My new favorite jacket: John Aranda's custom fleece

My wife, Laurel, and I love the Harvest Faire in Sisters, Oregon, an annual October delight that we've gone to for many years.

When we co-owned a cabin in Camp Sherman we made sure to schedule the weekend of the Harvest Faire, and we're still doing this now that we co-own a house in nearby Black Butte Ranch.

This year I went to the Harvest Faire on both Saturday and Sunday, while Laurel went only on Saturday. Good decision on my part, since walking by the booths today with our older dog, ZuZu, I took a longer look at John Aranda's handmade fleece jackets, vests, and hats.

There were only two large men's fleece jackets left. One caught my eye immediately, since I'm attracted to orange and black -- as shown by the fact that I was wearing an orange t-shirt and black pants today. 

When I got back to Black Butte Ranch, Laurel and I went for a bike ride that included a stop in the Big Meadow to say hello to the horses grazing away. This was the test drive for my new jacket. It performed marvelously. I really like what John Aranda has wrought.

He told me that the jacket has some of the features that I like in the Patagonia jackets I own. It is windproof, as evidenced by Aranda having me put my hand in one of the two small "phone" pockets in the chest area while he sprayed some cold compressed air over the pocket.

I felt nothing, just as I didn't feel the considerable chilly wind that accompanied our bike ride. This is now my favorite jacket: warm, good looking, four zippered pockets (two large, two small), windproof and water resistant.

I'm going to email Aranda and ask if he could send me photos of other men's fleece jackets, with various color combinations. That's how impressed I am with this jacket: I don't want to wait for the 2020 Harvest Faire to get another one.

(He lives in Gresham, Oregon. The back of his business card says: "Custom Fleece Hats and Jackets. Specializing in Windproof Fleece. Warm and Comfortable. Protection From Bitter Cold Weather. Made in Oregon.")

Here's my other Sisters purchases, a charming small town that I never get tired of. The mug was bought Saturday at the Harvest Faire. The blue color is appealing, as is the perfect 16 ounce size, with just enough room for the half-and-half I put in my coffee.

Every time I visit Paulina Springs Books in Sisters I walk out with at least one book.

I got Richard Dawkin's new book, "Outgrowing God," yesterday. Today I got a sale book, "No Barriers," which describes a blind man's inspiring adventures (such as kayaking the Grand Canyon), and "The Deep History of Ourselves" which has the subtitle  The Four-Billion Year Story of How We Got Conscious Brains.

Well, my brain is grateful for the dedication and creativity of people like John Aranda, the woman who fashioned my new coffee mug, and everybody who works to make Paulina Springs Books such a great bookstore. It changed hands last year, but the quality has remained as high as ever.

Comments

[Val]

Brian- great post on John Aranda's jackets- the orange/black looks great on you- I own 5 of his coats between my husband and me- (jackets/vests)- I usually see him at an annual festival in Issaquah, WA (Salmon Days) but it got cancelled this year. I was going to try to reach his company/website but couldn't find one and the phone number you listed no longer works- do you have any updated info on how to connect with him and his coats? Thanks!

[Brian Hines]

Val, I don't have any updated contact info for Aranda. I'd been hoping to see him at the Sisters Harvest Faire this month, but that's been cancelled due to covid. So I'm still stuck with my single jacket, though I'd like to get another one. Or, two. It'd be nice if he started selling online, but I guess that isn't happening.

[Valerie]

Thanks for letting me know Brian- we will keep our fingers crossed that he will pop again- I wear one of his jackets or vests every day now that it's getting colder- they are so warm- I love all the pockets and the pretty trim. If I happen to hear anything I will let you know. More is definitely better when it comes to his coats! :) Val

[Valerie]

Brian- I was cleaning out my office today and found a business card for John Aranda I must have gotten at the last festival I saw him at which was Oct 2019- it had his email address - I sent a note and he replied "We are on a pause as far as art festivals, but actively filling custom orders."- he gave me his phone number but I don't know that I should post it publicly- can you send me a quick note to my email and I'll give it to you there? Valerie

[Heather]

John Aranda products- new number 503-481-0584
We just met him and his daughter Johnie at Portland Saturday Market.
Very nice jackets, going to order one for my hubby.

[Brian Hines]

Heather, thanks for sharing Aranda's number. I forgot to do that, after getting his cell phone number from him late last year, which enabled me to order another fleece jacket from him in a different color. John is very easy to deal with. Since I live south of Salem and don't go to Portland often, John texted me photos of the current jacket colors he offers. I picked one, requested a one-inch shorter zipper length from the jacket described in this blog post, sent John $130 for the jacket (I think the price now is $140), and he mailed the jacket to me when it was finished. Great service. Great jacket. I got blue over black for a different look.