Fall 2013
When I first met Molli Martin years ago through a mutual friend, I found her funny and engaging and easy to be around, even though we were mere acquaintances. I had no idea at the time that she and her husband, James, were embarking on a venture that would change their lives—and alter the cityscape of The Dalles. But they’ve done no less than that with the Sunshine Mill. James and Molli had only their original boutique winery, Quenett, when they dreamed up a plan for restoring the historic site—a former flour mill that had sat empty and decaying for years—to house their winery, plus a whole lot more. After that came sheer perseverance, vital cooperation from the City of The Dalles, enormous amounts of blood, sweat, tears and money, a train ride in France, and maybe a bit of serendipity—not necessarily in that order. (For the full story, read Don’s Campbell’s piece starting on page 21.) Their singular vision of what could be at a defunct industrial site has created a wealth of jobs and brought a welcome vibe to the Gorge’s largest city. And best of all, the story doesn’t end here, as plans call for further development of the expansive mill—including putting hotel rooms in the silos. We can’t wait to see how it evolves, but in the meantime, we’ll relax in the hip surroundings of the Sunshine Mill and sip some of the fruits of the Martins’ labor.
Speaking of wine, fall is in the air and that means harvest and crush—which always brings excitement and anticipation to Gorge vineyards and wineries. It’s a great time to visit them, take a vineyard tour, taste wine and enjoy some of the many special events happening at the more than three dozen wineries in the Gorge. Our special winery advertising section starts on page 32. Other stories in this issue include Adam Lapierre’s feature on hiking Beacon Rock (page 38), Eileen Garvin’s story about an upscale home furnishings consignment store in Mosier, The Dwelling Station, and a beautiful essay about fly-fishing on the Deschutes River by author Scott Sadil. And there’s more, of course. Read on!
Janet Cook, Editor
