Northsound Events Calendar

The Mukilteo Chamber's long-awaited summer concert takes place Saturday August 4th at the Village Center in Harbour Pointe. The bands scheduled to play include: Tweety and the Tomcats, Soundview, Bad Habit, Janine Elf and The Stephen Grace Band. The concert starts at 2pm and goes until 8pm. There will be food tents and a beer garden for those 21 and over so the concert should be a great opportunity to meet and greet Mukilteo residents and enjoy a free day of good music. Mukilteo.

Further afield, Seafair weekend is this weekend. I-90 bridge closes today and tomorrow from 9am to noon, and of course the Blue Angels will be doing their thing through Sunday. As usual, this will give local "uptight Seattleites" plenty to complain about what with the noise and all. As for me, I will thrill to the sound of F-18 Hornets as they scream overhead any time I can. I am a Navy brat and an Air Force veteran after all--that's not noise, it's the sound of FREEDOM.

I jest. It's actually the sound of 40-year old technology. But seriously, I don't mind the noise--it makes the heart palpitate, which is a sensation I kind of enjoy.

If that doesn't make you feel better about the noise then just remember folks--the hydros and the Blue Angels are a couple of the last celebrations we have of Seattle's blue collar heritage. Think of it as a way to remember that Seattle is the town airplanes and lumber mills built.

And the Seafair airshow is usually pretty good, if you like airshows. I realize there are those who don't but in the interest of full disclosure I submit that I am married to a Boeing engineer so by default, I like airshows. Seattle.

Other stuff

Thursday

A summer concert series planned at Alderwood mall, featuring food, music, book readings and special activities, runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 23. Go to http://www.alderwoodmall.com/ and click on "events."

Open mike night for musicians and poets at Zippy's Java Lounge, 7 p.m. Thursdays, 1804 Hewitt Ave., Everett.

Friday

Farmers Market at Country Village, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays through September, 23718 Seventh Ave. SE, Bothell.

Free First Friday Afternoon 3 to 5:30 p.m. Friday at Imagine Children's Museum, 1502 Wall St., Everett. For more information, go to http://www.imaginecm.org/.

Edmonds Outdoor Movie Night, at dusk Friday, Frances Anderson Center playfield, 700 Main St., Edmonds. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. Call Edmonds Parks and Recreation at 425-771-0230.

Saturday

The Future of Flight Aviation Center offers a "Day of Learning" 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 8415 Paine Field Blvd. Mukilteo. For information and tickets, call 800-464-1476 or go to http://www.futureofflight.org/.

Edmonds Museum Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 28, Bell Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, Edmonds. 425-774-0900.

Mukilteo Chamber Concert (see above)

Sunday

Everett Farmers Market, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays, 1600 W. Marine View Drive, Everett.

NEXT WEEK

Wednesday

Music on the Plaza Concert Series from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Snohomish County office campus, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett. The concert series runs each Wednesday through Aug. 22. 425-388-3186.

Mukilteo Farmers Market, 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Oct. 5, 304 Lincoln Ave., Mukilteo.

Northsound News Round-up

I'm a bit short on time today, but I've been saving up tidbits for the blog in my Google Reader, so I'm going to round 'em up and head 'em out!

This year's Seattle Street of Dreams home show is now in progress. This SOD differs from previous years in that the show is incorporating a focus on green building techniques. Though the homes featured are still large by any definition and of course they feature all manner of bells and whistles (this is about dreams after all!) , square footage is capped this year at just under 5,000 asf. Street of Dreams takes place in Quinn's Crossing, a community of 48 homes near Maltby.

Redfin has announced that it has received $12 Million in VC funding from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and is now open for business in the Washington DC market. This has been covered with varying degrees of seriousness all over the blogosphere, but I'm going to chime in with my own two cents here anyway.

The real estate industry today reminds me very much of the IT industry about 8 or 10 years ago. I was involved in that industry at that time, and I recall that retailers were very concerned that their brick and mortar business model was doomed to go the way of the dodo, with the advent of companies like Amazon.com, Drugstore.com, etc. There was a huge influx into the Internet marketplace of online retailers and discounters. Some of these retailers have lasted, and others burned bright and flamed out.

Take as an example, HomeGrocer.com. The media played it up that ordering groceries online was the wave of the future, and competing grocers were concerned that it was a threat to their business model. HomeGrocer soaked up huge amounts of VC funding, but never turned a profit and eventually went out of business.

Even those pure-play dot-com retailers that outlived the dot-com bust, such as Amazon, still struggle. Meanwhile, those companies that effectively combined the best of the web with a brick-and-mortar presence eventually won out. Look at Nordstrom--fabulous website, and fabulous service whether you visit their store online or in real life. At Windermere, we often look to Nordstrom as the gold standard of service and what we should aspire to in our business.

The major real estate brokerages had it good the last few years, with lots of easy sales and plenty of cash to go around--very reminiscent of the 90s dot-com boom. The industry has NOT been quick to adapt to changes in the marketplace but by and large we have a business model that still works. It could be more consumer friendly, and we need to be more proactive about adopting technology.

Technology will revolutionize real estate and the way we do business will change. But the real estate agent will survive, even if we do our jobs somewhat differently, because we provide a service that people want and need. Maybe not EVERY person will need a real estate agent in the future, but enough of population values what we do that we are in no danger of following the dodo into extinction. Though, I would say that the easy money of the last few years has inflated our ranks, and it's likely that there will be a thinning coming. And frankly, it will be good for the industry to have that happen.

What I hope from all this is that companies like Redfin will help the industry move in a more consumer-friendly direction, and that it will force the industry to embrace change, rather than resist it. But will Redfin be the one to outlast the field? I don't think so. They just don't seem to have a business model that will take them to profitability, and they don't have the kind of universal appeal that will allow them to work with the population at large. They are and will always be a niche player. But we do NEED what they are bringing, even if we don't always like it.

Okay, moving on!

There's been ongoing talk of converting the Smith Tower office building in Downtown Seattle into condominiums. Looks like we are a step or two closer to having that happen. The developer is down to the last city approval before they can move forward with the project. Seems like that would be a pretty cool building to live in, if they can upgrade the systems to modern standards. In particular, a faster elevator would be good! And it's a great way to preserve an important piece of Seattle history.

Last item. 3Oceansrealestate blog ran a great feature this morning on how to know when it is the right time to buy a home. Regardless of what the market may or may not be doing, here are the factors buyers should be thinking about:

• You found the home you really want and you can see yourself living
  there.
• It’s affordable.
• You can get a reasonable loan.
• It will serve you and your family for years to come.
• You’re not looking for perfection.
• No home is perfect.
• You’ve given up trying to beat the market.
• You’re comfortable with your compromises, whether it’s location, size,
  price, features, or condition.
• You’re confident the home you’ve chosen is desirable enough that you will be
  able to sell it in any market.

While it makes sense for investors to try to time the market, with home-buyers, it makes less sense since you are talking about a longer holding period, and also, there are other reasons--tax relief, pride of ownership, stability, etc.-- to buy besides the investment possibilities.

Okay, that's it for today. I. Am. Outta here!

Northsound Weekend Calendar

There are lots of fun things to do in the Mukilteo and Everett area this weekend. With a slight cooling in the weather, it's a great time to get outside!

Friday, July 13th

Wine Tasting - Wicked Cellars
Everett's Wicked Cellars is hosting a wine tasting of eclectic wines from around the world. 4 -6 pm, 2616 Colby Avenue, Everett. Call (425) 258-3117 for more information.

Everett Cinema Under the Stars
Take advantage of a balmy evening and see "Over the Hedge" at Everett's Cinema Under the Stars, an annual, summer-long festival featuring movies shown at Thornton A. Sullivan Park at Silver Lake."Over the Hedge," a family-friendly animated film, will begin at 7 p.m. tonight at the park, at 11405 Silver Lake Road in Everett.

For more information, call 425-257-8322.

Saturday, July 14th

Mukilteo Garden and Quilt Tour
The Mukilteo Garden & Quilt Tour promises to be an outstanding event for local gardeners and quilt lovers. The tour runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine

Jetty Island Sunset Harbor Cruise
Be dazzled by the splendor of the sunset over Port Gardner Bay. Enjoy the sights and discussions with a Jetty interpretive naturalist. This popular cruise happens only four times in conjunction with late-night campfires, and it always fills up. Call the Jetty Kiosk for reservations at 425-257-8304.

Sunday, July 15th

Sand Castle Building Contest
Test your sculpting skills against some of the region's most creative amateur builders in this increasingly competitive contest. Or just come to have fun! Bring digging tools, buckets and your imagination. Prizes awarded.All ages welcome for single or group entries.

All Weekend

Jetty Island Days
Jetty Island Days are still in progress. Ferry runs on the half hour between Everett 10th Street Marina and Jetty Island dock. Take the ferry or rent a kayak to get to the island (or, hitch a ride with a friendly boater).

For more ideas, see this article from the Everett Herald, Top Ways to Spend the Day.

Swing for the Fences

Here in Boeing-land, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone that either works for the big B or is married/related to someone who works there. When I was a kid growing up here, nearly everyone I knew had a dad or an uncle working for Boeing. Naturally, my rebellious nature caused me to swear I would never marry a Boeing employee. But, time has a way of proving us wrong, so naturally, when it came time to marry I married a Boeing engineer.

So yes, we are a Boeing family, like many other thousands of Boeing families here in the "Northsound service area." Quite a few of my clients work for Boeing, many of them on the 787 project, so it was with a special sense of pride that we watched the 787 roll out last Sunday.

Boeing is the largest employer in my little corner of the world, and while I wouldn't say we are a one horse town, Boeing is definitely a major driver of the local economy. One metric I've heard is that for every one Boeing employee, there are 5 to 10 other individuals in local businesses that depend on him for their job.

And while the North King/South Snohomish county area is now a bedroom community for Seattle and the Eastside as well as Everett employers like Boeing, the housing market here still rises and falls with Boeing's business outlook. Since the 787 project began, we've seen a huge number of people come here to work on the project, and I've had the good fortune to work with many of them. There's been an excitement surrounding the project that has spread to the community at large. On Sunday, that excitement finally bore fruit.

After all, it's not like we get a moment like this every day. The day of the 747 roll out is still etched clearly in the minds of a lot of people around here. That was nearly 40 years ago. This is the first new plane program to roll out in nearly 15 years. And it wasn't too long ago that the pundits were saying that Boeing's days as the leader in the commercial aerospace market were numbered. So Sunday meant a lot, to a lot of us.

And not just because it's good for the local economy. A few years ago on 9/11, the aerospace industry was hit hard. REALLY hard. It was a real blow to a lot of people in our neck of the woods. So, for us, Sunday's ceremony wasn't just a chance to share in a moment of civic pride. To a lot of us, it marked the triumph of American ingenuity over those who would like to harm us.

We were hit hard, but we came back swinging for the fences.

Northsound News Bits

Here are a few of the stories that are of interest in North King/South Snohomish counties today.

1. The Weather! The temperature yesterday was in the upper 90s, prompting many north end residents to suddenly become sick and have to leave work. Most parts of the country see temperatures in the 90s pretty consistently during the summer, but here in the Northwest its not that common. In fact, it's so uncommon that it tends to precipitate a lot of sudden illnesses. Illnesses that can only be cured by going to the beach, or taking out the boat.

2. Kenmore Redevelopment: According to to the Seattle Times, the city of Kenmore has signed an agreement with Kenmore Partners LLC to redevelop a large, city-owned parcel of downtown into a new city center with pedestrian-friendly shopping, in accordance with Kenmore's downtown master plan. Kenmore Village by the Lake will include housing, retail, and a central gathering space. The 9.6-acre site, at 68th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 181st Street, is now home to a temporary City Hall, a park-and-ride lot and a shopping center that dates to the 1960s and is currently home to Ostrom's Drug. The public comment period will begin in the fall.

Kenmore is one of the areas where I work, and I think this is great news given that one of the things that is less desirable about Kenmore is lack of this kind of infrastructure. It's actually a neighborhood that has a lot to offer in terms of its location and the kinds of homes that are available, but home values have been somewhat lower here than other nearby communities because of the lack of a central core. The completion of this project should increase home values in the area.

3. Arlington Fly-In is In Progress: The 39th Annual Arlington Fly-In began yesterday at the Arlington Airport and runs through Sunday. The Fly-In is one of the leading air shows in the country for experimental and "sport" aviation.

Mukilteo July Goings-On!

Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce just sent out its Chamber calendar for July. Here it is!

By the way, you don't have to be a member to attend a function (if there is a charge you just pay a dollar or two more), and it is a great way to meet all the business-people that make Mukilteo special.

After Hours Social

Hosted By: Sound Accounting Solutions (Troylyn Goldsberry) & Loan Network (Kathryn Hale)Address: 829 2nd St #4 (old town Mukilteo)Phone: 438-2920
Date: Thursday July 12th
Time: 5:30-7:30pm

Please join us for our July After Hours Social to be hosted by chamber member Sound Accounting Solutions & office partner Loan Network. Hope you can stop by for some appetizers, wine, beverages, networking and enjoying the summer evening with fellow chamber members.

General Membership Breakfast Meeting

Date: Thursday July 19thTime: 7:30 am
Place: Harbour Pointe Golf Course

Cost: $10 (Members) & $12 (Guests) * please make checks payable to The Pointe Restaurant

Guest Speaker: TBD“5” minute chamber speaker: NW Double Agents (Jeanmarie Trapp & Gordon Matheson with John L. Scott – Mukilteo)

Raffle tickets are 4 for $1.oo and proceeds benefit our scholarship fund.

Mukilteo Family YMCA
Groundbreaking Celebration

Date: Wednesday, July 11thTime: 5:00-7:30pm
Place: Mukilteo YMCA – 10601 47th Pl W.

Program: 5-5:30pm = Member BBQ & Social Time5:30-6:00pm = Groundbreaking Celebration: 6:00-7:30pm = Community Celebration & BBQ continue

Celebrate the expansion of the Mukilteo Y!

Volunteers Needed – Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival

The Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival Association is looking for volunteers to help out with:

· The Run-A-Muk (August 25th between the hours of 7am-10am)

· The Tour-de-Muk (August 26th between the hours of 7am-11am)

Please contact Kathy Wisbeck or Mimi Landsberg and staff @ the Lighthouse Festival office @ 353-5516 or info@mukilteofestival.org

Also--don't forget the Art Walk in Old Town on the last Wednesday of the month, and Farmer's market at Rosehill Community Center every Wednesday afternoon!

Everett/Mukilteo Summer Fun

With school FINALLY out and 4th of July right around the corner, I thought this would be a great time to post some community calendar information. Here are some fun summer activities that are going on in or near Mukilteo and Everett during the summer months.


4th of July Celebrations

Everett Community Parade sponsored by the Everett Jaycees: 11 am on Wetmore and Colby Avenues, between Wall and 26th Street.

Family Freedom Fest at the Everett Navy Station: Tour the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, and enjoy all the other fun events! All day.


Thunder By the Bay: 10:15 over Port Gardner. Best viewing is at Naval Station Everett, Grand Avenue Park, Harborview Park, 10th Street Boat Launch, and Legion Memorial Park.


For all the activities the City of Everett has planned on the Fourth, visit their website.

Family Fourth at Lake Union (Seattle)

Fourth of July-Vars (Seattle)



Farmers Markets


Edmonds Farmers Market, Saturdays from 9 to 3 at the 5th and Bell parking lot

Everett Farmers Market, Sundays from 11 to 4 in the Lombardi's parking lot on W. Marine View Drive

Mukilteo Farmers Market, Wednesdays from 3 to 7 at the Rosehill Community Center in Old Town

For a complete list of farmer's markets in the Puget Sound area, check out this link at the King county website.

Garden/Home Tours

Mukilteo Garden and Quilt Tour from 10 - 5, rain or shine, on July 14th.



Arts & Entertainment

Mukilteo Artwalk--last Wednesday of the month in Old Town Mukilteo. See Mukilteo Arts Guild website for more details. Through September.

Open Mike Night--Every Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 pm at Whidbey's Coffee in Old Town Mukilteo, through Sept. 12.

Concerts

Mukilteo Chamber Concerts in the Park--August 4, 2 to 8 pm in the Harbour Pointe Village Center.