A culinary tour through Oregon

Thursday nights are the best at The Heathman as happy hour in the bar runs all night. The bar is dark and cozy and is a nice place to snuggle up in a booth with someone special. I'm a huge fan of the Artisan Cheese Plate and the Charcuterie plate. You also can't go wrong with the Croque Monsieur.

It's no wonder the Portland Saturday Market is one of Portland's top 10 attractions. Established in 1974, the Portland Saturday Market is the largest outdoor arts-and-crafts market in continuous operation in the United States. Filled with the colors and flavors of more than 300 artisans, the market offers quality art, handmade toys, clothing and 26 food booths in the International Food Court. All items are handcrafted and sold by the artisans. Rain or shine, the market is open every Saturday and Sunday, March through Christmas Eve, in Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Rising ten stories from the beach, the Inn At Spanish Head Resort Hotel offers magnificent, completely unobstructed views of the Oregon coast. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame wildlife, waves, spectacular cloud formations and glorious sunsets. Come experience their gracious service and many amenities. And, all of their guest rooms face the ocean, so you won’t miss a moment of the action. During your stay at the Inn, dine in their penthouse restaurant, where you can actually see the curve of the earth as you enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or their famous Sunday Champagne brunch. Relax at Fathoms bar, where the view is rivaled only by the hand-shaken, fresh-squeezed, perfectly poured cocktails and the $1.95 appetizers.

As far as I know there is not a sea near Ashland, but the Ashland Springs Inn's lobby kind of has a ocean type theme. The seashells represent all of the places that the owners have been around the world. It is quite a collection! Besides that you couldn't ask for a better hotel that is so centrally located. From the hotel you can walk to Lithia Park, shops, coffee shops and most importantly the theatre. The rooms are small but very cozy and clean. The beds are very comfortable and the breakfast on the mezzanine is very nice and included in the rate, at least the rate I had. When guests return in the eveing there is tea and cookies in the lobby. Oh, and if you are planning a wedding, they have a great reception space.

Diamond Lake is Oregons favorite year-round destination. Summer recreation includes boating fishing camping hiking horseback riding and mountain biking. Winter brings a wonderland of snowmobiling snow cat skiing cross-country skiing and tubing hill with up hill tow.

The Deschutes River Trail sections cover several miles. This one is easy access but feels more like a hike than what you get in the downtown section.

Head south from Farewell Bend Park. While you can take a nice stroll through this park , I suggest heading for the dirt trail from the southwest end of the park that takes you upstream to a footbridge, where you can cross and return on the other side for a nice three mile loop. The trail slips through mainly ponderosa forest, but interpretive signs help with some of the other vegetation. Some of our wildlife sightings included common mergansers, Townsend's solitares, robins, bushtits (including a nest), ravens, a black phoebe and American dippers. We can also provide two eyewitness accounts to verify that there are fish in the river. First, we watched an osprey dive from its tree perch, splash into the water, and arise with a small fish in its talon. Then, as we were standing on the footbridge, we watched a river otter haul its catch onto a rock and munch away.

Halfway between Bend and Sunriver, the area's geographic wonders begin to unfold. Open seasonally, the Lava Land Visitor Center at Lava Butte provides a great introduction to the region’s volcanic landscape through interpretive displays and self-guided tours. Travel a few miles south and you’ll find Newberry Crater, an 18-mile caldera containing East Lake, Paulina Lake, Paulina Falls and the country’s largest obsidian lava flow.

Overlooking the Briggs Hill Valley, Sweet Cheeks Winery offers Breathtaking Views and Old World charm. The 65 acre Estate Vineyard sits on 140 acres of prime sloping hillside located in the heart of the Willamette Valley wine appellation. Blessed with a

If you follow track & field sports you already know about Hayward Field. If not then a stop here during a visit in Eugene might be a good idea. Hayward Field is one of the most important - and most historic - sports venues in the United States. Originally built as a football stadium for nearby University of Oregon is is now a track & field only stadium. In 2008 it will host the US trials for the Olympics in Beijing. Bill Bowerman, a co-founder of Nike was a track coach here; Steve Prefontaine, one of the most famous runners of all times ran some of his most memorable races here. This stadium made Eugene into "Tracktown USA". If you visit Eugene, a visit here is a must.

Established in 1892, Jake's is Portland's favorite restaurant & bar, a must when in town. Now 110 years old and truly an institution in Portland.