Southern Oregon Living

Porters Dining at the Depot Restaurant - Medford Oregon

Porters Restaurant is one of Southern Oregon's fine dining establishments.  With one of the most festive, delightful and romantic, smoke free dining patios... cool misters, and warm blankets, wisteria, charm, history and ambiance, Porters is the place to be.  Housed in a old train station depot (built in 1910), this restaurant has a cigar friendly bar patio, complete with craftsman style gazebo and a fun loving, highly entertaining crew.

Porters Chefs expertly prepare each meal to order from the finest and freshest ingredients available.  You can expect great food, professional and friendly service for an honest value.

Best of all, Porters has a happy hour menu called "Get Giddy" every day from 4-6pm and 9pm to closing in the bar.  Grab a classic Martini or a stylized "Martooni" from Porters' smoke free bar.  The restaurant opens daily at 5pm and the bar opens at 4pm. 

Porters Dining at the Depot Restaurant - Medford Oregon.  Be sure to check out their garden patio dining.  It's the best in Southern Oregon!

Is There a Shortage of Homes for Rent in Your Neighborhood?  Apparently there is in Medford, Oregon.  KDRV.com is reporting that Jackson and Josephine County renters have drastically fewer housing options than they did a year ago, according to numbers from the Southern Oregon Rental Owners Association.
 
The Southern Oregon Rental Owners Association estimates there will be less than 175 rental vacancies in May, down from just under 400 in the same month in 2009.  Realtors say one reason for the drop is that some landlords are actively trying to sell their properties, and others have lost their properties due to foreclosure.  Experts also expect the number of renters to go up, with those who have lost their homes now forced to rent.
 
Meanwhile, a new report finds that the housing wage for Jackson County Oregon is $14.73 an hour.  This is the hourly wage a family of four must earn in order to afford rent and utilities in the private housing market. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Jackson County is $766.  That number has increased over 31 percent since the year 2000.  (Article written by Tove Tupper at KDRV.com).  Is There a Shortage of Homes for Rent in Your Neighborhood?

Staging your Southern Oregon home can make a huge difference when it comes to showing prospective buyers.  Take a look at these before and after photos to see the difference.  A special thanks to Maureen for sharing her staging pictures and blog post with us.   

If you are interested in listing your Southern Oregon home for sale, please give me a call.  I would be happy to share with you 5 ideas on how to prepare your home to sell. 

MelindaPeterson, Broker/Owner  Real Estate Cafe - 541-659-1620

Pear Blossom Festival - Medford Oregon - April 10th & 11th.  One of Medford Oregon's greatest festivals begins on Saturday, April 10th.  Whatever your pace, whether it is strapping on your running shoes for Pear Blossom Run or sitting back to enjoy a barbecue and parade, this celebration will have something to excite everyone.

PEAR BLOSSOM RUN

Join the Rogue Valley's #1 athletic event on Saturday, April 10th!  Choose between:

• The 5k Run, beginning at 7:00am.
• The 1 Mile Mayor's Cup, beginning at 8:00am.
• The 10-mile run, beginning at 8:35am.
• 2 Mile Run / Walk, beginning at 8:40am.

Join in with people from all over the West Coast and participate in this yearly event.  Runner's schedule and race maps can be found at PearBlossomRun.com

PEAR BLOSSOM FESTIVAL EVENTS

Celebrate the rites of spring with all of Southern Oregon, starting with the "Dare to Pear" showcase.  Visit Medford's downtown restaurants to experience the Valley's best pear recipes, and pair them with local wines.  Some of last year's participants were Porters, 4 Daughters Irish Pub, and The Wharf.

To help celebrate the festivities, enjoy a night of square dancing at the Rogue Valley Square Dancing Center on Saturday, April 10th.  Saturday's dance begins at 6:00pm.  For more information, call Sheila at 541-944-8736.

The Pear Blossom Festival Spring Fair will be held Saturday, April 10th, through Sunday, April 11th at Hawthorne Park.  The Pear Blossom Parade begins at 11:00am on Saturday and lasts approximately 2 1/2 hours.  The parade route can be viewed on Google Maps.  At noon there will be a barbecue held at the South Fred Meyer, by I5 Exit 27.  All proceeds from the barbecue will be donated the the American Cancer Society.

Explore the exciting world of stamp collecting at the annual Southern Oregon Philatelic Stamp Show, held Saturday, April 10th, through Sunday, April 11th, at the Padgham Building in the Jackson County Expo. This event is free to the public and lasts from 10:00am to 5:30pm on Saturday, and 10:00am to 4:30pm on Sunday.

And don't forget the 2nd Annual Pear A Fare Festival in Alba Park from Friday, April 9th, to Saturday, April 10th.  From 2pm to 4pm, get ready to "pear" local award-winning wines with gourmet foods from local artisans and restaurants.

For more information about the Medford Oregon's Pear Blossom Festival, call 541-840-PEAR

The Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater - Medford Oregon.  Back in the day, the Medford Oregon theater was called Hunt's Craterian, a vaudeville theater, that derived its name from Crater Lake.  That is, until a little 14-year-old girl named Ginger Rogers danced there in 1926.

Little Ginger went on to great fame and fortune, and in 1940 she bought a ranch upriver from Shady Cove. She was one of the first big celebrities to call Southern Oregon home, for at least part of the year.  In the early 1990s, Rogers helped kick off the multimillion dollar fundraising campaign to restore the theater. She died in April 1995, before the renovation was finished.

Within weeks, a Medford Oregon couple, Charles Gorr and Loraine Hart, launched a petition to include Rogers' name on the theater marquee, and some 3,300 people signed on.  A longtime friend of Rogers wrote a guest opinion in the Mail Tribune supporting the idea, and things just took off from there.  By the fall of 1995, the board of directors of the Craterian Performances Company unanimously agreed to the name we know it by today: Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater.  And, in March 1997, the theater reopened.  Most of us locals just call it The Crate.  

Enjoy Sunday Brunch at 38 Central in Medford Oregon.  A cherished weekend routine, Sunday Brunch is a meal that becomes the event of the week at local restaurant 38 Central in Medford Oregon.  

38 Central - Medford Oregon is trying something new - a Sunday brunch complete with the New York times on every table, live music, a Bloody Mary bar and great food (no ordinary breakfast food or buffets in sight!).  The 38 Central Team will be serving Brunch on Sunday afternoons from noon to 4:59 starting March 28, 2010.  For more information or to make reservations (though not required) visit 38onCentral.com

First a Tea Party, Now a Coffee Party!  I recently read a great post on this subject by Joseph Lazzaro.  Here is his post in its entirety. 

"You knew it had to happen, eventually.  In response to the Tea Party, a largely conservative/libertarian political action faction that advocates free markets, and small government (except defense spending), a liberal/populist Coffee Party political action faction has formed.

The Coffee Party's underlying principle is that government is "not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges we face as Americans."  The first National Coffee Party Day was held last Saturday, March 13.

Although the two have diametrically opposed views of government, especially the role of the federal government in U.S. society and the economy, both share a disappointment with the current leadership in Washington.

The Coffee Party has also made civility a core value. It encourages members to sign its Civility Pledge.

Political/Economic Analysis:  The Coffee Party faction is a logical response to the Tea Party faction, which has managed to receive broadcast air time far beyond what its membership would dictate, largely due to disproportionate coverage of the faction by News Corp.'s (NWS) Fox News.

Unless either organization can consistently secure a critical mass of the electorate -- roughly 20% of registered voters -- you'd have to put each in the category of a faction, with each eventually being assimilated by its logical home party: the Republican Party (for Tea faction) and the Democratic Party (for the Coffee faction). And it's highly unlikely that Tea and Coffee factions will merge to form a viable third party.

For attainment of power reasons, political parties in the United States require voters to aggregate interests and make broad choices: parties have to be "umbrella organizations," or there's little hope of competing effectively for the ultimate national office, the U.S. presidency. So far, both the Tea and Coffee factions appear to be structured on economic issues only, and as long as they are narrowly structured, they'll remain much weaker than the established, umbrella Democratic and Republican parties."

Melinda's response:  I love coffee and I love tea.  Perhaps opposites attract?!

Medford Oregon's Birthday - 125 Years Old.  Medford Oregon offically celebrated its 125th Birthday on February 24, 2010.  Medford Oregon became incorporated as a City on February 24, 1885.  Since that time, this sleepy little town with original dirt roads became the largest city in Southern Oregon. 

Since it's origin, Medford Oregon was primarily dependent on timber and agriculture for sustainability.  Now, Medford Oregon is a thriving regional trade center with a growing residential population, expanding medical facilities, increasing tourism and abundant recreational opportunities.

Happy 125th Birthday Medford Oregon! 

Happy Valentine's Day from Harry & David - Medford Oregon.  One of my favorite places to shop in Southern Oregon for chocolates and other yummy gift ideas is Harry & David - Medford Oregon.  America's most wonderful gift company for over 75 years, Harry & David offers delicious Valentine's Day gifts including fresh flowers, gift towers, and gourmet chocolate gifts.  A great way to say "I Love You," Harry & David offers a yummy assortment of classic chocolates with a variety of flavors and fillings, making perfect Valentine's Day gifts for everyone of your favorite Valentines.  Voted Money Magazine's winner over both Godiva and boutique brands, Harry & David's chocolate gifts are sure to impress.

Valentine's Day Gifts From Harry & David - MEDFORD OREGON

Looking for more romantic Valentine's Day gifts?  Sweep loved ones off their feet with Harry & David's Classic Valentine Rose Bouquet.  Red roses are one of the most timeless Valentine's Day gifts and this stunning arrangement is no exception.  Featuring twelve perfect, red rose blooms, cut with sprays of greenery and your choice of vase, this gift will make a big impression.

More great Valentine's Day gifts include the Tower of Sweet Valentine Gifts and the Valentine's Gift Basket.  These packages include both cookies and chocolate gifts and will satisfy anyone's sweet tooth!  The Tower of Sweet Valentine Gifts includes an assortment of classic chocolate gifts and fun treats.  Five heart-shaped boxes are filled with Bing Cherry Chocolates and heart-shaped yogurt pretzels, as well as gummies, cookies, and a delicious Chocolate Truffle.  The Valentine's Gift Basket comes with all of Cupid's favorites.  

 Happy Valentine's Day from Harry & David - Medford Oregon