Discover Walla Walla
Secrets and Surprises from Our Corner of the World
Archive >> July 2009
Posted by: Steve Rapp in Scenery, Cycling on
Jul 27, 2009
 I love riding my bicycle in the Walla Walla area this time of year. Well, I love it any time of year, but early to mid summer has its special treats.
The views of the Valley are spectacular. The wheatfields are turning from green to golden, offering splendid contrasts. Wind sometimes blows the crops, gracing the eyes with waves unique to our inland wonderland. There are some great rides to catch these sights. If you go up Mill Creek Road to Scenic Loop Road (about 12 miles from town), and turn right towards the top, you can see Walla Walla, Milton-Freewater and the surroundings. Scenic Loop is a gravel road, so a cyclocross bike is the best option. Mountain bikes are good, too, though less efficient on the asphalt. This time of year is nice before the farmers have harvested their crops and tilled the stubble under. The Valley can get hazy after the soil has been tilled, exposing the dry dirt to the wind. The Mill Creek and Scenic Loop route is an out-and-back ride now, because one of the roads that completes the loop is closed for upgrades. So the best place to turn around is at the top, or wherever you choose for your last viewing spot.
Posted by: Skip Pritchard in Fishing on
Jul 23, 2009
 The memory of it eludes me... that first time there was a fish on my line. I'm sure time and distance play a big part in it's being lost. What has remained over the years are indelible memories that make up the tapestry of my love and passion for fishing... my father bringing home a burlap sack full of fish from deep see fishing, fishing from the pier in Oceanside, CA with dad, catching my first Sea Trout, going to Lake Isabella with my grandfather introducing me to crappie and blue gill in Lake Isabella, beating Sam in a Crappie Derby, trying fly fishing with a bobber the first time at Edison Electric Sub-Station #4 with the High Sierra looming over me, winning a Fenwick Fly Rod in billiard game and trying to throw line with it...
What is it about fishing and catching a fish that delights so many of us? It seems that every time I turn around there is a public interest add in a magazine with a child or adult exhorting a parent or loved one to take them fishing. Often I see kids heading to a local park with rod, tackle box, and worm can in hand. It never grows old taking someone out for the first time and watching their reaction as they catch their first fish. Is it the anticipation of catching the "The Big One"? Is it the thrill of having something wild at the other end of one's line? Is the companionship experienced with others? Is the setting, being outdoors and connected to nature? I'm guessing it's a little of each of these with each of us having our unique and personal reason... the fact of the matter is, there are a lot of us that enjoy catching a fish.
Posted by: Sam McLeod in Food on
Jul 20, 2009
 On summer evening here at the farm, Annie and I sit on the porch. Ceiling fans turn slowly overhead. The dogs gather at our feet and go to sleep. Hawks cruise the pastures searching for unwary field mice. A Golden Eagle soars on unseen thermals. Deer eat the saplings we planted along the riverbank. And the Blue Mountains turn deep blue as the light fades from the sky.
Now, I love to cook almost as much as I love to sit on the porch. So I'm big on porch-friendly foods. To my way of thinking, porch-friendly food is anything that I can serve in a bowl. Juggling more than a bowl when you've got to contend with your wine glass, a bird book, and binoculars is just too much. Here's a dish I learned from watching Jamie at Home on the Food Network. Over time, I've modified it to suit me-all the basic food groups contained in one pot and easily served in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil. Folks who come out to sit on the porch rave about it. I hope you'll give it a try.
Posted by: Andrew Holt in Music, Events on
Jul 13, 2009
 This evening we find ourselves driving down a country road south of Walla Walla, deep in vineyard country, on our way to the final Tasting Music Series concert of the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival. We make a right turn at Waters Winery, winding down the curving descent towards the beautiful wine estate that will host tonight's musical event. Minutes later, as I sit outside on the patio, cheese and cracker in one hand, a glass of viognier in the other, I gaze up at this towering structure comprised of honey colored pine that frames enormous panes of glass, the entering light providing a warm environment for the tasting room as people sip their wine and nibble on an assortment of crackers and cheese. From inside the tasting room, one can take in the wonderful view of the vineyards set against the background of the Blue Mountains.
The Chamber Music Festival is the creation of Seattle classical musician, Tim Christie. After visiting Walla Walla several years ago, Christie decided that the hamlet would be the perfect location for his longtime dream of developing a festival of solely Chamber Music and to do so, by immersing the community with formal concerts, music tasting events, such as the one we are attending tonight, children's concerts and open rehearsals. As Christie explains, the 12-day event is all about bringing Chamber Music to the public and making it more accessible.
Tonight's Music Tasting event is a perfect example.
Posted by: Becky St. Clair in Scenery, Events on
Jul 09, 2009
 A couple of years ago my husband and I decided to stay in Walla Walla for the Fourth of July. Having lived here for coming up on 8 years, we've done something different for Independence Day each year. We decided to stay home this time.
We got the word out and invited anyone we knew who was still in town to our house for a hot dog feed. Everyone brought something...your typical summer get-together with food. We had a plethora of chips and ice cream bars, but somehow...everything got eaten. We played a few games - mostly inside, in front of the air conditioner - and enjoyed a lot of laughs. About an hour before nightfall, our conversation turned to the main event of the day: Fireworks. Most had planned on going down to the fairgrounds to watch the show, but Husband and I decided to stay at the house. We wanted to do something different. As all the taillights disappeared around the corner, we hauled out our ladder and climbed onto the roof above the garage. Though it was only a one-story house, we still had a better view than from the ground. As the sky darkened, the night filled with the pops and sizzles and flashes of colour - some from independent groups doing their own thing, but most from Walla Walla's fantastic fireworks show. When it was over, we climbed back down to reality, put away the ladder, and headed inside with smiles on our faces.
Posted by: Catie McIntyre Walker in Wine, Food on
Jul 06, 2009
 As jazz legend Billie Holiday use to sing, "Summertime and the livin' is easy..." Well, summertime in Walla Walla, with our long days, cool nights, locally grown produce and world class wines, the livin' is definitely easy.
In the summer it is all about the BBQ. We grill up everything from burgers, salmon, ribs and even vegetables, but which Walla Walla wines pair with what? In California, it's almost cliché when suggested that the go-to-BBQ-wine pairing is Zinfandel, but Walla Walla produced Zinfandel is far from cliché. This limited luxury, can be found at Forgeron Cellars and Trio Vintners. And listen up wine-peeps, we're not talking about the pink stuff here. We're talking about the red - the traditional Zinfandel. Zinfandel has a natural affinity to barbecued foods with its characteristics of dark juicy fruits and spices. And think beyond the wine in the glass. Add a touch (or two or three touches) to your favorite BBQ sauce recipe. You may think when wine pairing with grilled salmon, it's all about white wines. Not so. Cedar-planked salmon with a Merlot reduction sauce is really livin' easy and of course, using the same wine, pair that upstream swimming protein with a glass of Walla Walla Merlot. The Merlot's from Five Star Cellars, Mannina Cellars and Skylite Cellars are stunning, besides showing all of the components of the rich and earthy Walla Walla fruit. And consider these Merlots for pairing with roasted and grilled vegetables. The smoky and caramelized flavors of the grilled veggies compliment full-bodied reds.
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