Last summer, Anita Halmøy Wisløff-Menteer and Erik Sims Wisløff-Menteer
found themselves as the new owners of the Log Lodge in Rhododendron and
in the middle of a pandemic. And thanks to how so many aspects of life as
they knew it were shut down due to the coronavirus (including Erik’s band,
Blitzen Trapper, not being able to tour) the pair sold their Portland house and
moved to Rhododendron.

“We just realized that neither of us had anything going on in Portland, so we
might as well just head up to the Mountain,” Erik said.

Anita and Erik have a larger vision for the Log Lodge, a historic building on the
south side of Hwy. 26, but while they chip away at repairing and restoring it,
they also opened Bestie’s Coffee, a food truck that offers beverages and food.
They see their location as convenient for tourists travelling up to Mount Hood
and hope that locals swing by, too.

Anita, who grew up in a small mountain town in Norway, noted they will focus
on offering things that people can take with them on a ski trip or other
recreational activities, with plans to have sandwiches and pastries in the
future. She also noted they might offer “wieners in a thermos,” a popular
skiing meal in Norway that features hot dogs in a thermos with hot water,
buns and condiments for a hot lunch on the slopes.

“We do that all the time up (on Mount Hood) and we get a lot of weird looks,”
she said. “It’s a great thing, so hopefully people will try it out.”

Erik, who grew up in Salem, added that they will offer Water Avenue coffee,
noting it’s a good change of pace from some of the heavier brews they
experienced in Portland.

“We really like their coffee and the roasting methods,” he said. “It’s incredibly
flavorful. They’re just a really solid team.”

The pair plan to feature coffee in the Log Lodge when they open it, offering a
place for people to sit and work during the day. And even though no firm
timeline is in place for that to open, they both can appreciate the fact that due
to the pandemic they would be closed up even if the building was ready.
“For us, it’s weirdly good timing,” Anita said. “We wouldn’t have been able to
open anyway.”

And to help people who want to make a quick stop while getting their drinks,
Bestie’s Coffee can be preordered online, allowing beverages to be finished by
the time people stop by.

The pair added that they are extremely grateful to the community of
Rhododendron and their neighbors, who have been very helpful as they have
started their endeavors.

“We love it up here; everyone is so amazingly nice,” Anita said. “It’s so fun to
be part of such a small community. The nature is amazing.”
Bestie’s Coffee is located at 73330 Hwy. 26 and is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
seven days a week.

For more information, or to preorder, visit Bestiescoffee.net.
Anita added that late in January, a second food truck joined in at the location.
The Flavor Bus offers breakfast, lunch, drinks and catering, featuring bright
veggies, sustainable fish, better meats and all-around healthy recipes.

Menu items include sashimi grade albacore, house-made turkey chorizo and
vegan herb maple sausages, with house-made sauces such as Liger sauce
made with cashew, red pepper and grapefruit and a low-sugar teriyaki sauce.
Hours for the Flavor Bus will be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.
For more information, visit www.theflavorbus.com.