Note from the Editor:
We’ve arrived to the spring tease part of winter and since the groundhog proclaimed six more treacherous weeks, there is no better time than to plan a little spring getaway ASAP.
Before I took a trip to Eugene, Oregon, I had never really heard of the Willamette Valley. Without being hyperbolic, it was the singular, most standout, surprising destination! On a whim, I rented a car and drove from the small college town out towards the coast cutting through a slim portion of the southern part of this valley. Let’s just say, encounters with immaculate nature can be a powerful reminder that connecting with yourself is only possible through our greater connection with the earth.
While the times are ever-daunting, there are concrete ways we can move and heal through this moment. Making time to touch grass and reconnect to what matters is as crucial as showing up for our more local communities.
Margarett and I worked together on an article last year and getting to meet her was a true pleasure! She’s a savvy word person, a wonderful editor and her life of food, drinks and friends is one we can aspire to have a bit more joie de vivre.
The Willamette Valley is a treasured place, read on to see why.
Mariah
P.S. Have you snagged a BEEN sticker yet? If so, send us your photos of the stickers! 🙂
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You’re reading been — a people-centered, culturally focused newsletter about the places we've been. Every issue brings interviews with interesting people and their takes on a destination they know well. Let’s go.
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👋 Margarett Waterbury
🎂 39
💼 Author, Magazine Editor
♍️ Libra
THE INTERVIEW
Favorite Travel-related Experience:
Impossible to pick the favorite, but some contenders: soaking in Beitou Hot Springs in Taipei, night swimming through glowing phosphorescence in the Sea of Cortez, late night spleen sandwiches on a Palermo street corner.
Where are you a local?
I have lived in Portland for 22 years and grew up on Vashon Island, Washington, and in Haines, Alaska, so let’s say the Pacific Northwest.
How do you approach travel planning?
I do a lot of planning at work, so I’m actually pretty freewheeling on the road — whether that’s because I’m a free spirit at heart, or because I’m a frantic workaholic who comes in hot to every trip, I can’t decide. Recently I’ve reverted to leaving without even booking all my hotels. I might make reservations for a few special restaurants, or arrange visits to certain sites ahead of time, but I never fill my whole day. Too often, I end up meeting people who give me great recommendations and I like to be able to switch gears if I feel like it.
What do you prioritize?
I like having a reason to go somewhere besides vacation, whether that’s taking a workshop, interviewing somebody for a freelance project, seeing friends, researching a writing project, or anything that gets me interacting with people who live there in a way that’s not wholly transactional.