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Events

A Taste of Ashland: 17 Galleries, 17 Wineries, 17 Restaurants, One Delicious Art Experience!

Each year, the Ashland Gallery Association holds a 2-day fundraiser featuring a number of the best regional wineries and local restaurants paired together while having a “host home” of an art gallery in the downtown vicinity of beautiful Ashland, Oregon. This year, the event was held from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 27th & 28th. The big time foodies, such as me, will go all day both days to ensure double sampling and double the experience. This self-guided walking tour is known as Ashland’s “most delicious art experience” and I can attest to that. I am baffled how I have missed this signature event throughout the years I have lived here.
The Ashland Gallery Association’s goal is to promote Ashland as an art destination through group activities including professional and student art exhibits, First Friday gallery walks, and educational opportunities to promote the sale of art in the belief that art is essential to the welfare and character of our community. Now in the twenty-fourth year, I believe they have accomplished exactly that. Bravo to this outstanding non-profit, we love you! View their online gallery guide at http://www.ashlandgalleries.com
What was best about the event, you ask? First, I can say that I was both honored and embarrassed with the name tag I received upon arrival. “Awesome Blogger”, Jeff Jones noted. Thank you, Jeff. I really do appreciate the recognition. Aside from the art viewing between food and wine (which was absolutely to die for), I loved the option of a (free) trolley for people to take between galleries. I asked others what their “game plan” was and I had a variety of answers. Some people wanted to start at one end of the plaza and work their way to the other end, some were planning on taking the trolley to almost ever gallery while others were not taking it at all, some were strategically being sporadic and unorganized, while others were switching it up and going both days, and some had no plan at all.
Either way, the trolley was a great option to have! Although most galleries are within walking distance from each other, it makes for a long and fast paced day unless one is in tip top shape. I did not partake in this the first day as I was literally hustling through the map and hit sixteen of the seventeen galleries, but by the second day I was not going to let my tired tootsies get me down! I strolled along much slower and took the trolley from the historic Ashland Railroad District to the Hilltop Gallery where I was greeted by the lovely Heather of Belle Fiore Winery and the owner of Blue Greek on Granite. I have to say, the worst decision I made was to start from bottom up. I missed out on my favorite Greek dish of dolmas paired with Baklava. Mmmm I can taste it now, like I am back on Oia, Santorini, gazing at that famous sunset we all live to see that one time in our life. Okay, now back to reality… which is surprisingly is just as great as the memory. Another thing I love about this event is the ability to vote for the Taster’s Choice award for the best restaurant, wine and gallery. This part keeps me on my toes as I jot down my favorite pairings along the way. Okay, on with the delicacies!
GALLERY, WINERY, RESTAURANT PAIRING
1. Enoteca by EdenVale • 17 North Main Street • http://www.edenvalleyorchards.com
Shibui Nation • http://www.shibuination.com
Loft American Brasserie, featuring homemade mac n cheese, • http://www.loftbrasserie.com
EdenVale Winery • http://www.edenvalleyorchards.com
2. Liquid Assets Wine Bar • 96 N. Main Street • http://www.liquidassetswinebar.com
Rogue Creamery • http://www.roguecreamery.com
Sunstone Artisan Bakery, featuring new soft pretzels and sea salt crackers, • http://www.sunstonebakery.com
Willamette Valley Vineyards • http://www.wvv.com
3. Nimbus • 25 E. Main Street • http://www.clubnimbus.net
Salame, featuring green olives, salami and pistachio nuts, • http://www.salameashland.com
Slagle Creek Vineyards • http://www.slaglecreek.com
4. Hanson Howard Gallery • 89 Oak Street • http://www.hansonhowardgallery.com
Standing Stone, featuring Mama Terra Goat Cheese Fondue with fried sage and multi-seed cracker bread paired with Roxy Ann Viognier & Wooldridge Creek Wine with herb braised One Mile Farm leg of lamb paired with Roxy Ann Sky Hill Red. One Mile Farm is the Standing Stone farm where they raise lamb, cows, chickens and bees• http://www.standingstonebrewing.com
RoxyAnn Winery • http://www.roxyann.com
5. Thomas Lee Gallery • 20 S. First Street • http://www.thomasleegallery.com
Dragonfly Cafe and Gardens, featuring chicken tacos with Thai coleslaw & flourless chico cake, • http://www.dragonflyashland.com
Simple Machine Wine • http://www.simplemachinewine.com
6. Art and Soul Gallery • 247 E. Main Street • http://www.artandsoulgallery.com
Taroko Pan American Bistro, featuring pork dumplings, • http://www.tarokoashland.com
John Michael Champagne Cellars, which was hands down the best in my opinion…what gets better than sparkling sake??? • http://www.johnmichaelwinery.com
7. Houston’s Custom Framing • 270 E. Main Street • http://www.houstonscustomframing.com
Alchemy Restaurant & Wine Bar • http://www.alchemyashland.com
Devitt Winery • http://www.devittwinery.com
8. Hemporium • 296 E. Main Street
Mystic Treats, featuring Signature Pizza (yes, serious mac n cheese pizza topping) samples with mini mocha bourbon & cheesecake balls • http://www.mystictreats.com
2 Hawk Winery • http://www.2hawkwinery.com
9. Ashland Art Center • 357 E. Main Street • http://www.ashlandartcenter.org
Smithfield’s Restaurant and Bar, featuring pressed pork belly with caramelized apple and wild mushroom, goat cheese, tarragon crostini, • http://www.smithfieldsashland.com (Saturday)
Agavé, featuring chips and salsa with a special black bean dip • http://www.agavetaco.net (Sunday)
South Stage Cellars • http://www.southstagecellars.com
10. Photograhers Gallery • 357 E. Main Street • http://www.ashlandartcenter.org
Boulton & Son, featuring savory palmiers with house cured ham and Swiss cheese • http://www.boultonandson.com
Weisinger’s Winery, I personally loved this 2006 Syrah • http://www.weisingers.com
11. Illahe Studio and Gallery • 215 Fourth Street • http://www.illahegallery.com
Heartsong Pasta, featuring handmade artisan ravioli, noodles, and rich sauce • http://www.heartsongpasta.com (Saturday)
Arbor House Restaurant, featuring portabella herb cheesecake • http://www.arborhouserestaurant.com (Sunday)
Velocity Wine Cellars • http://www.velocitycellars.com
12. Hill Station Gallery • 287 Fourth Street • http://www.hillstationashland.com
The Playwright Public House, featuring smoked trout dip and mini red potatoes with buffalo hot sauce and blue cheese • http://www.theplaywrightpublichouse.com
Dana Campbell • http://www.danacampbellvineyards.com
13. Gallery Karon • 541-482-9008 • 500 A Street
Callahan’s Lodge, featuring a cracker covered in smoked salmon spread over cream cheese, capers and hot sauce • http://www.callahanslodge.com
Cuckoo’s Nest Cellars
14. Davis & Cline • 525 A Street #1 • http://www.davisandcline.com
Cafe´Nomyen, featuring Vietnamese salad with lemongrass grazed pork, bleu cheese spread with grilled salmon in crostini, turkey basil meat ball, mango salad with orange-butter sauce shrimp, and a Nutella -strawberry crepe • http://www.facebook.com/cafenomyen
Grizzly Peak Winery • http://www.grizzlypeakwinery.com
15. Hilltop Gallery • 857 Mountain Meadows Drive • http://www.mtmeadows.com/hilltopgallery
Blue Greek on Granite, featuring dolmas, baklava, falafel • http://www.bluegreekongranite.com
Belle Fiore Winery • http://www.bellefiorewine.com
16. Gathering Glass Studio, live music and glassblowing demos (with Scott Carlson, Jeff Addicott, Randy Perkins and Candy Bernard), • 322 N. Pioneer Street • http://www.gatheringglass.com
Brothers’ Restaurant, featuring mini, bite-size Reuben’s • http://www.brothersrestaurant.net
Milagro’s Fresh Mexican, featuring house-made lime-infused tortilla chips along with a sampling of their fresh salsas • http://www.milagrosashland.com
Caldera Brewing Company • http://www.calderabrewing.com
17. Ashland Artworks • 291 Oak Street • http://www.ashlandartworks.com
Ashland Community Food Store • http://www.ashlandfood.coop
Four and Twenty Blackbird, featuring coconut dream bars, brownies, chocolate chip, snickerdoodle and oatmeal raisin cookies, http://www.420blackbirdsbakery.us
And the winners of the Taster’s Awards for 2013 are:
(Drum roll inserted here)
• Gallery: Davis and Cline
• Restaurant: Callahan’s Mountain Lodge
• Winery: Cuckoo’s Nest Cellars (for the second year in a row)
Lastly, I want to give many thanks to the people who made this happen. Despite the obvious people (although not taken for granted) such as the galleries, wineries, and restaurants… there were a few more helping hands. A huge shout out goes to Jeff Jones, Event Coordinator, and his volunteers (including his adorable wife Melody to name one in particular). In addition, this year’s sponsors included: Southern Oregon Public Television (SOPTV), Southern Oregon Media Group, Mountain Meadows, Jefferson Public Radio (JPR), Ashland Chamber of Commerce, Sneak Preview, and RAM Offset Lithographers. Without all of you, this event could have never been pulled off as well as it was. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Save the date for 2014! It will be April 26 & 27. For more information go to http://www.atasteofashland.com and make sure to look at the photos on the Travel Southern Oregon Facebook page!
Bonnie Ryan, Web Content/Social Media/Blogger
Southern Oregon Visitors Association (SOVA) AKA Travel Southern Oregon
http://www.southernoregon.org