Labor Day at Golden Gardens

Golden Gardens Park on Shilshole Bay could be called "Seattle's Seattle"... water, boats, mountains, seashore, and all the variety of beach-going Seattle folks. It has been loved for generations and it's a "happening place." My 7 year old found two friends right away, us mothers sat on logs and chatted (one of them told me she lived right in Ballard at the top of the hill, what a perfect location! she's a caterer and we discussed some of what makes Seattle food unique...the Northwest bounty of berries, seafood, and wild things that right now is showing up on our tables in abundance). Couples strolled down the edge of the waves. Groups sat on logs in deep discussion or played frisbee and volleyball. in the Boathouse a private party laughed and cheered and feasted. There must have been almost 20 fires that night...there are 12 approved firepits and many people make it a habit to bring their own wood and picnic into the night.

Last night, it was the place to be.

Check out this PI article for more on Golden Gardens.

Best Rate on Jumbo Loans

Hi all! Hope summer is treating you right and that your gardens are enjoying the rains off and on for the past couple days. Jack DeCook, one of the lenders we work with frequently, just sent me a pretty exciting "newsflash" on his rates on Jumbo loans. I was trying to work out with someone the other day what the ceiling is in King County for a jumbo... it's anything over 562K, I was told. It might be going up to a bit over 600K, but for now that's where we are. Jack sent me the following:

We have found a source of funds that is allowing us to produce a jumbo loan that is 1% to 2% lower in rate than most lenders Jumbo rates. For example we are at 6.25% on a 30 year fixed rate loan today with points of 1.5%. This is hard to beat. I have a buyer purchasing a $975,000- home who was unable to find a rate lower than 7.0% after an extensive search. And this was the exception. Most where in the high 7's.

This is a great opportunity to take advantage of the "sale" prices that we are seeing on the more expensive homes in our area. One of the reasons for the high inventory is that the interest rates on Jumbo loans have been so high. This portfolio program that I have found will enable clients to get a jump on the other buyers in our area. For those that have already purchased they can do refinances too.

Here's Jack's contact info if you want to check into this in more detail...he's great and will take as much time as you need to answer any questions you have!

Jack De Cook
Sr. Home Mortgage Consultant
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
1616 Cornwall Ave. Suite 101
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-676-4709 Tel
877-434-0403 Toll-free
360-319-7119 Cell
866-494-5694 Fax
jack.decook@wellsfargo.com
Please feel free to call me on my cell phone at any time.
Thanks,
Jack

Folklife Festival Memorial Day Weekend

Northwest Folklife festival happens every year over the Memorial Day holiday. Some years Larry and I have attended all four days--there is so much to experience...

Bluegrass, world music, drumming, 6 or so main stages have different kinds of music. There are intimate stages and a big band amphitheater space where there is lots of room for dancing around to the beat, or just watching.

Folklife is free (suggested donation of $10 a day, or $20 for families. Workshops include learning more about different instruments, guitar tunings, and music styles as well as performance and dancing.



Pictured (right) are David Maloney and Ginny Reilly singing in the Lopez room at a workshop on duetting.

This is one of the best events in Seattle for people watching too. From street performers, both musical and theatrical, professional buskers, amateur players, and incredibly talented kids, there is much to see, hear and experience.

Pictured on the right is a musical instrument invention. He said it took about 4 months to make and 10 years to learn to play it!

And when the sun comes out and it gets too hot--whether folklife is on or not, the fountain in the center of the Seattle Center keeps folks cool.

Lynette Hensley, Associate Broker (and Musician!) Photos by Larry Baumgartner, Realtor (also Musician!)

Exotic Garden Spot

Elandan Gardens, located on Kitsap peninsula in Bremerton sprawls over 5 acres of reclaimed log dump and landfill that was transformed over the years into an exotic garden museum filled with bonsai and both ancient and familiar trees, stone sculptures and winding paths. The gallery houses artifacts from the Orient, Native American art, and unique gift items including clothing and jewelry. None of this is the usual gift shop fare. Fine furnishings and accessories surround the interior design studio housed within the gallery. The whole place is simply filled with eye-catching artifacts of various ages and prices. You will find antlers next to antique chinese stick puppets and coral beads in Native american baskets.

Dan Robinson, an international bonsai master, along with his family have created this wonderful tranquil and surprising place to visit and enjoy.

Located just past the mile marker 28 on Highway 15 in Gorst, 3050 State Hwy 16, Port Orchard. 360-373-8260. Hours at the time of this writing are: Tuesday-Sunday 10-5. There is an $8 admission fee (Adults) to walk the gardens. http://www.elandangardens.com/

Lynette Hensley, Associate Broker

Pacific Science Center

Want to go to another world? Want to take the bus or at least spend only 15 minutes driving there? OK, try the Pacific Science Center in Seattle Center. From our home in Shoreline it only took us 15 minutes on a bright sunny Sunday afternoon. Our family likes to join because with a family membership card we can feel quite comfortable stopping by three times a week, or for only an hour when we get a chance, without having to stay for hours and exhaust ourselves. There are so many great things to see and do that we could go back every day for a week and it would still be Fun!!

This time we tried the Simulator, and it was worth it...at the last minute I got myself a ticket as well as Daniel and his friend. For a five minute ride, we were flying through space on skittery tracks, plunging into the void and somehow managing to land intact...a breathtaking journey. There are all kinds of simulations to choose from, or you can piggyback on one someone already chose. Next time I want to try the one about water!

Daniel always likes to go to the dinosaur room...when we had the fossil exhibit here, just over, he spent hours dusting sand off the dinosaur eggs in the anthropology simulation. The insect pavilion is great too, and going into the butterfly room is usually the highlight of my visit. They are so fragile and so delightful! But we never miss visiting the touchable tide pool and the naked mole rat colony. Of course, the Imax theater is great when you have time, a huge screen and 3-d glasses! When we saw the dinosaur Imax movie, it was as much as I could do not to run away screaming.

Don't forget a picnic or at least snacks so you can sit out in the courtyard, or walk about a minute to Seattle Center House and enjoy the good coffee and food court. Or go up to the coffee shop in the Science Center and take a rest there, before investing $1 in paper to make swinging pendulum drawings down below.

Edy Kizaki, Realtor

24 Hour Vacation to Port Townsend

Larry and I took 24 hours and embarked on a little trip for a weekend getaway to Port Townsend. We began with a ferry ride at Edmonds to Kingston, and then took Hwy 104 all the way across the Hood Canal stopping at Port Gamble to antique and be tourists. We stopped at the sea shell museum and general store–and took some pics. We wandered through a gift shop and antique store on the street right next to the water, and then drove on to Port Hadlock. There we dropped into the Ajax Cafe where we arrived just in time to not need a reservation! What a great place for people watching! We enjoyed live music, guitar and clarinet and flute on a stage just big enough–they were having fun! The decor is eclectic, none of the dishes matched, there were movie posters, black and white photos of celebrities, costumes, tons of hats hanging on the walls, lots to look at. The food was brilliant–and then as the evening went on, more and more folks tried on hats. Larry found a wig and a tie that transformed him into a People started taking photos of each other–complete strangers were playing with each other–it was brilliant fun!

Larry really looks like this every day. NOT!

We ended up in a B&B in Port Townsend, F.W. Hastings House, Old Consulate Inn, relaxing, and with a 7 c ourse breakfast in the morning. Lots of antiquing in the morning and good coffee and gift shops all around.

Lynette Hensley - Associate Broker

Green Seattle (St. Paddy's Day Parade Tomorrow!)

This is the thing, everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's Day. So from wherever you may find yourself there is just one thing to do this Saturday morning. Come down to 4th Avenue and Jefferson Street in Downtown Seattle at 12:30 p.m. That is Saturday, March 15, for the St. Patrick's Day Parade! The parade will travel north on 4th Avenue to the reviewing stand at Westlake Park (that is 5 minutes from our office!) and it officially ends at 2 p.m. at Seattle Center. With Formalities! Closing Ceremony! What might you encounter if you make your way down?

http://www.irishclub.org/parade.htm

This link will take you to a site which has all the details, and not only that but photos from last year's parade! Which includes a wonderful photo of what is undoubtedly The REAL St. Patrick! Since he was at the parade last year, there is no reason to believe he will not be there again. In fact, I am counting on it.

Something else that sounds worth attending...a St. Patrick's Day Mass for Peace. Details are on that same site. And there is an Irish Week Festival Noon-6 p.m. Sunday at Seattle Center. The excitement includes "booths selling Irish and Celtic products, Irish food and libations, Irish music, singing, dancing, an Irish Film Festival, workshops, lectures, cultural displays, children's contests and activities, etc. For more detailed information, call 206-223-3608."

More! Everett's Irish Cabaret Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Ave (at Hewitt), downtown Everett. It's an old fashioned Irish event with humour, dancing, music, and singing, MC'd by an Irish Storyteller and an Irish Singer. Gotta be there!

For the fast (preferably not furious) among us, there is the St. Patrick's Day Dash Sunday (Mar. 16) at 9 a.m. It goes downhill from T S McHugh's near the Space Needle to F X McRory's near Safeco Field! It's nearly 4 miles, and last year over 15,000 runners participated. You have to register PRIOR to the day, go to this website for details: http://www.stpatsdash.com/. And on the day itself, more Irish Week Festival at Seattle Center, noon - 4 p.m.

Something a bit more bouncy where you can down a pint or two and tap your toes to great Irish music? On March 17, St. Patrick's Day, $5 joint cover gets you into both Molly Maguires (610 NW 65th St in Ballard) with music from 1 p.m. to closing and into the Ould Triangle (9736 Greenwood Ave N) with The Raybourne Experience performing all day. Click on this link to hear some of the promised music: http://www.myspace.com/ouldtriangle See you all there!