Every week, I hear from guest bloggers asking for a chance to write for the Bend Buzz Blog, and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve agreed in the last seven years.
There has to be an extra-special reason for it—like, say, the convergence of my trip to Orlando for the Romance Writers of America national conference (part of my not-so-secret life outside Visit Bend) and the launch of an awesome new Bend business that piqued my interest.
That’s where Zilaida Salgueiro comes in. She’s the founder of Locals Compass, which is a new business that creates personalized travel itineraries for Bend visitors who want to experience Bend like a local. Customers choose a local expert whose interests align with their traveling style and interests, then answer a few questions that will help the local design the perfect itinerary for them.
Naturally, it seemed like a good chance to ask Zilaida what her perfect day in Bend might look like. Here’s what she had to say…
Chilling outside Looney Bean with a good book and views of the river.
It’s the simple things in life
Looney Bean is one of the places that made me fall in love with Bend during my first visit back in April 2015. That’s why a perfect day in Bend must include paying them a visit. My go to drink is their Dirty Hippie (chai latte with a shot of espresso).
Once I have my order in hand, I head over to their lawn area in the back, find a chair and place it facing the water, sit back and, either listen to some good music (currently on a Happy Folk kick on Spotify), or read a good book. Life moves fast but I always feel it slow down while I’m there.
#NomNomNom
For lunch, I’m off to Wild Rose Thai! It is the first place in Bend that recognizes me as a regular. I guess paying them a visit almost weekly would accomplish that.
Zilaida (right) enjoys lunch with a pal at Wild Rose.
My go-to for lunch is their Kaho Soi Curry (spicy level 2, please!). I’ve honestly lost count of how many people I’ve told about this place or have taken with me for either lunch or dinner. If you catch me there for dinner I’m probably enjoying their Kaw Pad Boo (stir fried jasmine rice with Dungeness crab meat, yum).
Work it (out)
Now that my belly is full, it’s time to work off some calories with a hike. If I feel like a challenge, my go to is a trip to Smith Rock to complete Misery Ridge. If I want a less calorie-burning experience (read, less challenging), I head over to Pilot Butte or Shevlin Park.
A hike at Smith Rock offers a healthy helping of exercise.
One of my goals for this year is to complete the #52HikeChallenge (52 hikes within one year), which should be achievable living in Bend! I tend to enjoy hikes with amazing views the most, so I’m excited to tackle Black Butte and others before summer comes to an end.
Dinner and a show
After the hike, I’d meet friends at Crux to enjoy some tacos from El Sancho Taco Shack, a cold beer, and to wait for the sunset show that is sure to follow.
Capping off the day with beers and a sunset at Crux.
No matter the season, I’ve found it to be a great place to fully grasp some of the best things that Bend has to offer: craft beer, good food, and the great outdoors.