News around here….

Dennis Willows sets up for the San Juan Jazz Quintet's regular Friday night gig at Pazzo Vivo.

It was fun to have Valentine’s Day here on the island….now it’s time to get ready to hunker down for the rest of the winter…

• Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church’s Joe Bettridge says you’re welcome to come to their Ash Wednesday Service at 5:30. He says, “You are invited to begin the Lenten Season with a few moments of quiet prayer, hymns, Scripture and the traditional  imposition of ashes.”

• Blues at the Community Theatre this weekend – here’s more from Jan:

“Slop Jar Delta Funk!” Got your attention? That’s how Northwest blues guitarist and Washington Blues Society multi-award winner Nick Vigarino describes what we can expect when he’s here this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Nick’s original music, he says, has evolved to a point where he’s not sure he can call it traditional blues any longer. “I prefer the descriptor ‘slop jar delta funk.’ Mine is a gumbo of bottleneck slide with delta undertones and a dose of jazz/rock Appalachia topped off with funky licks and modern lyric.”

Vigarino has released three original recordings; received several blues awards, including Best Slide Guitar, Performer of the Year and Best Acoustic Blues Guitar 2009 from the Washington Blues Society; has performed in 13 countries; and worked with such musicians as Tom Jones and Bo Diddley.

Vigarino brings drummer Larry Dennis with him to Friday Harbor for a rockin’ duo of guitar and percussion. “It will sizzle, refresh the seasoned musician and surprise the skeptics,” he promised.

The Bluff's Jodi welcomes new chef Joseph Foriska to the restaurant, located in the Friday Harbor House.

• Over at the Bluff Restaurant, they’ve hired Chef Joseph Foriska to take over the kitchen, and by all reports, it’s going well – on Saturday night, two different couples told me that’s where they went for their Valentine’s Day dinner (a day early) & that it was awesome – way to go, Joseph!

O, Canada!

• It was cool to see folks clustered around TVs & cheering for the people in the Olympics… down at Hailey’s there was a pretty good crowd Saturday night, including Brenna Woods (she’s from Canada, in case you couldn’t guess) and her husband Paul.

• Did you see San Juan Healthcare‘s new website? Check it out!

• Did you know the Lutherans have moved their services…they were meeting at St. Francis, and have now moved over to St. David’s, each Sunday.

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