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Morsels:
Animal
House Redux Cottage Grove was home to an unconventional parade in November 1977, as Universal Pictures wound down its five-week filming of Animal House, much of which was shot on and around the UO campus in Eugene. UO classrooms stood in for the movie's Faber College, and the Sigma Nu fraternity house on 11th Avenue, since replaced by office buildings, became the temporary frat house for actor John Belushi and his brothers. The parade day's mad glory will be celebrated this Saturday, Aug. 30, in downtown Cottage Grove. Tourists and locals are invited to take part in the Animal House Look-a-Like and Toga contests in the morning; a parade with floats and the Get-A-Life Marching Band at high noon; reserve seat showings of the movie mid-afternoon; and a Toga Party and musical entertainment that afternoon and night. For details, visit www.animalhousecelebration.com/ Shooting for Animal House took place Oct. 24 through Nov. 30, 1977. The studio hired more than 4,000 extras from the area for two days work, although some extras also wangled stints on crew and stretched out the work. Besides college students, especially fraternity or sorority types, ordinary residents of Cottage Grove took part in the movie's raucous parade sequences. Local photographer John Bauguess was on hand to capture the excitement when the locals were told to run for their lives as a berserk deathmobile from the parade roared up the sidewalk after them. He remembers that Cottage Grove's downtown was so perfect that the movie people hung overhead parade banners but didn't need to change main street storefronts and signs to reflect the ambience of small-town 1962. Bauguess also had a memorable encounter with John Belushi. "He'd had a bad day with stunts," Bauguess said. "He'd jumped off the platform onto the cushioned pad several times, and he had been kicked in the lip accidentally by an extra in another scene. Shooting was done for the day, and people had left the set. Belushi was sitting by himself in a chair. I was across the street from him, with my camera, and as I started to cross the street he yelled, 'Lighten up' to me. I took my camera and left." On Saturday, about 15 of Bauguess's photographs will be on display in a storefront window. Like the photographs shown here, these pictures have never been published. Oregon magazine (now defunct) had asked him to take pictures, but when he called the staff he was told, "We got some already." Bauguess said he was so mad he hit a wall and broke his hand. Ouch!
Extra Maida Belove was present for the food fight scene in the EMU Fishbowl in November 1977, where she and others were told to go to Cottage Grove the next day for the parade. She skimmed through the script and saw that Indians were to be in the parade. "I decided I wanted to be in the parade," Belove said, "so I went to a costume shop in Creswell the next morning. I thought I would just drop by the set in my Indian costume and be available. But when director John Landis and assistant director Cliff Coleman spied me in costume, they asked, 'Maida, what are you doing? It's East Indian, not American Indian,'" she said. She laughed. Belove spent that first day in Cottage Grove signing autographs, wearing a light brown, fringed dress; moccasins; a headband; darker makeup and braided hair. She was out there the next day, too, "standing around in regular 1964 clothes," Belove said. "Landis told me I was too recognizable as a Delta girl, so I wore a different costume every day. I tried to get a speaking part every day," she said. Although she had a non-speaking part, Belove still enjoys having been in the very first shot of the movie. "When Flounder (Stephen Furst) and Pinto (Tom Hulce) go in the fraternity house for the first time, I run up to Flounder and take his hat off his head," she said. "Later Flounder gave me his beanie, autographed with 'I hope to co-star with you again soon.'" Like others who went Animal House-crazy that fall, Belove went to the movie's premiere in L.A. "Landis recognized me and had me stand up as a Eugene person," she said.
Famished
in Florence Los
Compadres Taqueria When you're playing on the coast and you want some hot, cheesy, delicious Mexican food, but don't know who to trust, trust me and head for Los Compadres. Though located right on Highway 101, just a block before you turn into Old Town Florence, it's tucked inside such a cozy, small building that in the blink of an eye you'll miss it. Owner José, who greets all incomers and serves them himself, is friendly and attentive; you won't wait long, and you'll get just what you want. Open seven days a week, you'll find breakfast dishes with fresh eggs, chorizo, ham, potatoes and chilies. Soups, tortas (Mexican sandwiches), tostadas, burritos, nachos and tacos will ensure you never leave hungry, no matter the time of day. House specials featuring crab, shrimp, prawns, and fish are available, as well as pork, skirt steak, chicken and lengua. We were drawn to the bean and beef tostados and enchilada combo platters. Our cheese quesadilla covered the whole plate. We asked for guacamole, which was fresh, unprocessed and flavorful. Our plates were heaping with crispy tostadas smothered in lettuce, cheese and tomatoes, mouthwatering beans and rice, and plump, gooey enchiladas. Dessert had to be the peach chimichangas, served with rich caramel sauce, freshly whipped cream and velvety vanilla ice cream. For three hungry people with drinks (margarita, beer, soda) our bill didn't top $30. When in Florence — forget Moe's — let it be Los Compadres. 11 am-9 pm daily. $-$$. — Vanessa Salvia
Leftovers: Hilda's was trucking along nicely enough, save the occasional minor clashes with landlords Jill and Gary Katz of Humble Bagel, when Hilda's friend and employee/chef Mark Zolun offered to buy her out. In a perfect world, she'd be like Poppi Cottam of Poppi's Anatolia, selling her recipes and image to a community that loves her, and getting a well deserved break — having her cake and eating it too, so to speak. However, Zolun's offer apparently came in much lower than hoped for, and now Hilda's out on the street and Zolun has her lease. Replacing Hilda's tapas bar and South American cuisine is the new restaurant Iraila — a Mediterranean restaurant with Greek, Italian, Moroccan and Egyptian dishes. A Eugene favorite for drawn-out, laid-back late breakfasts, French Horn café and bakery in the L&L Market disappeared in a flash. We hear unpleasant landlord relations and negative reviews (both in the Guard and by word of mouth) contributed to the fiasco, and now the question is: What will fill that void? Serrano's expanding? Mucho Gusto probably won't fit, but I hear interest was registered. I'd love to see Holy Cow find a new off-campus home, or Hilda's, but testing the waters might be a gamble in that spot. Barry's Espresso and Bakery and Plaza Coffee Shop will both need to be out of the Rite Aid building at 28th and Willamette this coming spring, as it'll be knocked down. Both restaurants are looking for new locations now. Barry's will be opening another location early September where Sam's on Campus once was. Other unsubstantiated rumors: Old Smokehouse BBQ may be closing its doors, and Yi Shen market and restaurant has been feeling a bit of the economic pinch these summer months. These small, local eateries doing interesting, diverse kinds of food are an important part of Eugene's food scene — let's rally and support our good local restaurants. — Marina Taylor Morsels is a revolving feature that tries to capture the atmosphere as well as the cuisine of some of our favorite places to eat in and around Eugene, along with food news. Suggestions? Call Ben or Marina at 484-0519 or e-mail cal@eugeneweekly.com
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