Weekend Adventure: Return to Bainbridge Island

So back in 2008 Greg and I took a lovely Saturday Day trip out to Bainbridge Island to picnic and visit a highly recommended vineyard and winery (Bainbridge Island Winery). (And yes, it's been scrapped. Here's the minibook for that trip.)

Aside from being super fun and romantic, there was another reason we decided to go and repeat this adventure. That winery makes a really amazing raspberry fruit wine. Seriously delicious stuff. But it's rare. So when we found out that they had it in stock again, we had to make the trek out.

So after a bit of sleeping in followed by a stop at the bakery for coffee, we headed down to the Ferry Terminal to catch a boat over.

After our slightly chilly ferry ride, we got to Bainbridge and started driving around looking for a park to picnic at. We only had a partial map (tiny google map pdf on my ipod) so it took a bit of driving around tiny scenic winding roads to find someplace suitable. The park we went to last time appeared to be closed, but we found another park. It had an observatory, really nice walking paths, and a supercute pagoda. There was also an abundance of wild birds, including a heron.

So we took a bit of a walk around the park, and then busted out the picnic basket. We're total picnic foodie snobs, so we had blood orange soda, three kinds of cheese, fancy chips and artisan mustard. That's how we roll.

The sun came out for a bit, but it was still pretty windy. We took a brief tea break to warm up in the car (thermos technology is the best) and headed out to the winery.

When we got there, we had a chance to sip some pinot with the owner (who is a super adorable lady) and admire the antiques (I totally scored an awesome white pyrex dish for $1). Also, we bought the very LAST CASE (all twelve bottles) of the raspberry wine. And when I say the last case, I mean the very last commercially available set of bottles that will be able to be had for the forseeable future. And I feel we totally lucked out. 

Again, this stuff is crazy delicious. You understand, right?

Anyway, after our triumph at the winery, we followed the road away from the highway and found another awesome beachside park for picnic, round two. 

I love me some beach walking. 

After that, it started to get a bit colder and there was a bit more rain, so we decided to catch the ferry back. That part didn't go so well (the first ferry filled up about three cars ahead of us, and then the car battery died as we attempted to drive onto the next ferry....argh), but we got home eventually all safe and sound. 

The weather even cleared up a bit. 

So, overall, a pretty great day out. Next time though, better maps will be brought. ;)