Archive for the ‘Local Community Info’ Category
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Jun
30
Posted by Kathleen Cragun
Even if you don’t live in Issaquah Highlands, you can come to Highlands Days, and by the look of things many of you did. You don’t even have to live in Issaquah. I know people from Covington, Woodinville, Seattle and Bellevue who joined the folks having fun yesterday. Take a look. There is also a post on www.IssaquahHighlandsUndressed.com.
There was a Kids Parade, Food Booths, Entertainment, Vendors, Carnival Fun to name a few things. Ashley and Sara take a spin. Alexia, Chase, Kayla and others swing through the air with the greatest of ease. But things got a little tramatic when Chase had to get off! He was not happy!
Tootsie Pops can make you forget a big disapointment, at least when you are two. Or how about a Goldfish toss.
The Fabulous Roof Shakers
Poasted Pig anyone?
Bubbleman gets ready…………………….. www.bubbleman.com
PLEASE don’t touch the BIG BUBBLES, or the Bubbleman. And don’t cross the purple line!
There was Pizza, Pork, Hotdogs, Mexican Food, PCC Food, Snow Cones, Popcorn, Root Beer, Beer, etc. Was it a little too pricey?
Sarah rides in the parade, as does this electric car, plus ballerinas and bears.
Not everything was just for kids, if you didn’t stick around or come back for the last 3 hours or so, you missed a lot.
The Seattle Matsuri Taiko Drummers
and the Te Fare O Tamatoa Tahitian Dancers
I missed the following presentations:
The Sabha India Dance Troupe…You can find out about them at www.FromWithinAcademy.org.
Dance Heads…looks like fun www.danceheads.com.
Panduo Steel Drum Duo www.leapfrog-entertainment.com
MK Ballet…..Check out our post on this delightful ballet studio http://issaquah.neighborhoodsundressed.com/2008/04/25/mk-ballet-an-exciting-addition-to-issaquah/
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Jun
21
Posted by Larry Cragun
Home Sales were up the last 30 days, open houses are down this week. Is their a relationship that would indicate fewer homes on the market? Nope. More homes on the market. Click here to see which agents are holding open houses this weekend. Some subscribe to the philosophy open houses don’t work. I disagree. Open houses are in my opinion a great way to see Issaquah Homes for sale. It can be efficient.
Tags: open+houses, issaquah, realtor
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Jun
12
Posted by Kathleen Cragun
There are now 480 posts (articles) about Issaquah on this blog. AND they are always available to read, view the pictures, get information about what it is like to live in Issaquah, what restaurants are here, including reviews; what events happen, pictures of our green, green area, mountains, lakes, schools, neighborhoods, houses and parks, what winter is like and on and on.
DON’T MISS THE COLUMN ON THE RIGHT. Yes, it is long but, if you want to find something about almost anything in Issaquah go to our catagories on the right, click and all posts in that catagory pull up, click on one to open. OR go to our search button and put in what you are trying to find. It will pull up.
We also have links to many other community information sites such as the Chamber of Commerce, Traffic Cams, Schools, etc. A click of the mouse will take you there.
OK, We admit there are a few posts about areas around Issaquah but we Issaquahians (?) do get around since so much IS around Issaquah!
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Jun
11
Posted by Larry Cragun
OK, let’s have some help here: I will start it off.
1- Convenient location to a ton of great places: Seattle, Snoqualmie Pass, etc.
2- We have a very pro active parks department: The proof is n the pudding.
3- A highly involved population: If it is important, people get involved.
4- The character of Issaquah is kept intact. Take a visit with that in mind.
5- Recreation abounds here.
6- Shopping.
7- The arts are a big part of Issaquah
8- See Amy Gregersen’s comment:
9
10
Leave your ideas as a comment or email me at larrykcragun(at)yahoo.com
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Apr
30
Posted by Kathleen Cragun
Issaquah Highlands celebrated Arbor Day last Saturday April 26th. Many people worked very hard to bring the event to pass. If you don’t know what Arbor Day is, it is a day to rejoice in trees, plant trees and care for them. It grew first from a family by the name of Morten that moved to Nebraska in the 1800s, found the landscape barren and missed trees as did their fellow pioneers. It wasn’t just their beauty but they were needed to serve as wind breaks, keep soil in place, for fuel and building homes and for shade from the sun.
J. Sterling Morten purposed a tree-planting holiday (no doubt, it was originally Mrs. Mortens idea, but he got the credit) About a million trees were planted that first Arbor Day!
Thomas Jefferson - “I never before knew the full value of trees. Under them I breakfast, dine, write, read, and receive my company.”
Perhaps we are like Jefferson we don’t appreciate trees enough because we have so many here in the Pacific Northwest. I love flying into the Seattle airport, it is just such a wonderful GREEN sight.
It seems that Arbor Day has grown to include all kinds of things about our earth and the critters that inhabit it and appropriately so.
Seattle Audubon Society Booth - Lindsey Edwards and Audrey Schomer, Conservation Outreach Assistant and Education Outreach Assistant, respectively had much information about birds and even a few examples. The Audubon Society www.seattleaudubon.org 206-523-4483
Paws was present. I was glad to find out that an indoor cat is a happy cat. Mine sure seem to have a great life. I should be so lucky. www.paws.org. PAWS is not just about cats and dogs, but PAWS works to make a difference for all animals and birds too.There are many volunteer oportunities.
There were a number of booths with information about hiking in our area and in the Greater Seattle area. www.wta.org
There were booklets about where to go for Hiking with Dogs, Hiking with Families, even hikes for older folks. One brochure that caught my eye was about the need for volunteers to help maintain the trails. It said:
3 TONS OF SNOW
5 MONTHS OF RAIN
9,000 MILES OF TRAILS
YOU DO THE MATH
JOIN A TRAIL WORK PARTY
www.wta.org
HOW ABOUT IT? Want to help?
BLACK BEARS and GRIZZLY BEARS - There was a booth about bears with Michael Tronquet and Julie Hopkins that I found very interesting. Larry and I have encountered a few up here in the Highlands. (not Grizzlys!)
Julie (Hayes) Hopkins, Field Coordinator and Wildlife Biologist is involved with the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project. She gave a most interesting presentation about these two bears and even how to tell them apart in the wild. Good idea!
Here are some facts I learned, the bear facts: Bears diet is 90% vegetarian - berries, grubs, bees, roots, insects, ground squirrels, moths 20,000 at a time, dead animals that are killed by other predators. Bears have the best nose on the planet and are the third most intelligent animal. They have their big toe on the outside of their feet not the in. Bears have trails in the woods they use most often at dawn and dusk. They are creatures of habit.
Grizzly Bears - like space, not people, lose 40% of body fat when they hibernate, become eating machines when wake up. Cubs are few and weigh only about a pound when born. Have very long claws for digging for roots, marmots, grubs, etc. Leave a wide trail. Weigh 400-600 lbs. Have a dished face, shoulder hump, small ears, can be dark or light. Have gotten a bad rap.
Black Bears - like forest, don’t mind people. Claws are shorter but sharper. Love barks soft underlayer, berries, garbage, bird feeders, fruit trees, BBQs. Weigh 150-250 lbs. Leave a much narrower trail. Have a straight face, bigger ears. Are not always black, can be light.
More people are killed by dogs than bears.
This was a great event. I wish more people had been there.
A fed bear is a dead bear - Do not feed - www.bearinfo.org
Posted by Kathleen Cragun
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Apr
09
Posted by Kathleen Cragun
Chefchaouen is in Morocco and has been our sister city for about a year. Perhaps you remember their interesting booth at Salmon Days last October. The blue door sent to us by Chefchaouen symbolizes the friendship and hospitality between the two cities. This friendship between Issaquah and the Morroccan city was one of many fruits of a student exchange program.
The door was unveiled and dedicated by Mayor Ava Frisinger with members of a delegation of visitors from Chefchaouen looking on. The Issaquah Press has this event as this weeks front page news. For a wonderful article about The Blue Door go to www.issaquahpress.com.
The door is located next to City Hall. You can’t miss it.
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Mar
26
Posted by Larry Cragun
Enjoy up to $50,000 in Buyer Incentives and a Spring Shopping Spree at Issaquah Highlands this weekend!
Issaquah Highlands — Spring is definitely in the air at Issaquah Highlands! To commemorate spring, the award-winning master planned community of Issaquah Highlands is celebrating with a Spring Shopping Spree that includes buyer incentives up to $50,000 on select homes. Homebuyers can tour any of 17 model homes representing collections from some of the Northwest’s most respected homebuilders. Designs include condominiums, townhomes, single-family homes, luxury view and estate custom homes.
Patterned after a traditional, pedestrian-friendly town with narrow streets, inviting front porches and wide sidewalks, Issaquah Highland is unique to the Northwest as a true urban village community. It’s a place with a sense of awareness toward the environment the community members call “Living GreenTM.” Living Green starts with a sustainable land plan and new homes that quality for a minimum Built Green™ 4-Star rating and Energy Star® certification. Many homes have features and systems that exceed this standard, creating homes that are healthier to live in, cost less to operate and maintain, and leave a lighter footprint on the planet.
Issaquah Highlands includes more than 1,500 acres of parks, playgrounds and open spaces, an off-leash dog park, park-and-ride, firehouse, and the community center, Blakely Hall. Honored as the Best Sustainable Community and Best Master Planned Community by the Pacific Coast Builders Conference, the community was also named one of the top ten sustainable communities in the country in the January/February 2008 issue of Natural Home.
Bring your family and enjoy the Spring Shopping Spree home tour, complete with live music and free $10 shopping coupons. Today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the community expects hundreds of buyers to stop by the new home Info Center and officially welcome in spring. Those who visit the Info Center as well as one of the 17 professionally furnished model homes will be treated to a $10 coupon good at any of the shops, services or restaurants at the High Street Retail Village and Starpoint Shops located at 2520 NE Park Drive.
“You can use the coupon to drop off your dry cleaning at Highlands Cleaners, enjoy a glass of fine wine at Sip! Wine Bar, or treat your favorite four-legged friend to a spa treatment at the newly opened Le Chic Pet,” explains Genni Reilly, Vice President of Leasing and Marketing for Port Blakely Communities, Issaquah Highlands’ master developer. The retail village also includes Caffe Ladro, Ricenroll, Sorella Salon and Spa, Subway, Marcela’s Mexican Grill, Occhio! Vision Care, 9 Bar Espresso, World Pies, and Curves.
This weekend only, buyers can also take advantage of a wide range of buyer incentives including:
The Burnsteads — $10,000 Buyer Choice Upgrades at Wisteria Park
CamWest — $20,000 Decorator Allowance on Final 3 Homes
D.R. Horton — $30,000 Savings on Select Homesites
GMP Homes — $50,000 Buyers Bonuses on the Remaining Three Homes at 24th Court
Roanoke Woods — $20,000 Buyer Bonus
Specialized Homes — Where Environmental Responsibility Meets Luxury!
Noland Homes — $15,000 to $75,000 Instant Equity Opportunity
John F. Buchan — Opportunity of a Lifetime is Now!
Rainier Homes — Only Two Homes Left!
Graecen Construction — $10,000 Buyer Bonus on One Remaining Home
William Buchan Homes — Only One Home Left
Harrison Street & Grand Ridge Drive — Featuring View & Estate Homesites
Buyers should contact neighborhood site agents for specific details and restrictions on specials.
“This spring celebration is in response the amazing selection we have available at Issaquah Highlands, the recent increase in visitor traffic and buyer interest, and the excellent financing, rates and increased lending limits recently enacted. You’ll find there is no better time to buy,” says Reilly.
That’s something new resident David Nguyen can relate to. He moved in last December. “When I purchased my home at Issaquah Highlands, I wanted to take advantage of the market before it was too late. I didn’t want to wait,” he says.
Reilly, herself, joined Port Blakely Communities last November and, although she had heard about Issaquah Highlands prior to her new position, she wasn’t quite prepared for the actual experience. “It’s very focused on both people and the environment,” she says. With an active social calendar, Issaquah Highlands hosts a number of events designed to bring the residents and neighboring communities together. On April 26th, the Grand Ridge Elementary School — located within the master planned community — will be the site of the annual Arbor Day Celebration with vendor booths, trail hikes and children’s activities, and June 28th is the date set for Highlands Day with music, food, booths and a parade. “Highlands Day is one of our largest celebrations each year. We expect about 2,000 people to attend,” notes Reilly. Additional events include concerts and holiday festivals.”
Issaquah Highlands’ Spring Shopping Spree Incentives and Specials are good for this weekend only. Visit the sales information center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to pick up a map of available homes.
Information Center Hours
Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Driving directions
1011 NE High Street, Suite 103. Take the new Sunset Interchange (Exit #18). Follow Highlands Dr. up the hill and turn right on NE High Street. Follow the signs to the New Home Info. Center.
Developer:
Port Blakely Communities, Inc.
Contact Info:
www.issaquahhighlands.com 425-427-8736
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Feb
21
Posted by Kathleen Cragun
YYYYUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
This is not your Mom’s Pies. This is Pies as in PIZZA! This is not your ordinary, boring pizza ( If pizza can be boring). These are World Class Pizza’s. We had been waiting for this restaurant to open, checking each day as we knew it was close. Last night was the first night open to the public, and we went early with some friends. This was really strategic (accidently) because we got to sample a number of pizzas since we ordered different ones.
We were guided in our choices by Kyra Witt, a very knowledgeable about food waitperson, (we suspect she’s a chef in disguise) Larry was in an adventurous mood (with a little prodding from me) and ordered the Marrakesh Express, which is embellished with Moroccan spiced lamb sausage, cumin-scented tomato sauce, roasted eggplant, garbanzo beans, currants and green olives. Drizzled with a sprightly Harissa-Yogurt sauce. He was glad he ordered it, and is ready to go back for more and for the Italiano Supremo, a supreme meat lovers pie.
Our friend Frank, ordered the Caribbean Jerk, described on the menu as…Ya, mahn..you’re no jerk for loving this islander gem. Roast chicken arranged on a smear of tangy-sweet jerk tomato sauce and accompanied by oven-roasted pineapple and onion slivers, green bell pepper and tomato. Served with Mango Chutney for spreading and dipping. I loved it.
The Italian Queen is similar to a classic Margherita but different, fresh tomato, mozzarella, basil, dollops of basil pesto. Sprinkled with Parmesan. This was my favorite (so far).
Other pizza offering are numerous and include Chicken Curry, Formaggi Bianco, El Greco, Falafel, Oaxacan Mole, etc, etc, ideas from all over the world.
The Pizza Piccola is for the less adventurous and kids, Red Roma sauce and cheese. There were lots of kids that seemed to be enjoying the food.
They have two house soups every day plus a variety of good salad choices and Made-To-Order Flatbread.
Last but not least, was the dessert menu. We were all so stuffed we shared one, the Lemon Riviera, it was superb both in its presentation and its taste. A very unusual dessert. And they do have chocolate!
Owner Matt Snook has garnered the necessary assistance, expertise and spent nearly a year developing the excellent menu and the concept of his World Pies. It promises to be a great success.
World Pies is located in Issaquah Highlands at 2525 NE Park Dr #A, the south Starpoint Building. 425-392-6099. Hours are 5:00pm to 10:00pm. The adjoining 9 Bar Espresso is open 7:00am to 10:00pm.
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Feb
12
Posted by Kathleen Cragun
Today looked like an almost spring day. It was warmer and even sunshiny in the morning, so we drove around to see what was new and interesting in Issaquah. These are a few of our findings.
Cute houses on 11th Ave NE, Vista Park
Timber Ridge in Talus
Rainier Parc Condominiums in downtown Issaquah
Grand Ridge Drive is taking shape
West Highlands Park getting started
Watch for more on these areas
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Feb
08
Posted by Larry Cragun
Don’t go east to Snoqualmie pass, man or woman, it is closed.
If these aren’t enough to convince you
Maybe this one will, some cameras have been hit by an avalanche.
Going West to Seattle looks much better.
Check the links on the right if you want to get to these cams live.
