is to prevent domestic violence in intimate partner relationships in Lane County and support survivors in claiming personal power. We believe that each person has the right to lead a life free from violence and fear of abuse.

(541) 343-2822 770 Bailey Hill Rd. Eugene OR 97402 Foodforlanecounty.org The mission of Food for Lane County is to alleviate hunger by creating access to food. We accomplish our mission by soliciting, collecting, rescuing, growing, preparing and packaging food for distribution through a countywide network of social service agencies and programs; and through public awareness, education and community advocacy.

Greenhill Humane Society (541) 689-1503 88530 Green Hill Rd. Eugene, OR 97402 Green-hill.org

Cascades Raptor Center

Greenhill Humane Society, SPCA will provide safe shelter for animals in transition, serve as advocates for animals and their people and work to end animal overpopulation and educate the public about compassion and responsibility towards all animals.

(541) 485-1320 32275 Fox Hollow Rd. Eugene, OR 97405 P.O. Box 5386, Eugene, OR 97405 | Eraptors.org

Nextstep Recycling (541) 868-0904 2101 W 10th Avenue Eugene, OR 97402 Nextsteprecycling.org 54

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CRC is dedicated to preserving a healthy and viable population of raptors and other wildlife in their natural habitat through rehabilitation and public education.

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Bags Of Love (541) 357-4957 710 Commercial St. Eugene, OR 97402 Bagsofloveinc.org The sole purpose of Bags of Love is to provide necessities and comfort items to children who are in crisis due to neglect, abuse, poverty or homelessness.

Through our unique distribution model, we address the immediate needs of these children and help support the community agencies caring for them.

Shelter Animal Resource Alliance (S.A.R.A.) (541) 607-8892 871 River Road Eugene, OR 97404 sarasavesanimals.org Shelter Animal Resource Alliance (S.A.R.A.) is a nonprofit organization located in Eugene, OR, dedicated to removing animals from shelters where they might otherwise face euthanasia. While in our care, we provide these cats and dogs with a comfortable environment to live in, all necessary medical care, high-quality food and treats, and plenty of love and attention until we are able to find them their forever homes.

Egan Warming Center c/o St. Vincent dePaul 456 Hwy 99N Eugene, OR 97402 (541) 689-6747 phone info@eganwarmingcenter.org The Egan Warming Center is a coalition of community members representing service providers, nonprofits, faith and social activists communities and local government who have come together since 2008 to ensure that homeless people have shelter during extreme cold weather. St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County serves as the primary agency responsible for implementing the operation of the Warming Center and building a sustainable model for the long term.

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The Covered Bridges of Lane County A photo essay William Leach

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Where to go What to do?

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Bringing you the BEST of Lane County Our affordable, non-intrusive advertising offers our partners extended exposure, targeted marketing, and page position flexibility in each of our beautifully designed issues.

LANE Monthly is currently accepting ad reservations for 2016.

Please call or email to make an appointment to learn more about what LANE Monthly can do for your business.* *mention this ad before December 31 to lock in 2015 rates and complimentary color in 2016

Please call Michelle Naidoo at 541.520.4731 or Email michelle@lanemonthly.com to place your reservation.

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AirportConnector, public transit service to Eugene Airport.

Eight weekday trips means lots of opportunities to escape to sunny climes.

It connects with LTD’s existing Route 95 at Highway 99 and Airport Road, 6:15 a.m. to 7 p.m.

All it takes is valid LTD bus fare and 25 minutes from downtown Eugene to reach your flight!

Plan your trip today. Call 541-687-5555 or visit our website.

LTD.org/air