Oregon Real Estate >> The Oregon Real Estate Specialist

Worldwide CIPS Courses Available

2008-04-22T20:11:19Z

Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) courses are being offered worldwide this year, in addition to many U.S. locations. This allows you to combine education with first-hand travelling and international experience. Yes, you CAN get paid to travel. Earning your CIPS designation can assist you in living your dream of travelling the world and doing what you love (selling real estate) *Disclaimer* Being a CIPS designee does not promise you anything or pay you to travel the world! But CIPS is a prestigious designation that less than 2,000 people around the world hold, and the courses give you the training to understand how international real estate works.

Here are some upcoming international CIPS courses being offered:

May 12-18 in Varna Bulgaria

June 9-15 in Sofia, Bulgaria

June 12-18 in Fratii Jderi, Romania

June 23-28 in Dublin, Ireland

June 23-27 in Nassau, Bahamas

July 8-9 in Mazatlan, Mexico

September 8-13 in Vienna, Austria

January 17-24 on a Caribbean Cruise

Not only would you be travelling and learning, but you would have the opportunity to network worldwide!

Check out the National Association of Realtors website for CIPS to find out more information about these locations, along with many more courses held throughout the USA or call me, Bridget Armstrong, toll free at 866-833-8690 or email me at BridgetArmstrong@remax.net

Or contact the department directly at:

Heidi Henning
Manager, International Education & Membership
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
430 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
1.312.329.8376
1.312.329.1624 (Fax)
EMail: hhenning@realtors.org
Web: www.realtor.org/international

Golfing in Oregon Emerald Valley Golf Club

2008-04-22T18:30:53Z

The best golfing in Oregon might just be at Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell, Oregon. It was named the Oregon Golf Association Course of the Year in 2004, and was ranked #1 of 71 courses in Oregon from the Back Tees (Oregon Business, October 2005). The course has recently been redesigned by local architect, Dan Hixson, in an effort to recapture the distinguished reputation as the finest championship golf course in the Willamette Valley.

This weekend, April 26th and 27th, is the 2008 Emerald Valley Open, sponsored by Pepsi. See the flyer below for details.

This event is open to the public. Hope to see you there! If you have any questions that I can help you with, call me, Bridget Armstrong at 541-359-8973 or TOLL FREE at 866-833-8960 to view or visit Eugene Oregon Homes For Sale website

1241 Masters Avenue, Creswell, Oregon 97426

2008-04-22T14:20:59Z

A wonderful opportunity to live in the desirable Emerald Valley Estates in Creswell, Oregon.

This lovely home offers: 4 Bedrooms

2 and a half Bathrooms

2105 Square Feet

Gorgeous hardwood floors and gas fireplace in the formal living room.

Beautiful kitchen with maple cabinets, tile granite countertops, and tile flooring.

Kitchen opens to open Family Room with vaulted ceilings and French doors leading to outdoor patio.

Enjoy the sunshine outside on the spacious patio or in the large backyard.

This quality home was built in 2003 by Cameron Oaks Construction with fine ammenities and attention to detail for the discriminate buyer.

50-Year Tile Roof
New Exterior Paint
Covered Front Porch with Climbing Clematis
Double-Car Attached Garage
Quality Maple Cabinets
Granite Countertops
Tiled Flooring
Hardwood Flooring
Master Bedroom & Bath Upstairs
Bonus 19 X 12 Room Upstairs
Separate Office/Den/4th Bedroom on Main Level
Gas Appliances
Gas Forced-Air Heat
Central Air Conditioning
Securtiy System
Euro-style Delta Fixtures on Composition Granite Sinks
Pedestal & European-style Sinks

Just minutes from Eugene and surrounded by beautiful grounds in Creswell near Emerald Valley Golf Club.

1241 Masters Avenue, Creswell, Oregon 97426 is offered for $339,900

Call Bridget Armstrong at 541-359-8973 or TOLL FREE at 866-833-8960 to view or visit Eugene Oregon Homes For Sale website

Eugene Restaurants ~ Los Dos Amigos Hacienda

2007-11-27T21:05:10Z

Places to eat in Eugene, Oregon...make that One of THE BEST places to eat in Eugene, Oregon: Los Dos Amigos Haciendain the Village Plaza Marketplace on Goodpasture Island Loop.

Again, I am spoiled because my office is within walking distance to one of the best Mexican restaurants in town. You may not think that some of the most delicious food and best service you've ever had could be nestled into a strip mall, but it can, and it is!

I became a regular at "Los Dos" very shortly after my first dining experience there. The waiters and waitresses always make it fun and exciting and the food is delicioso. I recommend the creamy chicken enchilada (enchilada crema de pollo), which makes my mouth water every time I think about it! The tortilla soup is served in a large, colorful bowl, served hot and steamy, and full of avocado, cheese, and tortillas...mmm mmm good. The tamals are excellent, and even the dinner salad is tasty for those days when you just want a light lunch.

I know that I will always have fun at "Los Dos" from the moment I walk in and Bernardo, Oscar, Gabriella, or even Enrique, the owner, greets me and finds me a seat. They know me by name and welcome me like a friend. There are many other wonderful people that work at "Los Dos" who make the experience great every time.

At Los Dos Amigos Hacienda, the chips and salsa are always fresh and on the table immediately, the service is quick at friendly, and the food arrives quickly; always hot, fresh and delicious, and the employees make the visit enjoyable.

I think I'm going to have to go there tomorrow and pay my amigos a visit at "Los Dos."

Bernardo, Gabi, & Oscar: mis amigos!

Eugene Oregon Real Estate

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I love living in Eugene and sharing about this community. If I can be of any help to you with your real estate needs, please contact me at

BridgetArmstrong@remax.net or call Toll Free at 866-833-8690

Learning HTML - Thank you Candace Robinson!

2007-11-11T23:37:43Z

Bridget's Diary

I did it! I did it! This is my first HTML related post and beautiful HTML piece in one of my blogs. I am so excited.

If you are not familiar with Candace Robinson and her amazing ability to understand, use, and teach HTML, then you are missing out!

Check out Blogging in CANDiLAND - Series 1 - Novice HTML Tips & Tricks - Real Estate Banners

and HTML Basics - Tutorial on Using Tables in Your Blog!

I owe many thanks to George Tallabas for introducing me to Candace and want to give him credit for the title of my header, "Bridget's Diary". He always teases me about that because of "Bridget Jones' Diary" when I never even made the connection!

The background of the header is of a sunset, which I know that George enjoys very much.

I don't know where I'd be without Candace or George. They encourage and teach me everyday and I appreciate all that they do for me and fellow Active Rainers!

Bridget Armstrong 541-359-8973 RE/MAX Integrity 4710 Village Plaza Loop, Ste. 200 Eugene, OR 97401 BridgetArmstrong@remax.net www.SellOregon.org

Candace helped me with this footer, as it was a little more confusing than the header. But I changed it to magenta to match the colors in the header. Fun Stuff!

Eugene Oregon Real Estate

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Are You a REALTORS® REALTOR®?

2007-11-10T22:34:29Z

You know, like a man's man...girl's girl (I'd like to say woman's woman...but who says that?!), part of the club...A TEAM PLAYER?

The reason I ask is because I just realized that I am a Broker's Broker. What does that mean? Well, when high producing brokers in my office go on vacation, they ask me to cover their business. When brokers from out-of-state are looking for an agent in Oregon, they call me to refer their clients to. When the principal brokers in my office (with over 150 agents) are looking for someone to be part of a team that represents our company for large development projects, they invite me!

I am not trying to toot my own horn here at all. I have to say though, that it feels very good to know that my colleagues and peers think highly enough of me to ask me to cover their business, refer their clients to me, and ask me represent our company on large, important projects.

So I ask you: What do your peers think of you? Are you approachable, friendly, professional? I bet most of you are, because the AR crowd is just absolutely amazing! Do you just go about your business in your office, or do you acknowledge and engage yourself with other brokers? Do your peers see how you treat your own clients and know that they can trust you to work the same way with theirs?

Below is a testimonial that a broker in my office wrote for me:

"I asked Bridget to cover for my business for a week while I was out of town because I knew she was very good at communicating with buyers and sellers, responding to calls, and had the experience and expertise to provide great service. I knew I could trust her with my files and clients because of her great reputation with Realtors in my office and with her own clients. Everything went smoothly while I was away, I never once had any doubts that I chose the right person to represent me. When I returned, my clients raved about Bridget because she was pleasant and fun to work with. I would ask her to cover my business and care for my clients in the future, because she really does care."

That just puts a smile on my face! And it reminds me of a post by Chris Pollinger that I read earlier today, What have you done to change the world today? I have not done any earth shattering, huge thing here, but I work hard, treat people with respect, offer excellent customer service, and like to think that I make a positive difference in people's lives every day.

Be a team player, work together, and make a positive difference! You just might get extra business out of it.

What’s Oregon got to do with Texas?

2007-11-10T21:00:08Z

Well for starters, FRIENDSHIP. You see, I have made some wonderful friends on Active Rain, and several of them are from (living in) Texas. These are people who always comment on my blogs, always compliment and encourage me, and always write great blogs themselves. They make me smile, peak my interest, and give me a connection to a state that I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting.

It is not surprising that these Texans are so friendly and supportive, since the Texas State Motto is simply, "Friendship". They exemplify friendship in every way.

My friend, Candy Henthorn, from Spring, Texas, must have a Bridget Blog Pager on her hip because she is most often the first person to comment on my blogs within minutes of them being posted!

Candy is very passionate about sharing community events. Here are some of Candy's recent posts:

Houston Freedom Fest

Houston Nutcracker Market

Art Event to Benefit Cancer Society

So, what about MEME!

I loved reading Candy's MeMe and was honored when she MeMe'd me (about the same time another Candy did the same thing) I promise you two Sweet Candys, I WILL complete and post my MEME soon!

Another great friend on Active Rain is Karen Anne Stone from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Karen Anne used to be a teacher and famously implores her readers to look within themselves AND contemplate questions that she posits. Karen Anne once asked me to compare and contrast Eugene and Portland, Oregon and argue why to visit Eugene over Portland. I felt like I was back in college! Karen Anne, I'm going to keep you waiting a little bit longer...I haven't noticed a slump in the housing market at all...I've been so busy working lately and haven't had time to write that persuasive essay just yet.

Some of Karen Anne's recent posts are:

Moving During The School Year...Why Its a Good Thing!

Karen Anne...Go Pick Up Your Grandmother...

A Unique Way to Practice Blogging... Try Being A Journal-ist...

Jason Crouch, representing the Austin area, is another AR friend who's blogs I enjoy reading and who I can count on commenting on my blogs.

Jason is a family man who enjoys music and music videos and writes entertaining blogs that I always seem to relate to. Some of his recent posts are:

He Just Smiled and Gave Me a Vegemite Sandwich

Do You Believe in Love? Summer of 1984

Mythbusting Our Industry - Myth #1 - "Real Estate Agents and Brokers are Greedy"

The Oregon State Motto is, "She Flies With Her Own Wings" which is a pretty good description of me...

So here is my Tribute to Texans whose state motto is "Friendship"

Y'all are so kind and I'm so glad to know you! Thank you for your friendship :) :) :)

I think I'd fit in, in Texas quite nicely!

*Photo was taken at the Clay Walker concert at the Lane County Fair, August '07*

37578 Row River Road, Dorena, Oregon 97434

2007-11-10T00:39:13Z

This home offers a rare opportunity to live right on the river, something that today's building codes don't allow.

Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream...

The large picturesque view can be see from anywhere in the house through large windows.

Sit inside to enjoy your meals, or move out to the patio and take in nature's beauty.

There are two levels of decking that overlook the river.

One of the nearby covered bridges of Lane County.

Dorena Lake is just down the road from 37578 Row River Rd in Dorena, Oregon. This is a true water-lover's paradise!

This property was originally the Bohemia Mining Company Cookhouse in the 1940s. It offers a view of the river that you can't buy and build new. Be a part of history and fulfill your dream of living on the river today!

Click the link for more information about Row River Trail in Dorena, Oregon.

37578 Row River Road, Dorena, Oregon 97434 is offered for $244,000

Call Bridget Armstrong at 541-359-8973 to view, or visit Oregon Real Estate Specialist website

Oregon Attractions >> Salt Creek Falls

2007-10-30T22:33:55Z

Oregon Waterfalls and Parks An hour and a half southeast of Eugene, Oregon in the beautiful Willamette National Forest, Salt Creek Falls flows and pours at a rate of about 50,000 gallons per minute. It is Oregon's second highest falls at 286 feet. The Salt Creek Falls Park offers plenty of parking, view points and trails to make it an enjoyable visit. It is open year around, but be prepared to use snow chains in the winter when travelling up the mountain beyond Oakridge. Elevation is 4000 feet.

I am helping a client purchase a home in Oakridge and after meeting at the property, my family and I drove 23 miles to experience a little piece of Heaven at the Willamette National Forest Salt Creek Falls Park. Oregon is such a beautiful place to live!

Eugene Oregon Places to See >> Spencer's Butte

2007-10-29T22:59:00Z

Eugene, Oregon Hiking Spots: A must-see/do is Spencer's Butte. If you are a hiking enthusiast, you do not want to miss the beautiful hike up Spencer's Butte. There are many places to hike in the Eugene area, but Spencer's Butte offers natural trails, beautiful wooded scenery and an amazing summit with large rock formations and trees and an amazing 360 degree view of the Willamette Valley. Another nice thing about hiking the Butte is how friendly everyone else is on the way up and the way down. Eugene is such a wonderful place! You can find Spencer's Butte by driving south on Willamette Street until you see the sign for Spencer's Butte! It is a beautiful drive and a wonderful hike. Enjoy!

Eugene, Oregon

2007-10-20T19:45:54Z

I choose to appreciate the little things in life, and while I do not profess to be a photographer, I love to take my digital camera everywhere that I go to capture EVERYTHING that I see. In the last month, I have taken some interesting pictures right out side of my office. I've seen HUGE spiders, black cats, beautiful flowers, and a lot more...

I don't know what kind of spider this is... This is starting to feel like a Halloween theme...

We have a litter of Wild Cats that live in our parking lot...you should see the cat paw prints on my car!!!

This is right outside my office window!

This flower reminds me of a tropical flower that I would see in Hawaii.

It is beautiful. If anyone out there knows what it is called, please let me know!

So beautiful!

There's more to come of what I see right around my office...in another blog!

Things to do in Eugene, Oregon

2007-10-20T18:58:55Z

Today I would encourage anyone who is in Eugene to put on their Oregon Duck rain boots and jump through the puddles and run through the rain. The forecast for today is partly cloudy with showers and a chance of thunderstorms. BE PREPARED! Wear your rubber boots :)

YES, I do wear these to work! Welcome to Orygun!

Today's weather is a good reason to snuggle up with your kids or your sweetie with a cup of hot cocoa and watch the University of Oregon Ducks beat their arch rivals, the University of Washington Huskies. GO DUCKS!

All of you out there know I'm a die-hard Duck fan by now, right? LOL

I love the Ducks so much that I wear my Duck gear on FRIDAY and SATURDAY to get ready for the big game.

It is the rainy season in Eugene, but that is what keeps Oregon GREEN and beautiful. I encourage anyone living here to invest in some rain boots and rain coats (along with some cozy blankets and hot cocoa). Enjoy the season and smile in the rain!

This is "cheesy" me (I take my camera everywhere) after running in the pouring down rain a couple of weeks ago to my car. I got soaked but it was a lot of fun. Ahem...notice the GREEN & YELLOW. GO DUCKS!!!!

Eugene, Oregon >> Support Local Farms

2007-10-08T23:51:48Z

Just a few minutes off of a major city street and from Interstate 5 that runs north and south through Eugene, Oregon, is a country road that leads to Johnson Farms, which was established in 1919.

My son and I took the short drive to Johnson Farms the other day in search of mini pumpkins/gourds.

The backdrop of our drive was the beautiful Coburg Hills.

On the same country road that we travelled en route to Johnson Farms, we saw three horses that we stopped to visit. We parked the car and walked across the street. The friendly horses trotted over to the fence immediately. We greeted the horses, but did not touch or feed them. They were very sociable and pretty.

Just a ways up the road, we came to Johnson Farms, which is beautifully decorated with fall flowers, pumpkins, scarecrows, and hay.

They were just gearing up for their annual Pumpkin Patch Wagon Rides. An employee, Molly told us that the rides are very fun because the farms' owner drives the wagon and gives the kids pumpkins to throw at targets along the route of the wagon ride. Sounds like fun!

When we walked inside the first thing we smelled was the sweet aroma of a special variety of yellow and red apples that the farm has for a limited time. We bought some apples and eating them is like taking a "bite" of fresh apple cider. They are called, "Honeycrisp" and they are delicious. Each fruit and vegetable in the store created its own perfume of freshness that beckoned us to visit each stand.

We were really there to purchase several mini pumpkins/gourds for me to give to my clients, friends, family, and business associates.

We found many great gourds and pumpkins.

There were reddish colored pumpkins, white pumpkins, and traditional orange pumpkins, all with their own unique shape and size. I was already imagining our Jack-O-Lantern display!

We found what we were looking for, and much more at Johnson Farms located on 89733 Armitage Road. They had a wonderful selection of seasonal fruits, vegetable, berries, and more, a wagon ride, and helpful, friendly staff to make our visit a great experience. We look forward to going back to pick out our decorator pumpkins and pick up some more produce.

On the left is the finished product of the mini-pumpkins for my clients, friends, family, and business associates. They turned out very cute.

Eugene, Oregon ~ Great Rotary Duck Race

2007-10-06T19:59:07Z

Ducks in River

Eugene Oregon supports fighting against child abuse with The Great Rotary Duck Race each year in October. This year was the 19th Annual race. If you know anything about this town, you know that we are crazy about DUCKS! We have the University of Oregon Ducks, the Willamette and McKenzie rivers flowing through our town (great duck habitat), and the West Eugene Wetlands (again, duck friendly). We love ducks so much, we even have duck crosswalks on busy streets (I'm not kidding! I'll post a photo soon). Equally important, Eugene loves children and, "After 19 years, Rotarians are responsible for sponsoring, promoting and selling 58,275 Ducks at $5 each. Since 1988, local Rotarians have raised almost $3.7 million to combat child abuse." (From The Great Rotary Duck Race website) Not only is this a great cause, it is a fun event to watch and participate in. Please enjoy my pictures from today's Great Rotary Duck Race.

The Great Rotary Duck Race Mascot (left)

Geese trying to be conspicuous! (right)

Beautiful Alton Baker Park (below)

Today was a gorgeous day in Eugene, Oregon. There was a strong turn-out for The Great Rotary Duck Race and I'm sure the Eugene Rotary raised a lot of money to help children in our area. Alton Baker Park has always been one of my favorite places to go in Eugene and it is even more special now because that is where my fiance proposed to me earlier this year.

Eugene is a wonderful place to live!

If you have any questions about Eugene, Oregon, please feel free to call or text me at 541-359-8973 or Toll-Free at 1-888-833-8690 or Visit My Website

Eugene Oregon Things To Do

2007-10-06T18:33:27Z

Things to do Eugene Oregon

You might be surprised to learn how "happening" Eugene Oregon is. Eugene is Oregon's 3rd largest city and has a current estimated population of 146,356. This post offers a glimpse of what Eugene has to offer as far as "What to do around here." The Eugene Weekly, a local newspaper that features editorials, letters to the editor, local articles by local writers (my favorite being Lance Sparks, my writing professor at Lane Community College a few years ago, who writes about wine and politics), local happenings, and much more.

This week's Eugene Weekly happens to be the 25th Anniversary Issue, a lovely overview of its last 25 years of publication. I won't normally be typing out all of Eugene's weekly or weekend happenings, but for introductory purposes, I did do it this time. (Oh my goodness, this is why linking is such a wonderful thing!)

I apologize for this not being an attractive blog, and for it being so long, BUT I am so very excited to share with you WHATis going on here and how much there is to do in this lovely town. I am also trying to learn more about HTML so I can make my blogs pretty like Candace Robinson's Arizona Real Estate - Gilbert Arizona Real Estate blog (it's so pretty!) So bear with me...

Take a look at what is going on Eugene, Oregon, just this weekend alone! And from now on when I post the weekly happenings, I will just link to Eugene Weekly directly :)

From Eugene Weekly Volume XXVI, Number 40 25^th Anniversary Issue

Saturday October 6, 2007

ARTS/VISUAL

Humberto Gonzalez gives a presentation/demo on watercolors, 7 pm, Emerald Art Center, Springfield. 541-726-8595. $10

FILM

Lorane Movie Night: The General, with Spaghetti dinner 5:30 p.m., Lorane Grange #54. $10, $7 without dinner.

Eugene International Film Festival at Regal Cinemas, Valley River Center; http://www.eugenefilmfest.org/ $7, $35 all films pass.

Guerrilla Screening Series: Local Filmmaker Showcase; 11:35 p.m. Bijou Cinemas

Wayne Morse Center and Eugene Weekly Film Festival: "Politics of Dissent: Human Stories for Our Times," featuring Iraq in Fragments, Medium Cool, Osama, 12 Angry Men, Road to Guantanamo. Bijou Cinemas, $5.

FOOD/DRINK

Oregon Wine Warehouse's wine tasting: Brooks Winery, 3 p.m. - 10 p.m. $12

GATHERINGS

Cottage Grove Fall Harvest Festival& Main St. Chili Cook-off with volkswalk to nearby covered bridges, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Opal Whitley Park, Cottage Grove, FREE

Fall Bulb Sale, with free mini-clinics, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., OSU/Lane County Extension Service, Lane County Fairgrounds. 682-4247. FREE

"Cultural Competence with the Whole Person: Working in a Framework of Multiple Identities," colloquium with Dr. Laura Brown, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., 180 PLC, U of O. Register, diversit@uoregon.edu, FREE

Saturday Market, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., with entertainment from Ken Silverman, 10 a.m.; Youth Music Showcase: Homesource Music Combo, Sideways Down, 11 a.m.; David Rogers, noon; Grace Holmes, 1 p.m.; Sun Bossa Septet, 2 p.m.; Los Lonely Shots, 3:30 p.m., Park Blocks, 8^th & Oak. http://www.eugenesaturdaymarket.org/ FREE

Harvest Crush, benefit for American Cancer Society, featuring kids zone, music by Mood Area 52, wine crushing competitions, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. today & noon - 6 p.m. tomorrow, 5^th Street Public Market. 541-484-0383. $18 advance, $20 door.

Cascadia's Hoedown for Ancient Forests, featuring square dancing, music by Conjugal Visitors, 6 p.m., Avalon Stables, 80143 Hazelton Rd., Cottage Grove, http://www.cascwild.org/ or 541-434-1463. $15 advance, $20 door.

Jose Cruz salsa dance, 9 p.m. Cosmic Pizza. $5

MUSIC

George Jones, 7:30 p.m., Hult Center. http://www.hultcenter.com/ or 541-682-5000

"Gods of Hip Hop and Comedy," featuring Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Sean Kingston, and Charlie Murphy, 8 p.m., McArthur Court, U of O. http://www.ticketswest.com/

Stolen Sweets, 8:30 p.m., Luna. 21+ $10

Tyler Fortier, Mark Shields, Forgotten Works, 9:30 p.m., Sam Bond's. 21+ $5

OUTDOORS/RECREATION

GEARs rides: Pleasant Hill long, 40 miles; Pleasant Hill short, 35 miles, 9 a.m., Alton Baker Park. http://www.eugenegears.org/

Obsidianstrip: Kentucky Falls, 4.4 miles; McKenzie River trail, 5 miles; Veneta, bike, 38 miles. See YMCA board for details.

THEATER

A Body of Water, 8 p.m. Hult Center. 541-682-5000. $15 - $35.

Seussical, 7:30 p.m. Actors Cabaret, 996 Willamette. $15 general, $18 reserved, $33 - $35 meal seating.

King Lear, 7:30 p.m. Lane Community College Performance Hall. 541-463-5761. $8 - $12.50

The Pillowman, 8 p.m. Lord Leebrick Theatre, 540 Charnelton. 541-465-1506. $10 - $18.

Sunday October 7, 2007

FILM

Center for Sacred Sciencespresents Rumi" The Wings of Love, with potluck, 11 a.m., 1571 Buck Street. 541-345-0102. FREE

The Work of Akira Kurosawa: Yojimbo at 1 p.m. Kagemusha at 4 p.m., The Hidden Fortress at 7 p.m., DIVA. FREE

Guerrilla Screening Series continues. See Saturday.

Wayne Morse Center and Eugene Weekly Film Festival continues. See Saturday.

GATHERINGS

Rainbow Familypotluck picnic, 1 p.m., Sladden Park. FREE

5^th Street Market's Harvest Crush continues. See Saturday.

KIDS/FAMILIES

Celebrate Sputnik's 50^th Birthday with bottle rocket building & launching, noon - 4 p.m. Science Factory. FREE with admission.

LITERARY ARTS

Izzy Whetstine & Andre Jamal present poetry & jazz, 4 p.m. Tsunami Books. Donations

MUSIC

Stillpoint Farm Barnbenefit concert, featuring Keith Greeninger & Kathy Marshall, 2 p.m. 86915 Territorial Road, Veneta. $15 advance, $17 door.

The Everybodyfields, 3 p.m. CD World. FREE

Recitalfeaturing Siri Vik, soprano, Pilar Bradshaw, violin, Martha Griffith, harp, and Andrew ElRay Stewart-Cook, organ, 4 p.m., Central Lutheran Church, 1857 Potter. Donations.

Jake Payne & Dixie Creek, 7:30 p.m., Cosmic Pizza. $3.

Martin Sexton, Martyn Joseph, 8 p.m. WOW Hall. $20 advance, $22 door.

OUTDOORS/RECREATION

Whitewater Kayak Day Trips for ages 12 & up, 8 a.m., meet at River House, 301 N. Adams Street. www.eugene-or.gov/recenroll or 541-682-5329. $52

Using Roots as Medicine, a guided nature walk, 11 a.m., Mount Pisgah Arboretum. 541-747-1504. Limit 20 participants. $5, FREE to members of Mt. Pisgah Arboretum.

Obsidians trips: Erma Bell-Williams Lake loop, 8.4 miles. See YMCA board for details.

THEATER

A Body of Water Hult Center, 2 p.m. 541-682-5000. $15 - $35

The Pillowman, Lord Leebrick Theatre, 2 p.m. 540 Charnelton. 541-465-1506. $10 - $18.

Eugene is a wonderful place to live!

If you have any questions about Eugene, Oregon, please feel free to call or text me at 541-359-8973 or Toll-Free at 1-888-833-8690 or Visit My Website

Eugene Oregon Roses in Fall Bloom

2007-10-04T00:10:23Z

Yesterday I had the pleasure of showing a 40 acre farm/1940s farmhouse in Eugene to a newly retired couple from Washington state. We checked out the house, the large garage with a storage area and shop and 6 outbuildings. We walked the property and checked all of the nooks and crannies that we could. It was an enjoyable time and I think they will make an offer on the property. As I was locking up the front door to leave, I took a good look at the flowers planted at the front of the house and I took in their beauty. As the buyers drove away, I walked over and smelled the roses and captured a few photos to share, before I too, took off in my car back to life and all of its "busy-ness".

When is the last time you, "stopped and smelled the roses"?

ESPN College Gameday in Eugene was a Great Experience!

2007-10-03T08:00:44Z

Last Saturday Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, and Kirk Herbstreit, hosts of ESPN College Gameday, were in Eugene, Oregon for the highest ranked game in Autzen history, when 6th ranked Cal came to Eugene to play 11th ranked Oregon. The Duck fans were all hyped up (me included, in case you couldn't tell!) for the show's second visit to Eugene. To see my 1st blog about ESPN College Gameday posted BEFORE they arrived, click here

I arrived at Autzen Stadium at 7:00 a.m. for the beginning of the show, but it was much too late to get up close to the stage, as fans started arriving closer to 4 a.m. to get their mugs on t.v. This is what I saw:

What a day! Even though the Ducks didn't win against Cal, it was a great game (albeit a heart breaker).

Eugene Country Club Golf Course

2007-10-03T07:12:58Z

Don't play too much golf. Two rounds a day are plenty. ~Harry Vardon

If you love to golf, you'll want to visit the Eugene Country Club at 255 Country Club Road in Eugene, Oregon. The Eugene Country Club is ranked in the Top 100 Courses in the US by Golf Digest, and in the Top 100 Modern Courses by Golfweek.

The Eugene Country Cub was founded in 1899 by doctors, lawyers, and associates of the local University who all shared a great love of golf. It was originally located on College Hill in Eugene, but moved to its new location on Country Club Road in the early 1920s; its front nine was open for business in 1924 and its full 18 holes opened in 1925.

RE/MAX Integrity. the real estate brokerage that I work for, holds its monthly business meetings at the Eugene Country Club. We enjoy a large banquet room, savory breakfast, excellent service, and beautiful surroundings there. I highly recommend visiting the Eugene Country Club while you are in Eugene.

If you have any questions about golfing or living in Oregon please feel free to call or text me at 541-359-8973 or Toll-Free at 1-888-833-8690 or Visit My Website

Hiking in Eugene Oregon >> Skinner's Butte

2007-10-02T23:12:50Z

Eugene, Oregon is a beautiful place. One of the best vantage points for viewing Eugene is Skinner's Butte. Skinner's Butte offers panoramic views of Eugene's metro area and surrounding mountains. The city of Eugene was actually named after Eugene Skinner, who built a one-room cabin near the Willamette River and brought his wife their infant daughter to live there in the spring of 1847.

Today, many people hike Skinner's Butte trails or drive to the top and enjoy the views of Eugene and beyond. There are also basalt columns, remnants of a basalt quarry, that are used for rock climbing and rappelling.

Hiking trail, Skinner's Butte. (left)

Basalt columns. (right)

Eugene is a wonderful place to live!

If you have any questions about Eugene, Oregon, please feel free to call or text me at 541-359-8973 or Toll-Free at 1-888-833-8690 or Visit My Website

Spanish 101 Love Song Video

2007-09-28T21:14:39Z

This video is purely for entertainment and laughs. Isn't it a funny world now that anyone can "produce" a video and post it for the public to see? This video caught my eye because I am bilingual in English and Spanish. It is funny because apparently the guy that made this video has taken a term of first year Spanish and he is using everything he learned to serenade a 'señorita bonita'. I started learning Spanish in 1989 when I was a freshman in high school in Grand Coulee, Washington. I fell in love with the language and the culture instantly. By my fourth year of high school, at North Eugene High School, in Eugene, OR, I was taking a college level course, or Advanced Placement Spanish. I did not use or study Spanish for 10 years until I started college at Lane Community College when I was 28 years old. I have been speaking it ever since and I love it! Anyway, that is just a brief history about how I got interested in the beautiful Latin language. This video is cute, whether you speak Spanish, or not. I hope you enjoy it and laugh!

Oregon is Turning 150 Years Old!

2007-09-28T00:15:58Z

Oregon is turning 150 years old! Well not yet actually, but the planning is underway for Oregon's sesquicentennial(say that fast, three times!) celebration in 2009. For help on pronouncing sesquicentennial and to hear more information about celebrating Oregon 150 click here.

Oregon's official birthday is February 14, 2009 (Awww, you gotta love that.) And the official tag-line of Oregon's 150th birthday is, "Sustain the Spirit."

I thought it would be fun to post some trivia facts about Oregon or "Orygun" or "Or-e-Gone"

Father of Oregon: Dr. John McLoughlin

Mother of Oregon: Tabitha Moffat Brown

Oregon State Animal: American Beaver

Oregon State Motto: "She flies with her own wings"

Oregon State Song: "Oregon, My Oregon"

Oregon State Nut: (No it's not me!) It's the Hazelnut, also called Filbert in these parts

Oregon State Tree: Douglas Fir

Oregon State Beverage: Milk

Oregon State Flower: Oregon grape

Oregon State Dance: Square Dance

Oregon State Insect: Oregon Swallowtail

Oregon State Bird: Meadowlark

Population: 12,093 in 1850

3.7 million in 2007

Oregon State Fruit: Pear

Oregon State Rock: Thunder-egg (geode)

Oregonians are encouraged to go to http://www.oregon150.org/ to learn more about how they and their communities can contribute to the celebration by sharing stories from cities and towns across the state.

I personally look forward to Take Care of Oregon Day, a time (TBA) when Oregonians across the state will roll up their sleeves to give back to their communities.

Oregon is such a beautiful place to live!

If you have any questions about Oregon, please feel free to call or text me at 541-359-8973 (Verizon) or Toll-Free at 1-888-833-8690

ESPN College GameDay Returns to Eugene for Ducks vs. Cal Bears

2007-09-27T20:19:09Z

Hosts Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, and Kirk Herbstreit will be back in Eugene, Oregon at Autzen Stadium this Saturday September 29, 2007 for the big game against the Cal Bears. Both the University of Oregon Ducks and the Cal Bears are ranked and undefeated with 4-0 records so far this season. Oregon Duck Fans are counting on the Ducks to emerge victorious.

ESPN College GameDay will start bright and early at 7:00 a.m. PST and run until 9:00 a.m. Kickoff time is set for 12:30 p.m. PST. The last time the production was here was in 2000 for the Oregon - UCLA game, marking their first ever appearance in the Pacific Northwest.

Coach Bellotti is quoted as saying, "GameDay coming to your town, your city, your stadium is the best thing in the world that could happen. In this day and age it's the mark of having arrived."

Last time they were in Eugene, Corso donned the Oregon Duck Mascot Head as a sign that he predicted the Oregon Ducks would win against UCLA. Corso's shtick of throwing on the mascot's headgear as a sign of belief in one team over another started about 11 years ago on a whim when he got ahold of Brutus Buckeye's head and popped it on to show that he believed the Ohio State Buckeyes would beat Penn State. The crowd went wild, and now this gesture is often the most anticipated part of the show.

I know that Duck Fans will be anticipating a second nod of encouragement from Corso on Saturday.

People in Eugene are crazy about their University of Oregon Ducks. The town funnels into Autzen Stadium for every home game and the day revolves around the game. Autzen Stadium is known as one of the loudest stadiums per capita in the nation. It holds 54,000 fans and I guarantee every seat will be filled this Saturday against the Bears. I don't advise trying to drive anywhere near Autzen Stadium on Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd on a Saturday home football game, it will just be a frustrating experience (kinda like driving on a California freeway during rush hour!)

I am so excited to have ESPN College GameDay back to broadcast live to the rest of the nation for the Duck Game. Watch for me on t.v.!

Eugene sure is a wonderful place!

If you have any questions about the Eugene/Springfield Oregon area, please feel free to call or text me at 541-359-8973 (Verizon) or Toll-Free at 1-888-833-8690

Picture to the right is an aerial view of Autzen Stadium.

On the Rocks A Cappella Group

2007-09-26T14:37:42Z

This University of Oregon all-male A Cappella group blew me away last night at the Emerald Awards presented by the Eugene Chamber of Commerce. To go to their website, go to http://www.uoregon.edu/~jremsche/ They were fabulous! They mixed old with new, snuck in some beat box and each member had his own unique sound that was showcased in the performance. They are very new-age a cappella and incorporated a lot of movement into their numbers as well. What a great way to start off the show at the Emerald Awards at the Hult Center in Eugene last night. I'd like to ask them if they will consider performing at my future wedding reception. Eugene sure is a wonderful place! If you have any questions about the Eugene/Springfield Oregon area, please feel free to call or text me at 541-359-8973 (Verizon) or Toll-Free at 1-888-833-8690

Emerald Awards 2007 - Eugene Oregon

2007-09-26T09:39:56Z

I live in this beautiful city of Eugene, Oregon and support my community by being a member of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce and being a patron local businesses. Last night I had the pleasure of attending the 4th Annual Emerald Awards at the Hult Center on 7th and Willamette in Eugene.

To the right is a picture of the pre-award ceremony festivities held in the stunning lobby of the Hult Center.

More than 400 local business and community leaders attended the event.

Appetizers, desserts, and drinks were served from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. until it was time to move into the Soreng Theater.

A good time was had by all as we ate, drank, and visited amongst each other.

One of my favorite parts of the presentation was the opening by the University of Oregon all-male A Cappella group, On the Rocks. They gave quite a performance.

Eugene, Oregon has a unique blend of political assertiveness, growth management strategies, environmental protection policies, and highly educated people (University town) who care very much about our community.

The Emerald Awards were created to "honor businesses in the Eugene and Springfieldarea that contribute to our community's vitality and quality of life by implementing sustainable business practices. Each award represents a core principle of sustainability and demonstrates the important connection between the success of local businesses and the quality of life in Eugene/Springfield."

The Emerald Awards had 5 award categories:

EMERALD AWARD FOR COMMUNITY CARING - Won by PacificSource Health Plans

EMERALD AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES - Won by Cafe Yumm!

EMERALD AWARD FOR GROWTH - Won by BowTech Archery

EMERALD AWARD FOR INNOVATION - Won by Life Technologies, LLC, sorry can't find their website

AND 2007 EMERALD AWARD BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - Won by Wildish Companies

It was a fantastic presentation, with Randy Harrington, Founder and CEO of Extreme Arts & Sciences as the Master of Ceremonies. He was all juiced up on caffeine and provided a lot of energy for the show. The keynote speaker was Pat Kilkeny, Director of Athletics for the University of Oregon, who spoke inspiration words about giving back to our community.

It was a great evening had by all, and there were no losers, just winners. After the awards I was hungry again and stopped by Cafe Yumm! (Emerald Award Winner for Environmental Values) in the Oakway Center off of Coburg Road in Eugene, to order one of their famous Yumm! Bowls. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful and inspiring night.

Cafe Yumm! Just before closing time after winning the Emerald Award for Environmental Values.

If you have any questions about the Eugene/Springfield Oregon area, please feel free to call or text me at 541-359-8973 (Verizon) or Toll-Free at 1-888-833-8690

Benton - Lane Winery, Monroe Oregon

2007-09-26T03:08:47Z

I was headed out to Monroe, Oregon today to show a beautiful log cabin home on over 800 acres to a buyer. Monroe is about 25 miles northwest of Eugene, Oregon by way of Highway 99 to Highway 36 to Territorial Highway. It is a pleasant drive, especially once you turn onto Territorial Highway.

I passed cornfields, Christmas tree farms, and Diamond Woods Golf Course as I made my way to 23900 Territorial Highway.

Well, as it turned out, I was told to meet the buyer today, but we are actually supposed to meet tomorrow.

No worries! At the entrance of the road one takes to get to the property is Benton-Lane Winery of Willamette Valley, Oregon.

I do not profess to be a wine connoisseur at all, but I do enjoy wine. I am usually quite cheap and buy "Two Buck Chuck" or Charles Shaw, which is only $2.99 a bottle at Trader Joe's. But today was different, today was special. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the rolling hills covered in grape vines that have not yet been harvested.

Benton-Lane Winery is home of two of the top 100 wines in the world, their 2004 Estate Pinot Noir and their 2005 Pinot Gris.

I learned about the awards when I spoke with Ginger in the tasting room. I tried the 2006 Pinot Gris (my favorite), the 2005 Pinot Blanc, and the 2005 Pinot Noir Estate. They each had their own distictive flavors; the Pinot Gris with its generous floral and pear aroma, the Pinot Blanc was fruity with hints of almond and vanilla, and the Pinot Noir Estate was quite interesting with its earthy spices followed by hints of ripe strawberry. I purchased a bottle of 2006 Pinot Gris for $16 from Ginger and told her, "Don't be surprised if someone comes in here and tells you they read about your winery on Bridget's Blog!" She laughed.

It was a beautiful day in Monroe, Oregon, just 25 miles northwest of Eugene, at the Lane-Benton Winery. I look forward to seeing it again tomorrow!

Click the blue link for more information about Growing Grapes in the Willamette Valley

I will be visiting more Willamette Valley Wineries in the near future and writing about them. I look forward to sharing them with you.

If you have any questions about Willamette Valley Oregon, please feel free to call or text me at 541-359-8973 (Verizon) or Toll-Free at 1-888-833-8690