Vuecrest View Newsletter - July 2017
*July 2017 Vuecrest View Newsletter*
Board Meeting
The July meeting of the Vuecrest Board of Directors will be on July 13
at 7 PM. It will be held at the home of Rick and Dana Adell, 9619 Hilltop
Road. All are invited to attend.
The August meeting has been cancelled.
It’s Summer:
Kids are out of school and playing, biking, and generally having a good
time on our streets. Drive slowly and watch for them.
Summer gatherings have a noise curfew of 10 PM. Please respect your
neighbors.
We have had a lot of rain this winter and spring, and now we are into
summer warmth. All of this leads to growth of trees and shrubs. Keep your
foliage in compliance with our covenants. If a neighbor requests that you
trim your foliage to improve their view, be a good neighbor and do the
right thing.
Compass Construction Plan for July
Wood framing for the 3rd floor above grade is in progress. Window
installation has begun on the 2nd floor and will continue to the 3rd floor.
Wood framing to continue to 4th floor towards the middle/end of the month.
Vuecrest Neighborhood Summer Party
Mark your calendar!!! AUGUST 27, SUNDAY, 4:30 – 7:30
COME EAT, VISIT, PET THE BUNNIES, TAP YOUR TOES TO THE LIVE MUSIC, CHECK
OUT THE FIRETRUCKS, HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!
All Vuecrest residents are welcome to our amazing neighborhood tradition!
The more, the merrier! Look for future reminders, AND, of course, requests
for volunteers. Any questions? Melissa Hambleton, mhambleton@comcast.net.
Tid-Bits!
Welcome to July!
The ancient
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer Romans
called the hottest, most humid
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer days of
summer http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer “diēs
caniculārēs" or “dog days." The name came about because they associated the
hottest days ofsummer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer with the
star Sirius. Sirius was known as the “Dog Star" because it was the brightest
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer star in the
constellation
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer Canis
Major (Large Dog). Sirius also happens to be thebrightest
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer star in
the night sky. Sirius is so bright that the ancient
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer Romans
thought it radiated extra heat toward Earth. During the summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer, when
Sirius rises and sets with the Sun, they thought Sirius added heat to the
Sun's heat to cause hotter summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer
temperatures.
For the ancient
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer Romans,
the dog days of summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer occurred
from about July 24 to around August 24. Over time, though, the
constellations have drifted somewhat. Today,The Old Farmer's Almanac
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-an-almanac/ lists the traditional
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer timing of
the dog days of summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer as being
July 3 until August 11.
Although the dog days of summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer are
usually the hottest, they don't have anything to do with either dogs or the
star Sirius. Instead, the tilt
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer of the
Earth explains why these days tend to be the summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer's hottest.
During summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer in the
Northern Hemisphere, the tilt
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer of the
Earth causes Sun's light to hit the Northern Hemisphere at a more direct
angle, and for a longer period of time throughout the day. This means
longer, hotter days during the summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer and
explains why the dog days of summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer are from
late January to early March in the Southern Hemisphere. The actual dates of
the dog days of summer
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer will vary
by location, depending upon latitude
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer and climate
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-are-the-dog-days-of-summer.
***********************************************************
“If I could turn back time, if I could find a way…” – Cher/1989
Do you ever long for those “good old days”? You know, when life seemed
so much simpler…those days before credit cards and email, when you were
just a teenager, and going for a ride in your buddy’s ’56 Chevy was the
coolest thing on the planet! Remember the days when all the news was only
about your home town, and when someone talked about foreign countries, you
weren’t even sure where most of them were! And marijuana? Nah, none of that
– life was its own high. Those were the days before there was Starbucks or
McDonalds on every street corner. Want to relive all that? You can, oh yes,
you can! David and I just did! At the end of May, we vacationed in Havana,
Cuba, and contrary to Thomas Wolfe, you really can go home again, though
this time, everyone is speaking Spanish!
We loved Cuba! Land of Ricky Ricardo and his mischievous darling wife
Lucy (“I Love Lucy” starring Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball/CBS/ 1951 – 1960
and then in syndication forever…), Gloria Estefan (Miami Sound Machine /
7-time Grammy Award winner) and Jose Conseco (Terrific baseball slugger).
Vacationing in Cuba was certainly a unique experience. American
“tourists” are not allowed entry, so there’s a need to be creative when
applying for a visa. Out of 10 possible visa categories (such as religious,
scholastic, humanitarian, family visits etc.), we chose “people-to-people”
since that is exactly how we wanted to spend our time – enjoying the Cuban
culture and interfacing with the locals.
The small island of Cuba is only 90 miles from Florida and was discovered
in 1492 by the Italian, Christopher Columbus, who received his funding from
Spain. The interior of the island is fertile land for tobacco and sugarcane
production, and over 1 million slaves were brought from Africa in the
mid-1800’s to work the fields. In 1898 when America went to war with Spain,
it also invaded Cuba but granted the island relative freedom and organized
democratic elections. Unfortunately, new dictators staged coups, and
despite efforts to modernize the country, the people suffered greatly. In
1959, Fidel Castro led the revolution that brought Communism to the island.
He promised basic education and literacy as well as health care to the
people but his strong dependency on the USSR (Russia) led to a total
breakdown of communication with America, and the ensuing embargo lasted
over 50 years. After the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba
suffered grave food shortages and desperate living conditions. It was only
when illness forced Fidel to step aside, that his younger brother, Raul,
assumed authority and the stringent trade conditions were eased. Though
still a dictatorship, Cuba and the USA, under Obama, had slowly began to
commence a rapprochement.
Havana, the capital city of Cuba is near one end of the island and
Guantanamo Bay is near the other end ( yes, home of the US prison,
“affectionally” known as “Gitmo”). It’s all very driveable but we chose to
spend our time in Havana, primarily Old Havana – and we were delighted with
our decision. We found a small B&B for $75 a night which was clean, quiet
and served a fine breakfast on their roof-top terrace. The location was
ideal, we were only several blocks away from the main city square: Central
Park. And what’s in Central Park? Everything! Bicycle rickshaws, Coconut
shaped “tuk-tuks” and all those wonderful old American cars. The last
imported car from the USA arrived in 1962. However, clever Cubans learned
to fabricate their own replacement parts or add entire not-as-old engines
from assorted jalopniks, such as a Russian “Lada” or “Moskovitch”. But the
big old American cars (often convertibles) just take your breath away! Wait
till you see those tail fins, running boards, bench seats and swaths of
chrome, in M&M candy hues such as tropical turquoise, matador red, mango
orange and verdoro (that’s Spanish for verde+oro/ green+gold)! It’s as if
you walked onto a Hollywood set where Marlon Brando or James Dean had just
finished shooting a street scene. Most of the cars serve as taxis since gas
is US$4. a gallon, way above the financial reach of an average Cuban
citizen, not connected to the tourist industry.
Of interest: Internet connection is slow, spotty and only available at
the large downtown 4-star hotels after purchase of a card. All well-known
info sites are blocked, as was a great majority of our own personal,
innocuous email. There is no Facebook, Instagram, Wikipedia, internet
shopping or even Google and no texting out of the island. It’s pointless to
take credit cards, they are useless there. You must carefully calculate how
much you plan to spend on lodging, food, expenditures etc. then add some
extra and bring it all in cash. Waiting lines in banks are often 2-3 hours
just to change money, but the terrific owner of our B&B, a Canadian fellow
with dual citizenship, changed American money for us at the same rate as
the banks. Don’t drink the water – not one drop, not even for brushing your
teeth. Few older Cubans speak English, and unfortunately, the younger
generation does not either. It is not taught in schools until age 16, which
is quite a late start for attaining fluency.
Cubans are a poor but contented people. The older generation spent so
many years under Communist rule, that they are just happy that things are
better now. The younger ones don’t know what they’re missing, so they’re
quite content as well. The government is now issuing passports but very
rarely with the necessary visa for travel that allows Cubans to leave.
(“How Ya Gonna Keep ‘em Down on the Farm, Once They’ve Seen Paree?” / Nora
Bayes/ 1919).
Cuba has 2 currencies: one is the CUP (Cuban peso) which is used by the
masses for their small daily shopping needs. It is worth only 25% of the
CUC (“convertible” peso), which is used by tourists and those who work in
the tourist industry (taxi drivers, hotel clerks, restauranteurs, guides
etc.). This 2-tier system allows those Cubans who come in contact with the
CUC to have access to a living wage. The general population, however, must
struggle with their devalued dollar, the CUP, and live on an average income
of $30 a month.
Cuba is a safe country to visit, maintained thru the fear of spending
many years in jail for minor infractions. The beaches are extraordinary
with clean white sand as far as one can wade. Old town was reminiscent of
New Orleans, with live music (reggae-Latin blend) emanating from every
small eatery or restaurant in the afternoons and evenings. They are a kind
and friendly people, and always eager to help.
I feel a little sad for the Cuban people – 50 years is a very long time
to live in such an isolated world. Unemployment is high, young people know
little about computers, and while most of us broaden our horizons through
travel, this is a rare option for them. Their life is in a time-warp, a
Shangri-La, a Groundhog day that keeps repeating itself.
On our last day, we did some final sightseeing then took a cab to the
airport ($30/ price must be negotiated in advance; they don’t use meters).
The delightful cab driver announced in broken English that he had “special
music for Americans” and after adjusting the 1950’s radio on his old Chevy,
the tinny speakers blared “You Ain’t Nothing but a Hound Dog” - it seems
Cuba even has its own non-stop Elvis station. He knew all the words, but
Surprise!…so did I, Senor Cabi! We sang our hearts out in most imperfect
harmony and I suddenly felt young again – the sign of a great vacation.
Unfortunately, our new administration is trying mightily to isolate
Cuba. I can’t see how this will benefit either our country or the life of
the Cubans. Over 600,000 Cuban-Americans and U.S. travelers found its
reasonable prices, and crime-free atmosphere made it an alluring travel
destination. If you have an opportunity – I highly recommend a visit, but
you’d better go soon - just don’t arrive with high expectations; Cuba has
been in a 50-year bubble and still has a long way to go before it will
catch up.
Joke of the Month!
Two men were sitting next to each other at Murphy’s Pub in London. After
a while, one bloke looks at the other and says, “I can’t help but think
from listening to you, that you’re from Ireland”.
The other bloke responds proudly, “Yes, I am!”
The first one says “So am I! And where about from Ireland might you be?”
The other bloke answers, “I am from Dublin, I am.”
The first one responds, “So am I! Mother Mary and begora. And what street
did you live on in Dublin?”
The other bloke says, “A lovely little area it was. I lived on McCleary
Street in the old central part of town.”
The first one says, “Faith, and it’s a small world. So did I! So did I!
And to what school would you have been going?”
The other bloke answers, “Well now, I went to St. Mary’s, of course.”
The first one gets really excited and says, “And so did I. Tell me, what
year did you graduate?”
The other bloke answers, “Well, now let’s see. I graduated in 1964.”
The first one exclaims, “The Good Lord must be smiling down upon us! I
can hardly believe our good luck at winding up in the same place tonight.
Can you believe it? I graduated from St. Mary’s in 1964, my own self!”
About this time, Vicki, a frequent customer, walks up to the bar, sits
down and orders a drink.
Brian, the barman, walks over to Vicki, shaking his head and mutters,
“It’s going to be a long night tonight.”
Vicki asks “Why do you say that?”
“The Murphy twins are drunk again.”
Volunteering!
“As you grow older you discover you have two hands. One is for helping
yourself; the other is for helping others.” Audrey Hepburn
Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Redmond serves individuals
with physical, cognitive, and/or emotional disabilities through adaptive
riding or hippotherapy. (The word “hippos” means horse in Greek. FYI:
“potamos” means river...hence the word hippo-potamus). Little Bit was
founded in 1976 by Margaret Dunlap who suffered from multiple sclerosis and
found that horseback riding eased the progression of her disease. Today
Little Bit serves 230 clients (more than 80% are under 18 years of age)
each week with 22 horses and the help of 350 essential volunteers. Their
programs provide life-enhancing benefits, such as increased muscle
strength, improved balance and improved hand-to-eye coordination. This, in
turn, promotes confidence, social interaction and general well-being.
Volunteers are needed in every facet of keeping the center running smoothly
so that optimal attention can be given to the nurturing and safety of the
patients and horses. Here’s the great news for teens with the summer off:
Anyone 14 years old and older is welcome to become a volunteer! When
possible, a 2-hour shift, twice a week is preferred. Volunteers may choose
to work in the arena with the horses and clients and share the unique
human-horse partnership; or in the barn, helping with feeding and watering
the horses. No experience necessary, their one hour orientation class will
teach you everything you need to know. Please consider donating a little
time to this very worthwhile program. Check out their website at
www.littlebit.org. and fill out their volunteer form. Stop horsing
around…NO! I mean…START horsing around! Sign up today!
Quirkles!
Stamp(s) of Approval! Get them quick! Going on sale at your local post
office are the new solar eclipse stamps that feature the first-of-its-kind
image of this up-coming celestial event. Just touch it, and the image of
the blacked-out sun morphs into the moon. Remove your finger and the
eclipsed sun reappears! (Trick: temperature-sensitive ink) There’s a map on
the back of the stamp sheet showing the eclipse’s diagonal path across the
U.S. on August 21, as the moon covers the sun in the sky. It will be the
first total eclipse visible in the contiguous states since 1979, and the
first one running coast to coast since 1981! ***** “Swing Lowe, sweet
chariot, comin’ for to carry me home. Swing Lowe, sweet chariot, comin’ for
to carry me home. I looked over Bellevue and what did I see, a comin’ for
to carry me home? A band of Beemers a comin’ after me, comin’ for to carry
me home”. (Wallace Willis/1840/sort of). Sad but true. Lowe’s will head for
that Big Construction Site in the sky at closing time on July 28 and be
resurrected as a BMW dealership…ahhh -from carpenters to cars- ***** ”I
wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener, that is what I really want to be. For if
I were an Oscar Meyer wiener, everyone would fall in love with me.”
(Richard D. Trentlage/1965). Looking for a fun summer job where everyone
will fall in love with you?? Sign up to drive the wiener mobile and take
you and frank(s) on the road for some real hot-dogging! Applications being
accepted NOW at www.wienermobile.com If you hurry, you may still ketchup
with it! Main perk: free nitrites with every meal! hahaha
VUECREST BOOKCLUB
A big “Thank you!” to Julie Kadavy for giving us a wonderful venue and
fun evening at last month’s book club meeting. It is so nice that our days
are longer, and we’re no longer arriving at our meetings in the dark.
What’s up for next two meetings:
July 10 – Jane Barrett hosting (it is scheduled for the second Monday
instead of first, due to proximity to July 4) - The Ghost Map by Steven
Johnson
Aug. 7 – Vonne Soriano hosting – Oxygen by Carol Wiley Cassella
Of the many books we discussed, two were noted that sounded particularly
interesting: Women of the Castle and The Historian. We’ll keep them in
mind for future consideration. We have a thriving, wonderful, FUN group of
readers; PLEASE feel welcome to join us! On July 10, we’ll discuss the
intricacies of the London sewer system, and, (surprise!!) an outbreak of
cholera in 1854 that led to the discovery and understanding of that deadly
disease. Historic, yes, BUT, most unfortunately, still very timely and
pertinent! Steven Johnson, The Ghost Map.
On August 7, we’re talking about another medical story; this time,
Oxygen, a novel by Carol Cassella. This book is a contemporary mystery,
set in SEATTLE (the author lives on Bainbridge Island, and is a doctor).
Fascinating page turner! We take turns hosting these very informal,
congenial groups. Questions? Email me atmhambleton@comcast.net.
Book Revues
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli
This is a short (81 pages), but nevertheless brilliant treatise on the
most elemental principles of physics. It is written in a manner that
simplifies complex theories so that they are understandable by the general
public who may not have a specific knowledge of science. The book has seven
“lessons”, each dealing with an aspect of physics which is generally
familiar to each of us, but the fundamental scientific details remain
frequently obscure and poorly understood.
The first lesson is on Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, which the author
refers to as “the most beautiful of theories”. He describes in simple terms
the nature of space and gravity as proposed by Einstein in 1905 and later
confirmed by leading physicists. Rovelli then moves on to the quantum
theory. Quanta are, simply put, packets of energy. Read this chapter to
learn about light and the “quantum leap”. After that we have “Architecture
of the Cosmos”. In this chapter, the author takes us through the concepts
of earth and sky from ancient times to the modern theories of the “Big
Bang” and our place in the cosmos. Lesson four discusses “Particles”:
everything we see is made up of atoms, which consist of a nucleus
surrounded by electrons. The nucleus is composed of tightly packed protons
and neutrons and these are composed of even smaller particles called quarks
and Higgs bosons…and if you really need to know more, you can read the
chapter on particle physics! Lesson five is titled “Grains of Space” which
brings together the theories of relativity and quantum physics to give us
“Quantum Gravity”. Rovelli characterizes space as being made up of grains
which are a billion times smaller than the smallest atomic nucleus. Lesson
six brings us to “Probability, Time, and the Heat of Black Holes”. The
first question asked is “What is heat?”. The answer is simply, “A substance
in which atoms are moving faster”. There is also a reference to Stephen
Hawking who demonstrated that black holes are hot and emit heat like a
stove. The seventh and final chapter is titled “Ourselves” and Rovelli asks
us to think about where we fit in the universe. Our brains give us the
tools to evaluate nature, but we cannot escape its bounds and norms. He
predicts that our ignorance for the climate changes that are being
triggered will make us a “short lived genus of species”.
I highly recommend this book. Granted, these theories are complex, but
they are discussed in a format that is engaging and easy to read. The next
time some smart person starts talking about Einstein’s Theory of
Relativity, you will have a new understanding about the substance of the
conversation… (and won’t you be impressive!) This book is available in the
Bellevue Public Library.
David Pitkethly
*The Historian *by Elizabeth Kostova
Every reader knows, and longs for, that all-too-rare discovery of a
REALLY good read, one that pulls you onto the next page, entices you to
read yet another chapter, that book that makes you want to curl up and live
in another world for a bit.
Luckily for you, I’m willing to share one of my favorites:The
Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova. It’s SUCH a great book! Follow the story
(and the intrepid heroine) from the disturbing discovery of a mysterious
message (left in an unforgettable way), to Eastern Europe, where she sifts
through a maze of history, folklore, politics (and, yes, a few suspenseful
moments). Do we even want to let ourselves think of the implications of
the progress of her search? Kostova finds a wonderful balance between
suspense, story-telling and history, without resorting to ‘adult’
situations. No spoilers from me! The Historian is Kostova’s debut novel
(frankly, her following books left me under-impressed), and it’s a winner!
I wholeheartedly recommend it! Melissa Hambleton
Vintage Vuecrest
I had spoken to Rhoda Chirillo several weeks ago, in early May, hoping
that we could plan a time to chat, but she was just “too busy”. I suggested
the following week. She exclaimed: “Next week? I mean, I’m real BUSY…how
about next month? I might have some free time then!” And that’s the way
life seems to be for Rhoda, she is just a real busy lady!
Rhoda and her husband Lou were both from Brooklyn, NY and married on
December 26, 1948. In 1942, Lou was admitted into the US Maritime
Commission and in 1943, he became an officer in the US Navy where he served
22 years, having attained the rank of Commander. Lou earned degrees from
the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Univ. of Louisville and the MIT graduate
school. His great love of ships and the sea brought him career fulfillment
as a Research and Development Program Manager for the US National
Shipbuilding Research Program. When Lou was offered a job to represent the
US government at Todd’s Shipyard, they chose the small quiet suburb of
Bellevue to raise their family.
One Sunday, in 1980, they were driving thru Vuecrest and spotted a lovely
little home at 9614 Hilltop Road with a For Sale sign in the front yard.
It had been built in 1958 and had only 3 bedrooms; with their 5 kids, it
was going to be a little snug. However, Lou was always handy with carpentry
work so he turned half of the 2 -car garage into a bedroom for 2 of the
boys. The other 2 boys doubled up in one small bedroom, their daughter Gina
had her own room and Lou and Rhoda settled comfortably into the master.
Then Lou re-roofed the house and built the old-style fencing you see from
the street. In 1991, they expanded the kitchen to include a large
sitting/TV area, which is where Rhoda enjoys her great views of downtown
Bellevue. Their home definitely shows an Asian influence with large paper
shoji screens used in place of curtains and a tasteful Oriental charm to
her decorating. She explains both she and Lou had always admired the Asian
style and now, with 2 Japanese daughters-in-law, she embraces it fully.
Rhoda fondly remembers the old days of Bel-Square, when she could park
in front of each store. Most of her shopping was done at the A&P, and for
smaller items she’d stop in at Newberry’s or Petram’s Five and Dime. She
misses those once-a year Vuecrest garage sales, when everyone would hang
balloons by the front of their house as a sign that they were ready to make
a deal!
The Chirillo kids went to Sacred Heart and that is where Rhoda now
devotes her time as a volunteer. All of her children live in the NW, except
for James, a musician, who plays with Winton Marsalis in New York. She lost
her beloved Lou in 2016, just several weeks before his 93rd birthday. Rhoda
enjoys baking and had just pulled a “pizza rustica” from the oven for a
potluck dinner at Sacred Heart. She is in good health, very independent and
takes “each day as it comes” in her lovely Vuecrest home.
After Rhoda spoke so fondly of Lou and his great gardening skills, I
asked if I could see her back yard, which Lou had designed. And what a
showpiece! The slight slope had been terraced, and mature landscaping and
lazy brick paths meander here and there. On the right, where the yard takes
on some incline, a small Japanese style hut captured my eye. Lou had
designed and built it many years ago and had called it “Fuji Midai”
(“mountain viewpoint”, though it probably should be “Rainier Midai”!). It
was time for me to go and the word “arigato” seemed ready to tumble off my
tongue. But as we leave the garden, reality returns - I’m here in Vuecrest,
USA. Our visit came to an end and Rhoda was off to the Sacred Heart Church
to share her “pizza rustica”. She’s a busy lady and I’m so grateful she
spared a little time for me.
*2017 Anatomy Boot Camp – July 24
– 27, 2017*
Is your high-schooler already talking about a
career in medicine?
The four-day Anatomy Boot Camp at the Seattle Science Foundation is an
academic summer opportunity that uses hands-on learning for students with a
strong interest in pre-med or medically related fields. Participants must
be entering their junior or senior year in high-school. Current college or
university students are also encouraged to attend.
Students will have the opportunity to dissect real human cadaveric
specimens. The course is designed to provide a fun and relaxed environment
for all participants while learning the intricacies of the human body.
Course Format: Four Days (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Day 1 – Spine and Back Anatomy
Day 2 – Thorax including Heart, Lungs, and Mediastinum
Day 3 – Abdomen
Day 4 – Head and Neck
Delivery Format: Lecture and Hands-On Learning
Instructors: Dr. R. Shane Tubbs and local physicians and surgeons
Course Fee: $800 (space is limited) All fees include lab manual, lab
supplies, all supplemental materials, snacks, and daily use of scrubs.
Questions - Please contact Kevin Tubbs, Director of Research and
Development: kevint@seattlesciencefoundation.org
Goings-on-about-Town
Hang on to your hats! July is going to be an exciting month: Food trucks!
Outdoor concerts! Fresh Farmers markets! Art shows! A terrific place to
start is at The Circle in our beautiful downtown park (Imagine – just one
of the 100 parks here in Bellevue!). The final phase of a project approved
by voters in 2008 is now complete and will be ready to host its annual 4th of
July event (Fireworks, family activities, performance by the Bellevue Youth
Symphony Orchestra). Key elements include a circular canal with a
tree-lined promenade, a grand entrance with water feature at the south end
of the park and terraced seating, stairways and paths. In partnership with
the Rotary Club of Bellevue a wondrous new children’s playground will be
completed within a year, and will include play spaces for all ages, an
interactive music plaza and a central “Whimsy Plaza” with a Dr. Seuss style
tree sculpture. Keep in mind – the downtown park is only part of the major
Bellevue recreation area as it was envisioned by the voters in 1987. The
plan is to link it to the Meydenbauer Bay waterfront, and Phase 1 on that
project has already begun. Properties have been acquired, and these 10
acres also include a quarter mile of waterfront. Planned features:
expansion of the public swimming beach, pedestrian pier and hand-carry boat
launch, walking paths, promenades, children’s play areas and renovation of
the Whaling Building to include restrooms, a meeting room and boat rentals.
Expected completion date: Fall of 2018. Also planned, but not yet budgeted,
is to ultimately create the “Grand Connection” which will link Meydenbauer
waterfront to our new downtown park, the downtown pedestrian corridor, City
Hall and the Eastside Rail Corridor. WOW! Quite a challenging plan but I
vote for anything that gets people out of their cars and on their feet!
***** I highly recommend the “Live at Lunch” Concerts that happen every
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at several outdoor venues in the downtown
Bellevue area, Noon to 1:30. Various musicians/ensembles, each with their
own genre of music perform. It’s all free, and so casual, just enjoy! For a
detailed schedule, check out www.bellevuedowntown.com ***** Mark July 12 on
your calendar and make a note: “Let’s go truckin’!” and head to the
Bellevue Food Truck Round-up in Ashwood park (beside the library). This
mega-chow-down happens only two times a year, once in July, and again on
August 19, so don’t miss it! There will be live music and the many choices
of diverse and ethnic food are bound to please even the finickiest of
palates. And it’s so much fun! ***** Remember the days of drive-in movies?
… which always made our mothers shudder… (“Come on, baby, to a drive-in
show, I know just the very place to go, I'll be over, pick you up at eight,
this will be our very first date” Edie Cochran/ 1956) These days, those
movies are walk-in’s! Leave your car at home, bring the kids/grandkids, and
enjoy an evening under the stars. Movies are PG on a mega screen with
complimentary popcorn. July 11: “Sing”, July 18: “Storks” and July 25: The
Angry Birds Movie. Tuesday nights, starting at dusk at the Bellevue
Downtown Park. ***** July 28-30 is ART’S and CRAFTS days, all weekend, all
over town and all kinds of really cool stuff! Check out these 3 websites
for details on the who/what/where/when and plan to BE THERE!
www.bellevuearts.org, www.bellevuedowntown.org,www.bellevuefest.org. *****
You may have seen the front page of our Seattle Times last week, that
featured all the “reno’s” that have made the Pike Place Market so grand
again – which it certainly is! But if you’re looking for
fresh-from-the-farm fruits and vegetables, jars of honey gifted from the
bees, bursting bouquets of “fleurs” and some straight talk about how
superior produce is cultivated, then stay right here in Bellevue. Our
beautiful summer Farmers Market at the Presbyterian Church is open every
Thursday from 3PM to 7PM. Bring your own shopping bags – and make them BIG!
(Raspberries, strawberries, the good wines we brew, here’s to the girls in
the countryside, the ones we drink ‘em to” / Kingston Trio/1960) ***** New
openings at Bel-Square! Amazon is opening one of its first “bricks and
mortar” stores at Center Court, next to Beechers Cheese – not ready yet but
should be open by fall. Also “Love Sac” a new modular sectional furniture
sales showroom will be located on the 2nd level, west side – (“The love
shack/sac is a little old place where we can get together. Love shack, a
love shack, baby…” B-52’s/ 1989). Also opening in early July: Organic Nail
Bar also on the 2nd floor, next to Victoria’s Secret. ***** Need a
summer-time baby fix? Head for the Woodland Park Zoo and meet the one-week
old baby giraffe, as yet, unnamed. She and her mom will make daily morning
appearances and who can resist the heart-tugs as we watch her totter on
those skinny little legs and crane her sweet neck for mamma’s kisses. And
don’t forget Carson, the adorable red fox who will celebrate his 3rd birthday!
“It’s all happening at the zoo. I do believe it, I do believe it’s true”.
(Simon & Garfunkel/1967)
*Toob-Time! *Want to just veg-out and watch some great shows? Channel 9 (HD
Channel 109 ) to the rescue! In fact, you can watch the fireworks at
Bel-Square AND the ones over the west lawn of our nation’s capital at the
SAME time! (How can this be??? Yes! it CAN be!) This year’s performers
include The Beach Boys, The Four Tops and Trace Adkins, as well as the
National Symphony Orchestra. Tune in on Tuesday, 8PM. *** Monday, July 17,
a special episode of Antiques Roadshow looks back from past visits to
Seattle to see how the values of objects have changed over the years. ***
On Tuesday, July 18, Geoffrey Baer will host a special on my
new-favorite-place – CUBA! Learn about the culture and history of this
delightful island thru the eyes of its dancers, musicians, architects and
writers. “Weekend in Havana” – 8PM *** If you dig those old songs as much
as I do, tune in for The 60’s Generation at 11PM on Friday, July 21…on
second thought, better tape it…if you remember those songs, you’re probably
too old to stay awake that late! *** “Birds do it, bees do it…even fishies
in the sea do it…” (Cole Porter/1928). Here’s something that will keep you
awake FOR SURE – Yes, it’s SEX! (did I get your attention??) and how about
SECRET Sex!! …are you wanting to know more?? – Well – here it is:
Wednesday, July 26, 7:30PM – Changing Seas – The Secret Sex Life of Fish.
“Come with me, my love, to the sea, the sea of love, I wanna tell you just
how much I love you…” (Phil Phillips/1959)
Well, I’m gonna raise a fuss, I’m gonna raise a holler
- About working all summer just to try to earn a dollar*
Everytime I call my baby, to try to get a date
- My boss says, no dice, son, you gotta work late.*
Sometimes I wonder what I’m a gonna do
- Cause there ain’t no cure for the summetime blues. *Eddie Cochran/
1966
Don’t listen to Eddie Cochran – listen to ME!
Summer is wonderful – sunshine, gentle breezes, lovely gardens and outdoor
time with family and friends – Enjoy every day; it will be over much too
soon! Mara
Best,
Eric
415.370.2410 mobile