Island

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Back at Willows Inn

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My post from last year’s dinner is here.

We were lucky enough to be able to go once again to the Willows Inn and stay for a night.

It was an amazing dinner : a succession of small dishes and “snacks” prepared with flowers, vegetables, mushrooms, shellfish, and meats sourced locally on the island and the surrounding water. All these small dishes are unique and outstanding. Blaine Wetzel and his team are amazing!

And the day after, look what we had for breakfast…

On our way back to the ferry… we said bye to the deer. A very nice conclusion of this escape from the city.

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— Willows Inn 

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Bloedel Reserve Garden on Bainbridge Island

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Two weeks ago, we went for the first time to the Bloedel Reserve Garden on Bainbridge Island. This is a short ferry ride from Seattle followed by a 15-minute drive.

We did not know what to expect, all we heard was that it was a nice garden. At first, we were surprised by its size. This is a 140-acre garden where you can spend plenty of time. The paths and trails are well designed and it is easy to walk around.
You never get bored, as the landscape is really diverse, with different areas such as a meadow, ponds, a Japanese garden, and a reflection pool. There is also a forest wetland where we saw five deer from only 30 feet away. A residence sits in a beautiful park with a phenomenal full view on the Puget Sound and Mount Baker in the back.
The entire family can enjoy it.

— A few things to know before you go:
– The admission is $15 per person (which is rather pricy) so be sure to get there somewhat early so you have enough time to enjoy the different areas.
– Open from 10am to 4pm
– There is no coffee shop, restaurant, or picnic area and no food is allowed in the garden.

— Bloedel Reserve 7571 NE Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

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“I have a thing for ferries”

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Like Dr. McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy… I have a thing for ferries. I always enjoy the experience, regardless of where I’m going, because the Puget Sound area is so beautiful. The trip itself is like an adventure of its own.

Picture from yesterday on our way to Bainbridge Island.

You can now reserve a spot on a ferry from Anacortes to San Juan Islands (Orcas, Lopez, San Juan, and Shaw) and from San Juan and Orcas to Anacortes. Reservations are open for the summer. The website is encountering a technical problem right now but it should be fixed shortly.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Ferries/TakeaFerry/