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Visit Kam Wah Chung Museum This Weekend!

May 1, 2008

If you've never been to Kam Wah Chung Museum in John Day, now's the time to visit! The museum will be re-opening this Saturday, after 18 months of renovation. The museum showcases items from the Chinese community in John Day during the gold rush era. Amazingly, almost all of the items you will see in the museum are originals. Check it out and send yourself back in time!

For more information on Kam Wah Chung's re-opening, please visit OregonLive.com. For more information on visiting the museum, please visit our Attractions section.

Have A Blast At The Oregon Shakespeare Festival!

April 14, 2008

Photo: The band of mechanicals (Jeffrey King, Josiah Phillips, Ray Porter and U. Jonathan Toppo) are assigned their roles for the play. Photo by David Cooper.

"I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was." ~William Shakespeare

This past winter, the Travel Oregon staff had the opportunity to see four plays during opening weekend of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. I have been to the festival two times before, and I have to say it gets better each year! This year, we saw "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Fences", "The Clay Cart" and "Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter".

The snow was just starting to melt when we entered into Ashland, and the town had a very crisp, wintery feel about it. We even lucked out and had clear weather the entire trip, which made walking through downtown and Lithia Park even more enjoyable. And the food! I can't even describe how delicious Ashland's restaurants are- if you don't go anywhere else, you at least have to try Pasta Piatti (it's in an adorable red building- you can't miss it). Try their squash ravioli- it has biscotti pieces and a brown-butter sage sauce on top. It literally melts in your mouth.

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Chris Gardner Coming to Salem this Saturday

April 2, 2008

If you are looking for an inspiring activity to partake in this weekend, you're in luck! You have probably seen or heard of the recent movie entitled "The Pursuit of Happyness", starring Will Smith. The movie was based on the autobiography of Chris Gardner, who will be inspiring the city of Salem at the Historic Elsinore Theater on Saturday, April 5th. A lecture and book signing will take place from 6:00-8:00 pm, and proceeds from this event will benefit the MedAssist progam.

Get ready for an exciting evening! For more information on tickets to this event, please visit www.ticketswest.com. For more information on event details, please visit the Marion-Polk County Medical Society.

Celebrate Wordstock This Weekend!

November 9, 2007

Looking for a cool, only-in-Oregon type event this three-day weekend? How about Wordstock?! Featuring readings by over 250 authors, poets and Northwest writing legends, as well as panels on every conceivable subject, writing workshops, private dinners with authors, a two-day book fair, children's readings and activities, music and more, Wordstock, is Oregon's ode to the written word.

PICA's Time-Based Art Festival

September 20, 2007

Photo credit: Juniper Shuey
Featured: Zoe Scofield & company

By Ashley Moran

I have always been intrigued by the idea behind PICA’s Time-Based Art Festival, and was completely ecstatic when I found out I’d have the opportunity to check it out this year. I left my house in Salem at around 7 pm on Sunday night, and traveled up to Portland State University. Note: If you have never visited Portland State, keep in mind that the campus is set up differently than other state colleges (the campus buildings are spread out between local shops and restaurants). Also be sure to find out the name of the hall you are planning to visit before you arrive. I found this out the hard way, by getting lost and running six blocks in high heels to make it in time for the show. By the time I found Lincoln Hall, I’d had quite a nice tour of the PSU campus. Luckily, I made it in the nick of time.

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Vote Springfield, Oregon for the Simpsons' Premier

July 7, 2007

We're joining Oregon Governor Kulongoski in encouraging all Oregonians (and Oregon fans) to vote online (by July 9) for Springfield, Oregon as the place that should host the movie premier of the "Simpsons".

While 14 other Springfields are vying for this honor in the contest hosted by USA Today.com, we respectfully feel that Springfield, Oregon is the legitimate home of Homer, Marge, Bart and the rest of the crew. D'oh! Consider:

- Matt Groening grew up in Portland (just an hour and half north of Springfield).

- We also think it's no coincidence that many Simpsons' characters share the name of Oregon streets and landmarks...here are few:
1) Northwest Flanders Street in Portland was the inspiration for "Ned Flanders";
2) Northwest Kearney Street inspired the name of "Kearney," one of the schoolyard bullies who torments Bart;
3) North Van Houten Avenue inspired "Milhouse Van Houten," Bart's best friend
4) Diamond Joe Quimby, Springfield's mayor is named after Northwest Quimby Street

So hurry...vote for Springfield, Oregon today...there are just 2 days left! ~ Mo

A Phenomenal Hip Hop Show in Eugene, Oregon

June 18, 2007

By Ashley Moran

I have always admired the cultural diversity of Eugene. Not to mention the arts around every corner- it's like heaven to be surrounded by theater, music and art. I recently had an opportunity to see such culture in action, at Phenomenon Hip Hop Company's "VIP" show. This show was held at the Hult Center, a well-known venue in the Eugene area.

What I enjoyed most about this show was the variety of ways hip hop dance was shown and expressed. Some of the dance pieces told a specific story, while others focused on the history and evolution of hip hop dance, or were solely created for entertainment purposes. The phenomenon dancers started off the show by jumping along the isles near the audience, dressed in bright green jungle attire. This piece was very entertaining, especially since the dancers interacted with the audience.

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WOU’s Annual Spring Dance Concert

May 16, 2007

By Ashley Moran and Amy Nyberg

Ballerinas, tap dancers, and breakers oh my!

This year’s Spring Dance Concert took place at Western Oregon University, in the Rice Auditorium (a cozy venue with a great view no matter where you sit). The concert itself consisted of approximately twelve separate dance pieces, choreographed by both professors and dance students at the university.

As a former WOU student, I was ecstatic to visit the same stage I had the pleasure to dance on once upon a time. Although I enjoyed all of the dances, my favorites consisted of “Wired for Sound”, choreographed by Sharon Oberst; “Limit Break”, choreographed by Samuel Hobbs; and “Man of My Dreams”, choreographed by Valerie Bergman and Darryl Thomas.

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Hip Hop Dance Classes in Oregon

April 25, 2007

By Ashley Moran

Oregon offers a wide variety of dance classes, as well as fantastic live shows ranging from ballet to hip hop to modern and ballroom. Since the team at Travel Oregon is celebrating the arts this month, it seemed only fitting to share a personal dance class experience.

I've been in love with dance for as long as I can remember- I was "that girl" who choreographed routines to country music for the second grade talent show. And I loved every minute of it. My adolescence and early college years were filled with memories of dance team, and a few moments under the spotlight. Not to mention a few memories of torn muscles and mysterious bruises, commonly referred to as "war wounds". Since then, it has become slightly more difficult to leap from one side of the gym to the other, and splits are something I only dream of. Luckily, after months of searching for an adult dance class to sharpen my moves, I was ecstatic to find a hip hop workout class through the community courses at Chemeketa Community College.

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A Weekend at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

March 29, 2007

Rosalind (Miriam A. Laube, left) and her cousin Celia (Julie Oda) observe the love games in the Forest of Arden. Photo: David Cooper.

The Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival was founded in 1935, and is one of the oldest and largest professional non-profit theatres in the nation. The staff at Travel Oregon recently spent a weekend in the beautiful town of Ashland, and had the opportunity to experience this amazing festival first hand. Courtesy of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, each of us had an opportunity to view four extraordinary plays, including "As You Like It", "The Cherry Orchard", "On the Razzle", and "Rabbit Hole". "The Cherry Orchard" was both directed and adapted by outgoing Artistic Director, Libby Appel. The Travel Oregon staff felt very fortunate to be present during Ms. Appel's final season at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Read on to hear staff reviews on each of the four plays- and be sure to swing by the Shakespeare Festival- it is an experience unlike any other!

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Frogz Frolic at the Elsinore Theater

February 23, 2007

By Carina Reed

I spent this past Saturday night partaking in the wacky world of FROGZ at Salem’s Historic Elsinore Theatre . The production was produced by Imago Theater in Portland and has been on Broadway twice. This was the third time it has been in Salem, and the first time in 5 years.

This play was a great theatrical event, suitable for the whole family. The varied program provided nearly two action packed hours of fun. It started out with three performers doing acrobatics in stretchy green suits and detailed frog masks. I was amazed at how realistic they made the creatures.

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Oregonians Love Books!

February 21, 2007

By Jennifer Archer

You may have heard that Oregonians love books. We love to read them, write them and host book clubs about them. In fact, did you know that we have a City of Books with a fully-fledged Mayor? Ummm ok...well maybe we're stretching it a wee bit...but you get the picture. Oregonians love books!

Being the book lovers that we are, we've compiled a list of some fabulous books written where Oregon figures as a main character. Because we love characters, I mean, dreamers.

I dig stories about people who leave their creature-comforts behind and set out on epic road trips or crazy journeys to experience a new part of their world. William L. Sullivan, a fifth-generation Oregonian, has hiked pretty much every trail in Oregon. His entertaining book, Listening for Coyote: A Walk Across Oregon’s Wilderness recounts his earnest and sometimes amusing search for true wilderness.

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First Thursday in the Pearl

January 10, 2007

It’s First Thursday in Portland and the choices are endless. I get off of work pouring wine at an event and I’m ready to have a glass of my own. So my first stop is back to Urban Wineworks to drop off my stuff and to join in on the imbibing. At Urban Wineworks we always feature a local artist, so we have a musician or DJ to keep the mood flowing. Not to mention donated food by one of our favorite caterers. My friend Meg met me to celebrate finishing her school exams, so we started cruising on over to the Pearl where all the pretty people play. First stop was Vino Paradiso . I’m a huge fan of this intimate venue, because not only do you get to see the chef chop up some goodies right behind the bar (the kitchen consists of a small section of the bar where the chef uses small burners to create your meal), but the wine list is impressive and flirtatious. This non-intimidating list is approachable yet non-conventional. Plus live music can be heard lingering in the background or center stage.

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A Stormy Livewire

December 19, 2006

(I know, too obvious, but with the guests and gusts, the headline just wrote itself).

When you work for a fun company, it sometimes comes with perks where you get to do fun things you wouldn’t normally do. Such as being a Haiku Hottie. Dressed like a Pirate Wench during the Holiday Party Season. During gale force winds and sideways sheets of rain.

For the uninitiated, Haiku Hotties are Live Wire’s ushers/program hander-outers/haiku form distributors. Since it’s a radio show with a costumer, we had to look the part. In keeping with the holiday spirit, our costume theme was "The Naughty and The Nice." For some reason, we only had one “Nice” - Noreen, our angel. Our group was rounded out with a Madame, an inmate and a bad, bad elf. Our fabulous costumes came from Salem’s Lil' Gipsy Vintage Boutique. Check it out at http://www.lilgypsy.com/

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Oregon Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker

December 18, 2006

It was a night full of sugar plum fairies, snowflakes, and even a giant rat king. The Nutcracker has completely enchanted me since I was a little girl, yet I love it even more as an adult.

I arrived at the Keller Auditorium in Portland on Sunday afternoon- which is a wonderful venue, because there's not a bad seat in the house- and enjoyed an afternoon full of exquisite dancing and a heartfelt story. I was incredibly impressed by the set design of this particular Nutcracker, as it was very intricate. As the children peered through the front door of the house on this set, you could see through it and gaze at the brightly-colored Christmas tree, as well as all the contents of the house. This show also incorporated a tiny yet extravagent boat, which transported the children to and from their dreamland. Not to mention, snow! At least a dozen dancers floated through snowflakes during one portion of the show, which was very impressive. The costumes were gorgeous as well. Many incorporated flowy skirts with brightly colored sequins and sparkles, in addition to the traditional tutu (of course).

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The Quest for Immortality -- Treasures of Ancient Egypt at Portland Art Museum

November 16, 2006

I attended the preview of the Portland Art Museum’s newest exhibition, The Quest for Immortality -- Treasures of Ancient Egypt, and had lunch afterwards with Dr. Zahi Hawass, the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and Director of Excavations in Egypt. This was enough reason for me to brave I-5 between Salem and Portland, despite the blustery wind and rain. I was doubly excited about attending, as I missed the previous Egyptian exhibit entitled “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs”.

The parking fairy saved me a space within a block of the museum – nice! The tour began with a collection of old photographs taken in Egypt in the late 1800’s, which demonstrated how much the region has changed in modern times.

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Live Wire …Radiolicious!

October 20, 2006

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!

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Inside Scoop - Drama & Bounty in Ashland

October 16, 2006

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!

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