What to eat + drink in Ashland, Oregon

There is still so much I didn't get to experience in regard to food and wine in Ashland. Check out my favorites below.

I ate and drank some delicious things in Ashland, Ore., earlier this month. Here are some recommendations for lunches and dinners solo or with your bestie girlfriend.

Larks restaurant is in this lovely old hotel downtown.

1) Treat yourself to a solo lunch at Larks: Perfect mezzanine table, friendly staff, a divine glass of local Tempranillo and the turkey melt sandwich special. And definitely accept the lavender bread while you wait.

2) Sushi dinner at Kobe: Ask to sit outside on the river. Many of the roll selections had spicy ingredients like jalapeño. This place is definitely doing sushi with a twist. Our rolls, Duma and West, were fresh and devoured quickly. We washed them down with cocktails, a St. Germain cocktail for me and a Kobe drop with lychee for Marcia. Plus! When I left my watch in the Kobe restroom Friday night we called Saturday and they had found it! Major points!

3) Cocktails at Liquid Assets: Peach Stone cocktail with peach Makers Mark for Marcia and La Luz, a tequila, lime and sparkling wine cocktail for me. We shared tiramisu that didn't quite live up to expectations. Pass on dessert and just go for the booze. Liquid assets had a cool vibe that also would be great for a date.

The view is one of the best parts of Weisinger Family Winery. It reminded me of the rolling hills of Napa Valley.

4) Weisinger Family Winery: Not a tourist attraction for the tasting room itself, but the wine was great. It was close to downtown. This was my first solo wine taste and the gal behind the bar could have been more warm and welcoming. Weisinger had a healthy selection of whites and reds to choose from, the viognier grape being the specialty grape of the region. I learned a lot and brought home three bottles of wine for my Thanksgiving table.

Be warned - there is not a lot of signage for the tasting room. I actually drove by it at first!

5) Have fun and beer at Caldera Brewing: It’s not right in town but wow! Fun atmosphere and tons of creative beers to try. One group on a beer tour showed up in lederhosen and really didn’t seem out of place! Do not drink wine here. Try the Mowgli, hibiscus ginger or vanilla wheat. Amber is also always a favorite! 

6) The final indulgence: Get a facial at The Blue Giraffe Spa & Salon. I booked an essential oil tub and that was frankly boring and hot. I'm not a tub person. But the facialist was great and my skin glowed for a week after!

Verdict: I was impressed by the culinary options in Ashland. It is a perfect adventure for foodies. I will be returning soon so I can visit more wineries and breweries.

More gorgeous views at Weisinger.

How to survive a road trip by yourself + Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Don't miss the shows at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival! Perfect for couples, girlfriends or solo.

My friend Marcia has the coolest job in the world. She has been working this year at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as a wig master. Yes, this sweet, red-haired cheerleader I met at Linfield College majored in chemistry and then moved to Cincinnati to pursue a theater career.

Marcia moved to Ashland, Ore., in early 2015 from Abingdon, Virginia. Suddenly, she wasn't a plane ride away, but a car ride away! I vowed to come visit her in the calendar year and I got to spend four days with her in early October. 

I was a little nervous about making the drive south by myself - 7 hours. Darling husband usually drives when we travel. Plus, it was the first weekend of October and I was worried it would pour down rain. It didn't. The weather was gorgeous.

This is post no. 1 of 2 about that amazing trip that taught me a lot about myself, rekindled an amazing friendship and helped me press the reset button on my everyday life.

How to survive a 7-hour road trip alone:

1) Leave early in the morning. Grab a coffee and hit the road. Before you know it, you will have driven two hours. Something about the morning hours makes time go faster. 

2) Plan time for stops along the way. On the way down I-5 from Tumwater to Ashland, I planned stops about two hours apart the whole way. I did some shopping (the Loft outlet at Woodburn, Ore., is amazing).

3) Call mom on one of your stops. She's just awesome and will make you feel competent and like you're never alone.

Image for "Head Over Heels" courtesy of Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

What all of the tourists are talking about: The Oregon Shakespeare Festival

I finally got to Marcia's apartment in Talent, Ore., and she fed me dinner and whisked me off to "Head Over Heels," a rock ‘n’ roll musical in the old Elizabethan style theater. The crowd was diverse: older couples, school groups, hippie parents and their children and one couple in their 30s that was quite affectionate during the first half and didn't return after intermission…

The show was fun, celebrated love of all kinds and it was seriously cool to be in the outdoor theater. That was a first for me. 

The wig room at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

The morning after the show, Marcia treated me to an all-exclusive backstage tour of the festival. The costumes up close were a little more ragged from wear, but beautiful nonetheless. Marcia's work in the wig room left me in awe. They sew on hairs one at a time people! Respect!

The second show Marcia treated me to was "Guys and Dolls." It was an afternoon show at the indoor Angus Bowmer Theater and it was classic and fun. Again, lots of school groups for this show.

Marcia let me go on stage at "The Lizzy" theater the morning after my first show.

Verdict: If you ever have the chance to go to the festival - go! It is great for couples, girlfriends or even solo. Recommendation: check the content before you bring your children. Children under 6 are not permitted. Some parts of "Head over Heels" explored more adult concepts. And no, you can't bring in your friendly pup.