Leavenworth 2011 - Garden Haus

We had such a great time last year in Leavenworth, WA <see where it is> - It was worth an encore. This year we were right in the middle of October Fest! For an imitation Bavarian town, this is a big deal. Weekdays are much tamer than the weekends, but it's always lively this time of year. A Fall Northwest storm came through and kept the weather ugly until the afternoon of the third day. Caught up on our reading and enjoyed our time with Easton. This was his first long car trip and being away from home. He was a very good boy with only one surprise. Off leash on our first walk, he bolted down to the Wenatchee river and would not stop. I wasn't too worried because the current is not swift and we were in the park with many inlets used for swimming. When I caught up with him, he was just standing in two feet of water, still as a statue, looking at me. He was visiting a place in his mind that he has been before. It was like Easton was in a trance. He would not come when I call to him, nor did he even stir. Finally when I held the leash up, he snapped out of it and splish-splashed out of the water, wagging his tail, ready to continue his walk.

He found a tennis ball and officially adopted it. I think its name is Wilson.
BTW, keeping our paws crossed for my pal Bubba at Golden Pines.

We rented this cool one bedroom house right in town.
Very nice - highly recommended + this particular property is pet friendly.

Front yard - the sun finally came out the third day.

The hot tub got a lot of use, especially on those cool, rainy days.

The back side of Garden Hause - lots of off-street parking.
Quite valuable during Octoberfest in Leavenworth.

Last year when we took this trip, Lady was with us. We took a picture of her in the town gazebo. Here is Lady from 2010 and Easton from 2011. I've said it many times: they would have been a great pair. "SIGH"

Lady September 2010

Easton October 2011

There are always "hits and misses" when ever you visit a place known for attracting tourists. Leavenworth is no exception. THE HITS: ~ we discovered one new (to us) place worth mentioning: King Ludwig, a traditional German restaurant and beer hall! Surprisingly good food and the staff was excellent. ~ Spent many lunches and snack times at the Munchen Haus - outdoor dining, dog friendly and wonderful sausages, German potato salad and kraut. ~ Our friend Klaus <Klaus and Lady> we met last year may be losing his lease. What a shame. He is such a nice man and knows how to make a quality espresso. ~ Our favorite breakfast place, Renaissance Cafe was still good. We had breakfast there every morning. ~ The Accidental Bavarian website was were we found our Garden Hause. It's still the best website for learning what's up in Leavenworth. ~ Thumbs up for Rudloof's Pizza. Excellent salad, friendly staff and decent pizza (OK, I'm a pizza snob, but for a small town joint, a fine effort).

The MISSES: Just one this trip, Tumwater Inn. The food was not good. Quaint bar, nice staff, but local entertainers were there playing guitars in the evening. Since they were locals, a group of their friends were sitting at the front tables and it was obvious anyone else in attendance was intruding. Kind of weird.

So, this is two years in a row for Leavenworth. It is really a wonderful place. I think next year we may pick somewhere different. I'm voting for Portland. We spent some time there last Christmas and loved it, despite the horrible weather. Many friends and my brother live down there, so we always have places to go and people to visit.

Sorry I have been so sparse with my blog postings the last 6 months. I'm hoping to be more prolific very soon. Best to all.

Cascade Loop, Winthrop and Leavenworth

What a wonderful, scenic trip. Weather was decent and the scenery was fantastic. Lady had a blast and was as good as gold. Here are the Lady pictures I took. For a more in-depth pictorial, go to my SmugMug gallery at the link below:

Cascade Loop pictures at SmugMug

First stop in the park

Excellent State park on the Columbia River just outside Chelan

Lady on stage in Leavenworth - waiting for her accordion!

Hanging out at one of the MANY dog friendly establishments in Leavenworth.
I'll drop the names of all of them at the end of this post.

During the two days we were in Leavenworth, Lady must have charmed at least 100 humans and a couple of fellow Goldens. She got a ton of attention no matter where we went. Here she is at the art show in the park.

Our new friend Klaus. Runs a nice little espresso and food shop with outdoor seating. Klaus and his wife Ulmke run a first class kennel just outside of town. See their website listing at the end of this post and permanently on my sidebar.

Now, a few travel and leisure recommendations based on my experiences during this trip:

DOG FRIENDLY
-Twisp River Pub, Twisp, WA - good food and service too! They brew their own beer.....yummy.

-Winthrop Inn - Super nice people and very accommodating when we hated our room. Made it right.....thanks.

-Munchen Haus, Leavenworth, WA - Outdoor casual restaurant with great sausages, killer kraut, regal relish, BEER, BEER and more BEER, plus a terrific staff.

-Klaus' little place called Haus Dog Kaffee and Tea - I live in Seattle, I love coffee, I know what's good and what ain't - Klaus knows his stuff. I hear from a local Golden owner we met that the food is good too. Located on the far west end of Front Street.

-Good Mood Food Cafe - on Hwy 2 close to town - free WIFI, nice people, good coffee

-Gypsy Cafe - right across the street from our hotel

-Obertal Inn - decent place right downtown, great staff, price is right.

-A Paw Above - Susie's dog store on front street. Good food selection, toys, treats etc.

-Uncle Ulis - little restaurant in the same building with Susie. Didn't eat there, but saw that it was very dog friendly.

Other places I can recommend
-Renaissance Cafe - downstairs and out of the way, look hard to find this one, good food and service, opens for breakfast at 7AM and is a local favorite.

-Andreas Keller - GREAT German food, awesome German beer selection, plus Johnny V plays a mean accordion most nights - highly recommended.

-Hitching Post tavern, Cashmire, WA (on Hwy 2 between Wenatchee and Leavenworth) - Have been stopping into this place every few years for 20 years now, the steaks are always good and affordable. Excellent service and cold beer. This time was no exception; even won $162 on one $20 pull tab....yay.

Best website for Leavenworth info: Accidental Bavarian

Klaus and Regina's kennels (so not to get Klaus in trouble, I want to be very clear, Regina runs the kennels): Haus Denali Kennels - Leavenworth, WA

Road Trip

Lady and I will be gone this week, heading for the eastern slopes of the Cascade range. North Cascade highway to Winthrop then on to Leavenworth for a couple of days. We will catch up with you all this weekend. Here's hoping for some dry, warm weather.