By Erin Flesch, NEAT contributor

Living in the beautiful, wine soaked Willamette Valley, you needn’t travel far to have a relaxing, world class vacation. This Memorial Day weekend, get away while staying close by and head to the heart of Oregon wine country for the 20th annual Memorial Day in Wine Country celebration, held Saturday, May 29 through Monday, May 31.

One of Oregon wine country’s longest running traditions, this three-day event has more than 150 participating local wineries (yes, that number is correct!), many of whom open their doors to the public just once a year for this annual celebration.

From Oregon’s famous Pinot Noirs to the lesser known Pinot Blanc, this is the chance to sample and learn the stories of some seriously amazing wines while enjoying the undeniably scenic and serene Willamette Valley. Be the first to taste a new variety like Marechal Foch, sample rare small batch releases, learn interesting food pairings and get up close and personal with the winemakers and their vineyards.

After a long, relaxing day of wine tasting in rustic barnyards, strolling through vineyards and touring state-of-the-art wineries, you will undoubtedly need a nice place to crash (so as not to literally crash). We are big fans of McMinnville’s charming McMenamins Hotel Oregon for its low cost lodging (just $50 to $65 for Queen European rooms) and its super-cool rooftop bar, voted one of the Top Ten best rooftop bars on the West Coast by Sunset magazine. (P.S., Hotel Oregon is also at the center of the action for this weekend’s McMinnville UFO Festival if you want to space out in wine country, like, right now!)

Drinking and not eating don’t mix, so you’ll want to be sure that you’re putting a lot more than just delicious vino in your body, too. Many wineries offer some food, but if you’re looking for something a little more substantial, we recommend Farm to Fork at the Inn at Red Hills in Dundee, Ore. Both a gourmet market and fine dining restaurant, you have the choice of bringing their farm-fresh, locally sourced meals back home with you or enjoying them in house. You can also book one of the Inn’s posh rooms for about $250 and stick around a while.

While you’re in wine country, also check out Tina’s restaurant in Dundee, which will redefine your notion of small town cuisine. The roadside stop is deceptively plain on the outside, yet every food lover’s dream on the inside. And try to drop by The Allison Inn and Spa in Newberg if you have time for some posh pampering in a gorgeous setting over the weekend.

There are few things in life that a glass of perfectly corked vintage can’t cure, so let’s all thank our lucky stars we live so close to so much beauty and so many excellent wineries. So many, in fact, that you should visit oregonwinecountry.org and plow through all the great travel, lodging and dining tips before you go. Who knew you can actually tour wine country on horseback? So neat! Wait, is it legal to drink and drive a horse?

This is an especially great year to check out Oregon wine country because the Willamette Valley Wineries Association has teamed up with Portland’s EcoTrust organization and almost 50 wineries will donate proceeds from Memorial Day in Wine Country to the Farm to School program, which helps get healthy food into kids’ lunchrooms. So it would appear, once again, you are drinking for the children. Cheers!

McMenamins Hotel Oregon
310 N.E. Evans St., McMinnville; 503-472-8427
www.mcmenamins.com

Farm to Fork + The Inn at Red Hills
1410 N. Hwy 99W, Dundee, Ore.; 503-538-7970
www.innatredhills.com

Tina’s Restaurant
760 Hwy 99W, Dundee, Ore.; 503-538-8880
www.tinasdundee.com

The Allison Inn + Spa
525 Allison Lane, Newberg; 503-554-2525
www.theallison.com

If you like what you see on The Neat Sheet, please consider becoming our Facebook Fan, following us on Twitter and/or linking to us from your site. We need your help to spread the word!

Share on Facebook

Feel like spacing out in style this weekend? Fashion is all about fantasy, of course, and that makes the McMinnville 11th Annual UFO Festival a perfect weekend getaway or day trip for stylish Portlanders who want to keep it weird while still looking good.

The mothership lands in McMinnville, Ore., this weekend, taking over this picturesque little town about an hour southwest of Portland all day Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15. Aliens in colorful costumes will invade McMenamins Hotel Oregon and the surrounding streets for a roster of events that includes an alien parade, UFO expert speakers, an alien pet costume contest, live music and more.

But why McMinnville, you ask? Because way back on Thursday, May 11, 1950, at a farmhouse just outside of McMinnville, a gal named Evelyn Trent spotted a large, metallic looking, disc-shaped object hovering in the sky while she was feeding her chickens. She and her husband, Paul, ran for the camera and nabbed two snapshots that are considered among the most credible UFO images to date. (You know, among folks who keep track of that sort of thing.) And furthermore, the Northwest is home to quite a few more historically significant UFO sightings, too. (You know, among folks who keep track of that sort of thing.)

But whether or not you believe in UFOs or little green men is hardly the point. The point is, you do believe in fashionable fun. And who can resist the opportunity to sip some cool drinks at the McMenamins Hotel Oregon rooftop bar and watch the spectacle unfold? Plus, we’re eager for an excuse to pop into some of McMinnville’s charming antique stores, book shops, boutiques and wineries, which tromp even the alien headquarters of Roswell, N.M., in terms of otherwordly charm.

You can view the complete weekend event schedule at www.ufofest.com. Grab your silver go-go boots and go-go check it out!

McMinnville 11th Annual UFO Festival
Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15
McMinnville, Ore. (1 hour southwest of Portland off OR-99W)
www.ufofest.com

If you like what you see on The Neat Sheet, please consider becoming our Facebook Fan, following us on Twitter and/or linking to us from your site. We need your help to spread the word so we can keep it up!

Share on Facebook

By Karen Vitt, NEAT editor in chief

Skiers, campers and outdoor lovers flock to Mt. Hood year-round for outdoor fun, but these days the mountain is attracting a new kind of recreational visitor: The spa set.

The 5,000 square foot spa at The Resort at the Mountain was remodeled last year, and now offers a stylish space to relax and enjoy monthly spa specials. The entire resort is eco-friendly, in fact, providing guests with environmentally safe bath products, serving organic and sustainable foods, and participating in environmental restoration projects.

For Earth Month, The Spa offers an earthy deal now through Friday, April 30. For just $59 you can relax into an Ancient Cedar Body Polish at a 40 percent discount ($59 instead of the usual $98). In certain circles cedar trees are known for having healing, cleansing and protective  properties, which in this case will be put to work in a full-body exfoliation treatment using essential oils and natural sea salts. The goal is to leave feeling revitalized and with smooth skin, and if you don’t want to leave (why would you?!) you can add in a 50-minute massage for an extra $59.

If you need overnight relaxation (sometimes an afternoon just ain’t enough), you can bundle the spa special into an “Earth Days” room package. Starting at $179 per night, you’ll get overnight accommodations in a spacious (and also recently remodeled) guest room, breakfast for two at Altitude Restaurant, and one 50-minute Ancient Cedar Body Polish at The Spa. Trees, please!

The Spa at The Resort at The Mountain
68010 E. Fairway Ave., Welches, Ore.; 503-622-2270
www.theresort.com

Photo by Karen Vitt. If you like what you see on The Neat Sheet, please consider becoming our Facebook Fan, following us on Twitter and/or linking to us from your site. We need your help to spread the word so we can keep it up!

Share on Facebook

By Erin Flesch, NEAT contributor

You know, spring break is not just for rowdy teens with a penchant for beer bongs and promiscuity. Grownups deserve a shake-off-the-winter-blues vacation as well. Those in search of more sophisticated fun (as in sip, not chug) would be well advised to check out the Savor Cannon Beach Wine and Culinary Festival at Cannon Beach over the weekend of Friday March 12 through Sunday, March 14.

Oregon’s go-to “charming coastal town,” situated a mere 70 miles from Portland, has a varied and surprisingly cutting-edge gastronomic scene, sure to impress even the most discerning of PDX foodies in search of a good time (and some good wine). This is the first year of the Savor Festival, although Cannon Beach has hosted much smaller “wine walks” in years past.

Chef Bob Neroni, owner of the esteemed EVOO Cooking School in Cannon Beach, is happy the city is gaining notoriety for its bourgeoning food scene. Neroni, a former New Yorker, says “We see lots more interest in raising the food bar. Our casual dining here has always been noteworthy, and we think fine dining can compete very well with other food towns – even our close neighbor, Portland.” Sounds to us like a throwdown in the works.

The EVOO School is one of many fine local restaurants hosting a winemaker’s dinner for the festival on both Friday and Saturday nights. One of the festival’s main events is the wine walk on Saturday, March 13 (registration for the wine tour begins at the Coaster Theatre at 2 p.m.). Participants can indulge their inner aficionado for $25, which gets you a wine tasting map and a wine glass that can be filled and refilled at more than 20 local shops featuring Northwest wineries.

Presented by the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce, all proceeds from the festival will benefit the Cannon Beach Children’s Center. That’s right, you’re drinking for the children.

Throughout Cannon Beach, hotels, restaurants, galleries and shops will all be offering special deals for the festival. In preparation, we took a quick trip to the sea to see what we could find.

Stay:

The Ocean Lodge – One of the most posh setups on the Oregon Coast, find gorgeous oceanfront views (like, you’re literally on the beach), and amazing two-person whirlpool tubs in 1940’s resort style rooms that are also pet-friendly. The rooms also feature flat screen TVs and electric fireplaces. The lodge is offering special package deals for the Savor Festival, starting at $349 per night – which includes two tickets to the hotel’s Friday night wine tasting and two tickets to the Children’s Center Wine Tour on Saturday (ticket value is $120 – so that’s a great deal for a luxury getaway). The Ocean Lodge, 2864 South Pacific Street; 503-436-2241. www.theoceanlodge.com

Hidden Villa Cottages – Located in midtown Cannon Beach, these quaint cottages feel homey, not hotel-y, and put you within easy walking distance to restaurants, shops, and gallerys – that’s pretty important during a wine-tasting festival, right? As the only stand-alone motel style cottages in town, each unit has a full kitchen and lots of privacy, making this a perfect choice if you’re considering an extended stay – like a week’s worth of spring break, for example. Hidden Villa Cottages, 188 East Van Buren St.; 503-436-2237. www.hiddenvillacottages.com

Inn at Cannon Beach – This low-key inn is tucked inside a pretty landscaped garden setting just one block from the beach, and offers a welcoming family environment – warm cookies and sand buckets for the kids, pet baskets for the fur-friendly rooms, and fireplaces and tasteful decor for the grown ups. Starting Sunday, March 7, The Inn will kick off its spring break rates starting at just $99 per night. The Inn at Cannon Beach, 3215 S. Hemlock St.; 503-436-9085. www.atcannonbeach.com

Eat:

EVOO Cannon Beach Cooking School – Stop by for an artisan bread making class or for a dinner of Peruvian duck with warmed wheat noodles, or perhaps pan seared halibut with Dungeness crab and garlic aioli (right). Either way you’ll leave a happier and more educated person. Be prepared though, this downtown gem fills up fast on the weekend and is a favorite among locals and visitors alike for their unique culinary style and hands-on approach to dining. They’ve also got a stellar retail section filled with gourmet foods, wine and handmade tablewear from local artists. EVOO Cannon Beach Cooking School, 188 South Hemlock St.; 503-436-8555. www.evoo.biz

Newmans at 988 – When you think of the coast, you may not think of classic French and Italian cuisine, but that’s exactly what you’ll find at Newmans, tucked away in a small yellow house toward the south end of town. Chef and owner John Newman elevates costal eating to new heights with his foie gras pasta with black truffles (only $16!). The elegant menu is small but outstanding, featuring the best Oregon and Northwest ingredients, served in a low-lit cottage setting just made for romance.
Newmans at 988, 988 South Hemlock St.; 503-436-1151. www.newmansat988.com

Ecola Seafood Restaurant and Market – This is where you go when you want your seafood fresh as can be and not too spendy. The atmosphere is all business: picnic tables, Oprah on TV and kids running around, but the food is pure Oregon goodness. Grab a fresh crab cocktail for a mere $6.99 or a mouth wateringly good clam chowder for $3.99. The prices can’t be beat and the food can’t either. Ecola Seafood Restaurant and Market, 208 North Spruce St.; 503-436-9130. www.ecolaseafoods.com

Shop:

The Butler Did It – Cannon Beach is packed with so much unique shopping and gorgeous galleries there are just too many stand-outs to list. But we did find a few faves worth mentioning. This cheekily-named antique shop is filled with treasures you just can’t find in picked-over Portland. Johnny Cash plays on repeat and you can find old skeleton keys for $5 bucks a pop. The shop is tiny but impossible to leave once you start browsing. The Butler Did It, 124 North Hemlock St.; 503-436-259.

The Wine Shack – Right next door to The Butler Did It, the wine shack offers up the best wine selection on the Oregon Coast. Opened in 1977 by Dean and Pat Reiman, the well-known shack offers small, hard-to-find wines from high quality producers – many from Oregon, but also from national and international wineries. The shack hosts wine tastings every Saturday afternoon, including during the Savor Festival, and if you’re looking for a souvenir to take home, snatch up a bottle of of the Puffin Brand Columbia Valley Red Wine. The shop’s proprietary blend of wines from Oregon and Washington – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Francfor –  is just $21, and they donate a percentage of the proceeds to Friends of Haystack Rock. Plus, how cute is the packaging (right)?! The Wine Shack, 124 N. Hemlock St.; 503-436-1100. www.beachwine.com

Dena’s Shop on the Corner – It used to be you couldn’t shop for clothing and accessories other than baggy sweats and flip-flops at the Oregon Coast – oh, and also tie-dyed T-shirts and jewelry made from bits of broken shells. But Dena Draxton changed all that when she first opened her fashion-forward boutique in 1999, and since then her shop’s stash gets more and more sophisticated every year. If you’re a gal after The Neat Sheet’s heart (ie, you want to shop even while you’re on vacation) stop in and see what’s new for spring. We found contemporary jeans, tops, jackets, shoes, boots and lingerie from brands including Hudson, Johnny Was, Three Dots, Honeydew and many more. Dena’s Shop on the Corner, 123 S. Hemlock St.; 503-436-1275. www.denasshop.com

Savor Cannon Beach Wine & Culinary Festival
Friday March 12 through Sunday, March 14
Find more info. at the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce Web site

Photos this page by Karen Vitt and courtesy of  local Cannon Beach shops and services mentioned in this article. Top photo of Haystack Rock on Cannon Beach was taken from a beachside room at Ocean Lodge.

Share on Facebook

There’s something about facing a new year that can make a gal feel restless and eager to shake things up. With 2010 looming and plenty of us either unemployed or just itching to get involved in something meaningful, Habitat For Humanity’s upcoming Global Village Trips to Borneo might be the perfect New Year’s resolution.

More exotic and purposeful than your typical winter cruise ship escape, these tropical trips offer a chance to join a group of like-minded, adventurous people and see a new part of the world, while helping improve the lives of others. Upcoming volunteer trips are planned to Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Latin American, the Caribbean and more, but we got hooked on Malaysia after speaking with Portland-based trip leader Colleen Kaleda.

“I can’t think of a better way to kick off a new year than to do something like this,” said Kaleda, who has lead past trips to India, Bolivia, New Zealand, Guatemala and Thailand. ”Voluntering puts our perspective on life into a much-needed space, thinking about others, and what we can do to help. What better resolution for the New Year? Plus, tropical Borneo is going to be a lot warmer – in the 80s – than Portland in winter!”

Trip participants (who are put up in a modern, local hotel with air conditioning) will spend two weeks helping build a home for a family in Kuching, the capital of the Malaysian region of Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. Throughout the work weeks you’ll have time to experience the culture, touring markets, museums, churches and historical sites.

Regional highlights include vibrant Kuching “City of Cats” (meow!); Bako National Park, the tropical rainforest home of long-nosed proboscis monkeys; and beautiful beaches with spa resorts. You could even extend your visit and reward yourself post-build with a relaxing stay at Damai Beach Resort on the South China Sea.

Kaleda says no special experience is required to volunteer – just a commitment to charitable work and a good attitude. “Oh, and a willingness to get dirty – at least for part of the day.”

Habitat For Humanity
Global Village Trip: Kuching, Malaysia (Borneo)
Saturday, Feb. 20 to Saturday, March 6, 2010
Visit the Global Village Work Trip page for details and costs

Share on Facebook

What fashion bliss! Mushing through the snow on a crisp winter day, bundled up in a posh outfit and pulled by a team of perky pups. Listen up, ladies, this doesn’t just happen in an Hermes ad – you can do this yourself on Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor for about $75. We’d probably advise leaving your bazillion dollar orange alligator handbag and puppy at home. And maybe not wear high heels? But the rest of it is totally do-able.

Jerry Scdoris and his daughter, professional dog sled racer Rachael Scdoris, own and operate the Trail of Dreams dog sled rides at Mt. Bachelor all winter (snow permitting). Rachael has raced some of these very dogs in the Alaska Iditarod races, so you’ll be pulled by pups as profesh as they are cute.

Don’t worry about being cold or uncomfortable – they provide warm blankets to snuggle beneath while the sleigh glides smoothly through powder. And not to worry about the pups’ comfort, either. Trust us, they love it. They woop and prance and dig their noses happily into the snow, eager to get going if you make ‘em wait.

This is a new favorite winter pastime, and frankly it’s a lot easier to enjoy the brisk (and sometimes wet or blizzardish) outdoors while sitting pretty and playing with puppies than it is trying to master a snowboard halfpipe. Plus, you can make a whole romantic and/or adventurous Bend winter weekend out of it!

Check in somewhere cozy, like Pine Ridge Inn (left) where some rooms have fireplaces and whirlpool tubs for two. The Inn does some extreme decking of the halls during the holidays, so you feel like you’re staying at someone’s private mansion overlooking the snowy Deschutes River.

Cuddle up by the fire, browse Bend boutiques for holiday gifts (antiques, designer handbags, wine, you name it) and take an exhilarating dogsled ride with Trail of Dreams. Best winter winter weekend of your life!

p.s., They should have named it “Tail of Dreams,” right?

Trail of Dreams dogsled rides
One-hour: children $30, adults $75
Five hour: 52-mile half-day runs + lunch, $450 per couple
Sunrise Lodge at Mt. Bachelor, 1-800-892-2442
Directions: From Bend, Ore., take Century Drive 18 miles to Sunrise Lodge
www.mtbachelor.com

Pine Ridge Inn
Rates starting at $129/night
1200 S.W. Century Dr., Bend, Ore.; 1-800-600-4095
www.pineridgeinn.com

Share on Facebook

Holiday travel and shopping season is here, and there’s almost nothing better than combining the two. If you have peeps visiting Portland, or if you want to make a sweet shopping mini-getaway yourself, check out these designer deals when you check in to The Westin Portland hotel between Monday, Nov. 23 and Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010.

Situated smack-dab in downtown Portland’s tax-free shopping district and within walking distance to some of the city’s best shops and restaurants, The Westin is offering a $159 shopping package that includes glamorous accommodations and late 4 p.m. check-out, a shopping survival kit, a post-shopping martini, complimentary gift wrap and a shopping card with deals and discounts at all these cool stores and restaurants: 

-Mabel & Zora: 15% off one item
-Mercantile: $50 off a $200 purchase
-Powell’s Books: $5 off a $25 purchase
-Bluehour: Free appetizer w/two entrées
-Saucebox: Free appetizer w/two entrées
-50 Plates: Buy one lunch, get one free
-Sole: $10 off a $50 purchase
-Cargo: 15% off total purchase
-Moulé: 15% off total purchase
-Narcisse: 20% off total purchase
-Carl Greve Jewelers: $250 off a $1000 purchase
-Mario’s: 15% off total purchase (10% off jewelry)

Talk about a boutique hotel – literally! p.s., We think it’s safe to say your pesky mother in law won’t be staying at your house this year. 

The Westin Portland
750 S.W. Alder St.; 503-294-9000 or 866-716-8126
www.westin.com/portland
To book online, use the rate code: SHOPPKG1

Share on Facebook