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Fairhaven Cinema is cancelled tonight, due to rain.Saturday, August 7, 2010
Today’s movie on the Village Green is cancelled. While the rain is predicted to ease up later this evening, it is still raining pretty good as 5 pm arrives. As such, Doug of Epic Events and the Old Fairhaven Association are canceling the movie for this evening, Saturday, August 7. We hope to reschedule the movie “Star Trek” for either Friday, August 27 or Sunday evening, August 29. Check back on Fairhaven.com to learn what we are going to do. Thank you for your understanding. Flavor of Fairhaven and BicyclesSunday, August 1, 2010)
The Chef Showdown was the closing act of the second annual Flavor of Fairhaven on Saturday. four chefs - 3 professional and 1 amateur - competed with the secret ingredient to win the judges approval. The secret ingredient proved to be a most Northwest food - a Geoduck. The audience was able to get up close to watch the chefs in action. The winner was Ross, the chef at Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse. You can see more photos at a full gallery of over 30 photos from the two day event.
Todd Williams, the organizer of the Tour de Whatcom, checks in with bicycling participants early Saturday morning on the Village Green. Over 1,000 riders participated in the 5th annual Tour, which is run to benefit any charities named by participants. As the continued on, and bicyclists returned from riding 100 or 50 or 25 miles, they also took advantage of the Flavor of Fairhaven on the Village Green. Enjoy the gallery of 10 photos showing the early morning preparations and the start of the 100 mile ride.
The warm sunny Saturday morning featured a Griddlefest at Magdalena’s Crepe on 10th Street - with chefs from Sorella’s on the Bay flipping pancakes and from Avenue Bread cooking French toast. This was the start of the second day of the Flavor event. Flavor of Fairhaven continues SaturdaySaturday, July 31, 2010)
Part of the Flavor of Fairhaven fun on Friday evening was getting your photo with Dirty Dan Harris himself. Here a family enjoys the moment in front of the outdoor dining at Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse with Jim Rich, aka Dirty Dan, while photographer Dominic shoots the photo. The weather was perfect Friday evening as folks strolled the historic districts from venue to venue, tasting at several restaurants that had specials.
The Book Fare featured live music while participating in the Flavor of Fairhaven. This restaurant has the best view of any in Fairhaven, looking out on the Village Green and to Bellingham Bay and the Islands beyond.
Good friends pose with Dirty Dan. All are wearing their competition number tags as part of the Flavor celebration. Flavor of Fairhaven today and SaturdayFriday, July 30, 2010){kind=logo}
Starting at 4 pm today, Friday, the Flavor of Fairhaven begins a 24 hour celebration of the restaurants and coffee houses of Historic Fairhaven. Well, not straight through the night, but today events run from 4 pm till late this evening with fun beginning at 9 pm at the Fairhaven Pub and Martini Bar. Then at 8 am Saturday morning, the pick up with a griddlefest of pancakes, crepes and french toast, and continue all day till 4 pm - 24 hours later. We have a full schedule posted and you can also download an easy to print pdf file of the schedule. Just click the ad in the left column. Also - if you are a bike rider, note the Tour de Whatcom ad in the left column. This fun annual event starts from the Village Green early on Saturday morning. Click the ad for full information. Fiddlin Fox has gifted us with DanceSunday, July 25, 2010)
Each summer on every Sunday in July, there is high quality live dance music on the Village Green - complete with free dancing instructions. Above is one of the last dances this afternoon as the band “Balkanarama” plays Gypsy and Balkan music. On earlier Sundays, there was Latin, Cajun and Swing dancing - all with outstanding live bands. Each with an instructor to teach anyone to dance. Here is the sweet news. This is all a gift from a woman who loves dance - Linda Fox, or as she prefers, Fiddlin Fox. For several years now, Linda has taken care of all the expenses associated with providing our community with this mid summer treat. She also loves our Village Green and thinks the two go together naturally. She brings in the finest dancing bands from the Northwest for these dancing concerts. Balkanarama is from Seattle. She is already planning for the five Sundays of July 2011. We thank her.
Linda ‘Fiddlin’ Fox under the pergola on the Village Green. Fairhaven on a Summer EveningWednesday, July 21, 2010)
click photo for larger view Jamie simply moved her rack to the sidewalk on this beautiful summer evening in Fairhaven. Her shop, Fun To Shop!, features used women’s and girl’s clothing - all selected with her very fashion conscious eye. It is off the atrium in the Sycamore Square building at 12th and Harris - our showcase historic building. These summer evenings in Fairhaven are treasured. With about 20 restaurants and small places for gelato or ice cream cones, the district is great for evening walking. The Historic District with the buildings from the 1800s is beautiful in the evening. And you never know when or where you might find a bargain - or a bargain on some very fine stuff. We invite you to Fairhaven - daytime or for the warm sunny evenings. Warm summer evening on the Village GreenSaturday, July 10, 2010)
click photo for larger view An event filled night on the Village Green with music by “Shaken Not Stirred”, shown above. They were followed by the Chuckanut Radio Hour, put on each month at some place in Bellingham by Village Books. And as darkness set in, Doug Borneman’s Outdoor Cinema showed the movie “Julie and Julia”. Of course the Village Green was packed with folks there to enjoy the ambience of outdoor stage presentations. On Sunday afternoon, there will be free dancing music with Fiddlin Fox bringing Folichon Cajun Beat from 2 - 5 pm. Free dancing lessons also. Check our schedule of events for Fairhaven so you can attend some really fine performances on the Village Green this summer. Sycamore Square is one of Fairhaven’s FinestTuesday, July 6, 2010)
click photo for larger view The early morning light shows off the beautiful 1890 brick facade on Sycamore Square. It was built as Fairhaven prepared to be the Puget Sound terminus of the Great Northern railroad and has served Fairhaven with business offices for 120 years. Today, 12th Street Shoes is located in the prime street level corner location and Mambo Italiano restaurant is on the main 12th Street side. Upstairs is the Black Cat restaurant and over 20 business offices. The real delight is the huge open atrium in the center of the building - a must see for anyone visiting Fairhaven for the first time. See photo below. When built it was known as The Mason Block, after Allen Mason the owner. In the early 1970s, Ken Imus bought it and thoroughly renovated it, adding a fourth floor between the first and second floors. You would never guess today that he did that when you explore the atrium. In the 1990s, Patrick Uy bought the building and further renovated it, further improving the interior, adding an elevator and hanging many historical photos to the public walls. Today this fine building serves many businesses and is a one of the 10 notable historic buildings in Fairhaven.
The interior of the Sycamore Square building. It could be the 1890s except that there is now an elevator. Outdoor Cinema Opens to Packed Village GreenSunday, June 27, 2010)
The Marion Weston Band provided great music for the hour of slow sunset last evening till it was dark enough to show the movie. The pre-movie live music each Saturday are great shows in themselvs with top local groups giving intense one hour and longer - no breaks - performances. Doug Borneman and his crew are to be congratulated for the very entertaining evening. And we remind you there are nine - 9 - more Saturday evening Outdoor Cinemas on the Village Green this summer. Right through till the last one, The Wizard of Oz, on August 28. Click on the link in the left column for the full schedule. The Outdoor Cinema predates the formal Village Green - having been started about 10 years ago by the Pickford Theater. When the Green was built after the 2002 season, the Pickford management decided the Village Green was not suitable for showing outdoor movies and cancelled. The Old Fairhaven Association scrambled the spring of 2003 to continue the movies that year and the Village Green showed it was perfect for movies. In 2005 Doug Borneman and his Epic Events contracted with the Association to help run the movies and the event became more than just a movie after sunset. Doug introduced the finest live local music and brought local businesses onto the Green to make the evening a much more full experience. We thank Doug for managing one of the outstanding events that help make Fairhaven such a special place for all of us. Take a close look at that photo. You can click on it to make it larger. You will see young and old in that audience. It is the perfect venue for a date with your mate of 50 years or a first date for teenagers. We invite you to also enjoy the Photo Gallery of 20 pictures from last night. - John Servais Breakfast InterruptedSunday, June 27, 2010)
No one was hurt. The two guys who frequent this table for breakfast were quick enough to jump away. And the damage is about repaired. It happened early Saturday morning at Harris Avenue Cafe, one of Fairhaven’s most popular breakfast and lunch places. No, a driver did not push the wrong pedal. It was actually a slow speed crash. The carpet cleaning crew had their van parked diagonally at the curb with the motor running to power their cleaning equipment. They were working in a second floor office, above the restaurant. And - yep, you guessed it - the transmission slipped into a gear and the van lurched slowly ahead, over the curb and against the building. And stopped. The photos were taken by Ron Mueller who was enjoying breakfast at another table and we are showing them with permission of Robin, the restaurant owner. We certainly do not want to deter anyone from coming to breakfast in Fairhaven. The above photo is so interesting - even funny now that we know no one was hurt. Breakfast interrupted, indeed. Looks like healthy eating. Wonder if he got another free order. Sans glass. At another table. Or lost his appetite. I’ll have to interview him. Note: Originally posted Mon morn, June 28. Outdoor Cinema season starts SaturdayFriday, June 25, 2010)
Above photo from July 18, 2009 The above photo was taken last summer and shows our Village Green as the audience enjoys the pre-movie live music from the stage. Tomorrow, Saturday, the first show of the season starts with “Whip It”, a movie directed by Drew Barrymore about a teenage girl and roller derbys. It is rated PG-13 and is a great family movie to start off the season. The Marion Weston Band starts playing about 8:30 pm with the movie starting as soon as it is dark enough. You can check on all the movies for the summer from the graphic link in the left column. The outdoor movies events are produced each year by Doug Borneman’s Epic Events in cooperation with the Old Fairhaven Association. Ten movies will be shown on Saturday evenings between now and the end of August. All are selected for great family enjoyment. Pre-movie seating is $5. We look forward to another great season. Summer Solstice Walk A’bout photosSaturday, June 19, 2010)
A gallery of 15 photos is posted for your enjoyment. The evening was sunny and warm with all the shops and galleries showing off their finest. Above is the Fairhaven Originals Gallery, which had their Grand Opening during the Walk A’bout. We are delighted to have this new and first rate gallery in our Historic District. It is located in Harris Square, just a half block down Harris Ave from Good Earth Pottery. We invite you to Fairhaven for an evening of shopping and dining - or for a weekend getaway. It is one of the most fun and historic places in the Pacific Northwest. New Gallery Open for Annual Walk A’boutFriday, June 18, 2010)
Fairhaven Originals Gallery is having their Grand Opening this evening. This adds to the annual Summer Solstice Walk A’bout that runs from 5 to 9 pm. The weather is perfect and the galleries and shops all have special art displays. And refreshments. Shown here is a sculpture by Jacques & Mary Regat, who are known for their Pacific Northwest themes. The gallery is in Harris Square - on Harris Avenue right next to Serena Gelato or a half block down Harris from Good Earth Pottery. See just below for a map and more information on this evening’s event. And we invite you to come down to Fairhaven this evening or this weekend to enjoy the shops and galleries. Summer Solstice Walk A’bout is Friday EveningThursday, June 17, 2010)
click image for larger view Fairhaven merchants are ready for the 18th annual Summer Solstice celebration. Participating shops will have special art displays and many will have the artists there to talk about their work. Refreshments will be given out in many shops and there will be the ceremonial summer solstice fire lighting on the Village Green. The evening festivities start at 5 pm when Dirty Dan Harris will help with the traditional lighting of the fire, a tradition from Europe that goes back to prehistoric times. It is a quiet and touching ceremony that many enjoy each year. We invite you to Fairhaven and promise you an enjoyable time. Walk about visiting the shops and galleries from 5 to 9 pm. You can download an easy to print PDF file with a map and list of participating merchants, as shown above. And this is a good place to thank Erica Hume, the manager of Artwood Gallery, for organizing this event every year since almost the beginning. Chuck and Dee - and their Village BooksMonday, June 7, 2010)
click image for larger view Thanks in large part to Village Books, the Historic Fairhaven District is today a viable and sustainable business district. And the thanks for that is to Chuck and Dee Robinson. Their Village Books is without question the anchor store of Fairhaven. It is a fun place to walk into. There are three floors of books and the staff is expert and friendly. It embodies all the best of a locally owned retail shop. Village Books has drawn people to the historic district on a steady year round basis for over two decades. They opened as a very small, narrow book shop in June 1980. By the mid 1980s they were our anchor - they were the shop that attracted people down to Fairhaven. People would then shop the neighboring businesses. I remember when they opened. They were right across the street from The Picture Show - our beloved art theater. We would get out of the movie about 9 pm and they would be open. Most other shops in Fairhaven would be closed at that late hour. Many theater goers would saunter across 11th street to browse the books - and buy. They purposely stayed open till the movies were over. What a concept. And they have continued for 30 years to look for ways to draw us into their book store to enjoy browsing and buying books. Local news media are giving them recognition this month. It is well deserved. And they will celebrate their 30 years on Sunday evening, June 20, in their bookstore. It will be a chance for all of us who enjoy Fairhaven and their shop to thank them. What drizzle? Great fun at Fairhaven Festival for AllMonday, May 31, 2010)
click photo for larger view 11th Street was all Street Fair on Sunday. A slight drizzle started about 1 pm and was on and off all afternoon but it didn’t matter to the thousands of true Northwesters. Here Death By Radio cranks out the Rock at McKenzie Ave. Each year since the late 1980s, the Ski to Sea Race ends at Fairhaven and the Old Fairhaven Association puts on a party. All the streets in the Historic District are closed to traffic as we do our best to make it a fun party for all. This year 27 food vendors, 74 street vendors and about 30 non-profit organizations participated - the most ever. Add four rock bands here and six accoustic bands on the Village Green plus the beer garden and we have the best street fair of the year in Bellingham. Rain? No one paid much attention to it. Special thanks and acknowledgement to the Festival co-chairs, Anna Williams and Stephanie Johnson, and to their main committee members, Jordan Tarrida, Christi Losinger, John Cooke and Iain Davidson. Thanks to the volunteers from Fairhaven businesses who helped pour beer, recycle, and do the many things needed to make the Fest work for our visitors. A gallery of 36 photos is posted for your enjoyment. To view the overall race results, Click Here. It all ends at the Fairhaven Festival - this SundayThursday, May 27, 2010)
click image for larger view - click link below in text for pdf file This Sunday, May 30, in Fairhaven is Bellingham’s biggest and best street fair of the year. The Ski to Sea Race ends in Fairhaven and we put on a party - and you are invited. Whether you like Rock and Roll or acoustic jazz - ethnic foods or great hot dogs - entertainment for the young ones or the beer garden - you will find it at the Fairhaven Festival. On the Village Green are over 20 non-profits booths with information about their local causes and why you might want to get involved. On the streets are over 70 craft booths with everything you expect at a street fair. There are, of course, the pony rides for the little ones. You can print out the poster above by downloading an easy to print PDF file. Clicking on the graphic above will show you a larger version only. It all starts at 10 am everywhere in Fairhaven. There is extra fun this year with more non-profits than ever - with one offering a dunk tank as part of their fund raising drive. We thank Ritama for the great graphics on this year’s posters - our first ever. Park & Ride to the Festival. We encourage you to take advantage of the best Park & Ride you have probably ever used. Park free at Western Washington University - ride the WTA bus for a $1 each way on a 5 minute ride - and get off the bus a mere block from the Festival. For full details, click here to go to the Festival page. Enjoy this video about our communityThursday, May 20, 2010)
Lou Nicksic, long time Bellingham resident & musician, has created a very enjoyable music video about Bellingham. Some parts are taken in and near Fairhaven, including the scene above of Ken Imus and his son Brad. Lou has always been a strong supporter of the Bellingham arts community. As Lou says, this song project has been a growing desire of his for many years, and was recently completed with the help of creative local artists, videographers, and photographers. The video is posted on YouTube and there is also a high definition version if you have high speed internet. We thought you would enjoy this. And we thank Lou for allowing us to post on Fairhaven.com for all to enjoy. By the way, Lou has been doing Audio / Video production for years - including commercial projects. To contact him, email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Old Glory flying again after pole repairsMonday, May 17, 2010)
photo courtesy of Bob Currie - click photo for larger view The large summer flag is again flying proudly from the top of our 100 foot flag pole. Last week, Zender Volvo Rentals of Ferndale provided their 120 foot lift with Mike DeRosa operating it to enable threading a new cable through the pulley at the top of the pole. The old cable had badly kinked in early March - causing the flag pole to be empty for two months. We greatly appreciate Zender Rentals help. Mike came out in March with a lift to help get the stuck flag down. And they helped two years ago when we put up the new pole. The Old Fairhaven Association maintains the flag and pole - and we have learned that a 100 foot pole is far more complicated than one would ever guess. But we hope enough has been learned to keep the flag flying continuously from now on. The pole and flag were first installed in 1989 and is a memorial to Veterans. It echos the 100 flag pole put up by Dirty Dan Harris in 1884 in about this same location. Volunteers landscape grounds of new Hospice HouseThursday, May 13, 2010)
Over 100 members of Keller Williams Realty worked all day to landscape the grounds of the new Hospice House nearing completion on Douglas Avenue. Here Chris dumps more fertile mulch for the entry way flowers - while Rita and Keri prepare it for planings. Volunteers pruned and thinned overgrown bushes, tended the wetlands, rejuvenated the lawns, and planted many new perennial flowering plants. The Whatcom Hospice Foundation has conducted a several year long funding drive with much community support. The new Hospice House is only a mile from Fairhaven and is in a quiet part of the Happy Valley neighborhood. Anyone who has ever cared for a dying person can appreciate the value and worth of a comfortable place that respects the dignity of each patient. We hope Fairhaven can be supportive of this House as it begins service early this fall.
Dirty Dan Days Fest PhotosThursday, May 6, 2010
Mark Turner has posted two galleries with hundreds of great photos he took at last week’s Dirty Dan Days Seafood Festival. These are still photos from his two medleys that were posted here on Fairhaven.com last week. Saturday’s photos and a separate page of Sunday’s photos are a great show. You might find a photo of yourself. And you can purchase any you like as fine photographic prints online at his site. Girls Night Out is this Thursday EveMonday, May 3, 2010)
The 5th annual Girls Night Out in Fairhaven is this Thursday evening from 4 to 11 pm. And the weather will be sunny - no rain - and just a bit nippy in the mid 50s. This event is so much fun that this year is greatly expanded and will last longer into the evening. Above are the A Capella singers from last year in Finnegan’s Alley atrium. They may not be here this year, but there will be live music, live singing, live stand up women’s comedy and - well, click the button link in the top left column and check out the complete list of events at their complete website. To enjoy the fun, just come to Historic Fairhaven and buy a Passport at any one of the shops and restaurants selling them. A list of places is on the Home Page of the GNO website. Mark Turner Photographic MedleysSunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday at Dirty Dan Days Seafood Festival - by photographer Mark Turner, with the above medley of over 100 photos focused on the Chuckanut Chowder Cookoff and the Piano Race. Mark Turner shows all the fun on the Village Green this afternoon and all to the music of the Gallus Brothers. They played all afternoon and then for a requested encore. The young ones were dancing. The chowder was superb. The piano race was hilarious. Our thanks to Doug, Stephanie, Wendy and those who volunteered to make the day a success.
We invite you to the Village Green in Historic Fairhaven for Sunday’s Chuckanut Chowder Cookoff from 2 to 4 pm and the Piano Race at 4:15 pm. Taste up to 18 great chowders from Northwest restaurants all competing for either the people’s or judges’ choice awards. Thanks to Fairhaven portrait photographer Mark Turner for these two fun photographic shows. Check out his website for samples of his fine professional photography at http://www.turnerphotographics.com Dirty Dan Days Seafood Festival this weekendWednesday, April 21, 2010)
Two days of fun, music, seafood and games on our Village Green. The 8th annual Dirty Dan Days Seafood Festival is this weekend, April 24 & 25, starting about 10 am each day and continuing till about 4:30 pm. Above and below are a couple photos from last year’s festival - and to see two galleries of photos, click here for Saturday and here for Sunday. The weather prediction is very good - with mostly sunny Saturday afternoon and full sunshine and warmth on Sunday. A full detailed schedule is posted here. Highlights are the cupcake eating contest on Saturday - shown above in the photo - the fish throwing contest and the 1800s old fashioned contests. Sunday includes the Chowder Cookoff with over 15 restaurants competing for honors and the piano race - the world’s only. Come enjoy the best tastes of chowders you can imagine for only $10.
Above are two fine contestants for Dirty Dan look alike contest, Dan Bailey on the left and Jim Rich on the right. We invite you to come Schooner Zodiac moves permanently to FairhavenFriday, April 16, 2010)
click photo for larger view Christine Wallace, 1st Mate and Sail Master of the Zodiac, is welcomed to Fairhaven by Stephanie Johnson, President of the Old Fairhaven Association. The 127 foot long schooner Zodiac has sailed summers out of Fairhaven for several years but she has now relocated from Seattle to Fairhaven permanently year around. We in Fairhaven are delighted and look forward to making Zodiac, her captain Tim Mehrer and her crew part of our Fairhaven community. Many fun day sails are planned as well as overnight voyages. How about this - a “Mother’s Day Brunch Sail” for $75 each. Depart at 10:30 am and return at 2 m on Sunday, May 9. Enjoy a champagne brunch under sail and a truly unique way to tell her she is special. Space is limited, so phone Chris now to reserve - at 206 719-7622. You can visit their website at http://www.schoonerzodiac.com. Who is that back standing on the gaff? Juliet, Chris’s daughter. Juliet is a deck hand and quite at home on the Zodiac. That is the main sail covered under the green canvas and it is the largest sail of any sailing ship on the West Coast of the United States at about 4,000 square feet. Yes, it is a thrill to stand on deck under her when the ship has a breeze. Yes it is. Researchers Learn More About Dan HarrisTuesday, April 13, 2010)
Click photo for larger view We now know about the Lost Whaling Voyage of Dan Harris during the years 1851 to 1853. Constantine Papadakis, on the left, and Ralph Thacker have spent good time over a couple years trying to learn what Dan did before he came here in late 1853 to start the settlement of Fairhaven. They traveled to New England, where Dan grew up and shipped off to sea, and rediscovered what was his lost voyage. They have traced his two years route across oceans on this map of the world of about the same time. Dan even set foot on the ice down in Antarctica. And sailed as far north as the Arctic Ocean before leaving the ship in Hawaii. We have always known that he then sailed to Victoria and rowed across to present day Fairhaven. But we didn’t know much about that ship and voyage that ended in Hawaii. Now we do. The map will hang in Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse on 11th Street, across from Village Books. You can take a close look at the map and trace Dan’s amazing voyage. Mark Turner opens Portrait Studio in FairhavenSunday, April 11, 2010)
Mark Turner is well known for his portraits done in outdoor natural settings. He has established his reputation over many years in the Pacific Northwest. Now he has relocated his studio to the Historic Fairhaven district - and we welcome him. Mark will add to our reputation as a center for fine art and craftmanship. On this Tuesday from 4 to 7:30 pm, Mark will be hosting an open house at his studio. It is on the second floor of the Finnegan’s Alley building, 1106 Harris, Suite 205. Refreshments and a chance to see some of his photography framed and on the walls. Mark also photographs flowers and landscaped gardens. All the photos in “Wild Flowers of the Pacific Northwest” are by Mark. Urban Living ala Fairhaven Business DistrictThursday, April 8, 2010)
Click photo for larger view Yes, this is a patio at a condo in the Fairhaven Business District. It is one of the several Condo buildings in Fairhaven. This is actually community space at the Fairhaven Gardens Condominiums. And, yes that is a view of the San Juan Islands and of the sunsets over Bellingham Bay. Plus it has great street views of the historic district. We usually think of our district as shops and restaurants - but it has become much more. It is Bellingham’s premier Urban Village. And perhaps one of the best examples anywhere of what an Urban Village should be. And it was all this before the professional planners started using the label. Over the last 10 years, the Fairhaven Business District has been quietly transformed into a very desirable urban residential district. Many of the living units have spectacular views and pleasant balconies or patios. The first was Judson Plaza across the street from this condo. Then Harris Square and McKenzie Square - which are two of the largest with condos and apartments. And there are several more in the area and a couple more are planned. We love it. And I wonder how slow motion this chess game between residents proceeds. Looks like fun. Coast Guard crew gives to our communityTuesday, March 30, 2010)
We could all learn something from these guys about community. They are the crew of the USCGC Sea Lion, an 87 foot Coast Guard Cutter based in Fairhaven. Their commander, Master Chief Lou Kitchin, said “The crew genuinely wanted to make a contribution to the community we appreciate and feel a part of.” And so they spent the better part of last Thursday giving the Village Green a thorough cleaning. The first hard cleaning the brick pavers have had since they were laid back in 2003. The Bellingham Parks and the Old Fairhaven Association worked with them to select the project and provide support. We all thank these 12 guys, of which 10 are shown in the photo above. And thanks to Constantine Papadakis for the photo. Brenthaven Grand Opening Friday & SaturdayThursday, March 25, 2010)
Shop managers Olivia and Joanna invite us all to come by to help celebrate the grand opening of the new Brenthaven shop in Fairhaven. They are back in Fairhaven with a a new shop open in one of Fairhaven’s historic old buildings - the 110 years old Bellingham Bay Hotel. No longer a hotel, it now has several fine businesses. Brent Harris started the business in the mid 1970s in Fairhaven. They are located at 909 Harris Ave - just below 10th Street. On Friday March 26th, Brenthaven will offer a 20% discount on all Brenthaven laptop cases; and Saturday March 27th Brenthaven will highlight it’s collection of locally-made products, offering a 20% discount on any classic Brentley Softpack backpack. They even have cases for the new iPad that will be out in April. Brenthaven has also brought back the iconic and locally-made, Brentley Softpacks line, originally designed by adventurer Brent Harris nearly 30 years ago. This includes duffel bags, backpacks, fanny packs and other soft-sided travel goods products. As a way of paying homage to the community that supports them, Brentley Softpacks products are only available in the new Fairhaven retail store. Pit parking lot gets spiffed upWednesday, March 24, 2010)
Everyone knows it as ‘The Pit’. It is our big off street parking lot along Mill and 11th. And it tends to get overgrown with fast growing black berries. Last Friday, several local volunteers got together and worked the day cutting brush, picking up trash and generally making the area look much better. Above photo was taken this noon and shows the results. Local condo resident, Jim Turk, organized the effort. Ken Imus, who has generously provided his property for this parking for several years now, contributed some needed money and then showed up to to help cut brush. Both Ken and Jim are over 80 years old. Hard work for anyone any age. Jim is hoping other local business owners will want to help defray the costs of the cleanup with a monetary contribution of their own. Contact Jim at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you can contribute $10 or $20 or more. He is a couple hundred short of what he spent.
The clean up crew take a break from the cleaning of the parking lot. In truth, the parking lot has always bothered Bellingham city hall. While it has worked wonderfully for over 10 years, the city wishes it were closed. They refuse permission for the Old Fairhaven Association to place a Parking Lot sign there. And improvements and maintenance have generally been forbidden. The fact that these folks were allowed to do the cleanup last Friday is a delightful change from the past. Noted landscape designer Susann SchwiesowFriday, March 19, 2010)
Historic Fairhaven is usually associated with shops, restaurants and historic buildings. But our district also harbors many outstanding professionals who prefer having their offices in this relaxed and beautiful urban village. Susann Schwiesow (pronounced sweeso) is one of them. She is a highly respected Northwest residential landscape designer. With her partner, Chris Drilias, they have been creating beautiful yards and estates for over 20 years. They refer to it as creating outdoor spaces that can be lived in and enjoyed - garden rooms. Their projects are what help the Northwest have such a reputation for beautiful urban living and their work has been featured in many publications, including Sunset. You can see photos of some of their projects on their website. We thought it time to recognize some of the professionals who call Fairhaven their home. And this is the season when many of us start wondering how ambitious we are for our yards and gardens this year. Actually, anytime of year is appropriate for planning. If you have ambitious desires, consider contacting Susann. And if not, just checking out the photos on her website can provide inspiration. Flag will be back soonTuesday, March 9, 2010)
Note:Fag will back flying sometime the week of March 22 to 26. You may have noticed - the flagpole is empty. The winch and cable system for raising and lowering the flag got tangled inside the pole last week. And the flag was stuck at half mast for several days. Yesterday, with the generous help from Zender Volvo Rents in Ferndale and their cherry picker, we were able to get the flag and take it down. And then a group of us Fairhaven business folks got the winch out of the pole so we can now fix it. It will require a new 200 foot braided steel cable and some cleaning. Whew. This 100 foot tall flagpole is a community treasure but is also serious business. The flags that fly need repairs and new hemming several times a year. The Old Fairhaven Association has taken on the responsibility of maintaining it all and raising and lowering the flag in respect to fallen service members. It is dedicated to our Veterans and dates back to 1987 and their efforts then to install the first pole. And then it dates back to 1884 and Dirty Dan Harris himself who put up a 100 foot pole about this spot. We value our history and our flag. Some thanks are in order. First is Zenders in Ferndale for discounting much of their fee for this tall cherry picker and to Steve Denton and Mike DeRosa the operators. Without it and them we cannot get 50 feet up the pole. Thanks to Stephanie Johnson, the president of the Association for helping organize the rescue yesterday and helping untangle the mess. Thanks to Constantine Papadakis of Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse, Brad Imus of Jacaranda Development and Bob Currie for showing up and doing the work. Now we will get new cable, clean the winch, retrieve one of our repaired flags from storage and schedule the cherry picker out here again - so we can thread the new cable through the pulley at the top and have our flag flying proudly again. If you want to help, the Association has a flag account and we go through a few hundred dollars a year maintaining the flags and gear. The pink color scheme? The Zenders donate part of the fees from this lift to breast cancer research. Cool folks.
Steve Denton, left, and Mike DeRosa about to go up in the cherry picker to get the flag. Thanks guys. - John Servais Flats New Owner & Wine HonorsWednesday, March 3, 2010)
Flats Wine & Tapas Bar in Fairhaven has a new owner and more wine awards. Jennifer Branch purchased the 5-year old restaurant at the end of January 2010. A graduate of the 4-year Culinary Arts Program of Utah State University, and 7-year Bellingham resident, Branch was a regular customer of Flats, when she heard from friends that the restaurant in the 108 year-old Nelson Block building of Fairhaven was up for sale. She has kept the staff of six and plans to add additional seasonal, local and organic items to the menu, as well as re-opening for lunch and offering a happy hour starting in April. Flamenco guitarist, Rico Castaldo now plays dinner music Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00-8:00 pm.
Interactive Fairhaven Map now OnlineWednesday, February 24, 2010)
Above is a screen shot of just part of our new Fairhaven Interactive map - online now and just inviting you to check it out. There is also now a permanent graphic link in the left column of all pages at Fairhaven.com. It is always ready for you to use it and it features mouse over blue buttons with information about many Fairhaven shops and restaurants. This is exactly the same map we are using on our new comprehensive Fairhaven Brochure - which is now available at over 40 Fairhaven shops and restaurants. Chuckanut Drive - including art galleries and restaurants - is also included online and in the brochure. If Interstate 5 exit 250 is the front door to Fairhaven, then Chucknut Drive from I-5 Exit 231 is the garden door to our little historic district. A beautiful drive with views of the Salish Sea and the San Juan Islands which ends right in Fairhaven. We thank Larry Morris and his Town Graphics for working so well with our Fairhaven business owners and developing this new brochure for us. Included inside the brochure are the 10 most historic buildings in Fairhaven with information about each and a suggested walking tour. Fairhaven now has a first class walking map of the historic district. Wet Pug predicts more rainSaturday, February 13, 2010)
Raining Queen Diane Philips pets Mattie the pug and finds the fur wet. (Well, of course - its owner, Taimi Gorman, was holding her in the rain) While the royal court was not sure at first what that meant, they quickly decided that we in the Northwest are in for another 10 weeks of rain. What a surprise. The 9th annual Official Pacific Northwest Rain Festival was held Saturday noon on the Fairhaven Village Green. The queen and her court held several contests in which all got prizes and all were declared the winners. Fairhaven merchants donated some very fine gift certificates for meals, beauty services and products.
The gathering on the Green took place in a typical February light drizzle. All were thankful for the rain - especially after recalling how sunshine has wrecked some festivals in past years.
The Queen and her court. At the mic is Dirty Dan Harris, the founder of Fairhaven - also known locally as Jim Rich. The historical Dan started Fairhaven in 1854 and platted it for a town in 1884. Her court is the Ladies of the Evening Society, local business women who commemorate the early business women of the 1880s in Fairhaven. Today they are strictly a social group that lends color to our Fairhaven events.
Jim Milstead reads his rain poem. He read a very good poem - probably the best.
Kim Erickson reads her rain poem - actually a poem she wrote for something else long ago. She inserted the word rain at several places. All approved and the Queen loved it. Dirty Dan got to wondering why he was standing on the Green.
Hue Beattie reads his one sentence poem. We may as well print it. “The grain in Spain grows mainly thanks to rain.” All thought this was even better than haiku. Profound. The rain fest was a great success. All retreated to the fine Fairhaven restaurants for food and drink after the 25 minute long festival. The festival almost did not happen this year, but Diane Philips, who owns The Barbershop in Fairhaven, decided it had to go on and organized one of the best rain fests ever. She promised that she and her court would stage the festival again in February 2011. We look forward to it. |
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