WAWeekend: Roslyn ~ A Warm Welcome

Roslyn, a once-thriving coal mining town in Washington State is a place to peek into Pacific Northwest history. It is also a place where the warmth of welcome is the norm, not just some tourist promotion jargon.

Building in Cle Elum, Washington

Roslyn and its next-door neighbor, Cle Elum, are about two hours drive from western Washington’s Seattle and an almost equal distance from the TriCities (Pasco, Kennewick and Richland) in south-central Washington. The mid-Washington location is one reason why my childhood friend, Mary, and I chose them for our one-day girl’s getaway last week. 

The Cle Elum train station now houses a restaurant and historical displays

The two of us also have ‘history’ here  because we’d fallen under the area’s spell decades ago while college students. (Ellensburg, our old college town, is about 30 minutes drive from here.)

We were overjoyed to find that its magic was as powerful now as it had been, and it quickly wrapped us up all over again in its spell. . .

The Coal Mine Beginnings

Tribute to Fallen Miners in front of the old "Company Store"

Roslyn and Cle Elum are tucked away in the state’s Cascade Mountains. The coal discovered deep inside those mountains was needed to fuel Northern Pacific Railroad trains.

The first coal was shipped from Roslyn/Cle Elum area mines in 1886. In fact, the worst coal mine disaster in the state occurred in May 1892 at the Northern Pacific Coal Mine No.1 when an explosion and fire in the Roslyn mine (burrowed some 2,700 feet below ground) caused the death of 45 miners. Mining continued here until the last mine closed in 1962.

The Northwest Improvement Company Store (‘the company store’), pictured above, was the hub of the Roslyn community back in the town’s mining heyday and today, just like the town’s historic district, is on the  National Register of Historic Places.

Roslyn, Washington cemetery

The Roslyn Cemetery, founded in 1886, is an amalgamation of some 25 separate cemeteries and the 5,000 graves on this 15-acre wooded site represent some 24 nationalities.  The cemeteries reflect the far reach of the mines more than a century ago. Miners hailed from as far away as Poland, Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania, Germany, Slovenia, Italy and England.  Many of those miners rest in these cemeteries and their descendants still live in the small town.

The Runner Stumbles featured this church

Jumping ahead to a bit more modern history, the Immaculate Conception Church that towers over the town was featured in a 1979 movie, The Runner Stumbles, starring Dick Van Dyke and Kathleen Quinlan, that was filmed in this small town.

Northern Exposure was filmed here

Many of you – if you were followers of that quirky, but insanely popular television show Northern Exposure (1991 – 1995) that was filmed here -- will recognize this building as it was used in the show’s opening. Businesses report tourists still arrive because of it. And the café is still serving up meals!

The People

I’ve long said that once a ‘place becomes people’ it becomes even more special than its history or fame has made it.  Mary and I met two such individuals in Roslyn, both deserving a mention:

Joyce Welker of Dingo Wild Dogs of Roslyn

Mary and Joyce posed for the shutterbug

Joyce Welker, is the owner/operator of a hot dog stand -  Dingo Wild Dogs of Roslyn - on the town’s main drag.  She was setting up for lunch as we walked past . . .the fact that we’d brought a picnic lunch didn’t deter Joyce. She was introducing a new pulled pork sandwich that day and told us that we had to sample it.  We visited with her for nearly half an hour. Next time we’ll skip the picnic!  

Her small kitchen/storeroom, behind the grill, is an old red rock mine scale shack (fitting for a mining town, after all).  She does her biggest business after 10 p.m. when the local bars close down their kitchens, she told us.  But for the non-night owls, she’s open Fridays and Saturdays from noon – 3 p.m.

We had, pardon the pun, one blooming good time – just around   the corner from Joyce’s on the other, of the town’s two, main streets:

As we’d driven into town, I’d announced (as the shutterbug in the car), “We’ve got to walk back here so I can take a photo of that yard!”   By the time we got back, the owner of the house and creator of this masterpiece, was out working in the garden. She gave me permission to take a photo or two. . .then she invited us up onto the porch for a closer look at those baskets:

By this point we were talking about ourselves, our husbands, her husband, their life and ours. 

She offered to show us  her back yard,where we continued visiting, and then  - because she decorates the yard for each season – she invited us in to her basement store room (think the elves workshop at the North Pole). 

By then it didn’t seem unusual at all when she invited us into her home to see a  few photos of her seasonally decorated yard (framed photos, newspaper clippings and awards).

Once inside we got around to  introducing  ourselves by name. 

When it came time to leave we each hugged this lady who only an hour before we’d not known, vowing we’d come back again when we could stay longer, have a libation and do some real visiting!




Not every visitor to these small Central Washington towns will meet our two new friends, but I know where ever you go and who ever you meet will likely greet you with that same small town warmth of welcome. We are certainly planning a return!

If You Go:

For area information: Visit the Cle Elum/Roslyn Chamber of Commerce site by clicking this link.

Suncadia Resort, a large planned unincorporated community and resort complete with houses, condos, lodge and golf courses and  covering an area of 6,300 acres is nearby.

Roslyn’s Swiftwater Cellars winery is located on the Suncadia property near the historic Roslyn No. 9 Coal Mine.

WAWeekend: Central Washington Agritourism

You don’t need to travel to Europe for a taste of agritourism.  If you are hankering for a stay similar to those European countryside getaways, there’s one to be had only a few hours from Seattle.

Marcia and Kyle Green and their daughters Roslyn and Abigail, all who’ve worked to make the Cashmere Cider Mill a going concern have doubled their efforts and created an agritourism destination in the heart of Washington State. 
 

We first visited the Cashmere Cider Mill, tucked away in Woodring Canyon just outside the town of Cashmere, a year ago. Returning this summer as part of a hosted travel writers tour we had a real taste of how the place has expanded.
  
Accommodations:

The Cider Mill Guest Suites, of which there are two (each with en suite bathroom) occupy the second-floor of a remodeled and updated 1910 farm house. The downstairs has a full living room and kitchen.

The expansive views from the house look out over the Mill’s picnic grounds in one direction and have a territorial view out over the orchards looking the other direction.



What’s Cooking at the Mill?

Marcia offers culinary classes out at the Mill year-round although most of them are between May and November,when locally-grown ingredients are at their peak. 

She cooked up a sample of the types of meals prepared in the classes for our visiting group.  Sometimes photos tell the story better than words.

I had to show you the simple, but delightful table decorations -- empty cider bottles, fresh flowers from the garden and grape vines and leaves.







But to get back to the food. . .


Need I tell you this tasty little fresh blueberry morsel, cooked in a cast iron frying pan, won the hearts (and stomachs) of all?








If You Go:

Cashmere is less than 2.5 hours drive from Seattle via I-90 and Highway 97A. The nearest airport is Pangborn Field in Wenatchee.

Cider Mill Accommodations: Cider Mill Guest Suites and another property, Canyon Hideaway,are open year-round.You can arrange for a number of activities from kayaking the smooth waters of the nature preserves in the summer to snowshoeing  through the orchards in the winter.

A welcome bottle of gourmet cider is included in the rental.  (If you want more adult beverages, bring it with you. Better yet, buy some of the local wines at the tasting rooms in Mission Square in Cashmere.)

(If you want more than just an overnight stay, more comprehensive packages are available, such as providing breakfast, lunch and dinner, excursions to the fields, farms and orchards and agricultural workshops.)

Culinary Classes: You don’t need to be an overnight guest to take a culinary class.  They are offered year round.

For directions, hours of operation, to reserve a stay or schedule a class: 
Mission Creek Cider Mill and Guest Suites, 5420 Woodring Canyon Road.,  866-459-9614, www.gourmetcider.com

Washington Weekend: Our Roots in the Fruit Bowls

We were born and raised in fruit bowls.                             
Figuratively speaking, that is. 

I’m from Yakima and Joel hails from Chelan; cities some 160 miles apart in Central Washington State. It’s a land of lush orchards, truck gardens and vineyards. 

Having now lived for many years in the bustling Seattle Metropolitan area we have a greater appreciation for our ‘roots’ and  often find ourselves drawn back to our hometowns when we need a deep breath of blue sky and open spaces.


Sometimes we’re so focused on our hometowns, though, that we miss some incredible places along the way.

For instance, it took an invitation from the tourism association to get us to visit Wenatchee, a charming town of just under 33,000 residents that stretches out along the banks of the Columbia River.  Located only 30 minutes from Chelan, we’ve driven past it for years, never stopped. 

But having spent a weekend there in July, we now know we’ve missed winery tasting rooms, charming restaurants, (the one pictured is housed in the old train depot) and one-of-a-kind dress and decorator shops scattered throughout its historic downtown. I'll get to all that in a future post. For now. . .





It is August. The harvest season. And if you find yourself in this fruit bowl you can have a taste of the area at:

1. Tiny’s Organic is a family-owned farm (and anything but 'tiny'), that participates  in a CSA (community supported agriculture) program.

This farm/orchard combo delivers weekly to subscribers of its service in Seattle just-harvested veggies and fruit. And they also welcome visitors to come experience the farm and see what they raise first-hand.

For those old enough to remember it, this East Wenatchee spread, is no relation to the famous Tiny’s Fruit Stand that operated decades ago along the highway outside Cashmere.

Harvest of Lapin cherries had begun only hours before we arrived. 
Walking among the pickers and the bins of harvested fruit, we were invited to pick samples right off the tree (no big deal to some of you, but I had never done that before. Yes, this photo is all that remains of these lovelies - I ate them.)





Both young and old will love the chicken coup. Suppose this could be considered ‘glamping’ in the animal world?




Tours and Tastings:
Tours are free but do require advance reservations at Tiny’s Farm, 669 S. Ward Avenue, East Wenatchee, 509-264-3973, www.tinysorganic.com


2.  Snowdrift Cider Company, just down the road from Tiny’s makes award-winning hard cider.  I’d heard of the beverage before but never had sampled any until this visit.  I just may have a new ‘bad’ habit’!

Peter Ringsrud and his family operate this business that offers five blends (each with an alcohol content of 8 – 9%and slightly sparkling, meaning slightly bubbly), Dry Cider, Orchard Select, Cliffbreaks Blend, Semidry Cider and Perry.  The beverages reminded me of a cross between an Italian Prosecco and the Portuguese Vinho Verde.
Peter led our tour and tasting, teaching us about pairing each with a particular sliced gourmet cheese and crackers. (This is the view from outside the tasting room.)

Tours and Tastings are free (but advance reservations are recommended)  at Snowdrift Cider Company, 277 Ward St., East Wenatchee, 509-630-3507, www.snowdriftcider.com

3. The Farmhouse Table Foods Market, at 10 N. Mission Street, Wenatchee, operates year round.  There you’ll find locally grown vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, cheeses, honeys and baked goods here.  

Food Market’s hours are May – November: Tuesday – Friday, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.. Winter hours (December – April) Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. For information: 509- 888-3010.

Our stay in Wenatchee was as guests of the tourism association, but we aren't the type to make recommendations if we didn't like the place. Speaking of recommendations, where are your favorite ‘fruit and produce’ stands in Washington? What about wineries and locally made beverages? Add a comment below or email us at travelnwrite@msn.com

Washington Weekend: A Cashmere Sampler

We sampled Cashmere – home of the world-famous Aplets and Cotlets fruit candy - on a recent trip to Eastern Washington.

This visit provided a bigger slice of the hospitality and warmth found in this tiny town tucked away in the orchard lands of Central Washington than we’d had on previous stops. 

As a result, we are ready to go back real soon.

A stop in Cashmere, (population 3,100+) located along the Wenatchee River, feels like entering a Norman Rockwell painting.

Along its Cottage Avenue, we strolled past late 19th and early 20th century bungalow-Craftsman homes with flowering gardens bordered by picket fences, wide porches, arched doorways and windows. Fifty-one of them make up a historic district listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 

Cashmere’s history dates back to 1860 when a Catholic Mission was established along a nearby creek to serve the Indians of the area. The town that grew up was named Mission.  It  continued to be called Mission until 1904 when  -- and here’s where the stories differ – either a  founding father went to India and came back saying this town reminded him of Kashmir or . . .

. . .as www.historylink.org explains, “Judge James Harvey Chase (1831-1928) suggested the name Cashmere from a popular and sentimental poem, “Lalla Rookh,” by Sir Thomas Moore, extolling the mountainous beauty of the Vale of Kashmir in Himalayan India. The judge had once been a teacher of elocution, famed for his public readings, and no doubt this poem was part of his repertoire.”

Mission Avenue, a block from Cottage Avenue, is home to Liberty Orchards (makers of Aplets and Cotlets) factory/store and to Mission Square, 207 Mission Avenue.

This renovated fruit packing house is home to more than 30 businesses including several winery tasting rooms, a spirit distillery, a coffee and gelato shop, tavern and in the basement we discovered the delightful workshop and showroom of a furniture-from-wine-barrel maker. (that's one of his tables is pictured here).







If  You Go:
From Seattle driving time is about 2 ½ hours. Either head east over Highway 2 via Stevens Pass or over Interstate 90 and Highway 97 (Blewett Pass).

Lodging
Village Inn Motel, 229 Cottage Avenue, near the historic cottages and an easy walk to Mission Square. 21 guest rooms. 509-782-3522. www.cashmerevillageinn.com

Mission Creek Cider Mill and Guest Suites, 5420 Woodring Canyon Road. Two rooms in a renovated 1910 house overlooking an orchard, 866-459-9614, www.washingtonapplecountry.com.


Information about the area:
Cashmere Chamber of Commerce, 509-782-7404 or www.cashmerechamber.com.
Wenatchee Valley Visitors Bureau, 800-572-7753 or www.wenatcheevalley.org.

Some ideas for you:

The Cashmere Museum and Pioneer Village, 600 Cotlets Way. www.cashmeremuseum.org.

Liberty Orchards, 117 Mission Ave. Free factory tours daily. www.libertyorchards.com.






Mission Creek Cider Mill and Guest Suites, 5420 Woodring Canyon Road. Cider tastings. Snack bar. Cooking classes. www.washingtonapplecountry.com.


Mission Square: Among the businesses housed in this renovated 1937 pear packing house are:

Snapdragon Coffee Shop and Gelato – home of “Snappy Hour” a take on Happy Hour drinks but all made with juices or coffees; non-alcoholic (www.facebook.com/SnapDragonCoffeeShop)
It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (www.5oclocksomewheredistillery.com)
The Waterville Winery (www.watervillewine.com)
Crayelle Cellars (www.crayellecellars.com)
Horan Estates Winery (www.horanestateswinery.com)
Dutch John Wines (http://dutchjohnwines.com)
Devil's Gulch Drinkery (www.devilsgulchdrinkery.com)
Wine Design, custom wine barrel products, (www.winedesignllc.com)


Photos: In order: Aplets and Cotlets factory (free tours are available to the public), street scenes of Cashmere, table from a wine barrel in the entry of Mission Square, Mission Creek Cider Mill, Pioneer Village at the Museum, Mission Creek Cider bottles.


Note:  We have visited Cashmere several times in the last few years.  But thanks go to Marcia Janke at the Wenatchee Valley Visitors Bureau and Marcia Green of the Cashmere Cider Mill and SnapDragon Coffee for setting up the tour and tasting at Mission Square that we took in July.

WAWednesday: Off the Beaten Path

With that paper map in my lap -- and being referred to quite often ---- we left the Interstate Highway at George, Washington (no joke, there is a town named George with a Martha's Inn in it, as a matter of fact!)

The first leg of our summer road trip took us east across the state of Washington. We crossed from our western side of the state into the east on Snoqualmie Pass and then over the Columbia River at Vantage.


Each time I see that magnificent river, the song we sang with gusto in elementary school comes to mind:

“Roll on Columbia, roll on.

Roll on Columbia, roll on.

Your power is turning our darkness to dawn,

roll on Columbia roll on.”

From the river we began a journey through miles of cultivated lands, often driving the ribbon of roadway without passing any other vehicles. With the sun roof open we took in the smells as well as the sights: fresh cut grain, pungent mint, all the fresh, earthy smells that fill these miles of agricultural land.



The  two-lane roadway held promise of new adventures just waiting to be discovered as we cast off the confines of the big city where we live.

We drove through charming – non-tourist towns – among them, Creston, Wilber, Reardon. . .each with a wonderful sense of community communicated through highway signs advertising civic events and celebrating youth. 

And each with its own distinct grain elevator and storage facility prominently towering over the town.



During our pre-trip research I’d found a motel in Davenport, the county seat of Lincoln County, just 33 miles west of Spokane that prompted at least a stop for lunch in its wonderful cafe.  We ate at the  Black Bear Cafe, a part of the Black Bear Motel.



The restaurant was a trip back into history – our meals were served in aluminum pans – reminiscent of the tin pans of olden days.

I’ve got to tell you this town was charming. It's courthouse belongs in a Norman Rockwell painting.

   
Our trusty maps hadn’t let us down – we were off the beaten track in the midst of Washington's agricultural heartland -- and we were having a blast..

Washington Wednesday: Road Trip Treats

Eastern Washington’s farm land, orchards,vineyards and hop yards are spectacular backdrops for summer road trips. An added plus in the last decade has been the proliferation of wineries where visitors are welcomed to tasting rooms that range from vast, elaborate themed structures to small mom-and-pop operations in the family garage.

However, there's more taste in Washington's vast agricultural region than wine. Two of our recommended stops are:

* Monteillet Fromagerie –  the first farmstead artisanal cheese facility in the Walla Walla Valley of southeastern Washington.  Our visit took us down a long driveway into the heart of a goat and sheep farm to a small cheese tasting room with outdoor tables as well (where they pair the cheese with wine).

If you can’t be in the heart of France, there is no more perfect setting to eat farm-fresh cheese and sip wine on a hot summer day.

And if a few hours aren’t enough for you, Joan and her husband, rent a charming three-bedroom ‘gite’, (that is small house in French) and also rent out camp sites on the farm as well.

If you Go:  Monteillet Fromagerie, 109 Ward Rd., Dayton, 99382, tasting room open Friday and Saturdays, 12 – 5 p.m. and other times by appointment.  A trip here would be a great addition to southeastern Washington’s Walla Walla wine country.

The nearest airport and rental car companies are in Walla Walla. Regional airlines serve the area.

Accommodation information is on the farm's website, use the name link above, or phone at 001-509-876-1429
~~~~~~~~~~~                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 *Aplets and Cotlets, America’s famed fruit-and-nut confection, that tastes much like Turkish Delight, has been made in the small town of Cashmere since the 1920’s. Cashmere is in the heart of Central Washington's apple country, just outside Wenatchee.

The company, founded by two Armenian immigrants who settled in the town, began with Aplets, a powdered-sugar coated fruit candy made from locally grown apples and walnuts. It expanded to include Cotlets, made from apricots, and now offers a candy-store sized menu of fruit confections.

Stop by the retail store at the factory in Cashmere’s downtown, watch a video about the candy’s history and how it is made. Take a free tour.

If you Go:  Aplets and Cotlets, 117 Mission Ave., Cashmere, 98815, phone 800-888-5696 in the U.S. and 001-509-782-1000, outside the U.S.) The day we toured they were not making the candy, but the crew was cutting and packaging the product.  Call in advance for the candy making schedule. 

The nearest airport and rental car companies are in Wenatchee. Regional airlines serve the area.

Doing DC in a Day

It's possible to 'Do DC in a Day."  I just did it Monday, but I know I had but a teaser of all the city had to offer . . . there's a lot more out there to see - next time. I was in our nation's capital for a conference and had most of a day for sightseeing - thanks to flight and meeting schedules not meshing.  So, with temperatures in the 80's and blue skies above, I set out to see as much of  Washington D.C. and its neighbor where I was staying, Arlington, Virginia as I could in a few hours.

DC' area Metro Map got me where I was going

I used  Metro which provided a cheap and safe alternative to a taxi.  DC, however, could learn from Paris where a simple carnet (ticket) system gets you where you want to go on the Metro.

But with the help of some very nice humans who work for DC Metro, I mastered their computerized ticket machine (figure out destination, then figure out fare, then load money into machine to load ticket). I should have purchased a day-pass which would have simplified the purchase and saved me money. Even with help, I didn't quite do it right and  ended up spending more than I should have, but for my $8 (the pass was $7, a fellow tourist told me) I had a great afternoon's outing.

(Note:  After last fall's Athen's Metro pickpocket experience, I enter any big city train with arms firmly wrapped around my bag and ready for battle. I noticed on this subway, women with large bags wide open -- one woman had her wallet sticking out of the top -- and no one seemed to pay any attention to them - except me; I was flabbergasted. Maybe there is something to their 'safe form of travel' claim? Still made me nervous seeing all those open bags).

The Washington Monument from the Metro entrance on The Mall

I love DC. Emerging from the depths of the Metro tunnel (and it is a deep one) on to The Mall, I was again reminded of why: 

The U.S. Capitol

My afternoon was filled with the sights and sounds along The Mall. It cost me nothing more than my Metro fare.  And speaking of fare, we ate some of the best culinary fare I've had in a long time. Guaranteed to make your mouth water, watch for my next post.

This carousel has operated on The Mall since 1967