TRIP PLANNER: OLYMPIC PENINSULA PG. 78
I NSI D
E:
ISH B R I T B IA M COLU WAY GETA DE GU I
Floret Flower Farm’s Dazzling Blooms
Gooseberries: Crêpes to Crumble
Funding Health Care Access with Wine
Your Summer Travel
BUCKET LIST 6 ICONIC WASHINGTON DESTINATIONS, FROM BEACHES TO PEAKS
HIDDEN GEM ISLAND ADVENTURES SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVALS 1889mag.com $5.95 display until July 31, 2023
LIVE
THINK
EXPLORE
WASHINGTON June | July
volume 37
Celebrate Oregon Wine Month in Tualatin Valley Explore the closest wine country to PDX!
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4/12/23 4:26 PM
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Gold Mettle
Jason Hummel Photography/State of Washington Tourism
The Olympic Peninsula in summer is a rugged beauty with many facets. All trails lead to adventure. (pg. 78)
2
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
Hit the (hiking) trail in Olympic National Park.
JUNE | JULY 2023
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 3
An avid dahlia collector, Erin Benzakein has grown more than 1,000 varieties on Floret farm. She celebrates everything there is to know about the bold, beautiful blooms in her first book, Discovering Dahlias.
FEATURES JUNE | JULY 2023 • volume 37
52
58
Wandering Washington
In Bellingham, a Search for Solutions
Six bucket list scenic summer trips … including Washington’s best-kept secret.
Are tiny homes coupled with rules and services the answer to homelessness? Bellingham may be one community that is getting it right.
written by Ryn Pfeuffer
written by Lauren Kramer
62 The Darlings of Dahlias How a Skagit Valley couple turned a small farm into floral fame.
Chris Benzakein
written by Kerry Newberry
4
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DEPARTMENTS JUNE | JULY 2023 • volume 37
16
LIVE 14 SAY WA?
Music festivals, an Asian working class memoir.
22 FOOD + DRINK
Fresh oysters, scratch-made tacos, the fruity catarito.
26 FARM TO TABLE
Once a forbidden fruit, the gooseberry is making a comeback.
30 HOME + DESIGN
A 1,032-square-foot prefab cabin in Packwood. Plus: firewise landscaping and outdoor dining accessories. Watershed
36 MIND + BODY
The 68-year-old running phenom Rick Becker.
40 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Taylor Hudson brings soul to body (parts).
THINK 46 STARTUP
iKamper turns scrap material into camping necessities.
48 MY WORKSPACE
Two homesteaders get creative with art.
50 GAME CHANGER
Vital Wine turns wine into health care for industry workers. Ari Nordhagen/Cochinito Taqueria
EXPLORE 70 TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT
25
Vital Wines
Port Gamble’s ghosts.
72 ADVENTURE
50
Five Puget Sound island adventures for summer.
76 LODGING
Stella’s Homestead in Waitsburg.
10 Editor’s Letter 11 1889 Online 86 Map of Washington 88 Until Next Time
COVER
photo by Stephen Matera/TandemStock.com Olympic National Park (see “Wandering Washington,” pg. 52, and Trip Planner, pg. 78)
6
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
78 TRIP PLANNER
Olympic Peninsula: clear skies, if you can get them.
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CONTRIBUTORS
PETAR MARSHALL Photographer Mind + Body
JASON REDMOND Photographer Artist in Residence
“Rick Becker’s story is an inspiration to all, whether you love to run or pursue other outdoor activities. It was a pleasure to meet with Rick on a warm, sunny spring day in Selah to capture his spirit and passion for running. The birds sang as he ran by the trees dotting the Yakima Greenway trail.” (pg. 36)
“It was such a pleasure meeting and photographing artist Taylor Hudson at her studio in Everett as she touched up one of her large oil paintings. Hudson was generous with her time, which allowed me to make several ‘looks’ for a portrait with multiple lenses, off-camera flash and available light. In the end, the images lit with the diffused, slightly overcast Northwest daylight that graced her studio were my favorite.” (pg. 40)
Petar Marshall is a freelance photographer focused on sport, travel, food and beverage. He is based in Hood River, Oregon, but loves to capture stories throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Jason Redmond is a freelance photojournalist based in Seattle. He holds a degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has worked at newspapers in Vermont, Missouri, Michigan, Florida and his home state of California.
8 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
LAUREN KRAMER Writer In Bellingham, a Search for Solutions “These days it’s impossible to ignore homelessness, drug abuse and mental illness on the streets of Bellingham. As I witness the increase in this population, I find it deeply distressing on so many levels, and it’s easy to despair at the seeming lack of solutions. In researching this story, I was inspired by the local individuals and organizations determined to make a difference.” (pg. 58) Lauren Kramer is a Bellinghambased freelance writer who was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She relishes raising a family in the Pacific Northwest and writes about social issues, food, travel and fascinating people.
JACKIE DODD Writer + Photographer Beervana “I may be biased, but the Pacific Northwest has the most outstanding breweries and overall beer scene. No matter how many breweries I visit, there always seems to be a new one somewhere within driving distance that I haven’t tried yet. Maybe it’s the fact that the majority of the hops grown on this continent come from the Yakima Valley region, maybe it’s our superior water supply, or possibly the farmto-fermenter mentality of our brewers, but there is no greater place than here to be a craft beer fan.” (pg. 22) Jackie Dodd is a writer, photographer and cookbook author serving up beer-infused recipes in Seattle.
EDITOR
Kevin Max
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Allison Bye
WEB MANAGER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Aaron Opsahl Joni Kabana
OFFICE MANAGER
Cindy Miskowiec
DIRECTOR OF SALES
Jenny Kamprath
BEERVANA COLUMNIST
Jackie Dodd
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Cathy Carroll, Melissa Dalton, Rachel Gallaher, Ellen Hiatt, Joni Kabana, Lauren Kramer, Kerry Newberry, Daniel O’Neil, Ryn Pfeuffer, Lauren Purdy, Ben Salmon, Jen Sotolongo, Cara Strickland, Corinne Whiting
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Will Austin, Jackie Dodd, Jorden Hand, Petar Marshall, Stephen Matera, Jason Redmond, Michelle Rehm
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Erwin Sherman
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FROM THE
EDITOR
THE PROBLEM with homelessness in the Pacific Northwest is one that seems particularly entrenched and is always talked about like an incurable cancer, as though the same society that created these conditions from scratch can’t produce healthy and sustainable solutions to chip away at the disease. Today, we see people who continue to slip below the surface of short-term viability, miss a rent payment, a car payment, medical bills, and begin a downward spiral that begins with sleeping on the street or in a shelter. Still others face a misunderstanding about their mental health and can’t afford the help they need to stop the slide. Municipalities do what they can to address the short-term symptoms while the longstanding macro structural causes remain— unregulated housing prices, health care costs that now dominate working people’s paychecks, the whittling away of the safety net of food stamps, a Social Security system that is insufficient and a tax system that continues to bend toward the wealthiest Americans. It takes vision, time, money and acts of Congress to stem a cycle that converts more people to helplessness than cities and states know what to do with. Bellingham is the latest to try innovative ways to halt homelessness in its town. It has brought together two crucial pieces to offer an interim solution to the growing problem—tiny houses and bigger services. It has shown positive results in being able to work with a limited number of people. But could something like a
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Bellingham solution scale? Turn to page 58 to read more. Another story of people stepping up to help solve one of these issues is that of Vital Wines in Walla Walla. The community of winemakers came together to donate grapes and other materials, and Vital’s revenue goes to funding health care for the industry’s workers. Turn to page 50 to read the story of how winemaker Ashley Trout began this movement. After all, it’s summer and time to take care of your mental health by getting out from behind your laptop and hitting one (or more) of our bucket list scenic trips. There was at least one cool getaway in this piece of which I knew almost nothing. There are also some classics that many of you still haven’t hit, I’m betting. See “Wandering Washington” on page 52. For old(er) runners like me, get inspired by the story of Rick Becker in Mind + Body. A 68-year-old competitive runner, Becker continues to train for (and win) the National Masters Track Championships. Turn to page 36 and get stoked. Finally, our Adventure (pg. 72) take us to five little islands in the Puget Sound where it’s easy for a person to lose time and find wondrous hiking and cycling trails, end the day at a local vineyard or brewery, and bed thee down on a coastal campsite or cozy inn. Don’t forget to let it all hang out there at one of our picks for summer music festivals (pg. 16). I mean, can’t you just be (Just be, man!) at The Gorge Amphitheatre on a summer night when Afrojack and Marshmello are just vibing, man?
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WASHINGTON: IN FOCUS
SHOP LOCAL
Have a photo that captures your Washington experience? Share it with us by filling out the Washington: In Focus form on our website. If chosen, you’ll be published here.
Stop by Local, our curated online shop of cool goods made by businesses in the Pacific Northwest. Find outdoor gear, leather goods, specialty foods and more. Or show your state pride with 1889 T-shirts, hats and other apparel. Buy local. Feel good.
www.1889mag.com/in-focus photo by Ryan and Destiny Valencia Tulips in bloom in the Skagit Valley.
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JUNE | JULY 2023
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SAY WA? 14 FOOD + DRINK 22 FARM TO TABLE 26 HOME + DESIGN 30 MIND + BODY 36
pg. 40 One artist finds her journey is colorful, big and very internal.
Jason Redmond
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 40
Mountain DREAM
Begin Your Dream Adventures at Awesome Adventures Begin in... Kelso, Longview, Kalama, Castle Rock, Woodland, Cougar, Toutle & Ariel
Sandstone Distillery
written by Lauren Purdy
Cycle Chelan
Tidbits + To-dos
ca mark le you nd r ar
say wa?
Sandstone Distillery This Thurston County distillery is worth the stop, offering award-winning spirits exclusively made from Washington-grown grains. Located about 20 minutes away from Downtown Olympia, Sandstone’s selection of hand-crafted whiskey, vodka, gin and spirits has gained the attention of locals and spirit connoisseurs alike. Stop in to taste Sandstone’s White Whiskey, recipient of a double gold medal at the Seattle International Spirits Competition and Sip Magazine’s Best of the Northwest, and the smooth Stone Carver Vodka, medalist at the American Craft Spirits Association and Seattle International Spirits Awards. Tastings are available by reservation, and bottles are available for purchase online. www.sandstonedistillery.com
Cycle Chelan Explore panoramic views, big climbs and ferries in this year’s annual Cycle Chelan bike ride. Hosted by the Lake Chelan Rotary Club on June 24, this one-day group ride offers routes that accommodate all skill levels. This year’s guided routes include the new Butte Blast, a gravel and pavement ride along the slopes of the scenic south shore; the Cycle Di Vino, a beginner-intermediate lakeside ride with stops along Lake Chelan’s wineries; and the epic 45-minute Lake Loop traversing both shores of the lake, with a final scenic leg up the south shore. Registration is available online. www.cyclechelan.com
camark y len our da r Ballard SeafoodFest Seafood lovers, if you’re looking to fully embrace Seattle’s fishing heritage, look no further than Ballard’s annual seafood festival. The origins of this annual gathering held in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle can be traced back to 1971 when leaders from Ballard’s industrial and fishing community launched the SeafoodFest to promote the neighborhood’s fishing industry and draw attention to the area’s Scandinavian heritage. Festivities run July 14-16, with diverse options for food, live music and libations. Entry is free. www.seafoodfest.org
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say wa?
Ember Goods
Ember Goods
Nothing screams Pacific Northwest quite like cabin-roasted coffee and cozy goods. A familyowned coffee shop and retail space in the heart of downtown Olympia, Ember Goods is built to be the perfect pit stop for your next adventure in and out of the city. Find handcrafted coffee— such as the Morning Dew Roast, a lighter-bodied Ethiopian singleorigin selection with notes of honeydew, blueberry and brown sugar—and outdoor accessories, such as the “Mountains & Evergreens” tote. Purchases are available online, or visit the downtown Olympia storefront.
CA mar LE k yo ND ur AR
www.embergoods.com
Outlook Inn
Chelan Evening Farmers Market
Nestled in the heart of Orcas Island, the Outlook Inn offers travelers a coastal-aesthetic experience in the charming town of Eastsound. A beloved San Juan destination, the Outlook Inn has recently completed renovations to its Bay View and Water’s Edge rooms and suites for an even more inviting stay. In addition to the newly expanded waterfront spaces, the inn’s New Leaf waterfront restaurant is now offering a full menu of brunch, such as the Crispy Confit Duck Leg and Waffle, with pancetta lardon and arbol chili-infused maple syrup, and the Dungeness Crab Cake Sandwich served on a French roll, with a drizzle of lemon aioli and topped with house-made sambal. Room and dining reservations are available online.
If you’re looking to find a fresh meal to cool down after a long day on the lake or touring Chelan’s expansive bike paths, you’ll want to stop by the Chelan Evening Farmers Market. Take advantage of the warm summer nights and peruse this seasonal market featuring dozens of local vendors, from fresh pears, rainier cherries and crisp Washington apples, in addition to artisan goods, such as fine blown glass and small-batch wine. During the summer, local musicians also perform along Chelan’s scenic Riverwalk Park downtown. The market is open Thursdays from 2-6 p.m. through October. See full vendor details, including featured artists, online.
www.outlookinn.com
www.chelanfarmersmarket.org
Outlook Inn
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say wa? Watershed
Camping and country music at The Gorge Amphitheatre as part of the Watershed festival in early August.
Musician
Your Guide to Summer
MUSIC
FESTIVALS
If you’re feelin’ fest-y, here are six places to catch great music this season in Washington written by Ben Salmon
SUMMER IN Washington is an embarrassment of outdoor riches, from hiking and biking to boating to day-drinking on the back deck or a bar’s patio. And for lovers of live music, there is no shortage of opportunities to gather in the sunshine (and usually the chilly evening air) and catch a concert. Here are six music festivals happening across the state that deserve a spot on your calendar this summer. 16 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
Watershed Yeeeeeeeeee-haw! Country music festivals seem to come and go pretty quickly in our region, and here’s the latest: Watershed festival, which brings together camping and country music against the beautiful backdrop of The Gorge Amphitheatre. Go search your closet for those long-ignored cowboy boots and cowboy hats for this one—you’re going to need them! Dates: Aug. 4-6 Location: The Gorge Amphitheatre, George Lineup highlights: Cody Johnson, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Carly Pearce, Lainey Wilson, Parker McCollum Fun fact: You may have noticed that ticket prices for big concerts and festivals seem to be more expensive than ever. Watershed offers a layaway option that allows you to make payments! More info: www.watershedfest.com
Can ’ t w a i t un t i l …
T H E S TAT E O F WA SH I N GT O N
bellingham.org/plan
say wa?
Beyond Wonderland If you’ve been to The Gorge Amphitheatre, you know why it’s one of the best outdoor concert venues in the country. If you haven’t been there, you should rectify that omission. Here’s one opportunity: A fantastic celebration of electronic music called Beyond Wonderland, where high desert camping
collides with three days of techno, trance, dubstep, house music and more. Dates: June 17-18 Location: The Gorge Amphitheatre, George Lineup highlights: Afrojack, Marshmello, Dillon Francis, Flosstradamus, Subtronics, Kai Wachi
Fun fact: The camping situation at Beyond Wonderland looks like a mini Burning Man, with acres of campsites organized into areas with names like Cheshire Cove, Castle Crossing and Queen’s Ravine. More info: www.pnw.beyond wonderland.com
Reggae On The Way
Travis Trautt/THING
A lawn between an automobile museum and the Tacoma Dome may seem like an unusual spot for a reggae festival, but when Reggae On The Way takes over Tacoma’s Haub Family Field, the good vibes start flowing. If you close your eyes tight enough, you just might find yourself transported to some leafy tropical island— mentally, at least—where the music is mellow and the message is positivity.
THING “THING is already (Washington’s) best destination festival.” So says The Seattle Times about this eclectic event held at a historic fort that was built right around the turn of the twentieth century to protect the Puget Sound from invasion by sea. That threat has (presumably?) subsided, and in its place is three days of top-shelf indie rock, pop, hip-hop and more. Date: Aug. 25-27
Location: Historic Fort Worden, Port Townsend Lineup highlights: Fleet Foxes, Lil Yachty, Sylvan Esso, Thundercat, Digable Planets, The Beths, Budos Band Fun fact: THING isn’t just a music festival. It also will host comedy performances, community workshops and live podcasts. Got kids? Bring ’em! Ages 12 and younger get in free. More info: www.thingnw.org
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Dates: July 15-16 Location: Haub Family Field, Tacoma Lineup highlights: Rebelution, J Boog, Stick Figure, Pepper, Tribal Seeds, Matisyahu, The Green Fun fact: In addition to two days of reggae music, the festival offers a Friday open bar, a Saturday yoga class and Sunday brunch for those who want a little extra fun. More info: www. reggaeontheway.com
say wa?
Benjamin Robyn/Capitol Hill Block Party
Capitol Hill Block Party This might be Washington’s most urban-set music festival, held each year in the busy Pike/Pine corridor at the heart of Seattle’s hip neighborhood known as Capitol Hill. The lineup focuses not so much on huge names, but on up-and-coming artists of the highest quality who’ll likely be headlining bigger festivals in a few years. It’s like a party built around musical discovery. Dates: July 21-23 Location: Capitol Hill, Seattle Lineup highlights: Sofi Tukker, Denzel Curry, Louis the Child, Goth Babe, Muna, Momma, PinkPantheress Fun fact: With its roots as a true neighborhood block party, CHBP has always made sure to feature Seattle artists and this year is no different, with locals like Karma Rivera, Stella Mar and Daizha in the lineup.
Photo: Bumbershoot
More info: www.capitolhill blockparty.com
Bumbershoot In an industry where ambitious festivals often fizzle out after a few years (turns out running one of these is hard!), Bumbershoot stands tall and proud as it celebrates its fiftieth anniversary. The event is a carnival of sorts, offering things like performance art, film screenings, roller skating, wrestling, a cat circus, drag shows and more in addition to a music lineup that features punk, metal and rock next to pop, R&B and soul.
Dates: Sept. 2-3 Location: Seattle Center, Seattle Lineup highlights: Sleater-Kinney, Fatboy Slim, Brittany Howard, Jawbreaker, Band of Horses, Sunny Day Real Estate Fun fact: Bumbershoot coexists with Third Stone, a nonprofit organization that is working to realign the event with Seattle’s changing needs while continuing to honor the festival’s legacy. More info: www.bumbershoot.com
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1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 19
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Bibliophile
Jane Wong has been awarded a Pushcart Prize, a fellowship from the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program and many residencies.
Washington’s ‘Jersey Girl’ Jane Wong’s third book is a new love song of the Asian American working class interview by Cathy Carroll
JANE WONG is based in Bellingham and Seattle, and her newly released third book, Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City, is a memoir. She holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Washington and is an associate professor of creative writing at Western Washington University. Tell us about how your memoir addresses casinos targeting lowincome immigrant communities and your father’s gambling. My family’s story and my father’s gambling addiction felt like it was part of something even larger, something systemic. Even as a young child, I sensed this. In writing this opening chapter of my memoir, I dove into personal memories but also quite a bit of sociological research. In a way, I was trying to find some answers—or rather, I was searching for a way to understand what drew him toward casino tables instead of us. Casinos blatantly admit to targeting Asian American communities, offering free bus vouchers and hotel stays. It’s heartbreaking, really. So many readers have shared their own stories with me already. Writing about this, through the personal and the collective, has been really powerful. From the title chapter, I write about the casino buses in Seattle: “When I’m grocery shopping for anything that reminds me of home— persimmons, sour dried plums, Chinese pickled vegetables—I swear I see my father boarding that bus, loafers polished in kitchen grease. I take one step closer to see better, hugging my groceries to my chest. But then: another. He looks like my father too, leather jacket and all. In this misty city, it’s hard to tell. They’re all my father.” I 20
think of my father, who is not present in my life, often. I miss him. I miss who he could have been and who he could be—beyond gambling. How much did you identify with Bruce Springsteen’s music growing up? I was born and raised on the Jersey Shore—and went straight from the hospital to the restaurant I grew up in. I mostly grew up in Matawan, Eatontown and Tinton Falls. I lived there until I left for college in upstate New York. Atlantic City was where we went when my father gambled— mostly due to the casinos offering free hotel stays so he could lose more money. I’ll always be a Jersey girl, but I also feel like Seattle is my home. As for Bruce Springsteen, of course I adore the Boss! He’s such a storyteller. And, as a poet, lyrics are so important to me. I feel like his songs honor working class folks. His acoustic Nebraska album was really influential for me. There’s this one lyric from “Mansion on the Hill” where he sings about looking at the fancy houses amid factories: “Rising above the factories and the fields/Now ever since I was a child I can remember/That mansion on the hill.” That reminds me of how my mother would drive us to the beach, past all the mansions in Rumson in our busted car that didn’t
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
have A/C … and we’d “ooh and ah,” stunned by such wealth. Growing up in a family where we lived paycheck to paycheck, this was wild. His song “Atlantic City” also tells a story about debt, family and hope. You wrote that when you were born, your mother held you up to the fluorescent light and declared: “I’m afraid. She knows too much.” Do you agree? I love this story that my mom tells about my birth! Apparently, I didn’t cry and just stared at her with giant eyes. I wonder what that baby Jane knows. Writing the memoir, I engaged my own memory, research and also asked my family to recall certain moments—particularly the sensory details. Memory is so tied to our senses; when I asked my mom about what it was like working in a factory when she was a teenager, she remembered the smell of warm bread (a guy who had a crush on her brought her bread after her shift). Memoir writing is all about choices—choosing which memories to give meaning to. And sometimes the smallest details became the most important throughlines. As for your last question, I think I know everything and nothing at the same time! Writing feels like that … I always write to discover something I wasn’t expecting.
Experience the power of the North Cascades!
Join us for Diablo Lake morning and afternoon tours! Start your adventure at skagittours.com or call (360) 854-2589.
food + drink
Beervana
Experience the Best Beer You’ll Have All Year written and photographed by Jackie Dodd THE ABSOLUTE best beer I’ve had all year is the one I had at Hama Hama Oyster Saloon on a rainy spring afternoon. I would venture a guess it will be yours as well, no matter which beer you actually choose to drink on the bay while you eat oysters harvested just feet from where you sit. When you work in beer, people always ask: “What’s your favorite beer?” The answer is always that a “favorite” beer has nothing to do with style, it has to do with the experience. Is it the airport beer? The first beer you have on vacation? The beer you drink as you float the river? Your favorite beer has much 22 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
Oysters and brews are a perfect pairing at Hama Hama Oyster Saloon.
more to do with the experience you pair it with than it does with the beer itself. It’s why you have nostalgia goggles for the watery pale lager you drank in college. Hama Hama, the location of the best beer in Washington, is not fine dining. In fact, there aren’t even walls. You’ll grab a beer from a small wooden kiosk as you enter the property and place your order. You’ll wander towards the water, taking a seat at an old, weathered, knotty pine picnic table nestled inside an A-frame hut on the banks of the bay. You’ll notice an almost absurdly gorgeous view of the tideflats on one side, and Douglas fir-lined mountains on the other. The oysters you will most definitely have ordered (after all, that’s the reason you came) were harvested from the very bay you gaze upon. You’ll sip your beer in anticipation, watching an oyster harvested happen just feet from your table but your eyes will dart back towards the kitchen, waiting for your delivery of goods. The raw oysters are an obvious choice, the cold waters rendering them clean, bright and briny. But don’t overlook the roasted oysters with chipotle bourbon butter, “They’re so good.
food + drink
ABOVE, FROM LEFT Hama Hama Oyster Saloon offers a unique dining experience along the Hood Canal. Heighten your Hama Hama visit with a Georgetown Brewing Bodhizafa.
Michelin-rated establishment in Seattle, but I want to frost my birthday cake with this butthere is nothing more quintessential PNW ter,” said the woman who brought them to HAMA HAMA than a picnic table on the bay, a cold local my table, and she’s not wrong. The flavor is OYSTER SALOON beer, and the best oysters you’ve ever had. It’s bold and outstanding while still allowing the 35846 N. U.S. HWY 101 an experience that stays with you. delicate oysters to shine. Which beer did I Lilliwaup www.hamahamaoysters.com There’s a reverence here, a respect for the have with this feast that earned itself the title of “best beer of the year?” It was a Bodhizafa land, the oysters they harvest, the people who What to Know: • Rotating taps from Georgetown Brewing, which incidentalwork alongside them. Hama Hama has been • Kid- and dog-friendly family run for six generations, the down-toly paired incredibly with the spread, but that • Outdoor dining earth roots resonating across all aspects of doesn’t matter much. Any beer you would what they do. Their mission of “utilize lowhave served me in a cold pint glass, at table impact farming methods to grow world-class 16 along the Hama Hama banks would have oysters, have fun, and leave something good for the next genmade the cut. Make no mistake, it’s a journey to make your way to this Oys- eration” is obvious; you can feel it walking past the oyster shell ter Saloon, it’s not on the way to anywhere and there are only piles the size of a car, the unpretentious dining accommodaa few modest accommodations nearby, but it’s a trek that every tions, the absolutely best-of-the-best oyster offerings, and the oyster-loving Washingtonian should make at least once, or bet- staff who seem genuinely happy to be there, even without a ter yet once a year, if you’re lucky. Sure, you could pull up to a beer in their hands.
Cocktail Card recipe courtesy of Patty Tully, Baby Bar / SPOKANE
Cantarito
• 2 ounces mezcal • 1/2 ounce lime juice • 1/2 ounce lemon juice • 1/2 ounce orange juice • 1/2 ounce grapefruit juice
• 1/4 ounce agave syrup • Pinch of salt • Splash of soda water, or substitute a grapefruit soda • Fruit, for garnish
Rim clay cup or glass with spicy salt and fill with ice. Mix together ingredients, and pour the cocktail into your prepared cup. Garnish with a slice of fresh fruit or a classy piece of dehydrated fruit.
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food + drink
CRAVINGS HAWAIIAN-KOREAN FUSION Like so many institutions, this one began as a food truck before expanding into brick and mortar (there are now three locations). One thing hasn’t changed, people still love the fun and satisfying blend of flavors that offer a taste of Hawaii with an Asian flare. Plus, it’s hard to beat the view at the West Seattle location, especially in the summer. SEATTLE LOCATIONS www.marinationmobile.com
ICE CREAM
Novo Fogo
Lopez Island Creamery is a classic for a reason. While you can get their ice cream regionally, you can now visit their new factory store and get a glimpse of where the magic happens. Stop and sample the wares and take some for the road. Can’t make it to the factory? You can find the ice cream at select west coast locations (check the website for more details).
Novo Fogo Distillery in Brazil is the foundation of the Issaquah-based maker of the rum-like spirit cachaça.
Gastronomy
Novo Fogo Organic Cachaça written by Cara Strickland YOU MIGHT NOT be familiar with cachaça, rum’s big sister made only in Brazil and with sugarcane. There are few things as refreshing as a caipirinha— kind of like a mojito, but with much more flavor—on a hot summer day. But this Issaquah-based company is more than just a delicious thirst-quencher, they are working to be at the forefront of sustainable spirits practices. Their distillery in Brazil operates with zero waste and an all-female distiller team. They are passionate about preserving endangered native trees and proud of their carbon negative status, along with their organic certification. You can purchase bottles of their cachaça with an eye for mixing, or try one of the aged versions for sipping. They also have a selection of canned sparkling caipirinhas perfect for your next adventure, or just sitting on your deck. However you enjoy it, this cachaça might be your new favorite sip, and one you can feel good about. BASED IN ISSAQUAH AND AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT WASHINGTON AND BEYOND www.novofogo.com
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9028 MOLLY LANE ANACORTES www.lopezislandcreamery.com
LEMONADE (WITH LAVENDER) Sometimes you need a cold glass of lemonade, and this one adds lavender to the mix. While it’s listed as a cocktail, I asked for an unleaded version and found it balanced and flavorful, but not at all like perfume. It was the perfect complement to a juicy burger. 6314 N. ASH ST. SPOKANE www.cascadiapublichouse.com
BOBA TEA This little shop is completely adorable, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make excellent boba. Choose from a wide array of options and flavors, with the classics always on offer, perfect for a hot day. While you’re there, don’t miss the mochi donuts in seasonal flavors like ube, green tea and even boba! 123 E. YAKIMA AVE., #100 YAKIMA www.toasttab.com/andteayakima
food + drink
BEST PLACES FOR
BURGERS TAV This casual local gathering place offers the opportunity to build your own burger while playing darts or pool, or just having a drink with friends. You can top a half pound of Angus beef with your choice of sauces, cheeses and extras like a fried egg, mushrooms, or avocado and add French fries, tater tots, sweet potato fries, onion rings or coleslaw on the side. 117 W. 4TH AVE. ELLENSBURG www.tav.bar
Midwest owners opened this crowd pleaser with the goal of introducing the Inland Northwest to the delights of Wisconsin—cheese curds, for example. Choose from one of their regular burgers (with meat ground daily in house) or check out the burger of the week. Don’t miss the bacon jam. 916 S. HATCH ROAD SPOKANE www.wisconsinburger.com
THE GOURMET BURGER SHOP You’ve got options at this bustling spot in downtown Gig Harbor. Choose your meat and other toppings, or order one of the menu favorites like the gorgonzola and avocado or the pastrami and Swiss burger. Top it all off with interesting sides like beet chips and blue cheese potato salad.
Ari Nordhagen/Cochinito Taqueria
WISCONSINBURGER
Cochinito Taqueria is what culinary lust tastes like. The sabor of tacos and the bite of its margaritas make a lovely affair.
Dining
Cochinito Taqueria written by Cara Strickland
This neighborhood meeting place keeps things simple with no-frills burgers that have a few basic options (doubles, cheeseburgers, and house made veggie pattiesa). Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it doesn’t hit the spot—plus it’s more affordable than its gourmet siblings.
IN THE BEGINNING, it was a leap of faith for owners Justin Curtis and Travis Dickinson, who both came from a fine dining background. Travis was inspired by his wife’s Mexican heritage, and both partners wanted to create a place with a relaxed vibe, affordable prices, and high quality food. The result was Cochinito—an always bustling spot in downtown Spokane featuring a variety of thoughtful, scratch-made tacos and other delicacies, with regular specials. You’ll also find craft cocktails and agua frescas made in house and desserts that add just the right finishing touch—try the churros with chili chocolate sauce. Just a few minutes over the border in Hayden, Idaho, you’ll find the second location, proof that this leap of faith has paid off. When you’re there, be sure to try all the house salsas with house tortilla chips and while it’s hard to pick favorites, the fried maitake mushroom and the twenty-hour carne asada tacos are unmissable.
8617 14TH AVE. S. SEATTLE www.lorettasnorthwesterner.com
10 N. POST ST. SPOKANE www.cochinitotaqueria.com
4120 HARBORVIEW DRIVE GIG HARBOR The Gourmet Burger Shop on Facebook
LORETTA’S NORTHWESTERNER
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farm to table
Jorden Hand
The once-forbidden fruit, gooseberries, is making a steady comeback in kitchens and on menus.
Farm to Table
The Secret’s Out on Gooseberries Learning the scrumptious scoop on the once-forbidden fruit written by Corinne Whiting 26 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
SOME FOODS, like gooseberries, seem to fly under the radar. The edible fruit produced from gooseberry bushes, part of the same family as currants, is a low-maintenance crop. Yet the round, grape-like berries boast a storied past and don’t seem to be top of mind for most chefs and bakers. (They also can get confused with other fruits containing the name “gooseberry” that don’t fall under the horticultural classification of true berries, like Chinese gooseberries, also known as kiwifruit.) Although they’re an established part of many European produce aisles, gooseberries are seen as a reemerging fruit crop in our country. In the early 1900s, they were placed under a U.S. federal ban, when growers realized some were acting as intermediary hosts for a damaging disease that could
Molbak’s Garden + Home
Molbak’s Garden + Home in Woodinville has been a reliable place to find berry plants to grow your own.
kill white pine trees. To this day, some states still place restrictions on the crop. Native people in the Northwest, however, have long enjoyed the berries—whether fresh, dried or baked into cakes, with unripe berries sometimes made into sauces, too. The bark or roots could be boiled and used as an eyewash, or to treat sore throats. Aside from being extremely low in calories and fat, gooseberries prove high in nutrients like copper, manganese, potassium and vitamins C, B5 and B6, plus they’re rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants. Many experts list gooseberries as an excellent choice for small fruits in the Pacific Northwest. Peter Stadelman, a member of the sales team and master gardener at Woodinville’s Molbak’s Garden + Home, explains why gooseberries grow well in this part of the country. “They like our region and do well in many soil types,” he said. “They thrive in a good sunny location—grow about 4 to 5 feet tall and wide. They fruit on wood that is two to four years old.” Older wood that is dark with multiple branches should be pruned, he advised. Thanks to its Danish founders, Molbak’s has been inspiring a deeper connection to nature for more than sixty-five years. Stadelman has been part of the sales team there for seven years. Today the sustainably-minded business offers the largest selection of indoor house plants in Western Washington; in six greenhouses, they grow everything from succulents and flowers to air plants. Stadelman’s favorite part of his role? Playing outside in the garden, witnessing the cycle of nature, he said. “I get to practice my craft at home and then come into work and teach people about my experiences.” This particular group of berries speaks to Stadelman since he enjoys finding plants that grow well in the region and can provide nourishment for him—and for the birds as well. He admitted the flavor can be a bit tart for those who enjoy eating the berries fresh. That’s why he prefers to make jams—combining them with currants and a handful of boysenberries.
Chef Sara Harvey at Union’s Alderbrook Resort & Spa calls the gooseberry one of her “favorite unsung northern fruits,” she said. “A ribe, in the same family as currants—this hedgerow berry from the northern hemisphere has been a classic in crumbles and preserves in recipes that stretch from the British Isles to Russia and beyond. Gooseberries have been grown in North America, as well as in Europe and Northern Asia and thrive in cool damp environs with clay heavy soils. Mentions of gooseberry stretch back to Pliny the Elder and made a major resurgence in the nineteenth century when British recipe writers fell back in love with succulent and tart little fruits.” French-trained chef Jorden Hand, who’s building his own Seattle-based business as a private chef (www.handthatfeedsyou. com), likes using gooseberries because of their versatility. He typically works with two varietals—the green gooseberries and golden berries. “The golden berry varietal reminds me somewhat of the flavor profile of a tomato,” he said. “They’re special in the way that their appearance looks like they would be sweet, but are actually savory. I like to make them into a salsa for tacos.” Since green gooseberries tend to be more tart, he turns them into a nice compote for crepes or as a garnish on dark chocolate brownies. “I have even used them in a shrub for a cocktail,” he added. “They would also go nicely in a fruit tart or simple galette.” When making a compote, Hand uses a traditional canning technique that, if done properly, can last for up to a year. He stores shrubs in an E-Z seal glass bottle. The vinegar is used as the preservative mechanism, so it can last for about a month in the fridge. The salsa can be stored with a traditional canning technique or an air-tight container in the fridge for about a week. One of chef Harvey’s favorite ways to enjoy the fruit? In a gooseberry-and-rhubarb crumble creation. “High in vitamin C and bursting with flavor, this is a great way to finish an early summer dinner in the garden, or to spend a Sunday morning with someone you adore,” she said. JUNE | JULY 2023
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farm to table
Gooseberry and Rhubarb Crumble The Restaurant at Alderbrook Resort & Spa / UNION Sara Harvey
Jorden Hand
FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING • 1/4 pound unsalted butter, frozen and grated • 2/3 cup brown sugar • 1/2 cup flour • Pinch of salt
Oregon Gooseberry Compote with Crêpes.
Washington Recipes
Gooseberries, Savory or Sweet Oregon Gooseberry Compote with Crêpes SEATTLE Jorden Hand
FOR THE COMPOTE • 2 cups of fresh or canned gooseberries • ¼ cup granulated sugar • 2 tablespoons water • Pinch of kosher salt FOR THE CRÊPES • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 2 whole eggs • ½ cup milk • ½ cup water • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar • 2 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter • 1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt FOR THE GOOSEBERRY COMPOTE Add 2 cups of gooseberries into a saucepan. Add the sugar, water and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Let the compote simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the bottom from burning. Once the 15 minutes are up, pour the compote into a bowl, and let it cool completely in the refrigerator. FOR THE CRÊPES Whisk flour and eggs together in a medium bowl, gradually adding in the milk and water. Whisk until completely combined and smooth. Add the sugar, melted butter, nutmeg and salt, and stir until fully combined. Heat a lightly oiled cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour ⅓ cup of the crêpe batter into the pan. Move the pan in a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Cook the crêpe until the top is no longer wet and the bottom has browned. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the crêpe and cook until golden brown for about 1 minute more. Serve while hot and top with gooseberry compote.
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FOR THE BASE • 2 pounds gooseberries, washed and with the stalks cut off • 2 pounds rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces • 2 ounces elderflower cordial/liqueur • 4 ounces raw, local honey • 11/2 tablespoons ginger, puree or grated • 1 tablespoon green cardamon, ground Mix all crumble topping ingredients together and set to the side. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the rhubarb and gooseberries in a large baking dish. Pour the elderflower cordial and the raw honey over the fruit and mix well. Add the ginger and mix again. Sprinkle the cardamon over the fruit directly. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the gooseberries are soft and releasing their juices and the rhubarb is still in pieces but starting to become soft. Remove from the oven and coat with the crumble topping. Return to the oven for 15 more minutes until golden-brown and rhubarb is tender. Serve with unsweetened or clotted cream.
Gooseberry and Rhubarb Crumble from The Restaurant at Alderbrook Resort & Spa. (photo: Alderbrook Resort & Spa)
Kat Young Designs
farm to table
Seared Filet of Pork, Beet Hummus and Gooseberry Herb Salad
Arleana’s Restaurant / KIRKLAND Executive Chef James Gibney and Sous Chef James Bearden FOR THE FILET OF PORK MARINADE • 1 cup ponzu • 1½ tablespoons sesame oil • 2 tablespoons sugar • 2 tablespoons minced garlic • 1 habanero quartered • 1 tablespoon blood orange juice • 2 large pork filets, both cut in half FOR THE BEET HUMMUS • 1 large beetroot roasted for 40 minutes at 340 degrees or until cooked • ¼ cup canned garbanzo beans • ¼ cup of garbanzo bean juice from the can • 2 tablespoons cumin • 2 garlic cloves, peeled • 2 tablespoons lime juice • Salt to taste • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil FOR THE DRESSING AND SALAD • ¼ of a habanero • 10 gooseberries • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar • 1 tablespoon sugar • ½ teaspoon of allspice • 1½ tablespoon fish sauce • 1 cup canola oil • 6 radishes, thinly sliced • 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and sliced • 1 shallot, thinly sliced • 20 cape gooseberries sliced • 1 bunch of cilantro, rough-chopped
Combine all the ingredients of the marinade in a large bowl, and whisk for 1 minute. Marinade the pork for at least 12 hours, or overnight is best. Place all the ingredients for the hummus except the canola oil in a food processor, and blend for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Then pour the extra virgin olive oil in slowly to give it a velvety finish. Remove from the processor and place in a bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. Next, use an immersion blender to make the dressing. Place all items in the cup holding back the oil; this will be used to create the emulsion. Blend all items in a large cup until smooth. Next, pour the canola oil very slowly to start building the emulsion. The slower the better, as it creates air in your dressing. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Next, heat a large pan on a high heat for 1 minute, add the pork filets, and brown on all sides. It’s usually 30 seconds on each side. Once your pork is browned to your liking, transfer it to a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 140 degrees. Remove from the oven, and let rest in a warm area for 8 to 10 minutes. While the meat is resting, mix the salad ingredients with 4 tablespoons of dressing and season to taste. Slice your pork filet, and serve. Arleana’s Restaurant’s Seared Filet of Pork, Beet Hummus and Gooseberry Herb Salad.
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home + design
The orange pop in the kitchen of a 1,032-squarefoot cabin in Packwood.
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home + design
A New Kind of Cabin in the Woods Two friends create a design startup that brings high-end cabins to rural Washington areas
Michelle Rehm
written by Melissa Dalton WHEN ALEX SHIKHANOV discovered the town of Packwood, it felt like being let in on a well-kept secret. “When you start talking to people, some people know about it, and some people don’t, but we just fell in love,” said Shikhanov. Located 10 miles from the Stevens Canyon entrance of Mount Rainier National Park and two-and-a-half hours from Shikhanov’s home in Bellevue, the region serves up outdoor recreation opportunities year-round, from winter snow sports to summer paddling on the Cowlitz River. Less known is that it also attracts a wilder kind of visitor. “I don’t know any other place in the state of Washington that has as many elk,” said Shikhanov. “Sometimes there’ll be hundreds in the middle of town.” In 2019, Shikhanov and business partner Ivan Evdokimov found Packwood doing research for their new start-up venture: to create five-star hospitality experiences in rural areas of the state. “We were solving our own problem,” said Shikhanov. “Because every time we would try to go on Airbnb, we couldn’t find anything newer. Most of them would have, you know, twenty-year-old couches.” The friends had met several years before through Shikhanov’s wife, a real estate broker who helped Evdokimov buy his house. With kids the same age, the friends became better acquainted via casual parent encounters. “Neither one of us would ever, in our previous life, have imagined that we’d be a partner [in business]. We’re very different people,” said Shikhanov, who has a background in construction and development and founded Armada Design & Build in 2011, while Evdokimov’s previous career was in the IT sector. For their first cabin, they teamed up with architect Richard Floisand, co-founder of Floisand Studio Architects in Seattle, to design a prefabricated structure that would be installed on site. Prefab entails building off-site to reduce construction waste and complete the project on a more efficient timeline, thus keeping overall costs down. The prefab construction process also makes it easier to reproduce a successful design JUNE | JULY 2023
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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT With so many elk in the region, the owners wanted to make best use of windows and their outdoor space. A comfortable and proportionate living room. The covered patio extends their living space to the outdoors. A stylish bedroom with good light.
en-masse. “Our big goal is to be able to build houses significantly cheaper through mass production,” said Shikhanov. From a design standpoint, “the limitations of the building are based on what you can truck on the road,” said Floisand, noting how the means of transportation dictated the cabin’s height, width and length. Working with a 1,032-square-foot plan, the team created a two-bedroom, two-bath plan that prioritizes the lounge spaces and connection to the outdoors. Tall windows flank the living room fireplace, then run down the length of the building, to capture views into a site-built outdoor room and the surrounding lot. The timber frame ceiling runs from inside to out for continuity, while high clerestory windows on the opposite wall preserve privacy from neighbors. Inside, the finishes are crisp and clean, with an eye towards “finding a balance between delicate and burley,” said Floisand. “It’s different in a rental house than it is in your own house, where 32 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
you can have something a little more precious because you know you’re going to take care of it.” To that end, light-toned engineered wood floors are durable and sync with the whitewashed wood ceiling, while custom walnut cabinets and high-end appliances wrap the kitchen. Bright orange accents, on cabinetry and an exterior door, and navy-patterned wallpaper in the bedrooms bring fun pops of personality. As a vacation home, storage allotment is also different than in a personal residence, with bedroom closets minimized and the kitchen cabinets packed with everything a variety of cooks might need. The bathrooms are also maximized for efficiency: “The bathrooms are smaller, but they need to have enough landing space for lots of different toiletry bags,” said Floisand. “Whereas in a permanent residence, you would just have a nook or put those things in a cabinet. Here, we don’t want any hidden spaces. Everything needs to be open and easy to understand how to use.”
Photos: Michelle Rehm
home + design
That ease of use extends to the protected outdoor area, which has a hot tub, outdoor shower, fire pit and grill. The cabin was constructed in a Monroe factory in just three months, complete with every tile, electrical outlet, and appliance in place, before being transported to its two-acre site in Packwood and installed on a site-built foundation. It took another month to finish the outdoor room, after which the cabin made its Airbnb debut in October of 2022. It’s since been garnering high praise, for everything from the comfortable mattresses, to the sharp kitchen knives, and the occasional elk herd wandering through the yard in the morning. The pair have since expanded their listings, all under the company moniker Columbia Creek, but this particular spot continues to be the crowd favorite. “Now we have four rental properties, and this particular one is the most popular,” said Shikhanov. “It’s always booked.” JUNE | JULY 2023
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home + design
ZONE 3: 30-100 feet from home
ZONE 1: 0-10 feet from home
Landscape your property in zones to help protect your home from the threat of wildfire.
DIY
Fire-Resistant Landscaping SUSAN CALHOUN opened Plantswoman Design on Bainbridge Island after a first career in accounting. “I spent a lot of time staring out the window, hiking on the weekends, and being outside as much as I could,” said Calhoun. “One of my friends asked me, ‘What would you do, if you could do anything? And I said, ‘Oh, I’d be outside every day, and I love plants.’ So, that’s how I started my business.’” Twenty-six years later, with the increase in wildfire awareness, Calhoun has noticed an uptick in inquiries from customers curious about how they can create fire-resistant landscapes at home. “We have to become aware as gardeners of the possibilities and start to try to plant for them,” said Calhoun. Here are some principles to get started:
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LANDSCAPE IN ZONES Zone 1: Create a “defensible space” within 5-10 feet from the house— and this includes surrounding any attached decks. This area shouldn’t have anything flammable in it, including trees, brush, grass, firewood piles and bark mulch.
ZONE 2: 10-30 feet from home
ABOUT LANGUAGE There is no such thing as fire-proof when it comes to vegetation, but some plants are more fire-prone, and some are more fire-resistant. Check plant lists and specific plant characteristics to better understand individual attributes.
sparks from getting inside. Also, remove flammable material from exterior walls and from underneath decks and porches.
START WITH THE HOUSE The goal is to remove unnecessary matter on the structure that could catch embers. To that end, clean roofs and gutters, replace or repair loose shingles, and install metal mesh screening in vents in eaves, and at attic vents, to prevent
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Zone 2: Plant high-moisture plants within 10-30 feet away from the home, and a certain distance apart. This means avoiding resinous plants or trees, while hardscape features, like rock walls or a dry stream bed, can function as a firebreak. Zone 3: For this area within 30-100 feet from the home, it’s all about maintenance, including removing yard debris, thinning vegetation, and planting trees a suitable distance apart. “Anything resinous or flammable should be at least 30 feet away,” said Calhoun. CONSIDER A WATER FEATURE “The other thing that people don’t realize is that a lot of times when they’re in a forest fire, the power will go out, and if you are on a well, you can’t pump water because you have no electricity,” said Calhoun. A small pond integrated into the landscape can provide a source for filling buckets, or handpumping water. CHECK OUT OTHER RESOURCES Firewise USA is an educational program from the National Fire Protection Association, and the Washington State University Extension program has pamphlets with more detail, as well as a demonstration garden with fire-resistant landscaping beside the fire station in East Wenatchee.
home + design
Set an Outdoor Table Falcon Enamelware started in England in the 1920s, but its porcelain and steel tableware is synonymous with eating outdoors the world over. We love all the colors of the 3 Pint Jug, from a buttery yellow to spring green. It’s the perfect pitcher for keeping water, or more cocktails, close to the host’s hand. www.us.falconenamelware.com
This bamboo tableware from Poketo checks all the right boxes. Durable? Yes, they’re made of a combination of bamboo fiber and cornstarch that won’t break. Reusable? Pop them in the dishwasher, or hand wash. Best of all, the colorful array of patterns scream for summer outdoor hangs. www.poketo.com
The Wick light, designed by Seattle studio Graypants, is a fun juxtaposition of traditional and modern. It’s a table light with a shape that evokes a candle, but its 1W LED bulb and rechargeable lithium battery lets it function like a flashlight. Amp up the ambience of the backyard picnic table with a trio. www.graypants.com
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mind + body
Mind + Body
A Lifetime on the Run The 68-year-old running sensation Rick Becker talks setbacks and medals written by Lauren Kramer | photography by Petar Marshall
A RETIRED high school track and cross-country coach from Selah, Rick Becker has been running for 52 years and, at 68, is showing no signs of slowing down. In July 2021, he set the American record for his age group for track in the 10,000 meters category at the National Masters Track Championships in Ames, Iowa, and achieved the fastest run time ever for the 3,000 meters at that event. These days he’s looking forward to his seventieth birthday, when he’ll be able to compete in a new age division. As a sophomore in high school, Becker considered joining the track team, but he’d never run before, so he went on a trial run to see what he could do. That day, he didn’t stop to catch his breath for 10 miles. “I thought, if I can do this without being in shape, maybe I can have some success,” he recalled.
Rick Becker stands on the Yakima Greenway trail after a run.
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mind + body
He made the high school team and later, at Green River Community College, was the school’s top runner. At 21 he ran a 6-mile race on the track and was ranked fourth place in the nation among all community colleges. Not long after, he had his first setback. As a junior at Eastern Washington University, he was running in snow and ice when he suffered nerve damage that caused paralysis in his right leg. “I could hardly walk, and the doctors said it would be two years before I could run again,” he recalled. “I thought, I can’t wait that long!” Becker took four months off and was back on the road, at first just trying to get through a single mile. Within three months of training he was back to 10 miles at a time, and at the end of the summer he not only had full feeling back in his leg, but placed fourth at the National Meet in Kenosha, Wisconsin, earning an All-American award. “In all my years of running, that was the biggest obstacle I ever had to overcome,” he said. Over the course of his life, Becker has won many gold medals and, in 2021, was inducted into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame. “That caught me off guard,” he said. “Most of the athletes in the Hall of Fame are really good, even Olympians, but they’ve retired, and I haven’t retired from running,” he said. “To be on the same list as athletes who’ve competed in the Olympics is quite an honor!” One thing that hasn’t changed over the course of his athletic career is his determination. “I have so much passion and drive for running, and I always want to be the best I can be,” he reflected. “I want to break records and win world championships, because it’s a really good feeling when you succeed. And I think my ability to set goals like this has made me a better husband, father, teacher and coach, because I apply the same discipline to my running as I do to all aspects of my life.” Becker met his wife, Patricia, at Eastern Washington University’s track team. She was a sprinter, while he focused on distance, but a love affair was ignited—one that has lasted forty-three years. At college, he graduated with a degree in education, focusing on physical education, health and history. After spending a few years as a substitute teacher, he became an examiner with the Washington State Department of Licensing. But a love of teaching drove him back to education, where he taught English and math at Selah High School, as well as coaching the school’s track and cross country teams from 1994 until his retirement in 2022. 38 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
“Watching those high school athletes train and seeing them work hard and put everything they have into their races really inspired me,” he said. In his retirement, Becker published a novel, Once Step Back Two Strides Forward (Road Runners Publishing, 2021), and his autobiography, Driven (Road Runners Publishing, 2022). And he kept running, consistently timing himself to improve his personal records. “I run for the enjoyment, but I also want to run fast and hard to reach the top, so I time everything and log all my workouts,” he said. Running between fifty and sixty miles each week, Becker favors country roads and a trail along the Yakima River for his morning runs. Pass him and you won’t see AirPods in his ears, because this is an athlete who deliberately avoids distraction. “I like to think about my running,” he said. “Music just diverts my concentration.” Over the course of his fifty-two-year running career, Becker has had three surgeries and two stress fractures. That’s just part of training as much and as hard as he does, and he accepts the injuries with his signature pragmatism. “Five serious injuries over fifty-two years is not too bad,” he said. “I can’t think of my life without running,” he admitted. “If I ever can’t run anymore, I guess I’ll take up biking. But I hope to be running throughout my seventies, eighties and nineties, and to be breaking world records when I’m in my nineties.”
Rick Becker holds up his award plaque from the USA Track & Field Masters Hall of Fame.
Rick Becker runs on the Yakima Greenway trail near Selah.
mind + body
Rick Becker Runner
Age: 68 Born: Tacoma Lives: Selah
WORKOUT “I like running 8 to 10 miles first thing in the morning at dawn, just as the city is waking up. I might get a second workout in later in the day, riding a bike for an hour, and I exercise at the gym three days a week, working on strengthening my lower legs.”
NUTRITION “My diet is rich in fruit and vegetables, chicken, turkey and fish. I don’t eat much red meat, but my weak spot is my wife’s cookies—I have no resistance for those!”
INSPIRATION “Eliud Kipchoge, a distance runner from Kenya, is one of my inspirations because of his success and longevity. He has competed in four Olympic Games, won two gold medals and is the current world record holder in the marathon. At age 38, he’s still the greatest runner of all time, and he continues to win, year after year!”
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artist in residence
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Artist Taylor Hudson elevates body organs to a soulful level through paint.
artist in residence
Taylor Hudson at work in her studio.
Body and Soul
Time is on the side of Washington artist Taylor Hudson written by Ellen Hiatt | photography by Jason Redmond
ARTIST TAYLOR HUDSON sees the world through a lens of yin and yang, give and pull, trauma and joy, labor and ease. The juxtaposition of seeming opposites, and their somehow inextricably linked nature—one not existing without the other, joy made greater by hardship, both luxury and simplicity made more desirable by the very existence of the other. Her larger-than-life paintings hone in on a single human organ, laid bare by a surgical scalpel, representing the human body and its vulnerability and pain. The body and spirit, separate yet linked. Oil paints and aerosol combine to create colorful, swirling images, complex and yet approachable, jarring yet consuming. “I was thinking, what’s the deepest thing, the darkest, deepest thing,” she said, noting that having your own body cut into for heart surgery felt very invasive. “I want to use that as a visual tool to convey that depth of soul and spirit.”
Hudson has images on her computer screen that she sees daily—details of surgeries that she’s mulling over for her work. They are “impactful and beautiful and uncomfortable images,” she said. “I think I always want to convey my work, this element of the body and the spiritual together,” she said. “If someone can look at my painting and think about their own body, their own soul connection, then I feel that my work is doing exactly what I want it to be doing.” JUNE | JULY 2023
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artist in residence
Taylor Hudson paints in her studio in Everett.
The rich color and large scale of Taylor Hudson’s paintings add to their personal impact.
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Taylor Hudson
Thomas organized the first major show outside of a university setting that Hudson was able to participate in—40 Under 40. Premiering early this year, it showcased young women and nonbinary emerging artists from the Puget Sound region. “The Schack was huge for me,” Hudson said. “I was so excited by Carol Thomas’ enthusiasm toward my work, and how much of an effort she made to introduce me to people. She and The Schack do a tremendous job of uplifting emerging artists. … Every artist there was a tremendously skilled and thoughtful individual. It was such a blessing to be a part of that,” she said. “Every day I make new art. I feel very excited all the time. I really do.”
Taylor Hudson
It’s as much about the soul-searching questions for Hudson as it is about the process. Time and labor combine, for Hudson, in philosophical ways. Hudson received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, in Surrey, B.C., majoring in painting and visual arts. It took seven years to graduate. “In some ways, I’m glad I took it at my pace, using all of the facilities. I took advantage of the sculpture studio, the library, wood shop, metal shop. It seems like LEARN MORE a theme: time. I want everything right Where to find Taylor Hudson’s now at the same time. Everyone does. work? Look for her Instagram But the slow and steady effort brings account (@taylorhudsonart) for the digital versions. To see more joy. And it’s always going to them in full scale for maximum work out,” she said. impact, visit her show Is This My Body?, at the Black Lab Gallery Hudson continues to experiment in Everett through July 8. with technique and materials. Most artists won’t use aerosol over oil paints, she said. But it’s working for her. Will the paintings stand the test of time and the media hold their bond? “My career is just beginning. I can figure out all those other details,” she said. Time is on her side. Time and labor are as much her media as pigment. Hudson builds the frames and stretches the canvas herself, and spends every single day painting, in between jobs as server, bartender and yoga instructor. “I do think fundamentally those are my values,” she added. “I enjoy the process, and not necessarily looking at the painting from a linear, start to finish perspective. I see the frame as bones, the canvas as skin, the hours I spend as its identity or soul. Together it almost becomes its own body, its own entity. I think that’s beautiful.” “Stunning” is how Carol Thomas describes it. As advancement development director at The Schack Art Center in Everett,
REANEY PARK PULLMAN, WA AUGUST 19 LEARN MORE AT: WWW.LENTILFEST.COM PRESENTED BY
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STARTUP 46 MY WORKSPACE 48 GAME CHANGER 50
pg. 46 Startup iKamper creates iconic products from scrap material of its main product, tents.
Experience Autumn at
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startup Items such as iKamper’s tote bag were obvious candidates for durable and weatherproof tent scraps.
A Scrappy Approach Outdoor brand iKamper’s new product collection makes use of excess material written by Rachel Gallaher
LAST YEAR, Soon Park—the founder and president of iKamper, the popular vehicle rooftop tent brand— issued a challenge to his designers. Recognizing that iKamper’s manufacturing process left excess highquality organic cotton and recycled polyester on the factory floor, Park, who puts sustainable business practices and environmental stewardship at the heart of his company’s mission, tasked the design team with developing a use for the otherwise discarded scraps. 46
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Photos: iKamper
startup
Two more camping items that were bound to come out of leftover tent material are the camp apron, left, and the rain poncho.
“Soon’s vision was to ‘love people, love nature,’” said Erik Flink, iKamper’s director of marketing and e-commerce. “We’re selling products, but at the same time, we’re encouraging people to get out into nature, so we want to make longlasting, high-quality products. If we can keep as much stuff out of the landfill as possible, that’s the most effective way to be sustainable.” This past May, iKamper, which is based in South Korea but runs its North American operations out of Kent (the brand’s local showroom opened in March 2023 and has already seen customers driving in from hundreds of miles away), launched the ReCovery collection—a capsule of products that bring life to salvaged materials from the production of its outdoor gear. The four pieces—an apron, a firewood carrier, a tote bag and a rain poncho—are functional and durable lifestyle accessories that work well for outdoor activities of all kinds, from weekend camping trips to backyard barbeques. “The apron was a no-brainer,” said Flink. “Thanks to the material [poly-cotton canvas], if you spill on it, liquids run right off with no mess. The rain poncho is constructed from the
rainfly of our Skycamp 2.0 [roof tent], which is excellent for keeping you dry.” The iKamper brand was developed by Park, who, in 2008, sold his snowboard equipment shop, flew to the United States with his wife and daughters, and spent the next two years traveling around the country—camping, hiking and exploring. He enjoyed the experience so much that he wanted to encourage others to hit the road and discover the joys of being immersed in nature. After returning to South Korea in 2012, he developed his first rooftop tent, the Hard Top One. Five years later, the company launched its innovative Skycamp product on Kickstarter and quickly became the most successful tent project on crowdfunding, raising $2.37 million over the course of forty-five days. More than a decade later, iKamper has expanded its offerings to include sleep and kitchen systems, gear, apparel— and now the ReCovery collection, which it hopes to one day evolve into a program that would allow people to turn in their damaged or no-longer-in-use tent bodies for repurposing into new products.
“[iKamper founder and president Soon Park]’s vision was to ‘love people, love nature.’ We’re selling products, but at the same time, we’re encouraging people to get out into nature, so we want to make long-lasting, high-quality products. If we can keep as much stuff out of the landfill as possible, that’s the most effective way to be sustainable.” — Erik Flink, iKamper director of marketing and e-commerce
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my workspace
Many of us harbor idyllic ideas of what it would be like to live on a homestead, growing our own food and raising animals, smelling freshly baked bread in the morning and feeling a light breeze passing through farmhouse curtains. But homestead living is far from this romanticized vision, more often wrought with mechanical breakdowns, brutal weather patterns and sudden deaths of beloved livestock. Echo Mary and Maranda Cromwell are hearty souls who know and live this reality on Laughing Coyote Homestead in Allyn and have found a way to supplement constant financial pressures—art.
Homestead Artists Where the menagerie bends to the creative impulse written by Joni Kabana
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Mary works with clay and incorporates many different media, also carving sculptures that depict the intertwining of humanity and nature. His partner, Cromwell, paints animal analogs to tell stories about her life experiences, emotions and wishes. Together, they encourage the work of the other and work at arm’s length all day, whether it is tending to herds or color palettes.
Photos: Echo Mary and Maranda Cromwell
my workspace
Mary’s philosophy is borne from the notion that life is congruous and not as secular as we might believe. “Most of the art I make is inspired by the web of feelings I experience when I connect with other aspects of the natural world, whether it’s a simple relief carving of a squirrel, or a more conceptual idea like erasing the boundaries modern culture constructs between humanity and nature. I feel like nature influences me to try and dissolve the hallucination of separateness that seems so prevalent today. Trauma, therapy and philosophy unconsciously guide my hand a lot without my knowing until after it’s done.”
Cromwell creates her centuries-old style of animal-centric paintings through her feelings of being recharged by living so closely with their goats, chickens and other assorted farm animals and predators. “If I’m having a hard time, I can usually go outside to watch the turkeys and chickens and live in their moments for a while. Through my work—both art and homesteading—I aim to be an active participant in life. Life on earth as a human animal is brilliant and confusing and frustrating and beautiful. Homesteading and art bring out the human animal in us.”
While Mary and Cromwell see collaborations in the future, for now they work in separate media. New endeavors on the horizon are welding and blacksmithing for Mary and large-scale painting for Cromwell. Both exhibit a spontaneous energy toward learning new art forms and use art as a way to deal with homestead heartbreak. “Having an outlet like artistic expression can make the difference between forming a callous to protect myself or healthily working through my feelings and integrating lessons in a constructive manner. Art and agriculture inform, complement and strengthen one another,” said Mary.
MORE ONLINE
See samples of Echo Mary’s and Maranda Cromwell’s work at www.linktr.ee/echomary and www.marandart.com
AT LEFT Maranda Cromwell, left, and Echo Mary at Laughing Coyote Homestead in Allyn. ABOVE, FROM TOP Mary works on a sculpture. Cromwell paints at her desk.
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Vital Wines
game changer
Winemaker Ashley Trout founded Vital Wines in 2016 to help fund the health care of vineyard workers.
Benevolent Alchemy
Washington’s Vital Wines turns fine wine into free health care for vineyard workers written by Daniel O’Neil IN THE WINE INDUSTRY, they say you can’t make good wine from bad grapes. But no wine can be made at all without people tending vines and harvesting grapes vintage after vintage. Across Washington, Latinas and Latinos perform this physical labor with gusto. Yet despite the fine wines they help create, most of these workers have muddled access to health care. Vital Wines recognizes the essential role of vineyard workers in Walla Walla and around the state. Founded in 2016 by longtime Walla Walla winemaker Ashley Trout, Vital uses all of the 50
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profits from its wines to fund access to health care for vineyard workers and their families in the Walla Walla valley. The seasonality of vineyard work complicates access to health insurance. And as the great majority of vineyard workers hail from Mexico, they don’t have the clearest path through an already confusing health care system. Knowing which clinic offers what, whether it’s free or not, how to find an appointment and a bilingual staff, even transportation to the doctor’s office: Vital helps with all of this. “Getting the patient exactly where they need to be, with as little time lost, as many questions answered, and as little money spent as necessary, that’s the piece that nobody’s ever done for these people,” Trout said. Vital employs a community health advocate to educate and assist vineyard workers. For the last two years, Maria Remington has happily filled this role. Drawing on twenty years of experience living and working in the Walla Walla area,
“They didn’t have hope. But when people are feeling the support, they have hope. And when we have hope, we can live better as a community. We’re creating that hope and support for people, saying thank you to them for their hard work.” — Maria Remington, Vital Wines community health advocate
Stephanie Forrer/Vital Wines
Remington, a Latina herself, knows the challenges immigrant laborers face today. “They don’t know how to ask for help,” Remington said. “When I explain what’s available, some can’t believe it and some are skeptical, like it’s too good to be true.” Remington has already noticed the fruits of her own labors. “They didn’t have hope,” she said. “But when people are feeling the support, they have hope. And when we have hope, we can live better as a community. We’re creating that hope and support for people, saying thank you to them for their hard work.” With help from donations—grapes, barrels, bottles, corks, labels, cash, winemaking partners and guest winemakers— from across the state, from sales of its wines, and in partnership with the Auction of Washington Wines, Vital intends to provide a community health advocate in winegrowing counties beyond Walla Walla. “Everything’s going to grow at a pretty good clip in ways that, I think, are frankly overdue,” Trout said. “Ever since we started Vital, we’ve had donations just coming at us, an onslaught of yesses. You’ve got a lot of people who literally and figuratively don’t speak the same language, and they wish they could help each other more. And if you’ve got Vital dangling between the two communities, it solves for that.” Each wine region in Washington has its own community, own needs, and own health care system, so Vital is cultivating its future carefully. But the success of Maria Remington’s work in Walla Walla speaks for itself, the result of Vital’s, and the wine community’s, dedication to the area’s vineyard workers. “There are probably a lot of times in the life of a nonprofit where you have to figure out what to do,” Trout said. “And right now we don’t need to figure out what to do. We just need to start doing more of it, which is a really exciting phase.” To support Vital Wines, join their wine club, visit their downtown Walla Walla tasting room, or make a donation at www.vitalwinery.com.
Stephanie Forrer/Vital Wines
game changer
FROM TOP Vital Wines founder and president Ashley Trout pulls a sample of chardonnay from a barrel. Vital Wines community health advocate Maria Remington said hope is what is needed in the winemaking labor community.
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Scenic Trips to Put on Your Summer Bucket List
Wandering
written by Ryn Pfeuffer
Every Washingtonian knows that our picture-perfect summers are the reward for enduring such long, gray winters. From Seabrook to the San Juan Islands, here are six places to put on your summer travel bucket list. Every single one of these destinations is a winner. So, whether you book a trip this year or put these on the list of places you dream about, they’re all within Washington state and suitable for a quick trip or extended stay. 52
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Photos, from left: Monika Wieland Shields/San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau, Jason Hummel Photography/State of Washington Tourism
Washington
n
San Juan Islands San Juan Island Plan It State Park—the 36is a popular bucket acre park is home STAY list trip for several to some of the best Pebble Cove Farm reasons, including land-based whale ORCAS ISLAND its stunning natural watching in the www.pebblecove farm.com beauty, unique wildworld. If you want life, rich history to see more, book PLAY and abundant outa whale-watching Maya’s Legacy door activities. tour—visitors often Whale Watching From Seattle, take spot orca, humpback SAN JUAN ISLAND www.sanjuanisland and gray whales. a ferry from Anawhalewatch.com cortes to the town Take a ferry to Orof Friday Harbor on cas Island and spend EAT San Juan Island. The the day exploring the Ursa Minor ferry ride is a scenic island. Visit Moran LOPEZ ISLAND www.ursaminor experience and takes State Park and hike, lopez.com about an hour. drive or bike (May After arriving 15 to September 15) DRINK in Friday Harbor, to the top of Mount The Barnacle check into your acConstitution for ORCAS ISLAND www.thebarnacle. commodation and panoramic views of com spend the afternoon the islands. In the San Juan Island exploring the town. afternoon, head to Or take a short drive Brewing Company Eastsound and grab a SAN JUAN ISLAND to English Camp, pastry at Brown Bear www.sanjuan established by the Baking, then peruse brew.com British in the 1860s the books at Darvill’s and now a National HistoriBookstore. If the tide is low, cal Park. walk to Indian Island via a In the evening, enjoy dinner “tombolo” or raised sandbar. at Coho Restaurant. For those Or, take a ferry to Lopez staying in Friday Harbor, it’s Island and spend the day cya few blocks from the ferry cling around the island. Lopez station. The four-course tastis known for its bike-friendly ing menu is a steal at $85 roads and beautiful scenery, per person. Then, catch the so bicycles are a great way to sunset from Lime Kiln Point experience the island.
ABOVE, FROM TOP Mount Constitution on Orcas Island provides panoramic views of the San Juan Islands. Lopez Island offers stress-free cycling and gorgeous views. BELOW Enjoy world-class whale watching at Lime Kiln Point State Park on San Juan Island. (photos, from top: Carina Skrobecki Swain/State of Washington Tourism, Robert Harrison/San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau, Jason Hummel Photography/State of Washington Tourism)
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Mount Rainier is within sight of Seattle but a world away. The most popular recreation is hiking the hundreds of miles of trails. Paradise Inn is a Rainier classic, built in 1916 and a National Historic Landmark. (photos, from top: Jason Hummel Photography/State of Washington Tourism, Mark Downey—Lucid Images Gallery/State of Washington Tourism, Deby Dixon/State of Washington Tourism)
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Lake Chelan is easy on the eyes and hard to leave behind. Tsillan Cellars, a winery on Lake Chelan. Stehekin Valley Ranch offers trail rides and lessons for guests. (photos, clockwise from top: Bigstock, Andrea Johnson Photography/Washington State Wine, Stehekin Valley Ranch)
Lake Chelan Located in the heart of the North Cascades region, Lake Chelan is one of the deepest and clearest lakes in the world, with stunning turquoise waters that stretch for more than 50 miles. Visitors can take in the lake’s natural beauty by hiking, biking, or driving along scenic routes that offer panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Lake Chelan is also home to various cultural events and festivals, including the Lake Chelan Bach Festival, the Lake Chelan Rodeo and the Lake Chelan Crush Festival. Plan accordingly, and you may have an opportunity to experience the region’s unique culture at one of these events. Head to Lake Chelan State Park, located on the lake’s southern shore. This park offers swimming, hiking and boating opportunities.
In the afternoon, take a wine tour of the local wineries in the area— the area offers more than thirty wineries. Later, enjoy a picnic dinner (and a discreet glass of pinot noir or chardonnay—two of the region’s best varietals) on the beach at Don Morse Park, watching the sunset over the lake. There are also plenty of picnic tables, too. Take a scenic drive up to Stehekin, a small community at the head of the lake that’s only accessible by boat or seaplane. The drive takes about two hours, and you’ll pass through beautiful forests and mountains along the way. Once in Stehekin, you can hike to Rainbow Falls or explore the Stehekin Valley Ranch. In the evening, take a boat ride back to Chelan and enjoy dinner at The Bistro at Lake Chelan.
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Plan It STAY Lakeside Lodge & Suites www.lakesidelodge andsuites.com
PLAY Stehekin Valley Ranch www.stehekinvalley ranch.com Lake Chelan Boat Co. www.ladyofthe lake.com
EAT The Bistro at Lake Chelan www.chelan bistro.com
DRINK Nefarious Cellars www.nefarious cellars.com
Mount Rainier is an iconic destination in Washington, known for its towering peak, glaciers, wildflower meadows and diverse wildlife. This majestic guardian, named initially Mount Tahoma by the Puyallup Tribe, is the highest mountain in Washington state, standing at 14,411 feet (4,392 meters) tall. The mountain is part of the Cascade Range and is an active volcano, although it has not erupted in more than 100 years. Mount Rainier National Park, which surrounds the mountain, was established in 1899 and attracts more than two million visitors annually. The park is home to more than 260 miles of hiking trails, ranging from
Mount Rainier
easy walks to strenuous hikes that take multiple days to complete. Once you arrive at Mount Rainier National Park, check into Paradise Inn. Spend the afternoon exploring the park’s Paradise area, known for its wildflower meadows and stunning views of Mount Rainier. In the evening, attend a ranger-led program to learn more about the park’s history and ecology. Or, drive up to the parking lot at the Sunrise Visitor Center, the highest point accessible by car in the park, for incomparable stargazing, especially on a clear night during the Milky Way season. If you want to learn more about the unique fauna
and flora in the park, take a guided hike with a naturalist guide to explore the mountain. There are also guided horseback rides through the park’s wilderness and tours of its glaciers to learn more about its geological history. Visit the Grove of the Patriarchs, an old-growth forest located on the banks of the Ohanapecosh River. The forest features giant trees that are hundreds of years old. Enjoy dinner at Copper Creek Restaurant in the nearby town of Ashford in the evening. If you’re up for an elevated experience, grab a drink or dinner at the Summit House, sitting in the clouds at 6,872 feet and steps from the top of the Mount Rainier Gondola.
Plan It STAY Paradise Inn www.mtrainierguest services.com/ accommodations/ paradise-inn
PLAY EZ Times Trail Rides www.eztimes horserides.com
EAT Copper Creek Restaurant www.coppercreek inn.com/coppercreek-restaurant
DRINK Summit House Restaurant www.crystal mountainresort. com/things-to-do/ dining/summithouse-restaurant
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White Salmon
FROM TOP Hiking above the Columbia River near White Salmon. The small town has a small, engaging downtown. Kiteboarders ply the Columbia here due to the constant wind. (photos: Jason Hummel Photography/State of Washington Tourism)
Plan It STAY Hotel Iconica www.hotel iconica.com
PLAY River Drifters White River Salmon Tour www.riverdrifters.net
EAT White Salmon Baking Co. www.whitesalmon baking.com
DRINK Soča Wine Shop & Bar www.socawine shop.com
White Salmon is a charming town in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington State. It is known for its outdoor recreation opportunities, scenic beauty, and friendly community. There are many options for outdoor enthusiasts of all activity levels. Start the day by stopping at White Salmon Baking Co. (the breakfast sandwiches are divine) before taking a scenic drive along the Columbia River Gorge and stopping at viewpoints and waterfalls, such as Multnomah Falls and Horsetail Falls. In the afternoon, take a hike in the nearby Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which offers a variety of trails for all skill levels. Then hit the nearby trails on a guided mountain biking tour, with stunning views of
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Mount Hood and the surrounding landscape. Feeling more adventurous? Take a guided whitewater rafting trip on the White Salmon River, and take on thrilling rapids through stunning scenery. If you need time out from outdoor adventuring, spend some time at the nearby Maryhill Museum of Art. It features a collection of art from around the world and stunning views of the Columbia River Gorge. The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center is also worth a stop, especially if you have kids. It features exhibits and interactive displays about the natural and cultural history of the Columbia River Gorge. Relax and recap the day over a glass of wine and small bites at White Salmon newcomer Soča Wine Shop & Bar.
Seabrook If any town was Plan It kayaking or paddlemade for biking boarding—there STAY and sunsets, it’s the are plenty of guided Good Day Getaway quaint, coastal town www.seabrookwa. tours. Year-round of Seabrook. Known surfing is also a macom/vacationrentals/goodfor its beautiful jor draw for weekday-getaway beaches, charming end warriors. architecture, and Take a guided PLAY laid-back atmohike in the nearby Buck’s NW sphere, Travel & Lei- www.bucksnw.com Olympic National sure called Seabrook Forest, which offers EAT “the best-kept secret a variety of trails Rising Tide Tavern for all skill levels in Washington www.risingtide state” in 2022. and stunning views tavern.com In less than three of the surrounding DRINK hours, you can landscape. While Stowaway Wine Bar there, swing by be settled in your beachy digs at Good www.thestowaway the Lake Quinault winebarseabrook Day Getaway. Spend Lodge, a historic wa.com the afternoon exhotel with beautiful ploring the town (it’s an easy gardens, hiking trails, and walk from your rental), visitstunning lake views. ing local shops and restauIn the afternoon, visit the rants, or taking a stroll along nearby Ocean Shores, a small the beach. Whether you town that offers a range of swim, sunbathe, or explore family-friendly activities, tide pools, Mocrocks Beach such as go-karting, horseis a sandy stretch of pristine back riding and mini-golf. beauty. Pacific Beach State Don’t miss dinner at Rising Park is an easy 1.5 miles Tide Tavern. Then, wrap up north, too. This entire stretch the day cozied up to a bonfire of coast can be explored via on the beach or attend the
ABOVE On the Olympic Peninsula, this best-kept secret keeps its distance from population centers. AT LEFT Sandy beaches on the Pacific Coast are fantastic for strolling at sunset. (photos, from top: Wing Walker Aerial Photography/ Seabrook, Seabrook)
Outdoor Summer Concert Series in Sunset Amphitheater Park. On the way out of town, take a quick detour and stop in Aberdeen, the birthplace of Kurt Cobain. In 2021, Washington State’s Department
of Archaeology and Historic Preservation announced that the house where Cobain lived from 1968 to 1984 had been officially approved for inclusion on its Heritage Register of culturally important buildings.
Hoh Rainforest
Hoh Rainforest is a world treasure, dripping in green and one of the quietest places in the country. (photo: Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau)
The Hoh Rainforest is one of the few remaining temperate rainforests in the world, with a unique ecosystem that supports an incredible diversity of plant and animal life. has awarded it the distinction Plan It UNESCO of being both a World Heritage Site and a For additional Biosphere Reserve. It’s also been deemed details, check the quietest place in the United States by out our Olympic Gordon Hempton of “One Square Inch of Peninsula Trip Planner on pg. 78 Silence” (www.onesquareinch.org). Visitors can explore the forest’s lush and vibrant landscape—think towering trees, ferns, mosses and mushrooms. Not to mention abundant wildlife, including elk, deer, black bears and many bird species. In addition, the Hoh River Trail is a popular hiking option, offering a scenic route that winds through the forest and along the Hoh River.
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Organizations in Bellingham come together in a compelling model to support those experiencing homelessness written by Lauren Kramer
In Bellingham,
a Search for Solutions 58
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T
HERE’S A Jewish proverb that says “save one life and you save the entire world.” It speaks of the individual potential to instigate change and how one person can truly make a difference. But it was far from the mind of Melissa Bird back in 2018, when the 42-year-old from Bellingham was working as a nurse care manager in the emergency room of a local hospital. “The number of people we discharged to the street frustrated me no end,” she said, recalling patients who had no medical need to stay, but had no place to go when they left the hospital either. “Those patients kept returning because they couldn’t take care of themselves without support and without housing. How can you take care of a complex bandage change if you don’t have a place to sleep? And how do you find housing when you’re on the street and you’re hungry, with no way to follow up on paperwork leads?” “It was shocking to me to live in an affluent community like Bellingham, where there are simultaneously so many people sleeping on the street. I thought to myself, there must be something that can be done!” Like many cities in Washington state, Bellingham is struggling with increasing homelessness. The city’s annual count noted 832 homeless people in January 2022, up from 707 in 2021, but those numbers grossly under-represent the true statistics, according to Hans ErchingerDavis, President and CEO of the Lighthouse Mission. The county’s largest privately funded organization caring for the homeless, the Lighthouse’s research suggests the homeless count is closer to 5,000 people. As Bird began volunteering for the Opportunity Council, attending meetings and immersing herself in the issues, she kept learning of a specific population of homelessness: seniors with medical disabilities. She formed a fast friendship with fellow volunteer Danielle Anari, and together the two formed Road2Home, an organization with a goal of establishing a tiny home village in Bellingham that would target the 55 and older, medically fragile population. Fast forward five years and Gardenview Village is the fruit of their efforts, a thirty-five-unit project that opened in October 2021. Funded by the city and the Low Income Housing Institute, it houses up to forty-five individuals or couples in tiny houses, each one just 8 feet by 12 feet. The village has a shared kitchen, community room, restrooms, showers and laundry, and the tiny houses have electricity, insulation, windows and a locking door.
Residents, referred by the Opportunity Council, commit to not using substances on premises and contribute to chores and preparing shared meals on site. Case managers work with residents to help them obtain permanent housing, employment, healthcare and other services. They also monitor and assist residents who are struggling with mental health. There’s no timeline for how long you can stay in the village, and as long as residents are working toward their goals, they are welcome. That’s important, Bird said, because homelessness takes twenty years off your life. “We didn’t want to cap how long people could stay because, for someone age 55 who has been homeless, they are more like 75 years old,” she explained. “They can’t do manual labor jobs anymore.” Bird helped establish the Ally Program at Gardenview, which matches residents with volunteer allies who help them fill out paperwork for programs and provide friendship and emotional support as they transition to more permanent housing. “The Ally Program helps establish a sense of community that is missing from the lives of a lot of people on the street,” Bird reflected. “People walk by homeless people without saying hello to them, without even noticing them.” An ally herself, she’s been a friend to a formerly homeless man for the past three years. “We do breakfast together once a month and go fishing in the summer, and I sincerely enjoy the time I spend with him,” she said. “He teaches me what life is like for people without housing, and his experiences have helped drive JUNE | JULY 2023
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our programming at Gardenview. He knows he can call me if he needs something and that I’ll be there for him. He’s never had that before, and it helps remind him that he’s part of a community.” Those tiny homes, when operating well, are a great solution for folks that need transitional housing, a stepping stone for getting back into society, said Erchinger-Davis. “The beauty of the tiny home village is that it gives people jobs to do to be part of a community. You get to know the people you’re with and everyone has a role to play, which touches on the intangible aspects of homelessness—the feeling of worthlessness. In the tiny home village, you have something to offer that community,” he reflected. But they don’t work well for folks with severe addiction or mental health issues, who account for nearly 80 percent of the chronic homeless on the streets of Bellingham. A Christian organization, the Lighthouse Mission serves up to 300 homeless each night, around 2,500 unique individuals each year. Erchinger-Davis said approximately three-quarters of them are local to Whatcom County and the remainder from Skagit, Snohomish and King counties. “Here in Bellingham, we have better resources than in Skagit County, but not as many as in King County, where the chance of getting a free apartment is higher than in Whatcom County,” he noted. But in King County, he added, the number of violent attacks is greater. The Lighthouse is in the process of building a 76,000-square-foot, $25 million facility that will provide care for up to 500 people a night. It will include microshelters with staff dedicated to the medically fragile population, to families and to those with serious mental health issues. It will also encompass a dormitory for the working homeless. What the Lighthouse delivers is a full continuum of care, Erchinger-Davis said. “That’s a good place to start for someone coming out of addiction or severe mental health. Ultimately it’s childhood trauma and ten to fifteen years of challenging circumstances or choices that makes someone homeless,” he noted. “For those folks, it can take a long time to get to physical, spiritual and social health, and they need a continuum of care that scaffolds them in place.” He likens the process of becoming homeless to driving a car up a steep mountain path with no guard rail at the top. “You reach the top and then you start falling, hitting things like boulders and trees along the way until you’re at the bottom and you’re bleeding out,” he said. “Before we can help, you reach a safe place. We have to deal with the direction you were driving to begin with, the guard rail that wasn’t there, the boulder and the tree. You have to get 60
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to the root causes of homelessness before you can secure a durable solution.” On the West Coast, the proposed solution has been to give homeless folks a free apartment, hoping that will solve the problem. “In a free apartment, without the root causes of your problems addressed, you die twice as fast if you have an addiction,” Erchinger-Davis said. He cites an analysis published by USA Today in May 2022 that noted that from April 2020 to March 2021, there were 1,988 homeless deaths in LA as compared to 640 in New York City. That’s three times more deaths in LA than in New York City, even though NYC had 14,237 more homeless people than in LA. The reason, some argue, is the two cities’ approaches to homelessness. New York has enough shelters for its homeless population, while in LA, the policy has been housing first. “An apartment is just a cosmetic intervention that gives you a quiet place to use,” Erchinger-Davis argued. “No one sees you when you overdose on the couch, so that hurts the situation rather than helping. Our philosophy is ‘housing next.’ Address the underlying issues first, so that when the homeless do get housing, they can thrive.”
The beauty of the tiny home village is that it gives people jobs to do to be part of a community. You get to know the people you’re with and everyone has a role to play.” — Hans Erchinger-Davis, President and CEO of Lighthouse Mission, on Gardenview Village
Lighthouse Mission
Guests at Lighthouse Mission’s Base Camp shelter spend time in the day room, an open area with tables and chairs for eating and talking. Base Camp is a 200bed, low-barrier shelter in Bellingham.
The Lighthouse has a 75 percent success rate for recovery, which it defines as a year out of the program clean and sober. One of Erchinger-Davis’ fondest success stories in the seventeen years he’s worked with the organization is Miguel, who suffered abuse as a child and ultimately became a drug mule, moving drugs from Los Angeles to Canada and spending time in and out of jail. “He showed up at our front door with track marks all over his arms, requesting help,” he recalled. After entering the recovery program, Miguel had a conversion experience that changed his self-perception. “Before that, he’d seen himself as an addict, a homewrecker and a drug dealer. After, he saw himself as someone with incredible value, and it gave him the energy to fight through the recovery program and get clean.” The story ends on a happy note: Miguel came to work at the Lighthouse, where he serves to this day as a case manager. “He’s lost his anger and is a gentle guy now, someone who can look into the eyes of people and see their true value,” Erchinger-Davis said. “But he’s also streetwise, so for people who knew him from street life and jail, he’s an inspiration. When they see that a tough dude like him made it, they think they might make it, too. He’s helped many people get their life back.” The rebuilt Lighthouse Mission will put a massive dent in homelessness in Bellingham, but the future for finding
a permanent solution to this problem remains incredibly uncertain, Erchinger-Davis said. “We have to get at the root causes of homelessness: dealing with addiction, mental health, the foster care system and incarceration.” In April, Bellingham city councilors voted in an ordinance that makes public drug use a misdemeanor with a maximum thirty-day jail sentence. The city jail is overcrowded, so the intention is to give suspects verbal warnings or citations, or divert them into social service programs like the voluntary Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program. The LEAD program, however, is close to capacity and informed city officials that, since it receives state and federal funding, it cannot prioritize potential clients from Bellingham. Erchinger-Davis said stronger police intervention is needed to shut down the open-air drug markets, coupled with a “shelter first” rather than a “housing first” approach. “Getting housing is important for the 10 percent of homeless that need it, but the rest need a ‘shelter first’ approach,” he said. “If we could get the mental institutions that were shut down in the 1980s back into play, and done well, we could address the mental health component and we’d eliminate half the homeless overnight,” he said. But that would take twenty years to accomplish, he conceded. “For now, what we need is shelters that provide more enforced intervention, to get people off the streets.” JUNE | JULY 2023
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Erin Benzakein has been growing dahlias for nearly 20 years. What started as a backyard cutting garden has blossomed into a robust research and education farm. (photo: Chris Benzakein)
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The Darlings of Dahlias written by Kerry Newberry
IN WASHINGTON’S beautiful Skagit Valley, a sea of show-stopping blooms from dahlias and peonies to sweet peas and zinnias brighten the landscape from spring to summer. The famed farming region is where Erin Benzakein, one of the country’s most influential farmer-florists, first started growing flowers on a 2-acre plot to cultivate beauty. At that time, she had no idea that a few years later, she’d spark a global seasonal flower movement. As Benzakein grew her floral business, she focused on illuminating the story behind the blooms—the farms, the faces, the fleeting moment in time found in each bouquet. She shared anecdotes on her blog along with slice-of-life photographs captured by her husband, Chris Benzakein, that further brought Floret to life. An enthusiastic audience quickly followed, captivated by life on a small flower farm in the Pacific Northwest. Floret continued to flourish with Erin’s three best-selling books (A Year in Flowers, Cut Flower Garden and Discovering Dahlias). In 2021, Growing Floret, a documentary series that debuted on the Magnolia Network, chronicled the couple as they expanded to a new 24-acre farm. But the heart of it all is found in these luminous photos, where Chris reminds us of simple pleasures like fuchsia-pink dahlia blooms at sunset.
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Erin, left, and Chris Benzakein have spent the last fifteen years growing their family flower business. You can watch part of their journey in the Emmy-nominated fourpart documentary series Growing Floret on the Magnoliga Network. (photo: Tom Story)
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FROM TOP For the past fifteen years, Chris Benzakein has brought the farm to life with images he captures throughout the seasons. (photo: Chris and Erin Benzakein) Once a year, Erin Benzakein offers the Floret Online Workshop, a comprehensive series on how to grow, harvest and sell cut flowers in your backyard or on a small plot. (photo: Chris Benzakein)
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This show-stopping amaranth adds a sense of drama to any floral arrangement. (photo: Chris Benzakein) AT LEFT, FROM TOP The pollinator-friendly foxglove “Apricot Beauty” blooms for a solid two months. (photo: Chris Benzakein) Erin Benzakein’s second book, A Year in Flowers: Designing Arrangements for Every Season, focuses on practical design techniques for seasonal bouquets and made The New York Times Bestseller List. (photo: Chris Benzakein)
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ADVENTURE 72 LODGING 76 TRIP PLANNER 78 NORTHWEST DESTINATION 84
pg. 84 Missoula, Montana, is a mountain town with an artist’s soul.
Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT 70
THERE’S AN ART TO ADVENTURE
Three rivers and seven wilderness areas meet in Missoula, Montana, a place of small-town charm and big city personality packed into one magical escape. Nature and culture seem to coexist in perfect harmony here, where public art and outdoor concerts feel as natural as the surrounding mountains. Missoula offers a chance to rest and recharge, inside and out. Sit back and be well in this cultural hub and culinary hot spot, and soak in the serenity of some of the world’s most soul-stirring landscapes.
CLARK FORK RIVER, DOWNTOWN MISSOULA
Travel Safely. Explore Responsibly. Call 1.800.526.3465 or visit destinationmissoula.org/wa for more information.
travel spotlight
Photos: Visit Kitsap Peninsula
Travel Spotlight
Where Ghosts Convene
Port Gamble offers up picturesque architecture, history and the paranormal on the Hood Canal written by Joni Kabana WHILE MEANDERING UP State Highway 3, just before crossing the Hood Canal, you’ll come to Port Gamble, one of Washington’s most historically intact towns. Streets are lined with well-maintained heritage homes and a central district that is listed as a National Historic Landmark. The town was developed after the 1953 opening of a sawmill, owned by William Talbot and Andrew Pope, and still honors the era of the sawmill even though the mill ceased operations in 1995. Port Gamble, still a companyowned unincorporated town, offers many interesting activities, from shopping at the old General Store to pausing for the view from the Hood Canal Vista Pavilion to strolling the streets as though walking backward in time. The architecture resembles New England, built by founders from the East Coast. Many of the structures are available for lease or events such as weddings. One of the most interesting aspects of Port Gamble is its ongoing
devotion to paranormal activity. Tours, investigations and psychic readings take place here, and it is host to an annual paranormal conference. Movies such as 2010’s ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction and Gregg Olsen’s Empty Coffin book series set in this location perpetuate the notion that this town harbors more than sawmills and gabled clapboard houses with steep roofs. If you venture into this spirited town, have no fear as there are many wonderful places to stay such as the Port Gamble Guest Houses, tranquil waterfront properties that will surely ease your ghost-induced anxieties. Don’t miss sipping a beer at the House 11 Taproom and Bottle Shop or enjoying a farm to table dinner at Butcher & Baker Provisions where small-batch local entrees will make you forget that otherworldly beings may be sitting at the empty table next to you. For more information, if you dare, see www.portgamble.com.
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FROM TOP Port Gamble sits on the edge of the Kitsap Peninsula and overlooks Hood Canal. There is always something worth taking home at Port Gamble General Store. A guide for the town’s paranormal ghost tours.
Adventure
Island Adventures Five hidden gem islands in Puget Sound whose cultures cater to recreation, paddling, wildlife and seafood written by Jen Sotolongo illustration by Erwin Sherman
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THE PUGET SOUND is filled with many beautiful islands that are popular destinations for tourists seeking a taste of Pacific Northwest island life. While some of these islands, such as Orcas and San Juan, are well-known and highly visited, there are a handful of lesser-known hidden gems that offer visitors a chance to escape the crowds and immerse themselves in a unique experience. These islands, such as Anderson, Lummi and Guemes, offer a range of recreation including: hiking, biking, kayaking and camping, as well as opportunities to experience the local culture and cuisine. Despite their proximity to the mainland, these islands feel like a world away, with their rugged coastlines, lush forests and charming small towns. Getting to these islands requires a bit of planning, but the journey is worth it for the chance to explore these hidden gems of Washington’s coastline.
Visit Kitsap p Peninsula The Na Pu So Thhee Natural Th Nataututur ura ralal Side SSiididdee ofof Puget Pug ugete Sound Sou ouunnndd
Explore Kitsap's Maritime Heritage & Culture
VISITKITSAP.COM
Hansville · Kingston · Port Gamble · Poulsbo Bainbridge Island · Silverdale · Bremerton Suquamish · Port Orchard · Gig Harbor
adventure
TACOMA
Anderson Island A twenty-minute ride on the Steilacoom Ferry just south of Tacoma takes you to Anderson Island, the southernmost of the Puget Sound Islands. Just 8 miles long with approximately 1,000 residents, this quiet island features a variety of activities to keep you busy for a full day. The Johnson Farm is a centuryold farm with a community garden
and historic buildings. On a hot day, head to the Ol’ Swimming Hole to cool off in spring-fed Florence Lake. To explore by foot, check out Andy’s Wildlife Park, a 170-acre wetland and tidal estuary, or the Andrew Anderson Marine Park to take a peek at the salmon nursery and enjoy three-quarters of a mile of public beach access. If you prefer to explore the island from the water, rent a kayak. The trip around the island totals 13 miles.
Guemes Island Resort is only eight minutes from the mainland but a world apart. (photo: Guemes Island Resort)
SKAGIT VALLEY
Guemes Island At just 5,505 acres and 8.6 square miles, Guemes Island is small, but packs a punch of wildlife diversity, hiking trails and exploration. The eightminute ferry from Anacortes in the Skagit Valley makes for an ideal day trip or weekend getaway. The ferry runs twice hourly and can accommodate up to twenty cars, but the best way to explore the island is on two wheels. Be sure to pop into the Guemes General Store, a one-stop-shop where you can buy groceries, imbibe in local beer and wine, and order locally-sourced meals to go or to enjoy on site. For a killer workout and view, make the climb up Guemes Mountain, a 1.2-mile climb with 500 feet of elevation gain and survey the San Juan Islands and Cascade peaks from the highest point on the island. The Guemes Island Resort welcomes overnight guests in vacation homes, cabins, and yurts, with beach access and free watercraft rentals.
SAN JUANS
Sucia Island You won’t need a ferry schedule to get to Sucia Island because the only way to access this State Marine Park is by watercraft. Among the northernmost of the San Juan Islands, the 814acre marine park consistently ranks among one of the top boating destinations in the world, and includes 77,000 feet of shoreline, 10 miles of hiking trails, and sixty camping spots located in parks throughout the island.
In addition to epic tidepooling during low tide, wildlife is abundant on the shores of the island. Keep an eye out for otters, sea lions and numerous species of waterfowl. If you don’t have your own boat, there are two water taxi options: the Island Express from Anacortes or Outer Island Excursions from Orcas Island. For an additional fee of $35, you can bring your kayak on board. Alternatively, Outer Island Excursions offers kayak rentals and day tours from Orcas Island to Sucia Island.
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Barbara Marrett/San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau
Anderson Island Park & Recreation District
Head to the wildlife park or marine park on Anderson Island, just a quick ferry ride from the Tacoma area.
The secluded Sucia Island is accessible only by small watercraft.
adventure The austere beauty of Lummi Island caters to lovers and hikers.
BELLINGHAM
Lummi Island
Visit Bellingham
Perhaps one of the best kept secrets of the San Juan Islands, Lummi Island is located just twenty minutes from Bellingham. The idyllic rural countryside meets the mountains on this tiny and remote island with no traffic lights or gas station and a population that hovers around 1,000. Despite its small size, there is plenty to do on Lummi Island. Hiking options include the Baker Preserve, Otto Preserve and Curry Preserve, all of which have short hikes that range in difficulty. Rent a kayak to paddle along the shores of the island or visit one of the public beaches. Wine enthusiasts should stop into the Artisan Wine Gallery, a small wine shop that features affordable wines from around the world. If you go on Friday, you’ll experience locals picking up their bread and pastry orders made by one of the staff members, offering a glimpse into the Lummi Island community.
OLYMPIC PENINSULA If you find yourself in Port Townsend for a few days, add a visit to Marrowstone Island to your itinerary. A twenty-minute drive takes you to the noferry-required island. The Nordland General Store sells local provisions where you can pick up goods to enjoy a picnic on Portage Beach on Indian Island. Marrowstone Vineyards offers locally produced wines to enjoy on the patio that overlooks the Cascades and the Puget Sound. When you’re ready to stretch the legs, take in some U.S. military history at Fort Flagler Historical State Park, one of the three forts
Fort Flagler Historical State Park holds coastal U.S. military history.
that defended the entry to the Puget Sound. Recreational activities abound, visitors can hike, fish, crab, or paraglide from within the walls of the fort. There’s also a campground for anyone who wants to stay the night.
Photos: Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
Marrowstone Island
What better way to take in Marrowstone Island than through its terroir and Marrowstone Vineyards.
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Photos: Stella’s Homestead
lodging
ACCOMMODATIONS Choose from several options for your stay. You can cuddle up in the former chicken coop (you can find the original chicken feeders and laying bins repurposed as decor) or get away from it all in Stella’s Shed, complete with a nearby creek and a fire pit. Choose the tiny house, La Casita, as your home away from home (some of the interior touches were taken from the original 1939 home), or tuck yourself away in the lower level of the main house—originally the harvest kitchen. If you’re bringing a crowd, The Shop might be your spread. One large room is filled with custom adult bunk beds (it sleeps eight), and a long table originally used to feed everyone during harvest.
COMMUNITY AND EVENTS
Lodging
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP One of the homestead’s cabins, Calico’s Chicken House. The quaint La Casita. Inside of The Shop with bunk beds for larger groups.
Stella’s Homestead written by Cara Strickland EVEN IF you’re familiar with Walla Walla, you might not know Waitsburg, its close neighbor. Waitsburg itself is a charming town with dining and lodging to offer, but venture out a little farther into the country and you’ll find Stella’s Homestead, a unique lodging venue and farm stay—the brainchild of Cheryl Hansen, who grew up on the property and returned in 2017 to care for her aging mother, who recently turned 99. Hansen lovingly restored the buildings, which date back to 1947, and brought her love of antiques (and a wealth of treasures she unearthed) to decorating the former outbuildings into cozy cottages and getaways for the weary traveler. While it’s an easy drive to wine tasting and other Walla Walla activities, this spot offers the opportunity to experience a completely different lodging vibe—one well worth the trip. 2194 S. FORK COPPEI CREEK ROAD WAITSBURG www.stellashomestead.com
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Craving a farm wedding or family reunion? This might be your place. You can celebrate outdoors, or dance the night away in the barn. Hansen’s family has always been a big part of the local community, and that certainly hasn’t stopped with Cheryl. She has hosted many events—from a conference dedicated to mushrooms, to a music festival, and, of course, her mother’s ninetyninth birthday bash. This spring, she collaborated with a fashion show at the Royal Block Hotel, showcasing her mother’s vintage evening dresses from the 1960s and ’70s. Like all good innkeepers, she has lots of great stories—be sure to ask her to tell a few when you stop in.
trip planner
Jason Hummel Photography/State of Washington Tourism
On the Olympic Peninsula, there is rarely beach weather but plenty of coastal intrigue.
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trip planner
Olympic Peninsula Getting outdoors, braving the rain and, if you can, peering into the state’s clearest skies written by Ryn Pfeuffer SINCE THE EARLY 1900s, the Olympic Peninsula has been a popular destination for outdoor recreation. In 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt established Mount Olympus National Monument, which would later become Olympic National Park in 1938. As a result, tourism slowly began to play an essential role in the area’s economy. Today, the Olympic Peninsula is known for its stunning natural beauty, diverse wildlife and rich cultural history. It remains a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with activities such as hiking, camping, fishing and kayaking drawing visitors worldwide. It’s also known for its clear skies, making it an excellent place for stargazing. Especially during the summer months, it rains less frequently, which can improve visibility. As a result, visitors can ogle the Milky Way, which is exceptionally bright and prominent during the season. Here are some of the best places to get outdoors and soak up the night skies on the Olympic Peninsula:
Day HIKING • STARGAZING • HOT SPRINGS Start your day by driving to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. The area is named for its strong winds and fierce storms, which can whip through the ridge and surrounding peaks during winter. Then, take the Hurricane Ridge Trail to the visitor center, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. On a clear day, visitors can see as far as Canada. If you have time, you can also hike on one of the many trails, ranging from short nature walks to longer, more challenging hikes. The Hurricane Hill trail is an intermediate 3.4-mile hike (round-trip) that’s well-suited for kids and families. Visitors can also spot various wildlife, including deer, elk and black bears. Hurricane Ridge offers some of the best views of the night sky. The ridge is at an elevation of more than 5,000 feet, JUNE | JULY 2023
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trip planner
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Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
which makes for clear skies and little light pollution. The park also offers a Star Party event during the summer, when visitors can view the night sky through telescopes with park rangers. After hiking, head to Lake Crescent, a crystal-clear lake in the northern part of the Olympic Peninsula. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the shore, then rent a kayak or paddleboard to explore the lake’s calm waters. End your day by driving to Forks, a small town in the heart of the Olympic Peninsula. First, check into Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. While not technically in Forks, this historic resort is located nearby. It offers a variety of lodging options, including cabins and lodge rooms. (For simpler digs, check out the Dew Drop Inn Motel, a charming roadside motel with affordable rooms and a convenient location near the town’s restaurants and shops.) Then head into town for delicious, hand-tossed pizzas, wings, nachos, pasta dishes and panini sandwiches at Pacific Pizza. Hungry meat eaters swear by the hearty House Special, topped with salami, pepperoni, sausage, beef, mushrooms and olives. After dinner, enjoy the resort’s three mineral hot springs soaking pools, which vary in temperature from 99 to 104 degrees. The spring water comes from rain and melting snow, which seeps through cracks in the sedimentary rocks, mingling with gasses from cooling volcanic rocks. (There’s one freshwater pool, too.) In addition, the property serves up a unique stargazing experience in that visitors can soak in the hot springs while gazing up at the stars. The resort also offers guided night walks to view the stars and constellations.
Adam McKibben/Visit Port Angeles
The placid Lake Crescent is ideal for kayaking or SUPing.
Make sure the weather is clear when hiking the High Ridge Trail at Hurricane Ridge.
Day
Rialto Beach has a rugged and stunning coastline on the western edge of the Olympic Peninsula.
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
Additionally, hikers should come prepared for changing weather conditions and be aware of park regulations, such as food storage and waste disposal. Return to Forks for dinner at Sully’s Drive-In. This classic drive-in restaurant is known for nearly a dozen kinds of burgers, fries, and milkshakes, as well as their friendly service. If you’re feeling adventurous after grabbing a bite, head to Rialto Beach, a rugged and wild coastline on the western edge of the Olympic Peninsula, to watch the sunset over the ocean and stargaze. Remember to check weather conditions before heading out and bring warm clothing, blankets, and a red flashlight to preserve night vision. Remember, you can always take a warm soak when you return to the resort.
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
Start your day by exploring the Hoh Rainforest, one of the most pristine temperate rainforests in the world. Fun fact: the Hoh Rainforest receives an average of 12 to 14 feet of rain annually, making it one of the wettest places in the United States. Take a hike on the Hoh River Trail, which offers hikers the opportunity to experience a diverse range of ecosystems, from the lush Hoh Rainforest to subalpine meadows and glaciated peaks. Along the way, hikers will pass by crystal clear streams, cascading waterfalls and stunning vistas. The entire Hoh River Trail from the trailhead at the Hoh Rainforest Visitor Center to Glacier Meadows is approximately 17.3 miles long and typically takes two to four days. The trailhead starts at the Hoh Rainforest Visitor Center at the end of Upper Hoh Road. It is generally flat for the first 13 miles before gradually gaining elevation as it winds through the forest to Glacier Meadows. Typically, most hikers complete the trail in two to three days, spending one or two nights at one of the backcountry campsites. Some hikers, however, choose to complete the trail in a single day. For a weekend getaway, you can explore as much or as little as you have time for before turning around. One of the highlights of the Hoh River Trail is the chance to see wildlife, such as elk, deer, black bears and various bird species. The trail also offers access to backcountry campsites, allowing hikers to extend their journey and spend multiple days in the wilderness. It’s worth noting that the Hoh River Trail is a popular route and can become crowded during peak season. Visitors are therefore encouraged to plan ahead and make reservations for campsites in advance.
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
RAINFOREST HIKING • BURGERS • BEACHES
FROM LEFT The Hoh River Trail is among the true bucket list hikes in the U.S. The small town of Forks is a good spot for lunch or dinner after a long day on the trail.
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EAT Chestnut Cottage Restaurant www.chestnutcottage restaurant.com Next Door Gastropub www.nextdoorgastropub.com Pacific Pizza www.pacificpizza.four-food.com Sully’s Drive-in www.forkswa.com/businessdirectory/sullys-drive-in
STAY The Dew Drop Inn Motel www.dewdropinn.com
Nate Wyeth/Visit Port Angeles
OLYMPIC PENINSULA, WASHINGTON
trip planner
Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort www.olympicnationalparks.com/ lodging/sol-duc-hot-springs-resort
FROM TOP Port Angeles is a working port and lovely at dusk. The Next Door Gastropub goes big with its burgers.
PLAY Forks www.forkswa.com Hoh Rainforest www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/ visiting-the-hoh.htm
Lake Crescent www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/ visiting-lake-crescent.htm Museum at the Carnegie www.elwha.org/departments/ carnegie-museum Port Angeles Waterfront Trail www.cityofpa.us/Facilities/ Facility/Details/WaterfrontTrail-29 Rialto Beach www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/ rialto-beach.htm
Stephanie Gray Photography
Hurricane Ridge www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/ visiting-hurricane-ridge.htm
Day BREAKFAST • LOCAL HISTORY • PUB GRUB Check out of Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort and head to Port Angeles, a little over an hour away, located on the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula. Do not miss breakfast at Chestnut Cottage Restaurant. This cozy cafe serves up creative breakfast dishes like banana bread French toast and Irish pigs, house-made corned beef wrapped in buttermilk pancakes and served with Bourbon syrup. Next, visit the Museum at the Carnegie. This small but super interesting museum showcases the history and culture of the Olympic Peninsula. The Olympic Peninsula has a long and rich history that dates back thousands of years. It
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has been inhabited by various Native American tribes for over 10,000 years, with the most prominent being the Quileute, Hoh and Makah tribes. Then, stroll along the Port Angeles Waterfront Trail, a scenic walking and biking path that runs along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Before you head out of town, swing by Next Door Gastropub, a popular spot serving creative pub bites and craft beers. The Frickles, fried ale-battered dill pickle with Creole aioli, is a tasty beer pairing. For something more substantial, order a burger. The Not Your Average Joe is a coffee-rubbed beef patty on a bun piled with bacon, pepper jack, fried onion straws and aioli.
Clin nton
Mu ukililteo
Kingston on Bainbridge Island
T COMA TA
northwest destination
Missoula
Three rivers run through it along with recreation and culture written by Ryn Pfeuffer
MISSOULA, MONTANA, is nicknamed “The Garden City” for its lush, green landscape and numerous parks. Located at the confluence of three rivers—the Clark Fork, the Bitterroot and the Blackfoot—you may be familiar with this mountain town from Norman Maclean’s book A River Runs Through It, which chronicles his experiences fly-fishing on the nearby Blackfoot River. When locals aren’t floating or fishing, they can be found biking, hiking and running; exploring Glacier and Yellowstone parks; and enjoying food and music at numerous downtown venues. 84
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Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
Kayakers play on Brennan’s Wave, a manmade playground on the Clark Fork River in Missoula.
Kick off your trip by exploring downtown Missoula. The city of roughly 76,000 people offers a variety of boutique shops, restaurants and galleries. Also check out the Missoula Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from May to October. In its fifty-first year, the long-running community-based market offers a wide range of locally grown produce, artisanal crafts, and live music. Save room for a plate of St. Louis-style barbecue at The Notorious P.I.G. This smoked meat lover’s paradise serves slowsmoked meats, sandwiches, and sides, as well as a selection of local beers and cocktails. Order the beef brisket with deviled egg potato salad and pit baked beans. After exploring downtown, head to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, which features exhibits on elk and other wildlife, as well as a large sculpture garden. If you want to explore more, swing by the Montana Museum of Art and Culture, a showcase of a diverse range of art from Montana and worldwide. Wind down your afternoon and check into C’mon Inn Hotel and Suites. The property features a large indoor atrium, two indoor pools, hot tubs and log balconies. Grab a coffee, quick pastry or sandwiches to-go at Catalyst Café. Then start the day with a hike in the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, which offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The main Rattlesnake Trail is a
MISSOULA, MONTANA
northwest destination
EAT Bayern Brewing www.bayernbrewery.com Catalyst Café www.thecatalystcafe.com Kettlehouse Brewing Company www.kettlehouse.com The Notorious P.I.G www.thenotoriouspigbbq.com
STAY C’mon Inn Hotel and Suites www.cmoninn.com/missoula
Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
PLAY Clark Fork River Rafting www.rowadventures.com/ montana-rafting/clark-forkriver-rafting Missoula Art Park www.missoulaartmuseum.org/ art-park Missoula Farmers’ Market www.missoulafarmersmarket.org National Bison Range www.bisonrange.org
Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
Rattlesnake National Recreation Area www.fs.usda.gov Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation www.rmef.org University of Montana www.umontana.edu/visit.php
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The University of Montana is a solid academic anchor for Missoula. Not to miss is the National Bison Range 45 miles north. Missoula Farmers Market brings big bounty from its rich soils. Kettlehouse Brewing in Missoula is one of many top craft brewers.
popular option, offering a moderate hike that winds through the lush forest and alongside Rattlesnake Creek. After hiking, head to the Missoula Art Park, which features sculptures and installations by local artists. Take a stroll through the park and enjoy the unique artwork on display. It’s no secret that Missoulians love beer—look at its booming microbrew scene. End your day by enjoying a pint (or two) at one of Missoula’s dozen breweries, such as Kettlehouse Brewing Company or Bayern Brewing. The latter is home to Edelweiss Bistro. Tucked above the taproom, the German bistro serves everything from schnitzel and bratwurst to Bavarian meatloaf. All of the mustards, pickles, condiments and seasonings are imported from Germany. The sauerkraut is made in-house daily. Start your final day by exploring the University of Montana campus. Founded in 1893, the state’s second-largest university offers various historic buildings and beautiful outdoor spaces.
After exploring the campus, head to the National Bison Range, which offers a chance to see bison, elk and other wildlife in their natural habitat. Take a scenic drive through the park and enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding mountains. End your day by taking a sunset paddle on the Clark Fork River, which flows through Missoula. Then, rent a kayak or paddleboard and enjoy a peaceful float as the sun sets over the mountains. In his road-trip memoir Travels with Charley, John Steinbeck wrote, “I’m in love with Montana. For other states, I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana, it is love.” It doesn’t take long to fall under Montana, specifically Missoula’s charm, beauty and hospitality. Give it a few days, and you’ll feel less like a tourist and more like a local. JUNE | JULY 2023
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 85
1889 MAPPED
The points of interest below are culled from stories and events in this edition of 1889. Oroville
Bellingham
San Juan Islands
Friday Harbor
North Cascades National Park
Mount Vernon
Port Port Angeles Townsend Sequim
Forks
Shelton Aberdeen
Newport
Marysville Everett Chelan
Seattle Bellevue
Port Orchard
Tacoma
Colville Okanogan
Whidbey Island
Olympic National Park
Republic
Winthrop
Leavenworth
Renton Kent Federal Way
Wilbur
Waterville
Spokane Davenport
Wenatchee Ephrata Ritzville
Montesano Olympia
Mount Rainier N.P.
Ellensburg Colfax
Chehalis
South Bend
Pullman Yakima Pomeroy
Long Beach Kelso
Cathlamet
Longview
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
Richland
Mount Adams
Prosser
Pasco
Dayton
Walla Kennewick Walla
Goldendale Vancouver
86
Stevenson
Live
Think
Explore
22 Hama Hama Oyster Saloon
46 iKamper
70
Port Gamble
25 Cochinito Taqueria
48 Laughing Coyote Homestead
72
Guemes Island
26 Molbak’s Garden + Home
50 Vital Wines
76
Stella’s Homestead
36 Rick Becker
78
Olympic National Park
40 Black Lab Gallery
84
Missoula, Montana
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE JUNE | JULY 2023
Asotin
WONDER WITH US Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum
Exit 44 on I-84 columbiagorge.org 509-427-8211
Exit 82 on I-84 gorgediscovery.org 541-296-8600
Stevenson, WA
Salvador Gonzalez (1904-89), “Cable Car,” 1934
The Dalles, OR
Discover the culture, rich history & diverse landscapes along the Columbia River
Sage Center Boardman, OR Exit 164 on I-84 visitsage.com 541-481-7243
Tamástslikt Cultural Institute Pendleton, OR Exit 216 on I-84 tamastslikt.org 541-429-7700
Welcome to Cascadia Art Museum! Urban Scenes of Seattle 1910-1960 Through Jan. 7, 2024
Wednesday – Sunday: 11:00am – 5:00pm 190 Sunset Ave. S. • Edmonds, WA 98020 425.336.4809 • www.CascadiaArtMuseum.org
Art of the Northwest 1870-1970
Until Next Time A cotton candy sunset backs the Seattle Great Wheel on a hot summer evening. photo by Will Austin
YOUR SUMMER GET-A-WAY Moses Lake has fun activities for the entire family. Enjoy a day boating along Moses Lake or hiking one of the local trails. Spend the day sampling wine from one of the local wineries. Or do both! And when the sun goes down, we have you covered with unique night spots to hang out and enjoy the friends you brought with you, or hang with the locals.
EVENTS:
Moses Lake Farmers’ Market – Open on Saturdays through October Surf ‘n Slide Water Park – Open through Labor Day Moses Lake Drive-in Air Show – June 17-18
Red, White and BOOM! Moses Lake’s All-American Hometown Celebration - July 1 Sand Scorpions Bounty Hole & Freestyle Mud Tracks – September 16
www.tourmoseslake.com
401 S. Balsam Street • Moses Lake, WA • 509-764-3820 Please confirm event availability and facility hours beforehand.
More events and details at www.cityofml.com
Continue for Special Inserts
D E S T I N AT I O N
YAKIMA VALLEY
Summer Concert Series at VanArnam Vineyards
Y Bale Breaker Brewing Co.
Find Your Next Favorite Festival or Event in the Yakima Valley
GET A FREE VISITOR GUIDE AT VISITYAKIMA.COM
YOUR YAKIMA VALLEY
SUMMER GETAWAY
Enjoy sun-drenched outdoor adventure, farm-to-table eats & unique cultural experiences on this three-day itinerary
T
he Yakima Valley is a string of agrarian communities nourished by the 214-milelong Yakima River, a tributary of the Columbia River. Those who know Yakima Valley, know it produces the world’s best hops and is also Washington’s first AVA, producing the state’s finest sauvignon, cabernet sauvignon and syrah, among other varietals. Where there is sunshine, flowing water and wide-open hills, there is also outdoor adventure to last a lifetime. This long weekend agenda captures some of the best experiences in the Yakima Valley, as it opens its arms to sunfilled summer bounty and recreation.
The Yakima River is an angler’s paradise—and a great spot for a scenic drive.
A publication of Statehood Media with Yakima Valley Tourism www.visityakima.com
Join our social media community at: Instagram: @yakimavalley Facebook: www.facebook.com/VisitYakima
Photography courtesy of Yakima Valley Tourism Cover photo: Canyon River Ranch Yakima River Cruises {2023} DESTINATION YAKIMA VALLEY 3
Outskirts Brewing Co.
DAY 1
H
eading west on I-90, take the I-82 exit toward Yakima and then take exit 109 to Canyon Road for the winding, scenic drive through the Yakima River Canyon. Begin your trip with a scenic tour of the Yakima River Canyon, where bighorn sheep, elk, birds of prey and other wildlife make their habitat along Washington’s only blue ribbon trout stream. The Yakima River sits in a vibrant shrub-steppe ecosystem, surrounded by towering basalt cliffs, some as much as 2,000 feet high. The drive takes you 30 winding miles along the river banks with greens and browns as a calming visual palette before emerging in Yakima. You’ll notice the density
of hawks, eagles, golden eagles and falcons soaring above, as the Yakima Canyon walls are habitat for the state’s highest concentration of these birds of prey. Just 9 miles after you begin the scenic drive, make a stop at Umtanum Creek Recreation Area. Walk across the Yakima River on a picture-perfect suspension bridge to the Umtanum Creek Canyon trailhead. This moderate trail winds through canyon walls and the unique shrub-steppe landscape, home to native plants and wildlife unique to the habitat. This area is one of the state’s best viewing areas for bighorn sheep. Check out Red’s Fly Shop for your gear and their expertise.
People come from all over the world to experience the bounty of this blue ribbon trout stream. If you’re new to fishing, try one of Red’s classes to get hooked. Outdoor adventure guide Shannon Mahre of Girls with Grit and Mahre MADE offers fly-fishing classes specifically for women wanting to experience the sport. If you want to stay on top of the water for a different experience, hook up with Mahre for standup paddle trips. Leave time for a two-hour River Canyon Cruise with Canyon River Ranch to identify local wildlife and learn about the geology and formation of this spectacular river canyon. No matter how your day goes, it should end on the Hop
Country Craft Beer Trail, a consortium of nearly twenty breweries in the heart of America’s top hop-growing region. On the outskirts of Yakima in Selah is a newbie to the trail, Outskirts Brewing Co. The vaulted ceilings lit by enormous chandeliers inside the renovated turn-of-the-century barn is a stunning masterpiece with an outdoor stage for live music this summer. Finish the night at the handsome Hotel Maison in downtown Yakima. A modern renovation of a 1911 Classical building that was built as a Mason temple, Hotel Maison has a stately exterior with a warm and stylish interior. Wine tasting rooms and good restaurants are all in walking distance.
ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The Yakima River is a popular fishing destination. Meander through the unique Yakima Valley landscape on the Umtanum Creek Canyon trail. After working up an appetite, visit Selah’s Outskirts Brewing Co., located inside a renovated turn-of-the-century barn.
4 DESTINATION YAKIMA VALLEY {2023}
DAY 2
S
ome mornings are made better with the smell of coffee. Or the fine waft of flowers. At Simply Crafted Marketplace in Yakima, you can have both. Simply Crafted Marketplace is a floral-first shop with kitchen and home decor items, gifts for the body, and gifts for the mind such as coffee, pastries, allday mimosas and gourmet charcuterie boards. Continue by exploring the renowned farm stands and farm markets in the heart of Yakima. Think handcrafted pies, bakery treats and artisan foods. Shop for gifts with a local relevance and stock up on freshly picked apples, cherries, peaches and pears at the Downtown Yakima Farmers Market (Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), Johnson Orchards (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday) or Washington Fruit Place (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday). When you’ve acquired a carful of Washington fruit to take home, it’s time to get serious about lunch. Known for their house-ground brisket and chuck burgers and weekly specialties including housesmoked prime rib sandwiches, boneless short rib birria tacos, oysters and handmade pasta, Cowiche Creek Brewing is also home to some of the finest craft beers in the valley. Third-generation farmers and husband-and-wife team Derrick and Maria Nordberg
CONTINUE BY EXPLORING THE RENOWNED FARM STANDS AND FARM MARKETS IN THE HEART OF YAKIMA. THINK HANDCRAFTED PIES, BAKERY TREATS AND ARTISAN FOODS. found a green space with gorgeous canyon views and began making great beer nine years ago. Today, it is a kickback place for good food, great beer and stunning sunsets. End the day with a small side-trip to Tieton, a small arts and creative community 15 miles northwest of Cowiche Creek Brewing. Sign up for a behind the scenes Saturday tour of the artisan spaces. The emerging brand, Tieton Made, invokes such goods as locally made furniture, cheeses, wines and ciders. Tieton Arts & Humanities hosts art exhibits and vibrant cultural events throughout the year. Nomad Kitchen and Mercantile is at once a shop featuring goods for the adventurer and foodie and an outstanding restaurant with a constantly changing seasonal dinner menu Thursday through Sunday as well as Wednesday Socials. Tour the town to see intricate tile mosaics recreating vintage fruit labels heralding the community’s history.
AT LEFT, FROM TOP Farm-fresh produce awaits at local farm stands and markets, such as Johnson Orchards. Tieton is host to a vibrant arts scene. Stop by Cowiche Creek Brewing for good food, great beer and company.
{2023} DESTINATION YAKIMA VALLEY 5
DAY 3
Whitman Hill Winery
WHERE TO… EAT » Cowiche Creek Brewing, Cowiche
{www.cowichecreekbrewing.com}
» Essencia Artisan Bakery, Yakima {www.facebook.com/ essenciaartisanbakery}
» Outskirts Brewing Co., Selah {www.facebook.com/ outskirtsbrewingco}
STAY » Hotel Maison, Yakima {www.hilton.com}
PLAY » American Hop Museum, Toppenish
{www.americanhopmuseum.org}
» Fly-fish on the Yakima River
{www.visityakima.com/yakima-valleywater-recreation.asp}
» Girls with Grit classes and trips {www.girlswithgrit.fit}
S
tart your morning at Essencia Artisan Bakery with a coffee and a strawberry streusel cake or, better, an almond kouign amann—kouign being Breton for “brioche” and pronounced “queen.” Another dose of culture before you go. Ground your experience in local knowledge at the Yakama Nation Museum & Cultural Center in Toppenish. As one of the nation’s oldest Native American museums, now 43 years old, it has 12,000 square feet to tell the story of the fourteen tribes within the Yakama Nation. The region is known for its bounty and the famed wines from the Yakima Valley terroir. Just fifteen minutes away, head to Whitman Hill Winery to taste the region
6 DESTINATION YAKIMA VALLEY {2023}
through its soil and its cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay. In the heart and heat of summer, opt for the rosé and take to the outdoor space with fire features, expansive green space and cozy cabana seating. The tasting room is a world apart with worldly wines. Another cultural cornerstone of the region comes together under the roof of the American Hop Museum, also in Toppenish. What began in 1868 with one hop farm east of the Cascades became the overwhelming top grower of all American hops. It’s only fitting that a trip that began with a meandering scenic drive down the Yakima Canyon to a historic refurbished barn that burnished the region’s hop tradition, also ends where it all began.
» Hop Country Craft Beer Trail
{www.visityakima.com/yakima-valleycraft-beer-trail.asp}
» Tieton arts events and exhibitions
{www.tietonarts.org; www.mightytieton.com}
WINE COUNTRY
FROM TOP One of the newest additions to Yakima Valley Wine Country, Whitman Hill Winery has an expansive outdoor space. Grab a sweet treat or coffee at Essencia Artisan Bakery. Learn more about the local hop industry at the American Hop Museum.
» Umtanum Creek Recreation Area
{www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/ umtanum-creek-canyon}
» Whitman Hill Winery
{www.whitmanhillwine.com}
» Yakama Nation Museum & Cultural Center, Toppenish {www.yakamamuseum.com}
» Yakima farm stands
{www.visityakima.com/yakima-valleyfarms-and-produce.asp}
» Yakima River Canyon Scenic Byway
{www.visityakima.com/blog/six-scenicroad-trips-yakima-valley}
Y
U-pick Cherries at a Yakima Valley Farm
TAKE A FARM-FRESH ROAD TRIP
Come to the source to hand-pick your own produce, tour dozens of farm stands and farmers markets. Savor local, seasonal cuisine and enjoy a farm-to-glass evening at Yakima Valley wineries and craft breweries.
GET A FREE VISITOR GUIDE AT VISITYAKIMA.COM
Stand Up Paddle Boarding in the Yakima River Canyon
Y 300+ MILES OF TRAILS, 34 LAKES & PONDS, 6 RIVERS AND 300 DAYS OF SUN!
Fish, float paddle, ride, bike, hike and climb on your next Yakima Valley adventure.
GET A FREE VISITOR GUIDE AT VISITYAKIMA.COM
Soak in mountain views from the top of Tin Hat Mountain along the Sunshine Coast Trail. (photo: Destination BC/ Andrew Strain)
2 CANADIAN GETAWAYS 2023
WESTERN CANADA IS TRULY ONE OF THE MOST GEOGRAPHICALLY AND CULTURALLY SPECTACULAR PLACES IN THE WORLD. From the chic urban scene of Vancouver’s Yaletown to the remote, mountainous and rugged surf towns on the west coast of Vancouver Island, there are hundreds of experiences for all styles of travel. Here are but a few ideas to help you envision your next visit. Get your itineraries in place, then check out the currency exchange rate and enjoy the relative spending power of the U.S. dollar.
A publication of Statehood Media www.1859oregonmagazine.com www.1889mag.com Cover: Pacific Rim National Park (photo: Destination BC/Yuri Choufour)
2023 CANADIAN GETAWAYS
3
A ferry travels between Langdale and Horseshoe Bay on the Sunshine Coast. (photo: Destination BC/ @dolfvermeulen)
Sunshine Coast
BUCKET LIST RECREATION
ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Boats sit in the marina at Pender Harbour on the Sunshine Coast. The bike trail system at Gibsons is just one option for cyclists. A Thunderbird totem carved by Tla'amin Nation artist Craig Galligos. (photos, clockwise from top: Destination BC/Albert Normandin, Destination BC/Stirl and Rae Photo, Sunshine Coast Tourism/ Shayd Johnson)
4 CANADIAN GETAWAYS 2023
JUST NORTH of Vancouver and east of Vancouver Island, British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast is known for its small coastal towns and harbors, its trails and provincial parks, its First Nation arts and culture and pristine lakes. Perhaps the best thing about the Sunshine Coast is that it is accessible only by BC Ferries and short flights from Vancouver or Vancouver Island. The two main regions are North and South Sunshine Coast, with the former being more remote and the latter more popular. Bikes are a common and fun form of transportation throughout the region. Cycling trips along the rugged and beautiful coastline on the two-lane Highway 101 is one rite of passage. Likewise the 180-kilometer Coastal Circle Route is a bucket list item miles
after miles of gorgeous views of the Salish Sea, four ferries and the coastlines of the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. If you’re bringing bikes, mountain biking should also be on your itinerary. With more than 700 kilometers of trails throughout the Sunshine Coast, the terrain weaves and flows along the coastal rainforest—from the trail network criss-crossing Roberts Creek on the shoulder of Mount Elphinstone to the cross-country trails of Powell River in the north The 180-kilometer Sunshine Coast Trail is another bucket list adventure for intrepid hikers. With fourteen first-come-firstsleep cabins along the trail from Sarah Point to Saltery Bay, you will encounter stunning coastal shorelines, old growth forests, pristine lakes and breathtaking mountain top vistas.
Surrey
A BALANCE OF URBAN & OUTDOORS JUST NORTH of the United States border and south of Vancouver and along the southern bank of the Fraser River is the bustling city of Surrey, with a population of just over a half million people. Surrey is a place for outdoor adventure followed by nights of culture and comfort. You’ll find green spaces, parks and beaches along the shores of Boundary Bay on the western edge of the city. Head to the beach community Crescent Beach in South Surrey to hike along the rugged shoreline or to Blackie Spit on the northern tip of Crescent Beach to spy hundreds of species of birds as part of the Pacific Flyway. For lunch, try the fish tacos and chowder at The Cabin or a certified Neapolitan pizza overlooking the bay at the authentic Italian restaurant Cotto al Mare. Take a stroll along 5 kilometers of trails and encounter exotic trees at the nearby Redwood Forest. Take the self-guid-
6 CANADIAN GETAWAYS 2023
ed tour through the shaded trails and discover more than fifty species of trees. When you get to the mature stand of Sierra Redwoods, it’s time to stop and forest bathe and let the world slow down. At the end of the day, make reservations for Old Surrey Restaurant, a French menu from a Spanish native, and lamb and veal sourced from their family farm. Another intriguing option is Afghan Kitchen, an authentic Afghani restaurant with beautifully executed choices—from mantu to kololi and chicken qorma. Surrey is not short on lovely lodging options either. Retire for the night at the Civic Hotel where you will be treated to a luxurious stay in the heart of downtown. Ask for a high floor to overlook the city from your suite. If you want to stay close to water, book Ocean Promenade Hotel near Crescent Beach and enjoy views of the bay from elegant modern rooms.
ABOVE, FROM TOP Birdwatching at Blackie Spit, where hundreds of species live. Savory dishes from Afghan Kitchen. BELOW Paddling at Crescent Beach along the wildlife conservation area. (photos, from top: BC Bird Trail/ Discover Surrey, Ian Harland/Discover Surrey, Ian Harland/Discover Surrey)
Explore the global flavors and multicultural experiences of Surrey, BC, Canada. Find vacation packages at DiscoverSurreyBC.com.
On the west coast of Vancouver Island, consistent waves roll into Tofino, making it one of Canada’s hidden surfing treasures. (photo: Destination Canada/Brian Caissie)
8 CANADIAN GETAWAYS 2023
The Parliament buildings in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, overlook the water. (photo: Destination BC/Reuben Krabbe)
Victoria & Vancouver Island
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE & UNEXPECTED SURF ONE OF the true gems of western Canada is Victoria and the surrounding Vancouver Island. Accessible by ferries from Seattle (FRS Clipper) and Port Angeles (Black Ball Ferry) on the Olympic Peninsula, Victoria is a former British colony that retained the early English architecture and history in its old town, which now buzzes with restaurants, galleries and markets, as well as street entertainers. Given the overwhelming number of things to do in Victoria, start with a grounding “Discover the Past” walking tour. Once you have a sense of the history, you have a framework for the rest of your visit. Visit Canada’s largest bonsai garden at the year-round botanical garden, The Gardens at Horticulture Centre of the Pacific. Take a horse drawn carriage tour of the
city’s beautiful and historic sites with Tally-Ho Carriage Tours. Snack your way through the bountiful Victoria Public Market in the historic Hudson building. But Vancouver Island is more than Victoria alone. Plunge farther into the terrain at Pacific Rim National Park. Threeand-a-half hours northwest of Victoria and on the west coast of Vancouver Island, slide into the forested world of the nearly 200 square miles of this national preserve. Paddle the Broken Group Island, hike the West Coast Trail, even surf the rugged west coast of the island. Indeed Tofino on the Clayoquot Sound is one of Canada’s coolest yearround surf hideaways. Make it a vacation within a vacation by taking up at the Wickaninnish Inn, where rainforest meets luxury and surfing.
ABOVE, FROM LEFT Public gardens at Horticulture Centre of the Pacific. A pod of Orcas off the Vancouver Island coastline. (photos, from left: Destination BC/Boomer Jerritt, Destination BC/Reuben Krabbe)
2023 CANADIAN GETAWAYS
9
People bike along the seawall at Stanley Park in Vancouver. (photo: Destination BC/Alex Strohl)
Vancouver is the city that sleeps … well. With a healthy mix of urban and green space on the Pacific coast, Vancouver offers a good life. (photo: Destination BC/ Thomas Hill)
Vancouver
BIG CITY ZEN & GREEN SPACES VANCOUVER IS one of the most livable cities on the planet and lovely to visit as well. All of the delights of a cosmopolitan city blend nicely with green spaces and parks that are open and free. Cycle, jog or walk the 28 kilometer seawall around the massive urban park or hit the interior trails in the middle of one of the most beautiful and integrated cities in Canada. Head to Chinatown for world-class dim sum. Jump a quick water taxi to Granville Island and surround yourself with local foods and art at the Granville Public Market. Not far from Granville Island is Vancouver’s Yaletown neighborhood of old warehouses and many alluring restaurants. Among the many choices is Robba da Matti, an upscale Italian restaurant known for its fresh homemade pastas and dishes such as lobster and crab ravioli alongside a glass of bold, smooth and dry Tuscan wine. If you’d rather take a gorgeous car ride for the day, point north along the Sea to Sky Highway. This 101-mile scenic drive takes you from Vancouver to Pemberton with stunning views of the Howe 10 CANADIAN GETAWAYS 2023
Sound, the Coast Mountains and lush rainforest. The Rosewood Hotel Georgia is a luxurious way to experience evenings in the city. Just a short walk from Stanley Park, this property has its own spa to unwind from the day’s activities and elegant and casual dining options to suit your appetite. Or try the chic and colorful OPUS Vancouver in Yaletown, with rooms that have heated floors and soaking tubs. End the day with a nightcap Limonatta di Livande at Spritz, the hotel’s cocktail lounge.
Vancouver’s Chinatown is one of the largest outside of mainland China and brings new thought and cuisine to the city. (photo: Destination Vancouver/Nelson Mouellic)
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Fernie is an idyllic mountain community in the Rocky Mountains of southeast British Columbia. Explore our beautiful landscapes, lush valleys and pristine waterways. Experience our historic downtown, endless outdoor activities, quaint attractions, and great places to dine. Just over 100 miles north of the Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell, MT. Save 20-25% on everything thanks to the exchange rate.
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