Away to Walla Walla, WA we went!

 November is a great month for "just one more" little Road Trip with Les Girls.
WALLA WALLA, WA is only an hour's drive, but is best viewed after a nice, home-cooked breakfast by our "driver" and Personal Chef, Becky. She has the talent to "whip up" (yeah, right ~~~say the others of us) coconut flour pancakes, notably perfect rounds, served up with bacon and bowl of berries. Plus, the requisite coffee, of course. Becky served some of her cold-brewed blend, which heated beautifully.  Where was our trip-let photographer, one wonders, during breakfast, hmmmmm? No pictures to share. Sorry.

FIRST STOP AND TOUR OPPORTUNITY in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walla_Walla,_Washington

We had a fun opp to stop and tour the home of a resident of this pioneer settlement town-----at Maura's most "Dapper Dan" (my moniker!) friend Russ who graciously gave us the Cook's Tour of his remodeled 1935-built house and garden. Purple, BTW, is obviously HIS colour!

Wearing purple, a floppy hat and sporting a tree-limb stick for walking and pointing (see it on right side of photo?), he explained that much of what a visitor sees is either his artistic endeavors or by one of his equally talented offspring. .

Wherever you look, there's something "arty" and very COOL. 

Startling, perhaps, as one trips down the hallway at night, but Amazing wall painting :)

EATERIES abound in Walla Walla, especially along Main Street (what every town used to sport and what makes this college town so charming).  We chose The Green Spoon where the menu is eclectic and with "healthy" options for those who've gone alternative directions, such as Becky has with her gluten-free. http://www.greenspoonw2.com/ 

I loved the greens and raspberry vinagrette of their salad side accompanying my chipolte chicken sandwich on ciabatta bread, and enjoyed sipping a glass of Vente La Ossa tempranillo wine.
AH, DELIGHTED TO SEE that Becky just sent a snapshot of Dapper Dan, who joined us for lunch. Gosh, what if he doesn't like my nickname? After all, I *just* met the man. :-/

SECOND TOUR: MARCUS WHITMAN HOTEL http://www.marcuswhitmanhotel.com/

Tour Guide: Robert--master wood craftsman who built Becky's wonderful fireplace mantle, and who remodeled Russ's house. The hotel now has him in its employ for his many talents, all of which an 1928-built hotel frequently needs.

Lobby recalls the grandeur of an earlier time.

Remodeled guest rooms in "The Tower" still reflect the era

(with replicated tile flooring in a bathroom, for example)--

as viewed by Becky and Maura.                                     

With fall came the time shift that plunges us back into darkness earlier in the day than in the summer, so we bid Walla Walla adieu from the Whitman and returned home, all expressing willingness to return to WALLA WALLA happily again ~~whenever.