I met Jim, the owner of Smokey Joe's, and his wife, as well as Isaiah the bar manager. It was just as funky on the inside as on the outside, the sort of place that I can imagine hanging out in. Jim had informed me that the bar had been used in the filming of some of the last episodes of Twin Peaks.

At 3 pm all of the pleinairistas brought their paintings to the Black Dog Cafe, where they were judged by the local arts commission. Not surprisingly, other locals walked away with the awards. We were served an excellent lunch, and then the artists dispersed.

My students Bin, Min and myself went back to Smokey Joe's for one last beer, then drove through the lush Snoqualmie River Valley back home. The whole affair was short, but very sweet, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. This was the consensus of my students as well.