Vashon Island has the reputation of being rural and sleepy. It is, but there is also great depth and quality in some of the local offerings. Here are three things to do on Vashon Island that amused me!
Vashon Island: The Farmer’s Market
The Vashon Island Farmer’s Market is held on Saturdays. It’s an eclectic, small town mix of local produce, music, beautiful jewelry, a food truck and several spectacular finds. Plus a local brewery. Plus tamales. Plus….
I love markets, so be prepared to visit a few with me. Markets give insight into the history, geography and culture of an area. They provide access to good fresh, locally grown food. And the people are great. They are all pursuing a passion.
Years ago in New York, there used to be a Forbes museum of people’s collections. Collecting is a passion, and I love people’s passions. I’ve encountered the mapaholics (like myself who are fascinated by the intersection of cartography and history); aviation junkies (luckily I could only afford one plane); a man with a passion for antique Thai coconut scrapers in form of rabbits; passions for jewelry; and on.
The Forbes Museum was very quirky. The collections ranged from somewhat frivolous (tin, cast iron, and paper toy boats) to sublime (think one of the world’s largest collections of Faberge Eggs). I believe these collections now rotate through various museums and the Forbes building. I bring this up because people of passion are great fun. You don’t need to share their passion to feel and enjoy their focus and energy. And the people who sell their wares at farmer’s markets are passionate about their crafts.
Truffles at the Vashon Island Farmer’s Market
The Vashon market yielded some great finds and wonderful conversations. The Mighty Truffle Dessert Company is one of the finds.
I’m not a big chocolate lover (it’s a character flaw, I know) but I do enjoy an occasional indulgence and this chocolate company has the delicious answer. They are wonderfully, maniacally obsessed with sourcing their food products and it shows. Not only have they created an organic, gluten free truffle, but it has no processed sugar. The raspberry truffles are especially luscious, but I enjoyed all the flavors. Look for the Mighty Truffle. Mighty good stuff!
Vashon Island Farmers Market
Several other stands were real stand outs. The goat milk feta offered at one stand was simply too good for words (think feta, watermelon, and arugula salad). And another vendor-Harbor Home Farm- offered carefully crafted semi-soft goat cheeses such as camembert. Mid Life Crisis Farm (gets my vote for best name) offers a wide selection of grass fed meats and meat products.
But it’s the goat cheese that makes my heart go pitter patter. I am a total sucker for goat cheese. I fell in love with it in France as a child, and have carried the preference with me my entire life. I remember one restaurant in Paris that would bring a massive, round woven flat basket to the table, laden with goat cheeses. This was my desert of choice, even back then.
Given this childhood culinary education, I had no choice but to become aware of and interested in food. I never ate much junk or fast food, but I used to consume a lot of (too much) dairy and red meat. I grew up in an area with local farms, so I didn’t really think much about the source of my food. As I got older, I didn’t pay much attention to ingredients in the few processed foods (such as yogurt, soups and tomato sauces) that I did buy. Now, after a cancer diagnosis and a re-education in healthy eating, I read every label, and buy “real food”, as fresh as possible.
My diet these days is vegetable rich and low glycemic. Little to no dairy, sugar, white flour, white rice or white pasta. In changing my eating habits, the hardest part was eliminating the dairy. I felt great, but life without at least some cheese just wasn’t worth living.
But in goat milk products, I found a happy compromise. The cheeses (and yogurt) are characterized by smaller, easier to digest molecules, and are less inflammatory than cow’s milk products. So you can imagine my surprise and delight to find not one, but two goat milk product stands at the Vashon Market.
Chelo at the Vashon Island Farmer’s Market
I didn’t get to the tamales which sounded great (but a higher glycemic choice, so I passed) but Chelo is another must visit stand. The Chelo cashew creme product line was created by Vashon nutritional nutritional therapist Chelo Gable, as a cheese alternative for offer her dairy sensitive clients. It’s rich, full of flavor. From her website:
“The process of making the cultured cashew crème begins with adding live cultures to whipped cashews, then allowing it to ferment for 2-3 days. During this time the beneficial bacteria consumes the sugars in the cashews and transforms the texture and taste from light and sweet to thick and savory. Any combination of herbs and spices can be added to infuse flavor into the whipped cashews.”
The herb combinations Chelo offers are beyond delicious. I’m heading back for more of the cilantro-garlic this weekend, to put on top of some fresh salmon. And I think I’ll pick up some asparagus from one of the local farm stands too. If you don’t like to shop, Vashon Fresh will deliver to your door.
Vashon-Maury Island was named by Captain George Vancouver of the British Navy in 1792 when he sailed into Puget Sound on the Discovery. He named the island after his friend captain James Vashon, who would later become an Admiral. The first American expedition in 1841 was led by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, to make detailed maps of the area. Wilkes identified Maury Island as distinct from Vashon and named it after one of his surveyor’s Lt. Williams L. Maury.
Vashon-Maury Island
Vashon’s early history is not well documented. It was settled 6-10,000 years ago by native inhabitants. After the European and American discoveries, the 1880’s brought boat building to Dockton on Maury Island. Dockton was a residential neighborhood that supported the Puget Sound Dry Dock Company, which was the largest ship yard and dry-dock on the west coast from 1892 to 1909. As ship building in Dockton declined, a cannery was built, but this also eventually closed as the volume of salmon decreased. Agriculture was a dominant industry as well, with steamers, and later ferries, providing access to mainland markets. In 1918, Maury was officially connected to Vashon, and today Vashon often refers to both islands, which are the largest in the Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet.
Vashon Island beach
Vashon has numerous beaches. At low tide, some offer extended areas to walk. Since I’m trying to get more exercise into my life, and my excuse du jour, lacking a sport, is walking. And my motivation to walk is to take pictures.
There are a number of good beaches for walking and exploring. KVI beach offers great walks. Lisabeula Park is a great place to launch a kayak. Perhaps the most visited beach is the one in Point Robinson Park, where the lighthouse resides and where the whales gather at the point of the island.
The Point Robinson Lighthouse, built in 1887 and on the National Historic Register, is officially on Maury Island. The beach that wraps around the point offers excellent walking opportunities and incredible views. It’s also one of five lighthouses in the state of Washington where visitors can stay in the original lighthouse keeper’s buildings. At Point Robinson, there are two keeper’s accommodations for rent.
Point Robinson Lighthouse cottage is for rent on Vashon
Lighthouses are interesting structures. They’re usually located in fairly isolated locales, at the tip of a point or on a blustery cliff. The Point Robinson Lighthouse sits at the tip of Maury Island and provides a pulsing light that guides boats past it’s point.
Point Robinson Lighthouse, Vashon Island
Each lighthouse has a distinctive light pattern so that’s it’s easily identifiable from the sea. The lighthouses were strategically located along Puget Sound so as to provide guidance, but not overlap each other’s range of authority. The Point Robinson Lighthouse is strategic in that it marks a 90 degree turn in navigation for passing ships. These days, the original glass prism is replaced by modern technology. But the need for visual navigation remains, even with technology and gps. After all, have you ever followed Google maps only to find yourself on a strange path, or utterly lost?
For an island in Puget Sound close to high tech Seattle, you would think that communications and information would flow freely. Not on Vashon. It’s a throw back in many ways.
I kept seeing garden tour signs and handouts. Dates were hard to find. Was there a website? Finally the gentleman at the Hinge Gallery pointed me to the arts center for more information and hopefully ticket sales.
The Vashon Center for the Arts is a beautiful building. It sits at a four way stop intersection, south of town and north of the Tahlequah Ferry landing. It’s fairly new and an amazing addition to this island.
The reception desk at Vashon Center for the Arts
The reception desk inside the main entry is made from a tree that had to be taken down to build the building. The woodwork is stunning. As is the small but beautifully presented gallery just off the main entry. The building also has a theatre. And garden tour tickets!
The tour is self guided, over two days and takes you to various private gardens on the island, ranging from wild and wooly, to highly refined. And in the background are a variety of views, of Puget Sound, of Seattle and of the beaches.
My personal favorite was a fairly eclectic, meticulously crafted garden complete with grecian columns, an asian inspired lantern and a glass gardening shed. The attention to detail, in the materials and in the design was evident.
Vashon Island Garden Tour
All the gardens were different; all were fun; and all were interesting. Area artists display their wares as well, making for a fun afternoon exploring the island and its arts.
I get the sense that while Vashon seems simple, there’s more than meets the eye on this island. Secluded among the rolling hills and rocky beaches, there are numerous people with interesting backgrounds and stories to tell. I recently found out that Jo Robinson, author of Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health lives here, but I don’t think I’ll have time to track her down. It’s just one more reason to come back to Vashon.
More Reading About Vashon Island, Seattle and Environs:
North from Healdsburg, across 195 to Route 5 North is a spectacular drive. It is a drive where you wear your car, through steep turns, and narrow, tightly winding roads over high hills with no shoulder for safety.
There are more direct routes, but I am not in a hurry to leave this part of the world, although I am ready to get on my way. I consider taking the coastal route, a stunning but slower trip, but I’ve been there, done that. I want to get to Vashon, rest, walk, and explore. The stress since September has been enormous, and I know that I need to set a side some time to simply take care of myself.
Healdsburg to Ashland is about 400 miles, give or take, depending upon your route. My route isn’t the most expeditious, but it’s fun driving and spectacular scenery. I dodge small rockslides, downshift through undulating roads with no shoulder, and generally avoid other drivers. The payoff is a spectacular view as I crest the hills and overlook Clear Lake.
Clear Lake is located north of Calistoga and has started to produce some good cooler climate vineyards of its own. It’s the largest natural fresh water lake in the state (Tahoe is larger, but is located across both California and Nevada) wth 68 square miles of surface water and it’s estimated to be possibly the oldest lake in North America at 2.5 million years old. It’s a mecca for summertime water sports, recreation and fishing. And for the expansion of the wine industry just to the south.
From Clear Lake, Route 20 heads east and feeds into I-5 North. I-5 is a typical interstate, but it traverses some amazing geography. From the relative flatlands in central California to the rolling country further north,
As I head north, it starts to rain at Shasta Lake. The lake is a popular spot to rent a houseboat and fish, play and cruise the waters. Once again, if outdoor activities are your thing, this is a great destination.
As I-5 winds north, the terrain becomes even more hilly and spectacular, even in the drizzle. This is the Siskiyou Mountain Range which feeds into the Rogue River (the river was featured in the film The River Wild), known for its Class III and one Class IV rapids. It teams with wildlife, ranging from bald eagles, osprey, bear, deer, various types of salmon and much more. The summit crests at 4,310 feet. And just to the north in the midst of all this wilderness, an oasis of civilization appears in Ashland at just under 2,000 feet above sea level. The altitude variances give one a sense of how spectacular this scenery is.
William Shakespeare
Ashland is home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Southern Oregon University. Gold discoveries fostered settlement in the area, and the resulting development of mills and support industries helped the area grow. In 1887, rail joined Ashland to San Francisco. In 1935, under the direction of Angus L. Bowmer the Oregon Shakespeare Festival was founded. It has become an award-winning and internationally known regional theater company that today hosts a variety of theatre productions.
Alas, on this Sunday, there are no evening shows! I had hoped to catch Julius Caesar, but no such luck. I settle into my room and set out for a walk. It’s after 4pm, and I am starved. I am too early for a dinner, so I look for other options as I cruise the streets of Ashland. Ostras! Tapas and Bottle Shop catches my eye, and I make note. I’ll come back here in just a bit.
The bar is already full, and I take a seat at the last remaining spot on the end. I like to eat at a bar. It’s both personal and impersonal; this service is usually great, and the food is often a bit less pricey. Plus it offers the opportunity to chat with others.
Tapas in Ashland, OR
A couple about my age sits next to me and we start talking. I learn that the gentleman that owns this restaurant is an Olympic Gold Medal Winner (!) who also travels the world coaching white water competitive kayaking.
The owner joins the conversation and we all trade stories. I tell them about CancerRoadTrip and we immediately start sharing tales of cancer in our families and among our friends. This may sound depressing, but it’s not. I actually find that most of us want to talk about these things, but we seldom do. Given the chance, it’s a catharsis and a bond between strangers. It’s all about life and how we manage the difficulties, as well as the triumphs.
Our conversation ranges across a variety of topics. To travel. To wine country tales. My companions at the bar live in Grass Valley, CA and like me, have been in and out of CA wine country for many years. I share my thoughts about living in the Russian River Valley for a month or two off season, and they enthusiastically chime in with ideas.
The bartender interrupts with some specials, including some tempura fried Brussels sprouts. Relatively healthy road food! For $5, a massive bowl of tiny little sprouts appear. I’ll only eat part, but it’s a good dose of cruciferous greens on the road. I also order some mussels, simply steamed in garlic, parsley and wine.
Healthy road food needn’t be too difficult. All the food may not always be organic; you may have to allow for a bit of flour or dairy (as little as possible!); but there are healthy choices to be made. And I find eating at the bar often allows me to graze and select an assortment of reasonable, good food.
After dinner, I walk a bit. I’m tired. Driving the back country of northern California is fun, but it also demands concentration. I’m interested in an early evening, and an early start the next day to Portland, my next stop. I’d like to arrive in time to spend a few hours in the city.
Day 2: Ashland to Portland
Ashland to Portland
Ashland to Portland is about 350 miles. It’s an easy highway drive. The drizzle continues, on and off. The road gains more traffic as Portland nears.
Portland is a town I’d like to spend more time in. This trip it is just an overnight stop. Thanks to excellent navigation from Google (more on navigation in a later post), I easily find the hotel I’d booked the night before. It’s downtown which I hope will give me an opportunity to explore a bit. I realize that there are many different aspects to this city, and I’ll have a limited chance to see them on this stopover.
I settle into the hotel and set off on a quest for some seafood. (This unrelenting theme of food in my life and this blog comes from a childhood of fantastic food. My father had an extensive wine cellar and European trips often centered around wineries, and Michelin restaurants, many of them 2 and three stars. It became a game to try to guess how these magical dishes were created. In time, over the years, this fed into my own cooking and culinary curiosity.)
Downtown Portland is home to many homeless. In my walk around town, I encounter numerous people on the sidewalk and on park benches. One seemingly crazy woman walking ahead of me is accosting people in her path. I slow down and let her move on. Across the way, another homeless person lies on the bench, watching. Homelessness is apparently a serious issue, even a crisis according to local government.
It’s too bad that this makes such an impression. Portland, I know, is an interesting city with many aspects to it. I won’t have the time to explore more on this trip. I’m on a mission to the north.
As evening falls, I realize I probably want to find a place to eat. A nearby seafood restaurant Ringside Fish House got good reviews, and with a little digging, I also found that Monday night was Dollar Oyster Night. Bar food again, this time raw oysters, steamed mussels and a kale salad. All for about $15. Looking ahead, I know I’ll be visiting farmers markets and cooking, and that will bring down my average price for food. So for tonight, I indulge and enjoy.
Day 3: Portland to Vashon
Day 3 on the road
Portland to Vashon is just under 160 miles. It’s early morning, and leaving Portland I watch the long line of commuters heading into the city. Thankfully I am traveling against the commute.
This last stretch is an easy drive. It drizzles, but as Tacoma approaches, the sky opens and the sun streams through. It is a beautiful afternoon.
I take a side excursion to Trader Joe’s. I’m not sure what the story is on the island with regard to food (or prices) and I want to arrive with some basics in tow.
With the car loaded with some fresh veggies and food, it’s Vashon ho! That, of course, includes a ferry ride!
Ferries aren’t glamorous; they are working ships that provide a bridge to otherwise inaccessible land forms. Relying on a ferry to provide connection with another land mass takes one back in time. No bridges, no direct roadways. The ferry tethers the island life to the mainland and so called civilization.
Yet getting away from civilization is what Vashon Island is all about. It’s a rural island, cut off from the bustle of the mainland. Many people are retired; some commute into the terminal in West Seattle, accessed from the north end of the island.
Rush hour on Vashon occurs every time a ferry arrives and disgorges her cargo. A line of cars courses through the main thorough fare. Then it ends. Life is back to island quiet.
For me, Vashon Island is a welcomed stopping point on #CancerRoadTrip. My friends are leaving for Greece and they have left me their house as a way station for my travels. For this, I’m deeply grateful. I need some time to rest and to plan. I need some time to focus on my health once again, after so many months of stress and uncertainty.
Vashon Island is the largest island in Puget sound, about 37 square miles. I enter the island from the south on the Point Defiance-Tahlequah ferry. There is only one main north-south road and I follow it to the north end of the island. Along the way, I see deer; rolling, heavily wooded country side; and signs for the occasional winery. The main town is a block or two in either direction, and has a Thriftway with anything one might need or desire.
I pass through town and find my friends’ Vashon Island home which nestles on a hillside. In the distance one can see the mainland, and between the lush landscape, downtown Seattle appears.
Seattle in the distance
Last night, my first night on Vashon, I slept like I haven’t slept in many, many months. It is quiet on the island. Except for the Seattle nightscape in the distance, softened through a bit of moisture hanging in the evening air, it is dark and it is restful.
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Three Healthy Food Hacks!
How does one eat well on the road?
My diet has gone through an evolution since a cancer diagnosis and travel can wreak havoc with healthy intentions. I don’t do fast food; I don’t eat processed food; no whites (sugar, flour, pasta, rice); prefer organic; avoid dairy; avoid mass produced meats; lean towards vegetarian.
That means I usually look for salads, soups, and fish. No quick dish of yogurt (dairy plus sugar = no thanks!) No mystery meat burritos. No fluffy whipped drinks laced with sugar.
That being said, I’m not perfect and I don’t need to be. But I try to stay fairly close to a vegetable based, low glycemic diet.
Here are three quick travel hacks that I use to keep me on course:
Snacking
Fruit: The original fast food
Depending on the locale, I look for an organic market or farmer’s markets. Here in the States, I’m a fan of Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. I usually pick up some organic fruit-apples are great-and keep it on hand, for snacks during the day and to assuage a sweet craving at night. Berries are great anti-cancer foods. Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries also make for a great breakfast.
Veggies and Hummus
I love vegetables and even if they’re not organic, pre-sliced veggies are readily available. Hummus comes in a variety of flavors and it stands up well on a warm day. It does need to be refrigerated, so I try to be sure I’m staying somewhere with a frig. Ditto for a kitchen. Given my druthers, I’m happy to cook a few meals so I know where my food is coming from.
Green Tea
I travel with my own teabags. Organic + green = anticancer healthy. Green tea is really a remarkable food. It is full of anti-oxidants and high in EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate). I’ve recently switched my morning tea to a matcha latte (with almond milk and a bit of honey). It’s delicious, filling, and richer in EGCG than just tea. EGCG has been linked to a variety of health benefits including inhibiting angiogenesis (blood vessel formation to the cancer cell). Tea times two for me!
Eating out: Not as hard as you think!
Think Thai
Thai food offers some great options ranging from fresh spring rolls to broth and coconut milk based soups. There are almost always vegetarian options available, and you can often opt for brown rice (rather than white).
Think Fish
I love fish! Fish tacos, grilled fish, sushi (yes sushi may have white rice–it’s more in the treat category or I go towards sashimi.) I steer clear of fried fish and look for something fresh.
Think Soup and Salad
Vegetarian–or nearly vegetarian–soup is not hard to find. And a green salad, preferably with a nutrient dense green like arugula is fairly common, particularly in the States.
Eating a healthy diet on the road may not be a slam dunk, but it’s not that difficult either. The more you know about your food and food sources, the easier it is to make smart choices. For more information on smart food choices, visit Anti-Cancer Club and subscribe to their weekly mailings. They offer one food, flavor or nutritional idea each week to help you craft your own anticancer diet.
Looking to learn more about healthy eating? Check out Rebecca Katz’s excellent on-line class and community.
Inspiration, joy & discovery through travel. Oh, did I mention with supposedly incurable cancer?
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Thank you for stopping by!
CancerRoadTrip is about making lemonade out of lemons.
As you read my story, you may want to start at the beginning to "grok" how CancerRoadTrip came to be. You can click here to start at the end (which is actually the beginning) and read forward! The posts are chronological, with the most recent posts appearing on the front page.
Fruit: The original fast food
Green Tea
