Pecha Kucha, The Sound of Chit Chat

Much like speed dating, Pecha Kucha gives a presenter a defined amount of time to tell his/her story, share interests, and show pictures. Pecha Kucha is Japanese for the sound of chit chat, sort of a "sound illustration" for this movement which is now in 172 cities worldwide. This Seattle presentation was sponsored by Artist Trust, a very active organization for support of the arts in the Seattle and surrounding areas. It was held at Ouch My Eye gallery, on 1st St South, right near Quest Field. We arrived in time to find seats, many more people were standing the whole time. There was also an intermission, and the purpose of that time was to connect to other folks attending. The lineup last night was very interesting to me, included two gallery curators or directors, a former professor of ancient music who talked about the operas they produced at UW in full costume with ancient music orchestras they imported from Italy, and a member of a local puppeteer family who talked about his interest and travels to Asia and the large puppet mechanisms he learned about there. The Italian born director of the Bellevue art museum gave us a tour through the museum, guided by a sock monkey with a mustache that looked suspiciously like his own. (Perhaps they are related!?!)

Here are the guidelines for Pecha Kucha as described on the Pecha-Kucha.org site: "Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show."

This free event is produced by volunteers (Pecha Kuties) and will certainly be repeated. Many of the folks I was privileged to talk with are also planning to present at some future event. Really fun and inspiring!

Lynette Hensley, Associate Broker
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Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan

The Obama plan is designed to help stave off foreclosure for 7-9 million families by restructuring or refinancing their mortgages. This will keep families in their homes, keep communities stable, and strengthen confidence in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Immediately after hearing the press conference, the anchor said that this is not enough, it's just a drop in the bucket. But I'm glad to see some help, that if it works well, could be a model for further relief.

The plan also includes provision for displaced renters where the home goes into foreclosure because the owner/landlord can't afford the home anymore.

Here's a summary

Feel free to call or email for more information. I do have more than the summary which I'd be happy to send to you.

Lynette Hensley
Associate Broker
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Coffee As Art -- Vivace Espresso

"Una bella tazza di caffe", the beautiful cup of coffee at Vivace Espresso is well named. Since 1988 this company has refined it's presentation, flavor and finesse inspired by the coffee itself. We often go to the shop in South Lake Union to pick up a cuppa as well as the occasional Mighty O Donut or donut hole depending on the appetite. They offer "restretto shots" which I understand to mean that they use only the sweetest most flavorful part of the espresso shot. The owners have published books on barista techniques, coffee techniques as well as a video of Latte art. Espresso Vivace

Vivace Espresso has two locations

Vivace Espresso Bar at Brix
532 Broadway Ave East
Seattle WA 98122
Telephone 206.860.2722
Open 6am until 11pm daily

Espresso Vivace Alley 24
227 Yale Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
Telephone 206.388.5164
Open daily 6 am until 11 pm. See you there!

Lynette Hensley
Associate Broker
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Night Boarding in Stevens Pass!

Last night my sister and I got together with a couple of friends to take a snowboarding trip up to Stevens Pass. Since the night boarding time frame is 4 PM-1o PM we did our best to get there closer to 4, but of course with the digging equipment out and other prep "stuff", we ended up not getting up there until around 7 PM.

Lift tickets at Stevens for the night hours cost $38/person (kids and seniors tickets are less), and it looks like they upgraded the ticket system from scanable pieces of paper to reloadable cards. Every chairlift you go on has a scanner at the entrance, so if you keep your card in a chest pocket the machine can scan you without you having to take your card out. And since the card is reloadable, you can actually keep the card and purchase your lift ticket online, load it to the card and not wait in line the next time. Very convenient! (Not sure how new this system actually is, keep in mind I haven't been to the mountains in a couple of years...)

The slopes were definitely icier than I preferred, but the mountain itself is GREAT. The chairlifts were super fast and the runs were long and can be challenging (if you want them to be!). But the best part of night boarding on a Sunday night is the fact that you pretty much have the mountain to yourselves. Nothing beats not waiting at the chairlifts!

From Seattle, it probably takes about an hour and a half to 2 hours to get up to Stevens. If you take Highway 2, which runs through Monroe, it's a two lane highway so I would plan your trip for about 2 hours, in case you have someone in front of you that's going 10 mph under speed limit ;)

On our drive back (which was at 12 AM) the snow never stopped...looks like we brought the snow down from the mountain with us! It was snowing pretty heavily in Everett, Shoreline etc but it seems to have gone away now.

Amy Kizaki
Buyer Specialist
Seattle PowerSearch Team

206.384.7169 direct
amy@seattlepowersearch.com

Condo Purchases to Require 10% Down Starting March 9th!!!!!

I got an email today from an agent at a condominium development in Queen Anne regarding mortgage insurance companies changing their down payment requirements.

Starting on March 9th, mortgage insurance companies will require 10% down on any condo purchases. According to the email some banks have already made the switch to this requirement.

What does this mean to you? If you're a buyer considering a condo purchase in the near future, if you get locked into a contract after March 9th you will have to come up with extra funds in order to get approval for the loan.

Contracts that are locked in and approved for a mortgage insurance certificate by March 9th will be exempt.

So, for those of you who are thinking about buying but don't have 10% down...it's time to stop thinking and start moving. The difference could be tens of thousands of dollars (for a loan of $250,000, that's $12,500 more that you would have to come up with).

Now what's the cause of this? Each county has a market classification. Depending on the level of distress in the markets, the classifications rise in increments of 5%. Those in Classification One only requires 5% down. Whatcom County and King County are currently both in Classification One. Whatcom County will move to Class Two (10% down required) on February 24th.

There is still a way around the 10% down, though. FHA loans, who aren't affected by the MC, are still offering 3.5% down. The development you are considering must be FHA approved, though, so be sure to ask your buyer's agent to check this.

On a happier note, there is now an up-to-$8,000 tax credit available to first time home buyers.

Don't have an agent? Call or email me...I'd be happy to help you find your perfect condo (or home!).

Amy Kizaki
Buyer Specialist
Seattle PowerSearch Team

206.384.7169 direct
amy@seattlepowersearch.com

Seattle Children's Theater at Seattle Center, Queen Anne

It was an hour before dark by the time my son Daniel and I pulled into the new parking garage at Seattle Center. We were meeting friends there to play at the Children's Museum, get a bite at the International Food Court in Center House, and then go on to the Seattle Children's Theater for a long-anticipated pirate stage show. Located right at the bottom of Queen Anne, this is a collection of enjoyment that will take several days initially, and many repeat visits to explore properly.

We almost didn't get out of the parking garage, because it is so interesting and fun, with so many posts, pillars, rocks and other surfaces just out the front door that invited climbing and playing on that it was hard to tear ourselves away. We finally made it, and passed by the rippling chrome copper purple and magenta Experience Music Project building. We passed among one of my favorite little features, the standing forest of brown shiney staffs. Maybe a sculptural reference to a bamboo forest, certainly for my 7 year old fun to play in.

At last we got to the Center House, found Daniel's friend and his mom (my friend) and headed down the curving staircase to the Children's Museum where they played with the many interactive exhibits including the Making Music, Exploring the Wilderness, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and the Art Making areas. Then we headed upstairs again for sandwiches for all and well deserved coffee for the moms.

Last we strolled over (it was dark by now) to the Seattle Children's Theater which is interesting in and of itself, visually a treat. We sat on long padded backless benches with many other children and parents to watch a haunting pirate tale in which the bad guys were really funny and the good guys won. On our way back out, we had to stop while the boys ran and played in the fountain area, no water but still a facinating space to explore with it's dips and curves (a wonderful waterplay treat on a summer day, though!).


We'll go back another time soon for Pacific Science Center, the Seattle Shakespeare Company at the Center House Theater, the Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and the Space Needle!







Edy Kizaki
Realtor & Team Leader
206-331-0152

Music Venues -- Q Cafe

In addition to being Real Estate professionals, Larry and I are also musicians--yes, we spend 24/6.5 together! We met at an open mic sponsored by Victory Music, which is now hosted at the Q cafe every Tuesday night. You might even catch us performing there once in awhile!

Victory has open mics and concerts in other locations, Tacoma, Lynnwood and at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue and there are many other open mic opportunities around town, to play and also to go listen. We will write more about music and listening opportunities from time to time.

Q Cafe
3223 15th Ave W, Seattle 98119
(just south of the Ballard Bridge at Dravus St. exit) • (206) 352-2525 • www.qcafe.org
Sign up: 5:45 - 6:15 pm Music: 6:30 - 9:00 pm
Cover charge: $3 general public, $2 members. Performers don't pay!
Wonderful large venue, very family friendly. Coffee, tea, soft drinks and pastries available.

Lynette Hensley
Associate Broker

Tour of the Washington State Ferries

One of the most wonderful things about living in the Seattle area is that we are surrounded by water, trees and mountains. Trees all around, mountains to the East and West, and big ones to the North (Mt Baker) and to the South (Mt. Rainier). Driving around the area, views will open up to reveal all these beautiful features around us.

To fully enjoy the water, it's best to use a boat--and if you don't have your own you may like to take a ferry to locations around the sound, far or near. Larry and I love to take a ferry from Anacortes in the summer to the San Juan islands. Our favorite is probably Orcas Island where there is an indie music festival sometime in mid July called Woodsong. Two days of almost constant indie music....it's worth checking out--ask us for more info--we've been to the festival a couple of times and just love it! But that's actually another blog post!

Here's a little photo tour of our ride to and from Port Orchard yesterday where we went to take a BuyerTour of a historic building for sale, an old grange hall that has a dance floor, stage, and a loft as well as a kitchen and meeting space. Zoned residential, it was to be renovated into a residence, but now it's for sale.

The Washington State Ferry site is comprehensive, with good access to schedules and fares, and they also have a mobile version if you need to access it by mobile internet.

Lynette Hensley
Associate Broker

Sterling Square Condo In Trossachs

Here I want to introduce you to this fabulous 2/2 Condo in the small Sterling Square complex with its beautiful 2 story condo buildings. The location of these condos is on the border of Sammamish and Fall City with breathtaking views of Mt. Si and the Cascade mountain range.
In particular I want to show you this wonderful unit #205 on 1855 Trossachs Blvd SE. This unit has an attached one car garage with an access door to the unit. The unit is located on the 2nd floor and is right across from the club house. It features a well appointed kitchen with all appliances in place and a wonderful breakfast bar which can seat 4 of your guests.
The kitchen is open to the dining area and living room, which both are very spacious and bright, due to the large windows surrounding it. The living room has a gas fireplace with room for your TV over it. The TV and fireplace can be enjoyed from the kitchen, dining area and of course the living room.
Down the hall way you will find the full 2nd bathroom adjacent to the 2nd bedroom/office. The 2nd bedroom window looks over to the Cascade Mountains and floods the room with light.
The same holds true for the large master bedroom. You can comfortably fit any size bed there. The master bath and large walk-in closet is off the master bedroom. The master bathroom features 2 separate vanities with plenty of storage room.
This unit features 9 foot tall ceilings, and wall to wall carpets. It has been completely repainted in warm Northwest colors which give you a cozy ambience.
And here is a brief explanation why this area is called Trossachs and Sterling Square. The Trossachs itself is a small wooded area in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The scenic charms of this area came to popularity when Walter Scott extended his romantic portrayal of Scotland's past from border ballads to poems of a medieval past rich in chivalry and symbolism, with his 1810 poem “Lady of the Lake” giving a roll call of Trossachs place names, the lady herself being found on Loch Katrine. Scotland's only lake, the Lake of Menteith, lies about 6 miles (10 km) to the south east of the glen, on the edge of the Trossachs area.
I hope I have been able to make you curious enough o take a look at this wonderful place with the virtual tour. Please enjoy and do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you might have.