Tag Archives: Olympia

What’s New and Cool in August, 2016

Sorry, that I’m a little late with this. Where has the summer gone anyway?

August 3-7:  Thurston County Fair  in Lacey, a little north of Olympia, visitors will eat traditional fair food (Fisher Scones, please), watch 4H competitions, play games, watch Professor Bamboozle and participate in a craft beer, wine and hard cider tasting event, if you’re over 21.       D2H5881

August 5-7:  Seafair Weekend , a signature event in Seattle for decades. The weekend includes parades, neighborhood celebrations, hydroplane racing and a performance by the Blue Angels over Lake Washington.

August 5-7:  Stanwood-Camano Community Fair offers a parade, country fair, contests and exhibits, a carnival, Lego-building contest, make it and take it sewing demonstrations, youth mechanical science quiz bowl, animal shows, lots of live entertainment, and much more.

August 11-14:  Northwest Colonial Festival – Port Angeles invites you to watch daily reenactments of famous battles taking place at the George Washington Inn and Washington Lavender Farm.

August 11-14:  Morton Logger’s Jubilee 

August 12:  An Evening with Jackson Browne  at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery. Reserve your place. Tickets go fast.

DSC_0018 Ste Michelle Winery

August 12-14:  If you missed the other tastes and bites experience A Taste of Edmonds makes a more-than-adequate replacement. The 33rd annual event is among the top three festivals in the state and among the top 100 North American festivals. Arts and crafts, food, a kid’s area with rides and entertainment, three stages with live music, and a beer and wine garden can all be yours a little north of Seattle.

August 15-24:  Washington State International Kite Festival on Long Beach Peninsula. The sky blazes with color this time of year. Look for a full, entertaining program of kite competitions, exhibitions and demonstrations, kite making and flying lessons, mass ascensions, indoor kite ballet, a teddy bear drop and more on the spacious, sand beach.

August 23-27:  Benton Franklin Fair and Rodeo A demolition derby, concerts, rodeo, carnival, Mutton Bustin’, BBQ Cook-off and much more in Tri-Cities.    Photo-Gallery--element67

August 25-September 5: Evergreen State Fair , one of the very biggest fairs in the state – you need two days to see it all. Pro West Rodeo contests, Speedway racing, competitive exhibits in 4-H and FFA, Evergreen Youth Livestock Show, contests, and food galore. Free gate admission on opening day until 1 p.m.

August 27-28:  Olympic Peninsula Air Affaire presents hot air balloons, skydivers, wing walkers and other aeronautical treasures at the Sequim Valley Airport.

 Just Plain Cool

Whale Watching the Best in Years:  The Strait of Juan de Fuca has had extraordinary numbers of humpback whales and sightings of a rare-to-these-waters fin whale. Orcas are very active.

pexels-photo-24208-medium

Chuckanut Drive in Bellingham turns 100 this year. Video courtesy Bellingham Herald.

Watch for news about Thurston County’s new Bountiful Byway.

“Exploring Washington’s Backroads” Paints a Perfect Picture

John Deviny, author of “Exploring Washington’s Backroads,” was kind enough to give me a copy of this most intriguing book. It’s a short, concise volume packed with trips throughout our state that anyone, traveler or local, would enjoy. Photos on every page just make the enticement more alluring. Deviny has divided the state into what her calls “Backroad Trips,” 17 of them to be exact.

View from Skamania Lodge in the Columbia Gorge, which is also mentioned in the book.

Each of the trips describes the general location, “Sights and Scenes” not to miss and a route to follow that truly depicts the culture and personality of the area. For example, “Backroad Trip 2” loops you through the Black Hills of the Puget Sound region in Thurston and Grays Harbor counties. In our Capitol, Olympia, you begin the journey and then drive through forested hills above the Chehalis and Black River plains through old timber towns and quaint businesses. Be sure to investigate the magical Mima Mounds.

You visit towns like McCleary, which actually holds a Bear Festival (July 12-14, 2013), and where the door factory is still in business wafting off the smell of sawdust to remind you it’s a mill town.

Each trip holds surprises and new information (even to me) so when you’re ready to discover small-town Washington, I urge you to order this book, pile the family in your car and head on down the road. You’ll be glad you did.

Deviny advises you to explore on your own, beyond what he describes in his book, “A good road trip is an art form, and the open road is your canvas.”

Soap Lake, also mentioned in the book, has a new sundial.

Wet and Wonderful Water

“Do you want to know what’s in your poop?” my daughter called to me from an interactive display at the WET Science Center in Olympia. “It’s very interesting.”

My daughter, three-year-old granddaughter Kita and I were all mesmerized by the wealth of exhibits, games and information dispensed at WET.

Even dragons need their teeth brushed.

Kita liked brushing the stuffed dragon’s teeth so much, she did it several times, and then she bathed the stuffed dog. I flushed the toilet so I could see what fact would come up in the bottom. How do they do that anyway?

My daughter reveled in what she learned about “sinkers” and “floaters.”

We all liked using the gigantic calculator to determine how much water we used in a day. Plastic gallon bottles, next to the calculator, filled when you pushed the “equals” button so you got a visual picture of just exactly how much water you used and wasted. That’s a real wake up call.

An interactive display lets you select a water treatment job and solve a problem that job handler might encounter. I did really well there so maybe I’ve missed my calling.

You can also participate in a water conservation scavenger hunt, which I know from past experience kids really love.

Besides the permanent exhibits and displays, WET also frequently hosts specific activities like making a nature journal, learning about aquatic insects in a pond life safari and playing a giant floor game titled “The Drip Stops Here.”

Entrance to WET Science Center

WET is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The very best part is that it is totally Free.

Fair and Festival Season

A train that took people around the outskirts of Meeker Days

We just started fair and festival season in Washington and last week my husband and I attended Meeker Days in Puyallup. Billed as the largest festival in Pierce County, it certainly lived up to its name. You’d walk down a main street lined with booths only to find all the cross streets also full of vendors just about as far as the eye can see. They had a building full of exhibits, also. And live entertainment, lots of food, a beer garden and a car show. There could have been more, but my feet started talking to me and telling me to sit down so I didn’t cover all the territory.

One of the vendors sold bird houses with swimming pools. Lucky birds.

I love the fairs and festivals we have around here. For some reason all the best ones usually fall on the same weekend and I’m not sure why that is. They are just good old-fashioned fun.

Here are some of my favorites and when they take place this year:

Kent Cornucopia Days, Kent. July 7-10:  Dragon boat races, a run, crafts and more.

Capital Lakefair, Olympia. July 13-17:  Carnival, entertainment and food with a Candyland theme this year.  

Sequim Lavender Festival, Sequim. July 15-17. Self-guided tours of farms, a street fair and all things lavender.  

Bellevue Arts Museum Arts and Fair, Bellevue. July 29-31. Live entertainment, hands-on kid’s activities and lots of outdoor art.  

Morton Loggers’ Jubilee, Morton. August 11-14. We celebrate everything here including lawn mower racing and lumberjack skills.  

Auburn Good Ol’ Days, Auburn. August 12-14. School reunions, a fun run, car show and a honey bucket building contest.  

Tacoma Maritime Fest, Tacoma. August 27-28. Boat building, awesome harbor boat tours, live music and Almond Roca.

What is your favorite fair or festival and why?

My Favorite Farmers Markets

The local farmers’ market season has officially arrived. Nothing tastes better than freshly plucked vegetables and fruits so I look forward to this time all winter. Although I’ve not been to all the markets the state offers, and there are a ton of them, I do have my favorites locally.

Pottery at the Olympia Farmers Market 

Farmers Market of Olympia:  About an hour south of Tacoma and well worth the drive. Besides produce, vendors regularly sell meat, seafood, eggs, baked goods, herbs, cut flowers, plants and honey. Local artisans and live entertainment make this market the biggest and it’s open Thursdays through Sundays and is under cover.

Porctor Market flowers

Proctor Farmers Market in Tacoma opens the earliest of them all in March. Add cheese and grass-fed meats to the regular market bounty and you should visit this market at least once. Located in a very walkable and fun neighborhood, you’ll want to spend extra time in the boutiques and grab a bite at one of the many restaurants. Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

South Whidbey Farmers Market:  In its 40th year, locals gather here for chatting and shopping. Their 11-acre sustainable agriculture campus allows you to view their on-site growing operations, which features an earthen pizza oven, gardens, orchard and a native plant nursery. Sundays from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Remlinger Farms in Carnation is much more than a market. Besides the produce and the u-pick fields, their family fun park offers steam train rides, pony rides, farm animals and live entertainment. Market open everyday from 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

All of the above markets are open now. We have others that don’t start business until June. I will talk about those then.

Sure Signs of Spring

Daffodil Princesses

The weather isn’t always the best indicator of spring in the Pacific Northwest. So I have my own personal signs that the season has begun. The first is when I see a pair of tennis shoes strung of the overhead wires – I wish I could see the teens while they attempt this fete. Second, is the smell of backyard barbecuing and my third tell is the start of neighborhood parades. Parade season, if you will, has officially launched.

Yesterday we watched the Daffodil Parade as more than 100 entries walked, marched, danced and played musical instruments along the parade route on Main Street in Sumner.                             

Kita and Elias taking in the parade

This parade is the only one in the country that travels to four different cities on the same day. First, the parade travels along Pacific Avenue in Tacoma, then it moves to Puyallup, from there to Sumner and the last leg is in Orting.

Clowns, pirates, horses, cars, bagpipers, marching bands and buses filled the streets of the different Pierce County communities to the delight of children of all ages. Parade entries came from as far as Penticton, British Columbia and Astoria, Oregon. Of course, as the name indicates, the floats were adorned with bright yellow daffodils and daffodils were passed out to the parade goers. The festival atmosphere almost has to make you smile. 

A friendly Seafair pirate

Upcoming parades in 2011 include:
May 7: Washington State Apple Blossom in Wenatchee
May 21: Rhododendron Festival in Port Townsend
May 28: Ski to Sea in Bellingham
June 4: Farmer’s Day in Lynden
June 18: Berry Dairy Days in Burlington

July 4: Independence Day celebration parades in Blaine, Everett, Sedro Woolley and Tumwater
July 16: Capital Lakefair Twilight in Olympia

Does your community have a unique parade? I would love to hear about it.

Letting Someone Else Drive: Olympia During the Holidays

View from the dining room of the Budd Bay Cafe

Yesterday I tried something new – a tour with seniors sponsored by the Federal Way Community Center. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I loved the luxury of having someone else drive and being able to watch the sights instead of the road and traffic signs.

As a bonus, I saw an elf running down the road and Santa in his sleigh. Might have missed both had I been driving.

We took back roads and avoided Interstate 5 as much as possible. Roy, McKenna and Yelm passed by the van window slowly – small towns you never get an opportunity to see from the freeway. The driver told us Yelm has been totally unaffected by the economic downturn. I wonder why that is. But all the businesses did appear to be thriving.

Our first scheduled stop was for lunch at the Budd Bay Café, which boasts a 180-degree view of Budd Bay. Anytime I can dine and watch the sea while doing so makes me calm and joyful. Add to that a Dungeness crab and shrimp Louie that attained perfection and I will definitely be returning to this restaurant. Others in our party savored gigantic bowls of clam chowder, French dips and salmon. Most any local seafood you can imagine graced the menu. Just the names of the desserts – mile high chocolate cake and white cake peach pudding – made me salivate, but alas the salad was all I could conquer in one sitting.

On to the Capitol Legislative Building where we gazed and commented on the Christmas tree filled with lights and ornaments obviously hung by professionals. It makes our trees at home seem like pathetic miniatures. But then we could all enjoy this tree without having to exert any effort in getting it ready. That was the good part.

The decorated tree is located in the Rotunda which features the largest chandelier ever created by the Tiffany Studios in New York. Our driver (yes, I do feel a little like I was chauffeured) told us a Volkswagen could fit inside the chandelier.

Christmas tree in the Rotunda of the Olympia Capitol Legislative Building

The marble, Tiffany chandeliers, heavy red velvet draperies and elaborate décor in the Reception Room scream opulence, is hard to swallow given all the budget cuts currently being considered by the legislature. But I have to remind myself that the building was designed long ago when that was the norm. And it really makes for an elegant and beautiful building.

Public tours of the Legislative Building are free and offered hourly from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information about sites, dining options and activity options, visit www.visitolympia.com.

20 Free Things To Do In Western Washington

Olympia's Capitol building in the background

Here are some options for totally free activities to help stretch your budget.

In Seattle:

Frye Art Museum

704 Terry Ave.

Seattle

206-622-9250

Always free

Center for Wooden Boats

1010 Valley St.

Seattle

206-382-2628

Free “Living Museum” and free boat rides on Sunday afternoons

Ballard Locks

3015 NW 54th St.

Seattle

Free guided tours from March – November

Call for tour times, 206-783-7059

Museum of Flight

9404 East Marginal Way South

Seattle

206-764-5720

Free from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. the first Thursday of every month

Coast Guard Museum

Pier 36, 1519 Alaskan Way S.

Seattle

206-217-6993

Free admission

Washington Park Arboretum

3501 NE 41st St.

Seattle

206-543-8616

Free guided tours

McCaw Hall

321 Mercer St.

Seattle

206-733-9725

Free tours the first Tuesday of every month

Benaroya Hall

200 University St.

Seattle

206-215-4800

Free tours on Tuesdays and Fridays at noon and 1 p.m.

Paramount Theatre

911 Pine St.

Seattle

206-682-1414

Free tours the first Saturday of every month

In Tacoma:

Washington History Museum

1911 Pacific Ave.

Tacoma

888-238-4373

Free from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month

Free on your birthday

Tacoma Art Museum

1701 Pacific Ave.

Tacoma

253-272-4258

Free from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month

Tacoma Nature Center

1919 S. Tyler St.

Tacoma

253-591-6439

Free self-guiding paths with wildlife observation

In Olympia:

Washington State Legislative Building

416 Sid Snyder Ave. SW

Olympia

www.ga.wa.gov/Visitor/

Free tours

In Keyport:

Naval Undersea Museum

1 Garnett Way

Keyport

360-396-4148, x220

Free admission and free parking

In Long Beach:

Marsh’s Free Museum

409 S. Pacific

Long Beach

360-642-2188

Always free

In Snohomish:

Blackman House Museum

118 Avenue B

Snohomish

360-568-5235

Open Saturday and Sunday from noon – 3 p.m.

Free, donations accepted

Labor Day Weekend, 2010:

Olympia Harbor Days in Olympia

www.harbordays.com

Bremerton Blackberry Festival in Bremerton

www.blackberryfestival.org

On September 25 & November 11:

Free admission to Olympic National Park

Free admission to Mt. Rainier National Park

 

Olympia: Coffee, Turnovers and Market Treasures

Inside Lattin’s Cider Mill and Farm

The aroma of freshly ground Ethiopian coffee wafted around me as I navigated I-5 back to Tacoma from a recent tour of Olympia, our state’s capitol. The smell reminded me of my introduction to the city that morning with the best latté I’ve ever tasted from Batdorf & Bronson’s Dancing Goats Espresso Bar. It was so delicious; I returned to their Tasting Room (http://batdorfcoffee.com) across the street and bought coffee to bring home. This Ethiopian blend has a blueberry finish, which might not sound like a good flavor for coffee, but take my word for it, this is the best.

Dancing Goats

Dancing Goats is located across the street from the Olympia Farmers Market, on Market Street. They have another location on Capitol Way in Olympia and a third in Decatur, Georgia.

Lattin’s Cider Mill & Farm

Have you ever tasted an apple fritter fresh out of the oven that actually melts in your mouth? I took a short drive to Lattin’s Country Cider Mill & Farm on Rich Road (http://www.lattinscider.com) on this particular Friday morning and experienced this cinnamon, buttery confection for myself. Not an experience I’ll soon forget or stop craving. They also bake them fresh on Saturday mornings and the locals flock there in droves.

But there’s more to do at this farm than just eat. You can buy a bucket of feed to give to the farm animals, enjoy concerts, festivals and in the fall hayrides and of course, choosing pumpkins, a haunted house and a corn maze.

Owner Carolyn Lattin believes kids should know where their food comes from and emphasizes that concept — from the farm animals to the bountiful gardens and fruit trees. In the front of the property you’ll find a pig that is given lots of food and attention. But come December, he’s auctioned off. The winner can do whatever he wants with Porky, but often that means a scrumptious pork roast for Christmas dinner.

Olympia Farmers Market

I never leave Olympia without a stop at their Farmers Market, which is one of the biggest and best in the state. Brightly colored vegetables, freshly picked fruit and luscious bouquets and plants delight the visual palate. I bought some tiny turnips, about the size of beads and the vendor suggested roasting them. They were full of flavor, with almost a cabbage-like taste. If you’re not sure what you want, you can always ask for a sample.

The market is open Thursday – Sunday from April through October and Saturday and Sunday in November and December.

It’s very easy to buy the makings for a complete dinner at the Farmers Market because meat, seafood, baked goods and whatever you fancy is available. Everything, but the fruit, is grown locally. We rely on fruit from Eastern Washington because that area has the best climate for growing it.

Now to measure out my Ethiopian coffee so I can savor a cup in the morning.