News from Bainbridge Island the middle of February~

This week's drizzle hasn't kept things from being interesting on Bainbridge Island, as reported in the local paper, the Bainbridge Island Review. But first, I want to compliment my good friend and client Viki Walaskay on the sunrise photos she posts on her facebook page. She shoots them from the front lawn of her wonderful home on the shores of Murden Cove. Great photography--and good work being up so early every morning. That's what having two active boys will do for you.

My favorite item in today's paper comes from the Police Blotter--crime reports are almost always a source of entertainment here. (When I read the paper to record it for the VIP, Visually Impaired People on Bainbridge, I always found myself laughing out loud when I read the Police Blotter.)

In a truly iconic Bainbridge Island story, a man coming home from work got off the bus and was walking home when he saw his truck heading down the road with a young man he'd never seen before behind the wheel. He quickly called the police to report grand theft truck. The police arrived and the man's wife pointed out a strange car parked in their driveway. While the police were still at the house, the young man pulled up in the "stolen" truck. It turns out he had permission to borrow a friend's truck--he'd been told the front door would be open and the keys left out. Unfortunately, he walked into the wrong house and picked up the wrong set of keys. Case closed, no charges pressed. They probably all had a cup of coffee and called it good.

Happy Valentine's Day. My recommendations: have dinner at Four Swallows with the blackberry slump, recently named one of the top 100 restaurant dishes by Saveur Magazine, but first pick up roses from  Flowering Around and Pink Peony truffles from Bon Bon Confections. Are you reading this, Hubby?

First Friday art walk on beautiful Bainbridge Island~

Last night was the monthly party on Winslow Way, when the First Friday Art Walk threw open the doors of all the galleries up and down the street--and around the corners, too.

The biggest buzz was at Roby King Galleries where Kathe Fraga's latest "French wallpaper series" paintings were hung. Kathe and Jeff were there receiving kudos and hugs, and Wes and Andrea were happily handing out wine and greetings to the packed house of friends and art patrons.

Across the street, The Gallery at Bainbridge Art and Crafts hosted "Mixed Nuts, the annual show of local kids' work. In this program, Bainbridge kids learn how artists work with galleries, and how it feels to earn a commission when your work sells. I saw one proud grandpa step up to buy two paintings--red dots marked much of the student work "Sold."

The Gallery is a non-profit organization, staffed by locals in both paid and volunteer positions. The proceeds benefit arts education on the island, and the Northwest artists they represent receive a larger than average share of the commission. It's where I volunteered when I first moved to Bainbridge Island over a decade ago, and I remain a major fan of their endeavors.

The arts, artists and the many galleries, studios and venues on the island help make Bainbridge the place we're happy to call home. Please click here to search for homes listed on Bainbridge Island.

Hometown bank on Bainbridge Island home no more~

Change is hard, and when your hometown bank fails and is bought up by a regional bank, that's change that hurts. On Friday regulators closed Bainbridge Island-based American Marine Bank and when I drove by Saturday morning I saw it was re-opened as Columbia State Bank. A temporary sign hung over the door, and it was business as usual. Read more by clicking here.

What does this mean for Bainbridge Island? That remains to be seen. American Marine Bank was created by a group of local Island businessmen in 1948, when banking for folks living on Bainbridge meant taking the ferry to Seattle. AMB built to twelve branches throughout the region with the company headquarters based on Bainbridge. Jobs may be lost over the next year, and certainly a part of our story has closed its final chapter. The news made the AP wire and Huffington Post picked up the story as one of 15 banks closing in the month of January. AMB wasn't the biggest bank that failed last month, but it wasn't the smallest either.

The good news is that Bainbridge has grown since the days when AMB first began, and we have several national and regional banks on the island. Those of us who have our money deposited at AMB haven't lost a dime.

The real lesson here is a good one for businesses and individuals. Don't borrow more than you can repay; don't loan more than you can afford to lose. And, reputation is hard won and easily lost. AMB~RIP.