13 February 2012

family sundays

In the last month we've had some relaxing family days, namely Sundays.  Two weekends ago we went on a little tool buying adventure to Port Hadlock (near Port Townsend, Wa).  We decided to make a day of it.  We packed up the doggies, the baby and ourselves in our little Forester, bought some big cups of coffee and bagels and hit the road.  We crossed the water on the Ferry (Aven loved looking out at the water, the boats, the clouds and the birds) and then drove down the island to Port Hadlock.  It was a rare February day in that it was about 55 degrees and wonderfully sunny.  The tool was housed at some property outside of town.  While Abe laboured over moving the huge and very heavy tool, Aven and the dogs and I walked around and explored the property.  It was a lovely spot of land with a huge garden, garden guest house, gigantic shop with guest loft, pond, beautiful house with a deck outside facing the sun and grassy paths that led to all of their neighbors.  Aven loved running around and exploring and running after the doggies.  She played in some leftover fall leaves and really got a taste of running around outside.

After this adventure we headed back up to Port Townsend for some snacks and shopping.  We ducked in a few little restaurants and settled on one: the Courtyard Cafe.  It was a little unassuming Victorian house off a side street and had the perfect Sunday ambiance.  I ran inside to check the menu while Daddy, Aven and doggies held down the fort in the car.  It had some sunny seats by the window, live musicians playing flutes and fiddles and calming folk guitar music and huge cinnamon pull-aparts and amazing scones grabbed my eye in the front glass case.  It was the kind of place that makes you happy that you live in the NorthWest.  Unassuming meals at reasonable prices with a lovely and not stuffy atmosphere.  Young and old mixing it up and interacting together and delicious comfort food.

After an early morning and a long day, we dozed a bit in the car on the ferry ride back while we kept our child entertained with Annie's Cheddar Bunnies.

A few weeks before the above named adventure, we went to one of our favorite splurges, Tweets cafe in Edison, WA.  It is admittedly a bit overpriced but is worth the wonderful atmosphere, amazing little treats and fun small town feeling.  In Edison, everyone is friendly.  It is really a tiny little close knit community where everyone cannot help but know everyone else because, well, it is only about 15 businesses long!  The little "downtown" strip has a wonderful store (mentioned before) called the Lucky Dumpster with fun vintage finds and plenty of creative and locally made treasures like animals made from reclaimed sweaters, felt crowns for kids and industrial metal words with new reclaimed wood tops.  You can wander from here to the woodworking gallery of Smith & Vallee and see wonderful local artists from sculptures and paintings to woodwork and metalwork.  It is housed in a lovely old wooden building with old planked wood floors, open beam ceilings and bright white paint on the walls.  Down the street is a truly unique shop that has everything from awesome handmade jewelry to a Walrus head (I am not sure why, but it is there to see).  Then there is Slough Food (a wine, cheese and food shop), Farm to Market bakery, Tweets, Breadfarm bakery and a few other local haunts like the local bar.

Tweets has the kind of ambiance the old coffee shops in Seattle once had and places like Anthropologie aspire to, only naturally.  The outside has a handful of fresh herbs and plants for sale.  The little wooden tables, chairs and stools inside are missing an appropriate amount of paint to see quaint and are pleasantly mismatched and the uneven wood planked floor seems homey and warm.  But the food is delicious and spitefully a bit too good for its own taste.  Their pastries always boast the amazing citrus infused whipped mascarpone cheese and the other delectables are beyond measure.  A decent cup of coffee will accompany anything you order while you sit among locals and enjoy the rain coming down the windows.  On a sunny day you might sit by the roll up door on rickety iron tables and chairs and see the folks walk by and smile or wave.  But you'll never be disappointed by the treats at Tweets (just maybe the dent it takes out of your wallet).

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I am just trying to enjoy the small and quiet moments of life.  These lazy Sundays are no exception.  There were certainly piles of laundry at home, dishes to wash and put away, bills to pay, recycling to take out and groceries to buy- but there was also a decent time to be had enjoying the company of my family and the simplicity of a beautiful rainy or sunny afternoon.

6 comments:

cozyland.net said...

Beautiful post! we just had lunch at Tweets on Saturday (3rd time) and love it! can imagine in the rain, now romantic!

Anonymous said...

My husband and I just enjoyed the most amazing and freshest lunch we have ever had the pleasure of eating!! We plan to return again and again only next time I am bringing my camera to take a picture of the food presented...it is that inspiring and delicious...and worth every penny!!

Anonymous said...

We always look forward to a weekend when we can experience different food at this place. A little pricey but I'd rather save up and get really good and exciting food and great coffee and desserts.

Mary @ Fit and Fed said...

Tweets is really fun! Very funky, a cafe in a garage with rough-hewn wood tables and random decorations like the chandelier. I just ate there yesterday and had a really good polenta torte filled with goat cheese, topped with veggies, and on a plate of black beans. It was relaxing to get away to somewhere really different and special like Tweets.

OnHand said...

Left Bellingham with the family and went on a hike down to Clayton Beach, next we went to spot bald eagles, the kids loved this and we saw 2 adults and 2 juvenile. My favorite part of the day was when my father-in-law tried to take us for lunch at the rhododendron and it was closed and then to the tavern in Edison where we were booted for having minors, we landed at tweets- ALL I CAN SAY WAS BEST FOOD I HAVE HAD AT A RESTAURANT IN A VERY LONG TIME! Worth the price, split if needed, portions are large. Too good for kids- just get them a giant cookie and enjoy your lunch in peace:)

OnHand said...
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