Think Oregon

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Ty Milford’s Sunset Speedway

One of my favorite things to do is to find things happening in Oregon that are well out of my everyday experience. I can’t recall exactly how I came across the Sunset Speedway, but it fit the bill exactly. Last year, I headed out for a gorgeous evening of dirt track racing. I walked among the drivers and their cars, talked with them, took in the heavy aroma of combusted fuel, the roar of big block engines and caught the spray of clay coming up off the track. Between the drivers and their fans, there was a palpable passion for this gritty, unforgiving sport. There is a camaraderie that grows weekend after weekend.

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McMenamins Muralist Myrna Yoder Goes Big

Celebrating twenty years with the creators of Hammerhead and Ruby, Myrna Yoder is one of seven artists who enjoy an unusual and enviable job. Employed full time, and—like modern-day Michelangelos and Leonardos working for Lorenzo de’ Medici and Pope Julius II—they have a benefactor. “Mike McMenamin is our patron,” says Yoder. “But instead of the Catholic Church and illustrating the Bible, it’s Mike’s world.”

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1859 Oregon’s Magazine Takes First Oregon ADDY; Finalist for Maggie

BEND, Oregon—In one memorable weekend, 1859 Oregon’s Magazine (1859magazine.com), a statewide lifestyle magazine, won the 2012 Oregon ADDY Award for Best Oregon Publication Design and was a finalist for the prestigious Western Publishing Association’s (WPA) Maggie award for Best Consumer Quarterly.
The inaugural year of the ADDDYs took place at Sunriver Resort March 17. The 2012 Maggie Award winnerswill be announced during the 61st annual Maggie Awards Banquet on April 27th in Los Angeles. 1859 Oregon’sMagazine was also a Maggie finalist for Best Quarterly in 2011.
“We’re grateful to these esteemed awards organizations for recognizing the effort that the 1859 crew puts intoevery issue,” says Heather Johnson, 1859 publisher. “We thank our designers, in particular, for their gift andfor this ADDY award. We are about to open a new chapter, with bimonthly publication, and are confident in ourcreative team to continue that level of excellence.”
1859 Oregon’s Magazine, the icon for Oregon lovers, will build on its continued growth over the past three years,increasing its publication frequency to six issues a year, beginning with the July-August issue. 1859 readers canexpect the same quality they have become accustomed to but with an upgrade in quantity.
“We’ve now reached an exciting point where consumer acceptance of 1859 and market demand have created theperfect environment for us to increase our frequency and deepen our relationships with partners,” says Johnson.
Since its inception in 2009, 1859 has gone from a quarterly magazine created by two people to a cross-platformmedia icon sold in seven states with 12 employees located throughout Oregon.
About 1859 Oregon’s Magazine
1859 Oregon’s Magazine is a statewide lifestyle magazine named for Oregon’s year of statehood. 1859 capturesthe true Oregon for Oregonians, its admirers and visitors. Oregon is a wealth of recreational, ecological, historicaland entrepreneurial intrigue. We’re pioneers in the sustainable movement; we’re bike geeks and techies, NativeAmericans and cowboys, financiers and vintners. We’re urban, suburban, rural and ranch. 1859 Oregon’sMagazine is the vehicle that folks from Pendleton to The Pearl District, from Bend to Bandon, recognize as theirown. In an intelligent and beautiful format, 1859 explores the landscapes, the personalities, the movers andshakers, the history and the architecture that is the jewel of the Pacific Northwest. For Oregonians, 1859 is anexploration of the state’s rich history, its incredible destinations and colorful personalities.
About the Oregon ADDYs
Following a focus group of advertising industry participants and much discussion, the Drakes Committee andAdvertising Federation of C.O. (AdFed) Board created a state-wide ADDY® competition, now called the OregonADDY® Awards. The ADDY® Awards represent the true spirit of creative excellence by recognizing all forms ofadvertising from media of all types, creative by all sizes and entrants of all levels.
About the Western Publications Association (WPA)
The WPA has represented magazine publishers and related companies for more than fifty-seven years. Servingthose publications west of the Mississippi, the WPA is committed to responding to the challenges and opportunitiesfacing the ever-changing magazine industry. For more information, visit www.wpa-online.org. For more informationon the Western Publications Association, please visit wpa-online.org.
For more information on 1859 Oregon’s Magazine, contact Megan Oliver at 541.550.7081, ext. 513, or email her [email protected].

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Couples Getaways in Oregon

Oregon, with all its diverse glory, has myriad options for the couple looking to get away.  From sumptuous sensory experiences at the best restaurants and wineries in the Pacific Northwest to adrenaline-pumping outdoor adventures, there’s something for everyone.

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St. Patrick’s Day in Oregon: Music Pick

Casey Neill and his raucous Irish band will play a host of upcoming shows to ring in St. Patrick’s Day.
Casey Neill has the kind of voice that makes you stop what you are doing. It’s timeless, like something that might drift out of a jukebox in a roadside tavern somewhere in Middle America. But there are other qualities there that make it truly unmistakable: hints of Michael Stipe’s vibrato tenor, some alt. country inflections of Jay Farrar and the occasional whiskey-soaked growl of Shane McGowan.
I caught a show by Casey and his band, The Norway Rats, at the Laurelthirst Public House one Wednesday as part of his month-long happy hour residency at Portland’s favorite Americana pub. I’ve been listening to him since college, and have come to expect a mellow, easy-on-the-ears folk/country sound (with an occasional rocker thrown in); essentially a predictable mix best characterized by his 2007 album, Brooklyn Bridge. The 2007 album was recorded mostly in New York City, and documents his stint in Brooklyn, while also placing his songwriting and vocals at center stage.
As I should have expected, a lot has changed for Casey since those days in New York. His live show at the Laurelthirst was anything but mellow. Since coming back to Portland and re-establishing his roots a few years ago, Casey put together a super-group of the city’s finest folk/Americana musicians—including Chris Funk and Jenny Conlee of the Decemberists, and Scott McCaughey of Minus 5. While not all the household names where there last Wednesday night, the band played a rousing set of rockers balanced by a few old favorites (see “Riffraff”) and some folksy solos.
Neill embraced the talents of some of these same stellar musicians on his 2010 release “Goodbye to the Rank and File” with a nice blend of Celtic punk, rockabilly and folk. Neill’s literate sensibilities ground each song in memorable images and turns of phrase. It’s a nostalgic homage to a country life that may have never been, and puts you alongside cool silver waters with a young lover on a hot summer night.
Look for his newest record “All You Pretty Vandals” to be released this year, produced by Chris Funk of the Decemberists.
Neill says of the new record in an interview with 1859, “We stayed away from any roots tropes this time—no train beats, no twang, no Irish bits, very little acoustic guitar… It’s very much a high-energy band record with a big anthemetic sound. It feels edgy and urgent. There’s some horns and strings, some guest vocalists. We had a lot of fun making it.”
In the meantime, catch one of his upcoming shows in March featuring his Pogues tribute band K.M.R.I.A. (And what does that stand for, you say? Kiss My Royal Irish A**, a phrase used in James Joyce’s “Ulysses” and in the Pogues’ song “Transmetropolitan”).
Thurs. March 15 – K.M.R.I.A. – CENTRALIA, WA @ The Olympic Club 7pm $15
Fri. March 16 – K.M.R.I.A. – SEATTLE, WA @ The High Dive 9:30pm 513 N 36th St.
Sat. March 17 – The Norway Rats – PORTLAND, OR @ McMenamins Kennedy School Gym. 4 p.m. Free.
Sat. March 17 – K.M.R.I.A. – PORTLAND, OR @ The Wonder Ballroom (Always sells out), 128 NE Russell St $13, Presented by Monqui with special guest SASSPARILLA
Fri. MARCH 30 – The Norway Rats – PORTLAND, OR @ The Aladdin Theater

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Laura Gibson’s New Album

Laura Gibson’s shows are entrancing. Maybe this is because they lack the explosives and theatrics that so many musicians turn to once they realize they’ll get more attention with antics such as taking their shirts off. Instead, Gibson’s quiet poise and confidence generally arrest her audiences into silence as she flawlessly picks her way through intricate patterns on her guitar and sings in a steely, crackling soprano.
Gibson performed a special early CD Release show at Mississippi Studios in Portland, Oregon last Friday, February 3, for her new album “La Grande.” This early show was added at the last minute since her late show sold out. She made her way through most of the tracks from her new record and, with help from her full backing band and a vintage microphone, she was able to actually recreate many of the studio sounds. She also threw in a few oldies and a solo version of “In the Pines,” an old folk song made popular by Nirvana in the 90s.
Both her live performance and her new record go in new and expansive directions for Gibson. True to its name, “La Grande” feels like it could have been recorded in an old creeky house in Eastern Oregon that has been frozen in time since the 20s. A host of famous musicians, including two members of the Decemberists and Joey Burns from Calexico, add haunting, country-jazz textures. The overall effect is music that could be the soundtrack to a pre-Depression era cocktail party.
The only critique is that sometimes Gibson’s jazz-tinged vocal styling feels a little forced, possibly in an attempt to distance herself from the generic singer/songwriter label. Overall, “La Grande” should be added to the music collections of all Oregonians who love folk music, and are interested in songs written about the state.

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Best Lodging in Willamette Valley Wine Country

When visiting the Willamette Valley’s wine country, often the hardest decision isn’t where to go tasting or dining but where to rest your head after all the sipping and supping. Sure there are a few inexpensive motels around, but with several distinctive and romantic accommodations, why not make it a more memorable experience? Here are some of my favorites:

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What is Your Favorite 2011 Cover?

Four 1859 covers adorned newsstands in 2011. Which was your favorite? Click here to cast your vote now!

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Best Oregon Albums of 2011

Oregon is for music lovers, that’s no secret. As throngs of our nation’s hipsters flock to the world’s capital of indie-folk in Portland, the lines of local and national are blurred. The next two blogs highlight some the best Oregon albums of 2011. But don’t take our word for it. Listen for yourself. 1859 has provided a free track download for each album, so put ‘em on your iTunes, bring them along on your morning jog and let us know what you think.