DAY 1. MONDAYThe Silver Fox (Eric Graves) hosted a little dinner for me that was the best salmon, moose, Malbec...and lots of fun and laughs! It was the best welcome present! It really meant so much to me. He opened up his beautiful big home in Ester, AK (just 10 miles outside Fairbanks) to me and my friend Caleb. It was a great night that I will always remember...even if i did have a few too many beers! Pictured above is Kliff "Kliffy" Hopson.
Ester, AK. Casa Mojito. The quaking Aspen trees. They are gorgeous when the wind and sun hit them just right.
DAY 2. TUESDAYI wanted to get out of Fairbanks and get to the water. I went to Chena River and stuck my toes in and just enjoyed the beauty of my surroundings. This little adventure outside town was one of my favorite highlights of the trip :)
DAY 3. WEDNESDAY.After a gorgeous drive down south through the parks highway to Denali National Park, I had the chance to stay in a great cabin at mile marker 230. Friends from the neighborhood came over and we played music, laughed, drank a bit.
Me, Weebee, Jeff, and Alissa at the cabin havin' fun!
DAY 4. THURSDAY.
Salty Gravy, quite possibly the best band ever, played a show at local pizza restaurant and bar, Panorama Pizza in nearby Carlo, AK. The pizza was sooooo gooooood, and the music was amazing. I love everyone in this band. From left to right: Silas Lowe, Weebee "Becky" Ashenbrenner, Lynn Macaloon, and Andy King. This night was crazy fun, and the Denali locals were gettin' rowdy!
DAYS 5&6. CANTWELL MUSIC FESTIVAL. CANTWELL, AK.This music festival was sadly put to an end about 10 years ago, and this was the first year it was resurrected. I saw the most amazing musicians, dear friends from all reaches of the road in in the interior (Fairbanks, Anchorage, Cantwell, Ester, Denali, Girdwood, even San Francisco) and it was a dirty, fun filled, weekend to place words on it. Jeff Kanzler and his band put on a great show, Well Strung Bluegrass, Salty Gravy, and Cold Country not to mention countless other acts all played the stage. This was a weekend I will never forget...and probably never fully remember either. Above is Andy King, Silas Lowe, and Nate MacDonald jamming at the camping site.
Trouble makers. Todd Grebe, Nate May, Me, and Chase Christie.
Well Strung Bluegrass, formally known as Contra-band.Stefan, Todd, Angela Oudean, and the one and only Gary Markely.
late Saturday night jam. Nate May, Andy King, and Nate Williamson.
the gorgeous Kate Hamre and myself happy in beautiful Cantwell, AK.
DAY 7. SUNDAY.What a way to recover from excess is to pile more on! Jeff Kanzler takes me to 229 Parks in Denali. This restaurant is like nothing I have ever seen or experienced. There is a small neighborhood charm and almost a magic in the air. Laura Cole and her husband Land built and established this decadent eatery and tavern where you can get something small and casual like tamales or quiche...Kaladi Brother's coffee, or good Alaskan IPA...then you can get a 5 spice duck breast over a deliciously fresh green salad. Not pictured: raw Oysters that sparkled with freshness, and a walnut salad that is still haunting me. The meal ended with a creme brule that was hands down the best I've ever had, then finished up with a key lime tart that did something to my tongue I can't even explain. After eating so much great food in Seattle, New York, and San Francisco: this meal tops them. Go to 229. it's the best food in the state....or ever. seriously. After dinner we went back to Fairbanks and to Ester where Eric opened Casa Mojito for us, again! whew what a weekend!
DAY 8. MONDAY.
The trip ended perfectly with a playdate with the Bearfoot kids and friends. We went to the local Fairbanks watering hole Marlin, then back to their host's home for an amazing dinner of halibut, stirfry, and salad. Pictured above: Chase Christie, Kate Hamre, Me, and Angela Oudean.
Love these guys, it was a time! Best week I could have spent! I will miss them dearly, but until the next festival...those are never too far away!
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