Windermere Mill Creek Blog
Houseplants
Have you heard that houseplants are the new pets and pets are the new children? The popularity of houseplants grew substantially during the pandemic when people were isolated and looking to make connections with any living thing. Luckily, unlike some quick unions, embracing these leafy companions came with many benefits.
Father’s Day Originated in Spokane Washington
Hey there curious readers! Did you know that Father’s Day originated in Washington State? Believe it or not, the nation’s very first Father’s Day took place on June 19, 1910, in non-other than Spokane Washington.
How to Create the Perfect Outdoor Summer Oasis At Home
Get ready, folks! Summer is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to turn your outdoor space into an inviting outdoor summer oasis.
Molbak’s Garden + Home
Have you ever driven past Molbak’s and wondered what was inside? I had passed the store a handful of times on my way to other places and never thought to stop in and check it out. All that changed once I discovered the hidden oasis that awaits inside its unassuming exterior. Let me tell you, you don’t have to be a plant lover to enjoy Molbak’s because Molbak’s Garden + Home offers more than just plants and it is dog friendly too!
4 Benefits to a 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange for your Investment Property
We recently had the pleasure of hosting a seminar on wealth preservation led by Annamarie Kooning, the NW division manager of 1031-Asset Preservation Inc. The topic was especially relevant in that we have experienced unparalleled real estate appreciation for the last decade, with the drawback being the tax implications when selling a long held real estate asset.
Native Plant Appreciation Month
April is an exciting month for plant lovers in Washington State as it is Native Plant Appreciation Month. Governor Inslee officially declared this month-long celebration on February 1st, 2023, to raise awareness of the importance of native plants in supporting healthy ecosystems in the state.
Companion Planting
Did you know that your garden plants can benefit from having a friend planted beside them? Companion planting is a great way to improve the health and yield of your garden. By planting certain crops together, you can create a mutually beneficial environment that promotes growth and deters pests.
Spring Reading List
Spring is here, spring is here, I’m so excited! Spring brings lots of new beginnings and new book choices from yours truly! Check them out, one is adventurous and the other is a thriller. As always let us know what you think!
Skagit Valley Tulip Guide
The Skagit Valley Tulips have become the undisputed royalty of blooms in Washington State! It’s no wonder, given their renown.
Cherry Blossom Trees at the University of Washington
Here in Washington, we have a few celebrity flowers that have blossomed their own dedicated cult following. One of these blooms even has its own Twitter account and a year-round live feed webcam. That’s right! The beauty of the Cherry Blossom Trees at the University of Washington’s quad is a renowned crowd drawer.
Washington State Daffodil Guide
Washington State has a reputation for wielding moody gray skies. Given that, you may find it odd to learn that Washington is the largest supplier of daffodil bulbs and daffodil flowers in the United States. Such a sunny dispositioned flower may seem out of place here, but they thrive in Washington. Below you will find a Washington State Daffodil Guide discussing where to see them and how to grow them.
Kerloo Cellars
Our 11th stop of the tasting took us to Lilac and Lemon to use our bonus token on a wine tasting with Kerloo Cellars. If you have stuck with us throughout our series, you will know that this was our final tasting of the event.
Wandering Wolf Cellars
Our 10th stop of the evening took us to People’s Bank where we tried wines by Wandering Wolf Cellars. I will preface this review by stating that we were in a rush to complete our tastings before the evening ended. As a result, the tasting was brief. We didn’t sit with the wine as we had done with the previous nine reviews.
Color the Year Viva Magenta
I remember seeing articles in 2022 about how the world was slowly losing color. When I stopped and thought about it, I realized there was some truth to that.
Winter Reading List
Winter is here, and with a vengeance! Wow snow already twice this year and we haven’t even gotten through December yet….need a good book to read? Good thing I’ve got you covered. Here are my picks for you, one is inspiring and the other is a thriller. As always let us know what you think!
Naches Heights Vineyard Wine Tasting
Our ninth stop of the evening led us to Expedia CruiseShipCenters to taste wine by Naches Heights Vineyard. I remembered having their Crooked Red Blend at a prior wine walk and I enjoyed that. So naturally, I was looking forward to branching out and trying another wine by them.
Dahlman Cellars
We traveled to familiar territory for stop number eight on our creative team’s wine walk. Our very own Windermere Mill Creek Town Center office was hosting Dahlman Cellars. I was excited to try their wine because I had missed out on tasting them at the last wine walk.
10 Christmas Décor Boards
Alright, enough time has passed from Thanksgiving that I feel comfortable announcing- IT’S CHRISTMAS TIME! Whether you have been naughty or nice, the holiday season is upon us!
Free Christmas Events
There are a lot of cool things happening this Christmas season. But the rising cost of EVERYTHING these days has put the financial freeze on many of us. Meaning, many will not be able to afford unnecessary holiday events this year. To keep your holly jolly vibes going strong throughout the holiday season, I have compiled a list of FREE Christmas Events worth checking out!
Drum Roll Wine
I was really excited for stop number 7 of the Mill Creek Summer Wine Walk. We were more than halfway through our event and at our last wine walk I had LOVED the 2016 Drum Roll Red wine I tried by Drum Roll Wine; so much so, that I was already planning to buy two bottles if they had them available for purchase this time around. Not to mention, I knew I was going to purchase a sweet treat from Frost as well.
Martedi Cellars Tasting
If you have been reading along you know that for the most part, our wine walk had gone very favorably; but at stop number 6 I got a little too adventurous with my drink choice. Martedi Cellars had several wines I had never heard of before to taste and I went all in on one of them.
Navarre Coulee Wine Tasting
At stop number five of our wine walk we sampled wines by Navarre Coulee at Artisan Custom Framing. Apart from attending events at the Mill Creek Town Center, I haven’t ever been inside of Artisan Custom Framing long enough to take in all their stock. However, this time around we stayed awhile and browsed all the art that they had displayed in their store while we sipped on our wine.
Halloween Movie Road Trip
In the fall Washington state dusts off its veil of fog and wears it on and off like a child who can’t wait for Halloween throughout the fall months. In my opinion, Washington’s dark, damp, and chilly nature creates the perfect amount of spooky atmospheric ambiance.
Pumpkin Carving Hacks
Let’s face the facts. As fun as carving a pumpkin can be, the process can also be a LOT of work. You start out at the pumpkin patch or buy your pumpkin at a store. Bring it home. Clean it off. Saw open the top to reveal meaty orange flesh, sticky pulp and stringy webs holding on to a mess of seeds. And this is where the real work begins.
Michael Florentino Cellars Wine
Our creative team of tasters almost missed stop number four because it was located off to the side of main street, but we doubled back to taste Michael Florentino Cellars wine hosted at Divaforeva Lashes.
Julian Margot Wine Tasting
I love cheese. Sounds like a random statement taken out of context but when we made our third pit stop at First Financial Northwest Bank, they had laid out a charcuterie platter of meats, cheeses and fruits and I had to indulge in a few of them. So, with a few cheese hunks in hand I moved happily on to tasting number three with wine by Julian Margot.
Bayernmoor Wine Tasting
We spent our second ticket from the Mill Creek Town Center Summer Wine Walk at Zeek’s Pizza for a Bayernmoor wine tasting. When we walked in their long beer list caught my eye and drew my attention down to the Bayernmoor wine on their serving counter. I overheard the sommelier letting the group ahead of us know that their 2017 Washington State Pinot Noir had received multiple gold and double gold awards, and I knew I was going to have to try it.
Real Estate Market: It’s All About Affordability
The Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington provides one of my favorite charts for analyzing the state of the local real estate market. It is the housing affordability index, which is released quarterly and delivers housing affordability statistics by county.
Fall Reading List
Fall is upon us whether we like it not, I preferably am not ready because I LOVE summer in the PNW! Fall is perfect though for a cozy cup of coffee or tea and a good book to read. I have some really great books picked for you, one is a thriller and the other takes place in London during WWII. As always let us know what you think!
Harbinator Wines Tasting
On August 27th our creative team, myself included, went to the Mill Creek Town Center Summer Wine Walk. We started our little adventure at Brooklyn Brothers Pizza and grabbed ourselves a slice before the event. Conveniently, they were hosting Harbinator Wines and would become our first stop of our tastings. Since this was my second time attending, I was better prepared to maneuver my way through the hosting businesses and use up my 10 tasting tickets and bonus tasting gold coin. I am pleased to report that this time I used them all!
Washington Wine Month
August is Washington Wine Month. Well, one of them anyways. As it turns out both March and August are recognized as Washington Wine Month in this grape state. Though, I have been too distracted in my personal life to realize it until the near end.
31 Happy Halloween Home Finds
Summer hasn’t even ended yet, but Halloween home decorations have started haunting retail store aisles everywhere. I have seen spooktacular items materializing at Bath & Body Works, Target, Marshalls, the Disney store, and Michaels.
7 Tips For Better Wine Storage
I have heard the age-old adage: “wine gets better with age” and I have stored bottles of wine only to open them later and find out they did not get better with age. As it turns out, wine is fickler than that. I have found that wine gets better with age only when properly stored. So, if you want to avoid spoiling your wine read on to see the 7 tips for better wine storage I’ve picked up along the way.
Cruise-in Car Show
The Cruise-in Car Show hosted by Windermere Mill Creek was held on July 9th this year.
The Blue Fox Drive-in Theater is Worth the Price of Admission
As a kid I spent many-a-day waiting for dusk to settle upon the farmlands in the outskirts of Oak Harbor to watch the opening credits roll across the Blue Fox Drive-in Theater screen. For a kid in a small town there was no greater bighearted adventure then go-karts and a double feature running against the backdrop of a wide-open night sky. Butter soaked popcorn, a brick of curly fries in hand and staying up all night. It was what summer was all about.
Saying Goodbye is Never Easy Even for the Seattle Seahawks
The 2021 season put the Seattle Seahawks and 12s everywhere on the pyre. They lit the match when they closed their season in unfamiliar territory without a playoff berth. Adding fodder to the flames, star quarterback Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos and icon linebacker Bobby Wagner was released during offseason. These moves brought a close to Seattle’s Super Bowl championship roster.
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