First and foremost, there is a Kirkland Wine, Beer, and Spirits Walk on April 1st. No April foolin' either. 5-9pm and tickets are on sale now ($30).  You must show your vaccine card upon arrival. Then the fun begins as you start at The Heathman Hotel and walk to the participating merchants for your tasty beverages.  I like how they are stepping it up from a 'wine walk' to a 'wine/beer/spirits' walk.  We are no longer messing around- you have been forewarned. Get your tickets early, these shenanigans always sell out.

Another less-tipsy beverage option in downtown Kirkland on Lake St. S  is the new Bobae Coffee & Tea.  This family-owned boba shop focuses on quality ingredients by avoiding artificial powders and syrups and brewing only high-grade teas.  Their ceremonial matcha is from a family farm in Japan and each cup is hand-whisked.  The service was amazing because the person taking my order was super friendly and spent extra time helping me find the right drink.  Since my usual fave, the mango matcha, is not in season yet she convinced me to try their red, white & matcha drink which was delish (photo).    I'll admit I was a little worried when I watched them hand-pour the bright green matcha into my drink wondering if it might taste a little too 'earthy,' but it was spot-on with a nice little strawberry flavor mixed in too.  You can also order from their site here (complete with photos!).  Apparently, their boba doughnuts are pretty famous too, but I didn't get a chance to try them.  There's another great reason to go back! Take note of their days/hours- Open Weds thru Sun 1-8 pm.  When they are you'll know it by their fans starting to line up on the sidewalk.