Next Stop
Issue: July/August 2010
Destination: Kirkland, WA
The summertime bustle is worth the hustle in this favorite Lake Washington town
Uncorked, the city’s annual wine festival, drew me to Kirkland, but it’s the quirks that will bring me back.
There’s the jam-packed Simplicity Decor, with its range of serious furniture and silly accessories like Uglydolls, the Juanita Bay Park wildlife habitat and the high-end restaurant Trellis, which houses chef Brian Scheehser’s root cellar. Diners can’t see it, but the idea of it appeals to me. So does the thought of phenomenal fresh pastries from The French Bakery. I just wish the place closed later on Saturday and opened on Sunday.
Window-shopping is a good way to ease into the festival, especially among the Park Lane galleries and shops that host Kirkland’s Second Thursday Art Walk. Downtown is small enough that you could easily walk into the festival without realizing it.
You can soak up the festival vibe* July 16–18 (5 p.m.–10 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m.–10 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m.–6 p.m. Sunday), or pursue other entertainment options. Guests at the Woodmark Hotel can take a cruise on Lake Washington aboard a 1956 Chris Craft ($10, reservations required), see a $5 outdoor movie at Carillon Point or catch a show at the Kirkland Performance Center.
Follow up a Saturday spent sipping wine by starting a leisurely Sunday with a walk through Juanita Bay Park. Don’t let its walking path and proximity to a highway fool you. The 110-acre waterfront park is filled with wildlife and is a favorite of birders in the know.
Maybe that’s why I’ve got a crush on Kirkland, and I’m not just talking about the grapes.
* Enjoy yourself, but please designate a sober driver for this or any other event involving the consumption of alcohol.
THE FESTIVAL:
Kirkland Uncorked/July 16–18 at Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza—Taste wines, sample food and enjoy beautiful art and scenery on the Lake Washington waterfront. The festival benefits the Hope Heart Institute.
YUM:
bin on the lake, the former bin vivant’s new lakeside digs, combines scenic views with elegant food and wine.
Trellis, wine-country cuisine and a root cellar at the Heathman Hotel.
The French Bakery, across the street from the Heathman Hotel.
ZZZZZS:
Courtyard Seattle Kirkland (11215 N.E. 124th St.) Affordable rates for the budget-conscious.
Heathman Hotel (220 Kirkland Ave.) Guests can enjoy complimentary bike rentals (up to four hours) to sight-see or to cruise Heritage Park and the lakefront.
The Woodmark Hotel at Carillon Point (1200 Carillon Point) Get a signature facial at the Woodmark Spa—you won’t regret it.
