Wild About the NW

The Resort at Port Ludlow is hosting a wine and cheese extravaganza called the Fete du Fromage from 2-6 pm on Saturday, May 26th.  Participants will have an opportunity to sample 50 to 60 cheeses from premiere producers in Vermont, California, Spain, Italy, Belgium, France, and the Pacific NW.  What kind?  Fresh to fully-aged cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, and goat’s milk cheeses.  Each carefully paired with a variety of new and old world wines which will be available for tasting and pairing at up to ten stations. 

Of special interest to “Wild About the NW” fans, The Resort will pair a selection of Washington wines with cheeses crafted by local producers like Mystery Bay Farm of Marrowstone Island, Samish Bay Cheese of Bow, and Willapa Hills Cheese of Doty.  Rachel Van Laanen, owner of Mystery Bay Farm, will also be on hand to represent her goat cheeses and field questions from participants.

The Fete du Fromage is for cheese lovers and wine lovers alike, novices and seasoned veterans.  Anyone, in fact, who is looking for a fresh new taste to compliment an old favorite.  Fete tickets are $39 in advance or $45 at the door.  Price includes access to all cheese tables and two wine tastings.  Additional wine tastes (2 oz pours) are $5.  Tax and tip not included.  This event is being held at The Resort at Port Ludlow, 1 Heron Road, Port Ludlow, WA.  For more information or to order advance tickets, please call 360-437-7412.

**Special Note:  The Resort’s Fireside Restaurant is cozy and intimate.  Their menu reflects a passion for Northwest cuisine, utilizing fresh ingredients that are grown, caught or raised locally.  In April, The Fireside received the 2012 Washington Wine Award of Distinction for its dedication and commitment to Washington’s wine industry. 

Cranberry wine from Pasek Cellars. Photo: KGilb.

5/15/2012.  Mmmm, cranberry wine.  The perfect accompaniment to a traditional Thanksgiving feast, and especially good during the festive holiday season that follows.  But why put it away once the holidays have ended?  The tart, refreshing taste of cranberry wine is a natural pairing with the long, lazy days of summer.

One of our favorite cranberry wines comes from Pasek Cellars in Mount Vernon, WA.  Made from cranberries grown right here in the Pacific NW, the wine starts out sweet, but ends with a delightfully tart cranberry finish.  The color is a deep, rich red reminiscent of the berry itself which makes for a very pretty summer cooler/cocktail. 

Pasek Cellars’ cranberry wine is best served chilled.  For a more festive occasion like a patio party, graduation, or reception, try mixing it with champagne or sparkling cider:

1.  Pour 2 oz cranberry wine and a splash of lime into a wine glass or champagne flute.  Top it off with champagne or sparkling cider, and garnish with 3-4 fresh cranberries.

2.  Pour equal parts cranberry wine and champagne over crushed ice.  Garnish with a thin slice of lime or 2-3 strips of orange zest.  Serve and enjoy!

Pasek Cellars was established in 1995 by Gene and Kathy Pasek.  Their specialty?  Though they do offer a crisp, light chardonnay, a syrah, and a syrah port, it’s their fruit wines that have proven most popular.  Blackberry, cranberry, loganberry, raspberry . . .  even pineapple and passion fruit.  For a complete listing of available wines, please check their wine list.

Pasek Cellars wines can be found in specialty shops and grocery stores throughout the Northwest and can also be ordered online.  For a special treat, stop by their tasting room which is located just one hour north of Seattle at the Conway Skagit Barn.  They’re open every day from 11-5.  In addition to free wine tastings, the shop also features a variety of wine-related gifts and accessories.  For a map and detailed directions, please check the Pasek Cellars website. 

Whether an avid cranberry fan or someone just looking for a unique new taste, don’t wait six months for the next holiday season to begin.  Cranberry wine is the perfect summer cooler.

Special Note:  Pasek Cellars is the first stop along the Skagit Valley Wine Route. 

Scotch broom in bloom. Photo: KGilb.

5/9/2012.  “What are those beautiful yellow flowers we saw growing alongside the interstate?”  It’s a question we often hear this time of year from out-of-state visitors.  The answer, of course, is Scotch broom.  (also known as Scot’s broom)  But when the conversation turns to how pretty this flowering shrub would look in their own garden back home, they are amazed to discover that Scotch broom is considered a Class B Noxious Weed in Washington State.

Native to Europe and North Africa, Scotch broom was first introduced as an ornamental into Pacific NW coastal gardens in the late 1800′s.  Later, the hardy shrub was used for erosion control along public roads.  From there, it spread quickly into dunes, prairies, upland meadows, and other natural areas. 

Unfortunately, for those of us who live in the Northwest, Scotch broom is a prolific seed producer and very aggressive.  The bushes form dense stands which squeeze out native plants and so can have a devastating impact on local wildlife habitat.  They are also drought-tolerant, thrive in poor soils, and have a nasty tendency to resprout even after the shrubs have been cut down.  Think of them as the woody version of a dandelion.

Scotch broom is an upright shrub that grows 3-10 feet tall.  During spring and early summer, they are covered in a profusion of bright yellow blossoms that are a delight to see.  (for a close-up photo, please check the King County website)  But don’t make the mistake of planting one in your back yard!  Like a field full of dandelions, they are almost impossible to get rid of once they’ve gone to seed.

Astoria Column stands at the top of Coxcomb Hill. Photo: KGilb.

4/27/2012.  The staircase spirals up from the base like a corkscrew inside the column.  The interior lighting is muted and echoes of voices bounce off the stone walls.  The rhythmic thump of heavy footsteps vibrates through the metal treads and hand rails.  You can’t help but count the steps.  97-98-99 . . . how many before you reach the top?  164, but the view is worth it!  When you finally step out onto the viewing platform, the world falls away in a sweeping vista of blue and green.

The Astoria Column is an iconic local landmark perched atop Coxcomb Hill.  At 600 feet above sea level, Coxcomb is the highest point in Astoria, OR.  Add the height of the column, another 125 feet, and the view is breathtaking.  A quick stroll around the platform can yield some spectacular snapshots of the Pacific Ocean, the rugged coastline, the Columbia River, and the rolling hills of the Coast Range.  For some striking samples, please check the Astoria Column website.  

The monument was built in 1926 to honor explorers and early settlers for their roles in developing what would become the Oregon Territory.  Patterned after Rome’s Trajan Column, it has a ribbon of historical scenes that winds around the exterior.  The scenes depict figures important to the region’s early history, such as Captain Robert Gray and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.   If unwound from the column and laid out flat, this “ribbon” of artwork would be over 500 feet long.

The Astoria Column is open to the public from dawn until dusk.  Ample parking available, though the lot does tend to fill up quickly during the height of the tourist season.  A half dozen picnic tables are scattered about the lawn for those who want to linger.  There’s also a gift shop on site that offers snacks, sundries, and souvenirs–including the super popular balsa wood gliders that can be launched from the viewing platform at the top of the column!

Special Note:  The column itself is free to the public, but there is a $1 per car parking fee.  (payable at the gift shop)  And for those unable or unwilling to attempt the stairs?  The view from the top of Coxcomb Hill is still incredible!

Birds and Blooms exhibit runs through May 26th. Cover Art: Art on the Boulevard.

4/18/2012.  No matter how cool and rainy it might be outside on the streets, Spring has definitely come to Art on The Boulevard in downtown Vancouver, WA.  MaryJane Larson and Denise McFadden are the featured artists in the “Birds and Blooms” watercolor exhibit currently on display in the gallery.  This special exhibit continues through May 26, but don’t wait!  Treat yourself to a bit of spring right now. 

Northwest artist MaryJane Larson was born and raised in Petersburg, Alaska, but now lives in Vancouver, WA.  Growing up surrounded by creative family members—painters, potters, carvers, sculptors, weavers, and more—it’s no wonder she became an artist.  Her favorite subjects are flowers (big, beautiful blooms that look like they’ve been plucked fresh from the garden) and Northwest landscapes.  Her use of bright colors and realistic details help bring her canvasses to life. 

Fellow exhibitor Denise McFadden worked as a graphic artist for various advertising firms in Chicago and Colorado.  When she moved to Vancouver, however, watercolor became her chosen medium.  A choice clearly applauded by many, as her work has since garnered several awards.  Her portrayals of birds in the wild (herons, gulls, pelicans, hawks, even blackbirds) are incredibly striking.  So graceful and yet thrumming with energy.  Of special interest are the 2-3 paintings on display from her woven/quilted series.   

Art on the Boulevard is a non-profit art gallery whose mission is “to establish a community environment in which the arts flourish.”  Working with over 50 Northwest artists, the gallery is able to display a wide variety of media and styles:  oils and watercolors, pottery, sculptures, blown glass, jewelry, and photography. 

The gallery is located in Suite #300 at the Vancouver Marketplace Building, 210 West Evergreen Boulevard, Vancouver, WA.  Hours: 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.  Stop by for a visit today!

Whale Watching Center. Depot Bay, OR. Photo: KGilb.

3/25/2012.  The whales are coming!  From now until June, as many as 18,000 gray whales will make their way up from Baja California to their feeding grounds in Alaska’s Bering Sea.  Many will swim close to shore feeding on the tiny mysid shrimp found in Oregon’s kelp beds and other whale delicacies.  Others, including mothers and their calves, will rest for awhile in our protected coves and inlets.  Record numbers have already been seen heading north, so this is the perfect time for whale watchers to head for the Oregon Coast.

To celebrate this annual migration, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has designated March 24-31 as this year’s Whale Watching Week.  Over 200 volunteers will be stationed at 24 prime viewing spots up and down the Oregon Coast.  These volunteers will be on duty from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day, helping visitors spot these gentle giants of the sea.  For a map of locations, please check the Whale Watching Center website.

Tips for Whale Watching:

1. Dress for the weather.  The Oregon Coast can be windy and cool even on a summer day.

2. Bring binoculars and have them ready, but watch for “whale sign” with your eyes.  When you locate a blow, then bring your binoculars up for a closer look. 

3. Morning light is better.  When the sun shifts to the west, afternoon light reflects off the water (into your eyes) and can make whale spotting more difficult.

4. Higher elevations (top of a bluff) are usually much better than beaches or jetties to spot a whale.  Though any spot with an ocean view—even a hotel room with a balcony overlooking the sea—may yield surprising results.

5. Learn the diving and feeding habits of the whales, so you’ll know where and how often they may surface.  The Whale Watching Center in Depot Bay is a great source for information about the gray whales.  Their motto is “Whale Watching Spoken Here”

Nothing matches the excitement you feel when you catch your first glimpse of a whale swimming in the wild.  Whether it’s that telltale “spout” erupting from the waves or the flip of a massive tail, this is one experience you don’t want to miss!

Special Note:  There are several whale watching charter boats located in harbors up and down the Oregon Coast.  A special treat for those who want to get up close and personal with these incredible creatures. 

3/20/2012.  In case you hadn’t noticed, we added a brand new “Things To Do” Page on Wild About the NW.  Each Tuesday, we’ll shine a spotlight on various locations throughout the Northwest with suggestions for some fun things to do while visiting there.  So be sure and mark your calendar.    

Meanwhile, do you have a favorite Northwest spot you’d like to share?  Send us an email at ptldwriter@gmail.com.  We’d love to hear from you!

Winner of the 2012 Spotted Owl Award. Cover Art: Tyrus Books.

3/15/2012.  Local author Bill Cameron has been named the winner of this year’s Spotted Owl Award.  The Spotted Owl is awarded each year by the Friends of Mystery for the best mystery novel written by a Pacific NW author.  Cameron won for his novel, County Line–a  sharp-edged, cross-country thriller featuring ex-cop Skin Kadash.

“When the steadfast Ruby Jane Whittaker drops out of sight, dogged ex-cop Skin Kadash sets out to discover what drove the woman he loves to leave her life behind so suddenly and without explanation.  The discovery of a dead man in her apartment, followed by an attack by a mysterious stalker, leads Skin first to California, then across the country on a desperate journey deep into Ruby Jane’s haunted past–and toward an explosive confrontation which will determine if either has a future.”  Synopsis provided by publisher.

County Line is the fourth book in a series of dark, gritty mysteries featuring Skin Kadash.  Previous novels include Day One, Chasing Smoke, and Lost Dog–each of which landed on a previous Spotted Owl list of finalists.  (2008, 2009, 2011)  Cameron’s work has also been nominated for the Left Coast Crime Rocky Award and the 2011 CWA Short Story Dagger Award.  And his short stories have appeared in Spinetingler, Portland Noir, First Thrills, and West Coast Crime Wave.  

Bill Cameron is currently hard at work on his next novel.  Will it be another in what has been a very successful series, or something brand new?  We can’t wait to find out!

The Friends of Mystery is a nonprofit literary/educational organization based in Portland, OR.  They host a series of public meetings called Bloody Thursdays, with featured speakers ranging from mystery novelists to prosecuting attorneys and forensics investigators.  They also publish a newsletter called The Blood-Letter and sponsor a local reading group.  Their members are clearly interested in all things pertaining to mystery, whether fiction or true crime.