This is a follow-up to the July 2010 post Pick A Festival, Any Festival. It is true again that this weekend every year is packed with things to do. Again this year, Kirkland Uncorked did not disappoint. I liked Kirkland Uncorked’s Facebook posting…”Rain or shine we are still tasting wine!” Kirkland Uncorked brings the arts (presented by Kirkland Arts Center), a boat showcase, grilling demonstrations, restaurant sampling, and of course…wine. One thing I noticed that was new (or bigger than before) were the paddle boarders showing off their stuff. And there is the City Dog Magazine Dog Modeling Contest. Pyramid beer and Mojitos are for purchase while listening to the various entertainment throughout the day. Some of my favorite wine tastings this year were from Maryhill Winery (Viognier), Five Star Cellars (Kenzie, Merlot and Cab), Convergence Zone Cellars (Dewpoint), Tempus Cellars (Evergreen Vineyard Riesling), Tsillan Cellars (Syrah Grenache), and Northwest Cellars Winery (Adagio and Sangiovese). Mind you, I didn’t try every varietal that was being poured and everyone does have their individual palate. This festival seems to be a good friend and group event too…bachelorette party, and more. Have fun! http://www.kirklanduncorked.com/
Puget Sound Area
Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony offers year-round performances at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. Just this last month, the renowned Gerard Schwarz stepped down as its conductor after 26 seasons. He is treasured by the Puget Sound area and is a champion of music. Two recent performances have been enjoyed this year thus far – Carmina Burana and Casablanca. Casablanca made for a lovely night out. It was really nice to see this film on the big screen accompanied by conductor Adam Stern and the Seattle Symphony, performing the live soundtrack. Really enjoyed it! Check out the 2011-2012 season and what’s coming up next… Brahms, Beethoven, and a Symphonic Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney, among others. Opening night will be celebrated on September 17th to welcome the Symphony’s new conductor, Ludovic Morlot! http://www.seattlesymphony.org/symphony/
Tillicum Village…a traditional Northwest experience
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!
Salish Lodge
The Salish Lodge is one of the most majestic and relaxing lodges to experience in the Puget Sound area….or within 4 hours reach anyway. The Salish Lodge is located in Snoqualmie, WA which is approx. 40 minutes east of Seattle. It sits above the raging and wonderous Snoqualmie Falls. This experience was all of the S’s….stay, satisfying, spa, scallops, Stellar, and more…
The first European settlers discovered the falls in 1851 and began running wagons from Seattle along logging roads to open up the natural wonder to the rest of society. The first lodge was built in 1919 as a food and rest stop for travelers. The present day Salish Dining Room showcases the lodges’ original fireplace where you can feast on their traditional Country Breakfast that’s been the talk of the many area towns for generations. Today, make no mistake about it…this is a place for luxury.
We had the pleasure to dine in front of this fireplace for our 4-5 course chef’s dinner…see our recommended/fine selections below:
- Local Farm Lettuces
- Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly
- Halibut Cheek
- Yuzu Poached Prawns
- Scallops with Salish Alderwood Smoked Salt
- Grilled Sturgeon as the Auction Block Catch of the Day
- Braised Beef Shortrib
- Cheese Pairing…three delectible choices served with whole grain bread and a vanilla bean-apple compote
- Creamsicle…frozen heirloom orange curd, creme fraiche ice creams, amaretto cookie crumb, herb garden thyme-canilla foam, huckleberry coulis…so yummy!
Service was excellent, a true fine dining experience with the change of silverware between courses. Shout out’s needed for Donna C. and Tim. The fire keeper was certainly an expert at this as well.
Prior to the evening dinner, a duet massage was enjoyed. A therapeutic massage for two in the fireside room. This was one of the most relaxing and best massages I have had…the pressure, the crackle of the fire, and I especially liked the hot stones used. Katie is highly recommended. Afterwards, a dip in the soaking and mineral pools, sauna, all the while sipping on refreshing citrus water. The spa area is meant to be silent and tranquil. It was not as tranquil as it could have been this particular afternoon due to the many people getting spa treatments/taking advantage of the service this day.
And in the Attic, a Falls Cosmo and Lavender Sapphire Collins. The morning breakfast was also a treat – a Poinsettia, Salish Infused Mary, Sumatra-Putrarimbun french press service, the Railroad Avenue breakfast as well as the Vanilla and Spice Infused Waffles. Great service by the hostess’, Ricardo, and manager Brian. Shout out’s to Blake at check-in and the valet. We will certainly be back.
Check out the beautiful country store located in the Salish Lodge as well.
Overall, a really wonderful experience, a relaxing and highly rated getaway. http://www.salishlodge.com/
You can come for all of the above or al la carte, as both the spa and restaurant can be experienced without a stay at the lodge. The restaurant is a must for all foodies, whether for dinner or the incredible breakfast. While you are there for any of these reasons… make sure you walk around the paths to take in the breathtaking views of Snoqualmie Falls from different areas of the park – you will not be disappointed! www.snoqualmiefalls.com
Rachel the Pig
Rachel the Pig has been in surgery to repair damages after a car accident (taxi) at the Pike Place Market in February. The life-size bronze pig will return to the market at the end of the week. In the meantime, Rachel is on tour as the full-time fundraiser for the Market Foundation (i.e. piggybank). Yesterday she began making appearances at some of her favorite places around town.
Rachel’s schedule is:
March 14 – Colman Dock, 2 – 6 p.m.
March 15 – City Hall, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
March 16 – Seattle Art Museum, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
March 17 – Occidental Park, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
March 18 – Westlake Plaza, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and then…back home at the Market
Good to have Rachel back on her feet!
(Picture from MinkStudios album)
Poverty Bay Wine Festival
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
Blowing Sands Glass Studio
This month, a bridal shower was attended at Blowing Sands Glass Studio, located in the Ballard area of Seattle. What a great event! The host set up a table of good eats and drink. All the while… the guests visited, the bride open gifts, and all enjoyed creating a sea float or a paperweight. David Smith was so gracious in teaching us to create works of art. The glass goes into an annealing oven and then can be picked up the next day. The Laura Frost Gallery is part of the Ballard Artwalk and showcases original design. I made a paperweight and thought it so cool that it was engraved on the bottom with name, date, and Blowing Sands. Definitely worth it…and so fun as part of this group’s special event. http://www.blowingsands.com/
Everett Silvertips
Hockey in the Puget Sound area consists of the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds, who are part of the WHL (Western Hockey League). I like the Everett Silvertips for their home town, community feel. The home games are located at Comcast Arena at the corner of Broadway and Hewitt in Everett, WA. I try to go at least once a year. This evening the Everett Silvertips played the Seattle Thunderbirds, their Puget Sound rival, with the Silvertips winning 6-5. The energy and noise make it fun as many in the crowd ring their cow bells and others their vuvuzelas. A nice variety of food and drink is available including specialty items like Top Pot doughnuts. Suites are available. Chuck a Puck. The 50/50 Raffle. The evening we attended, the raffle got to $3980 with a sell out crowd of over 8,300. Between periods, there are contests and audience participation activities that will make you smile… such as the Kiss Cam, Dance Cam, the party Zamboni, and others. This evening, Tyler Maxwell, made four goals. When one player scores three goals in a game, it is called a hat trick. When this occurs, many people throw their hats onto the ice…so don’t wear a hat that you might not want to part with! And if you have time, check out the team store where you will find a nice variety of team merchandise (although the lines are usually long). The 2011 Everett Silvertips season goes through March. Check out the Hockey 101 link under Fan Zone at http://www.everettsilvertips.com/main/index for hockey terms and rules.
A busy day…
Today was a busy day. If you are looking for a good wine selection, may I make a suggestion? Esquin Wine Merchants on 4th Avenue South in Seattle. http://esquin.com/ Lunch was had at Matt’s in the Market – just above the Pike Place Market. I made note of this in a May post, but wanted to make mention once again…I really like the hustle and bustle of the lunch crowd. We enjoyed a half bottle of 2008 Cadence along with the Lamb Burger and Roasted Lamb Sirloin. For the Lamb Burger, I especially like the brioche roll used. The bacon was cooked just right…and who could resist goat cheese? And…the spread of onion jam was a really nice touch. The dish came with a bowl of garbanzo bean-sultana salad. http://www.mattsinthemarket.com/ A nice walk through Pike Place Market was had. To complete the outing, a visit was made to the Picasso exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). I have to admit I am not much of a museum goer but did enjoy the experience today. I especially liked that I could get more information during the tour using my smartphone and Microsoft Tag http://tag.microsoft.com/consumer/index.aspx. My favorite pieces (in English) were Head of Fernande in Profile, Three Figures Under a Tree, Reclining Nude, and The Studio at La Californie. Also, it was nice to see the photographs of Picasso with his family and friends. The exhibit ends on January 17th, 2011. The best part of seeing special exhibitions at the SAM, is that this entitles you to browse through the thousands of other pieces of art that are part of the museum’s regular rotating exhibits for no extra charge. I especially like the robe-like form which is made up of 40,000 dog tags (Floor 3, see picture herein) http://seattleartmuseum.org/. Note: Not an inexpensive day out.
Happy New Year 2011!
Happy New Year! May you experience new adventures and good times in 2011. Get out there and see what your community, region, and world has to offer!
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