Washington’s Magazine
TRIP PLANNER: ELLENSBURG PG. 88
Vashon Pears
Two Artistic Home Remodels
Shangri-La in the North Cascades
October | November 2019
OUR BUY-LOCAL
THE LIBATIONS ISSUE
NEW EXPERIENCES IN
BREWERIES &
WINERIES 1889 mag.com
1889mag.com $5.95 display until November 30, 2019
LIVE
THINK
EXPLORE
WASHINGTON
October | November
volume 17
HOT SPRINGS CAVE & POOLS CONTEMPORARY ROOMS KTUNAXA GRILL SPIRIT WATER SPA MEETING ROOM/LOUNGE
GETAWAY EXPERIENCE WASHINGTON'S FAVORITE CROSS-BORDER
Visit Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort in BC & let the restorative mineral waters of the natural hot spring heal your mind, body, & spirit. BOOK YOUR STAY WITH US TODAY! ainsworthhotsprings.com | 1.800.668.1171 | info@ainsworthhotsprings.com
S
WE TREAT YOU LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE. BECAUSE YOU DO. EXPERIENCE THE CREDIT UNION DIFFERENCE. JOIN US AT BECU.ORG
:RYAN H., MEMBER-OWNER
Federally insured by NCUA
Visit us Downtown, in the Valley, or in North Spokane.
From House to Home photography by Shauna Intelisano Erin Tole and her husband bought a historic Vancouver home without ever touring it. They knew it would be a fixer upper, but they were up to the task. Months of demolition and hard work gave way to a stunning remodel, with eclectic style and tons of plants. (pg. 30)
The outdoor greenhouse/sitting room is the focal point of the large corner lot.
2 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 3
Alex Garland
FEATURES OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019 • volume 17
72 Art in the Streets In Redmond, chalk artists from around the world come together for a weekend to bring their art to the people at Pacific NW Chalk Fest. You won’t believe the incredible creations that can come from a city street and sidewalk chalk. photography by Alex Garland
53
68
1889’s Holiday Gift Guide
Sharing Heritage
Every year, Statehood Media editors search for Washington’s best homemade products. We’ve got the best local gifts for everyone on your list.
What’s that old chestnut? Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Get to know the history of the Native Americans who have called these shores home for generations.
photography by Whitney Whitehouse
written by Lauren Kramer
If is in your nature, Spokane is your destination.
From seasonal events to outdoor adventures, there’s no excuse to lay low when the weather cools down in Spokane. Here, the holidays come alive with a little extra magic thanks to the historic buildings of downtown and breathtaking mountain views. Create your own traditions this winter, whether it’s stopping in at The Historic Davenport to see Christmas Tree Elegance or lacing up your skates at the new Ice Ribbon in Riverfront Park. Holiday wonder awaits you in Spokane. visitspokane.com/things-to-do
DEPARTMENTS
LIVE 14 NOTEBOOK
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019 • volume 17
With the arrival of autumn, it’s time to go cozy—we’ve got the perfect candle, an interesting soundtrack and a PNW cookbook to outfit your nest.
20 FOOD + DRINK
When it’s time to venture out, you’ll find our picks for grilled cheese, soup and tea to warm you up. Plus, cupcakes are perfect all year round.
24 FARM TO TABLE
There are thousands of pear varieties, and Nashi Orchards on Vashon Island grows many of them. Learn more about the growing process, then figure out how to fit the fruit into your meals.
30 HOME + DESIGN
Sometimes, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Two couples made their dreams a reality with remodels.
36 MIND + BODY
Greg Lehman
Special Olympics athlete Ben Kennish has been playing every sport he can for decades—and he’s doing it for more than just a workout.
48
38 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Nikki Frumkin likes gets up close and personal with mountains when she paints them.
THINK 42 STARTUP
Clark County has never been the epicenter of Washington’s beer culture. But that’s changing as we speak, thanks to several pioneering breweries.
88
Lia Simcox/Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce
44 WHAT’S GOING UP
Big companies are making big moves. Check out Expedia’s new campus in Seattle and Amazon’s new facility in Spokane.
46 WHAT I’M WORKING ON
Langdon Cook wants to bring the wilderness to everyone, whether it’s through foraging adventures or his insightful books.
48 MY WORKSPACE
It’s easy to take your next Walla Walla wine tour to the next level—do it in a Tesla.
50 GAME CHANGER
28 10 11 94 96
Editor’s Letter 1889 Online Map of Washington Until Next Time
Days For Girls, a Bellingham nonprofit devoted to menstrual care in the developing world, removes a roadblock to school and work.
EXPLORE 80 TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT
Wenatchee’s Brewers Row showcases a burgeoning brewing community in a small town known more for its fruit.
82 ADVENTURE
Our writer trekked in the North Cascades to see the many peaks that make up the region—and he’s got advice for you on how to recreate his journey.
86 LODGING
The Barn B&B in Walla Walla combines personal touches with special suites, to every visitor’s delight.
88 TRIP PLANNER
Ellensburg may be known for its Western culture and as the site of Central Washington University, but it has a growing arts community and quality food and drink options.
COVER
photo by Jim Henkens Nashi Orchards and Farm (see Farm to Table, pg. 24)
6 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
92 NORTHWEST DESTINATION
Fraser Valley is the lesser-known wine destination in British Columbia, but it’s not to be missed. OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
TULALIP ESCAPE TO A DESTINATION OF
PREMIUM LUXURY Indulge in Washington’s premier AAA Four-Diamond resort with eight restaurants, a luxurious spa and world-class shopping.
3 0 M I N U T E S N O R T H O F S E AT T L E
888.272.1111 | T U L A L I P CAS I N O.CO M
CONTRIBUTORS
HANNAH DOYLE Writer Mind + Body
GREG LEHMAN Photographer My Workspace
ALISHA MCDARRIS Writer Artist in Residence
JIM MEYERS Photographer Mind + Body
I’ve long-admired Special Olympics for the joy it gives participants and spectators alike. Talking to Ben was no less heartwarming. Over a couple conversations, his energy and love for competition was infectious, and hearing how sports help him on and off the field challenged me to revisit basketball and softball, the sports I played in childhood— not for the obvious reason (to win), but for friendship, health and focus. (pg. 36)
Photographing Walla Walla since 1987, I’ve seen the valley’s wine industry grow from a handful of wineries to more than a hundred. In just the short time I spent capturing Chris Wood and his way cool Tesla, I was impressed. Chris is a deep well of knowledge about vines and wines. A couple of times I had to remind myself to “shoot, Lehman” as I became engrossed in listening. I’m more than a little smarter after this shoot! (pg. 48)
I love the outdoors— mountains, rivers, gorges, you name it—so getting to connect with Nikki to talk about backpacking, her art and the mountains that inspire her was a pleasure! Her work is so wonderfully whimsical that it makes me not only want to fill my walls with art like hers that captures the vibrant essence of the great outdoors, but to pack up some watercolors of my own for my next backpacking trip. (pg. 38)
One of the perks of being a photographer is getting to meet new people, each with their unique path through this world. Ben Kennish’s path is more unique than most. While it’s his decades-long, multi-sport tenure as a Special Olympian that brought me to photograph him for this issue, it’s his sense of humor and generally awesome disposition that will stick with me as inspiration to find a few more silver linings in life. (pg. 36)
8 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
EDITOR Kevin Max
MANAGING EDITOR Sheila G. Miller CREATIVE Allison Bye
WEB MANAGER
OFFICE MANAGER
DIRECTOR OF SALES
Aaron Opsahl Cindy Miskowiec Jenny Kamprath
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Cindy Guthrie Jenn Redd
BEERVANA COLUMNIST
Jackie Dodd
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jennifer Burns Bright, Melissa Dalton, Hannah Doyle, Wendy J. Hairfield, Michelle Harris, Michelle Hopkins, Lauren Kramer, Alisha McDarris, Ben Salmon, Ethan Shaw, Cara Strickland, Matt Wastradowski, Corinne Whiting
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jackie Dodd, Alex Garland, Gemina Garland-Lewis, Jim Henkens, Shauna Intelisano, Greg Lehman, Jim Meyers, Whitney Whitehouse
Bend Headquarters
Portland
70 SW Century Dr. Suite 100-218 Bend, Oregon 97702
937 NW Newport Ave. Suite 210 Bend, Oregon 97703
1801 NW Upshur St. Suite 100 Portland, Oregon 97209
www.1889mag.com/subscribe @1889washington
Printed in Canada
All rights reserved. No part of this publiCation may be reproduCed or transmitted in any form or by any means, eleCtroniCally or meChaniCally, inCluding photoCopy, reCording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of Statehood Media. ArtiCles and photographs appearing in 1889 Washington’s Magazine may not be reproduCed in whole or in part without the express written Consent of the publisher. 1889 Washington’s Magazine and Statehood Media are not responsible for the return of unsoliCited materials. The views and opinions expressed in these artiCles are not neCessarily those of 1889 Washington’s Magazine, Statehood Media or its employees, staff or management.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 9
WELCOME TO THE 2019 wine, beer and spirits issue. Throughout it, you’ll find stories that take you to sweet new places and sour new tastes. Dirty Couch Brewing in Seattle, for example, hoped it would be the city’s first sour-only brewery. They were a tad late for that moniker, but nonetheless, built a big reputation for being wholly sour. Read our Beervana column on pg. 20. Likewise, there are a number of new breweries blossoming on Brewers Row in the apple capital of Wenatchee (pg. 80) and Clark County, where Vancouver (pg. 42) is becoming its own beer scene with Heathen Brewing, Trap Door Brewing and Grains of Wrath Brewery. A lot is happening in the wine world also. In the mountains above Leavenworth, Boudreaux Cellars is a stone structure with timber beams that exemplifies Old World winemaking and an off-grid experience. See pg. 22. If you’re a vinophile, continue farther north to British Columbia’s Fraser Valley for wine tasting. We roll out to the idyllic terroir that is one of Canada’s lesserknown but more charming sister AVA. See Northwest Destination on pg. 92. Sustainable winemaking pairs well with sustainable transportation. So, too, reasoned Chris Wood, who offers Tesla tours of Walla Walla wineries and is the subject of My Workspace on pg. 48. Feeling like you need an epic sidebar to your autumn? Use our guide to where to bag the best views of the North Cascades, hiking trails off of the Cascades Loop. Turn to pg. 82 to read this piece and inspire your own trip up the Dickerman Mountain Trail.
10 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Jenn Redd
FROM THE EDITOR
My favorite act of beauty in this issue you will find in brilliant color in Gallery on pg. 72. The Pacific NW Chalk Fest brought in artists from around the world to make works of art on a downtown street. The result was stunning.
1889 ONLINE More ways to connect with your favorite Washington content
Alex Garland
www.1889mag.com | #1889washington | @1889washington
EXTENDED GALLERY See more photos from Redmond’s Pacific NW Chalk Fest on our website.
washington: in focus
www.1889mag.com
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.
GIFT GUIDE GIVEAWAY Want to win items from this issue’s Holiday Gift Guide? Keep an eye out on our social media feeds in October for instructions on how to enter.
www.1889mag.com/in-focus photo by Logan Sharma; photo courtesy of Lisa Sharma A stroll on the beach in Westport.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 11
Jim Henkens
SAY WA? 14 FOOD + DRINK 20 FARM TO TABLE 24 HOME + DESIGN 30 MIND + BODY 36 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 38
pg. 24 Nashi Orchards turns fruit into award-winning cider and other libations.
YOU R T ICK ET TO R E A L F L AVOR KEEP IT REAL . KEEP IT WASHINGTON. Real, delicious Washington dairy. As rich in flavor as our state is in history. Find local brands at wadairy.org/getlocal
On your next trip to the grocery store, add these local brands to your shopping cart.
© 2019 DAIRY FARMERS OF WASHINGTON
say wa?
Tidbits & To-dos
ca mark le you nd r ar Free State and National Parks Day November 11 is Veterans Day. It’s also a free day for entry into any of Washington’s national or state parks. Get out and explore this beautiful state, from the Olympic National Park in the west to the North Cascades National Park to the north, and all points in between. www.discoverpass.wa.gov ur k yo r mar da
cale
Lulumiere Candles These candles feature only natural ingredients, use long-lasting soy wax and sport a cotton paper wick. They’re filled with 100 percent essential oils, bringing the perfect scent to your home. A Lulumiere candle makes a great hostess gift at any of your upcoming holiday events.
14 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience More than fifty art organizations and artists are expected to be on hand to share information about Seattle’s glass art industry. The event, October 17-20, will include local studio tours, live demonstrations, exhibits and parties. Participants include Chihuly Studio, Pratt Fine Arts Center and Schack Art Center in Everett. www.refractseattle.org
www.lulumiere.com
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
n
say wa?
Sourdough on the Rise As winter sets in, carbs call your name. Answer with this perfect cookbook by Seattlleite Cynthia Lair, which explains the science behind sourdough and offers tips on the right environment and tools necessary to get your sourdough starter working. Next, the book provides a variety of recipes that will have you eating well all winter long. www.sasquatchbooks.com
Lucas Henning
camark yo len ur da r
Girl Meets Dirt Bitters and Shrubs
Explore Bellingham’s breweries with five to ten of your favorite running buddies. The 30+ mile relay, with ten brewery and tap house stops around the city, takes place October 20. Leg lengths vary between 1 and 6 miles and there’s a big party at the finish line.
You know San Juan Island’s Girl Meets Dirt makes amazing preserves and jams. What you may not know is the company also makes its own shrubs and bitters, meaning you can up your cocktail (or mocktail) game. Try the shiro plum bitters, or add a little lemon lavender shrub to your glass of champagne for a special kick.
www.trailstotaps.com
www.girlmeetsdirt.com
Trails to Taps Relay
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 15
say wa?
In his latest album, Noah Gundersen grapples with growing up.
Musician
Love, Death, Regret and Redemption Noah Gundersen’s new album is deeply personal, and very good IT WOULD BE HARD to look at and listen to Noah Gundersen’s new album Lover and not see a reinvention in process. In promotional photos, the veteran singer-songwriter’s shoulder-length dark hair is gone, replaced by a bleachedblonde buzzcut that reveals a neck tattoo and a pained look on Gundersen’s face. (He looks like an extra from Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady” video.) A sleeveless undershirt reveals more tattoos, and the shirtless shot on Lover’s cover reveals even more. And that’s before you hit the “play” button. Lover is Gundersen’s fourth full-length studio album, and it’s a set of deeply personal, deliberately paced songs about love, death, regret and redemption that are more beat-driven and streaked with synths than his previous work. This is pop-folk for a future when the lines between those genres—and hip-hop and electronica—are even blurrier than they are today. According to Gundersen, however, Lover isn’t a document of rebirth. It’s just another step in the long and winding story of his career. “In one sense, every record is a new chapter,” he said. “But it doesn’t really feel like a reinvention of myself because it’s just a continuation in the progression of who I am as a person and who I am as an artist and how those things coalesce.” More accurately, Lover is Gundersen’s “turning 30” record, which may seem impossible to Pacific Northwesterners who feel like the guy has been around forever. That’s because he started making music in his early teens, and by the time he was in his early 20s, he was the latest “next big thing” to come out of Seattle. He has been recording songs and touring relentlessly around the region for fifteen years. “I’ve taken what could be considered a lot of detours along the way. Different projects. Different bands. Different sounds. I’ve never been able to settle on doing one thing,” Gundersen said. “(These days), everyone’s really strategic, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. But the only strategy I had was that I wanted to play music for a living, so I was like, ‘I’m just going to make songs and tour and hopefully someday I’ll be able to pay my bills.’” Gundersen is talking about his early days, but in a way, he’s come full circle. He tried to make a big splash with his rocking 2017 album White Noise, but now says it was part of a string 16 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Michael Porter
written by Ben Salmon
Listen on Spotify
of disappointments (commercially, not artistically) that recalibrated the way he views his music and his career. He went into the making of Lover with less of his sense of self-worth wrapped up in the record. “By the time you’re in your 30s, you’ve been punched in the face a couple times. Maybe literally, maybe figuratively. Maybe both. And that does a really good thing for a person,” he said. “I’ve had enough experiences in the last few years that humbled me and made me check my ego and gave me a greater sense of accepting myself and accepting that I don’t have it all figured out and I never will, and no one else does either. And that’s really freeing.”
Jingle Jingle all the way to
Albany,Oregon
Photo of Albany Downtown Twice Around Parade by Anthony Sheler
Tour Discover Explore Tel: 541-928-0911 Follow us
Turtle Island Quartet
Download the free Albany Explorer App
OCT 10: POST COMEDY THEATRE OCT 17: DAR HE: THE STORY OF EMMETT TILL NOV 14: CALIFORNIA + MONTREAL GUITAR TRIOS DEC 14: TURTLE ISLAND QUARTET: WINTER’S EVE DEC 19: THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS CAROL
Talents that amaze. Traditions that unite. Ideas that transform. 211 E DeSmet Ave on the Gonzaga University campus
509.313.2787 gonzaga.edu/mwpac
MORIHIKO NAKAHARA CONDUCTOR
STATE STREET BALLET RODNEY GUSTAFSON
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
FIVE SHOWS DEC 5 TO 8
M A R T I N W O L D S O N T H E AT E R AT T H E F O X
TICKETS | 509.624.1200 | Spok aneSymphony.org
Celeste Noche
say wa?
Naomi Tomky blends her own recipes with those from regional chefs.
Bibliophile
A Love Letter to the Fruit of the Ocean Naomi Tomky’s cookbook celebrates local seafood you can make at home interview by Cara Strickland
IT’S NO SECRET that seafood is one of the greatest gifts of the Pacific Northwest. From the beautiful salmon and oysters we recognize to the geoducks we might not have tried, there is something for everyone. Still, seafood can be daunting, and it’s not something we all have a lot of experience with. Seattle-based food writer Naomi Tomky’s new book, The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook, is part love letter to the fruits of the ocean, part guide to choosing and storing, and part cultural analysis of why seafood matters to the region now and in the past. The recipes, a blend of Tomky’s own and those of regional chefs, are designed to help both novice and experienced home cooks achieve delicious success, and it’s beautiful, too. 18 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
How did you fall in love with PNW seafood and what do you think makes it so special? It’s one of those “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” situations. I didn’t realize how normal it was to always have amazing seafood as an option until I went to college on the East Coast. When I moved back, I was young and broke and living in a city where happy hour often included 25-cent oysters. I ate a lot of them on the slippery slope into seafood love. How do you hope your book will demystify seafood cooking for home cooks? I think a lot of people think cooking seafood is hard because you can’t cook it just like you would a steak, or whatever they’re used to. Cooking fish is no harder than cooking meat, it’s just that people don’t always know the techniques to do it in easier ways (hint: it’s not pan-cooking!). How did you choose recipes to include and where did they come from? Many of these recipes are the things that I cook at home all the time. But I also wanted the book to show off the diverse cooks around the region who use fish in all kinds of different
ways, including both the people driving it publicly at restaurants— like Bonnie Morales of Kachka, and Tom Douglas—and the folks at home, including an Iraqi refugee and an Indonesian cookbook author. Do you have any favorite recipes in the book, or suggestions for those just getting started? The same recipe for both! My favorite and the very best starting place is the first recipe, for slowroasted salmon. It’s so easy and completely foolproof, you could accidentally leave it in the oven for fifteen extra minutes and it would still be wonderful. There’s no fussiness, no need to pull it out at any exact moment. Just a nice, relaxing dish that can be either a total dinner party stunner or an easy weeknight dinner. How do you hope readers interact with your book? I hope they use it! I’m sure every cookbook author says this, but the book was designed to be hands-on from start to finish—it will tell you where to buy seafood, what to ask, how to store it when you get home, and then, of course, how to cook it. There’s even a recipe for how to use up your leftover cooked salmon.
MOSES LAKE
ROAD TRIP!
Your Home Base for Fall Hiking & Adventure
DESERT DAY HIKES ◉ Columbia Basin Wildlife Area ◉ Potholes Reservoir
◉ Columbia National Wildlife Refuge ◉ Sun Lakes—Dry Falls State Park
BRING THE BIKES
◉ Ride the Moses Lake BMX bike track ◉ Pedal Activity Trail around town to several parks and along the lake ◉ Explore endless back road and gravel ride options
PARK & PLAY
◉ Explore beautiful city parks, playgrounds, ballfields, and lakeshore access
UNWIND
◉ Enjoy great restaurants, Mexican food, wineries, and breweries ◉ Relax at the Japanese Peace Garden ◉ Visit the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center
MOSES LAKE Events ◉ Moses Lake Farmers’ Market - Every Saturday through October ◉ Rattler Regale Girls Fastpitch Tournament - Oct. 5-6 ◉ Museum Gallery – Justin Colt Beckman: Western Territory, Moses Lake Museum & Art Center - Oct. 11
More events and details at www.cityofml.com
food + drink
Cocktail Card recipe courtesy of canon
Rubicon 1½ ounces gin 1 ounce Dolin Blanc vermouth ½ ounce green chartreuse liqueur ½ ounce maraschino liqueur ¾ ounce lime juice ½ ounce Evergreen Fyre Rosemary Place one stick of rosemary and Evergreen Fyre into glass. Mix cocktail in ice-filled shaker. Light rosemary on fire, then immediately extinguish with shaken cocktail. Top with crushed ice. FOR EVERGREEN FYRE Place 3 ounces Everclear in a 375 ml bottle. Fill the remainder with green chartreuse liqueur. Shake.
20 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
DCB is an all-sour brewery in Seattle.
Beervana
Down and Dirty written and photographed by Jackie Dodd THIS ISN’T A STORY about a small brewery making good, although it’s that as well. It’s not so much about the stunning sour beers brought forth by a brewery with an ill-conceived name, although that’s part of it. This is, more than anything, a tableau about what the bones of the Seattle craft beer scene are made of. “We were really naïve,” Frank Swiderski said, blunt about his innocence when he jumped feet-first into brewery ownership in 2016, opening Dirty Couch Brewing (also known as DCB) with his two friends, Rob Nelson and Jon Cargille. The endless hours, the expense and the fact that actually brewing beer was a remarkably small part of the overall work of owning a brewery were all eye-opening in the first few years. But the most shocking part is how the already-established beer community responded when DCB did open. The idea of an all-sour brewery came to Swiderski, Cargille and Nelson after a visit to Portland for the world-class sour ales at Cascade Brewing. By the time they bottled their first beer, with its squirrely, hard-to-tame yeast, the ground had already been broken. Several sour-focused breweries had cropped up and nearly every other brewery had at least one gose or kettle sour on tap. The dream of being Seattle’s first and only sour brewery was already lost, and the competition was growing fierce. “Any other industry, and we’d all be enemies,” Swiderski said. “But here, it’s different. Everyone wants to help. You’re OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
part of the family.” Without exception, the breweries that could view him as a rival instead have wanted to collaborate, reaching out with a “rising tide lifts all ships” attitude. “There is enough space for us all,” he said, a sentiment that’s shared almost universally by other members of the Seattle craft beer scene. Urban Family, for instance, is just under 1,000 feet away in the Magnolia neighborhood, and also a brewery specializing in sours. Any outsider could look at that as a direct threat, but Urban Family saw it differently, the owners offering DCB advice, assistance and friendship from the very beginning. The proximity isn’t seen as menacing, but evidence the neighborhood can become a destination for sour beer lovers everywhere. Sour beers are notoriously hard to brew, the list of potential issues a mile long, giving pause to any seasoned beer connoisseur. It takes far more than a good recipe and enough time to make a good sour—it takes guts and brains to pull it off. The growing list of accounts carrying DCB’s bottles can attest: DCB beer can be trusted and should be sought out. Because of the fermentation style and the fact that every beer is aged between six months and two years, each beer is limited in quantity and disappears quickly. But the taproom always stocks a hefty variety. If you’re in Magnolia, especially on a day when the sun is shining, the patio is an excellent place to spend the afternoon and the beer is well worth the trip.
Explore DELICIOUS Destinations...
The Heart of the Olympics from Sea-to-Summit & Canal-to-Coast
Pacific Northwest Based
EnjoyOlympicPeninsula.com 360-437-0120
food + drink
CRAVINGS GRILLED CHEESE Whatever else it does, The Braeburn can’t take the Three Digit Grilled Cheese off its menu. The sandwich has three pieces of toasted raisin bread with bacon and extra-sharp white cheddar cheese inside. One bite and you’ll be hooked. 197 D 2ND STREET LANGLEY www.braeburnlangley.com
SOUP Stop into Luna’s Cafe for freshly made seasonal daily soups or the wild Coho house-smoked salmon chowder, and you might end up staying for breakfast or lunch, or taking some baked goods to go. 123 NORTH BEACH ROAD EASTSOUND, ORCAS ISLAND www.lunas.cafe
COCKTAILS
Boudreaux uses Old World methods and is off the power grid.
Gastronomy
Boudreaux Cellars written by Cara Strickland UP IN THE mountains just above Leavenworth, you’ll find a winery operating off the grid. Winemaker and owner Rob Newsom struck up a friendship with Gary and Chris Figgins of Leonetti Cellars in Walla Walla. Newsom fell in love with the way Washington wine could taste when made well. Eventually, the Figgins talked him into making some wine of his own. He started making wine at home in 1998, and began making it commercially in 2001. The winery is 4 miles off the power grid, making it crucial to use Old World methods. Known for smooth and substantive reds made from old vines, this is a winery you won’t want to miss, whether you’re popping into the downtown Leavenworth tasting room just across from the gazebo, or making your way up to the winery (by appointment only). LEAVENWORTH www.boudreauxcellars.com
22 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Just up the stairs, right on Main Street, you’ll find a nightclub brimming with music, dancing and craft cocktails—from the Etsi Bravo originals to the classics, everything is balanced and made with care by talented bartenders. Add in some classy bar snacks and this is just the place to whet your whistle. PULLMAN www.etsibravo.com
TEA Miro Tea is where you go when you want tea to be an experience. Stop in and stay awhile, sampling the daily offerings. They’ll make you whatever you want from the generous selection of loose tea, or you can take some home to create a ritual of your own. 5405 BALLARD AVENUE NORTHWEST SEATTLE www.mirotea.com
food + drink
BEST PLACES FOR
CUPCAKES FROSTED Each day, the cupcake flavors change just a little (check online to see what’s coming up for the week). You’ll want to try the Lemon Lavender and the Chocolate Raspberry. If you want more than just cupcakes, check out the selection of macarons and cake pops. 7 SOUTH 1ST AVENUE WALLA WALLA www.frostedcupcakeshop.com
TROPHY CUPCAKES With four Seattle locations and one in Bellevue, you’ll have an easy time getting your Trophy fix. Each day brings different offerings (including vegan and gluten-free options). Try the Strawberry Lemonade or the Salted Caramel. Don’t have time to pop in? You can order these online in the greater Seattle and Bellevue area. SEATTLE AND BELLEVUE www.trophycupcakes.com
TWENTY-SEVENTH HEAVEN This scratch bakery does it all, from breads and scones to the signature coffee cake, bagels and pretzels, but there’s something special about the cupcakes—they are moist and satisfying with just the right amount of frosting. Though many flavors are classics, be sure to check out the matcha green tea cupcake for something off the beaten path. 1220 SOUTH GRAND BOULEVARD, SUITE A SPOKANE www.facebook.com/ TwentySeventhHeaven
Little Brother offers daily boards that have a little bit of everything to try.
Dining
Deru Market and Little Brother written by Cara Strickland JAMIE CASADY MET Jordan Cooper while both were attending the Culinary Institute of America to become chefs. After graduation, they moved back to Casady’s native Kirkland, where they opened Deru Catering in 2009, focusing on beautiful, seasonal and sustainable flavored dishes. In 2012, they expanded to Deru Market, making it even easier to experience their hospitality. Deru Market is open five days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner—try a wood-fired pizza or a freshly made pastry. Their next project was the Little Brother farmers market, intent on connecting locals with the people who grow and raise their food. The market is still running, but Little Brother became a restaurant in 2016, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner five days a week. Be sure to try a tartine (the wild mushroom is a favorite) and a little bit of everything with one of the daily boards—the Early Board includes nuts, fruit, bread and butter, house hummus, yogurt, granola, egg, jam, cheese and charcuterie, perfect for sharing. KIRKLAND www.derumarket.com www.littlebrotherkirkland.com
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 23
farm to table Nashi Orchards uses its pears to make perry, a drink similar to cider.
Farm to Table
Pear Necessities Finding fresh flavors straight from the tree written by Corinne Whiting photography by Jim Henkens
IN GREEK AND Roman mythology, pears were considered sacred. In fact, circa 800 B.C., the poet Homer referred to the tasty, white-fleshed fruit as a “gift of the gods.” No doubt pears come with plenty of flavor and an abundance of health benefits, since they are high-fiber, nutrient-dense and contain phytonutrients and other antioxidants, too. More than 3,000 pear varieties exist worldwide, and at least ten principal varieties are grown commercially in the Pacific Northwest, meaning Washington pear lovers are in luck when it comes to sourcing locally. “Since Washington has an ideal climate for tree fruits, it’s great to utilize and highlight products that can come to us at peak quality straight from the orchard,” said Lauren Scully, pastry and sous chef of Bellevue’s The Lakehouse. Scully’s team feels lucky to partner with smaller farms like Apulum, which grows nearby and delivers directly to the restaurant. “I also have a few trees growing in my yard that I’m fortunate enough to cook with and utilize at home,” Scully said. 24 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
BOD_SeaMag-HP_9-11-2019.pdf
1
9/11/19
4:29 PM
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
the
Truffles are coming...
The Joriad™ Truffle Dog Championship • January 23 Eugene Weekend • January 24, 25 & 26
Tickets: oregontrufflefestival.org
Yamhill Valley Weekend • February 14, 15 & 16
100 mile bakery | camas country mill | eugene cascades and coast | graduate eugene | new world truffieres | oakway catering oregon culinary institute | oregon wine press | springfield creamery | travel oregon | willamette valley visitors association
OTF 1889 .5 page.indd 1
9/9/19 9:12 AM
farm to table
ABOVE, FROM LEFT Nashi Orchards’ barn in Vashon. The company ferments cider and perry on site.
Over on pastoral Vashon Island, a fifteen-minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle, pears sit at the core of production at Nashi Orchards and Farm, owned by Jim Gerlach and Cheryl Lubbert. Here the Lubberts grow numerous varieties of Asian pears, perry pears and apples—all used to make delicious hard cider and perry, an alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of pears. A serene retreat all year long, the orchards and surrounding land are also home to the owners’ St. Croix sheep, Bouvier de Flandres dogs and barn cats. Nashi’s brand-new tasting room, located closer to town, is open on weekends for tastings throughout the year. Pop in for samples of creations such as the White Hart draft cider and Chojuro perry, a blend described as lively, refreshing and slightly sweet. Nashi’s products can also be found at select shops and restaurants around Vashon, Seattle and Tacoma. Gerlach explained that everything about growing and fermenting pears proves more difficult than apples. “From the time it takes for pears to become productive to trying to get them to the right ripeness level for pressing, they are much more of a challenge,” he said. But it’s worth it. “Being able to eat a tree-ripened Asian pear is a real treat. They have an amazing flavor that you can’t get from store-bought pears.” The Nashi business seeds were planted in 2005, when Gerlach and Lubbert purchased an architecturally Asian-inspired house that came with about 250 Asian pear trees. The trees had been transplanted in the 1970s from another island orchard and hadn’t been managed for several years. After renovating the orchard that eventually yielded a significant quantity of fruit, the duo decided in 2007 or 2008 to ferment the pears. The initial results were promising, so they continued making perry—each year coming up with better results and larger volumes. In 2013, they were approved as a winery and officially started selling on Mother’s Day of 2014. The soil is a mix of about 18 inches of sand and gravel atop glacial till (a very dense layer in the subsoil created by glaciation). “It is another reason that we chose to plant larger trees, since they 26 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
have aggressive enough roots to get deep into the sub-soil,” Gerlach explained. In the summer, he said, maintaining enough water in the soil can be a challenge. Even though the orchard is located less than a quarter-mile from the water, at 400-plus feet of elevation, the land gets very warm during the day and tends to cool off at night. “This diurnal shift of temperatures is important to create good acidity in the fruit, which is sometimes a challenge when growing pears for fermentation.” Nashi uses sustainable practices—it is Salmon-Safe Certified, always keeping in mind the health of Puget Sound waters. And although it is not organically certified, it uses only Organic Materials Review Institute-certified products in its orchard and approach the health of its trees holistically. Nashi’s owners apply what they learned from grower and author Michael Phillips, adapting some of his techniques to the climate of the Pacific Northwest. By the end of October, most of Nashi’s fruit has been picked from the trees and, depending on the season, only a few late ripening varieties remain. In November, Nasha does a fair amount of pressing and production. To work with pears in your own kitchen, consider following the storage and preparation advice of Wenatchee-based Stemilt Growers, which produces many tasty varieties. The company notes some pears don’t change color as they ripen, and suggests freezing pears if you wish to maintain their flavor. To freeze, slice them into even, thin slices and brush them with a water-lemon mixture to stop them browning. Then you can either syrup or dry pack them in freezer bags. Since pears are more delicate than apples, Scully advised that cooking times typically have to be shortened and gentler methods (such as poaching) must be used to bring out vibrant flavors without causing the fruit to fall apart. The Stemilt website features enticing recipe ideas, ranging from canning and baking to simply finding a fruit-cheese combo that creates the perfect pear—er—pair.
farm to table
Cheryl Lubbert and Jim Gerlach in their orchard. OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 27
farm to table
Washington Recipes
Better Than the Average Pear Upside Down Pear Cake with Pear Butter, Spiced Meringue and Pear Chips The Lakehouse / BELLEVUE Lauren Scully
MAKES 2 TO 3 9-INCH CAKES FOR CAKE ¾ cup orange juice ¼ cup orange zest 2 cups butter 1⅓ cups sugar 1⅓ cups brown sugar 8 eggs ¼ cup vanilla paste or extract 3¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons salt 2⅔ cups yogurt 8 pears
FOR SPICED MERINGUE 2 egg whites 185 grams or .93 cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of ground clove Pinch of ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom FOR PEAR CHIPS 1 pear ½ cup sugar ½ cup water
FOR CAKE Cream butter and sugars in stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, orange juice, orange zest and vanilla, mixing until just combined. Scrape bowl to make fully homogeneous. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Alternate adding dry ingredients and yogurt into the wet mixture in three batches, until batter is smooth and consistent. Peel, core and halve pears. Line cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper. Arrange pear halves over parchment in desired pattern. Pour batter into cake pans over the pears so pans are ⅔ to ¾ full. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and allow cake to set in fridge or freezer. Once fully chilled, flip upside down to remove from cake pan and peel off parchment paper to serve. FOR SPICED MERINGUE Combine all of the spices and mix. In a standing mixer or by hand, begin whipping egg whites and salt. Once egg whites start to foam, begin adding sugar in three batches. When meringue is shiny and stiff peaks form, add the spices and mix just until combined. FOR PEAR BUTTER Cut off the stems and quarter the pears, keeping the skins and seeds for the pectin. Add all of the
28 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
FOR PEAR BUTTER 4 pounds pears 1 cup apple cider vinegar 2 cups water 4 cups sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon ginger Zest and juice of 1 lemon, zested and juiced
ingredients into a large saucepot and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the pot to simmer and reduce for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn’t burn. Once the liquids have reduced by between half and three-quarters and the pears are soft but not fully denigrated, remove from heat and pass mixture through a food mill or sieve. Blend strained puree in a Vitamix or other blender until a smooth “buttery” puree texture is achieved. Cool before serving. FOR PEAR CHIPS In a small saucepot, combine sugar and water and bring to a boil to dissolve sugar and make a simple syrup. With a mandoline or other slicer, slice thin, vertical slices of the pear. Place on Silpat-lined sheet tray and brush both sides of the pear slices with simple syrup, then cover with another Silpat and weigh down the pears to keep them flat. Bake at 300 degrees for 12 minutes, checking for golden brown coloring. Bake for additional time in 3-minute increments until pears reach their desired color. Chill at room temperature. Place a smear of pear butter on the bottom of the plate, then top with a slice of cake. The meringue can be piped in dots on the plate or served as a dollop next to the cake, with the pear chip sitting on top of the meringue. For added color, fresh pomegranate seeds or some pomegranate juice can be added for garnish.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
farm to table
Soy-Glazed Grilled Pear Salad
Friday Harbor House / FRIDAY HARBOR Jason Aldous SERVES 4 FOR GLAZE 1 tablespoon oil 2½ cups sweet onions, sliced ½ cup demerara sugar (can substitute brown sugar) ¼ cup soy sauce 1½ teaspoons Black Strap molasses FOR PEARS 4 pears 1 tablespoon oil FOR VINAIGRETTE 1 tablespoon sesame oil ¼ cup fresh lime juice ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt FOR SALAD 1 pound arugula ½ cup peanuts, chopped 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped FOR GLAZE Heat a pan over medium-low heat, add oil, then the sliced onions. Stir occasionally until all the onions are deep brown in color. Add the sugar, soy sauce and molasses and bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth (add a splash of water if needed). FOR PEARS Preheat a grill to high. Peel, core and halve the pears, then toss with the oil. Place cut side down on the grill and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until lightly charred. Turn the pears over and lightly char the other side. Brush the pears generously with the soy glaze. Upside Down Pear Cake with Pear Butter, Spiced Meringue and Pear Chips from The Lakehouse.
FOR VINAIGRETTE Combine oils with salt and lime juice. FOR SALAD Put a couple tablespoons of soy glaze on a plate. Place a grilled pear on the glaze. Toss arugula with cilantro and dress to taste with vinaigrette, making sure to shake the vinaigrette to mix. Place dressed greens over the pear and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 29
home + design The family home is a remodeled 1915 Vancouver house.
Handmade Homes
Two Washington artists craft personal visions for their old, neglected houses written by Melissa Dalton
30 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
home + design
FROM LEFT The large space is filled with various plants, patterns and textures. Many of the decorations, including owner Erin Tole’s collection of brass animal figurines, are sourced secondhand.
Photos: Shauna Intelisano
Vancouver: A Photographer Composes A Cozy Nest THE BIG 1915 HOUSE sits up on a hill on a generous corner lot, just steps from downtown Vancouver. As photographer Erin Tole remembered it, when she moved to the neighborhood in 2008 the house looked downtrodden, its window blinds often pulled. There was evidence of a fire on a third-floor balcony. Tole and husband Ryan Phillips, who works in real estate, lived a block away, and couldn’t help but be curious about the house’s contents. “We were always like, I wonder what it looks like inside? Is it nice? Is it terrible?” Tole said. “We would walk by and speculate.” Years later, in 2016, the couple was living in Vancouver’s outer suburbs and contemplating a move back downtown when the mysterious house prompted a change. “We weren’t necessarily looking,” Tole said—but the listing price was too good to pass on. “One day it popped up as ‘just listed’ and we put an offer in sight unseen.” When Tole finally stepped through the front door, the exterior neglect did indeed extend inside. Previous owners had partitioned the house in slapdash ways to eke out space for renters. “My first reaction was, how can we open it up?” said Tole, who acted as general contractor and designer for the ensuing
yearlong remodel. Demolition took months due to layers upon layers of building materials, from the plaster, sheetrock and acoustic tile on the ceilings, to the linoleum pasted atop the CVG Douglas fir floors. Tole describes her aesthetic as “eclectic.” “I don’t follow any rules,” she said. “I just decided to go with my gut on everything.” She installed a backdrop of white-washed walls and warm wood throughout, after sandblasting the original floors, staircase and exposed ceiling joists, which soar 10 feet high. In order to separate living spaces and encourage light to pass through, she framed decorative leaded glass windows in the drywall in choice spots. In the kitchen, a long bank of white cabinets doesn’t visually impose on the couch area, while around the corner, bright blue-green cabinets, a brick tile backsplash and wood shelves suspended on chains are a lovely composition. Patterned tile, vintage textiles, quirky art and warm brass accents, such as Tole’s collection of animal figurines that remind her of her grandmother, layer texture and personality. “Whenever I’m out thrifting, it’s like, no brass animals can be left behind,” Tole joked.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 31
h·o ·c KS
OR
HO P
© Derek Reeves
W
h·o·cWORKSHOP
541 221 5057
ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN
hello@hocworkshop.com
hocworkshop.com
Walla Walla Steak Co.
Experience laid-back luxury in Walla Walla. From savoring world-class wine, craft cocktails, and awardwinning restaurants to enjoying dry powder snow and tree skiing in a family-friendly atmosphere, you can find it all in the Walla Walla Valley.
Plan your next adventure at WallaWalla.org
Ski Bluewood
Fly from Walla Walla and check your first case of wine for free! Learn more at TasteAndTote.com
home + design
Now, that once-derelict house is a warm and inviting family home, where you might find one of the couple’s two children swinging in the hammock strung up in the living room, the two rescue dogs tussling on the floor. String lights shine overhead and clusters of plants flutter from their perches. That previously “blackened shell” of an upstairs balcony is now a cozy spot for enjoying a view of the city. It’s not a mix that was assembled in a single day, but it speaks to how far the house has come. “It’s one of those projects where you can’t step back and look at the whole scope of everything that needs to be done because it’s really overwhelming and disheartening,” Tole said of the home’s transformation. “You just have to put one foot in front of the other.”
Lindy Dodge has always liked to make stuff. This started with the gift of a sewing machine as a child. “I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t sew,” said Dodge, who learned to make clothes first and then as an adult ran businesses making custom headboards and soft goods and importing textiles. That first machine was gifted to Dodge by her mother, who did everything from soapmaking to furniture upholstery, rolemodeling self-sufficiency for her daughter in the process. “My impulse has always been, when I see something I like, to ask, ‘How can I make that?’” Dodge said. She met her match in husband Travis Dodge, who is an engineer and learned building know-how working for his father’s construction company. When the couple saw a 100-year-old fixer-upper in Tacoma for sale in 2014, the fact that it had fallen into disrepair didn’t scare them away from buying, despite holes in the wall patched with duct tape, carpets soiled with pet stains and original woodwork scraped raw. “It was in total disarray, but I saw incredible potential,” Dodge said. The couple tackled the three-floor, 3,000-square-foot home remodel in phases, starting with making the first floor livable. “We started ripping out the carpet the second we got the keys,” Dodge said. Unfortunately, the old wood flooring underneath was too far gone, so they laid down a rich brown engineered hardwood and painted walls a warm white. The couple planned to wait on the kitchen, but “when the rest of the home started becoming this beautiful thing, the kitchen looked even worse,” Dodge said. “We sat down and Travis said, ‘Can you do a kitchen for $500?’” Dodge’s answer: “Absolutely!” They took down the upper cabinets and widened a passthrough for easy sight to the living and dining rooms. Next, they tiled walls in white subway tile and refinished the counters with concrete veneer. They painted cabinets a charcoal hue, added new brass hardware, swapped the sink for a $30 porcelain model found at ReStore, and thrifted a large table for the prep island. Dodge was proudly coming in under budget until they decided to remove the dropped ceiling and coffer it in a treatment similar to the living room.
Photos: Lindy Dodge/@thimbleandcloth
Tacoma: A Potter and Her Husband Shape a 1912 Home for Family Life
FROM TOP The Dodges transformed the kitchen with a thrifted table as a center island and other fixes. To make the first floor livable, the Dodges replaced flooring and painted walls white.
In early 2016, the couple learned they’d be having twin girls, and the house evolved with the family. Phase two of the remodel was initiated in order to partition a large second-floor bedroom into a separate nursery and guest room. “You don’t want those babies coming home to dust,” Dodge said. For the master ensuite, they refinished the clawfoot tub and converted a small room into one big wet room. “Home and the act of creating a home is very meaningful to me,” she said. “I always want my kids to see me making things.” Now, evidence of the couple’s joint creative effort is everywhere in the home, from the ceramic dishware stacked on the kitchen shelves, which Dodge made in her backyard pottery studio, to the bed Travis built after learning how to turn the legs on a lathe. “We’ve really created a home with space for everything that our family loves,” Dodge said. OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 33
home + design
Plants figure in every part of Erin Tole’s Vancouver home, even the kitchen.
DIY: Start a Houseplant Collection photography by Shauna Intelisano
EVERY ROOM IN Erin Tole’s Vancouver home inspires with well-loved houseplants. Here’s a few handy tips for starting your own collection.
requires and place it in a spot in the house that will fulfill those, whether that’s in a bathroom that gets diffuse light or a living room that faces the strong western sun.
1 CHECK THE HEALTH
Before buying a houseplant, scan it for signs of good health. Avoid buying anything with too much dead material or yellow/brown spots—a healthy plant has predominantly green leaves that show it hasn’t been too stressed.
4
Tole’s top tip for keeping plants alive? “You have to care. Just pay attention,” Tole said. Monitor how the plant responds to its location and care. If the leaves are getting crispy, move the plant out of the strong afternoon sun. Stick a finger in the soil and feel for dryness. Don’t overwater, which can also kill.
2 GIVE IT A NEW HOME
Once you bring the plant home, repot it in a new pot, preferably something bigger than its current pot so it has room to grow, and with a drainage hole for water to pass through. Use fresh potting soil, massage the root ball or slash it gently with shears if the roots are compacted. HERE COMES THE SUN
Learn what kind of light conditions the plant 34 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
PAY ATTENTION
5
PURIFY INDOOR AIR
In 2009, a popular TED Talk from Kamal Meattle revealed how three common houseplants placed in specific locations inside the house could measurably clean the indoor air. His findings suggested placing four Areca plants in the living room, six Mother-inLaw Tongues in the bedroom, and a Money Tree where necessary.
home + design
Stylish Boho Home Accents Get the eclectic look of these remodeled homes
Made of solid wood 13 inches in diameter, this Round Cutting Board with Leather Handle from the Portlandbased woodworker Narwhal Mfg. serves up form and function. Use it to chop kale for your morning smoothie, display the perfect charcuterie board for guests, or just hang it from a hook on the wall with the chic integrated leather loop. www.narwhalmfg.com
Décor need not always be serious. Add a little quirk to your living room scheme with the ceramic Tiny Fox Creature. The figurines are sculpted by Portland outfit Bang Bang Crafts from local clay and hand-painted, ensuring a one-of-a-kind pick. www.tenderlovingempire.com
The Apollo Lamp from Lume Home combines hand-turned wood accents with an artful porcelain body and is available in two different colorways. The matte black design uses the Sgraffito technique, wherein the artist scratches the design into a top layer to reveal a contrasting color beneath. www.lumehome.com OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 35
mind + body
Speaking Through Sport Multi-sport athlete Benjamin Kennish uses Special Olympics to share his mind written by Hannah Doyle | photography by Jim Meyers
BETWEEN PUSHING 40, working full-time for the City of Seattle, and having a right arm he can’t use due to prenatal stroke, there are plenty of acceptable excuses for Ben Kennish not to be active. Kennish doesn’t make any of those excuses. In fact, he’s a multi-hyphenate athlete. Kennish has competed with the Special Olympics for thirtytwo years, playing flag football, softball, track, basketball and frankly, any sport he can access. “Special Olympics can’t get me to go away,” Kennish joked. “The community means a lot to me because I’ve been playing for so long.” Most recently, Kennish won a silver medal in unified flag football, representing Federal Way at last year’s Special Olympics held in Seattle. He currently lives in Auburn, but considers Federal Way home. “I love competing because you get to show your skills to everybody who has questions or anyone who has said anything negative about you and prove them wrong,” he said. In softball, he uses his left arm for catching and throwing. In flag football, he orients his body in a way to catch the ball one-handed. Each sport brings new challenges, and Kennish welcomes them with an open heart. “I’m the type of guy who puts my heart on my sleeve and lets everybody see it through playing sports,” he said. “Special Olympics lets me be myself and let my love out in different ways, or let my frustration out in different ways.” 36 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
Life has brought its own adversity, including trouble with a past job. “I used to get discriminated (against) a lot at work, but I let it brush off my shoulders. I take that energy and I try to do better in sports,” he said. He credits his coping technique to his coach, Sharon Boyle, who’s been with Special Olympics for longer than Kennish— thirty-seven years. “Sharon has taught me that if someone is starting to be discriminating towards me, even though it gets to me, don’t let it show, but let it out in sports, and it’s helped me a lot,” he said. Building character is a primary focus of Special Olympics, which has grown significantly since Kennish and Boyle started in the 1980s. Between 2011 and 2016, athlete participation has grown 23 percent to 4.9 million. “Special Olympics taught me to keep an open mind and to not be so judgmental about people’s disabilities. To give a helping hand when needed, and to always show good sportsmanship,” Kennish said. He hopes his lifelong participation gives inspiration to those who might have similar disabilities. “Special Olympics is a getaway. It’s one of those things that you can go to without judgment. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, just give it your best.” OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Ben Kennish
Special Olympics Athlete Age: 39 Hometown: Federal Way Residence: Auburn
NUTRITION “In addition to striving for a balanced diet with a good amount of vegetables, I try to drink healthy smoothies with different berries. I always go to Emerald Smoothie and get the Berry Berry or PB&J.”
WORKOUT “I recently bought myself a home gym. I’m trying to get into it and lift weights to get where I need to be to prepare for the fall season. I also go on nightly walks to get my endurance up and cycle on the exercise bike.”
INSPIRATION “Ken Griffey Jr. is my favorite baseball player and I met him after he broke his wrist with the Mariners. He said no matter what you do, it doesn’t matter the score, it’s that you have fun. I’m going on thirty-two years in Special Olympics. I’m not getting paid for it like the professionals, but I’m still coming back because I’m having fun. I’m meeting new people and putting myself out on a limb so people can see what I do and try to get to know me for who I am, not just in sports but as a person.”
mind + body Ben Kennish has been involved in Special Olympics for decades.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 37
artist in residence
Nikki Frumkin painted “Shuksan Lighting the New Year” during a ski tour on New Year’s Eve.
Art With Altitude
Nikki Frumkin is drawn to high places written by Alisha McDarris
VIBRANT HUES SWIRL over the page. Robin’s egg blues and sunflower yellows practically dance across the paper. Splatters of white punctuate the deep amethyst of the sky—the Milky Way shimmering above the earth. In the foreground, green hills seem to roll into infinity. In the background, rose and lavender mountains stand bright against the sky. It’s a picture-perfect landscape, an enchanting view of not only the majestic Cascades, but the wonder and beauty they embody, which is exactly what artist Nikki Frumkin is trying to accomplish.
38 1889 WASHINGTONS’S MAGAZINE OCTOBER | NOVEMBER
2019
For her, landscapes are about more than a pretty picture— they’re about capturing the very essence of Washington’s wild places, the feelings of peace they invoke and the sense of accomplishment after the hardship of the summit. But she can only capture that essence out where the magic is, in the mountains she loves—not in a temperature-controlled studio in her Seattle home. She starts by packing brushes, pens and markers, a watercolor palette—perhaps the one her grandmother gave her many years ago—and one sheet of paper into her backpack. Then she hikes. Up the Picket Range, Forbidden Peak, or Eldorado, where she exchanged wedding vows over the summer. When she stops to eat or set up camp for the night, MORE ONLINE that’s when the watercolors appear. She unfurls Find Nikki Frumkin’s the paper, and the endeavor begins as she dips work at www.drawn tohighplaces.com her brushes and sets them to work capturing and on Instagram more than the view—the mood and the feeling @drawntohighplaces. of the place. The result is whimsical works of art alive with movement and full of the feeling that only the mountains can conjure. They are pen-and-ink watercolors so imbued with color, life and energy that anyone even flirting with the great outdoors can’t help but fall head over heels. “The paintings capture what it feels like to see the magic of the Cascades for the very first time,” Frumkin said. “They capture what it feels like to be there.” But it wasn’t alpine art she had in mind when she graduated with degrees in drawing and painting and art education from SUNY-New Paltz in the Hudson Valley. She lived in New York and painted landscapes, but in oils, and not in the outdoors. And while she had always considered herself an artist, even in childhood, it wasn’t until she moved to Seattle in 2012 that she started experimenting with watercolors, which she found more whimsical and better at capturing the light in this new, magical region. She also found the mountains. She gazed up at Mount Rainier and the rugged North Cascades and wondered if she had found a new love that rivaled even painting. On a backpacking trip in 2014, while brainstorming ways to kill the long hours of darkness between sunset and bedtime, she realized she could combine her passions. She decided to bring a palette of watercolors with her, and has done so on every hike since. Creating art in remote areas comes with its own set of difficulties. While the equipment she carries is minimal, it’s the elements she must often contend with. “In the winter it’s cold. You can’t feel your hands,” Frumkin said. That means she’s often gripping a brush with a hand clad in puffy mittens. Her water freezes, wind ruffles the twin-bedsized sheets of paper she sometimes brings along, and dirt occasionally punctuates her landscapes. But Frumkin perseveres. “All those dings and dirt, they help tell the story of the adventure,” she said. Occasionally, the chaos of the wilderness adds something magical to the finished product. This winter, when Frumkin
Shawn Murphy
artist in residence
FROM TOP Nikki Frumkin works on a painting at Prusik Peak in the Central Cascades. “Stuart from Ingalls” is a painting of Mount Stuart from Lake Ingalls.
forgot the vodka she frequently uses in place of water to prevent freezing, the very surface of her painting froze, creating ice crystals that perfectly resembled the frozen alpine lake before her. “It was such a beautiful collaboration with Mother Nature,” Frumkin remembered. “These challenges usually end up bringing something really magical to the process.” Back in Seattle, she displays her art at local galleries and coffee shops around the city. She showcases it on Instagram and her fellow climbers and mountaineers are frequently inspired by her interpretations of the mountains she loves. “I love that the mountains make you feel like anything is possible,” Frumkin said. “They remind me that I’m creative, strong, adventurous and alive.” OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 39
STARTUP 42 WHAT’S GOING UP 44 WHAT I’M WORKING ON 46 MY WORKSPACE 48
pg. 48 Chris Wood’s Tesla Winery Tours in Walla Walla mean sipping in style.
Greg Lehman
GAME CHANGER 50
Read between the vines. Introducing the
Gonzaga Wine Institute Featuring a suite of academic programming related to the business, management and legal aspects of the wine industry. — Certificate Program and online courses offering advancement and client development opportunities to business professionals, lawyers, and others seeking expertise in the wine industry — On-location, immersion experiences at wineries in the United States and abroad
www.gonzaga.edu/law/gonzaga-wine-institute
startup
Now On Tap
HEATHEN BREWING
How innovation helped elevate Clark County’s craft beer scene written by Matt Wastradowski | illustrated by Allison Bye SOME 150 YEARS AGO, Vancouver was a regional hotbed of craft beer. Henry Weinhard entered the beer market by investing in a Vancouver brewery in 1859, and Lucky Lager traces its roots to a downtown brewery that opened in the 1860s. But for all its early success, Vancouver was a late arrival to the modern-day craft beer movement: As recently as 2012, Clark County patrons had few options for drinking locally brewed beers, the region overshadowed by a burgeoning beer scene in nearby Portland, Oregon. But a handful of craft breweries opened in Clark County that year, igniting a craft beer boom that shows little sign of slowing seven years later. Today, roughly two dozen breweries serve thirsty patrons throughout the county. That popularity has created a pivotal moment for three of the area’s best-known breweries. Whether perfecting particular styles or trying to reach new audiences, these startups are placing bets on the future of craft beer in Clark County—and looking to stand out on tap lists throughout the region. 42 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Putting Its Spin on Sours When craft beer fans walk into Heathen Brewing’s pub in downtown Vancouver, they’ll find roughly thirty housemade beers spanning a variety of styles. But they’ll also find about ten of the brewery’s own sour beers—perhaps the largest collection of sours in any one taproom throughout Clark County. “The sour beer is what we hang our hat on,” said Heathen founder and owner Sunny Parsons. “It may not be a majority of our production, but it’s the most challenging and creative beer we make. We have a lot of fun with the different fruits and what kind of profile you can create from those ingredients.” Nate Froehlich, Heathen’s head brewer, is especially fond of brewing sours that use two fruits, rather than the single-fruit varieties that are a hallmark of the style. He also enjoys brewing cocktail-inspired sours. Heathen’s mojito sour, first tapped in 2014, evokes the popular highball—and is among the brewery’s most popular beers. Froehlich said that creativity lets Heathen remain apace in a crowded scene—and zig where other breweries might zag. “A lot of breweries are deciding what hops to add to this beer or what fruit to add to that beer, and it can be strenuous,” he said. “But to keep ourselves current and relevant, we have to venture into those things.”
startup
TRAP DOOR BREWING
GRAINS OF WRATH BREWERY & RESTAURANT
Finding Trends Before They’re Trends
Shining a Spotlight on Lagers
When Great Notion Brewing opened in January 2016 in Portland, Oregon, it did so with a hazy New England IPA—a style almost no one had seen in Portland to that point. Juice Jr. soon became Great Notion’s best-known beer and helped launch the “haze craze” throughout the Pacific Northwest. Zane Singleton, head brewer and co-owner of Vancouver’s Trap Door Brewing, was an early fan of the unusual style—so he started brewing hazy IPAs himself in late 2016, just one year after Trap Door opened near downtown Vancouver. By the time hazy IPAs went from curiosity to full-blown craze in 2017, Singleton had already brewed ten or so batches—and dialed in the recipe that would become Glowed Up, the brewery’s best-selling beer. “We got into it pretty early, allowing us to brew as much of it as we could, make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes,” Singleton said. Glowed Up earned a gold medal for juicy or hazy IPAs at the 2019 Washington Beer Awards, a competition featuring more than 1,400 beers from nearly 200 Washingtonbased breweries, and is one of several hazy IPAs routinely in the brewery’s lineup.
Grains of Wrath Brewery & Restaurant co-founder Mike Hunsaker knows that IPAs rule the craft beer market in the Pacific Northwest. But when Grains of Wrath opened its doors in Camas in March 2018, Hunsaker saw an opportunity to showcase his love for a less-heralded style—lagers. “Those are nuanced beers, those are beers of finesse,” he said. “We take pride in our lagers, because you really have to be on the ball to make a good one.” Hunsaker started homebrewing nearly twenty years ago and was drawn to the intricate process in brewing lagers— finding the right bitterness profile, dialing in balanced malt flavors, getting the hops right, and storing the beer for long enough. “It’s that entire length of process that creates a good, quality lager,” he said. Hunsaker made lagers a key component of the Grains of Wrath tap list from the get-go, and his work isn’t going unnoticed. His Vienna-style lager won a gold medal at the 2019 Washington Beer Awards and a bronze medal at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival—the largest beer festival in the United States—and his Luger Pilsner earned a bronze medal at the 2019 Washington Beer Awards. OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 43
what’s going up?
Big Business Huge new facilities will soon be making their homes in Spokane and Seattle written by Sheila G. Miller IF BIGGER IS BETTER, you’re going to want to check out Expedia’s new campus in Seattle and Spokane’s new Amazon fulfillment center. Expedia announced it would move its headquarters from Bellevue to a Seattle waterfront location back in 2015. Now, the $900 million facility is a reality. Beginning this month, 4,500 Expedia employees will move in a couple hundred at a time until all are on site in the Interbay neighborhood, according to GeekWire. The 40-acre campus features something called “biophilic design,” which according to GeekWire seeks to connect people and nature. That means water and mountain views as well as open office space and outdoor spaces and an amphitheater. There is also expected to be a mixed-use building in the middle of the campus called The Prow. Across the state, another big company is making a splash. Amazon expects to open a massive fulfillment center in the West Plains area of Spokane this month. The four-story building, on an 80-acre parcel of land, is about 2.5 million square feet and cost upwards of $181 million to build, according to The Spokesman-Review. About 1,500 people are expected to work at the center. 44 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE OCTOBER | NOVEMBER
2019
FROM TOP Expedia’s 40-acre campus features a huge atrium for gatherings. About 4,500 employees will work on site at the Seattle campus.
Interactive mural by artist Alice Blaschke. Title: Buteo Jamaicensis, Red-Tailed Hawk For more murals visit corvallismurals.com.
Undiscovered trails. Undiscovered innovation. Undiscovered tastes.
Undiscovered
visitcorvallis.com/art
800.334.8118
Stumble upon fascinating public sculptures and dozens of colorful murals. Wander through a gallery or museum. Catch a show or concert. Come visit Corvallis and discover what you’ve been missing.
Missed
Take YOUR Time. More than half of all Americans are leaving some of their PTO days unused. Scientific evidence shows that using your paid time off (PTO) is good for your health and wellness. Take YOUR Time on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula. #TakeYourTime
VisitLongBeachPeninsula.com Photo by Sarah Day
what i’m working on
Wild, Wild Northwest Langdon Cook shares tales of eating off grid interview and photography by Jennifer Burns Bright
FOR JAMES BEARD AWARD-nominated wild foods writer and educator Langdon Cook, nature sets the table. After leaving Amazon as a senior editor in 2004, he started documenting his passion for the culinary delights of the outdoors. He has since written several books, including Upstream: Searching for Wild Salmon, from River to Table (2017), which addressed the declining wild salmon population; The Mushroom Hunters: On the Trail of an Underground America, winner of the 2014 Pacific Northwest Book Award; and Fat of the Land: Adventures of a 21st Century Forager (2009). He teaches foraging and cooking classes in and near Seattle, and writes for numerous publications. How did you get into foraging? Through backpacking! If you’re 10 miles from the trailhead, I realized you can forage around the campsite and make your freeze-dried “astronaut food” a lot more interesting. What’s appealing about wild foods education? As a society, we’re fairly disconnected from the natural world. I want to renew those connections with all kinds of people: school kids, dot-commers, private companies, even ice cream professionals. I take them out into the woods on a new flavor mission. But most wild foods are surprisingly familiar. I harvest weeds right out the back door—stinging nettles,
Langdon Cook, left, discusses oyster habitat at his shellfish workshop at Sound Fresh Seafood, on Little Skookum Inlet, with owner John Adams, right.
dandelions, lamb’s quarters. Weeds make great entry-level foraging, plus they can be very nutritious and full of phytonutrients. Any cool projects lately? I recently filmed an episode of the webcast “Kitchen Unnecessary.” I took the host, Ashley Rodriguez, on a morel hunt in a burn in Central Washington. It was exciting to hear that the episode was recently nominated for a James Beard award. And I’m continuing to teach foraging and shellfish gathering classes. Did your most recent book, Upstream, allow you to reach different audiences?
It did! Upstream imagined its audience as those on the other side of the aisle from my position. Storytelling is the best way to reach people in these polarized times. I tried to craft well-rounded characters to tell the tale, and as a result of that, the book’s audience became more diversified. I usually don’t get many challengers at book events, but I definitely heard some diverging opinions on this one. These are difficult issues, and the conclusions I might differ with, but their personal experience is real. It helps to approach with empathy. MORE ONLINE
For more information or upcoming events and classes, head to www.langdoncook.com
“As a society, we’re fairly disconnected from the natural world. I want to renew those connections with all kinds of people: school kids, dot-commers, private companies, even ice cream professionals. I take them out into the woods on a new flavor mission.” — Langdon Cook, wild foods writer and educator 46 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Olympic National Park & Forest
Three fall destinations to help restore your senses
Sol Duc Hot Springs & Springs Restaurant
Lake Quinault Lodge & Roosevelt Dining Room
Lake Crescent Lodge & Lakefront Dining Room
Restore your senses at our lowest fall rates visit www.olympicnationalparks.com or call 888-896-3818
Lake Crescent Lodge & Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, are managed by Aramark, an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service. Lake Quinault Lodge is managed by Aramark, an authorized concessioner of the U.S. Forest Service.
my workspace
My Workspace
Tasting By Tesla Chris Wood brings energy efficiency and expertise to wine-tasting tours written by Cara Strickland photography by Greg Lehman
It’s his hands-on wine experience that Wood feels sets his company apart among winery tours. Well, that and the Tesla, which will quietly glide through the grapevines at surprising speeds, saving energy and sleek with its gullwing vertical doors. If you’re lucky, Wood might make them dance for you.
48 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE OCTOBER | NOVEMBER
2019
Chris Wood often starts his day driving a Tesla Model X 90D through Walla Walla wine country. Wood assumed full ownership of his company, Tesla Winery Tours, in 2017, but he started out in the wine industry—working in a tasting room in college before experiencing many aspects of the industry as a manager at family-owned winery L’Ecole No. 41.
my workspace
Though the car is fun, it’s the wine and the land that Wood is most excited to share with clients. “It’s important to walk away with a better understanding of Walla Walla once you’ve visited here, rather than to simply taste wine with no direct guidance,” he said. “I worked in all corners of the winery, from driving a forklift to running the shipping department and pouring wine. This allows me to be a knowledgeable and well-rounded guide who educates as well as entertains.”
Beyond the Tesla, Wood can hook you up with an electric bike for another energy-efficient touring option.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 49
game changer
Giving Girls Their Days Back Bellingham nonprofit brings feminine hygiene to all written by Lauren Kramer THERE’S A BARELY noticeable office in Bellingham where a small group of staff and volunteers engage in crucial work that makes a huge difference to women and families all over the world. Their work— making and distributing reusable sanitary pad kits to women who previously used cardboard, leaves and other unsanitary methods to deal with their monthly menstrual cycle. Under the guidance of Celeste Mergens, founder of Days for Girls, this group liaises with volunteers and enterprises all over the world, ensuring kit recipients receive not only the pads, but also education about their menstrual cycles, puberty, intercourse, germs, sex trafficking, sexually transmitted infections, the right to say no, and even self-defense. In ten short years, the kits have reached 1 million women in 127 nations on six continents. Mergens, a Conway resident, made many trips to Kenya through her work with the Clay Foundation beginning in early 2000. In 2008, while visiting an orphanage, she wondered out loud: “What are these girls doing for feminine hygiene?” The answer, “nothing,” would change the course of her life. “Girls would literally sit on a piece of cardboard for days, missing time at school due to a lack of education and supplies,” she explained. Mergens was determined to change that, and over the next few months began providing supplies. Initially those supplies were disposable products, but the cost of sanitary pads, coupled with the lack of facilities to dispose of them correctly, made this solution ineffective. She couldn’t send money, either. “I knew if they had to use the money for food or for feminine hygiene, they’d choose food,” she said. On November 1, 2008, Days for Girls was officially created and volunteer seamstresses in Whatcom County began creating reusable pads in bright colors and 50 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
patterns. The pads require minimal resources to clean, dry quickly and can be layered for added absorbency. They are designed such that users would never be embarrassed to carry them or dry them on a line outside their homes—no one would be able to identify them as sanitary pads. Mergens recalls her first distribution of the kits and the responses she received. “The girls were so happy,” she said. “They said that before receiving our kits they were being sexually exploited in exchange for a single sanitary pad.” Over the months that followed, Days for Girls multiplied, and today there are more than 1,000 chapters worldwide that replicate the kits made in Whatcom County, distributing those kits and educating the recipients about their health. There are also small businesses that employ women to sew kits in various countries and get paid for their work. Communities that can afford the cost purchase them. For those that cannot pay, Days for Girls purchases the kits from the enterprises manufacturing them and arranges for their distribution. Days for Girls has an annual budget of $1.75 million and relies on corporate sponsors, family foundations, grassroots donors and the occasional prize money—such as the $50,000 AARP Purpose Prize Mergens won in 2017. On its ten-year anniversary in November 2018, Days for Girls kits reached 104,000 girls in twenty-eight days. “The demand for kits is expanding all the time, and so is our response,” she said. “More resources are needed.” Mergens, a mother of six, rises at 4:30 a.m. daily, eager to get to work. “There are so many things in this world that are unsolvable, but this is not one of them,” she said. “It’s a game changer, and who would’ve guessed? Certainly not me. I’m so glad to be a part of it because Days for Girls changes lives. It gives girls their days back.”
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
game changer
“There are so many things in this world that are unsolvable, but this is not one of them.” — Celeste Mergens, Days for Girls founder and CEO
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 51
CHEERED CELEBRATE OKTOBERFEST BELLINGHAM-STYLE with craft breweries, cider houses, distilleries, wineries and trails to epic views.
@BellinghamExperience
bellingham.org
Holiday
Gift Guide written by 1889 Washington’s Magazine staff photography by Whitney Whitehouse Every year, Statehood Media searches high and low for Washington’s best gifts. We sample candy, play with toys, try on shirts. The result? Our gift guide, full of the perfect presents for everyone on your list, from the reclusive reader to the social animal. Bonus—all of these gifts are from Washington companies doing business in your cities. Happy holidays from your team at Statehood Media.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 53
The Ivory Gull 18x10 pillow
www.etsy.com/shop/TheIvoryGull $38-58
Aera Smart Diffuser
www.aeraforhome.com $200 (fragrances $50 each)
Olympic Candle Co. Natural Wonders travel tin & BLUE apothecary jar www.olympiccandle.com $15-20 each
Plover Organic gray squares table napkin www.ploverorganic.com $25 for set of four
M Bueno Pottery honey jar www.etsy.com/shop/ mbuenopottery $33
Pyro Planters standard single planter www.pyroplanters.com $15
M Bueno Pottery berry colander www.etsy.com/shop/ mbuenopottery $33
8 Roaming Roots Mt. Hood wood tray www.roamingroots.co $75
The Ivory Gull 20x20 pillow
www.etsy.com/shop/ theivorygull $54-79
The
Homebody
Winterwoods Tea Company Pilgrimage to Eternity Northwest Berry & Winter by Timothy Egan Solstice loose leaf teas www.elliottbaybook.com www.winterwoodstea company.com $11.99 each
$28
Deep River by Karl Marlantes
www.elliottbaybook.com $30
The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister
www.elliottbaybook.com $26.99
Become America by Eric Liu
www.elliottbaybook.com $24.95
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
www.elliottbaybook.com $27
Book picks courtesy of Elliott Bay Book Company
Uncharted by Kim Brown Seely
Is, Is Not by Tess Gallagher www.elliottbaybook.com $16
www.elliottbaybook.com $24.95
Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang
www.elliottbaybook.com $25.95
The Breath of a Whale by Leigh Calvez www.elliottbaybook.com $19.95
Potluck Press lumberjack tote bag
www.potluckpress.com $20
The
Bookworm
The
Entertainer
Old Town Delights caramels
Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables cookbook
Firefly Kitchens ferment-infused sea salt
Fran’s Chocolate 20-piece assortment
Chukar Cherries Quartet Classic Tin
The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook
Mustard and Co. sweet hot & black truffle mustards
Scrappy’s Bitters in cardamom
Spiceology Ultimate Rub Collection
Copperworks Distilling Release no. 022 American single-malt whiskey
www.oldtowndelights.com $12.99
www.elliottbaybook.com $35
www.elliottbaybook.com $27.95
www.mustardandco.com $5-7 each
Fresh & Fermented cookbook
Firefly Kitchens kimchi www.fireflykitchens.com $50 for four-pack
www.elliottbaybook.com $24.95
www.fireflykitchens.com $38 for three-pack
www.scrappysbitters.com $26.50
www.frans.com $35
www.spiceology.com $60
Pattern & Posy reusable cocktail napkins www.etsy.com/shop/ patternandposy $43 for a set of four
www.chukarcherries.com $35.95
www.copperworksdistilling.com $75
BLK PINE Workshop simple canvas backpack www.blkpineworkshop.com $96
Kavu Beber Belt www.kavu.com $30
Staheekum Country slippers
www.washingtonshoeco.com $60
Botton key holder www.thebotton.com $20
Ebbets Field Flannels Seattle Rainiers 1955 white T-shirt www.ebbets.com $32
Ebbets Field Flannels Seattle Rainiers vintage ballcap
Moment phone lens starter set www.shopmoment.com $175
www.ebbets.com $49
TogetherMade leather travel cribbage board www.togethermade.com $50
The
Man's Man
Nordymade ear jackets & SONA “happy” walnut necklace www.nordymade.com $30 & $60
Malicious Women Candle Co. Holiday Family Gatherings & Boss Lady candles
Veque vegan nail polish in Undressed, Prête & Ristretto www.veque.com $18 each
www.maliciouswomenco.com $20 each
Teddi Joelle signature clutch
Bicycle Soap Co. peppermint rose shea butter soap
Wish You Were Northwest NRTHWST sweatshirt
www.wishyouwerenorthwest.com $64
www.bicyclesoapco.com $10
Botton half-zip wallet www.thebotton.com $70
www.teddijoelle.com $225
H is For Love Pollen Illuminating Mist www.hforlove.com $50
Grace Gow angel wing necklace www.gracegow.com $190
BLK PINE Workshop tight knit pom pom beanie www.blkpineworkshop.com $26
Immortal Perfumes Voodoo Queen & Persephone perfume oils www.immortalperfumes.com $30 each
Kari Gran Jeannie Lip Whip
Britta Ambauen evolution earrings
www.karigran.com $24
www.brittaambauen.com $58
The
Gal’s Gal
GoLight Rebound Hoody (men’s shown) www.golite.com $124
TravelChair C-Series Joey in buffalo plaid www.travelchair.com $79.95
GSI Outdoors Gourmet Kitchen Set 11 www.gsioutdoors.com $39.95
GearAid Tenacious Tape mini patches www.gearaid.com $4.95 each
Seattle Sports Co. LocoDry Splash backpack www.seattlesportsco.com $134.95
The
Explorer
Seattle Sports Co. FireBottle solar lantern water bottle www.seattlesportsco.com $27.95
Nomadix mud cloth towel www.nomadix.co $39.95
Lumio Designs light-up glasses
www.lumiodesigns.com $19.95 each
Final Straw 2.0 reusable collapsible straw & case www.finalstraw.com $24.50
Knotty Tiger Jr. roller ball www.tigertail.com $14.95
Tiger Tail Classic 18-inch massage stick www.tigertail.com $34.95
Slow Loris Studio salmon, crab & sprite trailer stickers www.slowlorisstudio.com $4.99 each
Stocking Stuffers
󜀾
Giving Back Maybe the perfect gift for the person who has everything is a donation to a nonprofit helping make your community a better place. Here are five of our favorites. Washington Environmental Council, Seattle www.wecprotects.org
OneAmerica, Seattle
www.weareoneamerica.org
Northwest Harvest, Seattle www.northwestharvest.org
Salish Center for Sustainable Fishing Methods, Lummi Island www.salishcenter.org
Spring of Hope International, Spokane www.springofhope.org
Sharing Heritage Washington is home to dozens of native tribes— learn more about their history at these museums written by Lauren Kramer
On Blake Island, Argosy Cruises guides visitors along trails and provides information about the Native American experience.
68 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
WASHINGTON IS HOME to twenty-nine federally recognized native tribes, each a distinct community with rich traditions, cultural practices and history scarred by interactions with Western civilization. Chances are you’ve zipped past their casinos on the highway, rolled their unusual names across your tongue and perhaps wondered about their legacies and what the lives of their members look like today. There are only a handful of venues where that information is readily available, establishments that celebrate what it means to be Native American and pay tribute to their ancestors. These are our three top picks in Washington’s northwest corner.
Ernie Sapiro
Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve The Tulalip tribe’s large museum, minutes from I-5 and the Seattle Premium Outlets, was established in 2011 to offer visitors and tribal members insight into the tribe’s cultural traditions, both its past and present. There are three segments to the center. The first focuses on the tribe’s early hunter-gatherer existence
influence from students. In a haunting black and white photograph of one school, children as young as 5 stare back at the camera, their faces etched with sadness. “The battle to demolish our culture was waged on our children in the classrooms of the boarding schools,” reads the exhibit. The final room in the center is a little more uplifting in its focus on the Tulalip tribes’ economic success today. In the years since it was granted sovereignty as a “nation within a nation,” the tribes established the Quil Ceda Village economic development zone, a vicinity that encompasses a large casino and hotel and the outlets. The revenue has funded health care, education, senior housing, law enforcement and a complete infrastructure for tribal members. The Lushootseed language is being revitalized and tribal children are once again exposed to traditional storytelling, history and cultural traditions. “There is strength and dignity during these cultural moments, which reflect our heritage and our ancestral ways,” said Lena Jones, the center’s education curator. Hibulb delivers the context so visitors can appreciate what this means, given the challenges that have shaken the bedrock of Tulalip existence since the 1800s.
When You Go Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday Admission: $6-$10, free on the first Thursday of each month 360.716.2600 www.hibulbculturalcenter.org
70 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Courtesy of Suquamish Museum
prior to the 1850s. Composed of descendants of the Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish and other allied tribes and bands, the Tulalip people were primarily coastal. Their diet consisted of salmon and shellfish and berries and plants harvested from the forests. An innovative exhibit on the cedar tree shows how its bark and wood were used to create tools, baskets, bowls, carvings, medicinal remedies and even rainproof apparel. This exhibit reveals the extent to which the tribe lived off the land, taking only what was absolutely necessary and treating the environment with respect and gratitude for the sustenance it provided. The second room in the museum is much more sobering in its discussion of how life changed for the tribe after contact with white settlers. The settlers brought with them diseases such as smallpox, which decimated Native American populations. The Point Elliott Treaty, signed between tribal leaders and the Federal Government in 1855, had even more devastating consequences. The treaty moved the tribes to reservations so that white settlers could colonize their ancestral land. In exchange, they were promised fishing and hunting rights on the reservations, education for their children, health care and money. Many of the promises were not fulfilled, however, and overall, the treaty would wreak havoc on tribal culture and tradition over the next eighty years. Children were sent to boarding schools to “civilize” them. Prevented from speaking their Lushootseed language and practicing their traditions, the schools tried to remove any and all native
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Lena and Clara Siddle at the Tulalip Indian School in 1912. At the Hibulb Cultural Center, exhibits highlight the past and present.
Argosy Cruises was intent on taking the Native American experience out of the museum when it created an excursion to the Tillicum Longhouse on Blake Island. The four-hour trip, deeply pleasure- and foodfocused, takes guests to the birthplace of Chief Sealth, the leader after whom the city of Seattle was named. An 8-mile scenic boat ride from Pier 55, Blake Island is a 500-acre state park where visitors can camp, hike and explore. For those on an Argosy Cruise, it offers a
Suquamish Museum Located on Bainbridge Island, the Suquamish Museum was built in 1980, making it one of the oldest Native American museums in the western United States. Designed to resemble a longhouse, it’s a repository of history, legend and tribal ways for Suquamish members and visitors. Perhaps its most interesting feature is a historical timeline of events from the 1700s, located in the museum’s main hall. This delivers concentrated information on precise historical dates and the changes they earmarked for the Suquamish Tribe. For example, before contact with white settlers in 1792, the native population along the Salish Sea, which included Suquamish, numbered
dancers deliver an authentic snapshot of indigenous beliefs. “I’m trying to communicate history, knowledge and a basic understanding of native culture to the audience,” he explained. “My goal is for our audience to realize that we’re still here.” After the performance, dancers interact with members of the audience, explaining their native regalia, their masks and the history behind their dances.
200,000. By 1855, numbers had dwindled to just 8,000. The Suquamish boasted the largest longhouse on the Salish Sea, located on the shores of Agate Passage. Known as Old Man House, it was home to Chief Sealth, who established a reputation as a friend and ally of the settlers. In so doing, he estranged himself from his own people, many of whom did not support the friendship. After the Point Elliott Treaty in 1855 the Federal Government allotted homesteads to Suquamish native families on the Port Madison Indian Reservation with the expectation that they would clear the thickly forested land and establish farms. The idea was not appealing and many chose to stay at Old Man House. But by 1872, intent on discouraging the communal lifestyle of tribal members, the federal government ordered Old Man House to be burned
to the ground. To add insult to injury, a few years later much of the land the government had allotted was confiscated from Native Americans and sold after the Non-Competent Indian Act came into being. Robert Purser, a Suquamish Museum tour guide, led me to one display. “This exhibit has artifacts about our faith and beliefs,” he explained, pointing to ceremonial masks. “Until the 1970s it was illegal for Native Americans to even practice our faith and beliefs.” Later, we walked over to the nearby ceremony to visit the gravesite of Chief Sealth, where a large tombstone sandwiched between two house posts reminiscent of Old Man House is strewn with candles, flowers and rocks left behind by visitors. The chief, laid to rest in 1866, had discouraged his people from fighting with white settlers. “He knew if we attacked the city of Seattle it would be the end of us,” Purser
Ernie Sapiro
Tillicum Village and Longhouse
brief introduction to the Native American diet, legends and tribal dances. Built in the 1960s, Tillicum Village is made up of a massive, decorative longhouse replica that can accommodate up to 350 guests at a time. Here they feast on a buffet meal comprised of fire-roasted salmon, beef stew, salads and polenta. During dinner, actors and dancers take to the large stage to perform a Lummi dance honoring the legend of Bigfoot and other Coast Salish dances signifying the value of water and the role of ancestors. It’s the job of Frank Maher, Argosy’s cultural coordinator and a member of the Makah and Tsimshiam tribes, to ensure the
When You Go Argosy Tillicum Excursions Availability: April through September Price: $36 to $92
FROM TOP Blake Island is home to the Tillicum Village. On the excursion, visitors enjoy traditions, dance and other cultural demonstrations.
206.623.1445 www.argosycruises.com
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
said. “He sacrificed the love of his people for their survival.” Though only 11 percent of its members continue to live in Suquamish, the Suquamish have indeed survived, and thanks to the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort, economic activity is thriving. The past is the past, but the damage done to the Suquamish and other tribes is irreversible and continues to reverberate. The Hibulb and Suquamish museums offer a snapshot of what happened, how tribal life changed and how each tribe is trying to recover lost languages, traditions and ways of life to move the next generation confidently into the future.
When You Go Suquamish Museum Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Admission: $3-$5 360.394.8499 www.suquamishmuseum.org
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 71
Artists work on their murals during Pacific NW Chalk Fest in Redmond.
72 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
ART IN THE STREETS photography by Alex Garland STARTED IN 2017, the Pacific NW Chalk Fest transforms Redmond Town Center each year, with chalk artists from around the world gathering to create masterpieces right on the street. Over three days in August, the artists work on their pieces—some bold, some subtle, all beautiful. While the artists’ works eventually wash away, their skills leave a lasting impression.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 73
74 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT A piece of chalk art at Pacific NW Chalk Fest. Sharyn Chan, from California, has been a chalk artist for eighteen years. “I first started out doing a bunch of animals because I love animals,” she said. “Plus, you don’t have to do them as accurately as people, because people can’t really tell. After a while I thought I really needed to do people. I’m a dancer, so I focused on dancers. They have good, clean lines, muscles, all that stuff, and I started with female dancers. I started with a flamenco dancer and a betta fish. That’s how I got to the animal/dancer part. This one is a little more unusal.” Gabrielle Abbott, a full-time muralist and painter based in Seattle, works on her “Blue Madonna” piece at the festival. She started doing chalk art while living in Florence, Italy, in her early 20s. “That’s where I first saw people doing chalk art and was fascinated,” she said. “I traveled around Europe for years as a nomadic chalk artist.”
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 75
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT This take on Godzilla vs. King Kong was created by Wayne and Cheryl Renshaw, from Santa Clara, California. “We gave some friends of ours, Andrea and Mia, the hand puppets, sat them down on the back porch, and they started going at each other and had a good time.” The Renshaws regularly work together on projects and will often go for a walk and talk about ideas beforehand as part of their brainstorming process. California artist Naomi Duben works on a portrait of James Charles, an internet personality. A festivalgoer looks through a convex glass sheet to view a mural by Ivann Garc, from Mexico. A chalk artist shows off socks that embody the festival’s style. Joel Yau, from San Rafael, California, is a professional graphic designer who has been working with chalk since 1997. He says he typically does ten to twelve murals a year. “I like to do retro/pop/pin-up portraits. I enjoy the eyes. It’s what we start with and hopefully what sparkles. I like to start with the eyes first, so on the first day, you can have something finished, and the crowd digests it.”
76 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 77
TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT 80 ADVENTURE 82 LODGING 86 TRIP PLANNER 88
pg. 82 From Dickerman Mountain, you can see many huge peaks.
Gemina Garland-Lewis
NORTHWEST DESTINATION 92
travel spotlight
Travel Spotlight
Brewers Row
David Quick from Badger Mountain Brewing checks on his beer.
The craft beer scene is brewing in Wenatchee, and we all win written by Matt Wastradowski
Steven Gnam
FOR DECADES, the Wenatchee Valley has been known for its myriad fruit orchards—it is the self-proclaimed “Apple Capital of the World,” after all. But in recent years, another homegrown commodity has taken root in the city of Wenatchee—a burgeoning craft beer scene. Four breweries comprise what’s known as Wenatchee Brewers Row, so named because the breweries sit within 1 mile of each other near the city’s Columbia River waterfront. Columbia Valley Brewery, Wenatchee’s oldest commercial brewery, opened in 2012 and made waves by eschewing a lead brewmaster position in favor of a team of brewers. Badger Mountain Brewing followed suit in 2013 and is today the city’s largest brewery. Wenatchee Valley Brewing Company opened in 2018, and the city welcomed its fourth brewery—509 Bierwerks—in mid-2019. For added fun, visitors can pick up a passport at any of the four breweries—visitors who get stamps at all four stops can claim a stainless steel pint cup at the Wenatchee Valley Visitors Center in downtown Wenatchee.
80 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
There are only two seasons in Cannon Beach: summer and the magic season. Guess which one we prefer?
TRAIL
cannonbeach.org
Explore
(
HANDCRAFTED TRAILS and CRAFT ALES
adventure
Mountain Views The North Cascades has mountains to spare, and we’ve got your best spot to see them written by Ethan Shaw
SOME OF THE grandest peaks in Washington keep watch over the venerable Mountain Loop Highway, which winds some 54 backwoods miles between Darrington and Granite Falls in the southwestern North Cascades. Built in the late 1930s and early 1940s, the Mountain Loop makes a fine autumn drive with its fall-colored bigleaf and vine maples, huckleberries and other broadleafs. It also happens to provide access to one of the most all-around awesome vantage points in all of Washington—Dickerman Mountain, which delivers up-close looks at the Mountain Loop area’s monumental summits, as well as more distant show-stopping peaks. A 5,723-foot wedge between Perry Creek and the South Fork Stillaguamish, Dickerman Mountain isn’t necessarily a showstopper itself, though it boasts some impressive cliffs along its northwest and north faces. But it’s an absolutely homerun viewpoint: a fairly easy-to-reach pedestal amid some of the country’s most dazzling mountain scenery. Binoculars are highly recommended for this climb so you can zero in on farther-off landmark peaks, but even without them you’ll have plenty to pick out in the sea of mountains.
From Dickerman Mountain, more than a dozen peaks are visible.
82 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
adventure
The Trek Up If you’re the sort who doesn’t mind a switchback (or fifty)—maybe even one of those masochistic few who enjoys them—Dickerman Mountain’s your jam. The first couple of miles of the trail involve a semi-ridiculous number of climbing zigzags, though when you consider the elevation gain involved—more than 3,700 feet—you can be thankful for all that grade-easing sidehilling. Relentless as the switchbacks are on the way up, they’re somehow more so on the way down. The Dickerman Mountain Trail, which accounts for about 8.6 miles round-trip, shares a large parking lot with the Perry Creek Trail just a stone’s throw east of the picnic area at the foot of Big Four Mountain. The route begins in hanging Douglas-fir-Western hemlock-redcedar forest grown up in the ashes of a major 1915 wildfire. You’ll huff and puff your way through a dark, doghair wood of spindly hemlocks, then traverse bouldery streamway jungles as you finally gain a more level bench of subalpine timber—mountain hemlock, Alaska cedar, fir— and shrub gardens. The already-impressive views of looming ramparts south will hopefully provide a critical energy boost for another bout of climbing up a staggered tread through copses and meadows to the rocky summit crest. Beware the steep dropoffs over the Perry Creek drainage as you drink up the panoramas along that crest—if the weather’s cooperating, a whole kingdom’s worth of massifs, horns, spires and glistening snowpeaks.
Gemina Garland-Lewis
View Highlights To the south, Big Four Mountain (6,166 feet)—named for a number-shaped snowfield on its east face—forms a giant multi-knobbed massif. (The roughly mile-long hike from the Big Four picnic area to the ice caves at the base of the mountain’s avalanche-ravaged north face is another highly recommended Mountain Loop jaunt.) A rockland ridge joins Big Four to Vesper Peak (6,214 feet) and toothy Sperry Peak (6,120 feet) to the southeast, forming quite the imposing mountain block close at hand. From Sperry, your eye will be drawn left (southeast) to the mighty prongs marking the headwaters of the South Fork Stillaguamish: the lower horn of Morning Star Peak (6,020 feet) and the stunning, gnarled fin of high-standing Del Campo Peak (6,610 feet). Continuing southeast, look for the distant spiky crown of Spire Mountain (6,213 feet) between Del Campo on the right and the stubby point of Silver Tip Peak (6,140 feet) on the left. The burly summits of the “Monte Cristo Group,” framed by 7,186-foot Cadet Peak on the left and 7,172foot Columbia Peak on the right, dominate the southeastern sightline. In the mining era—which produced the namesake now-ghost town of OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 83
Photos: Ethan Shaw
adventure
Views from the top of Dickerman Mountain include (clockwise from left) Del Campo Peak, the Three Fingers, and Sperry Peak and Big Four Mountain.
Monte Cristo in the shadow of that high country—the divide from Cadet Peak to Sheep Mountain (6,165 feet) was called the Pride of the Mountains Range. To the east, meanwhile, two of the defining signal peaks of the North Cascades face you: the remote stratovolcano Glacier Peak (10,518 feet) and the “Matterhorn of the Cascades” (in the late Fred Beckey’s words)—Sloan Peak (7,835 feet). Sloan’s distinctive, slanted profile, which always reminds me of a tiger shark’s crooked tooth, features prominently in many Western Washington sightlines. The northward view encompasses a truly sprawling swath of rugged country. In the foreground, conical Mount Forgotten (6,005 feet) and scruffy Stillaguamish Peak (5,443 feet) rise on the other side of Perry Creek, part of the same highland cluster as Dickerman. Flanking Mount Forgotten in the mid-distance is the gully-streaked fist of 7,188-foot Mount Pugh on the right and the unmistakable double tops of 6,989-foot White Chuck Mountain, a close-up prospect of which can be had from a signed pulloff on the Mountain Loop southeast of Darrington. On the far skyline to the right of Pugh, a shining glaciered mass reveals hulking Dome Peak (8,920 feet). On the horizon to the right of Stillaguamish Peak swell two more famous icy hulks—Mount Baker (10,780 feet) and Mount Shuksan (9,058 feet). Binoculars come in handy to appreciate the international pillars of the Border Peaks spiking up just left of Shuksan: Canadian Border Peak (7,516 feet) and American Border Peak (7,992 feet). 84 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Look on the distant skyline left of White Chuck to spot the magnificent ripsaw palisades of the Picket Range, including Mount Fury (8,292 feet), Mount Terror (8,151 feet) and McMillan Spire (8,004 feet). The Pickets culminate the remoteness and ruggedness of the North Cascades and are always a treat to see. Rounding out the panorama to the west are two skyline icons that define the Cascade vista from the north Puget lowlands: the huge Three Fingers (6,858 feet) and Whitehorse Mountain (6,840 feet), which towers over Darrington and sports a sort of miniicecap on its skewed tabletop summit. Three Fingers and Whitehorse, along with 5,856-foot Mount Bullen in between, mark the apex of the Boulder River Wilderness encircled by the Mountain Loop Highway. Spare as much time as you can (weather-permitting) atop Dickerman Mountain: This is a world-class mountainscape you’re nestled within, after all, and it calls for some deep draughts of sightseeing.
Logistics Given the possibility of bad weather in fall, check with the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest ahead of time about current road conditions for the Mountain Loop Highway, which closes down in winter. The byway is partly paved, but there’s a 14-mile gravel stretch between Barlow Pass and the bridge over the White Chuck River. Don’t expect cell service for most of the drive. A Northwest Forest Pass is required at the Dickerman Mountain/Perry Creek trailhead.
Steamboat Inn North Umpqua River
Disconnect to Reconnect
Sunshine for all Seasons! One of Frommer’s Best Places to Go in 2019!
Save the Dates!
Lodging and Fine Dining on the River thesteamboatinn.com 541.498.2230 Photo by knoxphotography.com Steambot Inn operates under a Special Use Permit from the Umpqua National Forest
March 6 & 7, 2020
1-800-737-8462 visitsunnysequim.com
lodging
ACCOMMODATIONS
The property is home to six garden suites, as well as The Granary, which is built to look like a grain silo and offers a little more space. Each space is thoughtfully decorated with little touches the Raos have gleaned from their favorite hospitality experiences. All the accommodations feature both indoor and private outdoor showers, a wine fridge made from a reclaimed wine barrel, and fully adjustable beds with settings for massage, putting your feet up, or propping your head. The Raos will offer you a pillow and mattress menu before you check in. The Barrel Suite offers full accessibility for guests.
DINING
Each morning, feast on a full breakfast prepared by Liz, the Barn’s chef, or Naina. Each meal is different, but it will be just the fuel you need for a day of wine tasting. If you’re staying on a Monday or Thursday, join everyone for a family-style dinner, and don’t forget Friday evening happy hour, with freshly made pizza and local wine. Sometimes the winemaker even shows up. The B&B is a short drive from the heart of Walla Walla, with lots more culinary delights to keep you satisfied.
Lodging
The Barn B&B Walla Walla written by Cara Strickland THIS IS LIKE no other bed and breakfast you’ve stayed in before. The check-in ritual includes ringing a gong, one of the many pieces of art and décor collected by husband-and-wife owners Anand and Naina Rao during their time living and working around the world—the UK, Europe, the Middle East, the list goes on. They’ll offer you a welcome drink and a choice of soaps and shampoo bars for your stay before getting you settled in your room. Enjoy the peaceful grounds in the heart of wine country and relax in the common spaces. For this escape, you’ll need to leave your little ones and furry friends at home. 1624 STOVALL ROAD WALLA WALLA www.bnbwallawalla.com
Lia Simcox/Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce
trip planner
Adorable Ellensburg This Central Washington town has art, beauty and charm to spare written by Michelle Harris
Ellensburg in Central Washington has views to match its Western roots.
HOME TO CENTRAL Washington University and the state’s largest rodeo, Ellensburg has managed to retain its Wild West allure. Late nineteenth century buildings line the city streets. Local ranchers tend to their horses in the surrounding valley. Trendy cafes dot the historic downtown, where you’ll find college students, artists and cowboys rubbing elbows. Officially incorporated in 1883, Ellensburg’s earliest settlers were AJ Splawn and Ben Burch, who built the first log cabin there in 1868. They opened a store dubbed “Robber’s Roost” in 1870, which was located on present-day Third Avenue—there’s a placard on the wall designating the city’s first business location. In 1871, John Alden Shoudy bought the store and, along with his wife Mary Ellen, platted the town. Shoudy named it Ellensburg after his wife, and it might’ve been named the state 88 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
capital if not for a fire that destroyed most of the city on July 4, 1889. Luckily, the town recovered quickly. The historic brick buildings you see downtown embody the city’s rebirth. While Ellensburg is primarily known for its rodeo culture, its art galleries and museums also define the city as an artistic hub. And even if you can’t make it to the annual Ellensburg Rodeo on Labor Day weekend, a few days here will reveal there’s a lot more to the city than barrel racing and chaps.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Day HISTORIC BUILDINGS • GALLERIES Start your day with eggs Benedict and a Bloody Mary at the Palace Cafe, an iconic eatery that’s been serving the Ellensburg community for more than 100 years. Set inside the 1908 Pearson Building, the cozy interior features brick walls and ornate tin ceilings. Steeped in old-timey décor like wagon wheels and rust-worn equipment, the cafe offers a glimpse into the city’s pioneer past. The large portions will fuel you for the adventures ahead. While downtown Ellensburg has its share of historical structures, the whimsical Davidson building, located on North Pearl Street, is the most eye-catching. Built in 1889, the elegant brick building underwent a major renovation in 1979 and now houses Gallery One
So book a family getaway here in Seaside, Oregon this year. The antique malls are full of one-of-a-kind, I-thinkthey’ll-actually-love-that gifts. The carousel is decked out in all its holiday cheer. The Butterfield Cottage is serving up Gingerbread Tea. And if you haven’t experienced the Parade of Lights, well, that needs to change before the new year.
everyone needs a new holiday tradition
seasideOR.com
trip planner
Visual Arts Center, where you can learn all about the local art scene. The family-friendly Gallery One not only showcases local work, it offers art classes for teens and adults. For an even quirkier exhibit, stroll down to Dick and Jane’s Spot, where local residents Dick Elliott and Jane Orleman have decorated their home with handmade and local art, such as bottle caps and brightly colored light reflectors. Please keep in mind that it’s a private residence, so respect the fences. Insider tip—visit Ellensburg during the First Friday Art Walk, a monthly event that celebrates local artists and includes food, beverages and live music. Come evening, sit down to freshly made pasta at Ellensburg Pasta Company. The warmly lit Italian spot offers classics such as spaghetti marinara as well as more adventurous plates like spicy chipotle linguine and braised beef ravioli. There are also gluten-free and dairy-free options.
Day ROCKHOUNDING • MUSEUMS • WINE Fill up on giant pancakes at Wild Huckleberry Restaurant. Then try your luck rockhounding at Rock’N’Tomahawk Ranch, a 160-acre spread above town where you pay $5 to search for the Ellensburg blue—a rare gem famed for its vibrant cornflower blue color. Also known as E-blue, the gem can only be found in Kittias County, and has long captivated locals. Most of the existing stones are on private land, and a reservation is required for rockhunting at Rock’N’Tomahawk Ranch. If you’re not looking to get down and dirty, the Kittias County Historical Museum has a large collection of Ellensburg blue, along with petrified wood and old mining tools. The museum also exhibits antique automobiles, war memorabilia, old neon signs and an entire case of vintage elixirs. Looking to day drink? Pay a visit to Ellensburg Canyon Winery and sip wine while taking in views of the Yakima River Canyon. The tasting room and vineyard, open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., is located 8 miles south of Ellensburg and is the oldest commercial vineyard in Kittias County. Back in town, try crostini and pizza at BRIX Wine Bar & Restaurant. Complement your dinner with one of the restaurant’s signature wines from Elevage Wine Company. If you aren’t a wine fanatic, BRIX also offers draft beer, including selections from local brewpub Iron Horse Brewery. 90 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Ellensburg Canyon Winery is the oldest in Kittitas County. Downtown Ellensburg is filled with historic buildings. Dick and Jane’s Spot features weird, charming art. The Yellow Church Cafe serves breakfast and lunch from a converted church, complete with stained-glass windows.
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Photos: Lia Simcox/Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce
ELLENSBURG, WASHINGTON
trip planner
EAT The Palace Cafe www.thepalacecafe.net Rodeo City Bar-B-Q www.facebook.com/rcbbq Wild Huckleberry Restaurant www.wildhuck.com/ellensburg BRIX Wine Bar & Restaurant www.brixwinebar.org The Yellow Church Cafe www.theyellowchurchcafe.com Ellensburg Pasta Company www.ellensburgpasta.com
STAY The Lodge at Canyon River Ranch www.canyonriver.net Best Western Plus Ellensburg Hotel www.bestwestern.com KOA Campground www.koa.com/campgrounds/ ellensburg
PLAY Gallery One Visual Arts Center www.gallery-one.org Dick and Jane’s Spot www.reflectorart.com/spot
Day
Rock’N’Tomahawk Ranch www.facebook.com
ANTIQUE SHOPS • WIND TURBINES • BARBECUE
Kittias County Historical Museum www.kchm.org
Your trip to Ellensburg just wouldn’t be complete without a bit of antique hunting, and the city’s variety of antique shops makes this very easy. Hidden Treasures, a flea market on Ellensburg’s main street, is worth perusing for random knick-knacks. On your way out of Ellensburg, be sure to make a pit stop at Thorp Fruit & Antique Mall, a grocery store that also houses two floors of antiques. And as far as dining goes, head over to The Yellow Church Cafe for breakfast or lunch. The cafe, which focuses on local seasonal ingredients, was built in 1923 and was once a German Lutheran church. Although the former church has been renovated into a cafe, its vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows remain. A visit to the Wild Horse Renewable Energy Center, located 16 miles east of Ellensburg, should definitely be on your bucket list while visiting the area. The facility’s 149 wind turbines provide renewable energy
using wind and solar technology. Perched atop a ridge, you’ll also get epic views of Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, Mount Adams and the Columbia River Basin. Come a little before 10 a.m. or 2 p.m., when the facility offers free guided tours around the grounds. Just be sure to wear closed-toe shoes. The visitor center also has educational displays inside as well as a gift shop. Before journeying out of town, head over to the kitschy Rodeo City Bar-B-Q, a saloon-style restaurant that specializes in authentic pit-smoked barbecue. You’ll find freshly baked cornbread that’s made from a secret family recipe. Local beers are served in cowboy boot-shaped pitchers and the saddle-style bar stools provide the perfect photo opportunity—as well as a chance to channel your inner cowboy or cowgirl. Needless to say, it’s the perfect way to send yourself off after exploring Central Washington’s rodeo city. OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Wild Horse Renewable Energy Center www.pse.com/pages/tours-andrecreation/wild-horse
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 91
northwest destination
Falling For Fraser Valley BC’s other wine region is your perfect spot for a tasting tour written by Michelle Hopkins
ONCE A SLEEPY county, British Columbia’s Fraser Valley today is one of the province’s most exciting wine regions. It is also one of the most underrated. If you ask most British Columbians about the local wine scene, they will proudly tout the Okanagan Valley, but the Fraser Valley is blessed with rows upon rows of vineyards dotting woodland hillsides, where award-winning wines are being crafted by winemakers who take great pride in toiling the earth. The vineyards owe much to the mighty Fraser River. The river, which is the longest tributary in the province, has created a delta of rich, fertile soil, thanks to the steep mountains. It makes this an ideal wine-growing territory, and it is only an hour from Vancouver. Here, a small sampling of the region’s forty-plus wineries, ones that don’t require an overnight stay or a three-day round trip to get to from the Lower Mainland. These wineries are worthy of a scenic weekend road trip perfect for your next wine-sipping adventure. 92 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
We started our weekend getaway at one of the region’s newest wineries—Glass House Estate Winery. If you love charcuterie and fine wine under umbrella-covered picnic tables overlooking vineyards and stately trees, this is your spot. You don’t need to bring your own picnic basket—Glass House offers several straw baskets, lined with blankets and including wine glasses. Or sip one of its fourteen award-winning wines in the stunning contemporary barrel tasting room. Then, it was off to the biggest and oldest, Chaberton Estate Winery, for lunch. Nestled among more than 40 acres of planted vines, Chaberton’s romantic French restaurant, Bacchus Bistro, is a great spot for some farm-to-table cuisine. You can also bring your own fare, grab a picnic table and raise a glass of any of its twenty-five award-winning wines. Not far down a country road or two is Seaside Pearl Farmgate Winery. Imagine sipping wine in a quaint little copper spiral chapel burrowed among rolling fields dotted with grazing horses and beautiful gardens. With eleven world-class
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT The Glass House Winery has a contemporary tasting room, plus picnic baskets for exploring the grounds. Mt. Lehman Winery has a variety of reds to try. At Seaside Pearl Farmgate Winery, a chapel is the centerpiece.
wines to choose from, this boutique winery’s picturesque patio is also a great spot to take in the majestic Mount Lehman mountain range. Framed by postcard views of Mount Baker and vineyards grown alongside heritage farmland, welcome to Singletree Winery. From all vantage points, this is a scenic spot to sip any of its handcrafted wines. Enjoy a bottle of wine with friends on the patio or at the quintessential tasting bar, made from a maple tree felled on the property. Not far from Singletree, you will be completely charmed by Vista D’oro Farms & Winery. Overlooking Campbell Valley Park and Golden Ears Mountain Range, this is also a great place to pick up everything you need for a picnic lunch, including preserves and its flagship D’oro Fortified Walnut Wine, produced from walnuts cultivated in its orchard, before heading to the nearby Fort Langley National Historic Site. Do you love a crisp chardonnay? If so, head to Township 7 Vineyards & Winery. If its chardonnay was good enough to
FRASER VALLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
northwest destination
EAT Restaurant 62 www.restaurant62.ca The Blackberry Kitchen www.theblackberrykitchen.ca
STAY Brookside Inn Boutique Hotel brooksideinn.ca Abbotsford Hotel abbotsfordhotel.place
PLAY Cascade Falls and Suspension Bridge www.vancouvertrails.com/ trails/cascade-falls Fort Langley National Historic Site www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/ bc/langley
serve to Queen Elizabeth during a 2010 state dinner, then it will probably impress you as well. Township 7 began its life in a sixty-year-old horse barn. Today, you can raise a glass in the cellar-style tasting room or on its gorgeous patio, showcased by comfy couches and umbrellas in Township 7’s signature red hue. Or, if delicate Riesling and food-friendly rosé are more your thing, go directly to Backyard Vineyards. Set against flourishing vineyards, you can sip wine from its log-beamed gazebo furnished with picnic tables or in the industrial chic tasting room. For an Instagram-worthy photo, snap a photo by the Backyard Bell, acquired from a working farm dating back to 1882. If you plan your trip well, you will have time for more country charm at one of the region’s most popular, internationally awarded, family-owned and operated wineries. Mt. Lehman Winery is surrounded by pristine vines, making it an unforgettable setting for enjoying a fine glass of red. OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE 93
1889 MAPPED
The points of interest below are culled from stories and events in this edition of 1889. Oroville
Bellingham Friday Harbor North Cascades National Park
Mount Vernon Coupeville
Port Angeles Forks Olympic National Park
Port Townsend
Shelton Aberdeen
Newport
Marysville Everett Chelan
Bellevue
Tacoma
Colville Okanogan
Seattle
Port Orchard
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 Prosser
Pasco
Dayton
Asotin
Walla Kennewick Walla
Goldendale Vancouver
Stevenson
Live
Think
Explore
15 Girl Meets Dirt bitters
42 Grains of Wrath Brewery
80
Wenatchee Brewers Row
22 Boudreaux Cellars
44 Amazon fulfillment center
82
The Dickerman Mountain Trail
23 Deru Market
46 Langdon Cook
86
The Barn B&B
24 Nashi Orchards
48 Tesla Winery Tours
88
Wildhorse Renewable Energy Center
28 The Lakehouse
50 Days for Girls
92
Fraser Valley wineries, BC
94 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
BE MORE COOL VisitTri-Cities.com
OCT
10-13 16TH ANNUAL
Looking for award-winning wines that rival the Bordeaux region of France? Yeah, we’ve got that. We’ve got more cool.
Until Next Time
On Eagle’s Wings written by Wendy J. Hairfield
EACH WINTER, hundreds of bald eagles migrate from Alaska and Canada to the Skagit River. They come for one reason—the all-you-can-eat salmon buffet. I had seen pictures of these regal birds, perched in trees along the river banks, but had never seen them in person. In late January, armed with a list of eagle-watching hot spots, my camera and hope, I headed toward the Skagit Valley. As I drove north, buildings and hardscapes yielded to evergreen trees, white-topped mountains and houses and barns in farm fields. The winter sun teased, peeking in and out from behind a grey umbrella. I didn’t mind the clouds. Grey days are better to photograph bald eagles because they stay low in trees. On sunny days, the birds soar on updrafts, high over the valley, farther away. I parked at the Skagit Wildlife Area and unloaded my camera and tripod. All was quiet except for the chirp and cries of birds. The cold breeze whipped my face, a welcome change from the warm car. I set up my tripod and spotted what looked like a bald eagle high in a tree. He was too far away to photograph, even with my long lens. Bald eagles can spot a fish a mile away, so I knew he could see me. Suddenly, he spread his massive, dark wings and flew my way. As he soared on the current, his snowy white head and tail popped against the dusky sky. He landed about 25 feet away from me. I froze. I had never seen an eagle in person, let alone this close. A fence separated us, and I was careful not to intrude on his space. He poked around in the puddled grass and seemed oblivious to my presence and the click of my camera.
96 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2019
Bald eagles mate for life and share in building a nest, keeping eggs warm, and feeding and protecting baby eaglets. I admire this teamwork and commitment to family. I wondered if this bald eagle was one of the resident birds who would return to one of the more than 550 active nests in Washington or if he was just paying us a winter visit. It’s hard to believe that in the 1950s, our national bird was nearly wiped out across the country, due largely to DDT building up in the fish they eat. With protective measures enacted and the banning of DDT in 1972, bald eagles started making a comeback. In 2007, they were removed from the list of threatened and endangered species. Harming bald eagles, their nests or eggs is still against the law. I looked at my friend now. He walked around and cocked his head as if to ask, “Are we done with the photo shoot?” “I’m done,” I said. “And thank you very much.” He turned, spread his wings and flew off. What a wonderful afternoon. The sun broke through again, low in the sky, painting farmlands amber and rippled clouds pink. Nearing my neighborhood, I thought about this late winter day, a time of year I usually dread, but a great time to go on a bald eagle venture. It couldn’t get any better than this. But then it did. I turned a corner and saw a great big, glorious full moon.
5
Things to know about our Global Sustainable Investing (GSI) Strategy
1
GSI preserves the risk-return profile of a traditional investment strategy
2
It can be customized to further align client values with their investments
4
3
Our strategy invests in both stocks and bonds across the globe
It consists of individual securities, which provides full transparency in the portfolio
5
GSI is the fastest growing investment strategy in our company’s history
For more than 40 years, we have aligned our clients’ values with their investments through divesting companies from their portfolios that didn’t aligned with their values. Through Ferguson Wellman’s GSI strategy, clients are investing in companies focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. GSI is designed for individuals, foundations and endowments seeking companies that are measuring and improving their practices around sustainability, emissions, diversity, equity and community impact. Our Global Sustainable Investing team: Jason Norris, CFA ; Tara Kinateder; Peter Jones, CFA
Minimum investments apply. Ferguson Wellman and West Bearing manage $4.96 billion for 832 individuals and institutions. Data updated annually (1/1/19). More than $1 billion of our assets under management have a socially responsible or environmental, social or governance mandate in their investment policy statement.
Washington’s Magazine
TRIP PLANNER: ELLENSBURG PG. 88
Vashon Pears
Two Artistic Home Remodels
Shangri-La in the North Cascades
October | November 2019
OUR BUY-LOCAL
THE LIBATIONS ISSUE
NEW EXPERIENCES IN
BREWERIES &
WINERIES 1889 mag.com
1889mag.com $5.95 display until November 30, 2019
LIVE
THINK
EXPLORE
WASHINGTON
October | November
volume 17
Continue for Special Insert
Ski… Stay… Play…
HOOD RIVER Visit Hood River, just an hour drive east from Portland. The Columbia Gorge’s breathtaking landscape and the charming community of Hood River is your preferred ski basecamp to Mt. Hood Meadows.
CHECK OUT THESE LOCAL EVENTS! Hood River Holidays hoodriver.org/hood-river-holidays Hood River Foodie February hoodriver.org/hood-river-foodie-february For a dream ski trip or a cozy winter getaway, you’ll find attractive winter packages with participating lodging providers offering direct links for multi-day lift ticket savings, so you’ll be on the mountain instead of waiting in line. $159 for 2 of 3 days · $179 for 3 of 5 days $199 for 4 of 6 days
To plan your winter getaway to Hood River and Mt. Hood Meadows, call 800-366-3530 or visit HoodRiver.org
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST has the best combination of deep snow and variety of ski cultures—ranging from Whistler and Sun Valley to Mt. Ashland and 49° North. Use our guide as an update to what’s new at ski areas throughout the Pacific Northwest and to plan your next ski vacation. We’ve culled our favorites by state and by stats crucial for decision-making, such as vertical feet, average snowfall and base elevation. Book your trip and enjoy!
PNW POWDAHHH GET READY FOR A SEASON OF EPIC WITH OUR GUIDE TO TOP SKI RESORTS AROUND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WRITTEN BY KEVIN MAX
Head to Fernie, in the Canadian Rockies, where snowfall can reach 30 feet each winter. (photo: Henry Georgi/Fernie) (cover photo: Blake Jorgenson/SilverStar Mountain Resort)
2019 SKI NORTHWEST 2
WASHINGTON
BY THE NUMBERS MT. BAKER SKI AREA
Base Elevation: 3,500 ft Vertical Feet: 1,500 Acres: 2,600 Chairs: 8 Avg. Snowfall: 663 in
STEVENS PASS
Base Elevation: 4,061 ft Vertical Feet: 1,800 Acres: 1,125 Chairs: 10 Avg. Snowfall: 450 in
MISSION RIDGE
Base Elevation: 4,570 ft Vertical Feet: 2,250 Acres: 2,000 Chairs: 4 Avg. Snowfall: 200 in
49° NORTH MOUNTAIN RESORT
Base Elevation: 3,932 ft Vertical Feet: 1,851 Acres: 2,325 Chairs: 6 Avg. Snowfall: 301 in
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN
Base Elevation: 3,912 ft Vertical Feet: 3,100 Acres: 2,600 Chairs: 10 Avg. Snowfall: 350 in
MT. SPOKANE SKI & SNOWBOARD PARK Base Elevation: 4,200 ft Vertical Feet: 2,000 Acres: 1,704 Chairs: 6 Avg. Snowfall: 162 in
THE SUMMIT AT SNOQUALMIE
Base Elevation: 2,840 ft Vertical Feet: 2,280 Acres: 1,994 Chairs: 19 Avg. Snowfall: 428 in
Highest Base
Most Snow
Most Vertical
MT. BAKER SKI AREA Under the sombra of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan and 54 miles east of Bellingham, Mt. Baker Ski Area is one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest and northernmost resorts, giving it a long season. Baker’s relatively low base, at 3,550 feet, is not an issue when this North Cascades resort gets the greatest snowfall among its Washington peers—663 inches. Noted: The winner of the Mount Baker Film Festival each November gets a free season pass!
STEVENS PASS In summer 2018, Vail Resorts closed on its $64 million acquisition of Stevens Pass and began talk that it would add two new lifts to Stevens Pass. Lodged in the North Cascades between Seattle and Leavenworth, Stevens Pass becomes the only Washington ski resort that is part of the Epic pass family, which allows its passholders reciprocity at seventeen resorts across the country, including Vail. Noted: Leavenworth is Stevens Pass’ bedroom community and a Bavarian blast during winter months.
MISSION RIDGE Thirteen miles southwest of Wenatchee, Mission Ridge is on the sunnier side of the Cascades. This small and family-friendly resort has drier powder and easy access to backcountry skiing to Clara Lake, Mission Peak and Stemilt Basin. Noted: The early bird season passes are reasonable and offer price relief for 18- to 24-year-olds.
49° NORTH MOUNTAIN RESORT Inside the Colville National Forest
3 SKI NORTHWEST 2019
Crystal Mountain has the biggest vertical in Washington and The Snorting Elk for après ski. (photo: Crystal Mountain)
in northeastern Washington, 49° North has become one of the best spots for tree skiing. About 60 miles north of Spokane and the same distance south of the Canadian border, 49° North offers a classic small ski resort experience without the lines. Noted: Stop into Cy’s Cafe—a new rustic slopeside yurt—for a cinnamon roll and coffee.
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN Washington’s largest ski resort, when measured by skiable acres and vertical feet, Crystal is the bomb.com. About 70 miles southeast of Tacoma and 85 miles southeast of Seattle, Crystal is Washington’s most popular ski resort and is one of the few resorts that has on-slope and nearby lodging. Crystal Mountain has chalets and cabins, hot tubs and a 90-degree pool at Alta Crystal Resort, among other places. Noted: No matter where you’re skiing on the mountain on Fridays or Saturdays, finish at The Snorting Elk for live music, and good food and drink.
MT. SPOKANE SKI & SNOWBOARD PARK With its backside expansion of 800 acres, a new chair and seven new runs last year, Mt. Spokane breaks out of the mom-and-pop
ranks and into the big time. The new terrain adds wide open intermediate and expert runs to the portfolio. A scenic drive 36 miles northeast of Spokane, Mt. Spokane is a hidden gem for both downhill and Nordic skiing. Noted: Mt. Spokane is a nonprofit organization, and the community and staff make this resort a great experience.
THE SUMMIT AT SNOQUALMIE Acquired by Boyne in 2018, Summit at Snoqualmie is now a part of the Ikon pass, which includes ski access to forty resorts such as Squaw Valley, Revelstoke and Aspen. The resort’s new Silver Fir Cafe is a beautiful, open and contemporary take on the classic ski lodge. The acquisition of 77 acres between Summit Central and Summit West in 2017 allowed skiers to move freely between the beginner and intermediate ski areas without having to ski advanced slopes. Summit at Snoqualmie has a state-leading nineteen lifts that make approximately 500,000 uphill trips per year At the summit, visitors can see what makes this place special, with views of Keechelus Lake to the south. Noted: Summit at Snoqualmie sees an average snowfall of 428 inches. Do the math.
(c) MitchellIMAGE
Y O U R
A D V E N T U R E
B E G I N S
I N
T H E
NORTH AMERICA'S LARGEST CROSS-COUNTRY SKI AREA
120+ miles of groomed trails | kids ski free | cozy accommodations | delicious local food | western flair and fun for everyone
winthropwashington.com
methowtrails.org
OREGON
MT. BACHELOR Nicely tucked into the Deschutes National Forest, Mt. Bachelor is, by many metrics, Oregon’s biggest ski area. Even before the new quad Cloudchaser opened in 2016, adding 635 new skiable acres to the mountain, Bachelor was already the undisputed heavyweight among its peers. On a volcano in the sunny Central Oregon high desert just outside of Bend, Bachelor’s powder is light and deep, getting an average of 462 inches snowfall per year. The resort is family friendly, yet has plenty of expert runs and off-piste challenges as well. Noted: Avoid the crowded winter holiday dates and you will have a great experience on the mountain.
MT. HOOD MEADOWS Meadows is the playground for Portland snow riders of all stripes. The upper bowl, with double black diamond runs, is often the destination for freeride skiers and boarders. Just 65 miles southeast of Portland, it’s not a long haul to go from public transportation to powder. With 2,777 of vertical feet over 2,150 acres, Meadows has height and width to accommodate virtually any slopeside pursuit. Noted: Unbuckle at Vertical North
for Mediterranean cuisine, a beer and great mountain vistas.
MT. HOOD SKIBOWL When all of the fun is drained from winter, go to Skibowl. Billed as the resort with the largest night skiing terrain (thirty-four lighted runs), Skibowl brings out the youth in its visitors. There is day tubing and nightly cosmic tubing with LEDs and lasers. Skibowl also has specially designed snowmobiles for little kids to feel the thrill of their first motorized sled. Noted: Open seven days per week.
MT. ASHLAND SKI AREA Twenty miles directly south of Ashland in Southern Oregon and just north of the California border would seem to be a geographic liability for a ski area. Mt. Ashland, however, has a base elevation of 6,383 feet, which makes it all better. Mt. Ashland is operated as a nonprofit and has a Tudor-style lodge in homage to the nearby Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Noted: Because of its sustainable practices and after installing solar panels, Mt. Ashland became the first in the country to become STOKE certified (Sustainable Tourism Operator’s Kit for Evaluation).
HOODOO SKI AREA Known by the motto Steep, Deep and Cheap, Hoodoo is an alternative to the popular Mt. Bachelor. Though Hoodoo gets an average annual snowfall of 450 inches, the resort struggles with weather patterns atop the Santiam Pass. When the snow is plentiful, Hoodoo is a classic small-resort experience. Just 21 miles northwest of Sisters, Hoodoo gives its skiers and riders a thrilling day at the slopes and the benefits of being close to the cozy Western town of Sisters. Noted: Thrifty Thursdays passes from January to March are just $25.
ANTHONY LAKES MOUNTAIN RESORT The base of Anthony Lakes just north of Baker City in Eastern Oregon begins at 7,100 feet, which ain’t nothing. The old-school ski area feels a little like the one you grew up with, but with a twist. The terrain can get a little steep. The snow can get very deep and the backcountry or cat skiing can be top shelf pow pow. One triple chair serves twenty-one runs and 1,100 acres. Noted: The Starbottle Saloon in the lodge is itself worth the journey.
BY THE NUMBERS MT. BACHELOR
Base Elevation: 5,700 ft Vertical Feet: 3,365 Acres: 4,318 Chairs: 11 Avg. Snowfall: 462
MT. HOOD MEADOWS Base Elevation: 4,523 ft Vertical Feet: 2,777 Acres: 2,150 Chairs: 11 Avg. Snowfall: 429 in
MT. HOOD SKIBOWL
Base Elevation: 3,600 ft Vertical Feet: 1,500 Acres: 960 Chairs: 4 Avg. Snowfall: 300 in
MT. ASHLAND
Base Elevation: 6,383 ft Vertical Feet: 1,150 Acres: 200 Chairs: 4 Avg. Snowfall: 265 in
HOODOO SKI AREA
Base Elevation: 4,668 ft Vertical Feet: 1,035 Acres: 800 Chairs: 5 Avg. Snowfall: 450 in
ANTHONY LAKES MOUNTAIN RESORT
Base Elevation: 7,100 ft Vertical Feet: 900 Acres: 1,100 Chairs: 2 Avg. Snowfall: 300 in
Highest Base
Most Snow
Most Vertical
Mt. Bachelor opened a new quad in 2016, and with it, a whole new facet of the mountain. (photo: Anelise Bergin/Mt. Bachelor) 5 SKI NORTHWEST 2019
AMERICA’S LARGEST MULTI-SPORT RELAY RACE FROM MT. BAKER SKI AREA TO BELLINGHAM BAY
MAY 24 2020 15 DIVISIONS • 7 LEGS 3-8 RACERS • 93 MILES REGISTRATION WILL OPEN JANUARY 2020
WWW.SKITOSEA.COM
TITLE SPONSOR
Made possible in part by a Tourism Promotion Grant from the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County. Whatcom Events is a non-profit 501(c)(4) and our events support local charities.
IDAHO + MONTANA
BY THE NUMBERS
IDAHO
SUN VALLEY RESORT Base Elevation: 5,750 ft Vertical Feet: 3,400 Acres: 2,154 Chairs: 15 Avg. Snowfall: 220 in
SUN VALLEY RESORT The history of American ski culture is in these hills. In 1936, a Union Pacific Railroad engineer pioneered the first chairlift, and it was installed at Sun Valley’s Dollar Mountain. So began an era of glamorous Hollywood attendance in Sun Valley. Sun Valley’s varied terrain works well for skiers of all levels. The ski lodges hearken back to an era when fireplaces were grand and railings were all polished brass. Much like when the Hollywood stars frequented Sun Valley, skiing is only a fraction of the experience in this town. Its restaurants and bars are places to be seen as much as for eating and drinking.
SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN RESORT
Base Elevation: 3,960 ft Vertical Feet: 2,400 Acres: 2,900 Chairs: 10 Avg. Snowfall: 300 in
BRIDGER BOWL
Base Elevation: 6,100 ft Vertical Feet: 2,700 Acres: 2,000 Chairs: 8 Avg. Snowfall: 350 in
BIG SKY RESORT
Base Elevation: 7,500 ft Vertical Feet: 4,350 Acres: 5,850 Chairs: 24 Avg. Snowfall: 400 in
WHITEFISH MOUNTAIN RESORT Base Elevation: 4,464 Vertical Feet: 2,353 Acres: 3,000 Chairs: 11 Avg. Snowfall: 333 in
Highest Base
Most Snow
Most Vertical
FROM TOP Schweitzer is the best surprise of the Pacific Northwest. (photo: Schweitzer Mountain Resort) Whitefish Mountain Resort makes skiing and après skiing easy. (photo: Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development)
7 SKI NORTHWEST 2019
Noted: The Sun Valley ice rink is a storied place to spend an evening, too.
SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN RESORT Schweitzer Mountain has to be the industry’s most pleasant surprise. Just 70 miles south of the Canadian border in Idaho’s panhandle, Schweitzer is relatively isolated from large population centers. A narrow winding road out of Ponderay leads up to its 3,960-foot base and to the small village around the resort. The skiing is fantastic and even better because it feels like you’ve just pulled a winning ticket. The resort will add two new lifts for this season and is building a thirty-unit boutique hotel, too. Noted: The Stella lift entry was created by Disney “imagineer” Geoff Puckett.
MONTANA BRIDGER BOWL
BIG SKY RESORT
Bozeman’s backcountry, Bridger Bowl on the east slope of Bridger Mountain Range, is just 18 miles northeast of Bozeman. A longtime tradition that connects Bozeman and Bridger Bowl sits atop the Art Deco Baxter Hotel in town. Since 1988, every time Bridger Bowl gets at least 2 inches of new snow, a blue beacon atop the hotel flashes for the next twenty-four hours.
Fifty miles southwest of Bozemen, Big Sky is second to only to Park City in size. When you’re that big, you need chairlifts like the 2018-installed high-speed eight-seater Doppelmayr. All of the data come together at Big Sky, with a base elevation of 7,100 feet, a vertical drop of 4,350 feet and almost 6,000 acres to enjoy. The top of the Lone Peak tram brings you views of three states and two national parks—Yellowstone and Glacier.
Noted: Bridger Bowl is part of the Powder Alliance, which allows passholders to ski three non-holiday days at any of its nineteen member resorts per year.
Noted: Last summer, Big Sky began construction on a $20 million community center that will include a gym, locker rooms, a climbing wall, an ice rink and an arts wing.
WHITEFISH MOUNTAIN RESORT The home slopes of Lillehammer Olympic downhill gold medalist Tommy Moe, Whitefish Resort has a rich history in U.S. Alpine championships. For mere mortal recreational skiers, however, Whitefish, with 3,000 acres, will do nicely. Unlike many other Western ski resorts, Whitefish Resort has lodging options on the mountain, making it a seamless transition from ski to après ski. Noted: From Hellroaring Saloon, to the Bierstube and Café Kandahar, there’s no reason to get in a car.
CANADA
BY THE NUMBERS SILVERSTAR MOUNTAIN RESORT
Base Elevation: 3,789 ft Vertical Feet: 2,493 Acres: 3,282 Chairs: 7 Avg. Snowfall: 276 in
WHISTLER BLACKCOMB
Base Elevation: 2,215 ft Vertical Feet: 5,279 Acres: 8,171 Chairs: 22 Avg. Snowfall: 461 in
FERNIE
Base Elevation: 3,450 ft Vertical Feet: 3,550 Acres: 2,500 Chairs: 10 Avg. Snowfall: 360 in
REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT
Base Elevation: 1,680 ft Vertical Feet: 5,620 Acres: 3,121 Chairs: 3 Avg. Snowfall: 394 in
Highest Base
Most Snow
Most Vertical
SILVERSTAR MOUNTAIN RESORT
and families who like to do both alpine and Nordic.
A gem in the British Columbia crown, SilverStar combines fantastic skiing with a small European village feel. The 3,280-acre ski area has good snow, a week’s worth of terrain and all of the services you would expect in a small ski village—ice skating, bowling, retail, lodging, dining, a bakery, entertainment and a grocery. At the northern tip of the Okanagan wine-growing region, SilverStar is surrounded by the Silver Star Provincial Park. In this greenery lies the connected Sovereign Lake Nordic Club for skinny skiers
Noted: A new gondola from the village to the summit was installed last season. Enjoy.
WHISTLER BLACKCOMB About 75 miles north of Vancouver, Whistler Blackcomb is the culmination of acreage, powder, convenience, culture and luxury. With 8,171 acres, 5,279 vertical feet and twenty-two lifts, including a new ten-passenger gondola, Whistler dwarfs Park City, Big Sky and Vail. More than 150 eateries that encompass
world cuisine and dozens of bars and dance clubs, including highend shopping and luxury lodging, make up Whistler Village. Noted: Merlin’s Bar and Grill is the place to be when you’re done making turns.
FERNIE Located 242 miles northeast of Spokane in the Lizard Range of the Canadian Rockies, Fernie is renowned for its huge annual snowfall that averages 30 feet. Of course, you’ll only need the top 3 or 4 feet of wispy powder to make it the best ski experience ever. Finish with fire and ice. At Cirque Restaurant & Bar, warm up with flaming cocktails and spectacular mountain views. Then slip on a parka and walk straight into the Ice Bar, built from blocks of ice. Noted: Fernie’s remoteness in southeastern British Columbia is another reason to love it.
REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT Just south of Revelstoke National Park in southeastern British Columbia, Revelstoke is the white stuff that skiers’ dreams are made of. The category killer of 5,620 vertical drop is why experienced skiers train for months before attempting top-to-bottom runs. Get the full mountain experience with Revelstoke’s cat or heli-skiing operations. Noted: The mid-mountain Revelation Lodge puts you at the center of local ski culture with poutine and Mt. Begbie beer.
FROM LEFT Ripping up SilverStar. (photo: Blake Jorgenson/SilverStar Mountain Resort) Remote and pristine at Fernie, BC. (photo: Henry Georgi/Fernie)
9 SKI NORTHWEST 2019
Experience the Canadian Rockies, Fernie Style.
Destination BC/Dave Heath
Over 30 Ft of Snow Annually | 3,550 Vertical Ft | Top Elevation 7,000 Ft 2,500 Acres of Lift Access Terrain & Thousands of Acres for Catskiing
Located in the Rockies of southeast British Columbia, Fernie is known for its deep powder snow and cool local vibe. Just over a 100 miles north of Whitefish & Kalispell, Montana, Fernie is easy to get to. Add the great currency exchange rate that saves you 25–30% on everything, a trip up is a simple‌YES!
6 Nights Ski-in Ski-out Condo & 6 Days Skiing from US$295/night for Two. Book by November 30th. Midweek Special! 3, 4 or 5 Night Ski & Stay Package from US$294/night for Two. Book Today! 1-800-258-7669 | legendaryfernie.com | tourismfernie.com | #ferniestoke
Schweitzer-1859-Insert.indd 1
9/9/2019 11:13:22 AM