BEST OF EUGENE 2004
voted said it was the best. It’s a democratic
process. More people than not said we did.
What is the oldest item in your wardrobe? I
inherited my grandfather’s Marines shirt
from WWII. I used to wear it but now I’m
afraid that something will happen to it.
BEST DRAMATIC THEATER:
LORD LEEBRICK
2nd: Very Little Theater
3rd: Actors Cabaret
When EW told Director Craig Willis that
Lord Leebrick won (for the seventh year
running) he gave a sigh of relief. He took
over as director in July of 2003 and said,
“Since we’d won it so many years in a row,
when I took over I felt this tremendous
pressure. So I feel somewhat relieved.
Excited, but also relieved.” Do you think
you really deserve to win? Yes, definitely.
The artists who work at Lord Leebrick are
fully committed to engaging the audience at
each and every performance. And the inti-
macy of the space makes that interaction
even more electric. What’s the oldest thing
in your closet? There is this book I made in
third grade for my mother that told my life
story. It’s on that faded yellow construction
paper with that newsprint-lined paper with
my scrawling handwriting describing
where I was born, my family and other
things like that. Someday I hope to finish it.
with families. Screaming kids, lounging
parents, sound like paradise? It is –– at
least, that’s what you all say. So next time
the sun is ready to shine, you know where
to find the fun.
paper. Actually last spring I came upon a
couple, and how should I say this … They
were definitely having a good time. Did they
invite you to join them? Oh no, the woman
never even saw me. They had chosen a quiet
corner in our world history section where
they assumed nobody ever came.
cretion, you can wear a mask. If you don’t,
you can walk around in your birthday suit.
The fair is what you make of it, be it glittery
make-up or unabashed make-outs.
BEST PARK: ALTON BAKER
BEST PUBLIC BATHROOM: EUGENE
PUBLIC LIBRARY
2nd: Hendricks Park
3rd: Amazon Park
The first time I saw Alton Baker Park I
floated there, as in floated up to the bank of
the park in a kayak. It was a gorgeous,
sunny day. People were playing Frisbee
with their dogs, tag with their kids and
sprawled out on picnic blankets reading
good books. I instantly loved it and so it
was no surprise to me that when all the bal-
lots were counted, it was number one.
Created in 1959 it sits on top of what was
once an old quarry turned landfill. Now the
400-acre park, named after one of the R-G’s
2nd: The Hult Center
3rd: The Hilton
Opened in December of 2002 and costing
around $25 million, the Eugene Public
Library is now known for more than the
wide selection of books it offers. Perhaps
its central location rocketed its restrooms
to the heights of “Best in Eugene”
because squatting in a stall at the library
seems to be no different than anywhere
else. It hasn’t had much time to accrue a
montage of graffiti wisdom on the walls,
and it is rather clean and well lit. On my
first visit to this now-famous bathroom, I
BEST LOCAL FARM: LONE PINE
2nd: Sweet Leaf Farm
3rd: Hay Bayles
EW talked to Lori Jensen, one of the owners:
Why does the Lone Pine deserve to win?
We appreciate the honor of being named
the best of Eugene. The Lone Pine team
strives to give five-star quality service and
produce as well as a flare of “agri-tain-
ment.” Our goal is to offer a family farm
experience on a working farm to allow this
generation to experience what we were
able to experience as kids. If you were an
animal or a vegetable, which one would
you be and why? I would be a Lone Pine
goat because they are the best taken care
of goats I’ve ever seen. And the kids spoil
them rotten.
BEST LOCAL CLOTHING SHOP:
SWEET POTATO PIE
2nd: Zona
3rd: Buffalo Exchange
EW talked to Elizabeth, the owner:
Do you think you deserve to win? Yes,
because I think we really represent
Eugene. We have a little bit to offer every-
one, from hemp to organic products. What
is the oldest item in your wardrobe? Oh
God, you don’t want to know! I still have
a dress that I made when I was in high
school. I was 19, and I made the dress out
of fabric that matched the curtains on my
VW bus!
BEST POLITICALLY CHARGED HANG-
OUT: COZMIC PIZZA/THE STRAND
2nd: Growers Market
3rd: Saturday Market
EW talked to Jules, the booking agent:
Cozmic Pizza isn’t just a great place to eat
organic pizza, it’s rife with progressive
political events. All four presidential and
vice presidential debates will be aired on
Cozmic’s movie-sized screen at The Strand.
Cozmic also hosted viewings of politico
films like There’s Something About W and
Uncovered: The Truth About the Iraq War.
A theater troupe performed the political
satire piece “The Wizard of All,” local can-
didate Floyd Prozanski held a benefit, and
fair trade advocates demonstrated sweat
shop-free products at The Strand. The
venue’s next big political event is “Bands
Against Bush” Oct. 23.
BEST SECONDHAND STORE:
BUFFALO EXCHANGE
2nd: Goodwill
3rd. St. Vincent De Paul
Buffalo Exchange at 131 E 5th Ave. pro-
vides the perfect fix for used-clothes
junkies (you know who you are). “It’s like
one stop shopping,” says manager Mary
Kolego. “You can get mall brands and vin-
tage one-of-a-kinds here. We do our best to
provide excellent merchandise.”
BEST COMMUNITY GARDEN:
AMAZON GARDEN
BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT WITH
THE KIDS: AMAZON POOL
2nd: Alton Baker Park
Is there anything better than a slide into
water to occupy the kids for endless hours?
On the very rare occasion that the sun
comes out in Eugene, this place is packed
BEST POLITICAL COUP: KITTY PIERCY
The babes of
Buffalo
Exchange
BEST SECOND-
HAND STORE
founders, is Eugene’s largest developed
park, a much better use for the space. It has
spots for fishing, picnicking, a garden and
even an off-leash dog area. Two resident
peacocks roam the grounds as well.
BEST PLACE FOR PUBLIC TRYST-
ING: OREGON COUNTRY FAIR
2nd: Saturday Market
3rd: Skinner Butte
Some people go to the Oregon Country Fair
for the music; some go for the local crafts
and food. But let’s be honest: a lot of folks
go to the OCF for booty. It takes place mid-
summer, when the sun is blazing and hor-
mones are raging. Throngs of thongs and
angel wings flit through the sweaty crowds.
Girls wearing flower garlands dance around
scantily clad boys on stilts. If you like dis-
TODD COOPER
2nd: Rose Garden
3rd: Alton Baker Park Garden
EW talked to Alice Aikens, volunteer manager:
Why do you think that the Amazon Garden
deserves to win? One only has to look at the
garden. We have wonderful gardeners.
There are people who come back every
year to grow vegetables for family and
friends. There is a plot where a few of us
just grow vegetables for Food for Lane
County. It is very much of a community
garden. If you were an animal or vegetable,
what would you be and why? A kabocha —
it’s a Japanese pumpkin. It is a very healthy
and you can eat it as a vegetable or turn it
into a dessert. It is very versatile vegetable
that most people have never heard of.
expected a mosaic of colorful tile work or
a personal bathroom attendant or some-
thing. All I got was pale gray tiles from
floor to ceiling and the option between
paper towels or air hand-dryer. Stop by
and see for yourself.
BEST THINGS
BEST BOOKSTORE:
SMITH FAMILY BOOKS
2nd: Borders
2nd: Tsunami
EW talked to Evon, an employee:
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve
ever come upon in the stacks? I’m not going
to answer that truthfully, ‘cause it will only
play into the criticism you always get in the
(See Best of the Best p. 16)
2nd: “Run Jim Run”
3rd: Andrea Ortiz
BEST CONCERT OF THE YEAR:
THE PIXIES
2nd: Bach Festival
3rd: NOFX
It’s true, I’m biased. The Pixies a favorite
band and yes, I voted for them. But you,
dear readers, joined me, which just goes to
show that Eugeneans have excellent taste
in music. Rarely does a band put on a kick-
ass show that totally brings down the
house when they get together for a reunion
almost a decade after their break-up. Sure
there were a few rough moments but we
were so incredibly amped to see the ’80s
indie darlings and honored that they would
grace our fair city with their legendary
presence that we barely noticed. What we
did notice was the fact that both Frank
Black and Kim Deal can still sing and
pulled off all the classics we love with a
modern twist. Rock on.
OCTOBER 21, 2004 21