Distraction free zone

Sunday, May 27, 2012

It seems like memories are stronger and last longer if they are made at the beach. Maybe it’s the smell of the salt air. Or the sound of the waves shooshing on the sand. Or maybe it’s the sound of the gulls screeing overhead or the utter lack of car alarms, traffic jams or the constant wail of sirens.

Removing yourself from your familiar world with its sounds, sights and smells is the essence of a real vacation. To experience something different, to taste new foods, see new sights and to leave behind the clouds of diesel exhaust from mass transit.

Sometimes when people come to the beach for a vacation, they can be unnerved by the quiet. And the darkness. The entire Oregon Coast is a rural area. There are cities along the way, but most of those cities are considered rural cities. The lack of traffic sounds and dearth of street lights can be unsettling to those who spend their lives in urban areas. Welcome to your vacation! Vive la difference! Revel in the beach environment that is so different from the one you are vacationing from.

So step out of your urban familiarity and come to the beach. Leave your laptops and cell phones off so you won’t miss the depth of the beauty around you. Listen to the waves, the gulls and the breeze in the trees…it’s a music older than time. This is your vacation…leave the clamoring voices that demand your time and attention. They will still be there when you get back. Would it be so horrible to not update your Facebook for a week? Would the world end if you didn’t listen to your voicemail for a few days? Take a break from the constant interruptions and reclaim your privacy, re-establish your boundaries and re-think your priorities.

Come to the beach. Make memories. Experience a natural moment without electronics…I dare you.

(Photo credit: Joy Wilson)

Dad's Day

Saturday, May 19, 2012

During Mother’s Day weekend, the Coast was filled with women: women on the beach, women at the outlet malls, women in shops, spas and restaurants, women laughing, women talking. Women love the beach.

When I was a kid, I thought my Dad hated the beach. We would come to the Coast for picnics or building sand castles and Dad was bored, bored, bored. But, as I got older, I realized that Dad did like the beach, just in a different way than we girls did.

Dad was an outdoorsman. He was a great and mighty hunter, a fish whisperer, a wanderer of woods, a man who loved living off the land. When Dad got to do what he wanted to do at the beach, we went clam digging or fishing in one of the Coasts’ many rivers. We would hike into the rain forests or the shore pine woods and Dad would point out the different varieties of plants, trees or birds. We would eat at the Pixie Kitchen and visit with his Aunt Ruth, who worked there.  

Every Dad is different. Maybe your Dad would like to hibernate in a man cave with a 52” TV and have singular authority over the remote control. Maybe your Dad would like to go deep sea fishing, whale watching or pull a trout out of one of our rivers. Or your Dad might like to water ski on Devils Lake or cruise his Harley to the beach. Maybe he’d like to relax in one of our cigar lounges, tour our micro-breweries or double down at the casino. Or maybe he’d just like to sit, scratch and not have to solve everyone’s problems for a couple days while watching the waves.

Father’s Day is coming. Men love the beach, too. So forget the malls and shops and give your Dad a Father’s Day that lets him enjoy the beach in his own way.

Monday, May 7, 2012

In 1913, Gov. Oswald West declared that the Oregon shoreline was a state highway. At the time it really was. The beach was the only way to travel along the coast in the early 1900’s. Today, the beaches belong to the public and they're overseen by the State Parks and Recreation Department. But driving is still allowed on roughly a fifth of Oregon's 362-mile coastline, subject to local conditions and regulations.

The best time to drive on the beach is at low tide. If you plan on spending the day on the beach with your car or truck, make sure you know when high tide is to avoid getting stuck in the sand.

Driving on the beach is convenient for clammers and for the elderly elderly and disabled. Gearhart is a popular spot for clammers. The longest stretch of beach that is open for driving is on the north coast is between Gearhart and Ft. Stevens State park.

To find out where driving is allowed on the Oregon Coast, check out the map provided by ODOT. It is online at http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TDATA/gis/docs/statemaps/map_2011_front_web.pdf

Or you can call (503) 986-4000 and order a copy of the map.

May events at the beach

Sunday, April 29, 2012

May is a great time to visit the beach. It's not crowded, the weather is fairly mild and you can still get great rates on our condos and homes. Here is a list of events that might entice you to visit in May:

May 3-6 "Whales of August" at Theatre West in Lincoln City http://www.theatrewest.com/season.html

May 4-6 Spring Unveiling in Cannon Beach www.cbgallerygroup.com

May 4-27 "Butterflies are Free" at Coaster Theatre in Cannon Beach www.coastertheatre.com

May 5 Fish Taco Cook-Off in Lincoln City www.oregoncoast.org/festivals-events

May 11-13 Rockaway Beach Kite Festival www.rockawaybeach.net

May 13 First day of Astoria Sunday Market www.AstoriaSundayMarket.com

May 16-28 Tall Ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain in Newport www.historicalseaport.org

May 18-20 105th Rhododendron Festival in Florence www.florencechamber.com541.997.3128

May 18-20 Brewers Memorial Ale Fest in Newport www.brewersalefest.com

May 19 Mutt Masters Dog Show & Olympics in Lincoln City www.oregoncoast.org/festivals-events

May 19 Seaside Wine Walk www.seasidedowntown.com/winewalks

May 19 Sandboard Season Kick-Off in Florence. www.sandmasterpark.com

May 25 Acoustic Folk! Music Series at Cannon Beach History Center www.cbhistory.org

May 26-Sep 30 Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad between Rockaway Beach and Garibaldi www.ocsr.net

May 26 Nehalem Bay Winery Blues Festival www.nehalenbaywinery.com

May 28 66th Fleet of Flowers Memorial Day Ceremonies in Depoe Bay www.depoebaychamber.org

Trolling for a good deal!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Check out the troll! Lincoln County had its big garage sale this weekend and this troll was at one of the garage sales I stopped at. If you missed this big garage sale, definitely make plans to check it out next year. You never know when a troll will come in handy!

There are a TON of things coming up in Lincoln County soon that you don’t want to miss. In Lincoln City, the Cinco de Mayo Fish Taco Cook-Off takes place at the Lincoln City Culinary Center on May 5^th. The Mutt Masters Dog Show and Olympics is slated for May 19^th on the beach by the Siletz Bay. 

In Newport, don’t miss the 55^th Annual Loyalty Days & Seafair Festival on May 4-6. The Festival includes the parade on the 5^th. Then there’s the Brewer’s Memorial Ale Fest on May 18-20.

Depoe Bay has its annual Fleet of Flowers on May 28. Don’t miss this moving memorial to those lost at sea and make sure to take your camera to snap shots of the boats covered in flowers as they leave the harbor.

Toledo has the Quilt Quest Quilt Show on May 12 and Waldport has the Great Waldport Garage Sale on the 12, too.

Yachats has the Oregon Coast Chamber Orchestra’s Spring Concert, the Yachats Ladies Club Memorial Day Pie & Ice Cream Social, the Annual Arts & Crafts on the Coast and the Yachats Lions Pancake Breakfast.

All of this happens in May and all of it is part of the charm, inter-connectedness and everyday life of our small coastal communities. We invite you to share in the life of our communities, make new friends here and make Lincoln County your home away from home where you feel that sense of connection with the people and places of the sea.

For more information on these events, check out www.oregoncoast.org,   www.depoebaychamber.org, www.visittoledooregon.com, www.yachats.org, www.waldport-chamber.com and www.newportchamber.org.

Crabby Days

Monday, April 16, 2012

Driving into Depoe Bay from the north you will meet this crabby guy inviting you to the Depoe Bay Wooden Boat Show and Crab Feed, April 21-22. Watch master craftsmen build and show off their wooden boats while you join the Depoe Bay’s fishing fleet and the community of Depoe Bay in celebrating the completion of crabbing season.

If handcrafted wooden boats and delicious Dungeness crab aren’t your cup of tea, then buckle up for the biggest, baddest, grand-daddiest garage sale of them all! Literally hundreds of garage sales, estate sales, yard sales, rummage sales and sidewalk sales will have what you need, what you want and what you never thought you would ever find again.

March of this year ran like an episode of The Deadliest Catch off the Oregon Coast. Between the storms, snow, hail, lightening and Category 1 hurricane force winds, several boats went down at sea with some fisherman from neighboring fleets and a federal fish and game agent lost at sea. Join our crabbing fleet in Depoe Bay to celebrate their safe return and the crabby gold that they have mined from the ocean depths. Eat to your hearts’ buttery content while watching

the craftsmen of the sea build a boat.

Check out http://www.depoebaychamber.org/events2.aspx?ID=11 for the schedule of events at the Wooden Boat Show and Crab Feed in Depoe Bay. And log on to http://www.lcchamber.com/ to get the edge on the other garage salers. Garage sale maps are available at www.thenewsguard.com so you can see the best route for you.

Spring has sprung!

Sunday, April 8, 2012

It’s finally here! Spring has arrived at the Oregon Coast and we couldn’t be happier! There is finally enough sunshine to tempt our flowers to show themselves. Early rhododendrons, early azaleas, tulips, daffodils, camellias, hyacinths and so many more are just bursting with color and scent.

As you visit the Coast this spring, plan to stop at the Connie Hansen Garden in Lincoln City. What was once the personal garden of artist, botanist and collector Connie Hansen, is now a full acre of stunning beauty, inspiration and peaceful contemplation. The photo attached to this posting is of the pond at the Garden.

Located at 1931 NW 33rd, the Connie Hansen Garden is a must-see stop for gardeners, photographers, botanists, students, collectors of rare and vintage plants, artists and anyone seeking a place to relax and enjoy nature.

Not only will you find rest for your soul and ideas for your own garden, but you can also hold a wedding there. Imagine the bride walking through an archway covered with climbing pink roses. Connie Hansen’s house has been converted into a lovely reception area so you and your guests can wander the gardens.

I used to work about six blocks from the Connie Hansen Garden and would walk there on my lunch hour to meander the pathways, smell flowers, and sit by the pond. Come enjoy the Connie Hansen Garden on your next trip to the Coast.

(Photo credit: Joy Wilson)