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!

How Walkable is Your Home?

What is Walk Score?

Walk Score shows you a map of what's nearby and calculates a Walk Score for any property. Buying a house in a walkable neighborhood is good for your health and good for the environment. The walk score of the Space Needle, for example is 89. Bill Gates’ house walk score is 6. Our house is 65. The higher the score, the more walkable the location. How does the site calculate walkability?

How It Works

Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Your Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100. The walkability of an address depends on how far you are comfortable walking—after all, everything is within walking distance if you have the time. Here are general guidelines for interpreting your score:

· 90 - 100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.

· 70 - 90 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.

· 50 - 70 = Some Walkable Locations: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.

· 25 - 50 = Not Walkable: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.

· 0 - 25 = Driving Only: Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

http://www.walkscore.com/


Lynette Hensley
Associate Broker

Splashes of Sun, Seattle Valentine

I can report three gorgeous sunny days in a row and everyone saying winter has turned the corner...I even drove down to Richmond Beach yesterday after a showing and just sat on a driftwood log for an hour staring at the waves and watching people walking, running with their dogs, building things with driftwood and stones, and of course taking pictures of each other doing it...since it is Puget Sound, and not really the Pacific, the breakers don't get as big as they do out around the actual ocean shores, but it is still the Pacific Northwest. That means when you are staring out where the sun is going down over the water, you know that past the snowcapped Olympics standing up seemingly out of the waves to the west, is nothing for a very long time, and then ... the Far East. It really does feel like the edge of the world.

Also, regrettably I am now 5 pounds fatter than I hoped to be going into spring, which is the fault of my daughter who gave me a huge box of the loveliest truffles I've ever had for Valentine's Day! (Thank you, dear Mia!) In Seattle when this happens, the traditional thing is to call up all your friends and make numerous dates to walk around Green Lake, both catching up with all the important people in your life and shedding the five pounds in a couple of weeks. As long as I stay away from the truffles.

Edy Kizaki, Realtor

Olympic Sculpture Park

I have finished the virtual tour I took of Olympic Sculpture Park.

This was a wonderful day when Krista, a client that was relocating from California, and I went to the Olympic Sculpture Park with her dog Bella.

A bit later I will fill in my impressions and some history of the park...there's a great website the city has for it which I'll put in too...

Edy Kizaki, Realtor