Washington travel

Snohomish pie!

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What better way to enjoy a cloudy misty day in the Pacific North West than having some warm fresh pie in a quaint and cozy pie shop? Well, Sher and I along with the rest of the family spent such a time today at the Snohomish Pie Company.

Just some of the flavors available

The Snohomish Pie Company baked the first pies in 1996. Known throughout the Seattle area as home of the best pies, this award winning store deserves its many accolades. It is only open from 10 to 6 M-F. If you have a favorite flavor pie, you best get there early: it is not uncommon for some pies to sell out before closing.

Snohomish Pie Company storefront on 1st. Street in downtown Snohomish

Sher and I enjoyed the Northwest Berry along with our son-in-law. We ordered the pie all warmed up. Daughter and grandson had the chocolate pecan pie. Yummy for sure. Our grandson also had ice cream with his. These pies are as good, if not better than they look. It is easy to see why they are so popular.

 

All kinds of good stuff!

Total immersion at Teatro ZinZanni show in Seattle

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We had heard about it, we had looked at the web site, but nothing prepared us for the extravaganza that was our evening at the Teatro ZinZanni Seattle presentation of A Night Like This. It’s hard to describe, but here goes:

Imagine walking into a real life vintage circus tent. This tent, made in 1910, has fine wood work, mirrored walls and wood floors. Fancy does not do justice to the opulence of this structure.  Our daughter and son-in-law arranged for us to all go to the show.

Entering the world of Teatro ZinZanni

Striking fabric ceilings in the lobby

The lobby offers coat check, a full bar, and even a “Boutique” for purchasing boas, masks, hats and other trimmings for your outfit. We were seated at our table big enough for 8, but private for the four of us. It was an amazing sight to see how ornate and big the tent was!

The walls are ornate, table is set

Orchestra stage in background, seating where the action takes place

Right after we got our drinks, things started to happen. Cast members started roaming around, interacting with the crowd. The show had started, even tho there was no official “start”! It was time to start eating: course 1 was a delicious beet salad. Keep in mind that this evening includes a full 4 course meal, each served with a flair by waiters/actors. The spacing of the courses is just perfect.

Cocktail time!

My two beautiful girls

The star of the show, Christine Deaver, brought laughter and mirth throughout the evening. Her singing was terrific, and she brought members of the audience into her act several times. Her improve work is sensational and she keeps the audience in stitches.

Christine, photo courtesy of Teatro ZinZanni

Christine, photo courtesy of Teatro ZinZanni

The orchestra is just, well, fabulous. The variety and quality of music those four guys put out is incredible. Throughout the show you will be treated to songs that will bring back memories and get your hands clapping and foot a tappin’.

Both seating and performance area

The salad course: delicious beets

Words cannot describe the excitement you feel when viewing the gymnastic and aerialist acts. An international cast ads to the quality of these performances. The thing about this show is that there is always something going on. When a center stage act in not happening, cast members are wandering around having fun with the crowd. Star Christine liked and felt of Mike’s hair, and another actor repeatedly stated he liked my mustache. You are totally immersed in your experience at A Night Like This.

No photography once the show starts, so we had our group photo taken by the in house photographer

Sher and I have been to many places, events and entertainment venues during our years on the road. We both feel that our night at Teatro ZinZanni Seattle was the best and most unique of any we have experienced. We would strongly suggest that you also attend a performance.

Huge walk through ancient tree stump on I-5 Rest Stop

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Usually interstate rest areas are straight forward: a truck and RV parking lot and a separate car parking lot. In between are the restrooms, vending machines and a scattering of picnic tables and a doggie “poop here but pick up” park.

The story

However, the Northbound I-5 Smokey Point Rest Stop at mile marker 207 north of Seattle has the above mentioned features (including an RV dump station) and a huge tree stump. Yes, it is a piece of local history. The story of this artifact is fairly well documented on the story board. The size of the stump is obvious in the photo.

The stump

When I first saw this I thought that it was some kind of new picnic table shelter. Then I saw the story board. Strange but true are the things you find when traveling!

Beardslee Public House in Bothel, Washington

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While our grandson was having his music lesson, Sher and I went with our daughter and son-in-law to a brewery/restaurant in the town of Bothel, north Seattle. This place was opened in 2015 serving brewed in house craft beers and food made from locally sourced ingredients.

We ordered the “Brewer’s Choice” selection for our flight to taste

The variety of beers was fun to sample. Sher and I liked the Tangelo Sour Ale with a sour citrus taste and a low IBU of 18. Our favorite turned out to be the Grappen Belgian Tripel. This ale is an American version of the famous Belgian ales. The 8.6% ABV and an IPU of 24 fits the bill for me for sure. We always enjoy trying the different beers in the flights. Sher and I are starting to know what we like and don’t like.

Current listing of the crafted onsite brews

The food was Excellent! This was my bacon cheese burger . Yum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The food at Beardslee Public House was just as good as the beer, IMO. The burger I had was delicious, Sher enjoyed the tomato basil soup, and the kids had a huge appetizer sampler plate. The atmosphere here was informal and comfortable. Service was excellent and very friendly. Yet another good time during our winter stay in Seattle!

 

Elliott Bay Pizza and Pub

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Tonight we had supper with our family at a great pizza joint and pub. The Elliott Bay Pizza & Pub has outstanding pizza. They also offer sandwiches and pasta dishes.

Very very tasty pizza!

This is a very popular place and we had to wait about 20 minutes to get a table big enough for all of us. The facility offers family seating as well as a 21+ bar area. Once our food arrived I could tell why the place was so packed.

Love the pink elephants

We are certainly enjoying this retirement thing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pub also has a great variety of craft beers from local breweries. They state there are 20 craft beers in a changing rotation, and also a selection of local wines. All in all we all had a very enjoyable evening. It is fun trying different restaurants when we travel to different parts of the country.

Bob’s Burgers & Brews was a new experience for us

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While visiting our family in the Seattle area they took us to a restaurant called Bob’s Burgers and Brews. It is a local chain.  It is known for it’s burgers and its large selection of craft beers on tap. There are several of the restaurants in the area, but they have so far stayed in the state of Washington.

The huge “double” burger and fries

The extra large portion of cheese quesadillas

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a huge double burger and Sher had some cheese quesadillas. The portion sizes were great and the food was delicious. In addition our waiter was fantastic and took care of us exceptionally well. This is one of those local establishments that offer great dining at a good price.

Giant pumpkins at Washington State Fair 2018

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Sher and I got to go to the 2018 version of the Washington State Fair in Puyallup. We went with our daughter, son-in-law and our 4 year old grandson. The fair was packed with all kinds of “state fair” type stuff, including a large midway, tons of vendors and of course, agriculture exhibits.

Giant pumpkins!

Pumpkin info

We went on the last day of the fair, and the fairgrounds were packed. A good time was had by all, and Sher and I had our first ‘Scones”, a jam filled biscuit type pastry that is a famous item at this fair.

Historic Oxford Saloon in Snohomish Washington

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Snohomish, Washington is noted for its historic downtown Main Street stores, restaurants and other businesses. The Oxford Saloon is one of the most popular of the restaurants. Good food at reasonable pricing makes the Oxford a popular place for meals. Live entertainment most evenings attract lively crowds.

Even the exterior of the Oxford is interesting

Every bar needs a moose and a little red wagon

Sher and I had a very nice time at the Oxford. It was a great break from our checking out the shops and businesses on Main Street in historic downtown Snohomish. Hint: Park your car at the bottom of the hill on Main Street. That way when you walk up one side of the street and come back on the other side you’ll be walking down hill to your car.