West Sound staff recently hit the road for an all-day field trip across the Kitsap Peninsula — deepening our reporting on the region and spending time with some of the people and places that help define what makes it remarkable.
Around 10 a.m., the team met with Visit Kitsap Peninsula Executive Director Aljolynn Sperber in Poulsbo and headed north to Heronswood Garden.
A Tour at Heronswood Gardens in Kingston
Once at Heronswood Garden, the group met with Ross Bayton, the garden’s director, to tour the grounds’ six unique gardens. Bayton shed light on its founder, Dan Hinkley, and its history with the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe.
Tribal attorney Gina Steiner and Executive Director Kelly Sullivan also offered insight into the close ties between the garden and the S’Klallam Tribe. Today, the tribe is entwined with the garden through its ownership and operation of the site, its Connections Garden program (which connects tribal members with traditional Northwest plants), and the garden’s role as a retirement home for several welcoming poles and canoes.
“Heronswood was a great way to start our trip,” staff writer Destiny Valencia said afterward. “We were fortunate to stop by on a nice spring day with a lot of plants and flowers in bloom. I enjoyed learning about the history of Heronswood’s beginnings and the S’Kallam Tribes’ current stewardship of the land.”
Lunch at Sourdough Willy’s and Exploring Kingston’s Waterfront
After getting in some steps at the garden, West Sound staff headed to Kingston to explore the town’s waterfront area. While strolling, several noticed the mouth-watering smells coming from The Saucy Sailor and stopped for a quick appetizer before heading to Sourdough Willy’s Pizzeria.
“I’m a big fan of unexpected moments, so even though Visit Kitsap did such a great job organizing our itinerary, it was the chance meeting of the proprietor of The Saucy Sailor and the free sample of her hearty house-made beef stroganoff that was the cherry on top of an already amazing day,” said Managing Editor Joanna Kresge. “I enjoyed pausing for a moment to ask her about her business — and sticking around to inhale the smell of her food for a bit longer was an added bonus.”
Once at the pizzeria, the crew sampled a Detroit-style New Yorker pizza, carbonara, and garlic gorgonzola dip paired with the restaurant’s sourdough toast.
Once refueled, staff joined Jen Skalbeck from the Greater Kingston Community Chamber of Commerce to stretch their legs on a walk around town. Stops included the recently opened Waterfront Gift Shop; the whimsical Wander & Forage dog-centered retail store, spa, and day care; mom-owned boutique Jasper Row; The Lounge, a bistro run by a pair of siblings and their spouses; Havencraft, which was abundant with creativity; and the aesthetically vibrant floral shop, Boquet.
Perhaps the most crowd-pleasing moment of the trip was a stopover at Argensol, where staff devoured Argentinian alfajores, a shortbread cookie sandwich filled with dulce de leche and rolled in coconut.
“It was great getting to better know Kingston, especially on the culinary front — I particularly can’t wait to go back to Argensol Kitchen for its alfajores and Sourdough Willy’s Pizzeria for its killer slices,” Assistant Editor Blake Peterson said.
The last stops on the trip included Saltwater Bookshop, where the crew perused its wide selection of reads, and its nextdoor neighbor, Borrowed Kitchen Bakery.
“I had a fantastic time exploring Kitsap County, discovering its scenic waterfronts, charming small towns, and the vibrant businesses and attractions that give the area its character,” said Jeff Burlingame, editor in chief of West Sound sister publications South Sound Business and 425 Business. “Most memorable were the warm, welcoming people, whose hospitality made it feel like home.”