Today was Day 2 of my Oregon scouting visit! I’m finding the more time I spend in Eugene walking around and talking to people, the more comfortable I feel. Not only that, the second day of my scouting visit confirmed that Eugene has a whole bunch of stuff that we really love and have been missing horribly during our exile in Iowa!
On Day 2 of my scouting visit, I focused mostly on exploring the downtown area of Eugene. Here’s where I went and what I discovered:
Off the Waffle
Off the WaffleThis was an unassuming place with decent Belgian waffles, but I’m not sure how I felt about the odd selection of toppings. I guess I’m a traditionalist when it comes to waffles. I tried the strawberries and cream waffle, and the ratio of whipped cream to waffle was a healthy 3:1. Even though it was nothing to write home about, it was still better than any breakfast we’ve eaten in Iowa – which says a lot.
Amazon Park
This is a fairly large park and maybe parts of it are interesting, but the area I checked out was kind of non-descript. I’m pretty sure it was a dog park and, if so, it was a really nice dog park with a gorgeous view.
Owen Rose Garden
What can I say? I know I went here yesterday, but I really like this rose garden. It’s easy to get to and park, it’s not crowded, and it’s a nice peaceful place to film my daily Facebook Lives. Plus, not only does it have an impressive variety of roses, it also has the Oregon Heritage Cherry Tree. Featured at the top of this post, the historic cherry tree is nearly 170 years old!
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La Perla Pizzeria Napolitana
By the time I found a good parking lot and was ready to start my jaunt around downtown Eugene, the whipped cream-laden Belgian waffle had worn off. So, I stopped here to enjoy a delicious lunch on their covered outdoor patio while I people-watched (one of my favorite things to do). After lunch, I set off on foot to explore the types of places we know that we need to have where we live: yarn stores, comic book stores, and movie theaters.
Soft Horizons Fibre
Soft Horizons FibreThis yarn store is located a charming old house with a wraparound porch. Inside, it’s cozy and they have a wide selection of colors and textures. I really liked the feel of the place and the people there were friendly (like most people I’ve interacted with in Eugene). They offer knitting classes, which is good because I’m not as familiar with knitting as I am with weaving. However, I’d also like to get back into weaving. (I have a 45” floor loom that has been woefully neglected these past several years.)
Bijou Art Cinema
It’s a church! It’s an office building! No! It’s a movie theater! I went looking for this movie theater expecting to see the telltale marquee on the front. However, since the marquee is on the side, I walked right on past the theater without realizing it. But, hey, it’s an independent movie theater – and we LOVE cool old movie theaters!
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Nostalgia Collectibles
My husband is a huge classic comic book lover, so naturally I had to check out one of the downtown comic book stores while I was there. I didn’t get an overly warm vibe from the dudes who worked there. They also had an unfriendly policy of making customers ask to look at their back issues, which were stashed off-limits in a side room. When I told my husband this, he was not impressed. That’s okay, though, there are other comic book stores to explore!
Broadway Metro Theater
Broadway Metro TheaterWhat is it about old movie theaters in Oregon? They don’t look like the old movie theaters I’m used to seeing. Like the Bijou Art Cinema, I had a hell of a time trying to find the Broadway Metro Theater! I kept looking for a movie theater-like building and must have walked past the Broadway Metro at least twice before realizing what it was. But it has seven theaters and shows mostly independent movies, and that makes us very happy campers!
Eugene Textile Center
Some people drool over food; I drool over textiles – and the Eugene Textile Center did not disappoint! It’s located near the edge of the city in a very blah-looking building, but once you get inside… Holy mackerel, it totally blew my mind! They had every imaginable kind of yarn plus looms and all kinds of classes. The woman behind the counter told me that most weaving suppliers have gone online but that the Eugene Textile Center is THE bricks-and-mortar weaving supply place on the West Coast. I’m totally psyched about jumping back into weaving, both for the creative and social perks.
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Fun Finds
I love that Eugene has so many independent businesses. On my jaunt around Eugene today, I walked by an independent bookstore, a teeny tiny barber shop (replete with functioning barber poles!) and a record store. Pinch me! Eugene, where have you been all my life!?!
Day #3 Field Notes Coming Tomorrow!
What’s next? Check back tomorrow and get the run-down on Day 3 of my Eugene scouting visit here at the Good Life Move blog. You’ll also get real-time tips and ideas to help you track down your happy place when you follow me on Facebook.
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