Happy Halloween everyone! Just for the heck of it I thought I'd re-run my Haunted Bend post from  a couple of years ago, with some additions. Enjoy the holiday and stay safe tonight.

A list of places that are allegedly haunted here in Bend (most of these are pulled from the Shadowlands Haunted Place Index for Oregon):

• The Deschutes County Historical Society building (the old Reid School): Supposedly the ghost of George Brosterhous, who died there in 1914, haunts the place.
• The McCann House: The subject of the only ghost story for Bend found in Ghosts and Strange Critters of Washington and Oregon. According to the Shadowlands site, "there have been a few families that have lived there that have either died or something tragic has happened to them due to living in the cursed house." I don't know about cursed; the book simply mentions that sometimes figures are seen in the upper story windows, and gives a short history of it. Listed as the "Congress House" on the Shadowlands site because the house itself is on Congress Avenue.
• The O'Kane Building: There's "ghostly smoke, weird lights, footsteps, and voices," and occasionally a voice that calls out orders in the restaurant.
• Old Mt. View Hospital: I'm not sure where this is, the site says it's now an apartment building next to Drake Park. Floor creaks have been reporting, like someone's walking around.
• The Old Smoke Stacks (Old Mill District): Teenagers would sneak in there at night to see if the place was haunted.
• The Pilot Butte Cemetery: Reports of ghostly blue orbs floating around.
• The Lara House Bed and Breakfast: Located on Congress Avenue, like the Congress House.
• The Downing Hotel building (current site of The Grove): Historically this was a brothel. Haunted by a woman?

A few more pulled from the comments on that post:

• McMenamins Old St. Francis School: many McMenamins are rumored to be haunted, due to their historic nature. No specific details for ours, though.
• An anonymous commenter said: "I went to The Sparrow Bakery on Scott Street the other day and the new owners told me a ghost lives in the "dish room," which is actually a large, walk-in vault. The building was the old payroll office for Bend Iron Works."
• June Ascencio said: "I had live in a haunted house on NW Ithaca years ago there use to be a smell of burnt wax when no one was home and things moving around the house and also when no one was home one day I was coming up to the house and it looked like someone was moving in the house and there was no one there."

And finally, here's a site that lets people submit their own haunted Bend stories: Bend, Oregon Ghost Sightings. I won't vouch for how accurate it is, but it's fun reading for a Halloween night.

I just realized I never did my retrospective post for October yet! Better late than never, I suppose, but good grief. I guess I've been busy.

In 2006:

• Bend Brewing won their first medal at the Great American Beer Festival
• A review of the Central Oregon Pumpkin Company
• We were all speculating about the not-yet-opened Trader Joe's
• BendFilm vandalized downtown sidewalks (kidding!)
• I found a 'zine at the Bend Fall Fest
• Early appearance of 92.7 FM radio station
• Haunted Bend!

In 2007:

• Review of The Village Grill
• I ranted about the proposed fireworks ban
• Another writeup of the Central Oregon Pumpkin Company
• Review of the Terrebonne Depot
• KOHD's website went live
• More brewery medals from the GABF
• Why the Eastside Rocks #13: Eclectic Eats
• An unusual suggestion for your Halloween costume needs
• Yet another new bookstore in Bend
• Halloween tips and safety

Halloween falls on a Friday this year, which seems like it would be ideal for parties and such (don't have to go to work the next day with a candy/alcohol/fog machine hangover). So besides trick or treating and/or whatever costume party you've been invited to, here's a rundown of other things going on the 31st:

• McMenamins is hosting a "Property-wide Halloween Bash", free admission, 21 and over, with live music starting at 8pm. Wear a costume! There "could be a prize at the end."
• JC's is having their annual Halloween party: no cover, live DJ, costume contest. Oh yeah, and Wildfire brews, too.
• COCC is hosting a live cabaret version of Rocky Horror Picture Show.
• There's the HDC Halloween Party and Drag Show starting at 8pm at the Midtown Ballroom.
• The movie version of Rocky Horror is going to be at the Tower Theatre starting at 10pm. $10 and they emphasize that it's a dry show. Several times. (Bonus if you know what that means.) Also a costume contest and giveaways.
• Working Wonders Children's Museum in the Old Mill is hosting free festivities from 2 to 6pm: "Kids are encouraged to dress up in their costumes and head down to the Old Mill District for pumpkin painting, bag decorating and silly, slippery slime! Afterward, kids can go trick or treating throughout the shops."
• Power 94 (the radio station) is having a "Monster Ball" at the Old Stone Church on Franklin. (I actually had to look up "Old Stone Church".) 21 and over, the party features live music/DJ and goes from 8pm until 2am. And there's $2000 in prizes for their costume contest as well.
• Sunriver is featuring a free Halloween Carnival from 4 to 7pm at the Sunriver Village Mall. Trick or treating, games, costume contests, and a haunted house. For all ages.

Whew. There are more, but those are the ones that stood out to me. See also The Source's events page and KTVZ's Community Calendar.

Perhaps this isn't as pressing an issue now with the economy on the downswing, but we've wondered for a while now why Bend doesn't have a Toys "R" Us. It seems like we have most other major stores—even Trader Joe's—so why not a Toys "R" Us?

Well, we were visiting that very store in Portland this weekend and asked. (We always ask when we go there.) The answer? Toys "R" Us did plan a Bend store—they even own property here. But they decided to hold off on building because of...

The City of Bend's sign code.

Since they apparently couldn't get the sign they wanted, TRU so far hasn't elected to build in Bend.

The caveat, of course, is that it's hearsay—even from a TRU manager—so take it as such. I did a cursory search in DIAL for a Toys "R" Us entity but didn't turn anything up—though of course it's likely lodged under some corporate name, if so.

Interesting if true, though.

A couple of observations about the downturned economy on the eastside, in the form of more closings...

Linens 'N Things has a big banner on their store, "Going out of business sale." Not entirely news, since they're bankrupt, but I noticed the sign for the first time the other day. That's a big space to fill in the Forum center.

Also, Demetri's Greek Cusina has been closed down—the location they were in (near the Windy Knolls complex) is closed and emptied. Interestingly, word has it that they're looking at opening in a vacant space in the Shell station on the corner there. (Yes, the Shell gas station/minimart.)

Oh, I don't believe I blogged this at the time, but a while back the Fantastic Sam's haircut salon closed down completely, too; they were located in the "Borden's Corner" area next to Double Happiness (which is still going strong). Closed down with nothing more than a sign on the door, no word or anything that I saw.

If you've never been to a "live" showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show, you're missing out but in luck—COCC is doing one on Halloween night (Friday, October 31st). Here are the details:

Various entities of ASCOCC student Government (The Broadside, Anime Club, Criminal Justice Club) are putting on a LIVE Cabaret production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show in the Pinckney Auditorium at COCC. The show starts at 8p.m. and there is no charge to get in (although donations will be accepted to benefit the Special Olympics). Kits will be sold (toilet paper, rice, cards, toast) for $2. For more information contact brpierce@cocc.edu

This came in via a Nature of Words press release, and it's something that I've blogged abut before because I think it's a cool idea.

The Word Café, an interactive reading series hosted by Central Oregon Community College, will meet October 23rd at 7:00 p.m. in the Barber Library, Reading Room, Second Floor. Do you write with a pen, or a pencil? On a typewriter, or on a computer? Come listen to this month’s featured writers talk about their favorite tools of the trade. They include:

• Katie Brauns – Sports reporter for The Bulletin
• John Martin – Bend poet and landscaper
• c. vance – Typewriter enthusiast
• Kim Cooper Findling – Essayist and journalist

Light refreshments will be served followed by an open mic (3 minute limit, please).

The Word Café series began in 2005 and has formed a strong tradition of hosting guest authors and encouraging student and community writers. The October 23 event will mark the 17th installment of the popular series.

For more information, contact Collene Petersen Funk, COCC Writer in Residence, 383-7701, ext. 2566.

While I was gone, Bend apparently appeared on MSNBC in an article under their "Budget Travel" category. Titled "Portland's quirky-chic cousin", it's actually not a bad article, by and by, but you just know I have to pick some of it apart.

The author starts her day with breakfast at The Victorian Café, which is naturally a good choice. (Best breakfast in Bend, I call it.) But then, talking about the "lunch-box houses" in the historic parts of Old Bend, she mentions that the Historical Society walking tour is of these "lunch-box" houses; in fact, many of the destinations on that tour are quite the opposite. (Unless you consider places like the Congress House or the School Administration Building lunch-box housing...)

And she doesn't quite place Deschutes Brewery on Wall Street rather than Bond, but that's the impression a casual reader will get. Plus, she visits the Brewery and only drinks Cascade Ale? This is microbrew country, what's up with that? A Black Butte Porter should have been on the tab at the very least.

Kudos on talking to John Flannery and the snarky comments about some of the awful roundabout art we have here, though.

Hmm, overall I'd say it's fairly well-balanced. I find it fairly telling, though, that Bend is being featured in a "Budget Travel" piece rather than a "Best Places to Live / Breathe / Overpay on a Home" article these days...

In case it's not obvious, this will be a slow week on the blog, as I'm currently out of town with limited computer access. In the meantime, go check out Bend Blogs—lots of good stuff there.

Congratulations go out to our three biggest local breweries: Deschutes Brewery, Bend Brewing Company, and Cascade Lakes Brewing, for winning medals at this year's Great American Beer Festival!

Kudos to Cascade Lakes especially, since this is their first win: they brought home the Bronze medal for their Blonde Bombshell in the "Session Beer" category.

Deschutes won the following medals:

• Gold for The Dissident in the "American-Style or German-Style Sour Ale" category
• Gold for Bachelor ESB in the "Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter" category
• Bronze for Chinquapin Butte Golden Ale, their new gluten-free beer, in (appropriately enough) the "Gluten-Free Beer" category

Bend Brewing won the Bronze for their Hop Head in the "American-Style India Pale Ale" category (they previously won the Gold in 2006 for this beer too).

Go celebrate with a pint at the respective breweries!

Next Saturday, October 18th, Deschutes Brewery is having a Fresh Hop Beer Tasting dinner at their Mountain Room. (I'm going.) Fresh (or wet) hop beers are a relatively new thing and Deschutes is taking to it in a big way; they plan to have seven fresh hop beers on tap.

Here are the details:

Saturday, October 18th
Doors open at 6:30 pm

Featuring 7 Deschutes Brewery Fresh Hop beers,
including Hop Trip & a fresh hop version of Mirror Pond!

Menu:
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Ham (and a vegetarian friendly version too)
Roasted Fall Vegetables with Fresh Herbs
Braised Beef Short Ribs on Pumpkin Puree
Assorted Breads, Spreads & Crudités
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Wheat Malt Crust drizzled with Fresh Wort Caramel

$35 per person - Includes the following food, all beers, and gratuity.

Please call Sharon for reservations at 541.385.8606

I don't know if there's much availability left, but you have a week to reserve your spot. Like I mentioned, I'll be there, and it sounds like it's going to be a great time.

Tomorrow (Saturday the 11th) Bend Parks and Rec is putting on the "Original Central Oregon Pumpkin Festival" out at Tillicum Ranch west of Bend. Here's the blurb:

10am - 4pm
Come on out to beautiful Tillicum Ranch west of town. You'll find a field full of pumpkins to choose from, pony rides, farm animals, face painting, kids activities, a spooky barn, live entertainment and lots of good food. This event provides family fun in a ranch setting. No dogs please. Choose from a $10 kids all-activity day (includes a pumpkin) or .50 cents per activity. Adults are free.

Directions from Bend: Take Hwy 20 six miles west toward Sisters to Couch Market Road. Follow signs to the Pumpkin Festival.

That's actually a pretty good deal, except I'm not sure "Adults are free" applies to food.

This post is more an illustration of some of the sometimes odd processes of blogging and of the random connections made in a small town, than anything overly serious. Though there's a free event involved.

So yesterday I received a message on my MySpace account that I presume is targeted to other Bendites; it feels like that sort of pitch. It's interesting enough, I suppose. Here's an excerpt:

We wanted write you a quick message to say hello and introduce ourselves. We are Better Body Boot Camp, Central Oregon’s FIRST coed boot camp fitness class!

Are you ready to get in shape or improve your current fitness level? Better Body Boot Camp is here to help you with whatever fitness goals you may have!! Please join Certified Personal Trainer, Victoria Adelus and Military Special Forces Certified Trainer, Josh Field, for a FREE BBB camp event Saturday October 11th, at 9am in Drake Park near the stage area.

Okay, pretty straightforward, and sounds like it would be appealing if I were into hardcore exercise. Plus there's a free event and all that, which people might want to know about.

But what caught my eye was the name of one of the trainers: Victoria Adelus (Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine), who (after racking my brain for a minute to remember where I'd seen the name/face) also moonlights as a reporter for NewsChannel 21 (her page is here).

That seems like a totally random connection. I guess the question is, would knowing she's on local TV make people more likely to check out her fitness class?

(Told you it wasn't overly serious.)

Another Halloween event coming up, perhaps a bit less usual than people would expect (like the last post). More diversity is always a good thing.

Event: That’s So Gay, Halloween
When: October 25th , 8pm to 2am. Doors at 7:30
Where: The Tulen Center, 20 NW Greenwood Ave. (Next to Silver Moon Brewery)

Performers:

• Comedian Jackie Jones. Website is JackieJonesMakesMeLaugh.com, but you can also view her material at MySpace.com/Jackie_Jones, and YouTube.com/user/1Jsquared. She is also featured on AfterEllen.com.
• CJ and the Dolls, Synth-Pop from Portland. Just done with their European tour, view them at MySpace.com/CJandtheDolls.
• Relative, Local Pirate rock/industrial group. Event will be their awaited EP Release Party. MySpace.com/RelativeSTR
• All of the Above (AOTA), Portland’s finest female Hip-Hop Dance duo. MySpace.com/396739778

Raffle with portion of proceeds going to Human Dignity Coalition. Raffle prizes donated by local businesses, TBA

Dance party with local Thursday night 80s Night DJ

Halloween Costume Contest

Food courtesy of The Cuisine Machine

Who: Ages 18+, 21+ Bar with ID. People of all sexual preferences and genders are welcome.

Presented by: Spice Trader Records.

Other Sponsors: Sideshow Entertainment, Human Dignity Coalition, The Tulen Center

Tickets are $8 in advance, at spicetraderrecords.com, or $10 at the door.

This came in via the contact form:

Human Dignity Coalition's 5th annual Drag Show Fundraiser with Portland's Poisonwaters and friends

FRIDAY, October 31, 2008: 7:30 doors, 8PM Showtime
Midtown Ballroom 55 NW Greenwood Ave

Costumes a must
Tickets $26 at the door.
After party With Grove DJs
Live Auction, bring your $$. 21 and over - no host bar
Proceeds benefit Human Dignity Coalition

For accessibility and info, 541-385-3320 office@humandignitycoalition.org

The Friends of the Bend Library is having their quarterly Fall Book Sale tomorrow, Saturday, from 10am until 4pm. As always, it's at the Library Administration Building, in the basement, at 507 NW Wall Street in downtown Bend.

I always recommend this sale when it comes up, because it's always such a good deal. But you need to get there early for the best finds.

My buddy Brian of the band KouseFly sent this out yesterday:

Join Us For A BendFilm Festival Warm-Up Party This Thursday At Balay!

Can't wait for next weekend's festival? We can't either, so we are celebrating early. Join us on Thursday, Oct 2 at 5:30pm-8:00pm for Sangria & Song, a new, unique music event at Balay in downtown Bend.

Take pleasure in Bend's beautiful fall evenings with great local food, beverages and music. Bring your blanket to spread out on the riverside lawn at Balay and enjoy a glass of sangria while listening to the local Alt. Pop duo, Kousefly, combining Manchester with Americana. We'll be performing in this idyllic and undiscovered Bend hotspot.

Bring your friends and your BendFilm Festival guide. Film tickets will be available for purchase at the event:

What: Sangria & Song, BendFilm Festival Warm Up Event
When: Thursday, October 2
Time: 5:30-8:00
Where: Balay
Suggested Donation to BendFilm: $5

Balay is located in downtown Bend at 961 NW Brooks Street (next door to the Pine Tavern).

For more information call 323-6418.