This Sunday and Monday (December 2nd and 3rd), the Cascade Winds Symphonic Band is holding its free Fall concerts.

The Cascade Winds Symphonic Band will present the first concerts of its 2007-08 season on December 2 and 3. The Sunday concert will begin at 2:00 p.m. and the Monday performance at 7:30 p.m., both at the Summit High School venue. The concerts are free of charge, although donations are gratefully accepted.

The Cascade Winds Symphonic Band is a 60-piece community concert band based in Bend that serves the entire Central Oregon region. The group is comprised of a wide range of volunteer musicians including accomplished high school students, area music teachers, adult amateur musicians and retired professionals. This season artistic director Michael Gesme and the Cascade Winds have arranged for three exciting guest conductors to lead the group in its concert series.

This comes via Jake, who's been a member of the Band forever. I have yet to make it to one of these concerts (sorry Jake!) but at free, you can't beat the price.

No, I'm not kidding. This came through in my email today:

County Seeks New Name for Forest Service Road 40/45
Name Suggestions Due by Monday, December 31st

Following the recent reconstruction of Forest Service Road 40/45, (also known as the Sunriver to Mt. Bachelor road), Deschutes County Commissioners are asking the public for ideas on what to rename the road.

The County has assumed jurisdiction and road maintenance of Road 40/45. Under County code, all public and private roads are required to be named.

The Board of County Commissioners will consider ideas from the public and will decide on a new name in January.

All road name ideas may be emailed to annaj@deschutes.org before 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 31.

No guarantee that the name you suggest will be picked, of course, but you never know.

So I've been loosely following the "Real Winter" story/project that the Central Oregon Visitors Association has been promoting; it started with this story in Sunday's Bulletin, and there was a bit on KTVZ last night about it. The gist of it is, it's a new ad campaign promoting winter tourism for Central Oregon (obviously), and it's taken the form of two mock movie trailers (each 30 seconds long) that will be shown on TV spots throughout the Portland market.

I've watched both the trailers, and I have to say they're technically well-done: quality filmwork and editing, soundtrack and voice-over. They look like movie trailers, and even though they're a bit cheesy—and I was (privately) harsh on them at first—I think COVA has put the effort into producing a pretty good quality piece.

That having been said, however, I read this in the Bulletin (empahsis mine):

“It’s based upon contemporary movie trailers,” said Alana Audette, COVA’s president and CEO. “The challenge is how to convey the myriad of things that this region has to offer. The movie trailer is a stroke of brilliance because it allows us to tell the Central Oregon (winter) experience in a 30-second sound bite.”

...and the warning bells started sounding off.

In general, when the marketers start telling me how brilliant they are and fall over themselves trying to pat themselves on the back, I am immediately turned off, and start wondering just what's wrong with their campaign.

Maybe I'm just cynical. What do the rest of you think?

Let me be clear, though, in saying that the campaign on its own does look like a good one, it's eye-catching and better than a lot of local marketing efforts I've seen (I'm thinking in particular of the really bad faux-viral video failure of a year and a half ago). I think just beyond TV spots and newspaper ads and a single website, though, they need to upload this video to YouTube immediately, and look at MySpace TV, and all other such sites for viral marketing opportunities. Like blogs (heh).

After blogging about the Bulletin letter forum yesterday, I wondered about how many other online forums/bulletin boards there are out there dedicated to Bend. There's a few I know about, and others I've dug up via search; I don't know offhand how active any of these are (other than if they've obviously been updated recently), but I figured I'd list what I found.

(I'm not even counting blogs or other similar sites where people can simply leave comments; I'm just looking at sites that offer threaded conversations.)

• Bend Forums - General forums
• Bend Economy Bulletin Board - bulletin board with topics along the lines of the "bubble bloggers"
• BendBulletinBoard.net - which I covered yesterday
• Bend Weekly Community Forums - hosted by the Bend Weekly news(paper) site
• OregonLive.com Bend Forum - The Oregonian's website (they host quite a number of forums)
• Topix Bend Forum - forums/message boards hosted by news site Topix
• TripAdvisor Bend Forum - strangely enough, a forum hosted by the travel site
• craigslist forums - by default part of the entire craigslist forum portfolio, but you can filter by Bend only

Those are the ones I can definitively point to, though I'm sure there are more. But there's a whole other class of sites that are similar to forums but aren't quite: "Groups" from the portal/search sites like Google, Yahoo, MSN; social networking groups/directories on sites like MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn; or "middle tier" sites (or private ones) that have forums embedded in them. Perhaps at some point I'll create a list of all those that I find.

Are there other forums for Bend that anyone wants to contribute?

Yep, coming up Saturday, December 8th, it's the Lava City Roller Dolls Season Championship match, the team of 12 Gauge Rage versus the Nerve Agents.

Action (as usual) takes place at the Indoor Sports Center, on the corner of Empire and High Desert Lane in northeast Bend. The doors open at 5pm, and the match begins at 6—be sure to get there early for good seats.

Tickets are $10 if you buy them in advance (from their website or D&D Bar & Grille) or $12 at the door. Kids and seniors are only $6 and kids under 5 are free.

You won't find a more unique sport in Central Oregon. I don't think.

Dean Harris writes:

I just wanted to alert you to an online community forum launched this month.  BendBulletinBoard.net is a community forum for Bulletin readers who need an alternative outlet to the newspaper's tiny letters to the editor section for interacting with their fellow readers.  I invite you to check out the forum.  If it's something you wish to join, please become a member and post away.

The site is just getting started, so there's not too much yet in the way of posts, yet it looks like it could potentially turn into a lively forum—with traffic. So far what's there now is mostly summaries of the "In my view" and Letters to the Editor from the Bulletin.

He also points out that he's not affiliated with the Bulletin. Which makes me wonder what the Bulletin's official response might be...

I received a phishing spam the other day that reminded me of the Bank of the Cascades scam that Jake first reported. The email claims to be from "Oregon Community Credit Union" and it says:

Oregon Community Credit Union temporarily suspended your account.
Reason: Billing failure.
We require you to complete an account update so we can unlock your account.
(etc.)

Granted, it's not as crazy as the night-time phone call "from" BOTC but I think it's a good opportunity to reiterate what BOTC says about fraudulent emails (and this applies in general to any suspicious-looking email):

We advise all customers to delete any emails that ask you for any personal financial information including card numbers, Internet Banking ID, PINS or to go to a link or web site. Only use phone numbers on your statement, our web site or as published in the phone book. These “phishing” scams are initiated by people from all over the world who have no access to our customer data.

Tonight is the annual lighting of the Christmas tree in Downtown Bend, in Mirror Pond Plaza. That's the big area next to the Mirror Pond Gallery behind the Breezeway and Bendistillery. It's at 6:30, but I'd get there early—parking will likely be a zoo.

It's also gonna be cold—it's only 35 degrees right now, and Weather.com predicts it'll be 25-28 degrees by that time.

Looking at the Downtowners Holiday Poster (PDF), there's also going to be a chance to visit Santa and get $1 coffee and cocoa from Balay after the lighting. Otherwise, attending the lighting is free.

We may or may not be down there... the cold is dissuading me.

I hope everyone is having a good, safe holiday today. Apologies about it being slow around here lately, but what can I say, the holiday season is upon us.

It'll pick up again soon. In the meantime, I've got a turkey in the oven and will have sweet potatoes and stuffing in pretty soon. I'm all about the traditional Thanksgiving meal—we're going to have green beans, rolls, and pumpkin pie too. (No mashed potatoes or cranberry sauce though—we're a small group this year.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

According to the Bulletin:

La Rosa Authentic Mexican Kitchen is moving to NorthWest Crossing, a mixed-use community on Bend’s west side, citing limited seating and parking at its current location on Northwest College Way. The Jaliscan cuisine restaurant, which has been at its existing site for about 3 1/2 years, is expected to open in its new space this spring. The new location, a stand-alone building on the southeast corner of Mt. Washington Drive and Northwest Crossing Drive, is in the final design stage, according to NorthWest Crossing management. The newly constructed 2,940-square-foot building will begin interior construction within the month.

La Rosa is one of the best Mexican restaurants in town, but space has always been an issue. It's a good move for them overall, but I have to wonder if moving farther west (rather than closer to downtown) will help or hurt them in the long run.

I'm already late blogging on this by a day—this weekend is McMenamins' 3rd Anniversary Weekend Party (started today). "Weekend" refers to Friday and Saturday, so there's still time to celebrate tomorrow.

The Party is going on all day, with music by the Freak Mountain Ramblers beginning at 8pm. All ages are welcome, and it's free. Also:

What a wonderful parade of guests we've had in our guestrooms, at our tables, spilling out onto the outdoor patios and into the movie theater and small bars since our opening in 2004! The place is always bubbling over with life and laughter, thanks to you. Join us in celebration of our third anniversary – we'll have rockin' tunes each night by the legendary Freak Mountain Ramblers. And enjoy an appearance by Silly Lilly the Clown, food and drink specials, a special Anniversary Ale, a McMenamins raffle and more.

Their winter/holiday seasonal ale, Kris Kringle, is out now too, and it's tasty—I had some last night and I think it's their best one yet. Don't know about that Anniversary Ale they mention...

Hard to believe that McMenamins has been here for three years already!

The new Typhoon! Thai restaurant is opening today, according to the Bulletin.

Typhoon! opens at 5 p.m. today in downtown Bend’s Franklin Crossing building. The Portland-based Thai restaurant’s front entrance is on Northwest Bond Street, near the corner of Franklin Avenue. Bend is the seventh Typhoon! location to open. Bo Restobar, owned by the Typhoon! group, will open in Franklin Crossing this spring, according to a Typhoon! release Thursday.

The menus look pretty good, even for someone as unschooled in Thai cuisine as myself.

(Not even getting into the idea of another restaurant from the same group in the same building...)

Stuck on lunch plans today? I got this email in my inbox this morning:

Please consider joining Deschutes County Assessor's Office staff today for a hotdog lunch fundraiser to benefit Deschutes United Way!

Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 (or until we run out of food!)
Date: Today!
Place: Deschutes Services Center, First Floor—DeArmond Room
Cost: $3 buys you a hotdog, soda/water, and chips

Call 330-4640 for more information.

For a lunch deal, it's tough to beat this price, and it's for a good cause.

The Deschutes Services Center is located at 1300 NW Wall Street just north of Downtown Bend.

I was updating the calendar to reflect the Bend Christmas Parade and I noticed that it conflicts with one of my other favorite December events: Deschutes Brewery's annual garage sale.

Yep. Both are on the 8th. Both start at noon.

We'll be going to the Parade, of course. It's too traditional to give up, plus for the kids it's a no-brainer.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Bend Christmas Parade, one of my favorite Bend traditions and holiday events I look forward to. And no, it's not too early to mention it—it's less than a month away already!

Saturday, December 8 is the day, and noon is when it starts. Downtown Bend, of course. It starts at Harmon and Newport and ends at Galveston and Harmon (map).

Prepare for cold if you go. And you might consider taking something to sit on, as well—collapsible chairs or something; sitting on frozen concrete makes it even colder.

My curiosity was piqued by this post from Metroblogging Portland (which indicates that Portland residents can have up to 3 chickens within the city limits) to dig around the Bend City Code and see if chickens are allowed here, too.

Turns out, they are: the relevant bits are in the Development Code, chapter 10.10, section 3.6.300.I.1.c., stating

No more than four (4) rabbits and/or chickens are permitted on parcels and lots greater than 6,000 square feet.

Of course, this is subject to a bunch of regulations; you need to apply for a Type I permit to get permission to have the animals (basically asking the Planning Director without having to go through the rigamarole of a public hearing, etc.), you have to maintain proper sanitation (no storage of waste, no odors permitted "beyond property lines"), and you need fencing. And, I'm assuming no chickens (or rabbits) allowed if your lot is under 6,000 square feet.

I've seen chickens in town before, so there's at least one question answered.

As famed British wine critic Michael Broadbent once wrote, “Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures.” In this spirit, the Jackalope Grill’s Chef Timothy Garling has partnered with Bend WineStyles to present an Autumn Winemakers Dinner on Sunday, November 18. Starting at 6:00 p.m., a special six-course menu will be served with domestic and imported wines selected to pair perfectly with each dish.

The Autumn Winemakers Dinner Menu includes:

Click through to read the full press release

Just a quick note to observe that today at noon the Cascade Lakes Highway (Road 46) is being closed for the winter. The road closures will be at the Deschutes Bridge gate and at the gate near the entrance to Mt. Bachelor, and signs will be posted.

No snow yet, but it's the standard time to be closing the moutain byways.

The Old Mill District is hosting a Harvest Opening, tomorrow, November 8th. Sounds like a good deal—free food and drink, among other things.

Please Join Us for A Harvest Opening November 8th from 4-7pm. Complimentary wine, beer and appetizers served at five pavilions located in The Old Mill District. Celebrated local artists will be displaying their work and be on hand to answer any questions. Directly following A Harvest Opening, the Lubbesmeyer Fiber Art Studio will be holding a gallery reception from 7-9pm at their 2nd story loft location above Bella Cucina.

I'll try to swing by and check it out, if I can. I'm not sure if this is like the First Friday Art Walk, or something different; figure you can't go wrong with complimentary food and alcohol though.

Disclaimer: I do occasional website work for the Old Mill.

Scott says,

The Central Oregon Inventor's Group will be meeting November 12th, from 6pm to 8pm, at the Central Oregon Environmental Center.

Our speaker will be Patrick Kruse, the Owner of Ruff Wear. Ruff Wear is the leading manufacturer of gear For Dogs On The Go®.

Location: Central Oregon Environmental Center, Audubon Room, 16 NW Kansas, Bend
Time: November 12th, from 6pm to 8pm.

This sounds interesting—more interesting, I have to admit, than when I first misread this as "Investors" rather than Inventors.

Wish they had a website, though. One of the few things I found online about them was a mention in this Bulletin article.

I haven't attended any of these functions, though Shannon has encouraged me to do so in the past. Maybe sometime...

• Get involved with the Fastest Growing Segment of Bend’s Economy: Young Professionals!
• Next Event: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at Renaissance Homes, 61175 SW Princeton Loop, from 5:30-7:30pm, where we will announce the 2008 Executive Committee leadership team and host a winter clothing drive for the Family Access Network!

What is YPN?
Established in June of 2006, the Bend Young Professionals Network has become a vital part of Bend’s business community - and now boasts over 140 members. YPN events are open to both Chamber members and non-members, and are geared towards those aged 40 and under. Past event hosts have included, Columbia River Bank, Bend Memorial Clinic, Century Insurance, The Shops at the Old Mill, and more.

Click through to read the rest

I got an email today wondering about all the smoke in the air, which I noticed today as well. Perhaps you've noticed it; the air is blue in some places. It's because the outdoor burning season started on the 1st (Thursday)—KTVZ has an article on it—and it lasts for 20 days, through most of November.

Once preventative measures have been taken to prevent the fire from escaping, call the Outdoor Burning Information Line at 322-6335 to confirm that burning is allowed. Please remember that debris burning is required to be supervised and extinguished by dark. Noncompliance of fire protection regulations may result in a citation with a fine up to $500.00.

With the Nature of Words kicking into full swing today, I was wondering if any readers of the blog attending any of today's events: tonight's was authors readings and signing at the Tower Theatre. What did you think?

It's one of those things I'd like to attend (perhaps a workshop or two, an author reading), but the first few days of November are always busy for us, so I'm always tied up with other plans. I need to live vicariously through the rest of you in this case!