Happy February!

While Valentine’s is just one day, we like to take the entire month to celebrate all that we love about Central Oregon, Bend, and this amazing community we’re a part of in the Old Mill District.

In fact, there’s so many different aspects of life here in the High Desert that we’re grateful for, we’ve broken down our love letter to this special place into different themes.

What’s on our mind today you ask?

Water.

Every day, we say a little thank you for the gifts that are the Deschutes, Metolius and Crooked rivers, as well as Bridge Creek, where the City of Bend’s drinking water comes from.

The Deschutes is a constant presence in our lives. Float trips with out-of-town friends in the summer. Secret fishing spots we share with only the most trustworthy of folks. Drinks and dinner at places like Pastini, Anthony’s and Va Piano. And of course, the Deschutes River Trail, which winds through the Old Mill District and downtown Bend, past the First Street Rapids and Sawyer Park and around Awbrey Butte.

There’s also the water we actually drink. If there’s cleaner, better tasting water in the country than the liquid goodness that comes out of taps here in Bend, we haven’t found it. There’s a reason Central Oregon is home to 30 breweries and it’s in large part because of the outstanding water quality we have here in the Deschutes River Basin. We’re partial to the tap lists at Greg’s Grill, Boxwood Kitchen and Level 2, where you can get a variety of the region’s best beers, from Boneyard’s RPM and Deschutes’ Fresh Squeezed to Goodlife’s Sweet As and Silver Moon’s Mango Daze Hazy IPA.

And then there’s the Bend Brewfest, which combines the beauty of the Deschutes River and a variety of craft beers that wouldn’t be possible without Bridge Creek.

Yeah, we’re pretty grateful.