I blogged the other day about the BendNights.com Two Year Spectacular—the big party they're having at the Les Schwab Amphitheater on September 8th (next week!). Looks like they're looking for volunteers for it, too, according to this craigslist post:

In need of volunteers in all capacities for BendNights.com spectacular at Les Schwab Amphitheater Saturday September 8th....

Must be at least 17 years old.

I'm not sure what they'd be looking for volunteers to do, exactly, but I'd be willing to bet there'd be some perks for those involved.

You can read the general introduction to this series here.

Why the Eastside Rocks #5:

Diners

This might come as a shock to some, but the fact is that Bend still has cheap places to eat that are unpretentious, casual, and colorful slices of classic Americana. These are the places that offer homestyle, down-to-earth comfort food more in tune with giving you a good hearty meal for your money than worrying about how it's presented and what $12 glass of wine best accompanies it.

Places like Black Bear Diner, Jake's Diner, Sargent's Café, Palmer's Café, The Breakfast Club, and even Shari's and Denny's. These are the places you go when you want those biscuits and gravy with a side of greasy sausage for breakfast, or a giant chicken-fried steak and coleslaw for dinner. And the best places for this—maybe the only places left in Bend—all live on the Eastside.

(Okay, I'll grant you that the Shari's locations should probably be classified as north side and south side rather than east... but I figure if you're going to point to Denny's then you have to point to Shari's and I'll make the exception.)

(Image courtesy of raindog808: Flickr, CC)

I received the September schedule of events for Thump Coffee today. I've been down there a few times the past couple of weeks, and I'm liking it quite a bit.

Read the full September schedule

You can read the general introduction to this series here.

Why the Eastside Rocks #4:

Costco

There's nothing like bulk goods at warehouse prices... from appliances to office supplies to clothing to food, food, food... anyone who's serious about saving money has a Costco membership.

There's really no comparison to anywhere else. Need a gallon of yellow mustard? 8 pounds of frozen burritos? 3,000 multivitamins? Costco's the answer.

Seriously, though, Costco is great, especially if you have a family and you're buying in bulk already. But it's not just about food—don't forget they also have a pharmacy (which is usually cheaper than the others in town), a vision and optical center (with an optician on staff), a tire service center, and a food court with some amazingly cheap meals ($1.50 on average). It is totally worth an annual membership fee.

A drawback? You often can't get out of there for under $100.

Reviewing an Oktoberfest beer on my beer blog the other day put me in the Oktoberfest mood, so I had to look up when the Bend version of the festival is this year. The 3rd annual Bend Oktoberfest is a month away, coming up on Saturday, September 29th.

It starts at noon and costs $5. It runs until 10pm, and kids are only allowed until 6pm. Same as last year, it'll occupy Oregon Avenue downtown, between Bond and Wall. Other highlights they list:

• Seasonal Beers from local breweries
• Oktoberfest Girls Competition
• Live Bavarian Music
• Traditional German food
• Beer Stein Challenge
• Hammerschlagen Contests
• Puppet Shows, Face Painting & a Kinderland area for the kids

 I'm already checking my calendar...

BendNights.com is two years old, and they're celebrating with style:

It's time to celebrate BendNights.com's two year anniversary as Central Oregon's media leader in nightlife information and event production/promotion. And, we're doing it big! Clearwire Wireless Broadband presents The BendNights.com Two year Spectacular; a night of music, comedy, drink, and food, all at Oregon's favorite event venue, The Les Schwab Amphitheater. Todd Bridges from "Diff'rent Strokes" and "Everybody Hates Chris" hosts the show all night with music from Alex Duncan, Stay Tuned, and Afantomlym. Plus, there's comedy from national headliner Morgan Preston and feature comic Joe Fontenot. You won't want to miss the special surprises we have planned. This will be an event unlike any Bend has seen before. Here's the best part... As a thank you to all of our visitors, this show is completely free! And don't forget to join us at the afterparty at the Old Mill Martini Bar. It's going to be a huge night. Mark it on your calendar, we'll see you there.

(Emphasis added.) I've been increasingly impressed with what BendNights.com is doing, and this show sounds good; there's a nice lineup of food, drinks, and entertainment.

It's happening Saturday, September 8th, starting at 5pm. And it's free!

You can read the general introduction to this series here.

Why the Eastside Rocks #3:

The Best Burgers in Town

Any way you slice it, most everybody considers the Pilot Butte Drive-In to have the best hamburger in town, hands down. And for those (few) that disagree, they usually point to Dandy's Drive-In instead—which is also on the Eastside. Check out the Bend Oregon Restaurants review for a good read on Dandy's.

Quite simply—if you want the best burger in town, you're going to have to come East.

This article in today's Bulletin reveals that long-time (22 years!) downtown restaurant Giuseppe's is closing September 8th, to be reopened later in the month under the name "Bistro Pow."

Pow is short for powder. Both [Peggy] Falcaro and [Mark] May are avid skiers, and aspects of the decor and menu will reflect that. “Photographs of different people’s passions” will decorate the restaurant, Falcaro said. The pictures will change four times a year, as will the menu, which will feature an eclectic mix of seasonal foods.

An opening fall menu lists lighter and larger entrees, like rack of lamb with goat cheese gnocchi, spinach and an herb jus for $32, a chilled cucumber and walnut soup with smoked salmon and mint for $7, and a truffled chicken roulade Caesar salad with a Parmesan crisp for $9.

The owner cites downtown's competitive restaurant business and rising rent costs for the change; I'm sure having Staccato around the corner didn't help as far as Italian restaurants go. Good grief, downtown is really going through some turnover on the dining, though. What's up with that? The Grove, Hans, Super Burrito, Kuishinbo Kitchen and the others on the Minnesota block, and now Giuseppe's... jeez.

But I like(d) Giuseppe's... I haven't eaten there in awhile, but I liked it the times we've been, and it always seemed to me to have an "old school" Italian feel to it which was appealing. Plus, they have a full bar and Goomba's, their lounge, is accessed via Tin Pan Alley... how cool is that?

At least they're keeping the location, and not going out of business entirely.

And, check this out... they have a YouTube video online, produced by BendNights.com. That's cool! I didn't know BN was doing that; check out their other videos here.

Local filmmakers Rage Films has the world premiere of their latest film, "Enjoy", showing at the Tower Theatre on Saturday, September 8th.

Be the first to see Rage's new ski film "Enjoy." Come check it out on Saturday Sept. 8th at the lovely Tower Theater in downtown Bend.

Meet the athletes starring in the film and cheer for them with the loud and excited audience and get your hands on the thousands of dollars worth of product giveaways.

There are three shows: 5pm, 7pm and 9pm. Make sure you get your tickets early as shows have sold out the past few years. You can get advance tickets at Skjersaa's in Bend or at the box office the day of the show.

No word on tickets prices yet, and the 9pm showing is for 21 and older only, from what I understand. I also have some additional details on "Enjoy"-related happenings:

• Prefunk at JC's
• Pro Autograph Signings
• Free Product Giveaways
• After Party @ The Domino Room 10pm w/ DJ Barisone, Cloaked Characters and Guests

You can read the general introduction to this series here.

Why the Eastside Rocks #2:

Juniper Park & Pool

The 22-acre Juniper Park surrounds the Juniper Swim & Fitness Center, bounded by 5th and 8th streets and nestled in between Irving and Franklin Avenues. The park itself offers a baseball field, a kids' playground, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, a mile of walking trail, picnic facilities, and plenty of space.

The Pool is recently expanded and offers state-of-the-art facilities at their fitness center besides swimming; I posted a review from Shannon here last December. In addition to the two indoor pools (one regular, one kiddie pool), they also have an outdoor Olympic-sized pool, and a new outdoor activity pool—waterslide and all.

It's also one of the oldest parks in Bend and is well-established and popular. Now, there's no arguing that the Westside has some great parks, particularly along the river, but for casual family fun, and for lots of space, Juniper Park is right at the top of my list.

Plus, the public pools! Where else in Bend are you going to go for your swimming fix?

(Image courtesy of Bend Parks & Rec.)

Coming up in a few weeks is the Bend Roots Music Festival; this is the free festival taking place on the west side at Parrilla Grill and The Victorian Café (at Galveston and 14th) and is organized by the Bend Roots organization.

It's taking place September 14th through 16th (Friday through Sunday).

In a workshop environment the Bend Roots Music Festival blurs the lines between festivarian and performer. This year there will be workshop/performances in the areas of hand drumming and belly dance, songwriting, jazz performance (guitar, upright bass and drumset), and bluegrass pickin'; as well as a kids music workshop, hula hoop instruction and morning yoga sessions.

The intent of the Bend Roots Music Festival is to celebrate our local performing arts community and bring awareness to the Bend Roots Revival Project. The festival is free and open to the public.

They're packing quite a bit into the schedule for the weekend, plus it looks like there are three main venues: the Parrilla Stage, the Victorian Mainstage, and the Fireside Stage at the Vic. Plus, a DJ at the Vic on Friday and Saturday nights.

A couple of weeks ago the Bulletin ran a Sunday "Perspective" article on the Westside versus the Eastside, covering the disparities between the two and really digging into some interesting demographics and specifics. I thought it was a pretty good article, actually (behind their paywall, though, so you can't read it online), and it inspired this "series" of posts.

Seems like everyone has a ready answer as to why the Westside is cool/better/the place to be, but no one has really stepped up to answer for the Eastside. I happen to live on the Eastside, so why not me? (Plus, you know, the blog thing.)

So... Why the Eastside Rocks, reason #1:

Pilot Butte

You can forget your Awbrey Butte, Pilot Butte is way cooler: not only do you not have houses cluttering it up, but it's an extinct volcano—which makes Bend only one of a very few cities in the entire United States to have a volcano within its city limits. (Portland is another.)

Let's not forget that it's a State Park (technically, a State Scenic Viewpoint) with some amazing views of the Bend area and the Cascade Mountains—all for no charge. You can drive to the summit or hike it along one of the several trails that wind their way around the Butte. And hiking the Butte is quite the popular activity!

Plus, each Fourth of July, the official fireworks show is conducted from the top of the Butte... and watching the resulting fire is just as much an event as the fireworks themselves.

Finally, in my opinion it is the defining geographical feature of Bend. It's visible from miles away and has an unmistakably distinct shape. It's an imposing presence from pretty much anywhere on the Eastside, and, well, it just wouldn't be Bend without it.

(Image courtesy of USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory.)

I saw the headline in the Bulletin about Kuishinbo Kitchen moving to the Westside, but I hadn't yet read the article, so didn't see the fine print: Kuishinbo took over the space that was formerly Zucca (and formerly Mercury Diner).

So a mere six months after Zucca replaced Mercury Diner, it's closed. The paper gives the reason:

Neal Kramer co-owned Zucca and Mercury Diner. He sold the business in order to concentrate on raising his 20-month-old daughter, although he will continue his catering business, Chowhound Concepts Catering LLC.

“My priorities have changed,” Kramer said. “It will be nice to step away and do the catering … it’s more conducive to family life.”

It's good to see Kuishinbo Kitchen land on its feet though... they were one of the restaurants (along with Super Burrito) forced out of their Minnesota location.

My wife tried going to Food 4 Less and found it closed; the sign on the door said it was closed while the store was remodeled. No word on when they'll be open again, but at least they're not closed for good—I like Food 4 Less!

I wonder if the remodel is an answer to the Trader Joe's that is supposed to open up right next to them next year?

I never read the Sports section of the Bulletin (or any paper) but the article about the SCA in it today caught my eye. SCA stands for "Society for Creative Anachronism" and is essentially "an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe."

Anyway, the Bulletin article messed up the URL for the local chapter of the SCA; the proper format is www.corvaria.antir.sca.org. (They threw at @ sign in there, making it look like some weird hybrid.)

The article was about the local SCA chapter's gathering in Culver over this past weekend, something I totally would have blogged about if I'd known. And no, I wouldn't have been snarky about it; I happen to like the concept, overall. (Yeah, geeky. So what?) (Although the lead photo the Bulletin ran with that article would make it really easy to be snarky, if I wanted... good grief Bulletin, what were you thinking?)

This doesn't really have anything to do with anything, but I thought it was fun: on Google Maps, there's a plane captured in one of the aerial views of Bend. Check it out.

No, I can't claim credit for finding this... it's actually marked in the "Community" features in Google Earth. Apparently there are people who have the kind of time it takes to pore over these images with a fine-toothed comb and find just this sort of thing...

Yes, to the person who contacted me, Korn is coming to the Les Schwab Amphitheater on September 23rd. You can see the Ticketmaster details here; there's nothing on the Amphitheater site or the Korn site about it yet. Looks like tickets aren't on sale yet, but will be going on sale Saturday, August 25th, at 10am, and will cost $43.

The Bend Brew Fest starts today, August 17th, from 4pm til 11pm, and continues Saturday from noon til 11pm. It's at the Les Schwab Amphitheather. Entry is free, but you'll need to pony up for beer and food:

A $5 one-time purchase of a 2007 souvenir mug is required for tasting. Mugs from previous years will not be filled. Tasting tokens are required for beer purchase. Tokens cost $1 per - sold in packets of five - and equals a four ounce taste.

A variety of food is available from outstanding local vendors. Cash is required for food purchase. There is an ATM on site.

The pricing in and of itself is pretty standard—the Oregon Brewers Festival charges $4 for the mug—but you have to buy tokens in packs of 5? Seriously? No offense to the organizers, but that's lame, they should absolutely let people buy single tokens if that's how they want them (or if they need an odd number not divisible by 5...6? 7? 3?).

Kids can attend, with a caveat:

ALL AGES are welcome until 7pm each night with a parent or guardian in attendance. Parent/guardian is required to sign a pledge acknowledging the responsibility of preventing children from consuming alcohol and the penalties for the parent and child.

They've got a really impressive lineup of beers available, too. The Source has an "official guide" insert in this week's issue with the music and beer lineup (which is online, too, but the internet isn't as practical when you're actually there). They also have an article online about it.

Sadly, I won't be in town this weekend to go. It's a camping weekend for me that I can't change. Too bad too! This was an event I'd really like to go to again someday.

Send me your reviews of the Fest—I'll publish 'em here.

Well, Munch and Music is winding down—the last day is tomorrow—and on Friday, Munch and Movies starts. This takes place in both Bend and Redmond: McKay Park in Bend, and Sam Johnson Park in Redmond, and runs every Friday from the 17th until September 7th for Bend and every Saturday from the 18th until September 8th for Redmond.

And, it's free!

They don't post the movie schedule on the website, though, so here it is:

Bend:

• August 17th: "Talladega Knights"
• August 24th: "Happy Feet"
• August 31st: "Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest"
• September 7th: "King Kong"

Redmond:

• August 18th: "Night at the Museum"
• August 25th: "Cars"
• September 1st: "Spiderman 2"
• September 8th: "Harry Potter: Goblet of Fire"

Music and vendors open up at 6:30pm and the movies start at dusk.

I got this email from the folks at Jokers Bar & Grill:

Come To Jokers ONE YEAR Anniversary Party This Saturday!!!

As a Thank you to Central Oregon for supporting JOKERS all year we are bringing in National Touring DJ!!!

And Better Yet...NO COVER ALL NIGHT!!!

We will be having specials all day from noon on!!! Come early and sit on the deck and enjoy a great cocktail!!

This promises to be a huge party so get there early and have yourself a cold beer or cocktail or maybe even a Jello Shot!!

We will also be raffling off Great Stuff all night long!! We have Gallagher Tickets, Ralphie May Tickets, VIP PASSES, Gift Cards and Much more!!

Last but not least...Appetizers will be half off all day and night!!

Cya at JOKERS!!!

Profusion of capitalization and exclamation points aside, has it really been one year already? And, on the flip side of that, has it really only been one year?

Sounds like it's going to be a fun weekend, with both the Brewfest and now this going on. Too bad I'm out of town...

There's currently a fire on Awbrey Butte... looks like it might have started on a construction site and spread... at one point we could see pretty good sized flames the length of it.

Update, 2pm: Fire looks mostly out now, there's still a little bit of smoke but it's much subsided.

News broke in the paper today that Hans is closing. As of August 31st, when their lease is up. It's been a downtown staple for 24 years.

“It’s really a positive change for ourselves,” Weiss-Hoffman said. “The opportunity came up, and we feel it’s a good time to walk away with our heads up high.”

When the Wall Street restaurant’s lease came up this month, Weiss-Hoffman saw it as a sign that it’s time to call it quits. The restaurant’s rent would have increased, but not an unreasonable amount, Weiss-Hoffman said, emphasizing that rent prices didn’t drive her decision.

Her decision to close was based on many factors, she said, including downtown Bend’s increasingly competitive restaurant industry — at least two new restaurants have opened downtown this summer — rising food costs and a tight labor market.

“When it comes to the bottom line, there’s not a whole lot left at the end of the year,” she said. “And every new restaurant takes a little bit out — everybody wants a piece of the pie, but the pie is only so big.”

(I think that last line there is a pretty good summation of how downtown has developed in recent years. Whether that's good or bad, I'll leave up to you.)

This sucks. First Super Burrito, now Hans. I remember way back when Hans was just a bakery, Pastries by Hans. Then it developed into a bakery-and-sandwich place, etc. etc. These days it's one of the better downtown restaurants and lunch spots.

Lyle over at the Jake's Diner blog reports that "Jake's Truck Stop," the movie, will be showing at McMenamins on August 23rd:

It is now official. The movie, "Jake's Truck Stop", will be shown at McMenamins on Thursday, August 23rd at 6PM. The tickets are on sale at Jake's for $5.00 with all of the profits going to a local arts charity (the producer will decide which one).

At this time there is only one showing scheduled but if the tickets sell out, they may decide to show another show. The bulletin will be running a story on it next week sometime. There will be a Q&A session after the show.

Any one with questions can call me at 419-6021.

The movie is a documentary about the last day's of Jake's Truck Stop, and Lyle's efforts to save it. Lyle writes a bit more of the story behind the movie here.

The latest issue of The Source on stands now is their annual Best of Central Oregon issue, and as usual, it's pretty much the definitive "Best Of" guide for the area. (Sadly, I don't see it online.)

The picks range from the (mostly) serious ("Best Public Art", "Best Radio Station") to the irreverent ("Best Place to Spot a Cougar on the Prowl") to the amusing and whimsical ("Best Shortcuts", "Best Place to Play Ms. Pac-Man").

And don't forget the Reader's Choice awards; the Best of Food in particular makes more sense and is more level-headed than other similar lists. I think overall The Source is more representative of Central Oregon than the other pubs around here, and it shows.

So unless they put it online, go pick up the current issue. And give me reasons why some of their picks are wrong. Or not.

Suicide Jane of the Renegade Rollergirls sends along this note:

August 18th. The Renegade Rollergirls; Bend's only non-profit Roller Derby League, will host a roller derby bout against the world famous, Renegade Rollergirls of Arizona. Renegade Rollergirls are the only no holds barred, no rules leagues in the USA. These No Holds Barred Roller Derby events are full of hardcore skating abilities, wipeouts, bumps, bruises and cat fighting fistfights. This event is sponsored by Budweiser, Coca Cola, The Source, 104.1, Brock Sound, and Desert Brawl.

WHEN: August 18, 2007 Doors open at 7 p.m., $10 for general admission, 5 and under are free. Tickets are available at the Renegade Rollergirl retail store located in Midtown Music Hall, Oxygen Tattoo, Riverside Market, or your favorite Renegade Rollergirl. All previous 2006 and 2007 bouts have sold-out, so get your tickets in advance.

There are three free recycling days coming up in the next three months out at Knott Landfill:

• Appliances, Saturday, August 18th
• Tires, Saturday, September 15th
• Computers, Saturday, October 20th

These are definitely good opportunities to get rid of stuff for free, all you have to do is get it there. It's a good deal; I can't speak for appliances or tires, but I know computer recycling costs 30 cents per pound, minimum of $3. If you've got a bunch of that stuff, it adds up quick.

The full announcement/press release can be found here.

This was spotted a couple of days ago on craigslist: Bend blogger needed. Excerpt:

We are a media organization seeking partners for our localized blog roll out this Summer. We are targeting small-mid sized cities in the US.

What you do: This position would require 4 postings per week and editorial control over a blog on Bend and surrounding areas. We are open to specialized blogs or having our editors write their own mission statements, but the general theme is usually news, events, and commentary - pretty wide open.

What you don't have to do: We do not ask, but do allow, our editors to pay for site maintenance, spam control, search engine optimization, marketing the blog, managing ads, fixing bugs, managing site analytics, and other site administrative duties.

Huh. I'm all for more blogs about Bend, but this one sounds kind of weird. They "do not ask, but do allow" their bloggers to pay for spam control, maintenance, and stuff? Does that mean this "media organization" isn't going to do any of that themselves? Wouldn't that be just the same as a person starting their own blog and dealing with that stuff anyway?

So, they start a blog, but: you get all the hassles of running it, they get to keep half the ad revenue, and you get the option to buy it from them after 6 months.

There's such a low barrier to entry on blogging these days that this deal doesn't really seem worth it. I mean, think about it: a domain name will cost you about 9 bucks on GoDaddy.com, and you can start a Blogger site for free (with that domain you just bought), and plug in Google ads of which 100% of the revenue comes to you.

(I guess it's not that much of a mystery to me; a word for this particular deal does come to mind...)

This is a new one to me, but sounds interesting nonetheless: Baby Boot Camp. I found out about it when Mandy, the new owner of the local franchise, wrote:

I wanted to introduce myself as the owner of Baby Boot Camp Central Oregon. I wanted to make sure this program was brought to your attention as your blog grows as a local resource. Baby Boot Camp classes are for both mom and baby and combine strength training drills with cardiovascular intervals. We emphasize core strength and stability and Personalized Fitness throughout the class.

We started classes in July and its been such an honor— not to mention fun-to meet Central Oregon moms and help them discover a program where they can be outside with their baby, meet other mom's and be getting fit at the same time! So far mom's love not having to find a sitter, or put their little one in child care— not to mention the personalized attention that comes with a Baby Boot Camp class.

One additional note is that we're holding our Grand Opening celebration (though classes are already running!) on Saturday, August 11th at 9 am at Big Sky Park. There will be food, goodie bags and a free raffle with prizes from local businesses.

This gist of it is the moms get a workout, the babies don't—though they are integrated because it seems to be a stroller fitness program. And there's the social component, of course.

I could see this becoming pretty popular. A quick look at the site shows a fair number of locations across the US. And it's just the kind of thing that fits in with the whole Central Oregon outdoor lifestyle...

Stanislaw Funk tells me, "the new KOHD anchor Jay Frank was one of the cast members of the Real World London." For those that aren't familiar with "The Real World," it's MTV's "reality" show where they pick 7 people (all aged 18-25 or something) to live together in a decked-out house so they can film the proceedings.

I vaguely remember that season of the show, all of 12(!) years ago back in 1995. All I could definitely tell you, though, is that it took place in London.

Gossipy local "celebrity" news aside, it's good to know KOHD now has an anchor to go along with their new studio; hopefully they'll begin broadcasting soon. And give us something for local TV news besides KTVZ and Fox er, KTVZ.

The Jackalope Grill may be one of the best-kept fine dining secrets in Central Oregon, largely because they're unobtrusively located in Scandia Plaza, the stripmall-looking small shopping center at the corner of Reed Market and Third Street. Embarrassingly, I've never eaten there... even though I've known about it for years and have heard nothing but good things about it from everyone who has.

For a good example, check out the Bend Restaurants Blog review. Best steak in town, according to him. Everything else was good, too.

Expect fine dining prices (upper 20s for most entrees), but nothing outrageous. Reservations are probably a good idea.

So I need to make it a point to go sometime. Plus, I received a note and their latest press release via email, which prompted this post and which I'm running.

Read the press release

I didn't know about this until I saw it in The Source today: writer Ursula Le Guin will be in Sisters Monday (the 6th), doing a reading and book signing from her latest book, Incredible Good Fortune. The Source's article is an interview with Le Guin.

the Source: What advice can you give to beginning writers?

ULG: Learning to write is no different from learning to play the tuba or paint or dance or any other art or craft. You learn it by doing it. If you don’t stick with it you won’t know how to do it very well. At some point you make the decision: this is worth sticking with, or it isn’t. For some of us, the decision is easy, even if the work is very slow and hard, because doing it is so rewarding in itself and for itself that we just want to go on doing it.

I think impatience is mostly the problem. We live in an impatient culture, where everything is supposed to happen right now – push the button and it happens! So we want, we expect, good results right away. Sometimes luck grants them. But mostly it’s patience that gets them. Art is work. The loveliest work in the world.

The reading/signing is taking place at 6:30pm at the Five Pines Conference Center in Sisters, at 1021 Desperado Trail. It's sponsored by the Paulina Springs Book Company and is free and open to all ages.

I'll bet it's totally worth it.

I got this forwarded to me in email today:

We need your help for this year's Fourth Annual Bend Brew Fest!! This is a big fundraiser for us but we need the volunteers to make it happen. The event will be held at the Les Schwab Amphitheater on Friday, August 17th from 4pm to 11pm, and Saturday, August 18th from noon to 11pm. Each volunteer will receive a Brew Fest T-shirt, souvenir mug, and beer tokens. Admission is free to all, and the event is kid friendly until 7pm each night. There will be over 40 different breweries represented, live music, great food, and much more.

There's further details on their volunteer page, too:

You must be 21 years of age. Apply as soon as possible in order to receive the shift you want, as preferred shifts go early. Please contact Kent at The Les Schwab Amphitheater at 541.312.8510 or email info@bendconcerts.com.

I would totally do this, but we already have plans for that weekend—meaning I won't be able to attend the Fest at all, which is a bummer. It sounds like it's getting better each year.

I'll be doing a longer post on the BBF soon, too. In the meantime, if you can volunteer, go for it—the experience will be a good one, I think.

According to the Bulletin, Super Burrito is open through tomorrow (Friday)—they had a slight reprieve. Everyone knows by now that they're closing their present location, though, right? Go down there and get some lunch before they close tomorrow. A nice big burrito will run you 3 to 5 bucks.

I went on Monday and got the fish burrito for $5. Good stuff, and the line was out the door. But it was worth it.

The Lava City Roller Dolls are having their first bout of the season this Saturday, the 4th. Details submitted:

Saturday, August 4th at the Central Oregon Indoor Sports Center (corner of Empire and High Desert) the Lava City Roller Dolls return from an intense season of All-Star bouting against leagues from the entire Northwest, to kick off the 2007 season opener at the place they call home! This bout will feature two teams from Lava City that you all know so well, Moulin Bruise and 12 Gauge Rage. Both teams are boasting new players on the roster with skill and potential ready to break loose. Whether you're a seasoned fan or new to the sport, this bout will be one to remember! Tickets are available online at www.lavacityrollerdolls.com or from your local derby doll.

The Lava City Roller Dolls are currently recruiting to fill the final 15 spots for skater placement prior to the completion of their 2007 intra-league bouting season. The Lava City Roller Dolls offer recreational skaters the ability to attend practices without a league commitment for $6.00 per practice. For more information, please visit www.lavacityrollerdolls.com or contact beep@lavacityrollerdolls.com.

The bout starts at 6pm. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.