Built in 1860, Kubli Haus is a tastefully updated version of its prior self.

Kubli Haus: A Historic Stay in Jacksonville

written by Kerry Newberry | photography by Martina Patella/Kubli House For Kathleen and Brian Dunn, Kubli Haus is more than a small town retreat—it’s an ode to history and happenstance. A few years ago, when considering a pivot from city suburb to small town life, the couple began touring properties in Southern Oregon. “When we first drove into Jacksonville, we looked at each other and knew this was it,” said Kathleen. Steeped in history and packed with charm, the entire town of Jacksonville is designated a National Historic Landmark. It’s easy to swoon over the beautiful brick buildings and leafy neighborhoods. What the couple didn’t expect was to fall head over heels for a ramshackle but stately historic home built in 1860 that was in need of monumental TLC. “We knew it was a big risk,” said Brian. “But we also wanted to invest in the town.” The yearslong labor…

Jacksonville sets up like a postcard during the holidays.

A Storybook Winter: Jacksonville & Applegate Valley’s Holiday Magic

’Tis the most wonderful place when snow comes to Southern Oregon written by James Sinks Imagine a storybook gold rush-era town, where stately houses and brick boutiques glisten with holiday charm, where recreation options beckon and where cocoa and award-winning wines take turns warming you up. Also, imagine it’s not only Santa checking to see if you’re naughty or nice. Bigfoot might be watching, too. In Southern Oregon’s Jacksonville and the neighboring Applegate Valley, imagination meets reality. Here, as the mercury falls, lights go up and the nostalgia comes out. Each year, a Victorian Christmas celebration offers a tantalizing escape to a simpler time. Distant are big city stressors, and real world depressors. Soak in the decor, food, farm stands, spas, musicians, trails, parade and the romantic downtown that practically begs you to hold hands inside your winter gloves. This year, the tradition gets bigger. Jacksonville Trolley buses that previously…

Vancouver Island’s Malahat SkyWalk soars above the forest, giving visitors who make the climb unparalleled views.

Malahat SkyWalk and Victoria’s Indigenous Ties

The soaring Malahat SkyWalk helps connect the present to Vancouver’s Indigenous past written by James Sinks Unfolding below, a lush blanket of Vancouver Island rainforest disappears at a rugged shoreline, and then rises again through mist-shrouded hillsides across a narrow bay. Eagles tack in the wind. There is no bustle, except maybe the happy screams of children descending a slide nearby. The bird’s-eye vantage comes courtesy of one of the more ambitious and architecturally stunning ecotourism projects in North America, the circular Malahat SkyWalk, just northwest of Victoria, B.C. Opened in 2021, the centerpiece of the $17 million SkyWalk project is a towering wood-and-steel scaffold that invites you to corkscrew from a Douglas fir-and-cedar forest upward some ten floors—roughly 800 feet from the ground below—to a 360-degree viewing platform where on clear days you can see as far away as Washington’s Mount Baker. It’s a place that can make you…

Brussels Sprout Gratin is elevated with the addition of bacon and lemon juice.

Brussels Sprout Gratin: A Simple & Versatile Recipe

written by Thor Erickson | photography by Tambi Lane “Don’t get lost this time!” my dad shouted to my sister Heidi and me as he backed our van into the loading dock at the bustling wholesale produce market. The towering stacks of fragrant fruits and vegetables were perfect for hide and seek. “Bonjour!” bellowed a deep voice as we opened the door of the van. “What is you are looking for today?” said Louis with a thick French accent. “Whatever is on special,” Dad said. Louis was one of the many vegetable vendors that dad bought from at the market and had relocated from Paris twenty years earlier. “Your lucky day!” Louis said joyfully. “Brussels sprouts are very special, and I will give a better deal if you buy six cases.” Dad was not one to pass up a good deal. “I’ll take six then,” Dad said, smiling. Heidi and…

The tasting room at Furioso Vineyards in Dundee.

Road Trip-Worthy Winery Lunches

written by Kerry Newberry In our fast-paced world, there are too few slow-down moments. But one easy way to embrace the art of slow living is with a leisurely lunch in a beautiful place. Enter the Willamette Valley, one of the most renowned wine regions in the world. Here are just a few of the region’s wineries where lunch feels like a mini-vacation. At Soter Vineyards (10880 NE Mineral Springs Road, Carlton; www.sotervineyards.com), most of the herbs and vegetables on the menu come from the surrounding 240-acre biodynamic farm and vineyard—also home to a herd of pictorial Scottish Highland cattle along with chickens, goats and heritage breed pigs. Book the Provisions Tasting, and you’ll feast on family-style dishes like squash bisque, poached leeks sprinkled with hazelnuts and mushroom arancini. For Italian-inspired bites and moody vineyard views, head to Furioso Vineyards (8415 NE Worden Hill Road, Dundee; www.furiosovineyards.com), named “one of…

Camping is vastly improved with a pie from Beckie’s Cafe.

Beckie’s Cafe: A Historic Oregon Gem

A long-time favorite in the Umpqua National Forest written by Joni Kabana Who would have thought back in 1926 that a small cafe located minutes from Crater Lake National Park would survive recessions, change of ownerships and even a pandemic? Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Beckie’s Cafe—in addition to host Union Creek Resort—has been a beloved destination for many sojourners, even as far back when Union Creek was an important camping spot on the long stretches of trails connecting early settlements with Crater Lake. Zane Grey, Jack London and Herbert Hoover purportedly have made stops there and mingled among patrons, in addition to many repeat connoisseurs. “Beckie” was actually Ed Beckelhymer, who opened the cafe and passed the torch to his wife, Cecil, also becoming known as “Beckie,” until she passed during the late 1960s. A few recipes might have changed over the years with new owners,…

A holiday family sleigh ride on the edge of the Deschutes National Forest at Sunriver Resort. (photo: Sunriver Resort)

Oregon’s Best Holiday Experiences

From coastal lights to mountain sleigh rides, make the most of the season with Oregon’s best holiday celebrations and cozy escapes written by Cathy Carroll Oregonians’ winter holiday celebrations are as diverse as its landscape, with each region offering new and time-honored traditions. It’s the perfect chance to sample a bit of both. Dive into a speed-dating comedy show, perfect for a season that often calls for a romantic partner. Let horse-drawn sleigh rides carry you over rivers and through snowy woods. Bask in the glow of thousands of colorful lights illuminating botanical gardens perched above the sea. Immerse yourself in the fun of floating parade-goers paddling upstream and city-street caroling competitions that challenge you to utter a “humbug.” It’s all here, with inviting retreats offering getaways that impart true and new tastes of local culture and spirit. Portland Fun & Flirty: A Comedy Dating Show DEC. 12, 7 p.m….

Hors D'oeuvres

Beer Pairings for the Holidays

written by Jeremy Storton | illustrations by Yoko Baum I must admit I’ve gotten bored with the typical holiday feast. Unless I want to do all the cooking myself, the simplest way to make things interesting is to bring some stellar beer pairings to the table. Here are a few combinations I offer: COURSE 1 HORS D’OEUVRES Let’s start with an aperitif. I love the light body and snappy bitterness of a German pilsner paired with homemade popcorn. Or, I’d enjoy the light citrus and herbal tang of a Belgian witbier with smoked salmon. Both beers serve to stimulate my senses and tease my appetite. My Picks: Breakside Brewery’s Pilsner; Monkless Belgian Ales’ Shepplekofeggan Witbier COURSE 2 GREENS Now, I want complex sweetness and assertive bitterness. A German-inspired altbier balances the simple yet delightful grilled romaine lettuce with olive oil, salt and pepper. Or, if we grill fall vegetables, a…