Even though I’ve been sliding down mountains since I was three years old, I still turn into a kid every time my season pass arrives in the mail.
Each year I anxiously await the first big snowfall of the season. It’s this time of year I find myself day-dreaming about the epic days I’ve had, and the great experiences the mountains have given me. From the silent serenity in the aftermath of a big snow storm to the memories laughing with friends and family on warm spring day, the mountains have always provided me with something to look forward to.
This season is no exception. I recently caught up with Jerry Krieg, Director of Marketing for Ski Oregon, to ask him what we can expect for the upcoming season. Read what Jerry has to say about this year’s Oregon ski season.
Who says the Oregon travel industry team can’t have fun? This morning, the Travel Oregon crew was joined by our partners at the Oregon Travel Information Council (OTIC) for a Halloween fashion show! The theme was “Come As Your Favorite (Oregon) Region.” See the video to believe it.
Dixie (our operations manager), Karen (research guru), Ashley (marketing asst.) and yours truly served as judges. Curious about our winners? Check below!
There’s nothing better than spending a crisp, fall afternoon talking with friends and listening to great music in the beautiful outdoors, while sipping a delicious glass of Oregon Pinot Noir.
I recently had the opportunity to do just that, by taking part in Ankeny Vineyard’s Harvest Party in Salem. When I first arrived on the gorgeous grounds of Ankeny, it felt like I had immediately stepped out of the hustle and bustle of the city. Luscious green fields and miles of blue sky surround the quaint vineyard, in addition to Ankeny Wildlife Refuge and Cox Cemetery. It is the perfect location to escape your to-do list and fully relax.
When I first arrived, the delicious smells of seafood and the sounds of laughter filled the air. I traveled toward the outdoor patio area, where I was immediately greeted by Hershy, the vineyard dog. Hershy spent the majority of the afternoon mingling with guests and guarding the driveway leading up to the festivities. Hershy even has a wine named after him, complete with an adorable mug shot on the label (which is an absolutely delicious red wine). Once I arrived in the tasting room, my friends and I filled our glasses and chatted with the vintner himself about each wine. We then ventured outside where Celtic music filled the air, and hot salmon chowder and shrimp cocktail waited to be devoured.
We were intrigued on Monday by a story on Oregon Public Broadcasting about a close encounter of the wild kind. Kevin Cox, a seventh grader running a cross-country race in Bend, apparently stumbled upon an amorous deer…that seemingly got a little too comfortable and frisky with him. The story went on to say that the lonely deer gave chase and at one point even smothered him with kisses!
Curiosity got the better of us…after a search online, we found some amazing photography of this incident to share with you. Check it out…our friends at KGW and OPB both have slide shows of this bizare, “Only in Oregon” story.
This summer, Travel Oregon decided to sponsor Live Wire! – a one-hour radio show recorded in front of a live audience at the Aladdin Theatre in Portland, that is broadcast on Oregon Public Broadcasting (Download a podcast here). What is “Live Wire!” you ask? Ok…well may be I should rephrase the question. What ISN’T Live Wire!?
Some say it is “Fresh Air” meets “The Partridge Family,” but “without the bus.” The show’s characters say that it’s not just a show it’s a “happening.” It’s a place where you can expect sightings of radical cheerleaders, audience members dressed as giant evil bunnies and on-air head shavings! I bet you’re curious now! What ever it may be, we can tell you that it’s a refreshing radio variety show featuring “music, scintillating conversations, sketch comedy and performances from the famous and fascinating to the unknown and unabashed.” Our own Carina (she works in our operations dept.) hit the road last week to find out what Live Wire! was all about. Here is her report.
Carina on Live Wire:
On Thursday, October 12, I had the pleasure of being part of the audience at a taping of the OPB Radio show Live Wire! It was a blast! I screamed. I laughed. I even cried. I clapped so hard my hands stung!
In about two weeks, the curtain will close on another wonderful season of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) in Ashland. Over the past two years, my wife and I have been among the 120,000 theatre lovers who annually flock to this charming Southern Oregon town for a weekend of delectable food, fine pinot noir & shopping – all interwoven by a wonderful blend of classic and contemporary plays.
With just two weeks left of the 2006 season, I recently e-mailed the communications team at the Shakespeare Festival for their impressions of this season and what to expect next season. Here’s what Amy Richard, the Media Relations Manager at the OSF had to say:
Amy, what has surprised you the most about the 2006 season?
We expected full houses for the outdoor productions (The Merry Wives of Windsor, Cyrano de Bergerac and The Two Gentlemen of Verona), but we didn’t anticipate that we’d have the enthusiastic response that we did in all three theaters. Tickets to a number of performances in the New Theatre and Angus Bowmer Theatre have not been easy to secure. Shakespeare’s King John is running at 94% of capacity (with two weeks to go) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is currently at 97%. That’s great!
By
Sean Egusa, Asia Tourism Manager for Travel Oregon
Yo, yo, wasabi.
No, I’m not trying to be cool or coy, that is the actual name of one of the magazines in-state to research this celebration called Oregon Bounty. WaSaBi
First off, let me introduce myself: Mr. Sean Egusa, Asia Tourism Manager for Travel Oregon. I promote inbound tourism to the state to the Asian markets, first and foremost Japan. So we have some Japanese in town interested in this culinary tourism product that has been snowballing in conjunction with the Oregon Bounty celebration this month (and next). This project involves a lot of good food, fraternizing with some of our best chefs, tasting some of the world’s best Pinot Noir and in general showcasing the best of Oregon… Say no more…
Our guests are here courtesy of our friends and partners at Northwest Airlines. The direct flight from Tokyo is a boon to the tourism industry in Oregon and from Singapore to Shanghai to Tokyo, they are jonesing to get the international crowd hip and in the know on the Oregon experience. Are we ready???
By
Sean Egusa, Asia Tourism Manager for Travel Oregon
October 13, 2006 (yes, it’s a Friday)
But there was no cursed weather or bad luck on this day.
Day #2 of promoting Oregon’s Culinary Tourism in conjunction with our statewide Oregon Bounty was another whirlwind of activity but, as always, done in classical Oregon style (laid-back and leisurely). www.traveloregon.com/Bounty
Our day began leaving the foggy banks of the Willamette behind to head into the Columbia River Gorge after being caffeinated at Urban Grind in the Pearl District. I decided to start high so diverted at Corbett off of I-84 and headed for the amazing view at the Portland Women’s Forum. Blue was the color of the sky and it was good (but a little chilly).
We proceeded on down towards Multnomah Falls where we made a quick stop at Wahkeena Falls. Upon reaching Multnomah Falls I was hailed by a familiar voice and looked up to see Petra (POVA) who was on a research tour of her own with some guests from Europe, only she was heading back towards Portland. Kind of appropriate her heading west and me heading east…
Happy Friday!
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Have no fear…we’ve got another fabulous trip idea lined up for you. Our very own Jennifer (she works in the Tourism Development Dept.) recently headed off to Grants Pass in Southern Oregon for a weekend escape.
Read her travelogue for some excellent ideas on how to spend an adventure filled weekend in Grants Pass. ~ Mo
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