a spring jaunt to leavenworth and wenatchee

Photo courtesy of Lina

This week’s installment focuses on two of my favorite areas in Eastern Washington: beautiful Leavenworth nestled in the Cascade Mountains and Wenatchee, the state's apple basket. 

I love Leavenworth for two reasons: firstly for its stunning location amid the steeply-rising craggy peaks sprinkled with evergreens, and secondly for its enormous capacity for kitsch.  If you have been to Leavenworth, you know what I’m talking about.  If you have never been, let me enlighten you. 

Leavenworth is a town of about 2,000 people conveniently located on US Highway 2, a northern thoroughfare passing through Washington State East to West.  The town was founded at the turn of the 20^th century, and like many other small towns of the day its livelihood depended heavily on the railroad.

However, in the 1920’s the Great Northern Railroad relocated their headquarters to nearby Wenatchee, devastating Leavenworth’s economy.  After decades of struggling, the town decided in the late 1960’s to adapt rather than collapse.  In doing so, the town leaders decided to capitalize on the town’s mountainous location and transport travelers along the US 2 from the Cascades to the Alps.  To accomplish this feat, Leavenworth transformed the character of literally every building in the main area of town into Bavarian-style chalets. 

Photo courtesy of Lina

Leavenworth used their newly established town theme to become a top tourist destination for travelers going across the Cascade Mountains.  The town’s location makes for a good day trip from the Seattle area, or a perfect lunch spot if you are on your way to Chelan, Wenatchee or the Okanogan region.  In the summer, I have seen a lederhosen-clad polka band performing in the town park, and there are no fewer than three places on the main street to get a bratwurst and a beer.  If beer is your thing, Leavenworth hosts its own Oktoberfest in the fall, which I think will go onto my list of future EWW adventures, along with Leavenworth’s renowned Christmas festival.  More on Leavenworth’s very interesting history and its various events can be found on the website of Leavenworth’s Chamber of Commerce.

Steve during a trip to Leavenworth last August.

 I have to admit that I love cheesy stuff, and Leavenworth is a perfect match for this sensibility.  Everywhere you look, there is kitsch to observe and also to purchase.  Souvenir shops line the streets, which are packed at all times of the year.  My personal favorite since childhood has been the hat shop (more on that later).  A more recent favorite activity of mine has been to explore the many recently-established wineries and tasting rooms along the town’s main streets (more on those later as well).

This particular trip to Leavenworth was instigated by my friend Lina, whom you may remember from our recent adventures in Spokane Wine Weekend and Spokane: The Sequel.  While in Spokane back in March, I discovered that, despite having grown up in Eastern Washington, neither Lina nor her brother Levi had ever visited Leavenworth.  Of course, we had to plan a trip.  As it happened, Lina and Levi’s other brother, Luke, happened to be performing with the Seattle Men’s Chorus April 7 in Wenatchee, only a short drive from Leavenworth.  So, Lina and Levi left Spokane early that morning, and drove the two hours to meet Steve and me in Moses Lake.  The four of us piled into Lina’s all-red, super-roomy 1992 Chrysler 5^th Avenue luxury sedan and started to head up Highway 17 toward Wenatchee and Leavenworth!

After driving for about an hour and a half (with one brief potty break in Quincy, at the cleanest rest stop I have ever seen), we passed through Wenatchee and merged onto US-2, which lead us into the tree-covered granite peaks on the way to lovely Leavenworth.  Lina and Levi were anxious to know when exactly we were entering the town, and I assured them they would recognize it when they saw it.  Sure enough, within minutes of their inquiring, we were passing Das 76 Station and Der McDonalds, decorated in all their Bavarian glory.  Although Bavarian-style gas stations, fast food and grocery stores sound super cheesy (they are), Leavenworth still pulls the look off in a way that manages to also be charming.  People like me who are susceptible to romance, perhaps are more than willing to fall under the spell of the theme town.

As it was nearly noon by the time we reached our alpine destination, our first stop was the park to eat a picnic lunch.  Unfortunately, our lovely spring picnic was somewhat affected by the often-fickle nature of mountain weather, even on the sunny east side of the Cascades.  Whereas it had been a balmy spring day when we left Moses Lake, and had indeed remained so for the duration of the car trip, our fortunes turned just as we were parking the car.  Determined to eat our picnic despite the rapidly-approaching dark clouds, we took our blanket and cooler to the park and found a nice little table.  At least, given the weather, we had the park to ourselves!  We must have been quite a sight, feasting on tuna sandwiches, fruit and cheese and crackers, all bundled up in our jackets and wool hats!  Although we had to chase down some cups and plates at intervals due to the wind, we made it through our lunch a little chilly but otherwise unscathed.  

Photo courtesy of Lina

After we finished eating, we were joined by Luke and his boyfriend Frank.  Luke was on his way to Wenatchee for pre-concert rehearsals, but Frank stayed with us to play tourist.  We were all particularly curious about what Frank would think of Leavenworth, because he was born and raised in Germany (although not in Bavaria).  Frank was quiet about his opinion, though I suspect that he appreciated the effort, but hopefully did not take it too seriously!

Our first stop after putting away our picnic supplies was Ryan Patrick Vineyards because, after all, here at EWW rare is the trip where we don’t seek out some tasty Washington wine.  Ryan Patrick actually has its vineyards in Quincy (home of the fantastic rest stop), and used to have their tasting room there, along the very highway we had traveled on our way to Leavenworth.   However, the winery didn’t get the desired amount of traffic at the Quincy location, so recently opted for the touristier site in Leavenworth.  We tried some very tasty and reasonably-priced wines at Ryan Patrick  (most bottles go for between $10 and $20).  Their rosé was a favorite among the group.  I, of course, was partial to the Naked Chardonnay.  Ryan Patrick is actually one of nearly twenty wineries which have now opened tasting rooms in Leavenworth.  After finishing our tasting there, our group wandered down the road to try wines from one of our Tried-and-True Leavenworth favorites: Kestrel cellars.  But first: a trip to the hat shop!

If you have ever been to Leavenworth, you have inevitably been to the hat shop.  Coming through town as a kid on family road trips, this store was a must-do attraction during our Leavenworth lunch break.  I also have very fond memories of going there with my friend Suzanne when we were 11 years old.  Her mom, Donna, had taken us on a weekend trip to Leavenworth and Wenatchee, and Suzanne and I spent the better part of an afternoon exploring the hat shop alone.  Donna, not only patiently waited for us while we played with the hats, but also offered to buy us each a hat of our choosing.  My choice was a pretty straw hat with a wide pink band that reminded me of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, one of my favorite movies at the time.  Suzanne, much more plugged in to fashion and pop culture than me, had different ideas for what she was looking for.  Being very into Janet Jackson’s Velvet Rope album at the time, Suzanne was drawn to a floppy cap with long black braids hanging from it, much like Janet’s in the movie Poetic Justice.  Although Suzanne, like me, is blue-eyed and of fair Scandinavian descent, when she put on that hat she became Janet.  It had to be hers.  We wore those hats nonstop for the rest of the weekend.

On this trip to Leavenworth, I was happy to see that the shop still held its very wide assortment of both stylish and completely goofy hats.  The shop itself is quite small, long and narrow, about fifteen feet at its widest point.  Aside from the small counter, just large enough to hold the till and cashier, every surface holds all variety of head coverings.  Floor-to-ceiling shelving along each wall contains fedoras, berets, and headgear in the shape of hotdogs, tacos, and giant clownfish.  The floor space in between the shelving is used for kiosks for other sorts of hats.  Steve was particularly attached to the deep sea diver helmet, and it took some major tough love to convince him not to buy it.  Levi found a wig that looked amazingly natural on him, especially when wearing his aviator sunglasses.

Photo courtesy of Lina.

Photo courtesy of Lina

Once we managed to pull ourselves (especially Steve) away from the hats, we continued wandering down the street towards the tasting room for Kestrel Vintners.  Once there, we took our time enjoying their five-wine flight.  One of the reasons that I wanted to return to Kestrel was not only for the tasty wine but also for the warm and welcoming atmosphere that the winery provides.  The interior is nearly all done in light-colored, unembellished wood.  A couple of small tables sit near the entrance, where patrons can enjoy wine samples away from the bar or sip on a granita made from Kestrel’s red table wine, Lady in Red, or their signature sweet white wine, Pure Platinum.  The rest of the space is dominated by the large wraparound bar, backed with wooden wine racks.  Both times we’ve visited Kestrel, we enjoyed friendly and knowledgeable service from the tasting room staff and really enjoyed the wine.  Although all the wines were consistent, well-balanced and flavorful, the real standout for our group was their Syrah port.  It was a beautiful ruby red, and very flavorful without being too sweet.  It’s the kind of wine I’d love to have for dessert in lieu of chocolate cake.

After Kestrel, we felt we had had our fill of Leavenworth, so hopped back in the Chrysler and set sail to Wenatchee, where we were would be viewing Luke’s concert later that evening.  Of course, since we still had a couple of hours to kill, what else could be do but taste more wine?   You may remember that I mentioned Chateau Faire le Pont in my posting about Chelan back in January.  I had such fond memories of the place and the wine, I was really excited to bring some more of my fellow wine lovers.  The location still kind of makes me giggle, as it is a beautiful replica of a French villa smack dab in the middle of an industrial park.  The winery makes the most of its location, though, with pretty gardens, ornamental grape vines and water features.  Once inside, it is easy to forget the concrete and warehouses outside.

Grape vines outside Chateau Faire le Pont. From the correct angle you can forget you're in an industrial park!  Photo taken in Sept 2009

The interior of Faire le Pont is classy, cozy and inviting with its exposed brick walls and dark wood.  The founders, Doug and Debe Brazil, have created such an elegant space you would never know that the building is actually a converted warehouse once used for staging fruit before being loading onto trains. In addition to the large tasting bar that takes up nearly an entire wall, Chateau Faire le Pont operates a small restaurant and a larger event space.  Separating the dining area and tasting bar from the event room is sitting area with leather sofas and a gas fireplace.  It’s not a bad place to sit and enjoy a nice glass of the rich and abundantly-flavored Tre Amore blend (I should know: this is exactly what the girls and I did on our first visit). 

On this trip, our little group sidled up to the tasting bar, where we were greeted by the effervescent and knowledgeable tasting room manager, a former court administrator (in Grant County, where Steve now works!)-turned-wine-enthusiast.  She guided us through CFLP’s many excellent selections.  Although all their wines were stunning, I favored their big, juicy reds like the aforementioned Tre Amore.  Steve and Lina were partial to the Syrahs.  The port at CFLP was excellent as well, the most fun part being the adorable little port glass we were given to better sip!   I wish I had a picture of it to post here, but for now you can check out this link to get an idea.  Steve and I went home with the 2008 Syrah, though we could have bought out the shop if we had the budget. 

Having had our fill of both kitsch and tasty wine, the five of us were now ready to grab a quick burger at Bob’s Classic Brass & Brew and then head to the Wenatchee Performing Arts Center to watch Luke’s concert.  It was the perfect way to end a long but enjoyable day.  The burgers were satisfyingly greasy at Bob’s, with nary a vegetable in sight except for the iceberg lettuce salads loaded with ranch dressing.  You really can’t miss Bob’s driving through downtown Wenatchee, as it’s got a giant pink and white vintage car on a pedestal out front and another coming out of the roof.

After loading our bellies and our arteries, it was finally time for Luke’s concert.  It was my first time seeing the Seattle Men’s Chorus perform, and they went beyond my already-high expectations.  The reason they were performing in Wenatchee was to participate in an awareness and fundraising effort to promote unity and acceptance, and to benefit the family of a Wenatchee teen who committed suicide after being bullied for being openly gay.  The music consisted of music of the Beatles, who may be my favorite band of all time.  Of course, the music was outstanding and the message was uplifting and inspiring.  It was truly a wonderful way to cap off the day.

When the concert ended, we said our goodbyes to Luke and Frank, and started the long drive back to Moses Lake, our bellies a little queasy from too much wine and burgers and feeling satisfyingly tired after a very fun and very full day.  I think that I can safely say that Lina and Levi’s first trip to Leavenworth was indeed a success!