One Month Until...

You know you don't want to be the person who doesn't have plans for Valentine's Day. Don't let it sneak up on you (like it does every other year). We're going to help you out with 10 different ideas of ways to celebrate this day of love. Whether you and your significant other are into chocolates and hearts or helicopter rides at sunset, we've got your activities covered. This weekend in Bend will be something you'll BOTH love. So, from our staff, here are TEN ideas to celebrate Valentine's Day/Weekend. 

10. A twist on dinner and a movie. Make dinner at home and turn on your favorite Netflix original to enjoy together. Find a few recipe ideas on Country Living to get you started with dinner.

Photo by: Sparrow Bakery

9. Breakfast at Sparrow Bakery. Have you tried their Bacon Breakfast Sandwich? I swear I dream about it every night. Poached egg, bacon, avocado, arugula, aioli, served on a hand-rolled croissant. Enjoy with a hot cup of locally roasted coffee and your day is off to the best start possible. 

8. Take a romantic helicopter ride around Central Oregon with Big Mountain Heli Tours. Nothing beats the view from above!

7. Ski or snowboard Mt. Bachelor and enjoy a lunch break at Scapolos. If you've never been skiing or snowboarding, sign up for a lesson together! Those who ski together, stay together. Just made that up but it sounds pretty true.

Photo by: Amanda Short

6. Take a walk through snow-covered downtown Bend and end at Dogwood or Stihl Whiskey Bar for an amazing cocktail. 

5.  If you're into music, go to the Bend A Capella Festival on February 10th. watch talented groups compete for the grand prize and enjoy a real-life version of Pitch Perfect. 

4. Spend the night outside of Bend at Brasada Ranch. The views are unbeatable and you could get that spa treatment you've been needing. Finish the evening with their delectable s'mores complete with home-made marshmallows! 

Photo by: Wanderlust Tours 

3. Take a day trip: we suggest Crater Lake or the Umpqua Hot Springs. See Oregon's only national park in all its snowy glory or visit the hot springs for a warm soak in the midst of the snow! On a clear day, you will get amazing views at either spot.  

Photo by: Pine Mountain Sports 

2. Try something new together: rent fat bikes from Pine Mountain Sports and cruise around town in the snow!! We've seen more snow this winter than many years before so chances are good that there will still be snow on the ground next month. 

1. Romance on the Snow with Wanderlust Tours. You know we had to save the best for last. Join us for a romantic evening (offered three nights this year) on the snow. We'll snowshoe out to a bonfire in the snowy forest where you'll enjoy hot cocoa with spirits, a locally made dessert, champagne, and the glow of an amazing bonfire while sitting in hand-carved snow seats. It's every bit as amazing as it sounds. 

Photo by: Brad Bailey

Brew It Yourself at Immersion Brewing

If you're in Bend or if you've been watching the news, you know that we're currently under more snow than we've seen in years!! Of course we're loving it, but it also presents a few challenges like remaining unstuck in the roads, getting to work on time, and keeping your driveway shoveled.

So instead of a story about snow, this week we're sharing about Immersion Brewing's "Brew it Yourself" program. What better way to reward yourself for all the hard shoveling work than by making your own batch of Central Oregon beer?! 

Immersion offers 30 different recipes to choose from to get your batch started. You'll be accompanied by an experienced brewer to take you through the two-hour process. If you've had an interest in brewing your own beer, this is the perfect place to get started. You don't have get the supplies or do any of the clean-up -- just all the fun! If you just like tasting beer, this is perfect for you too! Find out exactly what ingredients make a beer that you love! 

Pricing ranges from $180-$220 depending on ingredients you use in your recipe and includes everything for up to 4 people. 

Three weeks later you'll come back to bottle your beer, let it chill, and put on your own custom labels. We recommend this as a Valentine's gift or date or snow day activity. 

And after your brew session, be sure to grab a bite to eat! They have an impressive menu where everything is as delicious as it sounds. 

More Valentine's Day ideas on the blog next week! Stay tuned. 

All Those Resolutions

Last week I heard someone say that they weren't making any resolutions this year and my ears perked up. I've always been the type to make resolutions and decrees and things I should be doing... I love to-do lists. I feel like they keep me on track. And resolutions for the new year are like one giant to-do list. So I was shocked when this person wasn't going to make any! Instead, they said that they are practicing "a daily discipline to be present."

Have you ever tried doing a flip in snowshoes?! Us either... but one guest tried it! Thankfully someone had their camera ready. 

It took me a second, but I think this is an idea I can get behind. It's hard because _____________ (we all have something), but I think it could be a life-changing practice and I'm definitely going to try it.

As you go back to school or back to work this week, I encourage you to strive to be present. For me this means I need to stop multi-tasking. I can't be spending time with family and checking emails at the same time. I can't go skiing while thinking about health insurance. One is sure to get ruined and I don't want that kind of life. 

Will you join me? Set aside time to enjoy, be present, and focus solely on the activity at hand. I think that we'll all be healthier and happier in the end. 

If you need help, we're always offering incredible nature tours. We'll stop and smell the pine trees, we'll pause in the silence, we'll listen to the crunching snow under our feet, and we'll savor each delicious taste of Pacific Northwest brewed beer. It's what we do. 

Happy 2017! We look forward to a very "present" year with you!