The Love Shack

The Love Shack is new cocktail bar in Portland’s vibrant Slabtown neighborhood — the second venture of chef and restaurateur Garrett Benedict, who opened the vegetable-focused restaurant G-Love in 2019. Located at 1645 NW 21st Ave and adjacent to G-Love, The Love Shack opened in February 2024.

The interior is designed to transport guests to warmer climes, with a glittering Venetian gold plaster back bar and a hanging, palm-covered palapa floating over four cozy booths.

Central to the experience at The Love Shack is the service style: Servers navigate the space with sleek black steel bar carts, custom-designed by Garrett. The bar carts accommodate plates of snacks and drinks and are integral to facilitating a continuous cocktail party atmosphere with passed drinks and food.

The bingo-style menu includes Croissant Banh Mi (marinated pork, pickled carrot, cucumber, cilantro, sambal aioli), Oysters + Champagne for two (oysters on the half-shell, mignonette, mini champagne bottle), and a Milk Bun Reuben (pastrami, sauerkraut, swiss, rye  spice) Larger plates are available as well, including Prime Rib a la Sparkles. The menu is a collaboration with Executive Chef Andrew Lee. Andrew, who shares a history of working with Garrett in San Francisco, and was part of the opening crew at G-Love, brings his Korean heritage and San Francisco culinary experience to the table.

More information:

Photos by Sundae Cereal.

THE VINTAGES TRAILER RESORT

The Vintages Trailer Resort offers premier Airstream glamping in Oregon's famed Willamette Valley. Nestled in wine country, the resort features 36 fully restored and custom fabricated trailers. Travelers will find comfortable and creative floorplans and luxury furnishings in each trailer, as well as a variety of unique features on the property. Outdoor grills and complimentary cruiser bikes accompany all stays, with large outdoor soaking tubs included with the larger trailers. A welcoming General Store stocked with local and artisanal goods and libations provides on-site provisions. The outdoor pool, reservable Club House, and Fireside area with comfy lounge seating are available to all overnight guests. Additionally, The Vintages’ Tasting Passport program connects guests with discounted wine tasting and bottle purchases at a collection of local wineries and tap rooms and is now included in all overnight stays.

Valley River Inn

Located along the Willamette River, the Valley River Inn has been a mainstay of the Eugene community for over 50 years.

Originally opened in 1973, Valley River Inn is an iconic property idyllically set alongside the calm Willamette River. It has long been considered a local treasure by the community and an artful respite by travelers and famous musicians alike—Elvis Presley is perhaps the hotel’s most famous guest.

Following a multi-million-dollar renovation, the property partially reopened to the public in August 2024.

Beyond the hotel’s grand lobby, with its modern lodge style architecture, the on-site restaurant, Sweet Waters on the River offers guests locally sourced Pacific Northwest fare with panoramic views of the Willamette River. The restaurant seats more than 230 guests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as brunch on the weekends. The property also features over 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event spaces, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a seasonal outdoor swimming pool.

Featuring some of the largest rooms in Eugene, the 259 fully renovated guest rooms at Valley River Inn offer guests a relaxing stay with all the luxuries of a modern upscale hotel. The guest rooms have a timeless color palette that is serene and earthy, a blend of warm and cool neutrals accented with touches of rust and green. The new signature carpet is a bold pattern inspired by the ripples of the Willamette River.

Furniture stylings are a purposeful mix of 1970s and modern lodge. The rooms feature robust yet sleek wood casegoods, including asymmetrical, rounded coffee tables and long desks equipped with USB plugs and modern desk lamps. The design seamlessly merges the rustic charm of a lodge with the sleek sophistication of modern amenities.

For more information, visit valleyriverinn.com and sweetwatersontheriver.com.

YAMHILL-CARLTON AVA

Yamhill-Carlton is a nesting AVA in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. This horseshoe-shaped winegrowing region is distinguished by its ancient sedimentary soils, creating wines of character with an unmistakable sense of place. Wineries in Yamhill-Carlton are predominantly family owned and operated, producing wines that emphasize quality over quantity. Named for the two hamlets of Yamhill and Carlton, the region has become a destination for wine lovers, collectors, and culinary travelers alike. With its picture-perfect patchwork of higher-elevation vineyards, Yamhill-Carlton produces some of the finest Pinot Noir in the world.