Christmas in Bavaria is alluring. Financially it wasn’t in the cards this past year. Instead, we chose a closer option which still gave us that germanic flavor for Weihnachten.Leavenworth, Washington is a Bavarian style village nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains of Washington http://www.sleepinglady.com
Coming from Seattle, the drive over Steven’s Pass is spectacular.The juxtoposition of rocks and evergreen trees creates a lush and rugged mountainside.The road follows the Skykomish River and once you crest the top of Steven’s Pass, you meet up with the Wenatchee River.Both rivers have anadromous fish runs.For those who do not fish, anadromous fish are sea run fish who migrate up fresh water rivers to spawn.These rivers are alsowell known for kayaking and tubing. The beauty of the mountains is exquisite be it summer or winter.
We have had the honor of staying at the Sleeping Lady Resort in the summer and we loved it. This is how we knew to book a room for Christmas. The Sleeping Lady Resort is a retreat and conference center which is open year round. There are a variety of cabins available.
Rooms
Such a cozy hide-away bed!
During the summer, we stayed in a lovely room which had a queen bed and also had a hidden little alcove bed. This configuration accommodates three-four people quite well.
For Christmas, we were so lucky to have our oldest son, Josh, come home from the east coast to celebrate Christmas with. In addition, we wanted to bring our favorite puppy, Miss Jasmine, as well. So, we selected a canine companion room.
Sustainability
The cabins are beautiful and offer the opportunity to be one with nature while still living in comfortable and beautiful accommodations. Sleeping Lady is well known for being a green resort as it once was the site of the Civilian Conservation Corps, known as Camp Icicle during the 1930s and 1940s. With this in mind, they have created an environmentally friendly resort. They boast the 28,800 liner feet of Trex decking made from recycled plastic bags and wood scraps. They are heated and cooled by a geo-exchange system made up of underground tubes. There is an organic garden which provides food for the kitchen and then composts the organic kitchen waste.
Kingfisher Restaurant and Wine Bar
As we said, the organic garden provides the fresh ingredients that are used for meals at the Kingfisher restaurant. They provide breakfast and dinner daily which are included in your stay. Although the meals are served buffet style, the meals are NOT institutional in style. The restaurant is warm, inviting, and of a gourmet nature. Only fresh and sustainable ingredients are used - they are committed to sourcing their seafood so that it minimizes the damage to the ocean and freshwater environments.
We were entranced by the fire
Art Installations
We rejoice in the art installations found on site at the Sleeping Lady Resort. There are a variety of fish statues which include salmon, steelhead, and trout. They line icicle creek and are intriguing during summer and winter seasons.
In addition to the fish by the creek, one can see other artistic versions of wildlife on site.
A snow owl protecting the organic garden
The wolves guard the entrance
Fish catches a fisherman!
Chihuly Glass Installation
One of the most amazing visual feasts is the Glass Instillation that was commissioned by Sleeping Lady from Dale Chihuly. Once again, it doesn't matter which season you see this glass work as it thrills the senses regardless of season.
The summer sun catches the light in the glass & is dazzling!
The glass appears to be real ice!
Icicle Creek Music Festival
In the summer, Sleeping Lady is the home of the Icicle Creek Music Festival. The festival hosts outstanding music students who learn and grow in a professional setting. Their mission is dedicated to "celebrating excellence in the lively arts and inspiring generations of students, artists, and audiences through exceptional educational experiences, live performances, and special events - all in the breathtaking, natural setting of the mountain meadows."
The Sleeping Lady consists of many individual and group cabins, a library, exercise studio, game room, outdoor rock swimming pool, hot tub, and dining hall. There is a lovely reception room and a movie theatre.
Entrance to the property
One of the many styles of cabins
Christmas Dinner
The library has a piano
There are many books from which to choose!
Just relaxing!
The grotto features cocktails and snacks
The rock pool offers a natural setting in which to cool off
Outdoor dining in the summer!
If you are looking for a rustic, yet luxurious, get-away, the Sleeping Lady Resort is for you! The price is quite reasonable especially when you consider that a gourmet breakfast and dinner are included. We can't wait to book our next stay.
Music Pairing
We are featuring a live performance from Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival. You will hear The Flower Duet from the Opera, Lakme by Delibes. It will be performed by the Modern Mandolin Quartet. Imagine hearing them live as you stay at the beautiful resort!
Our children have left the Pacific Northwest. We have a son in New Haven, CT and another son in the Nacaroa District of Mozambique. This year, we decided that we didn't want to be home alone for Thanksgiving feeling sorry for ourselves. So, we packed up and left for Victoria and Sooke, British Columbia.
Coho Ferry
Port Angeles is the PERFECT place to set out on a trip to Canada. We have the Coho ferry docked right here in PA. The Blackball Ferry line makes it extremely easy to travel over to visit our Canadian neighbors. If you want to plan a trip to Victoria, please consider staying in Port Angeles and then take the Coho Ferry over - you will be so glad you did.
You can purchase tickets online or in person at the ticket counter. We decided to drive our car on this trip so that we could easily travel to Sooke and also so that our sweet dog, Jasmine, could travel in style. The Coho ferry offers car + passenger tickets as well as walk on ferry tickets. If you are planning on visiting only the inner harbor area of Victoria, you will do just fine with a walk on ticket. The shopping area of Victoria is within walking distance, but there are also pedi-cabs and taxis available right at the ferry terminal. Often, we like to drive up the island when we travel to B.C. And as we had made reservations at the Sooke Harbour House for Thanksgiving dinner, we thought it would be very easy to drive ourselves.
The Coho Ferry makes it a pleasure to travel with a dog. They have a section of the ferry which is designated for passengers who bring their furry friends along for the adventure. We LOVE how friendly people are when we have Jasmine. She seems to bring out the best in human beings. Everyone wants to pet her and, of course, she is certain that everyone should greet her and love her. She is very good with strangers.
Enhanced Driver's License
The trip across the water takes a mere hour and a half. Once you arrive in Victoria, you will disembark the boat and go through customs. Be sure to fill out the paper work ahead of time and have your passport or your enhanced driver's license ready to go. Customs goes much faster if you are prepared. If you are planning a trip to Canada, you might consider the enhanced driver's license option.
Hotel Grand Pacific
We have been many times to Victoria. We find ourselves drawn to the Hotel Grand Pacific. We love the accessibility from the ferry terminal - it is directly across the street. We love the views of the inner harbour and how easy it is to walk to everything.
The Hotel Grand Pacific has a beautiful swimming pool and a gym with weights and aerobic equipment. They also accept dogs. We are always on the look-out for pet friendly hotels (as you have read in our past posts). The price is very competitive and the front desk is extremely accommodating and helpful.
Our traditional family Thanksgiving dinner is truly amazing. We spend hours and cook our hearts out! But, quite often, we are exhausted afterward. This is one of the reasons that we decided to go out for dinner this year. Because we love really good food, we didn't want our Thanksgiving Dinner to be ordinary or pedestrian. This led us to the Sooke Harbour House. Years ago, we were drawn to their international reputation for being having one of the finest restaurants on their premises. Conde Nast has ranked them as having one of the top restaurants in the world. They always use local, fresh, and sustainable ingredients. They are located on the water on Whiffen Spit. We plan to go early so that we can walk on the spit which provides a beautiful view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains.
Sooke is a 45 minute drive from Victoria and is a very quaint little town. The Sooke Harbour House is nestled among beautiful evergreen and deciduous trees. It is a wonderful place to stay as well. The rooms come complete with fireplace (the fire is already laid and ready to light), outdoor tubs, and they always have a decanter of port to greet you upon arrival.
As you prepare for dinner, don't miss out on the breathtaking sunsets.
We chose a 7 course diner complete with wine pairings. The Sooke Harbour House Chef designs the menu and each course is unique in respect to its ingredients, flavor and presentation. The sommelier is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The mystery of choosing wines is eliminated as the sommelier does the work for you. Questions about the wine are met with delight. The sommelier will help you to understand why the wines go so well with each course and educate you about the wineries and growing regions in British Columbia. All wines served at Sooke Harbour House come from British Columbia.
Although we missed our sons and the traditional Thanksgiving, we were treated to a relaxing and gastronomically delectable dinner for which we were truly thankful.
Musical Pairing: Thanks to Bing Crosby for recording this song! The Black Ball Ferry Line! Just remember it isn't in Seattle - it is in Port Angeles!
Premier Visit
We were married in 1987 at the Rustler Lodge which is a part of the Alta ski resort in Utah. After an incredible ceremony, we took the first of 2 honeymoon vacations. Our first honeymoon was to Aspen, Colorado. As we stated in our first blog, we were bitten by the travel bug early so one honeymoon wasn't enough. A few months later, we decided to drive from Salt Lake City to the northwest coast. We had a wonderful planned stay in Cannon Beach, Oregon. We continued north up the coast along Highway 101. This was such a beautiful drive and was so very romantic for 2, crazy about each other, newlyweds. After we made our way into Washington, we came upon Lake Quinault. Doug said that he'd love to drive over to the lodge as he had always wanted to stay there because he had heard so much about it. As we pulled up in front of the lodge, we didn't just want to stay there - we NEEDED to stay there. The old world charm was captivating. We went in to see if they had a room available. As the receptionist was telling us that they were completely booked, another receptionist finished a phone conversation and stated that there was ONE vacancy! Such Serendipitous Luck!
Photo from olympicnationalparks.com
Repeat Visitors
This became a 27 year love affair for us. We have stayed at the Lake Quinault Lodge many times throughout our marriage. We have stayed as newlyweds, a couple with small children, a couple with teenagers, and once again as a couple without children. What is it that makes us come back time and time again? The lodge is situated on the shore of Lake Quinault. There is a breathtaking view from nearly every window in the main building. Regardless of the season, the lake offers serenity and relaxation. There are many wonderful seating areas to use for meditation as you gaze at the reflection of the Douglas Fir in the water. The gazebo offers an alluring locale to have lunch. It is ideal for an outdoor wedding. The patio allows you to eat outdoor and to feel closer to the lake. Regardless of where you sit, you will thrill to the grandeur of the setting.
Lovely Lobby
The lobby is perfect for unwinding. The majestic fireside is mesmerizing. It is large enough to fit a full log, there is no need to split logs for this fireplace. It is common to see a puzzle set up for anyone to complete. There is a full bar in the lobby with a barista ready to concoct a latte or to pour a glass of wine. Imagine sipping on an Irish Coffee while delving into Game of Thrones!
Hiking
Outdoor activities abound, after all, this is still the Olympic National Park. Hiking is very popular here. You can take a very short, casual stroll on a paved trail to intense hikes. Our plan is to hike from the Elwha River Valley near Port Angeles to Lake Quinault. This is a 50 mile hike that will take several days of back packing. The thought of arriving at the Lodge and recuperating in luxury is tantalizing. Lake Quinault Lodge is the only accomodations located directly within the rainforest. The temperate rainforest offers an exquisite and lush environment. This is perfect habitat for the Roosevelt Elk, coyote, and the Black-Tail Deer. It is common to hear the coyotes howling and loons calling out over the lake. It is a symphony of nature.
A very dear friend of ours, who is a composer, has been known to take time away from the rat race and to compose her music out at Lake Quinault Lodge. It was there when we first met her. Could there be a better place to contemplate and focus? Swimming
The main building offers an indoor swimming pool. This was perfect for our family with small children as well as our family with teenagers. The boys also enjoyed the game room which is adjacent to the pool area. They had a great time playing pool and darts. Swimming is permitted in the lake. Just remember that temperatures are never high nor intense. That is what also makes this area so delightful to visit. When temperatures are soaring all over the United States, you can rest assured that you will find the weather pleasant and comfortable at Lake Quinault.
Biking
There are many off-road trails which are ideal for biking. There is a 30 mile loop which begins and ends at the lodge. There couldn't be a more picturesque setting for a leisurely paced bike ride or for a more intense ride. Either way, you will feel that you are one with nature.
Dining
Prior to your outdoor activities, make dinner reservations in the Roosevelt Dining Room. In 1937, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made a trip to Quinault and ate in this dining hall. Shortly thereafter, he signed a bill which created the Olympic National Park The restaurant offers panoramic vistas of the lake and mountains. The cuisine is quite spectacular and offers local fare. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After a day of hiking, this is quite possibly the best meal you will ever eat.
New Year's Eve
Twice, we have enjoyed spending New Year's Eve at the lodge. We have danced to live music as well as to a DJ in their ballroom. Dinner in the dining room and then champagne toasts in the ballroom - you can't ask for a greater way to usher in the new year. Call ahead of time to ensure that they will have a New Year's celebration.
Accommodations
There are a multitude of accommodations at the lodge. Our first stay was in the main building. It is very european in style. We enjoyed a lovely lakeside view. Last New Year's Eve we stayed in the fireplace rooms. We brought Mom and Justin with us so we had two rooms which were adjoining. We loved having two fireplaces for that cozy ambience. There is also the boathouse which offers accommodations for several families.
Thanksgiving Day Activities and Dinner
Lake Quinault Lodge will be hosting Thanksgiving Day Activities and Dinner on November 28, 2013. They will have a Rainforest Tour at 9:30 am and will go until 1:30 pm. There will be a Thanksgiving Buffet from 12:00 to 7:00 pm. They will have football on their projection screen in the Quileute Ballroom. Then you can play some Pumpkin Bocce Ball. You will find more information athttp://www.olympicpeninsula.org/event/user-submitted-event/lake-quinault-lodge-thanksgiving-day-activities-dinner Tribal Nations
As you travel the Olympic Peninsula out to Lake Quinault, you are privileged to drive through the lands of many tribal nations. The tribes include: Jamestown S'Klallam, Lower Elwha , Quilluete, Hoh, and Quinalt. If you were to continue the drive down to Neah Bay, you would also share the drive with the Makah Nation. These cultures are rich in heritage. There is a beautiful museum in Neah Bay as well as the Squamish museum near Poulsbo. Take the time to visit these museums, they will help you to understand and enjoy the history and culture of the tribal nations in Washington.
Our musical pairing for today includes this beautiful Native American music entitled "Earth Drum." May we suggest playing this music while you re-read this blog post.
