The most exciting development in this city so nice they named it twice, is the new Power House Theatre in what was formerly the city power plant.
A group of investors, including Mark Anderson from Foundry Vineyards, did an amazing repurpose of the aging brick structure and have created a replica of Shakespeare’s Blackfriars theatre in London, England. Look for Shakespeare and other live theatre throughout the year.

This month, Marilyn Forever Blonde, opens for a two-week run before heading to New York. In December, Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory will take the stage.

Always heralded for our great historic downtown, some fun new restaurants and specialty stores have joined the retail mix. In April, Green Spoon Eatery started serving their healthy, tasty food for brunch (weekends) lunch and dinner at a sophisticated new spot on Main Street just a few doors from Bright’s Candies. Look for Green Spoon to offer ready-to-go meals sometime this month.

At the end of July, Public House 124 (124 E Main) opened on the block between Colville and Spokane to fans and steady crowds. Everyone’s favorite bartender at the hotel, Matthew Price-Huntington and building owner Jim Sanders put together a great team including chefs David Ponti and Chris Teal, former sous chef at Whitehouse Crawford to create what they are calling “a social dining experience.” What that means is an exciting, casual but seriously good food joint with a dizzying lineup of liquid refreshments, where reservations are unnecessary and you will definitely want to wait for a table on busy nights.

Up Hwy 12, in Waitsburg, Charles Smith opened Anchor Bar on Main Street across jimgermanbar. Look for live entertainment on weekends, including the ‘burg’s resident wine writer and musician, Paul Gregutt.

Vegans rejoice! The Garden Vegan Café opened this summer, next door to Colville Street Patisserie with healthy choices including gluten-free options.

Two new establishments for breakfast are also in the works. Maple Counter Café on Alder next to Marcy’s Bar plans to serve breakfast and lunch, while Bacon & Eggs will be another breakfast option on Main closer to the Whitman Campus. No dates yet for their respective openings.

Over on Spokane Street in the Warehouse District, Stephenson Cellars has morphed into an art gallery with new artists showing every month as well as a pop-up store within the tasting room called Casa Girasol.

If that name sounds familiar, it should. The pop-up pottery shop is a venture from the people who own Girasol Vineyard & Inn and features artisan pottery from Mexico. These rustic, earth-toned clay pots, many belt-high and taller, are crafted by traditional methods in small family compounds.

Next door to Stephenson Cellars, (in Annabelle’s former spot, they closed in June) Lotus, a new import store for clothing and jewelry from Thailand and India has opened. Further up Spokane Street, Charles Smith Wines is a mecca for everything black and white in his stunning new tasting room. If you are in town Thursday nights, don’t miss his Blues & BBQ from 7-10PM.

Several new vintage stores have opened, our fav from last year, DéBouché, next door to Brasserie Four, has great vintage furniture updated with carefully chosen vintage and new accessories.

In July, Door Number Two, a vintage clothing and furnishings store, opened next door to The Garden Vegan Café in a tiny space but some friends have told me what great finds they have uncovered including designer handbags and gently worn cowboy boots.

And in the former location of Cheese Louise, Greg Roybal and Alexa Palmer opened a higher-end recycled clothing store, Blue Mountain Trading Company. If we have their concept right, they canvas the best of the discount and consignment stores on the coast and pick only the most fashionable, highly desirable pieces to bring back to Walla Walla. Some of their finds are repurposed into an entirely different garment, such as taking a fleece hoodie and reinterpreting it into a sexy halter dress.

On the sad news, downtown saw the closing of the only full-time art gallery, Willow in September. And currently, the home decor and accessories shop, By Arrangement, is selling everything as the owner is retiring and closing the store.

You’ll notice that we haven’t even started talking about what’s news in the Walla Walla wine world. We’ll leave that for our Fall Release edition that will come out just before the big weekend in November (4-6).

However, if you are planning a visit, book your stay now. Long-time visitors know that accommodations go quickly and you will want to reserve those dinner reservations as well.

Until then, go drink some Walla Walla wine.

Recently, WWWN put a call out to area bloggers to report on various topics in Walla Walla. Several people have stepped up to give their perspective on our community. Here is the first in our series from guest bloggers.

by Guest Blogger Michele Rennie

If Walla Walla was just wine, it would be just half the winning equation, don’t you think? While it has been the wine that brings our valley its most recognition, increasingly, W2 has become renowned for really good food and celebrated food producers. And this chemistry of award-winning wine, great food and an audience that gets excited by the fusion, makes Walla Walla a compelling place for both residents and visitors alike.

April’s Good Food News starts with national recognition for Chef Chris Ainsworth of Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, when the talented chef made the short list for this year’s James Beard’s Best Chef Northwest nomination. Frequent visitors and food savvy locals have had Island’s number memorized since the restaurant opened in 2007.

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The big Walla Walla wine news this month is all about good food–no make that, really great food! Chef Andrae Bopp has his mobile kitchen AK’s on the road and dishing up some tasty culinary vittles for the wineries at the airport, the west and south side of town.

This is no ordinary taco serving wagon or hash-slinger, as this Labor Day Menu shows.

AK’s Menu~ Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice, Hoisin Thundering Hooves Pork Belly Banh Mi with Pickled Local Cucumbers and Carrots, AK’s Burger, Thundering Hooves Custom Grind, Grilled Local Corn on the Cob with Parmesan Cheese, Grilled Local Watermelon Salad with Heirloom Tomato, Local Greens and Balsamic, Thundering Hooves Pork Tinga Tacos with Avocado and Feta.

Andrae had a French restaurant in Boise, but closed it and moved to Walla Walla a few years ago. Since then, he has been become the chef-in-demand for underground wine dinners in town as well as Seattle and soon, Boise. With his fully-equipped mobile kitchen, he is now capable of serving delectable, gourmet food anywhere.

Presently, AK’s is trying to get a spot on the next season of The Great Food Truck Race. However, at press time, he wasn’t in the top ten. If you are reading this and want to help make it happen, click on the link and cast all 10 votes daily for AK’s! Voting ends soon. Help make this happen!

Check out this recent story about Andrae and his mobile rig.

We are pleased to introduce a new feature for our What’s Up blog ~ a look ahead at upcoming events and news of interest to the wine visitor.

If you follow us on Facebook page or on Twitter, you will have gotten first word of these happenings.

Wineries on the Move:

Trio Vintners are the first of the incubator wineries to leave their airport location. Next month, look for their new tasting room on 2nd between Alder & Poplar Streets. They will use Forgeron Cellars as their wine production facility.

Also moving by late summer, Glen Fiona Winery, which is owned by Washington Wine & Beverage Company of Woodinville, will be relocating their tasting room to downtown. Update: Glen Fiona has not reopened a tasting room in Walla Walla. We’ve heard that they are selling the brand from their Silver Lake property in Woodinville. (more…)

Here is a wine visitor’s update on the good food stories happening in Walla Walla: