A Cheep and Chic Valentines Day

mmm...heart shaped meatballs! image courtesy of allrecipes.com

In case you weren’t aware, Valentines Day is coming soon. Regardless if you are single or in a relationship, Valentines Day is an opportunity for you to show the special people in your life that you care. Whether it’s your family, your boyfriend or girlfriend, or your best friend, you don’t have to go over the top to do something special.

First, book a ride with the Pedicab. Take the chance to tour Corvallis as you’ve never seen it before! Or, if the weather is nice (if not, bring an umbrella or wear a rainjacket and boots), start out 

Take a ride in the pedicab! image courtesy of corvallispedicab.com

 your Valentine’s day with a hike or bike ride through OSU’s McDonald Forest.

After exploring the outdoors, you will probably want something to eat.  Scratch going out to dinner. Chances are most of the restaurants are booked anyways and, even if they aren’t, they will be packed. Pick out a delicious dinner from allrecpies.com, and then head over to First Alternative to buy some organic, local ingredients. Make sure to pick a great wine to accompany your dinner (try local wineries Belle Vallee cellars or Tyee Wine Cellars). But, most importantly, take the time to make dinner together and enjoy each other’s company!

It wouldn’t be a proper Valentine’s Day if you didn’t have some kind of dessert planned. If you want to leave the house, go to Francesco’s ( 208 SW 2nd Street) for some gelato. Craving chocolate? While you are downtown, you’ve got to stop by Burst’s Chocolates.  Whatever type of chocolate truffle you crave, chances are Burst’s has it.

Try some of Burst's original chocolate ganaches! (image courtesy of burstschocolates.com)

After thoroughly gorging yourselves, you’ll need some time to digest and chill out. Choose a couple of movies a day or two before Valentine’s day (don’t go to Blockbusters during Valentine’s…it will probably be pretty crowded as well). Depending on who you are celebrating with, it can range from a bloody-horror movie (maybe you just broke up with someone) or something mushy.

Rocket Queen Cupcakes

It’s impossible not to look at a cupcake and not go “awww!” (literally, try it for yourself). And, contrary to what you might think, cupcakes are not just for kids’ parties anymore. Hollywood has decided to take the cupcake under its trendy wings and now they are THE thing to have at parties and events. People are even starting to have cupcakes at their weddings instead of a cake!

Rocket Queen Cupcakes

Rocket Queen Cupcakes, based out of Albany, is skyrocketing past any conventional notion people might have had about cupcakes, and any Hollywood celeb would die to have Rocket Queen cupcakes at their next A-list event (maybe Suri Cruise’s next birthday party…).  Founded by Albany native Jessica Stanley when she lost her job at a roofing company last year, Rocket Queen cupcakes specializes in the most bizzare seeming, yet ultimately delicious, recipes ever seen. Jessica (with her husband) is now follwing her passion for cooking with a vengenace, busting out hundreds of cupcakes at a time for weddings, birthdays, and other events. Here’s just a sampling of the quirky cupcakes that Rocket Queen offers:

Beer and peanuts: Dark stout cupcake with a creamy head (Whipped cream or cream cheese frosting) topped with honey roasted peanuts.

She’s a lady: Yellow cake filled with orange flower water, lavender infused

She's a lady cupcake

whipped cream, topped with cream cheese frosting

The Squealer

Squealer: Yellow cake with bacon pieces in it, frosted with maple butter cream and topped with a candied bacon piece.

Is your mouth watering yet? For Rocket Queen’s full cupcake menu (you can even custom order your own delicious combinations) check out their website. You can also visit their Facebook page.

Get creative with tea!

Ah, January. It’s normal to feel a little blue during this month. The holiday season is over, New Year’s resolutions are getting harder and harder to maintain, and to top it off, the weather stinks. But, at the end of the day, there’s nothing better than going home and curling up with a hot cup of tea.

Tea is not only delicious, but many places offer it loose leaf, which is priced by the ounce (btw, tea is very light). Therefore, it is a tasty and cheap drink that not only smells amazing, but is also very low in calories (hot water and herbs don’t add to your gutt and butt), making it even easier to keep your New Year’s weight resolutions! Not to mention, different types of tea have benefits ranging from giving you more energy to calming upset stomachs and regulating your digestive system. Oregon Legacy Fine Coffee and Tea, in downtown Corvallis on 2nd st., has a fabulous selection of loose leaf teas for you to choose from. They also have lots of great coffee and tea accessories as well.

Oregon Coffee and Tea offers an endless selection of loose leaf teas to choose from

The best thing about loose leaf tea is that, you can make your own combinations. Like licorice and raspberry leaf? Why not buy a little bit of each for your own original mix? There are infinite possibilities out there, which can be a bit overwhelming, so many stores have ready-made, proven tea blends if you don’t think you are ready to handle puting your own creation together.

Corvallis Culinary Week is coming soon!

After January 1st, the holiday season draws to a close. However, that doesn’t mean that Corvallis is done putting on

Le Bistro, photo by Michelle Marie

awesome events for people to go to! Corvallis Culinary Week 2010 runs from Jan.18 to the 24th, where nine of downtown Corvallis’ best restaurants  participate in a delicious week of fine dining.

Bar at Terzo, Photo by Aaron Ward

All week, 101 Eat and Drink, Aqua Sea

food & Bar, Cloud 9, The Downward Dog, Fireworks Restaurant & Bar,

Terzo, Le Bistro, Zia Southwest Cuisine and  Magenta will be offering special Chef’s Plates that highlight the best of each ’specialty for $10.  So, put off starting your post-New Year’s diet plan and make sure to stop by one or more of these restaurants during Culinary Week!

Eco-Chic Frugalista

Who says you need to brave the horror that is Black Friday and stand in line at 5 pm to get the best deal for your dollar? We’ve come up with some eco-chic ideas for gifts and decorating ideas, and best of all, you don’t have to get run over by a shopping cart to do them!

When wrapping presents, head over to a craft or fabric store and pick six

Photo courtesy of eartheasy.com

 different fabrics colors and designs. Then, have them cut to different sizes and use them to wrap your gifts with! The best thing is that you can reuse these fabrics next year as well, and to spice it up, choose some funky ribbons and bows to accent the wrap jobs.

If you’re looking for Christmas tree decorations, the Cat’s Meow in downtown Corvallis is a great place to find vintage, inexpensive Christmas bubls! Not to mention, anytime you shop local you are doing your part in helping the local economy.

Another good idea for decorations is using…food! That’s right, popcorn garlands and candy canes are inexpensive, colorful and, not to mention, delicious! What’s also great is that you can dye the popcorn to any color you want, and candy canes come in every color and size imaginable. To see how to make popcorn garlands (Kix cereal also works), click here. This reciple also incorporates cranberries to add some more color. You can also use the dyed popcorn to make tasty popcorn balls, which can be used as decorations if placed in bowls around the house and are delectable snacks for visiting friends and relatives.

Photo courtesy of allrecipes.com

As far as gifts go, nothing beats cookies in a jar. Take your favorite cookie recipe and put all of the dry ingredients into a mason jar, then add a tag that tells the remaining wet ingredients that need to be added and cooking instructions. Then, tie the mason jar with a beautiful ribbon and a card. This idea isn’t just limited to cookie recipies either! Use it for hot chocolate kits (try adding some unique spices and marshmallows), potpourri, and tea mixes!

Chic holiday shopping opportunities!

Photo credit Marilyn Schmidt

The holiday season has almost officially begun, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait until after Thanksgiving to start doing some shopping!

 

 

 

These craft faires and expos are perfect opportunities to find some sweet deals on gifts for friends and family, check it out.

November:

11/09-12/28, Teal Fine Art and Craft, 202 NW 3rd St., www.tealartistscoop.com

13th, Zonta Club Annual Auction, CH2M Hill Alumni Center, www.zontacorvallis.org

20th, Purchaser’s Paradise Multi-Vendor Open House, Benton Co. Fairgrounds, 929-7618

21st, P.E.O. 6th Annual Holiday Faire, 11th and Jackson, 929-4167, www.peointernational.org

27th-29th, Thanksgiving Weekend Wineries Open House, www.oregonwinecountry.org

27th-28th, Annual Holiday Expo, 9am-5pm, Benton Fairgrounds, www.bentoncountyfair.com

December:

4th, Winter’s Eve Corvalis, Madison Ave., between 2nd and 3rd St., www.alcorvallis.org

4th-5th, Annual Holiday Marketplace, OSU Memorial Union Ballroom, 737-2937

5th, Arts and Crafts Holiday Bazaar, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Circle Blvd, 752-5218

The Barton DeLoach and Company

When antique shopping, half of the fun is the hunt for that perfect little hole-in-the wall with incredible finds. Well, consider the hunt over. This tiny little antique store is located on 317 NW 33rd St, and is open only from Thursday- Saturday 11 to 5 pm.  Please contact EdSchmisseur@comcast.net for more information. Call first if you are traveling from out of town: Telephone 541-753-1383 cell 541-990-1375

Corvallis Ski Swap

A glimpse of what's in store, photo courtesy of www.corvallisskiswap.com

Is your ski jacket looking rather worn? Have you been wanting a pair of skis but can’t afford to buy a new pair? Then you need to go to the 42nd annual Corvallis Ski Swap! Hosted at the Benton County Fairgrounds, this is a chance for you and your family to get rid of and trade some of your old ski/snowboarding gear for some new (well, new to you anyways) stuff!  It’s from Oct. 22nd-25th, and did we mention that it’s just just about skis and snowboards? Hats, gloves, clothing, bindings, snow shoes, you name it and it’s probably going to be at the ski swap.

Not only are you going to have the chance to score on some awewome gear, but you can also make some money! Consignments are going to be accepted Thursday, from 9 am-9pm and Friday from 9 am-5 pm. However, there is a non-refundable fee of 50 cents per item submitted for sale and a  20% commission on all items sold.

Seem overwhelming? Not to fear, Members of Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Santiam Pass Ski Patrol, and some vendor employeeswill be available to answer questions and assist you with your search for the right item.  For more specifics, visit the official Corvallis Ski Swap website. Happy hunting!

7th Around Oregon Annual art show

Photo by Sara Lil

Looking for something fabulous to do this week that’s free?  Then walk over to 700 SW Madison Ave. to feast your eyes on the 7th Around Oregon Annual art show.  Hosted at The Arts Center, the display runs from Sept.26th through Oct. 27th. The gallery hours are 12-5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

Featuring the work of 36 artists, what makes this show unique is that all of the artists hail from Oregon. Although their art pieces are not neccesarily about Oregon, what binds the artists together is that they all live and work here in this beautiful state we call home. Hester Coucke, the gallery curator of The Arts Center, says that the show will feature a wide variety of media. There will be abstact work, political work, watercolor, sculptures, ceramic, print making, photography and much more. The juror (the person who selects the pieces for the show)  is Beverly Soasy, the director of Jacobs Gallery in Eugene.

The Docks at Ada, Siltcoos Lake: Sandy Roumagoux

If you want a little art with your lunch, visit The Arts Center on Oct. 12th at noon for the Brown Bag Art Talk. Artists Mary Youmans, Kurt Norlin and Patricia Berman will be talking about their work and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask them questions. The event is very informal and casual, so round up your friends and  co-workers during your lunchbreak and take an hour for youselves to enjoy some beautiful art. It might be wise to mention that the ArtShop will be closed for remodeling Oct.12th through Nov.13th, but the main gallery will still be open and viewers are invited to come through the back door.

Hungry? Try Music à La Carte.

Fall is here, and with it comes unpredictable weather. It can go from being gorgeous and sunny to a torrential downpour in a matter of seconds, so eating lunch outside is not always the best idea. Instead of heating up a Lean Cuisine in the lunchroom, why not enjoy some Music à La Carte at the Memorial Union on the OSU campus? Every Thursday from 12 to 1 pm, OSU hosts musicians who play live in the MU. Best of all, the concerts are free and open to the public!

Each session is around 45 minutes long, and features a wide variety of musicians and performance groups. The audience is actually encouraged and welcomed to bring lunch during the performances, so you’re not going to stand out like a sore thumb if you bring a sandwich.  To see the schedule of musicians, check out the OSU events calendar at http://calendar.oregonstate.edu and click on each Thursday of the week.