Oregon Coast TODAY by Oregon Coast TODAY

A vocal hero

Blown Glass Pumpkins

Come shop our exquisite

August 31st & September 1st

Saturday: 11am to 5pm Sunday: 11am to 4pm

Volta Gallery

4830 SE Hwy 101, Lincoln City (across the street from Lincoln City Glass Center)

WBy Gretchen Ammerman Oregon Coast TODAY

eekends are crunch time for me, so I rarely get to experience the wonderful cornucopia of art events and activities that we feature on these pages weekly. So, it was an especially nice treat to be able to accept an invitation to the Siletz Bay Music Festival’s final concert last Sunday. It was an unforgettable experience.

If lightning strikes twice and I once again have free time on a weekend, I would love to see the concert by our cover model, Halie Loren, at the Lincoln City Cultural Center this Saturday.

When doing my research before calling her for an interview, I listened to some cuts from her latest album, which she will be celebrating the release of at her concert. One often approaches situations like this with dread, fearing that the product may not be very good, and you will have to fumble for something positive to say, like “I love the album cover art, and what a creative title!”

Thankfully, I didn’t just like what I heard, I loved it and I was able to start the interview with honest gushing. I didn’t have to say a word about

Meet Visiting Guest Artist: Kerstin Hilton

435 Promontory Ln, Oceanside

210 Capes Dr. Oceanside 9350 Whiskey Creek Rd, Netarts

1410 Sunset, Oceanside

Editorial assistants

Anevay and Scout

Istanbul Rug Bazaar

Serving Cloverdale and the Oregon Coast 971-266-9247 • www.istanbulrugbazaar.com

6645 Gleneden Beach Loop

Luminous Meditation and Healing Circle

-Thursdays, 7-8 pm ~ $33 donation

Soul Light Spa Saturdays - Energy

Sessions, Intuitive Readings 1-5 pm. $133

Circle of Light Sunday Gatherings 12 pm

- Inspirational sharing and afternoon tea. $11 donation

Sound Healing - 2nd Sunday, 4pm

Joyful Living Boutique - Gifts, Clothing, and Apothecary

Yoga for all levels

For yoga schedules, services etc, luminoussoulcenter.com • 541-921-3352

freeGetupto$20 withvegetablesfruitsandweekly foodSNAPdouble-up program.bucks

NEWPORT FARMERS MARKET

Fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods and locally made crafts. Every Saturday from 9-1 next to City Hall at Highway 101 and Angle.

EXPLORE THE TILLAMOOK FARMERS MARKET

An old-fashioned farmers market with locally-grown produce, handmade and artisan gifts, baked goods, live music and activities for kids.

9 am-2 pm every Saturday on the corner of Laurel Avenue and Second Street

Voted #1 Charter Company 2023 Nicest

Book yourself on a cruise

Enjoy a vintage celebration at Historic Cruisin Cloverdale

The small-but-charming town of Cloverdale is the perfect place to host an easygoing celebration of vintage vehicles. Historic Cruisin Cloverdale, an all-comers motorized vehicle show will roll into town this Saturday, Aug. 31.

“It’s a free and very casual affair with cars, trucks and motorcycles,” said organizer Thomas Goodwin. “Sometimes there are more customs, sometimes more rat rods — you never really know how it’s going to go from year to year, but it’s always a lot of fun.”

The current iteration of the event has been going on for 12 years.

“I just go around to different car shows and tell people about it and it amazes me how many people end up showing

up in Cloverdale,” Goodwin said. “You’ll see people parked all along the road on both sides of the highway. The common denominator are these machines and the people that enjoy them and the range is limited only by the creativity of the owner and their family.”

Though there are no registration or participation fees, there will be opportunities to donate to Nestucca Fire and Rescue.

“We have no trophies, no registration,” Goodwin said. “Just show up and have a good time.”

Historic Cruisin Cloverdale runs from 9 am to 1 pm on Hwy. 101 in downtown Cloverdale. For more information, call Goodwin at 503-329-8345.

ATTENTION

LINCOLN CITY POST 97

RECONNECTING MILITARY VETERANS & HELPING VETERANS IN NEED

Meets first Tuesday of the month, 6-7:30 pm at Taft Fire Station 16

(St. Claire Fire Hall), 4520 SE Hwy. 101 (turn at fire light)

For more information, attend a meeting, email us at AMLegionLCOR@gmail.com, or call Commander Bob Portwood at 541-994-4453

By Angie Thomas

Art in the Spotlight

The latest showcase at Newport’s Yaquina Art Association Gallery features works by Angie Thomas and Diane Pinizzotto, opening this Saturday, Aug. 31.

“To paint and explore and create through various mediums: oil, acrylic, watercolor pencils, watercolor, mixed media and gourd drums, gives me peace and joy,” Thomas said.

In 2013 she began to paint with a plein air group from the Bay Area Artists Association in Coos Bay. After moving to Newport, she became a proud member of the Yaquina Art Association.

“There is a story in each piece I create,” she said. “Sometimes it’s my story embedded in multiple brush strokes, values, colors and design. My art journey has had lots of experimenting, twists and turns, dormant seasons and, for sure, perseverance.”

Pinizzotto’s colorful work includes oil

paintings ranging from a Model T truck to the majestic blue ocean and everything in between.

“I love nature and all of the colors that bring it alive,” she said. “And I love working with oils. This medium allows me the freedom to express what I am feeling, whether I am looking at the depth of the ocean, the smile on a child’s face, the beauty of a forest or a humble, man-made object.”

Pinizzotto has lived in Lincoln County for 32 years. Her grandmother lived in Seaside where she learned to appreciate the sights, smell and rhyme of nature, especially the ocean.

The show will be on display through Friday, Sept. 13, at the Yaquina Art Association Gallery, located in Nye Beach at 789 NW Beach Drive and open daily from 11 am to 5 pm. For more information, go to yaquinaart. org.

1 • 1-4

$12

serving daily from 6am-3pm Dine in or Take Out

Learn dahl-ia need to know about flowers

Get yourself a STEM education at Tillamook’s Dahlia Festival

Mark Harvey is an Oregon flower-farming legend.

While living in Portland, he grew dahlias on a plot of land in the middle of downtown.

“I would drive the tractor all the way down there with a disc on the back over the Ross Island Bridge,” he said. “If I really wanted to make a scene, I’d go up the Hawthorne Bridge. People would notice that.”

Eighteen years later, flower lovers can visit Harvey at his farm, Old House Dahlias, in Tillamook during the annual Dahlia Festival, where visitors can see multiple varieties in bloom. This year, the festival will be held over two weekends: Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1 and Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 7 and 8.

“People can visit the display garden or walk the farm,” Harvey said. “They can purchase fresh-cut dahlias and sunflowers.”

A stroll around the farm showcases a beautiful display of the more than 200 varieties that Old House Dahlias cultivates. Novelty, stellar, pom-pon, cactus, ball and anemone just to name a few.

Even more extraordinary is that Harvey started with only four varieties.

“I was working for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and living in Portland,” he said. “I had just gotten into house plants. Then, a hatchery manager gave me three dahlia plants. I planted them and they were really cool. I went to a dahlia festival and bought a few more. I thought they were really amazing.” Harvey ended up filling his entire backyard with dahlia tubers.

“I built a type of reputation,” he said. “Then, I started looking to buy some farmland.”

In 2015, he moved his business to the coast after finding the perfect combination: land with an “old house.” His bright orange or red vintage truck makes him recognizable in town while out on deliveries. Fresh cut flowers will be available for sale during the festival at $12 a bundle. Potted dahlia plants will also be for sale for $25 each.

Can’t make it to the festival? Harvey stocks the farm stand with fresh cut flowers through November.

Every weekend in October, Old House Dahlias reopens to the public as a pumpkin patch. This season, Harvey planted eight varieties of pumpkins.

“Like, the really big ones,” he said.

The farm will be open from 10 am to 5 pm each day of the festival. Old House Dahlias is located at 11600 S Hwy. 101 in Tillamook. For a full list of dahlia varieties, as well as updates on the farm, go to oldhousedahlias.com.

Story & photos by Chelsea Yarnell For the TODAY

The Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (OCWCOG), in partnership with the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program will be holding Medicare classes that will cover the basics of Medicare parts A, B, C, and D. These classes are designed for anyone who will be eligible for Medicare within a few months or is new to Medicare. Current beneficiaries who would like a better understanding of their Medicare benefits and options will also find this class valuable. Spouses and other relatives are welcome to attend.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 26 • 2-3 PM

Driftwood Public Library, Lincoln City

FRIDAY, OCT. 25 • 10 AM-NOON

Samaritan Center for Health Education, Newport

Registration is required. A SHIBA counselor will present these classes, which are sponsored by the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of the OCWCOG. Call 541-574-2684 or email aseniors@ocwcog.org to register today.

A vocal hero on

Halie Loren returns to Lincoln City

The way Lincoln City audiences respond to Halie Loren might lead you to assume she is a local girl made good.

But Loren, performing at the Lincoln City Cultural Center this Saturday, Aug. 31, grew up in Alaska.

“I have been performing on the Central Coast since I was about 14 years old,” she said. “I grew up on the coast in Alaska so when I moved south, I always sought out ways to visit the coast here. I really found a home for my jazz music in Lincoln City and people that were just so enthusiastic and it’s drawn me back again and again over the years. I’m so grateful that the audience has grown over the years and that I also still have fans here that have basically watched my career grow.”

The internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter will perform an evening of genre-crossing music ranging from originals to iconic standards, including original songs in celebration of her new album “Dreams Lost and Found.”

“I describe my music as jazz-pop with world music flair,” Loren said. “It does have a lot of influences included in the tapestry of it all. It’s a blend of originals and songs that I love, folk-blues, classic pop, world music, and it all converges into one palette that can have a specific mood.”

Her band includes long-time collaborators pianist Matt Treder, bassist Rob Kohler and drummer Charlie Doggett, playing songs like “Dance Me to the End of Love,” “It Might as Well Be Spring,” “Sabor a Mi” and many other beloved audience favorites from her new album and past releases.

The concert will take place in the cozy 150-seat auditorium, with Northwest beers and wines, soft drinks and freshly baked cookies available for purchase.

Loren’s musical blend across her 11 albums to date has earned several national and international awards in multiple genres as well as significant critical and chart success along the way, with her albums consistently reaching #1 on the Billboard Japan, iTunes in Canada and Japan and Amazon jazz charts.

A songwriter since her early teens, Loren began garnering international acclaim as a recording artist when her debut jazz album, “They Oughta Write a Song” was named the Best Vocal Jazz Album of the year at the 2009 JPF Independent Music Awards. She was subsequently signed for distribution in Asia by JVC/Victor Entertainment and in North America with Canada-based jazz label Justin Time Records.

Loren’s accolades in more recent years include an Independent Music Award for her original song “Thirsty” in 2011; a Best Vocal Jazz Album 2012 award in Japan’s Jazz Critique Magazine for her album “Heart First,” which also

reached #1 on Canada’s iTunes Jazz chart; and a total of four Billboard #1 albums on Japan’s jazz charts since 2013. Her video for “Noah,” the second single from her 2018 release “From the Wild Sky” won an Emmy in 2019 for Best Music Video as presented by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Southeast Chapter.

“The Lincoln City show is not just a show, but it’s also a celebration of my new album which is my first in six years,” Loren said. “It’s a new piece of art that has been released into the world.”

Along with recording and songwriting successes, Loren has performed on four continents thus far, including tours across the US, Canada, France, the UK, Japan, Italy, Egypt, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Egypt and Haiti. Her concerts range from intimate clubs to grand halls to festivals, from solo to classic jazz trio to lush orchestral collaborations.

Her latest record has been hailed by many of her fans as her best work yet, showing an artist who is only growing in depth of musical sensibility and vocal expressiveness over time.

“My new album harkens back to my jazz routes,” Loren said. “The reason I first started doing jazz was because my audience on the coast kept asking me to. That changed the trajectory of my career and for that I am so grateful.”

Showtime is 7 pm at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, located at 540 NE Hwy. 101. Tickets, $20-$35, are available at lincolncityculturalcenter.org or by calling 541994-9994.

Photo by Sally Sheldon

Coast Calendar

Thursday, Aug. 29

“Harold and Maude” Theatre West Lincoln City

The classic dark comedy about an unlikely romance takes to the stage, directed by Alice Luchau. 7:30 pm, 3536 SE Hwy. 101. Tickets, $20, $18 for seniors, $15 for students, available at theatrewest.com or by calling

Hey, cool calendar! How do get my event listed? Easy, just follow these steps: 1) Host an event that is open to the public. 2) Email the details to calendar@oregoncoasttoday.com or call 541-921-0413. 3) That’s it.

Saturday, Aug. 31

Sunday, Sept. 1

Monday, Sept. 2

Wednesday, Sept. 4

“Dreams Lost and Found”

Lincoln City Cultural Center

A special evening with internationally acclaimed jazz/ pop singer-songwriter Halie Loren, performing genrecrossing music including original songs in celebration of her new album “Dreams Lost and Found.” 7 pm, 540 NE Hwy. 101. Tickets, $20-$35, available at lincolncityculturalcenter.org or by calling 541-994-9994.

Pancake Breakfast

Gleneden Beach Community Hall

Enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes along with scrambled eggs, sausage or ham, orange juice and hot beverages. $10 for adults, $6 for kids aged six to 12. Kids under six eat free. 8-11 am, 110 Azalea Street.

Monthly Community Breakfast

Panther Creek Community Center Otis

Breakfast made to order. $8 for adults and $4 for children. 8-11 am, 655 N Wayside Loop, follow the signs from the Otis junction. FMI, email pcsacc@centurylink.net.

Yachats Farmers Market

Yachats Commons

Find produce, plants, meats, smoked cheeses and mushrooms, along with pottery, jewelry, glass and metal art, handmade soaps and more. 9 am-2 pm, 441 Hwy. 101 N.

Lincoln City Sunday Market

Lincoln City Cultural Center

This market offers homegrown, home-baked and handcrafted treats. 10 am-3 pm, 540 NE Hwy. 101. FMI, go to www.lincolncitysundaymarket.org.

“Artists Unite!”

Yachats Commons

A chance to see work in a variety of mediums from members of the Yachats Arts Guild.

soundwaves

Your guide to live music on the Central Oregon Coast

Don’t see your favorite band or venue? Email the details to soundwaves@oregoncoasttoday.com and we’ll get you listed.

Thursday, Aug. 29

Lincoln City Music Circle

Lincoln City Community Center

Acoustic instruments, voices and audiences of all ages are welcome to “solo, jam, or pass” and a piano is available. 4-7 pm, 2150 N Oar Place.

Ian Smith

The Drift Inn • Yachats

An evening of classics from a local legend. 6:30-9 pm, 124 Highway 101 North, 541-547-4477.

Jam Session

Snug Harbor • Lincoln City

Open mic jam session. All musicians welcome. 8:30 pm-midnight, 5001 SW Hwy. 101.

Karaoke

Bay Haven Inn • Newport

Have a great time with local host Doctor B. and support a small, local venue. 8:30 pm-close, 608 SW Bay Blvd.

Karaoke

Zeller’s Bar & Grill • Lincoln City

8:30 pm-12:30 am, 1643 Hwy. 101, 541-994-8100.

Friday, Aug. 30

Waldport Acoustic Jam

Waldport Community Center

Musicians and listeners of all ages and abilities are welcome and a piano is available. 3-5 pm, 265 NW Hemlock Street.

Bubba Lewey

Bayside Cellars • Waldport

Acoustic originals, including Americana, ballads, blues, country and love songs.

5:30-8:30 pm, 1120 NE Mill Street.

Ronnie Jay Pirrello

Luna Sea in Seal Rock Bluesy stuff with guitar, harp and vocals.

5:30-8 pm, Luna Sea, 10111 N. Hwy. 101, Seal Rock, 541-563-LUNA.

Donna Jose

Fishing Rock Eatery & Lounge • Depoe Bay

Acoustic guitar. 6-9 pm, 3245 Hwy. 101.

Garibaldi Jam

Garibaldi Community Hall

Thee Honeybuds

The Drift Inn • Yachats

A mix of blues, Americana and ’80s glam. 6:30-9 pm, 124 Highway 101 North, 541-547-4477.

Swamp Donkeys

Snug Harbor Bar & Grill • Lincoln City

Rock, forged during late nights in taverns and bars. 9 pm, 5001 SW Hwy. 101.

Karaoke

Bay Haven Inn • Newport

Have a great time with local host Doctor B. and support a small, local venue. 8:30 pm-close, 608 SW Bay Blvd.

Karaoke

Zeller’s Bar & Grill • Lincoln City

9 pm-2 am, 1643 Hwy. 101, 541-994-8100.

DJ Metal

Chinook Winds Casino Resort • Lincoln City

Playing club hits in the Rogue River Lounge. 10 pm-1:30 am, 1777 NW 44th Street. Lincoln City, 888-244-6665.

Saturday, Aug. 31

Nelscott Summer Concert Series

Nelscott Strip • Lincoln City

An afternoon of rock from Band of Coyotes, played on the deck next to ZuhG Surf Shop, 1-3 pm, 3219 SW Hwy. 101.

DTW Lite

Whole Lotta Louis

Luna Sea of Seal Rock

The music of Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan and Louis Prima, played by Don Nelson on bass, Richard Robitaille on drums and vocals, Neal Staufenbeil on sax, and Ronnie Jay Pirrello on guitar, harp and vocals. 4-6:30 pm, 10111 NW Hwy. 101, 541-563-LUNA.

Beachcrest Brewing Company • Gleneden Beach

Hear

Weird Science

NE Hwy. 101.

Caveman Dave

The Drift Inn • Yachats

Originally noted for his children’s songs, this singer-songwriter continues to write and release music for kids and adults, too. 6:30-9 pm, 124 Hwy. 101 N., 541-547-4477.

Scott Casey

Schooner Restaurant & Lounge • Netarts

This consummate entertainer plays music for all generations. Call for reservations. 7-9 pm, 2065 Netarts Basin Boat Road, 503-8159900.

Blac Rabbit • Beatles Tribute

Chinook Winds Casino Resort • Lincoln City

An evening of The Beatles’ pop funk and soul hits from the ’60s and ’70s, plus some Blac Rabbit originals. 8 pm, 1777 NW 44th Street. Tickets, $20, available at www.chinookwindscasino.com.

Karaoke

Snug Harbor Bar & Grill • Lincoln City

Hosted by Doctor B. 8:30 pm-close, 5001 SW Hwy. 101.

Karaoke

Bay Haven Inn • Newport

Have a great time with local host Precious and support a small, local venue. 8:30 pm-close, 608 SW Bay Blvd.

Karaoke

Zeller’s Bar & Grill • Lincoln City

9 pm-2 am, 1643 Hwy. 101, 541-994-8100.

DJ Metal

Mostly old-time favorites and Country-Western standards. Cut a rug on the large dance floor or simply sit and enjoy. 6-8 pm, 6th Street and Acacia Avenue.

Family Karaoke

Vin & Bräu • Lincoln City

Hosted by Patrick Magada. 6-8 pm inside the Pines Dine, 5040 SE Hwy. 101.

Certified fresh jazz and funk. 5:30-7:30 pm, at Salishan, 7755 N. Highway 101, 541-234-4013.

Band of Coyotes

Vin & Bräu • Lincoln City

This Sacramento rock group has an ever-evolving musical style, exploring styles from indie/alt rock to psychedelic genres, with an introspective lyrical perspective. 6-8 pm inside the Pines Dine, 5040 SE Hwy. 101.

Chinook Winds Casino Resort • Lincoln City

Playing club hits in the Rogue River Lounge. 10 pm-1:30 am, 1777 NW 44th Street. Lincoln City, 888-244-6665.

Sunday, Sept. 1

Live Music Double Bill

Old Oregon Tavern • Lincoln City

Luna Sea of Seal Rock

It’s an ‘80s thing, with Ronnie Jay Pirrello on vocals and bass, Kevin Strever on vocals and guitar, and Richard Robitaille on vocals and skins. 4-6:30 pm, 10111 NW Hwy. 101, 541-563-LUNA.

Sunday Jam

Bay Haven Inn • Newport

A chance for professional musicians to collaborate and improvise. 3-6 pm, 608 SW Bay Blvd.

Sunday Jazz Jam

Beachcrest Brewing Company • Gleneden Beach

Instrumentalists and vocalists are welcome to sit in. 4-6 pm at Salishan, 7755 N. Highway 101, 541-234-4013.

Mike Tolle

Luna Sea at Seal Rock

Acoustic folk blues. 5-7:30 pm, 10111 NW Pacific Coast Hwy., Seal Rock, 541-563-5862.

Katelyn Convery

Vin & Bräu • Lincoln City

Modern alt-rock, harkening back to the edgy era of ’90s NW grunge, with textures characteristic of early 2000s indie-pop. 6-8 pm inside the Pines Dine, 5040 SE Hwy. 101.

June Rushing Trio

Fishing Rock Eatery & Lounge • Depoe Bay

Husband and wife June and Joren Rushing, along with multiinstrumentalist Robin Remaily, present classic hits from the golden age of radio. From Patsy Cline and Marty Robbins to the Beatles, they do it all with style. 6-9 pm, 3245 Hwy. 101.

The Tex Brooklyn Experiment The Drift Inn • Yachats

Enjoy a Special Silverhorn Summer Sunday Songfest, with unique musical interpretations of well-known songs, original compositions and occasional witty banter from Morgen Silverhorn on vocals and clarinet and Robert Rubin on piano, accordion and vocals. 6:30-9 pm, 124 Hwy. 101 N., 541-547-4477.

Gray Wails Fishing Rock Eatery & Lounge • Depoe Bay Classic Rock. 6-9 pm, 3245 Hwy. 101, 541-764-4222

the Renee & Ray Duo from 2-4 pm, followed by Kevin Hansen from 4-6 pm, 1604

Blac Rabbit • Saturday, Aug. 31, in Lincoln City

Karaoke

Zeller’s Bar & Grill

• Lincoln City

8:30 pm-12:30 am, 1643 Hwy. 101, 541-994-8100.

Karaoke

Snug Harbor Bar & Grill • Lincoln City

Hosted by Doctor B. 8:30 pm-1 am, 5001 SW Hwy. 101.

Latin Night

Chinook Winds Casino Resort • Lincoln City

The party starts at 10 pm every Sunday in the Rogue River Lounge, 1777 NW 44th Street.

Monday, Sept. 2

Matt Neely

The Drift Inn • Yachats

This multi-instrumentalist plays songs within the Americana tradition on a variety of instruments to create a diverse sonic texture. 6:30-9 pm, 124 Highway 101 North, 541-547-4477.

Karaoke

Zeller’s Bar & Grill • Lincoln City

8:30 pm-12:30 am, 1643 Hwy. 101, 541-994-8100.

Tuesday, Sept. 3

Linda Yapp

Zurita in Nye Beach • Newport

Mellow acoustic classics and easy listening to dine by. 5:30-8 pm, 711 NW 2nd Court, 541-272-5078.

Lincoln City Bluegrass Jam

Eagles Lodge • Lincoln City

Classic and contemporary bluegrass, old-time Americana and

country music. Bring your acoustic instrument to play and sing in the Jam Circle, or just come to listen. All welcome. 6-8 pm, 737 SW 32nd Street.

John Bringetto

The Drift Inn • Yachats

Classic jazz and Latin standards. 6:30-9 pm, 124 Highway 101 North, 541-547-4477.

Jam Session

Wing Wa Taphouse • Depoe Bay

Open mic jam session. All musicians welcome. 8 pm-close, 330 US-101, 541-765-2288.

Karaoke

Zeller’s Bar & Grill • Lincoln City 8:30 pm-12:30 am, 1643 Hwy. 101, 541-994-8100.

Wednesday, Sept. 4

Live Music Wednesdays

Salishan Coastal Lodge • Gleneden Beach

Enjoy an acoustic set from Reb Conner on the outdoor patio of the Attic Lounge, weather permitting. 5-7 pm, 7760 Hwy. 101.

The Songtender Duo

The Drift Inn • Yachats

Singer Melanie Reid and piano player Evelyn Idzerda echo songs from the past with sweet harmony and hearty respect. 6:30-9 pm, 124 Highway 101 North, 541-547-4477.

Karaoke

Zeller’s Bar & Grill • Lincoln City

8:30 pm-12:30 am, 1643 Hwy. 101, 541-994-8100.

Band of Coyotes • Saturday, Aug. 31, in Lincoln City

beach reads

Put your mail privilege to use

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Dear Stranger project, Oregon Humanities is partnering with libraries and museums across Oregon to host letter-writing stations. The bright red drop boxes come with everything patrons need to participate. A station will be available at Newport Public Library through Oct. 31.

For 10 years, the project has invited Oregonians to exchange letters with people they have never met. Since 2014, more than 1,000 people have sent letters to Dear Stranger and received letters from other writers in exchange. Participants have hailed from every county in Oregon, as well as 35 other states and four countries.

“Dear Stranger is one of many ways that we connect people across distance and difference of experience and belief,” said Ben Waterhouse, communications director for Oregon Humanities.

“Reading a letter from someone you’d probably never

meet gives you a window into the life and mind of another person. We hope participants will find they have more in common than they might have guessed.”

The premise is simple: write a letter, get a letter, and make a new connection. Letters are swapped anonymously, and each person receives a letter from the person who received the one they wrote. Each round of the project asks writers to address a different question or theme. The prompt for the current round is “What is the Oregon you want to live in?”

Letters should be addressed to Oregon Humanities, Attn: Dear Stranger, 610 SW Alder Street, Suite 1111, Portland, OR, 97205. No stamp is necessary.

Newport Public Library is located at 35 NW Nye Street. For more information, go to oregonhumanities.org.

SUPER QUIZ

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the Graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

Subject: ENDS IN X

Each answer is a three-letter word that ends in “x.” (e.g., VI. Answer: Six.)

SUDOKU is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. King Features

Last Week’s Answers:

Repair

Gender

Grease

Jinx

Tillamook Bay, Garibaldi

Siletz Bay, Lincoln City

4 8:19 am 0.3 8:35 pm 1.1 1:30 am 6.1 2:12 pm 5.9 Thurs., Sept. 5 8:45 am 0.7 9:11 pm 0.9 2:08 am 5.8 2:36 pm 6.0

Yaquina Bay, Newport

Thurs., Aug. 29 3:54 am -0.1 3:38 pm 4.0 10:58 am 6.4 9:34 pm 8.2 Fri., Aug. 30 4:48 am -0.2 4:39 pm 3.6 11:42 am 6.7 10:32 pm 8.3 Sat., Aug. 31 5:33 am -0.3 5:27 pm 3.1 12:18 pm 6.9 11:21 pm 8.3

Sun., Sept. 1 6:11 am -0.3 6:08 pm 2.7 12:48 pm 7.2

Mon., Sept. 2 6:44 am -0.2 6:46 pm 2.3 12:04 am 8.3 1:15 pm 7.3

Sept. 3 7:13 am 0.1 7:22 pm 1.9 12:43 am 8.2 1:40

Wed., Sept. 4 7:41 am 0.5 7:57 pm 1.6 1:21 am 7.9 2:03 pm 7.7 Thurs., Sept. 5 8:07 am 1.0 8:33 pm 1.4 1:59 am 7.6 2:27 pm 7.8

Alsea Bay, Waldport

Date Low Tides High Tides

Thurs., Aug. 29 4:21 am 0.1

cooking

Where have you bean all my life?

Iam in awe of all the things that grow and thrive here in Oregon. In writing this week’s column I learned that Oregon is the fourth largest producer of green beans in the country, growing more than one million tons per year. I had no idea. Depending upon where you live, you probably call them by different names. Whether you call them green beans, string beans or snap peas, a bean by any other name would be as delicious.

There are two main types of green beans, bush and pole. They are very appropriately named as the bush variety grows on bushes that only get to be about one to two feet tall, while the pole variety can get upwards of 10 feet tall and need to be supported by a pole to keep them upright. In Western Oregon, green beans are planted around April and in Eastern Oregon they are planted around May, when the danger of frost has passed. They are planted as seeds and grow remarkably fast. From seedtime to harvest is about two months. The larger farms harvest the beans with machinery, while the smaller farms harvest by hand. Some of the green beans grown in Oregon are sold fresh but the majority of them are grown for freezing or canning.

Writing this week’s column brought to mind a client I used to cook for back in my personal chef days, who told me he loved green beans but wouldn’t eat them unless I removed the strings. He was in luck because I felt the same way. The string runs along the side of the green bean and can be peeled off by hand. No matter how much you cook the bean, the string never seems to soften and ends up being chewy. In movies, you will often see people seated in chairs at a table or on the front porch in a rocking chair with a big bucket of green beans, trimming them and removing the strings, one bean at a time. To be sure, it’s a time-consuming labor of love. In terms of eating, I don’t think there’s anything you can’t do with a green bean. They can be boiled, baked, sautéed, roasted or grilled. This week’s recipe is stir fried. Stir frying simply means to cook rapidly over high heat while stirring constantly to prevent the food from burning. A wok would be perfect for this but is not necessary. A large frying pan is fine. Stir frying is great because it keeps the beans tender crisp. I personally don’t love vegetables that are cooked until they are completely soft, I like them to still have a little crunch. A little note about the ginger in this recipe. You will notice it doesn’t say to peel the ginger. If the ginger is young, the skin is so thin that when you grate or mince it, it disappears into whatever you are cooking. Older ginger has thicker skin and will need to be peeled. This recipe is a great side dish, but it could easily be a main dish if you served it over rice. This is perfect if you’re pressed for time. It’s fast and flavorful.

Asian Green Beans Stir

Fry

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound green beans, trimmed and strings removed

10 cloves garlic, quartered (don’t mince the garlic. It will end up burning by the time the beans are cooked)

1 inch piece of ginger, minced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (it depends on how spicy you want your beans to be)

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Place a large skillet or wok over medium heat and add the olive oil.

Add in the green beans, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Stir frequently for about six to eight minutes, until the beans start to look charred and blistered.

Stir in the salt and pepper.

Next, stir in the vinegar and the hoisin sauce. Make sure everything is coated in the sauce.

2 green onions, thinly slice the white part and roughly chop the green part

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Sesame seeds, to garnish

Add in the green onions, white and green parts. Stir until the green onions start to look wilted.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. You want to do this off the heat so you don’t burn the sesame oil. Place the green beans in a serving dish and sprinkle on as much of the sesame seeds as you like. The sesame seeds aren’t just for looks. They add a nutty flavor to the dish.

These boots are made for dancin’

Summer heats up with Country Fever burlesque extravaganza in Newport

Giddy up and git on over to Primaltones Community Venue in Newport for Americana Mayhem’s end-of-summer burlesque show this Saturday, Aug. 31.

Round up your in-laws, out-laws and kiss’n cousins for Country Fever, bringing your favorite country songs to life as you enjoy watching the girls next door dancing, prancing, shake’n it down and take’n it off.

The show includes two fabulous sets of boot-scoot’n burlesque, and even a chance for the audience to participate and win valuable prizes in the corn shuck’n contest.

Your favorite Newport burlesque starlettes, The Sirens of Sparkle, will perform: Dixie DeLish, Breezy Betty, Babino,

in

brief

This is shore to be fun

Race at your own pace, your chosen distance and on your own schedule while helping raise funds for a worthy cause during Oregon Shores’ second annual Surf & Sun Virtual Walk & Run, taking place from Aug. 30 to Sept. 8.

To participate, walk or run a minimum of three miles on the coast or other natural public lands.

Participants will join a Givebutter campaign page as team members, making it easy for supporters to contribute to them directly.

Lolli Pop and Luna the Night Flower, joined by new, neverbefore-seen talent from Portland, Eugene and more.

The Cannabis Cowboy will ride in from the hills to emcee. Remember to bring cash to tip performers and, as always, dress to impress — cowboy boots and Daisy Dukes.

Also, you’ll have an opportunity to buy raffle tickets for prizes. Proceeds to benefit the opening of Passion Flower Fitness & Dance in Newport, a health and fitness facility for women and active agers with the goal of keeping our community strong and fit.

Primaltones Community Venue has an outdoor social area with a gas fire pit. The bar will be open with a variety of local

By securing donations, participants can amplify their impact and provide essential support to Oregon Shores’ work to educate, engage and empower people to protect coastal ecosystems, landscapes and communities.

Complete the registration form, including a $25 donation, to join. Participants will receive an exclusive Surf & Sun Virtual Walk & Run long or short-sleeved athletic t-shirt. For more information, go to oregonshores.org.

Unveil your pet project

There is still time to enter the latest Community Writes project from Manzanita’s Hoffman Center for the Arts. This year’s theme is a fuzzy, feathered or finned favorite: pets. Submissions will be accepted through September.

microbrews, cider, wine, prosecco and hard seltzer options, kombucha on tap and other non-alcoholic beverages available. The small food menu offers pizza, ice cream sandwiches and popcorn.

The show, for those aged 21 and older, begins at 9 pm. Advance tickets are $35 for general admission, first-comefirst-served, mixed seated and standing room only, and $45 for VIP, reserved seats with optimal viewing of the stage. Some VIP seating includes tables. Primaltones Community Venue is located at 2925 SE Ferry Slip Road in Newport. For more information, go to passionflowerfitness.com.

Sharpen those pencils, dig up memories and tell some stories; stories of finding animal companions or losing them, funny stories and poignant ones, odes to faithful pups, vignettes of chaotic kittens or tales of a clever bird.

Writers must have strong ties to the North Oregon Coast, whether full-time residents or regular visitors, and submissions of up to 800 words can be in the form of poetry, essay, fiction or memoir.

Selected entries will be published on the Hoffman Center website. There will also be an opportunity for writers to read their pieces at periodic open mic events. There is a $5 fee per submission.

For more information, go to hoffmanarts.org or call 503368-3846.