Festivals & Events

Snoqualmie Casino and more

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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!

La Conner in July… and Rosario Beach

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A good time was had in La Conner this July as the sun was shining, a nice breeze, blue skies, and a glistening channel was experienced.   I was able to walk through town and check out the shops…which doesn’t take too long.

Stay – La Conner Channel Lodge – a very nice stay!  Most rooms in this hotel are located on the Swinomish Channel.  Enjoy your veranda on a summer day.  Read a book or magazine with your favorite beverage.  A nice spread is served for breakfast…cereals, breads with spreads, cheese and ham, fruit, and top it off with coffee or juice.  Complimentary wine tasting takes place on Friday and Saturday afternoons accompanied by a piano.  And now, the Lodge Retreat, spa services!  http://www.laconnerlodging.com/  Great service.

Eat – Seeds Bistro and Bar –  Yum.  The seating options abound…the front deck, at the bar, in the dining room or on the patio out back.  The fare consists of burgers, salads, soup, starters, sandwiches and comfort foods too!   Much of the quality products are purchased from Skagit Valley farms and Northwest growers whenever possible.  I enjoyed the Retro Iceberg Wedge – iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, gorgonzola crumbles, peppered bacon, and served with gorgonzola dressing on the side…and I ask for it to be cut up for me, instead of it being served as a wedge.  Oh, and the homemade bread, my goodness…delicious, soft, and warm.  The Two Beers Brewery Immulsion Amber hit the spot too.  Seeds serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.   http://www.seedsbistro.com/    Note: the pictures located on the site doesn’t do the food justice…check out the pic here instead.  🙂

La Conner Thai Restaurant  –  if you like Thai, you should like this.  The Phad Thai (with Chicken) was satisfying as was the cashew stir fry.

Enjoy – A stop at the Berry Barn is a must…love the Marionberry pie, and on a 4th of July weekend, it makes the meal extra special.  They of course have old-fashioned apple too.  http://www.funattheberrybarn.com/info.php   Although Roozengarde isn’t blooming with tulips, we made a stop and enjoyed visiting the gift shop and walking the grounds.  http://www.tulipfestival.org/   I was not able to make it to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival this year, but was happy to see that the official print for this year was created by local Camano Island artist John Ebner.  Really nice.  http://www.johnebner.com/  Snow Goose Produce Market, always a must-see.  This time, we purchased rustic Northwest bread.  A bit cool this morning for ice cream.  http://snowgooseproducemarket.com/  Stop by Plug Ugly for antique and other maritime and fishing gear – available for purchase!   Hellams Vineyard is the place to go for a great selection of wine and a good time.  A quality experience…a great place to gather with friends and family.  A plate of fine cheese, meat and olives can be purchased.  And if you would like to enjoy the deck with the view of the Channel, purchase a glass of wine (or a bottle) or beer and enjoy the afternoon.  The sun broke through and blue skies were in view.   I had the utmost fortune of meeting up with family friends that I had not seen since I was a child, and it was a perfect meeting spot for this.  Good food, wine, and conversation (with Frank Sinatra heard overhead).  http://www.hellamsvineyard.com/

Rosario Beach – lovely!  A great place for a picnic and for enjoying Northwest beauty.  Volunteers were on hand to teach us about the  rocky shores of Rosario Beach… the plants and animals that live within the tide pools here.  To protect the inhabitants of certain areas, it was suggested that we follow a rope trail and yes, we were still able to see the treasures that abound…hermit crabs, red rock crab, kelp, rockweed, chitons, and more.

See July 2010 post for more on La Conner and Deception Pass area.

Tillicum Village…a traditional Northwest experience

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On a surprise sunny day on Memorial Day weekend, an essential Northwest tradition was experienced by spending the afternoon at Pike Place Market, the Seattle waterfront, and Tillicum Village.

At Pike Place Market, we hit a few of our favorites…DeLaurenti, had a BBQ pork hom bow at Mee Sum Pastry, walked through the market and stopped by La Buona Tavola, where a jar of fig preserve with balsamic vinegar was purchased  www.trufflecafe.com.  La Buona Tavola specializes in truffled products, Italian specialties and wines from Italy and Washington State.  See May 2010 post for more Pike Place Market fun.  The water glistened as we walked along the waterfront.  Stops were made at the Ye Old Curiosity shop and Exclusively Washington (Pier 54 next to Ivar’s)  www.exclusivelywashington.net.

Tillicum Village is a fun trip for visitors and locals alike.  You will be welcomed aboard an Argosy Cruises boat with a narrated look at Puget Sound area Native American history, with a focus on Alki Beach and the Blake Island area.  Did you know that Blake Island is only reachable by boat?  Argosy Cruises have two runs a day to Tillicum Village (with three on Saturdays during the height of summer).  Check out http://www.tillicumvillage.com/  for a schedule and more information.  The cruise is approx. 45 minutes and seating is available indoors and out with a bar for beverage service on each level.  Upon arriving at Tillicum Village, you are greeted by a gentleman in Native garb and offered steamed clams as an appetizer (in mugs).  They encourage the dropping of the shells on the already shell made pathway (stomp away!).  I love the smell of a campfire!  View a whole salmon being cooked on a cedar stake above an open fire.  Then it is off to enjoy a buffet dinner…with berry cobbler to finish the meal off (see link for menu specifics).  The dinner concludes with a show of storytelling and dance of Coast Salish tribes.  The storytelling itself is done by Roger Fernandes, also known by his native name Kawasa, a member of the Lower Elwha Band of the S’Klallam Indians from the Port Angeles, Washington area.  Note:  the storytelling is presented via video and the dance, by three live performers.  After the show, you are given 30+ minutes to tour the gift shop and to wander the grounds/beach of Blake Island.  A very nice trip overall!

Seattle Restaurant Week

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For two weeks, April 10-21, 2011 (excluding Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunday brunch), the restaurants participating in Seattle Restaurant Week will offer three-course dinners for $28…and many of them will offer a three-course lunch as well…for $15 per person. Enjoy 150 restaurants for 10 days.  An event to look forward to every April and October, with a variety of high quality restaurants in different neighborhoods around town.  Neighborhoods?  Try 15 or so…from Magnolia/Ballard area to Bothell/Kirkland/Woodinville to South Seattle/Renton area and back to downtown Seattle…so many to experience in 10 days.  Reservations are strongly encouraged.  For a list of participating restaurants, check out their link or The Seattle Times.  Now this is a celebration!  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/seattlerestaurantweek/

Taste of Washington

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Taste Washington is where you will find the largest selection of Washington wines in one event.   More than 200 wineries attended the event this year.  The Grand Tasting event was held on Sunday, March 27th at the Qwest Events Center, and I do believe that getting the VIP ticket for the extra 2 hours of tasting is more than worth the extra cost, as some of the best wines and food do go quickly.  http://tastewashington.org/ provides a list of restaurants, wineries, exhibitors, and the like.  My favorite restaurant of the day was Steelhead Diner… hard to go wrong with this choice.  They were serving a tasty Bristol Bay sockeye salmon confit with pickled radish ~ green lentil salad/ dijon vinaigrette/ lemon emulsion.  The wineries were pouring wine from almost all the grape varietals grown in Washington…whether it be Malbec, Merlot, Cab, Cab Franc, Syrah, Viogniers, Rose’ of all sorts, late harvest blends, etc…  Take pleasure in the cooking demonstrations as well as the wine education discussions.  The day before, there are numerous wine and food seminars and a winemakers dinner to take in if you so desire.  And if you like to tweet, take a peek at  #TasteWA.  Taste Washington also travels to Portland, OR on May 1st…check it out! and mark your calendar for next year.

Poverty Bay Wine Festival

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March is Washington Wine Month.  To kick off the festivals and other tasting events throughout the month, check out the Poverty Bay Wine Festival, held the first weekend of March.  For 2011, it took place on March 4, 5, and 6th and was the 7th annual wine festival breaking attendance records with over 1,600 people.  This festival celebrates fabulous wines, cool jazz, and Northwest cuisine.  All proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Des Moines and takes place at the Landmark Event Center.  The Poverty Bay Wine Festival has raised over $200,000 over the past six years and benefits community, educational, and international projects.  This year, there were over 20 wineries and it was great to see how many people came out to taste new wines, support their favorite wineries, and enjoy the great variety of jazz over the weekend….on this day Uncle Ernie and Michael Powers entertained.  Relationships, friendships and even a few marriages have been introduced here.  This happens to be my 4th annual trip here and I will continue to mark my calendar for this event in the future. The  http://www.waterlandblog.com/   normally has a good story to tell too!  http://www.dmrotary.org/winefestival.php

Wine and Chocolate Festival – Enumclaw

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The Third Annual Enumclaw Wine & Chocolate Festival was this last weekend, February 4-5, 2011 at the Enumclaw Expo Center.  The event showcased 30+ shops for your perusing pleasure, 30+ wineries for tasting, and 13 chocolate vendors.  This year’s event was for persons 21 and over which allowed for more vendor flexibility, as the wine and chocolate booths were next to each and dispersed throughout the Expo Center.  This allowed for a fun time out for the adults.  Tickets were good for both days and additional wine tasting tickets were only $1 each (as long as you came back with your wine glass).  Entertainment included Moody Music and a number of seminars on wine, truffle making, and food pairing.  There were a couple stops along the route for a bite as well.  My favorite chocolatiers there was Carter’s Chocolates out of Port Orchard, WA  http://www.carterschocolates.com/ .  Carter’s Chocolates can be found in other locations too…check out the About Us section of their website for where to purchase.  There were different kinds of chocolate makers… from fudge to chocolate bars, chocolate nuts to chocolate drinks, as well as the specialty chocolatiers like truffles and caramel.  Doesn’t this sound heavenly? Also, a bit like Forest Gump’s Shrimp analogy? 🙂   Mark your calendars for next years event but be sure to go on Friday or earlier on Saturday (as some chocolate vendors ran out of samples).  There were plenty of different wines for all tastes, from inexpensive, to fruit wines, dessert wines, as well as some really good wines to share with your special valentine.   Some of my favorite wines there this year were from Five Star Cellars, Brian Carter Cellars, Kontos Cellars, Barrister Winery, and Gamache Vintners, in no particular order.  And because this was a Chamber of Commerce event, wine was available for purchase at a good discount.  Make it a day (or evening) out, and enjoy the ride.  http://enumclawchocolatefestival.com/

January Dining

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Urbane –  http://www.urbaneseattle.com/    Urbane promotes their fare as from farm to table, bringing regional farmers goods and quality to the table.  Modern yet comfortable.  Water (in a pitcher) was placed on the table which was nice.  As Urbane is located in the Hyatt Olive 8 hotel (corner of 8th Ave and Olive Way), it is the perfect opportunity to view the hustle and bustle of the city.  We enjoyed the Caramelized Onion Flatbread (blue cheese and walnuts) and the Charcuterie & Cheeses  (lamb pate) selection.  This was a starter for us as we were headed to see Grease at the Paramount.   Since I am not doing a separate review of Grease, I will include it here.  Grease was only here for a three-day gig (January 7-9, 2011) and it is one that featured additional songs from Grease, the hit movie. We were treated to a special appearance, Eddie Mekka, from the popular 70’s show Laverne & Shirley, came out prior to the show to encourage the audience to participate in a sing along and hand jive.  Eddie also played Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel.  Grease itself was enjoyable and entertaining.  It followed the movie but some scenes took place in different venues (as to cut stage cost I imagine).  Matt Nolan, who played Danny was very good.  I would have preferred one of the other gals to have played Sandy though.  “A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop, A-wop-bam-boom!”

Spice Route – http://www.spiceroutecuisine.com/#  Located at 2241 – 148th in Bellevue (Overlake).  Spice Route is Indian cuisine (north, south and Fusion) and is recommended – for the Grand Lunch Buffet and courteous staff.  This is a favorite stop for the Microsoftees that work nearby.  Enjoy!

Blazing Bagels  –  this stop was on 1st Ave S at Safeco Field (SODO).  This location gets great reviews and based on their menu, I think you will find something that will please.  I won’t mention what I ordered (although it was really good) but I will say that the gentleman behind the counter was awesome…I liked that he called the men that came in “Boss”, and I believe he called me “sweetie”, although I can’t remember for sure.  Check out the www.blazingbagels.com for a menu or find it here:  Download Menu Page 1 (PDF)
Download Menu Page 2 (PDF)

Chantanee – http://www.chantanee.com/  As the choice of the birthday girl, this was a nice evening out among friends.  The hostess was most pleasant!  On this night, Martin Luther King day, it was a little slower as it was a Monday night and the usual business crowd was away.  We ordered brown rice and shared four dishes… Heavenly Beef, Phad Gang Paa, Crispy Garlic Chicken, and Green Bean Pric Pao.  All were delicious, especially the Crispy Garlic Chicken and Green Bean Pric Pao (ordered with Prawns).  I liked the entire meal.  What they didn’t tell me though was, by ordering the Prawns with the Green Bean Pric Pao, an additional $6 was charged for this selection.  Due to it being a birthday celebration, they were nice enough to bring out a scoop of ice cream for the birthday girl as well.  Chantanee is considered upscale Thai and is located at 106 108th Ave NE  in the Key Center building in Bellevue, WA.  Those friends who are considered experts in Thai, choose Chantanee.

Check out updates on prior posts of A Terrible Beauty, The Ram, Pearl and Rock Bottom Brewery.

Note:  not all outings or visits to fast food or chain restaurants are reviewed on www.within4hoursreach.com

Teatro ZinZanni Seattle

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Wow!  If you haven’t seen Teatro ZinZanni in Seattle, get there at some point!  It is an investment, but well worth the experience.  This particular run, Hearts on Fire, showing until January 23, 2011, is REALLY fun!   The event is three-hours…dine on a five-course meal and enjoy the all-out sensory experience of the international cast specializing in cirque, comedy, and cabaret.  I especially liked the audience participation portions and the sensual performance of Vita Radionova.  I really can’t say enough about the entire cast…I could list them all here but I’ll let you check out the website  http://dreams.zinzanni.org/ to view the talented crew.  To get the most out of this enjoyable evening …share a table with a couple you don’t know or go with a group of friends.  The food was generally good, however, the  salmon was a bit dry which is to be expected at the larger dinner events, so I would recommend the filet mignon or other entrée options.  The add-on’s are not necessary.  Due to the length of dinner, I would recommend bringing a bottle of wine (corkage fee is $20) or ordering a bottle to carry you through the show.  The atmosphere is vibrant, visually intoxicating and the dress/costume of those that work there really brings the experience together.  You will definitely leave the show with a smile on your face.  🙂