We’re all guilty of it.

Every morning at home or in the office, we start our day with the exact same coffee routine. It’s quick, it’s efficient and – dare we say – it’s a little boring.
Good thing we know some folks who know how to bring the zest back into your cup of joe.

Spice it Up – You want to mix things up but need it to be fairly simple? Add a little bit of spice to your coffee grounds. Matt Perry from Savory Spice recommends putting in a touch of his shop’s Mt. Baker Chai Seasoning for a coffee chai experience. (Mt. Baker contains cinnamon, ginger and cardamom, among other ingredients.) For a more mocha-like morning blast, try Savory’s Mayan Cocoa. It’s a mix of Dutch cocoa, chile peppers, cinnamon and vanilla powder. Just as delightful, add a teaspoon or two of Savory’s Spiced Vanilla Bean Sugar or Pure Maple Sugar.

AeroPress Awesomeness– Aero-what? It’s quick, it’s simple and it makes one of the best cups of coffee we’ve ever had. Jaime Aguirre from Ginger’s Kitchenware turned us on to the AeroPress – Ginger’s carriers both the original AeroPress and the smaller camping favorite, AeroPress Go – which is a bit like a French Press, but brews quicker and is easier to clean. The AeroPress has become our preferred way to make an Americano and brings out the subtle notes of specific coffee blends more than any other brewing method we’ve tried. The quicker steeping process makes for less bitter coffee that allows the beans’ more subtle flavors to shine.

Simple Syrup Lattes – Our Ticket Mill manager Gabby Ochoa introduced us to the liquid goodness that is Meadowland Simple Syrups. This Bend-based small business crafts simple syrups that are amazing not just in cocktails, but also coffee and tea drinks. Our favorite recipe of theirs is a Golden Age Latte, using their Golden Age Simple Syrup made with can sugar, roasted cardamom seeds, honey, and sea salt. And yes, Meadowland’s syrups are available at the Ticket Mill.

By Carrie Ramoz

My shopping list has grown in 2020. Thankfully, just one stop at one of my favorite shops in Bend will take care of most of my Christmas list. Hello Sunshine, in the Old Mill District, offers jewelry, art, clothing, hats, soaps, journaling supplies, kids items, purses and so much more. Much of it is locally made, and prices are friendly to any budget. Their team is helpful and made wonderful suggestions as I shared my Christmas shopping list.

My sister-in-law is in the process of adopting four siblings who are all under the age of 8. It’s thrilling to have two new nieces and two new nephews to shop for. At Hello Sunshine, I’m able to find plush stuffed animals, sweet children’s books, the cutest infant outfits and the most clever little t-shirts. A stack of fragrant, Bend-made soaps and a beautiful mug for her and her husband finishes off their Christmas package. Best auntie ever!

A rack of funny/retro/cool/very Pacific Northwest men’s hats also catches my eye. My husband has at least 15 hats at home, but I cannot leave without getting him another one. It’s hard to choose just one; I also snag two great t-shirts for him and am already considering giving him the gifts early. Waiting for Christmas is hard when you know you bought THE BEST GIFTS.

I find myself laughing out loud at the sassy, adult-appropriate socks and oven mitts and walk away with one of each for my parents.

A gorgeous vegan purse and a pair of sparkly birth gemstone earrings for one of my dearest friends nearly completes my shopping list. Spotting the Hobo purse line, I pause. Featuring the softest leather, a multitude of colors, and clever storage solutions, these clutches and purses nearly tempted me into a pre-Christmas treat for myself. However, I stayed strong and added them to my own Christmas list. Thankfully, my husband is well aware of Hello Sunshine’s location in the Old Mill District (it’s across from Banana Republic and American Eagle, FYI).

Always one of my favorite shops, Hello Sunshine leaves me with a smile on my face and excitement as I wait for these gifts to be opened.

Just because the days are a bit shorter and the temperature’s a tad colder, it doesn’t mean you have to kiss the outdoors goodbye.

Here’s some Old Mill District employees’ favorite winter adventures:

REI’s Hannah Cooperrider
Once the first snow falls in the mountains outside Bend, I’m the person who starts waxing my skis. Skiing has been a passion of mine since before I could walk, and is hands down my favorite sport – in winter or any other time of the year.

On a perfect bluebird day, you’ll find me with my pow skis on the backside of Bachelor or cutting track into the backcountry. Whenever I can find a quiet moment with just me, the mountains, and snow is when I’m at my happiest. Despite the wicked storms and notoriously cold days, I’ll be out soaking in every moment of the ski season for as long as there is snow to slide on.

And on that note, pray for snow!

REI’s Monte Dammarell
The Central Oregon winter offer many choices for outdoor fun and exercise. I like the opportunities Mt. Bachelor offers for both downhill and cross-country skiing, and the miles of trails in the Deschutes National Forest available to snowshoe and cross-country ski.

The winter is also a great time to explore the hiking and biking trails in the high desert east of Bend. All those activities and the limited daylight hours make the “what will I do today” choice somewhat difficult.

If I were choosing, my first decision would be a snowshoe adventure. There are many snow parks in the area with well-defined snowshoe trails. Each offers varying terrain and many provide scenic views.

I prefer “breaking trail” and exploring areas untouched by fellow adventurers. There are many Forest Service roads in our area for snowshoeing off the beaten path. Being the first person exploring untouched fresh snow is not something to attempt unprepared for the extra exertion required, weather changes, and other eventualities of being in an area with no other people. That being said, snowshoeing in remote areas can be one of the best physical winter exercises and a wonderful way to step away from the chaos of daily life.

Old Mill District’s Beau Eastes
I love the seasons, I love the snow, but if possible, I’ll ride bikes year-round.

The beauty of gravel riding in Central Oregon has been well documented – hundreds of miles of Forest Service roads, little to no car traffic, gorgeous backcountry scenery, the ability to be social and ride side-by-side with buddies – but it’s worth pointing out that our region, especially east of Bend, provides fabulous bike experiences in not just the warmer months, but throughout the winter, too. I’ve ridden Sisemore Road between Bend and Sisters – it’s a hard-packed dirt road that skirts pasts Tumalo Reservoir – on Christmas Day and play around at Horse Butte and Horse Ridge in January and February.

While riding on muddy or wet singletrack is a great way to destroy your favorite mountain bike trails, you can pedal through just about anything without much concern when you’re on old timber and forest roads. And if things get too gnarly, you can always bail and hop on pavement with your gravel steed.

Chad DeWilde’s first foray into graphic design came when he was still in elementary school.

“I remember getting the TransWorld SNOWboarding guide every year, starting when I was only 7 or 8,” says DeWilde, who was born and raised in Bend. “I’d go through the whole magazine and find the snowboards I liked and redraw them in little notebooks.”

Since getting his unofficial start reimagining his favorite Burton boards, DeWilde is now one of the most accomplished graphic designers in the Pacific Northwest. You’ve seen his work on K2 and Jones snowboards – yes, those early sketches paid off – the cans of 10 Barrel beer, on backpacks and hats from Dakine, and in just about every aspect of Bend Brewing Company’s new branding. And on his own line of clothing, Wilde & Co., which is sold exclusively in the Ticket Mill in the Old Mill District.

“My career path kind of follows my age path,” DeWilde says, only half joking. “I’ve kind of aged out of snowboards. Now a lot of what I design is beer, coffee, golf and surf stuff.”

After working as an in-house designer for places like the former Bend ad agency tbd, K2, and Dakine, DeWilde went solo seven years ago.

“I’d been doing freelance work on the side for a while,” says DeWilde, who helped a fun, irreverent young Bend brewery originally called Wildfire morph into 10 Barrel. “I should done it even earlier. My last in-house job, Dakine, I’d come home and work another five or six hours on freelance jobs. I mean, I can only redesign the name Dakine so many times.”

DeWilde’s bet on himself paid off in spades. He’s continued to work with 10 Barrel and co-founders Jeremy and Chris Cox’s other projects like Miyagi Ramen and the Miami brewery Veza Sur. He breathed new life into Bend Brewing Company’s entire image with new branding, photography, apparel and packaging. And he’s helped newer Bend business like SnoPlanks, Pacific Pizza & Brew, Boss Rambler Beer Club, Scoutpost and Go Nuts Donutz all launch with gorgeous and distinct brand identities.

“I love getting that email that says, ‘Hey, we’re just starting up a brewery,’” says DeWilde, who’s also recently launched a mico-roasting coffee business, Woodshop Roasters, with a buddy. “Or ‘We’re a business that’s gone 10 years without a rebrand. .. I love digging into a brand. When you save that first file, it’s a clean slate and the project can go anywhere.

“It reminds me of when I used to work at Bachelor, and I’d work out at NW Express (lift),” he adds. ”I’d take up Pine Martin and get the lift going at NW. You get to the top, it’s a bluebird day and the mountain’s not open yet. I’d stand and look and there’s no tracks down and you know you have total freedom. You can go left through the trees or take a right through the bowl.”

“Look at like that BBC job,” DeWilde continues. “It could have been totally different. Same thing with 10 Barrel, could have been totally different if I took a left turn here or a right turn there. … That’s why I love, love, love this job.”

One of the upsides to these past few months? With so much transformation taking place, people are pausing to relish small moments, enjoy beauty, and blend new and old memories. This extends into many areas of life: family, events, work, school, and even purchasing jewelry.

These trends are emerging at Saxon’s Fine Jewelers (Saxon’s). Shoppers are approaching their jewelry with extra care and sentiment, are increasingly interested in supporting socially conscious brands and are shopping earlier than ever before.

Saxon’s Kati Magana notes that customers want to commemorate memories in a new way and want to treasure the big and small moments. This happens in a variety of creative and sentimental ways.

Stacking, the practice of adding new rings or bracelets to ones currently being worn, has surged in popularity. Wearing multiple rings featuring birthstones of their children, or memorializing milestones in their lives, blends cherished memories with newer ones in a beautiful way.

The desire on choosing a piece that could become a family heirloom is greater than in previous years. Magana notes that many who visit Saxon’s are taking extra time and care to choose special pieces for family.

“This year, the focus has really shifted to embracing family and memories. The jewelry represents the emotions it symbolizes and the celebration of the beautiful things that have come from this year,” says Magana.

Along these same lines, she has noticed an increased desire for the creation stories behind the jewelry being purchased. “We work with a woman-owned line (Armenta Jewelry) that employs women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Their story and corporate mission really resonates as people are wanting their purchases to have a positive impact in the world,” says Magana.

Saxon’s has always partnered with a variety of socially and environmentally minded jewelry lines, and they are finding increased interest in these businesses this holiday season. “We love sharing the stories behind these businesses,” she says. “When added to the emotion and beauty of the jewelry, it creates an even deeper connection to the piece.”

JEWELRY TRENDS

Stacking
Wearing multiple rings, bracelets and necklaces to create a visual story.

Mixing Metals
An eye-catching blend of yellow gold, rose gold and platinum, or gun metal silver with black.

Bracelets
Wrist adornments of all finishes, styles and colors.

Yellow Gold
Delicate chains as necklaces or bracelets with pendants or stones.

Ease
Saxon’s will keep and maintain your personal wish list. They also wrap (have you seen their signature ‘cupcake’ style bows?!) and provide easy pickup at the door, as needed. Saxon’s ships around the world and offers tax-free shopping.

Visit Saxon’s website for easy online purchasing

Poets talk about “spots of time,” but it is really fishermen who experience eternity compressed into a moment. No one can tell what a spot of time is until suddenly the whole world is a fish and the fish is gone. — Norman Maclean, “A River Runs Through It”

Make no mistake about it, everything you read about fly fishing being a transcendent experience is true. The way you fade into nature, the chess match with the river and the fish, the complete stoppage of time, it’s all real.

But that oneness with you and the rod doesn’t just happen overnight.

Confluence Fly Shop, owned and operated by Bend’s Tye Krueger, thankfully offers multiple events January through March for just about every level of fisherman. Confluence’s classes are especially beneficial to beginners, though. Novice anglers can sign up for sessions on fly tying, casting, aquatic entomology, and even a special “Fly Tying 101” class designed specifically to get folks new to the sport on the water and casting as soon as possible.

“For people interested in the sport of fly fishing, (Fly Fishing 101) is the single best way to get launched in the right direction,” Krueger says. “This 2-hour class makes a great gift for anyone seeking an introduction to some of the most fundamental skills inherent to success on the water and getting started in the sport of fly fishing.”
Krueger also hosts free Saturday clinics during the first three months of the year on spey casting, a two-handed casting technique developed in Scotland in the 1800s.
“This event is a must for anyone shopping for a new rod or fly-line, people hoping to fine-tune their casting, or just anyone who likes to hang out with like-minded two-handed rod junkies,” Krueger says.

Confluence’s classes run right until the opening of the Lower Deschutes River, which is typically the beginning of April. Look for more info on Confluence’s Trout Season Opener celebration on our website. In years past, Confluence has gone all out on opening weekend, hosting demos, raffles, a barbeque, free beer, big discounts, and more.

Confluence Fly Shop’ upcoming classes and workshops

Saturdays are for Spey
Held the first Saturdays of January, February and March, this free class meets from 8-9:30 a.m. at Farewell Bend Park for on-the-water spey casting lessons. Boots and waders suggested.

Beginning Fly Tying
With four, 2-hour classes over the course of four weeks, you’ll learn the basics of fly tying before the spring trout season. Class sessions are offered in January, February and March and cost $80 a student. Vise, tools and fly materials are all included.
Intermediate Fly Tying: Take your fly tying to the next level with this intermediate class, typically offered in March. The $80 session fee includes four, 2-hour classes and all materials.

Aquatic Entomology
Understanding the biology behind what trout eat is critical to elevating your fly fishing game. This $40 class introduces students to the river insects which our local trout focus on and how to stock your fly box with the most productive patterns to imitate them. Class meets at the shop for one session followed by a quick trip to the river for live bug identification.

Private 1 ½ hour Casting Lessons
Learn from the experts on how to be the most effective caster. These lessons are offered year-round and are $65 for one student or $95 for two.

For more information or to sign up for an event, contact Confluence Fly Shop at 541-678-5633.