Northwest Gold Coast

Celebrate the Holidays with Locomotion

What: Winter Train and Village at Seattle Center’s Winterfest. You are invited to take your turn conducting the winter train around the holiday village. A free event, with a suggested donation of $2.

When: Open through the month of December all the way through 4pm on December 24th. 10:30am – 12 noon, 1pm – 2:30pm and 3:30pm – 5:30pm daily.

Where: Seattle Center

Go to: http://www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest/#Winter

 

Zoolights

What: Enjoy the zoo, covered in decorations and holiday lights (standard admission rates apply).

When: December 21st through January first, 5:00pm (December 24th Excluded).

Where: Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

Go to:http://calendar.thenewstribune.com/tacoma-wa/events/show/220339765-zoolights#storylink=cpy

 

Ice Sculpting

What: Watch expert ice sculpting artists create works of art.

When: December 24th and 31st. Noon to 2:00pm.

Where: Seattle Center, Outside of Fisher Pavilion.

Go to: http://www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest/#Ice

 

Ugly Sweater Night

What: Put on your worst holiday sweater and get a $1 discount on admission to the Tacoma Art Museum.

When: December 23rd, 10:00am – 5:00pm.

Where: Tacoma Art Museum

Go to:http://www.voiceplaces.com/ugly-sweater-night-seattle-1663261-e/

 

Seahawks vs. 49ers

What: Watch the Seahawks butt heads with their division rivals the 49ers. A Seahawks victory would keep their playoff hopes alive.

When: Saturday, December 24th at 1:15pm(pt)

Where: Century Link field

Go to:http://www.seahawks.com/schedule/season-schedule.html

 

Federal Way Tree Recycling

What: Free Christmas Tree pickup for residents of Federal Way. Simply place the tree by the curb (remove all decorations, no trees with coatings or fireproofing are accepted).

When: 7:00am, December 26th – January 6th

Where: Federal Way curbsides (residents only).

Go to:http://www.cityoffederalway.com/Calendar.aspx?EID=368&month=12&year=2011&day=21&calType=0

 

New Year’s Fireworks

What: Celebrate the beginning of 2012 by enjoying the view of the professional fireworks show launched from Seattle’s iconic space needle.

When: December 31st, Countdown to the new year in the moments approaching midnight and watch the fireworks start at 12 O’clock.

Where: Visible from downtown Seattle, or local news stations.

 

Polar Bear Dip

What: Kick off the New Year with a jump into the chilly waters of Lake Washington.

When: January 1, 11:00am

Where: Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park

Go to:http://rentonwa.gov/living/default.aspx?id=6150

 

Day Trip to Leavenworth’s IceFest

What: Join other winter enthusiasts on a trip to Leavenworth’s IceFest. Enjoy a full day of winter activities in beautiful and festive Leavenworth. Transportation costs $40 – $50.

When: Saturday January 14th. Bus departs at 8:00am and starts the return trip at 6:00pm.

Where: Bus departs from Hwy 512 Park N Ride, Lakewood, WA

Go to:http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/198251

 

Empty Bowls

What: Buy a hand crafted bowl and enjoy a nice meal, all while doing something good for the community. Admission is a minimum $15 donation for adults and $10 for children. Proceeds go to the Highline Food Bank and White Center Food Bank.

When: Friday January 28th, 11:00am-2:00pm & 4:00-8:00pm

Where: Burien Community Center

Go to:http://www.burienwa.gov/index.aspx?NID=840

Tags: Around Seattle, Cities, Community Involvement, Dining, Events, Outdoor Recreation, Sports by Kevin Cushing
No Comments »

Have you ever wondered what you would look like as a cartoon? Well now here’s your chance to become one and help out a great cause at the same time!  Cascade e-Commerce Solutions’ staff member, Amanda Dorough, will be leaving this July to participate in an 11 month service trip around the world with an organization called The World Race.  Her team will be serving the communities in several different capacities including construction, teaching English, manual labor, and orphan/prison ministry.   In addition, they will be giving up their American lives of comfort to carry all their belongings in a backpack, sleep in tents and shower in rivers.

Instead of having participants take out loans, The World Race requires them to fundraise the money needed to cover their expenses for the year, from food, transport and lodging to task necessities such as crayons, gloves and paint.  The cost of the July Squads trip is $15,500, a price that is a deterrent for many but through the donations of others is entirely possible and has been made possible for nearly 500 young adults over the last 5 years.

The idea for this fundraiser  sprouted recently when Amanda was creating cartoon caricatures of the Cascade e-Commerce staff to be featured on our website,  and now you have a chance to “get animated” and help make a difference in the world while getting something cool and unique in return.  For a $20 donation Amanda will create a digital caricature of you (or your child, brother, niece, second uncle twice removed etc.) that you will be able to to use online or print off and frame as wall art. Each caricature after the first will cost $15.  Special orders can also be placed for a price that will be determined based on the difficulty of the request.

In order to make each caricature Amanda will need a head shot of good quality to get the facial features correct and make sure the cartoon actually looks like you. In addition you can choose what color/type of shirt you wear and to color of the background!  For any question or to make an order you can contact Amanda at amanda@4cesi.com.

If you would like to make a donation but would not like a caricature you can do so here.  All donations are tax deductible.

You can learn more about Amanda and follow her blog at amandadorough.theworldrace.org

Tags: CeSI News, Community Involvement by Amanda Dorough
No Comments »

The 4th Annual Back to School Fair proved to be another huge success with a turnout that was better than ever. With a new school year now underway, many kids in the SeaTac community were able to head back to school with brand new backpacks filled with much of the supplies needed for the upcoming year. This is due in part to the many who helped and volunteered in the community of SeaTac, as well as local businesses and organizations whose donations helped make this possible.

This year over 1,700 adults and children attended the event. More than 100 volunteers handed out 1,300 backpacks to children filled with needed school supplies as well as 225 slingbacks with early learning supplies for preschoolers. In addition 100 haircuts and 125 immunizations were given and 1,000 personal care bags filled with hair care products were handed out.  The event also served 1,300 plates of food to attendees.

With so many families struggling because of the economy this event was a way to reach out to the community and help SeaTac families meet their kid’s back to school needs. Thank you to everyone who gave this year, as many were blessed by your time and generosity.

Tags: Community Involvement by Michelle Leonard
No Comments »

Two boutique retailers countdown to launch the holiday season with new stores at The Landing in Renton.

Poggi Bonsi of Burien and C’est la Vie of Edmonds are launching new stores at The Landing in Renton in Mid November, 2009 with a joint grand opening celebration scheduled for December 4. Both stores are #1 winners in King 5’s “Best of the Northwest” contest 2009—C’est la Vie won for best gift store and Poggi Bonsi won for best housewares store. The two retailers, who share a common customer demographic, business philosophy and promotional savvy, will remain separate entities but will team up to plan advertising, promotions and in-store events. This creative partnership will provide their customers with a varied and unique destination shopping experience.

Poggi Bonsi specializes in kitchenware, Italian and French ceramics and linens, specialty foods, home décor and “Gifts with European Flavor.” C’est la Vie is an intimate and sophisticated artisan boutique featuring contemporary jewelry, clothing and home furnishings. Each store will occupy approx 2,800 square feet with a connecting doorway so customers can stroll between the two with ease.

The Landing in Renton was chosen as the location to launch this new partnership because of its commitment to attracting boutique retailers to an under-served area of South Lake Washington.

About Poggi Bonsi

Poggi Bonsi (www.PoggiBonsiGifts.com) is a direct importer of Italian ceramics, French pottery, Italian olive wood utensils, and fine European linens. In addition to its imported goods, Poggi Bonsi features an assortment of European kitchenware, specialty foods and home decor celebrating the Mediterranean lifestyle. The name Poggi Bonsi is taken from the village “Poggibonsi” in central Tuscany. Owners Michelle Codd and Keli DeRitis have traveled hundreds of miles in the European countryside seeking out suppliers who practice their centuries-old crafts.

About C’est la Vie

C’est la Vie (www.clvcatalog.com ) is a one stop gift, clothing, jewelry, furniture and wall art store based in Edmonds, WA. C’est la Vie features brands such as jewelry from; Trollbeads, Heather Moore, and David Tishbi, clothing from Michael Stars, Jag and many more. C’est la Vie also showcases a constantly changing selection of handcrafted artisan works. The store’s focus is on unique, trendy products for the discerning boutique customer. C’est la Vie, which translated means “such is life” is a favorite saying of the owners; Colleen Bowman, Susan Dunn and Michael Bowman. This ownership team, with the essential help of a phenomenal staff of sales associates, combine their talents to make C’est la Vie a one of a kind shopping experience.

About The Landing

The Landing (thelandinginrenton.com) is a 46-acre mixed-use development located in Renton, WA that sits at the base of Lake Washington conveniently located just off Interstate 405. The $300 million project will offer a unique combination of housing, restaurants, entertainment options, national retail chains and regional boutiques to create an urban village with all of the desired options for area residents. When finished, the project will include 900 plus residential units and more than 614,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space. The Landing is a joint venture between Harvest Partners a Dallas-based commercial real estate development firm and Transwestern Investment Company, L.L.C, a Chicago-based principal investment company.

Tags: Community Involvement, Shopping by admin
No Comments »

Last month, thousands of votes came in for King5.com’s Best of Western Washington competition to recognize Seattle area’s best businesses.

Congratulations to the 1st place winners we previously mentioned as some of our favorites:

• Smart Service
• Poggi Bonsi
• C’est La Vie

It’s good to know they are your favorites too!

Tags: Community Involvement by admin
No Comments »

Evening Magazine’s Best of Western Washington contest is here again.  Each year, King 5 and Evening Magazine ask viewers and fans to nominate and cast votes for their favorite businesses around the Puget Sound, such as restaurants, coffee shops, salons, fitness centers, shops, boutiques and much more.   There are 178 categories to choose from with over 5800 nominees.

Making nominations and voting is easy.  Simply go online to http://best.king5.com and sign in, or create an account for free if you do not have one.  Browse the different categories to find your favorites, or even nominate one that has not been suggested.  And yes, you can and should nominate your own company and it is okay to campaign for votes.

All votes will be tallied and the winners of The Best of Western Washington will be announced in an upcoming episode of Evening Magazine.   The top five companies in each category are recognized.  The contest is widely recognized and it’s great exposure for the effort.  One voter says, “I know when I walk into a shop or restaurant with the sign ‘Best of the Northwest 2008′ I already have an assumed trust that it will be a good experience.”  And one candidate says, “Ask your clients to vote for you at point of sale and let them know how meaningful it is to the success of your business.”

Some of our favorites that have already been nominated are Smart Service Independent Subaru Expert, www.smart-service.com in the auto repair category, Poggi Bonsi & Cucina, www.poggibonsigifts.com in the housewares category,  and C’est la Vie, www.clvcatalog.com for best gift shop.

This contest ends October 11^th, so get online and vote for your favorites today.

Tags: Community Involvement by Michelle Leonard
No Comments »

After the recent presidential election, people eagerly hoped to see the nation’s economy recover quickly.  People are reluctant to invest money in the stock market, and are wary of big government and corporations.

My hometown, Federal Way, is actively promoting the idea of shopping locally. The Federal Way Chamber of Commerce hopes to stabilize and strengthen the city’s economy by encouraging residents and businesses to buy locally.

Spending money in our community results in more sales taxes to city government.  It also helps local businesses sustain and create more jobs.

Before searching for a product or service on the internet, it makes sense to consider our hometown businesses first.  We may pay a few pennies more, but in so doing, we re-energize the whole idea of community and local prosperity.

While mobility was supposed to make the world smaller, it can isolate us from our neighbors.  If we drive 30 miles or order online from a company half a continent away, simply to save a percentage point or two, we miss the opportunity to connect in our hometown.   Local coffee shops, the nearby dairy, and the grocery that touts “locally grown” are places where we can rediscover our community and regain our humanity.

I am choosing to shop my hometown first.  Whether you are in Kent, Shoreline or Tukwila—why not make your next purchase in your hometown?

Tags: Community Involvement by Oksu Ellis
No Comments »

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
Comments Off