Trip Report – We Live Inside a Dream Weekend | August 14, 2026

The We Live Inside a Dream Weekend in Washington continued on Friday, August 14, 2026. Before the evening screening of David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive at the North Bend Theatre, I spent the day exploring Snoqualmie Valley which including a visit to the base of Snoqualmie Falls. This trip report is my third in a series from a wonderful and strange weekend.

AUGUST 12 | AUGUST 13 | AUGUST 14 | AUGUST 15

WE LIVE INSIDE A DREAM | AUGUST 14, 2026

The historic North Bend Theatre in downtown North Bend, Washington celebrated the 34th Anniversary of the North American premiere of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me from August 13-16, 2026. This “We Live Inside a Dream” weekend including film screenings of David Lynch’s movies along with the world premiere of Scott Ryan’s documentary, “The Double R Dream” on August 13, 2026. On Friday, August 14, the theatre held a guided meditation and a showing of Lynch’s 2001 classic Mulholland Drive.

MORNING IN FALL CITY, WASHINGTON

During this visit, I stayed at the Roadhouse Restaurant and Inn in Fall City. This spot served as the exterior of the Roadhouse in all three seasons of Twin Peaks and in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.

In 2025, there was lots of construction vehicles located near the parking lot, so I was unable to capture the shot of the Bookhouse and Roadhouse location together as seen in Twin Peaks episode 2.009.

The trees with their full summer leaves covered most of both buildings but it was nice to get an updated shot.

The Bookhouse location, which is someone’s private residence, appears to have been fixed up since I last visited. There was a fresh coat of blue paint and the windows, front door and roof seem to have been repaired.

This is how the tiny home appeared when I stayed at the Roadhouse in August 2025. I’ve always dreamed of buying this place and turning it into an actual book shop and coffee house. It’s good to know that the owners have fixed up this iconic location from the series.

I was up before the sunrise so I drove down to the former location of the Fall City Grill. This now demolished restaurant was the film location of Hap’s Diner in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. August marked 30 year since I first visited Snoqualmie Valley for the Twin Peaks Fan Festival. I brought along a photo print I took during that trip and created a “Dear Photograph” image.

The restaurant closed long and this area is challenged with flooding from the nearby Snoqualmie River. After the building was demolished in July 2025, all that’s left now is a dirt parking lot with overgrown brush.

EARLY MORNING AT SNOQUALMIE FALLS

My next stop was the Snoqualmie Falls observation decks near the Salish Lodge & Spa to capture early morning video of the majestic 268-foot waterfall. This 13-minute video on the Twin Peaks Blog YouTube channel has some great close-ups of the waterfall that I recorded using my 100-500mm lens.

I don’t think I will ever tire seeing this waterfall. It’s no wonder the Snoqualmie Tribe has the falls as part of their creation story. Moon the Transformer created the falls and the first Snoqualmie Man and Woman were made at this sacred spot. I invite you to stop by the Snoqualmie Falls Gift Shop where you can learn more about the importance of the land to the tribe. Learn more about what you can do to protect, respect and restore it on the Snoqualmie Tribe Ancestral Land Movement website.

MAKING A BRIEF STOP IN MEADOWBROOK

After a short time at Snoqualmie Falls, I drove into the town of Snoqualmie. Along the way, I stopped at the Centennial Log which appears briefly in the opening credits from the pilot and episode 2.001. Using a photo I took in 1996, I created another “Dear Photograph” image.

Snoqualmie Mayor Charles Peterson dreamed of displaying this giant log as an icon for the town. It was installed in August 1979 and remained uncovered for more than a decade. As Snoqualmie’s Centennial Celebration approached at the end of the 1980s, protecting the log became a community effort with funds being provided by townsfolk, businesses and even producers of Twin Peaks. Construction on the cover found at the site today started in 1989 and a roof was completed by 1992.

I pressed on to the former town of Meadowbrook which was established in 1923 as a perfect spot to live for sawmill workers at the nearby Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Company. The town was annexed to Snoqualmie in 1952. It’s also home to so many film locations from Twin Peaks. The road passing through the intersection was recently repaved which means it no longer looks like it did in Twin Peaks: The Return.

The road looked even more different during filming of Lynch’s prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. I tried recreating the shot where Leland and Laura Palmer were stuck behind a log truck before being addressed by Phillip Gerard. Using my tripod and a 10-second delay, I raised my iPhone up high above the road. It almost worked but I needed to be taller.

This intersection was also used for a traumatic scene found in Part 6 of Twin Peaks: The Return. This is the spot where the little boy was hit by Richard Horne.

The building after the intersection was the Colonial Square Apartments which was used for Gersten Hayward’s apartment in the show’s third season. Its interior is currently being remodeled which means it won’t look like it did in The Return. In the distance, there is an empty field which is where the Riverside Mobile Home park once stood. That place was the original Fat Trout Trailer Park from Lynch’s 1992 masterpiece.

BREAKFAST AT TWEDE’S CAFE

As 9:00 arrived, I gathered with several friends for breakfast at Twede’s Cafe. It’s difficult to believe the neon “RR” sign has been on the diner’s roadside sign for three years. It’s such a testament to the Twin Peaks fan community and a symbol of why this show has endured for decades.

Max Spears, co-owner of Twede’s Cafe, said the corned beef hash as his favorite dish during our question and answer session after Scott Ryan’s “Double R Dream” the night before. So I had to try it. He wasn’t joking – this meal was delicious! I highly recommend trying it next time you’re in North Bend. They serve “American” size portions so this plate could have easily been shared.

While waiting for the corned beef hash, I snapped a photo of the Twede’s Cafe menu which had a brief history of this roadside diner.

Since the 1940’s, the diner that is now Twede’s Cafe has been the crown jewel of downtown North Bend. It is because of its picturesque setting and classic feel that David Lynch chose this location to be the Double R Diner and the Snoqualmie Valley to be the town of Twin Peaks.

Built in 1941, this building has been a staple of downtown North Be. for over 80 years. It sits on the corner of Highway 202 and North Bend Way, under the shadow of our beautiful and looming Mount Si. It has changed hands (and names) only a few times over the years and has always been a family-owned cafe. Through the decades, it has remained both a tourist destination a. a local gathering place. It was because of its charming small-town feel and scenic location that David Lynch decided to make the diner (then the Mar-T Cate) the focal point for the groundbreaking television hit Twin Peaks. In the year 2000, the building suffered severe fire damage from a suspected arson. It was quickly rebuilt and returned to its former glory. In 2015 it was transformed back into the Double R Diner for the newest season of Twin Peaks: The Return.

The diner has been visited by Twin Peaks fans from all over the country and the world. It has also remained the heart of North Bend. The cafe’s various iterations have employed hundreds of local residents as well as supported the community through events, donations, sponsorships and partnerships with other local institutions and organizations. It has been, and will continue to be, a refuge for locals and tourists alike. A place both wonderful and strange, where all are welcome and no one goes away hungry.

VISITING THE BASE OF SNOQUALMIE FALLS

Thanks to Brian Kursar, our group including Scott and Jen Ryan and family plus Jessica Self and me took a trip to the base of Snoqualmie Falls. Brian is a member of Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theatre which offers access down to the base of the waterfall. This was some place I had never visited during all the trips out to Snoqualmie Valley.

This was quite a sight to behold – the 268-foot waterfall that’s being going for hundreds of years. The Salish Lodge & Spa is perched on the ledge overlooking the falls. The property was opened in 1916 as the Snoqualmie Falls Lodge.

Brian set up a tripod and timer to capture shot of everyone in the woods with the falls far off in the distance.

After our group shot, Scott pretended to capture the waterfall in his open mouth.

We set off down a dirt trail crossing between extremely tall trees. It took about 25 minutes to get to the end of the trail. At some point closer to the bottom, the trail became rather difficult to navigate. A steady flow of water turned dirt to mud. Near the end, a make shift rope was looped around trees and rocks to help complete the hike.

The Snoqualmie River was low so we could climb out far to exposed rocks that had probably been there forever. The weather this August was unseasonably warm. I thought I escaped the heat and humidity of Florida but it appears I brought it with me.

I set up my tripod and focused my camera toward the falls. Here is a about a five-minute video of Snoqualmie Falls which gives you a great idea of how it looked.

After viewing so many vintage postcards of Snoqualmie Falls from this angle, it was a real treat to capture a photo like this. Since we were at the spot around 11:00 a.m., the sun wasn’t in the best direction. In addition, there was a persistent yellow haze that hung in the air throughout the weekend. Nevertheless, I’m grateful Brian had access to this area and that I could finally visit the location.

AROUND NORTH BEND AND SNOQUALMIE IN THE AFTERNOON

After changing my muddy boots and freshening up after the morning hike to the falls, I set out to explore more of North Bend and Snoqualmie. A first stop was the intersection of SE Reinig Road and 396th Drive SE in Snoqualmie which served as the film location for Sparkwood & 21 in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.

I love visiting this spot as it’s truly movie magic. There is no stoplight at this intersection because the road just curves.  The crew also brought in lighting to illuminate the scene at night because it can get incredibly dark at night.

While in the town of Snoqualmie, I stopped by the Art Gallery of SnoValley. This small gallery is located near Chickadee Bakeshop and contains beautiful works by many local Washington state artists. During the Real Twin Peaks events in February, the gallery has a concentrated display of Twin Peaks-inspired artwork. This time, the artwork was mixed in with images of the Pacific Northwest and wildlife. One wall featured artwork by Minh who has several pieces featuring the great David Lynch.

Next stop was North Bend where I took this photo of the railroad crossing along Bendigo Boulevard. This is the spot where the Grandmother and her Grandson suddenly appear to Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me to present her with a framed photo.

Further into town, I visited the North Bend Trading Company, the sister location to the Snoqualmie Trading Company. They have a small assortment of Twin Peaks-themed and Real Twin Peaks items, some of which you can find online.

My final stop for a few hours was Twede’s Cafe where Scott Ryan reprised his role as a busboy. Rachel and Max somehow let him work again, serving slices of heavenly cherry pie and cups of damn, fine coffee to both Twin Peaks fans and non-fans alike.

I joke as this is really such a wonderful opportunity for a fan like Scott. After seeing his documentary about his time working at Twede’s Cafe in February 2026, it was great seeing him in action again. The “Double R Dream” will play again at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago for “Twin Peaks: Moving Through Time” event being held from September 18-22, 2026.

GUIDED MEDITATION AND MULHOLLAND DRIVE AT THE NORTH BEND THEATRE

I returned to the North Bend Theatre around 6:00 p.m. for the evening screening of Mulholland Drive. The North Bend Theatre created these fun ultra-mini poster stickers of the film’s official movie poster.

The team also printed a double-sided flyer containing ten clues to the mystery of Mulholland Drive that Lynch created for the film’s DVD release in France. These were not answers as David did not explain his films. Rather, they were prompts for people to consider.

Lynch confirmed in a 2018 interview that the list of 10 clues was real and that he didn’t expect the document to travel around the world like it did.

Before the film began, Kevin Burrows welcomed everyone to the historic one-screen theatre. He explained this was the same theatre where David Lynch debuted his film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me on August 16, 1992.

He was joined by Annie Skipper who is currently the Director for the Bellevue TM Center and was one of the earliest practitioners of Transcendental Meditation in the Pacific Northwest according to a 2017 interview in The Seattle Times. Skipper has practiced Transcendental Meditation, or TM, since 1971 and knew David Lynch.

Kevin put together a short introduction using two interviews with David Lynch about how Transcendental Mediation helped help create the version of Mulholland Drive that was released theatrically. The first was a 2006 interview with Doug Gordon from Wisconsin Public Radio. Lynch spoke about how TM has influenced his creativity, and his films, which include “Mulholland Drive,” and “Blue Velvet” and the TV series “Twin Peaks.” Hear it HERE.

The second clip came from an interview with National Public Radio’s Rachel Martin on June 16, 2024. Lynch played a game of wild card with Martin where he talked about his upbringing and learning from failure. Hear it HERE.

Annie Skipper then explained various types of mediation and how TM was different. She then led the entire audience in a 10 minute meditation session. This reminded me of when Annie led a meditation session during the David Lynch memorial gathering at the Real Twin Peaks 2025 event. I don’t practice TM (though I probably should explore incorporating meditation in my life).

I closed my eyes and sat in silence with others gathered in the room. Perhaps it was the energy of the Pacific Northwest but I could hear Lynch’s voice saying, “Thank you Steven. Keep sharing. Keep sharing. Keep sharing.” It was a surreal experience but I do believe there are strange forces in this world that guide us and shape us. So I will keep sharing.

After the meditation was completed, we all took a trip down Mulholland Drive. Even after 25 years, it’s still such an incredible film. I remember seeing it twice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during downtime from a work trip in November 2001.

There was a fantastic discussion about this film during the Real Twin Peaks 2025 event with  John Thorne, author of “Devious Dreams: Reimagining David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive”; Josh Eisenstadt, Director, Screenwriter and long-time David Lynch fan; Richard Green, director of “I Know Catherine, The Log Lady” and the actor who played The Magician in Mulholland Drive; and the late Rebekah Del Rio, singer and the actor who played the Club Silencio singer. This was one of the final appearances of Rebekah as she passed away a few months later after it was recorded.

The day ended at Volition Brewing Co. (again) where Jessica Self from the North Bend Downtown Foundation and Real Twin Peaks event team toasted with their damn fine beer.

I had one more day in Snoqualmie Valley before having to return to Florida.