Category Archives: Towns

Individual towns and places in Washington State

Festival of Trees Captures the Art of Decorating

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We took a peak at the 2010 Mary Bridge Festival of Trees over the weekend at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center and it was fantabulous. Designers decorated fir trees for Christmas that were then auctioned off to raise funds for the children served by Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center. These events raised $1.5 million last year.

Besides two days of public viewing, three other events happen during an extended weekend. Ladies Night Out, where ladies, of course, taste wine and other beverages, enjoy appetizers and shop plus also have an opportunity to marvel at the professionally decorated trees. Next comes the black-tie Gala Auction and Dinner with nearly 700 guests each year where these beautiful trees find their home for the holidays and then Jinglebell Jam gives people another chance to shop and bid on auction items. Visit www.marybridge.org/fot to find out more, but remember this year’s event is over.

 

I’ve always wondered if there was a right way to decorate a Christmas tree, but never really knew so I kind of just did it like my parents did. As it turns out, it’s an art, but Tammy Hall, a veteran Festival tree designer, claims novices can create a beautiful tree by following these tips that she shared with Debby Abe of the News Tribune:

  • Pick a theme and a color scheme for your tree – this year her team’s tree focused on “Just another day in paradise” and the colors used were aqua, silver, sea green and terra cotta.
  • String lots of lights, at least 100 lights per foot of the tree’s height – LED lights are more energy efficient, but also more costly, so choose between those or mini-twinkling lights.
  • Place the lights on the tree first. Hall likes to start at the top of the tree and wrap them around most branches starting from the outer tip, going toward the trunk and then back out.
  • Hang big ornaments first, then the smaller ones around them – try to bunch items in threes.
  • Put ornaments on the inside of branches, not just the tips.
  • Include ornaments that reflect light like glass ornaments and mirrored decorations – even CDs work as reflectors.
  • Choose items that fit your theme, but aren’t necessarily ornaments – butterfly net, feathers, organza, etc.
  • Find a tree topper as elegant as your tree.
  • Don’t be afraid to experiment – Hall says over time she has become braver.

 

Do you have other tips about tree decorating? If so, please share them.

Tis the Season for Carousels

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Morford Family Carousel in Kent delights both children and adults

Hidden in the entertainment section of the newspaper on Thanksgiving Day was a short announcement about the opening of the Morford Family Carousel in downtown Kent at Second Avenue and Harrison Street. Who doesn’t love carousels? They just make me feel happy watching them go round and round. And this one was no exception. Our granddaughter opened her eyes very wide while watching the horses go up and down and around at the same time.

Kita was hesitant at first, but grew fonder of the ride as it continued

 

This classic Venetian-style carousel features 19 carved and painted wooden horses and three special seats, including a sleigh. It was designed by the famous Bertazzon Carousel Company in Italy. Once owned by the Morford Family, they have since donated it to the City of Kent. Non-profits now use it as a way to raise money for their organization.

Aren't carousels grand?

Children’s Therapy Center which supports children with all disabilities will be this season’s beneficiary of the proceeds. The suggested donation is $1 per ride, plus they have a free raffle of gifts from Kent merchants. How can you go wrong with this?

Hours are:  Fridays – 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturdays – noon to 8 p.m.; Sundays – noon to 5 p.m. with bonus days when schools out – Dec. 20 – 24 from 1 to 5 p.m. and December 31 from 1 to 5 p.m.

Westlake Park also hosts a holiday carousel every year at this time, which is located at 401 Pine Street in downtown Seattle. This one is a 1906 Parker Carousel and cost $2 per ride. Ride fees benefit the Downtown Seattle Association and Treehouse, a charity for children in foster care.

Hours are:  Fridays – 10 to 10 p.m.; Saturdays – 10 to 9 p.m.; Sundays – 11 to 9 p.m. and Mondays through Thursdays – 11 to 10 p.m.

While visiting Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, you can take a ride on the Paul Titus Antique Carousel. This re-created wooden carousel was first built in 1917. Its hand-carved and painted animals were created by the Washington Antique Carousel Society and Friends. To follow along with the zoo theme, endangered species and Northwest native animals line the inner ring with Washington state themed horses on the outer ring. Open during zoo hours.  www.pdza.org

For those traveling to or who already reside in the eastern side of the state, The Art of the Carousel is on display until February 28, 2011 at the Chase Gallery in Spokane’s City Hall.

Spokane also boasts a carousel built by Charles Looff in 1909 at Riverfront Park. This one has made the National Register of Historic Places. More than a quarter of a million riders experience this Spokane treasure each year.

Where is your favorite carousel?

Port Townsend: A Victorian Seaport Then and Now

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Water Street in downtown Port Townsend

Sin flourished in the brothels along Water Street in the late 1800’s. Proper Victorian women and their children kept their distance from the bluff above. Banned from the downtown area, so they wouldn’t mix with the seamy women for hire, the wives and offspring of seafaring captains stayed in their mansions on the hill.

The division still exists today, but not for the same reasons. Geographically there’s still an uptown and downtown, but anyone is welcome to roam between the two.

Port Townsend is one of only three registered Victorian seaports in the United States, due to its preserved marine and architectural heritage. The town holds an annual Wooden Boat Festival (this year’s was the 34th) and prides itself on a number of fine dining restaurants that serve local seafood.

I just tried one of those restaurants in September – T’s Restaurant. They serve salmon, scallops, local Manila clams, prawns and more in addition to the chicken, steak, duck and pork chops. I highly recommend this family operation. Tim, the chef, wanted to be a chef since he was very young. He would serve his parents breakfast with a towel draped over his arm and then present them with the bill. I know I mentioned this restaurant before, but it bears repeating.

One of the historic buildings in downtown Port Townsend

Back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s – People who opened businesses in downtown made a fortune from the never-ending marine traffic. With their new found wealth settlers tried to recreate the look of New York City. Using lots of brick, tall windows and doors, exposed cast iron pillars and trapdoors inside some of the buildings they created a look unlike any other town in this state. Modern renovations have preserved that look in a grand way.

If you can, take time to enjoy a movie at the Rose Theatre, one of those beautifully restored buildings. The Rose opened in 1907 and moved to its current location on Taylor Street the next year. It is one of the most treasured features of Port Townsend’s National Historic District.

Besides the best, fresh popcorn and superb sound, every show is personally introduced by the Rose’s host.  (www.rosetheatre.com) It’s an experience you’ll not soon forget.

Close by is the Silverwater Café, another knock-your-socks-off culinary delight. I recommend the crab shooters – crab leg meat, crab bisque and Sambuca cream – not something you can order anywhere. It’s delicious as are all the seafood offerings and the beef, poultry and pasta. And it’s just steps away from the Rose Theatre.

Haunted Happenings in Yakima

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I love free, fun activities and here’s one that shouldn’t be missed this month.

Shorty, a stage hand has been caught haunting the Capitol Theatre. Hear all about his handiwork on this tour.

Yakima's Capitol Theatre courtesy of the Yakima Valley Visitors Bureau

The P.A.S.T. is Present Paranormal Investigation Team is offering free guided, narrated walking ghost tours in downtown Yakima. Are the rumors of ghost-like activity on the third and fourth floors of Yakima City Hall actually true? Find out on this tour. Confirmed paranormal activity has been detected in the Yakima Valley Sports Center and The Depot Restaurant.

The Depot Restaurant courtesy of Karl Corpron

Recently published and written by Heather Caro for Yakima Magazine:  “The Depot was built in 1910 by the Northern Pacific Railway to be a focal point for the growing city of Yakima. Over the years, an untold number of people have passed beneath its signature white tiled dome (including a famous traveling hobo who used the pseudonym “A#1” to escape capture by the authorities … his signature is carved into the marble of what is now the ladies bathroom).”

The paranormal investigators who host this tour seek out the truth of spiritual claims by using commonly practiced scientific methods. They rule out all naturally occurring phenomenon, human influence, environmental factors and scientific based processes so what’s left is either inexplicable or paranormal in nature. Since the Yakima-based group formed in August of 2008, they have conducted investigations at private residences, businesses and historic outdoor locations throughout Washington State. http://www.pastispresent.net

Tours take place each Friday in October at 6 p.m., and Saturdays at 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Reservations are requested, but not required. However, a minimum of five people are needed to conduct a tour. To make a reservation, call 509.945.9830.

While you’re in Yakima, visit the Rattlesnake Hills Wine Trail, have a spa treatment, shop or engage in any of the many outdoor activities like fishing, hiking or golfing. Find out more about what’s happening in Yakima at http://www.visityakimavalley.org.

Port Townsend for a Day or Three

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An artisan latte from Undertown Coffee & Wine Bar

On a recent trip, Christina Pivarnik, the marketing director for the City of Port Townsend, showed three of us travel writers around and uncovered places I didn’t even know existed. Even though I’ve spent my entire life in Washington State, until recently I’ve not spent much time in Port Townsend. And it seems like every time I go there I find something new. It’s like uncovering treasures in your own backyard.

Secret Port Townsend

I seriously doubt that I would have ever found the Undertown Coffee & Wine Bar on my own. It’s, well, underground. When you discover the stairs to this coffee shop on Water Street, you’ll see the sign for it.

We walked through a tunnel underneath the street and sidewalk. Then you go through a tunnel until you find the door and while you’re enjoying the Stumptown Coffee they serve, you’ll forget that you’re below street level. The fresh pastries, baked on site in a small convection oven by the lady with a bow in here hair, are to die for.

The Clam Cannery lodging facility remains unmarked and inconspicuous when you drive by, but take a look at the rooms on their web site, www.clamcannery.com. Each suite offers an unobstructed view of Port Townsend Bay and they are pet-friendly. This is definitely a place I want to see from the inside.

Dining

I highly recommend T’s Restaurant, located on the waterfront. Tim, the chef, has worked at Spago’s and trained with Wolfgang Puck. T’s has been designated as a stop on the Olympic Culinary Loop.

Menu items include local Manila clams, a cheese plate featuring Mt. Townsend cheeses, fresh sea scallops, Black Angus Flat Iron Steak and my personal favorite, Ginger & Scallion Crusted Cape Cleare Wild King Salmon with artichoke hearts, roasted fennel and edamame succotash, garnished with a pomegranate port gastrique. My compliments to the chef.

Actually the food scene here gets rave reviews so the town prints a “Menu Guide” every year which you can pick up at the Visitor’s Center, 2437 East Sims Way or you can get the basics at www.ptguide.com/restaurants-and-dining.

My grandson recommends the crab shooters in Sambuca cream at Silverwater Café, 237 Taylor Street. For Italian fare, the locals like Lanza’s Ristorante, 1020 Lawrence Street.

For walking off some of those calories, request a room on the third floor of the Bishop Victoria Hotel – you’ll negotiate 44 fairly steep stairs getting to your room. An elevator is not an option. But the room décor as well as the common areas brings back the authentic Victorian era. The Bishop also allows dogs, gives you towels for them and has a stash of treats behind the desk.

For more information, visit:  www.ptguide.com or www.enjoypt.com.

Tour or Stay at Brown’s Point Lighthouse

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Stove in the museum at the Brown's Point Lighthouse Keepers Cottage.

On a recent Saturday I took a tour of the Brown’s Point Lighthouse and Cottage in Brown’s Point, led by Barbara Heimers. She was visiting from the east coast for her niece’s wedding, which was set to take place in a few hours in front of the lighthouse with an up-close view of the beach. To keep herself busy, she deeply researched the lighthouse so she could voluntarily lead the free tours that afternoon and she gladly shared that knowledge with visitors.

The Brown's Point art deco Lighthouse.

Open Saturdays, between 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. from March through November, these tours cost nothing. Although by now Barbara has returned home, many other knowledgeable guides also lead the tours.

History

In 1887, a lantern hung from a post at Brown’s Point warning ships that they were approaching the entrance to Commencement Bay. Then in 1903 a wooden light house was built, also to warn ships and it needed a lighthouse keeper.

Oscar Brown and his wife, Annie, became the first lighthouse keepers at Brown’s Point that same year. They arrived with a cow and a piano. Their daily tasks included keeping the kerosene light burning and the fog bell ringing (Brown’s Point is one of the foggiest places in Washington, so this was very important), and Oscar kept a journal of daily activities plus gave music lessons to the neighborhood children. In 1939 Oscar retired and the United States Coast Guard took over the Lighthouse Service. At this time almost everything in the lighthouse became automated.

A kind of living museum has been established in the basement of the cottage showcasing many of the furnishings of life in the early 20’s times like an ice box, iron, treadle sewing machine and so much more.

The three-bedroom Brown’s Point Lighthouse Cottage rents for $800 a week, but guests must take over some of the Light Keeper’s duties – daily maintenance, conducting tours, raising and lowering the U.S. flag and making daily entries into the light keeper’s log book.

Barbara thought the appeal of lighthouses had to do with a reminiscence of simpler times

When people had to help others and everything wasn’t done by computers.

Whether you choose to stay in the cottage (available from May – October) or not, a tour is well worth your while. For information or reservations, visit www.pointsnortheast.org.

And it’s right on the beach.

An Aquarium at Redondo

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Blue wolf eel at Highline's MAST center

This past week-end I found more free attractions right in my own backyard. One of them is an aquarium put together by the Marine Science and Technology Center (MAST) at Highline Community Center. Located next to Salty’s Restaurant in Redondo on the beach, this place shows visitors what’s going on in the surrounding underwater communities in Puget Sound. I never realized we had such colorful fish in our waters. I thought they’d all migrated to Hawaii.

See-and-touch tanks allow you to feel starfish the size of steering wheels. Did you know they are soft on the bottom of their legs or stars and spiny along the side of their legs? I braved it and touched one because I didn’t want all the kids in the building showing me up. Tanks also hold sea stars, sea urchins, sea pens, anemones, snails, a blue wolf eel, ling cod, black-eyed hermit crabs, peanut sea squirts and an entire tank full of moon jellyfish. Grab a laminated mat from the chair up front and you can match the pictures on the mat to the actual marine life and learn their accurate names. A staff member is available to answer questions.

You enter through a separate building which has lots of displays and some interactive exhibits for kids to do. Leashed dogs are allowed.

MAST is open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, visit www.highline.edu/mast or friend them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/hccmast.

Salty's Restaurant at Redondo.

 

While you’re in the neighborhood, you’ll love dining at Salty’s (next door). This restaurant has a killer happy hour from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily (Sundays are a bit different) with delectable appetizers priced from $2 to $9 – appetizers that are very satisfying. My favorite is the smoked salmon with capers, egg, onion, dill cream cheese and crackers. I’m salivating just thinking about it.

Visit www.saltys.com for menus and other news.

Should you overindulge at Salty’s, when you walk out the door, you’re only steps away from one of the most scenic waterfront boardwalks ever. Walking the full length and back again is one mile. How many miles do you need to walk off your “indulgement”?

Along the boardwalk, you can read about the history of Redondo with its skating rink and dance hall. It used to be quite the entertainment destination for Seattleites.

Dazzling Possibilities on San Juan Island

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Ferry to San Juan Island, courtesy of San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau

When the ferry lands on San Juan Island, you can walk off or drive and immediately you’re in the town of Friday Harbor. Although Orcas is the largest island in the archipelago, San Juan Island reports the largest population – 7,700 people. Exploring the shops and galleries in Friday Harbor is sure to lighten your wallet a little because it will be difficult to resist the local artisans’ handmade gifts and décor pieces.

Where to shop:  San Juan Island hosts numerous galleries, many of them within walking distance of the Friday Harbor ferry dock. Try the Arctic Raven Gallery if you desire authentic Native American art.

Sweaters, accessories and home furnishings made from the finest alpaca wool fill the Country Store at Krystal Acres (www.krystalacres.com) and the cute and cuddly alpacas outside provide all kinds of photo opps.

Visiting the Gatehouse Store at the Pelindaba Lavender Farm (www.pelindabalavender.com) gives you a chance to stock up on some of the finer bath and beauty items you might want to try while on vacation, but definitely will need as soon as you get home. If you cook with lavender, you’ll want to take a look-see at the store’s offerings of cooking products.

Aerial view of Friday Harbor, courtesy San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau

What to see:  No trip to San Juan Island is complete without visiting the Whale Museum (www.whalemuseum.org). Absorb the entertaining and illuminating history of local marine life before boarding a boat to experience live whales on a whale-watching excursion. Or drive to Lime Kiln Point State Park on West Side Road and view the Northwest’s whale population from the outlook.

If you’re a military buff, American Camp, on Cattle Point Road, displays more than 100 Pig War artifacts in its visitor’s center.

Where to stay:  Drive the expanse of the island and you’ll wind up in Roche Harbor. There Quarryman Hall opened its doors in July 2007 and boasts state-of-the-art everything through and through. My personal favorites include the heated bathroom floor and the gas fireplace. Just a few steps from the elevator you’ll find the Afterglow Spa, which offers spirulina wraps, Turkish salt scrubs, therapeutic mineral baths, island stone massages and one of the most relaxing European deep cleaning facials I’ve ever experienced.

Where to eat:  Downriggers Restaurant in Friday Harbor, one of the locals’ favorite places to dine, has scrumptious seafood and is kid-friendly. Besides a children’s menu, kids can color on the paper tablecloth.

McMillin’s Dining Room, in Roche Harbor, specializes in Northwest cuisine focusing on fresh local shellfish and salmon plus island-grown organic meats, vegetables, herbs and greens. I highly recommend the Maytag Blue Cheese Salad and McMillin’s signature dish, Mama Shaw’s Meatloaf, which rivals any meatloaf you’ve ever tasted.

On San Juan Island, you’ll experience spectacular panoramic water and mountain views. You’ll think you’ve entered an exotic country, but no passport is required, just a willingness to take it easy.

For more information, visit www.VisitSanJuans.com.

Serenity on Orcas Island

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Shopping in Eastsound, courtesy San Juan Island Visitor's Bureau

Orcas is one of the most scenic islands in the San Juans and my personal favorite. With an abundance of sunshine and mild temperatures, typical island activities run the gamut from hiking to biking to kayaking. I longed to try something a little off the beaten path that ran on engine power, not leg or arm exertion. A Scenic Biplane Flight with Rod Magner fit the bill. The 35-minute ride, narrated and orchestrated like a graceful ballet, helped solve the geographical quandary of where I was in relation to the other 700 islands in the San Juan archipelago. Seriously consider taking a biplane ride while visiting Orcas; Magner says he’s never had an unhappy passenger (www.magicair.com).

Where to shop: In the village of Eastsound, Crow Valley Pottery (www.crowvalleypottery.com) stocks items for everyone’s budget with prices ranging from $1 to $10,000. The owners constantly change their displays of pottery, garden art, jewelry and paintings, so no two visits to Crow Valley will ever be the same.

What to see: The view from the top of Mount Constitution, at 2,409 feet, promises the most stunning seascape of the Salish Sea you’ll ever see anywhere.

Where to stay: Have you ever gotten up in the middle of the night, trekked to the bathroom and experienced a heated floor instead of ice cold tile? You will find that and much more at The Inn on Orcas Island (www.theinnonorcasisland.com). Guests have penned their thoughts in journals left on the room’s nightstands since the Inn’s opening in 2002 and each entry was more complimentary than the one before. From the homemade chocolate chip cookies at turndown to the cabinet filled with videos to the warmth and comfort of the conservatory, no detail has been left unattended. The indulgent breakfast comes with an enchanting view of the water and a chance to watch eagles, hawks, loons, herons and deer.

Where to eat: I began my culinary adventure at the New Leaf Café (www.outlookinn.com) in Eastsound with a palette-pleasing cup of squash soup garnished with candied nuts, followed by a selection of fresh seafood blanketed in puff pastry and capped with a smooth, yet crisp Crème Brulee. The chef prefers to use local organic ingredients whenever possible and that makes a dramatic difference in the freshness and taste.

For more information, visit www.VisitSanJuans.com.

Visiting Snoqualmie Falls

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One and a half million people visit Snoqualmie Falls each year

The first tourists to ever visit Snoqualmie Falls arrived in horse-drawn carriages, said Jeff Carter, our tour guide from Evergreen Escapes. In contrast, our group traveled in a luxuriously comfortable Mercedes van.

Located about 30 minutes from Seattle, Snoqualmie Falls cascades down a full 270 feet – ten stories higher than Niagara Falls. The adjacent park was developed many years ago by Puget Sound Energy (PSE), one of our local power companies in the Seattle-Tacoma area. In 2009 PSE undertook a major park renovation and enhancement that won’t be completed until 2013. You can still visit the park, view the falls, picnic and browse the gift shop, but it’s hard to get a photo without a giant crane in the background and the trail to the bottom of the falls, which my husband calls a goat trail, has been closed.

When the work has been completed, PSE promises a riverside boardwalk, interpretive center, improved river access for whitewater enthusiasts, expanded parking and a hillside trail connecting the upper and lower parks.

Besides being beautiful, Snoqualmie Falls generates power. When work on that is completed, also in 2013, the Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Project will have the capacity to generate enough electrical power for 40,000 homes.

The nearby town of Snoqualmie offers lots of activities for a day trip. See the Falls from an antique train that leaves from the Northwest Railway Museum. Shop for local art, historic memorabilia, specialty books or one-of-a-kind toys. Visit the Snoqalmie Indian Tribe’s casino, www.snocasino.com and place a wager or two. Outdoor sports include golfing, hiking, biking, fishing and kayaking.

On our tour we stopped at Rattlesnake Lake before driving on to the Falls. It’s a 117-acre, man-made lake. Not sure where it got its name, but I can assure you we don’t have any rattlesnakes in Western Washington unless they are in a cage in the zoo. That’s one of the reasons I live here. The lake was beautiful, ideal for picnics and the water dogs loved retrieving objects from the lake.

I highly recommend Evergreen Escapes, www.evergreenescapes.com, and they offer a wide variety of tours in the Pacific Northwest.