Press worth rereading--Come for the day, stay for a lifetime~

I was reminded today of an article that ran in the Seattle Times last November, inviting people to hop the ferry and spend a day enjoying a walking, eating, drinking and shopping tour of downtown Winslow, the main village of Bainbridge Island. Click here for link to Times' article.

The amazing thing is how often people come for the day and decide that something about Bainbridge Island feels like home. It happened to me in 1995, when the ferry pulled into Eagle Harbor and I told my husband and sons they could just leave me here--I was home. It took a few years to make that my reality, but the island has been our home since early 1999.

This article calls Winslow an "urban hamlet," and "small-town America." It's fun when you live here to look at ourselves as others see us. Most of the information in the article is reliable. Nothing is static, especially in an economic downturn. The tea house and wine bar are gone, but new places have sprung up. The KiDiMu children's museum has temporarily moved, but it's going into a new development closer to the ferry. The ariticle doesn't mention Churchmouse Yarns and Teas, which is my favorite place to send visitors--people from all over the country make pilgrimages to the shop, and even non-knitters will love it.

If you find yourself in Seattle, I invite you to catch the ferry, come on over, take a walk, have a beer at the Pub, or a latte and pastry at any one of several bakeries. Give me a call (206) 713-7134, if Bainbridge begins to feel like home. We can share stories about how that has happened to most of us living here now.

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.

Bainbridge Island commute by ferry is gorgeous~

Because I work on the island, I'm not usually lucky enough to be out on the water as the sun is rising. Yesterday was a lucky exception, as I had to be on the 7:55 ferry for a continuing education class in South Lake Union. Here's the image I shot with my ever-present iPhone as the sun rose and a bicyclist sped by. I love the sunrise reflected in the car windows and on the waters of Eagle Harbor.

It was a day for rising! The tides have had record highs this week. The tide in Eagle Harbor was 3.7 meters at 8:05 a.m., just as the ferry pulled out of the bay and headed south parallel to Rockaway Beach. (My iPhone has an app for that--I can look up the tidal charts for our area for any given day.) Local artist Kathe Fraga said she chatted with a long-time Islander who said he hadn't seen such high tides since 1935. The weather warnings said we had "astronomically high tides" coupled with "low atmospheric pressures," which sent the waters lapping over the tops of seawalls and bulkheads.

Eagle Harbor looked like Safeco Field after the last out. I have never seen so much floating debris in the bay. Everywhere giant tree trunks and logs were bobbing in the surf. I would think small crafts would want to stay in the marina. Clearly the saturated soils and the high winds of last week brought down trees throughout the Puget Sound, and it looked like most of them washed in with the tide.

It was a morning to make me envy my neighbors who head to Seattle for work every morning while I sip a second cup of coffee at my kitchen table.

UPDATE:  01/23/10
This morning the front page of the Kitsap Sun had more information on our high tides this week. Quoting Andy Haner of the National Weather Service in Seattle, three forces account for higher tides--the sun, the moon, and low pressure. Although the tide for Thursday was only predicted to be 12 feet, in fact at 8:24 Thursday the tide was measured at 13.8 feet. He said the models that predict tides don't take air pressure into account very well, but the National Weather Service is working on models that within two years may be able to predict when super-high tides are likely. For photos of the effects of Thursday's "perfect storm," here's a link to the whole article: Kitsap Sun "Tides".

Bainbridge Island competition: A little (strawberry) cannery row? ~

It's a long stretch of the imagination to place John Steinbeck's world onto Bainbridge Island. He's all weathered faces on dust bowl refugees in gritty California neighborhoods. We're all rain on fleece-wearing California refugees hiding out amongst the cedars.

But, now's the time for all good Islanders to bring the worlds together. Our library is calling for submissions to its Bainbridge Island Sketches, a compilation of fictionalized depictions of life here. Change the names, stay under 2,000 words, and revel in the juicy details of your friends and neighbors, the quirkier the better. As the BI Review reported today, "Capture the essence of Bainbridge and its inhabitants in exact and signature details." The great Ann Combs is giving a free workshop on writing the sketches at Eagle Harbor Book Co. this Sunday afternoon at 3. Come on by. I hope to be there with a few of my favorite Bainbridge images and details.

The deadline is October 26th; send entries to Kathleen Thorne thornekm@gmail.com and prepare to win. Selected entries will be read at San Carlos November 1st. That's only fitting, since the majority of our quirkiest residents find their way to San Carlos, many on a regular basis.

I have an additional reward. If any of my clients who have moved to Bainbridge in the last ten years have their entries selected for reading, I'll treat you to your favorite margarita at the San Carlos bar. Get writing!

Advantages of making Bainbridge Island home and playing in Seattle~

It doesn't take much to remind me of the advantages of living on Bainbridge Island. My dear husband and I had a date night in Seattle yesterday, and the reminders were everywhere. We had tickets to "Wicked," at the Paramount, and took an early ferry so we could do some shopping and have dinner before the show.

http://www.stgpresents.org/artists/?artist=910

We walked onto the ferry, and took a leisurely stroll through downtown Seattle. The Seahawks game was getting out, and when we caught a glimpse of the freeway, we could see that traffic was backed up and moving slowly. Event parking at the Paramount was $20 a car. We weren't affected by either of these things. When the play finished a $6 cab ride had us back to the ferry terminal in time for the 9:45 ferry.

Those of us lucky enough to live and work on Bainbridge don't commute into the city every day. Those Islanders who do experience all that Seattle offers, and through their work they are an integral part of that great city. Sometimes it takes an extra effort for the rest of us to make plans, buy tickets and get into the city, but it's such a luxury to have Seattle so nearby.

And, for all of us, it's a joy to return to the peaceful island at the end of the day.

Bainbridge Island to Seattle: most beautiful ferry ride in the US~

Budget Travel magazine has just listed the most beautiful ferry rides in the United States, and the 35-minute ride from Seattle to Bainbridge Island was prominently featured. (We who live on "the rock" tend to think of it as the Bainbridge to Seattle ferry.) Here's the link to the article: http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2009/04/23/AR2009042301954.html

You'll find four pictures featuring the Seattle skyline and the beautiful Puget Sound. They recommend spending time shopping, dining and hiking the trails on Bainbridge. Finally, they recommend staying long enough to make a sunset crossing back to the city, which made me smile since the sun sets around 10 p.m. in the summer! That would make for a great day on the Island.

Harbour Public House on Bainbridge Island named a great seafood dive~

May "Coastal Living Magazine has named our "Pub"--Harbour Public House--as one of America's best seafood dives. Best, yes. But, dive...? In an article called, "America's Best Seafood Dives," they call out two places in Seattle (Lowell's in Pike Place and Spud Fish & Chips in Alki) and one in Gig Harbor (The Tides Tavern), but they recognized our Pub's "seasonal menu...including top-rated fish-and-chips.

My soon-to-be-son-in-law from England, deemed the Harbour Public House "a proper pub," and so it is. From there on a clear day the views of the harbor and marina can stretch all the way to the Seattle skyline and beyond to the Cascades. It's the place our out-of-town visitors always insist on visiting. The beers are cold and on tap, the company is great, and it's almost time for mojitos on the patio. More than one client thinking about moving to Bainbridge Island has "sealed the deal," at the Pub and decided to make Bainbridge home. I'll see you there soon.

Spring on Bainbridge Island~

Yesterday I spotted my first hummingbird. The daffodils planted in the center of the roundabout are in full, glorious bloom, or would be if the sun shone on them. The shrubberies are turning lime green as the leaves pop out anew. The lawn is growing and we await dry weather to mow it (I say we, but I mean my hubby.)

I'll be driving around the island tomorrow on the lookout for my favorite sign of Spring--newborn baby lambs. One friend tells me her brood hens have hatched out one chick, with 38 more to go! It's getting to be time to plant peas.

At 6 o'clock the sun still shines, somewhere that is. Not so much here, where clouds persist, and drizzles are the order of most days. On sunny days we rush to wash our cars, and the next day they muddy up again.

Is this enough to make us long for Santa Barbara? Yes, but only in a place to visit sort of way. I love those "markers" of one season melding into another. I'd like a buttery, daffodil, baby-chick fuzzy yellow sweater to wear under my black raincoat. 'Tis March on Bainbridge Island.

Great business plan discovered in Bainbridge Island business~

I just had a soul-satisfying moment sitting in the sun, surrounded by orchids and bromeliads, enjoying tea & friendship. Flowering Around, that Bainbridge Island long-time floral establishment, has a most glorious new spot on west Winslow Way, and they've expanded next door with a little tea and coffee shop, Flowering Around Espresso. The tea is lovely, the windows are huge and east-facing so you can do your best cat-like stretch into the sunshine if you're there early enough. The surroundings are the best part. I felt like Eve in the garden! Well, I was Eve in a garden of plants and glorious pots and other garden embellishments.

Remember what Hannibal Lecter said. We covet what we see. My former client and current BBF and I coveted the plants like mad. Before parting, we strolled through Flowering Around, resisting everything until I spotted a glossy lipstick plant in full bloom. I have the perfect place for it on my mantle where my left-over poinsettia refuses to die. Time for a swap.

So here's the best business plan of the week: $1.50 for tea, $24 for a take-home plant. I resisted the peanut butter cookies.

"How is real estate on Bainbridge Island these days?"~

"How's real estate on Bainbridge?" If I had a dollar for every time I've been asked that in the past year, my personal economic situation would be lots brighter. It's a question I'm constantly analyzing for myself and my clients. I have pages of statistics and the news has lots of analysis.

Two studies came to my attention today regarding the real estate economy in the Greater Seattle area. One is a study reported in Forbes Magazine regarding the cities most likely to rebound and Seattle came in number one. http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/29/foreclosure-recession-cities-forbeslife-cx_dp_1029realestate.html The Urban Land Institute asked 700 real estate professionals about the best place to invest in commercial real estate. Our strong employment position put us at the top, and the assumption Forbes makes is that where the jobs are, residential real estate will rebound. That seems like a solid assumption.

I also think that our proximity to Seattle via the ferry gives us a strong opportunity. The South Lake Union development of the Gates Foundation and Vulcan (deep pockets both) and the growing biotech industry provide diversity beyond WaMu & Boeing. I think Bainbridge could offer much to new employees in the South Lake Union hub, and I expect to see more buyers next year coming from that locale, which could help offset what could be a sell-off from WaMu executives. That's the upside.

On the downside (because balance and reality are both good if sometimes painful things), the Seattle Post Intelligencer today ran a story showing that Washington was at the top of another, albiet less delightful, list. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/388344_housing19.html It reports that the state's home sale price drop is the largest in the country.

Here's my take: We came late to this party/wake. I don't think we'll stay as long than other parts of the country and I think we'll go home earlier and likely more sober--and maybe feel better in the morning. We're having a tough time on Bainbridge right now because our prices rose too high in 2006 and early 2007 because of easy credit, scarce inventory and a strong second home market. We're now dropping because of high inventory in part driven by the over-build of condos and new homes, and because the majority of our homes require good equity and/or jumbo loans. The credit crunch has dried up the jumbo (over $417,000) loan market and slow markets elsewhere have dried up our pool of buyers. When credit opens up, when consumer confidence increases and when prices show signs of going up, the real estate market on Bainbridge Island will improve.

Which translates into this being a great time to buy, especially one of the new homes that is selling for far less than construction cost. Buying up in a falling market is always a good idea. And Bainbridge Island remains an amazing place to live.

Lifeline for Helpline: generous kids on Bainbridge Island~

We had a small parade on Bainbridge Island recently, as the entire studentbody of Ordway Elementary School marched down Madison Avenue. Four hundred kids walked unbowed from the weight they were carrying in their backpacks.

Their destination was Helpline House and their mission was to deliver the food they carried. The Kitsap Sun reports that the kids augmented the dwindling supplies in the Helpline food pantry with over 1,300 cans.

It's great to see the kids help, but it's even better for them to make the trek and see where the food goes, and to get a sense of the need. Some of the kids at the school self-identified as recipients of Helpline, and they shared how much it means to them to have the help available. These kids, too, gave back.

We live on an affluent island, for the most part, but tough times can strike anyone, through illness or job loss or divorce or unexpected events of other kinds. Sometimes there is simply more need than money.

Our schools, our families and our churches practice a mighty generosity. When I look at the library, the swimming pools, Helpline, and other organizations, I'm proud and grateful for the culture of giving we enjoy here.

Celebrities and the rest of us living on Bainbridge Island~

The New York Times has an article today about how life has changed for the Obamas since the election---security walls three blocks out from their home, no more casual strolls, not even time to relax in his barber's chair.

It brought to mind how we on Bainbridge handle the celebrities who call our island home. We have a smattering of TV stars, both current and past, and a news anchor. We have what I call famous unknown folks, writers and philanthropists, scientists and truly wonderful people. They pass among us without extra attention and with the same courtesy and community welcome we all receive.

The other part of this is that when you take the time to learn the story of the person in line at the market or sitting at the next table at the bakery, you often find just how amazing that person's life has been, famous or otherwise. I think that creates a culture that's a little kinder, a little more accepting. Anyway, that's the way I see it. Cheers!