Every month in nearby Old Town Anacortes, they have what's called 'First Friday Art Walk.'
Galleries, shops & eateries stay open late and the main drag buzzes with activity.
Have you ever been to one of these? Oh so much FUN.
But there's something extra special about the First Friday in December.
The holiday season seems to infuse it with such a festive spirit
and a festive spirit was just what I was after.
A clear, cold night perfect for those with warm winter coats, like dawg,
who came along for a night on the town.
Although a rural woofer, she'll never pass up an opportunity to prowl for pats.
The Samish Gallery of Native Arts was filled with stardust!
Ok, window reflections from the street trees but that would make for a good story, wouldn't it?
Glass snowflakes...
woolies...
and little antique shops with scents of mulled wine & hot apple cider
wafting from the doorways, not to mention the baked goods heaped on trays.
Ok, we won't. But that led to this...
THE BEST restaurant in town.
For starters, a to-die-for Thai tomato bisque soup followed by
seared scallops in lime butter, sauteed organic kale with garlic
sided with a scrummy potato croquette,
all washed down with a local red.
Yup, the feelin' was quite festive indeed.
By morning,
the sun brought these...
long, glorious shadows after days & days of gray-upon-gray.
The first sun of December!
Upstairs on the worktable, there was a little weather happening.
Some rain was falling...
T's soft rain, all the way from Australia where they are having summer
and where I like to imagine their stories are being stitched into storycloths, too.
Sending heartfelt wishes of good cheer and festive spirits to all!
Note: all night photos were taken with the trusty phone (aka Batphone)
hi Christie, you've got some of T's rain also. I just love it, it looks exactly like our rain, even smells like it too.
ReplyDeleteLoved coming for a walk along the main drag with you and dawg, and that glass windmill is beautiful isn't it. A happy festive season to you too...k.
Downtown Anacortes has become so much more interesting through the years.... It is especially beautiful lit up with the holiday lights.
ReplyDeleteKaite ~ yes, I'm growing quite fond of your Aussie rain & bringing parts from afar for stitching landscapes here. So glad you could share in some of our local festivities!
ReplyDeleteDeb G ~ oh my, isn't it?! It's a bit of a hoof to get over there (especially with the off-season ferry schedule) so a real treat. Good excuse to live it up a bit :>]]
How lovely to hear your advent story - lovely fabric colours there x
ReplyDeleteOh how I wish I could have been with you. Now that I'm on WInter Break, maybe a trip up to Anacortes is calling me... Your photos are wonderful.
ReplyDelete;~) Debi
Aaaah Christie, lovely "first friday" Lots to see.
ReplyDeleteIt must be great to recieve something from faaaar away and put it in your own cloth!!
Oh, how lovely! Did dawg have Thai as well?
ReplyDeleteLove all the stardust and fairy lights as well as the nip in the air.
Re our getting stuck, we not only had fish and chips, we also treated ourselves to pineapple fritters. Fattening, but what a treat!
Just 'walking down the street' with you (and dawg) has put me in the holiday spirit -- guess I'd better get busy and bring some festivity to my corner of the world.
ReplyDeleteDon't laugh my dear but that is an overgrown geranium in need of chopping back!
ReplyDeleteI've been having a lovely time wander9ing about your blog and links ... but I must get away from this computer, so I'll linger no longer ... until another day ... we share so many interests ... and have some of the same books so i'll have to go look at the ones you have that i don't, and maybe get that little widget, too. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Clare, warm colors to combat our winter grays!
ReplyDeleteDebi ~ oh do go, if you can, well worth it and soooo festive.
Els ~ I've found that sharing/buying cloth from friends afar makes for some rich text for our storytelling.
Arija ~ HA! dawg would have had Thai if she were allowed...which she isn't...mean ole mom :>]] She is content to keep watch over the truck while waiting. Now, about those pineapple fritters...oh YUM!!! You definitely deserved THAT treat.
Penny ~ I'm glad :>}
Morna ~ spent quite a bit of time over on your patch - your work is beautiful! Happy to see you widget-ified yourself, it's a fun one.
I've GOT to remember Anacortes, first Friday for next year... will put it on my calendar right now! FH is pretty cute too, but not so spectacular or large as Anacortes. Love seeing the start of your new story cloth!
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