Weekend Easter Events - Snohomish County

Today is the first day of Spring, the Equinox. Tomorrow is Good Friday and of course, Sunday is Easter. There are many events happening around Snohomish County this weekend. There’s bound to be an activity or two close to you for the whole family.

Check these out -

Easter Egg Hunts

Easter egg hunt in Edmonds. Prizes include eggs filled with toys, candy and other prizes. Starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Edmonds Lutheran Church, 23525 84th Ave. W., Edmonds. For ages 12 and under. Live music by Eric Ode. Sponsored by Edmonds and Trinity Lutheran churches. Free. Call 425-778-2159, or go to www.edmondslutheran.org, www.trinitylutheranchurch.com, www.ericode.com.

Dinosaur egg hunt at Everett Mall. Starts at noon Saturday for ages 3-5 only and at 1 p.m. start for ages 5-10. Also Saturday, “Dig It! The Fossil Workshop,” Everett Mall, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett. Free. Prizes. Call 425-423-8506 or go to www.digitfossils.com.

Egg hunt in Everett. 10 a.m. Saturday, Walter E. Hall Park, 1226 W. Casino Road, Everett. Free for all ages. Call 425-513-6178. Sponsored by Word of Grace South Everett Foursquare and Sonrise Chapel churches.

Marysville Parks and Recreation Easter egg hunt begins at 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Jennings Memorial Park, 6915 Armar Road, Marysville. For ages 8 and under only. Canned food donation to food bank requested for admission. Call 360-363-8400. Also sponsored by Marysville Noon Rotary Club and Grandview Village.

Arlington city egg hunt from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Held behind the Stillaguamish Athletic Club at 4417 172nd St. NE, near the Arlington Airport. Free admission. Activities for kids ages 1-12. Eggs redeemed for prizes and refreshments will be provided, but bring your own Easter basket and camera for pictures with the Easter Bunny. Go to www.ci.arlington.wa.us. Sponsored by city of Arlington and Arlington Firefighters Local 3728.

Egg hunt in Lake Stevens at 11 a.m. with free activities until 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Haggen store, 8915 Market Place NE, Lake Stevens. For all ages. Also Easter craft projects, face painting and more. Call 425-377-7100.

Egg hunt in Granite Falls beginning at noon Saturday in Eagle Park at E. Galena Street in Granite Falls. Pictures with the Easter Bunny and egg hunt for ages 1-10, in separate groups; child who collects the most eggs gets a prize; $5 and $7 for pictures with Easter Bunny.

Snohomish’s big Easter egg hunt starts at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Echo Lake Community Church, 13306 Lost Lake Road, Snohomish. Free, but canned food donations accepted. Call 360-668-5528.

Easter egg hunt in Stanwood area at 2 p.m., other activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Haggen store, 26603 72nd Ave. NW, Stanwood. For ages 2-12. The event is free and also includes Easter egg decorating, face painting, a visit from the Easter Bunny and more. Call 360-629-4400.

The Shiners’ Easter egg hunt in Mountlake Terrace begins at 11 a.m. on March 22 (Saturday) at the Nile Shrine Center located at 6601 244th St. SW in Mountlake Terrace. For small children to age 5, children ages 6-9 and children ages 10-13. Free. Call 425-774-9611.

Mountlake Terrace city egg hunt is at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Evergreen Playfield, 22205 56th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace. For ages 12 and younger with parent. Treat-filled eggs and other prizes. Free. Sponsored by the Mountlake Terrace Seniors Group. Call 425-672-2407.

Easter egg hunt in Lynwood starts at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Lynnwood Free Methodist Church, 6519 188th St. SW, Lynnwood. For ages 1-11. Prizes and candy-filled eggs. Free. Call 425-775-3696.

Country Village Eggs-travaganza in Bothell starting at 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday at the Country Village shops, 23718 Seventh Ave. SE, Bothell. Families can collect one egg per store; eggs contain candy, prizes or gift certificates. Call 425-605-0425, www.­countryvillagebothell.com.

Golden egg hunt in Arlington for adults that begins at 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday in downtown Arlington. Three gold eggs are hidden at participating businesses. There will be prizes. Sponsored by the Downtown Arlington Business Association.

Lake Stevens Kiwanis egg hunt is at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Highland Elementary School, 3220 113th Ave. NE, Lake Stevens.

Breakfasts and other events

If I find anything else that looks fun, I’ll post it as well.
~ Annie

Real Estate Local: Tanked

In many areas of the country, the real estate market has slowed to all but a crawl. And although it is certainly getting slower here in the Seattle area, I think we’re still in better shape than many cities. Although, I just heard today that the home prices in suburban areas just outside Seattle and Bellevue are falling by as much as $100,000. That’s huge for a lot of people.

This is good news for buyers, actually. Even though the mortgage industry is in crisis, people might still be able to purchase homes - and even homes they couldn’t touch a year ago - because prices are now becoming more affordable. Additionally, the Fed lowering interest rates again might be helpful. I’m not sure that’s they right way to “stimulate” the economy, though, but that’s a topic for another post.

Frankly, I’ve always thought the housing prices in North King and Snohomish Counties were grossly over-inflated in the last 10 years. I’m glad to see pricing that more accurately reflects where prices likely should have been all along.

Of course, the bad news is that folks who’ve bought more house than they could afford or who have to move for job reasons and what-not, likely won’t recoup what they paid. Will those people end up in foreclosure? I think a good number of them will and many already have. They won’t really have much other choice. And that’s incredibly sad.

These are the people the Fed should be helping. I mean, the government can back the purchase of Bear Stearns by JPMorgan Chase but it’s unwilling or unable for whatever reason to help the average homeowner? Isn’t the government supposed to help it’s citizens? (Don’t answer that - it’s rhetorical.)

This isn’t a political blog so I won’t get into that any further . . . So back to the topic at hand.

I don’t think the Seattle area will see the problems that have plagued Las Vegas, Phoenix and Florida over the past few years but the picture certainly isn’t as rosy as some would like to pretend. There are real problems and I don’t think we’ve seen the lowest end of it yet. I heard that foreclosure rates rose 60% in February - I think that’s low compared to what’s coming over the next 6 months.

Do you live in an area that has been hit hard by this? What are your thoughts?

If you live in the Greater Seattle area, what are your thoughts?

Feel free to post in the comments, but do please keep in civil and clean.
Thanks,

Annie

UPDATE 3.17.08 - 9pm PDT: Very interesting article on Huffington Post about the Bear Stearns bailout and foreclosure crisis. Rather eye-opening. Check it out.

Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley

Add Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley to my list of Favorite Northwest Places.

My mom and I saw saxophonist Mindi Abair Sunday night at Jazz Alley and it was awesome! I had never been there before, although I’ve been to such venues as The Triple Door, and I must say it was very nice. Well designed, the sound is great and the view is equally spectacular from pretty much anywhere inside be it the balcony or the floor.

We sat in the balcony last night, right against the railing and had a great view of the entire stage and the band as well as Mindi. The staff is nice, helpful and quick. We both had coffee and never once had to ask for a refill - the waitress was right there with a fresh pot to refill our cups every time they got to the bottom. I’m sure between the two of us, we drank a whole pot, too!

After the show, we met Mindi and got her autograph. She’s a very sweet, energetic performer and I will definitely see her again the next time she is in Seattle.

Thanks Jazz Alley and KWJZ for putting on such a great show! And thanks Mindi for rockin’ the house!

~ Annie

My Favorite Northwest Places

I was going to call this 4-part series my Favorite Seattle Places, but some of my favorite places aren’t IN Seattle so it’s My Favorite Northwest Places. They include “Ride the Ducks,” Port Townsend, Whidbey Island, Diablo Dam, Pike Place Market, and more.

Ride the Ducks

My family and I recently went to Seattle and took the scenic tour of Downtown all the way to Lake Union aboard a DUCK - a World War II era amphibious vehicle.

We saw both old and new landmarks including Paul Allen’s Experience Music Project, The Space Needle, The Old Spaghetti Factory, The Edgewater Hotel, Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe, The Seattle Aquarium, Elliot Bay Books, Pioneer Square, Safeco Field, Qwest Field, the Hammering Man at the Seattle Art Museum, Pike Place Market, Elephant Car Wash, The Fremont Bridge, and while on Lake Union, the Seattle Fire Boats and many commercial fishing boats.

We had a blast and highly recommend taking the Adventure if you’re in Seattle. They also have tours in Branson, Philadelphia, Baltimore and a few other places.

Whidbey Island

Offering majestic views of the Shipping Lanes and Puget Sound waters, Whidbey is of one of 9 islands in the Island County chain - a collection of islands that dot the Puget Sound from Everett to Bellingham.

Whidbey Island is home to quaint towns and cute shops along it’s coastline as well as Fort Casey State Park which was a thriving military establishment at the turn of the last century. The remains of the bunkers, lighthouse, and artillery mounts are fun to explore as part of the State Park system. You can even camp overnight at the Park (details on the link above).

Another favorite spot is Langley, high above the bluff overlooking the beautiful Sound at Saratoga Passage and is home of the Choochokam Arts Festival held annually in July. Langley is filled with cute shops and nice, quiet parks. You can also attend the Island County Fair in Langley the 3rd week in August.

The Town of Coupeville, which is also the Island County Seat, boasts many historic homes from the Victorian era - several of which have been beautifully restored. Coupeville is home of Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve - the first historical reserve in our nation, Ebey’s Landing includes 22 square miles of a cultural landscape. *

Deception Pass, the gateway between Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands, is the most visited State Park in Washington State. Famous for the bridge that consists of two spans - one over Canoe Pass at 511 feet and one over Deception Pass at 976 feet which was commissioned in 1934 and finished in 1935, Deception Pass State Park offers camping, swimming and beaches on the Whidbey side. The bridge was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1982.

Port Townsend

And last on my list for today is my absolute favorite place - Port Townsend - on the Olympic Peninsula.

I don’t remember when I first went to Port Townsend, but I do remember falling in love with the atmosphere and community ambiance. From that moment on, I’ve looked forward to frequent trips to visit its unique shops and stroll its streets. Port Townsend, like Coupeville, boasts many Victorian era homes and buildings on the Historic Register that have been restored to their majestic glory.

In the heyday of the late 1800’s, Port Townsend was the “City of Dreams” - a Victorian Seaport, that was named for the Marquis of Townshend by Captain George Vancouver.

Some of my favorites places in PT are -

Elevated Ice Cream. The Elevated Ice Cream Co. is a refreshingly modern old-fashioned Ice Cream Parlor and Candy Shop located on Water Street in the downtown historic district. *

Manresa Castle. The Castle was completed in 1892 as the home of Charles and Kate Eisenbeis. Mr. Eisenbeis was a prominent member of the early Port Townsend business community. His business interests were diverse including a bakery, brick works, lumber mill, brewery, bank and a hotel. In 1878, when Port Townsend became the first incorporated city in Jefferson County, its citizens elected Eisenbeis as the first mayor. Today, the Castle is a hotel and restaurant featuring “Comfortable accommodations in a century-old castle, restaurant and lounge, spacious gardens, and breath-taking views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains provide the perfect setting for a special weekend, a retreat, wedding, or conference.” *

The Palace Hotel. The Palace Hotel occupies the Captain Tibbals Building which was constructed in 1889 by Henry L. Tibbals, a retired sea captain. Built in the Richardson Romanesque style, the building’s arched windows appear to extend for two stories through the use of twin columns that bracket each window bay on the building’s facade. The Captain Tibbals Building is a beautiful example of Port Townsend’s turn-of-the-century architectural past. Since being renovated, the building has been home to the Palace Hotel where the hotel occupies the second and third floors, with a lovely restaurant and several specialty retailers located on the main level. The hotel features 15 charming guest rooms and suites. Most have private baths and several have mini-kitchen facilities. With soaring windows and 14-foot ceilings, each guest room retains the flavor of century-old quality and architectural character so rarely found today. *

Phoenix Rising. Established in 1984, it’s the best bookstore in town! Aside from a wide range of books and CD’s for sale, Phoenix Rising carries incense from around the world, crystals, oracles, aromatherapy, art and clothing.

I could probably write a whole section on Port Townsend itself, there’s so much more I enjoy there! But I think this is good for now and I’ll tell you a few more places in PT that get my vote next time.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this first look at My Northwest Places! I’ll be share some more again soon.

* Some descriptions have been copied from their respective websites and are not owned nor registered to Beyond Real Estate or Annie Anderson.