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2025 Best of Ashland Part 1

It just seems like yesterday that the very first “Best of Ashland” was published in January 1991. I actually introduced the first readers’ survey in Southern Oregon, “The Best of the Rogue Valley,” in Grants Pass in 1987. I’d borrowed the idea from Westword, a weekly newspaper in Denver, whose “Best of Denver” was extremely popular. Now we embark on our 36th annual survey in Ashland, and it’s as popular as ever, as over 200 people sent in ballots, along with 75 people who sent in an online form that we closely monitored.

As an example of how those online surveys subvert the whole process, we received an email last month from a business in Kitsap County, Washington, asking us to vote for them in an online poll sponsored by one of their local newspapers. We didn’t even know where Kitsap County was, nor did we feel qualified to vote on anything. Made no difference to them. They noted that we “didn’t even have to live in Kitsap County, and we could send in a new ballot every day.” Seriously? Kind of makes you wonder how valid those surveys are.

That’s actually something we worry about, and we go to great pains to make this survey as fair and balanced as possible. To achieve that, we asked people to fill out a minimum of 25 different categories. Then, just because Aunt Mildred organized a ballot stuffing campaign with her friends and family to win “Best Blackjack Dealer,” they all had to answer the rest of the survey, and everything balanced out. Not very scientific but it’s better than most online polls out there.

That being said, the 36th annual “Best of Ashland” is another fun one, and we want to thank everyone who took the time to send in a ballot. We entered all 200 voters into a raffle for a $100 gift certificate to a local restaurant, and we congratulate Deirdre Pearson of Ashland, who chose a night out at Larks.

So without further ado … the 2025 Best of Ashland.

MEDIA

FAVORITE RADIO STATION

Before the Internet there was television, and before TV there was the radio, and before the radio were newspapers. I would presume that before newspapers there were town criers, which would have made the old adage “don’t kill the messenger” a little gruesome. Technology definitely moves in its petty pace from day to day, and all of the above, except the town crier, still hold an important place in society. Considering that there are 39 radio stations in Southern Oregon, radio is certainly not a dying breed.

Once again topping the list with our readers was Jefferson Public Radio. According to Wikipedia, “KSOR signed on in April 1969 as a 10-watt station operated by students at what was then Southern Oregon College (SOC). It began moving away from its college radio roots during the 1970s, becoming a full NPR member by the end of the decade. In the early 1980s, it began building a massive system of translators covering large portions of Oregon and California. Realizing that its service area was virtually coexistent with the (mythical) State of Jefferson, it rebranded itself as Jefferson Public Radio in 1989.”  And the rest is history.

Others mentioned a lot were:

  • 107.5 “The Beat”
  • KSKQ 89.5 – “Our Voice in the Siskiyous”
  • KBOY, 95.7 FM, Classic Rock
  • Lite 102
  • 107.5 KISS-FM
  • 101.9 KCMX

FAVORITE LOCAL TV NEWS STATION

It’s not all just fires, murder and mayhem. Almost every night our local TV news stations have breaking stories on “how to best prune your hydrangeas” and “what do about those nasty calluses on the bottom of your foot.” There’s also a healthy dose of sports and weather, making for an enjoyable 60 minutes and a great way to stay on top of what’s happening in the community.

This was a 3-way horserace, but in the end, Channel 12 KDRV, with anchors Jerry Howard and Hailey Gravitt leading the way, took down top honors.

The list also included:

  • KOBI Channel 5
  • KTVL Channel 10
  • PBS (Public Broadcasting Station)

FAVORITE REPORTER AT ASHLAND.NEWS

 I’ll have to admit, I miss the daily print edition of the Daily Tidings. It was a great way to stay in touch with what was happening in the community, and it didn’t require much effort. It was delivered to the house, you opened ‘er up, and within minutes, you could be up to date. They eventually gave way to the Medford Mail Tribune, which had this uncanny ability to totally ignore what was happening in Ashland. It was a literal house of cards, and it was just a matter of time before the whole thing caved in on them. To the rescue came an online publication, ashland.news, with the ever-capable Bert Etling as the editor. Bert had actually made the Daily Tidings a viable print tabloid about ten years ago before the vultures from the Mail Tribune (and their out-of-town owner) pulled the plug. When you click on ashland.news, you’ll be greeted to a wide variety of options (I counted 71 different categories, including 22 “columnists”). My only criticism is the sports section. I used to love getting the Saturday paper during football season to see how the Grizzlies did on Friday night. I clicked on the AHS Sports section of ashland.news, and the latest update was a June 2, 2024, article about the boys volleyball team. Seriously, Bert, how hard would it be to at least post some scores and cover major games? I know the kids at the high school would appreciate some recognition for their hard work.

Anyway, ashland.news does feature a stable of very talented writers. Leading the way with our readers was Morgan Rothborne, who reports on city government and other newsworthy topics.

Others mentioned a lot were:

  • Holly Dillemuth on the education beat
  • Editor Bert Etling
  • Theater reviewer Lucie Sheuer
  • Columnist Herb Rothschild
  • Photographer Bob Palermini
  • Columnist Chris Honoré

 PEOPLE/BUSINESS

BEST NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN (LAST YEAR)

 Did you know that over 99% of all American companies with employees are small businesses? And that overall, about two out of every three new businesses make it through two years. Of course, that does mean that one-third of all new businesses will fail in two years, but let’s concentrate on the good news.

And in that regard, our readers actually named quite a few new businesses, starting with the Ashland Wellness Collective at 599 E. Main, featuring a fitness studio, holistic skin care, a sauna/cold plunge, a hair salon, and an outdoor café.

Also receiving lots of votes were:

  • Noble Fox, a restaurant at 101 Oak Street, where Standing Stone used to be
  • Hopper’s Landing, a combination gift store and mail center at 1409 Hwy 99 N.
  • Go Bowld, a restaurant at 1469 Siskiyou Blvd., from the Martolli’s Pizza people
  • Dangerous Lee’s Local 31 Pub, Chef Julian Jones’ new fun spot at 31 Water Street
  • Indulge Artisan Cheesecakes at 33 3rd Street, Unit 4
  • The new Paddington Station, which expanded into the space at 142 E. Main formerly occupied by Earthly Goods and The Haven
  • The new Mountain Provisions, a sporting goods store which finally got relocated to 357 E. Main
  • Mason’s on Main, a restaurant located at 345 E. Main
  • Hummingbird Heart, a non-alcoholic and dry elixir bar at 90 N. Main
  • Le Petit Café & Creperie, an outdoor stand at the corner of Main and Water
  • Liquid Lounge, a wine bar at 370 E. Main

FROM OUR READERS:

(Editor’s Note: Wish we had room for everything, but here is a good sampling):

  • Most fun vibe: Matcha Boba
  • Best SOU event: Annual Pow-Wow
  • Favorite fire person: Nick Palmesano
  • Streets for Everyone (SFE), part of the Ashland Climate Collaborative, is working tirelessly to making Ashland safe and convenient for pedestrians and bicyclists. Their efforts have resulted in safer routes for bikes, including protected bike lanes; a reduction of carbon emission from fewer auto trips; monthly First Friday family bike rides at 5pm from the Plaza; and increasing local business participation in Bicycle Benefits that offer discounts to cyclists who do their shopping by bike
  • Best Art Gallery and Best Place to Buy Jewelry: American Trails
  • Best Group Fitness Instructor: Zoey Belyea
  • Best Yoga Teacher: Kaitlyn Jones
  • Oregon Cabaret Theatre consistently puts on solid shows throughout the entire year. This is a theater that somehow survived the pandemic when so many theaters around the country had to shut down. Credit where credit is due.
  • Best Artisan Market Vendor: Love Sweater Vintage
  • Favorite Local Charity: KS Wild
  • Kudos to Painter Bees. They gave the Ashland Independent Film Festival fresh paint for their October Festival and helped to highlight the art work of Joanna Priestly during the Festival. The crew went way beyond the scope of work. They’re now my “Favorite Painting Company.”
  • Favorite Acupuncturist: Molly Romero
  • Favorite Massage/Body Work Therapist: Raven Stamper at Thrive Massage
  • Kudos to Stella, the Zamboni driver at the ice rink
  • Kudos to Pastor Dan Fowler at the First Presbyterian Church for his outreach to the homeless population
  • Kudos to the organizers, donors and volunteers at the Ashland Food Project
  • Best Day Hike: Pilot Rock
  • Best Improvement to Ashland: The green-painted bike lanes
  • Best Locally Filmed Movie: “Above the Trees”
  • Most Dedicated “Unhoused” Advocates: Jason and Vanessa Houk
  • Kudos to Pam Marsh, a most efficient and balanced politician
  • Favorite Local Hangout: Gil’s
  • Best Civic Organization: Ashland Rotary Club
  • President Richard Bailey at SOU and OSF Artistic Director Tim Bond are my heroes
  • Kudos to the Chamber of Commerce and Travel Ashland for the parades, sidewalk sales, and the Mystery Fest. They never stop doing Ashland events.
  • Best Solar Installer: True South Solar
  • Best Group Providing Food and Shelter to the Needy: Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice
  • Kudos to Janai Mestrovich for delivering food to the homeless
  • Kudos to Grizzettes, a group of retired Ashland School District employees who promote community through monthly good deeds

MOST COMMUNITY-MINDED BUSINESSPERSON

 You would think after working 60 hours a week keeping their business running smoothly, that most businesspeople would go home and relax by the fire, sipping a glass of Chardonnay and petting the dog. Nope, some of them feel compelled to volunteer their time and energy to community organizations and projects, lending valuable expertise and direction.

Topping the list in this category was Eric Hansen, who not only runs True South Solar, one of the largest solar installation companies in Southern Oregon, but also finds time to serve on the Ashland City Council, which is practically a full-time job in itself.

The list also included:

  • Jim Teece of Project A and Ashland Home Net
  • Alan DeBoer of TC Chevy
  • Pam Hammond at the Paddington Station family of stores
  • Sandra Slattery at the Chamber of Commerce

FAVORITE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

All I can tell you about elementary school (and middle school) is that my teachers were all nuns, and they wore black burqas with only their faces showing. I never had a lay teacher until high school. The nuns all had nondescript names like Sister Marie David or Sister Beata, but then there was Sister Annette, who was my favorite. In the 1950s, her name was synonymous with Annette Funicello, a hottie on the Mickey Mouse Show, and all of us boys imagined that if given the chance, Sister Annette would happily renounce her nunship and flee to a deserted island with one of us, there to live happily ever after. Never happened, but we can all dream, right?

Here in the Rogue Valley, our readers mentioned quite a few teachers as their favorites, including their number one, Mary Snowden, a 2nd grade teacher at Helman Elementary, followed by:

  • Ingrid Hansen, 2nd grade, Bellview
  • Kathleen Mateas and Amy Preskenis, 1st and 2nd grade combo at Walker
  • Toni DiMaggio, 1st grade teacher at Helman
  • Christy Bartow, 3rd grade at the Siskiyou School
  • Emily Bland at Willow Wind Community Learning Center
  • Max Schmeling, 5th grade at Bellview

CUTEST BABY

Three babies made the playoffs this year (see pic on front page), and they were: Julia Stout, Jack Latham and Hugo. As far as the parents were concerned, it was an exact tie.

CUTEST PET

Same goes to the three pets who also made the front page with photos. They were: dogs Reina and Aggie, and kitty cat Willow. We’ll let our readers form their own judgment on who was the “cutest.”

FAVORITE TEACHER AT SOU

Ah, college … such a distant memory, yet so dear to my heart. You might say I was a professional student: got a BA in Social Work and Sociology at Indiana University, went back for a post bac in education at IU, got out of the army, then received a Master’s in Public Administration at IU, and four years later decided to go back and get a masters in neurobiology from the University of Colorado-Denver. My list of favorite teachers could go on forever, but let’s move on to more important things.

Quite a few teachers were mentioned at SOU, and the number one spot went to Dr. Alexander Gonzalez, Director of Bands. Before joining SOU, Dr. Gonzalez served as the Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Wisconsin, where he also earned his master’s degree in Wind Conducting.

The list also included:

  • Craig Wright, creative writing, fiction, short story writing, and songwriting
  • Eva Skuratowicz, Director of the SOU Research Center
  • Michael Stanfill, Associate Professor of Theater
  • Dee Fretwell, Business
  • Terry Longshore, Music (percussion)

FAVORITE DENTIST

My most memorable visit to the dentist was in basic training during the army (May 1970). The sadists woke us up at 5:30 every morning for a quick breakfast, then a 3-mile run in army boots, followed by 90 minutes of calisthenics and pushups. I was in pretty good shape back then, and none of it bothered me. One night at three in the morning, though, I came down with an excruciating toothache and immediately went on sick call that morning, where the dentist pulled the tooth and sent me straight back to the exercise session. The drill sergeant was amazed that I was back at it and remarked, “Hayden, I do believe you’re indestructible.” My claim to fame in my army career, LOL.

Back here in the civilian world, our readers were able to name 17 different dentists as their favorites. Leading the way was Zahra Tahvili of Ashland Family & Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Tahvili was raised in Tehran, Iran, and moved to the U.S. to pursue her education in 1985. She received her Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1993.

Also high on the list were:

  • Brandt Cullen of Ashland Family Dentistry
  • Brian Kitchell of Ashland Dental Health
  • James Burneson of Today’s Dentistry
  • Brandon White at White Dental Studio
  • Daniel DeCillis at SoulSmile
  • Mehdi Ghavam at Talent Dental

FAVORITE DOCTOR

Now I’m reading a textbook on developmental biology, and it’s fascinating stuff. Every organism on earth starts its journey as a fertilized egg (zygote), and within that zygote are transcription factors that direct certain genes to turn on and get proteins situated in specific areas. After six generations of the organism doubling itself (the 64-cell stage) more genes are transcribed and “stuff” starts turning into organs, blood cells, neurons, arms, legs, etc. It is an extraordinary process, and if one little thing goes wrong, you’ll be visiting your doctor a lot. But don’t worry—he or she will figure it out in no time.

This was a popular category, as our readers were able to name 27 different doctors, starting with Dr. Roxanne Alsbury, MD, family medicine and childbirth at Asante Ashland Family Birth Center. Dr. Alsbury received her medical degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, Missouri, and did her residency in family medicine in Pennsylvania.

Others high on the list were:

  • Karin Kuhl
  • John Sager
  • Jani Rollins
  • Benjamin Merbler
  • Sara Walz
  • Tara Frazier-Rice
  • John “Jeb” Reid

 FAVORITE NURSE PRACTITIONER

From Wikipedia: “A family nurse practitioner (FNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse and a type of mid-level practitioner. FNPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, prescribe medications and formulate treatment plans. FNP training covers basic disease prevention, coordination of care, and health promotion.”

Kind of sounds like a doctor, doesn’t it? Which is why most doctor’s offices also include primary care providers to help deal with the national shortage of physicians. That’s certainly the case in Ashland, as our readers named 17 nurse practitioners in this survey. The number one nod went to Kathryn Stringer of Medford Women’s Clinic, followed by:

  • Patty Frires
  • Christine Buckley
  • Annie Taylor at Ashland Family Practice
  • Cecilia Howard
  • Kasia Mannix

 FAVORITE HAIR STYLIST

What a day. First the washing machine broke down with two minutes to go in the rinse cycle, and you had to wring the water out of your underwear by hand. Then the #2 bus to downtown caught a flat tire and you had to walk the last nine blocks to the office. Then the A/C went down at work, and your boss set up fans at everyone’s cubicle, destroying any semblance of a carefully coifed hairdo. Then your hair stylist called and said that she’d accidentally used insecticide on your hair instead of hairspray … something about the bottle being mislabeled, and could you come in immediately? And then you woke up!

Yeah, nightmares are almost as scary as bad hair days, which is why your hair stylist is on speed dial. And in that regard, our readers most often named Ann-Britt Malden of Strands. And just to prove her staying power, Ann-Britt also won this category in 2012 and 2015.

The list also included:

  • Steven Newsome of Waterstone Salon
  • Carrie Delanty of Salon Juliet
  • Renee Whyte
  • Leon Danielle
  • Edythe Westbrook
  • Tera Shea at Strands
  • Kevin Huggins of Hair City

BEST PLACE FOR FACIALS/SKIN CARE

You just got back from climbing Mt. Everest and all the sherpas were laughing hysterically because your face looked like 15 miles of bad roads in West Virginia. The icicles on your eyelids were kind of funny. By the time you got back home, it was imperative to get a facial and rejoin the world of the living.

Who to call? Many of our readers chose the friendly folks of Posh Organics, located at 253 E. Main.

Others high on the list were:

  • Abbinito
  • Blue Giraffe
  • Plaza Salon
  • Hive + Honey Holistic Skin Care
  • Serena Beach
  • Be Cherished

BEST DAY SPA

From Wikipedia: “A day spa is a visit to a place that offers various spa treatments, such as massages, facials, body treatments, and nail services. Unlike destination or resort spas, which provide overnight accommodations, day spas cater to guests who visit for a single day of pampering.”

Here in Ashland there are a number of day spas to choose from, and our readers most often mentioned Waterstone Spa, located at 236 E. Main, followed by:

  • Blue Giraffe
  • Chozu Bath & Tea Gardens
  • Hive + Honey
  • Posh Organics

FAVORITE ATTORNEY

More funny scenes from the courtroom …

Male judge: I shop at your Publix. Do you recognize me?

Potential female juror: I might recognize you without your clothes on.

Whole courtroom laughs.

Juror: I meant robe, Judge. I meant robe.

* * * * *

Defense counsel: Why did you wake up my client (your husband) when he was peacefully sleeping in the backyard?

Prosecutor: Objection, relevance?

Judge: Overruled (turning to witness): I want to know what compelled you to wake him up if he was being unruly before.

Victim: I went out to check on him and I had to wake him up because our dog isn’t fixed and was humping his face.

Judge, clerk and prosecutor start laughing out loud.

* * * * *

Our readers named quite a few attorneys in this survey, with Robert Good leading the way. Robert’s firm’s focus “is on the legal issues that commonly arise in people’s lives, from estate planning, wills, trusts and probate, to family law matters.”

Also receiving lots of votes were:

  • Jack Davis
  • Rachele Selvig
  • Scott Bucy
  • David Seulean
  • Sarah Vaile
  • Michael Balocca
  • Chris Hearn

FAVORITE POLICEPERSON

There’s nothing like seeing flashing red & blue lights from a police cruiser suddenly appear in your rear view mirror to set your entire sympathetic nervous system into overdrive (excuse the pun). It was April 1977 and I was on I-225 in east Denver after just dropping off my brother at Stapleton Airport. I looked at my speedometer and was going a mere 62 miles an hour in my beat-up Datsun station wagon, so everything was cool there. I pulled over, expecting to get an earful about something illegal I’d done. “Sir,” he said. “There’s a briefcase on top of your car.” I couldn’t believe it. My idiot brother put his briefcase on top of my car while unloading his suitcase from the trunk. I had to laugh. “Thank you, Officer,” I said. “You’re worth more money every day.”

The police can definitely save the day, and when it comes to that, our readers named Police Chief Tighe O’Meara as their number one, followed by:

  • Matt Carpenter
  • Bon Stewart
  • Brian Greidanus
  • Rick Spence

FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT OWNER

It’s a tough business, and the competition in Ashland is intense, with over 100 restaurants vying for customers’ attention. Our readers apparently love their restaurants as they named 20 different owners as doing an especially good job. Landing at the top was Nat and Grace Borsi, owners of Coco Rico at 15 N. 1st Street, where “guests will discover an entirely-made-from-scratch menu with thoughtfully sourced ingredients cooked and served with love.”

Others high on the list were:

  • Nicole Ruibal at Kobe
  • Gary Allen of Oak Tree
  • Rob and Annie Harvey of Beasy’s on the Creek, Harvey’s Place and Martino’s/Macaroni’s
  • Jen Sink at Omar’s
  • Julian Jones of Dangerous Lee’s Local 31 Pub
  • Tom and Lisa Beam of Pie & Vine and Skout
  • Renee Carver of Wild Goose
  • Drew Gibbs at Alchemy and Chateaubriand 36

FAVORITE WAITPERSON

The Vatican just announced that they are accepting nominations for sainthood in a new category: waitpeople. You know, like the one who dutifully took your order while the one-year old in the chair next to her is drooling on her sleeve. Or the one who brought the martini shaken-not-stirred to the table that had a small drop of ice on it because the space-case bartender didn’t know what he was doing. Or the one who tried to take ten orders in his head without writing anything down and forgot the side order of French fries on one order, only to hear from the 10-year-one that he was a fricking idiot. Yep, all those.

In this popular case, the number one this year was Chino Orozco at El Paraiso, followed by:

  • Amy Wong at Martino’s
  • Ricky Price at Brickroom
  • Deb Owre of Greenleaf
  • Ramon De La Cruz at Puerto Mazatlan
  • Amanda Harto of Thai Pepper and Billy’s
  • Brian Jimenez at Kobe

FAVORITE BARTENDER

I suppose I wasted a lot of my carefree bachelor days in bars, and I plead guilty as charged. But I learned a few things along the way, like how to do a jump shot on the pool table, knowing exactly how hard you can shake a pinball machine before it tilts, knowing when to keep quiet when the drunk next to you wants to argue religion or politics, and figuring out what the best songs were on the jukebox to dance to. Those skills cannot be taught; they have to be earned.

And, of course, having a bartender to back you up always helps, and in that regard, our readers voted Kimmi Hudson at Omar’s as their favorite.

Also mentioned were:

  • Tonie Stewart at Taqueria Picaro
  • Sydney Mullings of Thai Pepper/Billy’s
  • Kate Kuhn at Oak Tree
  • Sharon and Todd at Wild Goose
  • Dexter Reid III at iPub

FAVORITE PLUMBER

Here’s the thing about water: it has a mind of its own, and when you add in gravity and water pressure, it will find a way to make your life miserable if every single valve isn’t working properly. That’s one of the reasons why I counsel people to just forget all those fix-it-yourself projects when it comes to plumbing. You might as well just get it done right and save yourself a lot of money and hassle down the road.

Who to call? Our readers named quite a few plumbers, with Jonathan and Thomas Latham of Latham Plumbing garnering the most votes, followed by:

  • SOS Plumbing & Drain Service
  • Andy Smith
  • Scott Fitch
  • Eagle Plumbing
  • Economy Plumbing

FAVORITE ELECTRICIAN

So our electricity went out for about six hours a few months ago when a tree fell on a utility line on the south end of Ashland. We lit some candles and opened a bottle of wine and amazingly were able to get through the ordeal. My wife had to listen to a lot of my war stories, but the wine helped her forget that she’d heard most of them them five to ten times before. I can’t imagine what those people did in North Carolina last September when Hurricane Helene hit, and they were without power for five days.  That would’ve required a couple of kegs of wine!

Anyway, electricity is now a fact of life for most households across the world, and our readers appreciate the efforts that our local electricians provide to make sure things run smoothly. Topping the list was a tie between Jeff Benson Electric and J.R. Robertson’s Rogue Valley Electric.

Others high in the balloting were:

  • John Fiore Electric
  • Ricco Patterson
  • Ashland Electric
  • Welburn Electric

FAVORITE LANDSCAPER/YARD MAINTENANCE

When it comes to improving your living quarters, the outside is just as important as the inside. Sure, you can just plant some trees and shrubs willy-nilly, add a few perennials, place a small statue of Buddha just to show everyone how cool you are, but if it ends up looking like something out of a prison yard community garden, you aren’t doing yourself any favors. Sometimes, it’s best to call a professional who will not only provide you with a design plan but will bring in all the foliage you need to make sure it’s properly located and is aesthetically pleasing.

And in that regard, our readers most often mentioned both Solid Ground Landscape and Ahimsa Gardens, followed by:

  • Bearclaw Services
  • Eric Simpson Landscaping
  • KenCairn Landscape Architecture
  • Sage Hill Landscape

FAVORITE STORE DOWNTOWN

While a lot of downtowns in mid-size American cities are boarding up, Ashland has seen a renaissance in the last twenty years, primarily because of a vibrant business community, some great bars and restaurants to foster a night life, the First Friday Art Walk which encourages the artistic community, the nearby Lithia Park, and a lot of fun special events.

Our readers agreed and they named 32 different stores as their favorites, including perennial favorite Paddington Station, which again won this category, although Bloomsbury Books came in a close second.

The Top Ten included:

  • NW Nature Shop
  • American Trails
  • Tree House Books
  • Manzanita Home & Flowers
  • Mountain Provisions
  • Prize
  • Jupiter Row
  • Gold & Gems Fine Jewelry

FAVORITE STORE OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN

For the person who mentioned Nordstrom’s in San Francisco, we weren’t really thinking that far from downtown Ashland. A five to ten minute drive is more like it, and in that regard, our readers once again named Déjà Vu, a consignment clothing story in the Ashland Shopping Center as their favorite. They narrowly edged out their neighbor, Ashland Artisan Emporium, a store with over 60 booths “filled with spectacular items from local artists and small businesses.”

Also receiving votes were:

  • Bestow Plants & Gifts at 1606 Ashland Street
  • Get ‘n’ Gear, a consignment outdoor store in the Railroad District
  • Ashland Ace Hardware on A Street in the Railroad District
  • Bi-Mart on the south end
  • Hopper’s Landing, 1409 Highway 99 North
  • Ashland Food Co-op in the Railroad District
  • The Dollar Store in the Ashland Shopping Center
  • The Grange in the Railroad District

BEST GIFT SHOP

I took the liberty of Googling some important “holidays” in January just in case you want to plan your gift shopping in advance. January 10th is “National Houseplant Appreciation Day,” so don’t let that rhododendron you have growing in the living room feel left out. January 12-18 is “Universal Letter Writing Week” just in case you want to reconnect with old friends from high school. January 13 is “National Clean Off Your Desk Day.” I’m probably going to have to hire some specialists for that task. And January 19 is “National Popcorn Day,” so make sure you put Orville Redenbacher on your gift list.

Where to go in Ashland for a great selection of gifts? Our readers most often mentioned both Paddington Station (including Paddington Jewel Box, Inspired by Oregon, and their new store in the old Earthly Goods location); and NW Nature Shop in this category, followed by:

  • Ashland Artisan Emporium
  • Crown Jewel
  • Prize
  • Jupiter Row
  • Manzanita
  • American Trails
  • Rare Earth

BEST PLACE TO BUY CHILDREN’S TOYS

After observing eight siblings, countless nieces and nephews, three children, and four grandchildren, I can safely say that when a child is given a sweater for a present, he or she will simply roll the eyes. Hand them a toy—any kind of toy—and they will squeal with delight. They could walk around in rags all day in exchange for that new Nintendo Switch. Even a yo-yo will send them to Seventh Heaven.

Where to go when you need to be buy them something that will hold their interest for more than two seconds? Northwest Nature Shop at 154 Oak Street, topped the charts in this category with a wide variety of gifts for children young and old.

Others mentioned a lot were:

  • Bugg’s Toys
  • Tree House Books
  • Earth Friendly Kids
  • Paddington Station
  • Goodwill store
  • Bi-Mart

BEST SELECTION OF WOMEN’S CLOTHES

I grew up with six sisters so I pretty much know everything there is about women’s clothing. Just kidding … all I did was hang out in my room and pretty much avoided the attic, which my parents had converted into a palace for the girls. Sometimes my brothers and I would sneak up there and play around in the labyrinth of closets, getting a good look at all the dresses and blouses, but that’s about as far as my interest went. And of course, they all went to Catholic schools where every girl wore the same uniform, and that was kind of boring but certainly saved on the expense. And paying for Catholic schools was not cheap.

Anyway, where to go when you’re tired of wearing uniforms every day? Most of our readers chose Kixx, located downtown at 264 E. Main, although the top five were plenty close. They included:

  • Déjà Vu
  • Thread Hysteria
  • Outback in the Temple of Venus
  • Paddington Station (and their Jewel Box)

The list also featured:

  • Avant Garb
  • Jupiter Row
  • Goodwill

BEST PLACE TO BUY FLOWERS FOR MOTHER’S DAY

I’m not sure why we limited this category to Mother’s Day because a bouquet of beautiful flowers will brighten up any day. Of course, you’re talking to a guy who planted close to 300 flowers in the yard this year. I seriously don’t mess around when it comes to the garden. It’s my hobby, and looking out my office window every day lifts the spirit.

According to our readers, their favorite this year was Manzanita Gifts & Flowers, located on the Plaza in downtown Ashland, followed by:

  • Eufloria
  • Ashland Food Co-op
  • Albertson’s
  • Ashland Greenhouses
  • The Grange

GROCERY STORE WITH BEST SELECTION OF VEGETABLES

Here’s the thing about vegetables: they take essential nutrients from the soil and store them in their tissues so that they can be used by human beings who would not do well without them. Think scurvy, etc. And think about selenium, which is a known anti-carcinogen and helps with the immune response. Modern agriculture has pretty much depleted selenium from the soil, which is problematic, although by adding selenium salts to chemical fertilizers that problem can be avoided. Either way, eat your vegetables!

Where to go for the best selection of veggies? All of the local grocery stores were mentioned, but taking down top honors was Ashland Food Co-op, located on First Street in the Railroad District.

The list also included:

  • Shop N Kart
  • Market of Choice
  • Albertson’s
  • Safeway

BEST PLACE TO BUY “STUFF” FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT JOBS

It isn’t necessary to call a professional for every little thing that goes wrong in the kitchen, bathroom or patio. Sometimes just a quick trip to YouTube will do the trick, because they’ll tell you every little thing you need to do and every little gadget (and tool) you’ll need to have. Just follow the instructions, and voila, problem solved. And if your eyes start to glaze over while trying to follow the video, well, there’s always the professional.

Where to go to find all the widgets and gadgets needed to get the job done? The runaway winner in this category was Ashland Ace Hardware, located on A Street in the Railroad District.

Others mentioned were:

  • Home Depot
  • Bi-Mart
  • Grange

BEST PLACE TO BUY “STUFF” FOR THE YARD/GARDEN

Winter time is relatively stress free when it comes to the yard and garden. Everything has gone dormant, all of the leaves have been picked up, the bears are hibernating, the squirrels are getting fat on their stored acorns, and most of the birds have gone south to Brazil. Come springtime, though, when all of the flowers and shrubs start blooming and photosynthesis goes crazy, your yard will be almost impossible to keep up with. That’s why it’s important to have all the tools, seeds, soil supplements, flower starts and fertilizers handy on a minute’s notice.

Where to go to stay on top of things and get expert advice? Our readers most often mentioned the Grange Co-op, located on A Street in the Railroad District, followed by:

  • Ashland Greenhouses
  • Valley View Nursery
  • Ashland Ace Hardware
  • Bi-Mart
  • Home Depot

POLITICS

A VERY UNSCIENTIFIC POLITICAL POLL

Each year we ask our readers to answer four political questions just to gauge the mood of the community. These answers are “relatively” accurate since very few people stuff the ballot for them.

  1. Should the Community Center on Winburn Way be saved? It’s been a part of the Ashland community since 1922, but unfortunately things are starting to fall apart, and a couple of years ago it was closed due to safety issues. The City hired a firm to make repairs but according to the City, “Work on the long-closed building was paused after Outlier Construction workers on the project uncovered additional structural issues.” So it was back to the drawing board, and the City had to make the painful decision on whether to just tear it down or proceed straight ahead. Our readers want the City to save the building, and that is exactly what the City announced a couple of weeks ago that it was going to do, hoping that the current contract of just under $1 million can do the job. Demolition and construction of a new building, by the way, would cost $1.6 million.

Yes, save the Community Center: 93%

No, let it go: 7%

  1. Should Ashland restrict the use of 5G towers in town? This is a fairly emotional issue for some people, as they’re convinced that all that electro-magnetic radiation is causing irreparable harm to cells in the body, most notably the brain. Others argue that the concerns are overblown and that radio waves are just a part of the universe. (Editor’s Note: yes, radio waves are part of the universe, but powerful transmitters that emit enough radio waves for everyone in Ashland to download movies onto their cell phones is something else. If you think about it logically, it’s not natural). Are the concerns over 5G transmitters enough to make us question the use of cell phones? Our readers were torn on this one.

Yes, the use of 5G tower should be restricted: 47%

No, let them be installed: 53%

  1. Should the City do more to help local restaurants in this economy? They are the biggest employer by far in the entire city and they act as tax collectors for the City via the meals tax. Knowing all that, you’d think the City would cut them some slack. They also operate in an industry with a small profit margin and little room for error. Should the City do more to help restaurants survive? Should they ease up on some of the rules and regulations and make life a little easier for the restaurants? Our readers certainly agree.

Yes, help them as much as you can: 85%

No, let them twist in the wind: 15%

  1. Should the City make it easier for affordable housing to be built? First of all, there’s a difference between affordable housing and affordable housing. The first, the adjective, means housing that is affordable for the average person to live in. That is defined as “housing that costs 30% or less of a household’s gross income.” The second, the noun, means housing that’s partly subsidized by the government (or lenders) and is available to low-income households. Here in Ashland (and elsewhere), we’re trying to do both, but it’s not easy in one of the most expensive places to live in the state. The cost of land and construction is so high that it’s hard for the average person to find a place that is less than 30% of their gross income. The City mainly concentrates on finding housing for low income households, and that’s cool. Our readers agree that the City should find a way to make more affordable housing available. If successful, that pool just might lower the cost of housing across the city … but don’t hold your breath.

Yes, make it easier: 86%

No, don’t bother: 14%

* * * * *

Well, that was certainly invigorating. I’ve been sitting in a chair for two days tabulating and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          writing this thing and am ready to join the real world again. I’ll keep you in the loop. Anyway, see you in February for Part II.

—C.H.

2025 Best of Ashland Part 2

I know there has been a lot of hand wringing, nail biting, and all-round general mayhem waiting an entire month for Part II of the “Best of Ashland” to come out, but even fine wines taste better with a little aging, right? So let’s see, has anything big happened since Part I came out? Well, Oregon got beat in the football playoffs, there was a huge celebration on January 20th for Martin Luther King Day, and fires devastated whole swaths of Los Angeles. No wonder our readers poll got pushed off the front page of U.S. Today! Other than that, it’s been a fairly uneventful four weeks.

Amazingly, I checked our mailbox at the UPS Store the other day and found forty more ballots in the mail, even after I checked the box two days after the deadline. Apparently, the Post Office’s new policy of sending all the mail in Ashland to Anchorage, Alaska, by banana boat for processing is slowing things down a little bit. Sadly, three of the ballots included photos, which we will belatedly recognize. They include “Cute Baby” Arlo Riedl, “Cute Dog” Neeka Hrvatin, and “Cute Cat” Daisy Mae. Better late than never!

Anyway, enjoy Part II of the “Best of Ashland,” featuring restaurants and entertainment.

RESTAURANTS

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

It’s a big leap of faith to open a restaurant. When I look back at my Restaurant Guide from 25 years ago, only about 15 of the 100 restaurants listed are still around today. But if you have faith in yourself (and your recipes), and you’re willing to put in the long hours, success will come your way.

Our readers were actually able to name eight different establishments that popped up in Ashland this year, so maybe the economy is back on track locally (thank you, Shakespeare Festival). Topping the list was Noble Fox, located at 101 Oak Street, in the old Standing Stone building.

Others receiving lots of votes were:

  • Go Bowld at 1469 Siskiyou Boulevard
  • Dangerous Lee’s Local 31 Pub, located at 31 Water Street. They just suffered water damage, but owner Julian Jones says they should be back open soon. Stay tuned for details.
  • Billy’s Sports Bar & Lounge at 82 N. Main, which is actually connected to Thai Pepper, upstairs where the bar is located
  • Mason’s on Main, at 357 E. Main, next to the Beau Club
  • Indulge Artisan Cheesecakes, located at 33 3rd Street, Unit 4
  • Le Petit Café & Creperie, an outdoor stand at the corner of E. Main and Water Street, next to Plaza Salon
  • Liquid Lounge, a wine bar at 370 E. Main

BEST BREAKFAST

Seriously, you have dinner around 6:00, watch reruns of “How I Met Your Mother,” go to bed around 10:00, and finally wake up at seven in the morning. You’ve gone 13 hours without any food and to make matters worse, you had a dream that you were stuck in a Moroccan prison for smuggling kumquats across the border, and all that the guards would feed you was moldy hummus and stale bread. No wonder you were hungry!

This is always a popular category, and the top five regularly get a ton of votes. Number one in the hearts (and stomachs) of readers this year was Morning Glory Café, located at 1149 Siskiyou, where Ryan took over from the Bernards last year.

The Top Five included:

  • Brothers
  • Breadboard
  • Wild Goose
  • Oak Tree

Also mentioned a lot were:

  • Ruby’s
  • Brickroom
  • Greenleaf
  • Hither

BEST LUNCH

Back in my carefree bachelor days, lunch meant whatever fast food restaurant happened to be on my radar. Probably the most healthy time of my life was when I was substitute teaching middle school and high school and would get in line for the cafeteria food. The only time I ever had to pack a lunch to work was working in Yellowstone National Park on the West District road crew. Baloney sandwiches were my “go to” option in those days, but I was young and dumb so I had a good excuse.

Once again, our readers were all over the map on this category, naming 28 different restaurants as their favorite. The competition was fierce, and this category ended as a tie between the Brickroom (35 N. Main, upstairs on the Plaza) and Ruby’s, located at 163 N. Pioneer, followed by:

  • Pangea
  • Sammich
  • Greenleaf
  • Brothers
  • Breadboard
  • Morning Glory
  • Skout
  • Oak Tree

BEST OMELETTES

I just read where egg prices are rising again and not because of misplaced political decisions but because the HPAI bird flu is decimating chickens around the world. When are these viruses going to leave us alone? Did you know that over 92 million birds have been killed since the outbreak in 2022, and now they’re worried about it spreading to cattle. Farmers are having to euthanize their stock of chickens just to play it safe. Here’s hoping it doesn’t jump to humans; we don’t need another pandemic.

Fortunately, our faithful and loyal chickens keep producing, making it possible to enjoy omelettes at our favorite restaurants. And according to our readers, that would be The Breadboard, located at 744 N. Main.

The list also included:

  • Morning Glory
  • Oak Tree
  • Brothers
  • Wild Goose
  • Brickroom
  • Greenleaf

BEST BLOODY MARYS      

It’s ironic that Queen Mary was given this nickname considering that she preferred burning people alive rather than chopping their heads off. She should have been called Flaming Mary. Anyway, this is a cocktail that doubles as an appetizer since it can include such things as herbs, celery, olives, and pickled vegetables, topped off with vodka, tomato juice, lime juice and Worcestershire sauce.

And when are readers were searching for the perfect Blood Mary, they most often named The Wild Goose Café & Bar at 2365 Ashland Street, followed by:

  • Brothers
  • Ruby’s
  • Omar’s
  • Brickroom
  • Oak Tree

BEST CLAM CHOWDER     

What exactly are clams, anyway? I had to Google it to find out. They’re bivalve molluscs that burrow into the sand of the seafloor or river beds but do not attach to a substrate like oysters and mussels do. Some clams have life cycles of only one year, while at least one has been aged to over 500 years old. And you thought Joe Biden was old! The clam in question was named Ming and it was found off the coast of Iceland in 2006. Here’s hoping he didn’t end up in a clam chowder in Reykjavik.

Anyway, when it comes to the perfect clam chowder, our readers most often mentioned the ones at Pangea, located at 272 E. Main Street downtown.

Others singled out were:

  • Sammich
  • Omar’s
  • Oak Tree
  • Greenleaf
  • Wild Goose
  • Harvey’s
  • Beasy’s on the Creek

FAVORITE DINNERHOUSE

Back when I first visited Ashland for the first time in 1976, there were only two dinnerhouses in the entire town. Now our readers were able to name 18 of them. We’re definitely not a two-horse town anymore, which is good because variety is the spice of life.

Topping the charts in this category for 2025 was a tie between Larks in the Ashland Springs Hotel downtown and Alchemy Restaurant & Bar, located in the Winchester Inn at 35 S. 2nd.

Also high on the list were:

  • Cocorico
  • Beasy’s on the Creek
  • Peerless
  • Hearsay
  • Omar’s
  • Osteria La Briccola
  • Chateaubriand 36
  • Noble Fox

RESTAURANT WITH BEST OUTDOOR SEATING

It’s not like we live in a concrete jungle in Ashland. We have Ashland Creek running right through town and mountain views on both sides. I spent nine days in Paris last year, and I’ll have to admit that outdoor seating can be a lot of fun. On almost every single block, there were two or three cafes with tables out in front right off the sidewalk. Of course, the weather has to cooperate, but Paris has it down with retractable awnings and heaters.

Here in the Paris of Southern Oregon, our readers are most impressed with the outdoor seating arrangement at Peerless, located at 265 4th Street, set amidst a beautiful flower and shrub garden.

The list also included:

  • Skout
  • Hearsay
  • Greenleaf
  • Noble Fox
  • Beasy’s on the Creek
  • Louie’s
  • Thai Pepper

BEST STEAK ENTREES ON THE MENU

So according to the Internet, the ancestor of today’s cows (which provide us with meat, milk and cheese) were some beasts known as aurochs, “formidable creatures that stood about 6 feet tall.” Sometime around 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, etc.), early humans realized that the aurochs’ size, strength, and adaptability could be a great benefit, and they began to selectively breed them, eventually leading to the diverse cattle breeds we have today. The last remaining aurochs went extinct in the 1600s, likely due to hunting and habitat loss.

Today, there are millions of these descendants providing protein for billions of people around the globe on a daily basis. Where to go in Ashland for some great steaks? Most of our readers once again named Omar’s (1380 Siskiyou) as their favorite, although Chateaubriand 36 (36 S. 2nd, across from Winchester Inn) came in a close second, followed by:

  • Beasy’s on the Creek
  • Bar Julliet
  • Alchemy
  • Cocorico
  • Larks

BEST SEAFOOD ENTREES ON THE MENU

Back in my softball days, I used to play for the RCC team in Grants Pass, and one year Gerry Ford, a teacher at RCC and one of the funniest guys I ever met, recruited these two young hotshots, Derek and Aaron, to play left field and center field. They were truly amazing athletes and could run down any ball hit within their vicinity. During one game, after Derek made an unbelievable catch right near the fence, Gerry yelled out, “Three-quarters of the world is covered by oceans; the rest is covered by Derek and Aaron.” It got a pretty good laugh, and every time I eat something that comes out of the ocean, I think of Gerry, may he rest in peace.

When it comes to seafood dishes, our readers named both Kobe (96 N. Main) and Beasy’s on the Creek (51 Water Street), as their top favorites.

Others mentioned a lot were:

  • Sushi Heaven
  • Omar’s
  • Bar Julliet
  • Peerless
  • Alchemy
  • Larks

FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Sometimes my wife and I get carried away and end up eating at Mexican restaurants three nights a week. But then, when we visit Cabo san Lucas we eat Mexican food seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so what’s the big deal? Ya gotta do what makes you feel good, right?

And when our readers want to feel good about Mexican restaurants, they have quite a few to pick from in Ashland. Amazingly, there were four restaurants that garnered a lot of support, and since they were all separated by just a few votes, it was hard to unilaterally declare one to be the favorite. So in lieu of that, here are Ashland four favorite Mexican restaurants in alphabetical order:

  • Agave (5 Granite Street)
  • El Paraiso, located at 545 Clover Lane, east of the south Interstate
  • Puerto Mazatlan (1209 Siskiyou Boulevard, across from the college)
  • Taqueria Picaro, located at 76 N. Pioneer

Also mentioned a lot was El Tapatio, Ramiro’s fun restaurant located at 1633 Highway 99 North, above Ashland Motor.

BEST MARGARITAS

One of my favorite scenes from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure from the far distant 1980s took place in a biker bar in Texas with Pee Wee on top of the bar in six-inch heels dancing to the song “Tequila.” Just now I typed in “Pee Wee Herman Tequila” on Youtube and watched it again. Hilarious! Almost makes me want to take a break and visit a local restaurant for a nice cool margarita.

Where would I go? Our readers were most impressed with the concoctions of both Agave and Taqueria Picaro, both located in downtown Ashland, followed by:

  • El Paraiso
  • Puerto Mazatlan
  • El Tapatio
  • Ruby’s
  • Oak Tree

FAVORITE ASIAN RESTAURANT

The Olympics last summer were certainly exciting. Like a lot of people, I was watching the gold medal race between the U.S. and China. Nothing against China, but they take young kids with potential and train them at special schools designed to produce Olympic champions. The kids actually have no life, and it almost seems like cheating to me. China took an early lead in the gold medal count, mainly because of obscure sports like underwater basket weaving, but in real sports like track and field, the U.S. excelled. Finally on the last weekend, the U.S. men’s and women’s basketball teams won gold medals (the final games were both against France, which was pretty amazing since they were the host country) and we tied China 40-40 for gold medals.

Back to the real world, our readers mentioned all of the local Asian restaurants as their favorites, and this ended as a tie between Thai Pepper (84 N. Main) and Kobe, conveniently located just three doors down at 96 N. Main.

Here’s the complete list, even ones who got only a few votes:

  • Sushi Heaven
  • Sawadee Thai & Asian Cuisine
  • Mam’s Happy Thai
  • Bonsai Teriyaki
  • Umami
  • Blue Toba
  • Taj
  • House of India
  • Yuan Yuan
  • Masala
  • Harana
  • Golden Dynasty
  • Happy Bowl
  • Hiro Ramen

FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT

One of my favorite movies of all time is Roman Holiday, featuring Audrey Hepburn, who won an Academy Award in 1954 for her portrayal of a young princess who goes rogue in Rome and pretends to be an average person. She “hooks up” with Gregory Peck, a young reporter looking for a story, and when he finds out surreptitiously that she’s the missing princess, the plot thickens.

Meanwhile, in Grants Pass our readers were definitely not missing as they named Osteria La Briccola (18 Calle Guanajuato) as their favorite, although Martino’s (58 E. Main) came in a close second, followed by:

  • Carlito’s
  • Pie & Vine (unfortunately, they sold the business)
  • Martolli’s

FAVORITE PIZZA PLACE

I ended up in southern Oregon because two of my buddies from college days in Indiana moved out here with their wives and opened a pizza (and stromboli) restaurant in Grants Pass called The Bistro. I stopped by in February 1976 after finishing a tour of ski resorts in western states and loved it so much I kept coming back. I even helped out in the restaurant, mainly tending bar and delivering Chicago-style deep dish pizzas to the tables. Fun times.

And when it comes to pizzas, this category also featured three restaurants that were virtually tied, so in alphabetical order, here are the favorite pizza places in Ashland:

  • Creekside Pizza Bistro, 91 ½ N. Main
  • Great American Pizza at 1448 Ashland Street
  • Martolli’s Hand-Tossed Pizza (38 E. Main, across from the Plaza)

Also receiving lots of votes were:

  • NW Pizza & Pasta
  • Clyde’s Corner in Phoenix
  • Papa Murphy’s (unfortunately, they closed down)

RESTAURANT WITH BEST APPETIZERS

Every good waitperson knows this cardinal rule: before doing anything, ask everyone at the table if they would like to be served any drinks. Even if the kitchen is a little slow, the customer will still be happy sipping on that Basil Hayden Manhattan. Then, just in case the kitchen is real slow, you can ask them if they’re interested in some appetizers to tide them over until the entrees are served. Keeping customers happy ain’t rocket science, especially if the kitchen is slow.

Our readers apparently love their appetizers, as they named 15 different restaurants in this survey, starting with their number one, Bar Juillet on the Plaza, followed by

  • Omar’s
  • Cocorico
  • Skout
  • Alchemy
  • Brickroom
  • Noble Fox

RESTAURANT WITH FRIENDLIEST WAITSTAFF

In some alternate universe, all restaurants will be staffed by surly people who will make fun of the way you dress, slam menus on the table after making you sit there for 15 minutes twiddling your thumbs, coughing up phlegm as he or she delivers the food, then demanding that you leave a 30% tip or you won’t be allowed in the restaurant again. Brutal, huh? That scenario should be enough to make you appreciate all the hard-working friendly waitstaff we have here in the Rogue Valley.

And in that regard, our readers most often named the friendly staff at Cocorico, located at 15 N. 1st Street.

Also mentioned a lot were:

  • Greenleaf
  • Harvey’s
  • Puerto Mazatlan
  • Breadboard
  • Wild Goose
  • Oak Tree
  • Omar’s
  • Caldera

FAVORITE “QUICK SERVICE” RESTAURANT

Fast food and “quick service” restaurants definitely serve a purpose: when you’re really really hungry and in a big hurry because you’re late for that golf outing, you don’t want to lollygag at a sit-down restaurant. They also come in handy when the boss gives you 30 minutes for lunch and don’t be late or you can just kiss that year-end bonus goodbye.

Where to go for quick, efficient service and great food? Our readers most often mentioned Burrito Republic (46 E. Main) and their sister restaurant on the south end, Falafel Republic, located at (1465 Siskiyou, just down from Market of Choice).

Others receiving lots of votes were:

  • Ruby’s/Gil’s
  • Taqueria Picaro
  • Agave
  • Go Bowld
  • Flip
  • Wendy’s
  • Taco Bell
  • Bento Express
  • Simple Cafe

BEST SELECTION OF BURGERS

The city of Hamburg, Germany, is famous for two things: 1. The Beatles got their start there from 1960-1962, and 2.) For its specially designed sandwiches featuring “two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun” (shh … don’t tell McDonald’s I used their copyrighted slogan).

Ashland may be 5,258 miles from Hamburg, but that didn’t stop our readers from naming Flip (92 N. Main) as their favorite, although Sammich (424 Bridge Street), Louie’s on the Plaza, and Big Al’s (474 N. Main) all received their fair share of votes.

The list also included:

  • Brickroom
  • Omar’s
  • Dangerous Lee’s Local 31 Pub
  • Skout
  • Wild Goose

BEST VEGETARIAN SELECTION

We may be carnivorous, but we aren’t the only ones. Nature is red in tooth and claw, so we aren’t the only predators out there who are stalking fellow animals and then eating them for calories. I sometimes feel guilty about eating chickens and cows, but then I watch a Discovery channel segment on lions taking down huge wildebeest on the Serengeti, and I realize it’s just life. I also realize that eating a whole food diet is a lot better for one’s health, and I’ve been trying to incorporate that as much as possible lately.

Where to go for a great selection of vegetarian options?  Our readers most often mentioned Sauce, located in the Ashland Shopping Center, followed by:

  • Pangea
  • Ashland Co-Op Deli
  • Blue Toba
  • Taj
  • Sawadee
  • Hither
  • Go Bowld
  • Greenleaf

BEST SELECTION OF SANDWICHES

They come in all shapes and sizes, from bite-size sandwiches at an English High Tea to foot-long monstrosities on sourdough bread. You can also add all the accoutrements and condiments of your choosing, including various kinds of meat, cheeses and vegetarian selections. The possibilities are endless, which is why the Great American Sandwich has become so popular worldwide.

And when it comes to a great selection of sandwiches, are readers once again named Sammich, Melissa McMillan’s restaurant at 424 Bridge Street, although Pangea, located at 272 E. Main in downtown Ashland, came in a close second.

The list also included:

  • Ashland Food Co-op Deli
  • Breadboard
  • Louie’s
  • Morning Glory
  • Subway
  • Oak Tree
  • Wild Goose
  • Brothers
  • Ruby’s

BEST PLACE TO GET COFFEE

This should have been broken down into two categories because a.) sometime people are in a big hurry and just want to visit a drive-up coffee stand, and b.) others want to sit and relax in a coffeehouse, mingling with friends and turning it into a social event. In that latter respect, this was a 3-way tie between Rogue Valley Roasting Company (917 E. Main), Noble Coffee Roasting, located at 282 4th Street, and Mix on the Plaza.

Also mentioned a lot was Pony Espresso, located at 175 Lithia Way, followed by:

  • Remix
  • Case Coffee
  • Human Bean
  • Dutch Brothers
  • Bloomsbury Blends
  • Starbucks
  • Hither

ENTERTAINMENT

BEST LOCAL CONCERT LAST YEAR

Ashland residents aren’t hurting for musical events, from the Rogue Valley Symphony to local bars and restaurants, so there’s plenty of action to go around.

This year our readers were most impressed with the performance by the Blue Lightning Band at the Green Show last summer, followed by:

  • The Rogue Valley Symphony concert in April with renowned violinist Nancy Zhou
  • The concerts in Lithia Park hosted by Epic Ashland
  • Pink Martini’s concert at the Britt Festival
  • Concerts by Southern Oregon Rep Singers, Siskiyou Singers and Rogue Valley Chorale
  • Concerts by the Ashland City Band at the Bandshell
  • The Tutunov Piano Series at Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU
  • The Chris Izaak concert at Britt

MOST FUN PLACE FOR FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

The concept is simple and popular: open up art galleries and local businesses to a celebration of art and local artists, provide refreshments and music entertainment, and let everyone stroll the streets of Ashland while also enjoying food and libations at local bars and restaurants. It easily turns into a fun social event for the entire community.

All of the usual suspects were mentioned by our readers in this category, and the top nod went to Art & Soul Ashland at 247 E. Main in the historic Elks Building and featuring a strong lineup of local artists.

Other venues mentioned a lot were:

  • KS Wild
  • Vida Bakery
  • Art on 1st
  • Ashland Art Works
  • Gypsy Rose Studio
  • American Trails

FAVORITE LOCAL ARTIST

Everyone talks about how Van Gogh only sold one painting in his life, but did you know that Leonardo da Vinci spent fourteen years working on the Mona Lisa, and then never even gave it to the del Giocondo family who’d been subsidizing his lifestyle? It was acquired by King Francis of France in 1519 after Leonardo’s death. Now that’s what I call a labor of love, which probably describes most artists when talking about their work.

A number of artists were mentioned by our readers, and the number one choice was Betty LaDuke, who has gained an international reputation for her murals, paintings and sketches. “Her work tends to express socialist progress and life’s continuity, from images of America’s civil rights struggles to women’s struggles for survival in war-ridden spoiled lands.” Betty was also voted Favorite Artist in 2014.

Others receiving lots of votes were:

  • Julia Janeway
  • Gabriel Lipper
  • John Pugh
  • Chris Briscoe
  • Cathy Dorris
  • Art Van Kraft

BEST PLAY LAST YEAR (OFF-BARDWAY)

There’s nothing like seeing people in the flesh portraying their characters without note cards or teleprompters, relying on their memory and their interpretation of the character. It’s very exciting, and in addition to having a world-renowned Shakespeare Festival in our midst, there are plenty of local theater groups more than willing to entertain us.

Our readers agreed, and this year they named Little Shop of Horrors, which played to packed houses at Oregon Cabaret Theatre last spring, as their number one choice.

Also receiving votes were:

  • Camelot Theatre’s Anything Goes
  • Collaborative Theatre’s Witch
  • Rogue Theatre Company’s Gidion’s Knot
  • OCT’s Legally Blonde
  • Camelot Theatre’s Sound of Music
  • Rogue Theatre’s Off Peak
  • Collaborative’s A Christmas Carol

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE – MALE (OFF-BARDWAY)

A select group of actors was named by our readers in this category, with the top mention going to Russel Lloyd for his performance as Ebeneezer Scrooge in Collaborative Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol, followed by:

  • Jake Swain in OCT’s Little Shop of Horrors
  • Michael Elich in Rogue Theatre’s Off Peak
  • Barret O’Brien in Camelot’s Scarpino
  • Galloway Stevens in OCT’s Legally Blonde
  • Nick Ferucci in OCT’s Sherlock Holmes and the Study in Scarlet
  • Marcus Hardesty in Collaborative’s Tom Jones
  • Ryon Lane in Camelot’s Sound of Music

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE – FEMALE (OFF-BARDWAY)

On the female side of the ledger, the number one favorite was Amirah David for her role as Maria in Camelot Theatre’s Sound of Music.

The list also included:

  • Morgan Heckler in OCT’s Legally Blonde
  • Tegan Kelly as Puck in Collaborative’s Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • Domenique Lozano in Rogue Theatre’s Gidion’s Knot
  • Gwendolyn Duffy in Camelot’s Anything Goes
  • Dani Brady in OCT’s Little Shop of Horrors

BEST PLAY LAST YEAR (OSF)

The Festival was back up and running at full strength last year. The pandemic almost did them in (join the club), but with the help of the community and some new leadership, they survived and put together a strong season, with more to come. Our readers were able to name all ten productions as their favorite last year, which is a testament to the strength of the company’s program. Taking down top honors was Lizard Boy, which told the story of a lonesome outsider in his hometown, whose skin turned green and scaly after a childhood encounter with a dragon. The show was set in the Festival’s intimate Thomas Theatre.

The Top Five included:

  • Much Ado about Nothing
  • Born with Teeth
  • Virgins to Villains
  • Macbeth

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE – MALE (OSF)

There were plenty of strong performance from the guys, with the number one nod going to Rodney Gardiner, playwright and performer in Smote This, A Comedy about God … and other Serious *H*T, followed by:

  • Justin Huertas in Lizard Boy
  • David Kelly as Duncan in Macbeth
  • Kevin Kennerly as Macbeth
  • Barzin Akhavan in Behfarmaheen (if you please)

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE – FEMALE (OSF)

The women had it going, too, and in this category, Robin Goodrin Nordli won for Virgins to Villains, a show she created chronicling her “journey with Shakespeare’s women.”

The list also featured:

  • Amy Kim Waschke as Beatrice in Much Ado about Nothing
  • Kiki deLohr in Lizard Boy
  • Erica Sullivan as Lady Macbeth
  • Jennie Greenberry as Jane Eyre

BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN/SINGER

My wife makes fun of me when I claim to be a karaoke singer by belting out “Stranger in the Night” by Frank Sinatra. I think it’s pretty good and I have no idea why every dog in the neighborhood is going crazy. Some people just don’t appreciate good music … I’m kidding; my voice is actually horrible.

Our readers certainly appreciate music, and they named Rihanna Shae, an aspiring singer-songwriter as their favorite. Born and raised in Ashland, Rihana found success with indie pop releases. She’s now embracing the raw, earthy sounds that reflect her roots. With a small tour on the horizon this spring and summer, Rihana invites fans to experience her new music firsthand.

Others popular with our readers were:

  • Robbie DaCosta
  • Shae Celine of the Rogue Suspects
  • Jeff Kloetzel
  • Erik Connolly
  • Karl Iverson
  • Michael Palewicz

BEST DANCE BAND

This is another category near and dear to my heart as a confirmed danceaholic. I went back to Indiana last June for a wedding of a grandniece, and I danced with 19 different people at the reception, including the groom … he asked me to dance LOL. I assume many of our readers are also dancers, as this was a popular category, with the Rogue Suspects winning, although Blue Lightning and the Robbie DaCosta Band were not far behind.

Others mentioned a lot were:

  • Brothers Reed
  • Salsa Brava
  • Cooler Heads

BEST VENUE FOR LIVE MUSIC 

Ashland is not a total wasteland when it comes to live music, as our readers were actually able to name 13 different places. And to prove it to you, I’m going to name all 13, starting with the two top vote getters, The Wild Goose (2365 Ashland Street) and Dangerous Lee’s Local 31 Pub (31 Water Street, downstairs).

The full list included:

  • Ashland Historic Armory
  • The Green Show
  • Growler Guys
  • Grizzly Peak Winery
  • Belle Fiore
  • SOU Music Recital Hall
  • Oberon’s
  • The Bandshell in Lithia Park
  • Paschal Winery
  • Liquid Lounge
  • Elk’s Club

BAR WITH BEST SELECTION OF BEER

I didn’t really become a fan of beer until I reported for duty in the U.S. Army in Mannheim, Germany, in August 1970. Our first night in Frankfurt, we went to the E.M. (enlisted men) Club to have some beers, and we were greeted with these huge 18-ounce jobbers that had a little ceramic top that you could secure for later enjoyment. I had two of those beers and could hardly walk back to the barracks, but there’s nothing like the taste and feel of a good German beer.

Where to go when searching for a good selection of beer? There were quite a few places mentioned, but the number one choice was both Caldera Brewery & Restaurant (590 Clover Lane) and Growler Guys, located at 345 Lithia Way, followed by:

  • Skout
  • Gil’s
  • Oak Tree
  • Irish Pub

BAR WITH BEST SELECTION OF COCKTAILS

Yeah, my great-great-great granduncle was named Basil Hayden, and in the early 1800s he was well known in eastern Kentucky for the bourbon he made from a huge still out in the woods. Years later the Hayden family would go legit, and a bottle of Basil Hayden soon became one of the best selling bourbons in the country. During an episode of the TV series Deadwood, set in 1876, the brothel owner said to the bartender to “send up a fine bottle of Basil Hayden to the room.” I felt so proud! I’m now addicted to Basil Hayden Manhattans.

And when it comes to finding that perfect Manhattan, our readers most often mentioned Alchemy Restaurant & Bar, located at 35 S. 2nd Street.

Others making the list were:

  • Brickroom
  • Bar Juillet
  • Hearsay
  • Larks
  • Noble Fox
  • Omar’s
  • Liquid Lounge

FAVORITE GETAWAY ON THE COAST

When it gets up to 108 degrees in the shade, there’s nothing like getting into an air-conditioned car and driving to the coast. The views are breathtaking, the power of the ocean is awe-inspiring, and the community welcomes out-of-towners as an important part of their economic base.

And in this regard, our readers love the town of Bandon, with beautiful views of the ocean, good restaurants and nightlife, and some world-famous golf courses.

The list also included:

  • Brookings and the nearby Harris Beach State Park and Whaleshead Beach Resort
  • Newport
  • Gold Beach
  • Coos Bay
  • Florence
  • Yachats
  • Port Orford

FAVORITE VENDOR AT THE GROWERS’ MARKET

It’s practically an institution in Ashland, with a Tuesday Market at ScienceWorks, and a Saturday Market downtown on Oak Street, where scores of local vendors offer everything from fruits and vegetables to cheese, desserts, tamales, and crafts.

Taking down the top honors this year was Fry Family Farm on 90 acres of land off Wagner Creek Road, where Suzi and Steve Fry started farming in 1990.

Also garnering a lot of votes were:

Rise Up Artisan Breads, operating out of 280 acres of forest and farmland in the Little Applegate Valley where they bake their bread in the French Artisan bread tradition

  • Gerardo’s empenadas
  • Jo Cullumbine’s Green Springs Bodyworks
  • Griffin Creek Coffee
  • Wandering Roots Farm
  • Willow Witt Ranch
  • The donuts
  • Wild Bee Honey Farm

FAVORITE WINERY/VINEYARD

My wife and I visited a vineyard, Saint-Émilion, outside Bordeaux, France, in 2019, and there were thousands of acres of grape vines everywhere you looked. It was truly amazing and beautiful, and while the Rogue Valley will never come close to the Bordeaux region, we can certainly give it our best shot.

Our readers love their local vineyards, naming 18 of them in this survey, reserving their number one nod for Weisinger Family Winery, Ashland’s original craft winery since 1988, located at 3150 Siskiyou Boulevard, followed by:

  • Irvine & Roberts
  • Longwalk
  • Dana Campbell
  • Grizzly Peak
  • Paschal
  • Belle Fiore
  • Dancin’

* * * * *

Well, there you go, another year, another Best of Ashland. If you have any suggestions for new entries next year, write to me at sneakpre@mind.net. —C.H.