Barrel Aged Brew Festival near a Bend Oregon Bed and Breakfast

Sunday, September 6, 2009 by Mary Pellegrini
All of Central Oregon's microbreweries are participating in this years festival "The Little Woody".  Deschutes Brewing, Bend Brewing, Cascade Lakes Brewing, Silver Moon Brewing, McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 10 Barrel Brewing, and Three Creeks Brewing.

The Little Woody Brew Festival in Bend Oregon


The festival will feature hand crafted, wood aged beer as well as one specialty brew from each brewery.  The Little Woody is being held on the lawn of the Deschutes Historical Museum in downtown Bend, Saturday, September 12th from 12pm - 10pm.  Admission to the event is just $6 and includes a commemorative glass. A tasting package is available for $15 and includes a commemorative glass and tasting tickets. A portion of the event proceeds will benefit the Deschutes Historical Society.



For Bend Oregon lodging contact a member inn of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild:

Blue Spruce Bed and Breakfast ~ Sisters
Long Hollow Ranch ~ Sisters
Cricketwood Country Bed and Breakfast ~ Bend

Annual Historic Tour of Homes and Gardens...It's All Happening In Albany, Oregon

Monday, July 13, 2009 by Debbie Lusk
Victorian Style, Queen Anne.  The Train House Inn, Albany, OregonJuly 25th, 2009, Albany, Oregon highlights their valley treasures by opening doors and garden gates to let you into some of the most gorgeous historic homes and gardens in the entire state of Oregon. 

Boasting the most varied collection of historic home styles in the state and the most in number as well, come tour the four Nationally Registered Historic Districts that drawBungalow in downtown Albany, Oregon.  The Pfeiffer Cottage Inn. photographers, travel writers, history buffs and anyone interested in the vintage bliss these homes exude. 

Bring your over-nite bag and plan to spend the night at one of the three bed and breakfasts in Albany.  Two of which are located on the edge of historic downtown.  Withing walking distance from two of the inns are two new antique shops, several specialty boutiques, coffee houses and of course our many downtown restaurants. 

Rare metals capital of the world, located perfectly in the middle of the Willamette Valley and wine country, fields of corn, beans, mint, hazel nuts and grass seed, over 700 historic homes and buildings, who'd a thunk Albany was so full of surprises.  Banking on the edge of the Willamette River, Albany is the starting point for birdwatching, bicycling, walking, and of course driving to the coast, Sisters and Bend, Eugene and Portland.  With the newly restored train station only a few blocks from downtown, it is an easy walk to step back in time, hop on the train and relax as it takes you to your Oregon destination.

Climbing Pink Heirloom Roses at The Pfeiffer Cottage Inn.So, no matter why you are coming to Albany and how you are getting here, prepare to be awed and amazed as we are proud to "show off" our many treasures and we hope that you find some vintage bliss in our sweet town.

Oregon Covered Bridges...the romance, the history and the ride!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 by Debbie Lusk
Oregon Covered BridgeOregon has the most covered bridges in the west and one of the largest collections in the country.  Around 1850, the pioneers began building bridges out of the plentiful Douglas fir.  They then built houses on them to protect them from the Oregon dampness.  There was once hundreds of these covered bridges and now only 51 exist in several counties in Oregon. 

From Portland, the Willamette Valley, central and southern Oregon as well as the Coast, covered bridge history is alive and well due to the recognition of these historic sites and the repair and revitalization of the covered bridges. 

Activities around the state are actually centered at these bridge sites.  The MidWillamette Valley Covered Bridge Bicycle Tour Valley Covered Bridge Bicycle Tour is in August and this event draws hundreds of bicyclists through the bridges with nice easy roads that offer a scenic tour of the country side as well as the covered bridges.

Last year, the Covered Bridge Festival moved to Albany and drew thousands of visitors from all over the world.  The history and beauty of these old bridges remains a romantic draw even today.  The festival drew several guests to our inn last summer and by bicycle, many of them rode off to see the five covered bridges in Scio and Stayton.  Food, entertainment, reenactments and demonstrations are all part of the festival.  And, if you just want a nice ride on a comfy bus, you can enjoy your own personal tour with one of original bridge builders as your guide.  

We enjoyed the self-guided covered bridge tour when we went in the fall a few years ago.  Not only did we enjoy the romantic drive, the bridges with the fall foliage as a backdrop was breath taking.  Since then, we have sent many guests on a self guided quest to experience the same.  

In Jackson County, Oregon, the McKee bridge near Jacksonville is aptly near the Tou Velle House Bed and Breakfast.  An Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild inn, this three story Craftsman style home is nestled in historic Jacksonville, Oregon in the Rogue Valley.  It is only 5 miles from Medford and 17 miles from Ashland.  This Oregon Bed and Breakfast makes for the perfect base to go exploring by bicycle or auto.

Guest Room at The Oval Door B & B Inn, Oregon Bed & BreakfastIn Lane County, you have 19 covered bridges from Belknap to the Wildcat CreekCovered Bridge near Oregon Bed & Breakfast bridges to tour.  The Oval Door Bed and Breakfast Inn, offers 6 guest rooms, gourmet breakfasts prepped and served by culinary trained chef/innkeepers.  This inn is an Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild inn as well as a newly built farm-style house in the heart of Eugene, Oregon. 

In Benton County, you can tour Irish Bend. This covered bridge along with 2 others are close to Corvallis and the Harrison House Bed and Breakfast.  This 1930's home offers 5 guest rooms and provides lodging in Oregon that you can write home about.  The inn is close to the OSU campus, gourmet restaurants, and downtown Corvallis. 

I think it's time to pack your bags, your picnic basket, your bikes, and check in to a Oregon Bed & Breakfast to begin your tour of some of Oregon's most romantic history. 



Think you have what it takes to be an Innkeeper? This course is for you!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009 by Heather Tyreman
Want to open a Bend Oregon Bed and Breakfast?  Thinking about Crater Lake lodging?  Ashland Oregon lodging?  If you're serious, then an in-depth bed and breakfast training program might be just what you need.  And there's one coming up in the Pacific Northwest very soon.  Bed and Breakfast Seminars is a new venture of two Oregon Bed & Breakfast Guild innkeepers and endorsed by the Oregon Bed & Breakfast Guild.
 

Guest blogger Diane Emineth tells the story:

Oregon Coast lodging owner Diane EminethTwo Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild innkeepers, Diane Emineth of Sandlake Country Inn and Debbie Dersham of Eagle Rock Lodge are combining their years of innkeeping and mentoring experience to create the Pacific Northwest's first 3 night/4 day intensive Aspiring Innkeeper Seminar. The first seminar will be at the beautiful Eagle Rock Lodge April 5-8, 2009.  
 
Diane and Debbie saw a real need for an extensive seminar in the Pacific NW.  Their desire is to equip aspiring and new Bed and Breakfast owners with the information and tools that they will need in order to have a successful and sustainable Bed and Breakfast.  The burnout rate in this industry is very high (7.5 years) and they both feel that if new innkeepers are better informed and prepared, these percentages can decrease
 
In these unsteady economic times, many people are considering changing careers. Is this a good time to buy a bed and breakfast?

"Yes!" says Rick Newman, Managing Partner of Bed and Breakfast Financing.  "It's a great time to buy!" Newman says. "Don't be discouraged by the Doom & Gloom in the media, Inns that can document a profitable history can be financed, even in this market."
 
It's frightening and exciting all at the same time to change your life and live your dream.  Be armed with the knowledge before you buy or start your own B&B.  Learn from the experts the pitfalls both financial and personal by experienced innkeepers before you spend your life's savings!  They will also share with you some of the amazingly wonderful experiences of interacting with guests and how rewarding a life as an innkeeper can be.

Oregon wedding sites owner Debbie DershamFrom personal experience for Debbie, her first year as an inn owner was a combination of "deer in the headlights and a train wreck."  But through education through the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild and a great mentor, Diane Emineth, Debbie is living out her dream career as a successful Bed and Breakfast owner.  Diane and Debbie would like to share their knowledge and expertise with up and coming Innkeepers. 

For more information about the seminars, go to their website at www.bedandbreakfastseminars.com or call them.  They'll be happy to answer any questions you might have about attending their seminar.  Contact Diane Emineth at 503-965-6745.  Contact Debbie Dersham at 541-822-3630.


 

3rd Annual Spring Strings in the Wallowas--A Chamber Musician's Retreat--April 24-27, 2009

Tuesday, March 10, 2009 by Heather Tyreman
Forget the Oregon Coast!  Forget Crater Lake!  Forget Bend!  Forget even Portland! . . .

Chamber Music Retreat in Wallowa County
It's time again for recreational chamber musicians to plan their early spring Eastern Oregon vacation and gather in Wallowa County Oregon bed & breakfast inns.  The 3rd Annual Spring Strings in the Wallowas is 3-day/3-night workshop held in Wallowa County.  The workshop celebrates the music of the string quartet (violin, viola & cello).

As a board member of the Wallowa Valley Music Alliance, I'm pretty involved with the project.  Last year, I pulled out my oboe and played "2nd fiddle" (that is, 2nd violin music) to round out some of the playing groups.





Violinist Lisa RobertsonViolinist Daniel PerryIn response to suggestions from previous Spring Strings workshops, we've moved the event to a weekend (Friday evening through Monday morning departure).  We've also added two outstanding player coaches: Lisa Robertson and Daniel Perry.  Both are top-notch violinists and we're thrilled that they will take part in the workshops.  You can read more about them on the Music Alliance website.

Spouses and travelling companions are welcome.  Even if they don't play, they're bound to enjoy the delicious catered meals and optional tours of local artist studios and bronze foundries.

Rehearsal spaces are in the living & dining rooms and salons of the participating bed and breakfasts--just the places where chamber music was meant to be played.  Musicians will rotate through different playing ensembles, having the opportunity to enjoy many of the playing spaces.  This year, musicians will be able to use our newly constructed den at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast--a private space not open to the public.  We're so excited as the acoustics in this space are wonderful!

This year we have eleven different bed and breakfast inns offering wonderful lodging options, so musicians have plenty of Eastern Oregon lodging to choose from.  Details are on the Music Alliance website, complete with an online registration form. 

Four of these Oregon bed and breakfasts are members of the (you guessed it) Oregon Bed & Breakfast Guild.  They are:
 
  • Located on the slope between Joseph and Enterprise:
     
  • Located in the town of Joseph, Oregon:


Register soon as the workshop is in April 2009!
 

A Portland, Oregon Bed and Breakfast, Quilts, Elephants and Beer!

Monday, March 2, 2009 by Debbie Lusk
Downtown Portland, December 2008Only one year ago, my husband and I took the train from Albany, Oregon and spent a lovely couple of days in Portland, Oregon.  We had only driven through the area and never stopped to see or enjoy the city.  Well, now Portland has become one of our most favorite destinations.  I still am in awe of my husband when I follow him like a puppy dog as we get on the MAX, get off the MAX, get on a street car, well you know where this is going.  I really don't but I am always game for a ride and we always end up somewhere fun.

Two Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild inns come to mind when I think of location,Oregon Bed & Breakfast, The Fulton House, Portland, Oregon luxury, and relaxation in the Rose City.  The first Oregon Bed & Breakfast is The Fulton House B & B.  It is located in the heart of Portland and minutes from city center and just a block from the Willametter River.  This inn has quite a history.  It was built in the late 19th century and was originally a floating bordello and around 1910, it was moved to its present location on logs by teams of horses.  The inn offers two guest rooms with private baths, a beautiful outdoor patio and a hot tub.

The second Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild inn, The Lion and The Rose Victorian Bed and Breakfast is on the National Register of Historic Places.  Built in 1906, this Queen Anne and is decorated with period furnishings and offers a two course breakfast, is near restaurants, shops and the downtown area.  It was also listed as one of the Best Places to Kiss in Oregon. 

Deschutes Brewery, Portland, OregonWhen we go to Portland our goal is to do something new, something we have never done before.  However, we are kinda hooked on the Deschutes Brewery in the Pearl District in Portland.  It's an easy step off the streetcar right across from the Armory and you will not be dissapointed!  The brewery originally began in Bend, Oregon and this new brewery was opened in 2008.  They specialize in a "Northwest style that brings a taste of Central Oregon to the heart of Portland."  And of course their brewery offerings are as spectacular as their surroundings.  Using a collection of large salvaged timber beams to build the bar and tables, they also boast a beautiful collection of carvings that bring a natural feeling to the setting while you dine, drink andCarvings at Deschutes Brewery, Portland, Oregon enjoy your burger with house made pickles. 

Hopefully you won't see too many "pink elephants" while you are in Portland after hitting the breweries when you go to the Portland Zoo for the "Elephantastic" celebration on April 18,2009.  This event features a party for "Packy" who is a resident elephant turning 47 years old.  The Portland Zoo is the world leader in Asian elephant care and is planning to offer special training sessions and other fun Asian Elephantbirthday activites for Packy at the party.

Wow!  It looks like Portland has something for everyone in the family.  We covered Portland, Oregon lodging, elephants and beer.  So, all we have left is quilts!  Quilting is a craft that many people have taken up recently.  Many cities in Oregon actually celebrate quilting by offering quilt shows that draw thousands of crafters from all over the region.  Portland, Oregon will celebrate with "A Festival of Quilts", March 26th to March 28th, 2009.  This 35th annual show will offer over 400 quilts to be viewed along with vendors and supplies to be purchased. 

It kinda looks like someones "Spring Break" is all planned out for them.  A trip the whole family can enjoy!





Buy Your Tickets and Make Your B&B Reservations Now for the 40th Annual Oregon Bach Festival, June 23 to July 12, 2009

Wednesday, February 4, 2009 by Heather Tyreman
The Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström will be in residence for the world premiere of his new Messiah July 9, 2009Classical music afficionados will want to mark their calendars now for the 40th Annual Oregon Bach Festival.  The festival takes place June 23 to July 12, 2009.  Most performances and workshops will take place in Eugene, Oregon.  You'll find more information and ticket purchase options at the Oregon Bach Festival website.

In addition to Eugene, the festival will include performances in Portland (June 27 and June 29) and in Bend (June 23).

The Oregon Bed & Breakfast Guild has member bed and breakfasts in all three cities.  What better way to enjoy classical music than to come home to your home-away-from-home bed and breakfast after the concert?

Living Room and Piano at the C'est la Vie Inn, Eugene Oregon lodging and Oregon Bed & Breakfast Guild memberFor Eugene lodging, consider these inspected and approved bed and breakfasts:
  • C'est la Vie Inn.   In the Old World tradition of a small luxury European hotel, C’est la Vie Inn proudly offers its guests the services of a dedicated concierge who will attend to your specific needs such as dry cleaning, theatre tickets, and restaurant reservations.
  • The Oval Door B&B.  The Oval Door B&B Chefs Nicole and Melissa offer scrumptious breakfasts with homemade breads and muffins, fresh Oregon fruit, and a gourmet specialty of the day. Tea and goodies and wine service are available in the afternoon.
  • The River Walk Inn.  This bed and breakfast is close to almost everything in Eugene. The University of Oregon is less than 10 minutes away by car or bicycle, as is the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, downtown shopping and restaurants. Eugene’s mall, Valley River Center, is a short walk down the bike path and over a foot bridge - perfect for an evening stroll.
For Bend Oregon lodging, consider the Cricketwood County Bed and Breakfast.   Its outdoor therapy spa and whimsical guestrooms might delay your arrival at the concert.

For Portland Oregon lodging, the Oregon Bed & Breakfast Guild has many members, all of which are inspected and approved by OBBG.  Click here to visit our webpage listing all of our members in Portland, and links to bed and breakfasts in the nearby area.

Romantic Getaways for Valentine's Day and Beyond at Oregon's Bed and Breakfasts

Sunday, February 1, 2009 by Mary Pellegrini
Valentine's Day is February 14, this year part of a three day weekend made possible by Presidents Day on February 16th.

Many of the inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild offer Romance packages , some to be celebrated any time and some with an emphasis on Valentine's Day.

From the Oregon Coast to Eastern Oregon.  From Ashland to Portland.  The Willamette Valley to the Hood River Valley.

A special experience awaits you at a member inn of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild.  Visit the Specials page on the OBBG website and find a romantic getaway designed especially for you and your sweetie. 

Arch Cape Inn - Arch Cape - roses, wines, chocolates - you design your package

Bronze Antler - Joseph - Flowers for my Sweet - Nothings says it quite like flowers or a lovely plant.

Cannon Beach Hotel -  Cannon Beach - 'My Heart is Yours' package for couples!

Country Willows Inn - Ashland - Valentine Sweetheart Special

Cricketwood B&B - Bend - Chilled champagne or sparkling cider, chocolates and fresh flowers

Oak Hill B&B - Ashland -  Wine and Truffles

The Pfeiffer Cottage Inn - Albany - Chilled sparkling wine and chocolates

Ocean House - Newport -  Sweetheart Special

River Walk Inn - Eugene - Chocolate, flowers and wine for two

Tyee Lodge - Newport - Sweetheart Special

Youngberg Hill Vineyards & Inn - Not Your Momma's Chocolate

From the Oregon Coast to Eastern Oregon.  From Ashland to Portland.  The Willamette Valley to the Hood River Valley.  An unforgettable romantic getaway awaits you at a member inn of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild