Totem Family Diner

Serving family sized portions at family friendly prices, Totem Family Diner has been satisfying hungry tummies since 1953.  The totem pole signage out front is a familiar symbol to locals and a welcoming figure to vacationers.  As Snohomish County cities continue to modernize, Totem Diner ensures guests are treated to an original, old-style Everett flavor.

Guests will enjoy the large catalog of menu items.  There is something for any age group and every taste.  For my first visit here, I ordered the pulled pork sandwich.  It was an excellent, well-balanced meal, served with fries and a pickle.  I switched it up the second visit, by ordering a breakfast item for lunch. 

For round two, I ordered a special menu item called “Bacon Explosion”.  It included eggs, hash browns, and a bacon wrapped sausage with bacon chunks wheel at 5 inches in diameter.  The meat is prepared one day in advance and stuck in the freezer overnight for freshness.  When ordered, one might be overwhelmed by the salty punch this thing brings.  It was the salt content that was a distraction because its was filling and might cause slight acid reflux.  It wasn’t at all bad, the eggs and hash browns were an excellent combination that complimented the smoky-smooth meat.

Totem Family Diner does show appreciation towards the military community by offering a military discount.  This is a very smart and excellent way to gain loyal customers.  Like most businesses, they don’t advertise their military discount program, so military personnel and veterans will have to inquire.  I wish other small businesses in military communities were more keen to this approach.

Burger Barn

Jump on the Mountain Loop Scenic Byway and see where it takes you.  The back-roads of Snohomish County are known to zigzag drivers through small towns with big character.  These roads offer some of the most spectacular views in the state, thanks to the volcanic Glacier Peak.  Glacier Peak is one of the nations most dangerous volcanoes and steams approximately 20 miles from Darrington, a valley town nestled between a family of peaks and tons of outdoor fun.  Risking a volcanic eruption has never been so much fun and making a visit to this beautiful city is worth the ride.

Everything is smaller and slower here.  The mountains dwarf the architecture and the flat feel of the valley spreads out, creating property space for the small estates.  The roads are wide and the 1,000+ denizens can travel anywhere by foot. 

The one problem that I had here was cell phone service.  If your provider is AT&T, I recommend that you use navigation other than your phone. I had 30% reception with no access to data; internet service is limited out here.  Luckily for me, my dialed-in, Garmin GPS generated the information that I needed.

The Burger Barn is the best hamburger option in town.  Just like other small town eateries, their longevity depends on product quality and return tourism.  The Barn cooked up an exceptional meal, reasonably priced.  Guests have the options of dining-inside or outside and take-out.  If the weather is nice, dining outside is recommended.

I hear the milkshakes are good here, but my diet kept me from indulging.  Their burger choices varied from land mammals to sea creatures.  The salmon burger looked great, but I had to pass on that, because it sounded too healthy for a “country” place.  I ordered a regular hamburger for my daughter, a deluxe cheeseburger for me, and large fries with a side of ranch.

The hottest place in town, besides Mountain Loop Coffee, is Burger Barn.  I think it’ll be difficult leaving here dissatisfied.  It’s a great destination to stop for travelers or vacationers.  Don’t worry too much about the volcano or random lahars, those things dampen the moment, if you think about them.

The Reptile Zoo

Problem.  Due to inclement weather, your family has cabin fever and you’re pulling out your hair over work.  It’s not a school day, so your child has watched their 15^th episode of Peppa Pig, your wife has her routine morning sickness hurling, and you’re quickly running out of options, what do you do?  Google “things to do inSnohomish County” and pray.

Rescued by the Google genie and Reptile Zoo in Monroe, WA.  The zoo is open 365 days a year, so they are obviously keen about keeping options open to people and weekenders.  I threw on my hat, bid adieu to my ailing wife, grabbed the kid, and high tailed it out of our subdivision.

The zoo has undergone a recent facelift from a crimson-red barn color to a modern Gobi Dunes beige, some photos on the internet show it as the aforementioned red.  Once inside, you’re punched in the face with a warm, musty, reptilian smell, but that’s normal.  After you pay the cashier strait ahead, turtles, medium to large sized snakes, lizards, and petting exhibits are to the right of the entrance.  Kids and adults get a kick out of touching the slithering Python bivittatus, a head-nodding Cycluras, and other tractable species in this section.  But wait, the fun isn’t over, you can leave this section to check out the alligators, exotic snakes, and a two-headed turtle that await at the left of the entrance.

The zoo was well worth its price, considering its size and attractions.  The cost for each person is $8 or less, kids under 3 get free access.  The staff are true professionals.  They are conscious about the needs of the reptiles and they care very much about what they are doing.  So, when you run out of holiday options or find yourself in the trenches with the family, go out and visit Snohomish County’s one and only Reptile Zoo.

Snohomish County Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet

Over the past year the Snohomish County Sports Commission has been reviewing and considering athletes to induct into its Hall of Fame. For seven years, Snohomish County has held a Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet and this year they introduced a class of athlete and citizen that we all can applaud.  This year the committee inducted a fine group to include Randy Couture and Kayla Burt.

The event commenced with a social hour at 5pm.  Upon entrance into the Edward D. Hansen Conference Center section of Xfinity Arena, attendees search and select through an array of name labels with their name and table number on it.  Slap it on, navigate up the stairs to a corridor filled with art, socialites, and event enthusiasts engaged in pleasantries, drinking, and butt slaps.  I didn’t see any butt slaps, but I’m pretty sure someone got a “good game” in.  Besides catching up with friends, people also use this time to stroll about the memorabilia display cases of past and present inductees.

Around 6:15 the 300+ attendees steered into the conference room for more socializing and a light appetizer.  The room had approximately 32 circular tables, which accommodated 10 people each.  Space at the table was slightly tight, so it’s a good suggestion to suck in that gut and squeeze in those elbows during the meal.

At 6:30 appetizer, chitchat, and National Anthem.  Things started off with a mix of summer greens and a dab of ranch or Italian dressing upon request.  There were no croutons included with the salad, but there was a tough crusted artisan roll sided with a teaser-sized butter ball.

20-30 minutes later, after mingling with the other attendees and feeling self-conscious of if I was “proper” during eating, the entrée was served.  A delectable salmon loin, approximately 3-4oz, covered in a savory cream sauce that blended well with the buttery fluffed rice pilaf and well textured, yellow and green steamed zucchini.  The meal was topped off with a thick, hearty cheesecake, lightly crusted and settled on a tarty cherry sauce.

After dinner the inductees were introduced and awarded.  People applauded and cheered, the hero’s welcome, really nothing new to events like these.  Anyone interested can view some previous event videos on YouTube.

Some might assume this event to be an exclusive event; it is not.  There was no red carpet, it wasn’t a suit and tie event, the banquet is not limited to individuals on the local sports scene, in fact, the committee welcomes any athlete and non-athlete alike.  My community support mindedness and curiosity brought me.  Whoever you are, whatever you do, you are welcome.  Next year, come to the 8^th annual induction banquet, you never know who you might see.