A Weekend in Centralia

There’s something about taking a short trip on a train that just feels right. In the past, BowlingWidow and I have taken weekend jaunts both north to Vancouver B.C. and south to Portland, Oregon. A couple of weekends ago, Al Stewart and Dave Nachmanoff were playing a concert at Centralia Community College, creating the perfect opportunity to take Amtrak from Everett, WA to Centralia, WA, a small town around an hour south of Tacoma.

Along with our friends Leftynemesis and InteriorMaven (I met the left-handed one many years ago in my bowling league and in fact officiated the wedding between him and InteriorMaven…..but that’s another story), we boarded the train and settled in for the three and a half hour ride.
.
InteriorMaven and Leftynemesis in front of the hotel

From the Centralia station we walked a short block to our hotel: the refurbished Olympic Club Hotel and Theater. McMenamins (a Portland based group well known for buying old schools and other buildings and converting them to cool getaway places) bought this old relic several years ago and refurbished it just enough to make it comfortable yet keep its rustic uniqueness.

Rooms are basic. No TVs and no private baths, though they do have sinks. Want to take a shower or use the toilet? There are a few of those on each floor which really didn’t present much of a problem. Besides, where else can you get a room with a queen sized bed on a Saturday night for 60-bucks and NOT have to call the police at some point.
.
BowlingWidow: Lost in a Sea of Antiques

Did I mention that McMenamins brews their own beer and serves it in their restaurants and pubs? Yep, they do. Plays right into my hand. Hammerhead Ale. Terminator Stout. Sunflower IPA. And so on. They have something there for any beer lover.

The first thing we noticed while walking around downtown Centralia is the number of antique stores that are there. They’re everywhere. Centralia has more antique stores than there are Starbucks coffee places in Manhattan. None of us bought anything of any significance but it was a nice day just walking around.
.
After the show (L-R): Dave Nachmanoff, InteriorMaven, Leftynemesis, Al Stewart, BowlingJoe, BowlingWidow
In the evening, we made the short walk to the concert venue, a comfy small theater where Al and Dave put on yet another splendid show. The difference in this show is that our seats were actually front and center. I skillfully took advantage of this windfall by shamelessly stealing the set list on the stage just before the encore. Al (who said he wouldn’t need it anymore) and Dave were glad to autograph it for me.

After a night that was interrupted a few times by train whistles – we knew that would happen being next to the train tracks – we awoke to rain. No problems, though. We met Leftynemesis and InteriorMaven at a nice little restaurant called The Berry Fields and ate well.
.

The Concert's Set List: Shamelessly Stolen from Al Stewart

It became time for our friends to catch an earlier train back home, and with the rain BowlingWidow and I decided to hole up at The Olympic Club bar and watch some NFL playoff football with some appetizers and beverages. A fitting way to conclude what was a pretty nice little birthday weekend in Centralia.