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Powell's Bookstore

Cities like Amsterdam and Leipzig may compete for the title, but Portland, Oregon, claims the prize itself: the City of Books.

Proudly anchoring the west end of the tony Pearl District, it has grown and flourished along with Portland: when Walter Powell opened his shop in 1971, this was Skid Row. Now this landmark is considered the biggest, best and greatest bookstore in the world.

Rain Dance Marketplace

I had 45 minutes to get the kids to a friend’s birthday party at one of those corporate pizza, arcade, bowling places, and we hadn’t bought a gift for the special birthday girl.

What I found, in my search for the appropriate gift, was a wonderful place to take a break, get a unique gift and pet a llama.

Rain Dance Marketplace started as an art fair on a farm outside of Newberg. The fair continued to grow, so the organizer, Celia Austin, decided to take it one step further and make a marketplace out of the show.

Red Ridge Farms

Take a deep breath.

That is Red Ridge Farm’s specialty.

We all know that travelling on vacation can be more work than, well, being at work at times. Connecting flights, rental cars, strange towns to navigate and depending on how busy your itinerary, travelling can create more stress than it relieves.

Rogue Creamery

Making the perfect cheese isn’t just about finding the right ingredients.

You have to have the perfect humidity levels, the proper setting, but most of all, you need time.

Since1935, cheese makers at the Rogue Creamery, along North Front Street in Central Point have been perfecting their skill – picking up world-wide awards for what many call the perfect blue cheese.

Salem Area's Recreational Secrets

Oregon's capital city, Salem, as well as the surrounding region of Marion and Polk County are extremely diverse. Salem is known for state government, unique historic museums, award-winning wineries and beautiful gardens. However, the region also boasts outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities that are a well kept secret.

Fun on the Water

City:

Tillamook Cheese Factory

If I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream, then there is a lot of screaming going on at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

While the entire nation is familiar with the award-winning Tillamook cheeses, here in the Pacific Northwest we have the added benefit of enjoying their more than 40 offerings of ice cream.

"Our ice cream is limited to the Pacific Northwest, so that's why we feature it in our visitor center," said Susan Palmer, director of retail operations at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

Valley Emporium

Speckled throughout any community are the antique and collectible shops that offer old-world treasures for people looking to honor the past.  Every now and then, however, you find a store like this one that is unique - not only in the products it offers, but in its approach.

This is Valley Emporium in Carlton.

This shop is the very epitome of cool, bringing together different wines, sweets and, yes, antiques to downtown Carlton.

Violet Rose

There are those people in your life who you just have a hard time buying gifts for.

To be honest, I am one of those people. If I really want something, I am the type of person to work and scrap and buy it for myself.

We all have them in our lives, the mother-in-law that baffles your Christmas shopping list, or the daughter whose tastes are just a mystery.

Well there is an answer, Violet Rose.

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