Go Back In Time - The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire

Knights, mythical creatures, majestic Queens … everyone has, at one point or another, been enamored with these images in their lives.  The charging horses and clash of metal of the joust or the quick wit and merry tune of the bards have been a part of so many of our stories and games throughout our lives.   I’m happy to tell you there is a place to experience these things in person…a sort of time machine if you will.

The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire will whisk you back to the 1570’s where Mary, Queen of Scots, holds court and knights clash in combat for the favor of the Queen.   Beyond the sounds of battle, merchants of all kinds, from clothing and weapons to food and ale, peddle their wares to the various attendees.  The Village of Stonehaven is alive with more than fighting and commerce, bards and traveling troupes of entertainers perform during the course of the day on the various stages throughout the faire and magicians entertain young and old alike with their otherworldly skills.   

Perhaps the best part of the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire is the people watching.  Beyond the performers, merchants, knights and the Queen herself is a dedicated group of people who attend the faire to celebrate their passion for all things Medieval.   Many of the fairgoers have created amazing costumes and personas for the faire into which they transform as soon as they cross the castle gates.  Dressing in period outfits and speaking Ye Olde English isn’t necessary to enjoy the fair, but by the end of the day you may have a hard time walking away without envisioning your next visit as a nobleperson from the quaint shire of Seattle.  Huzzah!  http://www.washingtonfaire.com/

Side Trips - Market Theater Gum Wall

Each region has its locations and events that are common knowledge, but some of the more interesting locales fall off the beaten path with only the local population reveling in their quirky, uniqueness.  The Market Theater Gum Wall is one of Seattle's hidden, albeit slightly gross, gems.  The wall, located mere footsteps from Pike Place Market,  began around 1993 when Seattle theater goers began to stick gum to the wall and press coins into it.  The wall was initially seen as a problem and scraped clean twice only to have the city change gears in 1999 and declare it an official tourist attraction. The wall continues to grow as new visitors add their slightly masticated mark on one of Seattle's walls. Pike Place Gum Wall

Shamble With The Undead – Red, White, and Dead Zombie Walk

There are some things that you have to experience in person.  The Red, White and Dead Zombie Walk in the Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood falls squarely in that category.  Every year around the Fourth of July holiday thousands of people channel their inner undead and shamble together for a record breaking zombie horde that George A. Romero would be proud of.  The event features live music (ironic), food, and free make-up tents for the cosmetically challenged living dead.  The festivities lead to a massive Thriller dance, including a quick tutorial, and culminates in the actual walk itself, which winds throughout Fremont.   The crowds start to thin out after the walk, but feel free to stick around for the evening happenings which have included music and outdoor movies in the past. Just know that if you hang around for the entire event, you may have trouble shaking the Zombie mentality the following day. http://www.zombcon.com/ 

Sleep Under The Stars – Olympic National Park, Kalaloch Beach and Ruby Beach

One of the best things about the Pacific Northwest is the wide spectrum of outdoor locales that will take your breath away.   While some of these places are in and around urban areas, some of them require a bit more effort to enjoy them…But the travel is well worth it.  The Olympic National Park falls squarely in this category.   The Park encompasses a major part of the Olympic Peninsula and consists of a variety of locales from old-growth forest to driftwood strewn beaches.   Nestled along the coast amidst the massive trees is Kalaloch Campground.  The campground is reflective of the National Park itself with the deepest campsites surrounded by massive, majestic trees which slowly transitions to sites on beachside cliffs with spectacular views of the ocean.  A short walk from any of the sites takes you down to the long, smooth, sands of Kalaloch Beach.   For a more rugged beach experience we drove a few miles north to explore the ever changing expanse of Ruby Beach.   A visit to Ruby beach requires a check of the tide charts to get the full experience; luckily we found it posted at the beginning of the trail to the beach.   Ruby Beach is beautiful regardless of when you visit, but low tide gives you a chance to explore areas that are normally unreachable.   As the tide goes out, the rocks that were previously jutting out of the surf are slowly transformed into an exploratory playground of tide pools and secluded coves.   After devoting a few hours to exploring, the rest of the afternoon is best spent watching the tide roll in as the sun goes down.  http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/exploring-the-coast.htm 

 

Drive up to the past – Dick’s Drive-in

Nothing is as ubiquitous to American cuisine as burgers, fries and shakes.   Since the 1940’s, billions of people have dined on this trifecta of goodness.  In Seattle you can get great burgers and shakes all over the city, but there is only one place where they are still serving it up the way they did when they opened in 1954: Dick’s Drive-In.  Dick’s has been a favorite of Seattleites for over 50 years for good reason.  Every item on the menu is handmade everyday: that’s right, the patties are hand-pressed, the fries are fresh-cut, and the shakes are from real ice cream.  This is one of the myriad reasons that people will go out of their way to visit one of the five (soon to be six) Dick’s locations scattered around the city. Another is the seldom changing menu.  Dick’s menu has only changed twice since it was first printed and the prices reflect the simplicity…in fact there isn’t an item on the menu over $2.50!   A trip to Dick’s is like a trip to a different era: handmade, fresh and affordable…the perfect mix for a quick bite to eat. http://www.dicksdrivein.com/

Enjoy the Variety – Carkeek Park

Generally a city park consists of a single defining feature.  There are forested hiking parks, beachfront parks and even parks primarily consisting of large open fields ideal for frolicking.  Carkeek Park has it all in its 220 acre expanse: large open fields, endless trails through the forest canopy, a beautiful Pacific Northwest beach and an ocean themed play structure that includes a large salmon with a slide running its length.  At the entrance to the park is the Carkeek Park Environmental Learning Center.  The Center was designed and built with the environment in mind and is the first building in Seattle to achieve the Gold level of the US Green Building Council's LEEDs rating system.  Piper’s Creek, which runs through the park, provides a fantastic natural backdrop to the lower fields but is most alive during the late fall – early winter with chum salmon returning to spawn. Overall, Carkeek Park is a perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. http://www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/Carkeek.htm

Play The Game - Card Kingdom

In this digital age the classic board game has slipped somewhat in popularity, which is unfortunate as there is a multitude of fantastic card and board games available now with more being released every month.  From gaming staples such as Settlers of Catan and Magic the Gathering to new classics including like the incredibly fun, zombie inspired Last Night on Earth or the RPG on a board, Runescape, the spectrum of games out there is varied and growing.   In Seattle there are a few places to find these gems but none better than Card Kingdom and with their recent move and expansion, they are the ideal location to try your hand at creating your own civilization or delving deep into a dungeon.  The new location is open and spacious, with plenty of gaming tables available to try a game from their library.  The expansion also allowed them to add a larger tournament area in the back, gaming tables for miniatures, and Café Mox, their new place to grab a drink and a bite to eat.  The staff, as always, are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable with game suggestions at the ready based on your inquiries.  The only downside of a visit to Card Kingdom is trying to figure out which game to play first. 

Card Kingdom  5105 Leary Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98107

 

Become A Bibliophile – Friends of the Library Book Sale

There is something about a book that an “e”version can’t replace.  The tactile feel of the pages, the slightly musty smell of old books aged like a fine wine.  If you have a visceral connection with books and you like them cheap, the Friends of the Library Book Sale at Magnuson Park is the place to go.  The sale is a biannual event, generally occurring in Mid-April and Mid-September, with over 100,000 books for sale at around the $1 range and an entire section of “Better” books at a slightly higher price for the more discerning palette.  The shear volume of literature available for purchase is nearly overwhelming and you can easily spend hours poring over titles in every genre from the classics to textbooks.  The event is well attended so be prepared to rub elbows with other bibliophiles (and book sellers) but it’s all worth it in the end.  The rewards far outweigh the effort. http://friendsofspl.org/booksale

Old Country Meets New Country - Tutta Bella

Beyond sharing a name, Pizza and Neapolitan Pizza have little else in common.  While your standard pizza generally has a dense crust and is piled high with sauces and toppings, a Neapolitan Pizza is a thin, crispy pie with just a touch of softness around the crust.  The toppings are used sparingly with the flavors balanced in every bite.   Neapolitan pizza has sprung up in several of the neighborhoods in and around Seattle, but Tutta Bella’s four locations constantly serves up some of the best.  We were lucky enough to arrive at Tutta Bella right at the tail end of happy hour so we could take advantage of their cheap eats.  We started off with a few of the Stuzzichini or little bites.  The candied almonds are an amazing treat, with a touch of sea salt and rosemary and the marinated olives come in a range of tastes from salty and rich to spicy.  The pizza, of course, was the main attraction.  Our Regina Margherita was exactly what we expected, a soft and crisp crust with a tangy sauce, layered with fresh basil, mozzarella and tomato.  If you’re lucky enough to be seated near the open kitchen you can watch your pizzas as they are prepared.   My only complaint is that I seem to reach for the last slice moments too late.

Never Say Die – Astoria to Cannon Beach

 If you can instantly identify the Truffle Shuffle and have an urge for Baby Ruths, a trip to the Oregon coast is a must.  At the end of a 3 hour drive south of Seattle lies the city of Astoria, Oregon.  Astoria is probably best known as the filming location for the cult film Goonies.   The city has embraced its film locales by turning the jailhouse from the beginning of Goonies into the Oregon Film Museum. 

Scattered throughout the rest of the city are various other film locales such as the bowling alley where Chunk smeared the window and  the Captain George Flavel House Museum where Mikey’s dad supposedly worked, but the pinnacle of locations to visit is definitely the Goonies House itself.  The Victorian Style house sits at the top of a short gravel driveway with a sign that not only lets you know you’ve found the right place, but that Goonies are welcome to walk up but not drive.  The house hasn’t changed much since the movie, but then again that’s the beauty of it. 

From the Goonies locations we headed up to the Astoria Column which was built in 1926 and was refurbished in 1995 and 2004.  The Column rises up 125 feet above the hilltop and, after climbing to the observation platform at the top, it has the most amazing views of the ocean, Columbia River and the surrounding hills and valleys. 

The final location to cap off the Goonies theme to our trip was a stop at Cannon Beach to take in Haystack Rock.  The large stone monolith juts out the ocean leaving no doubt that you have found what you were looking for.  The only thing missing is a galleon sailing out to sea.  http://www.thegoonies.org/