Northwest Gold Coast

Many businesses are reporting that their goal is simply to survive these difficult times. The steps to survival are the same as those for building a business.

1. Build relationships (old and new). This builds trust and helps you identify who needs what your business has to offer and who has what your business needs.
2. Tell your story. What has your business accomplished? What is your business’ passion?
3. Invite a prospect to try your business’ services/products.
4. Provide what you have committed to provide and if possible provide more than was promised.
5. Be as eager to buy what your business needs as you are to sell what others need. This continues the process of building relationships.

To submit your own ideas for surviving tough times email info@northwestgoldcoast.com.

Tags: Business Advice by Elizabeth Paulsen
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While most people in our community still have jobs, homes, and plenty of food, it nags at us that there are many who are living in fear of failure. It is most painful when we see that many of those living in fear are the youngest in our community. Thankfully, there are community leaders who know that it takes investment of time and self to help young children become successful and confident. Below are two programs underway in Federal Way that help children learn that they can succeed.

Two programs, one private and individual, the other aimed mostly at the public schools and systemic reform, offer rich investment opportunities. Communities in Schools, with strong support from the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce, manages the Personal Academic Student Support (PASS) Mentoring Program. Mentors receive an initial half-day training, along with support materials. After clearing background checks and filing a successful application, they are paired with an eager student, most often from a middle school, though the program now includes fifth graders. These mentees are eager and capable. The students selected are not the habitual problem children. Rather, counselors select those who show much promise but who have a few factors that could lead to problems, without some additional support. In other words, mentors work with those they can really impact positively. The mentoring sessions are generally an hour long and take place on the school campus. Unlike traditional tutoring opportunities, mentors talk with their students, often while playing cards or board games. For many of the mentees this is the one time in the week when an adult listens attentively to them. As the relationship builds, students share their lives and mentors can offer bits of wisdom, experience, and most of all, genuine human care to the students. For more information on the PASS Mentoring Program and an application, visit http://federalway.ciswa.org.

Kids at Hope (KAH) is a fascinating approach to working with children, systemically, through public schools, or private after-school clubs. The founding principle of the organization is that all children are capable of success – no exceptions! Rather than focusing on risk factors, human dysfunction, and the many barriers children face, KAH traffics in hope. It does so by training school staff and child-centered organizations and programs in a thorough-going philosophy and system of hope. Adults are taught to catch children doing well and to report their observations to them, “Giving Aces,” to children so they can build their hope and learn to believe in their own success. When children are encouraged to believe that they can excel, in time, they do excel. Some might initially dismiss such optimism as unrealistic and feelings-based. However, the program is backed by scientific research and grounded not in mere self-esteem but in celebrating real achievements – real success. The KAH website offers a wealth of information, examples of their own success stories, and the means by which this dynamic and positive approach to children can come to your school or organization.

Whether you help one child through a mentoring program like Personal Academic Student Support or you bring systemic redirection through hope-based programs like Kids at Hope, there is nobility and legacy that comes with investing in children. Make your success the community’s by improving a child’s future.

Tags: Community Involvement, Education by Oksu Ellis
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Easter Eggstravaganza: Inflatables, carnival games, puppet shows, give-aways and a big easter egg hunt. | Free admission Saturday, April 11, 10am-2pm; Egg hunt @ 1:30pm | Angle Lake Neighborhood Church 18617 42nd Ave. S. SeaTac, WA 98188 | For more information call 206-244-7600.

A Tale of Two Cities: Seattle Children’s Theatre Performance by Dwayne Hartford, based on the novel by Charles Dickens | Thursday March 19 – April 12 | Seattle Children’s Theatre, 201 Thomas St. Seattle, WA 98109 | For more information visit www.sct.org/browse.

WACO (Washington Composers Orchestra): This big bandish bunch features top northwest players and new music by Robin Holcomb, Wayne Horvitz and Tom Varner. | Free Admission | Thursday April 2, 12pm – 1pm | Seattle City Hall Lobby | For more information visit www.eventful.com/seattle/events/waco-washington-composers-orchestra.

Gold Prospectors Show: Lectures begins at 11am, gold panning contest at noon | Saturday March 21 – 22 | Puyallup Fair Expo Hall – enter through gold gate | For more information visit http://www.goldprospectors.org.

NW’s Largest Family Festival: Kidfest! Babyfest! Campfest! Focusing on active and healthy family lifestyle and raising kids successfully.   Hundreds of interactive exhibits. | Saturday March 21 – 22 | Please call 360-514-0767 for admission. | For more information visit www.pintsizedproductions.com.

Scottish Heritage Festival: Scottish clans, bag pipes, highland cancers, musicians, vendors and concessions | Saturday March 28, 10am – 5pm | Puyallup Fairgrounds, 110 9th Ave. SW, Puyallup | For more information visit www.tartanday-wa.org/Festival-2009.html or call 253-845-1771.

2009 Spring Fairy Festival: A full day of Fairy magic in Tacoma! Featuring vendors, workshops, children’s activities, costume contest and more! Signings with local artists Amy Brown, Jody Bergsma & Rob Carlos. | Saturday April 4 | Workshop: 10am – 12pm; Festival: 12pm – 8pm; Ball: 8pm-10pm | Freighthouse Square 440E. 25th St. Tacoma | For more information visit www.springfairyfestival.webs.com or call 253-572-8339.

76th Annual Daffodil Grand Floral Street Parade:
The parade travels through the four cities of Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting and consists of approximately 40 float entries. | Saturday April 4, 10:15am Tacoma, 12:45pm Puyallup; 2:30pm Sumner; 5pm Orting | For more information visit www.daffodilfestival.net or call 253-863-9524.

Behind the Scenes at Northwest Trek: Join a keeper as he feeds the animals in the core area and get a peek behind the public exhibits. | Saturday April 4, 12:30pm – 2pm | Northwest Trek Wildlife Park | For more information visit www.nwtrek.org or call 360-832-7166.

Whirligig: The Seattle Center’s annual spring break bouncy extravaganza features huge inflatable toys for kids, special events and entertainment. Visit early in the day and early in the week to avoid the hordes. Thursdays are free! | Friday March 27 – April 12, 11am – 6pm | Seattle Center | For more information visit www.seattlecenter.com or call 206-684-7200.

Seattle Green Festival: Good green stuff: talks, music, info about careers. | Seattle tourism, eco-fashion, natural pet care, a home pavilion and a green kids zone. | Saturday March 28, 12pm – 6pm and Sunday March 29, 12pm – 5pm |   Washington State Convention & Trade Center, 800 Convention Place, Seattle | For more information visit www.greenfestivals.org/seattle.

Norwegian Cultural & Heritage Day: Learn about Norwegian culture at the Sons of Norway’s annual cultural fair. Taste Norwegian food and view demonstrations of crafts such as painting, rug tying, knitting and rose painting. There’s music, dance, kids’ crafts and traditional Viking games, too. | Saturday March 28, 10am |   Leif Erikson Lodge, 2245 N.W. 57th St. Seattle. | For more information call 206-783-1274.

West Hylebos Wetlands Stewardship: Join us at the West Hylebos Wetlands for a stewardship work party to remove Himalayan blackberry from the park’s forest. | Saturday April 11, 9:30am – 2pm | West Hylebos Wetlands (Federal Way) | For more information visit www.hylebos.org or contact Hillary Kleeb at 253-874-2005.

All About Chrysanthemums: Learn how to care your mums for fall color | Saturday April 28, 8pm | Furney’s Nursery, 21515 International Blvd. Des Moines

Tags: Events by Oksu Ellis
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Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Ancient Proverb

Many enjoy honey simply because it tastes good.

Others know that honey, man’s oldest sweetener, is an effective calmer of coughs or ulcers when ingested with warm tea. Honey is also a natural antiseptic for wounds and, because it has the ability to attract water, it can be used as a face mask or mixed with olive oil to be used as a hair moisturizer.

Yet recent media stories have scared many people off from buying honey with reports that much of the honey sold in the United States is tainted with contaminants or watered down.

So where can one find healthy honey?

Some of the best honey in the world comes to the United States via locally owned, Ritrovo Italian Regional Foods, LLC. For 10 years husband and wife team, Ron Post and Ilyse Rathet have been honey devotees and they have helped bring the hand-crafted honey products of Dr. Paolo Pescia to the US market.

Pescia, a passionate second-generation honey maker, transports his apiaries (beehives) to seasonally-flowering zones and protected national parks located from Italy’s Tuscan coast to its hills. He uses this practice to produce monofloral (one flower) honeys of stunning quality and flavor. All production is done by hand, including the scraping of the honey from their combs. Contrary to the reports of adulteration in some imported honey, Pescia’s honeys, like many other limited-production honeys, are free from chemicals and contaminants. In fact, Pescia honeys have “proudly” passed several lab analyses for the Chinese-based contaminant choloramphenicol, which has never been discovered in honey “Made in Italy”.

Pescia Honeys can be purchased locally at Poggi Bonsi Cucina at 907 S. 152nd Street in Olde Burien.

Varieties of honey are as follows.

Acacia Honey by Dr. Pescia – From a national park in Northeast Tuscany, this golden, liquid honey is extremely floral, perfect for drizzling on pastries or Sunday morning French toast.

Blackberry Honey from Dr. Pescia – Available seasonally, this rare, lush honey produced from bees visiting ripe fall blackberries in the Tuscan countryside. Its deep flavor is perfect for fruit desserts, quick breads, and meats–including game meats.

Cardoon Flower Honey by Dr. Pescia – available seasonally.

Corbezzolo Honey by Dr. Pescia – available seasonally.

Chestnut Honey by Dr. Pescia – The bees are transported to chestnut woods in the hills near the Pescia farm for the production of a transparent, bronze-colored, pourable honey with a potent, molasses-like bouquet and flavor. Ideal as a condiment for cheese plates.

Ivy Flower Honey by Dr. Pescia – available seasonally.

Sulla Honey by Dr. Pescia – From the flowers of a wild local legume in the Tuscan Hills, this light and delicate honey has a velvety texture, making it a delicious addition to tea or coffee. Also use it in any sauce reduction.

Sunflower Honey by Dr. Pescia – available seasonally.

Wild Heather Honey by Dr. Pescia – From the expanses of heather facing the Mediterranean near the Pescia farm, this honey has a slightly crystalline structure and intense yet balanced suite of flavors. Excellent as a dessert topping, elegant over pancetta, and simply wonderful on ice cream.

Enjoy this vignette of one of Post and Rathet’s visits to a Dr. Pescia honey territory.

Or check out this recipe for Honey Panna Cotta.

Tags: Health, Shopping by Elizabeth Paulsen
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