Eugene, Oregon

Eugene is the second-largest city in the state and has a population of 156,185.  It is home to the University of Oregon (Go Ducks). The city is noted for its natural beauty, recreational opportunities and focus on the arts. Eugene's slogan is "A Great City for the Arts and Outdoors". It is also referred to as the "Emerald City", and as "Track Town, USA. The Nike corporation had its beginnings in Eugene.

It is named after its founder, Eugene Franklin Skinner.  Until 1889, it was named Eugene City.  In 1846, Skinner erected the first cabin in the area.  It was used as a trading post and was registered as an official post office on January 8, 1850. At this time the settlement was known as Skinner's Mud Hole. It was relocated in 1853, but was not formally incorporated as a city until 1862.

The purpose of our visit was to meet Karen Buntman, a doctor that Judy had babysat for  when she was young (and her sister Lynne) in Chicago many, many years ago.  In fact, Judy was also the flower girl at her parents’ wedding along with her brother Larry being ring-bearer.  We met her house-mate, Trey, who seems very nice and cordial. 

The big surprise was meeting her ‘girls’; four adult egg-laying chickens and three babies.  After feeding them grapes from her yard we saw there are oodles and oodles of grapes, both red and green.  She also has quite a few apple trees and two Italian Plum trees.





For dinner we all went to a fabulous Thai restaurant.  We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening with two people we really didn’t know prior to tonight!!!

Wednesday we headed to the Owen Rose Garden where there were thousands of different roses planted and labeled so you knew what you were looking at.  We then stopped at Karen’s favorite bagel place, Humble Bagel, and made a purchase to be put in the refrigerator and freezer.  Our next stop was Delta Ponds where we saw quite a few ducks in the water.  Then it was off to Karen’s for dinner.  She was starting to make a soup with many fresh veggies, and Trey was starting the fire to bbq the lamb.  We enjoyed talking and had grape leaves, a tofu dish that tasted like egg salad on yummy crackers, spicy land jaeger and some
cheeses. Their next door neighbors Kate and Zeke came a little later bringing a freshly baked apple pie with vanilla ice cream.  Karen also made a green salad with a yummy dressing.  She’s a good cook!  Trey grilled the lamb and the zucchini we brought.  Everything was delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday Karen was off work so we took off to eat our way through Eugene.  What a foodie town it is, and we loved every place they took us.  It’s wonderful to see the city with locals taking you to their favorite places.  Our first stop was Off the Waffle where they serve savory, sweet Liège waffles.  The word is pronounced Lee-age and the waffles are richer, sweeter waffles than the typical Belgian waffle.  They were invented by the chef of the prince-bishop of Liège, Belgium in the 18^th century as an adaptation of brioche bread dough.  Chunks of pearl sugar are folded into the dough.  They melt during the rising process and form a crispy, caramelized exterior when baked in a cast iron waffle press.  One of the owners tested these waffled before they opened the restaurant at a pot-luck at Karen’s house a number of years ago.  We even were lucky enough to meet one of the owners who was in from Portland where they just opened their third location (two in Eugene!) .  

We toured a little of the downtown area, on foot and then in Karen’s car.  While driving around Karen pointed out various points of interest, including the University of Oregon, home of the Ducks!  

Then to Growler Guys where they had fifty beers on tap.  Trey and Mike enjoyed sampling their wares. 

Barry’s Café was our next stop.  They are the only place in town where you can purchase bialys, and we did!  Across the street was Long’s Meat Market, where Danny (Trey’s lady friend) works.  We bought the last of their regular land jaeger and some of their ‘spicy’ land jaeger.  Can hardly wait for them to dry a little bit!  We’ll have to use some willpower!

Our next stop was Café Yumm where we were able to sample some of their sauces that ‘taste good on anything’ according to Karen and Trey.  We bought the original and garlic.  

Sweet Life was our next stop where they have a very, very long case filled with all sorts of sweets.  Choices were difficult with so much to choose from…..cakes, cheesecakes, tortes, silks, pies, tarts, cupcakes, cookies, biscotti, petit fours, baklava, peanut butter cups, brownies, éclairs, buns, croissants, muffins, turnovers, etc. etc. etc.  Mike and I shared an éclair and some kind of a chocolate cake.  Again, delicious!  

What a wonderful time we had with people we really didn’t know.  They are fun people and we would love to visit with them again sometime.  Great company, great food, great weather just not enough time!