Paula and Terry identify as writers, with an ever-increasing number of published works to support the supposition. They live a primarily pastoral life in the enchanted town of Jacksonville. 
We’re back.
And so are they.
“We” being your Unfettered Critics. “They” being. . . well, we’ll get to them in a moment.
Some of you may have noticed (and we thank those of you who’ve stopped us on the street to say you had) that our column mysteriously went missing from recent […]
With the Britt Festival’s new season just around the corner, we find ourselves jittery with anticipation. “Music,” they say, “hath charms to sooth the savage beast.” We agree, but that suggests music of the hear (see what we did there?) and now. So what, we asked ourselves, […]
We recently saw the movie Captain Marvel.
Hold that thought—we’ll get back to it in a minute. But first: a few words about “comic book superhero” history. It’s complicated. Convoluted. Confusing.
And you thought it was just kid stuff!
In the 1930s, “pulp magazines” (named for the cheap wood pulp paper they were […]
Our unfettered readers often ask, “How do the two of you write together?” Our stock answer is that one of us starts the piece, then gives it to the other, saying, “This is finished.” The other reads it, usually yelling, “This is terrible. It has to be rewritten from word […]
A year ago, we shared our feelings about streaming services: Didn’t have ‘em. Didn’t need ‘em. Get off our lawn, streamers!
Then we discovered that Discovery—the first new Star Trek series in a decade—could be accessed only on CBS All Access—via (horrors!) streaming. Thus, we yielded to the streamer that carries […]
’Tis the season for ye olde Unfettered Critics to remind (okay—nag) everyone to give back to your community by shopping local. Which brings up a question that has been bothering us for some time—what’s with this weird word we used at the top: “’Tis?”
Think about it. It’s obviously a […]
“I just wanted to take another look at you” is a key bit of dialogue in the oft-produced movie A Star Is Born. The heartfelt line is delivered by the film’s male lead: Fredric March in 1937, James Mason in 1954, Kris Kristofferson in 1976, and Bradley Cooper in this […]
Dogs are entertainment. Unfettered entertainment, if you will. Life without dogs is possible…but for people like us, it’s far less enjoyable.
Dogs also are a job. We take care of them, 24/7, from the day we let them into our lives to their last passing moments. We’ve written about dogs before, […]
This August 25th marks the 100th anniversary of illustrious composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein’s birth.
And this column in the august August Jacksonville Review marks our 100th contribution as your ever-faithful Unfettered Critics. As CE3K’s Roy Neary said to his bewildered family: “This means something.”
Or not. Maybe it’s just mashed potatoes.
We often struggle […]
The saga began like this: In 1958, actor Peter Lawford shared a story told by a gas station attendant with buddy Frank Sinatra. Lawford thought the fanciful caper about robbing five Las Vegas casinos in one night would make for a fun movie project. Sinatra playfully upped the ante: “Forget […]
Hilary Kemmling always loved to cook. “As a kid, I opened imaginary restaurants where I’d be the chef,” she says. “And when my mother had parties, I’d jump into the kitchen.” Eventually, Hilary graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, filled with ambition to open a real restaurant.
In 2007, when her family began renovating the […]
Sometimes it just feels right—like in 1997, when Pony Espresso owners Chris and Kadie Boivin first visited Jacksonville for a weekend getaway.
Like so many of the town’s transplants who have shared this experience, they fell in love with the area. “It was quiet here,” Chris Boivin says. “Coming from Napa, one of the prime wine […]
Remember when café ads used to say things like “Food like Grandma used to make?” It described that diner from your old neighborhood. But as time goes on, fewer and fewer places can aspire to the slogan—except for The Mustard Seed.
Yes, The Mustard Seed is that kind of place, a familiar Jacksonville eatery since 1958. […]
What happens when four longtime friends finally create the restaurant they’ve always dreamed of? They open The Liège Waffle, Jacksonville’s newest food establishment, and offer tasty treats with a historic origin.
“Our style of waffle originated in the city of Liège, Belgium in the late 18th century,” explains Jonathan Cummings, co-owner along with partners Spencer Henry, […]
Family is important at Las Palmas Mexican Cuisine, a courtesy extended even to the customers. “Our motto is “Nuestra casa es su casa”—“Our house is your house,” Luis Rodriquez, Jr., says. “Everybody that comes in, when you’re dining with us, you’re part of our family.”
Fittingly, the restaurant has a homey feel, with an abundance of […]
Classic Mexican cuisine, served in a spacious dining area with a full bar—or on the large patio perfectly positioned to catch summer breezes—has pleased La Fiesta’s diners since 1995. The restaurant came into existence because of a chance encounter three years earlier.
Owner Fernando Serrano was visiting a friend in […]
Jerry Evans didn’t set out to be a restaurateur. Or even a hotelier. But with a degree in Food Sciences from Oregon State, and a twenty year career overseeing food processing and production for Harry & David, it made sense. “My wife Linda and I acquired the Jacksonville Inn in 1976 for the restaurant,” he […]
Take a leisurely drive south on Highway 238 and you’ll quickly find yourself at The Honeysuckle Café, where co-owners Colin Cox and Monique Cordova have gathered the bounty of the region “to bring delicious comfort to every plate,” since 2015.
The couple met while working at a restaurant in Jacksonville, then moved to Idaho—for fifteen years—where […]
The tantalizing aroma of coffee beans roasting once drifted throughout Jacksonville’s downtown. “Having the roaster in town was really romantic,” says Michael Kell, owner of GoodBean Coffee. As his company grew busier preparing coffee blends for distribution across the Northwest, the time came to relocate the roaster—but that hasn’t deterred the flow of residents and […]
“Dining is an experience,” Jonoah Murphy says. “But not everyone is looking for the same experience. By getting to know diners’ preferences, we’re able to create a custom experience for each of them.”
A difficult mandate, yet Jonoah and his brother Chef Gabriel Murphy are up to the task at Gogi’s Restaurant.
The brothers grew up in […]
Forty Five Craft Coffee, positioned at the busiest intersection in town, shouldn’t be missed.
The tiny shop’s name was inspired by a love of vinyl—the platter type that spins on a turntable—as reflected in the worn LPs displayed on the walls, and the tiny record-shaped coasters on the tables.
At the cozy C Street Bistro, just one block north of California Street, customers may find themselves sharing a long communal table with fellow diners who quickly become friends. Or when the weather permits, patrons may spread outdoors to the patio, or a deck in the shade of a towering horse chestnut tree. […]
Among the specials offered at the Bella Union are… the hours. The doors stay open throughout the afternoon, allowing delayed diners to grab a bite after the lunchtime rush. On Sunday mornings, an early opening translates to a hearty brunch following church services. In the evening, the Saloon area offers food after the dining rooms […]
The Applegate Store and Café, next to the green-steel Pioneer Bridge where Oregon Highway 238 crosses the Applegate River, is a diamond in the rough in an idyllic valley.
In 2002, Jeannie and Jackie Inman bought the rustic landmark, with Chef Jeannie running the Café, and her mother Jackie managing the connected convenience store. In 2004, […]
Our readers may have noticed that we have an affinity for dogs. This doesn’t mean we automatically adore any movie featuring a canine (some are dogs, and we don’t mean that in a good way), but it does suggest we’ll make the effort to spend an afternoon at a matinee. […]
A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle’s award-winning 1962 novel, is beloved by generations of readers. It is “science fantasy”—too fanciful to be considered science fiction, but brimming with science-y theories on traveling through space without a spaceship. And, as with the most memorable children’s tales, it stresses the power of […]
We aren’t enamored of streaming services.
We don’t object to them. We just haven’t felt the need to sign up for “additional services.” We like network TV—free TV—although we know its future is shaky. So we tried to delay the inevitable…
…At least, until last fall, when we signed up for CBS […]
We love the smell of popcorn in the winter. It reminds us of…entertainment award show time!
The year kicks-off with the televised Golden Globes ceremony in January. And then comes February, and the Superbowl of entertainment events: the Academy Awards! Except this year, the Winter Olympics threw a loose ski pole […]
Toy stores are meant to be magical places, filled with unique treasures that spark the imagination. Often, such wonderful neighborhood stores exist only in memories. But everyone who visits Scheffel’s Toys & More, on the northeast corner of California and Oregon streets, knows that they’ve found the real thing: a classic toy […]
Handmade. Handcrafted. Hand-Created! At Jacksonville’s Carefree Buffalo, visitors will find a collection of functional artisan masterpieces, from the world’s finest pocket knives to incredible leather and high-density microfiber jackets, from gorgeous ceramics to unique reading glasses, from exquisite purses to precision crafted clocks. “We admire products that personify uniqueness, […]
Sunday afternoon. Everything is ready for the party except…
Oh no! The Cherries Jubilee! Two pounds of cherries need to be pitted. You reach for a knife, then remember how badly that went last time. Those poor cherries looked as though they’d been trampled by a wild animal. How are you going to […]
Shoppers stepping into Blue Door Garden Store feel they’ve found an enchanted place filled with wondrous miniature gardens, with a populous of whimsical gnomes, fairies, elves, and Zen figurines. Conversations in the store are punctuated by the melodic knell of myriad wind chimes—and the thump-thump-thump of shop dog Myah’s wagging tail.
“Sometimes it […]
Farmhouse Treasures, at 120 West California, specializes in reminders of a more relaxed era. Gift items cover every surface: chalkboards and sloganed tin signs decorate the walls; seasonally themed décor, and anything you need to make your home comfy, draw your eye; aprons and dishtowels spill across upcycled vintage cabinets—which also are […]
“With a 1908 vintage motorcycle on the wall, I guess you could say we’re not your traditional jewelry store,” says The Crown Jewel co-owner Jason Robison. “But we’re not simply out to offer the unusual—we’re here to have fun and do things with meaning.” In fact, the store’s slogan is ‘Jewelry and […]
Aficionados of antiques and collectibles have been finding their way to Pickety Place for over thirty years, even though the white picket fence that inspired its name has been absent most of that time.
“When it opened in 1986, Pickety Place was in a little house with a yard, surrounded by that fence,” […]
Many people come to Jacksonville to retire…but then, somehow…don’t. Because they love what they do.
Take Marge Wall, owner of Country Quilts. She’s operated the shop, located at 214 East California, for fourteen years, although she and her late husband Bob had established the business in 1987, in the building right next door. […]
You need a gift for someone, but you’re not certain about that someone’s size or special interests. And if the giftee is male, your task is even harder.
Stumped? Seek inspiration at Pico’s, 160 East California Street, where co-owners Michael Richardson and Louise Lavergne have made a point of keeping the mix eclectic, […]
Jacksonville represents the fulfillment of a dream to those lucky enough to have found a cozy nesting space within the city limits—including business owners who long to set up shop in this historic community’s downtown.
Case in point: Adrienne and Pat Powers, proprietors of Quintessence Décor. They’d owned […]
Tobiano Boutique, at 120 South Third Street, exudes an artsy vibe. It’s clearly a women’s apparel shop, filled with colorful, flowing garments. With the abstract patterns on many of the fabrics, and the prints of Picasso, Matisse, and O’Keefe gracing the walls, the shop also brings to mind a gallery, or an […]
Artist Todd Lovett and gardener Mark Sutter opened their gift store when they realized how smoothly their individual careers blended into a cohesive package. “I had done landscape and event planning,” Mark says, “and Todd’s career was in art and retail. It made sense to merge our professions. That’s how we came […]
They say to be careful what you wish for.
Five years ago, Jo Parker told her husband, Jacksonville Review publisher Whitman Parker, that she needed a change. After a lengthy career in marketing and title insurance, she was tired of sitting behind a computer all day. “It just wasn’t me,’” she says.
Asked what […]
“Where Style Meets Elegance” isn’t just a slogan at Jacksonville Company, it’s a policy that’s evident when customers step in the door. From handbags to jewelry to women’s clothing, owner Lorraine Akin keeps a keen eye open for both the latest styles and classic designs.
“I call it […]
Readers will find that the shelves in Rebel Heart Books, the newest retail establishment in Jacksonville (located in the old blacksmith shop building at 157 West California), don’t display category labels. Thus, they may not immediately divine where the poetry volumes await, or whether there’s a sports book section (there is). The […]
Sandi Whittle, co-owner of La Bohème, gazes about her Jacksonville boutique with a smile. “My daughter, Amy Blanchard, talked me into it,” she admits. “I was happily retired.”
The two shared a vision strong enough to pull Sandi back into the workforce in 2007, […]
JoyFull Yoga Wellness Center may seem a non-traditional destination for seasonal shopping, yet it offers surprising and unique gifts for your loved ones.
“We’re all about providing opportunities to help people feel better,” says owner Louise Lavergne. “We offer the gift of wellness. And you can treat yourself […]
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss… one generation removed.
The Cotton Broker has been a fixture on the Jacksonville fashion scene since 1994, when store founder and Jacksonville native Alice McGee acquired the historic brick building on the corner of California and South Oregon. Having […]
Standing near a wall of drawers filled with nuts, bolts and other fasteners, and in reach of a selection of hand and power tools, paint supplies and general hardware items, Ruch Hardware owner Tiffany Ryan readily describes her business philosophy: “We do anything we can to make your life easier. That’s […]
May we get personal here? We have a tale to tell.
Many of you know writer William Goldman for his Academy Award-winning screenplays to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and All The President’s Men. None of his work, however, is remembered as fondly as his story of Buttercup and Westley. […]
Okay, we’ll admit it. We haven’t reviewed much cinema this year. Frankly, we weren’t inspired by Hollywood’s offerings in 2017. Yes, we liked Wonder Woman (a lot) but many of the other films left us—hmm—we believe the correct word in the current parlance would be “meh.” Look it up.
Until recently, […]
You don’t know what you missed. And that makes us very sad.
We’re serious. Every August, the residents of Southern Oregon are offered a tremendous opportunity. Yet many residents let that opportunity slip away with little thought of its value. And, now that September has arrived, it’s gone. Again.
Yes, we’re talking […]