Discovering Skagit Valley

Weekend excursions are a must during the summer months. And the best part about living in Washington State, is you don't have to go far to feel like you've left the hustle and bustle of the city for a little R&R. One of our favorite places to visit and only about 2 hours north of Seattle is Skagit Valley. With its rolling hills, lush landscapes, seafront shores and fresh markets, Skagit Valley brings a sense of quiet peace to us city dwellers.

If you haven't visited Skagit Valley lately, here are a few of the highlights we recommend you check out.

For Food:

BreadFarm
Breadfarm is a hand-formed, artisan bakery located in the small village of Edison, Washington. Just off of Chuckanut Drive, you can find them nestled at the bottom of Blanchard Mountain in Skagit Valley. Each loaf is hand formed and carefully tended through each stage of the baking process. Breadfarm delivers fresh baked bread to their customers daily.




The Oyster Bar On Chuckanut Drive
For fresh seafood, there is nothing better than the Oyster Bar On Chuckanut Drive. The Oyster Bar on Chuckanut Drive had it's earliest beginnings in the 1920's when E. N. Steele and J.C. Barnes formed the Rockpoint Oyster Company on Samish Bay. Their slogan coined in 1946 still rings true today: "The oysters that we serve today slept last night in Samish Bay."

Rhododendron Cafe
Stop by the Rhody Cafe for the best brunch in town. Taste the Smoked Salmon Benedict or the Wild Mushroom, Spinach & Provolone Scramble served with Homemade Crepes paired with Fresh Berries and Orange-Almond Syrup. The Rhody Cafe blends Northwest recipes with extra ethnic flairs.

For Scenery:

Visit the oyster shell-encrusted lighthouse (left) at Taylor Shellfish Farms. Located on the Samish Bay, the lighthouse can be found just outside the store where you can also pick up fresh Dungeness crab, mussels, clams and Pacific oysters.

Places to Stay:

Benson Farmstead B&B
Benson Farmstead B&B is a 1914 Scandinavian farmhouse that was restored in 1981 and has been operated as a B&B by Jerry & Sharon Benson since 1991. The 3 acres of grounds include a granary now used as a family cottage, a well house which is used as a guest suite, a water garden, farm machinary garden, orchard, playground and many flowers.

Katy's Inn
Katy's Inn is one of the oldest homes in La Conner, and when opened in 1984 was the first bed-and-breakfast in town. The Inn sits high on a hill only two blocks from the beautiful artistic town of La Conner with easy access to sightseeing, shopping and dining.

Queen of the Valley & Spa
Located just 1/2 mile from the beautiful waterfront hamlet of La Conner, with four luxurious rooms with en-suite baths, as well as a huge two-bedroom suite perfect for families, girlfriend getaways, or couples traveling together, the Queen offers all the amenities of a luxury hotel along with the personal attention and care of a bed and breakfast.

Interested in hosting an event in Skagit Valley? Check out the following wonderful event facilities.

LaConner Channel Lodge
LaConner Country Inn

Well, Are You Coming?

The 2008 Northwest Event Show postcard invitations have been mailed and we want to make sure you received yours! If you didn't get your copy of the invitation, that means you are not on our list, which quite frankly, is a crying shame!

Join our network automatically by registering to attend the 2008 Northwest Event Show. You'll be added to our mailing list to receive all banquetevent.com updates and industry alerts. Be in the know from the very start!

You can also join our network by signing up to receive the 2008 Event Resource Guide. If you don't already have your copy, order yours soon, before the 2008 edition completely runs out, making way for the 2009 Event Resource Guide, which debuts September 23 at the Northwest Event Show. And stay tuned for a sneak peak at the cover of the 2009 Event Resource Guide...coming soon!

Click here to register.

New and Improved?

This Friday the newly priced and improved Apple iPhone 3G will be released featuring two size options, one 16 GB ($299) and one 8 GB ($199). With fast 3G wireless technology, maps with GPS, support for enterprise features like Microsoft® Exchange, and the new App Store, iPhone 3G puts even more amazing features in your hands. iPhone 3G also has a sleek new design and is available in black or white. And just like the original iPhone, it combines three products in one—a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod®, and a breakthrough Internet device with rich HTML email and full web browsing. According to Apple, this mobile device is the ideal phone for conducting business.

We're curious, of those who have already purchased the Apple iPhone, what are the features you like the most? Is it really as revolutionary as the ads say?

Weigh in below.

Click here to find out what you need to do before purchasing the Apple iPhone 3G.

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing you and yours a happy and safe 4th of July.


“Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.”
- Albert Einstein

Check back Monday for more great event planning and business tips.

What's Happening This 4th of July

Still undecided as to where you will spend the 4th of July. See what's happening in your neighborhood.

SEATTLE

WaMu Family 4th at Lake Union
What: Daytime and evening activities include a spectacular fireworks show
Location: Gas Works Park - 2101 N. Northlake Way, Seattle
Cost: Free
Website: familyfourth.org
Time: Noon - 11 p.m.

Fourth of Jul-Ivar's
What: Fireworks show
Location: Elliott Bay - Myrtle Edwards Park, 3130 Alaskan Way W., Seattle
Cost: Free
Website: ivars.net
Time: 10 p.m.

Museum of Flight's 27 Flags Show
What: Aircraft fly-ins, children's activities, Wings of Freedom Bomber exhibit and picnic.
When: July 1-5
Location: Museum of Flight, 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle
Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: $7.50-$13
Website: www.museumofflight.org

Fourth of July bash
What: Picnic buffet, dancing, karaoke, games, indoor and outdoor view of the Lake Union fireworks
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Swedish Cultural Center - 1920 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle
Cost: $33 adults, $12 ages 9 & younger
RSVP: 206-523-9570

EASTSIDE

Bellevue Family 4th
What: Family fun and fireworks
Time: 10 pm for fireworks
Location: Bellevue Downtown Park, 10201 N.E. Fourth St., Bellevue
Cost: Free
Parking: Free parking at Bellevue Square after 6 pm
Website: www.bellevuedowntown.com

Kirkland 4th of July Festivities
What: Fireworks
Location: Juanita Marina Beach Park - 25 Lake Shore Plaza, Kirkland
Time: 10 p.m.
Website: www.ci.kirkland.wa.us

Fourth on the Plateau
What: Fireworks Show
Location: Sammamish Commons Park, 801 228th Ave. S.E., Sammamish
Time: 10:15 p.m.
Website: www.ci.sammamish.wa.us/4thjuly.aspx
Carnation Celebration
What: Fireworks Show
Location: Tolt-MacDonald Park - Carnation
Time: Dusk
Website: www.carnation4th.org/

SOUTHEND

Fireworks Over Des Moines
What: Fireworks Display
Location: Des Moines Marina, 22307 Dock St., Des Moines
Time: 10 p.m.
Website: www.desmoineswa.gov

4th of July in Renton
What: Fireworks display over Lake Washington
Location: Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, 1201 Lake Washington Blvd., Renton
Time: 10 p.m.
Website: rentonwa.gov

Fourth of July Splash
What: Fireworks display accompanied by Rainier Symphony
Location: Lake Meridian Park, 14800 S.E. 272nd St., Kent
Time: 10 p.m.
Website: www.ci.kent.wa.us/arts

Red, White and Blues Festival
What: Old-fashioned games, soccer, flag football, volleyball, preschoolers' play area, entertainment on two stages, food vendors, dance, fireworks display
Location: Celebration Park, 1095 S. 324th St., Federal Way
Time: 6-10:30 p.m.
Website: www.cityoffederalway.com

Tacoma Freedom Fair and Air Show
What: Outdoor market, international food fair, Lost Boys Pirate Cove children's activities, Camp Patriot to honor community heroes, car show, entertainment, fireworks display
Location: Waterfront Park, Tacoma
Time: 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Website: www.freedomfair.com

NORTHEND
Family 4th of July
What: Music, children's activities, food vendors, fireworks show at dusk
Time: 7 - 10:30 p.m.
Location: Evergreen Playfields, 22400 56th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace
Website: mltrec.com
An Edmonds Kind of Fourth
What: Fireworks show
Location: Edmonds Civic Stadium and Playfield, Sixth Avenue North and Bell Street, Edmonds
Time: 10 p.m.
Website: www.edmondswa.com

Fourth of July Fireworks
What: Parade with dancers, drill teams and musicians who represent world cultures; all-day festival with food, children's activities and music, fireworks show over Port Gardner Bay
Time: 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Location: Legion Memorial Park, 145 Alverson Blvd. at Marine View Drive, Everett
Website: www.everettwa.org

Looking for more? Click here.

Above photo by Erika Schultz of the Seattle Times

What Is Old Can Be Made New

Do you remember how the elderly gentlemen in many classic films wore tailored suits and checked the time with an elegant pocket watch? Or perhaps even your own grandfather used one. We love to see a fusion of traditional pieces with modern updates and this concept pocket watch from designer Adam Huffman gives us a glance into the future of the modern gentleman's pocket watch.

Featuring a round OLED touchscreen, the Colbalt not only serves to convey the time and date but it also features voicemail, email and texting capabilities thanks to integrated Bluetooth connectivity. It also comes complete with voice recognition software allowing for voice commands and voice messaging.

The Cobalt is only in concept form, meaning the product has not been created for sale yet, but we assume this modern take on a timeless piece (no pun intended) will see the light of day soon enough. And we certainly hope it does.



Source

Party ePlan by PartyBluPrints.com

We'd like to thank PartyBluPrints.com for the scoop they sent us on a free party planning manual for the 4th of July. Party Blue Prints has put together a 17-page "how-to" to guide you through the steps of planning the ultimate 4th of July picnic. From invitation ideas to recipes, the manual has it all.

Here is a sample of what you'll find inside...

Make this picnic easy as A, B, C! Keep Your Guests Comfortable & Clean:

• a. Banish the bugs – 1 hour before guests arrive, light bug bomb and citronella candles. Set out individual bug spray wipes and/or spray for guests' convenient use.
• b. It's a picnic, so while you're “roughing” it, offer your guests the opportunity to “wash up” with wipes and/or hand sanitizer – a must have at a picnic!
• c. Give your guests a place to kick back: Provide plenty of clean and comfortable seating (chairs, blankets, benches, etc.)

Keep Waste to a Minimum:

• a. Mark your beverages. Use ClinQ™s , these clever peel off stickers adhere your to drink (whether it's a glass, bottle, disposable cup or plastic bottle). Each has a different symbol so you can identify your drink from the rest. This avoids waste as guests inevitably forget where they set their drink – all they have to do is remember their symbol.
• b. Put out a recycling bin for empties.
• c. Use renewable dinnerware or acrylic dishware and cloth napkins (for fun you can purchase flag bandannas and use them as napkins).

Keep it Cool & Wet:

• a. Ice, Ice and more Ice: There's nothing worse than lukewarm or hot beverages on a hot day. Make sure you have more than enough ice to continually replenish the supply. General rule of thumb is 2 lbs. of ice per person.
• b. Hydrate your guests: Have plenty of non alcoholic beverages on hand - make sure to consider all your guests: adults, children, elderly.
• c. If your yard offers no shade, create some with a few umbrellas. You can also purchase a fan or two that mists while it cools – now that's cool!

Click here to download the entire manual.