Feast Portland: Exploring the Bounty of Oregon Before Feast Begins

All trails do lead to Feast, as they say, so we explored the culinary offerings of southern Oregon before the Feast Portland events. Along the way, we met some folks who would be cooking and exhibiting in Portland and others who invited us to enjoy some locally sourced, farm-fresh foods. Feast Portland designated the hashtag #trailstoPortland for all the food enthusiasts who were traveling in Oregon on their way to Feast.

The Southern Oregon Artisan Corridor

After landing at the Rogue Valley Medford International Airport (less than an hour's flight from Portland) we headed down I-5. Medford, Oregon, near the California border on the I-5 corridor, is known for the famous Harry and David’s gourmet gifts but on our southern Oregon "Trails to Feast" experience, I happened upon a little bit of undiscovered artisan food heaven in the Central Point area just off I-5. They even have a name for it—the Southern Oregon Artisan Corridor.

To die for grilled blue and cheddar cheese from Rogue Valley Creamery

Ledger David hosted a tasting paired with Rogue Creamery cheeses.

It’s a stop that will leave you wanting to linger more in the area but if you only have an hour or two, you can benefit from the co-location of three highly regarded purveyors of gourmet delights—Rogue Creamery, Lillie Belle’s Chocolates, and Ledger David Cellars wines. Actually located in Central Point, part of the Medford metropolitan area, the three businesses share an unlikely location—next to the railroad tracks. But don’t let that deter you. The Artisan Corridor has award-winning treats in store. Read our full story on Wander With Wonder.

The Chateau at Oregon Caves National Monument 

At the soon to be renovated Chateau, we experienced the lodge and coffee shop as travelers in the 1930s might have. This picturesque six-story lodge blends into the forest with its bark-covered exterior. The building extends down into a canyon with a little waterfall and trout pond. The Chateau houses 23 guest rooms, a fine dining room overlooking the canyon, and a quaint 1930s era coffee shop.

The Chateau

We gathered in the Caves Café coffee shop for traditional breakfasts—French toast, eggs, and local sausage, hearty bowls of oatmeal and, of course, coffee. The “Eggs in a Cave” were popular with the eggs being cooked inside a “cave” of Texas toast.

Cave Eggs!

It was easy to want to relax for a while in this old-fashioned café with birch and maple counters and knotty-pine paneling. But, the hearty breakfasts were to prepare us for the much-anticipated entry into the cave, just steps away from the Chateau.  Read our Oregon Caves story on Wander With Wonder.

The Wild Coast Beckons 

Since we were visiting the Oregon Caves, the best way to get to the coast was to take scenic Hwy 199 which dipped into California and gave us a taste of the magnificent redwoods at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. If you continued on, you’d end up in Crescent City, California. Instead, we turned north on Highway 101 to explore the southern Oregon coast.

Once we reached the coast we enjoyed a marvelous lunch and then traveled north to Port Orford. We were right along the coast with viewpoints dotting the road. Oregon legislators gave us all a wonderful gift in 1967. The Oregon Beach Act was a piece of landmark legislation in Oregon establishing public ownership of land along the Oregon Coast from the water up to sixteen vertical feet above the low tide mark. This means that people have access and that views are not marred by hotels and developments.

The views and hiking opportunities kept us busy for the afternoon and then that evening we had another marvelous dinner, watched a sunset from the deck of the restaurant, and settled into private luxe cabins in the woods for the night. Read about our wild coast experience on Wander With Wonder.

Experiencing Feast Portland

Once our foodie and fun explorations of southern Oregon were over, it was time to get serious about food. We had arrived in Portland, Oregon, for Feast Portland 2018 and soon it was time to delve into the latest food products from Oregon and beyond, sip a little wine and go to an amazing Feast Portland dinner event.

Read about our Feast Portland 2018 experience on Real Food Traveler. Save the date for year eight of Bon Appétit Presents Feast Portland, September 12-15, 2019. You’ll have plenty of choices if you log on quickly for tickets. If you procrastinate, you can still have fun with the larger tasting events.

Feast On!

Tillamook to Build a Brand New Visitors Center on Oregon Coast

The Tillamook Cheese factory is always a stop we look forward to when visiting the Oregon Coast. The ice cream, the cheese samples and the gift shop with cow-themed trinkets have been fun throughout the years. But something new is coming!

The Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) has announced that it will undertake a significant project over the next two years that will completely redesign and rebuild the Visitors Center at the Tillamook Cheese Factory, the most popular tourist destination on the Oregon Coast.

“This new facility will provide us with an opportunity to bring to life TCCA’s story in a much more compelling way, from our vital history as a farmer-owned co-op, to our modern day commitment to Dairy Done Right,” said TCCA President and CEO Patrick Criteser. “This project represents a significant investment in our local presence here in Tillamook County and one that we anticipate will attract even more visitors to our area.”

Larger Tillamook Cheese Visitors Center
Through this project, the existing Visitors Center facility at the Tillamook Cheese Factory will be torn down, and built in its place will be a brand new 38,500 square-foot facility that reflects Tillamook as a world-class dairy brand.

The number of visitors who make the trek to the Tillamook Cheese Factory has grown significantly over the years, and currently more than 1.3 million people visit each year; as many as 10,000 per day. The new Visitors Center will be a larger space that will enable TCCA to better accommodate this growing number of guests and welcome even more visitors, providing the most comfortable, enjoyable experience possible.

Tillamook Visitors Center Features

Some of the more significant features of the new Visitors Center will include:

• A larger café with more indoor seating and a spacious outdoor covered patio for visitors to enjoy year ‘round.
• A new café menu, showcasing Tillamook products and other high quality, wholesome real food ingredients, including wood fire pizzas, Tillamook’s favorite grilled cheese sandwiches and more. The new café menu will also feature wine and beer from the Pacific Northwest.
• An enhanced Tillamook ice cream counter, available for indoor and seasonal outdoor service.
• A new coffee counter where visitors can purchase a variety of coffee and espresso drinks.
• An enhanced retail area that showcases the many quality products and gifts available for purchase all in one, easy-to-shop area.
• An enhanced visitor viewing experience of Tillamook’s cheese make and packaging operations with better acoustics and exhibit signage, as well as a small theater space where visitors can view short videos about TCCA and how Tillamook products are made.
• An interactive Research & Development (R&D) and Sensory work space where the Tillamook team will be able to facilitate focus groups to seek visitor feedback on new products and flavors.
• A small private event room (20-30 person capacity) that can be rented by the public for small business or celebratory functions. There will also be opportunities for the public to rent part or all of the facility after business hours for special events like weddings, reunions, etc.
• Improved parking which will make it easier for visitors to get in and out of the Visitors Center

Temporary Visitors Center
Given the extensive nature of the rebuild project, the existing Visitors Center at the Tillamook Cheese Factory will close completely starting in the spring of 2017 and until the new Visitors Center is complete in the summer of 2018. However, during this time, TCCA plans to open a temporary Visitors Center experience on an adjacent section their property to provide visiting guests a great Tillamook experience during the interim.

The temporary Visitors Center will include dining options, a Tillamook ice cream counter and retail area, as well as a unique experience that will allow TCCA to share with visitors a more in-depth look at dairy farming in Tillamook County. TCCA plans to share more information about programming at the temporary Visitors Center as well as updates about the overall project throughout the coming months. Visitors are encouraged to check the company’s website at http://tillamook.com for updates on the project.

Information provided by: TCCA

Looking Glass Inn: Oregon Coast find

Beautiful Siletz Bay

When looking for a place to stay on the Oregon Coast, I ran across The Looking Glass Inn, a family-owned Inn on the Siletz Bay in Lincoln City.

What attracted me was the location and the amenities. What made my stay memorable was the warmth of the people and the discovery of a beautiful, driftwood-strewn beach where it wasn't unusual to find myself in relative seclusion as I took my dog on her morning stroll.

The Looking Glass Inn is one of three Westover hotels in Lincoln City.  The Inn is located at the south end of the Central Coast town of Lincoln City, in the Taft Historic District. Rooms range from whirlpool suites to one-bedroom suites. Each bedroom has a very comfortable pillow top bed, flat screen TV, microwave, coffee maker, refrigerator, hair dryer, DVD player & free Wi-Fi.  Some have stocked kitchens. The inn is set up so that you can easily bring friends or family members.

The rooms are "beachy" in decor and very clean. The inn is at the end of the street that leads to the beautiful walking beach along the Siletz Bay and to the ocean. Tidal activity and wildlife (I saw harbor seals and pelicans) make for fun and interesting walks on the beach.  October to May, take advantage of the "Finders Keepers" glass float program and look for locally blown, colorful glass floats as you walk. If you don't like the difficulty of walking in sand, there is a nice grass path running the length of the base of the cliff all the way to the Inn at Spanish Head.

Looking Glass Inn

Some rooms have nice views of the Bay and some have fireplaces. Off season would be a delight at The Looking Glass Inn.

The staff, from the front deck personnel to the housekeepers, are friendly and genuinely interested in making your stay a pleasant one. This is a rarity nowadays.

Dining
Another draw for the inn is that they are located across the street from Mo's, the famous seafood restaurant that serves up an amazing chowder. There are a couple of other places to eat in little Taft as well. The Inn has a daily free breakfast which includes wrapped pastries, fruit, yoghurt, juices, cereal and, of course, coffee.

Cinnamon begging for treats

Dog Welcoming
The Looking Glass Inn welcomes your dog with open arms. They truly love dogs and provide a doggie welcome basket upon check-in. They even have dog beds that you can use. It is rare to find a hotel that really LOVES dogs. Most just tolerate them. The fee for your dog when I was there was $10 per night. It is well worth it. There is a doggie area out back and, of course, the whole beach to for Fido to play on! My dog got so excited, she covered the stay in her blog!

Not to worry, if you don't have a dog, you won't be subjected to the sounds of barking dogs in rooms or clean up issues. This place is clean and your dog must follow certain rules.

Recommendation

I highly recommend the Looking Glass Inn for the comfort of the rooms and the friendliness of the staff. And, the location can't be beat if you want to get away from it all on the Oregon Coast while remaining in driving distance of local attractions.

More Information
Book your stay online and save
Looking Glass Inn Website
Lincoln City

Photography copyright: Elizabeth Rose Photography

Note: As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with a complimentary accommodations  for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, the writer believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.

Biking the rails: The Railrider experience comes to the Oregon Coast

Coming soon to the Oregon Coast, the Railrider will provide you with the unique experience of actually biking on train rails from Bay City to Tillamook. Needless to say these Tillamook Bay Railroad rails are inactive during the times the Railriders are running.

Pedal the rails on this specially designed Railrider vehicle

I found out first hand how biking the rails can feel and I’m a fan. I biked with Railriders in eastern Oregon recently and heard about their plans to start rides on the coast too.  Railriders will begin offering rides on their unique pedal-powered vehicles just off Hwy 101 in Bay City by the end of May 2016.

Ready to roll!

So what’s it like? Well, first of all it’s fairly easy. Railriders are recumbent bikes with wheels designed to fit on train rails. You will bike on a Railrider with another person, or like on the Oregon Coast, with up to three more people. Groups will be guided by Railrider staff. Pedaling is easy… after all you have help. And you can brake your own vehicle.

Can you do it? Of course. I’ve given up standard biking because of crowded bike paths and lack of confidence in my sense of balance. On the Railrider, I sat back, buckled in and pedaled with a friend. Our guide told us when to slow down to cross roads and made sure the track ahead was free of obstacles. Easy, peasy.

It was a quiet, relaxing ride. I enjoyed wildlife, farm animals and the passing scenery. And, if I wanted to take a picture, we just slowed down. When you get to your destination, guides turn the Railriders around and off you go. You’ll pedal harder if there is a grade but remember you’ll have a friend or two to help you. Little kids can ride along with adults and really don’t have to pedal.

Oh yes, she's just kidding about derailing in the video. It's completely safe!

In eastern Oregon, there are a couple of routes. We took the one from the arts town of Joseph to Enterprise. There is also a route running from the confluence of the Minam and Wallowa Rivers at Minam to the city of Wallowa and back… gorgeous scenery! 

In the Oregon Coast area watch for the buzz as Railriders kicks off their first summer season.  I suggest you call ahead if you want to ride the rails because this is going to be hugely popular. Get ready for an experience unlike any other.

More Information

Pedal from Bay City to Tillamook

2 hours, 11 miles round trip

$20 per person / 12 years and older

$10 / 11 years and younger when accompanied by an adult.

Departures: 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. Thursday through Monday

Purchase tickets at the location on Hayes Oyster Drive in Bay City

541-910-0089 or 541-910-0981

Soft Opening May 26; closing for the season October 2.

A Grand Opening will be held July 2, 2016 in Bay City.

Oregon Coast Railriders Website

Eastern Oregon Railriders Website

The lure of the sea: Where to find churning waves on the Oregon Coast

Churning seas at sunset

There is something exciting about crashing waves and churning seas. On the Oregon Coast you can get up close and personal with waves hitting the rocks and spraying water into the air. There are special places where you can see churning seas as the water meets the land.

Yachats Trail 804
Yachats, Oregon is located on the middle coast of Oregon. It is a popular destination for hiking, walking and whale watching. Just behind some beach cottages and sea view hotels, you'll find the often walked historic 804 Trail. There are several places along this trail where you can enjoy watching the seas and sea spray. One is behind The Fireside Motel.

Devil's Churn
This area is located at the Cape Perpetua Scenic area just south of Yachats. The pounding, exploding waters of Devils Churn are at their best during high tide and winter storms. At the Devils Churn you’ll find restrooms, an information station (summer only), coffee shop and wheelchair accessible viewpoint. You can view the churning waters from the highway or hike down and take a closer look.

As you watch the sun set, a golden glow tints the churning seas.

Safety Measures
Near the lookouts and rocks you'll often sea signs warning of "Sneaker Waves."  Sneaker waves can surprise you as you watch the ocean. They are unexpected wave surges that don't match the rhythm of the seas you are watching. They are known to sweep people into the water from rocks where they thought they were safe. Another time to stay way back from the sea is during storms. Waves can build and winds can cause the waters to churn and spray much farther inland than normal.

More
Whale Watching on the Oregon Coast

Photography copyright: Elizabeth Rose Photography

Lincoln City, Oregon: A destination for art glass lovers

If only I had room for an art glass collection!

The Oregon Coast is filled with beautiful sights. With rugged cliffs, beaches for walking and wildlife like sea lions and shore birds, the Oregon Coast is a big draw for visitors year round.  One doesn't think of sparkling, hand-blown glass as a coastal asset but places like Lincoln City are a destination for artists, collectors and admirers of glass art.

Glass Floats on the Beach
One of the most fun and rewarding Lincoln City events begins in October each year when hundreds of glass floats are hidden on Lincoln City beaches. The event runs through Memorial Day.

Finders Keepers takes place with local hand-crafted glass floats being placed along the 7-1/2 miles (12 km) of public beach in Lincoln City, from the Roads End area to the Cutler City area. It’s “finders keepers” for those who walk the beach and find a beautiful float. The floats are hidden above the tide line and below the beach embankment, with "float drops," happening throughout the Finders Keepers season.

Check out the special drop dates for the 2015-2016 season.

Glass Art Studios
When I visited the Taft Historic District of Lincoln City I was treated to a feast for the eyes. The Jennifer Sears studio  was actually making glass floats for the Finders Keepers event. At the studio you can watch glass being blown or sign up for a lesson and learn the art of glass blowing.

A sunny day is the best time to
admire the art glass at Lincoln City galleries

Throughout the extensive gallery were works of glass art by artists in residence. I was taken with the beauty of the vases, glass fish, floats and even glass jewelry. In one case I found a wine stopper with a miniature jellyfish design blown into the glass. Wouldn't that make a great gift!

You can also shop for glass art across the street at Volta Gallery.  Here you will find the glass creations of Kelly Howard, Daniel Millen, Jonathan Myers, and others. They represent the Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio and the emerging glass blowing movement on the Oregon Coast.

These galleries and studios are located on SW Hwy 101 at the south end of Lincoln City.

Another glass studio, Alder House III,  can be found by driving farther south and turning east (away from Siletz Bay) onto Immonen Road and traveling about 3/4 mile. Alder House III is an open studio welcoming visitors to watch as crafts-people ply the 2000-year-old art of turning molten glass into beautiful objects. I did not have the opportunity to visit Alder House but found that it is the oldest glass blowing studio in Oregon.

Visitors to the Alder House are offered the unique experience of watching art in its creation. Anne and Buzz Williams and Mike Smith are happy to share information about their art and the techniques used to create their magnificent works. Alder House III is open from 10 until 5 daily from May 1st until the end of November.

Lincoln City
Lincoln City is one of the larger towns on the Oregon Coast. Located west of Salem, the Capital, Lincoln City is easily accessible from Portland, Oregon as well as the central Willamette Valley. Lincoln City has larger hotels and a Casino/entertainment venue, Chinook Winds. There is always something to do in Lincoln City. There is a kite festival, culinary classes as well as opportunities for crabbing and fishing. There are beaches to walk and trails to hike.

Photography copyright: Elizabeth Rose Photography
Glass art is from the Jennifer Sears Studio

Wordless Wednesday: Angry Seas at the Oregon Coast

Places to see the Churning Seas

Photography copyright: Elizabeth Rose Photography

Visiting Yachats Oregon: Local Trails

View from the 804 Trail in the morning.

Yachats, on Oregon's Central Coast, is so much more than a quaint ocean side village. Stay awhile and venture out on the trails and you will soon see why Yachats is an excellent example of the diversity of Oregon Coast natural habitats. From amazing cliffs with crashing waves to woodsy hikes where you can see ancient Sitka spruce, trails will bring you to some surprising areas not far from your Yachats accommodations.

Historic 804 Trail: If you are staying at an ocean side hotel such as The Adobe or The Fireside Inn, you'll be right on the historic 804 Trail along the cliffs. This trail was most likely a footpath for the native people who lived in the area. Later it was known as County Road 804. This included a seven mile stretch of beach between Yachats and Waldport accessible only at low tide. It was the settler's route between the Yachats River valley and Waldport's Alsea Bay. This was used until the 1930's and the advent of Hwy 101. Now it is one of the most scenic walks you can enjoy in the Yachats area.

Access the 804 Trail from the sandy beach at the north end of Yachats or Smelt Sands State Park and Yachats State Park to the south. Or just go behind one of those ocean view motels and join the walkers. Bring your camera. And, dogs are allowed.

Amanda Trail: Until recently there was not much being said about the removal of the Native peoples from this coastal ares so that settlement could take place. The people of Yachats have done much to raise awareness of this tragedy. Near the cemetery (King St) there is an informational board that explains the history of settlement and the effect on the Native peoples.

This trail is dedicated in memory of Amanda, a blind Coos woman who suffered injustices during the 1860's reservation era. This trail runs from a trailhead on Yachats Ocean Road, south to the Amanda Statue. If you continue south you'll reach the summit of Cape Perpetua. This is a strenuous hike so you'll need to wear your hiking gear and carry your 10 essentials. History of the Amanda Trail. Dogs are permitted.

Grandmother Spruce in the nature preserve

Ya'Xaik Trail: This is a lovely trail that begins at the east end of Diversity Lane (apartment complex just off Hwy 101) and will take you through some lovely second growth forest. Part of the trail goes through The Gerdemann's Botanic Preserve public trail. There you can see a "Grandmother Spruce" and large leaf Rhododendrons. It is a beautiful place with a trickling creek running through it.

Although much has been done to make this trail easy to traverse, it still can be slippery. It does take you uphill before going down back to the street, so hiking boots and a stick are helpful. Dogs are not allowed in the Botanic Preserve.

You might guess that this trail is also dedicated to the Native people that once inhabited the area. Shell middens mark their use of the coast as a source of food and many of the local trails were used for seasonal movement and trade. More on this beautiful trail.

Yachats Trail Brochure and Map
Yachats Coastal Gems Walking Club

75 Degrees at Cannon Beach Oregon in October

Who said it is always cold and rainy in Oregon?
Beautiful Cannon Beach

Solving the mystery of Mo's on the Oregon Coast

For years I had heard about Mo's. I heard about their chowder and I heard about their fish combo dinners. But most of all I heard that people who moved away from Oregon couldn't wait to get back to Mo's. During a getaway to Lincoln City and the Siletz Bay, the mystery was solved. I finally understood people's obsession with Mo's.

I went over to Mo's for a late dinner after checking in at the Looking Glass Inn across the street. Mo's had booths all along the windows so I could enjoy views of the bay. That evening I had the special and added a cup of chowder just because of all the buzz.

The food was traditional fried seafood and was excellent. The coleslaw arrived with a huge pile of shrimp decorating it. But what surprised me was the chowder. It was creamy like most chowders but it had a decidedly bacon flavor. I found out they do put bacon into their chowder. Here's the recipe. It was the best clam chowder I had ever tasted. I was certain the clams were local. They didn't have that "clammy" taste at all. 

As I savored the dinner, the staff stopped by to chat. They are friendly at Mo's.

Mo's is a family owned restaurant that has been around since 1946.  They have two restaurants in Lincoln City. You'll find the original restaurant just to the south, in Newport.

Mo's has much more than chowder and fried fish. They offer burgers, salads, bouillabaisse, fish tacos, pastas and deserts like Marionberry Cobbler.

Mo's is so Oregon Coast and I am so hooked!

Mo's Locations

Newport
Original Mo's
622 SW Bay Blvd.
541-265-2979

Newport
Mo's Annex
657 SW Bay Blvd.
541-265-7512

Otter Rock
122 1st Street
(open seasonally)
541-765-2442

Lincoln City
860 SW 51st Street
541-996-2535

Cannon Beach
195 Warren Way
Tolovana Park
503-436-1111

Florence
1436 Bay Street
541-997-2185

More Mo's
Mo's Website
Mo's on Facebook
More Foodie Articles from Around the World

Photography Copyright: Elizabeth R. Rose Photography

Travel Writer Raves for 2010 - Best Travel Experiences

Looking back on my travels during 2010, I have to admit I tired of commercial air travel yet gathered some impressive memories. Here are my raves for 2010

Alaska - Alaska and Denali National Park should be on everyone's bucket list. I enjoyed a first class train trip in to Denali and then a full day wilderness tour with a real outdoorswoman, author and musher. Later I got to visit the sled dogs at Denali at their "summer retreat." In Anchorage we shopped for Native art, did a little restaurant and pub hopping and felt, for 10 days, that we were in another land all together.

Sarah Palin... why would you ever want to leave Alaska?

Oregon Coast - The Oregon Coast has always been a favorite of mine. I love seeing the mist in the fir and spruce-filled mountains of the Coastal Range and walking the miles of beach at Rockaway and Cannon beaches. And the sunsets at the end of the day... spectacular! The Oregon Coast remains unspoiled.... a true treasure.

Santa Fe Indian Market - This year I spent an entire week in Santa Fe for Indian Market. Indian Market is not just about Saturday and Sunday and walking the seemingly endless rows of booths. It is about gallery openings, visits with the artists, auctions and shows in the hotels. The opportunities for the art enthusiast are endless. One night we went to the New Mexico History Museum for music and a bit of shopping. Another night we visited with artists in their studios. There is always something going on in Santa Fe during Indian Market week. Make it a week... not just a weekend!

These are the trips that stand out in my mind... trips that anyone can plan. Consider adding these travel experiences to your planner for 2011!