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 Enchanting Chanterelle

July 8, 2014
When fall arrives and it's chanterelle mushroom season, it's time to slow down, set your sites low and search the forest floor for these beautiful and tasty wild gems. For advice on hunting and cooking the elusive fungi, I talked to Leather Storrs, mushroom sleuth and chef at Noble Rot in Portland. What is the best… More
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Portland Region , Portland , Culinary Experiences , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Brewmaster for a Day

July 7, 2014
It’s a sunny day in Oregon when Portland Chef Gabriel Rucker makes his way 60 miles down the Columbia River Gorge to visit Full Sail Brewing Company in Hood River. Tall, tattooed and affable, Rucker is the owner of Portland restaurants LePigeon and Little Bird. He’s known for his experimental French cuisine (some might say… More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge , Hood River , Beer & Breweries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Rancher for a Day

July 2, 2014
Far from the sedate urban boundaries of Portland, James Beard Award-winning Chef Gabriel Rucker pays a call on the beef ranchers at Pickard Ranch near Baker City. “I’ve never been this far east in Oregon, and I’ve lived here for years, so it is kind of nice to be out here,” he says. Tall, lanky… More
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Eastern Oregon , Baker City , Farm & Ranch Stays , Farms & Ranches , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Road Trip: Florence

June 26, 2014
The Central Coast town of Florence (pop. 8,500), set on the Siuslaw River just off of Highway 101, has a charm all its own. With the Old Town neighborhood tucked under the shadow of the 1930s Siuslaw River Bridge and bookended by the national dunes and a lighthouse, Florence makes the perfect summer road trip. Browsing… More
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Oregon Coast , Florence , Trip Ideas ,

Road Trips on Oregon’s Scenic Byways

June 25, 2014
Oregon’s outdoor recreation is boundless, especially in the summertime. And just getting to the great outdoors is pretty darn beautiful around here. The state is home to more than two dozen scenic byways, which lead to beautiful hikes, friendly small towns and epic vistas. To find out more about Oregon’s scenic byways, order a free… More
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Scenic Drives , Trip Ideas , Scenic Byways ,

Cherry Time in Mosier and The Dalles

June 23, 2014
Sweet, easy and fun — that’s why they call it cherry picking. In 2020 Oregon had 12,000 acres of sweet cherries producing more than 112.8 million pounds of the delicious fruit. That means there’s likely plenty of Bings, Royal Anns, Rainiers and Chelans for your picking basket if you visit during cherry season, which peaks each year around mid-June to July, depending on the variety. There are plenty of options in the Hood River Valley on the Hood River Fruit Loop, but if you’re headed... More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge , Mosier , Culinary Experiences , Farmers Markets , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Oregon Dreamers: 7 Devils Brewing Company

June 6, 2014
When Carmen Matthews and his wife, Annie Pollard, opened 7 Devils Brewing Company, he commissioned a stained glass panel in the taproom to immortalize a beloved spruce tree from Shore Acres State Park. Locals who walked in the door all noticed. “They all said, ‘That’s my tree!’” Matthews said. It’s that sense of community connection that the couple hopes to foster through their craft brewery. More
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Oregon Coast , Coos Bay , Favorite Trips , Beer & Breweries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Gifts From the Sea

May 30, 2014
Ben Jacobsen, a Northwest native, returned to Portland after business school abroad and noticed that something was missing from the burgeoning food scene: good salt. More
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Oregon Coast , Netarts , Artisan Producers , Favorite Trips , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Vanguards of the Vine

In sustainability, organic farming, cooperative marketing and new business, Oregon’s winemakers are forging new paths. More
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Willamette Valley , Favorite Trips , Wine & Wineries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Road Trip: Grants Pass

May 26, 2014
The history of Grants Pass reads like a classic chapter of the American West. The railroad, the gold rush and the lumber boom all shaped the town. Today, this hamlet in Southern Oregon is colored by the wild flavor of the Rogue River, which bisects the town. Pay a visit to Grants Pass for all… More
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Southern Oregon , Grants Pass , Trip Ideas ,