Snoqualmie Casino on a Saturday…hopping with activity!  Snoqualmie, WA is a great location for this getaway as it is east I-90 towards the hills of the lower Cascades.  http://snocasino.com/   It offers a number of dining options (Kindai sushi and noodle bar, cafe/deli, Falls Buffet, and fine dining in Terra Vista) but here, I would say entertainment is what it is all about.  Those who come here to gamble and those who come for the music, sports or comedy that entertain us.  Snoqualmie Casino has a lounge (which has a dress code), the Snoqualmie Ballroom, and Mountain View Plaza (outdoor) for your entertainment viewing pleasure.  A sampling of the summer lineup is: Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Ranchers, Ronnie Dunn, The Beach Boys, Blake Shelton, and the MMA Rumble on the Ridge 19 – check out their website for more!  We celebrated the beginning of summer here in the Northwest by joining in the KJAQ-Vodka Rocks concert series featuring Candlebox, Toad the Wet Sprocket and Verve Pipe.  Vodka Rocks celebrated different vodkas from around the world.  I have to give a shout out to Peabody Jones Vodka, a local here from Woodinville, WA.  http://www.woodinvillewhiskeyco.com/products/peabody-jones-vodka/  They had the best drink hands down!  And as far as the bands go –  Candlebox rocked!  http://candleboxrocks.com/  I will expand on Candlebox here, as this year, 2011 is their 20-year anniversary of rockin’ stages in Seattle and across the country.  I am an original follower and fan, as I was an occasional visitor in the old days to the Off Ramp, RCKCNDY, Crocodile Cafe, and others.  I still have that special tape of their first album.  Toad the Wet Sprocket was great too…especially in this intimate outdoor setting.  I especially appreciated the rapport that the lead singer Glen Phillips had with the crowd.  I have an album or two, and these make for anytime listening fun!  http://www.toadthewetsprocket.com/

We happened to miss Verve Pipe as we stopped in for wine tasting at both Cadence Winery and O-S Winery, part of the South Seattle Artisan Wineries (SSAW).   O-S Winery always does a nice job on their Riesling.  http://www.oswinery.com/  Cadence Winery produces quality wine that is blended using a Bourdeaux style…Rose, Coda, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard selection, Tapteil Vineyard selection, Camerata and Bel Canto.  Cadence uses exclusively Red Mountain fruit emphasizing Cab Franc, Cab, and Merlot with a bit of Petit Verdot mixed in.  http://cadencewinery.com/

Rock Out!