By this time, we were in Paris and got to experience the madness that is Bastille day at the Eiffel Tower…

“We headed to the Eiffel Tower and it was much too late to stake out a great spot so we ended up waaaaay back, but I think any spot was still a good view! We used our street maps as seats and waited for the show. I must say that fireworks at the Eiffel Tower were better than any Independence Day celebration I have ever seen! They play classical music during the fireworks. It most certainly beat our cheesy rock montages for the 4th. After the fireworks we swam through the masses to the metro and headed “home.” *sigh* I love Paris.”
–my thoughts on Paris, circa 2006

What sacrilege! Oh well, you be the judge… here’s a video of the fireworks and music on Bastille Day at the Eiffel Tower:

Do the French really do it better? Happy 4th of July! I <3 America!  :)

What - you ask - is a frugal bon vivant?
Frugal fru·gal \?frü-g?l\ adjective :  economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful (synonyms: thrifty)

Bon Vivant bon vi·vant \?bän-v?-?vänt\ noun :  a person who lives luxuriously and enjoys good food and drink. (synonyms: epicurean, foodie, libertine, connoisseur)

The best things in life might not always be free, but they can usually be gotten at a bargain. The Frugal Bon Vivant serves up deals, promo codes, how-tos, and tips on enjoying the good life on a budget. Frugal living since 1981.

There’s my “elevator pitch” so head on over to the Frugal-BonVivant.com and check it out! I’ve scoured the web for deals, so you don’t have to. I’ll be doing a giveaway next week, but shhhh! you didn’t hear it from me. ;)

A few hot deals:

• Buy One, Get One Free at Jamba Juice - expires July 12
  
• FREE 12oz Drink at The Coffee Bean - July 1
• FREE Quart of Paint from Glidden (seriously, go pick your color!)
• Fly to Canada - Buy One Get One Free

Six weeks into container gardening, I’m having a brilliant time! It’s so fun to go outside and pick veggies to add to dinner. And I’ve finally updated my “Watching My Garden Grow” container garden slideshow. Check it out:

#57 on my 101 Things in 1,001 Days List was to read all of Seth Godin’s books. I was already about halfway done, when I added this to my list, but then he just kept on writing books! Give a girl a break, and let me catch up! ;) If you’re unfamiliar with Godin, he’s a best-selling marketing and business author who writes “bite size” marketing books and a blog.

My favorite book of the 12 is Small Is the New Big: and 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas. I like how this book is divided into alphabetized one page blurbs. While not all 183 are “remarkable” ideas, it’s a great way to bring you out of the details of getting things done on a day-to-day basis. It adds a little caffeine to your marketing day. This book is better listened to than read. I really enjoy listening to an audio book that’s narrated by the author, because it’s much more personal and you feel like you’re getting the right tone/inflections.

I just finished his last book, Tribes — We Need You to Lead Us.  As usual, it was a quick read and resonated with me in a Gandhi sort of way, “be the change you want to see in the world”.  This book isn’t on how to be a better leader, just about deciding to lead. I think my favorite thing was going to read the review on Amazon and finding this in the Editorial Review section:

“The advice found in this book should be used with caution. Change isn’t made by asking permission, Godin says. Change is made by asking forgiveness, later. That may be true, but in this economy and in certain corporations, it may also be a good way to lose a job.” –Publishers Weekly

Hilarious! Seth Godin, are you laughing?

My only critique with Godin’s writing is that he’s often too quick to dismiss stable and “boring” businesses. There’s a time and place for unconventional (that’s why it’s not called “conventional”). For example, I don’t want my toilet paper to be hip and clever– it’s just toilet paper. And it doesn’t matter how “outside the box” your company is if you’re still unprofitable. I am a huge fan of his books though, I just like to take everything with a grain of salt.  :)

• Do your traveling during daylight hours. Arriving into town on a train at midnight isn’t the safest bet.
• Treat solo travel as you would your own city. I wouldn’t walk around parts of Portland at night, so why would I abroad?
• Don’t dress like a hooker. OK, maybe more useful to say dress appropriately for the region you’re in. Modesty goes a long way.
• Know where you’re hotel is on a map, before you even arrive at the airport. You’ll know if the the taxi is leading you astray.
• Keep a hotel/hostel business card with you at all times.
• Master the “Don’t Mess With Me” walk, at some point you’ll need it.
• When looking for hostels online (HostelWorld.com etc), sort by location. Location is a huge deal when traveling solo. Example: my hostel in Madrid was on a pedestrian street, and I could go out at night alone. In Barcelona, it was down by the port, so I made sure to not be solo after dark.
• Use your “sixth sense” to differentiate between danger and simple curiosity. Many cultures are just curious as to why you’re alone, or why you have blond hair, or why you have blond arm hairs. :)
• Do small group tours for countries you want to experience without the hassle (like Morocco and Turkey).

Ladies, what are your tips for solo travel?

I spotted an arugula pasta salad recipe in the June issue of Everyday Food magazine, and I thought it would be a great chance to try arugula a little differently: gemelli pasta, cannellini beans, fresh goat cheese, olive oil, red-wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, arugula, and red onion. Here’s the full recipe at Everyday Food.

What are you cooking with arugula?

Central Oregon has always been a popular place for Portlanders to escape the drizzles of the Willamette Valley. Bend boasts 300 days of sunshine per year and while Californians have been flocking to Bend for several decades, the last five years has seen explosive growth. The upside was much needed retail development (Trader Joes, Old Mill district shopping, REI etc) and fantastic eateries to compliment Central Oregon’s already amazing outdoor pursuits. The downside is unfinished, vacant vacation home subdivisions and nation-leading unemployment rates. So help Bend out and throw them some tourism dollars!

Friday

6 p.m.
1) Downtown - On Foot
Start off your weekend by checking out downtown Bend, on foot. Visit Bend, has a list of historic walking tour highlights, including the Reid School - the first modern schoolhouse in Bend, and GP Putnam House - first publisher of the Bend Bulletin, a Bend mayor, and husband of Amelia Earhart. If galleries and shopping are more your style, check out the numerous art galleries. Drake Park is also a great place to relax and watch the locals, or try playing a game called “Spot the California transplants” ;)

8:30 p.m.
2) Not Your Typical Dinner & A Movie
One of McMenamins’ newest renovations, Old St. Francis School (700 NW Bond Street; 1-877-661-4228), is a one-stop shop for catching a $3 movie, pizza and McMenamins handcrafted ales. It’s one of the smallest McMenamin’s theater pubs though, so make sure to get there early. Right in downtown Bend, it’s also a convenient and kitschy place to stay. Even if you’re not spending the night (from $114), check out the Turkish style soaking pool before you leave.

Saturday

9 a.m.
3) Breakfast Time!
In paradise, the weekends aren’t for wasting, but you’ll need to fuel up for your action-packed day.  Head to Alpenglow Cafe (1133 NW Wall St #100; 541-383-767), one of Bend’s longer term residents. Alpenglow is known for using local food, (and their stellar pancakes). They even offer a $1,000 reward if you can find a can opener on-site.

10:30 a.m.
4) Hiking, Kayaking, Rafting
You really can’t go wrong in choosing an outdoor activity in Central Oregon. For an easy one mile loop, check out Sparks Lake, 25 miles west of Bend. For a longer hike, try the Deschutes River Trail, that connects downtown to Benham Falls & Dillon Falls. For the more adventurous, go white water rafting on the Deschutes. The Inn of the Seventh Mountain operates 2-hour trips that leave five times a day ($42). They also have a kayak tour along the Upper Deschutes river, pulling out just above Dillon Falls ($35).

4 p.m.
5) Brewery Hopping
Start out with a free brewery tour at Deschutes Brewery (901 SW Simpson Avenue; 541-385-8606), across from the Old Mill District. Tours start on the hour and 4pm is the last tour of the day.  Take your time sampling, and then head north to Bend Brewing Company (1019 NW Brooks St; 541-383-1599), near Drake Park. Overlooking Mirror Pond, the restaurant has fabulous burgers and beer (obviously).

8 p.m.
6) Stargazing
Depending on how much fun you had brewery hopping, and if you’re not “outdoorsy-ed out”, check out the Starlight Canoe and Kayak tours ($65) on High Cascade lake.  If you’re less-inclined to be checking out real nightlife from a canoe, head downtown to a few new wine bars or Bend Distillery (850 NW Brooks Street; 541-318-0200).

Sunday

10 a.m.
7) Coffee Beans
A newer Bend establishment, Strictly Organic Coffee (6 SW Bond Street; 541-330-6061) has outdoor seating, free wifi and a modest, but economic breakfast menu. Want something more filling? Check out Chow (1100 NW Newport Ave; 541-728-0256) on the west side. Another newcomer to the Bend breakfast scene, it’s a little spendier, but rumored to be mighty good.

1 p.m.
8) Sun, Sounds & Suds
Head down to the Old Mill District to check out the Les Schwab Ampitheater.  You’ll find free live music most Sundays during the summer, thanks to the Wells Fargo Summer Concerts series. Bring a blanket and your choice of Bend brews. Or if you have shopping on your mind, cross the footbridge over the river and listen to the music while you peruse the Old Mill Shops.

The Basics

The Bend/Redmond airport is a 45 minute flight from Portland, OR on United, Alaska, Delta, etc. or a three hour drive from Portland, depending on weekend traffic. If you fly in, a rental car is suggested, as central Oregon lacks a mass transit system, and outdoor options are fairly spread out.

The Inn of the Seventh Mountain (18575 SW Century Drive, 541-382-8711) is good choice if you’re traveling with family or in a group. Right on the Deschutes River, The Inn is between Bend and Mount Bachelor.

Another recent favorite among Bend travelers, McMenamins Old St. Francis School (700 NW Bond Street 1-877-661-4228), is a perfect central location in downtown Bend.

Check out Visit Bend for tourist information and watch their Twitter feed @TwisitBend for deals and upcoming events. @HackBend is also a good Twitter resource for local info.

Guidebooks: The only Oregon guidebook that I’ve seen that does justice to Central Oregon is Frommer’s Oregon.

What’s your favorite thing about Bend?

So here are a few things I’m jumping up and down about this week:

• Winning a trip to Chicago for the BlogHer ‘09 Conference. Not only did I get a ticket to the conference, but my $702 Visa gift card came in the mail last week. Now I just need to buy my flight and hotel! I love winning stuff!
• My garden was featured on Apartment Therapy’s Green Home Re-Nest site: My Great Outdoors: Olivia’s Handbuilt Container Garden
• My garden was featured again on Apartment Therapy for The Soybean’s How-To post on ikeahacking tomato ladders.
• I won a Sansa slotRadio MP3 player from Matador Travel.
• I also won concert tickets to Kate Voegele last week from PDX Pipeline.
• I snagged a free gardening book from Gardener to Farmer.
• Vote for my blog in the Blogluxe Best Eye Candy Blog awards!

Now, since I’m currently unemployed (and homeless), I’m having a hard time finding things to add to my wishlist (for my birthday), since I don’t need a lot of “stuff” to carry around. Here’s what I have so far:

• L’Occitane Verbena Eau de Toilette - I finally ran out of the original.
  
• Moleskine Cahier Pocket Notebook - the blue/red covers are more expensive than the regular Kraft covers that I usually get, but they’re oh so cute.
• Massage at McMenamin’s Edgefield Ruby’s Spa - I’ve been golfing at Edgefield, but now I’m being lured there by lovely reports of the new soaking pool!

Any gift ideas for the unemployed and homeless? Do share! This self-promoting, bragging list is now officially over.

Radish Avocado Salsa

• 1 avocado
• 6 large radishes
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeno chile
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions
1. Half, pit, and peel the avocado, cutting into 1/2″ cubes. Trim the ends of the radishes, half, and thinly slice.

2. In a medium bowl,  stir together avocado, radishes, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and oil; season with salt. Serve over black bean tacos.

Thinly sliced radishes are a really interesting twist to this recipe, and they look amazing with the avocado.

What’s your favorite radish recipe?

This week, I wrote about my travels through Bulgaria last fall.  I loved Bulgaria for the amazing history and gorgeous outdoors. Sofia was a surprisingly interesting capital city and I loved being able to get outside and hike in Bansko. If I visit Bulgaria again, I would love to go in winter and see Sofia, the Rila Mountains and Monastery and Bansko.

7 Days in Bulgaria:

• Bucharest, Romania to Veliko Tarnovo - Deciphering Cyrillic in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
• Sofia - Bulgaria Wishes We All Could Be California Girls
• Rila Mountains - Rila Mountain Monastery
• Bansko - Hiking and Bear Spotting in Bulgaria
• Plovdiv - Coffee & Cigarettes
• Plovdiv to Istanbul, Turkey - Overnight on the Orient Express to Istanbul

If Bulgaria is on your list of places to visit, try finding a cheap flight to Paris or London and then take a local carrier (BulgariaAir) into Sofia, (easyJet now flies to Sofia too), or go overland by train. 

Next up, Turkish delights!