The dining room is open again at The Inn at Mazama.
News flash: The Inn at Mazama (formerly Mazama Country Inn) has reopened its dining room. After a long wait for furniture due to supply chain problems (another post-pandemic buzz phrase), the dining room and outdoor patio are warmly and comfortably refreshed and ready for guests.
Brunch every Sunday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. is the first opportunity to enjoy chef Eric Schade’s delightful dishes. Additional dinner nights will be added soon. Any updated changes to regular hours will be posted on The Inn’s Instagram, Facebook page, and website.
The Inn’s new manager, Andy Parkinson, landed in Mazama after working internationally for many years. His last stint was in Northern Mongolia, where he managed a resort and offered a fly fishing guide service. Taimen or Siberian Giant Trout can reach 6 feet in length. It’s not a surprise that Mongolia is a Mecca for fisherpersons. It’s also not a surprise that Andy and his partner Amanda fell in love with the Methow while visiting relatives in the Pacific Northwest. Even though there are no 6-foot trout in the rivers and lakes, still, we all know how the beauty and diversity of the valley draw those who love the outdoors.
Jim and Victoria Grady, new owners of The Inn, were thrilled when Andy responded to their Methow Bulletin Board ad for a manager. Andy is excited to extend hospitality to locals and visitors alike. With the ups and downs in the number of patrons in a resort community and the continual staffing issues that come with inconsistent patronage, Andy, Jim and Victoria would very much like to have locals support the restaurant so they can offer services year round.
In addition, The Inn will be featuring the work of Methow artists. Currently, they are exhibiting the work of three very different artists.
Michael Caldwell’s oil paintings depict his interest in landscape as subject matter. Caldwell spent 46 years teaching, first at the University of Oregon, and then 36 years as professor of fine arts at Seattle Pacific University. Since 2006, he and his wife have lived fulltime in the Methow. He explains regarding this exhibit, “Painting, like all arts, is a physical and spiritual activity that like landscape can provide us with a sense of personal growth and understanding.”
Dan Brown’s medium is carbon steel. His sculptures include “Loup Loup,” of a wolf, “The Conversation,” of ravens, “Dinner Flight,” of osprey, and “Flight,” depicting bird flight that Brown believes “is so amazing to us earthbound humans.” Brown also tells that story in conjunction with “Dinner Flight” that friends were driving between Okanogan and Omak when a salmon fell out of the sky onto their car hood. “Must have been an osprey with too heavy of dinner plans,” he surmised.
In her paintings, Tamera Abaté seeks “to share her reverence of the natural world with the viewer.” She grew up under the vast open sky and tapestry of wheat fields in eastern Washington, so she has an interest and fascination with how the horizon line separates and yet pairs fields of color. Her ancient technique of encaustic (Greek “to burn in”) uses as many as 30 layers of beeswax, tree sap and pigment that is then heated with a propane torch. Abaté’s work is held in private collections worldwide and has been published in books and magazines.
All of the artwork displayed is also for sale. Make a trip to The Inn for brunch and a look at the artwork.
In other good news, Jack’s Hut at Freestone Inn will reopen on Dec. 16. Yay!
When approaching Mazama Junction, there’s a new resident: a very tall stop sign appeared on Dec. 3 (Friday) on the south approach to the intersection of Lost River Road and Goat Creek Road. Some westbound residents of Lost River Road expressed annoyance at the appearance of the sign without warning. It’s probably there to stay, however, so be aware of the four-way stop.
Another new sighting is a big rock with the display of MAZAMA at the entrance to the trailhead. Welcome!
