Double Trouble In Walla Walla!
By Janet O'Connor
I had no imagination for the love affair that would bloom in my fifties when I sat down to read "Double Trouble In Walla Walla" to my young children. Yet, here we are. Let me tell you about my Walla Walla.
First of all, the drive up here is easy (except for the rare occasion) and just beautiful. I love to watch the Columbia River wind its way through the countryside. The hills look rugged but somehow soft and inviting. There is so much open space you can imagine what it looked like many years ago before we showed up. We live in a beautiful part of the world.
How We G0t Here
We began coming here regularly when we discovered "Reveal," a trade auction hosted by the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance. We immediately fell in love with the town. Walla Walla is first a farming community. Most of the winemakers are farmers and they understand that good wine is made in the vineyard. They are neighbors and friends, and it shows. We were welcomed warmly and felt like a fit. The town has approximately 30,000 occupants; the county has twice that many people. It is small, but not too small. The wine industry brings in enough free-spending visitors to support a number of great restaurants. (And no, I don't want to start a restaurant in Walla Walla. I have one already and it is very important to me.)I’ll take a moment to fully address that here. Our intention has always been to create a structure so that our employees (some of them anyway) can assume part ownership. In preparation for that our key people have stepped up to take more responsibility. Next year I would like to work less, but still be very involved in the restaurant. I plan to be there for all our “busy times.” In February-March I have Valentines Day and St Paddy’s Day. May is always busy with Oregon Wine month, Mother’s Day and leading into graduation in June. The holiday season is long and busy. Plus, David and I are excited to start hosting wine dinners again!!! And I know you can't wait either. We have a long lease and expect to remain involved in the restaurant for years to come.
It's A Chef's Getaway
Walla Walla has become an extension of Bethany’s Table. We are excited to introduce you to our favorite wines and winemakers, the community and the outdoors up here. Our house has become a refuge. It’s in a quiet neighborhood just a few block from the Whitman campus. We know many of our neighbors by name, helped along by that crazy looking man walking his wrinkle-dog off lead with a parrot on his shoulder. Everyone walking by loves David's pond and you will to. We spend hours on our front porch. The morning sun is perfect and the sound of the pond is relaxing.From our house you can walk just a few blocks to Wildwood Park. A few blocks more and you reach Pioneer Park, great for all ages! There is an outdoor aviary, which I particularly love! There is a large gazebo in the center of a grove of massive Sycamore trees. There is a nice play area for kids, ping pong tables and pickle ball courts. We have the pickle ball equipment at the house for guests to use.It’s about an 18 minute walk through Whitman campus to downtown. Perfect! There are a number of tasting rooms downtown and some nice boutique shops. Everything is wide and spacious. The three colleges in Walla Walla keep a nice mix of youth in the town and I appreciate the diversity and vitality they bring. There is often live music downtown and entire blocks have been closed down for outdoor dining.I bought a bike and plan to ride to some of the outlying wineries. I'll let you know how those bike rides go. I love my new bike and will be happy to let you borrow it. It’s a fun cruiser.
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We are finally ready to start renting out the main floor, two bedroom, one bath. David is adding a bedroom, bath and gym in the basement. We are also building an accessory dwelling unit in the basement with a lovely patio courtyard. For larger groups we can combine our house with our next-door neighbor friend, Jordan.
Need help? Just Ask!
I am always happy to share my knowledge with you about visiting here wether or not you rent our house. There are now over 120 wineries in this area so you will have to pick and choose. A favorite way to start a vacation is to stop in at Woodward Canyon and L’Ecole, located in Louden, about twenty minutes west of Walla Walla on Highway 12. Since COVID, many of the wineries request that you make a reservation, so plan ahead. Woodward Canyon offers tastings on a fist-come-first-served basis. L’Ecole recommends reservations but they are not required and they have a large patio and lovely grounds. We have many other favorites: Pepper Bridge, Amavi, Gifford Hirlinger, Doubleback, Valdemar, Kontos, VaPiano, and many more.Please enjoy these photos taken by our local photographer Erin Fortin. Let us know when you would like to book our house and we can help you plan your trip. Many things are closed on Monday and Tuesday so a Wednesday-Sunday is a great window. Although I enjoy the town when its more sleepy too. Those days I simply enjoy my porch or a bike ride!