PopaHALLics #151 "Halls on Holiday: The PNW (Part Two)

Steve's almost month-long "retirementmoon" in the Pacific Northwest continues! In this episode: A whirlwind trip to Canada, Bainbridge Island, and Seattle. The Aquarium, the Space Needle, the Museum of Pop Culture, the Fremont Troll, Jimi Hendrix's grave—and more! Join us.

Some memorable places and experiences:

• Silver Falls State Park, Salem, OR. The Trail of Ten Falls, a nationally recognized hiking trail, takes you to 10 waterfalls, including several you can walk behind. How cool is that?
• Sol Duc Hot Springs, Olympic National Park, WA. This resort offers three mineral hot springs (temperatures ranging from 99F to 104F) and one freshwater soaking pool. Great way to relax!
• Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada. This 121-year-old world famous 55-acre display garden created by Jennie Butchart features gorgeous flowers and landscaping in five different gardens.
• Japanese-American Exclusion Memorial, Bainbridge Island, WA. This solemn memorial remembers the island's Japanese-Americans, who were the first on the West Coast to be taken away to incarceration camps during World War II.
• Fremont Vintage Mall, Seattle, WA. The self-styled "coolest vintage store in the center of the universe" features furniture, collectibles, records, and more.
• Hot Tub Boats, Seattle. A float in a boat made into a 104 F hot tub on the chilly waters of Lake Union is an unforgettable experience. Bonus: You can motor past the houseboat featured in "Sleepless in Seattle."
• Leavenworth, WA. This Bavarian-style village is a 2 1/2 hour drive from Seattle in the Cascade Mountains. Is it hokey and touristy? Yes. But great food and drink, Bavarian-themed shops, and the 2,700-foot-long Tumwater Twister Alpine Coaster, WA's only mountain coaster, will have you saying Ja!

Music:

We've assembled a Spotify playlist related to the sights and sounds of the trip, Popahallics #150 Playlist (PNW). Jump in the train/van/hot tub boat and turn it up!

The "fair use" doctrine of U.S. copyright law allows for the limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as criticism, comment, and education.

PopaHALLics #150 "Halls on Holiday: The PNW" (part one)

Join us for a special adventure into the Pacific Northwest! Steve celebrates his retirement with a "retirementmoon" - an almost month-long trip in Oregon and Washington State - and Kate joins him in Seattle. In part one, Steve and his wife travel cross-country on the Empire Builder train; explore funky Portland; travel along the scenic Oregon and Washington coasts; explore the diverse ecosystems of Olympic National Park and the Hoh Rain Forest; visit sites used for filming "The Goonies" and "Twilight"—and more! It's the trip of a lifetime! Join us!

Music:

We've assembled a special Spotify playlist related to the sights and sounds of the trip, Popahallics #150 Playlist (PNW). From "The Black Ball Ferry Line" featuring Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters to Hendrix and Pearl Jam, this enjoyable playlist puts you in the train/van/hot tub boat with us!

Fun Places We Stayed:

• A roomette on Amtrak's Empire Builder train headed west. Cozy!
• McMenamins' Crystal Hotel, Portland, OR. A very cool historic hotel with music-themed rooms, a basement soaking pool, restaurant and concert areas. Located in the Pearl District, it's a good base for exploring downtown Portland.
• Escape Campervan. Our home on wheels for 12 days! Great way to see the country and have a bed, fridge (solar powered), stove (propane), and sink. You're on your own re restroom.
• South Beach State Park, Newport, OR. Miles of broad ocean beach, walking and biking trails, and close proximity to Newport, which has lighthouses, whale watching, etc. Note: The beach is a longer hike from the campground than you think.
• Hart's Camp, formerly known as Cape Kiwanda RV Park, Pacific City, OR. All the amenities you'd expect in a RV park, plus bunnies hopping around the campsites. We met some interesting motocross guys while having a soak in the hot tub. Conveniently located across the road from Pelican Brewing and Haystack Rock.
• Fay Bainbridge Park Campground, Bainbridge Island, WA. Maybe our favorite campground of the trip—and in a city park! The campsites are just a short walk from an almost-mile-long stretch of beach with awesome views of Puget Sound, Seattle and, on a clear day, Mount Rainier and Mount Baker.

PopaHALLics #149 "Pasta & Politics"

Season 7 kicks off with us digging into two food movies designed to make your mouth water, as well as action thrillers involving getaway drivers and ... politicians?!

Streaming:

• "Nonnas," Netflix. A man (Vince Vaughn) risks everything to honor his late mother by opening an Italian restaurant with real grandmothers as the chefs in this 2025 movie. With Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, and Talia Shire.
• "Toscana," Netflix. In this 2022 Danish romantic comedy/drama, a chef (Anders Mattheson) goes to Tuscany to sell his estranged father's restaurant. An Italian (Cristiana Dell'Ana) teaches him to see cuisine and life in a new way.
• "Hostage," Netflix. In this British five-episode limited series, an international summit goes awry when the husband of the British prime minister (Suranne Jones) is kidnapped and the French president (Julie Delphy) is blackmailed.
• "Eenie Meanie," Hulu. A former getaway driver (Samara Weaving) is trying to go straight when her screw-up ex (Karl Glusman) gets her involved in a casino heist in this comedy thriller. Andy Garcia and Marshawn Lynch also star.
• "Heads of State," Prime. In this 2025 comedy thriller, a British prime minister (Idris Elba) and an action movie star-turned-U.S. president (John Cena) must work together when Air Force One is shot down over enemy territory.

Books:

• "Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology," edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. Horror, fantasy, and sci-fi stories written by Indigenous authors.
• "The Trap," by Catherine Ryan Howard. A young woman tries to learn the fate of her abducted sister in this 2023 thriller inspired by the disappearances of young Irish women in the 1990s.
• "Twilight of the Gods" and "Your Favorite Band is Killing Me," by Steven Hyden.