This seating at Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge in Bend, Oregon has a modern cowboy kind of vibe. There’s a lot going on in this design.
There are two couches, four easy chairs, and two barstools shown in this relatively small space.
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Yokocho Izakaya restaurant serves what it calls “Japanese & Asian comfort food.” It opened earlier this year in northeast Bend, Oregon. The restaurant was created by Kwanchanok Singhakahm (Chef Kwan) and Phanpat Namsr (Chef Nong), both originally from Thailand. A recent article notes that they enjoy serving Tokyo street food-style dishes here because it’s their “passion”, not to make money.
The interior is a work of art. Colorful posters, lanterns, and flags fill the space. Repurposed milk crates serve as seats at some of the tables.
In fact, I thought the interior was so interesting, I used a picture of it in the One to Three Photo Processing Challenge. In that challenge, participants show a single picture processed three ways.
Lines of customers waiting to get in can get long here. Near the entrance, there’s a yellow wall-mounted Pac-Man arcade game to pass the time.
There’s a small outdoor seating area by the front door.
Their menu includes skewers, salads, small plates, noodle dishes, rice dishes, and several sides. There are a few dessert choices as well. Yokocho Izakaya restaurant has a large selection of sake, served hot or cold. Drinks include cocktails and mocktails with interesting names as well as beer, wine, tea, soft drinks, and Thai tea.
On my first visit, I had a bento box and the house sake. As you can see, it doesn’t look like a traditional bento box. This one included miso soup, seaweed salad, gyoza dumplings, karaage fried chicken with lemon aioli, and a yaki onigri (grilled Japanese rice ball glazed with sweet sauce). I especially liked the gyoza and chicken. Though I’m no expert on sake, I really liked the flavor of the sake I ordered.
On my next visit, I ordered several dishes. My first picture shows sides of Edamame and Agedashi Tofu. The steamed edamame beans were nice and salty on the outside and moist inside. The deep-fried tofu had a crunchy thin layer on the outside and silky and soft inside. The tofu is served with a dashi sauce and a topping of scallions and bonito flakes. Both were very good.
My next picture shows a serving of Okonomiyaki. This seafood pancake is covered with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. The garnish includes bonito flakes and seaweed. I thought it was good, but craved a stronger seafood taste.
The next photo is of the Teriyaki Don main dish. The grilled chicken is served with teriyaki sauce , and veggies, garnished with scallions and sesame seeds. The chicken was moist and tender and I really liked the flavor of the sauce. I preferred this chicken in this dish over the karaage chicken I had on my previous visit.
My dining companion ordered the Karaage Curry main dish. The chicken is deep-fried and served with a Japanese curry sauce. The sauce was tasty and the dish was beautifully presented.
I’m including two photos of the menu.
Yokocho Izakaya is open six days a week from 12:00 to 3:00 pm and 5:00 to 9:00 pm. It is closed on Wednesdays. This restaurant is located off the beaten path at 1900 NE Division St., Suite 110 in Bend, Oregon.
I’ve liked Yokocho Izakaya so far. However, several people noted how uncomfortable the milk crate seats at some of the tables are in their comments. Perhaps they can address this issue in a creative way.
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Here’s the High Desert Voices December 2025 newsletter for your reading pleasure. Lots of nice photos as well! This newsletter is published by and for volunteers at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. I’ve been working there as a volunteer since 2013.
Articles this month include one about the Soil Alive! exhibition, one on the Joe Fedderson: Earth, Water, Sky exhibition, one on the Winter Nights! event, and one on wildfire smoke. A calendar of upcoming events and exhibitions is on the last page.
Please enjoy the High Desert Voices December 2025 issue!
To view previous issues, visit my HDV newsletter tag.
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When I visited a newer restaurant in Bend recently, it was a feast for the eyes. In this post, I experimented with photo effects at Yokocho Izakaya. This restaurant serves Japanese and Asian comfort foods. I’ll be posting a review after I visit it again in the near future.
I used Corel PaintShopPro 2021 for different photo processing effects on this picture of the restaurant. In the original image I increased the contrast and fill light and cropped the edges. Use the slider to view each effect compared to the original.
The first picture of the restaurant shows a Hue effect. For this image processing I went to Adjust>Hue and saturation>Hue map>Neon glow setting. My Yokocho Izakaya photo already had a lot of color. This effect intensifies all the colors.
The second picture of the restaurant shows an Artistic effect. For this image processing I went to Effects>Artistic Effects>Contours>Default setting. The colors are muted with this effect and contour lines are incorporated into many of the shapes. Note the customer at the bar nearly disappears with this effect.
The last picture of the restaurant shows a Time Machine effect. For this image processing I went to Effects>Photo Effects>Time Machine>Albumen setting. I tried several monotone processing effects, but I liked this one best. This effect highlights the many shapes and textures in the restaurant.
With so much to see at this restaurant, it was a challenge to decide which photo effects at Yokocho Izakaya to feature. The food is artfully presented as well.
One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge
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Old Mill sunrise in Bend, Oregon
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Fall seating near the Flag Bridge in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon
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Last week, we visited Oblivion Pour House in Bend, Oregon. I ordered the Smoked Baby Back Ribs. It included a half-rack of in-house smoked ribs, smashed potatoes with a cheesy sauce, and grilled broccoli, zucchini, carrots, and squash. I ate part of the large portion of food and took the rest home for two more meals. The ribs were tasty but weren’t the fall-off-the-bone type. The veggies were all good, especially the potatoes.
This entree includes a Caesar or house salad. I chose the house salad with a honey mustard dressing and it was delicious!
My dining companion ordered the Jambalaya Mac. Oblivion Pour House serves 11 kinds of mac and cheese. This dish includes sauteed chicken, Gulf shrimp, andouille, bacon, garlic, and tomato. The house-made 6-cheese cream reduction poblano-infused sauce covers the elbow macaroni. Green onions garnish this delicious dish. A heel of bread is served on the side.
We shared a piece of Key Lime pie for dessert. It was also good.
Their extensive menu includes salads, mac and cheese, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, tacos, and several entrees. Their drinks include Oblivion Brewing beer on tap, as well as several nonalcoholic drink options.
Previously known as the Pour House Grill, this restaurant underwent renovations and added ‘Oblivion’ to its name. Oblivion Brewing is one of many microbrews in Bend and they moved their tasting room to this location. The comfortable interior has several big-screen TVs playing various sports.
Oblivion Pour House is in the outlet mall at the south end of Bend. The address is 61276 S Hwy 97, Bend, OR 97702. They are open from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Friday, from 9:30 am to 10:00 pm on Saturdays, and from 9:30 am to 9:00 pm on Sundays.
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Forest at Night exhibit at High Desert Museum, Oregon
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Here’s the High Desert Voices September 2025 newsletter for your reading pleasure. Lots of nice photos as well! This newsletter is published by and for volunteers at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. I’ve been working there as a volunteer since 2013.
Articles this month include one about the Welcome the Night evening event, one on the Forest at Night exhibition, and one on hiking the Soda Creek Trail, west of Bend. A calendar of upcoming events and exhibitions is on the last page.
Please enjoy the High Desert Voices September 2025 issue!
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I recently had this delicious tuna fish sandwich from the Bread and Bunny food truck in Bend, Oregon. This food truck is located in the Midtown Yacht Club pod in northeast Bend. No, you won’t see any yachts here since it’s in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The taphouse has a maritime theme and a good variety of beer and other beverages.
Why am I only showing half of the sandwich? Because it was a gigantic sandwich that I could barely get my mouth around. I saved half for another meal.
A large portion of tuna salad is wedged between slices of multigrain bread from the Sisters Bakery. Leaf lettuce from Boundless Farmstead is included seasonally. Slices of Tillamook Jack and Colby Jack cheese are also included. The thing that make the Farmhouse Tuna sandwich a little different from a traditional tuna sandwich, is that it includes coarsely grated carrots and sliced Granny Smith apples.
On the day I ordered, I also got a couple slices of fresh pineapple. I think chips are usually included.
If you’re in the mood for a delicious tuna fish sandwich, visit the Bread and Bunny at the Midtown Yacht Club. I admit, I always order the same sandwich at the Bread and Bunny. Their menu also includes Reubens, BLTAs, melts, steak, chicken, and a variety of gourmet meat sandwiches.
The Midtown Yacht Club food truck pod is located at 1661 NE 4th Street in Bend. It’s open from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on Sunday from Thursday and from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm on Friday and Saturday. There are currently seven food trucks there.
Three Things Challenge (TTC) – Large, gigantic
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I took these two pictures of Bar Rio in B & W during a recent visit. This restaurant is in downtown Bend, Oregon.
When I saw all the lines in the interior decorating, I immediately thought pictures of it would look good in black and white.
While the decor was interesting, the food was a little disappointing. I may have to give it a second try.
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Sunflowers at Tunnel of Joy in Bend, Oregon
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I was really looking forward to seeing the WinterFest 2025 fire pits at Bend’s winter festival event in Bend’s Old Mill District last February. They are great to photograph! I have posted pictures from previous years under the fire pit tag.
We are about to experience some of our hottest temperatures of the year in Bend this week. Maybe you are also getting some hot days where you live. I thought it might be a great time to remember the cooler temperatures of winter.
One of my favorite fire pits this year, was this VW van. It was well-designed and fun.
Another one I really liked was this one featuring a forest. Loved those trees!
Some of the fire pits have more intricate designs.
Others are more simple.
Some, like this one, are enormous. You can see lots of people meeting up around this WinterFest 2025 fire pit to take advantage of its warmth.
Some of the fire pits used a more traditional design, but included interesting cut-out details.
Others were all about the details. This octopus surrounding a boat, which I’ve shown before, had amazing details.
Some are cone or column shaped.
Other are square.
This year, snow from a recent storm covered the ground. It added to the festive mood.
This event includes ice carvings, hand-crafted fire pits, the Pump Bump Jam (a ski ramp with several jumps), a wine walk, food carts, beer, wine, and cider booths, bands playing on the stage, a flying dog show, and a kid’s area. It also includes booths from a wide variety of businesses and booths selling everything from jewelry and clothing to unique food items. This year, there were more Marketplace booths than I’ve ever seen before.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Found at the fair/market
Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – meet
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Colorful resting balloons, drowsy at dawn,
Breathe in heated air, unfold, stretch, and inflate
Burners roar, envelopes fill, tense crews hang on
Baskets shift on the ground, sandbags balance weight
Pilots check the weather, instruments, and tanks
Passengers clamber aboard, voicing their thanks
Flames dance over burners, heat enters the skirt
Lift greater than weight, balloons float o’er desert
Photographs taken at Balloons Over Bend event July 2025. Here’s a short video from a previous post.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Lines, colors, and patterns
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While out walking my dog, I noticed this mule deer who appeared to be 1st in line for the next concert at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend, Oregon.
She stood there gazing at me for a moment, then walked even closer. When she paused about eight feet away from me, I thought I better continue on my way.
These photos really show the beautiful color of mule deers’ summer coat. In winter, it’s much heavier and more gray in color.
I passed by this flower border a couple of minutes after seeing the deer. I wonder if she wandered over there to munch on the flowers. It’s kinda like a smorgasbord for deer. 😉
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On Thursday, we ate at Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria. They opened in Bend, Oregon on Friday, July 18th.
You can order 4-slice or 8-slice square pizzas here. Their Detroit-style pizzas have thick, delicious crusts. You can also get combos that include one or two pizza slices, a small Caesar salad, and a fountain drink. Besides pizza, they also serve a few appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes.
I had the Mr. White pizza. The toppings include ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, roasted garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil. I thought it tasted pretty good. I could taste the garlic, but it wasn’t overpowering. With its thick crust and rich ingredients, I could barely eat two of the four pieces.
My companion decided on a make-it-yourself option. He had pepperoni, sausage, pineapple, and extra cheese on his 4-piece pizza. He liked his pizza but probably won’t add extra cheese next time. Yes, it had a lot of sauce! Like me, he could only eat half of the pizza.
The restaurant has an industrial design, but it wasn’t too loud. Tables are covered with white paper and have a package of crayons if you’re feeling artistically inclined. They have their sign up for alcoholic drinks but are waiting for their liquor license to be approved, which shouldn’t take long.
I took a couple of pictures of the inside and of the courtyard they share with Hablos Tacos. Note that we usually eat out on Thursdays at around 4:00 to 4:30 pm. There will be more customers during busier times.
Do the Abe Capanna’s pizzas remind you of other pizzas in town? Yeah, they are similar to Rush’s Squares at the On Tap food truck pod, a mere 200 yards away. Their Pesto Marg is my current favorite pizza. I think the menus are different enough that these two pizza restaurants can co-exist.
Abe Capanna’s Neighborhood Pizzeria is located at 1462 N. East Cushing Ave. # 140. The restaurant is in the same complex as Hablos Tacos, Lone Pine Coffee, and Cuppa Yo. They are in their soft opening phase right now, so I’m not sure of their hours. I’ll try to update this later.
Be sure to check them out!
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She’s surfin’ the Deschutes River at the Bend Whitewater Park in Oregon
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Last week, we visited San Simón, in downtown Bend. This restaurant is known for its unique cocktails.
They have a small menu, featuring make-your-own charcuterie boards. The board comes with dates and crackers, and the customer decides what else to include.
Here is their menu that includes charcuterie board offerings and a variety of wines.
Here’s their cocktail and mocktail menu. Yes, they came up with some creative names.
San Simón has plenty of seating, inside and out. This business is located in Tin Pan Alley. I have previously featured the tiny Tin Pan Theater that’s right next door to San Simón. I covered the outdoor artwork in the Alley in another post. This alley is small, but full of charm.
I went here to celebrate a big accomplishment and was a bit disappointed. Our bill for five charcuterie items and two cocktails, plus a tip, came to $76.50. That seemed sort of high for what we got. We liked the bread, cheese, and chutney we ordered. Though the menu indicates you get dates and crackers for free, they only gave us two small, sad dates.
I would have liked to have been able to order charcuterie boards that included things meant to go together. A thoughtfully created board may have been more satisfying than what I threw together. Just my opinion…
The cocktails were fine, but they are all priced the same, regardless of size and ingredients. The cocktails are priced at $14, while the mocktails are priced at $11.
The staff members were polite and prompt. I liked the decor and cozy atmosphere of San Simón. I remember visiting Lone Pine Coffee when it was here and enjoying its coziness.
San Simón is located at 845 Tin Pan Alley in Bend, Oregon. It’s open daily from 3:00 pm to “late.”
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Ten years ago today, I published my first post on this blog. I am celebrating Bend Branches birthday with a little treat.
My first post was titled, Time. It featured a photo of my favorite western juniper tree in my yard in Bend, Oregon. A winter sunset paints the skies in the background.
My post also included the following observation:
“The twists and turns of time can ravage one or make them into a thing of beauty.”
Thank you to my followers and to others who stop by to view my posts. Your likes and comments have encouraged and inspired me. I hope to celebrate another Bend Branches birthday ten years from now.
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Reflecting on adventures to
national parks to see iconic landmarks
Or to hidden gems in more isolated places
Remembering trips in search of feathered friends and
Finding tiny floating treasures
Or elegant creatures striding on stilt-like legs
Reflecting on adventures to
familiar places seen in a new light with a coating of snow
Or framed by the fiery leaves of fall
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Reflections
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Last weekend, we had an excellent meal at the Brickhouse in downtown Bend, Oregon.
I started with the Beet Salad. This salad includes pickled beets, endive, arugula, radicchio, and candied pumpkin seeds topped with Rogue Blue cheese crumbles and citrus vinaigrette. I especially liked the tartness of the beets and the sweetness of the pumpkin seeds.
By the way, the Rogue cheese sprinkled on the salad won the World’s Best Cheese award in 2019 and won a Super Gold Award in 2022 at the World Cheese Awards.
Next, I had the Seafood Pasta. This dish includes wild prawns, sea scallops, and fresh fish topped with Parmigiano Reggiano cream sauce and fresh herbs. This was delicious and so rich, the leftovers lasted for two more meals.
My dining companion had the Rib Eye Steak. This is an 18-oz piece of heavily marbled USDA Prime meat. It was perfectly prepared and served with bone marrow butter (for an additional cost).
We celebrated a special occasion with the Marionberry Cobbler. The cobbler was full of flavorful berries and topped with vanilla ice cream and a mint leaf. The crumble topping on this dessert was very good.
Service at the restaurant was prompt and polite. Since we ordered a salad, dessert, and drinks in addition to the entrees, this was a pricey meal. However, I appreciated the well-prepared meal, good service, and the fact you can carry on a conversation. As I’ve mentioned before, restaurants where I have to shout to be heard, lose points with me. I will definitely return to the Brickhouse and recommend it to others.
The Brickhouse is located at 5 NW Minnesota Ave, Bend, Oregon 97703. It’s open seven days a week from 4:00 to 9:30 pm. Brickhouse offers First Hour Specials at discounted prices from 4:00 to 5:00 pm.
One Word Sunday (OWS) – Looking down
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Red Beard Barbecue is a great place to order barbecue in Bend, Oregon. Their food truck is located at the Dogwood at the Pine Shed food truck lot. They have an additional truck at Otto’s Landing in Redmond, Oregon.
The photo below shows the Three Meat Combo. There are several choices for meat. This one includes Pork Ribs, Tri-tip, and Chicken. Red Beard offers seven sides. We had the Coleslaw. The sauces with this order included the Spicy Honey Garlic and the Honey Garlic.
The smoked meat tastes good with or without the sauce. That’s how I judge a barbecue place. I also liked how they serve a generous portion that gives you plenty for leftovers.
This picture shows a few of the food trucks at the Pine Shed lot. Red Beard Barbecue is the red one in the back. Note, this picture was taken in February when there was a little snow on the ground. They have a wonderful indoor seating area here and they serve unique cocktails.
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After taking a few years off, we participated in the Bend Foodie Crawl 2025 in downtown Bend, Oregon on April 27. This event features bite-sized samples of food from local restaurants and food trucks paired with an alcoholic drink. I think non-alcoholic options are available. Upon registration, you are given a map showing the location of each stop. Since some of the places providing the sample are food trucks, downtown businesses graciously allow them to set up inside their business. The number of participants in this event is limited to help prevent overcrowding.
This year, there were ten stops. The Bend Foodie Crawl hours run from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. If you want to hit up all ten of them, you can’t linger for long at each stop. The After Party runs from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at McMenamins. Desserts and small drink samples are provided at this stop. If you’re still hungry or thirsty, you can purchase food and drinks there.
Blackened Ahi Street Tacos paired with Stafford Bourbon Huckleberry Margarita at J-Dub.
Bend Foodie Crawl participants at Zydeco.
Boudin Balls paired with a Jalapeno Passion Fruit Margarita at Zydeco. Boudin balls are Cajun snacks made with pork sausage, rice, and seasonings. The margarita at this stop was my favorite cocktail offered on the Crawl. Spicy, but not too spicy.
Mini Dumplings (Chinese Pork, Pad Thai, or 4-Cheese Pizza) from Dump City Dumplings at US Bank paired with Huckleberry Vodka Lemonade provided by US Bank. The pictures show one dumpling with Coconut Lime Peanut Sauce and another with Teriyaki Sauce.
Tuscan Almond Cookies paired with White Sangria at Blissful Spoon. This was delicious!
Crispy Chicken Bites & Biscuit with House Made Honey Siracha Aioli paired with Drake’s Mojito (Soda, Sprite, mint, lime, & strawberries) at The Drake.
Bend Foodie participants inside The Drake.
Lamb & Spring Herb Croquette paired with beer from Roam. This one was just okay.
Foodie participants at The Commons, an outdoor meeting area. There’s a long line in front of El Sancho’s booth.
Beef Birria with Ancient Grains and Roasted Corn paired with Apple Juice boxes from Head Start Food Service at The Commons. This tasty dish is one of several provided to Head Start kids in our area.
Pork Carnitas Taco served on a Warm Tortilla with Cilantro & Diced Onion, Salsa Verde, and a Lime from El Sancho paired with Saiko beer from Sunriver Brewing Company at The Commons.
Sunriver Brewing Company Saiko Lager. This Japanese rice beer was my favorite beer of those offered. Nice, light flavor.
Asian Inspired Meatballs, Carrot/Daikon Pickle paired with Humm Kombucha from Dinky Dau at The Commons.
Nashville Chicken with Pickle Slaw paired with Worthy Brewing Collaborative Pickle Pilsner Beer at Wonderland Chicken. This was one of my favorite foods offered. Loved the slaw tucked underneath the chicken.
Newport Avenue Market Chocolate Chip Cookie and Brownie, Eberhard’s Ice Cream, Nothing But Bundt Cakes Carrot Bundt Cake, and a taster of Broken Top Ascent Bourbon Whiskey at McMenamins.
People waiting to hear who won raffle items at the After Party at McMenamins.
Funds raised during this event benefit NeighborImpact, a local nonprofit. Recent cuts in funding have slashed their food bank budget by 17%. This organization provides resources for finding food, housing, and paying bills. They also provide services for Head Start and Early Head Start for Central Oregon families. If you can’t make it to the Bend Foodie Crawl, consider making a donation to this nonprofit. I give them a generous donation every year.
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If you type “pizza” into a website like Yelp, you’ll come up with pages and pages of restaurants and food trucks in Central Oregon. One of my current favorites is Fat Tony’s Pizzeria.
I’ve had their Regina Margherita pizza a couple of times. It includes cherry tomatoes, imported buffalo mozzarella cheese, basil, and a small amount of pizza sauce. I like pizzas like this where less is more.
My companion ordered the Classico (meat) pizza. This pizza includes sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, fresh mozzarella cheese, and tomato sauce. Pineapple was added to the order.
I like their pizzas for a few reasons. The crust is medium in thickness; not too thick, not too thin. Fat Tony’s Pizzeria well-seasoned pizzas don’t pile on excess cheese or sauce.
Fat Tony’s is located at 215 NW Hill St in Bend, Oregon. It’s open seven days a week from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm. They also serve starters, salad, pasta, and desserts. You can order gluten free crusts on any 12 inch pizza.
What makes a good pizza seems to be more subjective as compared to other foods. I’ve tasted pizzas that were highly rated on the Bend Foodies page and been disappointed. Since Bend is constantly adding more places to eat, I noted that Fat Tony’s Pizzeria is one of my “current” favorite places to get pizza.
In February, Ken’s Artisan Pizza opened in downtown Bend. Their other restaurant in Oregon is known as a “beloved Portland institution” and “world-renowned.” I will wait until the hype dies down a bit before visiting their restaurant.
In my quest to get more familiar with my drone, I flew it above Big Sky Park in Bend. This park, a few miles from my home, is 97 acres in size. It includes playing fields, an off-leash dog park, miles of trails, picnic areas, and a new bike park. It’s a great place to go for walks.
On this trip, I wanted to try out a couple specific video features on my DJI Mini 4 Pro drone.
With this option, you get several effects with the push of a single button. You select a point of interest (POI) on the screen by dragging a shape around it. The drone then goes through a series of maneuvers. It goes up high and points in one direction, then it points right below. It zooms in on the POI, a goal net in this case. Then it circles high, moves closer to the POI, then farther away. It goes high and looks in the opposite direction of the first shots. Finally it focuses on the POI.
Another option I tried that day was Asteroid. The drone flies backward and upward, takes several pictures, then returns to the starting point. It then combines the footage it takes into a globe shape. The video I took above Big Sky Park turned out really cool!
I’ve tried the tracking option a couple of times. Last week, we went to a hilltop park with rocky trails. I selected myself as the POI, and had my drone track me as I walked. When you fly drones, you should always be aware of your surroundings. The drone pilot watches the drone’s progress on the controller screen, while the spotter helps keeps track of where the drone is. Unfortunately, I was paying too much attention to the screen and not enough to the trail. Since I had both hands on the controller, I tripped and fell face first. Yikes, how embarrassing!
I had a few cuts and some swelling on my nose, but otherwise was okay. I spent the rest of the day icing my face off and on. A couple doses of Acetaminophen eased the pain.
The funny thing is, my drone recorded the fall. The picture above was part of the video it recorded. Sorry to tell you, but I will NOT be sharing the entire video.
Here’s a photo of my drone following me at Ochoco Wayside State Park before I fell. The lesson I learned that day was, keep your hands on the controller, but your eyes on what’s going on around you.
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Here’s a picture of Petunias up close I took last summer. These delicate looking blossoms have a powerful, sweet scent.
In early March, we visited Salute restaurant in downtown Bend, Oregon. This restaurant serves “contemporary Italian cuisine.”
This Endive Salad included endive, walnuts, bleu cheese, walnuts, and green onions. It had a light vinaigrette dressing. This salad was my favorite part of our meal. All the flavors blended together well. Note, this item is not currently listed on the menu so check the website ahead of time for availability.
The Scampi included wild ocean prawns, capellini, white wine, garlic, shallots, butter, and fresh herbs. This dish had good flavor and had a nice serving size of prawns. However, the prawns were a bit overcooked. I know from cooking them myself, it’s easy to cook them for too long.
The Hand Made Ravioli included raviolis stuffed with four cheeses with your choice of spinach alfredo or house Bolognese meat sauce. While this dish had good flavor, the serving size was way too small. There were only seven very small raviolis.
The word I would use to describe this restaurant is “light.” Light flavor is great, but tiny, light serving sizes are not, in my opinion.
The Banana Millefeuille contained layers of caramelized phyllo & banana pastry cream, butterscotch sauce, coconut “snow”, whipped cream, and roasted walnuts. The dish was beautifully presented and I liked the crunchiness of the phyllo dough layers.
We arrived at Salute restaurant at 4:00 pm, right when they opened, without reservations. Service was slower than we are accustomed to.
Though there were a few glitches, the food itself at Salute was good. Fingers crossed that our next experience there goes a little more smoothly. 🤞
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The eyes of March on aspen trees at Pine Nursery Park, Bend, Oregon.
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These blanket flowers of summer were growing near the Deschutes River in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon. I took this picture last August, but Gaillardia plants are known to bloom “profusely all summer long.”
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A snowy sunrise over western juniper trees in the High Desert.
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Our local Bend newspaper, The Source Weekly, is having a pet photo contest. Please vote for my pets! Click on the link above each photo to vote for the pictures I entered. There are 15 categories in the contest this year so check out the others while you’re there.
This one features Shelby after she played fetch on a rainy day. She doesn’t care what the weather is like, she just wants to fetch balls. She is showing me her best puppy eyes in this picture as if she’s asking if she’s a good girl, even when she is this dirty.
This photo is in the Best Puppy Eyes category.
The next one shows my dog, Tesla, and my cat, Kitty, sleeping on the same bed. Kitty can be quite demanding when she wants attention, but Tesla is always patient with her.
This photo is in the Best Buds category.
The last one is of Tesla warming the soil in one of our gardens. Did you notice she’s sticking her tongue out at you?
This photo is in the Goofiest category.
I’ve never entered photos of my pets in this contest before. However, 20 years ago, I entered one in a Life magazine contest. I won an honorable mention with this picture of our dog, Leto, in a costume we made.
Voting for the Central Oregon Pets Contest is open from February 24 to March 10. Please vote for my pets! THANK YOU. 😀
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On February 15, we visited the Bend WinterFest event in the Old Mill District. I was really looking forward to seeing the ice carvings. In past years, we always seemed to be there at the wrong time and missed these amazing works of art.
The artists this year included Lisa Donze + John Donze, Jacob Lucas, Russ Leno, and Wade Lapp. The ice carvings are beautiful by themselves, but if you add a little lighting, they become sort of magical.
This butterfly is shown with bold bright colors and softer pastel tones. I liked how this one looked in the bold blue color the best.
The next carving is a whimsical one. Two people with ice cube heads carry an enormous heart. The red color was very fitting for this one.
The next carving shows two penguins facing each other. I think I liked the purple color best on this one.
The last carving is shown in one color. This three rose sculpture looks great in this gorgeous green color.
WinterFest briefly moved away to another venue, and I was happy to see it once again at this site beside the Deschutes River. This event includes ice carvings, amazing hand-crafted fire pits, the Pump Bump Jam (a ski ramp with several jumps), a wine walk, food carts, beer, wine, and cider booths, bands playing on the stage, a flying dog show, and a kid’s area. It also includes booths from a wide variety of businesses and booths selling everything from jewelry and clothing to unique food items. This year there were more Marketplace booths than I’ve ever seen before.
I will be working on another post about the firepits that I’ll share in the future. I have featured the fire pits in the past on my blog, and it’s always been a popular topic.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Bold
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Yesterday, we thought we would try out a new food cart pod, Dogwood at the Pine Shed, on the east side of Bend. There are currently about 30 food cart pods in Central Oregon with more in the works. I decided to try food from The Dominican, a cart featuring food from the Dominican Republic. Have I had Dominican food before? Nope, but I’m always open to trying new things.
I tried a combination plate called La Bandera. The meal included a generous portion of melt-in-your-mouth-it’s-so-tender marinated beef. It was complimented with sides of fluffy rice and tasty beans. The Dominican house salad was equal parts leafy green lettuce and chopped tomatoes and cucumber, topped with shredded cheese and crunchy croutons.
The crunchiness continued in the tostones. Tostones are twice-fried plantain slices. A tostonera is used to flatten the slices prior to frying. I’ve never had them before, but they were delicious!
On another trip to The Dominican, I had the Chicharrón meal. It includes crispy pieces of pork belly topped with seasoned onions. The light crispy texture of the pork belly is hard to describe, but I will definitely be back to order it again. Yum! Fluffy rice and tostones fill up the rest of the plate.
I ordered the cocktail inside at the Dogwood bar. It’s the Thai One On and it includes blanco rum, malibu, basil, matcha, and coconut milk with a refreshing splash of soda. On other trips, I ordered the Southern Sidecar and Poco Loco drinks. Every drink I’ve ordered so far has been unique and tasty.
There are several Dominican options at The Dominican cart, but also a few American choices. They serve cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, and pork sandwiches. You can opt for a side of tostones or the more traditional French fries.
This pod also has trucks with Mexican food, Vietnamese food, sandwiches, cookies, and barbecue. There’s plenty of outside seating at picnic tables and inside the Pine Shed. The Pine Shed, a rustic metal building, once served as a warehouse, and later, as a coffee shop. It was moved across town from an industrial area to this new location. Inside, you’ll find Dogwood, which serves unique cocktails, beer, and wine.
At this time, major road construction is going on in this neighborhood. Please make an extra effort to visit this new food pod and support our local businesses!
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When I went on my weekly walk along the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon a couple of weeks ago, I saw a chilly heron standing by the shore.
This Great Blue Heron seemed frozen in place in the icy waters. As dawn broke, the clouds over the river and snow on the ground nicely framed the scene. You can see the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in the background, waiting patiently to host concerts and other events.
The temperature recently dropped to -7.4 degrees Fahrenheit at our house. Brrr! Hope the heron and other wild creatures are finding ways to keep warm.
Walking with a sweetheart along the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon. The red, pink, and white flags are on display to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Hope you have a good one!
Here’s the High Desert Voices February 2025 newsletter for your reading pleasure. Lots of nice photos as well! This newsletter is published by and for volunteers at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. I’ve been working there as a volunteer since 2013.
Articles this month include one about Trumpeter Swans, one on the Neighbors: Wildlife Paintings by Hilary Baker exhibition, a short note about how the US Forest Service Ranger Station on the property was relocated, and a list of Museum volunteers receiving recognition at an annual event.
Please enjoy the High Desert Voices February 2025 issue!
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While participating in the Inktober challenge last fall, I created this simple asparagus drawing with pen and ink. The drawing prompt for that day was “roam.”
We have a restaurant in downtown Bend named Roam and I’ve taken several pictures while dining there. I took this picture of an asparagus dish we had last summer. It was delicious!
For the drawing, I edited out several of the asparagus stalks.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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This X in the sky was over the Mill A Loop Trail in Bend, Oregon. This scenic trail runs along the Deschutes River.
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