Yesterday we headed down the road about 30 miles to Ashland, Oregon, home to the highly regarded Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Southern Oregon University and, this weekend, the 6th Annual Oregon Chocolate Festival. Because I am one of those people who believes that chocolate should be a separate (essential) food group, you can be sure that I was not going to miss this event.

More than 30 vendors offered tastes and sale of their products at the lovely and historic Ashland Springs Hotel (formerly known as the Mark Antony), just steps away from the OSF theaters. The entire town was focused on the chocolate event this weekend: Friday night the monthly First Friday Art Walk included chocolate goodies in many of the galleries, and all weekend theater-goers could enjoy 50 percent off their evening show tickets by mentioning “chocolate” at the ticket windows. (We weren’t able to take in a show this year but will have to keep that in mind next spring!) Able to devote just a few hours on Saturday, we nonetheless made good use of our time and had our fill of all manner of chocolate and chocolate-related goodies.

Four local wineries offered tastes of red wine varietals and blends as well as sweet dessert wines that paired nicely with the baked goods and truffles on hand. Rogue Ales offered samples of their Chocolate Stout, and Organic Nation Spirits provided sips of organically produced vodka and gin — distilled right in Ashland. All of the companies represented at the festival are genuinely Oregon-based, and many hail from the southwest region; a heartening thought: I don’t have to travel far to get a chocolate fix or something delectable to go with my favorite vice!

I noted a couple of interesting variations on your typical chocolate decadence. Two vendors offered raw chocolate confections: no sugar at all, but sometimes flavors such as ginger or chiles were added. The idea, I guess, is to get the nutritional benefits of chocolate without those added, processed calories. And Missionary Chocolates out of Portland creates dairy- and gluten-free truffles; their creations are a feast for the eyes and the palate!

Several local restaurants participated in a Chocolate Dessert Competition, and this presented a nice opportunity to the crowd of sweet-lovers. Plates of the contested items were available at a silent auction, with proceeds to benefit a local food bank. Although we didn’t place a winning bid, it was great to see some truly extravagant presentations and make a note of a place or two where we might drop in for a special dessert some evening in the future.

Once we’d had our fill of chocolate (hard to imagine, I know, but it is possible) and the crowds, we took advantage of the sunny, warm, early spring afternoon and strolled Main Street for a bit of window shopping. Ashland is a charming town with plenty of fascinating shops which appeal to its flood of play-going visitors, and we’ve barely begun to plumb what it has to offer. I’m sure we’ll be back over and over again — especially if the chocolate is out!

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

I just learned that my original hometown airport — Portland International (PDX) — came in second in J.D. Powers and Associates’ 2010 North American Airport Satisfaction Study in the medium-sized airport category (10-30 million annual passengers). The study measured overall passenger satisfaction with six general factors: accessibility, baggage claim, check-in/bag check process, terminal facilities, security check and food & retail services. PDX came in just behind Kansas City International (MCI), with 733 points out of 1,000 compared to MCI’s 742. Aside from justifying my admittedly biased pride in my city’s airport, the study affirmed that other flyers appreciate most what I also enjoy about the facility: its food and retail offerings.

Oh, I also like the fact that Portland’s light-rail system, MAX, provides quick, convenient mass transit links to downtown and beyond; and the parking garage’s setup makes it easy to spot the open parking slots. Also, the overall design of the complex is both pleasing to the eye and functional; the arching glass canopy between the parking structure and terminal lets light stream in to the lush vegetation draping over the sides of the building while keeping visitors dry on those too-often rainy days. And I really appreciate the free Wi-Fi available throughout the site. But I admit that what I really look forward to when a trip to PDX is in the plans is the opportunity to visit some of my favorite shops and restaurants — anywhere, not just my favorite airport shops and restaurants.

Checking out the list of the airport eateries, it is clear that the managers have made a conscious effort to load the place up with popular, long-time local favorites rather than a slew of tired chain representatives. Rose’s Restaurant and Bakery has been a Portland institution for decades, offering up both New York-style deli foods and the most amazing, enormous desserts. The Beaverton Bakery since 1925 has also been serving up great baked goods, and their airport outlet also sells soups, salads and sandwiches. Samplings of local liquid libations can be had at Rogue Ales Public House and the Laurelwood Brewing Co.; the biggest problem for me is deciding which one of these many fabulous options I will enjoy during my limited time traveling through the airport.

While most of the restaurants and pubs are located beyond the security checkpoints, a number of the retail stores are not, so if I’m picking someone up or dropping someone off, I like to leave time to stop in for at least a quick browse if not some serious shopping. Again, some fine local institutions are represented here, most with well-deserved national and international reputations. The parents of both Columbia Sportswear and the Nike Store are Portland-area based with products sold world-wide. If you’re looking for gifts that speak of where you’ve been, the Made in Oregon shop has everything from the upiquitous t-shirts and caps to fine wines, gourmet foods, chocolates, jewelry and smoked salmon. I love meandering through the Oregon Pendleton Shop, letting my eyes rove over the fantastic variety of beautiful woolen blankets while my fingers trail across the soft wool plaid shirts and lovely shawls. The famous trade blankets first came off the looms in Pendleton in Eastern Oregon in 1909, and one of my most prized wedding gifts is a blanket from this venerable company.

My two favorite shops, however, I save for last (or, when time is short, they are my only stops). Powell’s Books is Portland’s legendary new and used bookstore, with the original store taking up an entire block downtown. The airport branch, necessarily smaller and lacking some of the aged charm of the original, nevertheless offers a generous assortment of gift items and new and used books — not just the ordinary NYT bestsellers but an eclectic and fascinating cross-section accompanied by interesting notes and comments from store employees (who are a very well-read bunch!).

The Real Mother Goose started up in 1971 and is a feast for the eyes. It is both gallery and retail shop, with the most stunning array of handcrafted jewely, art glass, ceramics, textiles, woods and exotic items I’ve ever seen in one place. My sister gave me a silver and turquoise bracelet from Mother Goose when I was 16, and I’ve been in love with the place ever since. You can spend a lot of money here or not very much, but you’re guaranteed to come away with something beautiful and unique.

I hope all your travels are swift and easy. But if you find yourself with extra time to kill at Portland’s airport, don’t despair. I think you’ll find you’ve got some very agreeable options for whiling away that time, and you might actually be glad for the opportunity.

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

Last night I went to see the Knicks vs. the Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Although I live in New York, I was there to support the Wizards. I am not much of a sports jersey kind of girl, but I showed my support by wearing a shirt with a real wizard on it!

Unfortunately, with Arenas suspended from the team and Butler injured, the Wizards started off strong and ended poorly. I was disappointed in the team’s loss, but it wasn’t anything a foot-long hot dog and an ice-cold beer couldn’t remedy. It was a great night to get out and enjoy MSG. One of the things I enjoy about the NBA is that the crowd is a little tamer than with hockey or football. Nonetheless, I enjoyed being one of the four fans in the entire crowd rooting for the Wizards. At the end of the day, even if it feels as though the majority is against you, you must stick to your guns!

– Courtney Centeno, account executive

Last week I had the opportunity to visit Munich and join in the Oktoberfest festivities. What a great city and what a great time! After an enjoyable overnight Lufthansa business-class flight, I hit the ground running, kicking off the day with a tour of Munich Airport.

I must say, Munich Airport is a business traveler’s airport. The layout of the airport is designed to accommodate transfers of as little as 30 minutes. All the gates are laid out in a straight line or just up or down one floor. Each gate has a self-scanner for boarding passes, which makes boarding a cinch. The airport, in conjunction with Lufthansa, offers free coffee and tea service to all passengers, and there is shopping galore! The airport also has Napcabs — small, rentable rooms with a bed, alarm clock, TV and Internet for passengers with a long layover. I had lunch at Airbrau, the world’s first airport brewery, which is a must if you have time for a leisurely lunch.

I spent the next day-and-a-half touring the city, including visits to BMW Welt and the Nymphenburg Palace. Munich is a great city, and I enjoyed my time there very much. As it was Oktoberfest time, the men and women of the city were dressed in traditional dirndls and lederhosen. As the capital of Bavaria, Munich truly embodies Bavarian hospitality.

The Oktoberfest fairgrounds are much like any state fair here in the States, but with stands of gingerbread cookie hearts and other German specialties, including the largest frankfurters I have ever seen. But once you happen into one of the tents, the true Oktoberfest experience begins. I spent the evening in the Hippodrome tent, enjoying German food — pretzels, radishes, potato dumplings, chicken and more. And of course, enjoying beer. Oktoberfest beer comes in one size — a liter! The alcohol content is a bit stronger than normal beer, so I started off with a half beer/half lemonade, then tried the typical beer. The rest of the evening was truly a blast — dancing on the benches, listening to traditional German bands and socializing.

I highly recommend Munich!

– Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive

This summer in the city has been hot! As I deal with the summer heat, outdoor beer gardens are the last thing on my mind. I consider myself an outdoors type. During the summer, I think about beaches and bike rides, kayaking and fishing. I’ve had to make one big adjustment since moving to the city — learning to deal with spending time indoors in the summer.

A short trip to Massachusetts, Connecticut or upstate New York is sometimes enough for me. I get my outdoor fix over the long weekend away. On the weekdays, however, I feel a strong desire to move to an apartment with central air. I love the outdoor beer gardens scattered throughout Brooklyn, but with the extremely high August temperatures, my favorite city commodity has quickly become useless.

Museums, movies, shopping, dining out and Broadway musicals are some of the best ways to beat the heat during the city summers. Broadway offers great discount prices, and museums offer discounts and, in some cases, free admission! The Museum of Modern Art hosts Target Free Fridays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. After reading Alex’s blog on Tuesday, I think I may have to look up some more great shows on Broadway.

–Courtney Centeno, account executive