A Great Blog

Festival of Lights Holiday Gift and Cookie Bazaar Sat-Sun, Dec. 2nd and 3rd, 2011

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Festival of Lights Benefits the Winter Shelter

The second annual Festival of Lights will brighten holiday shopping on Friday & Saturday,

Dec. 2^nd & 3^rd from 10 AM to 7 PM at the Masonic Hall, Jefferson at Van Buren, in Port

Townsend. This free-admission, family- friendly gift, craft, and collectibles bazaar also features

a cookie extravaganza of over 2,000 homemade cookies sold by the dozen.

A major feature of the event is a raffle benefiting the Port Townsend Winter Shelter. The grand prize, a Victoria Getaway Package, features a two-nights’ stay at the Hotel Grand Pacific, roundtrip walk-on ferry passage, and passes to both Butchart Gardens and the Victoria Butterfly Gardens. A silent auction will feature such diverse items as a salmon fishing expedition on Admiralty Inlet, ukelele with music lesson, a chandelier, facial, and tour of Discovery Bay Shellfish Farm followed by oysters and beer or wine tasting on the beach.

There will be plenty of handcrafted hats, scarves, jewelry, and other crafts; the popular home and garden gift section will return. The art section will include several prints by local writer-artist-calligrapher, Sandy Diamond.

Santa and his photographer friend, JJ Jenkins, will be on hand taking photos with Santa for pets, kids, and even spirited adults. Photos will be processed for same day pick-up, ready to be included in holiday cards or for framing.

A most-generous donor is contributing 65 classic David Winters Cottage collectibles for sale at below eBay pricing. These highly detailed, hand-painted miniature houses, churches and nature scenes reflect old world artistry and craftsmanship.

A Pet Treats & Accessories section will include pet collars, bandanas, scarves,

pet beds, cozy doggie winter wraps, catnip soft toys and more for those four-legged loved ones on your gift list. Home-baked doggie treats, made from recipes found in “Soul Food: Heavenly Recipes for Home Made Meals & Treats” will be on sale, as will a limited number of this collection of these healthy, tasty recipes for your “fur person” created by Donna English of Port Townsend.

A supervised activity room is available for younger children with crafts to keep them amused while parents wander through the fine array of gift options. Hot soups, hot chocolate, coffee & tea will be for sale in the main hall.

The Festival of Lights is sponsored by Unity of Port Townsend. For information: 360-385-2341 or visit www.unitypt.org Admission is free.

A conversation with award winning actress, Melissa Leo, at the 2007 Port Townsend Film Festival.

2011-02-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

Update 2/27 She won an Oscar .... WOW

Melissa Leo received the 2011 Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress in "The Fighter". She won the 2011 Academy Award for that role as well. In 2009 she was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in "Frozen River".

This conversation on filmmaking with Melissa and filmmaker, Michael Knowles, took place during the 2007 Port Townsend Film Festival.

Origami for Lunch?? Try It.

2009-10-04T08:31:00.001-07:00

Recently Carl Nomura had an Origami teaching lunch at his Ichikawa Restaurant. Buy your lunch and with it you get a lot of fun learning the fine art of Japanese "paper folding", Origami.

Click below for video. (3:34)

Wooden Boat Festival 2009

2009-10-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

The Wooden Boat Festival is THE event of the year for Port Townsend. That is really saying something when you consider the other regular events such as the Film Festival and all the things happening out at Centrium. OK, so some of us are boat-nuts and may be biased.

This year was even better with the opening of the Northwest Maritime Center to highlight the fine art of wooden boat building and restoration.

Click on the video below to catch some of the event.

Scroll down for a video on the Opening of the Northwest Maritime Center.

Northwest Maritime Center Opening - 2009

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The new Northwest Maritime Center is a great addition to the Peninsula and Port Townsend. The facility opened in time for the annual Wooden Boat Festival held each year in Port Townsend, WA.

Good job Kaci Cronkhite and Stan Cummings along with all the many donors and volunteers that made this possible.

Uptown Fair Parade 2009 - Port Townsend

2009-08-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

Parades are very important to us here in Port Townsend. Its a time for some outdoor fun that we share with all our neighbors. Besides professional therapy is way too expensive...

Click on video for starters... (0:56)

Uptown Fair Parade 2009 - More...

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Now Click for the rest of the Parade... (5:46)

Port Townsend Pirouettes - "A Night at the Movies"

2009-05-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

Port Townsend Pirouettes

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The Port Townsend Pirouettes performed at the Pacific Northwest Blossom Invitational in Tukwila on June 6-7. The Age-Group Trio of Hannah Welch, Tanner
Matthew, and Kiera Matkins have also qualified for the National Competition
in Gainesville, Florida.

Synchronized swimming athletes combine the grace and choreography of
dance with the stamina and strength of a sport like cross country skiing.
"It's truly remarkable to see how focused and strong all these girls
are. We left the event with an appreciation for the sport and how
hard the kids work," said Port Townsend resident Patti Reynolds after
attending the local showcase last year.

Here's a video clip from the May 30th presentation at the Mountain View Pool. (4:16)

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Rhody Grand Parade May 16th. 2009

2009-05-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

The weather was great for the Rhody Grand Parade. Come view your favorite of the parade. Plus, don't miss the Rhody Kiddie Parade video below. (Stay Tuned, more of your favorites to be published)

Rhody Pre - Parade

Tenino Motorcycle Drill Team

Rhody Grand Parade 2009 - More...

2009-05-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

--- Marvin G. Shields Memorial Color Guard and the PTHS Marching Band

Rhody Grand Parade 2009 - More...

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Grand Marshals: PTHS state third place basketball team

Rhody Grand Parade 2009 - More...

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--- "Wild Rhodies" festival float, Queen's Court, Junior Royalty and Senior Royalty, Eleanor and Dick Stickney

Rhody Grand Parade 2009 - More...

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--- Cub Scout Pack 4480

Rhody Grand Parade 2009 - More...

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--- State Representatives Lynn Kessler and Kevin Van de Wege; Naval Magazine Indian Island Commander Mark Loose

Rhody Grand Parade 2009 - More...

2009-05-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

Forks Old Fashioned Fourth of July followed by The Boiler Room Bagpiper

Rhody Grand Parade 2009 - More...

2009-05-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

Marrowstone Citizen of the Year, Phil Flynn

Rhody Grand Parade 2009 - More...

2009-05-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

Chimicum High School Cowboys Marching Band

Rhody Grand Parade 2009 - More...

2009-05-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Rhody '09: Kiddie Parade

Port Townsend Green Drinks Event

2009-04-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

Dennis Daneau, a local roving videographer,captures a really neat gathering of "Greenies". This is a WSU organized event for young locals interested in networking together to help them find their success in an environmentally friendly endeavor. Hear Michael Schuman give a taste of his lecture being delivered later that nite regarding Think Local First and the BALLE movement. (click here "Local Events - Think Local First" for further info on that event)

Click on video (9:25)

Think Local First

2009-04-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

Right on Target...

WSU Extension along with Local 20-20 and LION sponsored Micheal Schuman's lecture (4/15/09) on how our local economy works. Sounds like a boring talk and this editor expected the message was going to be either, "Wake up and go after the big box stores" or "If you don't buy local you're not part of the solution".

Nope, he gave us a very useful economist's view on what local dollars can do for all of us. And, how to offer great product value that can compete with the outside influences as well as have a smaller carbon footprint. A video version of this lecture has been taped by Dennis Daneau and an excerpt will be available on this website when it's completed.

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Poster by Sally Chapin.
Come hear Michael Shuman (nationally known author, attorney, economist, & NPR radio guest) speak on the timely topic of engaging local communities in collective action during these trying economic times.

His recent books -- The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses are Beating the Global Competition and Going Local: Creating Self-Reliant Communities in the Global Age -- offer a breadth of experience and hands-on knowledge that is not to be missed.

Michael Shuman was recently appointed Director of Research and Public Policy of the national BALLE organization and has given the Obama administration his thoughts on the necessity for stimulating the local economy. He will address how we can support the local economy, not just through purchasing locally and consuming locally produced and grown products, but by investing in local micro-lenders, credit unions, co-ops and other local business start ups.

The speaker program begins at 7:00 p.m. Fort Worden Commons- FREE- a very good investment!!!

This event is made available by WSU Extension- EDC/ TEAM JEFFERSON, Local 2020, Local Investing Opportunities Network, and BALLE Jefferson County- Rhody Revolution!

Local 20-20 Potluck

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Local 20/20 hosted another community potluck (4-16-09) to hear about how we can make the best use of Michael's suggestions.

A Community of Neighbors - Local 20/20

2009-03-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Recently in Port Townsend Local 20/20 sponsored a community wide gathering of our local groups for a Potluck With Purpose to hear about what's important to them.

Deborah Stinson and her fellow Local 20/20 friends did a great job orchestrating an effective program of getting the participants to share their ideas and to listen to others. A low key approach was designed to allow a comfortable form of conversation where ideas might be shared with diverse community neighbors.

A wide range of topic came up. Concerns included Farmer's Markets, affordable housing, job opportunities as well as others. Scroll down for a video clip of some of the highlights. We look forward to future gatherings.

2009-03-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

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