Meet our 3 (well 4) grand prize nominees: Stash, Rudy & Clyde and Oban!
Please click here to go vote for who you want to win our GRAND PRIZE before February 17, 2023. All 3 winners are pinned to the top of our Instagram page and each like counts as a vote!
About the contest
Three lucky winners will each win $300 from Bend Pet Express to use in-store at either Bend location. In addition to the $300 from BPE, the GRAND PRIZE WINNER will also win a $150 gift card to the Ruffwear retail store AND a photo shoot with their pet. Bend Magazine will then feature one of the images in our May + June 2023 issue!
All nominations have ended. But please visit our Instagram page to vote for your favorite of the three. The pet with the most votes will also be our GRAND PRIZE WINNER! The voting ends on February 17, 2023, at midnight.
3 WINNERS TOTAL:
✨ 1 Grand Prize Winner✨
$300 from Bend Pet Express
$150 to Ruffwear’s Retail Store
Photoshoot with your pet
Featured in Bend Magazine
✨ 2 Additional Winners: $300 from Bend Pet Express ✨
✨ BONUS: Along with this giveaway, BPE will be donating to both nonprofits: FIXbend and/or The Rawley Project.
DEADLINE TO NOMINATE YOUR PET: Wednesday, February 9, 2023, at 11:59 pm PST.⠀
VOTING DEADLINE: Voting runs February 10-16, 2023, and ends at 11:59 pm PST.
3 WINNERS SELECTED: All three winners will be chosen in total at random. The winners will be selected on Thursday, February 16, and be notified via Instagram direct message and/or the email address you share with us. This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by Instagram or Facebook.
Only one entry per email address and YOU MAY NOT PURCHASE VOTES!
The contest begins on February 1, 2023 and ends on February 17, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. For the complete list of rules, visit our contest policy page.
We are kicking off the new year with a Stay & Ski Getaway GIVEAWAY with Five Pine Lodge – prize value is OVER $800! One winner and their guest will get to hit the slopes for 2 full days this winter season at Hoodoo Ski Area. And then they will stay two consecutive nights midweek (Sunday – Thursday) in any cabin or upper townhouse suite at Five Pine Lodge! Full-day lift tickets allow guests to utilize the entire day of skiing. After an intense day on the mountain, unwind by the fire or visit the nightly wine and beer reception in the main lodge.
1. In the Instagram post comments, tag a friend you want to stay & ski with + @fivepinelodge so they see your entry too! Each comment = 1 entry so tag all your people!
Pablo Picasso said that every child is an artist—the problem is how to remain one once they grow up. June Park, an artist living and working in Bend, is refreshingly honest about how this works: with community.
Park grew up in Moscow, Idaho in the 1980s, the child of Korean immigrants who encouraged creativity and made it part of the home. Though Park, who uses the pronouns they/them, had wanted to pursue a career as an artist and writer when they were growing up, after moving to Seattle for school, and needing to earn money, they earned a bachelor’s in electrical engineering and master’s in human-centered design and engineering. “That degree and the way that you think through ideas is so important for where I am as an artist today,” said Park. “The artistic side was always there, but I had to make money.”
Next Steps
After fifteen years working as a UX designer in the Seattle area, Park took a job teaching digital art and creative innovation, and found they loved working with students every day while also homesick for the high desert and rural landscape they were surrounded by growing up in Idaho. They moved to Bend in 2017, and when the pandemic hit, Park took the chance to pursue art full time and applied for the newly created Scalehouse artist-in-residency program.
Park’s acrylic and gouache paintings are intentional in their design, creation, and narrative. Park wants audiences to see the story in each piece and collection. The paintings feature intricately detailed lines, stark contrasts in color, and surprising perspectives. The line details in the brushwork and sketches create movement, resulting in pieces that capture the energy of their subjects, whether a high desert landscape or portraits of migrant families.
The work in the current collections clearly tell stories, and Park hopes to bring that storytelling to the residency in what they create next.
“It’s really solitary to be an artist,” said Park. “I wanted to connect with other people in the organic way that happens in the creative spaces, and be with other people in the creative process.”
Park is frank about what it takes to be a full-time creative today, and how important it is for artists to find a supportive community, like the one Park is trying to cultivate through art in Bend. Park also credits their partner for making it possible.
“I say I’m a full-time artist, but there are lean months when I definitely get scared and feel like I need to go back to making money,” said Park. “Being an artist is hard because you have to believe that developing your art and craft is worth it despite the sacrifices you might have to make in order to do it. I couldn’t do it when I was younger, but sometimes I think that maybe I didn’t get to do it because it wasn’t my time yet.”
Finding Space
A contemporary art center founded in 2013, Scalehouse had established itself as a respected gallery for contemporary artists, but something was missing. Executive Director René Mitchell said that in a conversation with Patricia Clark, a founder of Scalehouse and driving force of the art community in Central Oregon before she passed away last year, Clark said that she wanted to see the process—to see behind the curtain and to witness the mess of artists creating. That’s when the vision for the artist-in-residency program emerged.
“I believe our community loves arts and culture,” said Mitchell. “And with that comes supporting artists and providing them the freedom to create and get messy.”
Rain Carry Us Father and Child painting by June Park
Park’s current work is centered around painting, but the time and space to unleash creativity in a supportive community during the residency has Park considering how else to tell their story through art. Park is also exploring an experiential installation, which is another place where the tech background comes out to play in art. They’d like to create a cohesive exhibition that explores what it’s like to be a rural BIPOC artist and a Korean immigrant who grew up in rural America.
“None of the stereotypes that are put on me fit,” said Park. “I want to tell a more nuanced story of me as a human being and uplift other people about their intersections.”
When 14-year-old Genesis Marlowe speaks about being a part of Ujima, the youth group in Central Oregon, her enthusiasm is palpable. Born in Bend, Genesis has often been the only Black student in her classes or on her sports teams, and that can feel isolating. “There’s so much happy and positive energy whenever I go to Ujima after school,” said Genesis, a freshman at Mountain View High School. “It’s been a great program to meet other friends who have the same skin color as me, and we’re learning about the civil rights movement, and there are also volunteers at Ujima who have helped me with my math and science classes.”
Ujima is a program of The Father’s Group, a Black affinity group formed in 2017. Affinity groups link communities through a common purpose, and they play a key role in ensuring inclusive environments where members are all valued and empowered to succeed.Executive Director of The Father’s Group, Kenny Adams, said the group was formed after the father of a Black student sought community to help navigate the racial incidents his son was facing. Together, they wondered what they could do to address the issues and this is when talk about forming Ujima first began.
“At one point, I pulled out my kids from the public schools,” said Adams, an IT professional, documentary filmmaker and father of four. “It’s not easy being an African American here, there’s only 0.6 percent of African Americans living in Central Oregon. That’s less than one percent.”
Ujima leader Marcus LeGrand, a father of two, said it’s imperative African American students understand their culture, especially in white spaces.
“Ujima in Swahili means working collectively, that’s what we are trying to do—working together to help our children—and we want our parents involved, too,” said LeGrand. “They need to know about their own rich culture, their history and learn leadership skills. I want every single child who walks in here to feel welcome and safe, and know they matter.”
LeGrand explained many of the students at Ujima have felt marginalized and/or bullied in their schools, and he feels Ujima can give their students agency and empower them with foundational learning to know they have options.
Ujima’s multicultural identity-based group was formed to protect its students from racism and isolation in a predominantly white community. LeGrand uses the term “safe space,” and feels Ujima’s work is to provide a respite from always being marked as different. While Ujima does provide that safe space with a nod to academic and leadership skills development, there are also fun activities planned.
Fodeliche Syzzla leading a drum session at a Juneteenth Celebration in downtown Bend, Oregon, put on by The Father’s Group.
Highland Elementary school student Nick Adams has found Ujima a safe space that is engaging every week. “We got to go to [Native American volunteer] Dark Horse Warrior’s Tumalo Ranch and learn archery and see all the horses there,” said Nick, 10, who has enjoyed making new friends as part of Ujima since it began last year. “We’ve also got to do some woodworking, and took some Swahili language classes, and we also got to learn West African drumming.”
Daniella Wilson, 13, is a student at Pilot Butte Middle School who just moved to Central Oregon from Jamaica last year, and with the help of Ujima she has navigated from her former warm island life, to the snowy cold weather in the area. “I feel happy at Ujima, there are more people with my skin color, and it’s interesting to learn about the Black history here, where things weren’t equal,” said Wilson, who explained she’s still getting used to life in Central Central.
The Father’s Group Co-founder and President David Merritt said their affinity groups—which are all nonprofits—have already helped its several dozen students gain access to educational and cultural resources, and are also working to strengthen community advocacy.
“It blows my mind every day the good things that are coming down to help and support us,” said Merritt, who explained they are able to award educational scholarships to some of their students because of that support. “My hope is that we continue to grow, and that the community embraces us. From what I’ve heard from the kids is that we are changing lives, and my hope is that we can continue to get bigger and grow.”
Kenny Adams said proof of The Father’s Group growth was their festival at Drake Park this past June that drew more than 11,000 people to celebrate and learn about Juneteenth. “I want to encourage parents to send their kids to Ujima, it’s a free after school program on Wednesdays and the school buses will get them to our place in the [Bend-La Pine School] District Office,” explained Adams. “Really, there’s nothing else like this in Central Oregon, where we get to emphasize an Afro-centric lens to learning together in a safe space, while building an open and welcome community.We want to break down the barriers.” See thefathersgroup.org.
It’s a gorgeous, unreal day over Madras with the high desert canyons collapsing into the rolling expanses of sage and brittlebush, and Tanner Steele is at the helm of a Cessna 172. The pack of dials and gauges before him blink and spin in a language he has come to learn. There’s the airport ahead. He banks. Mount Jefferson slides off his left wing. Mount Hood looms straight ahead. A sign in the cockpit reminds him to behave. No spins. No aerobatics. Steele, a Central Oregon Community College student enrolled in the school’s two-year professional pilot program, is calm and focused; just a red-headed twenty-year-old a thousand feet in the sky. Me? I’m getting queasy.
I close my eyes and that’s when I notice the sound. Something’s off. The constant drone of the engine has diminished to a worrisome sputter, and then a muscleless whisper. Is that an alarm going off? “Have you lost power?” I ask. “Oh no!” he says.
Steele gets to work. He sets the speed to about 65 knots which gives him an efficient nine-to-one glide ratio, meaning that for every nine feet he flies horizontally he’ll lose only a foot in elevation. That should be more than enough to make it to the runway, but then he starts muttering in what sounds to me like run-on gibberish: “Roughly in a downwind turn a little bit more fine runway off the right wing gonna go straight into a right base for one-six.” The runway drifts up slowly and with a squeaky bounce the plane comes to a stop on the ground. No fireball. No vomit.
A computer projection simulates the view from a Cessna 172 cockpit for realistic flight training on the ground. Photo courtesy of Central Oregon Community College – Timothy Park Photography
“Like a boss!” says his instructor, Chris McNulty from behind him. Then the engine magically restarts and Steele does it all over again.
This is all fake—the weather, the airport, even the plane itself. What I just witnessed was a flight simulation boasting a remarkable layer of reality. We weren’t high over Madras. There was no engine failure because there was no engine. Even Mount Jefferson, Mount Hood, and the desert around Madras, were all just a computer projection on a large, semicircle of a screen set before a model cockpit designed to feel and look exactly like the cockpit of a Cessna 172. About the only thing real here is Steele, my nausea and the fact that training like this—along with countless hours flying the real deal sitting outside on the Bend Municipal Airport tarmac—will mean one day very soon Steele will almost certainly be a pilot. When that happens, he’ll be the guy anyone would want in the cockpit should a real emergency take place.
Steele is one of more than 200 students enrolled in COCC’s aviation program that teams up with Leading Edge Flight Academy at the Bend Municipal Airport to teach the next generation of plane and helicopter pilots, as well as drone operators and managers. During the day he’ll take classes in avionics (the study of the electronic systems used on aircraft) and aerodynamics, and then head out to the airport for a lab that includes flying real planes as well as time practicing in the simulator. In less than two years he’s already mastered his private pilot and instrument-flying certifications and will soon have his commercial license, too. That puts him that much closer to realizing a dream of flying helicopters that offer emergency medical transfer. “I’ve wanted to fly since I was a kid,” he said, adding he was going to transfer to Arizona State but then found COCC and Leading Edge. “I decided to stick around Bend.”
Aviation Student Spotlight
ZoË Doden, Bend | Age: 18
Zoë starts the Leading Edge Aviation Program at Central Oregon Community College Fall 2022
How did you become interested in learning to fly?
“I don’t know how a 2-year-old me found the interest, but I’ve wanted to fly for as long as I can consciously remember.”
First flying lessons:
“At Outlaw Aviation (in Sisters, Oregon),when I was 16 years old.”
Age you earned a PRIVATE pilot license?
“Just after turning 18 and a few weeks before graduating from Summit High School.”
Favorite (or most challenging) part of flying?
“I love how you can never learn enough about flying, which is also what makes it a challenging thing to pursue. Flying is a constantlearning experience.”
What is your ultimate goal after graduation from the Aviation Program?
“I want to be an aerial firefighter in the long term but I also have a huge interest in backcountry flying and seaplanes.”
Lloyd McMullen’s home studio is up a narrow set of stairs leading to a room crammed with discarded objects that she transforms into works of art. It’s her “fortress of solitude” that might also be described as a mini scrapyard, a chaotic mélange of scrap metal, string, wire, lamp parts, old Vogue and National Geographic magazines, vintage dress patterns, broken glass, acrylic paint and all kinds of tools.
photo by Carol Sternkopf
The space testifies to a lifelong habit of rescuing odd objects that she reshapes to reflect today’s world. A common theme of McMullen’s artwork and life is metamorphosis and transformation.
A second-generation Oregonian, she grew up near Portland in the 1950s and ’60s when young women learned homemaking skills, such as sewing clothes from pattern books. “If you wanted to be one of the cool girls, you could buy fabric and a pattern with a cool girl on the package cover,” she recalled. “It promised a metamorphosis to becoming that cool girl image.”
From an early age, McMullen was recreating herself. Raised by a literary-oriented family (her dad was editor of the Gresham Outlook newspaper), she made art in secret and entered a contest where she won a scholarship to an art school that ended up being too expensive to attend. Instead, she earned a journalism degree from the University of Oregon in 1976.
Still interested in art, she spent a year at Lane Community College. A visiting professor from the San Francisco Art Institute, Alan Crockett, inspired her to depart from hyper-realistic drawings to more impressionistic images and colors.
A New Day | Photo by Gary Alvis
For the next several years, she toggled between jobs in journalism and graphic arts in Eugene until she married and moved to Redmond in 1984. Art in Central Oregon in the late ’80s was dominated by landscape, wildlife and Western themes. McMullen—who around this time changed her name from Carol to Lloyd in response to studies showing bias against artists with feminine names—joined with other artists to focus on more contemporary art. They formed Artists Local 101 and started off with a novel format to display local work.
They bought two vintage cigarette vending machines refurbished to dispense hand-painted art on blocks cut to the size of a cigarette package. A buyer could put $4 in the machine and take home an original piece of art. The heaviness of the machines and difficulty of moving them from various locations eventually scuttled the project.
Local 101 however, still grew its membership and held innovative exhibitions in random locations over the next ten years. “We partnered together to instigate contemporary art,” McMullen said. “This rowdy, random group had some of the best artists in town and a lot of stuff came out of it.”
McMullen and others delved into “Trashformations,” an American art movement of the late 1990s and 2000s that prized artwork made from recycled materials. They held a “Trashformations” exhibition outside in the Old Mill District and Bright Place Gallery which is now closed.
To Bee (or not) | Photo by Gary Alvis
“Lloyd has helped to push the edges about what art is in our community,” said Susan Luckey Higden, fellow artist, manager and member of Tumalo Art Co. in the Old Mill District. “Her art is earthy, urban, relevant, wryly humorous and has layered meanings that defy the obvious. Deep conviction runs through every project she does.”
“My art is mixed media and found objects,” she said. Pieces slated for her upcoming show entitled “Brave New World” include a barracuda made from found a fishing net and a six-foot-long cockroach, along with a 3D porcupine and smaller wall studies of moths, bees, a hummingbird and an owl.
“The show explores how we adapt to survive in our changing world,” she said, citing climate change, COVID, gun violence, rising bias and hate crimes as well as personal loss. “Everyday dawns with new challenges. What’s next? I want to remain optimistic; my work is hopeful. These times demand truth and tenacity.”
Two essentials for a Central Oregon camping trip are most certainly beer and a sleeping bag, so it’s fitting that the idea for sleeping bag beer holders was dreamt up at a campout in 2018. Bend’s Puffin Drinkwear now offers not only sleeping bag koozies, but versions with puffy jackets, parkas, life vests, flannels and more designs, which all keep a drink cold with style. Co-founder and President Tyrone Hazen gave Bend Magazine a little backstory on the growth of this Bend business.
Tell us about your company and how things got started in Bend.
Here in Bend we are known for our love of the outdoors…and BEER! So when a friend tossed me a drink holder made from remnants of an old sleeping bag, I was struck with the silly thought of combining the two by creating a sleeping bag for beers, adding some fun and personality to the utility. From there, we realized that we could create silhouettes for just about any interest someone has and really speak to someone’s identity.
When did you realize the company was really taking off?
Almost immediately. We walked into the Bend Store downtown with some samples in September 2018. While presenting the owner, Delia, with our sleeping bags, a man came in and saw what we had and asked, “Is that what I think it is? Can I buy two of those right now?” We left ten behind for her to sell and she called the next day asking for thirty-six more. Then she asked if she could have another 100 before the weekend. On Monday she called and asked to buy all of the inventory we had left. And while that was the first story of the exceptional sell-through Puffin achieves, it is no longer a unique one.
Any new koozie ideas on the horizon?
We are really focused on expanding into identities that are adjacent to things we’ve already produced. We started in outdoor, so sports is an obvious next step. We have a number of discussions going on right now that will have us creating sport-related Puffin of all different kinds. From there we are looking into travel and leisure (we have a NASA space suit coming out this fall…though I’m not sure that counts as “travel”). Entertainment and characters will follow thereafter.
Tell us about the company’s growth since starting in 2018.
Though we experienced significant headwinds and logistics challenges with COVID, we’ve managed to continue expanding rapidly from sales volume, revenue and employee perspectives. We have already maxed out our 9,000-square-foot warehouse and will be moving to a third-party logistics model with our next shipment. We have twenty full-time employees and another eight part- or full-time contractors.
What makes Bend a great place for the company to call home?
There isn’t a better community anywhere in the world offering the kind of support entrepreneurs need. From organizations like Economic Development for Central Oregon and Opportunity Knocks, to educational courses at Oregon State University-Cascades and Central Oregon Community College, to approachable individuals who have been where founders have been and want to offer support, I am not being hyperbolic when I say I truly don’t thinking there is a better place anywhere to start a company.
Tell us about the company’s Good Together philosophy.
We believe good things happen when people come together. Good Together was initiated by one of my co-founders, Christina Linton. When we initially brought her into the founding team, she told me she wasn’t interested in building Puffin unless it was doing something good in addition to being profitable. We agreed and let her lead the initiative. We partner with nonprofits and other organizations in need to help share their message and provide them with the support they need. If I’m being honest, no one needs a tiny jacket for their beverage, but if that one small item can expose an opportunity to help people doing good work in the world, we think we can build a net-positive organization known as much for our Good Together efforts as for our fun products.
What does the future hold for Puffin Drinkwear?
More growth! We have a clear line of sight to doubling our sales year over year through 2025. We will continue to add to our incredible team. We will consistently introduce new, high-quality drink wear that defines us as the masters of the category. Co-branding and licensing collaborations will become a major component of our business. And we will expand our Good Together impacts within the Bend community and beyond!
People are losing their fingers and toes!” It was a phone call that Richard Berg received in 2005 from a stranger about the houseless people staying on China Hat Road that changed the trajectory of his life. At the time, he was president of the congregation at Nativity Lutheran Church in Southeast Bend. Berg wasn’t sure what to do, but he knew he had to do something. So, he and fellow church members collected firewood and brought it to the folks living in tents by the butte. That day, the Wood Bank was created.
Seventeen years later it has evolved into two wood lots, a partnership with six local tree removal companies and dozens of volunteers. Together they provide 300 cords of wood per year to more than 900 qualified recipients—from seniors to those disabled, ill, or on low or fixed incomes. If people are unable to pick it up, wood can be delivered to them.
The program is sustained by volunteers and runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, year-round. From April through September there are opportunities to chain saw donated tree trunks to a movable size, haul wood between lots, or use one of seven gas-powered log splitters donated by a benefactor to split logs into burnable sizes. During winter months—October through March—wood that has been seasoned for two years is picked up or delivered to recipients.
Volunteers Richard Berg, Robert Larkins and Dick Ross at the donation pick up site.
Margaret Estrada was on the receiving end of the program for ten years while she raised three of her grandchildren. “The Wood Bank saved our lives, really,” she said. “This house is eighty-two years old and only has a wood stove for heat. When I lost my job I couldn’t afford a cord of wood.” Volunteers from Wood Bank also installed new windows she had purchased and replaced her old wood-burning stove with a safe and efficient version that requires less wood to keep warm.
Volunteers, donors and recipients don’t need to be affiliated with Nativity Lutheran Church to participate in the Wood Bank. In fact, most aren’t associated with any religious organization. They participate as individuals, families or as organized groups. The work is not considered difficult, but it’s advised that gloves, closed-toed shoes and clothes that may be covered in wood dust and sap are worn. Typical assignments might include working alongside local business owners or a houseless person. The difference between the two people may not be visible, nor does it matter because Berg’s first rule of thumb is, “do not judge anyone, ever.” Volunteers return week after week because it feels good to give back and do something that makes a tangible impact on the community.
In the winter there can be as many as forty trucks in line to collect donated wood. Recipients are allowed the measurement of one level pick-up truck bed per month. While Wood Bank doesn’t charge for the wood, they do ask for a donation. If a person cannot donate, they’re asked to volunteer so the gift is less of a hand out and more of a hand up.
Henry Ford said, “Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice.” In the case of the Wood Bank, the spirit of volunteerism warms participants long after they give a helping hand.
For more information on services offered and volunteer opportunities, please visit nativityinbend.org.
Nachos might be one of the most versatile dishes out there. Finger foods? Sure. A full meal? Absolutely. Happy hour snack? Check! Take your pick from some of Bend’s most intriguing and satisfying nachos from those with classic chips and cheese to a plate with a twist of wonton chips and poke.
Head to River’s Place food truck lot or Dogwood at the Pine Shed for SOPA’s Asada Nachos. Unless you’re feeling really hungry, you will want a friend (or two) with whom you can share this platter. A large plate of tortilla strip chips is loaded with creamy nacho cheese sauce, carne asada and pinto beans, then topped with sour cream, cilantro, pico de gallo and avocado salsa. This heaping serving of nachos pairs well with a tart cider from the taphouse at River’s Place. Place an order with SOPA, then gather around the outdoor fire pits to stay warm in the fall weather. On game days, watch on one of the six big-screen TVs while digging into this hearty dish.
Dogwood: 821 NE 2nd St, Bend | River’s Place: 787 NE Purcell Blvd, Bend | Open Tuesday – Sunday
Luckey’s Woodsman’s Trailside Kitchen in Sister’s is serving up nachos fit for pre- or post-adventure. The Mountain Nachos at Luckey’s live up to their namesake—piled high. Juanita’s chips are layered with pork carnitas, Woodsmen beans, white cheddar queso, pico de gallo, roasted jalapeños, arugula pesto, Stellar sauce (a chipotle aioli) and cotija.
Luckey’s exists to provide convenient, healthy, fresh, and wild cuisine to outdoor enthusiasts and recreational and wildlife professionals in Central Oregon. From breakfast burritos, cold boxes, and hot kits to local ranch burgers, Luckey’s is sure to bring the campfire to you with delicious, outdoor-inspired food.
‘Aina Kaui Style Grill, located in the food truck pod at Ninth Street Village, has been making Hawaiian-style bites in Bend since early 2020. What started as a weekly special now sits proudly as a permanent—and popular—menu item. Their Poke Nachos are crispy wonton chips piled high with fresh poke, pickled kimchi veggies, fresh cabbage, and topped with furikake and their signature ‘aina aioli. For a near-perfect pairing, try them with a Funday IPA from resident brewpub, Bevel Craft Brewing.
On Tap:1424 NE Cushing Dr. Bend | Open Tuesday – Sunday
It’s no secret that Toasty, The Podski’s plant-based food truck, is known for its vegan take on a crunch wrap. However, if you love this riff on the fast food favorite, you’ll love their Super-Loaded Nachos. What makes Toasty’s dish special is their ability to make the platter of nachos taste like it’s smothered in real cheese. Their nacho “cheese” sauce is made with cashews—which are creamy when blended—and potatoes. Nutritional yeast gives the sauce its cheesy flavor, along with onions and a blend of spices.
Toasty’s Super-Loaded Nachos come as a plate of round chips topped with cashew queso, black beans, Beyond Beef, jalapeños and lime crema. They’re then topped with pico de gallo, onions, cilantro and jalapeños. For the perfect snack size, get them by the half order.
Don’t let the size of this taqueria fool you. Los Jalapeños packs a ton of flavor in their small-but-mighty turquoise building in Midtown. Bend has been enjoying the offerings of Chef Gonzalo Morales for more than twenty-five years. Luckily for hungry patrons, Los Jalapeños has four varieties of nachos to choose from. The most noteworthy might be their Supreme and Fajita Nachos. Supreme Nachos come served with fresh chips, beans, melted cheese, jalapeños, sour cream, black olives, pico de gallo, guacamole and your choice of chicken or steak. The next level is the Fajita Nachos, which adds grilled bell peppers and onions to Supreme Nachos. A margarita completes the experience during their happy hour, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
601 NE Greenwood Ave., Bend | Open Monday – Saturday
Over the years, we’ve watched Barrio expand from its Downtown Bend restaurant to multiple food trucks throughout Bend. While Barrio’s famous queso fundido is available at their flagship restaurant, nachos are available only at their food trucks. To start, freshly-fried chips are smothered in housemade queso fundido and piled high with black beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, cotija and a choice of protein. Choose from pork carnitas, beef birria, chicken tinga, or grilled mushroom and corn. For a not-so-secret add on, request a topping of poblano crema and pickled jalapeños for a minimal upcharge. Visit Barrio at On Tap and pair your nachos with one of thirty-five rotating taps. If you’re visiting their Midtown Yacht Club location, pair your nachos with a refreshing wine slushie or opt for a kombucha sangria.
Midtown Yacht Club: 1661 NE 4th Street, Bend | Open Daily
Bend is roundabout city! How did this all begin and where are we going?
Whether you call them “whirlymajigs,” “roundyrounds,” “those crazy car circles” or occasionally something less charitable, everyone in Bend is familiar with the roundabout. In the past two decades, roundabouts, also known as traffic circles, have sprung up everywhere throughout the city, with the prospect of even more to come.
The roundabout origin story dates to sixteenth century Europe, when circular junctions for pedestrians as well as horse carriages began to appear, such as the iconic Place de l’Étoile that surrounds the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The idea stuck and evolved, hopped the globe and ended up in Central Oregon as early as the late 1960s at the Sunriver resort south of Bend, among many other places, as an elegant traffic solution with a proven safety record.
Photo by John Fleming
Inspired by his travels to Europe, Bend resident and Brooks Resources Chairman Mike Hollern first stepped up in 1997 to offer to build the city’s first roundabout at the intersection of Washington Drive and what was then Century Drive and is now Fourteenth Street. Bend’s west side was experiencing major growth-related traffic issues, and Hollern envisioned Europe’s well-tested roundabout concept as a practical answer to Bend’s growing pains. “I’d seen how well roundabouts worked there, and the Century Drive/Washington Center site seemed like an obvious place for one,” Hollern recalled.
What he didn’t expect was a surprisingly contentious “not in my backyard” reaction to the proposal. Widespread concerns included confusion about how to drive through a roundabout, too many merger points, driver speed, cutting through the rounded corners, and pedestrian and bicycle safety. “There was major concern by neighbors, the fire department, truckers and even the school district over the ability of buses to navigate a roundabout,” Hollern said.
Major education initiatives led by Brooks Resources, the City of Bend and the Oregon Department of Transportation, including a particularly successful public meeting, eventually cooled the rhetoric. The messaging stressed the well-documented safety and community benefits of roundabouts compared with traditional traffic-light intersections. Roundabouts, it was communicated, reduce commute time and driver aggregation. The traffic circle also reduces stops, starts and idling, resulting in less gas and diesel emissions, making the option more environmentally friendly. But most impactfully, roundabouts result in significant reductions in the number of both serious and minor traffic accidents compared to intersections, as well as fewer instances of property damage.
Artist: “Cogs” created by Dave Fox | Photo courtesy of Visit Bend
Current City of Bend Engineer Ryan Oster points to several factors behind a roundabout’s inherent safety, which include fewer potential conflict points and reduced speeds, giving drivers and pedestrians more time to react and resulting in a reduction in both crash frequency and crash severity. “Consider the typical accident that could occur at a roundabout,” he said. “It happens between a vehicle already in the roundabout driving at a lower speed, sideswiping a vehicle trying to enter the roundabout. Due to the angles in the roundabout, a more severe head-on or T-collision rarely occurs.” By contrast, he added, “In a traditional intersection, it’s not unusual to see a more severe, high-speed collision.”
Safety won the argument. With concerns and red tape removed, Hollern got the green light in 1999 from both the city and ODOT to build Bend’s first roundabout.
Photo courtesy of Visit Bend
Roundabout Revolution
That first roundabout launched two decades of an extraordinary build-out of roundabouts in Bend. The cost to Brooks Resources and others in a west side consortium for the first roundabout was between $300,000 and $400,000—a bargain compared to the current cost of new roundabouts, which extend into the many millions.
Nevertheless, Bend and its citizens took to the solution. In fact, as residents and planners experienced the well-documented safeties and efficiencies of roundabouts for themselves, the city adopted a “roundabout-first” policy. Oster explained, “We run every intersection through a rigorous evaluation comparing roundabouts with other intersection forms, such as stop signs or signals. Unless there are excessive cost or design issues, our first choice will be to recommend upgrading with a roundabout.”
Roundabouts are often, but not always, the best solution. “A good example of when we elected to maintain an existing signal was at the intersection of Neff Road and Purcell Boulevard near St. Charles Hospital. Given the steepness of Neff at the intersection, we were looking at an extra $2 million to level the intersection. Instead, we simply redesigned the existing signal to accommodate future traffic volumes,” Oster said.
Today, Bend’s roundabout count is forty-two and growing, earning Bend the distinction of having more roundabouts than any city in the state. In fact, Hollern said it is worth noting that there is not a signalized intersection west of the Deschutes River in Bend, thanks to the prolific growth of roundabouts.
Looking ahead, according to Oster, the combination of funding from the recently passed $190 million transportation bond and the city’s current transportation capital program have created the potential for between thirteen and fifteen new roundabouts over the next ten years.
Art: Might of the Work Force by Devin Field | Photo Courtesy of Visit Bend
And Now We Shall Make it Pretty
After the first couple of roundabouts were installed, it didn’t take long for someone to wonder what to do with all that sterile, empty space in the center. Enter the extraordinary work of Art in Public Places, a Bend nonprofit funded by the Bend Foundation that has donated public art throughout the city since 1973. “The short story of AIPP is that a number of community-minded moms, led by Sue Hollern and Jody Ward, wanted to bring art and culture to town,” explained AIPP Project Coordinator Marcelene Trujillo. “We started as a pot show, as in pottery, not weed, and then thought we could do some good things for Bend by placing art in public places,” said Hollern. “It has been a great ride and we feel we have contributed to making Bend a special place.”
Roundabout sculptures quickly became a focal point for AIPP, which collaborated with the Bend Foundation, the City of Bend and several private donors to get the roundabout art project off the ground. Some of the first pieces to appear were “Sunrise Spirit Column” by David Govedare at Mt. Washington Drive and NorthWest Crossing Drive, and “Redsides” by Miles Addison Pepper at Simpson Avenue and Colorado Avenue, installed in 2001 and 2003 respectively.
So popular is this eclectic collection of sculptures that Visit Bend, the city’s tourism promoter, created a self-guided tour brochure featuring more than twenty of the city’s more eye-catching, conversational roundabouts. Consider Frank Borden’s “Rising Phoenix,” more affectionately known to locals as the “Flaming Chicken,” or the family of deer cast in bronze by Joe Halko, playfully titled “Big Ears,” which sometimes sports a Santa hat or face mask. In 2005, Americans for the Arts honored Bend’s collective roundabout art sculptures as among the most innovative approaches to public art in the country.
And there’s more to come. Over the next two years, AIPP, the City of Bend and the Bend Foundation will select artists to create large-scale roundabout sculptures at Powers Road and Brookswood Boulevard, Fifteenth Avenue and Murphy Road, Colorado Avenue and Columbia Streets. Empire Avenue/Butler Market Road/Twenty-seventh Street.
World Record Holders – Not So Much
At forty-two roundabouts and counting, one would think that Bend surely ranks as one of the largest per-capita-concentrations of roundabouts in the country. As for those roundabout visions of grandeur, Bend, sorry—not even close. In Oregon, yes, it’s true that no other community can match Bend’s number. But several states, including nearby Washington and Colorado, can boast communities with seventy-plus roundabouts.
The title for roundabout king of the United States belongs to Carmel, Indiana. With a population just over 100,000 (not that different from Bend), Carmel has more than 140 roundabouts, with over a dozen more to come. Again, not unlike Bend, it took some public persuasion for Carmelites to accept the concept. “When we first started, there was a lot of skepticism,” said Mayor Jim Brainard. “But after people started to drive them—I couldn’t remove one today if I wanted to.” The fight today, he said, is over which neighborhood will get one next.
Go Big or Go Home
Looking back, neither Hollern nor another long-time community leader, Bill Smith, are surprised at how well roundabouts have been received over the years. Smith, who has funded two roundabouts within his Old Mill District development, noted, “with their art, roundabouts give various areas of the community a sense of place—a traffic light can never do that.”
Going forward, Smith encourages the city to continue with its “roundabout-first” approach. “If I have a concern, it would be that the city would think of saving money by not maintaining or building more roundabouts,” he said. “I would like to see the city budget for art in the new roundabouts, and make the art a requirement of the facility, not just an afterthought.”
Safety First
So just how safe are roundabouts compared with traditional traffic-light intersections? City of Bend Engineer Ryan Oster cited numerous local and national studies that show a seventy-two to eighty percent nationwide reduction in personal injury crashes, and a thirty-five to forty-seven percent reduction in all crash types, in roundabouts versus traffic signal intersections.
Here are a couple of Bend roundabouts built within the past five years that have produced striking safety numbers.
Murphy Road and Parrell Road
Previously a two-way-stop controlled intersection. In the five years before the roundabout was installed, the city recorded six crashes resulting in personal injury and one property-damage-only crash. In the five years after the roundabout installation, they recorded just one personal injury crash and one property damage crash.
Reed Market Road and 15th Street
Previously a signalized intersection. The city recorded twenty-six personal injury crashes and sixty-five property damage incidents in the five years prior to the roundabout installation. In the five years after installation, the city saw a dramatic reduction in both types of crashes with only eight personal injury crashes and only sixteen property-damage-only crashes.
Roundabout Etiquette
Want to be a roundabout pro? Here are some etiquette tips to follow…
1. Don’t get distracted by the art. Wait until you’re not driving to assess the meaning of “Phoenix Rising,” pictured here. Was it meant to be a social commentary on the transformation of Bend circa early 2000s? Leave it to pedestrians to sort out.
2. Signal on your way out. As you enter the roundabout, it’s redundant to put on your right blinker because right is the only way you can go—ever. When exiting, however, signal. This is the key feature to keeping traffic flowing and required by Oregon law.
3. Yield to cyclists. Bicyclists can use the sidewalk and the crosswalks, but can also move into traffic at the end of the bike lane, acting as a car until entering the bike lane on their exit.
4. Go with the flow, man. It’s like John Lennon once said, “Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream … ” Except, you definitely don’t want to turn off your mind. You should, however, float downstream (it would be incredibly dangerous to go against the current in this situation). Above all, don’t be an idiot. Go to BENDOREGON.GOV for more tips.
When empty nesters Jane and John Ross were looking to make the move to Central Oregon from the Willamette Valley, they worked with a realtor to explore what was available in the Sisters area. As they continued their search, the Rosses were introduced to Tom Malace of Malace Homes, a homebuilder with a speculative home going up in nearby Brasada Ranch. The couple fell in love with the home’s layout, and were able to weigh in on design choices later in the process.“It’s everything we would have picked if we had designed the home,” said Jane Ross, describing the single-level home with enough room for the couple, an art room for Jane’s watercolor painting and guest rooms to house their two sons when they visit. Jane uses the 1,300-square-foot garage for training dogs in agility and obedience, and also has a horse boarded at Brasada Ranch.
The Earth Advantage certified, modern ranch-style home features tall ceilings, with 16-foot-wide glass folding doors opening to the outside, a stone fireplace and an expansive outdoor kitchen and firepit. “It’s perfect for us,” said Jane, who along with John moved in last October. The couple said working with Malace has been a great process, and he’s been available along the way to guide them through building phases, answer questions and follow up after they moved in.
Financially Minded
As a finance professional with more than twenty years experience, Malace had become an expert in the process of lending, securing financing for people to build or buy their dream homes back in Michigan. After moving to Bend for the outdoor lifestyle in 2013, and lending to builders, Malace wanted to try the homebuilding process himself, switching to full-time building in 2015. Malace runs a small company that values quality over quantity, building about six to eight new custom and speculative homes each year, including those in Brasada Ranch, in Sisters, and in Bend on Awbrey Butte and in the new Shevlin West development. The company offers a full range of design and build services, including financing assistance, home design, interior design and production. The company employs its own builders, including excavators, framers and carpenters. Malace said he takes pride in working alongside homeowners, listening to their wants and needs and building homes that are functional and beautiful. “I really do try to put an exceptional amount of value into what we build,” he said. Malace’s hard work has been recognized twice by the Central Oregon Builders Association’s Tour of Homes, as a Green Building award winner in 2019 and a Best Kitchen award winner in 2020.
Homebuilder to Friend
In the Shevlin West neighborhood of Bend, Malace is busy working this spring on a home for Chris and Gretchen Jackson and their children, Chloe, 16, and Oliver, 18. The family moved to Bend from Fremont, California and after connecting with Malace, hired him to build a 3,000-square-foot home, a process the Jacksons have been involved with from the start. “I think you have to be super involved, as there’s a lot of decisions, more than we anticipated,” Chris Jackson said. “Tom did a good job of keeping us excited and always moving things forward, but also keeping things realistic. You can tell that he cares.”
Malace has come to know many of his clients on a personal level, sharing with them his love of Central Oregon and hobbies such as alpine skiing, fly-fishing and hiking. “When it comes down to it, most of my clients are friends,” said Malace, who plans to build his own family home down the street from the Jacksons in the near future. “We take people’s dreams for their home, turn them into a reality and a place they can be proud of,” Malace said. “The homes we build become places to make memories, relax, entertain friends and family, and create traditions.”
3 Fresh Ideas to Spruce up Your Cookout with Local Ingredients
When the clouds clear up, the sun shines and spring weather finally graces Central Oregon, friends and families around the region will be firing up their grills. This spring, consider grilling up some of these awesome local ingredients, taking inspiration from the recipes here.
THE PROTEIN: Chicken
A crowd-pleaser for any age and picky palates, grilled chicken is a tried and true classic that will undoubtedly be seen on grills across town. As versatile as it is delicious, grilled chicken can be the centerpiece on a cookout plate, seasoned and slathered in BBQ sauce, or tossed into a salad for a savory protein boost.
Locally, there are plenty of great options for fresh and all natural poultry. Great American Egg is an aptly-named poultry farm near Powell Butte supplying factory-free eggs and meat to Central Oregon. HolmesStead Ranch is just nine miles east of Bend down Highway 20 and offers chicken, as well as pork, goat and turkey; all raised free-range and antibiotic/hormone free.
Soak in the Flavor
A quick marinade can bring out tons of flavor and juiciness from grilled chicken. Remember to marinade for a minimum of thirty minutes, and don’t be afraid to get creative!
Start with a base such as olive oil, salt and pepper and build on flavors from there.
For Mexican flare, add fresh sliced jalapeno or serrano peppers, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and cumin.
For an Asian-style flavor, try using chili or sesame oil instead of olive oil, and add soy sauce, ginger, garlic and chili paste.
THE FRUIT: Peaches
Throwing fruit on a hot grill might sound odd, but try grilled peaches and your perspective is likely to change. The heat from the grill can intensify the natural sugars and help them caramelize, similar to grilling onions. The result is a sweeter, softer and slightly smokier flavor that can be enjoyed on its own, tossed in a sundae or parfait, or added to a vibrant salad.
For tasty Oregon-grown peaches, try Thomas Orchards, which has produced high-quality fruit on a family run farm since 1947, just outside of Kimberly, Oregon. Cody Orchards, also family run, has served fresh fruit just outside of Hood River since 2006.
All Dressed Up
To offset the sweet, caramelized peaches, try using a darker, slightly bitter salad green
such as arugula.
A soft and creamy goat cheese can go well with the sweetness while offering a rich flavor, while a harder and bolder feta or blue cheese can add a stronger flavor and texture.
For more texture, try adding candied pecans or walnuts for sweetness or roasted pumpkin seeds or hemp hearts for a more savory taste.
For dressing, try either a sweet or citrus vinaigrette, and avoid heavy, dairy-based dressings like ranch or blue cheese.
THE VEGETABLE: Artichokes
A savory appetizer that’s also visually appealing, artichokes are often neglected when it comes to spring grilling, but that’s worth reconsidering. Grilled artichokes can be a bit tricky for new chefs, but with the simple addition of salt, lemon juice and butter, home cooks can turn an artichoke into a dish that’ll have people talking.
Artichokes unfortunately don’t tend to grow too well in our Central Oregon climate. However, the Oregon Coast offers much more favorable growing conditions for artichokes. If you want to purchase as locally as possible, consider trying out Bear Creek Artichokes, a small farm on the highway between Lincoln City and Tillamook.
Prep Work
Try steaming a batch of artichokes for about twenty minutes before throwing them on the grill. Artichokes require a very moist cooking method, otherwise they will dry out. Once the steaming process is done, put them on the grill for five to ten minutes; just long enough to get some grill lines.
Mayo Aioli: Serve the final product with a mayo-based aioli. Try mixing one-third a cup each of mayo and greek yogurt into a bowl with garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
The goal of creating a spa-like bathroom is to feel enticed into a serene atmosphere, to be pampered and to leave renewed. The difference between an ordinary bathroom and a spa-like space hinges on both design and detail. For some, the anticipation of stepping into a freshly remodeled steam shower might transform the experience from average to extraordinary. For others, a bamboo bath mat and a lush houseplant might be enough to boost the charm.
While bathrooms are a necessity for modern living, all are not created equal. Here are a few ideas for turning an ordinary bathroom into a revitalizing space.
Creating Ambiance
It’s no secret that people flock to Central Oregon seeking the beauty of the outdoors. Connecting the outdoors with the indoors is one way to create a spa-like atmosphere, according to architectural and interior designer Kirsti Wolfe of Kirsti Wolfe Designs in Bend. Wolfe has thirty years of experience in transforming ordinary bathrooms into zen sanctuaries. She makes a point in her design work to examine and accommodate for all the senses. Iridescent glass shower tiles might offer visual and tactile satisfaction, while a Japanese soaking tub provides the feel of a hot spring. “A simple fountain or water feature can add that sound quality of nature,” Wolfe said.
When going for the spa-like feel, it’s essential to sweep out things that make a space feel busy in order to inspire peace. For starters, minimize objects in sight. Shoot for clean lines and large tile slabs to avoid a grid of grungy grout lines.
Wet rooms are a relatively new bathroom design trend that may be intensive to create, but worth every ounce of effort. A wet room creates an all-inclusive, waterproof area for a shower and/or bathtub. These areas are visually appealing, allow for easy accessibility and can add value to a home. To make a wet room both beautiful and functional, don’t skimp on the waterproofing. Include a comfortable bench in the shower, and consider heated floor tiles outside the wet room to avoid a chilly slap back to reality when exiting the wet area.
In both wet rooms and areas of traditional bathrooms, there is a growing desire for large format tiles, Julber said. “It used to be exciting to have a twelve-by-twenty-four-inch-tile, but now there are twenty-four by thirty-six or twenty-four by forty-eight inch tiles—the less grout lines you have, the less grout lines you have dirt in,” she said.
Inviting Lighting
Light is one of the key factors in turning a room referred to in the past as a “water closet” into a spa-like oasis. Optimize natural light by any means necessary. If installing skylights or expanding the current window dimensions are possibilities—do it. Improving both natural and vanity lighting in bathrooms is something Patricia Julber, owner and design director of Bend’s Complements Home Interiors, implores her clients to do. Tantalizing touches such as a small chandelier, visible from the bathtub, have also become a popular addition.
Julber also noted chromotherapy as an emerging technology for showers—utilizing colored lighting, adjustable via smart device, to affect mood, physical tension and even mental health. At the very least, it’s nice to have an option for dimmable lighting and adjustable color. The last thing anyone wants are added wrinkles from squinting into harsh lighting.
Lighting: Opt for bulbs labeled “soft” and “warm” and neutral fixtures. | Photo by Kayla McKenzie
Getting Steamy
Space permitting, a sauna might offer the greatest return on investment in terms of health and wellness, and it certainly evokes the feeling of being at the spa. In addition to being a luxurious addition to a home, according to a study shared by Harvard, sauna use might actually prolong your life, too. The study showed that regular sauna use by middle-aged men in Finland reduced the rates of death by 24 to 40 percent, depending on how many times a week the sauna was used over an average time period of twenty years. What better excuse can there be to bring a sauna into your high desert home?
Aside from the traditional wet or dry sauna, infrared saunas are becoming more popular for their ease of installation and acclaimed health benefits. For those who are not ready to pull the trigger on a sauna, a steam shower is a great compromise. “People love a steam shower when they’re coming down off the mountain. They’re cold and chilled to the bone—it’s wonderful,” Julber said.
Little Spa Details
With accessories, use the wisdom of iconic architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, who said “Less is more.” Moving products into reusable, label-free containers makes for less visual input and more serenity, while voice or touch-activated faucets add functional luxury without demanding additional space.
Last but not least, regardless of budget—including a bidet is another great bathroom accessory. After the toilet paper shortages of the past couple years, this accessory can offer peace of mind well into the future. Overall, creating a spa-like bathroom is something that will pay off on a daily basis. No reservations necessary, no time-limit, and no compromise in comfort or happiness.
Wet Room: The open design of a wet room is sure to bring a feeling of spa-like luxury to a bathroom. | Photo by Analicia Herrmann
While shopping for a new stove, refrigerator or mattress isn’t something people do every day, choosing the right one is a decision bound to impact a shopper’s daily life for years to come. And whether the purchase is a high-priced range poised to be a statement piece for an entire kitchen, or a compact pizza oven to fire up in the backyard, the shopping experience and selection process is key for ensuring the right product ends up at home. Enter Johnson Brothers Appliances, an independent Central Oregon appliance dealer that’s quietly commanded a chunk of the appliance market in the region for more than seven decades. The company has a rich family history that’s stood the test of time, economic downturns and shifting trends, and today is growing and thriving along with the region’s booming building industry.
History in the Making
The Johnson Brothers Appliances story dates back to 1950, when Vernon and Charcelene Johnson first founded a home products store as an extension of Vernon’s general contracting business. At the time, Vernon was a home builder, eventually constructing dozens of homes in the Bend area, including many on the hilly portion of west Bend that includes NW Portland Avenue and NW Vicksburg Avenue. In the early days, the new home products store was called The Home Center, and carried things like carpeting and paint in addition to appliances, according to Vernon’s grandson, Dave Johnson. “He started the business as a supplier for things he needed to build houses,” Dave said. The business eventually came to specialize in home appliances and televisions, serving the tri-county area of Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties.
The company has always been a family affair, with Vernon’s son, Bob Johnson serving as a longtime employee and eventual general manager, Vernon’s daughter Charcie Madsen managing accounting and Bob’s wife, Marsha Johnson, managing advertising and administrative functions. As children, Bob’s sons Dave and Brian were often found at the business, then located at Northeast First Street and Franklin Avenue. “As a little guy, grandpa would pay me to break down boxes, and in high school as soon as I got my driver’s license I started doing deliveries and service calls.” Dave said. In 1980, Vernon changed the store’s name to Johnson Brothers as an homage to his two young grandsons. Bob took over the store in 2000, and after his untimely death in a car accident in 2015, his sons stepped in to take over ownership and operations. “Having something like this to step into has been an incredible opportunity, and I love building on the hard work that dad and grandpa did over the years” said Dave, who retired from a twenty-year career in the Air Force to return to Bend and become general manager of the business. “I really enjoy the challenges of small business. It’s a different mission than we had in the Air Force, but it comes with daily challenges, risk and reward.” Dave’s brother Brian stepped down from his career as a pastor to provide leadership in logistics, finance and personnel for the business.
Into the Showroom
The Johnson family’s hard work building the family appliance business is best seen at its showroom on Azure Drive, near U.S. Highway 20 and just east of Pilot Butte, a location the company has called home since the 1990s. Inside, customers will find one of the largest inventories of appliances and home essentials in Central Oregon. Inventory includes large cooking, laundry and refrigeration appliances, vacuums, smaller tabletop appliances, mattresses and appliances for outdoor kitchens and grilling. The 30,000-square-foot showroom offers a chance for customers to browse through aisles of appliances and products while learning more from a small sales team with a combined 200 years of experience in the appliance industry.
While in the past, a larger percentage of the company’s sales were tied to builders, the business model has shifted to cater to a more equal mix of contractors and individual buyers who are building, remodeling or reinvesting in their homes, Dave said. During the pandemic, people’s discretionary spending shifted from travel and experiences to investing within their homes, something that brought many new customers into the showroom. “We’ve definitely seen more of that retail traffic,” Dave said. “At one time appliances used to be more of a luxury, but today they’re more of a necessity. Being able to fill that need is rewarding.”
Tracking Trends
The sales team at Johnson Brothers is uniquely positioned to keep up with the latest in appliance and home design trends, gathering input from customers and appliance manufacturers as styles change. One newer trend is more high-tech appliances offering “smart” features, such as refrigerators with cameras inside that can be viewed remotely—convenient when a person is at the grocery store racking their brain to remember what they’re running low on. New refrigerator technology today can also help with food waste in the United States, by using humidity, temperature and airtight compartments to keep food fresh longer. “Manufacturers have really refined the refrigeration process to do it as efficiently as they can,” Dave said. “Storing food at home, if you apply a scientific approach to it, can optimize the preservation of food.”
Elsewhere in the kitchen, new trends in ovens and ranges have included luxury statement range pieces, sometimes in bold colors, that can become the focal point of a kitchen. High-performance, six-burner ranges with all the bells and whistles or vintage-inspired dual cooktops with ovens and warming doors below can fetch top dollar prices in the name of both function and design aesthetic.
Another trend in the appliance world is the addition of more small appliances and accessories based around function and fun. At Johnson Brothers, shoppers can find wine dispensers that scan a wine bottle label to optimize the temperature at which to store the wine, preserving it for 120 days after opening. A connected app allows oenophiles to see what their wine-loving friends currently have pouring. Another product on hand at the showroom is a compact and portable outdoor pizza oven, a great addition to a Central Oregon backyard kitchen, or for transporting to the mountain for the ultimate tailgating setup. “It’s a very well made product, but it’s not crazy expensive like some outdoor kitchen components are,” Dave said.
Experience and Expertise
Over the decades, the company has earned the trust of many shoppers in Central Oregon, including homeowners, local builders and design professionals. “An advantage of a small business is you can build relationships over time,” Dave said.
One customer Johnson Brothers has gained business from is Bend designer Kerri Rossi, who exclusively sources appliances for her clients from the company. “People have appliances for several decades. If you’re going to be spending money on something, and you’re going to be using it daily, you want to trust who you’re purchasing through,” said Rossi, principal for KRM Interior Design and co-owner of Element Design Collective. Rossi said she works with a salesperson who has been with the company for more than thirty years. “It feels like she’s family,” said Rossi, who appreciates the product education she gets from Johnson Brothers and ongoing support even after a purchase is complete. “Things can go wrong with appliances. Other appliance companies will tell you to call a one-eight-hundred number and figure it out. [Johnson Brothers] will walk you through the process, explain warranties and help you if you’re having questions or concerns.”
Whether a homeowner picks out their appliances on their own or works with a designer like Rossi, Johnson Brothers coordinates ordering the product or locating it in the showroom or warehouse, delivery and installation. In many cases, they also manage servicing of their appliances, or coordinating service through a manufacturer. A team of about thirty employees at Johnson Brothers are split between sales, delivery, service and administration, each playing a role in the success of every transaction. To see what the team is up to today and browse the company’s impressive selection of appliances and home products, stop by the showroom, open Mondays through Saturdays each week.
Dull. Drab. Dark. For some, these can be the emotions and feelings evoked in a space without plants. Those magical, green, life-sustaining organisms give off a wonderful feeling and can be so much more than just an afterthought sitting on windowsills. Plants can add color to any room; they can add subtle details that accent a room or they can be statement pieces that wow guests.
In Bend, the dry climate is one of the biggest obstacles for many houseplants, yet it is possible to implement plants effectively and functionally within a home’s design. “It’s just another element of design, like how you would use color to create a feeling in the room,” said Janessa Reynolds, owner of FigLeaf Plant Shop in downtown Bend. “It just really creates this more interactive, alive feeling in a room.”
Light the Way
The first step to implementing plants into your design is to take stock of the space with an eye toward lighting. “Really take your lighting and your home into account before you buy your plants,” said Erin Hasler, owner of Root Adorned, a home goods store in Bend’s NorthWest Crossing packed with plants. “So make sure you know where you have room for them, what direction your windows face, what kind of light they’re going to get each day.”
Once you do this, you can bring that information to a plant shop and they can help you find specific plants that will thrive.
Tackling Desert Air
Bend’s dryness is one of the biggest battles for keeping plants alive here since most houseplants come from tropical climates such as Florida. Buying a room humidifier or regularly misting plants can be a great way to combat this. Create humidity for plants by filling a tray with rocks and water then placing a plant pot on top of the rocks. The water will evaporate throughout the day and create a microenvironment around the plant, said John Kish, owner of Somewhere That’s Green, another plant shop in Bend.
Branching Out
Whether subtly incorporated into open shelving or taking command of a credenza, plants are sure to elevate a room’s design.
Dryness can also be balanced by placing plants in bathrooms and kitchens. The humidity created through shower steam or a pot of boiling spaghetti can help replace some of that missing moisture. “It just adds tons of freshness and makes it feel clean and bright and kind of fresh, which is what we want in those areas of the homes,” Reynolds said. She highly recommended ferns, calatheas or any other moisture-loving plants.
Lighting, however, can be tricky in these rooms. The marbled or frosted glass common in bathrooms cuts down on light particles and makes it difficult to sustain plant life. Choosing plants that do well in indirect light can help. Additionally, having a skylight can help plants receive the kind of light they need while also benefiting from the increased humidity.
In bathrooms, plants can serve as a focal point and help create a relaxing environment.“If you have a really nice bathtub setup, I think having a really nice large focal point like a tree is really cool, and adds a really nice weight of naturalness in something that is usually filled with porcelain and glass and plastic,” Kish said. “I’ve also seen a couple bathrooms with a lot of hanging plants, and that’s also really cool,” he said. “Aesthetically, it just looks really relaxing with lots of vines and you just make your own garden oasis.”
In kitchens, plants can serve as a tabletop centerpiece or liven up an area used for entertaining. “Having one or two countertop plants is really great for entertaining,” Kish said, “because it’s kind of a natural centerpiece that continues to keep living.”
Adding to the Aesthetic
Depending on a home’s existing design style, various types of plants can complement color schemes, furniture and textiles already in the room. For modern homes with lots of glass tables and metal accents, terrariums or using glass pots could be a great fit. Snake plants or euphorbias with their clean, straight lines “work really beautifully in a modern home,” Hasler said. For rustic homes, she recommended more traditional plants such as the classic fiddle leaf fig or traditional ficuses. For bohemian homes, Reynolds recommended playful plants like philodendrons, pothos, or schefflera. Using wicker baskets can help create a more bohemian feeling as well, even for more dramatic plants such as fig trees.
High density housing—no way. Modern homes of purely glass and steel—nuh uh. Traffic tie ups, congestion at popular restaurants and parks—forget it. This is Brasada Ranch, where cattle and sheep once roamed and density is measured in junipers, sage and the star-capped night.
Located on 1,800 acres on the flank of Powell Butte in Crook County, the developers had something else in mind when they created Brasada Ranch back in 2005. The window and door company Jeld-Wen envisioned Brasada as a luxury residential resort built around environmental sustainability standards. In 2010, the company sold the resort to Northview Hotel Group, which repositioned it as a destination sanctuary in the desert to complement the residential community.
Then and now, Brasada Ranch pays homage to its Western roots, natural landscape and dizzying views of the Cascade Mountains. From the Ranch House Restaurant to the Equestrian Club and welcoming archway, every structure incorporates those features. The established Design Review Guidelines ensure that the architecture of each home forms part of the cohesive whole.
Like the rest of Central Oregon, the community has experienced an active housing market, catalyzed by the pandemic, according to D. Alan Cornelius, director of real estate at Brasada Ranch. “In March 2020, I was thinking of battening down the hatches, believing the pandemic would cease real estate activity,” he said. “Instead, the opposite happened, and real estate exploded.” As evidence, he cites sales last year of $61 million in residential lots and homes at Brasada Ranch. He said the average turnaround for homes and homesites is less than thirty days if priced relative to the market. Lots swing from $200,000 to $600,000, and homes typically sell in the $1.5 to $3.5 million range.
The master plan permits a maximum of 750 home sites. Currently, the ranch has 273 finished homes with fifty-four under construction and another twenty-four in design review. Roughly 450 people live on the ranch while another 150 own a second home there. “Most people when they come to Central Oregon are looking for the expansiveness this area naturally provides,” Cornelius said. “Brasada wanted to capitalize on that and give people room to breathe.” Lot sizes range from a half-acre to two acres, with roomy setbacks and no so-called zero-lot lines common in high density housing in other parts of Central Oregon. “We’re never going to have homes next to one another,” he said.
Feeder markets for home sales have consistently been Portland, Seattle and the Bay Area. “The pandemic had people realizing they need to slow down and enjoy more time with the kids in this wilderness expanse that is Central Oregon,” Cornelius said. “Brasada is a basecamp with a sixty-mile radius of all types of outdoor experiences.”
Trading hustle and bustle for life among the junipers
Not all residents come from outside the area. Jerry Jackson, who was born and raised in Bend, and his wife Kim, were ready to sell their home on Awbrey Butte. They planned to downsize and build or remodel a home that could accommodate an adult son with muscular dystrophy.
“We couldn’t find a lot in Bend, and existing houses were so close together,” Jerry said. They connected with a friend who was building a home in Brasada. “We looked at the plans and got excited,” he recalled. “It was perfect for us—no steps, and it had accessible hallways and an accessible bedroom.”
The family moved into the home in July 2018. “After forty years in Bend, I was over the hustle and bustle of Bend and tons of traffic on the west side,” Kim said. “People asked why we’d want to live among the junipers, but we’ve found they have a special beauty, and the desert is home to bobcats, coyotes, deer, rabbits, hawks and other wildlife.” The Jackson’s home, like all others at the ranch, has a commanding view of the Cascades, and is consistent with the native color palette and Western Ranch architectural theme. The property is LEED gold and Earth Advantage certified for energy efficiencies and environmental sustainability.
Instead of feeling isolated, the couple discovered a strong sense of community where residents often meet at the pool or for bike rides and hikes, book groups and nights around a firepit listening to live music at one of the restaurants.
The resort part of Brasada features sixty-five cabins and eight suites for nightly rental, indoor-outdoor pools, a spa, a golf course, horseback riding, fishing ponds, a dog park and an athletic center. In other words, it’s a perfect playground for grandkids, friends and family to visit. Plus, residents have access to members-only parts of the resort. “We had no expectations when we moved out here,” Jerry said. “Every day is like being on vacation. It’s an incredible place to live.”
What better season than spring to clean, spruce up and reimagine the kitchen? Expect to see kitchens (and rooms throughout the house) showcasing more of the color green—on walls, cabinets, accessories and tile. Speaking of tile, keep an eye out for more textured and natural stone varieties and fewer grout lines. Innovative technology is making its way into new appliances large and small, with features aimed at making our lives easier. The kitchen is a central gathering place in the homes of many, and a wonderful space to experiment with the latest and greatest in home design trends.
Uniquie Lighting
In addition to pendant lights and chandeliers, contemporary track lighting is proving a popular way to brighten up the kitchen.
Massive Islands
The oversized island in this Central Oregon home is a perfect gathering spot in the kitchen, which many refer to as the “heart of the home.” Islands serve double duty as eating areas and spaces for non-dining activities, such as workspaces and kids activity areas.
Live Plants
It’s easier to remember to water the plants when they live close to the kitchen sink. Resilient succulents, edible herbs and soothing aloe vera are all good choices.
The color green is trending in design for 2022, with Behr, Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore (“Essex Green,” pictured) all choosing shades of green as color of the year. Green pairs well with neutrals as paint for walls or cabinetry, as a tile or in greenery throughout the house.
Natural Stone
Tiles with natural texture and variation, including Moroccan zellige tile are trending for walls, floors and backsplashes.
Touchscreen Toaster
Revolution InstaGLO R180 2-Slice High Speed
It’s about time toasters had a high-tech makeover. The first-ever touchscreen toaster uses sensors to precisely prepare toast, with a custom process considering specific bread type. Enjoy perfectly browned and crisped toast in a fraction of the time compared to traditional heating coil toasters.
De’Longhi Dinamica Plus Fully Automatic Coffee Maker & Espresso Machine
Take at-home barista skills to the next level with a espresso machine that can be controlled via phone app. Prepare sixteen barista-style beverages with the touch of the button, and save personalized recipes for perfect coffee every day.
It’s a food processor, blender and juice extractor in one, designed to save time and cut down on countertop clutter. Mix, chop, blend and juice with ease with this powerful small appliance, equipped with a 500-watt motor.
Last October, dedicated ski enthusiasts were hiking areas of Mt. Bachelor blanketed in the first snowfall of the season, posting photos on social media and spreading stoke for the upcoming winter. Around the same time, Central Oregon skiers and snowboarders were sounding off in a petition calling out the latest business decision of Mt. Bachelor ski area and its parent company, POWDR, following the announcement of a new Fast Tracks product that lets skiers cut lines at the resort for a fee starting at $49 per day. This juxtaposition of excitement and love for skiing coupled with an anger toward resort operating decisions has become commonplace at ski areas throughout the country, often fueled by rising lift ticket prices and a perception that profits are the only thing on the minds of ski area operators. “Recent changes to our once little mountain town have been challenging for many, but the affordability, crowds, COVID and access to the mountain have become unbearable for many,” said Dan Cochrane, a Bend local who started a petition directed at Mt. Bachelor against the Fast Tracks product. “Since POWDR Corp has taken over, it has become clear that profit over people is the new motto.”
While lift ticket prices at U.S. resorts have risen substantially in the past decade, ski area operators in Central Oregon insist there’s more to the story than just a desire to hike up prices to make money. Running a ski resort involves expensive lift infrastructure and vehicle fleets to maintain, a seasonal workforce to hire and train and the responsibility of operating a playground for inherently risky activities, opening a door for liability and litigation not seen in many other businesses. Throw in an iffy weather forecast, the looming impacts of climate change and a passionate customer base, and ski areas operators have quite the challenge in front of them.
Yes, lift ticket prices are going up, but the same isn’t necessarily true for season passes at our local resorts—Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo Ski Area—which treat these annual passes as a “locals product,” keeping access more affordable for frequent skiers. Mt. Bachelor CEO John McLeod said that since 1999, two years before Bachelor was acquired by POWDR, until today, the season pass price has only risen 11 percent. “If you look at the season pass as a kind of ‘locals’ product and our day ticket as a ‘tourist’ product, you can easily see that our pricing strategy has heavily benefited the local community over the long term,” McLeod said. A product like Fast Tracks, while infuriating to many locals, can actually help mitigate rising costs and keep season passes more affordable, according to McLeod. “To the extent that this is a successful product, the revenue it generates will allow us to continue to minimize price increases on our mainstream products as we work to deal with inflation in our cost structure,” he said. While the pricing strategy at Bachelor is about profitability, it’s tied to keeping the resort viable in the long term, McLeod explained. “[It’s] about balancing our costs and maintaining a level of profitability that ensures we will be around for the long run while providing funds for the long-term growth and development of the resort,” he said.
A Perfect Storm for Central Oregon Ski Areas
Heated discussions over ticket prices are just one of many challenging aspects of running a ski area today, according to Jordan Elliott, president of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association, a nonprofit trade association representing the business interests of winter sports destinations. Elliott said that as ski areas wait for adequate snowfall to open (as Bachelor and Hoodoo both did this December) they’re expected to be ready to roll on a moment’s notice. “Even before the snow settles, you need your full vehicle fleet, your mountain operations crews, ski and ride school instructors, rentals and retail staff, restaurants, they all need to be fully staffed, trained and ready for a mountain full of guests,” Elliott said. “If the snow doesn’t come, then the guests don’t come, but much of the expense is still there.” For this season in particular, ski areas have also taken note of the state of the labor market, getting creative in recruiting efforts but still struggling with hiring in some departments, such as food and beverage.
When ski areas are able to open for the season is dependent almost entirely on Mother Nature, with climate change bringing more uncertainty to the industry. “Climate change is one topic that I used to say was on the forefront of everyone’s minds,” Elliott said. “Now I would say that climate adaptation is integrated into nearly every level of business decision making. It’s part of most ski areas’ DNA at this point.” This means not only big-ticket investments in snowmaking equipment, but also an industry shift toward the use of more fuel-efficient vehicles and utilities, doing business with others who prioritize climate stewardship and ongoing advocacy work.
Another looming issue ski area operators wrestle with is litigation from on-mountain incidents. “Skiing and snowboarding are adventurous activities that take place in a natural environment and involve risk,” McLeod said. “Litigation against ski areas for all manner of incidents is on the rise and driving constantly increasing insurance and liability costs which ultimately have an impact on our season pass and ticket pricing.”
Photo courtesy of Mt. Bachelor
With the ongoing challenges of running a ski area amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two seasons, Mt. Bachelor leaders opted to enroll management staff in Dare to Lead, a training program from leadership researcher Brené Brown that centers around how to face uncertainty and risk as leaders and to lead with courage. “After the pandemic hit, we knew we would need more management skills than ever to help us work through the challenges ahead, including dealing compassionately with many new and unforeseen employee situations,” McLeod said. “Working through this last year and a half with the team at Mt. Bachelor with the open and honest approach we learned from Dare to Lead was one of the toughest and most fulfilling periods in many of our careers.”
Looking to the future, ski areas including Mt. Bachelor will continue to balance a profit model that allows for infrastructure improvements, addressing the impacts of climate change and answering to a passionate population of outdoor enthusiasts ready to hit the slopes. And while more than 13,000 of those skiing devotees have shown their passion by signing a petition against Mt. Bachelor’s latest revenue-boosting move, Fast Tracks, the ski area is moving forward with the product. While the frustration among some skiers is sure to linger into the start of the season, it’s likely not enough to hamper a busy winter in Central Oregon. Despite the challenges of the industry, the growing popularity of outdoor recreation gives ski area leaders confidence as they predict the future of the business. “Outdoor recreation in all forms is in high demand,” McLeod said. “Meaning…our business is positioned well for the future from a demand perspective, and the people who work in it are pros who love what they do. Those are some good ingredients to work with.”
We recently asked you where to shop locally this holiday season 2021, and you nominated over 115 locally-owned stores! Now that is some serious Bend LOVE! Following your recommendations we went shopping and purchased $25 gift cards to each of the top four mentioned shops. We are now giving them away all week long on our Instagram page. Click here to see the original post on our Instagram page for the full list of nominees. Below are the top 13 mentioned shops:
The thinking in Sunriver is that community happens not in lines, but in circles. Seventeen miles southwest of Bend, the same meadows where wagon trains circled in the 1800s still beckon travelers to come, slow down and lose themselves in the beauty of Central Oregon. Tucked into the woods, and dotted with eleven traffic circles (there is no circle eight), more than 3,000 acres comprise this community where travelers and locals alike come to get away from their overscheduled lives and out into nature.
These fields and forests have hosted a variety of people throughout history. During World War II, the government purchased 5,500 acres for Camp Abbot, an Army Corps of Engineers combat-training facility that housed thousands of soldiers from 1942 to 1944. The last remaining building, the officer’s club, still serves as a place for social gatherings, hosting weddings and events as the Great Hall at Sunriver Resort.
In the late 1960s, a group of developers envisioned a residential community centered around a resort and Sunriver was born. Like home but without the hassles of regular life, the scenic vacation spot continues to entice visitors to come enjoy recreation like hiking, tennis, river kayaking, fly fishing, birding, horseback riding and world-class golf, as well as running and biking around Sunriver’s more than 30 miles of paved pathways. Even with so many options for activity, perhaps the best part of Sunriver is the chance to really relax, whether it’s in a hammock or a hot tub, and enjoy the luxury of leisure time.
In the summertime, guests can swing golf clubs at one of four golf courses, including Crosswater, a former host course for a PGA Legends Tour stop. Splash down a waterslide at aquatic centers such as SHARC or The Cove, Sunriver Resort’s newest outdoor swimming facility. In July, Balloons Over Sunriver fills the sky with floating hot-air balloons, August brings in classical strings for the Sunriver Music Festival, and families flock to the Twilight Cinema Nights, showing free movies under the stars during August and September.
See
Benham Falls One of the largest waterfalls on the Upper Deschutes River, Benham Falls is also one of the easiest and the most accessible hikes. Walk or bike the 6.6-mile paved out-and-back trail that connects Sunriver Resort to the falls, where singletrack side trails offer various route options for longer treks.
Play
Golf, Swim and Stars Recreation opportunities abound at Sunriver, which was designed with fun in mind. Play golf at one of four golf courses, splash in the water park at SHARC, go horse riding at the stables or see local wildlife up close at the nature center. At night, gaze up at the summer sky and see stars at the Oregon Observatory.
Eat
Bistros and Brewpubs Serving Sunriver since 2004, South Bend Bistro blends Italian influences with Northwest ingredients. Chef Day has curated a menu that tells a story of the Northwest through regional flavors and ingredients. For something more casual, grab bites and beers at the original Sunriver Brewing Company located in The Village at Sunriver.
Shop
The Village at Sunriver From sports shops to retail, The Village at Sunriver features stores with souvenirs for all seasons. Seek stylish finds at Village Threads, take kids to the ever-popular Tumbleweeds Toys or stop in at Sunriver Books & Music to pick up a good read and hear a local author’s book talk.
