About the Author

Eileen Garvin

Eileen Garvin lives and writes in Hood River. When she’s not hunched over her keyboard or digging in the garden, you can find her mountain biking, kiteboarding, hiking, skiing or camping somewhere in Oregon.

The Bread Board: A Slice of Heaven

August 14, 2013
There’s something delicious happening in Falls City (pop. 955), a former mill town tucked in the foothills of the Coast range just 25 miles southwest of Salem. Falls City is home to The Bread Board, an artisan bakery that has quickly earned a reputation for being worth the drive. When owners John Volkmann and Keith… More
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Willamette Valley , Falls City , Artisan Producers , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Road Trip: Troutdale

July 31, 2013
Known as the gateway to the Columbia River Gorge, the town of Troutdale perches at the confluence of the Sandy and Columbia rivers just outside of Portland. It marks the start of 80 miles of dramatic beauty — the river winding from the east, sheer gorge cliffs and a string of rushing waterfalls. Before heading… More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge , Troutdale , Trip Ideas ,

Crabbing with the Kids

Summertime is a great time to catch your own dinner on the Coast — namely Oregon’s state crustacean, the meaty, sweet and decadent Dungeness crab. More
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Oregon Coast , Fishing , Culinary Experiences , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Summer Spirits in Joseph

July 1, 2013
Sometimes a place is so beautiful, you can almost taste it. Joseph is like that. Out here, your views are full of the snow-capped Wallowa Mountains, endless blue skies and a sea of golden grain. To sip on that Western flavor, stop in at the Stein Distillery tasting room, which features the distillery’s vodka, rum, huckleberry, blackberry, raspberry and rhubarb cordials as well as rye, bourbon and blended whiskeys, many of which have won gold medals in national and international spirit competitions. More
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Eastern Oregon , Joseph , Spirits & Distilleries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Ride the Sandy Ridge Trail

June 27, 2013
As a dirt lover, I’ve been hankering to check out the Sandy Ridge Trail, which holds a special place as the mountain biking single-track closest to Portland. Located just east of the town of Sandy on the southwest flank of Mt. Hood, the system’s loops make up about 12 miles of riding. One recent spring… More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge , Sandy , Bicycling , Trip Ideas ,

An Adrenaline Junkie’s Bucket List

June 18, 2013
Killing time in an airport on his way home to Oregon, Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg had a flash of inspiration. “I was coming back from skiing in Chile with my daughters, and I thought, ‘I need to make a list of all the big trips I’ve done and all I want to do.” The Oregon… More
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Trip Ideas ,

Great Drinks, Great Outdoors

June 12, 2013
It’s summer — time to take it outside. Whether you’re camping, boating, hiking or picnicking in the park, summer fun demands the best libations. Here’s how to get your great drinks into the great outdoors. Can-do: Grab a six-pack of Oregon craft beer in cans. Pack it in, drink it up and carry it out.… More
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Beer & Breweries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Indulge at Peterson’s Gallery and Chocolatier

June 11, 2013
After she graduated from high school, Alyssa Peterson lived in Germany for a time and fell in love with handcrafted confections and European drinking chocolate. So when the Baker City native was making plans to open an art gallery with her in-laws, her affection for chocolate rose to the top. “I had this passion in… More
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Eastern Oregon , Baker City , Artisan Producers , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Tonia Farman Harnesses the Wind

May 30, 2013
Tonia Farman never thought she’d end up with a career in kiteboarding, nor did she dream she’d be feted in the national media as a hero for cancer survivors, but that’s how things turned out. More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge , Hood River , Favorite Trips , Trip Ideas ,

Oregon State Hospital Museum of Mental Health’s Hazel Patton

May 28, 2013
Hazel Patton has a thing for old buildings. “I’m a preservationist,” she says. “I love old structures.” A Salem resident for more than 40 years, Patton has helped restore 13 historic properties and was the driving force behind the development of the carousel at Salem’s Riverfront Park, which opened in 2001. So it should come… More
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Willamette Valley , Salem , Trip Ideas ,