New Years Eve Parties In & Around Seattle

Now that Christmas is out of the way, it’s time to start looking forward to New Years Eve. Whether you prefer a low-key, relaxed evening with friends or a crazy dance party with music and an open bar, there are tons of options in the Bothell/Seattle area for New Years Eve 2014.

Events12.com rounded up some of the most anticipated New Years Eve parties and events in the area. Here are some of them:

Resolution Seattle

http://resolutionseattle.com/
As the finale of 2013 approaches, we are each presented with an opportunity to reflect back while looking towards the future. The dawning of a new year is the perfect time to set new goals and embark down uncharted paths. Now is the time to plan your Resolution!

On New Years Eve, join USC and thousands of beautiful people at the fourth annual Resolution! Commemorate a year filled with unforgettable music and experiences at the Northwest's crown jewel of NYE dance events! 2014 will surely be filled with new milestones and epic highlights as we carry The Message into a brand new year!


Seattle Symphony
Ring in the New Year with the Seattle Symphony! Ludovic Morlot and Jeff Tyzik join forces for a festive program featuring classical and jazzy excerpts of Tchaikovsky’s beloved Nutcracker, Gershwin’s famous Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Jon Kimura Parker, music from Star Wars and much more. Then, count down to midnight at a post-concert party in Benaroya Hall’s beautiful Grand Lobby. Concert Tickets include post-concert party!

Celebration Lane at the Bellevue Collection
Be sure join in our fantastic celebratory salute to the New Year with a display of brilliant lights and music that has everyone rocking to the beat. Added fun with bubbles that fall from the sky as the drummers and characters dance to lively songs.

Chihuly Garden and Glass
Ring in the New Year at Chihuly Garden and Glass where you’ll dine, dance and delight in an extraordinary view of Seattle’s most iconic fireworks display through the glass ceiling.

Our New Year’s Eve pARTy includes parking*, a tour through the Exhibition, delicious appetizers and desserts in the stunning Glasshouse, dancing to The Robert Vickers Band playing a mix of pop, soul and jazz standards, and a Veuve Clicquot toast at midnight while you watch the fireworks surround you through the glass. Now that’s how to party!

New Years Eve Under the Arches
Set your new year ablaze with a spectrum of festivities, live entertainment, mixology and an unmatched view of the fireworks at SPECTRA 2014: New Year's Eve Under the Arches, Pacific Science Center's inaugural New Year's Eve party.

To view the full list on Events12.com, click here.

Help Spread Holiday Warmth

If you’re living at Bailey Farm this holiday season, you’ve got it pretty good. But it’s important to remember that there are people less fortunate in our community who could use a helping hand.

There are lots of ways to help our local homeless population this time of year.

Kay Wagner Wellness in Mukilteo is holding a Blanket and Warm Clothing drive, which accepts donations through December 22. According to Kay Wagner, there are over 800 homeless children in Snohomish County. Another drive is tentatively set to begin sometime in 2014—stay tuned to our Facebook page for more updates!

If you’d like to donate, you can bring your used or gently used (and clean!) men’s, women’s, or children’s items in plastic bags to the Kay Wagner Wellness studio, located at 828 2nd Street in Mukilteo. All donations will be sent to the Everett Gospel Mission—a local organization that provides the area’s homeless with basic supplies, job opportunities, and spiritual guidance.

Bothell/Seattle-area residents are known for their generosity—earlier this year, Snohomish County’s one-day Project Homeless Connect event was a huge success—serving over 1,200 meals, distributing over 1,200 pairs of sneakers, distributing 941 bags filled with supplies, giving 276 haircuts, providing care to 132 cats and dogs, and more. 

To learn more about the Kay Wagner clothing drive, click here—to learn more about the Everett Gospel Mission, click here.

Get Your Flu Vaccines!

As winter approaches, so does flu season—even if you’ve never had the flu before, it’s still probably a good idea to get vaccinated to protect yourself and others against illness.

The CDC recommends annual flue vaccines for everyone 6 months of age and older. While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine is designed to protect against the three main flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season. Getting immunized as soon as it becomes available each year is always a good idea, and the protection you get from vaccination will last throughout the flu season.

Here’s some info on how to get vaccinated in the Bothell area this winter:

Snohomish Health District clinics have a limited supply of the four-strain kind, and will resupply with three- strain vaccine. The Health District also will have some high-dose vaccine but will not stock the egg-free vaccine.

Washing hands and covering your coughs are effective ways to reduce spreading and getting diseases. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the American Committee on Immunization Practice do not recommend one type of flu vaccine over another. Ask your health care provider which kind of vaccine is right for you.

You can get immunized at a Snohomish County Health Clinic at the following locations and times:

SHD Everett Immunization Clinic, 3020 Rucker Ave, Suite 108, Everett, 98201 Appointments: 425.339.5220 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Mon-Wed-Fri; closed from noon to 1 p.m. weekdays; closed on weekends & holidays

SHD Lynnwood Immunization Clinic, 6101 200th Ave SW, Lynnwood, 98036 Appointments: 425.775.3522 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Tue & Thu; closed from noon to 1p.m. weekdays; closed on weekends & holidays

Snohomish Health District will be CLOSED ON THESE HOLIDAYS: Dec. 25, Christmas; Jan. 1, New Year’s Day.

You can also get vaccinated at any Bartell Drugs location.

Click here to read the full press release from Snohomish County Health District.

Taste the Best Winter Beers in Bothell

Beer might be a summer staple, but don’t leave those winter brews out in the cold. Here in the Bothell/Seattle area, we’re surrounded by tons of great microbreweries and larger beer manufacturers.

So tonight or tomorrow, take advantage of all the buzz! The Washington Beer Commission this weekend is holding the always popular Winter Beer Festival.

From 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm tonight (December 6) or from noon to 4:30 pm or 5:30 pm to 9:30pm tomorrow (December 7), head over to Hangar 30 in Seattle, at:

Warren G. Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115

You can purchase tickets to the event here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/472997

Tickets include:

Admission includes a tasting glass and six 5oz beer tastes.
Additional tokens are available for $1.50 each.
Designated driver admission is $5 and available at the door only.
We accept cash and check only. Sorry, no credit cards!
This is a 21+ only event.

Admission and token sales will end 45 minutes before the end of each session and taps will close 15 minutes before the end of the event.

The ever-popular Winter Beer Festival, December 6 and 7, 2013, takes flight from its longtime home in the quaint surroundings of Hale’s Palladium and lands at Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park in the Sand Point neighborhood of Seattle. This Washington Beer Commission holiday tasting event will feature more local breweries and be able to accommodate more than 1,000 craft beer connoisseurs per session. This year’s lineup will include dark malty stouts, robust winter warmers, barrel-aged gems and many more.

Click here for more complete information on the Winter Beer Fest!

Black Friday Apps for Finding Holiday Deals in Bothell

Happy Black Friday, Bailey Farm Friends!

If you’ve got any energy left after yesterday’s festivities, you might be thinking about heading out for some Black Friday shopping deals. Of course, you’re bound to find some amazing deals at Mill Creek Town Center and countless businesses in the Bothell area.

But in the event that you get easily overwhelmed by Black Friday options, of course technology is the great equalizer—there are numerous Black Friday apps that you can use to find the best Black Friday deals in the area. CBS Seattle rounded up some of the most popular options for tech savvy holiday shoppers:

DealNews Black Friday App The DealNews Black Friday App has been a favorite of bargain hunters for a few years now. Both PC Magazine and PC World named DealNews the “Best Black Friday Web Site,” and now you can use the app to help you navigate all the deals. Included in the app is the ability to browse both leaked and confirmed ads from all the major retailers. It’s sorted by retailer, showing you how many ads each is offering, putting all the control of finding the best deal in your fingertips. If you have a few favorite stores, check those first, and find all the rumored or confirmed ads before anyone else knows about them.

Fat Wallet
Fat Wallet is a bargain site that is helpful all year-round. You can use the app to filter by category and compare deals on similar items. Then you can select those items as favorites and share them with your family and friends, allowing you to coordinate your shopping plan and create a perfectly structured plan of attack on the big day. You’ll be able to start looking at ads for Black Friday weeks early, so start planning soon. This is probably the best app for those that like to divide and conquer, helping you master than plan with all of your shopping team.

FastMallIf your Black Friday plans have you heading to the mall, then you definitely need to download the FastMall app. The app maps out all the major shopping malls in the country (including Canada and the U.K.) and helps you track your car, find the nearest bathroom, the food court, or where all the elevators are. When it comes to helpful apps, this one may not point you towards the bargains, but it will definitely keep you sane on the big shopping day. Moms on the go are sure to love this one.

Got another Black Friday tip for shopping in the Bothell area? Head over to our Facebook page and share your gift-finding tips!

Weighing the Benefits of a Land Line in Your Apartment

Are you reading this on a smartphone? It’s 2013 after all, so it’s not too unlikely. We rely on cell phones for a lot these days—not just making calls, but also for finding directions to your favorite Bothell area businesses, doing research, making to-do lists, or just browsing the Web.

With cell phones so versatile, it’s increasingly common for people to opt to go without a land telephone line. But for some people, it can be beneficial to have a landline for emergencies, for work responsibilities, or for a number of other reasons.

ApartmentTherapy had a very informative article last week on the pros and cons of keeping a landline in your apartment—here are some letters they received from people who have decided to keep their traditional phone line:

"We have a landline because my husband is Australian and have found that making international calls isn't as reliable via cell phone."


"Cell reception in our home is typically fine, but I do use the landline when I have conference calls for work that take place during the evening hours, just for that extra reliability that cell phones sometimes can't provide."

"None of my cell phones have provided me with the comfort level (shoulder-neck-ear)..."

"Can't help adding one more important factor to consider in whether to ditch your land line as a backup - in the event of a disaster, network congestion can make cell communication difficult or impossible. (for example, Superstorm Sandy and the Boston Marathon bombings.)"

Do you still have a landline in your apartment? Tell us why it’s important to you—share it with other residents on our Facebook timeline!

Taste of the Holidays Wine Walk at Country Village

The Great Northwest and the Seattle area in particular are certainly known for their assortment of great craft breweries, but don’t leave the winos out of the mix! There are tons of great local wineries in the area, and on Saturday, you can enjoy the best they have to offer—and contribute to a worthy cause.

On November 16, from 5 pm to 8 pm, Country Village will host “A Taste of the Holidays” wine tasting event, and all proceeds will benefit the Northshore Schools Foundation. The event will feature vendors selling holiday items and wine tasting from 20 local wineries. The event kicks off the holiday season at Country Village, so you might even find a hidden discount or two!

Tickets for the event are $20 in advance, and $25 at the check-in booth—you can reserve your ticket here. And remember to Bring Your Own Glass!

Participating stores include:

Piccola Cellars at Eclectic Haven, Hedges Family Estates at An Afternoon To Remember, Robert Ramsay Cellars at Quite The Find, Davenport Cellars at Bon Sejour Home, J & A's Winery at Sankara Imports, Patterson Cellars at Heartland Interiors, Vortex Cellars at Town Hall Antique Mall, Lodmell Cellars at The Weed Patch, Dubindil Winery at Poppies, Amelia Bleu at The Village Eatery & Tea Shop, Goose Ridge Estate Winery at Cranberry Cottage, Kyra Wines at Life Solutions Healing Center, Isenhower Cellars at White House Antiques, Foxy Roxy Wine Company at O'malley & Potter, Convergence Zone Cellars at The Village Bean, Northwest Cellars at JJ Books and Gecko Wine Co. and Michael Florentino Cellars at Country Blend.

Halloween Leftover Ideas: From Chocolate Cake to Charity

With Halloween now in the past, thankfully you no longer have to stress about costumes, planning, or trick-or-treating. But one “problem” that tends to arise on the morning of November 1 is what to do with all of that extra Halloween candy.

Is this both a blessing and a curse? Nah! If you eat the candy in moderation and do productive things with the rest--like donating it, sharing it, or even using it to learn math—you can make the most of Halloween and all of the treats that come with it.

If you’d like to work your leftover candy into a tasty treat, consider one of these 50 leftover candy recipes we found at SomethingSwanky.com, including these delicious chocolate-peanut butter 7-layer bars:

Or, if you’re looking for a healthier way to get rid of your candy stash, consider one of these 15 ideas from KidsHealth.org:

1. Participate in a candy exchange. Some dentists and orthodontists (dentists who specialize in braces) offer candy exchanges. You turn in some candy and get healthy treats in exchange. Or you turn in some candy, and they pay you $1 per pound. They donate the candy to soup kitchens or to troops overseas.

2. Wouldn't it be cool if some of your candy went halfway around the world? Your Halloween candy could be included in care packages that are sent to soldiers serving their country far from home. Here are two organizations that ship packages to the troops. Heat-resistant candy only. Chocolate melts, you know! And don't forget to include a handwritten letter of support to really put a smile on a soldier's face!

3. Try reverse trick-or-treating! With a parent, make a trip to one or more local charities that accept candy donations. You'll feel great, and you'll sweeten someone else's day too. Some ideas include your local Ronald McDonald House, nursing homes, food pantries, children's hospitals, veterans' homes, or women's shelters.

4. Ask your parents if you can exchange your candy for something else — like a book or a toy. Make it fun by using a scale to weigh your stash — for example, maybe you could earn a book for every pound of candy you trade in.

5. Reduce by recycling. If you have a birthday or other party coming up, offer to use your candy to fill up goodie bags.

6. Buy fun chocolate molds at a craft store, melt down your extra chocolate bars, pour into the molds, let cool, and voilà — decorative, delicious gifts!

7. Make a special Halloween version of trail mix by tossing in a handful of candy pieces with your pretzels, nuts, raisins, and dried fruits.

8. Glue candy pieces to an unfinished wooden picture frame (you can buy them at the craft store). Add a photo, and you've got a really sweet present for someone special.

9. Did you know you can make jewelry and crafts out of candy wrappers? You can search for how-to instructions on the Internet.

10. Use the candy to fill a piñata for someone who has a fall or winter birthday.

11. Give "candy math" a whirl! Use candy corns to practice addition, subtraction, or counting by fives and tens. Hershey bars or KitKats are both great for visualizing fractions. Or, you can sort your candy (chocolate, gum, lollipops, fruit snacks, etc.) and figure out what percentage each group contributed to your total amount.

12. Donate your candy to...science? Yep, you can do lots of greatcandy experiments at home using Skittles, Lifesavers, Starbursts, M&Ms, and more. Plus, you just might want to see what happens when you leave a gummy bear in water...

13. Create a board game using candy as pieces. Or you can use candy in a sweet game of checkers or — dare we say it? — Candyland.

14. Build a candy city. With some glue (ask a parent for help if using a hot glue gun), some toothpicks, and a whole lot of imagination, you can design and construct a scene that even your Legos will envy. And it's never too early to start planning this year's holiday gingerbread house.

15. Send it to work with your mom or dad. That'll really make it disappear fast!

Interact with Other Interactive Types at SIC://2013

While our friends down in California get all the credit for high tech innovation, Seattle and its surrounding areas are quickly becoming a center for entrepreneurship as well. With Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently showcasing Seattle inventions and talks of space tourism being based in the city, Seattle is a great place to live and surround yourself with talented, innovative people—they make pretty good neighbors, too, we’ve heard!

If you’re a professional working the creative or technological fields, check out the Seattle Interactive Conference this weekend. At the Washington State Convention Center, from Friday, October 28 to Sunday, October 30, stop by and listen to lots of great lectures on online technology and interaction—and even network yourself and meet other industry professionals. (To view the full agenda for the conference, click here.)

This year’s event will focus on the issue of transparency in the online world—here’s the full description, from the conference’s website:

This year, the Seattle Interactive Conference takes a hard look at transparency, a powerful and accelerating trend having profound impacts on businesses and consumers alike.

With the proliferation of more data and information than at any time in history, technology enables us to better monitor and measure what people are doing, where they're doing it, and how much they're willing to spend to do it. At the same time, we are seeing the promise of better user experience, human-computer interaction, and more overall knowledge, shining a brighter light on everything from return on investment to other detailed information at levels available only to insiders until now.

SIC://2013 provides a rare forum in which entrepreneurs, technologists, brands, businesses, creative leaders and consumers can directly share experiences with the digital trendsetters of today and the thought leaders of tomorrow.

To register for the conference, click here.

Falling into Healthy Autumn Habits

As the colder months approach, not only are our immune systems slightly compromised, but it can also be an adjustment to get out of those warm weather habits. The beginning of fall often means erratic weather patterns, and an unexpected 35-degree day can catch you off guard.

Staying healthy throughout the fall and winter isn’t just good for you—if we all work together to avoid illness, we can protect our roommates, fellow residents, family, and friends.

Dietician Timi Gustafson, R.D. offered some practical health advice for the fall in the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter last week, including not neglecting your physical fitness and taking advantage of healthy seasonal food:

As far as your physical fitness is concerned, you should build on the foundation you have laid over the summer – or undo the damage if your leisurely activities have led you in the other direction. Running, bicycling or swimming outdoors may no longer be possible, but there is the treadmill, the stationary bike or an indoor pool nearby. Don’t let lame excuses creep in and keep a regular exercise program as best as you can.

Your grocery list may or may not be as much affected, since today’s supermarkets stock most food items all year round, including those not in season in your region. But you can also focus on fruits and vegetables that are harvested late.

Fall is also a good time to make heartier meals like soups and stews that give you a cozy feeling when rain and wind bluster outside.

To read Dr. Gustafson’s full column in the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter, click here.

Celebrate Sustainability at the Brightwater Center’s “Ectober” Series

On October 5, the Brightwater Education and Community Center kicked off its “Ectober” sustainability series with a free kickoff celebration.

“Ectober” is a four-part seminar series dedicated to fostering sustainability and responsible resource management in the region. This is the first annual iteration of the event, with events held every Wednesday at the Brightwater Center, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Pre-registration is required for all Ectober events—the registration page is located here. Presenters include the King County Wastewater Treatment Division, IslandWood, the City of Bothell, and 4Culture.

Here’s the schedule of events to take place on Wednesdays this month:

Recycling: An Inside Look at Cascade Recycling Center
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM (PDT)
Get a unique insider's look at how your recyclables are sorted, packed, and shipped off to be turned into something new. Waste Management's Cascade Recycling Center, opened in 2003, serves 250,000 households in Western Washington. 12,000 tons (tons!) of recyclables pass through the recycling center each month. Learn how you can help keep the system moving efficiently and meet some of the people behind the scenes of this often talked about but rarely understood process.


Eco Movie Night - "Tapped the Movie" and "Part of the Cycle"
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM (PDT)
Join us at the Brightwater Center for some popcorn and a showing of "Tapped the Movie" (76 minute run time) and the premier of "Part of the Cycle" (8 minute run time).

Part of the Cycle is a beautiful short video by local artist Tess Martin, funded by King County's 1% for art program through the Wastewater Treatment Division. This is the first time the just-completed video will be seen by the general public.


Sustainable Living: Learn from the Experts
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM (PDT)
For our final event of Ecotober, we'll have several guest speakers as well as an entire panel of experts on various topics within the world of sustainability to answer your questions and provide you with more information.

Scheduled Presenters:
5:30 - 6:00pm - Sustainable Works Energy Audit - http://sustainableworks.com/

6:00 - 6:30pm - Zsofia Pasztor from 12,000 Rain Gardens in Puget Sound -http://www.12000raingardens.org/

6:30 - 7:00pm - Caryn Walline - Community Transit Curb your Congestion Program –

For a more complete overview of the Brightwater Center’s Ectober events, click here.

Sing to Support Local Seniors

As if Halloween weren’t fun enough on its own, why don’t we add some Bingo, karaoke, and charity to the mix?

On October 25, at 6 p.m., at The Northshore Senior Center, “Northshore Karaoke Bingo” is a fundraiser to benefit the Northshore Senior Center. Attendees are invited to dress in their favorite Halloween costume. The evening will be full of assorted games and prizes, and an award will be given to the person with the best costume.

Tickets for the event are $15—according to the North Shore Senior Center’s website, you can purchase tickets one of three ways:

Invite your friends to join you on Friday October 25, 2013 and reserve your seats now! If you're celebrating a special event, let us know. We want to celebrate with you!

You can purchase seat reservations in one of three ways:

1) online at https://seniorservices.ejoinme.org/northshorekbingo

2) by calling the Northshore Senior Center at 425.286.1076

3) in person at the Northshore Senior Center (10201 E. Riverside Dr, Bothell).

If you’re unfamiliar with the Northshore Senior Center, they are a valued part of the community that has been growing steadily over the past few decades:

Founded in 1972, the Senior Center has grown from a small band of 50 older adults to a lively community of over 7,400 in 2008. NSC has been affiliated with Senior Services of Seattle/King County since 1982. Over 500 dedicated volunteers in self-directed teams, with the support of staff, have designed and monitored every aspect of programming, bringing ever changing and vital programs and services to those over 55, and adults of all ages with disabilities. The model on which the Center has flourished for so many years, outlined in the document Management Values and Practices, continues to inspire and connect volunteers and staff.

For more information on the Northshore Senior Center’s Karaoke Bingo Fundraiser, click here.

Mill Creek Offers Down-to-Earth Shopping

If we wanted to live in typical suburban sprawl, with giant indoor malls, we wouldn’t live in Bothell. One of the best parts of living here is that we can get the quiet serenity of the suburbs, a small-town atmosphere, just a short drive from the city. And yet we can still enjoy some of the best shopping that the state has to offer.

And according to the Official Washington Best of 2013 list, Mill Creek Town Center is the Best Lifestyle & Open Air Mall in Washington! Whether you’re looking for fresh food and produce, books for your new class, home decoration, or good food and drinks with friends, Mill Creek Town Center is an area favorite for locals who prefer a more down-to-earth, outdoor shopping experience.

If you love Mill Creek Town Center, you win a free gift from the Mill Creek Town Center Business Association:

It’s official! Mill Creek Town Center was recently selected as the Official Best Lifestyle Center & Open Air Mall in Washington! Our Town Center is truly a special place, and we are honored to be recognized for it.

What do you think makes the Town Center special? Go to our Facebook page and share your favorite thing about the Town Center. The five best comments describing what you love most will receive a gift basket of goodies from Town Center merchants.

(No purchase necessary to participate. Five (5) gift recipients will be selected from Facebook community members by the Mill Creek Town Center Business Association on September 30th, 2013. Gifts will be awarded to selected comment authors on October 5th 2013.)

We look forward to at least one of our residents winning! The Mill Creek Town Center Facebook page is located here.

Bothell Cougars Coach Promotes Safety

Fall is here—you know what that means: school is back in swing, and so is football season.

One of the most controversial issues in youth sports today are concussions, and with high school, college, and professional football so popular in the Bothell area, it’s important to set a good example for our youngest all-stars.

Fortunately, Tom Bainter, the head football coach at Bothell High School, is doing is part to make sure our most vulnerable athletes are protected from the concussion epidemic. Going by U.S.A. Football’s safe tackling guidelines, Bainter is instilling these new techniques on his own players.

In addition to encouraging safe, fundamentally sound tackling, Bainter is also adopting a much more supportive, specific coaching style—and he thinks even the way he words his instructions can make a big difference.

Quote from MyNorthwest.com:

"We have to choose our words better. When you say, 'Put your screws under his chin,' what that really means is get your pad levels under your opponent. And that's what we have to say. 'Pad under pad. Low man wins,'" explains Bainter. "Those are things we need to say now, instead of giving them a visual of taking the front part of your helmet where your forehead is and smacking it under the guy's chin who is in front of you."
Whether you’re rooting for the Cougars or not, you’ve got to admire this!

UW – Bothell Promoting “Tribal” Education

Sure, it’s great having the University of Washington – Bothell so close to us for the academic opportunities for college students. But having a branch campus here also means that we get to watch and benefit from exciting community projects.

The Bothell area is full of Native American history and there are still tribes who live here today. And now, the UW-Bothell is working with local Native American tribes to make sure that the history is not forgotten.

The Tribal Education Network is working with the University and 24 Northwest Indian tribes to create “tribal” academic lessons for high school students. The program aims to help guide more Native American students toward college.

According to the Seattle Times:

Two dozen Northwest Indian tribes are working with the University of Washington, Bothell to create tribal-centered academic lessons for high-school students.

The Tribal Education Network initiative will work to integrate tribal stories and values in a program that aims to get more Native American students to college, and to help them earn college credentials while in high school.
“We long for people who are traditionally oriented because of their upbringing, yet who are excellent as scholars,” said Jim Thomas, chairman of a committee for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and a member of the Tlingit Tribe of Southeastern Alaska.

Help Beautify Bothell with Trees this September

What would the upper Northwest be without lots of trees—and of course, people who love them.

Here at Bailey Farm Apartments, we like to blend the indoor with the outdoor. And now, Bothell residents who love nature have another opportunity to contribute to a good cause and beautify the area even more.

This September, the Arbor Day Foundation and Trees for America will team up for its Trees for America program. The program will distribute ten free oak trees to anyone who registers with the Arbor Day Foundation during the month of September.

“Those who plant live oak trees will enjoy shade and splendor for years and years to come,” said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “These trees will also add to the proud heritage of Washington's 82 Tree City USA communities. For the last 36 years, Tree City USA has supported effective urban forest management across Washington, and planting these trees will enhance the state’s tree-planting tradition.”

The program ships trees between October 15 and December 10—they come in at 6 to 12 inches, but the foundation guarantees growth, or they’ll replace them. New Arbor Day Foundation members will also receive a copy of The Tree Book, which includes information about tree planting and tree care.

To register with the Arbor Foundation for your 10 oak trees, click here, and to read more about the Trees for America program, click here.

King County City Council Updates Strategic Plan

As our roads continue to be overhauled, those of us who commute far outside of the immediate Bothell area might be facing some unwelcome interruptions in the coming months—or years. Fortunately, the Metropolitan King County City Council voted unanimously to update the county’s strategic plan for public transportation, which extends until 2021.

Councilman Rod Dembowski told the Bothell Reporter: “I believe the process we used to update the plan was a model of cooperation of leaders throughout the region partnering together to improve this vital regional asset…Working together with the Sound Cities Association and the city of Seattle, we were able to address some of our region’s challenging transportation problems; I hope to see this model of cooperation followed in the future.”

Among the new updates to the strategic plan are:

• Requiring Metro to develop a long-range plan;

• Refining the service guidelines to facilitate planning by cities and include college student enrollment when evaluating the need for transit service;

• Requiring a multi-agency study on community infrastructure that supports access to transit, including park-and-ride facilities; and

• Updating policy language to match Metro’s procedures for complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

To read more complete coverage of the King County Metro’s Strategic Plan updates, click here.

Detailing the Bothell Crossroads Detours

If you’ve been driving around town lately, you might’ve noticed how unrecognizable downtown Bothell seems with all the construction going on. The construction is part of the Bothell Crossroads project, which will hopefully move some of our traffic to the new State Route 522 roadway alignment.

Although local businesses along the construction routes will remain open, here are some of the detours you can expect around town, through mid-October:

Crossroads detours
Traffic will switch to the new roadway at 5 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 12.

Then, in order to complete side street connections to the newly constructed portion of SR 522, the following detours will be in place for approximately two months:

• Southbound traffic on Bothell Way Northeast (SR 527) will not be allowed to turn left onto Main Street. Drivers should use Northeast 185th Street to 101st Avenue Northeast to Main Street.

• Left-hand turns from Main Street onto southbound Bothell Way Northeast (SR 527) will not be allowed. Drivers detoured onto northbound Bothell Way Northeast to Northeast 185th Street to 104th Avenue Northeast to Kaysner Way to access SR 522 in either the east or west bound direction.

• Northbound traffic on 102nd Ave Northeast should use Kaysner Way to access SR 522 in either the east or west bound direction.

To read more about the Bothell Crossroads project, click here. And if you find a particularly nice detour, share it with your BFFs (Bailey Farm Friends)—on our Facebook page!

The Bothell Blues Festival

What are the “Four B’s”? Blues, BBQ, Beer, and Bothell, of course. We’re pretty fond of all those things.

So if you haven’t got plans for Saturday, August 31 yet, mark down the 2013 Bothell Blue Festival, presented by Carolina Smoke BBQ.

Featuring the smooth grooves of The Chester Dennis Jones Band, Eric Freeman, the Stacy Jones Band, and others, this year’s event is supposed to be bigger than ever—with delicious food provided by Carolina Smoke BBQ and Village Bean, and beer provided by the fun folks at Foggy Noggin Brewery. (The festival is still taking applications to be food vendors—click here to send the festival a message.)

The event will run from 11 am to 8 pm at Bothell’s Country Village and tickets are $17 per person, although this price include a wristband that will get you tons of discounts over the course of the day. We’d love to see some of you there! Click here for more info on the Bothell Blues Festival, and be sure to “Like” their Facebook page for up-to-date info on the event.

King County Metro Gets Green Transit Distinction

One of the things we like best about Bothell is its proximity to the big city. We get to enjoy the quaint, laid back lifestyle of the suburbs while still enjoying the nightlife, businesses, and amenities of the big city.

Perhaps one of the most underappreciated features of our region is its public transportation system, King County Metro Transit. If you talk to residents of other larger cities about their public transportation, you’ll quickly find that a good transportation system is a rare luxury. Fortunately, here in Bothell, we have easy access to one of the best systems in the nation—and one of the most environmentally friendly ones.

Last week, Metro was named one of the top transit agencies in the U.S. as recognized by the American Public Transporation Association for voluntarily reducing its environmental footprint. In fact, the King County Metro is one of eight agencies to receive this level of recognition, trailing only Los Angeles.

King County Executive Dow Constantine told the Bothell Reporter: “King County Metro has become one of the greenest fleets in America, and this award recognizes our legacy of environmental action – from pioneering the nation’s largest public vanpool program, to powering our trolley and hybrid bus fleets with the cleanest technologies available.”

The city’s efforts to improve green transportation also helps save the city money—the agency estimates that it saved nearly $5 million last year by using energy efficient hybrid technology, and saved $1 million last year due to the lower cost of electricity compared to gas.

To read more about the King County Metro’s recognition, click here.

Geocache Your Way to the Gold

Aren’t scavenger hunts great? Well, as a full grown adult, your scavenger hunts probably consist of grocery runs and frantic searches for your car keys. But just because you’re not a kid anymore doesn’t mean you still can’t have fun—and get a good workout in the process.

If you’re not familiar with the new phenomenon of “geocaching,” it’s essential a scavenger hunt that uses your phone’s GPS to help locate containers, and afterwards, participants go online and report their findings.

Washington State Parks has its own geoacaching program: The Washington State Parks Centennial GeoTour, which features 103 geocaches spread across state parks in Washington.

Participants can print out passports, which are like scorecards—and once they’re completed, you can mail them in to receive a commemorative geocoin in either silver or gold (depending on how many times you’ve completed your passport).

For more information on the Washington State Parks Centennial Geotour, click here. You can also download the GeoTour passport, map, and guidelines. And for those who are curious about geocaching in general, join other Washingtonians on the Washington State Geocaching Association’s forums, here. Happy geocaching!

Meet Some Fresh Faces at Farmers Market Fridays

Happy Friday, Bailey Farm residents and fans! Do you know what Fridays mean in Bothell? Prepare for your weekend guests or other culinary adventures by stopping by the Bothell Farmers Market.

Located at Bothell's Country Village (23718 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell, WA 98021), every Friday from noon until 6pm, the Bothell Farmers Market is a great place to meet other local residents (hey, you might run into a fellow Bailey Farm neighbor!), farmers, and pick up a fresh array of healthy, locally produced food.

According to Country Village Bothell’s website, the Bothell Farmers Market offers:

A large variety of in season, locally grown, produce straight from the farm, fresh cut flower bouquets (prices start at only $5.00), pasta, balsamics, oils, baklava, hummus, dried fruits, fruit leather, award winning tea, fresh bread, locally made dog treats, NW native plants, shrubs and trees, soy soaps, candles and lotions along with handmade items from local artisans!

In addition, each Farmers Market Friday, local musicians will be on hand with an eclectic mix of family friendly tunes. And of course, Country Village’s numerous shops and restaurants are all great places to visit after you stop by the market.

We’re right in the middle of the farmers market season, which started on June 7 and will last until October 4—so remember to stop by, say hi, and grab some tasty goodies. See below for a mini tour of the Bothell Farmers Market, and follow their Facebook page for special deals and up to date info.

Setting the Table for the WA State Fair’s Contests

One of the area’s most popular community events is slowly approaching: The Washington State Fair, from September 6 to 22 in Puyallup.

Year in and year out, the event is known for its concerts and rodeo—this year’s iteration will also include a photography contest and—wait for it!—a tablesetting contest.

The Northwest International Exhibition of Photography is poised to have tons of great entries from local amateur and professional photographers. The Photographic Society of America will hand out awards for the following categories:

· Best-of-Show Monochrome Print (Large)

· Best-of-Show Color Print (Large)

· Best-of-Show Monochrome Print (Small)

· Best-of-Show Color Print (Small)

· Best-of-Show Photojournalism Print (Small)

· Best-of-Human Interest Photojournalism Print (Small)

· Best-of-Show PID General

· Best-of-Show Nature

· Best-of-Show Authentic Wildlife Nature

· Best-of-Show Photo-Travel

For a complete description of the photography contest, click here (PDF).

There will also be several contests in the areas of the home arts and food, including a tablesetting contest, a quilt contest, a Fine Arts Contest (open to non-photographic works of art) and various food awards. For a complete description of all the Home & Food Arts events, click here (PDF).

For comprehensive information on the Washington State Fair and its contests, visit TheFair.com.

With Record High Temps, Roads Start Cracking Up

It’s been pretty hot around town lately. In fact, it was so hot in the Seattle-Tacoma area last Monday, that roads literally started to crack! In Renton, WA, a major local road, 128th Street couldn’t withstand the 90 degree temperatures, causing the asphalt to buckle.

While temperatures reached record highs last week throughout the Bothell region, it wasn’t quite “historic,” as there were no strong easterly flows coming from the Cascades. Rarely, the air will descend down the slopes of the mountains and compress, resulting in a high pressure atmosphere, and higher temperatures.

Last week’s heat wave in Washington was summed up nicely by the Cliff Mass Weather Blog:

At 1 PM, parts of I5 in north Seattle got to 115 and 120F (road temps are in the rectangle), and plenty of roads were 105-115F. Also notice the contrast in the city for air temperatures: while some locations were in the mid-80s, and parts of the east-side were in the upper 80s, low to mid 70s were available near the water. That is a wonderful thing about living here: you can virtually always escape the heat by going near our cool water. Can't do that in Phoenix!

To read Cliff Mass’s full post on the road-buckling heat wave, click here.

Enjoy Bothell’s Music In The Park This Summer

There’s so much to enjoy during any summer. The weather, the outdoor events, the markets - everyone has a different favorite activity during this time of the year.

The City of Bothell has done its part to bring some delightful events to the area for the summer; the area’s 2013 Music In The Park concert series kicks off tonight and continues throughout the month of August. Here is a full list of upcoming performances:

July 5: Mach One Jazz Orchestra kicks off the series tonight by performing a variety of music (i.e. Big bands golden age classics to contemporary jazz)

July 12: Cherry Cherry scheduled to perform a Neil Diamond tribute show

July 19: Spazmatics will perform hot hits from the ‘80s

July 26: Chance McKinney is set to perform country and southern rock tunes

Aug 2: Danny Vernon will take the stage as Elvis

Aug 9: DoctorfunK has ordered some prescription soul tunes just for Bothell

Aug 16: Crème Tangerine will perform a Beatles tribute show

Aug 23: Blues Power Revue is set to wrap up the series with a tribute to the Blues Brothers

Original show schedule and full list of sponsors can be found here.

Time To Make A To-Do List For After Move-In Day

Move-in day is an extremely exciting time. Whether it’s your first apartment in general or your first apartment in a new city, moving into that new apartment always marks the beginning of a new chapter in someone’s life.

But what exactly are we supposed to do after move-in day? Once the trucks are gone, the car is parked, and the boxes are sorted, what do we do next?

Apartmentguide.com has the answer! Check out their article to see what you should do during day one, week one, and even month one after you’ve moved into your new place. It’s super informative and extremely helpful.

And once you’ve moved into your new Bothell apartment, we also recommend doing any of these five things from explorebothell.com (more are listed here) - you’ll feel at home in no time!

● Go wine tasting.

● Go two-wheeling.

● Go shopping!

● Take in a show.

● Visit Seattle!

Live Green: Here’s 22 Easy Ways To Save Water and Energy

Earth Day may have come and gone, but that’s no reason to stop your efforts to “greenify” your living space. Believe it or not, even apartment dwellers can find ways to live a green lifestyle without making major modifications to their living space.

Don’t believe us? Here’s three simple tricks to use around your apartment, courtesy of TLC Home, that help save water and energy:

●      Displace water in your toilet tank by getting a plastic bottle, filling it with gravel, and placing it in your toilet tank. That’s it! You can leave this for the next tenant so they can continue saving water as well.

●      Use CFL Bulbs, which save a lot of energy, whenever possible. (Also, turn off lights when you are not in the room. It’s simple but effective!)

●      Pay attention to your fridge. Keep its compressor coils clean to ensure your energy bill stays low and that you’re using as little electricity as possible. Another thing you can do is line your fridge with water jugs to keep it full and colder. It sounds silly, but it can save a lot of energy!

That’s just three simple, easy tricks that save water and energy. You can get more tips like this by clicking here: the original article listed 22 ideas for saving water and energy!

Do you have photos of these items on your phone? You should!

Phones today are the most useful and necessary tools that a lot of people have at their disposal. Forget voicemails and texting - our phones now help us navigate, find new music, calculate how much money we should leave as a tip, and a whole plethora of other things.

But are you taking full advantage of one of the simplest features on a modern day phone? It’s not a secret that many people use their phones in place of a camera. It’s also not a secret that many people use their e-mail or a Notes feature on their phone to keep track of little details. But why not combine the two into a far more useful reminder?

A picture is far more vivid and helpful than a few words that you may misspell or forget the meaning of. So what should you be taking pictures of and saving in your phone? Apartmenttherapy.com has the answer:

Here are a few things that can easily be remembered with a quick snap of your camera phone's shutter button:

• A reminder of where you parked. Parking in the city is no joke.

• Your printer cartridges. Make sure you can see the refill numbers.

• Your family members' clothing sizes.

• The measurements of your air filter.

• Travel confirmation numbers. Take a screenshot of the email your airline sends you. When you check in later and need to find confirmation numbers, your photo album will be less cluttered than your inbox.

• Pictures of current medications. Make sure you can see the prescriptions' names and dosages in the photo.

• The types of lightbulbs that fit your home fixtures.

• A recipe from a book or magazine that you want to use soon.

• Anything "borrowed" that you might want to buy later, like the brand of a smooth-writing pen at the bank or a great-smelling hotel shampoo.

• Expensive home furnishings you just know you can DIY at home. Get shots of all the important angles for when you're ready to DIY.

Read the full original article here - and tell us in the comments if you use your camera to help you remember anything else that’s not on this list!

Tips For Keeping Your Apartment Allergen Free

The late spring and early summer months are both wonderful and brutal. There’s so many fun things to do now that the snow is gone and the days are getting longer - but the side effects of allergies can easily get in the way of anyone’s enjoyment.

The allergens in apartments can actually be more troublesome than the ones outdoors. We won’t pretend that making an apartment totally allergen free is a realistic dream, but using a few tricks will definitely make a huge difference and will make any apartment a far more enjoyable place to be for those that deal with allergies.

What tricks do we recommend? These, as suggested by apartmentguide.com:

• Dust your apartment - and do it a certain way to ensure that you don’t kick up more dust in your place. Apartmentguide.com writes that you need to “Use a wet or treated cloth that attracts dust, minimize dust-catching clutter and clean dusty surfaces, such as ceiling fan blades, regularly so that dust doesn’t have a chance to accumulate.”
• Use a vacuum that has a HEPA filter.
• Go green and use environmentally friendly cleaning products that have fewer harsh chemicals.
• If you have a pet, make some parts of your apartment pet free (or vacuum even more often). 

Want more details on how these tricks more - and to see what the final two tips are? Click here to read the original article!

Top 10 Reasons To Rent

To rent or to own? It seems like a big question, but really, the answer is simple: renting is better. Homeowners, please don’t hate us for saying so, but it’s true.

Renting has so many more benefits than owning a home. Renters have a much more flexible lifestyle and can relocate much sooner than a homeowner, without the hassle of selling their house. Renters don’t need to deal with mowing lawns or shoveling snow. Renters aren’t slapped with property taxes, either.

But don’t take our word for it - check out this great article that lists not three, but ten reasons renting an apartment is the way to go:

1. There’s more get up and go freedom with renting an apartment. Whether you want to relocate for a job, a love interest or simply want to see what life is like on the opposite coast, renting provides more flexibility.

2. Attempting to sell a house, especially in a down market, can be complicated and time consuming. Whether you have a year lease or a month-to-month, the logistics of renting are less confusing.

3. Are you the type of person who hates mowing the lawn or shoveling snow? A landlord often provides these types of services. While homeowners are digging out from a snowstorm or battling crab grass, you can be skiing or relaxing in a deck chair.

4. As a homeowner, you’re not only responsible for snow removal and lawn care. You’re responsible for everything. Whether it’s a broken hot water heater or a malfunctioning dishwasher, things are going to need to be upgraded or replaced. When you rent, you’re not responsible for maintenance costs. All you need to do is call the landlord when something goes wrong.

5. Many apartment complexes have so many amenities the place resembles an all-inclusive resort. From tennis courts and swimming pools to fitness centers and children’s playgrounds, many renters have these amenities on location. It’s safe to say that most affordable homes don’t come with a tennis court.

6. If the monthly mortgage and maintenance costs weren’t enough, homeowners are also saddled with property taxes. These taxes fluctuate depending on where you live. No property tax means more money in the bank, or at least more money in your pocket to do the things you want to do.

7. Do you want to live in a luxurious neighborhood? You have a better chance of affording rent in a posh neighborhood than you do of buying a house.

8. Some apartment complexes offer referral bonuses. Is there anything better than referring a friend, then getting a check in the mail. You get a cool neighbor and free money.

9. There are often numerous apartments in an apartment building, and this increases your chances of meeting new people and making friends.

10. Many apartment complexes are gated and have their own security and video surveillance. This will not only give you peace of mind, but save you from having to buy a high-end security system for your home.

Original article can be viewed here.