Catharine Blaine K-8 School held its annual Evening of the Arts on May 25, an event that showcases students' edifying experiences with everything from a trumpet to a magnifying glass. Some of the highlights of the evening included eighth-grade student AJ testing how much force it takes to break a drumstick by releasing the drumstick from a spring-loaded trigger into a cymbal.
"Hilarious" is a word easy to toss around, easy to exaggerate. Take note! There's no exaggeration in pronouncing Taproot Theatre's production of Larry Shue's "The Foreigner" hilarious. Many a playwright has mined the funny possibilities of mistaken identity and miscommunication. Shue is among the leaders of that pack.His hero, a boring Englishman named Charlie Baker, is devoid of personality, unsuccessful in life, pathetic at romance. He knows his wife can't stand him and has made him a cuckold 23 times to his count, but what's he to do? The only bright spot in his life appears to be his friend, Froggy LeSueur, a demolition expert who teaches his craft to American soldiers. Froggy convinces Charlie to fly to America with him and settle down for a few days in a rustic lodge in the back hills of Georgia while Froggy and the chaps blow things up.Bad idea! Once there, Charlie wants none of it. The thought of making conversation with strangers is more than he can tolerate. Froggy, however, is convinced that this little respite will do Charlie some good. He passes him off as a foreigner who does not speak or understand any English, and Charlie, trapped in that role before he knows what's happening, goes along with it, assuming it will allow him to avoid the unwanted social intercourse. He's wrong.
The myth of classical ballet is that all dancers must fit a set mold, and there is no room in a company for anyone else. The truth is somewhat less rigid. Some ballets do call for a certain uniformity of look; others just require terrific dancing.As the tallest woman in the Pacific Northwest Ballet, principal dancer Ariana Lallone knows what it's like to stand out from the crowd. At 5-foot-1 in her satin slippers, Lallone is usually dressed in some bright shade of red and is always easy to spot on stage. Her leading roles at PNB have included a number of contemporary roles choreographed on her, including a stunning Carmen, as well as classical roles. With her black hair and striking good looks, Lallone is most often costumed in brilliant colors.
Hot Dogs can jump On May 13, I went to see the Hot Dog USA championship jump rope performance and competition team at Kamiakin Junior High. I was amazed at the complex maneuvers, gymnastic stunts, and athletic ability of the performers. I never knew such things could be done with jump ropes!Highlands resident Melissa Muro, a seventh-grader at Kirkland Junior High, joined the Hot Dog team when she was in fifth grade. Prior to that she had taken a few jump rope classes, including one offered to kids at Peter Kirk Elementary. She started out on the Hot Dog's junior team, which is open to anyone who wants to join. She has since graduated to the Elite team. It's a big commitment - she practices four times a week for about two and a half hours each time. Practices include gymnastics.
14 little dragonsPerhaps you have seen them? Well, when we saw them running past Lorraine's the other day we just had to learn more about them. The "little dragons" are the children who are studying martial arts with Master Mike Davis at the Jungyae Martial Arts Studio located in Bridle Trails Shopping Center.The Little Dragons class for children from 5-8 run a bit as part of their physical conditioning. I (Lorraine) went to visit their class and let me tell you, they may be little, but they are brave, confident young warriors and just as important they are respectful, enthusiastic and dedicated. I was very impressed when they respectfully end their remarks with "sir."
Hello to all and thanks for reading. Each month in this column I attempt to capture some of the events and activities occurring in the neighborhood that I hope are of interest to the majority of you reading this. Should you have suggestions or comments, please let me know. By the time you read this there will be only two weeks to go till the ground breaking for the new Woodlands Park playground. I have listed below a brief list of just some of the community support and activities occurring in May that has helped to make this project a resounding success.Please visit the Friends of Woodlands Park Web site for a more complete list and by all means support the local businesses which have supported the playground: www.playgroundproject.org/* Kirkland Chamber of Commerce raises $5,600-plus for Woodlands Park playground wheelchair access rampsOn May 19, the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce held its annual auction fundraiser. Every year they select a cause to support and this year the playground was the beneficiary.They came in big with a donation - exceeding $5,600 - which will go toward the wheelchair access ramps at the playground. Many thanks to the greater Kirkland business community for all their support!Eagle Scout candidate John Tupper and troop saves rosesOne Saturday morning a crew of scouts and a few Friends of Woodlands pulled the recently planted native roses and installed construction fences. John Tupper directed traffic and the roses will be preserved and replanted following the build. Photos will be posted to the Web site soon.
Seventy yearsDowntowner Diane Krushelnisky is the fifth owner of the Central Tavern, a downtown Kirkland institution. She has worked there long enough that she will not let me tell anyone how long. Without a doubt, she has paid her dues and has earned her right to own the Central.The Central Club is celebrating its 70th anniversary this month. The month-long celebration will build up to a big party on June 26. June 26, 1936, was the day the original Central Tavern liquor license was approved. The 26th is on a Sunday this year, which is the Central's regular night for jazz and blues bands. Diane is planning quite a party to start at 7 p.m. She will bring in food and a special band."It will be a big party," Diane says. "We will celebrate all month long. We're allowed to party because we're old."Diane is really into the Central's history, and discovered that it's the oldest continuing operating drinking establishment on the Eastside. The Central Tavern sign that had hung over the front door now hangs over the bar. When Diane began offering mixed drinks she had to stop using tavern in the name.Another fascinating fact is how it got the name.
Time flies in around the neighborhood. It seems as though it was only yesterday I was writing about fall. Now, I am searching for all of my summer clothes and buying graduation gifts again. Things don't really show any signs of slowing down until after July either. Here is the latest update.The Juanita NeighborhoodsSince the merger in March, it looks like life has been breathed back into this area, now the largest of the neighborhood associations in the city. The neighborhoods are represented currently by a full nine-person board. Some are faces that have been around awhile (mine included). Others are fresh, and very welcome.They are: Greg Butler, Joel Burris, Patricia Gallagher, Kevin and Marianna Hanefeld, Nels Myren, Norm Storme and Inge Theisen. They are currently working on a short and long-term vision for the group. They also have some interesting ideas about leadership that they will be sharing in the fall.(By the way, one of the first decisions made by this board was to drop the word "association" from the title of the group. They want to be known as simply The Juanita Neighborhoods or TJN.)The meetings that have been held so far have had a consistent attendance of 25-35. The discussions have been lively and presentations have been informative and helpful, overall.One goal of the new board is trying to address needs of residents.
The Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association (LWYSA) finished up its six-week spring soccer season on May 25. According the Web site, the program "provides an opportunity for children to play soccer twice a week during the months of April and May. The emphasis for this program is having fun, getting some exercise and providing lots of 'touches on the ball.'"
I've come across a great discovery - breathing is a magical process for moving swiftly through life! I've also come to realize that life repeatedly throws each of us into breathing patterns that are stifling. As you read on, ponder how you may benefit from greater awareness of this seemingly simple act.First, take a snapshot of your breath this very moment. Shut your eyes, and continue breathing for the next minute or so as you've been doing the past few moments. Notice the character of your breath. Is it fast or slow, shallow or deep? What parts of your body seem to be moving in cadence with your breath? Can you feel your spine flex as you breathe? Focus on your breathing for a moment and compare what you notice to the information below.There are different types of breathing, and our breathing automatically adjusts to what's going on inside of us. If you're startled, your breath may naturally stop for a moment. With brisk movement, your breath automatically keeps pace with the increased demand for respiration. When you are in a relaxed state, your breathing tends to become slower and deeper. The unconscious breathing mirrors your life experience. Conscious breathing is a chance to intervene on your own behalf.
We are well into our spring activities now - morning walks on the waterfront, inline-skating at the park, and perfecting our golf swing. Have you thought about your personal safety while exercising? This is the time of year we should all be conscious of our efforts to get and stay healthy.People should check their exercise equipment for defects and wear the proper clothing, shoes and protective gear for the activity. Additionally, good ol' common sense comes in handy about when and where you exercise.Cyclists and joggers should obey traffic signals and avoid busy streets that have narrow shoulders. Where there are no sidewalks, you should walk or jog facing traffic on the shoulder of the road as far from the driving lane as possible. Cyclists should always ride in the same direction as other traffic and ride as close to the right edge of road as practical. When engaging in physical activity outdoors at night, wear clothing with reflective strips.Although engaging in regular physical activity is essential for optimal health, some activities are likely to result in an injury.
Fifty-four years ago Vita Sackville-West was battling slugs in her garden! In her June 8, 1952, column for The Observer she wrote: "I think I have found the answer in an anti-slug bait which causes slugs and snails to shrivel up, dryly. It really works: I have tried it. It is called Anti-slug, and it comes from Messrs. Baker, Codsall, Wolverhampton. It is said to be harmless to plants, birds, and animals."Discovering this passage in her collection of articles that have been published in book form (In Your Garden and In Your Garden Again) reminds me of the continuum we all share as garden-makers. Whether we make complex perennial borders, or just create a large swath of lawn with foundation plants close to the house, or produce a grand vegetable and herb extravaganza, we, the garden-makers, find ourselves in combat with other life forms.
The game to keep the Seattle Seahawks in town may be over but there are more seasons to come for other businesses. And it's imperative that we learn from our mistakes on the field this year.By now you know the Seahawks have made a decision to re-locate the team's practice facilities and offices to Renton.As a community we should be grateful that the Seahawks have called Kirkland home for the last 30 years. During that time they have truly been a model corporate partner and neighbor. Kirkland's students benefited from the team's support of programs for youth. Charity auctions often featured a donation from the team.For their business citizenship and broad community involvement, the team was recognized with the Kirkland Chamber's Charles O. Morgan Business Excellence Award. While this support will continue as it does in other communities, it will not be the same with them out of town. From Alaska to Oregon and Idaho to the Pacific Coast, the Seahawks have and continue to help Northwest communities in so many ways. The only thing left to say is thank you!However, while we lament the loss of the Seahawks, our challenge lies in making sure that we all work together in letting current and future businesses know that Kirkland is a great place to locate.
Last year we celebrated Kirkland's 100th birthday. Those 100 years saw Kirkland grow from 400 people on the shore of Lake Washington to 45,000. In addition, the first automobile came over Snoqualmie Pass, in 1905. One hundred years later there were more than 3 million of them in the Puget Sound area. It is hard enough to imagine what life was like back then, but try to imagine what it will be like 100 years from now! We do know that the number of people in Central Puget Sound will at least double. Where we will put them? Must we fill the foothills with sprawl, degrade our waters and lose our forests and farms? What is the future of our beautiful corner of the world? The Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC), a nonprofit land-conservation agency working in King, Kittitas, Pierce and Snohomish counties, studied this question for more than a year. We had forums, town hall meetings and expert panel discussions to hear from as many people and organizations as possible. Conservation is vitalWe learned that we can accommodate development, optimize conservation goals and have a strong economy. Conservation is the key to preserving the quality of life that will attract and retain the talented people that will drive that economy. Our studies resulted in the Cascade Agenda, a call for action to protect the Cascades that inspire us, the waters that sustain us and the communities that define us. The mountains and forests of the Cascades are the heart of our region's ecosystem - cleansing our air, providing our water, protecting our cities and farms against floods and providing countless scenic vistas. Yet more than 2 million acres of Cascade timberland have been converted to low-density residential development or other uses in our state in the last 30 years!
On May 10, South Rose Hill residents received in the mail a ballot proposal regarding the possible placement of several speed-cushion humps and one raised crosswalk on some of our neighborhood streets. While the ballot proposal offers important information, it does not include some facts that voters should have in order to help them decide whether to vote for or against the installation of traffic devices on our streets. If you are a South Rose Hill resident and haven't yet completed and/or mailed your ballot back to the city, I would like to suggest that you do so after considering the following:Approximately half of the SRH traffic committee members who worked with the city did not and do not approve of the ballot proposal plan to use speed cushion humps and a raised crosswalk to slow traffic speeds in the neighborhood. Although those of us opposed to the plan agreed to having the ballot mailed to residents in our neighborhood, our preference was and still is to work toward finding alternative ways to improve traffic and pedestrian safety. Because speed cushions humps increase emergency rescue response times, Kirkland's firefighters and Medic One emergency responders are opposed to the use of these devices. While emergency vehicles are able to travel faster on streets with speed-cushion humps than streets with standard speed humps, streets with neither of these devices are optimal. Lost seconds can result in lost lives.A recent review of data from Kirkland's Police and Fire departments compares the number of speed-caused accidents in residential neighborhoods with the number of emergency responder vehicle rescue missions. There are very few speed-related accidents on neighborhood streets; fire department data shows that there are very many "critical" (life threatening) emergency response calls. Motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists on residential streets average about one injury every four or five years for the entire city; about two-thirds of these accidents occur at vehicle speeds well below the speed limit. The Kirkland Fire Department makes about 1,000 medical emergency calls per year to family residences on neighborhood streets.It should be noted as well that, while speed cushion humps will slow average traffic speeds, these devices will not slow all vehicles, and the variation in vehicle speeds will be considerable.