You might assume that the perks of going to Jewish summer camp your whole life start to dwindle in  your 30’s. Well, not if you’re Adam. It turns out Camp Tawonga’s old infirmary nurse, Cricket, now lives on a beautiful farm in Mt. Vernon along with three sheep, two alpaca, and a food dehydrator that won’t quit. Luckily, I made it onto the invite list, so we trekked up north last weekend for a little rural getaway just an hour outside of the city.

Before we knew it we were mixing rye old fashions and cozying up to the wood burning stove. After an hours-long cioppiono cooking fest, a few glasses of wine, and a dip in the hot tub, we were full, happy, and beat all at once.

The next morning Cricket gave us a tour of her beautiful property, including a green house, fruit trees, a lush garden, bees, and piles of neatly stacked wood she chopped for the winter.  We watched as she fed the animals and tromped through the wetlands behind her house. She sent us on our way with arms full of fresh honey, plum jam, pickled green beans, and red kuri squash.

Before making our way back to Seattle, we stopped in Edison, a darling little town just 20 minutes north of Mt. Vernon. Right along the Samish Bay, downtown Edison is made up of about two blocks that host a tavern, a delicious bakery, a boutique selling local handmade goods,  a few art galleries, and an adorable cafe called Tweets. Edison is most definitely worth a visit if you want to experience true Washington charm. See below for proof.