Leavenworthy Leavenworth

January 21st, 2012

Flags flying in Leavenworth

We love Leavenworth! Sorry if you think we’re beating a dead horse over here, but them’s the facts, ma’am. We’ve had loads of people ask us, “Why do you love Leavenworth so much?” That question can be answered in so many ways. Here are just a few:

We love the mountains. We live on the edge of the mountainous region of Eastern Washington. We love our home in the Spokane area, but when we travel west we feel truly at home as we pass through the sage land of the Columbia Basin and then up Highway 2 to the Eastern Slope of the Cascade Mountains. Leavenworth is nestled in those mountains. We breathe easier and relax the longer we’re there.

December sunset in the Cascade Mountains

Leavenworth is familiar to us. Having visited many times over three decades we know it, and we’re homebodies at heart. And yet, for all its familiarity, we never cease to discover new places and experiences that often become new favorites. This past Christmas season we “discovered” the Living Nativity program at Leavenworth Church of the Nazarene. It was an impressive program and the church folks hosting it were warm and friendly. We’ll make sure we go again. You can read all about it in a previous post.

We enjoy the people of Leavenworth. There are many people we have made the acquaintance of, and enjoy visiting with. The fine folk at the Chamber of Commerce are always friendly and a wealth of information about what’s happening in Leavenworth. They man the visitor center seven days a week. Stop in for a cup of coffee and find out what’s happening and what’s new in town. And for more of what’s really happening in Leavenworth, we stop at the Black Swan T-shirt and novelty shop. We talk with Karen Folden if she’s in (and she usually is.) She’s such a trove of information that her business cards bill her as “Miss Information.” And we always stop at Bakery Creations and the Fudge Hut for fudge and to visit with Donna.

We like shopping in Leavenworth, supporting their local economy. There are shops we would never dream of missing in Leavenworth. The Cheesemongers Shop is one. The Cheesemongers Shop moved in 2008 to a much bigger shop and now offers many more cheeses and meats that ever before. But what brings us back to the shop is the friendly and knowledgable service. The shop is always staffed with bright and enthusiastic young people who never fail to greet each and every customer and offer samples right off the bat. We have favorite cheeses we buy every visit, like Vintage Gouda, smoked Gouda, horseradish cheddar and fruit studded Stiltons. We enjoy trying new cheeses and perusing the shop filled with cheese related products, imported and local wine and beer, and picnic accoutrements. A new place we love stopping at is the Oil & Vinegar Cellar in The Cheesemonger’s old digs. This year we shipped some of Taelor’s flavor infused oils and vinegars for Christmas gifts. They’re delicious.

With all these things to love about Leavenworth how do we pick who or what deserves our designation of Leavenworthy? To see what we’ve named Leavenworthy in the past click here. We look for businesses, individuals, organizations or events that are extra cool, provide outstanding and friendly customer service or go above and beyond in representing the best of Leavenworth. This time around, we’re naming The Cheesemonger’s Shop “Leavenworthy. We’ve been shopping there for many years and wouldn’t dream of traveling to or through Leavenworth without stopping. If we’re having a a picnic we stop for sliced meats and cheeses and refreshing drinks. But most of all they’re Leavenworthy because they’re a locally owned business, providing world-class gourmet product, with fantastic small-town service. Shop at The Cheesemonger’s Shop for imported and domestic cheese, cured meat and Bavarian products like stollen, sauerkraut, cookies and mustard.

The Cheesemonger's Shop on Front Street

What do you love about Leavenworth? Got any recommendations for a future designation of “Leavenworthy”? We’re always looking for input from our readers and fans of Leavenworth.

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Romantic Leavenworth

January 14th, 2012

The lights in Leavenworth add to the romantic atmosphere all through February

A year ago we published this post reminding you all to book your Valentine’s Day Romantic weekend. It’s that time of year once again. Valentine’s Day is one month away. Check out last year’s post for lots of ideas. Valentine’s Day falls on Tuesday in 2012. All of the recommendations we made last year are still valid, but we have a few more to add. As of today there’s a lot of open availability. Book a romance package and wow your sweetheart.

Romance is an everyday affair for us whenever we visit Leavenworth. Winter months are especially lovely. The Christmas lights are still up in the village. Evenings are a wonderful time to stroll Front Street. Leavenworth is full of couples celebrating their love.

A new bed and breakfast in Leavenworth, Wenatchee River Lodge, is a supremely romantic place to stay. The bed we slept in was the most comfortable bed I think I’ve ever slept in in an inn anywhere. Our room, the Aspen, had a fireplace and a jetted tub. It’s off the beaten path, only a mile from town, but at the end of a dead end road, so very quiet except for the sound of the river rushing by only feet away. Read all about our stay there.

Make reservations at Viscontis Italian Restaurant for a romantic dinner. We enjoyed our lunch there, sitting at a window table, with snow falling.

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Favorite food in Leavenworth

January 4th, 2012

One of our favorite things to do in Leavenworth is eat. We start talking about our favorite places to eat long before we go and about new places we want to try before we arrive. Of course we have several old favorites, so trying new places is always a challenge. On our most recent trip we tried several new places. Here are some of our favorites. Perhaps we’ll inspire you to try something new or revisit an old favorite.

We love German food in Leavenworth. You can get sausage samplers in almost any restaurants. The sausage bites at Rudloofs Pizza are good, made with locally made sausages and housemade sauerkraut. This trip we tried two German entrees at King Ludwig’s.

Rouladen with Spaetzle and Rotkraut at King Ludwig's

King Ludwig's Kassler Rippchen-Smoked Pork chop with seasoned potatoes, rotkraut and sauerkraut

We especially enjoy the German food and Bavarian atmosphere of Andreas Keller. The sausage sampler is very good here. You’ll find them downstairs. There is an elevator for accessibility.

Andreas Keller-German Food

Prime Rib special at JJ Hills Fresh Grill

We spent Christmas Eve dining at JJ Hills Fresh Grill.

London Broil with creamy garlic mashed potatoes at JJ Hills

Our Christmas Day dinner was at Kingfisher Lodge at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort where the very friendly and attentive staff served up extensive salad and dessert bars, wild mushroom soup, mushroom ravioli, tender sliced steak with onions and au jus, and poached fish.

Olive bar at Kingfisher Lodge, Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort

Dessert Buffet at Kingfisher Lodge

We always stop at SOUTH. Its great fresh Mexican menu is a nice break from brats and kraut.

SOUTH Fresh Mexican

Tortilla Chips with Salsas: Mole, Fresca, Guacamole

Enchilada Mole at SOUTH

SOUTH has delicious salsas and guacamole

Tacos al Pastor at SOUTH is Renae's favorite taco

For fresh fudge and yummy baked treats we always stop in at Fudge Hut & Bakery Creations. You can pick up a mini baguette to go with your picnic lunch, authentic apple strudel, cupcakes, cookies and sweet and savory pastries. Our favorite fudge flavors include amaretto, pistachio, maple, rum raisin, and peanut butter and chocolate. You can also get your espresso fix there, too.

Twice baked almond croissant from Bakery Creations

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Bed and Breakfast Experience

December 31st, 2011

Welcome to Wenatchee River Lodge

Our recent trip to Leavenworth was filled with many first-time experiences. Our first Christmas in Leavenworth; first time eating at King Ludwig’s, Viscontis Italian Restaurant, or Sleeping Lady Resort; and first time staying at a bed and breakfast inn.

We met Don and Mary Morse earlier this year at a Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce meeting. We sat at their table and they welcomed us to our first meeting, asking all about our website. In the months that followed they told us about the lodge that they were converting to a bed and breakfast inn and asked us to come stay with them on our next visit to Leavenworth. When we decided to spend our Christmas weekend in our favorite place, it was natural to ask if the offer to visit was still in effect, and it was. The Morses offered us a discounted price, allowing us to stay more nights than we otherwise might have been able to afford.

The Wenatchee River Lodge is so beautiful! It’s a full log home sitting right above the river. It’s on a bend and the lodge is situated so that it feels really isolated. It’s also at the end of a long gravel lane, so traffic noises never reached us.

Don greeted us on our arrival and proudly showed us all around the lodge. From the largest suite, The Ponderosa, to the smaller suites, dining area, great room and game room, the lodge is elegantly rustic. There is a hot tub on the deck and jetted baths in several rooms. Our room, the Aspen Room, had a gas fireplace, a jetted tub, walk-in closet/dressing area, a king-sized bed and french doors opening onto the deck which looks out on the river.

We arrived pretty early in the day on Friday so we unpacked and headed just 2 miles to Leavenworth. We were eager to see the Christmas decorations and have lunch. After some shopping and saying high to some of our friends in town we went back to the lodge to relax for the evening. We brought a new game with us, Scotte shot a few tables of pool and threw some darts, then it was back to the room to enjoy a fabulous whirlpool bath.

Our Christmas Getaway

The next morning Mary and Don greeted us with a breakfast of quiche, waffles, fruit and bacon. We also observed an interesting phenomenon on the river. Don and Mary said they’d never seen it before. We all called them ice lily pads. In the river a whirlpool eddy seemed to be capturing pieces of ice and the circling action was forming them into circular ice shapes with raised edges, just like lily pads. They were fascinating to watch. I’m including some of the still photos I took of them along with some video which gives a better account than I can describe. After two mornings there the weather warmed and they were gone. I’m so glad we were there to see them.

The ice lilies formed in the Wenatchee River

We really enjoyed getting to know Don and Mary and the guests that came and went while we visited. The lodge was beautifully decorated for Christmas throughout and than made our romantic Christmas getaway even better (imagine if you will an elegantly appointed Christmas tree that YOU don’t have to put up, or put away!) We had tasty breakfasts each day served where we could look out at the river. The lodge is quiet and away from everything. My descriptions can’t do it justice, so take a look at the slide show below.

I can’t imagine a better way for us to celebrate a romantic Christmas (and our 31st anniversary) than this stay at Wenatchee River Lodge. It’s perfectly situated on the river and a little way out of the hustle and bustle of the village. If it had been warmer, we would have been tempted to sleep with our door to the deck ajar and gone to sleep lulled by the music of the river, just steps away.

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Christmas in the most Christmas-y town I know

December 30th, 2011

The Front Street Park Gazebo all lit up for Christmas

Leavenworth, Washington wears a lot of hats. It’s a mountain village, a Bavarian town, a festival town, and a Christmas town! Regardless of the snowfall (and this December was a little dry) the whole village of Leavenworth puts on its cheeriest face and greets many thousands of visitors.

I’m happy to say that Scotte and I were two of the visitors for this Christmas. Sure we’ve been for Christmas Lighting Festival, and we’ve visited mid-week in December. But this year, for the first time, we were actually in Leavenworth for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We’ve been planning for this all year, since we realized that none of our kids would be in Spokane with us for the holiday. We got our Christmas shopping and baking done in record time, mailed and delivered gifts early and headed for our favorite place. Due to an invitation to the Wenatchee River Lodge from Don and Mary Morse, we knew the perfect place to stay. Our wedding anniversary falls very near Christmas so the idea of a quiet, relaxing and romantic Christmas celebration seemed right.

The lights of Front Street coming on at sunset

Once we unpacked at the lodge we headed the short two miles to Front Street. For some reason we were expecting to have the town pretty much to ourselves. It was bustling! There were families of every shape and size. Stores were busy but not packed. Everywhere we went Leavenworth shopkeepers expressed happy amazement at the outstanding business they’ve been doing all through the Christmas Lighting Festival. We enjoyed lunch at the busy SOUTH restaurant. You know that’s one of our

One of the windows of Kris Kringl Christmas Shop

favorite places. Then we went into Kris Kringl to soak up some Christmas magic. There hadn’t been new snow for some time, but the sledding hill in Front Street Park was busy with kids sledding with saucers and sleds (and some foolhardy older kids on their feet.) Leavenworth and the surrounding ski areas have been making snow for the enjoyment of kids of all ages.

Leavenworth was decorated for Christmas everywhere we looked. Even in the daytime, before the Christmas lights came on, signs of the season were everywhere. Shops and restaurants were all decked out. And people were decked out too. It’s obvious that many visitors can’t make a trip to Leavenworth without a trip to the Hat Shop. And why would you? Everywhere we looked we saw people of every age sporting hats with elf ears or reindeer antlers. Santas and Mrs. Santas were everywhere. The Hat shop also has a great selection of fashion hats and hats and gloves for the kiddos.

The lights and snow of Front Street Park

Once we had dinner, we drove back to the middle of town to see the Christmas lights. So beautiful! Every store front was lit and the park was bright with thousands and thousands of lights. Leavenworth installed thousands of new LED lights for this season. The sledding hill continued to be happy and busy with laughing and squealing children and their families.

Christmas Eve day was also very busy in town. The lack of snow seems to have made Leavenworth a popular family destination this Christmas. The area wasn’t completely devoid of snow. The surrounding hills and mountains had a charming wintery layer. We had a lot of fun taking pictures, visiting with friendly shop owners and enjoying the Christmas atmosphere.

Every shop and restaurant in town is decked out for Christmas

After changing clothes we drove to the Icicle Inn and JJ Hills Fresh Grill for our Christmas Eve dinner. We dined at JJ Hills back in April when they first reopened and had a disappointing experience. This time we visited at the chef’s express invitation, and we were not disappointed. Everything we ate was very good. The waitress pointed out the prime rib special and I was sure glad she did. The meal was tasty, the rib tender. I love their sweet potato fries. Scotte enjoyed London Broil with bearnaise sauce. His garlic mashed potatoes were a perfect accompaniment. We finished the meal with a lovely, light chocolate mousse. As always the service was excellent. I’m so glad the chef invited us to eat at the grill again.

The prime rib special on Christmas Eve at JJ Hills Fresh Grill

After the meal we went out to take more pictures until it was time to go to the Leavenworth Church of the Nazarene for their presentation of the Living Nativity. It was lovely. They presented the outdoor Nativity as part of the Christmas Lighting Festival. What a gift to the community and to visitors to Leavenworth. The participants were of every age. Live animals were a big part: sheep, a donkey, goats and a llama. (I know llamas are New World animals but you have to allow a little creative license.)

The Living Nativity at the Nazarene Church

Just before the Wise Men entered, the star lit up and proceeded to travel up a zip line, pausing while the Wise Men talked to Herod, then continued higher till it was resting over where the child was resting in his mother’s arms. The angels high over the manger and the visiting shepherds completed the scene. Narration and Christmas music played over loud speakers and church members had a tent set up where they offered their guests yummy hot chocolate. They performed the Nativity three times on Christmas Eve. If you go to Christmas Lighting Festival or spend Christmas in Leavenworth, be sure to put the Living Nativity on your to-do list.

Living Nativity

Afterward we went back to the lodge where Scotte and I enjoyed the fire in the game room and watched It’s A Wonderful Life. It was a lovely way to spend Christmas Eve.

Christmas Lights along Front Street

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