Sunday in the park

I made a resolution to go on a short excursion at least once every couple of weeks. Today, we decided to go on a hike. Because I have a lot of reading to do (don’t know if I’ll get to it tonight after all), we decided to go on the Sammamish River Trail. It was a beautiful day outside and the route—which was really more of a walk than a hike—wound alongside the river with acres of green farmland as a backdrop. The dogs had a great deal of fun running after one another.

We stopped at the Chateau St. Michelle Winery and tasted a few really good wines. I found the selection better than the wines I've had previously at the Columbia Crest Winery when I took the dinner train there. To my surprise, my favorite today was actually a white wine--Cold Creek Chardonnay. It was nutty, rich, and full of flavor.

We also stopped to check out a little restaurant called the Herbfarm. Even from a distance, it smelled incredible. We took a short tour of the restaurant, which offers nine-course themed meals where each course is paired with a different wine. This month the restaurant’s theme is truffles.

I would love to have dinner at this place, especially in one of its special rooms (pictured above) that seats people European style, with different parties sharing one large table. The Herbfarm is rated as one of the top 40 restaurants in the country and is beautiful. Unfortunately, it’s a bit too pricy--even for a special occasion--at $220 per person. I’m still glad we stopped by. Maybe one day...

We walked back right before the sun set, my favorite time of day. I think it was a little too much for Luna, who is still recovering from her surgeries (in addition to getting fixed, she recently had surgery for a hernia). Both of the dogs are sound asleep now...

The walk was exactly 5.5 miles and perfect for a Sunday afternoon. However, I think the trail is more ideal for a leisurely bike ride.