Coyote Pass Cafe

I feel bad that I haven't written a review of the Coyote Pass Cafe, considering that it was one of the first places we ate after moving to Waterville. I started to write one several times, but was always diverted into writing about something else.

The first time we went to Coyote Pass was for breakfast. The first thing that struck me was the atmosphere. I immediately loved the modern, vintage touch that the owners had created inside and out. The rich paneled wood ceilings combined with ruggedly beautiful floors and lots of woody antiques make the restaurant feel both warm and inviting. The owners were friendly and super talkative and they succeeded in quickly making us feel welcomed and our patronage appreciated.

Adam and I both ordered the eggs benedict, my favorite breakfast and let me tell you, it was yummy! The eggs were fresh, the hollandaise was real and the potatoes were just perfect! I remember the coffee being great as well, but honestly, it's been a little too long to give a good coffee review. Adam and I don't eat breakfast out much and I, unfortunately, no longer drink coffee.

It was probably a year before we went there again, my dad and his wife in tow, and as soon as we walked in, the owner said, "Where have you been?!" I was completely shocked and a little impressed that he had remembered us!

Again, we had a fantastic breakfast dining experience, with lots of friendly conversation. My dad, who is a big breakfast critic, was even impressed.

The next time I went to the Cafe I was by myself and I didn't actually see the owners. I popped in for lunch and ordered a patty-melt, which was just as fantastic as our breakfasts had been, but I'll admit, I did miss the cheery greeting and the chit-chat. I was excited to see how busy the place was, though. The store-front is quite attractive, so it is not surprising that many passers-through feel compelled to stop there.

In my opinion, the Coyote Pass Cafe is yet another excellent choice if you're looking for something to eat in Waterville. It still amazes me that we have so many great eateries in this tiny, little town.

Yet Another Lesson Learned

I, apparently, take for granted that our roads are so well maintained. I imagine that this is probably the reason that, even though I knew there was a "Winter Weather Advisory" looming last Friday, I didn't think twice about us taking the car to Wenatchee instead of the Jeep.

We hit Pine Canyon that evening at the heaviest part of the storm. It was rain-snowing quite hard from Wenatchee to Orondo, but nothing was sticking on the roadway. I was certain there would be snow in Waterville, though, and I was excited to get home to see just how much. My excitement lasted until we hit the slush pile midway up the hill.

It became clear, very quickly, that we might not make it home at all that night. The tires began spinning and we immediately lost momentum. Adam geared down, flipped on the emergency flashers, and tried his best to inch the car up little by little. Our little car's tires spun wildly as Adam avoided sliding into the guardrail a couple of times and even attempted to use the rumble-strip to gain a little traction; all to no avail.

Finally, he made the decision to turn around, as the wife's nervous babbling came to a peak, and down the hill we went, contemplating our overnight options.

I really just wanted to get home to sleep in our own bed, so we waited in Orondo for a little while to see if a plow would drive by. Adam, feeling less optimistic, began calling family members to secure a place to stay.

Eventually, we did go back to Wenatchee but at my urging, instead of staying overnight, we bought some chains and headed back to the canyon to give it another go. Thankfully, by that time, the plow had gone through and sand had been spread so we were able to traverse the hill without the use of chains.

I remember Adam saying, "I sure wish we would have known there was going to be a snowstorm! I would have taken the Jeep instead of the car." I sheepishly replied, "I knew..."

I really didn't think it was going to be that big of a deal. I guess I was wrong again!

Improvements on the Block

I remember when Dave bought the duplex and property next to us, I got a little nervous. I told him that he couldn't improve it before we fixed up the exterior of our house because it was the only property on the block uglier than ours!

Thankfully, this never became an issue because even after we roofed and painted our house, the property next door remained... well... dumpy.

After that, our fear morphed into, "Honestly, what kind of people are going to want to buy that place?!" Dave joked that he'd do his best to ensure that it would not become a meth lab, but as more and more time passed, we began to wonder if it was a realistic promise.

You can imagine our concern when the "For Sale" signs disappeared one day.

Our fears were completely unfounded! In a very short period of time, the place has been transformed from the outside in! There's a new roof, new siding and new windows. The interior was gutted and is now in the process of being completely renovated. We're pretty impressed!

(...and so grateful that we don't have a meth lab next door!)

The Pied Piper

Missoula Children's Theatre is coming to Waterville School next week with their own, probably quirky version of the story "The Pied Piper." If you've never seen a Missoula Children's Theatre performance you should really go check it out. It is amazing what they do with the kids in such a short time!

The entire production is produced by two actor/directors who come to town in a truck loaded with props, sets and costumes. On Monday they hold an audition, which I think is almost as fun to watch as the final production!

First, the students are organized tallest to shortest in a square surrounding the two actor/directors. Then they are guided through a series of fun exercises designed to isolate individual skills and levels of confidence. For example, students may be asked to say their name out loud loud in a very angry way, or mime a scenario like sneaking a cookie from a forbidden cookie jar. After each activity, students are shifted around the square and it starts to become clear who the directors have chosen for the lead parts. In my school, so many students audition that many end up being cut, which is always a little sad. I imagine they don't have that problem in Waterville; just one of the benefits of being a small school.

Once auditions have been completed, cast members are given a rehearsal schedule and rehearsals for the lead parts begin immediately.

Over the course of the week, magic happens. By Friday students have memorized songs, speaking lines, dance steps, costume changes and stage transitions. It is totally fascinating.

Performances of "The Pied Piper" are at the Nifty Theater at 7pm on Friday and at 1:30pm on Saturday. More information regarding auditions can be found on the Waterville School website: http://www.waterville.wednet.edu/