Discover Walla Walla

The other day my husband and I had a dinner picnic in one of the valley's many parks.  As we enjoyed the warm evening breeze as the sun dipped closer to the tops of the houses across the street, we noticed a small group of children running along the creek.  They seemed to be excited about something.  Turning, I smiled when I noticed what it was: A mama duck and her twelve babies.  The kids chased the birds downstream until they found a place to get closer to the water to observe. 

A few days later, at the same park, we were enjoying lunch on the grass when two large Labradors wandered over to say hello.  A dog-lover, I couldn't help but pet them and enjoy their wagging tails and dripping tongues.  Their owner walked a fair distance behind, keeping an eye on their behavior.  Bored with me, the dogs galloped to the creek and plunged in, barking at the rushes where two ducks had disappeared.

As we packed up our lunch and headed back to the car, we passed a family headed into the park with baseball gloves, bats, and a small stash of balls.  I smiled as the kids raced to the swings ahead of their parents.

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The Yelenich family has owned and operated Fat Cats Tavern & Grill, located on the north side of Main Street (between 6^th and 7^th Avenues) in Walla Walla for many years, and they offer, at the very least, two distinctive pleasures.  One is arguably the wildest proliferation of humorous signs and sayings posted for the amusement of those seated at the bar, and the other is their hamburger. 

I have long considered the Fat Cats hamburger one of Walla Walla's less-widely-known treasures, and have enjoyed introducing friends to its delights.  Always served with grilled onions, arriving in a wax-paper-lined basket with a pickle and a small cup of a cold deli salad (I recommend the potato salad), there is something reliably wonderful about this burger.  They are very consistent in their preparation, so that if you develop a fondness for it as I have, it will be the same the next time you come in for one.  It sounds funny, but there are many reasons why a unique, family-owned, small-town grill might not want or be able to sustain a high level of consistency of preparation from one visit to the next.  But the Yeleniches can and do.

I was surprised to find that this burger turned out to be a four-napkin burger (I was expecting, from memory, a two- or three-napkin burger experience), and for this reviewer, that's a good thing.  If you are a soda pop person, it may be of interest to you that they serve it in cans with a glass of ice, rather than pouring from a tap.  Again, a focus on consistency.

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Our first foray into "live" entertainment in Walla Walla.  The other weekend I ambled down to one of my favorite hang-outs, Sapolil Cellars, to listen to a wonderful local musician, Mark "Doc" Brown.   "Doc" Brown played piano professionally for ten years before cashing in his PHD for a career in social services.  He still plays masterfully and is a frequent performer at Sapolil. "Doc" is unique in many ways; he can play the piano and trumpet at the same time (a true crowd pleaser), most of the songs he performs he wrote and composed, his rapport wit the audience is top notch and the lyrics of his songs are catchy and humorous.

Tonight he is paired with a blues guitarist Robin Barrett of Coyote Kings fame and although the duo has never played together, they sound smooth and relaxed, transitioning between solos and melody.  The repertoire ranges from rhythmic blues to some of "Doc's" hallmark tunes with a few classic covers thrown in.  Sapolil is alive with music, laughter, and mirth.

Sapolil, located downtown at 15 W. Main Street, started solely as a tasting room for Sapolil wines but quickly became a hot spot for "live" weekend music when owner, Bill Schwerin, has made it his mission to feature local and regional talent; the musical fare covers a wide variety, from Latin Jazz and acoustic guitar to Blues bands and Folk vocalists.  One only has to pay a negliglble cover to take in the music and the beverage on tap is an assortment of Sapolil wines.  One can always just grab a bottle of water if so inclined.

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As usual, I'm trying to lose a few pounds. (More than a few would be okay, too.)

The weather's been nice, so I'm walking-from my office on Main Street, up Boyer Avenue to the Whitman College campus, through the old neighborhoods, and back. The loop takes me away from my desk for an hour or so and makes me notice, again, how beautiful this place is. Whether or not I lose any weight, the stroll moves stiff joints, clears my overactive mind, and allows my muse to do his thing.

It also reminds me every day that Whitman College is a gem. The campus is beautiful and peaceful. A creek runs through it and feeds a series of ponds that provide some very comfortable habitat for city ducks, colorful carp, and flowering trees of all kinds. Artwork is everywhere. Students look busy but genuinely happy. It's a special place.

So, next time you're here, take a break from wine and window-shopping and go for a stroll. Walk up Boyer Avenue and wander around Whitman College. You'll be glad you did.

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One of my favorite places to visit in Walla Walla, is not too far from my house. In fact, it's the deck off of my living room. It's a quiet place where I can sit on one of two rocking chairs I purchased during a visit in Tennessee. These oak chairs, with woven seats and backs, were handcrafted by a Tennessee family that's been making rocking chairs for 150 years. Between the two chairs is an old Hungarian oak wine barrel. On the head of the barrel, I have placed a large round glass table top. It makes a very appropriate table for my evening glass of wine and my morning cup of coffee. One of the best features is below the deck. The deck is framed with an assortment of rose bushes. This time of the year, the fragrance from the roses waft up to the deck and it makes for a relaxing get-away from phones and computers.

Gertrude Stein said, "A rose is a rose is a rose." But when I think of my rose garden, I can't help from also thinking about rosés - - the wonderful summer sip that fills a glass in pastel shades of pink, light red, peach or even lavender. Rosés, rosados, or rosatos are fragrant and delicate wines made for the red wine lover who wants a taste of the red grape, but looking for the light crispness of a white wine - - making it a perfect summer sipper.

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