We decided to try Ashland in the winter because we love it in the spring, summer and fall - so why not winter? Beer and dinner at the Black Sheep, which was surprisingly packed - our waitress said she did $3000 on her own last night. Emily, a student who waits for a living, nearly dropped through the floor.

A quick walk round town before dinner produced some photos - untreated here - might be next year’s Christmas card here somewhere if we are lucky.

Might snow over night or Wednesday before we leave - hope so - cold enough and frost on the ground tonight - for a british boy who gets home sick every now and again, it doesn’t get much better.

Went for a Rogue river valley trip - Medford, Jacksonville and Grants Pass. Medford was a shopping trip and then off through the vineyards to little Jacksonville. Very nice lunch at Bella Union - most famous for a shooting (or so they say). Some nice shop windows and a small about of shopping. Then a unfruitful trip to Grants Pass. They said they had some fiber optics dazzle - panels the size of boardroom tables which change to music. In reality they look like the side of bus shelters and are just about as exciting - if this is your main reason to go to Grants Pass, then give it a miss. Big decision is what for dinner tonight - suspect we will have an early night - it was coldish today and that is tiring for us old folks :) Added a couple of pictures to the Ashland album.

OK! Dinner this evening was a serious find - Cucina Biazzi - a house on East Main, behind the new fire house (also known as cooking bitch because then I could remember it). 4 courses, 2 which you choose, all of which are very nice - priced in the high 20s, low 30s. Desert extra but worth it. Nice wine list of Italian and American wines $15-90 a bottle, ChCRiserva for $44 that was drop dead. $50 a head for an excellent night. Different to Amuse but at the moment better; tough to say long term but as Amuse is one of my all time favorites, this place blew my socks off. Staff was also outstanding. Our waitress had given the other waiter the night off as they only had 2 reservations and then they had 5 walk-ins. She handled it beautifully. Hard to find if you don’t know it is there but a not to be forgotten experience.

Special thanks to the dude in the glass gallery in Jacksonville - I’ll be following his theater recommendations too.

Quiet day - Emily’s eye and my knees playing up, probably for different reasons. Got the snow I was looking for today, for all of 10 minutes in 3 minute slices - but still snow and I for one ain’t complaining. At the CD stored scored big time on the DVD front - the classic Christmas carol in BD, the whole Reggie Perrin series for $49.99 and 4 Carry On Christmas’s from the early 70s - SCORE! Taj indian for dinner - surprisingly good for small college town in southern oregon. The Tandoori mixed grill is excellent and the do good Chai - I was jonesing for real tea. You can see the snow in the picture -
Honest you can......