What’s happening….

Drop by & check out the new spring line at Daisy Bloom, on Spring Street!

Let’s look around & see…

• Message in a bottle – here’s a story from KOMO 4  about a bottle that was discovered at Eagle Cove – you’ll love it. Great way to start the day – and thanks, Judy for passing it on!

• Tomorrow is Island Rec’s Open House at 4:00pm (till 6:30) at the Grange to share the results of their big survey, and giving the public more opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas about Island Rec and its future.

Drop by & see how it turned out, and let Island Rec know what you’re thinking! (Free cookies!)

Need your grass cut? Need your weeds whacked? My friend Tyler is a FHHS soph (next year) who is looking for yards to love...he mowed mine last week & did a super job! Call him at 541-852-1791 (yeah, that's an Oregon cell, but he's here.)

• Eileen wants you to know there’s a fun & easy way to find out more about the town you live in – here’s more:

Hey Ian, please share this with everyone.  This is a great way to get to know Sandy Strehlou and look around town.  Plan to stop for coffee or chocolate or ice cream or some yummy snack afterwards!  Bring your visitors, friends and relatives too.

KNOW YOUR ISLAND WALK!
Sat. May 28, 2011, 1pm
“A Walk Through Historic Friday Harbor”
Meet Sandy Strehlou, Town of Friday Harbor Coordinator of Historic Preservation, to walk historic neighborhoods in town.  Meet at Sunken Park, located at Nichols and “B” Streets.  Length is 1 mile/two hours.  Terrain is sidewalks.  Rating is ‘easy.’  Dogs on leashes are welcome.

Drop by & see the San Juan Distillery!

• Haley wants you to know there a new distillery on the island:

Just in time for summer! The San Juan Islands’ new and only distillery is opening its doors in grand style – with a celebratory weekend featuring tastings of all of their products near the apple trees of the island’s long-standing ciderworks, Westcott Bay Cider.

Over the course of the holiday weekend, the distillery will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm.

Although the distillery’s tasting room is only just opening, the Spy Hop Gin Harvest Select and Apple Eau de Vie are already causing a stir. Just last month, the Apple Eau de Vie took gold at the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry competition, and bronze at the judging of the Annual American Distilling Institute. Although it hasn’t been entered into any competitions yet, the distillery’s Spy Hop Gin Harvest Select has caught the attention of the area’s top local chefs through private tastings.

“I am really looking forward to our Apple Harvest dinner this October featuring a menu inspired by and paired with the San Juan Island Distillery Spirits,” said J. Alphonsine Haslet-Phillips, Executive Chef, Coho Restaurant.  “Their gin, eau de vie and ciders are all lovely, and demonstrate the passion and care that Suzy, Hawk and Rich have for craft spirits.  On a recent tour, I was able to see the where the apples are grown and the spirits are crafted. I was impressed by the beauty of the place and their devotion to the process of creating their unique products.”

Nestled near the shores of Westcott Bay, just around the bend from Roche Harbor, the distillery is tapping into the flavors that make the island so unique. Both Apple Eau de Vie and the Spy Hop Gin Harvest Select begin with Cider from Westcott Bay, but then get their individual qualities from locally foraged island botanicals such as blackberries, madrone bark, rosehips, and lavender.

The Ciders are already available at island groceries and at many stores in the Seattle area, but the Spy Hop Gin Harvest Select and Apple Eau de Vie can only be purchased at the distillery or through the Friday Harbor state liquor store.

Dan & San Juan Transit (sanjuantransit.com) got rolling last week for the summer - I caught one of the buses at Roche Harbor last weekend....

• Today, there’s a meeting where you can make a difference about the direction we’re heading with affordable housing – Nancy DeVaux announces (and there are cookies at this one, too!):

Community Conversation on Housing Solutions

Join The County and Town’s “Housing Solutions Work Group” for this Town Hall Meeting.
▪ Is there really an affordability problem?
▪ What are the implications for you and the community?
▪ How will local business, workers and our economy be impacted?
▪ What can we do about it?

Join the discussion, explore possible solutions and have your opinions heard with ELECTRONIC POLLING!

Town Meetings are also on Lopez and Orcas Islands:
Monday, May 23rd, Lopez Community Center
Tuesday, May 24th, Mullis Center, Friday Harbor
Wednesday, May 25th, Orcas Senior Center

All events 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Refreshments provided

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