Well, we didn't make it to Harvest House for my mom's birthday like I had planned, so Adam and I decided we would go by ourselves the following weekend. It was the perfect way to wind down after a week of back-to-school meetings and classroom preparation and an excellent jump-start to our favorite weekend in Waterville... fair weekend!
As soon as we stepped on the property we were greeted eagerly by Chef Valerie and Keith, the proprietor, "Welcome! Come in, come in, let me show you around!" The old farmhouse has been beautifully renovated and is packed full of beautiful paintings by featured artists Don Nutt and Michelle Soderstrom and stunning photography by Keith himself.
The dining atmosphere was cozy and social. While we were there we met some awesome people and had great conversations over local wine and a fantastic fall-off-the-bone rib dinner. We were absolutely stuffed to the brim when we left and were thrilled to have found such a gem mere blocks from our home.
We spent most of the rest of the weekend at the fair, browsing the exhibits, petting the animals, cheering excitedly at the rodeo/horse races and eating way too much fair food. Pronto pups, Wheat Wives cinnamon rolls, elephant ears and nacho supremes; I'm going to have to eat nothing but carrots and celery for a week to make up for it!
My favorite quote of the weekend: "Well, uh... It looks like we've got a no-score for the tractor driver."
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Harvest House
I know I've said it before, but seriously, in a town this small, you'd think I would know just about everything, but It is amazing how much I miss!
One day in June, when Adam and I were in the middle of our Couch to 5k running program, I decided to alter my usual "perimeter of town" route and headed down Rainier for a little change of scenery. I passed a home, which I had admired many times for its secluded yard and rosy hedge, but for the first time I noticed a sign that read "Harvest House Art Gallery and Supper Club." I found it a little curious because, honestly, I could have sworn that sign wasn't there before! I remember thinking, "What is a supper club? There's an art gallery there? How on Earth did I miss that? I wonder if the people who live there are artists. I wonder if it's a restaurant or a members only club." I made a mental note to ask someone about it and then completely forgot.
Last week, a Wenatchee friend called me, wondering about a restaurant in Waterville that some of her friends had visited. They said they had sat out on a lovely porch and were served warm bread. Confused, I asked, "Are you sure they were in Waterville? I mean, there are some really awesome restaurants up here but the porch thing has me stumped..."
The next day an idea dawned on me, "What if she was talking about that house down the street?" and a with a quick "fine dining Waterville, WA" google search, I had my answer.
The website I found answered all of the questions I had forgotten I wanted to ask: "Housed in a century-old farmhouse located just within the town limits, Chef Valerie Gray will serve you a feast of true down-home style cooking with a gourmet flare... Treat yourself to a changing art exhibit and music from respected artists while you dine family-style in our main dining hall or privately in one of two smaller dining rooms. Reserve the entire house for your special occasion or the main dining room or the yard!"
I am excited to check this place out! I'll admit, I'm a little ashamed that I didn't know it was there, especially since someone in Wenatchee had to tip me off! This weekend my mom is visiting for her birthday. I think we'll take her to Harvest House!
One day in June, when Adam and I were in the middle of our Couch to 5k running program, I decided to alter my usual "perimeter of town" route and headed down Rainier for a little change of scenery. I passed a home, which I had admired many times for its secluded yard and rosy hedge, but for the first time I noticed a sign that read "Harvest House Art Gallery and Supper Club." I found it a little curious because, honestly, I could have sworn that sign wasn't there before! I remember thinking, "What is a supper club? There's an art gallery there? How on Earth did I miss that? I wonder if the people who live there are artists. I wonder if it's a restaurant or a members only club." I made a mental note to ask someone about it and then completely forgot.
Last week, a Wenatchee friend called me, wondering about a restaurant in Waterville that some of her friends had visited. They said they had sat out on a lovely porch and were served warm bread. Confused, I asked, "Are you sure they were in Waterville? I mean, there are some really awesome restaurants up here but the porch thing has me stumped..."
The next day an idea dawned on me, "What if she was talking about that house down the street?" and a with a quick "fine dining Waterville, WA" google search, I had my answer.
The website I found answered all of the questions I had forgotten I wanted to ask: "Housed in a century-old farmhouse located just within the town limits, Chef Valerie Gray will serve you a feast of true down-home style cooking with a gourmet flare... Treat yourself to a changing art exhibit and music from respected artists while you dine family-style in our main dining hall or privately in one of two smaller dining rooms. Reserve the entire house for your special occasion or the main dining room or the yard!"
I am excited to check this place out! I'll admit, I'm a little ashamed that I didn't know it was there, especially since someone in Wenatchee had to tip me off! This weekend my mom is visiting for her birthday. I think we'll take her to Harvest House!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Kayaking Fun!
Adam and I learned recently that boat launch fees only actually apply to those who actually have to launch their boats from trailers. It seemed like that should be the case but we weren't completely sure. We've always been careful to find places with shallow shorelines to launch our kayaks because we couldn't justify paying a fee just to walk our boats into the water.
Yesterday we launched from the park in Orondo for the first time. What a gorgeous place to kayak! The water is nice and still if you're looking for a slow, leisurely paddle and there are a lot of shallow areas, perfect for cooling your feet or taking a swim.
The mouth of the Entiat River is a really fun place to explore. There are several small inlets which are inaccessible to larger boats and filled with wildlife. We saw herons, ducks, fish and thousands of colorful dragonflies. We saw two snakes, one swimming and the other dangling from a hawk's talons, and a painted turtle which we tried, unsuccessfully, to sneak up on. Unfortunately, we didn't catch a glimpse of any furry creatures this time. I was really hoping to run into a river otter. We suspect that it may have been a little too hot for them to be out and about. Maybe next time!
Yesterday we launched from the park in Orondo for the first time. What a gorgeous place to kayak! The water is nice and still if you're looking for a slow, leisurely paddle and there are a lot of shallow areas, perfect for cooling your feet or taking a swim.
The mouth of the Entiat River is a really fun place to explore. There are several small inlets which are inaccessible to larger boats and filled with wildlife. We saw herons, ducks, fish and thousands of colorful dragonflies. We saw two snakes, one swimming and the other dangling from a hawk's talons, and a painted turtle which we tried, unsuccessfully, to sneak up on. Unfortunately, we didn't catch a glimpse of any furry creatures this time. I was really hoping to run into a river otter. We suspect that it may have been a little too hot for them to be out and about. Maybe next time!
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