Southern Oregon Living

Get Your Chocolate Fix Today in Southern Oregon!  Feeling a little chocolate craving coming on?  Well, today is your lucky day in Southern Oregon.  Two chocolatey events are taking place today; The 6th Annual Oregon Chocolate Festival at the Ashland Springs Hotel in Ashland Oregon, and the Cocoa Loco Chocolate Tasting Event at Harry & David in Medford Oregon.

Both events are sure to get those chocolate taste buds going.  From assorted chocolate truffles, chocolate brownies (my fav), chocolate fondue, chocolate dipped strawberries, to yummy chocolate cocoa.  It's chocolate lover's dream today in Southern Oregon.  You can get your chocolate fix today!  

Don't waste time diddle daddling on household chores or mowing the lawn, as both of these Southern Oregon events end today at 4pm.  So, get your chocolate fix now!  See you there!

From one Chocolate Lover to another!

Ann Curry will deliver Southern Oregon University Commencement Address.  Ann Curry, a news anchor for NBC, began her humble beginnings in Southern Oregon.  Curry graduated from Ashland High School and the University of Oregon.  She also worked for NBC affiliates in Medford and Portland Oregon before moving to Los Angeles to report for KCBS-TV.  Since then, Ann Curry's journalism accomplishments range from doing the NBC News, The Today Show, and Dateline NBC.

During her 30 years in the journalism industry, Curry has won three Emmy Awards for news reporting, certificates of excellence from The Associated Press, and additional honors for reporting from the NAACP.  Curry recently funded the Ann Curry Scholarship for the School of Journalism and Communication Broadcasting Students at the University of Oregon.

Southern Oregon University commencement ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. on June 5, 2010, at the Mountain Arena on campus at Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd. in Ashland Oregon.

Colbie Caillat Performs in Ashland Oregon.  Colbie Caillat has been the quintessential California girl.  Her idea of a good time is hanging out with her friends at a beach bonfire or hopping in the car listening to tunes while driving up the Pacific Coast Highway.

On "Coco," her Universal Republic debut, the songs mirror Caillat's low-key, refreshing style.  Armed with her acoustic guitar and her dusky vocals, she evokes the same gentle, yet spirited style of her musical influences John Mayer, Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill and The Weepies.

Befitting the organic style of her music, Caillat's fan base has grown by word of mouth, one person at a time.  Last year, she began posting her songs on her Myspace.com; tunes like "Bubbly," a delightful confection about romance, and "Tailor Made," Caillat's joyful message to her sister over seeing her sibling find the perfect mate.

Colbie Caillat will perform her bubbly songs on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 8:00 PM, at the Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak Street in Ashland, Oregon.  See ya there :)

Southern Oregon University - Ashland Oregon.  Southern Oregon University's enrollment has exceeded record levels this winter this term.  The 5,644 students attending classes during the term that started Jan. 4 is the highest number for any winter term and the second highest number of students Southern Oregon University has ever had.  

Southern Oregon University President Mary Cullinan said that their strong enrollment numbers were the result of "good planning, sustained effort, and many people working together to attract students and help them be successful."

Southern Oregon University is located in Ashland Oregon.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition Features Ashland Oregon Business.  A Southern Oregon business will makes its debut on the ABC television show Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

Ashland Oregon business, Funagain Games, sells all kinds of games, but specializes in hobby and designer games.  Last August, the business received an e-mail from a producer who works for Extreme Makeover Home Edition asking for help with one of their projects.  The company agreed to help.
 
Funagain Games was told by the show's producers that the design team was building and decorating, not only a home, but also a community center for kids.  The company donated a wide range of games for all ages, from easy to complex.  "Altogether it was about $1,700 dollars worth of stuff," said, Funagain Games Manager Nick Medinger.
 
When approached in August 2009, the company was asked by the producers of Extreme Makeover Home Edition to not mention anything about the episode until they were contacted again by the producers.  That contact came on Thursday.
 
The Extreme Makeover Home Edition episode featuring the Ashland Oregon Business will air Sunday, February 14th at 8 p.m.

What's in Your Coffee?  An interesting blog called "Putting Weird Things in Coffee" by a Canadian grad student has hit the Internet.  He has experimented with putting the most unlikely ingredients in his coffee, such as smoked salmon cream cheese, bacon, and cheese bread to name a few. 

You might ask, why in the world would anyone combine such strange ingredients in their morning cup of joe.  The grad student explains, (as he puts it) "I drink coffee every day, but get bored with the same old cream and sugar."

Perhaps boredom can be the catalyst for ingenuity and creativity.  If so, perhaps we should all consider giving it a try.  So I ask, what's in your coffee? 

Calling All Southern Oregon Artists - Ashland, Oregon!  The Ashland Forest Lands Commission (AFLC) is sponsoring an Ashland Watershed Map Contest calling all local Southern Oregon artists to enter a rough black and white drawing of a cartoon like map of Ashland's watershed and city.  

The winning artist, who will be selected by the AFLC at their April meeting along with members of the SOU Arts Department and the Arts Commission, will then create a full color map of Ashland's Watershed and other key features of the city. The artist will have their name put on the map and will be awarded $500 for the completed map.  The map will also function as a tourist map of Ashland highlighting key features of the city and surrounding area. See www.ashland.or.us/mapcontest for more information.

Local Southern Oregon Artists have until April 5th, 2010 to make their submissions.  All submissions should be emailed to: ashlandwatershed@gmail.com.  Good luck!

RV'rs Welcome in Ashland Oregon!  Located in Southern Oregon, Ashland has ample indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities.  This quaint little town hosts the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the December Festival of lights, and numerous concerts, parades and festivals. 

On any given day, you will find fine dining, art galleries, book stores, the Shneider Museum of Art and the Oregon Cabaret Theatre.  There are many activites for the outdoor enthusiast in Ashland Oregon, such as hiking and biking trails, ski resorts, fishing, swimming and boating in various Southern Oregon rivers and lakes.  And RV'rs are welcome in Ashland Oregon too!  Here are some great places to camp the RV overnight:

Glenyan RV Park - Located on Neil Creek, Glenyan RV Park has a quiet, wooded setting. It has RV and tent sites with access to wireless Internet, cable television, a grocery store, heated swimming pool, recreation room, showers, playground, laundry facilities, horseshoes, volleyball and more. The park is pet friendly and the location is a short drive from dining and shopping in town. RV sites have hookups for water, sewer and 30-amp electric.

Glenyan RV Park
5310 Highway 66
Ashland, OR 97520
(877) 453-6926
glenyanrvpark.com

Jackson County Parks: Emigrant Lake - Located 6 miles southeast of town, Jackson County Parks' Emigrant Lake RV Park has a quiet lakeside location. The campground is handicapped accessible and the lake provides swimming, boating and fishing for crappie, bass and trout. The RV park has 32 large sites on Emigrant Lake with hookups for water, sewer and 50-amp electric. Sites also have access to bathrooms, picnic areas and a 280-foot water slide. The park opens on March 15 and closes on October 15.

Jackson County Parks: Emigrant Lake
5505 Highway 66
Ashland, OR 97520-9713
(541) 774-8183
jacksoncountyparks.com/emigrant_lake.htm

Holiday RV Park - Located 7 miles north of downtown Ashland, Holiday RV Park sits on Bear Creek in the Rogue Valley and has large, shaded sites. RV sites have access to a heated swimming pool, wireless Internet, cable television, showers, laundry facilities, barbecue pits, a basketball court and horseshoes. The park is pet friendly but does require dogs to be leashed. The 110 spaces have hookups for water, sewer, and 20-, 30- and 50-amp electric. The location is ideal for fishing, boating and swimming on the Rogue River and visiting events and festivals in Ashland.

Holiday RV Park
201 Fern Valley Road
Phoenix, Oregon 97535
(541) 535-2183
holidayrvpark.net

Snowshoe Walks - Crater Lake National Park.  Ranger-guided snowshoe walks are being offered every Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. at Crater Lake National Park through April 25, 2010.  The walks last about 90 minutes and cover one mile of moderately strenuous terrain.  There is no cost, and snowshoes are provided free of charge.  Space is limited, and reservations are recommended.  Sign up at the Visitor Center or call 541-594-3100.  Participants should be at least 8 years old.  Come prepared with warm, water-resistant clothing and footwear.

KS Wild snowshoe hike - Feb. 6, 2010 -South Cascades snowshoe hike on the Pacific Crest Trail around the slopes of Brown Mountain, a young shield volcano covered with scree from relatively recent lava flows. Meet at Evo's Coffee Lounge, 376 E. Main Street in Ashland, Oregon at 10 a.m. to coordinate carpools to the trail head.

The 10th Annual Rogue Valley Blues Festival in Ashland Oregon is an event for the whole family.  The 3-day music festival starts January 15, 2010 through January 17 (Martin Luther King Jr., holiday weekend), at the historic Ashland Oregon Armory at 208 Oak Street in Ashland, Oregon.  Doors open 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday for barbecue dinner sold by Geppetto's Restaurant. 

The 10th Annual Rogue Valley Blues Festival will feature a wide variety of great music, concerts and workshops.  Free performances at Standing Stone Restaurant, Alex's Restaurant and Avalon Bar & Grill.  Beer and wine will be sold by Creekside Bistro.  For more information and tickets for the 10th Annual Rogue Valley Blues Festival go to www.stclairevents.com or call 541-535-3562.  The cost is $55/weekend pass; $30/Friday or Saturday evening; $10/adults and $5/17 and under Sunday evening; $20/each workshop.  Enjoy the music in Ashland Oregon!