I recently journeyed to Eugene, Oregon and while I was there, of course I wanted to check out the vegan scene. The purpose of my trip was to actually see my favorite musician perform (his name is Emancipator, you should check him out) but making a whole weekend getaway of it sounded like a great idea.
I had heard mixed things about the presence of vegan food and plant-based living in Eugene, but I’ve learned that it’s best to investigate yourself when it comes to looking for vegan options, as most people assume that a place may not be very vegan-friendly, but usually you can find good options in even the most unlikely of places.
Since I have been traveling so much recently, I’ve begun staying in hostels, which I’ve really enjoyed. Admittedly, my hostel in Eugene is only the second one I’ve stayed in after my Vancouver, Canada trip in May, but we’re 2 for 2 with good experiences. The Eugene Lodge and International Hostel is whimsical, unpretentious and almost tucked away into the quiet Whiteaker neighborhood of Eugene, just northwest of downtown. Upon arriving, I lugged my suitcase into the front door and down the hall to the front desk. I gave my information to the girl behind the counter to check in, and she provided me with my key, the front door code, and other necessary information about the hostel. She informed me that there is a complimentary breakfast every morning from 7:00am to 11:00am. The last hostel I stayed in didn’t offer this, so what a bonus! I had heard of some vegan-friendly breakfast spots around town that I wanted to check out, but complimentary breakfast is always a nice option, and that no doubt meant free coffee, too.
I asked her if their breakfasts included any vegan options; she thought for just a second, and responded in the most matter-of-fact way, “yeah, I’m vegan too, and I eat breakfast here.” She didn’t offer any examples of the vegan-friendly options, but I’m not picky and vegan options in general sound good to me. Her nonchalant reaction to us both being vegan was my first clue that veganism may not be as rare around here as I may have thought, which excited me even more.
After offloading my belongings in the 4-person room (that I would learn later I’m sharing with 3 men) I decided to venture downtown. I mapped it out and it was about a 25 minute walk to downtown, but it was very hot, possibly in the 90’s, and I didn’t know the areas I would be walking through. So I figured I would start walking in the direction of downtown, as I mentioned, the hostel was located in a quiet neighborhood, plenty of unique houses to look at and full, green trees, kind of reminded me of the town my parents grew up in in Ohio. When I got too hot, tired, or stumbled into an area that didn’t seem walkable or the safest to be walking in, I would call an Uber. I like doing this, start walking before I call an Uber, especially when traveling because I get to explore the area I’m in, get some exercise and sunshine, be alone with myself for a little bit, and I’m also saving a few dollars on transportation.
Eugene Lodge and International Hostel
I enjoyed my walk through the neighborhood, saw the evergreen trees I missed so much, made mental notes of some bars and cafes I may want to hit later in my trip, and before I knew it, I was downtown. I should also mention I walked past Acorn Community Cafe right when they opened at 5:00pm, which is where I was planning on having dinner, but I wasn’t hungry yet and also wanted to wait until it was at least a little busy to pop in.
Once downtown, I began looking for a lively, cozy spot to have a beer. I don’t know what it is about Eugene, but I drank a lot of beer while I was here. Maybe it’s the overall laidback, summery, camping-music-festival vibes of the city and the type of show I was there to attend. Maybe it’s that seemingly 80% of the population of Eugene is middle-aged to elderly fathers and grandpas who spend most of their time in the woods, the rest of the time drinking beer at their favorite bar, and love small talk with women who remind them of their daughters. Or maybe it’s that PBRs are $2.50 and there isn’t much else to do in Eugene, hardly even a museum to visit (sorry, I’m being honest!). Also there’s a bar on every corner, so there’s that.
I carefully decided which bar I wanted to go to, I’m stupidly indecisive about these things sometimes. But have you ever walked into a random bar, paid for your own drink (gasp!) and sat down just to immediately realize this is not the atmosphere you’re going for? I hate making that mistake. So after passing several bars (there are a lot in downtown Eugene) I saw a Jameson’s and made a beeline for it. We have a few Jameson’s in LA (no connection to this one though) and I had a great night at the Santa Monica Jameson’s with a girlfriend of mine recently. Plus, when I was in Vancouver I met an Irishman who took me on a date to a few different bars around town, and naturally, he loved the Irish bars and showed me a wonderful time at them. So the Jameson’s staring at me from across the street in downtown Eugene seemed like a sign.
I went inside to an almost completely empty bar. Granted, it’s about 5:30pm on a Thursday, a million degrees outside, and Eugene being a college town, it’s summer. Whatever, I’m on vacation. I’m blessed to be drinking a beer in a random city at 5:30 on a Thursday, even if I’m doing it alone. I do like having my “me” time, but something I really love on vacation is connecting with complete strangers; either making small talk, or more likely, swapping life stories. You’re much more likely to get to the nitty-gritty with people when you assume you’ll never see them again, there’s something really beautiful about it.
Thankfully, something you can almost always count on in an empty bar is a cool bartender to talk to. My bartender was kind, friendly, clearly happy to be there. I was going to order a Corona, they were five-something. So I asked how much a PBR was and she said $2.50. Sold.
I had two PBRs, then walked around downtown a bit longer with a slight buzz until I decided to venture back to Acorn for dinner.
Jameson’s Bar, downtown Eugene
Acorn Community Cafe
Acorn Community Cafe was one of the restaurants I was recommended the most when sharing that I would be visiting Eugene. It’s fully vegan, open for brunch 5 days a week and open for dinner on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. They don’t accept tips (I’m sure their workers are fairly paid to make up for their tipless process) and instead, they have a system in place for customers to “pay forward” any dollar amount toward another guest’s meal. Furthermore, if someone walks in their restaurant and says that they need to eat but they cannot afford a meal, they are fed, no questions asked. I’d never heard of this before, but I love it. This is the kind of community I was hoping to find in Eugene.
I was seated at a table on their patio and given a menu to look over. I did something here that I don’t typically do, I arrived without studying the menu online first and having at least an idea of what I want. I like to ask for recommendations from my server when I go out to eat at a new place, but usually I have at least some idea of what I’m interested in trying.
So I did ask for recommendations, and they suggested the Pasta alla Vodka, twice. I was also told that the Vegetables Verde and Summer Hash are both great, and those did seem more up my alley; bright bowls with lots of vegetables, but I didn’t mention that to them because I didn’t want to taint their recommendation of the best dish to try for my first time at Acorn. The pasta seemed like the number one choice here, so that’s what I decided on. It’s a rigatoni in vodka red sauce with grilled eggplant, fresh oregano and chili flakes, and you can add foraged mushrooms or fresh focaccia bread for $3.00 each. I asked about the mushrooms and was told they’re a great option with the pasta (of course they are, mushrooms and pasta go together like peanut butter and jelly) and so I got those on top as well. That fresh focaccia was lingering in my mind though, and when I saw my server walk by again a moment later, I flagged them down to add the bread to my order. $3 for mushrooms and another $3 for focaccia at first seemed a little steep to me, however, the pasta entree itself was only $14. The food came out rather quickly, and compared to my LA prices, $20 for a full bowl of gourmet pasta, added mushrooms and what looked like three servings of fresh focaccia suddenly seemed like a pretty good deal.
Acorn Community Café
I was hungry, a little drunk, and tired, so I started right in on the pasta. When I tell you this is the best pasta I’ve ever had… no other pasta sticks out in my mind as coming close to it. I’m sure the mushrooms helped make it, but the sauce and the way it’s infused into the pasta was something I did not expect. To me, oftentimes with pasta dishes, you have the pasta, then the sauce, but the two are rarely ever properly melded together. It’s more like eating plain pasta that happens to have sauce on top. This was not the case here. The focaccia bread was a great addition, and even after getting pictures of my meal everything was still warm and fresh.
As I enjoyed my dinner I people-watched around the patio a bit; a large group sang happy birthday to one of their friends at their table and they were all clearly having a wonderful time. I was given my check once I was done and kindly informed that I could pay at the counter inside whenever I’m ready. Once I went to pay at the counter, I was given the run-down on their tipless system and told that I could pay-it-forward any amount I would like if I so chose. I wasn’t sure what exactly to pay, but I knew I wanted to pay something of course. I figured the usual 20% would work, so I gave an extra $5 that went towards the cost of someone else’s meal. I left thinking about this system and how I slightly regretted only visiting for the weekend, as I would love to support an establishment like this regularly.
Eugene Lodge and International Hostel
I woke up at the hostel on Friday morning, the day of the show I was in town to attend. After getting just presentable enough, I headed down to the common areas of the hostel for coffee and that complimentary breakfast before the 11:00am cutoff. I discovered a spread of oatmeal, bananas, whole grain bread, raisins, peanut butter, nutella, honey, cinnamon and cacao powder. I personally love a good oatmeal breakfast, especially before a full day of adventuring, which is exactly what I planned on doing.
In fact, on hiking days in LA, my breakfast of choice is oatmeal because it provides me an insane amount of sustained energy compared to any other kind of food. I asked about the bread on the counter and was told that the rest of the loaf, along with the bag, was in the cupboard underneath the counter. I checked the ingredients, and that was vegan, too! It seemed everything here was actually vegan except for the Nutella and honey. I mixed some oatmeal and water in a bowl and microwaved it for a couple of minutes, and while that was going, I poured myself a cup of black coffee and toasted a piece of bread. Once my oatmeal was done, I added raisins, a lot of cinnamon and a spoonful of peanut butter and took everything to the round dining table in the next room over where some of the other guests were eating. The room had a couple of couches directly across from the round table and a large TV where the Olympics were playing. I joined in on conversations with the others for nearly two hours, talking about the Olympics, then where we’re from, the purpose of all of our travels and our experiences so far, and even delving into our backgrounds and various relationships; families, friendships, romantic, after some time. There’s something about traveling that makes being vulnerable so much easier.
Breakfast at Eugene Lodge and International Hostel
Eventually, I headed back up to my room to get ready for my day. Once I was ready to go, I called an Uber to take me to the 5th Street Public Market. I had seen a lot about it when looking into things to do in Eugene, and it seemed like a hip, entertaining area of shopping and dining that I wanted to at least check out for a bit.
My Uber driver was an older man who said he had been living in Eugene since the 70’s. His daughter had moved here, so he followed her to stay close to her and his grandchildren. They eventually moved a couple of hours away but he decided to stay in Eugene because he loved it so much. I asked him about the mountain range bordering the city to our left, and he said that it was Skinner’s Butte. I’d heard of this when looking up Eugene in the past; (I almost moved to Eugene in 2021 without ever visiting first, but that’s a story for another day) Skinner’s Butte was named after the founder of Eugene, Eugene Skinner, and this is also possibly where Principal Skinner from The Simpsons got his name, since the creator of The Simpsons is from this area.
My driver was telling me how you can hike up to the top and see beautiful views of Eugene, and he also informed me that there’s a park located on the opposite side of the mountain from where we were. He asked me if I would be alright with taking a quick detour, as you can drive through the woods part way up Skinner’s Butte and he said he would be happy to show me. I said sure; a quick 10-minute driving tour from a local that knows all about the city, and it only tacks on a couple dollars to my Uber bill? Sounds worth it to me!
He drove me up through the trees, showed me a modest cliff where he said people go rock climbing. I asked him how safe hiking is here solo, as I would love to go hiking this weekend. He explained that women go hiking solo here all the time, there’s nothing to worry about. We got a bit deeper into the woods and I thought of how this right here could be the beginning of a horror movie. I mentioned offhand that I always keep mace on me.
The trees raced by us and I was brought back again to Ohio. My childhood home had a forest of countless acres lining the back border of our land, and in those days, “hiking” for our family was simply getting on long pants and any kind of shoes (we’re a barefoot or sandals family), grabbing the dogs, venturing across our property and slipping away into the trees, not to return for hours. I tried to listen to the valuable Eugene trivia my Uber driver was sharing with me, but I was a bit mesmerized.
5th Street Public Market
We arrived back at the base of the mountain, I snapped back to reality and he continued sharing his knowledge about the city, things I should check out and what he loves most about living here. I was happy to listen and learn from him and enjoy each other’s company. He dropped me off at the 5th Street Public Market, we said our goodbyes, and as he drove away I tipped him $5 on top of the $6.80 rate for a stellar driving tour.
I wandered around the 5th Street Public Market for a bit, found complimentary herbal tea at a women’s clothing boutique; what a nice touch! Just one of those simple joys that brighten your day. I strolled the indoor and outdoor shopping areas and went inside a couple gift stores to look for a coffee mug that says “Eugene” on it. I collect coffee mugs from my travels and like to start browsing early in my trips, that way I can see what kind of options I have and choose a mug I truly love before I return home.
Skinner’s Butte is practically towering over the 5th Street Public Market from the north, and my knowledgeable tour guide had mentioned that walking to the park behind the mountain is definitely doable from where he was dropping me off. That mountain was calling me, and I wasn’t finding any shopping that stood out to me or pulled me to stick around, so I went out to the street and started walking in the direction of the mountain. The area between Skinner’s Butte and downtown was quite residential, and train tracks were separating the downtown area from the neighborhoods. I approached the train tracks, where a train was currently crossing. I waited for quite some time with a group of other pedestrians and was once again reminded of the small towns in Ohio where my relatives lived, a regular part of my childhood.
After the train finally passed, I walked through the neighborhoods, got a bit lost, met others who were lost and looking for the hiking trails as well, and eventually I found my way to grassy lawns on the other side of the street I was walking along, with the Willamette River bordering the other side of the grass. This was Skinner Butte Park. It looked nice, but I needed wilderness. The mountain itself was on my side of the street and all forest; I found a trailhead at the base of it, and started climbing. I was wearing sandals but I didn’t care.
I should note that I use the term “mountain” loosely; it’s definitely more than a hill, but depending on your experience level, calling Skinner’s Butte a mountain is debatable. Either way, I was up to scale it spontaneously and in sandals. I followed the signs to the overlooks, not difficult to find my way, just go up. I saw absolutely no one on the trails until I got to the very top, where there was a large, empty parking lot and a single group of three people heading back down. I took in the views, imagined what my life would have been like if I would’ve moved here years ago the way I came so close to doing so. I wondered what the rest of my weekend would entail; I love that well-known quote, “there are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.” There are indeed single days that change your life drastically; those are my favorite or most challenging days, sometimes both.
Skinner’s Butte Outlook
I had made friends with a few of the men at my hostel, and I also happened to score two additional tickets to the show I was attending that evening for free. I invited a few of them to join and they did tag along, and in all we had a group of four.
The Cuthbert Amphitheater, August 2024
The show was at the Cuthbert Amphitheater, and for vegan options, I did do some digging online beforehand. I had read online that there are food vendors at all of the Cuthbert’s shows, and there are always vegan options at things like this, so I figured I would wait until I got to the venue to get food.
The Cuthbert was smaller than I imagined, but it was exactly the kind of venue I hoped it would be. It was completely outdoors within Alton Baker Park, with tall, leafy trees and a small canal running behind the stage. We were very early, the venue was still filling in, and there was a seating area in front of the stage that I guessed no one would be using even once the venue was full. I explored the venue with my new friends and also on my own a bit, and eventually, I ventured to the food and drink booths at the back of the venue. I ordered an $8 beer and decided I would get food later. I didn’t end up getting food, I didn’t find any vegan options that stood out to me, but admittedly, I wasn’t looking very hard. I stuck with mostly water and just a little bit of beer and White Claw the rest of the night; that oatmeal breakfast sustained me beautifully throughout my day of hiking and night of dancing.
Farmer’s Market + Saturday Market
The next morning I woke up at the hostel, not quite feeling 10/10 from the night before, but determined to have another full day of adventure. I went downstairs to have my oatmeal breakfast again, deciding that the next morning, my last morning in Eugene, would be the day that I go to Morning Glory Cafe, a vegan-friendly breakfast spot everyone was telling me I had to try. Today, Saturday, was the farmers market in downtown Eugene, just opposite from the seemingly popular Saturday Market (appropriately named). I love things like this so I planned to hit both. I Ubered to the Saturday Market and had another kind driver who told me about his experience living in Eugene, his family here. It was a very short drive, so he dropped me off rather quickly and we wished each other a good day.
The Saturday Market, farmers market and Free Speech Plaza are all at the Park Blocks in downtown Eugene; essentially a town square, and cover all four corners of the intersection they’re located at. It was absolutely packed. Up until now, Eugene had almost seemed like a ghost town to me since I had arrived, and if I hadn’t known better I may have guessed that the entire population of the city was right here at the Park Blocks. My time at these markets was primarily spent chitchatting with artists and vendors; most that I spoke to were local, living right in Eugene, or lived a maximum of an hour or so away. There was a lot of tie-dye; I’ve been looking to add to my tie-dye collection, but I have a very specific design and color scheme I’ve been looking for. I found exquisite jewelry, but exercised restraint, I have too many rings as it is.
As I continued to meander through the Saturday Market I came across a booth of very creative and beautiful works incorporating dried flowers.
The Saturday Market, downtown Eugene
This is Goosehill Gifts, and many of the pieces for sale are glass jars and bottles with dried flowers displayed inside, some pieces are simply little dried “bouquets” that last forever, some are magnets.
Goosehill Gifts, Saturday Market, Eugene
I was completely in awe of these delicate works of art. The artist, Bridget, told me that she has a garden of her own where she grows all of her own flowers that she uses for her creations. I saw a stunning wine bottle near the back of her booth with foliage of more muted tones inside; pale pink, sage green and an off-white. They were beach hues, and I even spotted some seashells in the bottom of it. I immediately thought of my mother. I know it’s only August, but I like to start thinking about Christmas shopping early, and this coastal-chic beauty looked like it was made for my mom. She loves the beach, and her home is practically covered in seashells from various tropical vacations throughout the years. Bridget picked up the wine bottle and held it into the sunlight for me. She said that she is able to ship only some of her items, due to their delicate nature and some items having looser components than others. I thanked her, we chatted a bit more and I asked for her card before leaving so I could check out her website soon.
She had pointed me in the direction of the Free Speech Plaza, I wasn’t quite sure what it was but it sounded interesting. It was just across the street, pretty much a continuation of the Saturday Market and farmers market, and there was a drum circle taking place. I watched for a moment, browsed the nearby booths, and kept exploring. I may have done a couple of laps around the markets; there were food trucks in one paved area of the square with live music and tables and chairs for eating and relaxing, and off to the side there was a grassy lawn for those who preferred more grounding; families were sitting, snacking and enjoying the breeze in both areas.
I’m always looking for unique, unexpected experiences that would make great memories and stories to tell later. I was about to cross the street to check out more vendors when I saw a man among the booths with just a small table, a typewriter and the chair he was sitting in. There was a sign that indicated he writes poems on the spot; your topic, your price. I passed by him, feeling awkward and shy. I stopped before I crossed the street, and thought about his poems for just long enough to know that I did, in fact, want one of my own. I walked back and spoke with him briefly, I didn’t know what the topic should be, but the obvious one seemed to be my adventurous solo weekend here in Eugene. I felt a little silly; girl-from-LA-comes-to-Oregon-to-see-trees-smell-nature-and-meet-interesting-strangers. He asked for 5 minutes to write, and so I told him I would be back.
I wandered around for a few minutes, just the same as I’d been doing the past couple of hours. When I circled back near his table, he spotted me and motioned that he was ready for me to return. He read his poem aloud to me, which I appreciated. It was beautiful and deep, the depth and emotional complexity I was looking for here. I fought a single tear of happiness, relief, just emotion, knowing that the memory of this poem and this interaction right here would not leave me for a very long time. I thanked him and asked him how long he’s been doing this; it was at least a couple of decades. He asked for a picture of the poem, and then me with the poem. I happily obliged, thanked him and paid him his fee, then placed my poem in my journal for safe keeping.
I walked past a couple of men playing didgeridoos in the grass, and eventually I came across a booth with a sandwich board sign in front that read “TEMPEH TEMPEH TEMPEH”. Of course I stopped.
The man running the booth at Oregon Permaculture Works was speaking with a customer already, explaining the various wares he had for sale. I scanned his items and the signs displayed quickly; everything was vegan, most mushroom-based, with additional items such as chickpea-based cream cheese and brie, nettle pesto, black bean tempeh and black garlic.
My Custom Poem from the Farmers Market
Several varieties of dried mushrooms were being sold all for $5 a pack, although I’m not sure exactly how much a pack contains. There were porcini mushrooms, matsutake, morels, lobster mushrooms, turkey tails, chanterelles and more. I tried a sample of the chickpea cream cheese and was told that was their best-seller. It was delicious; I’m a fan of nut-based vegan cheeses, although I don’t like the high fat content that comes with them, so I was very impressed by this bean-based vegan cheese concept and would gladly switch out some of my nut-based cheeses for this one.
Oregon Permaculture Works
Mushrooms are very prominent in Oregon I’ve found, although I’m hardly surprised. The mild climate with high humidity and buckets of rainfall most of the year are the perfect conditions for mushrooms. A lot of Ohio references here, but growing up with that aforementioned forest in our backyard, mushroom hunting was a yearly tradition. In fact, it began long before I joined in the (cruelty free) family hunting trips as a small child. Hunting for morels specifically goes back to at least my grandfather, probably further, and my mother’s large and spread out family does have at least that in common. Morels saturate the forest floors of our well-kept secret locations in Ohio, Michigan and elsewhere. Some locations are kept hush-hush within our family, others, so closely guarded even between family members that if you asked about it, you may just receive a side eye instead of a response. And a rule within our family that unites us all is that you never sell any morels you forage. I was told at a young age that that’s the way it is, and I never questioned or challenged it. Even in the very lucrative years, sometimes there were bags of morels in our freezers for months; we would often make them for guests, or giving them away was approved of and encouraged, too.
Anyway, we’re morel people, love all mushrooms actually, and I’ve missed mushroom hunting since moving to Southern California in 2018. I made a mental note to make another trip to Oregon during mushroom season next year. I’ve heard the term “foraged” like eighteen million times since getting to Eugene and I’d only been here for two days; I realized I’m long overdue for a mushroom-hunting trip.
University of Oregon
I wandered a bit more and decided I would start walking towards the University of Oregon. I enjoy exploring college campuses, they’re always so beautiful, and all I really wanted to do was lie in the grass and practice grounding.
Again, it was hot, hotter than recent temperatures in LA, but I was enjoying the sights on my way to the University too much to call an Uber and be there in two minutes. In all it was one mile away from where I was, about a 25 minute leisurely walk. Once I got to the campus, I found a quiet spot in the grass under some large evergreens to ground myself and lie peacefully. I tried to shut out my thoughts, failed miserably, cried a little, eventually gave up on getting to a meditative state in this moment, and got up to continue walking.
I passed by a coffee shop and was really craving an iced latte, which is rare. Espresso Roma looked promising, and so I entered and found myself inside a spacious, vibrantly colored cafe with paintings by local artists on the walls, an extensive menu of food and drinks mounted above the counter, and a display case filled with pastries. I ordered a decaf, iced, oat milk hazelnut latte, and asked for light ice. I asked if my order would be completely vegan, completely dairy-free with the oat milk replacement; the man behind the counter thought for a moment and said yes. I’ve unfortunately experienced coffee shops before whose flavored syrups actually contain dairy, so I always ask. I meandered through the cafe a bit while I waited for my drink and poked my head out the back door to a charming patio, complete with tree coverage, plenty of tables and chairs and even wooden picnic tables and benches. Large, spacious patios like this aren’t very common in LA.
I retrieved my oat milk latte and continued walking. I had found a boutique online called Bree’s Way that looked like a little hippie store with gifts and such; it was right around the corner from where I currently was, and so I planned to stop by to scope it out for coffee mugs.
It was indeed a “hippie store,” with tie-dye and patchwork clothing, incense, and boho jewelry and decor. I asked the employee behind the counter for coffee mugs, and she suggested checking out Hiron’s.
Espresso Roma, University of Oregon Campus
This was actually the second time someone had mentioned Hiron’s Drug Store to me for coffee mugs… apparently it’s huge, jam-packed with gifts and trinkets and although it’s also a drug store, it’s perfect for local Eugene and Oregon-themed souvenirs. The girl working the counter at Bree’s Way and I got to talking, clearly I was not from the area so I shared with her about my travels a bit, and I asked her about herself and her experience living in Eugene. She’s originally from California but moved to Eugene as a teenager and loves it here. I asked about community yoga classes around Eugene this weekend, and she shared that there will be a free yoga class at the Whiteaker Community Market in the morning. The Whiteaker Community Market is every Sunday in the summer from 10:00am to 3:00pm, and she will have a booth there. We chatted a bit longer, and I told her I had a flight to catch in the morning but I would try to make it to the market. We said goodbye, wished each other a great rest of the day and I continued on my journey to nowhere in particular.
I was walking west along 11th Street, back in the direction of downtown and my hostel, when I stumbled upon a large, beautiful Victorian house. There was a sign in the front yard, attention-grabbing, almost annoyingly over-the-top that read “Belushi’s ANIMAL HOUSE Cannabis Dispensary”. I always like to do my research of anywhere I’m visiting beforehand so I can look out for interesting attractions and fun activities, and I remembered reading that the original “Animal House” fraternity house from the 1970’s movie had been in Eugene. Animal House was filmed at the University of Oregon, and the fraternity house from the movie was located a couple of blocks from this dispensary but was demolished in 1986. I’m not a smoker myself, and have only seen the movie as a child but I snapped a picture of the dispensary from the sidewalk to send to relatives who would appreciate either reference.
Belushi’s Animal House Cannabis Dispensary
I finally made it to Hiron’s, the drug store/souvenir shop. It was quite a unique store with all types of knick knacks and gifts crowding the shelves, clustered in corners and even hanging from the ceilings. Throughout the entire store I found one type of mug that said “Eugene” on it, and it was just okay. I’d found many “Oregon” mugs around town, but I planned on visiting other areas of Oregon in the future; Portland, Salem, what have you, and so I wanted one that specifically said Eugene. I left without purchasing anything and continued exploring.
For a girl without a car to take her to more nature-y parts outside of the city, and being as hot as it was anyway, an indoor activity sounded ideal. As I mentioned, there didn’t seem to be much in the way of museums, which is how I like spending much of my travels, so the next destination sounded like it would be food or beer-related.
I started looking for lively bars to have a drink and make friends. Still a ghost town (except for the Saturday Market apparently) but there were a few people on the patio of The Bier Stein on Willamette St., which I was quickly learning was one of the main drags of Eugene. I went in and was pleasantly surprised by the joint I chose. The Bier Stein was huge, almost a food hall-like establishment. A prominent, circular bar is fixed in the middle of the various dining areas comprising of dozens of tables and chairs, and there were pool tables off to one side. On one wall was a refrigerator case filled with all types of beer, wine and liquor, like a liquor store or gas station set up. They looked to be for sale within this bar. I was very confused by this. There was also a line for the bar, like an actual line rather than people gathering around attempting to flag down the bartender. This confused me as well. I grabbed a laminated menu and found my place at the back of the line. They had a wide selection of bar food, but minimal vegan options. Plus, I was looking for more of a fine dining experience for dinner, anyway, or as close as I could get to it in Eugene.
Once I was at the front of the line I ordered some type of lager that the bartender recommended. I got it in a large stein, which was kind of the whole draw of this place. I was told I could have a seat and it would be right out, so I sat in a quiet corner of the bar and pulled out my journal. I ended up nursing that same beer and journaling for nearly two hours. It was emotional, quiet, eye-opening. Oregon is what Colorado wishes it was.
Some time later I found myself quite literally standing on a street corner in downtown Eugene deciding where to go for dinner. I pulled up Google and nothing sounded good, all the places I was recommended just sounded okay, and in all honesty, I wanted a little more sophistication. Upon Googling vegan-friendly restaurants, upscale restaurants, etc., Party Bar was the one that kept coming up. (A little tip, if you’re having trouble finding vegan-friendly spots to go to, try excluding “vegan” from your search altogether, oftentimes you can find different restaurants that don’t come up under vegan searches, but they’ll at least have a couple of vegan options if you’re open to trying places that have both vegan and non-vegan offerings.) I was actually staring directly at the back of Party Bar from the street corner I was at, it was adjacent to me and from my view it didn’t seem upscale, and from the internet it didn’t seem super vegan-friendly. However, it had an interesting sounding vegan Stuffed Eggplant that I thought I would give a shot.
Solo Date at The Beer Stein
Party Bar
I walked around the corner and up to the front of Party Bar, and right away knew I had made the right decision. It was pretty packed, and not dive-y at all even if it looked like it from around the corner. The inside was decorated with a mix of patterned wallpaper and teal paint, and there were houseplants draping everywhere. The bar was beautiful and there was one seat left in the middle with my name on it. I excused myself through the light crowd to the empty seat at the bar and took a look at a menu.
Stuffed Eggplant from Party Bar, downtown Eugene
The menu was built like a brochure or booklet, with pages and pages of alcohol, and then a few pages of food as well. I had a bartender and also one of the owners behind the bar taking care of me, and after sharing with them what kind of cocktail I was going for, I was recommended the Lovin’ Spoonful. It was a mezcal cocktail with fruity additions that I mostly couldn’t pronounce and a sumac salt rim. It was fun, carefree, flirty, the vibe I was going for. Love it.
I did end up ordering the Stuffed Eggplant, the co-owner I was chatting with at the bar was telling me how incredible it is, and so I was extra excited to try it. I don’t know what it is about Eugene, but I’ve had a couple of the best dishes of my life here. Between the pasta at Acorn Community Cafe and the Stuffed Eggplant at Party Bar, the food in this city has completely blown me away. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this eggplant was another one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tried. The menu describes it as a “breaded and fried eggplant boat, eggplant dirty rice, creamy white beans, marinated wild mushrooms”. Sounds simple enough, but there were so many different flavors and textures in this that I didn’t expect, and even the presentation was beautiful. I considered ordering a second one to-go for later. Party Bar should seriously consider expanding their vegan options, because I would love to see what other unique dishes they could create with plants. They do also have a vegan veggie burger that sounds delicious, and a couple of vegan appetizers and salad options.
On my last night in Eugene I decided to check out the nightlife a bit. I’ve been through my clubrat phase, but I still occasionally enjoy dancing and drinks and the socialization of the nightlife party scene. I’ve rarely ever gone out clubbing completely solo without at least knowing I’ll run into people I know later, however, I’ve always been pretty free-spirited. And I also have my reasons and personal strategies in place that allow me to trust I’ll be safe, and that I’m navigating nights out in a smart way. I don’t like feeling held back because of fear.
I had stopped back at the hostel to change into something cute but casual, a velvet halter top and jean shorts. I then Ubered downtown and chatted with my driver about the best bars to go to. He immediately suggested The Horsehead, which I had walked past a million times the past couple days but hadn’t gone into yet. It had a large patio outside, and maybe it’s just the sensitive part of my veganism coming out, but “Horsehead” didn’t exactly draw me in. However, it sounded like the place to go, so he dropped me off and I went inside. It was also one of the only bars downtown with no cover apparently, which is crazy. Even at 9:00pm, even for women, there is a cover at most downtown Eugene bars. Unheard of in the other cities I’ve been to.
I enjoyed this place very much, the inside was super interesting actually; sort of a vintage feel, brightly colored walls and high ceilings, definitely an older building. I ordered my cheap PBR, made a couple jokes with one of the girls getting drinks beside me, and scoped out the place. I wandered into a back room where there were several pool tables being utilized by mostly men, maybe in their 20’s and 30’s. I realized this may be the youngest crowd I’d seen all weekend.
I walked out to the patio and sat by myself at the end of a long communal table. I was feeling a little awkward and remembered to be open to talking to others, to truly feel it within me and lead with that intention. I’ve learned the importance of doing this, even if you don’t think you’re acting differently or coming across differently, changing your internal dialogue will make you more approachable and literally draw others towards you.
Pretty immediately a couple sitting across the table and a few spots down started talking to me. They were very young, just 21 or so. The girl asked me where I’m from. I laughed shyly and answered “LA,” and she motioned to her boyfriend beside her and said, “I knew you were from California! I told him, ‘that girl looks like she’s from California.’” All three of us ended up talking for a long while, they were so nice and shared details of their relationship with me and their stories growing up in the area; they actually lived in the next town over, in Springfield. The girl said that she didn’t know if I ever watch The Simpsons, but over in Springfield there are Simpsons murals and references everywhere. I admitted that I’m actually a huge Simpsons nerd and I had researched a bit (more than a bit) beforehand about the references around here, but I didn’t realize they were all in Springfield and so I had seen none of them in Eugene. Sadly since I was flying home in the morning I would have to save the Simpsons scavenger hunt for another trip.
We exchanged Instagrams and said we’d keep in touch, as they were heading home and I was going to venture to my next bar. I ended up hitting nearly every bar in town, and early in the night I did go back to Jameson’s. It was packed this time, but everyone was so nice and cordial that I had no problem making my way to the bar. I met a couple of men there, more of the fatherly type (I did say there was a lot of that here); they were brothers and of course we swapped life stories, then they bought me another drink and we talked a bit longer before exchanging phone numbers and saying that we’ll possibly meet up later in the night. They were going to karaoke up the street but I have a slight fear of attending karaoke events. The way they try to drag you on stage in the movies is my worst nightmare, although I didn’t mention that to them.
I stopped in Starlight Lounge, it was pretty dead so I didn’t stick around. I went to both Cowfish and The Big Dirty, the other top places people were recommending to me. The Big Dirty was an actual nightclub with a mix of Top 40 music and EDM and VIP tables with bottle service. I was up for any kind of vibe and was enjoying experiencing the rugged bars in Eugene, but this type of nightclub was definitely what I was used to and I felt very in my element. I had just walked in and was taking in the sights when a man with a VIP table told me that he was leaving, but a couple of his friends were staying and I was welcome to help myself to their hundreds of dollars of liquor at the table. Of course, being by myself, I made sure to stay very safe and regardless of who I met or what adventures I would get into, I was going to stay very aware of my surroundings and keep a clear mind. I thanked him, took a single drink and hit the dance floor.
I actually noticed early on in my trip that there is a very prominent LGBTQ scene in Eugene. I came across members of the community regularly throughout my time here, and also this was Eugene’s Pride weekend. I noticed the amount of queer women in particular, which also made me feel right at home, as the gay bars are usually my go-tos when I hit the town in my city. I danced with the women in the crowd a bit before heading out. While standing in line to get into another club, I talked with the people waiting in front of me and discovered that this woman’s sister lived in my hometown and was actually mutual friends with some of my DJ friends. So funny.
Eventually, I suppose I had enough liquid courage to head to karaoke. I didn’t run into my friends from earlier; the karaoke bar was dead in general but there was a man sitting by himself at the bar. We chitchatted for a bit over PBRs, and he went up to sing to the bar that was almost completely empty except for me. I took a fun little video of him and cheered him on.
I also went to another bar called John Henry’s where they were having “Dyke Night” that I’d heard so much about, like a Pride afterparty. This was almost all queer women, as you would expect, and I had a blast here. At the end of the night I ended up, of all places, at The Chicken Shanty with yet another local Eugene friend I made along the way. I had actually been told numerous times that I needed to go to The Chicken Shanty, because although they were a joint of all variations of chicken wings and chicken sandwiches, they did have vegan chicken wings. Apparently everyone in town knew that The Chicken Shanty had stellar vegan chicken wings and that they were a must-try.
It was nearly 3:00am, and I was impressed that The Chicken Shanty was still open and even serving food. The gentleman I was with here wasn’t vegan himself, but he was interested in the vegan chicken wings and so we got an order of those with vegan ranch. They were absolutely delicious, the kind that have the sugarcane “bone” in the middle, so you can quite literally eat the entire thing. I took a quick silly video of myself trying them, even in my state I thought to get some authentic content of me trying my vegan food. We drank what would be our last beers of the night before Ubering to our respective locations.
I got back to the hostel and remembered that there was a code to get in the front door. I was fumbling with my phone to find it when I noticed a man walking down the sidewalk, and when he noticed me he stopped promptly in front of my hostel and introduced himself. He had a large backpack and it was clear that he was a traveler. He was going to try to check in here, but I told him that the front desk isn’t open overnight. We ended up talking on the front porch for nearly 30 minutes before he continued walking towards the city; an interesting interaction in the middle of the night, but one that was enriching to me and the kind of interaction you would only see happen in a movie. Or apparently in the quiet, residential neighborhoods of Eugene, Oregon, while you’re really just rawdogging life all weekend leaving yourself open to connections and adventure.
Once I figured out the door code, I quietly went up to my room, crawled into bed, ate the rest of my vegan chicken wings and listened to Emancipator as I fell asleep.
Vegan BBQ Wings and Ranch from The Chicken Shanty
Morning Glory Cafe
The next morning, my last morning, I was going to Morning Glory Cafe. It was almost a 1 mile walk, and I didn’t get much sleep the night before, clearly, but sometimes I’m too cheap/stubborn to get an Uber. I like to walk a lot anyway.
Morning Glory Café
Morning Glory Cafe was adorable, it reminded me of Sunrise Cafe in Yellow Springs, Ohio, although much of Eugene reminds me of Yellow Springs. Yellow Springs is a village right outside of Dayton and it’s known for its counterculture style and “hippie vibes.” Morning Glory had ample seating areas outside and inside the cafe, although it was very busy and there were several groups waiting for tables. I went inside to ask how long the wait would be for just one, and the hostess motioned to the bar stools and counter looking out the front window. It was overlooking the patio, then the train station beyond that, and Skinner’s Butte beyond that, and she said there would be no wait if I wouldn’t mind sitting there. I nodded, thanked her, and sat down at the window.
Morning Glory serves breakfast and lunch, and I was definitely in the mood for breakfast food. Although Morning Glory isn’t all vegan they have many vegan dishes to choose from. Two of the servers had recommended the Three Sisters to me; from their menu– “a mountain of herbed glory potatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, onions and tomatoes topped with your choice of nutritional yeast sauce, cheddar cheese, herbed tofu sour cream or Moglo mushroom gravy,” and served with a choice of bread; there were about four bread options and they were all vegan. I chose one of their biscuits made in-house, it’s not overly common to find vegan biscuits.
Their menu said they serve kombucha as well, and I really love a good kombucha. Theirs is from Eugene-based company Elevate, and my server informed me that the flavor they had on-hand right now was Full Bloom; floral with added yerba mate. I ordered one and it came in a cute little glass bottle that I wanted to keep but knew I probably wouldn’t end up bringing home from my travels.
For food, I did end up ordering the Three Sisters with sweet potatoes, and asked if I could try both the nutritional yeast sauce and herbed tofu sour cream. This breakfast was healthy, hearty, and exactly what I needed after my excursions last night and my upcoming travels the rest of the day. I loved how homemade everything tasted, and how easy it was here to find dishes that were vegan without being loaded up with overly processed meat and dairy substitutes. I love a good Beyond burger or bowl of vegan ice cream, but I like how I physically feel when I eat more natural, whole foods. I will say, I would skip the nutritional yeast sauce on the Three Sisters and just go for the tofu sour cream next time, or even the gravy sounds like it would be delicious on top.
I asked for a box for the portion of my breakfast that I couldn’t finish, paid the bill and began walking back to the hostel to pack up and head to the airport. On my way back I came across a cute home and garden store called Down to Earth; I had a few minutes so I decided to stop inside and look around for a coffee mug since I still hadn’t found one. I didn’t end up finding any mugs here, but I browsed through the books and saw a whole section of cookbooks with several vegan cookbooks, and it made me smile to see vegan representation.
I continued on my walk, listening to music and planning in my head how much time I would have at the hostel, when I’d need to call the Uber and what time I would need to be at the airport to give myself plenty of time to make my flight. I was walking under an overpass on 6th Ave., in Washington Jefferson Park when I came up on a man in a wheelchair smoking a blunt. Several of the locals I’d talked to this weekend had told me how the homeless population skyrocketed after covid, although apparently the rumors are true and Portland is still way worse. I did notice more homeless in Eugene than I expected to see, although coming from LA, I’m pretty used to it. I usually give my restaurant leftovers to the homeless, especially when they’re restaurants that I go to to shoot content for. The restaurants I work with usually give me a very large amount of food, and giving away my leftovers is one of the ways I like to give back. I asked this man if he was hungry and extended my take out bag to him. He said yes, and asked what kind of food it was. I quickly responded that it was vegan food; lots of vegetables, potatoes, tofu. He politely took it and I continued on my way.
The Three Sisters from Morning Glory Café
I returned to the hostel, retrieved my belongings and called my Uber. I wondered if I would ever stay here again and return to this little community I had felt here the past few days. If I ever did come back to Eugene, which I do plan to, I would surely like to stay in this hostel again.
Once I got to the airport, I checked my bag and navigated my way through TSA and to my gate. The Eugene airport is extremely small, there are only six total gates. I arrived very early so I went to the little gift shop near my gate as a last-ditch effort to find a Eugene mug. Clearly, I didn’t have high hopes but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to look. I don’t typically shop in airport gift shops anyway, for obvious reasons? I like having an interesting and unique story with the mugs I find whenever possible. However, while quickly skimming this airport gift shop, I was surprised to find the perfect mug that said “Eugene” on it. It was only the second mug that said Eugene that I had found all weekend, and I even really liked the design and size of it! So I purchased my Eugene mug, happy that I was able to end my trip this way. I then returned to my gate to work on my laptop and reflect on my trip before boarding my flight back to Los Angeles.