There was a time when part of the allure of dining at a chain restaurant was the fact that you knew exactly what you would be getting. These days, with local, sustainable and artisan cuisine being all the rage, part of the stigma of dining in a chain restaurant is the fact that you know exactly what you will be getting. Where’s the fun in bragging about the bacon-wrapped beef medallions you had at the steakhouse last night when your friends in other cities can get the same dish at the same steakhouse chain’s location in their area? These days, people want a more personal, unique experience—and fresher ingredients—when they dine.

The folks who run the Palomino family of restaurants get this. With nine restaurants, including the flagship in Seattle and a location in Bellevue, the Palomino is far from a massive chain. Nevertheless, its parent company, Seattle-based Restaurants Unlimited Inc., owns 57 restaurants in 14 states, and its parent company’s parent company, Sun Capital Partners, is a lot bigger than that (at last check, SCP’s portfolio included 66 companies in 17 industry sectors). Despite their place in such a large corporate structure, the Palominos are distancing themselves from the cookie-cutter mold of chains by synching their menus to ingredients unique to their respective markets—and pimping up the offerings in the process.

Case in point: one of the items on the Seattle Palomino’s small bites menu that is sure to be a hit is a riff on pigs in a blanket. Italian-style links by Seattle-based Uli’s Famous Sausage are stuffed inside a chewy shell made from the house pizza dough. Clearly, this isn’t your father’s PIAB. The Seattle and Bellevue restaurants will also be working with Macrina Bakery, Salumi Artisan Cured Meats and other local artisans. Norman Abdallah, who took over as RUI’s president and CEO last year, says the chefs at each location are allowed to incorporate locally produced ingredients from their respective regions into the restaurants’ Mediterranean-inspired menus. For example, Washington state’s Palominos are emphasizing seasonal Northwest seafood and produce, while the Dallas restaurant will probably offer a wider variety of steaks. Who knows, maybe the Palomino in Pittsburg will offer a customized version of the all-in-one sandwich.

(Pigs in a Blanket, Palomino style; Bryce Covey for Team Photogenic © 2010)

I need to make up for lost time. Every day that I spend at my desk is another day that I am missing out on a chance to carve out that perfect set of turns down the side of a mogul-pocked mountainside.

I don’t ask for much when I ski. All I need is an easy traverse to the lifts from my room, whether said room involves a luxury suite or a friend’s couch. As far as terrain goes, I just want to warm up on a few cruisers and then go find the soft, steep bumps that I swear are going to one day make me famous, if only in my mind. Of course, a little powder is always nice.

As simple as they may seem, these basic needs seem so hard to find. Or at least they did until I hit the jackpot last weekend during my visit to Sun Peaks Resort. Though the ski area, nearly an hour outside of Kamploops, B.C., is far from a secret, I am constantly surprised by how many avid skiers I meet in western Washington who say they have never ventured out to such places as Sun Peaks, Revelstoke, Big White, Silver Star and the other gems that await across interior British Columbia. Sure, Whistler Blackcomb is the king of B.C.’s hills, if not all of North America’s hills, for good reason. But many of eastern B.C.’s resorts offer all of the essentials of skiing at a pace that reminds you that some of the greatest joys of strapping on the boards come from the serenity and natural splendor that secluded mountainsides have to offer.

Its 3,678-acres make Sun Peaks the second largest ski resort in British Columbia. For comparison’s sake, Whistler Blackcomb offers more than 8,000 acres. Washington’s Crystal Mountain offers about 2,600 acres and Idaho’s Sun Valley offers a shade over 2,000. Many ski resorts across the Pacific Northwest had been grappling with below-normal snow depths at the time of my visit, but Sun Peaks was holding its own. The reported snowpacks were listed at between just 4 and 5 feet, but time and time again, in-the-know locals steered me to hidden caches of freshy in off-the-beaten-path areas, and each night brought a few more inches of the fluffy white stuff.

As a first-time visitor, I found the resort’s free Sun Guide Tour program particularly helpful. In little more than two hours, our charming guides Donna and Chase escorted our party of four skiers and a snowboarder to the top of Tod Mountain, Sunburst and Mt. Morrisey—and back down, mostly on beginner and intermediate runs. By the time afternoon rolled around, I felt as though I knew the mountain like the back of my hand. With this knowledge came the confidence to take on black-diamond challenges on such runs as the Headwalls, the run that daredevil skiers fly down during the Velocity Challenge each spring (this year’s dates are March 4-7).

I took comfort in the knowledge that the walk to my room was less than a hundred yards from the base of the hill after I finished my last run. My face was chapped by wind and muscles from my calves to my shoulders throbbed in unison. In other words, the mountain had given me everything that I could have asked for from a day on the slopes. Still, the resort kept on providing more nuggets of joy.

On a stroll along the village walk, I couldn’t hold back a smile when a lively group of uncles and aunts cheered on as their niece, about five years old, glided down to the base on her shorty skis. At the Bottoms Up Bar and Grill, a group of skiers and snowboarders shared secrets of the mountain with me as I noshed on fried halibut and chips. At the casually luxe Delta Sun Peaks Resort, where my room for this trip awaited, I was tempted to join the party that raged in the indoor/outdoor pool and Jacuzzi. Instead, I headed over to Masa’s Bar and Grill for a food-and-wine tasting dubbed Wild Game and Wild Wines. The latter was one of the inaugural events for the resort’s Winter Wine Festival. Formerly the Icewine Festival, the event series showcases varietals grown in the nearby Okanagan Valley through seminars and tastings that continue through Jan. 24. I washed down samples of wild boar sausage, smoked trout and roasted lamb with sips of cool pinot gris and viognier. An African band was still playing as I headed back to my room. As much as I wanted to stay, I knew I had to rest up for the next morning—and another chance to make up for that lost time.

(Photo of Sun Peaks Village by Adam Stein, courtesy of Sun Peaks Resort.)

Hello Hana! …Now what? So you’ve made the trek along the long and winding road to Hana and—once your stomach settles down from car sickness—what ever will you do? Get uplifted on a tandem powered hang gliding flight with Hang Gliding Maui. Don’t gasp. It’s safe, exhilarating and a very different (and spectacular) way to explore Hana. Owners and husband and wife, Armin and Karin Engert, use an Airborne trike with tandem seating for one instructor and one student. The trike runs with a small motor, which can be turned off per your request, in case you’d like to glide your way back down to the ground. Which I’d recommend, as you wouldn’t really be hang gliding now, would you? All the necessary gear such as helmets and flight suits are provided. All you need are socks and shoes…well, and preferably a T-shirt and shorts.

Bask on black. Or red. Or gray. Sand that is…here are three not-to-miss beaches near Hana: Pa`iloa Beach (Black Sand Beach) within the Wai`anapanapa State Park—beautiful, but can be dangerous for swimming due to strong currents. Check out the stone bridge and take a short hike into the lava tube to the right of the beach. The state park is located off Hana Hwy., just beyond mile maker #32, at the end of the paved road on the left. As tempting as it may be, do not take any sand off this, or any, beach. Hawaiians believe that when we die our souls go back into the earth, which includes sand. You don’t really want to take someone’s great grandmother home with you, do you?
Kaihalulu Beach (Red Sand Beach), located in Hana, is difficult to reach, but well worth the effort. You’ll need to find the Hana Community Center on Ua Kea Road. At the south end of the community center take the narrow path that passes an old cemetery. You should find the beach at the end of the path. Unless it moved. Which is highly unlikely. Note: You might also find the occasional nude sunbather.
Hamoa Beach (gray sand beach) is situated along Haneo’o Road about a mile past Hana. It’s consistently rated a favorite beach among visitors for its salt and pepper sand and lush vegetation.
Just in case gray, red or black sand isn’t your thing, a few locals recommend these Maui beaches: Honokohau Bay, Honolua Bay, Mushroom Reef in Kahana, Waihee Beach and Kamaole III.

Visit a goat farm. Yeah really. The Surfing Goat Dairy offers “daily tours” for $7. You can meet the animals (including Charlie the pot belly pig), pet the goats and get a glimpse of the inner workings of the dairy’s operations. The best tour though is the “evening chores and milking” tour, for only $12. Get down and dirty with the goats as you round them up, hand-milk one, help with the feeding and learn all about how the dairy’s award-winning cheeses are made. Don’t forget to buy one of the goat’s-milk soap bars before you leave—it’ll make your skin as soft as a baby goat’s butt.

Get married at Makena Cove. Hmmmm. Don’t think this needs much commentary from me. It’s pretty straightforward: If you have someone you want to marry, grab him/her, book a flight on Hawaiian Airlines (my personal fave because of the yummy FREE meals and friendly flight attendants) and get out to this popular beach wedding spot. A word of advice though: Shoot for a morning wedding as the beach at sunset tends to feel more like the Las Vegas Strip with all of the other weddings going on.

Go to jail. Ok, not really. But do visit Hale Paahao (The Prison) on the corner of Wainee and Prison streets in Lahaina. The prison house was built in 1852 and had separate quarters for men and women. According to the Lahaina Historical Guide, most prisoners ended up there for deserting ship, drunkenness, working on the Sabbath or reckless horse riding. Those jailed for longer than a year were sent to Oahu. …Sheesh, I’d hate to hear what shenanigans those prisoners got themselves into…

Wander away from the tourist shops in Lahaina. (To the north on Ala Moana Street) because that is where you’ll find the cool Pagoda and the Great Buddha statue at the Lahaina Jodo Mission. The statue, pagoda and temple were built to commemorate the centennial celebration of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. Quite unexpected architecture in the middle of Lahaina.

If you get sick while on Maui: Like I did, visit the good, thorough and personable Dr. Norman Estin at Doctors on Call (three West Maui locations: Hyatt Regency, Westin Maui and Ritz-Carlton/Kapalua). I went in to see him for some weird eye infection I had going on. Unfortunately, I went to him after a waitress at a restaurant told me that the best way to cure an eye infection is to squeeze lemon juice directly in the eye. (Which, like a complete moron, I did, and almost passed out from the excruciating pain.) When Dr. Estin heard what I had tried in order to cure my ailment, he didn’t lecture me. He just casually smiled and gently shook his head, put some real eye drops in my eye, wrote me a prescription and sent me on my merry way. I could see the next day, and I was very happy about that. No more lemons for me.

Row, row, row, your outrigger canoe. Whether you are a guest at the beautiful Four Seasons Maui or not, you can always learn how to row an outrigger canoe, used by the first Hawaiians who ventured to the islands from Tahiti. Your two guides, part of the resort’s championship paddling team, will introduce you to Hawaiian-style paddling techniques and terms, and also teach you the historical and cultural significance of the outrigger canoe. The guides have a fun sense of humor (at least mine did), so don’t hold back joking around or asking them whatever you’d like to know about rowing or the ocean or even a good place to get a drink and watch the sunset.

The term “Olympic aversion” describes the phenomenon in which people avoid traveling to an Olympic host city in the weeks and months before the Games actually start, out of a fear that all of the hotels and attractions will be booked to capacity and overcrowded. The trend can create lean times for tourism officials in a host city.

The existence of such a phenomenon is not the best piece of news for those in the tourism industry in the host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics, but it is great for those of us who like to visit Vancouver, British Columbia, as often as we can. From now through the end of January, with the exception of the peak holiday periods, several hotels and inns in downtown Vancouver and Whistler are offering screaming deals. The specials include five-night stays at Whistler resorts with four-day lift tickets, beginning at $389 CAD per person, and attractive discounts at many downtown Vancouver hotels. You can find out more about these deals by contacting a AAA travel agent, Tourism Vancouver or Whistler.

From the expansion of the Sea to Sky Highway to the opening of the athletes’ village along False Creek, the final pieces of Vancouver’s Olympic puzzle are coming together. Visiting Vancouver between now and the end of January is a great way to get a sneak peek at the city’s massive makeover before the crowds really do arrive for the Games, which officially begin on Feb. 12.

For those who take advantage of these deals, the savings are likely to leave you feeling less guilty about splurging in some of the big-name restaurants that have opened in the past year. The highlights include Market by Jean-Georges in the new downtown Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver’s tallest building, and DB Bistro Moderne Vancouver in the Kitsilano neighborhood. The latter serves a version of the famous DB burger that the restaurant’s founder, Daniel Boulud, introduced in Manhattan. The Vancouver restaurant’s $28 “burger” features top sirloin filled with braised short rib and black truffle on a toasted parmesan bun. From what I hear, it’s worth every cent.

On a section of Main Street that is attracting a new wave of trendy boutiques and restaurants, Campagnolo offers a cool, locally grown dining option. The restaurant, opened by the team behind Fuel restaurant in Kitsilano, offers modern takes on the cuisine of Piemonte and Emilia-Romagna in a sleek setting. The signature appetizer is the crispy ceci, a serving of deep-fried chickpeas seasoned with mint, chilies and citrus. Nibbling on these prepare you for a parade of courses that can include more antipasti, cured meats, egg-topped pizzas, pastas and roasted meat entrees. What better way to whet your appetite for the Olympics?

On any given day, I’m the lucky recipient of piles of press releases highlighting all of the great deals going on right now to entice everyone to get out and travel. Some I may choose to write about, but for the most part, we typically don’t cite a specific special or package within the magazine. Mostly for space reasons. So I thought to myself … why not post them here so that our deal-hunting, bargain-loving Journey readers can still benefit?

The most recent one to grace my inbox is The Inn at El Gaucho’s swanky holiday-in-the-city overnight packages. These are ideal for couples, best buds or moms and daughters who’d like to pop into Seattle for some holiday shopping fun. The Winter Wonderland Package includes a junior suite, $50 dining credit in the El Gaucho dining room, a hot toddy or hot chocolate delivered via room service and white flowers to greet you upon your arrival. All this for a mere $325. And for 100 bucks more you can do the Inn”Spa”rational Shopping Package which also includes a junior suite, along with a $50 gift card to an upscale local boutique, an in-room massage, a $50 room-service credit and a bottle of Alexandria Nicole Cellars wine. Can’t go wrong with that one. Packages run through the end of the year. Tip: If you’re with your sweetie, call ahead to request strategically placed mistletoe in your room. It can be added to either package. www.inn.elgaucho.com

Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham has a great mid-week special going on. Stay a minimum of two nights, Sunday–Thursday, for $141 per night. This deal runs through the end of 2009. www.hotelbellwether.com

Lakedale Resort on San Juan Island is offering shoulder season deals. My favorite (since I’m a proud dog owner) is the dog-friendly “Pampered Puppy Pack” with log cabin accommodations for two nights, a Chuck-It ball launcher, foldable water bowl and organic island-made doggie treats. Rates start at $449. For Lakedale’s other specials, visit www.lakedale.com.

And while you’re out there on the island, Friday Harbor House will be knocking 35 percent off the best available guestroom rate for overnight stays during the month of October. The deal is being offered in conjunction with the month long celebration of Savor the San Juans this October. www.fridayharborhouse.com

On another island, bit farther away in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the Four Seasons Resort—Maui at Wailea, which is sporting a brand-new, adult-only serenity pool, is offering rates beginning at $395 per night, through Dec. 17. Considering Four Seasons’ rates usually hover around $600 per night for a standard room, this is a great rate for escaping our infamous dark and dreary Northwest winter. www.fourseasons.com/maui

Just next door a stone’s throw away is the Grand Wailea Resort where you’ll find an awesome “Hawaii Five-for-Five” package. They pay YOU to stay: $500 to use for spa, golf, dining, island activities and retail when you book a five-night stay (Now through Dec. 21) at either Grand Wailea (below) or its luxury villas, Ho’olei at Grand Wailea just across the street. www.grandwailea.com

Those who want to visit the Borrego Ranch Resort & Spa in Southern California this fall are in for a treat: The all-inclusive Borrego Ranch Experience starts at $295 per person, per night (2-night minimum, double occupancy required) and includes: deluxe accommodations, a spa treatment OR a round of Tom Fazio Signature golf, and all meals included. www.borregoranchresort.com

Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, Montana, is celebrating the end of summer with its “fall escape” discount of 15% off rates for Oct. 19 through 31, 2009. www.triplecreekranch.com

This month marks the 10th anniversary of the Spa at the Woodmark. Try out the spa’s “Look Ten Years Younger” spa package (sign me up please), or benefit from a 10% discount on 10 treatments throughout the month along with top age-defying tips from spa staff. My favorite tip is from lead esthetician Mary Conway on how to alleviate puffy morning eyes: “Soak cotton rounds in cold black tea and apply to the eyes for 10 minutes, follow with eye cream or gel.” www.thewoodmark.com.

Keep checking back, as I will be updating this hot-deals list as the press releases roll in!

Dry-aged prime beef and buttery cuts of Japanese Wagyu. Macaroni slathered in a combination of melted cheeses from Seattle’s own Beecher’s Handmade Cheese. Creamed organic spinach with Kurobuta bacon bits.

Just hearing chef John Howie describe the offerings at his newest restaurant, John Howie Steak, is enough to make my mouth water. Yeah, opening a restaurant during an economic downturn is a gamble, but is there ever a bad time to eat steak? Known for bringing international influences together with contemporary flair at his Seastar restaurants in Bellevue and Seattle, Howie is raising the steakhouse concept to a new level. Besides four types of high-quality beef (the selection includes 21-day and 42-day aged USDA prime beef and Japanese and American Wagyu cuts), get ready for seafood and sides featuring seasonal, sustainable ingredients and a swank setting that, much like the food, balances stately grandeur with a modern aesthetic.

Howie’s steakhouse is among restaurants in The Bravern. Bellevue’s new power retail center is also home to Wild Ginger, sister of the perennial Seattle fave of the same name, and related ventures by New York–restaurateur Terrance Brennan: Artisanal Brasserie & Winebar and The Artisanal Table Pizzeria Enoteca. Alongside Washington state’s first Neiman Marcus (which houses its own restaurant, Mariposa), such boutiques as Salvatore Ferragamo, Louis Vuitton and Hermès form a luxury row within the facility. The newest Sur La Table store proves that a locally founded retailer can fit in with the big boys, while the first West Coast location for DavidBartonGym raises the bar on fitness. Offices and condominiums round out the facility, which officially opened on Sept. 12.

While “hip” and “urban” are not the traditional words used to describe Bellevue, The Bravern and other recent ventures are giving the longtime bedroom community’s downtown district a chic, big-city vibe.

At Lincoln Square, local restaurant veterans Bradley Dickinson and Mikel Rogers opened Pearl Bar & Dining nearly a year ago in the massive space that formerly housed Trader Vic’s. Chef Dickinson’s seasonal menu consists of luscious small plates and entrees that seamlessly meld Western and Eastern influences. Recent selections have included sablefish coated in a honey-miso marinade and braised short ribs served over creamy polenta.

Also in Lincoln Square, what was once simply known as The Parlor and boasted rows and rows of pool tables has added an ultralounge and comedy club to its mix and now calls itself The Parlor Collection. Each weekend brings a new nationally known comic to the venue, while DJs fill the lounge with pulsating beats throughout the week. Take the escalator up a floor to get to Lucky Strike Lanes, which, depending on your perspective, can be described as either a bowling alley that doubles as a nightclub or a nightclub that doubles as a bowling alley.

Across the street from Lincoln Square, a $185 million expansion at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue not only doubled the hotel’s capacity to 733 rooms, it also brought yet another place to lounge about and look stylish. Stir Martini & Raw Bar, the latest venture from the team that already operates 0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine Bar in the Hyatt building, serves up inventive cocktails and tasty seafood of the cooked and uncooked variety.

Just around the corner, the recently opened Grand Cru Wine Shop & Bar offers a cozy setting for exploring Old World and New World wines while snacking on cheese, charcuterie and other small bites. In other words, you don’t have to leave Bellevue to get a taste of the big city anymore.

You’ll probably never hear Jack Gibson and Kimberly Knox doubt the power of music and food to bring people together. The two traveled from Moses Lake to Spokane for Pig Out in the Park in 2002 on one of their first dates and have been coming back ever since. That’s why it only seemed logical for the couple to hold their wedding at this year’s presentation of the end-of-summer bash at Riverfront Park, which takes place Sept. 2–7.

Gibson and Knox plan to tie the knot on the City Hall stage on Saturday afternoon. With such acts as Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real (fronted by the son of country music icon Willie Nelson), Cracker, The Tubes and the Austin Lounge Lizards on this year’s bill, Gibson and Knox’s wedding certainly won’t be the only highlight of the food-and-music extravaganza. But it may prove to be the most endearing.

Pig Out’s organizers have their own reason to celebrate. What began as a two-day festival in the late 70s celebrates its 30th anniversary this year with 55 concerts over six days and is expected to draw about 90,000 people.

“It’s wonderful that we’ve figured out how to keep this a free community event,” says Pig Out promoter Bill Burk, who calls the festival a “gift to the city.” Vendors cannot charge more than $8.95 for food, and event proceeds help pay for free live art and art scholarships throughout the region.

Spokane has been tagged with a number of nicknames over the years, and not all of them are flattering. However, as the city’s downtown renaissance continues adding vibrant culture and nightlife to the area’s already great outdoor recreational offerings, I’d like to add two more to the mix:

Spo-dacious:
On one night during my quick jaunt to the resurgent capital of the Inland Northwest (I’m calling it my Spo-cation), I reconnected with my inner flower child by catching Bob Weir and Rat Dog at the Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox (the restored art deco movie palace). Just a block away, David Cook, winner on American Idol’s seventh season, entertained throngs of admirers at the Knitting Factory Concert House. Yes, the Knitting Factory Spokane. The venue started out as the Big Easy before the folks who run the more famous Knitting Factory in New York bought the club and renamed it.

Spoka-licous:
On my way back to plush digs at The Davenport Hotel, I stopped by Agave Latin Bistro for a post-concert nosh. The restaurant is a collaboration between local chef Ian Wingate and Sergio De Leon, owner of De Leon’s Downtown Mexican Deli and other food shops. Wingate was the executive chef at the Davenport when it reopened in 2002 before venturing out to open his own restaurant, Moxie, across the street from the hotel. Just a few doors up the street from Moxie, Agave offers refined, modern riffs on Latin favorites through such dishes as sea scallops served with grilled polenta and jicama relish and short ribs braised in a beef stock flavored by tequila, cactus and tomatoes. Wingate’s restaurants, combined with others such as Sante Restaurant & Charcuterie and Wild Sage American Bistro, are bringing a growing reliance on sustainable, local ingredients to the Spokane dining scene. They are also giving diners from near and far more options than ever when it comes to pigging out.

If you haven’t been to Port Angeles lately, you’re in for a nice surprise when you enter the city’s business district this summer. A community-wide beautification effort is on track to restore the luster to more than three-dozen buildings in the city’s downtown core. One of the most impressive things about this municipal facelift is the wide range of people who have come together to make it happen.

For the past two months, about 200 people from across the community have participated. Interested property owners can consult with with architectural and design experts on ways to improve the appearance of their buildings. After developing work plans, the building owners are bringing on workers and volunteers to perform such tasks as pressure washing facades and repainting the interiors and exteriors of their buildings. Suppliers are donating equipment and paint, and service organizations ranging from church youth groups to senior centers are providing volunteer laborers. The local food bank and restaurants are getting into the act by preparing food for the workers.

“This is small-town America at its best,” says Kathy Charlton, the owner of Olympic Cellars winery and a key organizer of the project, dubbed “Our Community at Work.” Charlton is among the 10 or so area business owners who developed the municipal renewal plan earlier this year. They obtained the City Council’s blessing in early spring and launched their project on May 1 to coincide with the closure of the Hood Canal Bridge. The project was originally scheduled to last for six weeks. However, Charlton says the overwhelming amount of community participation is now expected to have building owners and volunteers working on sprucing up their community through the end of summer.

Project organizers are hosting a celebration on July 11 to recognize the efforts of the volunteers and showcase their city’s emerging new look. The festivities include a ribbon-cutting ceremony and public reception on Front Street, beginning at 1 p.m., and these will coincide with a number of other related celebrations taking place in downtown Port Angeles throughout the day.

The Hood Canal Bridge has been open again for more than a month now, and people throughout the northern Olympic Peninsula seem to be in celebratory moods.

Six wineries between Port Townsend and Port Angeles are hosting the Lavender Wine Tour between July 11 and July 19. For $25, visitors get to try special wines and foods, including some with lavender themes, at each of the participating wineries. Port Townsend’s Sorensen Cellars, for instance, is serving its newly released 2008 pinot gris with vanilla lavender shortbread from Outrageous Offerings.

These tastings partially coincide with the Sequim Lavender Festival, which takes place July 17-19. The annual celebration fills the streets of Sequim with cheer and encourages visitors to make side trips to the area’s lavender farms.

It seems obligatory to make it least one reference to the Twilight series of teen-romance/vampire novels when writing about the Olympic Peninsula these days, and this posting is no exception. Charlton’s winery is pouring its Sparkling Twilight, a sparkling wine made with syrah grapes, in its tasting room this summer. Olympic Cellars, which produces the popular Working Girl series among its wine labels, also hosts concerts on its outdoor stage on the afternoons of July 11 and 12 and a Saturday-night concert series that begins on Aug. 1.

Time seemed to slow down as our raft reached the top of our first rapid on the Nooksack River. Sarah, the 20-something college student in our group, and I were practically lying on our stomachs, side by side, in the front section of the inflatable boat. Our feet were securely anchored under the thwart, while our heads and shoulders extended over the bow. The two of us, and the four others sitting upright in the middle and rear of the raft, were following the instructions of our guide, Brad Falletta of River Riders, Inc., to paddle forward. As we cleared a set of rocks at the top of the foamy Class III chute, the bow plunged forward. I extended my arms as far as I could, dug the paddle deep into the water and started to pull back. After a short burst of velocity, the nose of the raft smashed into a standing wave, sending up a chilly spray that slapped us all in the face. So went my introduction to the bow-crasher, or “animal,” position.

For the next two hours, Falletta directed Sarah and I to “animalize” every time we approached a set of rapids, sending us onto our stomachs with our paddles over the bow. By the time we finished the roughly 10-mile run between Glacier and Maple Falls, I knew that rafting would never again be the same for me. Playing the part of an animal made me a new man. A better man.

Summer is officially here, and, as I learned during my recent visit to Whatcom County, there are plenty of places to play between Bellingham and Mount Baker. On one of the mornings of my visit, I tested my mountain biking skills at Galbraith Mountain. Galbraith consists of more than 3,000-acres of forested foothills east of Fairhaven. The property is owned by the Trillium Corporation, which gives hikers, horseback riders and mountain bike riders free access to the property. Trillium also struck a deal that allows the Whatcom County–based WHIMPS Mountain Bike Coalition to build and maintain trails on the land. Gravelly logging roads with gradual ascents lead to the ridgelines that stretch across the mountain and provide access to a network of single-track trails, about 40 miles in all. Over the years, the WHIMPS have installed numerous ramps, bridges and other trail enhancements throughout the park. These give serious riders a chance to expand and refine their skills, while turnout lanes give less-gifted riders—such as myself—face-saving ways to get around the obstacles—and make it down the mountain intact. As I stopped to catch my breath off to the side of one of the trails, my riding companion, Jadyn Welch, who works at Fanatik Bike Co. in Bellingham, showed me the proper technique for taking a jump. He gathered enough speed down a slope to propel himself off a ramp and stick the landing about 15 feet down the hill before casually pedaling onward.

Later in the day, I found myself paddling a kayak on Chuckanut Bay with Moondance Sea Kayak Adventures. Needless to say, an itinerary such as this did wonders for my appetite, and I was happy to dig in at the area’s hearty, down-to-earth eateries. At The North Fork Brewery in Deming, my dining companions and I feasted on pizzas with airy, flatbread-style crusts. On subsequent nights, I dug into chicken enchiladas at the revered Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro in downtown Bellingham and then indulged on prime rib at Dirty Dan Harris’ steak and seafood house. It seemed inevitable that I would pig out on this trip. What else would you expect from someone who was feeling like an animal?

Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too?

Besides getting to spend a few hours on the water or the links, visitors to Lake Chelan can also sample wines in an area that is quickly establishing its viticultural identity. After zipping around on a WaveRunner for a few hours, there is something rewarding about sitting on a sunny deck with a cold viognier and a panoramic view of the valley below.

The region’s status as Washington’s 11th American Viticultural Area (AVA) became effective in late May. From a technical point of view, the area’s elevation and the cooling effects of the lake itself are among the key factors that distinguish Lake Chelan’s wine grapes from those grown in other portions of the Columbia Valley. Though grapes have been grown in the region for more than a century, the area’s 15 modern wineries have all opened within the past decade. So far, the area’s winemakers are discovering success with such cool climate varietals as gewürztraminer, riesling, viognier and pinot noir. Chardonnay is also plentiful, and the leathery finish of the just-bottled malbec that I tried at Nefarious Cellars suggests that this varietal, a relatively new planting for the region, may turn out to be the most popular of the bunch.

From a visitor’s point of view, an already existing tourism infrastructure adds convenience to Lake Chelan’s appeal as a wine destination. Five wineries are located within minutes of each other on the lake’s south shore, while six others dot the landscape surrounding Manson on the north shore. In other words, quality tasting rooms are just minutes away from most of the area’s resorts (designate a driver or hire a car service), and quality dining options also abound.

At Karma Vineyards, you’ll find a crisp sparkling wine, one of the few produced in Washington, while the rieslings at Tsillan (pronounced Chelan) Cellars offer all of the delicacy one desires in this varietal without the overbearing sweetness that less adept producers leave behind. Tsillan’s tasting room resembles an Italian villa, and its restaurant, Sorrento’s, maintains the theme while offering ample al fresco dining on a patio and an expansive lawn that doubles as a concert venue. The garden bistro at Vin du Lac is the very definition of pleasant.

In downtown Chelan, the Veranda Bistro & Bar at Campbell’s Resort proves that the best tastings don’t always take place at a winery. Selections from just about all of Washington’s AVAs are represented on a reasonably priced wine list. As I dined on grilled halibut topped with spicy papaya chutney, I knew I had to save some room. There was the matter of the metaphorical cake, after all, that I knew I would be eating.