Holiday streets

Sunset, Dec, 1994 by Steven R. Lorton, Betsy Reynolds Bateson, Lora J. Finnegan, Daniel Gregory, Jeanie Puleston Fleming, David Lansing, Roseann Hanson, Jeff Phillips

Capture the seasonal spirit with a stroll down one of these 11 festive Western thoroughfares. They range from sharply chic to cozy and quaint.

THE HOLIDAY PANIC: YOU'VE A dozen gifts left to buy, you're stressed out, and you need an infusion of holiday spirit. Solution: a crowded, stuffy indoor mall? Bah humbug. It's easier to capture the joy of the season with a walk down one of the West's most festive streets. From the galaxy of lights along Seattle's Broadway to Santa Fe's Canyon Road farolito walk, these avenues know how to dress for the occasion. Some streets make great holiday or weekend destinations, others may be in your own, or a nearby, town. Whatever the case, bundle up against the crisp winter air, and hit the streets.

E. MAIN STREET Ashland, Oregon

Ashland is best known for the theatrical magic of its Oregon Shakespeare Festival, but another kind of magic begins the evening after Thanksgiving. That's when the Festival of Light turns the town plaza and surrounding streets into a fairyland of twinkling white lights.

It's an especially good time to visit Ashland, which has a quiet, natural quaintness. Begin an exploration of the town with a stroll down E. Main Street, Ashland's major thoroughfare, where you'll venture upon Unicorn Gifts and Toys (252 E. Main), with its fantasy displays of ornaments and toys guaranteed to appeal to all ages. For the truly young, stop in at Fussywug's (399 E. Main). The shop has a delightful book selection, a good collection of building sets, and play areas.

And don't pass up the Northwest Nature Shop (154 Oak Street), a short walk from E. Main, with its extensive collection of bird feeders, wind chimes, outdoor adventure books, and a group reading-song-craft room; call(503) 482-3241 for current events. Just a few steps from E. Main, on the plaza, turn into Rare Earth (37 N. Main) for gifts, pottery, candles, and a fabulous collection of funky toys, incense, and CDs. Also on the plaza, The Web-Sters (11 N. Main) features handmade sweaters and buttons and an array of knitting and weaving supplies.

You can get a quick bite or takeout at Ciao Main (272 E. Main), which features muffalatas on focaccia. For a special dinner, try Monet (36 S. Second Street, one block up the hill from E. Main) for its traditional French country dishes and superb desserts. Thai Pepper (84 N. Main, one block from the plaza) features fresh dishes with an Asian influence. And you can step into a traditional soda fountain with counter and booth seating and a jukebox at Rosie's Sweet Shoppe (303 E. Main).

For information about bed-and-breakfast inns and all holiday events, including a traditional Dickens Christmas Feast and holiday performances at four theaters, call the Chamber of Commerce Holiday Hotline at (503) 488-5495. To get to E. Main from Interstate 5 southbound, take exit 19 to State Highway 99, which turns into N. Main. From northbound 1-5, take exit 11; Siskiyou Boulevard turns into E. Main. You'll find plenty of street parking.

BROAD STREET Nevada City, California

The boulevards of Nevada City have long held an irresistible allure. During the Gold Rush, overeager miners actually dug up city streets in search of placer gold deposits. Today Nevada City successfully mines its past to lure travelers to its charming streets lined with Victorian-era buildings. Along the main thoroughfare of Broad Street, gingerbread-bedecked stores do a booming business much as they did in the 1850s.

During the holidays, the town's mountain locale ensures a wintry chill in the air. At dusk, gas lamp--style streetlights flicker on, tiny white lights on the buildings trace Victorian outlines, and one can hear the jingle of harness bells. The town hits a festive peak during its Victorian Christmas celebration: from 6 to 9 in the evening December 7, 14, and 21, and from 1 to 5 on December 18. The chamber of commerce gives out free roasted chestnuts, and streetside vendors proffer mulled wine alongside booths selling arts and crafts.

As you make your way along Broad, follow your nose toward the spicy scents inside Nevada City Specialities (308 1/2). Here you'll get a free taste of aromatic Whale Tea, along with the story of how it got its unusual name, and samples of homemade ice cream. At the South Yuba Cafe (306), owners have considerately created a kids' latte drink (steamed milk and Torani syrup). And at Harmony Books (231), you'll find soothing music and a good selection of Gold Country guide-books, gift books, and tapes.

Dining choices abound downtown. At Potager at Selayas (320), you'll find a broad wine list and a sophisticated menu that might include smoked salmon carpaccio or roast duck. To reserve, call (916) 265-5697.

Nevada City is about 60 miles northeast of Sacramento; to get there from Interstate 80, take State Highway 49 north about 30 miles. During Victorian Christmas, the city's downtown streets are closed to autos, so park at the Nevada County government buildings on State 49 about 1/2 mile past Nevada City and hop the free shuttle into town.