Volume 7, Issue 1 // January 23 - February 19, 2020 YOUR LOCAL, NON-PROFIT, INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SOUND Death Plant is a Force to be Reckoned With! food Over Easy: Brunch in Medford Screen The Eco-Happy Siskiyou Film Festival It’s Restaurant Week get your knives out! 2 / WWW.ROGUEVALLEYMESSENGER.COM JANUARY 23 - FEBRUARY 19, 2020 / THE ROGUE VALLEY MESSENGER / 3 The Rogue Valley Messenger 1630 Williams Hwy. #400 | Grants Pass, OR 97527 CONTENTS 541-708-5688 FOOD roguevalleymessenger.com SOUND page page [email protected] Over Easy? Named for their Death Plant is not a one- heavy reliance on eggs? THE BUSINESS END OF THINGS trick pony. Loud and 14 Partially. Chef Bradyn (who 18 WEB MASTER Tammy Wilder intense, sure, but with is also the owner of this OUR FINANCIAL WIZARD (Taking applications) nods to ska and pop, new breakfast hotshot DISTRIBUTION Coleman Antonucci in Medford) claims the tongue-in-cheek humor, ADVERTISING MANAGER Sasha Armstrong name is an expression of B52’s quirky glee and a OUR WORDSMITHS, ETC. their style—casual, non- dash of Axl Rose. Whew! pretentious, kid-friendly PUBLISHER & EDITOR Phil Busse That’s a lot to love! and welcoming. Though, MANAGING EDITOR Sara Jane Wiltermood they do use a lot of eggs. PRODUCTION MANAGER Donna Brosh CALENDAR EDITOR Alan Armstrong COLUMNISTS SCREEN page page Rob Brezsny, Dr. Dan Smith, From its rivers and forests to Dr. Cory Tichauer, Dr. Margaret Philhower, Tanya Shelander, Matt Jones, Roo Grostein practices of conservationism S&O and environmental 16 FREELANCERS 20 Catherine Kelley, Vanessa Newman, We catch up on the Alan Armstrong, Erin McMenomy and Ani Trawles protection, Oregon is well-noted as being green. slopes with Mt Ashland GET IN TOUCH The 18th annual Siskiyou Director Hiram Towle, Film Festival splashes this MAIL [email protected] who talks about how ski love on the big screen, EVENTS areas are adapting to [email protected] with documentaries about ADVERTISE [email protected] beavers and surfers-turned- climate change. activists. Rekindle your soul! SALES DEADLINE: 5 pm Thurs EDITORIAL DEADLINE: 5 pm Thurs CALENDAR DEADLINE: 12 pm Thurs Feature ........................................................................... 5 Food & Drink ........................................................18-19 CLASSIFIED DEADLINE: 4 pm Thurs Deadlines may shift for special/holiday issues. Our Picks ........................................................................ 9 Sports & Outdoor .....................................................20 Live Music and Nightlife.........................................10 Go Here ........................................................................20 ON THE COVER: Events ...........................................................................12 Wellness .......................................................................21 Sound ...........................................................................15 Don’t Smoke the Messenger ...............................22 Photo taken at Ostras in Ashland Screen .....................................................................16-17 Free Will Astrology ...................................................22 by Ammon Cluff Art Watch .....................................................................18 Rec Room ....................................................................23 4 / WWW.ROGUEVALLEYMESSENGER.COM JANUARY 23 - FEBRUARY 19, 2020 / THE ROGUE VALLEY MESSENGER / 5 FEATURE A Tale of Two “O” Mys! Ashland Restaurant Week in on the Menu BY VANESSA NEWMAN February is Ashland Culinary stranger to tradition. Fix, part Fix says humbly, “Billy Harto available. Month and “Restaurant Week” kicks owner, explains that “Conservas” (owner of Thai Pepper) is the Ostras Chef, Jordan Harto, does off the foodie celebration February is Spanish for the long-standing brains, while I get it done.” not like to be in the spotlight, but 3 – 9 with a slice of local flavors. practice of conserving foods at the Pan seared sea scallops is a popular he is described as a very “diligent There are multiple establishments “height of flavor.” “Tapas”–not finger food—but professional who is a perfectionist involved in this six-day celebration, Each ingredient is important a small plate designed to share with a strong sense for food.” and for 2020, tradition and tapas and is selected based on season, size, made from scratch with fresh, dry In addition to savory and sweet set the tone. time aged, integrity of the canning ingredients that are never frozen. “postres” treats, this establishment The Rogue Valley Messenger process and quality because these Fix encourages customers to is a bottle shop offering an extensive had a chance to meet with: Ostras ultimately determine the taste and try without hesitation, Octopus A wine selection with half being and Omar’s. A blend of the “old” texture of these luxury offerings. La Plancha, a “delicious delicate from Spain and the other half from and “new” to satisfy traditional The process is celebrated in Spain preparation” with Lyonnaise Oregon. Every Thursday from 5 to tastes and tantalize the palette while sort of frowned upon in The potatoes and Mojo Amarillo. 6 pm, they have a complimentary with dishes like Octopus or Oysters. United States. Fix, who grew up near And one dish, Pork Cheeks, has wine tasting. Oh my! Munich, Germany, aims to bridge the a “following”—customers call Starting out right on the Plaza, old and new worlds in a fine dining to make sure it is Oliver Fix welcomes the Messenger, atmosphere providing impeccable excited to share why stopping at customer service. this location is a must. In Ashland since March of 2017, Ostras Tapas is no CREDIT: OMAR’S LOBSTER TAIL AND ALASKAN KING CRAB AT OMAR’S OYSTERS AT OMAR’S CREDIT: OMAR’S Oh My! 6 / WWW.ROGUEVALLEYMESSENGER.COM JANUARY 23 - FEBRUARY 19, 2020 / THE ROGUE VALLEY MESSENGER / 7 “That is why we price wines by the bottle, so that using “chicken buckets” for it can be an integral part of the experience instead employees’ fowl so there is of cost prohibitive,” Fix comments. zero waste. They offer large Additionally, Bar Manager and skilled mixologist, party gatherings with no Zahara Cullumbine, designs ever-changing cocktails extra room rental fee. But like the “Knee Jerk Reaction” made with Wasabi, or most of all, they are proud the jalapeno and lemon “Lengthy Visit.” To make an to support 30 year-round Ostras visit more fun and immersive, patrons can employees consistently. reserve the bar top tables. Fix explains that: “No one February is Omar’s oyster would stand at these tables until we added stools. month where patrons can eat The stools worked.” as many oysters as they can Faster than a rolling O, The Messenger ventured slurp. They also are offering: all the way to the other end of town to Omar’s. It’s Omar’s Fresh Bouillabaisse been around for 73 years and as much as Jennifer Marseilles Style – a bowl of Sink, owner, wanted to remove the “silly camel,” fresh seafood slow simmered from the front of the building, she was met with, in a saffron-fennel clam stock “Don’t you dare!” served with garlic crostini’s The establishment has a timeless style with red and curried paprika aioli. APPLE TART AT OMAR’S leather booths, Formica table tops and flocked CREDIT: OMAR’S wallpaper. Walk in and you are liable to run into one To find out about all the of the former owners, Mike “Rolar” Yondorf. participating locations and “Omar’s is the oldest operating restaurant from Portland to Redding,” says Sink. specials for Restaurant Week, This roadside steakhouse serves meat that is “cut” in house and seafood that is “fletched” right there. go to ashlandchamber.com. “We don’t have fancy linens and no Creekside water gurgling next to you, but we are a local favorite,” Sink explains. And she has stories to share about longtime employees and important historical events. OSTRAS CREDIT: AMMON CLUF For example, a local favorite tale is that Omar’s was supposed to be Omer’s. The original owner, Omer, ordered a sign back in the 1950’s, but when it arrived with a misspelling, they did not go through the hassle of sending it back, but settled into the name. And there is another story about the Mastodon bones supposedly discovered during the site excavation. Even the lounge has an interesting history. Elmo Stevenson, SOU president at the time, asked Omer if he wanted to open a public one, fearing that drinking and driving on I-5 would lead to tragic OMAR’S FRESH SEAFOOD AND STEAKS OSTRAS! TAPAS AND BOTTLE SHOP student and faculty accidents. So, Omar’s had the first ever public lounge in Ashland. 5 pm – 2:30 am, Sunday 5 – 9 pm, Sunday and Tuesday – Thursday 11:30 am – 2:30 am, Monday – Saturday 5 – 10 pm, Friday and Saturday Sink attributes the establishment’s longevity to being a local’s favorite serving consistently good steak and seafood. The current Chef, Alfredo Nava, 1380 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland 47 N Main Street, Ashland has been cooking at Omar’s for the past six years. “We have seen people grow up here,” says Sink. But tradition does not mean Omar’s does not adapt to the times. They practice sustainability Oh My! 8 / WWW.ROGUEVALLEYMESSENGER.COM JANUARY 23 - FEBRUARY 19, 2020 / THE ROGUE VALLEY MESSENGER / 9 [P] OUR PICKS thurs 23 thurs 23 — sun 26 fri 24 — sun 26 sun 26 Wings Building the Wall Brine, Brews, & Barrel Brava Opera PUB TALK—Wings are the things that make THEATRE—Building the Wall is the Ashland OPERA—The opera isn’t just for those with Fermentation