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A place so great, they named it twice

Kevin and I had a great time in Walla Walla this past weekend.


It was just what we needed: alone time, sans baby, mixed with good wine, great food, and some much needed R&R.

We set out Friday morning, headed straight for our favorite place: Three Rivers!


It's the perfect Kevin / Tanya winery: great wine that I enjoy, and a free, par 2 golf course for Kevin to enjoy!



In the spirit of responsibility (and not wanting to overdo it on Day 1), we called it quits after Three Rivers and headed to Areus to check in.

The reviews for Areus are mixed, but it was the perfect fit for us: low key, not overly fussy, great views, and a beautiful pool (that we never used...)





Dave, our host, was gracious, informative, and friendly- getting us reservations at Whitehouse Crawford on Friday night and driving us to town, complete with an adorable Walla Walla neighborhood tour.  He was trying to sell us on the move- we were biting...



Walla Walla is such a unique town.

We've been here several times before, so I'm not sure if it was the insider recommendations, the much needed baby-free time, or a more appreciative eye, but we were lovin' it!

Totally unassuming, yet chalked full of some of the best restaurants, lodging, and wineries in the state.



We walked around town, grabbed a drink, then headed to Whitehouse Crawford.

The first of two awesome dining experiences!



The food was amazing, and the service was impeccable.  We started with the crispy fried sweet onions, then Kevin had the bacon burger, and I had the grilled pork shoulder- both were excellent.

Of course, a delicious vacation meal would not be complete without dessert, so we topped it off with their recommendation: the twice baked chocolate cake and a side salted caramel ice cream; I think they were trying to kill us...

After resting up on Friday, we woke up Saturday morning ready to start a day full of drinking!

I mean wine tasting...  ;)

Instead of doing the usual Westside loop (Woodward Canyon, L'Ecole, Cougar Crest, Reininger, Three Rivers), we stuck around the Eastside / airport area and tried a few new places.

Buty: a bare bones, basic tasting room (think double wide trailer) with an impressive line up of high end reds; but check out their Beast label- good stuff.

Adamant Cellars: they make an amazing Rose.  Who wants to bring the French trend of Rose drinking at lunch to the US with me?!...

Dunham Cellars: a fun, family owned winery with a great selection of high end reds and affordable priced table wine (can't go wrong with the Three Legged Red).

K Vintners: the tried and true.  Our favorite place for an amazing Syrah.  We also picked up a few bottles of our beloved Boom Boom!

Walla Walla Vitners: our first time here.  Friendly, hilarious staff, with a tasty mix of malbecs, cabs, and merlots.

aMaurice Cellars: fresh, crisp wines.  Fun tasting room- great picnic / patio area for lunch.  Check out their Columbia Valley Syrah- it's nothing short of amazing!

A few pictures from the day....

10am...  :)

The tasting room at Dunham

The barrel room at Dunham



Armed with Boom Boom! in hand



After a day full of tasting, and a case full of wine, we headed to Waitsburg for dinner.





Waitsburg a small town northeast of Walla Walla, and home to Whoop Em Up Cafe, an amazing southern restaurant in the middle of nowhere (another Dave recommendation!)

Mouth watering cornbread, and grits so good you'd slap your Grandma (...it's a saying.  No Grandma's were actually harmed in the process of consumption. At least not ours)



The next day it was time to pack up and head home, but not before making a major detour to check out Palouse Falls.

It was worth it- a beautiful drive!





We're already plotting our next trip.

After trying some new restaurants, bars, and wineries, we can't wait to come back and explore even more!



Until next time, stay cool Walla Walla.




Comments

Stefanie said…
you REALLY made me want to go to Walla Walla. I must.

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