One of my favorite reasons for planning an escape to Oregon’s Willamette Valley is to sample the region’s flavorful Pinot Noirs. Apart from their taste, these light to medium-bodied wines are popular with wine enthusiasts for their versatility in food pairings. A latecomer to the Pinot Noir party, I was first smitten by the younger, […]
Destinations
Girlfriend Getaway with the Legendary D.B. Cooper
Thanksgiving Eve, November 24, 1971. “Dan Cooper” (aka D.B. Cooper) boards Northwest Orient Airline Flight 305 in Portland, Oregon for what is normally a 30-minute hop to Seattle. But this is not a normal flight. After ordering a bourbon and Seven, he hands an envelope to stewardess Florence Schaffner. As the world now knows, the hijacking […]
Seattle Opera Ring 2013
Seattle Opera Ring 2013. I did it! I just made it through my first complete performance of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen – a four-opera heroic epic. With great thanks to the vision of Speight Jenkins, General Director; Asher Fisch, Conductor; Stephen Wadsworth, Director; and Thomas Lynch, Set Designer . . . Summarizing the […]
Seafair: Seattle’s Favorite Summer Festival
Since the 1950’s, Seafair has ruled as Seattle’s favorite summer festival spanning several weeks. For most Seattleites, Seafair traditions include the Blue Angels, hydroplane races on Lake Washington and the Torchlight Parade. Even smaller neighborhood events like the Milk Carton Derby at Green Lake and the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival are all part of […]
Tightwads on the Loose – A Spirited Sailing Adventure
Tightwads on the Loose, Wendy Hinman’s engaging, fast-paced memoir, shares an important lesson: “The weather trumps all plans.” Breaking Away To quell their restless spirits, Hinman and her husband Garth embark on a seven year Pacific odyssey aboard their 31-foot sailboat, Velella, named for tiny jellyfish-like creatures propelled by prevailing winds. The author traces their […]
The Dalles: Family-Friendly Vacation Destination
Here’s why The Dalles, a mere 84 miles east of Portland, Oregon, gets my vote for an ideal vacation destination: 1) Spectacular Scenery Want to explore a visually stunning byway? Meander along the magnificent Columbia River as it winds its way from Portland to The Dalles, Oregon to see what I mean. Go on a cruise or […]
Sun-Tripping in The Dalles, Oregon
View from Dry Hollow Vineyards For Seattleites seeking a sunny getaway, The Dalles, Oregon offers a welcome solution. For starters, compare Seattle’s average yearly precipitation of 38 inches with The Dalles’ average of 14.6 inches. That’s about 150 days of rain in Seattle versus 93 or so in central Oregon each year, thanks to the […]
Whidbey Island Sunset
For this week’s Photo Friday, here’s a sunset scene from Whidbey Island, WA to carry you into the weekend. Ahh . . . You can find more fun photos at Delicious Baby. Wander on! Nancy What’s your favorite sunset memory, Wanderboomers?
Mother’s Day Hike to Swamp Monster Trail
Okay, time to dust off those hiking boots and poles and start taking to the trails! Adventurous wanderboomers in the Pacific Northwest will find plenty of hiking trails on Tiger Mountain to satisfy a variety of skill levels. But if you’re looking for an easy first hike to launch your hiking season and a popular […]
Z is for Zihuatanejo Bay!
Photo courtesy of Rory Finneren – flickr To wrap up my participation in the April A – Z Blogging Challenge – and coincidentally the last day of National Poetry Month – I’m ending with three distinct travel destinations: I. Photo courtesy of Rory Finneren – flickr Z zips us to Mexico’s tropical coast, Zihuatanejo Bay. Come […]