Head to Kent!

Marie Haggin Accessories Announces June 7 Grand Opening at Kent Station

Debbie Haggin, owner of Marie Haggin Accessories, is excited to announce the Grand Opening of her new Kent Station store beginning Saturday, June 7. To celebrate the unveiling of the store, Marie Haggin Accessories is hosting an open house for Kent Station shoppers and guests on Saturday, June 7 (10 to 8) and Sunday, June 8 (11 to 6).

The store will offer refreshments, free gifts, raffle prizes and a new array of exclusive merchandise including handmade jewelry, scarves, handbags, home décor, homemade soaps, gift items, accessories and more.

Originally located on First Avenue in downtown Kent, Haggin decided to move her store to Kent Station to bring her products to a growing Kent Station audience.

“I love the historic district and will really miss the other shops there,” Haggin said, “But I’m excited about the opportunity to reach out to a new group of shoppers at Kent Station.”

“It is a big change for me, but I’ve gotten nothing but support from my friends, family and customers,” she added. “I can’t wait to show off the new store!”

In addition to the June 7 & 8 open house, Marie Haggin Accessories will celebrate its grand opening throughout the month of June with special drawings, giveaways, raffle prizes and more. A complete calendar of events will be posted on the store’s website soon.

Marie Haggin Accessories is a stylish gift boutique offering distinctive items perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, bridal and baby showers and more. The unique, independently-owned store sells handmade jewelry, soaps and other gift items created by local artists. The store is located around the corner from Jamba Juice, next to Dave’s MiniHobby Shop and the Kent Station Management Office. For more information, visit www.MarieHaggin.com.

Paradise Inn Reopens

Expect the Unexpected at Paradise
by Nancy Covert

No matter how many times a person visits “the mountain” there’s always something different to see. Take the late May snowfall, for example.After being closed for a major makeover, the Paradise Inn reopened May 16 for its 2008 season.

During the gala opening/benefit held that weekend the mountain donned its spring finery and showed off her new look. Three days later her sunny disposition disappeared, and the mountain dumped six inches of snow on visitors’ cars. .
At the time of this writing, the Inn was swaddled in approximately 212 inches of snow.

Fortunately for inn guests, a recently graduated mechanical engineering student from Singapore shoveled snow from cars of a couple departing guests and earned some welcome spending money. Daniel and his classmates from China are working at the lodge during the current season, filling out the ranks of the household staff, as they combine work with sightseeing this year.

During its 2-1/2-year closure, the national park experienced higher than normal snowfalls (about 900 inches total), severe flooding; even avalanches, according to Ken Hardy, general foreman for Watts/Korsmo—the contractors who combined talents for the renovation/restoration work at the historic structure. Despite the climactic and structural challenges, the workers “soldiered on.”

According to Hardy, the construction crews faced numerous challenges, ensuring that the historic lodge materials were preserved at the same time they were modernized by contemporary techniques

Restoring three mammoth stone fireplaces was a particularly large project. Masons numbered each stone before dismantling the towering fireplaces. While dining at a table next to the fireplace in late May, faint chalk numbers could still be seen on some of the stones.

Hardy estimated that around 2,000 yellow cedar logs were used in the inn’s construction. The original wood came from a stand of Alaskan yellow cedars that grew on the mountain near Longmire. According to one story, the forest was almost destroyed in the late 19th century, after one of James Longmire’s sons attempted to eliminate an infestation of hornets that annoyed visitors to the area, setting off the conflagration. The fire scorched many of the trees. Fortunately the wood was salvageable, and used to construct Paradise Lodge.

Changes to the 90-year-old structure, reportedly finished in eight months’ time—“more like two years,” Hardy speculated—include creating footings for the upright pillars, replacing all the flooring, and renovating the gift shop. Seven handicapped-accessible guestrooms were created in the former Glacier Bar space, and original upstairs guestrooms were remodeled. To take an insider’s tour of the renowned lampshade garden, ask for complimentary copy of the guide at the registration desk.

Visit www.korsmo.com and access the Paradise project link to view those and other changes, including progress on the adjacent visitor center set to open in October
There’s lots more to discover at Paradise, from dinner music to good food, even a glimpse of a resident fox.

Be advised, however, that while the calendar says it’s spring, expect the unexpected when it comes to weather. One guest was grateful to find a long-neglected pair of REI hiking boots stashed in a corner of the car trunk. What a difference those boots made when it came time to tromp around the vehicle to scrape snow from the windshield and roof!

After that unexpected thrill, it was all down hill.

Note: Complimentary shuttle bus service is back in service this year. Buses depart from Longmire every1-1/2 hours. Service is expected to be extended, later this summer, to include a stop at Ashford.
Reservations for the lodge’s 2008 season are filling up quickly. Room rates range from $99-$228. Phone 360-569-2275 or http://rainier.guestservices.com to reserve one.
Optional lodgings around Mt. Rainier range from campgrounds to cottages, from cabooses to castles. Check the Mt. Rainier website for details.

LOVING EVERYTHING LOCAL

Every Thursday is a time to support the local community by hitting the Farmers Market in downtown Tacoma! Fresh flowers, homemade tamales, blown glass and mini-doughnuts. What is there not to love. And don't forget a fresh-baked pretzel and some yummy Mexican goods from the taco truck. Love local stuff? Subscribe to South Sound magazine and have the best of everything local delivered to your mailbox. Or better yet, give a subscription as a gift. Southsoundmag.com!

GO RED FOR WOMEN LUNCHEON

On May 7 was the GO RED FOR WOMEN LUNCHEON at Hotel Murano. Tacoma joined over 50 other cities to honor survivors and educate women and men alike about the risk factors of heart disease.
Three courageous women took to the stage to share their life experience with heart disease. They are mothers, survivors, friends and teachers. Their stories were different, but had one thing in common. Each was effected by a traumatic experience and each said the same thing, it could have been prevented!
Stress is the common factor in many of the women affected by heart disease today. Diane Sieg, the keynote speaker, brought helpful tips to conquer stress. Her book, “Stop Living Your Life Like An Emergency,” draws on her survival skills as an emergency room nurse, life lessons gleaned from her patients, clients and personal experiences to help her audiences show up, speak up, and stand up in their lives - everyday!
Heart disease and stroke are the greatest health threat women face, with coronary heart disease and stroke as the No. 1 and No. 3 killers of women over age 25. The good news: heart disease can largely be prevented. Go Red For Women celebrates the energy, passion and power women have to band together and wipe out heart disease.
For more information on heart disease, or if you’d like to give a donation visit goredforwomen.org.

Star Chefs on Broadway

Sunday, May 4 was the annual Star Chefs On Broadway 2008. It was my first time going and it was a blast! The dinner/auction benefited local performing arts education and was held in the Pantages Theater Lobby.

The décor was spectacular and the entertainment was great. We were serenaded by the sounds of a French band as we strolled through the silent auction items. Then the emcee of the night stepped on stage with his extraordinarily fake French accent, mustache and carpet bag coat. I LOVED HIM. The auction was accompanied with tons of bids, laughing and “OLE!”

The dinner menu included courses by:
Charlie McManus of Primo Grill (appetizers)
Matt Brandsey of Sea Grill (soup)
Peter Weikel of Stadium Bistro (salad)
Tristan Holst of El Gaucho (entrée)
Gay Landry of Affairs Bakery & Café (desserts)

Corresponding wines from artisan winemakers Craig Larson of Maryhill Winery, Ron Bunnell of Bunnell Family Cellar Winery and Rob Newsom of Boudreaux Cellars.



Jennifer Mitchell
Marketing Coordinator

6th Annual Hop Scotch Festival

Last weekend was the 6th annual Hop Scotch Spring Beer and Scotch Festival in Fremont. Benefiting Northwest Folklife, the festival is a truly unique tasting experience. Visitors could sample from over 50 award-winning, handcrafted microbrews, premium tequila samples, a scotch tasting garden and scotch tasting seminars.

The microbrew tasting garden showcased Northwest favorites such as the Lazy Boy Amber from Lazy Boy Brewery as well as Mac and Jack’s African Amber and Serengeti Wheat. Visitors could sample every flavor, from the dark, sweet and smooth Quilter’s Irish Death made by Iron Horse Brewery to the smooth refreshing Longboard Lager from the Kona brewery.

The Scotch Tasting Garden was a self-guided experience with scotch representatives to answer questions. Master of Scotch Ari Shapiro offered an exclusive, one-hour, guided session to teach visitors the “secrets” of scotch.

In the Tequila Tasting Lounge, an expert of tequila was available to answer questions and help visitors decide what tequilas would best suite their Cinco de Mayo festivities.

This was a 21 and over event.