Family Health Care with Dr. Miriam Soriano

When Miriam Soriano, M.D., of Ashland Family Health Care (420 Williamson Way) first moved to Ashland in 1989, she had just finished medical school at Stanford and did her family practice residency in Salinas, California, at the Natividad Medical Center.
"My family and I came to visit the Rogue Valley and fell in love with Ashland, so I began to explore jobs here," Dr. Soriano said. "When we moved here in '89, I worked at La Clinica del Valle, which at that time was a small, migrant seasonal farmworker clinic. After working there for three years, I decided to go out on my own and start a family practice office. I like the small, personal atmosphere and the amount of time I can devote to my patients."
At Ashland Family Health Care, patients will be greeted in a warm, friendly, relaxing environment. There is a lovely waiting room with a glass atrium filled with tropical plants and a water feature.
"We strive to keep our patients comfortable," Dr. Soriano said. "We want them to feel that their needs have been met. We provide full family practice, including pregnancy care. I am devoted to providing safe pregnancy care in Southern Oregon. We're all family, and we will treat you like you're part of ours."
Currently, the office is only taking new patients who are pregnant. "We offer the beauty of water births and vaginal deliveries after a Ceserean to patients who are appropriate for this at Asante Ashland Community Hospital," Dr. Soriano said.
For more information, the phone number is 541-488-3616.

And the Beat Goes on at the Breadboard

When you talk about "institutions" in Ashland, the Breadboard Restaurant, which first opened in 1983, has to be near the top of the list. Its current status as a popular lunch and breakfast spot on the north end (744 N. Main) is due to the hard work of owner Pete Foster, who bought the restaurant from his brother Jim in 1997.
"I was burned out with the corporate life, and after my parents moved to Ashland, I would come to visit and decided I loved it here," Pete said. "My ex-wife Sarah and I ran the restaurant until she moved to the Winchester Inn in 2011. My wife Kristal joined me as co-owner in 2008, and my daughter Nikki, who is a sophomore Grizz, works here during the summer."
Kristal was raised in Arizona and moved to the Rogue Valley in 2003. She was "sort of drafted into the restaurant" after she and Pete got married in 2008.
"I had scooped ice cream and made burgers in college at OSU," Pete said. "When my brother offered me a great deal on a little local sandwich shop, I thought it would be fun. Locals have always loved the place, and it's grown quite a bit over the years. I wanted it to be a family business that would cater to locals and keep it fun and unpretentious. Many of our staff have been here for years and years."
The accent at the Breadboard is on "affordable, large portions made from scratch, and fresh, good coffee and espresso." And, of course, service is number one.
"The best thing about the Breadboard is the crew," Pete said. "We've always had a staff that really cares about the customers, and they love the restaurant. We also have a menu that keeps all of the regular favorites, plus specials that change daily where we can have some fun and get creative. We concentrate on fast, friendly service, great prices, and yummy food."
The proof is in the pudding (pun intended), as the Breadboard has been a jammin' local breakfast and lunch spot since Pete took over.
"When we say local-friendly, we mean it," Pete said. "Many customers have been coming daily for years. And many people from out of town make it their daily stop when they are visiting year after year. The customers seem to have a pride of 'ownership,' and we are just trying to take care of their place."
The deck opens May 1st. Pete also wanted to single out waitress Kerri Baldwin, who was at the Breadboard before he got there. "No one knows for sure where she came from or when she started," he said, "but there are rumors she lives in the storeroom."
The phone number at the Breadboard is 541-488-0295. They are open seven days a week.

Find Your Groove at Ashland Danceworks

If you've ever seen Ashland Danceworks doing their version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller," you know who Aisha Wand is. She's the one in the lead dressed up like Michael Jackson. And she definitely has the moves down.
"For as long as I can remember, I have loved to dance and sing," Aisha said. "My first experience in formal dance classes was ballet, which I didn't love at first because of how strict my teachers were. I quickly learned the value and importance of discipline as well as the strength and dedication it took to be a dancer. I was hooked."
As a young teen, Aisha began taking classes in jazz, hip hop, modern, African, Hula, and Tahitian. She began dancing professionally in Hawaii at the age of 17 and performing in off-Broadway musicals, local shows, and commercials, working with choreographers and artists in Hawaii's dance and theater community.
Aisha continued her professional career in L.A. and New York working as a backup dancer/singer in MTV and VH1 music videos and commercials, as well as stage performances with various major recording artists in the early 1990s. She returned to Hawaii and started teaching classes.
"It was then I began to see how important dance and movement is for children to build self-confidence, body awareness, and self-expression," she said. "When I began teaching in Ashland ten years ago, I had the honor of working with Gene Leyden at the Dancespace. As my classes grew, I decided it was time to open a studio of my own."
That was in 2010, and Ashland Danceworks was born. The studio is located at 280 E. Hersey, #14.
"In the process of teaching, I met other talented and professionally trained dancers looking for the same opportunities I was," Aisha said. "Sandra Coster and Michele Mitzel were the perfect fit for the studio I wanted to provide for my students. Both grew up dancing and training in influential and professional dance communities and have the same heartfelt interest in each and every student they train."
Sandra has 20+ years of training in ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop and contemporary styles as well as training at the elite level as a gymnast for a large part of her childhood. Michele began her dance training at the age of 5 with ballet, tap, acrobatics and jazz, which she performed at many county fairs and dance competitions.
"Danceworks is a dance studio that offers top quality professional dance instruction in the Rogue Valley," Aisha said. "We are committed to giving students the best possible training in a positive and professional environment."
On May 16-17 at the Mountain Avenue Theater (ASH), Danceworks will present "A Night at the Movies," a performance inspired by blockbuster movie favorites starting from the beginning of film until today. It's a great production for the whole family. See their ad on page 26 for details.
For more information, call 541-816-7670 or go to ashlanddanceworks.com.

Taqueria Picaro Opens in Old Tabu Space

When owner Jeven Showers decided to close Tabu last December, he had his eye on bigger and better things. He spent a couple of month remodeling the restaurant space and developing a new, more compact menu; and on Saturday, March 21, he welcomed in the spring equinox by opening Taqueria Picaro at the old Tabu spot (76 N. Pioneer).
"We modeled the restaurant after an authentic taqueria except that we use non-GMO masa to make our homemade tortillas and tamales," Jeven said. "We also use proteins that contain no hormones, antibiotics or steroids."
The menu at Taqueria Picaro (which translates as Rogue Taco Stand) features tacos, tamales, burritos, tortas (a Mexican sandwich), and big bowls (of beans, rice, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream and guacamole). There is also a wide range of appetizers to get the meal started.
"We dropped the nightclub scene," Jeven said. "But we still have a full bar where you can sit and hear each other talk. The atmosphere is more relaxing, both in the bar and in the restaurant. And of course, we still have the great margaritas and mojitos that we were always famous for."
Jeven has lived in Ashland for 18 years, moving here from the Mt. Shasta area. "I had originally thought I was just passing through, but totally loved Ashland," he said. "I have been in the restaurant business most of my life, and in addition to Taqueria Picaro, I have a BBQ catering company, Jeven's Tex-Mex BBQ. I'm very excited about opening this new restaurant, as is my manager, Felipe 'Flip' Romero."
With its accent on great food, quick service, and low prices, Taqueria Picaro has already become a fan favorite in downtown Ashland. While it's been open since March 21, they will have their official "Grand Opening" on May 5, Cinco de Mayo.
"Our focus here is on the food, and as a place where you can bring the family," Jeven said. "We want to be the taqueria where your friends with children want to come."
The bar, which is still separate from the restaurant, has been transformed into a more cozy, dim-lit romantic place. "We got rid of the booths and tables," Jeven said. "But we are going to have over 75 kinds of tequila to taste."
For more information, call 541-708-6565, or like them on Facebook.