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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 22, 2004)
BY BOBBIE WILLIS Food Revolution Eco-friendly eating, baking for democracy, celebrating Earth Day. I n honor of Earth Day, I hit EW’s 2003 eco- friendliest eatery, Morning Glory Café , located where Willamette Street dead ends near 4th Avenue at the train station. Morning Glory has been under new ownership of former Keystoner Gail Brown since January. According to one staff person, “We couldn’t be happier. It’s just been great.” You enter the café through a large foyer that opens onto a dining area that probably seats 40 or more people. Like many places combating Eugene’s rainy gray season, Morning Glory uses good lighting and sunny yellow paint in the room — both jive nicely with the blond wood floors. Tables are covered with cool mosaic tile work, and right now there are dramatic paintings of female figures and faces displayed on the walls. The hippie vibe here is tempered with a hip vibe: Stylish staff are decked out in easy but sophisticated street clothes that hint at uniformity — variations of mostly black and some little flash of contrasting color. Sophistication, however, is kept down to earth with real friendliness — the man taking orders this afternoon refers to cus- tomers by name, jokes conspiratorially, is atten- tive without being overbearing. Because it’s cold, rainy and blustery outside, I go for heartiness: a Toasty Cheese, Tomato, Mushroom and Pesto Sandwich on toasted whole wheat bread ($8.50, comes with salad); a cup of the day’s soup — Carrot Cilantro ($1.50); and a soy hot cocoa ($2.50). The sandwich is hearty, but it also has a delicate combination of flavors: sweet tomatoes, mild mozzarella, the nuttiness of the pesto and sauteed mushrooms — a fantastic combination. I expect the carrot soup to be sweet, but instead it has a light, tart spici- ness to it — not burn-your-throat spicy, but sub- tler — a heat that stays right in the top of your mouth and disappears quickly. Soy hot cocoa — what can I say? It was the perfect way to com- plete a surprisingly sophisticated comfort meal. An hour at Morning Glory will cure your blustery day blues and makes a great way cele- brate an eco-friendly Earth Day. 450 Willamette St. 687-0709. 7:30 am-3:30 pm daily. Wheelchair accessible. $-$$. Leftovers: American Pie Last weekend, you may have noticed bake sales at busy intersections, signs boasting “Bake Sale for Democracy.” These locals were part of the nationwide “Bake Back the White House” effort coordinated by moveon.org. Moveon reported five bake sales in Eugene, including one at 29th Avenue and Lincoln Street. According to an April 19 moveon update, the nationwide event included more than 1,100 bake sales that succeeded in raising, at last tally, $750,000 and climbing. Jen Thoeness, organizer for the 29th and Lincoln sale, says, “It had to come together quick- ly, since moveon.org put the word out on Monday [April 12]. But the response was great.” Thoeness says volunteer Holly Knight was able to get the group some Friday afternoon air time on KLCC, where they talked about the event and solicited baked goods to sell. “By Saturday morning,” says Thoeness, “we had such a turnout of random peo- ple — including a couple all the way from Vida — dropping off baked goods.” The 29th and Lincoln sale sold close to 400 items, raising $780 — high- er than the $700 average for bake sales nation- wide. Charles Wright, who originally suggested the 29th and Lincoln sale, says, “I’ve been con- cerned about what’s happening in the govern- ment, and I’ve felt powerless. I’ve never done anything political before, but when I heard about this, I thought, ‘I could do a bake sale. It sounds kind of fun. Let’s do it.’” Moveon.org organized this event in response to the discovery that “over $95 million of [Bush’s] money has come in the form of bundles of $2,000 checks from high-rolling CEOs and lobbyists.” Money raised from the bake sales will go to moveon.org’s Political Action Campaign in sup- port of democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry, as well as to supporting democrats in key congressional races. Happy Earth Day • The Oregon League of Conservation Voters’ weeklong “Eat for the Earth” event culminates today (April 22) with several local restaurants — Holy Cow Café, Koho Bistro, Planet Goloka, Sam Bond’s Garage, Anatolia, Bagel Sphere, City View Deli, Red Agave and Studio One Café — pledging a contribution to OLCV. To find out when you can eat for the earth, call one of these restaurants today. • “Invite Mother Earth to Dinner,” organized by www.earthdinner.org, hopes to build a food tra- dition around Earth Day to rival that of Thanksgiving. The site invites visitors to “cele- brate organic, sustainable, and locally grown food with friends and family in a new holiday tradition — Earth Dinner!” ew THURS., APRIL 29 CUSTOMER ONLY WET T-SHIRT CONTEST WITH CASH PRIZES ALSO OIL WRESTLING SAME NIGHT COME CHEER ON THE LADIES OF THE HOT BODY CLUB! $3.00 Lunch Special 12-2pm • $4.00 Dinner Special 5-9pm 2165 W. 11TH AVENUE ❤ EUGENE ❤ 683-6021 Monday - Friday 12-2 Saturday & Sunday 2-2 www.hotbody.com APRIL 22, 2004 31
