Travel Oregon’s “Oregon Bounty Wanderfeast” runs through November 30th
Each fall, Travel Oregon puts out all of the stops for its “Oregon Bounty” statewide promotion, which highlights unique travel experiences, fall events and the state’s myriad culinary artisans. Last year, the promotion centered on “Cuisinternships,” allowing winners to spend a week shadowing an Oregon culinary expert.
This year, our friends at Travel Oregon have served up their latest creation, the “Oregon Bounty Wanderfeast.”
What on earth is an Oregon Bounty Wanderfeast? It’s a term the folks at Travel Oregon created to describe what it’s like to spend the harvest season following your tastebuds on a quest to procure the best of Oregon’s flavors at their peak. This 10-week promotion features Oregon’s finest epicurean products, from wine and cheese to spirits and nuts, and so many delicacies in between.
You, too, can join in the chase for 10 weeks of foodie bliss. Enter to win your very own Wanderfeast at TravelOregon.com/bounty. You and three friends could be sampling the bounty of Oregon in a four-day/three-night, all-inclusive culinary escape that explores Oregon’s many flavors of fall.
The ripe berries were harder to find, but we found 'em.
This year I decided to take full advantage of the cool, temperate weather and spend Independence Day outside. So, my daughter and I ventured to Smith Berry Barn for its annual July 4th Berry Festival. The “berry barn” is a short drive to rural Hillsboro, and in addition to traditional festival festivities—food, live music and farm animals galore—the event featured berry picking and wine tastings from Washington County’s newest winery.
New winemaker Provincial Vineyards was pouring its 2008 Pinot Noir and 2009 Pinot Gris. Providence has been growing wine grapes at its vineyard site located outside of Forest Grove, next to Apolloni Vineyards and Purple Cow Vineyards. After selling grapes to local vintners, the vineyard owners decided to bottle the grapes under their own label. Provincial doesn’t have a tasting room; however, their wines can be purchased at local wine shops, such as Urban Decanter in Forest Grove.
We ended up with about two pints of raspberries!
After filling up on hot dogs and strawberry lemonade, we set out for our raspberry picking adventure. This was our first time picking raspberries, and it was quite easy, as the berries were easily pulled off their leaves. We filled about a quarter of the tub, which equated to a little more than two pints. And for only $2.25 for our entire bounty, it was a delicious bargain.
Because of the unusually long spring temperatures, the berries are ripening later than normal, so prime berry picking time is just starting here in Washington County. Raspberries, marionberries, blueberries, loganberries, and a host of other berries I’ve never heard of before are ripe, or nearly ripe, at U-pick farms throughout the region. It’s a great family activity, even for teens, and it’s tasty, too!
For a list of u-pick farms, farm stands and farmers’ markets in Washington County, Oregon, click here.
So, how many of you were up early this morning to see a colorful array of hot air balloons gracing the skies over Washington County? If you missed it, you still have a few chances to see the 17 different hot air balloons as part of the Festival of Balloons in Tigard.
The balloons almost looked like Christmas ornaments delicately hung on the feathery white clouds as I drove to the kick-off breakfast hosted by The Tigard Area Chamber of Commerce. As I arrived, I saw a variety of activities that will be awaiting attendees of the festival, including The Funtastic Carnival, food vendors, the Rogue Brewery Beer Garden, the main stage where Friday night’s music lineup includes the likes of local YouTube phenom-turned-pop-star Savannah Outen, Portland area favorite, Nobody’s Bizness, and the ultimate dance and show band, Five Guys Named Moe.
While you are enjoying the musical performances in the evening, look to the skies for the NW Natural Night Glow, as the balloons rise into the air and are lit up for all to enjoy. For Saturday’s musical line-up check the Music Listing Page on the festival website. Additional activities include The Festival of Cars on Sunday, and a Soccer Tournament throughout the weekend where you can watch some terrific young athletes compete.
Buy your tickets online at a special discount, and note that the ticket price is good for entry to the festival all weekend. (Parking, the carnival rides and food & beverage are an additional expense.)
What a great way to celebrate one of Washington County’s terrific communities this weekend, and it is not too late to drive in from out of town, stay the night and enjoy the festivities. Rooms are still available at the headquarter hotel, The Best Western Northwind Inn and Suites.
While visiting don’t forget to check out Tigard’s premier shopping destinations, Washington Square Mall and Bridgeport Village, where you can take advantage of Oregon’s fantastic tax free shopping. We hope to see you at the festival, where you might just get carried away.
There are local events in July and August that showcase horses — and their talented riders:
Dressage at DevonWood
July 23 – 25, 2010
Competing at Dressage at Devonwood in 2009
Dressage at DevonWood is the Pacific Northwest’s premier equestrian competition. Featuring riders from: Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Western Canada, the competition attracts nearly 300 horses and riders competing for qualifying scores for state, regional and national championships.
Saturday is the highlight of the competition where approximately 40 riders will compete in the musical freestyle and vie for $2,000 in cash prizes. In musical freestyle, riders choreograph compulsory movements in a spontaneous pattern set to music that complements the horses’ every movement.
In addition to outstanding Dressage competition, Dressage at DevonWood offers excellent shopping in its Vendor Village, with 30 merchants offering their wares, as well as wine tasting and gourmet food and drinks.
For a look at past Dressage at DevonWood competitions:
- Last year’s 10th Annual Dressage Event
- A video shot by Tory Kelly of Equine Video Productions featuring FEI Grand Prix Musical Freestyle (with Peggy Thomas’ Hanoverian Mare ridden by Debbie McDonald aboard Brentina from Hailey, Idaho):
Times: 8 am to 6 pm all three days; classes begin at noon Location:DevonWood Equestrian Centre – 25033 SW Pacific Highway, Sherwood Admission: No spectator fee; parking is $10 and includes a program
Oregon Horse Country Familiarization Tours
June 17*, July 22, and August 26
*Note: The June 17th Tour is CANCELLED due to rainy conditions.
Oregon Horse Country, a division of the Wilsonville Chamber of Commerce, has been created to foster economic vitality through promotion and connections of equine businesses in Oregon’s northern Willamette Valley, centered around the Wilsonville area. Oregon Horse Country aims to “Promote the Passion” for horse owners, equine businesses, enthusiasts and all-around horse lovers.
Horseback riding near L.L. Stub Stewart State Park
These familiarization (FAM) site tours (now offered July 22 and August 26) are open to all; they just require registering in advance.
Past FAM tours have visited nine horse-related facilities in the area.
OHC provides leadership and guidance for the promotion and marketing of member equestrian businesses and activities, cultivating the idea of equine-tourism. OHC is a leading source of information and resources for anyone interested in equestrian activities, from owners of equine facilities to equine businesses and services, and for amateur to professional riders.
Reehers Horse Camp, L.L. Stub Stewart State Park Horse Camp
May 15 – October 31
For those looking for horse camping accommodations, Washington County offers two prime locations: Reehers Horse Camp in Timber (in the Tillamook Forest) and L.L. Stub Stewart State Park in Buxton.
August is jam-packed with more unique events in Washington County than you can shake a stick at! Now, if you still insist on attempting to shake a stick just to prove us wrong, please wear eye protection. Remember, safety first! Speaking of safety, don’t forget your sunscreen before heading out to these can’t-miss events:
It's garlic on parade at the annual Garlic Festival!
North Plains Garlic Festival, North Plains, August 6-8. This 13th Annual Festival celebrates the pungent, tasty goodness known as “Elephant Garlic” with a variety of festivities and entertainment. Remember, “Fun Stinks.“
Tualatin Crawfish Festival, Tualatin, August 13-14. The nation’s oldest crawfish festival celebrates 60 years of the Cambaridae Camburus with a variety of food, entertainment and activities. More info
LPGA Safeway Classic Golf Tournament at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, August 16-22. The 39th annual tournament features 144 of the world’s top women golfers competing for a 1.5 million purse. Last year it drew a record crowd of 87,800 to Pumpkin Ridge(!). The Golf Channel will be there for TV coverage Friday – Sunday, so make sure they get your good side. More from organizers Tournament Golf Foundation
The Reserve in Aloha is the new home of this annual event!
Best of Oregon Food & Wine Festival at the Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club, August 14. You had us at “food.” The second annual festival showcases the best of Oregon’s culinary culture, world class wineries, and food artisans. This year’s program includes a golf tournament a few hours prior to the food and wine festival.
For tickets and information, go here
International Air Show at the Hillsboro Airport, August 20-22. Cue the “Top Gun” soundtrack! The 23rd Annual Air Show is proud to announce the return of the Marine Corp AV-8B Harrier II Demonstration Team, and America’s only civilian jet team, the U.S. Patriots. For tickets and information, gohere
Tractors lined-up. Photo courtesy of Shilo Inns.
Banks BBQ & Truck/Tractor Pull, Banks, August 20-22. The City of Banks cooks up its annual festival with down-home charm, featuring a grand parade, truck/tractor pull and demolition derby, drive-in car show, arts and crafts, games and its “famous” BBQ sandwiches.More info
For the June and July 2010 events in Washington County, click here
Get ready for some outdoor fun! Here are some great ideas from our partners that represent one of the greatest assets in Washington County: nature (and everything in it).
This summer, the Tualatin Riverkeepers is offering a bounty of scheduled events for kids and adults of all ages, including parent-child hikes and paddle trips along the Tualatin River. For kids from ages 4-13, there are six summer sessions of nature day-camps, a series of daylong camps with different themes to encourage awareness of and love for the natural world. See details.
For more information, read the Riverkeepers’ informative quarterly newsletter, “The Green Herald”.
While visiting the Refuge, don’t forget to borrow a Nature Discovery Pack, a backpack full of activities, binoculars, field guides and nature journals. The packs are loaned to guests, free of charge, during visitor center hours.
Get the family excited for a trip to the Refuge, thanks to the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife’s recently launched website (recommended for children, ages 5+). This interactive site features learning sessions, quizzes, and a chance to earn a free tree to plant in your own backyard. (Supplies are limited.)
In order to take advantage of a brief moment of beautiful weather this week, I went with two friends over to McMenamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove to play the Disc Golf 10-hole course. I had just enough time before the sun went down to play the course and check out the lodge lobby and Ironwork Grill.
You don’t have to be a guest at the lodge in order to play the course, and discs are even available to rent for free from the hotel’s front desk. I had a good time; not necessarily because of my disc golf throwing skills, but because of beautiful scenery and great company. After a round of disc golf, we enjoyed yummy burgers from the Ironwork Grill. There’s also the Yardhouse Pub, and drinks at the Doctor’s Office Bar or Bob’s Bar.
You can also catch a movie or live music at the Compass Room Theater, or get a massage or body treatment from Ruby’s Spa.
If Disc Golf leaves you worn out, you can relax in the soaking pool for free with your overnight stay (or Ruby’s Spa treatment), or pay $5 per person for the general public (minors must be accompanied by an adult).
There are also attractions nearby, including: Hagg Lake, the Tillamook National Forest and Fernhill Wetlands, not to mention all the wineries and golf courses.
After living in Hawaii for the past three years, I looked forward to having a real Oregon fall. While I enjoyed warm weather and fresh papaya, banana and pineapple, I did miss my fall favorites; the squash, pears, carrots and potatoes so readily available in Oregon.
To fulfill my fall needs I went to the Beaverton Farmer’s Holiday Market this past Saturday. The majority of the vendors were the summer regulars, with a few vendors selling holiday products. Smelling fresh pine greens from the vendor who sold holiday wreaths put me in the holiday spirit. Last Saturday was the final day for this year’s Beaverton Farmers Market, but the Hillsboro Winter Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through December 12th and is located on Main Street between the Civic Center Plaza and the Courthouse.
There were so many varieties of squash available: Spaghetti, Carnival, Heart of Gold, Sweet Dumpling, Buttercup and Delicata–but I couldn’t bypass the butternut squash I needed to make my new favorite soup. This soup has great anti-inflammatory benefits and tastes great! Try it for yourself:
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
This recipe can be altered; the smaller amounts will yield a more mild soup.
1 T. olive oil
2 T-1/2 C onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 med. carrots, peeled and diced
2 t-1 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 -3 t yellow curry powder
1 Large Butternut squash, peeled and cubed (3 large yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed, can be substituted)
1 t salt or to taste
1 qt. chicken broth
1 can lite coconut milk
Put the olive oil in a large pot and add the onions, garlic, carrots and ginger. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the onions become translucent and the carrots are softened. Stir occasionally.
Add the cubed butternut squash, salt, curry powder and chicken broth, adding water if necessary to cover the squash. Bring to a moderate boil, then reduce and simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer, covered, until squash is tender, about 15-25 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Puree the soup with a hand-held immersion blender, or ladle the soup into a blender and puree in small batches. Use caution when pureeing hot soup—cover the blender lid with a towel, and push firmly on the lid.
Autumn is by far my favorite season: the crisp, cool air; rust-colored leaves falling from the trees; the bright orange and green hues of the pumpkin patches. Indeed, ’tis the season to get out and explore fall in Washington County, Oregon. On Saturday, my family and I hopped into the car and did just that.
First stop was the Beaverton Farmers’ Market, a cornucopia of fall vegetables, colorful gourds, scrumptious apples and pears, and hearty potatoes and onions, all awaiting shoppers who ventured out on the brisk Saturday morning. Free coffee and fruit samples provided us the energy – and warmth – needed to navigate the market.
With our newly acquired produce in hand, we ventured off to our next stop, the Smith Berry Barn in Hillsboro. Each year, I make the pilgrimage to the Smith Berry Barn to stock up on apples, and this year is no exception. I loaded up my basket with freshly picked Macintosh apples, perfect for making caramel apple treats.
On a whim, we decided to head over to Baggenstos Farms in Sherwood, to check out the corn maze. Growing up in the desert, corn mazes were something I had only seen on television, or in scary movies. In reality it was not scary at all. Granted, it was a bright and sunny mid-afternoon. (However, my ever-adventurous daughter suggested we return and try the maze at night.) About a half hour after we entered, we mastered the maze, which, visible from the sky, is carved to look like Abraham Lincoln.
Before we left, we decided to try our hand at pumpkin bowling. This was a blast. We each had three tries to knock down the pins while throwing a ripe, orange pumpkin down the makeshift lane. On my second round, I threw a spare!
After our day in rural Washington County, we were exhausted; but, it was worth it to spend a memorable and fun day with my family. (And, yes, we will be going back to the corn maze … at night.)
So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to make your own autumn memories this October. The Beaverton Farmers Market, as well as the pumpkin patches and corn mazes at farms throughout the county are open through October 31. And don’t miss this year’s Apple Fest at Smith Berry Barn, Oct. 18. For a list of other autumn-inspired events, check out our event calendar.
Tales of haunted houses and ghost stories that will make your hair stand on end are an American tradition, especially around Halloween. In Washington County, those stories are not only legend, but have become stories to celebrate. Eerie tales from pioneer days of the area’s earliest settlers abound; however, the most bone-chilling are the stories about ghostly spirits from more recent times.
The Haunting of Knight Hall
Pacific University has been the subject of tales of ghost sightings
Founded in 1849 as the “Tualatin Academy,” Pacific Universityis one of the region’s oldest academic institutions. Today, it is the site of one of Washington County’s most eerily haunting ghost, Vera.
As legend stands, Vera, a former music student at the school, died in Knight Hall (which today is the admissions building of Pacific University). There are various stories about this eternal student and how her spirit came to inhabit the university, including one tale that she took her own life over an ill-fated love affair.
What is known about Vera is that for several decades there have been many sightings of her. She has been heard singing and playing piano and voicing her displeasure at some students’ performances by audibly sighing or telling the budding pianists to “please stop.”
Each Halloween, Pacific University students hold an event, “A Night in Knight Hall,” where students spend the night in the building and attempt to communicate with Vera’s ghost.
McMenamins Grand Lodge is home to the aromatic ghost of the "Lavender Lady"
Haunted Hotel
McMenamins Grand Lodge is a stately European-style hotel with a storied past. Built in 1922 as the Masonic & Eastern Star Home, the property originally served as a rest home for Master Masons, their widows and orphans. It has since become synonymous with many strange happenings, aided in part by the colorful décor of the walls of this hotel, which are adorned with Masonic imagery and symbols and historical photographs, giving the hotel a uniquely eerie feel.
Various locations throughout the property have been witness to alleged paranormal and unexplained activities. Perhaps the best-known spirit at the Grand Lodge is the “Lavender Lady,” whose presence is known not just by the guest room named in her honor, or by her likeness painted on a wall mural. When the “Lavender Lady” is around, an unmistakably, strong scent of lavender permeates the hallway.
Stories of the Grand Lodge’s haunting have flourished for years and have become folklore for ghost hunters . The hotel’s guests and staffers have shared their tales and sightings in the “ghost log,” which is kept at the front desk to record the strange happenings at the property.
The Phantom of the Theatre
Strange happenings are afoot at the Venetian Theatre
TheVenetian Theatre and Bistro (a movie and live performance theatre, bistro and wine bar) has been a site of recent paranormal activity. The building, located in downtown Hillsboro, has experienced a series of mysterious events: unexplained water leaks, lights and music magically being turned on, ghost-like apparitions, and more. These events spooked enough people to warrant bringing in professional ghost hunters.
Last year, a team of paranormal investigators were called in to check out the otherworldly happenings in the building. During the investigation, one especially chilling event happened in the projection room of the theatre. The lead investigator asked the spirit in the only climate-controlled room in the building, to change the temperature. The spirit obliged, and raised the temperature from 70 degrees up to 78 degrees, then down to 68 degrees, the preferred temperature for the room.
Long after Halloween is over, these spooky spirits remain, with sightings year-round. So grab your gear and check it out for yourself. The next time you smell lavender, it just may be the Lavender Lady welcoming you to Washington County.
