📷: Mighty Tieton/IG

The Spin.
What do you do when your long-awaited grand opening date gets side-swiped by a pandemic? If you’re Starcycle Yakima owner Dana Ward, you regroup, and take care of your community. Starcycle rented out their spin bikes to members, and now offers three free live rides daily via Instagram Live. And wow. Talk about a sweat sesh.

The Starcycle Yakima team also have plans to create Insta workouts for people without a spin bike at home, so we all can keep moving and come out of quarantine like “COVID-20 Lbs what?”

Meet you there for a post-ride sweaty hug soon. (And bring your kids – they will have childcare available.)

The Climb.
We’ve been following along with High Steppe Climbing Center since they announced their business last year. With construction nearly complete, we wait patiently to get our climb on. Give their Insta a follow so you can stalk their progress and announcements.

And while one of us may be slightly scared of heights, you can bet we’ll be there, learning to climb and/or boulder with our kids and friends when we can all workout together again.

The Beer.
Oh, the lovely excitement of TWO new tap rooms in Downtown Yakima!

The Bier Den – in the Hittle Building – and The Tap – a hip self-serve-taproom next to The Tieton– were both on track to open this spring. We all know the familiar story, and both are waiting.

With both businesses occupying space in buildings that have recently been redeveloped, we cannot wait to cheers to their openings in their beautiful new spaces when we can go out together again.

The Art.
Mighty Tieton has our undying devotion, as always.

Traditionally at this time of year, Upper Valley teachers submit art from their K-12 students for the annual Tieton Arts & Humanity’s Student Art Show. Now that distance learning is the status quo and art-making in the home is more present than ever, they are changing things up.

Parents and students (from all over the Valley) were invited to directly submit their art for a virtual art show over at tietonarts.org and all over the Mighty Tieton social media channels (IG + FB) with a gallery opening at a later date, TBD.

Also, Collab Coffee is hosting, "How We Cope," a virtual gallery of pieces created during our time apart, but together. First piece is up right here.

We're looking forward to checking out art together again soon, until then, doing it virtually together is the next best thing.

The Enchiladas.
In mid-March, Erik's The Mercedes Kid, quietly opened at 7 N. Front Street. The timing didn't deter Erik. He opened and started delivering. He's slinging all the family dishes - the enchiladas, sopitos, tortas, tamales, and more! Give him a ring and put in an order for pickup. Your stomach will thank you. We can't wait to eat together again in Erik's new space.

📷: Provisions Restaurant + Market/IG

Food. Pacific Northwest Fresh and McIlrath Family Farms produce boxes have been our go-tos to balance out our COVID-19 eating (raise your hand if this is you, too 🙋). We can get local goods (think bread, milk, beer, coffee, honey, local meat, etc.) from both, so we add-on as needed. They differ slightly in offerings, but both deliver, and McIlrath has pick-up options.

Provisions Market is where we go for treats, like fancy cheese, ice cream, and pickled stuff. They are also ordering bulk items for you if you’re short on things. Check out their FB page (it's public so no need for a Facebook account to access) for the latest offerings and how to order. Also, order some takeout from the restaurant while you're shopping. (Maximum comfort dish: Chef Lindsay's Mac & Cheese.) Ask about their specials.

Celebrate. Join our friends at Fortuity Cellars (Wapato) next Friday (4/10), at their “We’re Not Going to Let the Coronavirus Stop Us from Celebrating Virtual Winery Opening Party' – aka Fortuity’s Virtual Opening Party! They'll have music, swag, and more.

Details here. Congrats Fortuity! We can't wait to visit!

Outside. The Yakima Arboretum, Yakima Greenway, and Cowiche Canyon Conservancy collaborated to make a special resource for getting outside during this time. Check it out here. Our backyard is the best.

Help. Want to help, but don't know where to start? We've got ideas. There is a blood bank shortage. Virginia Mason Memorial has a list of things they need, and there’s Yakima Valley Needs, which is a site dedicated to local nonprofit needs (if you or someone you know has an excess of canned or dried goods, definitely check out this list).

Music. Isaac Gambito of Jayleigh Ann and The Lost Boys has been posting past performances and going live on IG every once in a while, making us feel like we’re out at Cowiche Creek Brewing, eating some Huck and Bean ice cream, hanging out on the grass and listening to them jam. Only we are still in our pajamas, staring at a tiny screen, and trying to decide between making vegetables or ordering a pizza for delivery. 🤦

Biz Support. Are you a brick and mortar Washington State small business owner and want to monitor your business from home? Seattle’s Wyze is giving out free webcams to you. They have limited inventory, but they are donating thousands of cameras on a first-come, first-serve basis over the next several days. Check it out here.