|
|
|
6 a.m. with the sun coming up I embrace the morning, while the world sleeps in
Sing a song for the birds, drink a cup of coffee and
I'm wondering - thinking out loud, talking to myself, I don't really know why -
but I'm feeling just right.
Pete Johnson, Perry Acker Band
August, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
HOTEL NEWS | |
The INN at Gig Harbor
Sept 28 Open House
The INN at Gig Harbor's 15th Anniversary Special: $115 per night for a Jacuzzi or Fireplace suite with a 15% discount in the Heritage Restaurant for lunch or dinner. Includes complimentary continental breakfast for two. The INN's 15th Anniversary Open House is Friday, September 28, from 3pm-7pm. Hors d'oeuvres and complimentary beverages will be provided, with raffle prizes! www.innatgigharbor.com
Harbor Hounds Stay at the Best Western PLUS Wesley Inn & Suites
Enjoy a day of fun with family and your furry best friend at the 10th Annual Harbor Hounds Dog Walk, Saturday September 15th! Walk along the waterfront, show off at the fashion show, and test your skills at the obedience demonstration.
All proceeds benefit the Prison Pet Partnership. Make it a weekend by staying in one of our pet-friendly double queen rooms. Ask for the Harbor Hounds Special with a complimentary full hot breakfast for $135.99 per night + tax.
Your $10.00 per day pet fee will be waived.
Special rate available throughout the month of September. Call 888.462.0002 to reserve your room today!Rate based on availability. Expires 9/30/12 www.wesleyinn.com |
|
WHO'S NEW? | |
Marshalls at Uptown- Grand Opening September 6th at 7am. They are now hiring!
Kohls at Pt Fosdick Square- opening September 23rd with Grand Opening Event September 26th They are now hiring!
Michaels at Pt Fosdick Square- tentative opening date in Feb
Menchie's will open mid-August in Pt Fosdick Square
Hot Bikram Yoga, now open on the West Side. www.BikramYogaGigHarbor.com
Abigails Concierge is now open at 7809 Pioneer Way, offering a complete Vacation and Snowbird Home Watch Service along with our Boats Afloat, Concierge and Girl Friday Services. Leave your home in the hands of a trustworthy team. And for vacationing families we are your guardian angels, caring for your home, pets, plants and we make your vacation even more relaxing by offering our Button Up and Welcome Home services. Phone: 253.432.1888
Email: info@abigailsconcierge.com
Web: www.abigailsconcierge.com
Green.House has made some BIG changes - see related article to the right
Moctezumas is now open in their beautiful new facility on Point Fosdick.
Welcome to Kayla Elhert, new owner of Harbor Mercantile on Pioneer |
|
IN THE KNOW | |
Gig Harbor Tennis Courts have been resurfaced and also now have new striping for Pickle Ball! Check it out at Crescent Creek Park.
New Maritime Pier will be under construction any day now with a completion date of late September. The new pier is next to the Tides Tavern.
A new right hand turn lane from Sehmel through the round-about onto Hwy 16 is planned and construction will begin mid-August
56th Street/Point Fosdick Drive Street Improvements Project Construction Update July 26, 2012 Anticipated Upcoming Project Schedule: Utility relocation work will continue through August. Also during the same time period the City's contractor "Active Construction, Inc." (ACI) will install the storm water pipes and catch basins on 56th Street. Work on the new sewer pipe on 56th Street will commence soon. Project Milestones: The two large drainage detention tank systems, one 56th Street & the other on Point Fosdick Drive, are complete.
See much more City Construction news regarding paving and Donkey Creek in article to the right.
Gig Harbor Arts Commission will officially "unveil" the new Outdoor Gallery on Saturday August 4th at 1:00 p.m.
Natural Yard Care Workshop Series returns in September. Learn more. |
|
WHAT'S HAPPENING | |
Safeway Wine Tasting events - August 10th from 3-7pm and August 25th from 2-6pm
Three Gig Harbor Quilters will be featured at the 2012 Pacific West Quilt Show, August 24-26 at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center. Congratulation to Alison Reibold, Pat Rosenthal and Jill Scholtens who are among the 200 finalists from around the region!!
Let's Go Outside! Family Nature Walk at Adam Tallman Nature Park August 25th at 1pm www.curiousbynature.org
August 25th Fall Fashion Show at Uptown www.uptowngigharbor.com
Sample Sale returns August 22nd - September 9th
PATRIOTS DAY IN GIG HARBOR September 25th-26th Call Ed Brook for more information at 253-495-7108
DON'T MISS - Gig Harbor featured on the Comcast "Neighborhoods" series running August 1st - October 31st
Annie Get Your Gun opens at Paradise Theatre this month. Catch it August 3-19th. www.paradisetheatre.org
Peninsula Art League 10th Annual Art Show Aug 9 - Sep 13 at the Gig Harbor Civic Center (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm)
First Saturday Artwalk, Saturday August 4th 1-5pm, downtown Gig Harbor
Anthony's Restaurant
featuring peaches this month
|
|
MUSEUM NEWS | |
The 13th Annual Juried Maritime Art Exhibition opens August 4th at the Harbor History Museum and runs through September 2nd
August 11th 11am-2pm - Rug Boat Building for Kids
and 8 am to 5 pm: MARITIME PAINT OUT: The museum welcomes plein air painters to its Maritime Gallery to "Paint the Shenandoah." Bring your lunch or enjoy one of the local restaurants nearby. Meet behind the museum by the Shenandoah, the 65-foot purse seiner. Coffee and tea will be provided.
August 18 & 19th Painting Workshop with Donna Trent
August 25th Young Artists and Authors Book Workshop
Learn more at www.harborhistorymuseum.org
|
|
SEPTEMBER | |
Our Community has really embraced running events as both entertainment, exercise and a way to fund-raise. September brings two of the best local races to town. Sign up now, or come out to cheer!
September 1st
Over the Narrows
10 mile run 8am
(departs from Uptown)
5K Fun Run/Walk 9am
(departs from Gateway Pointe)
September 23rd
Race for a Soldier
Half Marathon
"Permission to Start Dreaming"
8am start at the Gig Harbor YMCA
MORE SEPTEMBER...
|
|
SUMMER SOUNDS AND CINEMAGIG CONTINUE | |
There still is lots of fun to be had in August at Summer Sounds and CinemaGig in the park. Here's the remaining line-up for Summer 2012:
Summer Sounds at Skansie 6:30 p.m.
August 7th Thea Wescott & Timberland Ridge
August 14th The Funaddicts
August 21st Pearl Django
August 28th The Perry Acker Band
CinemaGig Outdoors
Dusk
August 3rd Water Horse at Donkey Creek Park
August 4th Disney's Earth at Skansie Brothers Park
August 17th Footloose (original) at Donkey Creek Park
August 18th Happy Feet II at Skansie Brothers Park |
|
Dear ,
Ahhh those lazy, hazy daze of summer....what? Hardly! Gig Harbor continues to rock and roll. Since summer is short around here, we make the most of it, don't we? Hopefully you enjoyed the amazingly full July in Gig Harbor. August kicks off with more fun. Get out and enjoy all we have to offer...summer is fleeting! Grab it now! Stay up to date on a daily basis by following us on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/GigHarborGuide.
Sincerely,
Laureen Lund - City of Gig Harbor Marketing Director |
|
 WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO
I'm often amazed how people in Gig Harbor think the Marketing Office is an event planning office, when in reality, the events you see us organize are such a itsy bitsy piece of the work we do. Because we have been in high-gear for the past 6 months on many behind the scenes projects, I thought we would share with you some of our latest successes!!
Check out our brand new Gig Harbor Video - which we began working on in March. A big thank you to the Perry Acker Band for the use of this amazing song, to all the local businesses who allowed our cameras in, and to EVI Productions for making it all work.
Check out our new and improved website. Several months of work with our web provider Sitecrafting has resulted in a much more colorful and inviting website. Let us know if you run across any bugs. www.gigharborguide.com
If you are a smart phone or mobile device user you should check out the new and improved mobile website we have recently completed for your mobile use at www.gigharborguide.com
Our website now has a webcam too. The webcam is pointed at Skansie Brothers Park, since that is the heart of our community. The photo is updated every couple of minutes. See it at www.gigharborguide.com
In mid August, you may see some of our on-line advertising pop up when you are online. We are launching online ads through Comcast and some other providers. Also in August we launch a billboard ad campaign that you might see as you travel around the Puget Sound region.
Our "Got Gig" print media campaign continues through fall with colorful and inviting ads that feature changing images of fun in Gig Harbor. These ads have been featured in Sunset, West Sound Home and Garden, City Arts, 425 and South Sound Magazine.
With the help of local volunteers, we work to keep the Visitor Information Kiosks around town stocked with current information. Many of the promotional materials there we help create, with the official 2012 Visitor Guide being one of our most successful ever.
These are just some of the projects we have been working on to bring visitors to Gig Harbor, build the economy and lead the way as an innovative small town destination. |
|
 GREEN.HOUSE MAKING BIG CHANGES!
As we move towards a change in season, change has also come to Uptown Gig Harbor's Green.House Restaurant. Chef Matt Colony has taken the helm both in the kitchen and as General Manager.
Gig Harbor residents first encountered Chef Matt during his stint as the Beach House at Purdy's Executive Chef, working with Gordon Naccarato. When Gordon opened Pacific Grill in downtown Tacoma, he asked Matt to open the new restaurant, again as his Executive Chef. Once Pacific Grill was established, Chef Matt left to expand his repertoire; he spent a year in the San Juan Islands as Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Manager at Friday Harbor House, and then returned to Tacoma to open Maxwell's Lounge + Restaurant, where he also became General Manager.
Known for his bold flavors and sophisticated, yet rustic dishes, Chef Matt is excited by this new opportunity - and his return - to Gig Harbor. "The Green.House is one of the few casual fine-dining restaurants in the area, with such a great location. I'm excited to be creating a new seasonally-focused menu that will change often." A preview of the new menu that he plans to release at the end of July includes such items as Sherry Wine Braised Cauliflower with rogue river smoked blue cheese, fresh chives, Meat Butter, a rustic foie gras & chicken liver pate with thyme-infused olive oil, served with crostini and not least, Goat Cheese Brulée, served with smoked paprika, Spanish-style verde sauce, and crusty bread. A firm believer in combining deliciousness with great value, Chef Matt is also tripling the size of the Happy Hour lounge + patio menu. "Sampling bar food is a great way to discover a restaurant's menu," he says.
As General Manager, Matt has a number of promotions planned for the restaurant. A little later in the fall, Tuesday nights will be half-price wine night; Happy Hour pricing will be offered all day in the bar on both Wednesday and Saturday. In the future, Matt plans to be open on Mondays as well, offering "flight school" spirit tastings in conjunction with local and specialty distilleries.
Green.House Restaurant is located in Uptown Gig Harbor at 4793 Point Fosdick Drive NW Suite #400. Open 6 days a week (closed Mondays), serving lunch and dinner. For reservations, call 253.514.6482. |
|
 NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AUGUST 7TH
The community of Gig Harbor is invited to gather together for National Night Out, Tuesday August 7th on the lawn at the Gig Harbor Civic Center, 3510 Grandview Street. A fun community-wide event from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. will include a delicious BBQ and live music with the contemporary rock band "Third in Line" performing from 8:15 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The annual National Night Out in America has proven to be an effective, inexpensive and enjoyable program to promote neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships in our fight for a safer nation.
Gig Harbor's National Night Out will include;
- Gig Harbor Fire
- City of Gig Harbor Police Display
- Pierce County Sheriff
- Crime Stoppers
- Neighborhood Watch
- Washington State Patrol
- Citizens Offering Police Support (COPS)
This event is presented by the City of Gig Harbor Police Department and sponsored by: Target, Walgreens, Wilco Farm Stores, The Jaycox Fund, and the Gig Harbor Police Dept.
For more information contact the Gig Harbor Police Department at (253) 851-2236. |
|
 WOUNDED WARRIOR BIKE BONGO 2012
Join us August 31, 2012, Friday 4pm to Saturday 4pm
Labor Day Weekend 2012 in Olalla, Washington - Kitsap County.
Activities will include a 10mi Motored-Bike Rallye Friday Eve, 10k Pedaled-Bike Rallye Friday Eve, Both Rallyes Comprise Navigation, Disc Golf, Wine Tasting And Puzzles. Plus a Heritage Hog Pig-Out Dinner Party After Rallye Rides!
Overnight Campers Are Welcome!! For more information about location on how to spend your Labor Day Weekend in Olalla for a good cause visit www.bikebongo.com More information about the Wounded Warrior Project can be found at www.woundedwarriorproject.org
|
|
SUP'N IN THE HARBOR
Every body's doing it. So of course I must try it too. Stand Up Paddle Boarding. It's all the rage, and now I'm hooked.
I saw my first SUP (Stand Up Paddle Board) on Wollochet Bay about eight years ago. It looked like a surfboard that someone decided to stand up and paddle around. This one guy paddled by my house frequently, in every month of the year. I would watch him smoothly stroke the water and he made it look so effortless. Indeed it basically is a surfboard. Wikipedia says in the early 1960s, the beach boys of Waikiki would stand on their long boards, and paddle out with outrigger paddles to take pictures of the tourists learning to surf. This is where the term "beach boy surfing", another name for Stand Up Paddle Surfing, originates. Read more... |
|
 OLALLA BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
The Olalla Bluegrass (&beyond) Festival will celebrate its 21st birthday Saturday, Aug. 18 at the South Kitsap Southern Little League field on Olalla Valley Road. Gates open at 10am and the music starts at 11am.
This year for the first time, two of the featured musicians will offer music workshops. Mandolin virtuoso Radim Zenkl will give a mandolin workshop during the festival, and legendary autoharp player Brian Bowers will lead an autoharp workshop on Sunday at a near-by location.
This year's musical line-up is:
11am The Wiretappers - with fiddler Barbara Collins
Noon Titans of Twang
12:50 Eclectic Cloggers
1:30pm Berry Pie contest & auction of winning pie
1:45pm Blackberry Bushes
3pm Brian Bowers
4pm Radim Zenkl
5pm Rural Delivery
6pm Kiddos' parade - with internationally known children's entertainer Jim Valley
6:45pm Kick the city off your shoes! with The Paperboys
The Olalla Bluegrass (&beyond) Festival is presented by the Olalla Community Club. Proceeds benefit local music programs and non-profit organizations in the South Kitsap / Gig Harbor community and also maintain the 100-year old Olalla community center.
Tickets are $15-$40 at Brown Paper Tickets (brownpapertickets.com) and also at the gate. Parking is $3 per car, collected by the Little League. Camping: $10 per night (no hook-ups). Sorry, no dogs allowed.
For information visit www.olallabluegrass.com or phone (253) 857-5604.
WHAT: Kick City off Your Shoes at the 21st-Ever Olalla Bluegrass (&beyond) Festival
WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 18 - 11am - dusk. Gates open at 10am
WHERE: South Kitsap Southern Little League Field - Olalla Valley Road - Olalla, WA
TICKETS: $15- adults; $10 - kids 6-16 & seniors; $40- family pass; under 6 - free.
INFO: olallabluegrss.com or (253) 857 - 5604
Hotels are available.. Find a perfect fit for your overnight needs by visiting Gig Harbor's visitor website at www.gigharborguide.com |
ALL ABOARD THE COMMENCEMENT THIS FALL 
For several years now we have been lucky to have Destiny Harbor Tours taking visitors and locals out to enjoy Gig Harbor's best feature - the water! Additionally Gig Harbor Rent-a-Boat and Lee's SUP have added some fun new options for people of all levels to find their place on the water.
Now, coming in September, something new is brewing. Coastal Heritage Alliance, which will soon be working out of the Skansie Netshed, is "testing the waters" with a new program of on the water offerings aboard the Commencement.
F/V Commencement, CHA's West Coast education and training vessel, is moored in Gig Harbor. Built in 1926 by Skansie Brothers Shipbuilding and Transportation Company, Commencement was gifted to CHA in 2006 by Michael and Paula Vlahovich Family.
Coastal Heritage Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization dedicated to preserving the vessels, skills and stories of a proud working waterfront culture. Captain Mike Vlahovich is still developing the program which currently is focused on itineraries this fall in and around Gig Harbor. Offerings will include fishing family heritage based harbor tours interpreting the netsheds, the fishing boats and the fishing culture of Gig Harbor. These tours may include a walk-through of the Skansie Netshed. Dinner trips in the bay with wild sockeye salmon on the grill are also in the works.
Down the road Captain Mike hopes to provide half day trips to view the Gig Harbor Fishing Fleet at work in West Pass. These morning or afternoon excursion out of Gig Harbor will include a taste of wild salmon on the BBQ aboard the Commencement. Fishing schedules will dictate these trips, but normally the schedule begins in mid-October.
I am very excited about the prospect of providing a heritage tour for our out of town visitors to enjoy in Gig Harbor. And, of course, this tour will also be popular with many locals. Helping both our residents and our visitors to see first-hand the important fishing heritage of our community, this is not just about our past but is also so much of our present and future.
Captain Mike is still working out many of the details of this upcoming program, including the price guests will pay. In the meantime, he welcomes your thoughts or ideas on this new program. Feel free to comment and we will be sure he sees your input. Or visit www.coastalheritage.org to learn more.
www.gigharborguide.com
|
|
ARE YOU A REEL FILMMAKER?
The Gig Harbor Film Festival 72 Hour Film Competition is back! Filmmakers young and old should start planning now to enter your film in this year's competition. 72 Hour filming will take place on the weekend of September 14 - 16, but to enter you must first register! Registration takes place August 17 - 31 at the GHFF office next to the Galaxy Theater Uptown during regular office hours. Films will be shown as part of the Gig Harbor Film Festival on Sunday, October 21 at the fabulous Galaxy Theater Uptown. For everything you need to know about the 72 Hour Film Competition, "Like Us" on Facebook at the Gig Harbor 72 Hour Film Competition page or visit www.gigharborfilmfestival.org. For more information contact Josh at operations@gigharborfilmfestival.org or call 851-FILM for details.
Mark your calendars now! The Gig Harbor Film Festival returns for its 5th year, October 19 - 21! |
|
 SHARON'S SPA & BOUTIQUE CELEBRATING 15 YEARS
Join us Aug 4 th ...10-4 Check out our total facelift of our store Visit our new Spa room, and schedule a pampering service. Still taking consignment items, so get ready for Fall. Stop, and shop with local Gig harbor vendors. Enter to win prizes. Cake and refreshments will be served. Thank you to all my Consignors and customers. |
|
 CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
City of Gig Harbor
Utility companies that provide services in the city will relocate their utilities in advance of the City's Donkey Creek Estuary Restoration and Transportation Project. The utility relocation work is scheduled to begin August 1, 2012 and last approximately 6 weeks. It involves removing existing lines from North Harborview Drive, where the City will be installing a bridge over Donkey Creek and repositioning them onto Austin Street and Harborview Dr. Austin Street will be closed while utilities install their new lines. There will be flaggers and short-term traffic impacts along Harborview Drive and North Harborview Drive while the utilities complete the switch from the old alignment to the new.
The Donkey Creek Esturary Restoration and Transportation Project will begin in late fall 2012. Watch for more news on this major Gig Harbor construction project.
2012 Pavement Maintenance Project - Chip seal of Borgen Blvd (Harbor Hill Drive to Peacock Hill Ave) and Chip seal of Peacock Hill Avenue (100th St to Borgen Blvd) continues the first week of August. This work will require significant lengths of lane closure but will be moving through the areas at a fairly rapic pace. Flaggers will be in place.
Additionally the contractor will be adjusting the utility accesses to the top of the new roadway surface along the following roadways: Burnham Drive (Harborview Dr to Borgen Blvd), Burnham Drive (Sehmel Dr to SR-302), Sehmel Drive (Burnham Drive to Bujacich Dr/City Limits)
Questions contact Jeff Langhelm, Senior Engineer at langhelmj@cityofgigharbor.net |
|
|
|
|
|
|
