Source Weekly December 22, 2022

On the Cover: Gingerbread House illustration by Katie Daisy. Find her on Instagram @ katiedaisy_artist or visit her website at katiedaisy.com.

Call for Artists: If you're interested in being a SW featured artist, email: production@bendsource.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

From all of us at the Source Weekly, we hope you have a magical holiday time this year. Whether you’re lighting the menorah candles, celebrating the return of the light and the winter solstice, setting up the seven symbols of Kwanzaa, honoring the birth of the baby Jesus or just spending hard-earned time off this winter break, our Holiday Issue offers plenty of casual reading for you to enjoy.

Jared Rasic writes both about the cancellation of that one show that should have been set in Bend but wasn’t (may it RIP) for this week’s Feature, and lands an interview with the star of Napoleon Dynamite, Jon Heder, in Culture. Food writer Donna Britt samples the goods at the Himalayan restaurant in Sisters, High Camp Taphouse, and in News, Midwest dude Jack Harvel offers some tips with his Winter Driving Obstacle Course. Plus — and this should be exciting for all you 9 to 5ers who barely see the sun this time of year — Becca Murphy tells readers about the new in-town XC skiing spot… complete with lights! Enjoy the season, and as always, thanks for reading!

OPINION

This time of year is typically a time for people to count their blessings and focus on a measure of gratitude. For homeowners, one needs only to look at the property tax statement that arrived in the mail not long ago to see a dose of that gratitude played out. While it’s true that some who lived on fixed incomes and have their homes paid off might see a pain point in the arrival of that tax statement, a great number of others will see how the “real market value” of their homes jumped significantly from one year to the next. For some, this represents a massive increase in net worth, and/or the opportunity to use that extra value to remodel, sell that home and cash out or just to sit back and revel in the massive increase in the value of one’s biggest investment.

If you’re a homeowner, there’s almost no doubt that the past several years have seen you do quite well. By and large, among those who own homes in this region, there’s still something to be thankful for.

This same time of year, while you’re reveling in gratitude, it is also a good time to consider how that come-up on your part plays out in the wider world.

Right now, the shelters offering a warm place to stay for those pushed further into the margins are bursting at the seams. Affordable and low-income housing remains hard to find. People spend years on waitlists, waiting for a subsidized apartment to become available. All that, during a season that has been far colder than recent years.

Some will take this need and turn their attention to our local governments. “We’re paying more property taxes for the homes that have risen in value,” one might say—so there should be more to go around for those who need assistance, right?

of Wealth

And there is some truth in that. Local governments have a role to play in helping secure funding and locations for shelters, affordable complexes, and other forms of care for those who do not currently benefit from the overheated real estate market in this part of the world. But the need goes far beyond what local governments can muster. In truth, a handful of nonprofit service providers are shouldering most of the burden.

Those who have benefited from the current system should see the part they have to play in ensuring a healthy community for all.

Especially at this time of year, we should be attuned to the notion that some measure of personal redistribution of wealth can help our entire community. This means donating to one of the nonprofits doing the heavy lifting in feeding and housing those on the margins. Money is one path. Another path is through a donation of time, which is a luxury many do not have.

The workers and volunteers who are out there helping our houseless neighbors are tired. They’re overworked, and every day, more people come through their doors. Most times, shelters won’t turn away a person in need with nighttime temperatures like the ones we’ve seen in recent weeks. And still more arrive every day.

While asking, “why doesn’t the city or the county do more?” is a national pastime, it is also a national pastime to oppose government spending and tax increases. While the free market made your house double in value over a matter of years, this system only continues to work when people volunteer their largesse.

It falls on all of us who have benefited in our community to do our part and donate, volunteer or to otherwise contribute to helping those who need support. It is the reason for the season.

ELECTIONS

The elections are over, thankfully! The vitriol seems to get worse and the lies are exponential. For example, the overturning of Roe vs. Wade did not mean the end of abortion availability. Trump won! We can save the planet by eliminating fossil fuels. How many votes were purchased with the promise of cancellation of student loan debt? Was the Hunter Biden laptop a product of Russian disinformation? President Biden said the southern borders are secure and there is no energy crisis. Are we helping Ukraine all we can? On and on it goes.

It is really disheartening to see how racism, gender, equity and equality are being used to manipulate and marginalize many Americans. This comes from the zealots on both the extreme left and right, and from news media and internet platforms. Yes, our country has some horrible history (as do most all countries) but we dwell on the negative too much. Unfortunately, many young people hear that they have little chance in the “system.” Some become belligerent or ill-tempered toward others (eg the police or those of different values). Sadly, some do not aspire to improve their condition or fulfill their dreams. Socrates stated that good comes from knowledge and evil comes from ignorance. Our education system is not in the top 20 in overall quality comparison, although we were once number one. It starts there and requires perseverance.

— Quentin Jauquet

Letters must be received by noon Friday for inclusion in the following week’s paper. Please limit letters to 250 words. Submission does not guarantee publication. Opinions printed here do not constitute an editorial endorsement of said opinions.

Letter of the week receives $5 to Palate!

growth juniper forests on Earth. Junipers are notoriously thirsty, but are also the only tree able to simultaneously survive months without water, and then barely any at all during our bitterly cold winters. Many of us live between those rocky ridges, often in sandy soils that locally never supported much grass or anything else at all besides spring flowers, shrubs and ancient junipers. My mom's family came to Cline Falls in 1913 and, like all the locals then, would heat their home with old growth juniper, 10 cords a winter. That's a lot of trees. Besides clearing juniper for fields, it was also milled into lumber. I still have 2x4's from that period, incredibly finegrained, dense juniper, from trees hundreds of years old. Stumps cover miles and miles of BLM land surrounding Redmond, Eagle Crest, Plainview, Powell Butte, and Alfalfa, hinting to the magnificence of this woodland before our use of it. Juniper are essential for wildlife cover, moderating summer heat, and protecting many orbs that rely on their shade and addition of organic matter. Junipers taking over productive grasslands due to lack of fire is one thing. But locally, junipers were often more prolific before Europeans than now. Junipers in irrigated areas are definitely water hogs, but they can't be drinking water that isn't there. Our aquifer comes from the mountains.

Travis Lundy via bendsource.com

They are native to our region, have been for millennia. Debate is over pre and post settlement distribution. As usual our settlement actually increased its range through over grazing and fire suppression.

MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER AND GET MORE PEOPLE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS

This Letter is made to plant an idea seed in the City of Bend.

The idea is to make our community better and get more people out of homelessness, I propose the city of Bend to make several 100-unit mobile home parks. The average number of mobile homes on 10 acres is 100 units.

The idea is: The City of Bend would design, develop and sell these parks after completion. Instead of managing these parks they would invest into the next mobile home park project.

The State of Oregon has used funds to finance mobile home parks for communities that have been impacted because of fires. Many people from communities in Oregon and California have moved here because of the fires and this has impacted our community. Let's use these funds from the state for our impacted community.

It seems like a huge impact, for the low end of the housing sale, and helps our community create more affordable housing. This would hopefully be a net neutral endeavor. The people's capital to make this a reality would be a worthwhile investment for our community.

The management and guiding hand of getting the permit and funds from the state to make mobile home parks available for housing would only be possible with help from the city. That, along with the design and infrastructure of these communities, will make our community

better and get more people out of homelessness. I hope this idea grows.

Mark Bernahl

Letter of the Week:

Mark: Lots of great ideas floating around. Perhaps you can take a city councilor out for coffee with your Letter of the Week gift card and see how this idea might fly. (Come on by our office to grab your gift card to Palate!) In any case, this week’s Opinion piece offers some other ideas — namely, that each of us could do a little more to tackle this immense issue. Happy holidays!

Vulcan

People must remember that many of us live in one of the most significant old

Paul Claeyssens via bendsource.com

RE: A COMPLICATED TREE NATURAL WORLD, 12/15

Nicole

Christmas Lights: A Judgmental Guide

Rate the lights in your neighborhood with this helpful system

By Jase Graves

One of my fondest childhood memories of Christmas in the 1970s was riding around in the family station wagon, “Bessie,” to look at Christmas lights while I whined to my parents about needing a snack – again. There was something magical about a familiar evening landscape transformed to a radiant wonderland at the expense of someone’s lumbar spine.

My dad always made sure that our house was exemplary in its presentation of illuminated holiday décor, and even now, his legendary displays make my own attempts look like those of an unsupervised toddler with a Lite-Brite toy.

Little did I know as a child exactly how much work goes into producing a respect able home display that delights passersby and annoys the neighbors. But now that I’m an adult (sort of), I take pride in climbing on the roof and crawling around the yard for the sake of an electrified Christmas spectacle that makes me feel like I’ve sprained everything except my belly button.

Maybe because of the intense effort I put into my own residential Christmas lights, I’ve become a bit of a snob when evaluating those of others – to the point that I’ve come up with the following categories:

The My-Wife-Made Me-Do-It

This display (if you can call it that) is clearly installed under duress – and probably during the commercial breaks of a Dallas Cowboys foot ball game. The jumbled lights look as if they’ve been strung by some one being attacked by hornets, and they include the absolute minimum – maybe one string of bulbs and a mildewed inflatable Nut cracker sagging toward the storm drain. It’s better than nothing – but just barely.

The Grinch

This is the house with out so much as a plastic baby Jesus glowing on the porch, a single cheap lightup deer in the yard, or even a wreath of dilapidat ed pinecones on the front door. It’s almost ostenta tiously dark and gloomy.

This is the type of display for which I strive each year. It includes every string of lights that can be scrounged up from the attic – along with a cartload purchased as soon as Walmart replaces the Brach’s Mellowcreme Pumpkins with Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes in late October. This is the kind of overwhelming display that might cause acute retinal damage with prolonged exposure. It’s truly a sight to behold – if you dare.

It’s obvious that someone paid big bucks to have professionals do all the work on this geometrically precise display with meticulous ridge line coverage. It’s beautiful, no doubt, even bordering on the Griswold, but I say that if you aren’t in a bad mood and in need of prescription painkillers when you’re done, it

When I see these houses during the holidays, I often catch myself mumbling something like, “How can they not put out a single decoration? Are they out of Tylenol?”

My wife inevitably replies, “Maybe they can’t afford decorations. They could be ill or elderly. Or maybe they don’t celebrate Christmas.”

Then I feel like The Grinch, Scrooge, The Abominable Snow Monster, Heat Miser, Mr. Potter, Frank Shirley and Scut Farkus all rolled into one insensitive naughty-list doofus.

It’s at those times that I need a good lecture from Linus in “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Sure, Snoopy has the best lights, but Linus knows what Christmas is all about.

Winter Driving Obstacle Course

We put together a handy obstacle course with the basic tenets of winter driving, which a shocking number of Bendites could learn from

By Jack Harvel

When I moved to a mountain town, I thought you folks would know how to drive during the winter. Boy, was I wrong. As a simple Midwesterner, I was used to the occasional snowstorm and how to drive on it — and so were other drivers who, from my limited anecdotal experience, fared better than the snow-hardened Central Oregonian. It’s so bad I almost have come to believe in the mythically monstrous Californian transplant. So, I decided to imagine a winter driving course on the basics on winter driving I’ve learned through years of common sense and a conversation with Nancy Haase, program manager for the High Desert Drivers Education Program. If you make it to the end, you get a prize!

Your Four-Wheel Drive Isn’t as Good as You Think

Your Subarus, 4Runners and lifted trucks slide around on ice just like any other car. Take stock of the cars you see stalled on the side of the road during the next snowstorm; you might be surprised by how many supposedly high-performing snow cars get stuck. A four-wheel drive can be essential in some circumstances, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have to adjust your driving.

“They might be able to go faster, but they can't stop faster,” Haase said. “When you’re faster, and when you hit that black ice or the icy spots, your car is going to be out of control and it's going to be out of control at a faster speed.”

Keep Your Distance

People believe in their heart that if they keep within a couple feet of the driver in front of them, they will somehow get to their destination faster. It’s a stupid belief, but probably driven by our lizard brain’s knowledge that you’re just a bit closer to where you’re going if you’re closer to the car in front of you. With clear roads this can be a nuisance, but with slippery winter conditions there’s a good chance a quick stop will end in a fender bender.

“I tell my students to imagine there's another car behind the car you're stopping behind and stop at that point and then you can ease in, but have more following distance between you and the car in front of you at all times,” Haase said. “We ask our students to always have four seconds of following distance unless they're at highway speeds, and then have six seconds.”

Sliding

If you drive on ice you’re going to slide eventually. A knee-jerk reaction to sliding on ice may be to hit the brakes, but that could actually result in less control. If you’re at highway speeds, and are keeping your distance from other cars, let the car slow down on its own to regain control.

“A stopped tire has no traction. It's just going to put you more into that skid if you hit the brake,” Haase said. “Let your car slow down on its own and then start to slowly accelerate towards your target.”

Congratulations! You Made It

Congratulations! You’ve passed the winter driving obstacle course and now have about the same knowledge expected of anyone who possesses a drivers license. Your prize for completing this course is the continued functionality of the front end of your car — the back end will depend on if the person behind you also passed the course.

Treading the Needle

Four-wheel drive won’t slow you down, but your tires could be the difference between a clean stop and long slide. A good pair of winter tires, studded tires or chains is going to give you more mobility than your standard all-season tires — which are really only designed for light snow.

Know What You’re Driving On

Fresh snow, solid ice, slush and black ice all provide different challenges for driving. You’ll have more traction in snow but it’ll be easier to get stuck. Solid ice makes it harder to get moving and needs longer to stop. Black ice and slush can be deceptive and lull you into a false sense of comfort. It’s best to test what you’re driving on early in a car trip to inform how you drive.

“I give myself a little acceleration and a slow speed to see if I am going to slide and then I test the brakes,” Haase said. “Chunky ice is really, really hard because it throws your car around. Slush is also very dangerous, and it will just throw you all over the road. Black ice, of course, is deadly.”

More St. Charles Staff Unionize

About 40 home care and hospice nurses are the latest group of St. Charles employees to form a union

By Jack Harvel

Home health and hospice nurses at St. Charles Health System voted to form a union on Dec. 8, becoming the latest cohort of St. Charles employees to become unionized. About 40 nurses across Central Oregon will now be represented by the Oregon Nurses Association, who already represent over 1,100 nurses in the St. Charles Health System.

“Despite opposition from administration, we remain united in our endeavor and today’s vote reflects that. I look forward to a collaborative and transparent relationship with St. Charles so we can give our patients the best care and nurses will feel supported by the health system,” said Karin Arthur, a newly unionized registered nurse, in a press release.

ONA said the nurses wanted more input in local decision making and sought union representation to ensure they receive fair treatment, due process and adequate compensation to ensure patients get high quality care.

“Forming a union provides us the opportunity to better advocate for our patients and ourselves,” said Cherie Iannucci, RN, in a press release. “We take

care of people after they leave the hospital, to prevent them from being readmitted. Readmissions add to the strain that our hospitals face right now due to surging cases of RSV, COVID-19 and the flu.”

Several groups of St. Charles employees have unionized since the start of the

pandemic. In April 2021 about 150 technical workers in the hospital system agreed on a contract after organizing a strike. In June about 300 physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners joined a union after St. Charles announced it would lay off over 100 caregivers and

Governor Commutes Death Row Inmates

eliminate 76 unfilled positions.

St. Charles is the largest employer in Central Oregon with about 4,500 employees. It has been hesitant to accept unionization in the past and didn’t meet with union representatives in the lead-up to the strike in April 2021. A statement from the hospital after the home care nurses vote to unionize said the health system was disappointed but would participate in negotiations.

"While we are disappointed in the outcome of the election, we respect the rights of our caregivers to be represented by a union and over the coming months, we will work with the union to reach a contract that meets both of our interests," said Debbie Robinson, director of Home-Based Care, in a press release.

Over the next few weeks nurses will negotiate their contracts and establish bylaws. The Lund Report disclosed that the unionization drive in June is still pending, and that the union is criticizing St. Charles for hiring two “union-busting” consultants.

Seventeen inmates with death sentences are no longer eligible for capital punishment, a policy the state hasn’t acted on in over 25 years

By Jack Harvel

On Dec. 13 Gov. Kate Brown commuted the sentence of Oregon’s 17 inmates on death row and ordered the execution chamber to be dismantled. The 17 prisoners will now serve life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Oregon rarely uses the death penalty, executing only two inmates in the last 50 years. Since the state’s last execution in 1997, the scope of capital punishment has narrowed. A 2019 bill made the murder of children younger than 14, murder of law enforcement officers, terrorist acts that kill more than one person and prison killings committed by a convicted murderer the only crimes eligible for the death penalty. Gov. John Kitzhaber placed a moratorium on the death penalty in 2011, which Brown continued.

“I have long believed that justice is not advanced by taking a life, and the state should not be in the business of executing people — even if a terrible crime placed them in prison,” Brown said in a press release. “Since taking office in 2015, I have continued Oregon’s moratorium on executions because the death penalty is both dysfunctional and immoral. Today I am commuting Oregon’s death row so that we will no longer have anyone serving a sentence of death and facing execution in this state. This is a value that many Oregonians share.”

Twenty-three states don’t have the death penalty, and Oregon is one of three states with a

governor-imposed moratorium. Oregon has abolished and reestablished the death penalty three times, most recently in a 1984 referendum after the Oregon Supreme Court declared the practice unconstitutional in 1981. Frank Thompson, the former superintendent of prisons for the state of Oregon who oversaw the construction of the execution chamber in the 1990s, celebrated the end of the death penalty.

“The Death Penalty is simply a bad public policy on many levels. It does a disservice to everyone it touches, including the state workers in our corrections department whose job it is to carry out executions. No employee of the state should have to take on the burdens that come with killing a defenseless human being,” Thompson said in a press release.

A 2021 Gallup poll found 54% of respondents were in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder, which is the lowest favorability since 1974 when 50% were in favor. Oregonians were 57% in favor of the death penalty in 2012, but no statewide polling has been done on the issue since. Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp criticized the commutation in a press release.

“Did the people of Oregon vote to end the death penalty? I don’t recall that happening. This is another example of the Governor and the Democrats not abiding by the wishes of Oregonians. Even in the final days of her term, Brown continues to disrespect the victims

of the most violent crimes,” Knopp said.

The death penalty is a part of the Oregon constitution and can’t be banned without a proposal by the legislature that clears both houses and is approved by voters in a general election. Governor-elect Tina Kotek told OPB she was personally opposed to the death penalty and would continue the current moratorium.

Home care and hospice nurses are the latest St. Charles employees to form a union, though more cohorts of employers at the hospital system have been seeking representation for years.

The Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem houses the state’s execution chambers.

Photo courtesy of the Oregon Nurses Association

Photo courtesy of M.O. Stevens via Wikimedia

Uno de mis mejores recuerdos de niño de la Navidad de los años 70s fue viajar en la camioneta de la familia, “Bessie,” para ver las luces navideñas mientras me quejaba con mis padres por querer de nuevo un tentenpié. Había algo mágico en esa tarde familiar en donde el terreno se transformaba en un paraíso invernal resplandeciente a expensas de la columna lumbar de alguien.

Mi papá siempre se aseguró que nuestra casa fuera ejemplar en su presentación de la decoración navideña iluminada y hasta la fecha, sus exhibiciones legendarias hacen que mis propios intentos se vean como aquellos de un chiquillo del que no están al pendiente teniendo un un juguete Lite-Brite.

No sabía nada de chiquillo en relación a todo el trabajo que implica el producir una exhibición casera que le encante a las personas que pasan por la casa y que fastidie a los vecinos. Pero ahora que soy una persona adulta (más o menos), me enorgullece el subirme al techo y el gatear alrededor del jardín por

Sánchez-Millar

el amor de constar con un espectáculo navideño que me hace sentir como si me hubiera torcido todo menos mi ombligo.

Tal vez debido al esfuerzo enorme que pongo en mi propia casa, me he convertido un poco en un presumido al evaluar las luces de los demás, al punto que he creado las siguientes categorías:

El Griswold

Este tipo de exhibición es la que espero cada año. Incluye cada guía de luces que se pueden sacar del ático, junto con un carrito comprado tan pronto como Walmart reemplace las calabazas Mellowcreme con los pasteles navideños Little Debbie a finales del mes de octubre. Este es el tipo de exhibición abrumante que podría causar daño agudo a la retina al estar expuesto por mucho tiempo. De verdad que es un espectáculo, si te atreves.

El Mi esposa me hizo hacerlo Esta exhibición (si se puede llamar así) está claramente instalada bajo presión y probablemente durante

los comerciales del partido de fútbol americano de los Vaqueros de Dallas. Las luces desordenadas se ven como si hubieran sido engarzadas por alguien atacado por avispones e incluyen el mínimo de luces, tal vez una guía de luces y un Cascanueces inflable que se hunde. Es mejor que no tener nada pero apenitas si la hace.

El tramposo

Es obvio que alguien pagó bastante dinero para que un profesional hiciera todo el trabajo de esta exhibición geométricamente precisa junto con una cobertura meticulosa. Es hermoso, sin duda, al margen de Griswold, pero yo digo que si no estás de malas y necesitas una dosis de pastillas para el dolor cuando hayas terminado de poner las luces, no cuenta.

El Grinch

Esta es la casa sin ni siquiera un niño Jesús de plástico brillando en la entrada de la casa, un solo venado barato iluminado en el jardín o

hasta una corona de piñas en mal estado frente a la puerta principal. Casi ostentosamente obscuro y sombrío.

Cuando veo estás casas durante las fiestas decembrinas, a menudo me cacho diciendo cosas como, “¿Cómo es posible que no pusieron ninguna decoración? ¿Ya se les terminó el Tylenol?

Mi esposa contesta, “Tal vez no pueden costear las decoraciones. Pueden estar enfermos o ser de edad avanzada. O tal vez no celebren la Navidad.”

De ahí me siento como el Grinch, Scrooge, el abominable hombre de las nieves, Heat Miser, Sr. Potter, Frank Shirley y Scut Farkus, todos dentro de la lista de traviesos insensibles.

Durante esos momentos es cuando necesito un buen sermón de parte de Linus de “Una Navidad de Charlie Brown”. Claro, Snoopy tiene las mejores luces pero Linus sabe de qué se trata la Navidad.

Por/By Jase Graves Traducido por/ Translated by Jéssica

We Wanted to Write About 'The Last Blockbuster' the Show, But Then It Got Canceled

The new show about The Last Blockbuster—not set in Bend ends before it really began

By Jared Rasic

As anyone who has watched the documentary “The Last Blockbuster” by Taylor Morden and Zeke

Kamm can tell you, Netflix isn’t technically the reason why almost all of the Blockbusters across the world rapidly went out of business. Apparently, it had more to do with the mega corporation getting rid of late fees and the slow passing of physical media out of the land of relevance.

Even if Netflix wasn’t solely responsible, it certainly didn’t soften the death of video stores, whether it was a Blockbuster or your neighborhood ma and pa shop. So, the outright savagery of Netflix producing a sitcom about the last Blockbuster in the world is pretty astounding, but then to not set it at the real Last Blockbuster at 211 NE Revere in Bend, Oregon, and instead setting it in Grandville, Michigan, and filming it in Vancouver, B.C., is downright brutal.

Wait, I know I said all that was savage, but then Netflix went even stabbier as I sat down to write this and announced it has canceled “Blockbuster” after one brief and poorly reviewed season. But what was the show like? What worked and what didn’t? How could it have been fixed if Netflix didn’t jettison the series after 10 episodes? Let’s figure this out.

Part the First: In which we talk about the show

Just to get this out of the way up front: “Blockbuster” the series is pretty bad. It wasn’t completely broken, just dented and with no windows and maybe

a dead battery. Creator, showrunner and executive producer Vanessa Ramos (who didn’t set foot in the Bend store before making the show) has written for a few of the great workplace sitcoms over the last few years, including “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and the criminally underrated “Superstore.” With her as head writer and a cast featuring the great Randall Park (“Fresh Off the Boat), Melissa Fumero (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), JB Smoove (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Madeleine Arthur (“Color Out of Space”), there’s a deep bench of talent in front of and behind the camera.

But so much went wrong. Let’s number this out:

1: Obviously, first, building a fake Blockbuster in Canada that is lit and built like a set should be an issue for everyone who has ever been inside a Blockbuster before.

2: The first episode sets up a will they/won’t they romance between the two leads that we have no investment in because we JUST met the characters. Build up to that.

3: The way the Blockbuster operates in the show is like the writers never worked in a video store before… or ever went to one. Everyone is always working together instead of working different shifts on different days, you know, like every customer service job ever. Does everyone at this store work open to close, seven days a week?

4: Every character is an archetype, which in a workplace sitcom is sorta normal at first, but in “Blockbuster” it feels lazy. There’s the nice guy, the film geek, the out of touch Boomer, the overqualified woman rolling

her eyes at everything, the disaffected teen, the goofy neighbor and, of course, The Phoebe (every sitcom since “Friends” has had one). Beginning a sitcom with archetypal characters makes sense, but they need to grow and change for the show to remain interesting.

5: Most of the jokes are full blown groaners, aside from a few. I wrote them down after watching all 10 episodes and will share them with you now, free of any context:

• “Do I smell hot yogurt?”

• “You got any movies about Simon Birch?”

• “This makes me feel like I’m in an unproduced Charlie Kaufman movie.”

• “James Corden is a bully and a menace.”

And, my favorite:

• “The saddest thing I’ve ever said is, ‘one ticket to ‘Space Jam 2.’”

6: But then some lines are so bad that it kills all goodwill. The one that really bothered me was when Randall Park is talking about how well his store does on Halloween. He says, “Halloween is our biggest time of the year with people looking for vintage horror movies they can’t get on streamers.” Sorry, but even during the heyday of Blockbuster, you could never, ever, find vintage horror movies. Fifty copies of “True Lies,” for sure, but you’re never finding Ken Russell’s “The Lair of the White Worm.”

7: The store is filled with real movie posters and fake video box covers with real movie titles. It’s confusing and off-putting.

8: Park keeps talking about the employees as a family, but most of them are just co-workers at best. They

Even with a stacked roster of top-notch talent, this hot mess could not be salvaged.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

never hang outside of work and, if they do, they do it begrudgingly.

And the most frustrating thing of all:

9: By blatantly using/stealing the idea of The Last Blockbuster in Bend, but fictionalizing it, every time they do tie it to Bend, it feels sketchy and disingenuous. Sandi Harding (GM of the real store) has been called “The Blockbuster Mom” for ages. Randall Park starts calling himself “The Blockbuster Daddy” in the second episode. The real Blockbuster threw a block party after it became the last store on the planet. The fictional store throws a block party when they became the last store on the planet. And, once, they actually mention Hydro Flasks. Are these supposed to be Easter Eggs? Do they know these aren’t how Easter Eggs work?

Some of this is probably nitpicking, but when adding up one-dimensional characters, shamelessly terrible jokes and no internal logic to the setting of your workplace sitcom, you have a show that plays like the rough draft of a rough draft. All the awful might be forgiven if it was funny, but…nope.

Part the Second: In Which I Force My Friends to Watch the Show

But hey, maybe I’m overcritical of a show that’s just trying to be entertaining. So, I asked a few of my friends to watch as many episodes as they could handle and send me their thoughts. Here are a few of them, edited for length:

“A covert masterpiece channeling JD Salinger’s ‘Catcher In The Rye.’ The store manager is the proverbial Holden Caulfield, angry at all the realities of life, corporate mergers, buyouts and technological advances that has left him, and his staff, in the VHS childhood fantasy, trying hard to cling to popcorn dreams and Milk-Dud magic OR is it a failed attempt to capture true movie aficionados' passion for films/motion pictures. It belittles the deep passion for the medium by attempting to misalign characteristics of impassioned Blockbuster staff as outcasts.” Stewart Fritchman, owner of Bellatazza.

“The show's nostalgic intentions didn’t quite land for me; they felt more hollow and tired than warm and fuzzy. The most interesting part of the show was its existence on Netflix, the platform most responsible for Blockbuster's downfall. It would have been interesting to see a little darker humor and complex commentary on how streaming has changed the entertainment industry, instead of the few throwaway jokes we got about it. Overall, it's just a harmless comedy that doesn’t seem to have anything original to say.” Chloe Green, freelance writer.

“I don’t know why I’ve come to this Blockbuster, and, now that I’m here, I think I’d like to leave. With that said, there is a joke about Nicolas Cage movies worth watching the entire second episode for. Also, since you’re here, I invite you to ponder why the whole show is trapped in a terrible open air concrete prison as seen in the outdoor scenes, and if that is an anti-capitalist commentary or just a budgetary issue.” Keith Shayon, co-owner of Dump City Dumplings.

“As a former Blockbuster employee, this show feels more like an insult than entertainment. The writing is forced and lacks any flow. There are no moments of originality, and their half-assed attempt at ‘social commentary’ comes across as stale with a capital S! I'm confused on what tone they're trying to hit and who the audience is? One night while I was working at Blockbuster I recommended 'American Psycho' to an unsuspecting patron looking for ‘something like 'Silence of the Lambs,’ only to have him come in the next day and literally throw the film, case and all at me, screaming

how horrible that film was! I suggest you do the same with this garbage show. Metaphorically speaking.” Jesse Locke, filmmaker “A Reflection of Self.”

“I will admit the one thing I did find charming and relatable was the idea of a small-town business trying to survive and in that way, I DO think we can compare the events of the show to the perhaps against-all-odds survival of ‘our’ Blockbuster. I believe our local Blockbuster has said that their success hinges a lot on loyal customers and their commitment to keeping this last

real workplace sitcom. “The Office” felt like an office. “Superstore” felt like people working in a Target. The great “Abbott Elementary” actually feels like it cares about public schools and teachers. “Blockbuster” feels like people on a soundstage trying to be funny for dollar bills.

4: Make it weird. I’ve had customers so bizarre in my years of video store work that I remember them decades later. Take chances on being quirky and dark and having a point of view that’s different than the

bastion afloat. I admit, I find some of the nostalgia for Blockbuster puzzling, but I also went and purchased a bunch of their ‘merch’ to add to our museum collection because I do feel like it represents a moment in time, a genuine phenomena, and basically something that we might pull out and put on display 50 years from now because it represents something quirky and special about our local history. Because let’s be honest, every little town wants an identity and things we can cling to with pride. Also, I made it through two episodes.” Rebekah Averette, Deschutes County Museum collections manager.

“I was able to only watch five minutes of it because I couldn’t stand watching it. It feels like it’s written and performed with an impatient and anxious need to be funny fast. The writing and editing feel stunted and clumsy somehow. It reminded me of one of those student commercials that precede films at Regal, minus the youthful optimism.” Selin Sevinc, head of festival programming for BendFilm Festival.

“Like, it’s definitely in the top three things on Netflix with the word ‘Blockbuster’ in the title.” Taylor Morden, director of “The Last Blockbuster.”

Part the Third: In Which I Try to Fix the Show and Become a Famous Hollywood Writer

Since Netflix has chopped “Blockbuster” for good, we won’t ever see this iteration of the idea with this cast and these writers again unless another streaming service picks it up (which they won’t because it was critically lambasted and didn’t break into Netflix’s Top 10), but the premise of the show is a great one. However, the Netflix series was hobbled from the very beginning with bad choices. In my ever-so-humble opinion, here’s how a series like this could thrive. NUMBERS!

1: If you want the show to be set in a Blockbuster, set it in the ‘90s so we can mainline that genuine nostalgia. But what would work even better is to set it in modern days at an actual mom-and-pop video store struggling to stay open (of which the Bend store actually is). There are no stakes in the series as it stands because the fictional last Blockbuster can’t actually go out of business because then the show is over.

2: “Blockbuster” plays it very safe when it comes to talking about how much of their business was destroyed by streaming. They could have had genuinely funny meta moments where they threw shade at Netflix and Amazon and the viewers would have loved them for it. If a show about a video store can’t criticize the entertainment model putting them out of business, then what are we even doing here?

3: They could actually research what working in a Blockbuster (or any video store) is like so it feels like a

average multicam comedy.

5: Have genuine film geeks write the scripts so the show feels like it’s FOR the people who cherished video stores. When you just throw out a movie reference once or twice an episode, it feels performative and false.

6: Jokes. Make ‘em better.

I don’t know if setting the fictional series at the real last Blockbuster would have made it more palatable, but it at least would have had a soul. And with the Netflix series put out of its misery after a mere 10 episodes, we’ll never really know if the cast would have grown some chemistry and the writers would have… become funnier. I think going into the last Blockbuster here in Bend and just watching the employees for a few hours would be more entertaining, although much creepier. Do better, Netflix. Or don’t. You would have by now if you gave a shit.

They look so happy to be there.

The author, front left, inside the actual last blockbuster in Bend, Oregon with rapper Murs.

“Can my quote be, ‘No comment?’” Zeke Kamm, Writer/Producer of “The Last Blockbuster.”

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Jared Rasic

SOURCE PICKS

THURSDAY 12/22

OLIVIA HARMS

OREGON COUNTRY STAR

Celebrate the holidays with some country twang. Olivia Harms has been taking the stage since she was 2 years old. Her sound is classic country with a flair. Don’t miss this singer-songwriter before Christmas! Thu., Dec. 22, 6-8pm. River's Place, 787 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend. Free.

FRIDAY 12/23

SOUL’D OUT

RAMP UP THE R&B

Featuring groovy, lively R&B tunes, Soul’d Out will take the stage at Crux. Get your groove on with music and Crux’s hazy IPAs, ales, imperials and more! Fri., Dec. 23, 5-7pm. Crux Fermentation Project, 50 SW Division St., Bend. Free.

FRIDAY 12/23

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

BUNDLE UP FOR LIVE MUSIC

Enjoy bonfires, live music and more on Friday nights at Hoodoo Ski area during the winter season. Wear your best and warmest snow gear for a Friday night under the lights. Friday evenings. Hoodoo Ski Area, 27400 Big Lake Rd., Sisters. Free.

SATURDAY 12/24

MARAGAS WINERY CHRISTMAS

EVE OPEN HOUSE

DONATIONS FOR NEIGHBORIMPACT

Give back and give thanks on Christmas Eve at Maragas Winery with a donation drive in support of NeighborImpact. The open house will include complimentary spiced wine and spiced popcorn. Gather to spread good this holiday season. Sat., Dec. 24, Noon-3:30pm. Maragas Winery, 15523 SW Hwy 97, Culver. Free.

FRET DRIFTERS

HIGH-ENERGY ACOUSTIC GUITAR

Hailing from Southern Oregon, this guitar duo is known for its incredible energy and virtuosity. Incorporating many genres from flamenco to blues, the duo is sure to capture the interest of listeners. Audiences should expect to see and hear uniquely beautiful acoustic arrangements of original and cover music. Mon., Dec. 26, 6-9pm. McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 NW Bond St., Bend. Free.

"NAPOLEON DYNAMITE" WITH SPECIAL

GUEST JON HEDER

CULT CLASSIC

Cult classic, “Napoleon Dynamite,” was made almost 20 years ago and continues to capture the hearts of viewers. Come see “Napoleon Dynamite” star Jon Heder in conversation at the Tower. This unique event features a screening of the movie followed by a discussion session with the Source Weekly’s own Jared Rasic. Wed., Dec. 28, 7:30pm. Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend. $32 (plus $3 historic preservation fee).

TUESDAY 12/27

HOODOO’S WINTERVENTION AT AVID CIDER

FREE SKI STUFF

Join Hoodoo at Avid Cider Co. for fun events and over 50K in giveaways this season. Lift tickets, lodging, gear, skis, boards and more! If you missed out on the one in November, make sure to mark your calendar for this one! Everyone's a winner at Hoodoo’s Wintervention! Tue., Dec. 27, 6-8pm. AVID Cider Co. Taproom, 550 SW Industrial Way, Suite 190, Bend. Free.

TUESDAY 12/27

BEND UKULELE GROUP (BUGS)

SURFY MUSIC GROUP

Do you already play or have an interest in playing the ukulele? BUGs is a collection of Central Oregonians who share an interest in the surf-vibe instrument. Get into ukulele songs, music and the Aloha spirit! Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Big E's Sports Bar, 1012 SE Cleveland Ave., Bend. Free.

NEW YEAR’S SOUND BATH AND LIGHTSHOW

REFRESH FOR A STRONG START

Welcome peaceful energy into 2023 with healing sound waves, fairy-like tones, flameless candles and a fun lightshow projected onto the ceiling. This relaxing event is sure to help with the stress of the holidays and bring a positive start to the New Year. Wed., Dec. 28, 6-7:30pm. EzraAlya, 1733 NE Woodridge Lane, Bend. $35

TRIVIA NIGHT WITH TRIVIA GIRL

INTERACTIVE AND CHALLENGE-FILLED TRIVIA Test your knowledge in a variety of categories with friends and family and munch on some 75-cent chicken wings. Not only will this night test you mentally, this trivia night comes with a unique physical challenge as well. Wednesdays, 7-9:30pm. JC's Bar & Grill, 642 NW Franklin Ave., Bend. Free.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Photo courtesy Mount Hoodoo

Photo courtesy of The Fret Drifters Facebook

Photo courtesy of Napoleon Dynamite

Photo courtesy of Olivia Harms Facebook

Holiday Albums to Spin this Season

The year’s Christmas albums and what to expect when you give them a listen

By Alan Sculley

Whoever says the full-length album is a dying art form hasn’t been watching the Christmas music. This year brings another sleigh full of full-length albums. Here’s my take on this year’s albums vying for your Christmas music dollars.

Lindsey Stirling: “Snow Waltz” –Stirling brings her unique signature mix of classical, electronica and pop to “Snow Waltz,” crafting this year’s most innovative holiday albums. What also works is the hint of a dark undercurrent Stirling brings to “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman” and the title track. They play nicely with cheerier tracks (like “Sleigh Ride” and “Joy to the World” and the originals “Crazy For Christmas” and “Magic.”)

Switchfoot: “This Is Our Christmas Album” – The popular alt-rock band tries its hand at Christmas music with mixed results. “Scrappy Little Christmas Tree” sounds like the Sex Pistols meet the Beach Boys and somehow it works, while “New Year’s Day” is a catchy mid-tempo rocker. But a couple of originals fall flat and at times Jon Foreman’s raspy vocals come up a little creaky.

Kelley Hunt: “Winter Soulstice” –Hunt has quietly established herself as one of music’s better roots music artists, deftly blending blues, soul and gospel while showcasing her considerable talent as a singer and pianist. Now she’s made this year’s best Christmas album in “Winter Solstice.” Her bluesy and soulful version of “Go Tell It On The Mountain” may be the swingingest take ever on that famous song. Hunt’s reinterpretations of other classics are just as fresh and inspired. There are also three worthy originals, including the rich ballad, “Bright Lights,” which extends the Christmas season’s spirit of harmony into a call for lasting unity and respect that’s fitting in these divisive times.

Alicia Keys: “Santa Baby” – Keys has always made classy music, and “Santa Baby” is no exception, as she gives the songs restrained accompaniment – mainly her piano playing, bass and light percussion. The approach works because Keys’ supple and sweet voice pairs well with Christmas music and is enough to carry songs like “Christmas Time Is Here,” “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” and the flirty title song. Keys, though, ups the ante with four original songs, including the stellar ballad, “You

Don’t Have To Be Alone,” which sounds like it could become a favorite song to cover in the years ahead, while “Old Memories On Xmas” is nearly as good.

Dave Koz & Friends: “Christmas Ballads” – Saxophonist Koz celebrates the 25th anniversary of his Christmas tour by reuniting on “Christmas Ballads” with the three musicians who helped him launch the tour: keyboardist David Benoit, guitarist Peter White and trumpeter Rick Braun. With a nice mix of Christmas standards and lesser-known seasonal songs, this warm effort is firmly in Koz’s smooth jazz wheelhouse.

Joss Stone: “Merry Christmas, Love” – A Christmas album seems like a natural vehicle for Stone, but her soulful, bluesy vocals and sound doesn’t often materialize. While she brings the sass to “What Christmas Means to Me,” and to a lesser extent on “Bring On Christmas Day,” for the most part, “Merry Christmas, Love” is a standard-issue Christmas album, complete with orchestration and some heavy-handed choir-like backing vocals — while Stone’s musical personality goes mostly missing in action.

Crowder: “Milk & Cookies: A Merry Crowder Christmas” – One of the best artists in Christian music, Crowder’s first holiday album is made up mostly of original songs, with fun fare like “Elf Song,” “Your Praise Goes On” and “The Ballad of Mrs. C (She’s Sick of the Beard)” fitting Crowder’s familiar blend of folk, country and rock and roll with the occasional touch of hip-hop and a good bit of humor.

Chris Isaak: “Everybody Knows It’s Christmas” – Isaak, given his vocal ability, his songwriting chops and his roots in early rock and roll, surf and soul, seemed capable of making a refreshing Christmas album. But his originals (aside from “Almost Christmas” and “Wrapping Presents For Myself”) are lackluster and he doesn’t bring much originality to the covers.

Tasha Layton: “This is Christmas” – On one of this season’s better efforts, the Christian music singer goes big and brassy on fun originals like “Diddly Squat” (about not even getting a lump of coal) and “Hang Up Your Stocking” while also including warmer, more musically restrained tunes like “Giving Christmas Away” and “Make It to Christmastime.”

Other notable releases worth hearing:

• Pentatonix: “Holidays Around the World”

• Debbie Gibson: “Winterlicious”

• Jamie O’Neal: “Spirit & Joy”

• Jessy J: “California Christmas, Vol. 2”

• Regina Belle: “My Colorful Christmas”

• Loreena McKennitt: “Under A Winter’s Moon”

• Gloria Estefan/Emily Estefan/Sasha Estefan-Coppola: “Estefan Family Christmas”

• Chris Ruggiero: “Christmas with Chris Ruggiero”

• Louis Armstrong: “Louis Armstrong Wishes You a Cool Yule”

• Chris Standring: “Silent Night”

• Sarah Partridge: “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”

• Axelle Red: “The Christmas Album”

• Girl Named Tom: “One More Christmas”

• Sarah Connor: “Not So Silent Night”

• Williamson Branch: “Very Merry Christmas”

• Craig Duncan: “Bluegrass Christmas 2”

Spoken Moto Brings a Night of Musical Diversity

This NYE

Let’s end 2022 with punk, indie rock and a Latin dance party, shall we?

By Doone Lupine Williams

There’s a lot happening on Dec. 31 this year. New Year’s Eve at McMenamins is always a classic. The Malik Friedman Group is playing at the Volcanic Theatre Pub. There are not one but two Masquerade parties (one at Immersion Brewing and one at Seven). And of course, there are the modern primetime Bendlandian staples like River Pig Saloon and 10 Barrel Brewing to go get hoppy with your craft beer drinkin’ crew (see what I did there?). But what sounds particularly exciting is what’s happening over at Spoken Moto. Spoken Moto is hosting what it likes to call a New Year’s Eve “Shindig” where not one, not two, but six uniquely curated bands play a multitude of genres of

tunes from 6 pm until the clock strikes midnight into 2023. Yes, that’s six bands in six hours—everything from punk to Latin dance music. Plus, it’s free.

“The goal with this lineup was to bring some musical diversity to the stage, while supporting some topnotch local musicians. There is no shortage of talented musicians in this town,” says Amy Bathen, music booker for Spoken Moto.

The six local bands include: SAMARAS, Speedway Sleeper, Moon Rattles, Via for Real, Helga and DJ Bello. According to Bathen, “The evening begins with music that is a bit more chill, giving the audience space to listen and enjoy the company around them with maybe a little toe-tapping. Then we have some more upbeat bands that turn up the volume and the energy.” Not only did she curate the NYE lineup, she is also a member of the opening act, SAMARAS, which plays a mix of covers and originals with rotating instrumentation of acoustic and electric guitar, synth, keys and drums — a self-defined genre of “sludge folk.”

Bathen continues, “Among these musicians, there seems to be a growing interest in creating a more cohesive community. The type of community that supports and advocates for each other, while creating space for everyone to be heard. Spoken has been working hard this year to help create that space — hosting music three days a week and trying to create a healthy connection between artist and venue.”

The vibe at Spoken Moto likely contributes to the allure. “Throttled with a deep passion for old school craftsmanship, vintage motorcycles, hand-roasted coffee, craft drinks, live music and quality goods,” describes the Spoken Moto team. The open and indoor/outdoor industrial vibe truly feels like you’re in

old Old Mill. “Our space in Bend, Oregon, is housed in what was previously an old, forgotten mechanic's shop known in its day as the 'Pine Shed’ in the Old Mill/Box Factory area. Our brand and space is a reflection of our vision. Reclaim, restore and bring new life, beauty and purpose to what was forgotten.”

What else can you get from the NYE Shindig? A looping-one-man-band known as, Speedway Sleeper. A nod to ‘80s pop with dark indie electro rock overtones. Think Phil Collins meets Ratatat. Next up is a band fresh to the Bend scene but already garnering a buzz, Moon Rattles, whose songs have an old feel but unpredictable nature to them. The band is also currently recording its debut album with engineer Dayne Wood (of Beyond the Lamplight and the Shining Dimes) at The Firing Room studio. Via For Real, playing next, brings psychedelic punk rock with lots of energy. Helga — a Bend favorite — serves its audiences punk with a side of twang. And lastly is DJ Bello — one of the creators of ¡Baila!, a new monthly Latin dance party at Spoken Moto.

Left: Psychedelic punk rock power trio, Via for Real. Right: One-man show, Speedway Sleeper. Both will play at Spoken Moto's NYE music blowout.

A Bend favorite, punk legends, Helga.

Photo courtesy of Speedway Sleeper

Photo courtesy Via for Real

Photo courtesy of Helga

Wednesday

AVID Cider Co. Taproom Bingo with a Brit Join with the favorite bloke Michael as MC, and win prizes, swag, gift cards and a once-a-month cash jackpot. Discounted beverages, $3 first card, $2 second card and each card after that just $1! 6:30-8:30pm.

The Belfry Solstice Bluegrass Throw-Down w/ Skillethead & The Pine Hearts

Setting roots in the high and dry Central Oregon desert, Skillethead calls forth the best of bluegrass old and new. They ground themselves firmly in the bluegrass traditions of driving fiddle tunes, layered harmonies and single mics, all the while weaving in inspiration and originality gleaned from genres far and wide. Just beneath the eaves of Washington’s Cascade Mountains, The Pine Hearts are combining wood, ore and soul to channel the colossal, organic spirit of the untamed Pacific Northwest. Their sound, like the environment around them, is ever-changing, harnessing classic country songwriting, the powerful emotive themes of experimental folk and the blazing-fast pickin’ rhythms of traditional Appalachian bluegrass — all the while staying rooted to their rock ‘n’ roll backgrounds. 7-10pm. $15.

Cabin 22 Trivia Wednesdays Useless Knowledge Bowl Live Trivia Game Show! It’s not your average quiz night. Team up to win gift cards. It’s fun and free to play, with Locals’ Day featuring Crater Lake and local craft beer specials. Get here this week! 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy Open Mic Sign-up 7:30pm. Starts at 8pm. Free to watch. Free to perform. If you’ve ever wanted to try stand-up comedy, this is where you start! Free.

Crosscut Warming Hut No 5 Ghost of Brian Craig Central Oregon singer-songwriter and folk rock artist performing a niche form of acoustic guitar live-looping, harmonica with his colorful original acoustic rock songs and rich storytelling. 6-8pm. Free.

Deschutes Brewery Public House Head Games Trivia Night Eat. Drink. Think. Win! Head Games multi-media trivia is at Deschutes Bend Public House every Wednesday at 6:30pm. Win prizes. Teams up to 6. Free.

Hub City Bar & Grill Stage 28 Karaoke

Come out for a night of Stage 28 Karaoke with your host Miss Min! What’s your go-to karaoke tune? Come to Hub City every Wednesday and Thursday night and sing your heart out! 8pm-Midnight. Free.

JC’s Bar & Grill Trivia Nite with Trivia Girl Compete with your peers and test your knowledge of current events, music and other random categories while enjoying 75 cent wings! Also, JC’s trivia separates themselves from the rest with a physical challenge! 7-9:30pm. Free.

M&J Tavern Open Mic Night Downtown living room welcomes musicians to bring their acoustic set or turn it up to eleven with the whole band. Bring your own instruments. Goes to last call or last musician, which ever comes first. 21+. 6:30pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Song & Story with Pete Kartsounes Pete is an award-winning flat picker singer-songwriter and cutting-edge musician’s musician. No stranger to life out on the road, Pete has spent over two decades bringing his voice and guitar to stages all over the world. Come experience one of Bend’s finest talents! 6-8pm. Free.

Northside Bar & Grill Accoustic Open Mic w/ Derek Michael Marc Head down to the Northside Bar and Grill Wednesdays to catch local artists perform live. 7-9pm. Free.

Seven Nightclub & Restaurant The CO Show The CO Show is a free comedy showcase! Doors open at 7pm show starts at 8pm! Central Oregon Comedy Scene and Karaokaine productions have teamed up to bring this show to you! It’s co-hosted with multiple hosts, co-produced for Central Oregon! 8pm. Free.

Tower Theatre Swingin’ Tower Christmas Enjoy a family-friendly holiday celebration of the most lively songs, dances, and stories of the season. Host Mollie Tennant (“Cats,” “Les Miz”) heads a cast of local performers accompanied onstage by a live 15-piece big band. More information on this event will be released soon! 7pm. $22 - $32 (plus $3 historic preservation fee).

22 Thursday

Austin Mercantile Live Music Every Thursday Join at Austin Mercantile for live music every Thursday. Offering a light happy hour menu — daily flatbread, chili, charcuterie, soft pretzels and more! 4:30-6:30pm. Free.

Bridge 99 Brewery Trivia Thursdays UKB’s live trivia game show is like no other. Team up to compete for gift card prizes! It’s free to play. Brews, ciders, mixed drinks, pizzas and food truck options. Indoor and outdoor seating. 6-8pm. Free.

Hub City Bar & Grill Stage 28 Karaoke Come out for a night of Stage 28 Karaoke with your host Miss Min! What’s your go-to karaoke tune? Come to Hub City every Wednesday and Thursday night and sing your heart out! 8pm-Midnight. Free.

Big E’s Sports Bar Big E’s Open Mic Open mic from 6-9pm. Sign-ups at 5:30pm. Three song/15-minute limit. Minors allowed. Singles/ duos/trios. No drum sets. Great food and beverage from Big E’s Sportsbar menu. Original music or covers. A warm and friendly environment to share those precious creative moments. Free.

Porter Brewing Co. Live Music with The Ballybogs Grab a pint, sit back, relax and enjoy live music by an amazing group of artists that brings the best Irish Trad music in Central Oregon! Every Thursday at Porter! 6-8pm. Free.

River’s Place Olivia Harms Traditional country vibe but with some Bakersfield style country-western swing to bring back honkytonks. And you can bet there will be a few holiday songs with some twang to get all those merriment feels. 6-8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Trivia on the Moon

Come down to Silver Moon Brewing for a night of trivia! Teams are welcome to show up in groups up to 8 people. Silver Moon also offers seating reservations for $20 donations that all go to F*Cancer! If you would like to reserve a table please contact the Trivia on the Moon Facebook page. 7pm. Free.

23 Friday

Hardtails Bar & Grill Stage 28 Karaoke Come out for a night of Stage 28 Karaoke with your host Miss Min! What’s your go-to karaoke tune? Come to Hardtails for a fun Friday night and sing your heart out! 8pm-Midnight. Free.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy at Craft: The Airing of Grievances Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on Dec. 23 as an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas season. You remember the Seinfeld episode, right? Join as they partake in the tradition of the airing of grievances. Enjoy the release as comics rail on and on about the things they hate. You’ll also have a chance to text in your own grievances and let them air them for you, anonymously, of course. 8-10pm. $10.

Hoodoo Ski Area Friday Night Lights Enjoy bonfires, live music and more every Friday night at Hoodoo, thanks to Ablis CBD. 5pm. Free.

M&J Tavern Bangers, Bourbon and Bower A Christmas story you should bring your Mom to! Acoustic prowess and a bangin’ good time. 9pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Fast Nights with VYB3HOP, Sho Rilla and More Local hiphop at its best! Party and celebrate the holidays at Silver Moon. 8-11:30pm. $10.

The Domino Room Holly Daze Party with techno music and have a great time! 8pm. $15.

24 Saturday

Maragas Winery Maragas Winery

Christmas Eve Open House Live holiday classics, complimentary cup of spiced wine and spiced popcorn. There’s no cover, all the winery asks is that you bring food or a donation that they are collecting for the NeighborImpact Central Oregon Food Bank. Easy to find, stunning area, at Maragas’ cozy Christmas decorated winery and vineyard. Noon-3:30pm. Free.

“Napoleon Dynamite” will show at the Tower Theatre on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 7:30pm. At the show, fan-favorite actor Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) will participate in discussion about the film and his career.

Photo courtesy of Hulu (Napoleon Dynamite)

25 Sunday

26 Monday

Bridge 99 Brewery Trivia Mondays UKB’s live trivia game show is like no other. Team up to compete for gift card prizes! It’s free to play. Brews, ciders, mixed drinks, pizzas and food truck options. Indoor and outdoor seating. 6-8pm. Free.

Elixir Wine Group Locals Music Night Enjoy live musicians, great wine and small bites. 6-9pm. Free.

McMenamins Old St. Francis

School Fret Drifters Hailing from Southern Oregon, The Fret Drifters are acoustic guitar wizards known for their joyous high energy shows and their virtuosic “anything goes” approach to playing. 6-8pm. Free.

On Tap Locals’ Day Plus Live Music Cheaper drinks all day and live music at night, get down to On Tap. 11am-9pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Comedy Open Mic Comedy open mic every Monday at Silver Moon Brewing in the Green Room. Sign-ups at 6:30pm, show starts at 7pm. Free to watch and free to perform. Presented by Tease Bang Boom Productions. Free.

Worthy Brewing Head Games Trivia Night Eat. Drink. Think. Win! Head Games multi-media trivia is at Worthy Brewing Co. in Bend every Monday at 7pm. Free to play, win prizes. Teams up to 6. Free.

27 Tuesday

Cheba Hut Trivia Tuesday Come play Useless Knowledge Bowl! UKB’s live trivia game show is no ordinary trivia night! Bring your team this week! “2 Wheel Tuesday” and “Service Industry” specials with 25% off on bar tabs, too! 6-8pm. Free.

The Commons Cafe & Taproom Storytellers Open-Mic StoryTellers open-mic nights are full of music, laughs and community. In the old house Bill Powers of Honey Don’t and several other projects in town, hosts one of the best open mics in town. Sign-ups start at 5pm sharp in the cafe, and spots go quick. Poetry, comedy and spoken word are welcome, but this is mainly a musical open mic. Performance slots are a quick 10 minutes each, so being warmed up and ready is ideal. 6pm. Free.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School

Alycon Massive With a musical career spanning over 15 years in the Pacific Northwest, Alcyon Massive has become a name synonymous with musical innovation and spiritual exploration, fusing hip-hop, roots rock, folk and reggae into a massively good time. 6-9pm. Free.

River’s Place Bingo! Win cash and support a local nonprofit organizations. Yay! Bingo cards $1-$5. 6-8pm.

Silver Moon Brewing Eric Leadbetter & Friends Local artist, Eric Leadbetter, hosts his fellow musicians for this weekly free show every Tuesday. Come sit out on the brewery’s patio and enjoy an evening of music, food and most important... stellar craft beers! 6-8pm. Free.

The Cellar—A Porter Brewing Company Music Night at The Cellar, Featuring Central Oregon Music & Musicians Grab a pint, sit back, relax and enjoy live music by Central Oregon musicians! Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, from 6-8pm at The Cellar! Free.

28 Wednesday

AVID Cider Co. Taproom Bingo with a Brit Join with the favorite bloke Michael as MC, and win prizes, swag, gift cards and a once-a-month cash jackpot. Discounted beverages, $3 first card, $2 second card and each card after that just $1! 6:30-8:30pm.

Cabin 22 Trivia Wednesdays Useless Knowledge Bowl Live Trivia Game Show! It’s not your average quiz night. Team up to win gift cards. It’s fun and free to play, with Locals’ Day featuring Crater Lake and local craft beer specials. Get here this week! 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy Open

Mic Sign-up 7:30pm. Starts at 8pm. Free to watch. Free to perform. If you’ve ever wanted to try stand-up comedy, this is where you start! Free.

Crosscut Warming Hut No 5 John Shipe Relax with a pint and enjoy great local music every Wed. from 6-8pm. Free.

Deschutes Brewery Public House Head

Games Trivia Night Eat. Drink. Think. Win! Head Games multi-media trivia is at Deschutes Bend Public House every Wednesday at 6:30pm. Free to play. Win prizes. Teams up to 6.

Hub City Bar & Grill Stage 28 Karaoke

Come out for a night of Stage 28 Karaoke with your host Miss Min! What’s your go-to karaoke tune? Come to Hub City every Wednesday and Thursday night and sing your heart out! 8pm-Midnight. Free.

Northside

Bar & Grill Accoustic Open

Mic w/ Derek Michael Marc Head down to the Northside Bar and Grill Wednesdays to catch local artists perform live. 7-9pm. Free.

JC’s Bar & Grill

Trivia Nite with Trivia Girl Compete with your peers and test your knowledge of current events, music and other random categories while enjoying 75 cent wings! Also, JC’s trivia separates themselves from the rest with a physical challenge! 7-9:30pm. Free.

M&J Tavern Open Mic Night Downtown living room welcomes musicians to bring their acoustic set or turn it up to eleven with the whole band. Bring your own instruments. Goes to last call or last musician, which ever comes first. 21+. 6:30pm. Free.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School Milo Matthews Milo Matthew demonstrates versatility unlike any other bassist. By using a drum pad, effects pedal and a looping machine Milo can provide his own rhythm, bass line, keys and lead guitar turning him into an unstoppable one man show. 6-9pm. Free.

Seven Nightclub & Restaurant The CO Show The CO Show is a free comedy showcase! Doors open at 7pm show starts at 8pm! Central Oregon Comedy Scene and Karaokaine productions have teamed up to bring this show to you! It’s co-hosted with multiple hosts, co-produced for Central Oregon! 8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Song & Story with Pete Kartsounes Pete is an award-winning flat picker singer-songwriter and cutting-edge musician’s musician. No stranger to life out on the road, Pete has spent over two decades bringing his voice and guitar to stages all over the world. Come experience one of Bend’s finest talents! 6-8pm. Free.

Walt Reilly’s Live Music at Walt Reilly’s Need something to do on a cold winter Wednesday night? Join for live music! For over 2 hours, members of the band StealHead and Call Down Thunder will perform together on the Walt Reilly’s stage. 6-8:45pm. Free.

MUSIC

New Years Sound Bath and Lightshow from 7 Crystal Singing Bowls Welcome in 2023’s energy with a crystal sound bath that produces healing sound waves and fairy like tones. Enjoy the rooms relaxing ambiance from flameless candles and the Northern Lights lightshow projected onto the ceiling. Sure to be a relaxing time. Dec. 28, 6-7:30pm. EzraAlya, 1733 NE Woodridge Lane, Bend. Contact: 541-668-1716. sirahkreitzer@ gmail.com. $35.

DANCE

Argentine Tango Classes and Dance

Join every Wednesday for Tango classes and dancing! Your first class is free. 6:30-7pm Tango 101 Class, no partner needed! 7-8pm All levels class. 8-9:30pm Open dancing. Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30pm. Sons of Norway Hall, 549 NW Harmon Blvd., Bend. Contact: 541-728-3234. tangocentraloregon@gmail.com. $5-$10.

Nia Fusion of dance, martial arts and healing arts focusing on reconnecting to body sensations and the body’s natural way of movement through form, freedom and play. You will dance though deep intention and joyful expressions to connect to your true nature. Wednesdays, 8-9am and Saturdays, 11am-Noon. Bend Hot Yoga, 1230 NE 3rd St. Unit A320, Bend. Contact: yoga@bendhotyoga. com. $20/drop-In.

Scottish Country Dance Scottish Country Dance class is on Mon. from 7-9pm at the Sons of Norway Building. A chance to socialize and get a bit of exercise, too. Beginners are welcome. All footwork, figures and social graces will be taught and reviewed. Mondays, 7-9pm. Sons of Norway Hall, 549 NW Harmon Blvd., Bend. Contact: 541508-9110. allely@bendbroadband.com. $5.

Merry Christmas, Central Oregon!

Alcyon Massive jams to the sounds of reggae and surf-rock with his original tunes. He has multiple Oregon-themed songs including “Ain’t It Fresh (The Oregon Song)” and “Oregon Sunsets.” Listen to Massive at 6pm on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at McMenamins.

Photo courtesy of Alycon Massive Facebook

Line

and Swing Dancing Lessons

Line and swing dance lessons every Thursday night at The Cross-Eyed Cricket! Thursdays, 7-9pm. Cross-Eyed Cricket, 20565 NE Brinson Blvd., Bend. Free.

FILM EVENTS

“Napoleon Dynamite” with Special Guest Jon Heder This beloved indie classic was made almost 20 years ago. Since then much has changed; but the characters, as enduring as they are endearing, stay in our hearts. The evening includes a full screening of the film followed by a lively, moderated discussion with fan-favorite actor Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite). Dec. 28, 7:30pm. Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend. Contact: 541-317-0700. info@ towertheatre.org. $32 (plus $3 historic preservation fee).

Know Joy: Holiday Family Movie Night

Calling all cotton-headed ninny muggins! Join for a free screening of “Elf.” Bring a comfy chair, pillows and blankets. There will be an intermission and special treats will be available for purchase. Dec. 21, 6-8pm. High Desert Music Hall, 818 SW Forest Ave., Redmond. Contact: 541-312-1029. laurelw@deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

Outside Movie Night Join every Friday evening for the live outside movie night. The movies will differ each week, and if you enjoy classic and current outdoor ski-board-mountain-travel movies come join at the café starting at 7pm. Happy hour beverage pricing is also featured during LOGE’s movie nights. Fridays, 7pm. Through Jan. 14. LOGE Bend, 19221 SW Century Dr, Bend. Free.

ARTS + CRAFTS

Art Viewing Visit Sagebrushers Art Society in beautiful Bend to see lovely work, paintings and greeting cards by local artists. New exhibit every 8 weeks. Visit Sagebrushersartofbend.com for information on current shows. Wednesdays, 1-4pm, Fridays, 1-4pm and Saturdays, 1-4pm. Sagebrushers Art Society, 117 SW Roosevelt Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-617-0900. Free.

Kreitzer Open Gallery and Studio Give the gift of a contemporary realist David Kreitzer original. Stunning Central Oregon splendor, water, koi, fantasy, figure and floral. Mondays-Sundays, 11am-5pm. Ask for Christmas hours. Kreitzer Art Gallery and Studio, 20214 Archie Briggs Road, Bend. Contact: 805-234-2048. jkreitze@ icloud.com. Free.

Nancy Floyd: Walking Through The Desert with My Eyes Closed Art exhibition

at Scalehouse featuring 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship recipient Nancy Floyd! First Friday opening 11/4 from 5-7pm. Visit www.scalehouse. org/artist-nancy-floyd. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 5-7pm. Through Dec. 31. Scalehouse Collaborative for the Arts, 550 NW Franklin Ave., Bend. Contact: marley@scalehouse.org. Free.

Visual Joy and Perfection: The Artistry of Master Fine Artist

David Kreitzer Join David in the Kreitzer Gallery and Studio, and experience sublime and healing Central Oregon splendor landscapes, the human figure, koi, California vineyards, floral and fantasy oil and watercolor images. Thursdays-Sundays, Noon5pm. Kreitzer Art Gallery and Studio, 20214 Archie Briggs Rd., Bend. Contact: 805-234-2048. jkreitze@icloud.com. Free.

Welding Holiday Art Class It’s that time of the year for DIY handmade gifts. Come learn to weld as you make a festive holiday decoration out of steel! Using a design that has been pre-cut for you by the CNC plasma tools at DIYcave, you will prep and weld together a unique candle decoration Wed, Dec. 21, 6-8pm and Wed, Dec. 28, 6-8pm. DIY Cave, 444 SE Ninth St. Suite 150, Bend. Contact: 541-388-2283. heather@diycave. com. $179.

ETC.

Winter Nights: Solstice Social Take a break from the year-end hubbub with a special night at the Museum! Join after hours to explore the new exhibition "Under the Snow." A meal, snack or beverage await in the Rimrock Café, and the museum store will also be open with discounts for all. Dec. 22, 4-7:30pm. High Desert Museum, 59800 S. Highway 97, Bend. Contact: 541-382-4754. bburda@highdesertmuseum.org. $6-$10, members always free.

OUTDOORS + ATHLETIC EVENTS

Badminton Night! Beginners and experienced players welcome. Extra racquets and shuttles provided. The $10 fee helps pay for the facility. Saturdays, 5-7:30pm. Through Feb. 25. Bend Hoops, 1307 NE 1st St., Bend. Contact: jimwinkle@gmail.com. $10.

Bend Adult Volleyball Bend Hoops adult open gym volleyball sessions offer players a chance to get together and enjoy some competition. To sign up, go to meetup.com and RSVP. Bring exact change. Sundays, 7-9pm. Bend Hoops, 1307 NE 1st St, Bend. $10.

Bend Area Running Fraternity The group will run, maintaining social distance, along the Deschutes River and then receive discounted drinks from the cidery after the run! Mondays, 5 and 5:30pm. Through Feb. 7. AVID Cider Co. Taproom, 550 SW Industrial Way, Bend. Contact: bendarearunningfraternity@gmail.com. Free.

Bevel Putting Mayhem It’s a fun way to get to know our local disc golf club and meet some new people! Plus, all competitors get $1 off beverages all night (cannot be combined with any other discounts). Details: Head-to-head matches will play in a bracket-style putting competition, with double elimination! Sign-ups at 5:30pm with first putts at 6pm. $5 to enter, optional $1 for the “Perfect Putt Pot.” Bring 2 putters of your own or borrow Bevel’s!10 putts per round from 5 stations, 2 putts from each station. Wednesdays, 5:30-9pm. Bevel Craft Brewing, 911 SE Armour St., Bend. $5.

4th Friday Artwalk in Sisters

Visit the art galleries of Sisters featuring a great time, beautiful art, good company, demonstrations, plus additional sponsoring restaurants and food venues. Dec. 23, 10am-7pm. Downtown Sisters, Hood Ave., Sisters. Contact: 541-719-8581. events@sistersartsassociation.org. Free.

PRESENTATIONS + EXHIBITS

Bend Ghost Tours Join for Ghosts and Legends of Downtown Bend Tour and hear all about Bend’s permanent residents! Your Spirit Guide will lead you through the haunted streets and alleyways of Historic Downtown Bend where you’ll learn about the city’s many macabre tales, long-buried secrets and famous ghosts. Wednesdays-Sundays, 7:30-9pm. Ask for Christmas hours. Downtown Bend, Bend. Contact: 541-3500732. bendghosttours@gmail.com. $25.

THEATER

Readers Theater Is there a play that you’ve always wanted to read but you don’t have enough friends (or voices in your head) for all the characters? Join us one Saturday morning a month as we explore new, original and classical plays, drink coffee and get to know others in the local theatre community. Fourth Saturday of every month, 10am-Noon. Cascade Theatrical Theatre, 148 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend. Free.

WORDS

Hello! Storytime: Gingerbread Hello, and welcome to Roundabout Books Storytime! Roundabout Books is looking forward to sharing stories, movement and a touch of music with 0-5 year olds, geared toward those younger ages. Dec. 28, 10:30-11am. Roundabout Books, 900 NW Mount Washington Dr., #110, Bend. Contact: 541306-6564. julie@roundaboutbookshop.com. Free.

Mystery Book Club Please attend the Mystery Book Club. Come in person or join zoom link here: https://us02web.zoom.us/ j/87648931984?pwd=eHN4VjRIOVkyck5DL092OE9Nakd2QT09. Wednesdays, 10:30am. Roundabout Books, 900 NW Mount Washington Dr., #110, Bend. Contact: 541-306-6564. julie@roundaboutbookshop.com. Free.

Writers Writing: Quiet Writing Time

Enjoy the focus of a quiet space with the benefit of others’ company. This is an in-person program. Bring personal work, read a book or answer emails. Come when you can, leave when you want. Free, open network WiFi available. Tuesdays, 1:30-4:30pm. Deschutes Public Library-Downtown, 601 NW Wall St., Bend. Contact: 541-312-1063. paigef@deschuteslibrary. org. Free.

Hoodoo’s Wintervention at Avid Cider Join Hoodoo at AVID Cider Co. for a flurry of fun and over 50K in giveaways this season. Lift tickets, lodging, gear, skis, boards and more! Free for all ages. Go to skihoodoo.com for full details. Tue, Dec. 27, 6-8pm and Tue, Jan. 24, 6-8pm. AVID Cider Co. Taproom, 550 SW Industrial Way, Bend. Contact: 541-706-9240. jenniferbreakingfree@gmail.com. Free.

Redmond Running Group Run All levels welcome. Find the Redmond Oregon Running Klub on Facebook for weekly run details. Thursdays, 6:15pm. City of Redmond, Redmond. Contact: rundanorun1985@gmail.com.

Saturday Morning Coffee Run

Come join CORK for a Saturday long run at 9am. The group will meet outside Thump Coffee on York Dr. for a long run. Feel free to run or walk, whatever “long” means to you! Whatever your pace and distance, Thump hopes you’ll join for the run and stay afterward for food and drinks! Saturdays, 9-10am. Thump Coffee - NW Crossing, 549 NW York Dr., Bend. Free.

Milo Matthews started out busking on the streets and worked his way to the big-time stage. His music crosses genres of jazz, blues, rock, pop, funk and even folk.

Matthews at McMenamins at 6pm on Wednesday, Dec. 28.

Photo courtesy of Milo Matthews Facebook

Thursday Night Run Run through the Old Mill for around 3-5 miles, stay for food and drinks! Thursdays, 6-7pm. Spoken Moto, 310 SW Industrial Way, Bend. Free.

VOLUNTEER

Bunny Rescue Needs Volunteers

Looking for more volunteers to help with tidying bunny enclosures, feeding, watering, giving treats, head scratches, play time and fostering. All ages welcome and time commitments are flexible — weekly, monthly or fill-in. Located at the south end of Redmond. Email Lindsey with your interests and availability: wildflowerbunnylove@gmail.com. Ongoing. Ember’s Wildflower Animal Sanctuary and Bunny Rescue, 2584 SW 58th St, Redmond. Free.

General Volunteer Opportunities

For information on volunteer opportunities at Bethlehem Inn please contact Courtney, Community Engagement Coordinator, at volunteer@ bethleheminn.org. Bethlehem Inn, 3705 N Hwy 97, Bend. Contact: 541-322-8768 x11. volunteer@ bethleheminn.org. Free.

Help Businesses Prosper! Share your professional and business expertise. Become a volunteer mentor with SCORE in Central Oregon. The chapter is growing. Your experience and knowledge will be valued by both new and existing businesses in the community. To apply, call 541-316-0662 or visit centraloregon.score.org/ volunteer. Ongoing.

Volunteer with Salvation Army The Salvation Army has a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for almost every age. Salvation Army has an emergency food pantry, the groups visit residents of assisted living centers and make up gifts for veterans and the homeless. Ongoing. Contact: 541-389-8888.

Volunteers Needed for Humane Society Thrift Store Do you love animals and discovering “new” treasures? Then volunteering at the HSCO Thrift Store is a great way to combine your passions while helping raise funds to provide animal welfare services for the local community. For more information visit the website at www.hsco.org/volunteer. Ongoing. Humane Society Thrift Shop, 61220 S. Highway 97, Bend. Contact: 541-241-3840. abigail@hsco. org. Free.

GROUPS + MEETUPS

Bend Parkinson’s Support Group

Monthly Meeting

Parkinson’s Support Group

Meetings third Wednesday of every month at the Best Western Premier Bend. Patients and caregivers are welcome to join us. These meetings serve as a resource for educational and emotional support. Focusing on providing local services, bridging the gap between medical care and wellness. Fun and engaging! Third Wednesday of every month, 2-3:30pm. Best Western Premier, 1082 SW Yates Dr., Bend. Contact: 541-668-6599. carol@parkinsonsresources.com. free.

Bend Ukelele Group (BUG’s) Do you play Uke? Like to learn to play? Beginners and experienced players all welcome to join the fun every at Big E’s just off 3rd street near Reed Market. Go play with the group! Tuesdays, 6:30pm. Big E’s Sports Bar, 1012 SE Cleveland Ave., Bend. Contact: 206-707-6337. Free.

Bevs’ & Biz Hi, folks! Missing some in-person networking with like-minded individuals? River’s Place has offered up their space for people to congregate and rub some elbows with some folks who like beverages, mingling and building the roots of our economy. Dec. 21, 6-8pm. River’s Place, 787 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend. Contact: 541819-0443. beverageandbusinesscards@gmail. com. $5.

Cars & Coffee Cars and Coffee is a family environment and it is for all to share, yes, dogs too! Stop in, chat, snap pictures, bring your ride or daily driver, and enjoy fellow enthusiasts. Every other Sunday, 8-11am. Spoken Moto, 310 SW Industrial Way, Bend. Free.

Hysteria Comedy Collective: Comedy Writing Workshop

Welcome to Hysteria, a comedy collective open to all female-identifying, trans and non-binary folks. Whether you are a seasoned performer or completely new to the scene, Hysteria invites you to join the community of professional, novice and aspiring stand-up comedians. Its mission is to create a space where there is support for each other’s growth as writers/performers, give and receive feedback on materials and foster a more inclusive, progressive and artistic comedy community. Third Wednesday of every month, 5:30-7pm. Open Space Event Studios, 220 NE Lafayette Ave., Bend. $10.

Neuroqueer Meetup A safe place for neurodivergent, queer individuals to exchange with the goal of promoting exploration and sharing of experiences, as well as empowerment and connection to community. Every other Wednesday, 6-7:30pm. The Base at Franklin, 5 NW Franklin Ave., Bend. Contact: 541-610-8826. hello@baseatfranklin.com. Free.

Toastmasters of Redmond Become a confident public speaker. Do you want to become a member of an organization that provides a safe and supportive environment to improve your public speaking skills? A place that fosters community, socialization and builds your self confidence. A place to have fun. Newcomers are supportively welcomed. Tuesdays, Noon-1pm. Church of Christ, 925 NW 7th St., Redmond. Contact: 541-292-6177. garyae@gmail.com. $60 for 6 months.

Winter Solstice and Community Potluck Reflect, release and revitalize your spirit. Solstice activity starts at 5:45pm, potluck after. Dec. 21, 5:30-7:30pm. Michelle Ericksen, 1410 SW Juniper Ave., Redmond. Contact: 541-6038485. drmichelle.ericksen@gmail.com. Free.

Competitive Cribbage Play nine games of cribbage versus nine different opponents. Cash prizes awarded based on number of wins. Mondays, 5-8pm. Deschutes Junction, 2940 N Hwy 97, Bend. Contact: 541-530-1112. rickyticky1954@gmail.com. $2-$18.

Wild Women Book Club Come join other women in community as participants dive deep into the untamed feminine psyche. This is set up in a way that you can jump in at any time with or without reading the “required” pages. Join in the discussion or just come for a cup of tea and listen! Fourth Wednesday of every month, 6-8pm. The Peoples Apothecary, 19570 Amber Meadow Dr., Bend. Contact: 541-728-2368. classes@thepeoplesapothecary.net. $9/online, $10/door.

FUNDRAISING

Bingo Fundraiser for Battle Buddies of Central Oregon A fundraiser for Battle Buddies of Central Oregon is a nonprofit organization formed in August 2013. It is an all-volunteer staff of patriotic citizens dedicated to preventing veteran suicide. Its mission is to prevent veteran suicide through canine companionship and training. Dec. 27, 6-8pm. River’s Place, 787 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend. Contact: 541-390-7587. bbco@battlebuddiesco.org. Free.

SEASONAL EVENTS + MARKETS

Holiday Farmers Market Need a last minute Holiday gift? Join each Friday at the 10 Barrel Westside location and shop great gift ideas from local businesses. Friday, Noon-4pm. 10 Barrel Brewing Co., 1135 NW Galveston Ave., Bend. Free.

FAMILY + KIDS

Holiday Couples Massage Classes Give the gift of connection and relaxation through touch with a gift certificate for a Couples Massage Class this Christmas! 2 or 4 hour classes available at Taproot Bodywork in Tumalo. One couple per session. Additional days/times are available, prices vary. https://www.taprootbodywork.com/. Saturdays-Sundays. Through Feb. 19. Taproot Bodywork studio, Tumalo. Contact: 503-481-0595. taprootbodywork@gmail.com. Prices vary.

Moms and Groms Meetup Moms and Groms is officially back at Boss Rambler 3-6pm every Wednesday! Moms, it’s simple: show up with your grom(s) to socialize and drink beer (or whatever you want) with other moms while the kiddos make new friends! All moms get $1 off drinks! Wednesdays, 3-6pm. Boss Rambler Beer Club, 1009 NW Galveston Ave., Bend. Free.

SantaLand Families can stop in and take pictures will Jolly St. Nick every Friday through Sunday after Thanksgiving until Dec. 23. You’ll also find the Tree of Joy in SantaLand, a project between the Rotary Clubs of Central Oregon and the Salvation Army that provides gift suggestions for children and families in need. Dec. 21, 11am5pm. Old Mill District, 450 SW Powerhouse Dr. Suite 422, Bend.

Winter Break Art Camp Each no school day camp is a uniquely magical experience where creativity buzzes through the air, kiddos connect over shared projects, and campers leave each day full of excitement to share the ideas they’ve brought to life. The days flow between open create, a guided workshop, outdoor exploration and games. Dec. 19-23, 9am-3pm. Dec. 26-30, 9am3pm. Wondery Art + Adventure School, 19550 Amber Meadow Dr. Suite 190, Bend. Contact: sarah@wonderyschool.com. $400.

FOOD

El Kussho The winter pop-up is back! Come enjoy Latin American-Japanese inspired delicious dishes and cocktails in a cozy and at-home room! Thursdays-Saturdays, 4-9pm. Through March 4. El Sancho Super Secret Side Street Saloon, 133 SW Century Dr. Suite 204, Bend. Free.

Fried Chicken Thursdays Fried Chicken Thursdays at Flights Wine Bar! Dine in with a 2-piece plate with sides and a biscuit for $18 or take an 8-piece bucket and a bottle to-go! Upgrade to the “Balla Bucket” to get a selected bottle of champagne. Thursdays, 3-9pm. Flights Wine Bar, 1444 NW College Way Suite 1, Bend. Contact: 541-728-0753. flightswinebend@gmail. com. $38.

Luke Mandala is headlining the Holly Daze techno music night at the Domino Room on Friday, Dec. 23 at 8pm. Mandala’s music is downtempo techno that focuses on embodying chill energy. The psychedelic set will have listeners moving to the music.

Photo courtesy of Luke Mandala Facebook

Looking Forward to New Year's Eve Parties

The Source is gathering a list of NYE parties for Central Oregon

By Allie Noland

Central Oregon is ringing in the New Year with many festive parties and live music celebrations. As we keep hearing about more and more NYE parties, it only makes sense that we gather them all and make a guide for Central Oregon. This guide will take the stress out of planning your weekend. From chill gatherings to live music ragers, find these parties all in one place with our “New Year's Eve 2022-23 Guide for Central Oregon.” With short descriptions, find which event suits your party style. So far, the venues range from local breweries to concert venues to restaurants and more. View the guide at bendsource.com/newyears or scan the QR code.

Know of a party but don't see it on this list? Submit events for free to the online calendar, and NYE party submissions will be added to the list ASAP. We are updating the calendar every day!

In next week’s edition, find the NYE 2022-23 Guide for Central Oregon in print with short writeups on what to expect. If you’re teetering between a couple of different ones, stay tuned for the details!

Eqwine Wine Happy Hour Weekly Happy Hour discounts with small plates and hors d’oeuvres available. Thursdays-Saturdays, 4-6pm. Eqwine Wine Bar, 218 SW 4th St, Redmond. Contact: 541-527-4419. Free.

Growler Discount Night! Enjoy $2 off growler fills every Wednesday at Bevel! Bevel Craft Brewing, 911 SE Armour St., Bend. Contact: 831-245-1922. holla@bevelbeer.com. Free.

Locals’ Night with The Bluegrass Collective Monday is the day to be at Silver Moon Brewing! Come on down and join the local family all day every Monday! Silver Moon offers $3 pints of the core lineup beers and $4 pours of the barrel-aged beers all day. Come down and sample what’s new while also enjoying the brand new food menu! It’s a steal of a deal that they won’t be chasing you out the door for! Mondays. Silver Moon Brewing, 24 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend.

Cross Cut Warming Hut: Locals’ Day! Tuesdays are Locals’ Day. Every Tuesday enjoy $1 off regular size draft beverages. Come by the Warming Hut and hang out by the fire. See you soon, Bend! Tuesdays. Crosscut Warming Hut No 5, 566 SW Mill View Way, Bend.

Locals’ Day Come on down to Bevel Craft Brewing for $4 beers and cider and $1 off wine all day. There are also food specials from the food carts located out back at The Patio! Tuesdays. Bevel Craft Brewing, 911 SE Armour St., Bend. Contact: holla@bevelbeer.com. Free.

HEALTH + WELLNESS

Kirtan: Celebrate With the Bend Bhakti Collective Kirtan, sacred song, dance and community. Celebrate with the Bend Bhakti Collective. Thursdays, 7pm. First Presbyterian Heritage Hall, 230 NE Ninth St., Bend. Contact: 541-382-4401. Free-$20.

Drop In Monday Meditation Open to all! Come join in the beautiful gardens for meditation and healing! Mondays, 6:30-7:30pm. Blissful Heart Wellness Center, 45 NW Greeley Ave., Bend. Contact: 510-220-2441. cathleen@blissful-heart.com. Donation based.

Bend Zen Meditation Group Bend Zen sits every Mon, evening at 7. Arrive at 6:45pm to orient yourself and meet others. The group has two 25-minute sits followed by a member-led Dharma discussion from 8:05-8:30pm. All are welcome! Learn more and sign up for emails at www.bendzen.net. Mondays, 6:45-8:30pm.

Brooks Hall at Trinity Episcopal Church, 469 Wall St., Bend. Contact: bendzensitting@gmail.com. Donations accepted.

Tekka

Tekka Tiger takes a trip to Malaysia! Tekka Tiger will be serving some staple dishes you can find in any Malaysian restaurant. Come check out Bend’s newest food cart. Saturdays-Sundays, 12:30-4pm. Through Dec. 30. Bend Cider Co., 64649 Wharton Ave., Bend. Free.

Vendors Wanted General Duffy’s is looking for more vendors for the upcoming vendor markets through the new year! Through Jan. 10. General Duffy’s Waterhole, 404 SW Forest Ave., Redmond. Contact: 541-527-4345. sarah@ generalduffys.com. Free.

Youth Baking Camp-Flakey Pastries

Have your child (age 7-17) join in this hands-on camp where they will learn to make croissants, puff pastry and danish from scratch. These doughs can be challenging unless you know the proper techniques. In this class kids will learn the intricacies of temperature, laminating doughs and more. Tue, Dec. 27, 11am-2pm, Wed, Dec. 28, 11am-2pm and Thu, Dec. 29, 11am-2pm.

Kindred Creative Kitchen, 2525 NE Twin Knolls Dr., Bend. Contact: 541-640-0350. kindredcreativekitchen@gmail.com. $170.

Sunday Brunch Sunday Brunch featuring fresh local, seasonal ingredients and beverage specials. Sundays, 10am-1pm. Eqwine Wine Bar, 218 SW 4th St., Redmond. Contact: 541-5274419. Free.

BEER + DRINK

Bottle & Board Mondays Join on Mondays at Bend Wine Bar for local, small batch Oregon and Washington wines at the Box Factory. Take $5 off any white wine and cheese, salami or charcuterie board or $10 off a red wine and board. Tasting room for The Winery at Manzanita. Mondays, 2-9pm. The Bend Wine Bar & Winery Tasting Room, 550 SW Industrial Way, Suite 194, Bend. Contact: info@bendwinebar.com. Free.

Soul’d Out Soul’d Out is bringing the fun. Come out, chill and hear some soul and R&B with us. Dec. 23, 5-7pm. Crux Fermentation Project, 50 SW Division St., Bend. Free.

Thursday Night Football Welcome to the new era of Thursday Night Football only on Amazon Prime and shown on Peppertree Pub’s 6 big screen TVs. $10 for one appetizer and a pint of beer poured from 15 rotating taps. It’s the NFL like you have never seen it before at the new Peppertree Pub. Thursdays, 4-9pm. Peppertree Pub, 1082 SW Yates Drive, Best Western Premier, Bend. Contact: 541-382-2007. bendsales@peppertreeinns.com. Free.

Whiskey Tuesdays The Cross-eyed Cricket Watering Hole is offering exclusive access to a library of top shelf whiskeys every Tue. One-ounce pours for reasonable prices. Come by and try something new, or sip on your favorites! Tuesdays, 11am-11pm. Cross-Eyed Cricket, 20565 NE Brinson Blvd., Bend. Free.

Guided Forest Bath Forest bathing is the practice of immersing yourself in the forest through sensory connection. This practice will slow you down and deepen your relationship with nature and others. It is a great practice for friend groups and families. This guided experience is hosted by Missie Wikler, a certified forest therapy expert. Saturdays, 10am-Noon. Through March 25. Shevlin Park, 18920 Shevlin Rd., Bend. Contact: 541-316-9213. missie@romingyogabend. com. $35.

Unity Christmas Eve Celebration

Service Join in person for the Christmas celebration service or watch on the livestream. The speaker will be Rev. Jan Hiatt. This will include a meditation. Dec. 24, 5 and 7pm. Unity Community of Central Oregon, 63645 Scenic Dr., Bend. Contact: 541-280-5040. cylvia@cylviahayes.com. Love offering appreciated.

Winter Solstice Labyrinth Walk Celebrate solstice with your community in a silent meditation walk. The group begins with a brief gathering, then proceed through the labyrinth in silence. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight/ candle. Enjoy a hot beverage. Please bring your own mug. Dec. 21, 7-8pm. Sisters Community Labyrinth, Highway 242 and W. Hood Avenue, Sisters. Contact: 503-709-1148. tiffany@plazm. com. Free.

Tiger

The Kreitzer Art Gallery and Studio features poetic, painted artwork by David Kreitzer. Diving deep into the beauty of nature, he highlights water, koi, fantasy, figure and floral elements in his designs. The gallery is open Monday through Sunday from 11am-5pm.

Photo courtesy of David Kreitzer

GUNG HO

By Allie Noland

Bend Keeps Bringing in the Big Names for 2023

Hayden Homes announces Noah Kahan, and Midtown Ballroom taps The California Honeydrops

It’s not even 2023, and the concert lineup keeps getting better and better with many musicians trying to stop in Bend on tour. Is it the breathtaking location, with the river and snow-capped surrounding mountains? The growth of the city? The outdoor opportunities? The sunny days? Whatever it is, Bend is bringing in some big names next year.

Noah Kahan: Stick Season Summer Tour

Saturday, Aug. 19, 7pm

Hayden Homes Amphitheater

344 SW Shevlin Hixon Dr., Bend bendconcerts.com $45-$200+

Noah Kahan: Stick Season Summer Tour

Selling out his 2022 Stick Season Tour, Noah Kahan is returning for more shows in 2023. Kahan’s album “Stick Season” was released in October and has seen immense support and stream counts from listeners. With only one stop in Oregon, the indie-pop artist is coming right here to the Hayden Homes Amphitheater.

Kahan’s concerts are full of fans singing back to him, relating to the lyrics that describe the life of struggling through hard times, transitions and feeling stuck. The explosion of popularity started on Tik Tok, when Kahan released a short clip of his title track, “Stick Season,” four months prior to the album release.

Listeners quickly found themselves attached to the lyrics: “And I love Vermont, but it's the season of the sticks and I / Saw your mom she forgot that I existed and / It's half my fault, but I just like to play the victim / I'll drink alcohol 'til my friends come home for Christmas.” Hundreds of people started covering the song and uploading it to Tik Tok, showing support and love for Kahan’s new project. Quickly, he became a viral sensation.

The diversity of the album shows Kahan’s strengths as a musician, with high-energy tunes like “Everywhere, Everything” and “Homesick” to slower ballads like “The View Between Villages” and “Strawberry Wine.”

Tickets are selling fast, so Kahan fans and indie-pop lovers better jump online soon.

The California Honeydrops: Soft Spot Tour

Tuesday, April 18, 8pm

Midtown Ballroom

51 NW Greenwood Ave, Bend midtownballroom.com/calendar $30

The California Honeydrops: Soft Spot Tour

This bluesy band is inviting Central Oregon to groove out this April at the Midtown Ballroom. The California Honeydrops released its new album, “Soft Spot,” in October and is touring the feel-good album during the blossoming of spring.

“This record is all about love and good lovin’ and other things that matter,” said front man, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Lech Wierzynski on the band’s website.

“Soft Spot” features upbeat harmonies, energetic instrumentals and a warm weather vibe that will carry listeners through the cold winter. The opening track, “Honey and Butter,” is nothing but sweet memories and lightheartedness.

Central Oregonians can listen and dance to the swingy, vibrant tunes from the new album when the band hits Bend. Ticket sales just started on Dec. 16, so concertgoers better snag some tickets while they’re still available.

Photo courtesy of Noah Kahan Instagram

Photo courtesy of The California Honeydrops Facebook

Our mission is the same as it has been for over 40 years—to provide the best healthcare possible to the women in our community. From adolescence through menopausal years, we offer a full range of women’s healthcare services, including obstetrics, gynecology, midwifery and more. Since the beginning, generations of women have come to trust the compassionate care we give. Now accepting appointments.

Mary Ann Ahmed, MD

Cheryl Czapla, MD Julie A. Wheir, MD

Jane Howell, MD

James Carlson, DO

Christina Davis, PA-C

Regan Gage, MD

Janelle Strom, MD Miriam Champer, MD

Katie Farnsworth, CNM

Ciara Thomson-Barnett, CNM, WHNP

Devon Riley, CNM Alexa Smith-Ellison, CNM Emily Harris-Deutch, FNP

Megan Smith, MD

No matter the challenges our community faces, we’re here for you.

CHOW

Cuisine

from 'The Roof of the World'

Tibetan dumplings, noodle soup and chai tea warm up the cold winter days at High Camp Taphouse

By Donna Britt @donnabrittcooks

The Himalayan mountain range is made up of three parallel ranges that cover approximately 1,500 miles, passing through the nations of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Bhutan and Nepal. The range is bordered to the north by the Tibetan Plateau. It’s the highest mountain range on Earth and is often referred to as the “roof of the world.” Mount Everest is not only the highest peak in the Himalayas but the highest peak on the planet at 29,029 feet.

Himalayan food encompasses the cuisines of several countries and regions. Nepali cuisine is actually a variety of cuisines related to Nepal’s cultural diversity and geography. Depending on the region, ingredients can include anything from lentils to potatoes to fermented vegetables to yak meat and cheese to persimmons. Some of the most common ingredients include rice, lentils, potatoes and other vegetables, cumin, coriander, chilies, peppers, garlic and yogurt or dahi.

Momos are Nepal’s version of dumplings and typically contain steamed vegetables and minced meat. Originally from Tibet, traditionally filled with minced meat, potatoes and leeks, momos have become a delicacy in Nepal. Nowadays, different types of fillings abound. Thukpa is a Nepali and Tibetan noodle soup.

Both momos and thukpa are served here in Central Oregon at High Camp Taphouse in Sisters. What started as a popular food cart, “Himalayan Bites,” has evolved into High Camp. Owners Pema and Nurbu Sherpa have spent decades operating restaurants and lodges in both Nepal and the U.S. and are longtime Central Oregon residents.

Their new brick-and-mortar, open since June, is all about Himalayan cuisine, hospitality and local craft beers and ciders. The large red building with a peaked roof, on the left of Highway 20 beside the 76 station as you drive into Sisters, is home to High Camp Taphouse. There’s a spacious outdoor area,

which in the warmer months is home to revolving food carts, but right now it’s the indoor area that is welcoming one and all to enjoy Nepalese cuisine and hospitality. I dropped in for lunch on a recent cold winter day and was warmed by the flavors of the high country of the Himalayas.

High Camp’s handmade dumplings (momo) are stuffed with ground beef, ground pork, cabbage, onion, garlic and ginger and are served with sauce and salad. The thukpa (bone broth noodle soup) includes noodles in either bone broth or vegetable broth with the choice of beef, chicken or vegetables topped with a boiled egg. Very warming on a frozen winter day.

I also ordered the Sabzi Bhat (coconut curry). Sabzi is an Indian term for vegetable dish and Bhat means steamed rice. I was served a large plate of vegetables cooked in traditional Nepali style

with coconut milk and Himalayan spices alongside a mound of perfectly cooked jasmine rice and a large green salad. I asked for hot peppers on the side and received a small container of a thick chili paste, excellent mixed into the veggies and rice. The entire dish was warming and delicious with just the right amount of spicy heat.

While there’s a large rotating selection of Pacific Northwest beers and ciders on tap (it is a taphouse), I opted for High Camp’s Masala Chai. Their version of the black tea made with cinnamon, cardamom, clove, sugar and steamed milk was a perfect balance of spicy and sweet and maybe the best chai I’ve had locally. A nearby customer was enjoying the Mango Lasse drink made of yogurt, mango, water and other spices.

I was wishing I could eat more but instead noted the reactions of other lunch-goers who were having

Himalayan Fries (with tomato sauce and fresh herbs served with a cheese dipping sauce), the Chau Chau udon noodle dish and the Shapta Beef with peppers, tomatoes and onions stir fried Tibetan style with house made sauces and spices.

A kid’s menu offers creamy udon noodles, rice and peas and chicken strips. And for dessert, choose from a variety of Ruby Jewel ice cream sandwiches from Portland.

There is a nice long bar along with plenty of tables and chairs for groups and a sitting area on one side of the large room with comfy sofas and chairs. There is also a corner stage for live music and a few pieces of beautiful artwork and paintings. The only thing missing was some sort of music; personally I prefer some type of music or ambient sound versus silence in a restaurant; I think it adds tremendously to the atmosphere. In a place such as High Camp, it wouldn’t need to be anything raucous but some kind of mood music would be a nice addition to warm up the vibe.

A portion of High Camp’s profits go to help marginalized populations in Nepal. So far the Sherpas have helped run dental camps in remote areas and are currently helping fund a groundbreaking program to educate and provide income-generating opportunities for members of the Musurey community in southeastern Nepal.

If you’d like to learn how to make Tibetan momo dumplings at home, High Camp is offering a momo cooking class on Jan. 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the taphouse. The class includes ingredients, hands-on teaching and a beverage for $65. Call 541-904-4694 to reserve your spot.

High Camp Taphouse

523 East Highway 20, Sisters

Open Mon-Tue., Fri-Sun. 11:30am to 8pm. 541-904-4694

highcamptaphouse.com

High Camp Taphouse is located on Highway 20 just as you enter Sisters from Bend.

Sabzi Ghat from High Camp Taphouse is a coconut curry with vegetables and Himalayan spices.

High Camp’s Masala Chai tea is not too sweet and very warming.

DonnaBritt

DonnaBritt

PhotoCourtesyofHighCampTaphousewebsite

Pimento Cheese, Times Two

“The Caviar of the South” is perfect for holiday parties

By Donna Britt

Pimento cheese is great to serve at the holidays because it’s so easy to make and there are very few folks who turn up their nose at cheese. Here I’m giving you two versions, one made with sharp cheddar cheeses which is a bit chunkier and great on sandwiches. The other version is the one I grew up with, which is a bit creamier and smoother. I love them both!

Keep in mind you can do add-ins to your heart’s desire. I suggest a dash of hot sauce for starters. You can also season with paprika or add chopped jalapeños, diced dill pickles or minced onions. Get creative and make it to suit your own taste.

Pimento Cheese Version 1 Makes 6-8 servings

Pimento (or pimiento) cheese is a very popular spread in the Southern United States. Not that you don’t find it elsewhere, but you’ll find it frequently on restaurant and cafe menus in the South and almost every Southern family has their own version of the spread. It’s often called “The Caviar of the South” because of its frequent appearance at party spreads.

Base ingredients include cheeses, pimientos (canned red peppers) and mayonnaise. Regional ingredients vary and can include jalapeños, horseradish, cream cheese, hot sauce, paprika, onions, garlic, dill pickles, cayenne peppers, etc. It can be served as a spread for

crackers, chips and veggies or made into a sandwich or mixed into grits, used in deviled eggs or spread onto hamburgers and hot dogs.

• 1 block sharp white cheddar cheese, diced into small cubes

• 1 block sharp cheddar cheese, diced into small cubes

• 1 small jar red pimentos, drained and chopped

• Mayonnaise, to taste

• Small pinch cayenne pepper, optional

The only time-consuming task in making this recipe is dicing the cheese into small cubes. You could grate it instead but, in my opinion, it’s much better in little square chunks and the chunks are less likely to clump together when you’re mixing.

Place diced cheese into a mixing bowl and add the strained pimentos. Mix in

a dollop or two of mayo, stir and taste. The idea is to bring the mixture together into something you can spread. Then you take a taste and trust your taste buds. If you want more mayo, go for it. If you like it just the way it is, then leave it be. Add cayenne or whatever seasonings you prefer and mix well.

Make a nice sandwich or place in a pretty dish and serve with crackers or veggies on the side.

Pimento Cheese Version 2 Makes 6-8 servings

• 5-ounce jar Old English Cheese, softened

• 4-ounces cream cheese (1/2 of the typical 8-ounce package), softened

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 1 small jar red pimentos, drained and chopped

• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, your choice of mild, medium or sharp

In a small bowl, blend softened cheeses together. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if desired.

Place in a nice dish and serve with crackers or veggies on the side.

By Nicole Vulcan

Tableware, Gourmet Treats from Italy Among Items at New Box Factory Store

Tastes of Italy and Europe are among the items available at a new store that opened Dec. 16 in the Box Factory in Bend. Borgo Rosati is a “lifestyle concept store” opened by Mimmo Rosati, featuring collections of tableware and gourmet foods from Italy, artwork from local and regional artists, furniture and even women’s clothing.

Rosati, who comes from a ceramics and glassware background, and his wife, Kristin Lear Rosati, an interior designer, moved to Bend several years ago from Seattle. The store is designed and named after the concept of the “borgo,” which means “village” or “town square” in Italian. Rosati aims to foster that “neighborhood feeling of connectivity” in the store’s concept, he told the Source Weekly. Customers can find collections of dishes and cutlery, wine and beer glasses, napkins and tablecloths among the tableware, along with chocolates, nuts, wafers and other European foods, some bearing the Borgo Rosati name. The store also offers a selection of table wines under its own label. Going forward, the owners plan to host art showings and other special events inside the store.

Find Borgo Rosati at 550 SW Industrial Way, Suite 175 in the Box Factory in Bend, and on Instagram @borgorosati.

Latin-American and Japanese Mashup at El Sancho’s Secret Spot

It might be called “the Super Secret Side Street Saloon,” but El Sancho’s latest venture is in the Source events calendar… so, it’s kinda like the best-kept notkept secret in Bend. Now through March 4, El Kussho, the sushi spot also known as Kusshi NW that previously popped up in downtown Bend, is posted up at the “Super Secret” spot on SW Century Drive. Created by Chef Ian Skomski, El Kussho offers up Japanese food and “Nikkei” style eats—described by the Food Network as “Peruvian ingredients shaped by Japanese techniques.” Imagine Peruvian ingredients cooked up with Japanese flair.

El Kussho is located at 133 SW Century Drive, Suite 204 on Bend’s west side, and is open Thursday through Saturday from 4 to 9pm through March 4. Check out Skomski’s latest creations at @kusshinw on Instagram.

C Napoleon Dynamite Turns 18

CULTURE

Idon’t think it’s possible to overestimate how influential to pop culture “Napoleon Dynamite” was upon its release in 2004. I was working at a video store at the time and the number of copies I rented to teenagers and proto-hipsters wearing “Vote For Pedro” t-shirts is too many for me to even try to wrap my head around. It felt like the movie was such an omnipresent piece of entertainment that it even transcended cult-classic status and just became a staple for a lot of youth who felt different and sometimes alienated.

On Dec. 28, Napoleon himself, Jon Heder, is coming to the Tower Theatre to attend a screening of the film and then take part in a Q&A with me afterward. I had a chat with Heder in anticipation of his trip to Bend and I’d just like to say how proud I am of myself that I didn’t quote a single line from “Napoleon Dynamite” at him. If you don’t understand how difficult it was for me not to ask him about his bow hunting skills, well then, we’re just very different people.

Source Weekly: So what do you think Napoleon would be doing at 40?

Jon Heder: Well, he’d probably be getting fitted for adult braces.

SW: Was the initial success of Napoleon Dynamite surprising to you or could you tell during filming you had something special? It seems rare that films so deeply idiosyncratic and specific find such a massive following.

JH: I really didn’t think that many people would get its humor or enjoy it. I did think we were making something special, but its success really was a surprise!

SW: Was the amount your life changed after the film's release difficult to deal with? Did it feel like overnight success?

JH: Yes, it definitely felt like an overnight success, but more drawn out over a three-month period. That summer of 2004 was crazy. Adjusting was weird, though. I always dreamt of finding success in Hollywood, but not that quickly.

SW: One thing I've really admired about your work is how much you held your own on screen alongside acting and comedy legends, basically at the very beginning of your career. Working alongside Mark Ruffalo, Reese Witherspoon, David Spade, Billy Bob Thornton, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Diane Keaton and tons more must be a fairly steep

A chat with Jon Heder, ahead of his appearance in Bend

By Jared Rasic

and sharing a set and scene with the other actors. But VO work is extremely rewarding in its own ways as well.

SW: I'm a huge fan of the criminally underrated “Ghost Team.” Do you think we might ever get more stories set in that world with those characters? Is there a role you would love to revisit? Is there a character on your bucket list you'd love to play?

JH: So glad you’re a fan of Ghost Team, had such a blast shooting that film. I really would love to revisit the role of Napoleon. I just think he’s such an interesting character, and it would certainly be interesting to see what he’s like now.

SW: What do you think you'd be doing if you weren't performing? You basically went straight from college into film, so is it something you've ever given much thought to?

JH: Yes, I studied film in college, so it was definitely the industry I wanted to join. But I graduated with a degree in fine arts studying animation, so I’d probably be working as an animator if I hadn’t gotten into acting.

You just know

learning curve. Did you ever feel intimidated by your co-stars or was it fairly easy to sink into the tone of the project?

JH: Yes, I definitely consider myself a proud Oregonian. But having lived the last 16 years in Southern California and

I had a chat with Jon in anticipation of his trip to Bend and I’d just like to say how proud I am of myself that I didn’t quote a single line from “Napoleon Dynamite” at him. If you don’t understand how difficult it was for me not to ask him about his bow hunting skills, well then, we’re just very different people.

JH: I think intimidation or nervousness kind of washes away once you meet each other, knowing you’ve both agreed to the same project. I have been very fortunate to work with really stellar people who were nothing but kind, professional and very giving of their time and talents.

SW: You graduated from high school here in Oregon. Do you still spend much time in the state? Do you still consider yourself an Oregonian?

now having just moved back up here in Washington state, I am a full-blown West Coaster!

SW: You've also done a ton of voice work. Do you have a different approach to voice acting vs screen or stage acting? Do you have a preference?

JH: I guess I prefer live-action acting because I truly enjoy getting into character through make-up and wardrobe

SW: Do you feel like as each new generation discovers "Napoleon Dynamite," that the things they love evolve as the years progress, or do you find that people's connection to the film and the character basically stays the same? Is it a timeless connection?

JH: I just think there is a timeless quality to it that people can enjoy throughout the decades and the themes within the film I believe resonate with any generation…themes of friendship, kindness, family, feeling like an outsider, bullying, etc. I think every one of our fans has felt a little like one of the characters in the film at some point in their life.

If there’s something you want to know that I didn’t ask, make sure to go to The Tower on Dec/ 28 and ask Jon yourself!

Napoleon Dynamite: A Conversation with Jon Heder Wed., Dec. 28, 7:30pm 835 NW Wall St., Bend $32

towertheatre.org

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

SC Pandora the Explorer

SCREEN

Avatar returns after 13 Years with "The Way of Water"

By Jared Rasic

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way really quick. The original “Avatar” from 2009 was absolutely stunning to look at but was so derivative when it came to the story, dialogue and characters that it left almost zero cultural imprint, while simultaneously making more money than any other movie ever made. Sam Worthington as the main character and audience surrogate Jake Sully was such drearily dull archetype that the film only came alive when he was interacting with the computer generated Na’vi, a 10-foot tall blue cat-person race that was also a thinly veiled stand-in for indigenous Americans.

In fact, everything aside from the groundbreaking visual effects and world-building of “Avatar” was cribbed from other movies. The plot is a mashup of “Dances with Wolves” and “Fern Gully.” The characters all speak in Saturday Morning Cartoon bursts of exposition and emotion. The villains are one-dimensional colonizers searching for something so dumb that the writers just had to call it “unobtainium.”

So, now it’s 13 years later, a solid decade of which James Cameron has been working on creating not only “Avatar: The Way of Water,” but Avatars 3-5 as well. There’s a lot riding on “Ava2ar” to not only keep this mega-billion-dollar franchise alive by making back more than its $400 million budget, but also showing that the story can evolve to something less cliche’d with some actual nuance. Does Cameron succeed? I

give it a resounding sorta.

First things first, “The Way of Water” is absolutely transporting. It features what is easily the most groundbreaking visual effects since the original and such immersive 3D IMAX projection that I found myself at points feeling like I was looking through a window into Pandora. The plot is still incredibly basic, while also somehow feeling like an improvement from the first film. I can literally give you the entire plot of the “Water” in one sentence: Jake Sully, his Na’vi partner Neytiri and their FIVE (!) kids have to hide from all the people they pissed off in the first movie.

One of the things I respect the most about “Water” is how much it lets Cameron indulge in his favorite things while he slowly remembers he has a story to tell. We leave the sky jungles of the first film for the Metkayina clan on the eastern seaboard of Pandora and the entire second hour (of the 190-minute runtime) is spent exploring the oceans of this alien world. In a climate where most big-budget blockbusters need to stop for an action sequence every 15 minutes, it’s very refreshing spending such an extended period of time watching a bunch of alien kids floating underwater and interacting with the flora and fauna of the ocean.

As beautiful and transportive as the film is to look at, we’re still left with a myriad of problems like the basic plot and cliche’d dialogue. Jake Sully is still an uninteresting protagonist (luckily his

kids and wife are much more fascinating) and the film grinds to a halt whenever he shows up. The villain is suitably evil but his motivations are without nuance. It’s sad how un-involving the story is when Cameron has built a world so complex and beautiful that we could keep exploring it for decades and dozens of movies and never run out of new climates to enjoy.

Yet, “The Way of Water” also has Kate Winslet speaking sign language to a whale, a game of chicken with assault rifles while astride flying creatures and Cameron trying to one-up his sinking

of the Titanic, so it’s hard to complain about what’s missing instead of gushing about what’s here. There’s still room for lots of improvement and growth as we get more sequels to “Avatar,” but if the films remain this transportive and breathtaking to witness, then I’ll keep punching my ticket to Pandora.

The Way of Water

Avatar:

Dir. James Cameron Grade: BRegal Old Mill, Sisters Movie House, McMenamins, Odem Theater Pub

Pandora’s underwater world will take your breath away. See what I did there?

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios

FILM SHORTS

By Jared Rasic

THE WHALE: The new film from Darren Aronofsky, the director of “Requiem for a Dream” and “The Fountain,” might finally earn Brendan Fraser his first Oscar as he plays an obese man with a heart of gold trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter. Even if the movie doesn’t live up to the hype, I know Fraser’s performance will. Regal Old Mill

AFTERSUN: A woman looks back on a vacation she took with her father 20 years earlier through watching miniDV footage and, somehow, it doesn’t feel like looking at a stranger’s scrapbook. There’s something deeply affecting about the movie as it connects to a primal node in our lizard brain in how we connect to our memories and remember our childhoods. Bring tissues and the willingness to see a filmmaker fearlessly experiment with cinematic language. Tin Pan Theater

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER: I know it’s easy to joke that no one really wanted a sequel to a movie that came out in 2009 that basically had the same plot as “Dances With Wolves” and “Fern Gully,” but James Cameron does tend to change the game every time he releases a new movie. With “Terminator 2,” “The Abyss” and even “Titanic,” the man creates spectacle on a level theaters were designed to show. See full review on page 34. Regal Old Mill, Sisters Movie House, Odem Theater Pub, McMenamins

BABYLON: Wait, a three-hour-long look at Hollywood as it transitioned from silent films to talkies in the 1920s, starring Brad Pitt as an aging ex-silent film star and Margot Robbie as a wild flapper gal, from Damien Chazelle, the director of “Whiplash?” I’m not saying this movie was made directly for me, but you can’t prove that it wasn’t. Seriously, I’m moving into the theater to watch this over and over. Regal Old Mill, Sisters Movie House

BLACK ADAM: This looks like every other superhero movie ever made, but “Black Adam” has been The Rock’s passion project for decades, leading me to believe there’s something about this story worth telling. I just want to see The Rock fight Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Shazam and Aquaman all at the same time. Regal Old Mill

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER: This will hopefully be a reset for people who are getting sick of Marvel as they remember why they liked the MCU in the first place, but this was also a loving and heartbreaking tribute to the late, great Chadwick Bozeman. Regal Old Mill

DECISION TO LEAVE: Park Chan-wook is the godfather of the South Korean New Wave and a part of the holy trinity of god-level Korean filmmakers (along with Bong Joon-ho, the director of “Parasite” and Kim Jee-woon (director of “I Saw the Devil”). “Decision to Leave” is Park’s first film since 2016’s lushly magnificent “The Handmaiden” and an absolute jaw-dropping display of fearless cinematography, expertly crafted shot compositions and flawlessly calibrated storytelling. Tin Pan Theater

EMPIRE OF LIGHT: A nostalgic ode to 1980s movie theaters starring Olivia Colman with Sam “Skyfall” Mendes in the director’s chair and Roger “No Country for Old Men” Deakins as cinematographer? Sign me up! I’m sure there will be plenty of room. Regal Old Mill

TICKET TO PARADISE: George Clooney and Julia Roberts star in ATTRACTIVE PEOPLE FALLING IN LOVE: THE MOTION PICTURE. Regal Old Mill

FABELMANS: Steven Spielberg’s newest film (his first that’s autobiographical) is not just a love letter to filmmaking, but one of the best movies of the year. Michelle Williams is always incredible and movies about movies are my kryptonite, so this felt like a deeply personal film that I’ll be watching many more times to come. Regal Old Mill

THE MENU: A highly respected chef brings a group of the astoundingly wealthy to a private island to unveil a lavish menu for them, but things go horribly wrong. The trailers make this look like a horror comedy (which is kinda in the top three film genres) and with a cast featuring Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rob Yang, Hong Chau and John Leguizamo, you’ll have to fight me to keep me out of the theater for this one. Regal Old Mill

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH: Some of my favorite film critics are calling this second entry into the “Puss in Boots” franchise not only an action-packed game changer when it comes to animation, but also a touching fable about death. I love me some sad cartoons and Antonio Banderas has never let me down (not even in “Spy Kids 3,”) so I’m here for it. Regal Old Mill, Sisters Movie House, Odem Theater Pub

SPOILER ALERT: Michael Ausiello has long been one of my favorite writers about film and television, but a few years ago he wrote a book about his real-life romance with someone diagnosed with terminal cancer. From the director of “The Big Sick” comes this adaptation of his story, which looks like a genuinely touching story we haven’t seen before.

Regal Old Mill

STRANGE WORLD: This Disney animated science fiction adventure follows a family of explorers who have to put aside all their drama to journey to a new and surreal planet. This has the vibes one of those old dime-store sci-fi paperbacks that I collect like bad habits. Regal Old Mill

TRIANGLE OF SADNESS: A pitch-black comedy about politics, class and money, mostly set on a luxurious cruise ship captained by Woody Harrelson. This is from filmmaker Ruben Ostland, whose last two movies (“The Square” and “Force Majeure”) were absolute knockouts and, while this doesn’t quite hit those heights, it’s still one hell of a movie.

Tin Pan Theater

VIOLENT NIGHT: Basically, this is a mash-up of “John Wick,” “Die Hard” and “Home Alone” from the writers of the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies and the director of the great zombie comedy (zombedy?) "Dead Snow.” I’m pretty sure David Harbour was also born to play Santa and he definitely delivers.

Regal Old Mill, Odem Theater Pub

WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY: These types of biopics are really hit and miss, but Houston really had such a remarkable life that this is one life story very much worth telling. Just having a movie packed with her music will make it worth watching. Regal Old Mill, Sisters Movie House

THE

 Your friendly local film reviewer’s takes on what’s out there in the world of movies.

Photo courtesy of IMDB

OPENING THIS WEEK!

Cross-Country Skiing, in Town

Grooming of a Nordic track at Skyline Sports Complex allows skiers to enjoy the snow under lights til 9pm every day

By Becca Murphy

A1-kilometer loop groomed for skiing is now packed at Skyline Sports Complex in Bend, seated next to Cascade Middle School. The most recent grooming took place on Friday, Dec. 16. The park lights should be on until 9pm most evenings, allowing for night skiing.

“It is a skate pad only as the snow isn’t quite deep enough to safely put in a classic track. Everything is flat terrain so perfect for all abilities,” said John Downing, Coach and Director XC Oregon. “Skiing is overall quite good.” That doesn’t mean classic skiers can’t enjoy it, though—just that there’s no groomed track for classic Nordic skiers to glide along on.

The in-town grooming is a collaborative effort with essential contributions from XC Oregon, Mount Bachelor Sports Eeducation Foundation and Bend Park & Recreation District and gear donated by Meissner Nordic. The group plans to open more places to ski in town.

“This season the grooming is in a “proof of concept” phase where public support can be built to upgrade equipment and get backing to groom several in-town locations whenever we have at least 8-10” of snow forecast to last a week or more,” said Downing.

The groomed area is flat and users are asked to do their part to maintain the groomed surfaces by not walking or bringing dogs through the area.

“We need everyone’s cooperation to help keep this

in-town skiing opportunity for as long as possible,” said Matt Mercer, BPRD recreation services director in a press release. “If able to be maintained, the opportunity could last for several weeks regardless of additional snowfall.”

Grooming status updates are available on BPRD’s Winter in Parks webpage.

Guidelines for groomed cross-country ski trail use:

• Keep dogs and foot/snowshoe/bike traffic off groomed ski trails.

• Use at own risk.

• Ski under control and be respectful of others.

• Step off trail when taking a break and announce when passing as courtesy.

• Lights will be on until 9 pm. The park closes at 10 pm.

• Trails are open to all skiers unless there is a scheduled event.

Park users are asked for patience during big storms and adverse weather. Grooming is contingent on snow conditions and volunteer resources.

BPRD’s Winter in Parks web page also includes information about snow removal prioritization, non-groomed ski and snowshoe opportunities, and suggested hiking, biking and walking paths. Learn more at: bendparksandrec.org/ winter/.

Tumalo Falls

Located west of Bend, Tumalo Falls is one of the most popular and easily accessed trials. To access this trail, park at Skyliner sno-park before the creek crossing. An excellent course for a quick outing or beginners.

Virginia Meissner

Meissner Sno-park is located just 13 miles outside Bend on the Cascade Lakes Highway. Routes vary from short to long, with Nordic shelters throughout the park. These trails are busier because they are closer to town, but they are well-maintained and groomed.

Wanoga

Right up the road from Meissner is Wanoga Sno-park, a local fan favorite. Wanoga is a place to take your dogs to run around, and there are hills for sledding to keep the kids occupied. With both groomed and ungroomed trails and short and flat tracks, it’s the perfect place for newbies.

Swampy Lakes

Just a couple of miles past Meissner Sno-park is Swampy Lakes, a more secluded but popular ski area. Swampy Lakes also offers a variety of trails from beginner to expert and connects to various trial systems.

Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center

For those looking for a place to rent gear, learn from instructors, and have endless groomed trails, Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center is the spot. The Nordic lodge is located on the North side of the West Village Parking lot.

New to cross-country skiing? Here are some local favorites.

Cross-country skier enjoys the freshly groomed trails at Skyline Sports Complex.

Photo courtesy of Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center Facebook

Roped Together

A true story of an epic father/son adventure

By David Sword

Istarted rock climbing in the early ‘80s and took to it as passionately as skiing, the sport introduced to me by my parents, and the first endeavor in which I pursued as a profession. Climbing was still a fringe sport and climbing gyms hadn’t evolved yet. From bouldering anywhere I could find a rock, and routing at Horsethief, to nailing in wood blocks to the side of the barn and early first ascent-mongering at Pete’s Pile, Mom and Dad were as supportive as one could hope. Our local crags were made up of basalt, and many areas blessed with loose/crumbly rock, but the moss-covered zones made up for it. As we increased our skills we spent much of our time pulling on the welded tuff at the now-famed Smith Rock, which had dozens of moderate routes to climb, an actual guide book, and was only two hours away from our home dirt.

I was living in Washington state, working at Crystal Mountain as a ski instructor for the winter. In the Spring of 1986, my father and I planned on a climbing trip together to Leavenworth, to climb the famous Outer Space route on Snow Creek Wall. Our collective sense of adventure drove us to upping the “roped together” ante, so Dad drove up from Mt. Hood, we loaded up my Toyota SR5 and blasted toward Leavenworth, and the famed Icicle Canyon. The granite of Northeastern Washington is of Yosemite quality and only a couple hours from my apartment. The game was on.

Dad and I had shared a few ropes together, but we had never shared space in an epic.

Icicle Canyon is amazing. Steep, granite outcrops soar above old growth timber. Wild. Raw. Perfect for our souls. Snow Creek Wall is just inside the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, which includes the Enchantments and Mt. Stuart. Big country. Sierra big. We bouldered and top-roped a few crags along the way to whet our appetite. The next morning we hit the trailhead, early squirrely, knowing full well that we were in for a long day. The hike in took longer than expected, but the air was crisp, the sky azure blue, and the stoke level high. The deep forest eventually gave way to granite outcrops, and at one twist in the trail, our goal came in direct view: Snow Creek Wall.

With each step we took toward the wall, the granite seemed to rise higher, wider and more intimidating, eventually taking up our entire viewing screen. Upon arrival at the base of the

cliff, there was a group in front of us, so we decided to start on an alternative 5.8 opening salvo called Remorse. There was an easier alternative, but a brief discussion turned our eyes to the right and we quickly dropped packs and begun unfurling ropes and organizing gear. Gear fondling, or Advanced Gear Fondling as we call it, is one of the rituals of climbing. How you rack your gear (carabiner gates in or out, right or left twist), is as individual as one’s shoes or choice of music. Or wine. Or whatever. We were soon racked and ready. Knots checked and double checked, a last-minute motivational high-five, and I was soon moving upward toward the top of the first of six pitches.

The first lead was harder than I had expected. It was a short but thuggy left-facing corner. Awkward and strenuous. Protection at the crux was not a slam dunk, and I fumbled and fidgeted, while trying to look smooth and confident. Although short in length,

the 80-foot pitch took more muster and technical fortitude than planned. I was secretly afraid that I had made a bad choice. Dad floated up the first half without a problem, but at the crux, where a thin jam and long stem were required, he fell. My belay stance was a bit sketchy, for in order to find solid anchor placements, I was to the left of the hard corner. His fall pulled me off balance, and I was soon pulled to the end of my anchor. Never in doubt of our safety, but an awkward and strenuous start to our climbing day for sure. I was indeed “remorseful” at choosing the pitch, but we managed our way past it, skootched along a sketchy traverse on sloping ledge to finally gain the start of our granite desire. With a slight pause, a bit of extra time to re-rack the gear, we were ready to tackle Outer Space.

The next pitch was a fun and relatively easy 5.7 that ended under a bigcapped roof. It was a great way to get our “battle legs” underneath us as well.

From a comfortable and protected belay, we were now looking at the crux of the climb, and the move that I had the biggest worry about as it was rated 5.9. Its actual rating was 5.9+…some would call it soft 5.10. Although well within my comfort level, the grade was at the top end of what Dad had ever climbed. Like stepping out of an open window from a tall building, or opening the Bombay doors, the crux move took me out of the roof and onto the exposed granite face of Snow Creek Wall.

Exposure is exhilarating and nauseating at the same time. As a lead climber, I learned to keep my focus on the move in front of me. Look for the sequence to the next rest zone. Don’t let the exposure catch up to you. Once at a safe spot, look around and enjoy the view. During the heat of the battle, use laser focus and peel away all unnecessary thoughts. I set up a bomber belay in fear of Dad struggling with the hard crux move. He took his time, pausing several times as he approached the hard move. He was out of my sight, but I could tell from the tension on the rope, he was closing in. When he finally went for the move, he danced it. I could see the struggle on his face, but he pulled onto the vertical and onto the belay ledge like a 5.9+ climber. Awesome moment.

We were now on a perfect granite wall, with a perfect hand crack in a perfect wilderness setting. Everything was perfect. I was enjoying the moment and taking in the exposure. Trees start to look like not-trees when you are hundreds of feet above their tops. You start to feel like you are a part of the mountain. On the mountain. In the mountain. We are the mountain. As I started to grab gear from Dad, re-racking for the next pitch, I noticed that he had moved away from me a few inches. Then a few inches more. He was sitting on the ledge, with feet dangling, looking out into space. He was now too far from his anchor point to be safe, so I told him to scoot back toward me. His eyes caught mine, big as saucers. It wasn’t fear that I saw. “Are you OK?” I asked. Silence. Wide eyes get wider. “What’s the problem?” I asked.

“I’m afraid of heights,” he says somewhat calmly. Fear of heights? What? We are 400 feet above the ground, we had climbed other multi-pitch routes before and this never came up. Vertigo. It’s a real thing. His head and vision spinning while on a ledge as wide as a dive-bar countertop, with only a string holding us together. Climbing is a game where you can learn much about yourself. And

The author prepares to get his Advanced Gear Fondling on.

David Sword

others. Fear can be terrifying or motivating. It can freeze you in your place, or act like a cracking whip to get you going. Dad was experiencing the former. He couldn’t move. Maybe more embarrassed than fearful, but paralyzed by our position in space. My job as an outdoor educator gave me insights to fear and some tricks to fool it. I had helped many skiers face steep and icy slopes and taught new climbers how to lean back on the rappel rope, but never had I faced my own kin, the man that brought me into this crazy world, nonetheless, to overcome such a powerful force.

I had to Outward Bound my own father. Regaining eye to eye contact, I made sure he was looking at me and not the abyss. I talked to him about the gear I was racking, the belay setup, how he was to take it down and what the remainder of our climb looked like. He was sheepish, but I got him to refocus. I rigged up his belay device, paid out 10 or 15 feet of rope, looked him in the eye and said, “I am climbing”…and off climbing I went. I was never in doubt of his ability to finish the climb. I simply wanted him to enjoy it. Enjoy the climb. Enjoy the position. Enjoy the moment. And I was praying that my words of encouragement and commitment to moving upward was all that remained to keep him “in the moment.” The last pitches of our route provided some of the best climbing moments I have ever experienced anywhere. Anytime. Classic. Sinker hand jams. Slotter finger jams. Perfect placements for our climbing gear. Holds so solid you felt like nothing could pull you off the wall. Knobs so big you could sleep on them. Well, not really that big, but sizes ranging from doorknob to dinner plates. Dad climbed with fluidity, confidence and expertise on every move. It was the perfect experience, and he was the perfect partner.

We summited the route as the sun began to dip low on the horizon. Pink,

orange and purple hues soon gave way to grey. We took a couple of photos, swigged our remaining water and quickly began to look for the decent path. We knew we were in a race against time but had to maintain our cool as it is often on the descent that accidents happen. Climbers’ trails are particularly scant by nature, often not resembling trails at all. Zigzagging around trees and through rough rock, we slowly made our way down. Modern cairns are a nuisance and often unneeded or unwanted, but

with my father and no headlamps. I eased into the rappel, slowly walking my feet downward, and with each move the sound of water became louder. Eight feet below I landed on a large, soft platform. Eight-foot rappel to a flat, mossy floor. We both shared an exhausted chuckle.

We were down off the cliff but had no way to access our packs as they were at the base of the climbing route, so we decided to hunker down for the night. Did I mention we had no headlamp?

With our climbing ropes as a makeshift mattress, we huddled around our small fire, doing our best not to shiver each other awake throughout the night. The darkness in the mountain forest is surreal. Pitch black. Just like outer space. Mice were frequent visitors to our small flame and would wake us often throughout the night as a reminder that epics typically don’t include a restful night’s sleep. If we had other visitors from the wild, we were none the wiser. At dawn, I sprinted up toward the cliff base to retrieve our backpacks, where a first aid kit, cigarette lighter, headlamp and extra food spent a lonely night in the Snow Creek darkness. Critters had chewed their way into the food bag, but they spared us a few mini bagels and cream cheese, which seemed a fair trade for our unannounced overnighter. As this was a time before cellular phones or internet as we know it, and the nearest landline phone was in the town of Leavenworth, still an hour’s hike away, and 30-minute drive down the Icicle Canyon, we crammed in the last of our mouse-nibbled food and followed the well-worn hiking trail back to my truck.

the few we found kept us on the right track, at least until darkness set in. With no headlamps, I thought it best to set up our ropes and rappel through the trees for safety. Brilliant idea to keep Dad safe, I said to myself, knowing full well that there could be a cliff drop somewhere below us. We finally hit the treeline and could hear running water below us. This was the cliff drop I was worried about.

I picked up a rock and hucked it into the void. No report. I picked up a bigger rock, making sure not to launch it too far. Still no sound. I set up a final rappel hoping that I wouldn’t land in the creek or in some bizarre technical scenario

Somehow, I magically had a book of matches. There were only three matches in the book. More of a short story than a book I guess. We collected moss, some nearby twigs and leaves, a few strands of cotton thread from my climbing shirt, a small wad of TP and the match book itself. We both considered ourselves Outdoorsmen, and even with only three matches, we felt confident in creating fire. First match fizzles without a flame. Match #2 briefly combusts into flame then dies an early fizzle death. Last match. Last attempt at fire. Last chance. There is no failure for those who keep on trying. Success!

We arrived at a breakfast spot, and I ordered food while Dad made the safety call to my mother, who had also spent another sleepless night wondering what sort of trouble her boys had gotten themselves into.

The infamous trip to climb Outer Space was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I was sharing time in the mountains with my father, climbing on impeccable granite on a route so wonderful that all climbers should experience it. I was young, but gaining experience as a professional, comfortable on the rock, eager to explore and willing to share my love with others. My parents led me toward the mountains, but it was the mountains that chose me, and for that, I will be forever grateful.

Son and father climbers in a more relaxed mode.

David Sword

Don’t Wing It When It Comes to Waxing

The Gear Fix offers free wax sessions for Central Oregon to learn to care for skis and boards

By Allie Noland

For every three to five full days of shredding on the mountain, a wax session is recommended, according to Katie Marvasti, ski and bike shop manager at The Gear Fix. You can never wax your board or skis too many times. It makes gliding over the snow smoother and easier. It’s not all about speed.

“Think of it like moisturizer for your face.” Marvasti said. “You know, not only is it going to make your skis go smoother, but it hydrates your base. It helps keep your gear alive.”

For almost four years, the Gear Fix has been hosting free wax sessions in its shop for the Central Oregon community. Limited to five spots, this learning opportunity provides the attendee with one-on-one instruction, a free wax for a board/pair of skis, instruction on the process of hand waxing and a great time.

“We're a full-service ski shop, but we're into giving people the information to take care of and keep up on their own equipment,” Marvasti said. “We're trying to open that door to make it a little less intimidating — for you to feel like you can take the lead on your own ski gear.”

Ski shops in Central Oregon get slammed during this time of year with ski waxing and repairs, according to Marvasti. If shredders wax their own gear, they won’t have to worry about the wait time. Waxing a pair of skis/board can cost anywhere from $15-$25, so learning how to do it will show winter athletes what they’re paying for. Then, they can decide for themselves if it is worth investing in a setup, or if it’s easier to bring in their gear.

Families, couples or a small group of friends can sign up for one of the five spots, bring in just one board/pair of skis and learn together. Attendees are encouraged to bring a beverage to enjoy at the afternoon session. The Gear Fix employees love connecting with the community—talking about tips and tricks, sharing spots to visit or finding friends to enjoy the Central Oregon beauty with.

To sign up for a session, call/email The Gear Fix or head into the shop. These sessions can fill up quickly, so skiers/snowboarders can sign up on the waitlist to snag a last-minute spot.

Free Wax Sessions

Photo courtey of Canva

By Brendan Emmett Quigley

CRAFT Funky Fauna Celebrates First Four Seasons

By Brian Yaeger

From butterfly pea flowers that turn beers purple to Carolina reaper chili peppers that turn beers spicy AF, Funky Fauna Artisan Ales technically is a brewery, but it’s more like an idea factory. Funky Fauna is now celebrating one successful year of ideation. A full year into its existence it likely remains Central Ore gon’s smallest brewery, but the Sisters-based brew ery from husbandand-wife duo Michael Frith and Danielle Burns has cultivated a small yet mighty fanbase of beer geeks who love Belgian and French style saisons— elegant and approachable farmhouse ales—that have been largely ignored or mothballed by other breweries.

BrianYaeger

Now with a year of commercial brewery ownership under his belt, Frith reflects, “People have been receptive to the style and the yeast, but there’s been a learning curve. Maybe 3% of people who come in are hesitant and won’t budge,” he adds, remarking that he’s contemplated bringing in cans of Rainier, but ultimately is staying true to his vision. He estimates that roughly onethird of customers are locals in Sisters, another third are from Bend and the last third are beer pilgrims from Portland or parts beyond.

“Some people come in and say, ‘Thank you for not brewing an IPA.’”

The “funky” qualifies the fact that the brewery has made good on the goal of using an exclusive house yeast cultivated and propagated from native, ambient yeasts. The “fauna” part is a tad misleading (especially since the couple are vegans); while the beers feature no animals or animal products, they do frequently rely on local flora from a beer called Benny that incorporates spruce tips and Douglas fir tips to a beer called Above the Deepest Ocean made with tea from Sakari Farms in Tumalo that’s comprised of red clover, chamomile and locally grown raspberries.

To date, Frith has brewed 56 batches (only six of which have been repeat beers) and maintains a release schedule of four beers per month on average. The beers tend to have the same naming convention as emo bands: In the Flowers, The Magic is Around Us, and Thought I’d Say Something More to Say.

The first week Frith’s brewery opened, he’d declared, “We are tied to this land.” Not only did the house yeast originate in the brewery’s backyard, but Funky Fauna opened as the first Craft Malt Certified Brewery. He continues to exclusively use small, local maltsters, predominantly Mecca Grade from Madras. Several of the beers incorporate herbs and botanicals, and on the fruit side, moving forward Frith will eschew packaged, pureed fruit for hyperlocal growers. Look for wild and oaked peach, cherry and raspberry beers—plus winebeer hybrids using pressed grapes or pomace from Bend’s Lava Terrace Cellars—months after next year’s harvests. As Frith says, “Our goal is really to connect with local farmers.”

That said, Funky Fauna’s collaboration IPA with Bend Brewing Company will be released this week and available at the respective tasting rooms. It’s not that hops and hop character have no place at the brewery. In the Flowers, one of the wild saisons currently on tap, is hopped with new industry darling varietal Sabro that gives beers a faint coconut flesh flavor, minus the bitterness associated with IPAs.

Moving into the second year of operation, Funky Fauna beers will be canned (always can-conditioned for better preservation of flavor and freshness) and should show up on shelves farther afield in Eugene and Portland. Bend retailers that already stock cans include Market of Choice, Newport Avenue Market, Broken Top Bottle Shop and 3rd Street Beverage. Visitors to the Sisters taproom can enjoy the wild saisons on draft and frequently in cans for take-away, but no longer in crowlers, as Frith determined there was too much quality sacrificed.

For ardent fans and supporters, Funky Fauna introduced a membership called the Funky Fellowship. Limited to 100 patrons, the $125 package includes a four-pack of members-only canned beers plus a 750-millilter bottle each season (saison translates to season in French) plus additional discounts. “It’s an integral way for us to keep on keeping on,” says Frith.

211 E. Sun Ranch Dr., Sisters funkyfaunabeer.com

Funky Fauna Artisan Ales

Hello Walls

By Ellen Waterston

For all the commercial hype of merry and happy, and as all sizes and shapes of “family” try to wriggle into the cultural one-size that’s supposed to fit all, for many members of the overthe-hill gang Yuletide can turn out to be more mono than ménage. For a variety of reasons (treacherous travel, illness, family dynamics, loss of a spouse) it can be a lonely time of year for older people living on their own when family doesn’t show up and the usual hubbub is replaced by one hand clapping. In fact, growing older, if you buy into the hype, is guaran teed to be an increas ingly solitary and lonely experience. But it doesn’t need to be.

First of all, don’t believe all the articles on the life-shortening effects of too much alone time when you’re older. Sure, there are seismic shifts that take place later in life, often resulting in a more solitary way of life, but loneliness is not an unavoidable by-product. Plus, it turns out oldsters aren’t the kings and queens of forsaken, so we can let go of that coveted notion. At what age (20? 40? 60? 70?) would you say Americans are most lonely? What’s your guess? I was surprised by what I found. According to a 2020 study out of the University of California, San Diego, Americans are most lonely in their 20s and least in their 60s.

Sure, it’s true. When we’re older, living alone can lead to social isolation and that can lead to loneliness, but others can feel lonely without being socially isolated, such as the 20-year-olds in the study, and still others can be socially isolated and happy as clams. So, what’s the connection? And what to do about lonely besides getting a puppy?

In his recent New York Times column, “I Live Alone. Really, I’m Not That Pathetic,” Frank Bruni makes a case for his choice to live “uncoupled, in a house for one.” He’s not one bit lonely. One in every four households in the U.S. is occupied by someone living alone. Some resist it, some celebrate it. I think the operative here is choice. How you feel about being alone is largely dependent on whether you happened to it, not it to you; you don’t feel bushwhacked by unanticipated events, recently or over a lifetime; you actively choose to be the architect of your days, feel a sense of control. Then flying solo becomes a pleasure, a freedom.

In point of fact, we can’t really

control anything. We know this. But it sure feels better when we think we can. Those living-alone who have made, for example, a Holiday Plan B feel ready, if need be, for only one stocking hung by the fire with care if, for the reasons listed above, no one shows up. Looking at the road reports, I will write one for myself just in case, to get out ahead of the ambush. Skiing that day would be a fine option. Those who pro-actively anticipate moving into, say, assisted living or to a different community to be closer to children as they age, and are strategic about what the decision implies, will feel more in charge, less isolated by the decision, less lonely than those who feel they had no purchase on the process.

But what if you didn’t anticipate an only holiday and, post-ambush, find yourself on your own and it was never your plan and worms start to seem a fine substitute for the traditional rib roast or Hanukkah brisket? But seriously, in a larger sense, as the result of unanticipated life events, what if you feel emotionally stranded on a desert island? How, after the fact, can you get out ahead of it?

To ward off lonely, how about taking the perspective that living alone, long or short term, is like any other relationship. It has its ups and downs, requires discipline, planning, love, commitment, imagination, forgiveness, compassion and flexibility. Couples often struggle to find time for themselves in the space of a day, a few precious moments of quiet. Those living on their own have the opposite challenge—building into their day what couples often have too much of: socialization, people. (Although I have friends who guard their hard-won solitude like it’s gold.)

Earlier in this piece I wrote that we can’t control anything. I was wrong. We can control our thoughts. Alone is what you think of it, freeing or lonesome. Here's to the metaphorical one stocking by the fire if it’s your choice. If it’s not, here’s to the robust manifestation of Plan B. May this holiday season be the one you choose, and in the meantime, send some cheer in the direction of a 20-something. They just might be feeling lonely.

—Poet and author Ellen Waterston is a woman of a certain age who resides in Bend. "The Third Act" is a series of columns on ageing and ageism.

By Rob Brezsny

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): To inspire your self-inquiry in 2023, I have chosen a passage from Herman Hesse's fairy tale, "A Dream Sequence." It will provide guidance as you dive further than ever before into the precious mysteries in your inner depths. Hesse addressed his "good ardent darkness, the warm cradle of the soul, and lost homeland." He asked them to open up for him. He wanted them to be fully available to his conscious mind. Hesse said this to his soul: "Just feel your way, soul, just wander about, burrow into the full bath of innocent twilight drives!"

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Cardiovascular surgeon Michael DeBakey lived till age 99. He almost died at 97, but was able to capitalize on an invention that he himself had created years before: a polymer resin that could repair or replace aging blood vessels. Surgeons used his technology to return him to health. I am predicting that in 2023, you, too, will derive a number of benefits from your actions in the past. Things you made, projects you nurtured, and ideas you initiated will prove valuable to you as you encounter the challenges and opportunities of the future.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I decided to divine the state of your financial karma. To begin, I swirled a $10 bill through the flame rising from a green candle. Then I sought cosmic auguries in the burn patterns on the bill. The oracle provided bad news and good news. The bad news is that you live on a planet where onefifth of the population owns much more than four-fifths of the wealth. The good news is that in 2023, you will be in decent shape to move closer to the elite one-fifth. Amazingly, the oracle also suggests that your ability to get richer quicker will increase in direct proportion to your integrity and generosity.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries author Eric G. Wilson has written a book that I might typically recommend to 40 percent of the Aries tribe. But in 2023, I will raise that to 80 percent of you. The title is How to Be Weird: An Off-Kilter Guide to Living a One-of-a-Kind Life. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, it will make sense for you to stop making sense on a semi-regular basis. Cheerfully rebelling against the status quo should be one of your most rewarding hobbies. The best way to educate and entertain yourself will be to ask yourself, "What is the most original and imaginative thing I can do right now?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): One of your potential superpowers is cultivating links between the spiritual and physical worlds. If you develop this talent, you illuminate the ways that eternity permeates the everyday routine. You weave together the sacred and the mundane so they synergize each other. You understand how practical matters may be infused with archetypal energies and epic themes. I hope you will be doing a lot of this playful work in 2023, Taurus. Many of us non-Bulls would love you to teach us more about these mysteries.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Here are fun and useful projects for you to cultivate in 2023: 1. Initiate interesting trends. Don't follow mediocre trends. 2. Exert buoyant leadership in the groups you are part of. 3. Practice the art of enhancing your concentration by relaxing. 4. Every Sunday at noon, renew your vow to not deceive or lie to yourself during the coming week. 5. Make it your goal to be a fabulous communicator, not just an average one. 6. Cultivate your ability to discern what people are hiding or pretending about.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In 2023, I hope you will refine and deepen your relationship with your gut instinct. I will be ecstatic if you learn more about the differences between your lucid intuition and the worry mongering that your pesky demons rustle up. If you attend to these matters—and life will conspire to help you if you do—your rhythm will become dramatically more secure and stable. Your guidance system will serve you better than it ever has. A caveat: Seeking perfection in honing these skills is not necessary. Just do the best you can.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Psychiatrist and author Irvin Yalom wrote, "The question of meaning in life is, as the Buddha thought, not edifying. One must immerse oneself into the river of life and let the question drift away." But Holocaust survivor and philosopher Viktor Frankl had a radically different view. He said that a sense of meaning is the single most important thing. That's what sustains and nourishes us through the years: the feeling that our life has a meaning and that any particular experience has a meaning. I share Frankl's perspective, and I advise you to adopt his approach throughout 2023. You will have unprecedented opportunities to see and know the overarching plan of your destiny, which has been only partially visible to you in the past. You will be regularly blessed with insights about your purpose here on earth.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): As a young woman, Virgo-born Ingeborg Rapoport (1912–2017) studied medicine at the University of Hamburg in Germany. But in 1938, the Nazis refused to let her defend her PhD thesis and get her medical degree because of her Jewish ancestry. Seventy-seven years later, she was finally given a chance to finish what she had started. Success! The dean of the school said, "She was absolutely brilliant. Her specific knowledge about the latest developments in medicine was unbelievable." I expect comparable developments for you in 2023, Virgo. You will receive defining opportunities or invitations that have not been possible before. Postponed breakthroughs and resolutions will become achievable.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 22): Of the 2,200+ humans quoted in a 21st-century edition of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 164 are women—a mere seven percent! At least that's more than the four females represented in 1855's first edition. Let's take this atrocious injustice as our provocation for your horoscope. In accordance with astrological omens, one of your assignments in 2023 will be to make personal efforts to equalize power among the genders. Your well-being will thrive as you work to create a misogyny-free future. Here are possible actions: If you're a woman or nonbinary person, be extra bold and brave as you say what you genuinely think and feel and mean. If you're a man, foster your skills at listening to women and nonbinary people. Give them abundant space and welcome to speak their truths. It will be in your ultimate interest to do so!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): To prepare you for 2023, I'm offering you wisdom from mythologist Michael Meade. Of all the signs in the zodiac, you Scorpios will be most likely to extract riches from it. Meade writes: "Becoming a genuine individual requires learning the oppositions within oneself. Those who fail or refuse to face the oppositions within have no choice but to find enemies to project upon. 'Enemy' simply means 'not-friend'; unless a person deals with the not-friend within, they require enemies around them."

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): "I will always be as difficult as necessary to achieve the best," declared Sagittarian opera singer Maria Callas (1923–1977). Many critics say she was indeed one of the 20th century's best. The consensus is that she was also a temperamental prima donna. Impresario Rudolf Bing said she was a trial to work with "because she was so much more intelligent. Other artists, you could get around. But Callas you could not get around. She knew exactly what she wanted and why she wanted it." In accordance with astrological omens, Sagittarius, I authorize you, in your quest for success in 2023, to be as "difficult" as Callas was, in the sense of knowing exactly what you want. But please—so as to not undermine your success—don't lapse into diva-like behavior.

Shari Ballard

541-815-8200, option 3 shari@myluckyhouse.com

Welcome to Bend! If you’re new here, you’re lucky. We are a thriving community of wonderfully friendly and giving people. You may have seen bumper stickers around that say “Smile. You’re in Bend.” Or “Be Nice. You’re in Bend.” This is not just a gimmick. People often comment and joke about Bend being a bubble of happiness. If you are fortunate enough to call Bend home, then you know what I mean.

Still, even in Bend, it can be challenging to find a community of friends when you first move to a new town, or even a new neighborhood. If you work remotely, you may have additional challenges in forging new friendships.

As a real estate professional, I spend a great deal of time helping my clients get settled into their new hometown. Here are some of the tips I share with my clients following a move to Bend.

Find some groups with similar interests.

First and foremost, keep yourself safe by vetting out new groups before you join and then get out there and meet your people! There are so many things to do here and so many ways to get involved, to give back to the community, and to make friends along the way. There are incredible groups of singles, couples and families that are like minded and welcoming to newcomers. You made the move to this beautiful place, now get out and get involved! Throw yourself a housewarming party.

When my clients are open to it, I will throw them a housewarming party and invite the neighbors. It is always a lot of fun! In the past, people would go and welcome their new neighbor and that seems to have waned. I say, why

not throw your own party? If you are inviting your neighbors and being careful about it, what a great way to get to know your neighbor.

Crowdsource your friends!

There are lots of ways to meet people through social media groups as well as your networks of friends who may have friends in Bend. Think about who you know and who has connections in Central Oregon and then reach out and make a friend request! Most likely, your crowdsourcing efforts will connect you with folks who moved here in the last 10 years or so and still remember what it was like to be new to town. They’ll likely be thrilled to connect and share their opinions on what’s best of Bend.

Join a social group.

About four years ago, I started a newcomers group called Blend. It’s been a wonderful way for people who are new to Bend to gather in a casual, no-strings-attached format. Over the years, we’ve continued to grow friendships that were formed at a Blend event! Each month we choose a different venue. We provide food and drinks and an opportunity to meet new people. It is totally free and so much fun! There are many other terrific groups here such as Newcomers Club of Bend and Bend Bridges. You’ll also find meet-up groups focused on skiing, cycling, mountain biking, hiking and so much more!

Most important? Get out there and introduce yourself. Organize a block party with your new neighbors. Have your closest neighbors over to share a meal. Or just pop by and say “Hello, we are your new neighbors!” It doesn’t have to complicated. We are a friendly bunch here in Bend so get out and smile and say, “Howdy, Neighbor!”

Open floorplan features kitchen, eating area, half bath, and great room with

fireplace. Upstairs has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath with utility/ laundry room for convenience, also boasts a HUGE bonus room. Double sinks and a large walk-in closet in Primary. Front and back sprinkler system with fenced backyard. 2-car garage with room for shop/storage area.