TA TALKS BACK: AN AFTERNOON IN PORT ANGELES

TA fan Ashley writes about her afternoon in Port Angeles, a follow up on her previous article, “Getting to Forks”:

In a previous article, I discussed the ins and outs of getting to Forks, the Twilighter’s mecca. Having been to Seattle, Port Angeles, and Forks, and all around the Olympic Peninsula over my spring break in April, I want to share some of my experiences, as well as give some advice that might be useful for a trekking fan. I only spent a couple of hours in Port Angeles—not nearly enough time to do this little town justice, but we had a schedule to keep—so this will be relatively short.
My awesome mother (who read the books prior to our trip in preparation, though she still thought, and still thinks, I am completely insane) and I arrived in the town around 3:15 in the afternoon on a Saturday, having driven since noon from Seattle—the traffic was terrible due to road construction; it really should not have taken three hours.

The little town, for those who don’t know, sits in the middle of the Peninsula’s northern coast with Highway 101 passing directly through it. The scenic drive from here to Forks takes about an hour, and while that is a slightly inconvenient distance, it is conceivable that Bella would drive here and back simply to get some books. Anyway, we arrived starving and eager to find Bella Italia, the location of Bella and Edward’s famous first date. While I had a map in my hands complete with directions from the restaurant’s website, Mama and I nevertheless had to stop and ask a local where the heck this little joint was. (I’m sure we weren’t the first—here’s the skinny: when you enter Port Angeles, keep going straight on the 101 until you come to a fork in the road. Go right and keep going straight until you come to North Laurel Street. Turn left on North Laurel, around the block, then take left on East 1st Street. Bella Italia will be up the street on the right.) Stephenie Meyer incorrectly calls the restaurant “La Bella Italia” in the novel—I say incorrectly simply because she is typically so precise in her details and is known for doing her research, but perhaps she had her reasons for intentionally adding the inoffensive “La.” It doesn’t signify, however; the little Italian restaurant seems has no qualms about associating itself with Twilight and, along with everything else in the town, promotes the connection wholeheartedly with a sign in the window that proudly states “Home of Bella and Edward’s First Date.”

Starving as we were, you can imagine our dismay when we discovered the restaurant didn’t open till 4 pm, a fact I inconveniently had forgotten till standing in front of the edifice itself, stomach and mother growling. First helpful tip! Bella Italia opens at 4 everyday, so don’t skip lunch. We decided to pass the time by exploring the immediate vicinity, which provided enough diversions to satisfy both our time constraints and my desire to explore Port Angeles. We visited Gottshalks right down the street, the department store where Angela and Jessica supposedly shopped for their prom dresses. No wonder Jessica was so worried about the limited supply of good dresses—I didn’t see any junior formal attire, despite prom season being right around the corner. The store was going out of business, however (and, as Mama wryly pointed out, a painful and slow going-out-of-business it would be). Gottshalks took little time at all, so we walked further on and came upon a store with Victoria, Laurent, James, Edward, and Bella greeting us from the window, along with some very lucky mannequins. I can’t remember the name of this adorable shop, but it’s right across the street from Bella Italia and has the word “Queen” in the name—you can’t miss it. The store sells unique Twilight Port Angeles shirts that are a must-have for any fan, as well as a surfeit of Twilight buttons. I was tempted to buy the whole basket.

Edward and Bella also beckon you to step into Port Book and News, a bookstore practically right next to the restaurant. This is not the store Bella visited to buy her book on Quileute legends, but it has a nice collection and plenty of Twilight merchandise (including, of course, the books themselves, which some people were perusing as I walked through—better late than never to jump on the bandwagon). Doubtless, there are many more delightful shops and Twilight references around the town, but we spent 45 minutes within one block of the town happily enough.

When 4 o’clock rolled around, Twilighters were already queued up outside Bella Italia busily snapping photos as the workers inside looked on with slight amusement. Mama and I were the only couple not immediately recognizable as Twilighters or the dragged-along relative of one. Edward Cullen shirts were plenty. The people at the front must have been dazzled into oblivion and neglected to notice the door being unlocked, so Mama and I were the first inside. The place is a charm, with Twilight and Italy touches everywhere, including a boxed set of the books sitting next to wine bottles at the bar counter. It’s such a small restaurant that everything can be seen from through the windows, good news for anyone who happens to find themselves in town when it’s not open. This is, of course, not recommended, because the food is superb. I’m not a particular fan of mushrooms, but there was no way I would come all the way across the country and not have Bella’s classic first date dish. And if I heard correctly, “‘La’ Bella Italia Mushroom Ravioli” was ordered by most everyone around me (the “La” perhaps a tribute to Stephenie’s name change in the book). If I had to venture a guess, 90% of the people in the tiny place were Twilighters—and there was a clear female majority.

Mama ordered the manicotti and a bruschetta appetizer, which was delicious and really hit the spot for two people whose last meal was a Starbucks breakfast back in Seattle at 7:30 am. We passed the brief time before our food came by chatting some, but mostly listening in on the conversations of other, more overtly enthusiastic fans around us, as well as taking the atmosphere—I tried to imagine where Bella and Edward would have sat, zeroing in on the tables in the center Edward thought too conspicuous, and rightly so. There were no back rooms or hidden booths, so the best this restaurant could have done to accommodate a secret vampire and his inquisitive human date would be one of the booths in the back corners.

When the mushroom ravioli finally came, I am not ashamed to say I devoured it. Do not miss out on this dish. Mama was naturally disappointed in her manicotti when compared to my superior choice. Some people at nearby tables forwent the Twilight plate and ordered pizzas and pastas that looked unbelievably tempting as well, despite my being full with mushroom ravioli. I had read average reviews for Bella Italia, which the restaurant more than exceeded. I daresay anything on the menu would be good if you have some reluctant family members or friends in tow when you make your pilgrimage. We skipped dessert, full enough already, and departed Bella Italia, but not before requesting a few business cards to go in the scrapbook.

The Port Angeles Dazzled by Twilight store was not yet open when I visited, but having shopped in awe at the Forks location, I can say it is most certainly worth the visit. It’s located at 135 East 1st Street, which means it sits on the same block as Bella Italia. One word of advice, though: don’t go in unless you have superhuman self-control or little money at all. The merchandise will blow your mind. Conveniently, Lincoln Theater, also on East 1st Street, is beside Dazzled by Twilight; this is where Twilight was screened in Port Angeles, and one of two theaters where Bella could have come to the movies in New Moon. Port Angeles has some lovely scenery, so if you have the time, do walk around a bit.

I have never been to a location more stunning and beautiful than Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Coming from Georgia, snowcapped mountains and soaring evergreens really took my breath away! There are a number of kayaking and rafting companies that operate out of Port Angeles, and the Olympic National Park headquarters is also located in town, so if you are interested in exploring the outdoors, this is a great base from which to do so. And if you are really ambitious and have a passport with you, hop on a ferry for a one hour ride to Canada! There are a number of hotels, motels, and bed & breakfasts in town (and having stayed at The Miller Tree Inn in Forks, a.k.a. The Cullen House, I’ll never stay anywhere but a B & B) for those who are looking to spend the night in Port Angeles. Colette’s Bed & Breakfast is a Fodor’s Choice B & B—the only one in Port Angeles—and BJ’s Garden Gate Bed & Breakfast is also highly recommended.

If Forks is your next destination, however, Highway 101 is noted by signs everywhere in town and is a one-hour drive away. Port Angeles should be a stop on every traveling Twilighter’s itinerary. Go to the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce website (http://www.portangeles.org/index.html) for more travel information, and enjoy your trip!

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