Art and Eats in Bandon

December 20, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Bandon has a cute, very walkable downtown in their Old Town district, located in a marina area just off of Oregon Coast Highway Highway 101 S. You can easily see where to pull of from 101 thanks to two Old Town arches you can see right from the highway. You can find street parking and there are several free visitor lots as well. One of the compelling reasons to stay or at least stop and wander here in the Old Town District is that you can find a good mix of art and eats in Bandon beyond just the usual handful of small local stores for souvenirs and local crafts, and it’s super walkable. Also the art is FREE to enjoy! Here are my favorite picks.
Bandon Art and Eats: Annual Port of Bandon Boardwalk Art Show Bandon Art and Eats: Annual Port of Bandon Boardwalk Art Show Bandon Art and Eats: Annual Port of Bandon Boardwalk Art Show Bandon Art and Eats: Washed Ashore Gallery, not only creating striking sea life sculptures created from ocean debris, but volunteers help to gather the material via beach cleanup efforts and hope to raise awareness globally about pollution in the ocean and to spark positive changes Bandon Art and Eats: Washed Ashore Gallery, not only creating striking sea life sculptures created from ocean debris, but volunteers help to gather the material via beach cleanup efforts and hope to raise awareness globally about pollution in the ocean and to spark positive changes

Art in Bandon

There is a unique, family-friendly, interactive and educational and FREE art gallery that you can find in Bandon- the Washed Ashore Gallery. This is one of two galleries they have (the other is in Coos Bay), and the specialty here is “art to save the sea” by teaching environmental issues in an engaging way through the arts. The efforts of non-profit Washed Ashore, include not only creating striking sea life sculptures created from ocean debris, but volunteers help to gather the material via beach cleanup efforts and create curriculum to help educate and inspire, and provide volunteer opportunities to get involved in the art creation. Founded in 2010, they hope to raise awareness globally about pollution in the ocean and to spark positive changes. You may have even seen some examples of their art in other locations as part of commissions or traveling exhibitions.
Bandon Art and Eats: Washed Ashore Gallery, not only creating striking sea life sculptures created from ocean debris, but volunteers help to gather the material via beach cleanup efforts and hope to raise awareness globally about pollution in the ocean and to spark positive changes Bandon Art and Eats: Washed Ashore Gallery, not only creating striking sea life sculptures created from ocean debris, but volunteers help to gather the material via beach cleanup efforts and hope to raise awareness globally about pollution in the ocean and to spark positive changes Bandon Art and Eats: Washed Ashore Gallery, not only creating striking sea life sculptures created from ocean debris, but volunteers help to gather the material via beach cleanup efforts and hope to raise awareness globally about pollution in the ocean and to spark positive changes Bandon Art and Eats: Washed Ashore Gallery, not only creating striking sea life sculptures created from ocean debris, but volunteers help to gather the material via beach cleanup efforts and hope to raise awareness globally about pollution in the ocean and to spark positive changes

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Curse of the Haunted Curds 2016 at Portland Brewing

October 26, 2016 by 6 Comments

Two years ago I attended the first Curse of the Haunted Curds event at Deschutes. Although I missed it last year being out of town, this year I’ll be attending again and I’m super excited about it! The Curse of the Haunted Curds 2016 will be taking place at Portland Brewing Company Tap Room at 2730 NW 31st Ave. From 11 AM at lunch to the 8 PM evening on October 27, guests can choose to sample a flight of 5 poutines (fries, gravy, and cheese curds), each created from 5 competing chefs for just $10. You can optionally enjoy the poutines with beer pairings for an additional $6.

The Curse of the Haunted Curds at Portland Brewing 2016, 5 poutines from competing chefs of 5 breweries using beer in their gravy and Face Rock Creamery Vampire Slayer cheese

As before, Curse of the Haunted Curds continues to be for a good cause. 50% of all poutine and beer pairing proceeds go towards Friendly House, a non-profit neighborhood center and social service agency. Founded in 1930, Friendly House provides programs and services at no charge or on a sliding fee scale to ensure access to all members of the community of all ages and backgrounds in three program areas: Children’s Programs, Community Recreation and Education, and Community Services.

You’ll be sampling the 5 poutines from competing chefs from

Then cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award for Curse of the Haunted Curds 2016. The winner of the live judging as well as People’s Choice will be announced at 7:30 PM. Each of the poutine recipes must use one of the breweries’ beers from the competing brewery in the gravy.

Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation featured 5 poutines from 5 chefs for $10 at Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House
My flight of 5 poutines from 5 chefs from 2014 Curse of the Haunted Curds

Teaming up with them is also local (Bandon Oregon) Face Rock Creamery with their Vampire Slayer cheese curds, which took 1st place at the American Cheese Society’s 2013 Competition. Face Rock sources grass-fed cow’s milk from Oregon dairy families, and they make cheese the same day the cows are milked. Face Rock cheese, including these curds, are available at their creamery, in more than 3,000 stores, and online at their website.

At $10, there’s a huge value with the amount of poutine you get, definitely enough for 2 to share. They are also doing a costume contest!

If you haven’t been to the Portland Brewing Tasting Room before, parking is easy in this industrial area and they offer not only their own brewed beers but also beers from their sister brewery the Pyramid Brewing Co. Their Thursday daily special is “Throwback Thursdays” with $2 pints from 6 PM to close – they have one daily special every day, ranging from Kids 12 and under eat free for each adult Sunday to matching a purchased flight or pint or growler with a free one on other days and “hoppy hour” every day 3 – 6 PM and 9 PM – close.

This entire month of July 2014, Portland Brewing is donating a portion from every case or growler of ZigZag River Lager (growlers must be purchased at the Portland Brewing Co Taproom, cases must be purchased in the state of Oregon) sold back to our Northwest waters via Sandy River Basin Watershed Council.

Have you been to Portland Brewing? What do you think about this upcoming Curse of the Haunted Curds 2016 at Portland Brewing event?

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Curse of the Haunted Curds and upcoming Abyss 2014 Release

November 5, 2014 by 10 Comments

Recently, there was a very special pop-up poutine event at Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House. Occurring the same week as Halloween, it was dubbed “Curse of the Haunted Curds”. From lunch to that evening, guests could choose to sample a flight of 5 poutines created from 5 competing chefs for $10.
Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation featured 5 poutines from 5 chefs for $10 at Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation featured 5 poutines from 5 chefs for $10 at Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House

Then, that evening from 6-8pm a few Trailblazers and guest judges (Portland Trailblazers Dorell Wright, Wesley Matthews, Thomas Robinson, C.J. McCollum, Meyers Leonard and Will Barton, The Oregonian’s Samantha Bakall and Thrillist’s Andy Kryza) voted as well, and the People’s Choice votes from all the guests were also tallied!
Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation featured 5 poutines from 5 chefs for $10 at Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House judged by Portland Trailblazers Dorell Wright, Wesley Matthews, Thomas Robinson, C.J. McCollum, Meyers Leonard and Will Barton, The Oregonian’s Samantha Bakall and Thrillist’s Andy Kryza

Proceeds of the poutine pop-up would benefit the D Wright Way Foundation, a great charity that is dedicated to health, education, and social well being of children in urban and ethnically diverse communities.

Poutine and for charity? Count me in!
Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation featured 5 poutines from 5 chefs for $10 at Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House

Every poutine (fries, gravy, and cheese curds, featuring Face Rock Creamery‘s Vampire Slayer Curds, which are garlic cheese curds) was a winner in its own way of course.

Here’s a look at the 5 contenders:

  • Zomboni by Chef Aaron Barnett of St Jack with a poutine combo of fried chicken, bacon, cole slaw and Vampire Slayer Curds
    Zomboni by Chef Aaron Barnett of St Jack with a poutine combo of fried chicken, bacon, cole slaw and Vampire Slayer Curds for Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation
  • Poutino by Chef Rick Gencarelli of Lardo with herbs, parmesan, Italian Sausage gravy, Mama Lil’s peppers and fried Vampire Slayer Curds
    Poutino by Chef Rick Gencarelli of Lardo with herbs, parmesan, Italian Sausage gravy, Mama Lil's peppers and fried Vampire Slayer Curds, for Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation
  • Halloween Hangover Cure by Chef Ben Grossmann of Dig a Pony with sausage country gravy, fried shallot strings, six minute egg and Vampire Slayer Curds
    Halloween Hangover Cure by Chef Ben Grossmann of Dig a Pony with sausage country gravy, fried shallot strings, six minute egg and Vampire Slayer Curds, for Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation
  • Ghost of Poutine by Chef Jill Ramseier of Deschutes with ghost pepper gravy, maple porter gastrique and Vampire Slayer Curds
    Ghost of Poutine by Chef Jill Ramseier of Deschutes with ghost pepper gravy, maple porter gastrique and Vampire Slayer Curds for Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation
  • Rage Against the Poutine by Chef Kevin Atchley of Pine State Biscuits with cajun spiced beef sirloin, country gravy, and Vampire Slayer Curds
    Rage Against the Poutine by Chef Kevin Atchley of Pine State Biscuits with cajun spiced beef sirloin, country gravy, and Vampire Slayer Curds for Curse of the Haunted Curds, a Poutine Pop-up with proceeds to the D Wright Way Foundation

Thank you for all the chefs that participated. Sorry I focused on the food and didn’t take any photos of the Trailblazers (you can see some at Oregon Live or by looking at the hashtag #VampireSlayerCurds on Twitter and Instagram). I was an animal and destroyed my poutine flight.

In the end, the judges awarded their vote to Zomboni by Chef Aaron Barnett of St Jack with a poutine combo of fried chicken, bacon, cole slaw and Vampire Slayer Curds. Meanwhile the People’s Choice went to Poutino by Chef Rick Gencarelli of Lardo with herbs, parmesan, Italian Sausage gravy, Mama Lil’s peppers and fried Vampire Slayer Curds.

There is another big event occurring at Deschutes coming up- on Thursday, Nov 13, 11 AM is the release of The Abyss, a dark Imperial Stout. This video explains more why The Abyss that uses Italian brewer’s licorice, black strap molasses, vanilla bean, cherry bark and more then aged in oak barrels previously touched by bourbon or pinot… all to put together the deliciousness.

Each year the Abyss tastes a little different, and is good enough to age. For the Nov 13 at the Portland pub, they will offer a 6 year vertical flightsto compare the various Abyss beers from the past to this year, a special opportunity only available on release day (and last time, when I arrived after work, they were already out of some of the year’s, so come as early as you can!). There is a 6 bottle limit for purchasing bottles of Abyss.

Which poutine would you think you have voted for? Have you ever had aged beers like the Abyss?

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