Lifestyle – Page 20 – The Western Howl

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

DISCLAIMER: There are some Instagrams I may have missed, so this shouldn’t be treated as a completely comprehensive list. I also opted to not use pages that have not been updated within the last year or so.

Instagram is a very commonly used app for people, businesses, schools and more. This applies to Western as well, as the university has many different handles it uses for multiple things that occur on campus. Here is a list of the Instagram handles that Western has.

@wounews : the official Instagram page for Western
@westernoregonuniversity : Admissions Office
@wouhonors : Western’s Honors Program
@aswou : Associated Students of Western Oregon University
@woualumni : a page for Alumni to receive information on reunions and throwback posts
@woucampusrecreation : Western’s campus recreation
@woumail : Western’s mailroom and services
@woulibrary : Hamersly Library
@wou_shcc : Student Health and Counseling Center
@wouwolfstore : WolfStore
@wou.bites : Western’s Campus Dining
@thewesternhowl : Western’s newspaper
@nwponline : the Northwest Passage, Western’s art and literary journal
@wou.plusteam : information on PLUS Team, SOAR and New Student Week
@wouwolves : official Instagram for Western Athletics
@wouclubsports : official page for Western Club Sports
@wou_imsports : Intramural Sports
@woucheerleading : Cheerleading Team
@woulax : Men’s Lacrosse
@westernoregonmensrugby : Men’s Rugby
@wou_xctf : Cross Country and Track and Field teams
@wou_soccer : Soccer Team
@wou_danceteam : Dance Team
@wouwsocclub : Women’s Soccer Club
@wousoftball : Softball Program
@wou_mens_clubsoccer : Men’s Club Soccer
@wouwbb : Women’s Basketball
@woumarchingband : Marching Band
@woucolorguard : Color Guard
@wou_internationalclub : International Club
@unidoswou : Unidos Club
@mechadewou : MEChA de WOU
@woubsu : Black Student Union
@wou_environmentalclub_garden : Environmental + Garden
@wou_mun : Model United Nations
@woumitu : Monmouth-Independence Tenants Union
@wouhawaiiclub : Hawai’i Club
@wousab : Student Activities Board
@wougsa : Gerontology Student Association
@woumathclub : Math Club
@d.r.e.a.m_wou : Disabilities Rights Empowerment Awareness Mentoring club
@woucr : College Republicans
@wou_byte_club : Byte Club
@cruatwou : CRU Club
@wouasl : ASL Club
@msuwou : Multicultural Student Union
@wou_ta : Triangle Alliance
@woudanceinfo : official page for Dance Department
@woudance_dept : student based page for Dance Department
@wou_psychpac : Psychology Peer Advising Center
@westernoregon_arotc : AROTC
@wouband : Wind Ensemble
@wouinterpretingstudies : Interpreting Studies Program
@woufinearts : Smith Fine Arts Series
@thewestofus : The West of Us A Capella Group
@wou_knights : Omega Delta Phi Fraternity
@kdchibetadelta : Kappa Delta Chi Sorority
@wou_axo : Alpha Chi Omega Sorority
@wou_kappasigma : Kappa Sigma Fraternity
@woufsc : Fraternity and Sorority Council
@wourha : Residence Hall Association
@wouhousing : University Housing
@heritage_wou : Heritage Hall
@ack_pack : Ackerman Hall
@wou_veterans : Western’s Veterans
@wou_lab : Latino Advisory Board
@woumssp : Multicultural Student Services and Programs
@wousva : Student Veterans of America
@wou_sep : Student Enrichment Program
@wougreenteam : Green Team
@wou_tac : Tree Advisory Committee
@wouserve : Western’s Alternative Break
@student_engage : Student Engagement
@wounationalstudentexchange : National Student Exchange
@wouslcd : Service Learning and Career Development

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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Don’t compromise your health, practice safe sex

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

College is a time for many people to start their journey to independence; most start making their own decisions — places they will be living, jobs they plan to pursue and various lifestyle choices, such as who they decide to be in a romantic or sexual relationship with. The majority of students had at least a small sex education lesson during their middle or high school years, but the information taught can be pretty basic without going into ways to safely practice sex.

The biggest lesson in sex ed — in my own personal experience — was to avoid pregnancy, and the easiest way to do that was through abstinence, because, to quote my high school health teacher, “it was the only way to 100% avoid pregnancy.” The topic of ways to safely have sex wasn’t touched on, but it’s important to know when deciding to participate in sexual activities.

Using a condom can be among the easiest ways to practice safe sex, as most can be found or bought generally without difficulty. The Health and Wellness Center has male condoms available for students at Western to take for free, located on a shelf in the main lobby area. Both male and female condoms can be purchased with ease at convenience stores, health centers and supermarkets.

It’s important to make sure they are being used effectively and correctly, as complications can arise if not. The risk for sexually transmitted infections increases dramatically, and potentially the risk of an unplanned pregnancy. Be sure to check the expiration dates and quality to make sure they aren’t damaged or compromised in some way.

Another way to stay on top of safe sex is to get tested as often as needed. If there’s an infection to be treated from previous sexual interactions but it goes unnoticed, it can lead to health problems. Some, however, don’t have any symptoms and people could be unaware of their presence, so getting tested will help an individual to continue to be up-to-date on their health.

While participating in sexual activities, another surefire way to ensure safety isn’t jeopardized is to avoid engaging in sexual activity when inebriated. Important decisions can be forgotten while under the influence, or actions — such as putting on a condom — can be done poorly and incorrectly.

It’s important to exercise safe sex if or when engaging in sexual activity, but a final key component is to communicate with partners to secure that everyone is on the same page.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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New year, new you: how to stay on top of resolutions

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

When the end of the year rolls around, many people decide to create resolutions for the new year, whether it’s fun goals to accomplish or ways to improve the way someone is currently living. A potential problem that arises from these resolutions is accidentally or intentionally dropping them not long after declaring them. Here are some tips to try and help stay on top of those New Year’s resolutions.

A simple fix that seems to be trending is to invest in a planner; not only could that assist in planning out resolutions in general, but it can also help with staying on track for the future. By using the planner, goals can be set for each day, week or month — depending on the goal itself and how often someone feels they need to be doing it.

Alternatively, merely writing down aspirations for the new year can be effective. By creating a checklist, goals can be tracked and marked off with ease. Writing down resolutions in a notebook is a simple way to do this, or even inputting them into a checklist style note on a smartphone. A fun way to keep track of resolutions is to write each individual goal on a sticky note and place them somewhere that will be seen every day. For instance, the sticky notes can be placed on the wall, the door to the bedroom, around a mirror or miscellaneously placed across the surface of a desk.

Setting reminders on a smartphone can also be beneficial to those struggling to maintain new year objectives. By going into the calendar app, an event can be set up on a day of the person’s choosing, and it can be set to repeat whenever and however long is desired. This way, a person can check their progress each day, week or month, or it can be simply a way to remember while the resolution is still fresh and potentially forgettable.

Lastly, tell family and friends about any New Year’s resolutions so they can assist in the process of keeping them. They can provide support and encouragement when first starting out, or if a goal starts to become particularly challenging. They can serve as a pep squad of sorts to make the process of completing the objective easier, or even help with completing the goal by actively encouraging, which in turn can make the activity more enjoyable as a whole.

A final thing to keep in mind is that it’s okay to fall behind on resolutions; things can happen in life that alter plans previously made, but anyone can pick themselves back up where they left off.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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Slide, glide and skate at ice skating rinks

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

An activity that becomes popular around the winter season is ice skating, and can be a fun way to get out with friends during the holiday break. Here are a few places sprinkled around the northwest.

Lloyd Center Ice Rink is located at 953 Lloyd Center in Portland, and is directly in the center of the mall. Found right across from Macy’s on the first floor, the ice rink provides an opportunity for patrons to freestyle skate, take skating lessons or even reserve for a birthday party.

Lessons can be for people from preschool to adult level, and cost $123 for 30 minutes a week for seven weeks of classes, but is currently on sale for $113 until Jan. 4. Those who sign up for lessons get free admission to all public skating times from the sign up day through the seven weeks of lessons, along with free rental of skates on the day of class. Lessons for current registration will run from Jan. 6–Feb. 22. For advanced competitive skaters, there are 45–60 minute sessions that cost $12 for drop-ins and $105 for a 10 punch card. Admission currently for the holiday season from Dec. 14–Jan. 5 is $20 and $4 to rent skates. Their hours are Monday 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. but is closed on Christmas, Thursday 11:30 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m.–8:30 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–6 p.m. More information can be found at lloydice.com.

Mountain View Ice Arena, located in Vancouver, WA at 14313 Mill Plain Blvd., also has private and public lessons and availability. Potential customers have the opportunity to take private lessons for both figure skating and hockey. Each sport has different coaches available to choose from, and times that are available and fees vary from person to person. For individuals that are new to ice skating in general, their Learn to Skate program offers group lessons from four year olds to seasoned veteran skaters. Sessions are held once a week for eight or nine weeks, and are all taught by experienced skaters. The current price for public admission is about $10 with a $4 skate rental fee, and passes of various lengths can be bought for $299–$899. Their schedule varies each week and day-to-day, but generally times are from anywhere between 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Look at their website mtviewice.com for more information.

Winter Village is in Hillsboro at Jerry Willey Plaza at 943 NE Orenco Station Loop. It opened on Nov. 29 for it’s fifth season, and is an open-air ice skating area. There isn’t any online or pre-sale options to purchase at this location, however tickets are available to purchase 15 minutes before the skating session begins. General public admission costs $13 for ages 12 and older and $10 for ages 4–11. Family packages can be bought for $40; rental for skates is $5. Private sessions are available for Mondays, toddlers get to skate on Tuesdays and public skating is from 10 a.m.–9:30 p.m. with schedules varying for the holidays — the rink will close early on Dec. 24 and will be closed fully on Dec. 25 for Christmas day.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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Enjoy another festive holiday dessert with this Hanukkah pastry

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Christmas isn’t the only holiday that happens in December — Hanukkah takes place just before Christmas, and lasts eight days. Here’s a Jewish pastry recipe that can be made during this holiday.

NUTELLA RUGELACH

Start to finish: 1 hour 45 minutes

Yields: 48

For the dough:

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of coarse salt

2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough

For the filling:

4 ounces walnuts

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon of cinnamon

Pinch of salt

12 oz nutella (jam or chocolate chips can be substituted)

For finishing:

3 egg whites, lightly beaten

Make the dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and cream cheese at medium speed. Add sugar, and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Add vanilla and salt, and beat to combine. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour. Remove from bowl, and divide into three pieces on a lightly floured surface. Pat into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour, and up to overnight.

Make the filling: In a food processor, combine walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pulse until fine.

Preheat the oven to 350 F°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 12-inch round, less than ⅛ inch thick. Spread evenly with nutella (it may help to have the nutella a bit melted so it doesn’t tear the dough while spreading). Sprinkle with ⅓ of the walnut mixture. Gently press ingredients into dough with your fingers.

Cut the round into 16 equal-sized wedges (triangle shaped like pizza slices). Beginning at the base of each wedge, roll to enclose filling, forming crescent shapes. Pinch to seal. Place on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and filling ingredients. Brush tops with beaten egg white. Bake until golden brown, 25 minutes.

Recipe from eatingbirdfood.com

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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Hit the slopes at these locations during winter break

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

With December comes the winter season, which in turn brings snow — albeit, rarely when in Oregon. During Western’s winter break, try visiting these places in Oregon with friends or family to get in some skiing or snowboarding during vacation.

Mt. Bachelor is located in Bend at 13000 SW Century Dr. It’s open every day, and has a live weather cam on their website to inform visitors about the current amount of snow that’s on the mountain. The conditions report can be found by clicking the “what’s open” option on the main home page, which then gives the viewer an update on the state of the resort. They have a variety of winter-related activities available to patrons, such as skiing, snowboarding and sled dog rides. In addition, for customers who do not have their own snow gear, there are rental options for equipment from helmets to snowboards. Rental packages vary from about $55 to a little over $200.

Season passes can be bought in advance and work for the 2019-2020 winter season — which varies but is typically from November to May. Their lift opened Friday, Dec. 13, and is available to use from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. The cafe they have available for use is open from 7:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m. The West Village Mountain Gateway Building is open from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. More information in regards to passes, hours and rentals can be found on their website mtbachelor.com.

Mt. Hood’s Timberline Lodge offers lessons and various lodging options for guests; similar to Mt. Bachelor, Timberline also has a weather conditions monitor on their website. It provides updates on the temperature, snow levels and amount of fresh snow that has fallen, with pictures that are frequently updated to physically showcase the amount of snow in each area. From snow tubing to snowshoeing, it provides multiple options for winter activities for everyone. There are lifts scattered throughout the lodge along with two terrains for guests to roam.

The operating hours for the Schoolyard and Thunder terrains are from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Multiple bundle packages for lodging and activities vary in price from around $100 to about $500. The season passes for adults is $439, and pass holders are able to gain discounts around the lodge and shops. Even more prices, deals and information can be found at timberlinelodge.com.

Hoodoo Ski Area in Eugene is not currently open for the 2019-2020 winter season, but will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, along with holidays, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. In the meantime, prospective customers can check on the current state of the mountain using the webcams and updating system on the website. Ski lessons will be available for groups, private or both, and the levels for each lesson vary by the individual or group skill level. In addition to skiing, there is snow tubing and a multitude of events for the public to attend. More information can be found at skihoodoo.com.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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Get festive with these Christmas themed iced sugar cookies

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Once the holidays come around, my household becomes filled with various sweets and treats for family dinners. An easy and fun recipe that I do with my mom is Christmas themed sugar cookies. Here’s the recipe she uses — try it out with friends or family members during this holiday baking season.

CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES

Start to finish: 4 hours and 30 minutes

For the classic sugar cookies: 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¾ cups (or 1 ½ sticks) unsalted, softened butter

2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening

⅔ cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the basic royal icing: 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

MAKING THE CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until just combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Unwrap the chilled dough, and put it directly on the work surface. Roll the dough ¼ inch thick. Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut shapes in the dough, and transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they are set but not browned. Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.

MAKE THE BASIC ROYAL ICING

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg whites and lemon juice until the mixture is completely smooth. The mixture should have the texture of a glaze. If the mixture is too thin, add a bit more sugar. If the mixture is too thick, add a few drops of lemon juice. You can add a few drops of food coloring if desired, or you can divide the icing among many mixing bowls if you need more than one color.

The best way to ice sugar cookies is with a pastry bag fitted with a small or medium tip. First, outline the cookie or design, then fill it in. Let the icing harden before serving.

The cookies can be kept in an airtight container for up to three days.

Recipe from “BAKED: New Frontiers in Baking” by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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Check out Haole Island Grill for another food truck option

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Haole Island Grill is located in Independence at 1350 Monmouth St in the parking lot near Roth’s. It’s owned and operated by Christopher Savignard, who started the food truck in February.

Savignard is a graduate from the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, and is a classically trained French chef. He wants to own his own restaurant someday, using the food truck as a step towards reaching that goal.

Savignard and his wife initially lived in Las Vegas, Nevada before moving to Monmouth in June 2018. He picked the area based on the size of the town and the desire to slow down his fast-paced lifestyle.

“We love small town living and wanted to stay local and offer a unique dining choice for the wonderful people in the Monmouth/Independence Community,” he said.

He got the name for the food truck from a previous term used by his coworkers while he worked in Las Vegas.

“I used to work with quite a few Hawaiians in Las Vegas,” said Savignard. “I would often cook family meals for my crew, and they would say ‘Wow! This Haole can cook!’ They said it with love & affection and I never took it any other way.”

Their menu consists of island inspired dishes; Savignard and his wife had travelled throughout the Hawaiian Islands, Polynesia and the Caribbean, which is where he got his inspiration from.

For first-time customers, he recommends a few items based on the customer’s preference or current mood. Usually, the Hawaiian-inspired Haole-Huli Chicken or Mojo Steak topped with homemade Chimichurri sauce is what he recommends. The Haole-Huli Chicken is chicken with Hawaiian-style BBQ, and the Mojo Steak is made with a Cuban Citrus Marinade.

If a customer is craving something with a little heat, Savignard recommends the Jamaican Inspired Jerk Chicken. In addition, he suggests the Tropical Chips and Pineapple-Mango Salsa as a beginning appetizer along with a Marionberry Mock-Mojito as a beverage choice.

According to Savignard, their signature dish is the Haole-Huli Chicken Island Plate on a bed of Coconut Rice with Polynesian Macaroni Salad & Tropical Mango Coleslaw, and he recommends that it be paired with the signature drink: the Marionberry Mock-Mojito. For customers that don’t prefer meat, Haole Island Grill offers a few vegan dishes, such as tofu and Caribbean Spiced Black Beans.

“Our goal is to provide the best of the best while creating something special for our guests,” Savignard said. “Every detail, every component is made with passion and pride in order to craft a delicious meal that will keep them coming back for more. As we like to say, Come and Get Your Grub On!”

Haole Island Grill is open from 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 12–6 p.m. on Saturdays. They also travel for events, which are posted to Facebook and their Instagram at the handle @haoleislandgrill, and can be found on their website www.HaoleIslandGrill.com as well.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Cora McClain

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How to become ‘too blessed to be stressed’ during finals week

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Finals are fast approaching, and with finals usually comes stress for most students. For many classes, the final project or exam can be a deciding factor for grades, so here’s some helpful tips to keep the stress down during prep and finals week.

Try drinking a warm beverage of some sort — such as tea, hot chocolate, cider or coffee — if an energy boost is needed, especially. For some, a warm beverage can really relax both the body and mind, and could be largely helpful during study breaks.
Continuing from the previous point, be sure to take breaks while studying. While it’s nice to finish homework all at once in the span of four hours, study breaks should be taken every hour or so. Smaller breaks — 10 to 15 minutes — should be taken every hour, or about a 30 minute break every two hours. It gives the mind a chance to rest without overloading it with information.
Take naps during the day to fully rest the mind as well as the body. After a nap, students can be left feeling refreshed and ready to take on more studying.
Additionally, yoga and meditation are the perfect chance for relaxation; yoga is a good way to get in some exercise as well. Even just taking the time to take some deep breaths can help someone calm down and ease the stress they could be feeling.
Try going for a walk — or jog or run, whichever works best for each individual person. By getting outside, it can help clear a student’s head if studying becomes overwhelming. The fresh air can feel nice and revitalizing during a study break.
If baking is relaxing, try baking brownies; the prepping process can busy the mind so it isn’t focused on schoolwork for a short amount of time, and a sweet treat will be waiting after all the studying is done. Try adding in something to make the brownies special as well, such as chunks of peppermint.
If frustrations need to be taken out physically, go to the dollar store and buy some cheap plates. Cover a wall with a tarp and chuck them at the wall and floor. The tarp will make for an easy cleanup, and the shards from the destroyed plates can be used for an art project, like a mosaic.
Take a hot bath with bubbles, a bath bomb or bath salts — or all three if desired. A hot shower or a foot soak with epsom salts both work as alternatives.
Take a moment to write something; venting stresses from the past days, weeks or months by writing them down can help relax those tense shoulders. If jotting down stressful happenings doesn’t help, try writing a short story or designing a character.
Blast loud music and sing to distract the mind from all the chaos swirling around. Do it in the house, or take a drive with the windows down and stereo turned all the way up.
Simply watching TV serves as a good break from schoolwork. Find a TV show on some streaming service — Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc. — and just let autoplay do the rest.
Find a Humane Society that’s nearby or within driving distance and pet dogs. The pets will have a fun time and the body won’t feel so tense.
Finally, going in hand with study breaks, find time to partake in hobbies — like painting, reading, drawing, knitting or baking. Students may lessen their stress levels by setting time aside for themselves instead of constantly worrying about exams and finals.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photo by Rylie Horrall

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Giving thanks by giving back

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Thanksgiving is a time generally spent with loved ones, and is a time to think about what you’re thankful for. In addition, it’s a time of giving back, whether it’s donating food to a food bank or volunteering at soup kitchens and homeless shelters. If you’re interested in volunteering for the holiday, here’s a couple options nearby Monmouth.

The Union Gospel Mission of Salem provides an opportunity for those in the community to volunteer to serve food to those in need. Volunteers can sign up to distribute food on Thanksgiving day during the main meal time, which takes place from 11 a.m.–2 p.m., and during dinner from 4:30–7 p.m. Along with serving food, they have set-up and clean-up opportunities for the event. According to their website, they have gotten an abundance of volunteers and may or may not need more for serving food. However, certain food items are still needed for holiday meals, and food can still be dropped off and donated from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. at the Men’s Mission (345 Commercial St NE). More information can be found on their website ugmsalem.org.

Meals on Wheels has a branch in Salem and Keizer through Marion Polk Food Share. Volunteers that are interested can sign up to be a driver that delivers meals to seniors and disabled adults in the community. In addition to potentially delivering meals the week of Thanksgiving, participants can continue to deliver meals post holiday season. Drivers would transport nutritious meals between 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. on Monday–Friday.

Try asking around as well, because you never know what other opportunities may be around. Happy Thanksgiving and holidays.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

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Enjoy your food and get crafty at Craft Bar West

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Craft Bar West is, like the name suggests, an eatery that has crafting events each month for its patrons. It opened earlier this year and is located at 157 Main St W in Monmouth.

It’s owned and operated by sisters Ashley Dornhecker and Abigayle Tilby, who owned a sign crafting workshop business for 12 years before opening Craft Bar West. Dornhecker first started working with sign crafts after a friend had asked her to replicate a board with a message on it. Since that first project, she has continued working with custom wood signs.

Dornhecker expanded and launched a workshop to teach others how to paint signs, which resulted in the partnership she has with her sister due to such high demand.

Eventually, the two found a space in their hometown, Monmouth, that was available for lease, and began hosting their workshops there. Originally, the plan was to just have alcoholic beverage options after the workshop space had been established, and eventually food was added in as well, making the full journey from workshop to bar to restaurant combination.

Craft Bar West hosts painting events regularly each month, and posts about each one frequently. In December, multiple Christmas themed workshops will be held, such as the Christmas Tray Workshop and the Christmas Sign Workshop; both take place within a day of each other — Dec. 13 and 14. In the Christmas Tray Workshop, participants can choose from a variety of stencils — varying from classic “‘tis the season” to iconic movie quotes — while the Christmas Sign Workshop has an even larger selection because of different size options.

Unfortunately, most of the upcoming workshops are full, but updates and new events are posted often on Facebook for customers who wish to partake in the fun. Patrons are still welcome to come in and grab a bite to eat or drink while events are taking place, but should keep an eye out in case there’s limited seating. Craft Bar West is open Wed–Sat from 12–10 p.m., and can be found by searching ‘Craft Bar West by Blissful’ on Facebook.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Mikayla Bruley

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What to do when deciding to live off campus

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

By the time the first year of college has ended, some students have decided to live off campus for the next few years. This was a decision I came to myself — granted, I solidified my decision halfway into Winter Term. For anyone that’s thinking of going down this same route, here’s a list of tips for living off campus.

By living off campus, there’s more freedom when it comes to choosing a roommate or roommates. Some students choose to place ads on Engage when searching for people to live with, and some pick to hang forms on the various bulletin boards around campus — such as in the library and in the Werner University Center. Choosing to live with friends is also a viable option.
Respect between roommates is also important; the space that’s shared is bigger — so it doesn’t feel as cramped sharing just one room between multiple people — which means that there’s also more ground rules to lay out. Establish a system to make sure dishes are clean, laundry gets done and the place isn’t an overall mess.
Communicating with the people you live with is imperative, such as when someone decides to have people over. Like living in the residence halls, giving roommates a heads-up about any potential guest or guests is often important to some people. Setting ground rules is a key factor to effectively living together, both on and off campus.
Having a stable income is imperative when living off campus; now that the housing cost isn’t included in the overall school bill, it’s on each person living in the space to contribute to rent. Money stability ensures that there will be less stress when it comes to getting all bills and groceries paid for.
Going off of the last statement, food sustainability becomes a major factor to be aware of. Living off campus means not having the dining hall always within reach, so it’s important to ensure the fridge is stocked with something. Grocery prices can be distributed among the roommates evenly, or, if food insecurity is a problem, Western’s Food Pantry is also available.
A final tip to keep in mind is to really make the living space comfortable for everyone, because it’s not just a place to live for the school year. It becomes a home, so it’s essential that it’s cozy and brings happiness.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

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Thanksgiving deal for those who aren’t traveling for the holiday

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

If you’re choosing to not travel for the brief holiday break, but are planning to do a sort of “Friendsgiving” with others, Roth’s has an easy option available to make preparations go a lot smoother. By going to their website — roths.com — and scrolling down, you’ll see their “Thanksgiving Pre-order” ad. Once clicked, it will redirect you to a page that allows you to select various turkey options.

To get a completely pre-packaged meal, click the ad next to it labeled “Delicious Holiday Meals;” this gives both a turkey roast and vegetarian, plant-based option for the shopper. The turkey option includes mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, turkey gravy and cranberry sauce in addition to the main course. The plant-based dinner has a main entree — smoked apple sage sausage field roast — along with mashed sweet potatoes, a root veggie mash, vegan gravy and cranberry sauce. Both options cost $49.99 and serve between four to six adults. A package of 12 rolls and a pumpkin pie can also be added on for an additional $4.99 and $8.99, respectfully.

After pre-ordering, the meals can be picked up before Nov. 27. Be sure to check if options are still available for each location.

If you’re spending the holidays on your own, or are just opting out of a large dinner, Bi-Mart has a few Thanksgiving deals that last until Nov. 27. A package of Stove Top stuffing costs $1.99, and Idahoan mashed potatoes are available for $2 for packages of three, equalling out to a cheaper alternative but still including some holiday eats.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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Campus Voices

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Derian Hallberg (Major: ASL Studies, junior)

I’m thankful for how much progress I’ve made emotionally, mentally and physically. I grew a lot since my first year; I was a completely different person from today and never thought I’d get this far. So I’m thankful I was able to do that.

Darby Olsen (Major: ASL/English Interpreting, sophomore)

I am very thankful for my amazing family. Without their support, I would not be here at Western pursuing my degree and following my dreams.

Nick Denning (Major: English/Philosophy, sophomore)

I’m thankful for the foggy mornings because they’re very beautiful. I’m thankful for living in a place where there are so many nice people around, so you can have people to walk in those foggy mornings with you. Also that the term is almost over.

Josh Pautler (Major: English Studies/Writing, sophomore)

I am thankful for supportive parents, lovely classmates, and lit classes.

Claire Graves (Major: Undecided/Exploratory, sophomore)

I am thankful for my mom, and for having such supportive friends that help me get through such hard stuff and build me up. I’m also thankful for french fries.

Carrie Thompkins (Major: ASL/English Interpreting, sophomore)

I’m thankful for my friends’ and family’s support through all the rough times. I am also thankful for being able to have a roof over my head and food while maintaining my education.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Rylie Horrall

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New Thai food truck joins food annex — Sav’s Thai Kitchen

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Sav’s Thai Kitchen is the latest addition to the growing food annex in Monmouth. Located at 152 Main St W, the new food truck has only been open since Nov. 9. It is owned and operated by Savannah Randolph, who initially started out with a Thai food blog and no kitchen.
Randolph originally worked in a pharmacy, but has always had a desire to have her own food truck or a small café. Recently, a possibility arose for her to open the food truck, and she seized the opportunity.
“I found out that my job was closing the company at the end of the year, and it was my wake up call to either try and start my business or just apply for another pharmacy job,” Randolph said. “So, I decided to take a chance with the food truck.”
She chose to open in Monmouth because she had just moved to the area but was disappointed that there were no Thai restaurants nearby. Randolph also loved the feel of the food annex, which solidified her decision to open here.
The decision to serve Thai food stemmed from Randolph’s time in Thailand as a child; she lived there for four years, and began cooking and perfecting her own Thai recipes since then.
“I really wanted to show people what authentic Thai food was like,” she said.
Currently, the menu at Sav’s Thai Kitchen does not rotate, but Randolph intends to once the truck has been open for a longer period of time. The plan is to keep the menu simple and change it every couple of days or so with new daily items. By doing this, Randolph believes that customers will then get a chance to try different kinds of dishes.
For first-time customers, Randolph recommends the Khao Man Gai, which is Thai marinated chicken over garlic ginger infused rice served with chicken broth soup and a special homemade sauce.

“(You) just can’t go wrong with it and you won’t see it at any other Thai restaurant nearby. In Thailand there were specific street food stalls that only sold this one dish,” Randolph added, due to the fact that the dish was so good.
The signature dish at the food truck is the fried rice, which can be bought regular or spicy ⏤ Khao Pad Gai or Khao Pad Krapow, respectfully. The Khao Pad Gai is jasmine rice with chicken, Chinese broccoli, onion and egg, while the Khao Pad Krapow is jasmine rice with chicken, chopped green beans, Thai basil, onion and chilies. Randolph recommends adding a side of Nam Pla Prik — fish sauce with chili peppers — because it adds to the dish.
Currently, Sav’s Thai Kitchen is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.–3 p.m., or until the truck is sold out. Starting in January, the food truck’s hours will be changed and will most likely be open Tues–Sat.
Sav’s Thai Kitchen can be found on Facebook and Instagram at the handle @savsthai, along with their website savsthaikitchen.com.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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A sick care package to prevent illness during winter

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Winter is coming, and the weather isn’t the only cold thing that comes with it. When the temperatures drop, sickness season picks up, so here’s a sick care package to make for yourself, or as a gift for someone else, in case of illness.

The easiest thing to throw in is a few cough drops, if not a small bag. You can toss in one brand, or mix it up with a variety of flavors from fruity to minty.
To solve any congestion issues, add in some anti-congestion or cold/flu medicine. Usually allergy medicine can work as well, but it entirely depends on how your body reacts to it. Either way, at least one of those options is best to have in there.
Tissues are another must-have, as most illnesses include a runny nose in their symptoms. A little travel package works and doesn’t take up much space, however feel free to use a whole box of tissues if there’s enough room.
Vitamins help to boost your immune system, so oranges would be a good inclusion based on the amount of vitamins in the fruit. Plus, if the sickness is hard on the stomach, the citrus fruit isn’t too acidic that it will upset an already distressed stomach. If fruit isn’t your forte, a can of soup for later is a good substitution. Orange bell peppers are also an acceptable substitution for a source of vitamin C.
Finally, put in a beverage of your choice, whether it’s juice, packages of tea, Sprite or just plain water. Hot tea will feel nice for a sore throat, but juice works just as well for those who aren’t fans of tea. For those wanting something fizzy to help with an upset stomach, Sprite ⏤ or 7Up, Sierra Mist, pick your poison ⏤ aids in fixing an upset stomach.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Rylie Horrall

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Try these inexpensive thrift stores nearby Monmouth

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

For many college students, money can be a burden that weighs heavy on minds. Because of this, finding cheap options for household items and clothes is a welcome relief. For me, it feels rewarding to find thrift stores that sell these items at a reasonable price, and luckily there’s a few options near Western.

Help and Hope to Others, more commonly known as H2O, is located in Dallas at 451 SE Maple Street. It’s a secondhand non-profit thrift store that accepts donations from the surrounding community. It then sells everything they receive at much lower and affordable prices, and their stock is constantly changing based on what is donated.

Their mission statement expresses that they wish to help those in need, and the store itself has a few ways of helping the community. For example, they have food boxes available for families in need to pick up, and also have a Helping Hand program to provide household items that struggling families and individuals are looking for; both are programs that volunteers can help with. H2O is open from Mon–Sat from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

In Independence, there’s a thrift store located at 150 C St called Fashion Sense. It was initially open in Monmouth for about a year back in 2016, but moved into a larger space in Independence in 2017. In addition to clothes, Fashion Sense also buys back various furniture and home decor. They try to buy items from customers as much as they can, but due to the limited amount of space, try to pick out items that will sell the quickest. In addition, clothes that are being sold can be brought in bags and don’t have to be on hangers, but all commodities brought in should be cleaned and washed.

Everything that’s sold in the shop is at a low price point, and can be shipped once bought or held in store until it can be picked up. Fashion Sense is open from 12–6 p.m. on Monday and from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. on Tues–Sat.

Robin’s Roost is a store located at 283 S 2nd St in Independence, but, according to their most recent post on Facebook, have begun closing their doors after nine years. They still remain open on Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m.–6 p.m., and on Saturday from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. to clear out inventory. Offers can still be made on their remaining stock; if one of their signs is out on the corners of the street, then they are still open.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

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Check out Grills Gone Wild for a variety of food

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Grills Gone Wild is located near the Donut Bar, behind the New Life Ministries church. The food cart, owned and operated by Toto Hall, opened last month on Oct. 17.

The first food truck she had started was an espresso truck about 20 years ago; from there, her business grew and evolved into the food truck that’s currently in Monmouth.

Hall had lived in Monmouth back when Western was still known as the Western Oregon State College. She had decided to open a food truck here in town after hearing about the food annex from an old friend, and thought the location held a lot of potential and great people.

The food truck’s menu consists mainly of grilled sandwiches, many of which contain bacon.

“I love sandwiches and I love bacon so I decided to design bacon related sandwiches,” Hall explained.

Grills Gone Wild also carries a diverse selection of fries, gyros, desserts and various other dishes. The reason for the large variation and occasional changes to the menu is because Hall likes to modify the menu according to what her customers are craving.

“I (have) specials weekly or so and keep modifying my menu to bring food(s) locals want to eat,” Hall said.

The signature dish for Grills Gone Wild is the deep fried peanut butter, banana, marshmallow and Nutella dessert sandwich, which can’t be found on the menu, but can usually be made if prompted. The dish Hall recommends to first-time customers is either the garlic parmesan fries, or any sandwich that has bacon on it.

In addition, Hall is in the process of expanding the gluten-free options available on the menu. Currently, Grills Gone Wild has gluten-free burgers, Philly cheesesteaks and cheesy melt sandwiches. Hall is attempting to find gluten free pita bread for chicken gyros as well, and tries to carry gluten free chicken tenders when she can.

Once winter season rolls around, Hall hopes to add soup as well to the ever growing menu.

When asked if she had anything else to add, Hall had a sentiment she wished to share.

“I love this small town and I hope to find more hungry patrons I can serve and hopefully make them happy or happier one bite at a time.”

Grills Gone Wild is open on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12–6 p.m. The food truck can be found on Facebook by searching “WouHoo Grills GoneWild,” and is in the process of getting other social media accounts set up.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photos by Mikayla Bruley

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Apple themed dessert recipes

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

Thanksgiving is a time of giving and spending time with loved ones. It’s also a time for a lot of food, including delicious desserts. Here’s some apple themed sweets to bake for that next holiday gathering.

APPLE PIE

Start to finish: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Serving size: 8 slices

1 unbaked pie crust

7-8 Granny Smith Green Apples peeled and sliced thin or chopped into small cubes

¾ cup of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

1 tablespoon of vanilla

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 °F.

Peel and slice (or chop) the apples and place them in a large mixing bowl.

In a smaller separate bowl, mix brown sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon together.

Add the small bowl of ingredients to the apples, mixing and fully coating the apple slices.

Drizzle the vanilla over the apple mixture.

Add apples to a prepared unbaked pie crust, top with pie dough or crumble. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown.

APPLE CRISP

Start to finish: 1 hour

Serving size: 4-6 pieces

6 apples — peeled, cored, and sliced

2 tablespoons of white sugar

1½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 cup of brown sugar

¾ cup of old-fashioned oats

¾ cup of all-purpose flour

½ cup of cold butter

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Toss apples with white sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon in a medium bowl to coat, then pour into a 9-inch square baking dish.

Mix brown sugar, oats, flour and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a separate bowl. Use a fork to mash the cold butter into the oats mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Spread over the apples to the edges of the baking dish and pat the topping gently until even.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and the sides are bubbling.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

SWEET APPLESAUCE

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Serves 4 people

4 apples (preferably granny smith)

1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons of white sugar

Cut and core the apples. If desired, apples can also be peeled, but it’s not necessary.

Take a medium sized pot and fill with about an inch of water. Turn stove top on between levels 4 and 6. Once it’s set, place apples into the pot as the water begins to heat up.

Begin stirring after water begins to boil. Continue stirring until apples are soft, then start mashing with stirring utensil. Mash apples until desired texture and thickness.

Turn off the heat on the stove and add in the sugar and cinnamon. More sugar and cinnamon can be added as preferred. Stir until fully mixed in.

Serve once cooled, or store in a container for later. The applesauce can be kept in the fridge for about a week and a half, and can last up to three months in the freezer if packaged in a freezer bag.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photos by Trinity Phan-Low (apples & applesauce)

Photos by Rylie Horrall (apple pie & apple crisp)

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Simple DIY Thanksgiving decorations

Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor

As a child, you may have made Thanksgiving decorations in school, such as the classic hand turkey. Here’s some of those decorations that you can still use now.

Hand Turkeys

Hang a blast-from-the-past decoration that can be made into a chain. Start by tracing your hand onto a piece of paper and then cutting it out. Color the fingers to create feathers. Alternatively, trace your fingers on various colored paper, then cut and glue onto the fingers of the hand outline. Draw a face onto the thumb to make the head of the turkey.

To make the hanging chain, repeat the process as many times as desired. Take the finished hand turkeys and glue the head of the turkey onto another turkey just below the tip of the pinky. Hang where desired when finished.

Pinecone Turkey Centerpieces

Decorate your dining table with an easy-to-make centerpiece. Take a pinecone — which can be bought in bulk or potentially found outside for free — and glue googly eyes onto the front of it. Alternatively, eyes can be drawn on paper, cut out and glued on. Take some colorful paper and cut out oblong oval shapes to create feathers. Glue the makeshift feathers onto the pinecone near the back. Repeat this step to layer the feathers. Lastly, cut a small triangle out of orange paper and glue it on to make a beak.

Turkey Treat Bags

Organize your snacks and create a cute decoration in the process. Take a small plastic bag and fill it with Reese’s Pieces (or a different candy of your choice). Tie off the end with a string or hair tie. The end of the bag can be fluffed up to make a tail, or you can add to it by cutting feathers out of paper. Take an orange pipe cleaner and twist it to make a beak, leaving extra standing up in order to glue googly eyes on. Alternatively, you can use candy corn for beak and paper for the eyes. Take yellow pipe cleaners and twist them to create feet, or use paper glued to the bottom of the bag.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photo by Rylie Horrall (hand turkey)

Photo by Cora McClain (pinecone)

Photo by Trinity Phan-Low (treat bag)

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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Campus Voices

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Try these inexpensive thrift stores nearby Monmouth

Check out Grills Gone Wild for a variety of food

Apple themed dessert recipes

Simple DIY Thanksgiving decorations

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