Beat the Winter Brews

Hi Bailey Farm! We’re officially over the hump of winter now, and you’re probably looking forward to the Spring—whenever it may come.

If the colder weather and lack of daylight tends to get you down, check out the Beat the Winter Brews beer festival on Friday (from 5:30pm to 8:30pm) at Issaquah’s Gilman Village, located at 317 NW Gilman Blvd, Issaquah, WA 98027.

As you well may know, our region is filled with lots of great wineries, breweries, and distilleries, and tonight’s your chance to try their selections all in one place—and get rid of your winter blues, too.

Tickets for the event are $25 in advance and $30 at the door—you can by your ticket at http://www.beatthewinterbrews.com/.

According to the festival’s website, the following businesses will be on hand:

Breweries
Big Al Brewery
Two Beers Brewery
Georgetown Brewing Co.
Hale's Ales Breweries
Iron Horse Brewery
Mac & Jacks
Ninkasi Brewing
Rogue Brewery
Seattle Cider Company
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Co.
The Pike Brewing Company

Wineries
ICON Cellars
Echo Ridge Cellars
Fivash Cellars

Distilleries
Batch 206
Jim Beam

Click here for more information about the Beat the Brews Fest!

A Benefit with New Orleans Flavor

In Washington State, nearly one in four students fails to graduate High School. But one local organization is working hard to change that—Communities in Schools Washington offers a range of services to help improve our state’s dropout rate, from one-on-one tutoring, physical and mental health care, and college preparation to school-wide offerings like anti-bullying programs and assemblies. But just because Communities in Schools works towards a good cause doesn’t mean they can’t also have fun, too!

On March 15, from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm at the Seattle Design Center, you can support their cause and get a taste of Mardi Gras at their 5th Annual Mardi Gras Dinner and Auction. The benefit will feature delicious New Orleans-style food, an aerial performance, tarot card readers, a silent auction, and more. Proceeds will benefit local students by equipping them with the support they need to stay in school, graduate on time, and have a bright future. If you’ve never been to this great annual benefit, you can head over to Communities in Schools’ website to view their Mardi Gras 2013 photos on Flickr, or watch their video on YouTube. 

Click here for more information on the Mardi Gras Dinner and Auction Benefit for Communities in Schools Washington.

Third Annual Shakaroo Benefit Concert

The Everett Animal Shelter’s third annual Shakaroo benefit concert first started out as a small concert, but now it’s grown to be so much more. Tomorrow, Saturday, February 15, will be the third annual Shakaroo concert, featuring live music, shelter dogs in a “pooch parade,” and more, all at the Everett Performing Arts Center.

The main musical act for the evening will be reggae/rock band Nigel Mustafa, but the highlight of the evening is expected to be the pooch parade, which will feature 20 adoptable dogs from the shelter. There will also be a “Whine & Wine” meet and greet session with the dogs, which will be available for adoption at the shelter on Sunday, February 16, at 10:00 am. Among the event’s sponsors are other animal-friendly organizations, including our good friends at Paddywack!

PAWPRINT SPONSORS Ross Lake Resort rosslakeresort.com
Diamond Veterinary Associates diamondvet.com
Camp Canine Doggy Daycare campcaninepark.com

TAIL WAGGER SPONSORS: PADDYWACK paddywack.net
AFSCME Local #113
Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital pilchuckvet.com

Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014
7 p.m. - 9 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.)
Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave.

Tickets are $20 and on sale now at the Everett Animal Shelter, 333 Smith Island Rd., via email at shakaroo@everettwa.gov, or by calling the SHAKAROO hotline (425) 257-6040.

To Go Agricultural School

Here in Bothell, we’re surrounded by some of the best agricultural and environmental resources that region has to offer. And with tons of farmers markets, dairies, wineries, and more, all within spitting distance, there’s one place that ties it all together: 21 Acres Center for Local Food in Sustainable Living, in Woodinville.

21 Acres is a nonprofit agricultural/environmental learning center that aims to showcase the agricultural heritage of our region. They’re also a center for innovation, utilizing sustainable design and technology that can make all that we love about local produce event better. Think of it as a school, kitchen, retail market, and event space all in one.

If you’re looking for a fun weekend activity in the next month or so, consider heading over to 21 Acres for one of these classes taking place in February:

Organizing Digital and Print MemoriesFeb 01, 2014
from 09:00 am to 12:00 pm

How many cherished memories have you stuffed in drawers or packed up in boxes, hoping to put them in albums later? How many digital photos are longing to escape your camera or computer so that they can be seen and celebrated? In Organizing Digital and Print Memories, Laura Leist will provide students with lessons, tips, and resources for managing all your digital and print photos, as well as the memories which these photos captured.

Eating for a Lifetime Series-1. Four Pillars of Living Well Feb 08, 2014
from 11:00 am to 01:00 pm

Are you interested in learning more about the relationship between the food on your plate and your health? In this interactive three- class series, you will learn practical and delicious ways to gain a deep understanding about the benefits of eating whole, unprocessed food. At the end of each class, enjoy a light meal featuring local and pesticide-free ingredients.

Simply Seasonal Series-Winter Soups Feb 11, 2014
from 06:00 pm to 08:30 pm

Come learn how to create a scrumptious meal featuring locally harvested ingredients in the middle of winter. Each class will focus on simple recipes that you can easily replicate at home. From authentic Italian dishes to comfort favorites, you may be surprised at just how creative you can get with making the most of seasonal ingredients.


Click here to learn more about 21 Acres and their classes!

The Home Library: To Be or Not to Be?

With e-books becoming more and more popular, it could have a surprising effect on how we decorate our homes.

For years, the home library has been a staple in apartments and houses in the United States. But with book sales on the decline and e-book sales on the rise, many people simply don’t have a need for bookshelves in general.

But home décor experts say that books and e-books can certainly co-exist in your home. House Beautiful’s editor in chief, Newell Turner, says:

“When there’s an endless river of (digital) content, the words, text and images we choose to print and bind into a physical book will make (it) even more special,” she says.

“Books are precious and beautiful, both their contents and materials. I was inspired to provoke thoughts, placing the bulk of the spines away from the viewer, thus highlighting the thousands of paper pages and creating a sense of desire to discover what lies within,” he says.

New York interior designer Elaine Griffin says:

“We’ve come a long way from the English country home-inspired libraries of the ’80s — those spaces that looked like Carson (the butler on “Downton Abbey”) might come in at any moment to do a little dusting,” Griffin says.

“Today’s home libraries are retreats, actually — places to retreat as an individual from the more chaotic, group-themed spaces of the rest of the house.”

Click here to learn more about how you can keep your home library fresh in 2014!

Volunteering “Counts”

Nestled in our comfy corner of Snohomish County, it can be easy to forget that there are thousands of people in our region without a place to call home.

This Thursday, January 23, Snohomish County will be holding its annual Point in Time homeless count. Although Snohomish County staff will be working hard throughout the day, they need our help!

If you happen to be available this Thursday, for any three hour period between 8 am and 8 pm, please sign up! There will be various training materials on-hand and other more experienced volunteers will be available to help you if you’ve never done anything like this before.

Also, depending on where you work, you can choose between different parts of the county to cover.

Here’s some more information, courtesy of the Bothell/Kenmore Reporter:

“Homelessness can be an invisible issue for many people in our county,” said John Lovick, county executive. “This annual count gives us a chance to show our homeless that they do matter and that we’re committed to making a difference in their lives.”

In 2013, 1,996 people in 1,151 households reported that they had no permanent place to stay. Of those people, 757 were children younger than 18.

“Our hope is to end homelessness in Snohomish County within the decade,” said Ken Stark, human services director. “The PIT count allows us to not only track the progress we’ve made, but reach out to different community groups to find new, better solutions to help those affected.”

Results from the count help county agencies understand how widespread homelessness is in the community and who is most affected. It also helps direct state and federal funding to local programs that fight homelessness.

To volunteer for the PIT count, contact one of the following area leads:

· East County: Sharon Paskewitz, 425-212-3211 or spaskewitz@voaww.org

· South County: Maria Bighaus, 425-774-9843 ext. 236 or mbighaus@ywcaworks.org

· Central County: Lisa Bachler, 425-374-6347 or lisaB@ccsww.org

· North County: Cathy Kerr, 425-347-6556 or CathyKerr@housinghope.org

For detailed information about the PIT count and homelessness in Snohomish County, contact Nate Marti at 425-388-3268.

For Your Mind & Body, A Wellness Open House, Tomorrow!

Country Village is known for its many quaint, family owned businesses serving the Bothell and Mill Creek area. But some of the best things you can find at Country Village, you can’t even touch!

If spending money tends to stress you out, one of the most calming business at Country Village, Life Solutions Healing Arts Center, located at 23716 8th Avenue SE, Bothell, WA 98021. They offer a great variety of services for the spiritually minded, including yoga, reiki, shiatsu, nutritional guidance, martial arts, meditation, and much much more.

And tomorrow, Saturday, January 18, you can attend their annual open house, consisting of free mini-sessions and consulting. The open house will be from 11 am to 4 pm—attendees will be able to meet Life Solution’s practitioners and learn more about what their great business offers to the Bothell area!

The event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the center, located at 23716 8th Avenue S.E. in Bothell. Attendees will have the chance to meet Life Solution’s wellness practitioners and learn about what the store offers.

Life Solutions’ owner Nancy Merrified told the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter:

“My goal is for everyone who walks in the door to connect with the person who can best empower their wellness," said said. "That could be me, another practitioner at our healing arts center, or a professional in the community better suited for their needs. It really does take a village.”

To learn more about the Life Solutions Healing Arts Center, click here.