July 2016

CONNECTIONS FR

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ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS COMMUNIT Y NEWS www.issaquahhighlands.com | facebook.com/issaquahhighlands

Improvements Made.

Money Saved.

The IHCA Annual Report

Oil Painting by the late Dorothy Bonneau

July 2016

W H AT ’ S I N S I D E ?

5 Feature: IHCA Annual Report 10 IHCA 12 Highlands Council 13 Highlands Day 15 Real Estate in IH 16 What’s Happening 18 Doing Business 19 Volunteers of the Month 19 Emergency Preparedness

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Neighbors helping Neighbors Dean Arts and Culture Highlands Youth – HY Art in Blakely Hall 20 Year Anniversary, IH School Spotlight Fitness and Health Living Green Ask Kari Life in the USA

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Holidays in the Highlands Highlands Fiber Network Photo Treasure Hunt Culture through Cuisine Directory

ECRWSS POSTAL PATRON 2550 NE Park Drive Issaquah, WA 98029

PERMIT NO. 83 ISSAQUAH, WA U.S. POSTAGE PAID PRSRT STD

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July 2016

Issaquah Highlands Connections

Issaquah Highlands Connections

FROM THE EDITOR

Summer is here, and I won’t say “finally”. I thought we already had summer, back in April and May! But here we are, heading into the hottest months of the year.

As we hit mid-summer, so too do we greet the “new year” for the IHCA, our homeowner’s association, which operates on a fiscal year July -June. In this issue, we feature the IHCA and all they do for the community. Whether you own a home here or not, you benefit from the expertise and efforts of the staff and the homeowner board and committee volunteers. And lucky for us, the IHCA brings us our favorite summer visitors: the landscaping goats! Read more beginning on page 5.

Our cover this month honors the goats, and the late artist, Dorothy Bonneau (above).

Dorothy’s art has shown in Blakely Hall numerous times. We even featured Dorothy on the cover of July 2014 Connections. Dorothy’s oil painting of “Emily, Nan & Hortence” is just as engaging as the goats on our hills. Thank you Peter Bonneau, for permission to use Dorothy’s beautiful painting for our cover this month.

Also inside, please enjoy news from other parts of the community and our volunteer resident columnists. New this month is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors”, by Kristin Montagne.

Kristin came to us with this story idea to share the inspiration she found from neighbors who help other neighbors. Also find inside new businesses and those who’ve been with us from the beginning. There are new IHCA rules, and a new art show at Blakely Hall and more.

So pull up a lawn chair in the shade, pour yourself a cooling drink, and just start from the beginning and savor every page!

Nina Milligan Editor of Connections - Highlands Council Communications Manager Highlands Council is the publisher of Connections, producer of community-wide events such as Highlands Day, owner and manager of Blakely Hall, liaison with the greater community.

July 2016

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July 2016

Issaquah Highlands Connections

IT’S TIME FOR A REAL ESTATE ALTERNATIVE IN THE ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS

knowledgeable, “Attentive, and by far the best realtor we’ve ever worked with. ” ~Ryan & Joanna

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Please contact me anytime for more details or to receive a comprehensive market analysis of your home.

ISSAQUAH SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

JASON MAYBELL | JASON@PNWESTATES.COM | 206.755.4887 | PNWESTATES.COM

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

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Improvements Made. Money Saved.

The Issaquah Highlands Community Association, or IHCA, is the homeowners’ association in Issaquah Highlands. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of Issaquah Highlands Homeowners with representation from each Board District, elected by the homeowners. Its mission is to maintain property values and quality of life for the residential community. The Association enforces the rules, restrictions and CCRs, provides architectural review, and maintains common areas such as parks and streetscapes. But that list does not do justice to the variety of services the IHCA provides. Executive Director, Sarah Hoey, and her staff are a powerhouse on the hill. Sarah recounts in this month’s feature story IHCA’s last fiscal year’s accomplishments.

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July 2016

Issaquah Highlands Connections

The IHCA Annual Report

by Sarah Hoey, Executive Director, Issaquah Highlands Community Association, IHCA

Wow where did the time go? Having celebrated my oneyear anniversary as Executive Director with the Issaquah Highlands Community Association (IHCA) on March 1, I reflect on these fiscal year- end accomplishments.

There have been so many!

This past year we welcomed: Katie Olson Accountant, Chelsea Johnson - Administrative Assistant and Melissa Schneider - Community Manager/Project Manager.

Administration and Staff: The IHCA administration has undergone a complete reorganization of the staff under my direction. I hired four new employees to assist in customer support, administration efficiency and project management.

We are already seeing amazing results from this dynamite and reorganized team. Office staff reorganization, personnel fulfillments, and benefits containment have contributed to $65,000 cost savings!

I reviewed the employee benefit package and implemented a change to a superior 401k program, resulting in $9,000

in annual savings to the Association. I also reviewed and renewed the medical, dental, vison, and hearing insurance coverages at no additional cost.

Our team increased the efficiency of the escrow payoff process and implemented a New Home Owner Welcome Packet. The Welcome Packet is mailed to all new homeowners shortly after the closing process and includes vital information regarding the operations of the Issaquah Highlands Community.

We also welcomed Matthew Hendricks, our new Maintenance Supervisor, photographed here with Dan Adams, the community Handy Man.

The IHCA is committed to its employees and the community. We regularly attend Community Association Institute (CAI) continuing education events for accounting, landscaping and maintenance. We also renewed first aid and CPR training for the entire team.

Our team works in conjunction with Highlands Council to host landscaping seminars and New Resident Orientation Receptions; these joint ventures are well-attended.

New office space: In December of 2015 the IHCA was

notified that our current sub-lease under Port Blakely, with master lease to Regency Centers (Grand Ridge Plaza), required us to relocate if asked. They asked, and we found ourselves in a difficult position. After extensive research the Board of Directors and I formulated a five-year plan which will include an IHCA owned office space. In the meantime, we have successfully moved across the hall to the available space and negotiated a lease renewal with Regency Centers. We remain in the same building, and yes, the office smells like Ben and Jerry’s waffle cones, but we are coping.

The IHCA offices moved across the hall to the offices on the west side of the building. The new board room enjoys a beautiful view now.

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

Landscaping and Maintenance:

Did you know that a large majority of the retention pond water is recycled and used to water our common area landscaping vegetation? These ponds are connected by underground lines and computer controlled. Due to the extremely hot summer, we had to work with the City of Issaquah and the IHCA landscape department, for the 1st time in our community history, and pump water from one pond to another to ensure adequate irrigation water supply last summer.

The IHCA embraces the Living Green community mantra by recycling, adding lower gas emission vehicles to the fleet, continuing to manage open spaces with goats, participating in carbon off-set programs and upgrading our irrigation system with more efficient technology.

Maintenance Supervisor, Matthew Hendricks, is keeping busy power washing, painting, staining, making fence repairs, removing graffiti, replacing signage, rebuilding or replacing mailbox surrounds and more!

The IHCA hired an independent certified playground safety inspector to evaluate the IHCA owned playgrounds. The main recommendation was to add more playground chips to play zones; this has been completed.

Dan Adams, our community handy-man, helped to refinish the benches on Park Drive just west of Grand Ridge Elementary. Now they are as beautiful as the view!

Accounting: We maximized financial opportunities this year! Our accounts

receivable delinquencies have been significantly reduced. We have over 3,000 homes, but only a handful of accounts are in collections – billing and collections are one of our critical processes.

In addition to our highly-efficient monthly auto-debit (ACH) payment program, effective June 1, 2016, we launched an online banking portal to enable one-time payments using eCheck and credit cards. This service can be accessed from the IHCA main page at IssaquahHighlands.com.

Staff scrutinized costs throughout the year to stay under budget with real cost savings. We review our cash positions regularly to attain the highest interest yield with deposit insurance. Over 50% of our deposits are currently invested in certificate of deposits while maintaining sufficient liquidity. We are led by our talented seven-member, volunteer Finance Committee, made up of homeowners who exemplify service and leadership at its best.

Reserves studies: The IHCA conducts annual reserve studies to ensure that all capital assets are accounted for and funds are properly allocated for future expenditures. Our team led a volunteer-homeowner task force and in conjunction with an independent company, Association Reserves, we identified new components and adjusted the funds accordingly. The reserve study is 91% funded which is a national best for an association of this size and age.

Here are the 2015/2016 reserve projects completed this year: • Kirk Park Pavilion fence painting, open space back fence stain project in multiple areas, storm drain cleaning • Stair repairs and cleaning are on track for 30th street down to 25th • Partial painting projects for Concord Commons, West Highlands Park, Crofton Springs, Crofton at Village Green and Villaggio • Crofton Springs water feature is operational • All metal railing and fence painting is in progress

Technology: With the help of Highlands Council, we moved the

IHwebsite information to IssaquahHighlands.com – now all the community information is at your fingertips. In addition, IHCA upgraded its computer software, invested in IT advances such as new servers, increased firewall protection, changed the data storage module, and consulted an independent, 3rd party, IT company to analyze our systems and review cyber theft protection protocols and policies.

We negotiated our cloud-based property management software contract; this along with other technology cost savings total $50,000.

Owner Services Coordinator, Collene Cordova, is the community’s dedicated compliance inspector, providing a necessary role in maintaining our home values. She drives through the community regularly to identify and photograph violations.

Covenant Compliance: I have concentrated on compliance inspections this year. Believe it or not, this is our least favorite thing to do. However, it is a necessary part of our duties to help maintain property values. I named Collene Cordova as the dedicated compliance inspector. We have reviewed the compliance inspection process, upgraded software, re-drafted the compliance letters and now include photographs of the violation to the letters. Overall, violations have drastically declined and the volunteerhomeowner Covenant Committee rarely meets to hear grievances because…well… it’s hard to argue with a picture.

Continued on Page 9...

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Issaquah Highlands Connections

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

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IHCA Annual Report, Continued from Page 7...

High Streets Commercial: As the Executive Director for

the IHCA, I work with a team of architects to review new commercial building plans and exterior changes for the High Streets commercial portion of the community, which spans from Swedish Hospital to the common areas of Grand Ridge Plaza and surrounding areas.

As Executive Director of the IHCA, Sarah works with a team of architects to assure that building plans and exterior changes to buildings are compliant with our community standards.

This year we welcomed Prime Numbers, Home Street Bank, Discovery West Apartments, Harborstone Credit Union, La Boutique Jolie, and coming soon the Allegro Pediatrics. I also oversaw the architectural review of the new Wynhaven Apartments signage, Proliance building addition, Swedish parking lot construction, Issaquah Terraces Apartments easement agreement (which linked their community to ours), way-finding kiosk maintenance and changes, United States Postal Service signage changes, and contracted a new holiday lighting vendor to ensure continuity through the community.

The IHCA contracted with a new holiday lighting vendor to provide consistent lighting throughout the community, a service cost shared by several stakeholders.

Builders: I routinely inspect the new construction occurring within

the community for compliance to the agreed architectural design.

Polygon, Toll Brothers and Ichijo are currently building in our community and I will continue to oversee the architectural review process with the team to ensure compliance to the governing documents now and in the future. Build out of Pinecrest, The Brownstones and Sun Ridge should be completed by fall..

Grand Ridge Drive Water: The Grand Ridge Drive

water system has now been successfully transferred to the City of Issaquah from the IHCA; this was a four-year project.

Looking forward: What projects are in the future for

IHCA.

Ashland Park, Issaquah Highlands’ first park, designed by the renowned Milenko Matanovic.

Future Maintenance Shop - It is extremely unusual for a master planned community of this size to not have established infrastructure in place for the administration office and the landscaping and maintenance departments. The shop’s current location has no running water, bathroom facilities, shelter or secure storage for the fleet or equipment. The board has approved the construction of a 3,000 square foot maintenance facility which will be built on IHCA land in the current storage area off Park Drive, below Trail Head Vista. On behalf of the IHCA staff, I would like to personally thank the volunteer Board of Directors (homeowners) for approving this facility which will be built in the months ahead.

Ashland Park – Issaquah Highlands is almost 20 years old! Ashland Park, designed by local artist, Milenko Matanovic, is in serious need of repair. I formed a resident focus group and met with the original artist to determine the needs for this park. The IHCA will be revitalizing the park and embracing its original design in the year ahead.

My first year as Executive Director for IHCA has been amazing and I am embracing living in the PNW. I had the distinct honor of being nominated by the IHCA staff for the Community Association Institute’s National Top 50 Managers of the Year award. I am truly honored to be a part of such an amazing, dedicated, hardworking team and community. Everyone has made my first year in the PNW very special. I look forward to the future growth of this unique and diverse community.

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Issaquah Highlands Connections

ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

They’re Ba-a-ack!

by Russ Ayers, IHCA Landscaping Manager

Approximately 400 goats will return to Issaquah Highlands for several weeks this month. Their mission, as before, is to mow and maintain about 20 acres of our steeper and less-accessible slopes.

It’s a very successful program which has attracted something of a following. Part circus, part barnyard, the goats are entertaining with their antics and for those of us who love to see vegetation management perfected they are the sight and sound of success.

PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE GOATS. SOME PLANTS ARE POISONOUS!

for them. This is why the goat wranglers clear a path for their electric fencing, inspect the tract and remove poisonous plants.

The goats are a very cost-effective approach for this work, too.

Replacing them with a human crew, if we could even find people willing to do such hard work, would cost the association about $175,000, increasing base assessments by about $35 per door.

Enjoy the show and appreciate their work, but DO NOT FEED THE GOATS. LEAVE YOUR DOGS AT HOME.

This cannot be overemphasized. They are here to eat their way across these large, steep slopes and turn unwanted grass and weeds into fertilizer. They must not be fed yard prunings or anything else for a couple of very simple reasons: the animals are hired to eat the high grass, not out of our hands. The animals do not belong to us and they do not always know what is best

Dogs MUST be on a leash when visiting the goats (or actually anytime). Ideally they should be kept away. Goats see wolves when we bring our furry friends along. A goat stampede cannot be controlled and can result in fatal injury to the animals and extensive property damage. Obviously such events also jeopardize the future of our goat rental program, too.

Meet the Team – IHCA Office Staff The IHCA office staff works largely behind the scenes, but its contribution to the IHCA is felt everywhere. Staff members provide information (through Connections, the website, weekly e-letter, or mailings), engagement and education at social events (i.e. New Resident Welcome, Highlands Day), meeting and project management, and inspections. Part of what

Erika North at Volunteer Appreciation Night (with Highlands Council’s Michele McFarland (left).

makes their jobs so incredible is working together to solve any problem a resident or the association as a whole may have.

They initiate projects and see them through to completion. All their work is done as a team and for the community.

Collene Cordova, Owner Services Coordinator

If you have any questions for them or wish to thank them for all their hard work throughout the years (or even more recently), please do so by via the Ask the IHCA portal on our website at: www.issaquahhighlands.com.

Joon Chang, Director of Accounting Barb Uribe, Senior Accountant, Benefits Coordinator

Left to right: Katherine Olson, Accountant, Chelsea Johnson and Melissa Schneider, Community Manager, Project Manager

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

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IHCA Updates Use Restrictions and Rules (UR&Rs) Per the IHCA governing documents changes to the Use Restrictions and Rules (UR&R’s) must be posted for public comment prior to the Board of Directors formally approving the changes. The proposed changes to the UR&R’s were presented to the IHCA Board of Directors on May 25, 2016 and approved for publishing for the public comment period. If you have any comments or questions regarding the proposed changes please contact Chelsea at Chlesea.j@ihcommunity. org. Your feedback will be reported to the Board during the July Board meeting. Deadline for homeowner feedback is July 19, 2016 at 5 pm.

IHCA BOD Extends Time for Appeals

On May 25, 2016 the IHCA Board of Directors approved Resolution #16-02 Regarding Covenant appeal terms; General Violation Appeals.

“A unit owner may present a written request for a hearing to appeal the alleged violation to the IHCA Covenant Committee by sending an email to Convenantcommittee@ihcommunity.org or delivering a written notice to the IHCA office within thirty (30) days of the date of notice. If a hearing is requested within the allotted 30 day period, the hearing shall be held before the covenant committee . Appeals are governed by Section 4.24 of the IHCA bylaws.”

This resolution was created to give extra time for owners to appeal. The original rule stated ten (10) days and has been changed to thirty (30) days to appeal.

ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 16-003 A home business application has been submitted to the Issaquah Highlands Community Association (IHCA) Board of Directors from an owner at 2479 NE Park Drive. The business application is for a State Farm Insurance Agency. The public comment period will be July 1st, 2016 through July 15th, 2016. Residents may provide their comments on the business application via email to homebusinessapp@ihcommunity. org. This public notice and the application are posted on the Issaquah Highlands website at: http://www.issaquahhighlands. com/learn/public-notices/ and published in the July 2016 issue of Connections and the weekly e-blasts to the community.

Issaquah Highlands Use Restrictions & Rules Reminders:

No Fireworks!

Use or discharge of firecrackers and other fireworks is not allowed, by URRS and City Law. Thank you for doing your part.

ARC Tip of the Month:

Did you know… No application or review is required for re-painting any part of the house with its original or existing color scheme. Prior ARC approval is required for new colors or any changes in exterior colors for house, fences, decks, trim and roofs in advance. Color chips (samples) must be submitted with the application along with a detailed description of where the colors are to be applied (trim, body and doors, et al.), along with a photo of the home. The ARC will consider the color schemes of surrounding homes in the immediate neighborhood to determine the consistency of the selected colors.

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Issaquah Highlands Connections

HIGHLANDS COUNCIL

VOLUNTEER for Highlands Day!

Saturday, August 27th from noon – 4pm at Blakely Hall and Village Green Park Join the Highlands Day Volunteer Team 2016! Super Heroes come in all shapes, sizes and ages! It takes a TEAM to save the world leading up to and on festival day! If you would like to share your super hero powers on our team SIGN UP TODAY! - Shifts are available from 8am - 7pm.

In exchange for at least a 3-hour shift, volunteers will receive a commemorative t-shirt (while supplies last courtesy of SanMar), a SUPER HERO CAPE, a meal voucher to redeem on festival day from one of the Food Trucks, and an activity bracelet to enjoy the attractions before or after your shift. *Volunteers must be age 14 or older to serve without a parent.

Sign up online at IssaquahHighlands.com.

DOING BUSINESS

Our Business Community is full of Super Heroes

We are pleased to announce at press time the local businesses in Issaquah Highlands that will be participating at this summer’s Highlands Day Festival:

From Grand Ridge Plaza Allegro Pediatrics (Opening soon) Ben & Jerrys Ice Cream Harborstone Credit Union (Now Open) HomeStreet Bank Issaquah Highlands Community Association Safeway Sorella Salon Timberlake Church Wells Fargo

From Issaquah Highlands Cascade Team Real Estate Discovery Dental Discovery West Apartments Highlands Dentistry Highlands Fiber Network Highlands Physical Therapy Rivers Edge Church Swedish Hospital TCBY/Mrs Fields There are many other businesses, home-based businesses, and local nonprofits that are also participating. If you are interested in hosting a booth at this year’s festival visit IssaquahHighlands.com for more information. The deadline to apply is August 1st or until the venue sells out.

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

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Issaquah Highlands Connections

HIGHLANDS COUNCIL

Developer’s Plan for Former Microsoft Property

by Nina Milligan, Communication Manager, Highlands Council

Development now has a name, “High Street Collection” On May 4th, executives from Shelter Holdings and their entourage of experts drew a big crowd at Blakely Hall as they presented their intentions for developing the land they purchased from Microsoft along 9th Avenue NE and along Discovery Drive. There was a robust exchange of ideas.

they plan to share what they learned and how their plans have adapted to community input.

The developer shared a proposal to build 2,500 residential units in a mixed use configuration with retail and some medical offices. Attendees balked at the number of residential units and hoped for more commercial and retail development. All the same, attendees participated in the exercise of writing down their wish list for any future development, including school siting, large public plaza, publically accessible view areas, traffic mitigation, health club, swimming pool, and many other ideas.

Our attendance is vital to the success of this development. Issaquah leadership is listening to the opinions expressed. The May event benefited from the quite visible attendance of Issaquah Highlands’ Highlands Youth (HY) Board members. In their branded t-shirts and full of interest, they showed that the next generation of homeowners is highly interested in the future of their neighborhood.

Community Meeting Wednesday, July 13th, 6:30pm Blakely Hall

The developer is requesting the City of Issaquah enter into a new development agreement to customize the long term development of this 21.5-acre parcel. Development agreements, as regulated by Washington State law, allow a developer to negotiate an exchange between development interests and accommodations provided for the public benefit. That’s what this meeting provided: An opportunity for the developer to ascertain what the public values most.

Many Moving Parts Issaquah Highlands was born with a 20-year development agreement signed on June 18, 1996. The actual “expiration” is in 2017. Talks are under way about how to regulate future development in Issaquah Highlands. Add to that changes for Central Park and the still unknown future location of Bellevue College East Campus, there are several big pieces of the Issaquah Highlands puzzle yet to be laid in place. Stay tuned and stay engaged. Issaquah is a community that cares. Let’s show them how much by attending the second open house.

“These are very early days in the process. A lot can and will change in the coming months/years.

But this was a historic night for our community,” observed Christy Garrard, Executive Director for Highlands Council, the event’s co-host.

*For more information about growth and new construction, see February 2016 Connections

Next steps At the May meeting, Shelter Holdings shared their research findings with the community and collected a treasure trove of ideas and suggestions from the Issaquah community. At this next meeting

*** As a point of comparison, Discovery Heights and Discovery West apartments on both sides of Highlands Drive at Discovery Drive have 570 residential units, combined.

Gary Young of Shelter Holdings showed keen interest in HY Board Co-President, Sean Davidson’s ideas. Deon Lillo looks on.

**For more information on the 20-year Development Agreement, see June 2016 Connections

A crowd of concerned citizens gathered at Blakely Hall on May 4th as Shelter Holdings introduced its plan to build 2,500 residences along 9th Ave NE, along with some retail and office space.

Shelter Holdings consultants provided many examples of previous developments and future ideas for the High Street Collection.

Thinking About Starting a NEW Club or Group This Fall?

by Christy Garrard, Executive Director, Dahlia Park Resident Blakely Hall is alive with activity seven days a week! We are currently in the season of summer camp programming but come September our multitude of clubs and groups will reconvene on their regularly scheduled meeting date and time. The wonderful thing about our clubs and groups is that they are resident initiated and resident-led! Highlands Council provides free meeting space for these gatherings at Blakely Hall. Our calendar has become so full that we realized we needed to better formalize the policies around free use of the facility.

On May 3rd the Highlands Council Board of Trustees approved a new Facility Use and Media Support Policy to ensure we are consistent across all groups who seek outreach in Issaquah Highlands using Blakely Hall. These changes are effective July 1, 2016.

Cultural Programming: Highlands Council will donate monthly meeting space to resident-led cultural groups to promote and preserve their heritage to their families and interested stakeholders. Highlands Council will also promote in our media channels. Events with admission fees will require advertising purchase. Cultural events must be celebrated on the monthly agreed upon meeting date and comply with facility use policies. Larger-scale special events must be moved to another venue due to capacity limitations.

This means that special events such as Moon Cake Festival, Day of the Dead, DiWali, Chinese New Year, Holi, and Russian Easter will be celebrated on the groups regularly scheduled monthly date. For safety reasons, Highlands Council will no longer donate Blakely Hall for the larger cultural events because attendance exceeds our fire code capacity. Highlands Council recommends the celebration of major holidays be paired up with another like-minded cultural group in the area or that the club group leaders seek an alternative venue, such as Grand Ridge Elementary, to host these large celebrations.

Highlands Council has also updated our Clubs & Groups Facility Use Agreement.

Clubs & Groups: Stakeholders who wish to assemble and lead an affinity group will now complete an application/contract (and provide a security deposit) that is renewable annually as long as the club is in good standing with Highlands Council. Highlands Council will consult with leaders and provide promotion to stakeholders via our media channels.

To qualify as a Highlands Council sponsored club or group and use Blakely Hall at no charge you are required to meet at least monthly and your gathering must be free to attend and open to the public.

For more information on starting a new club or group contact Brianna Eigner at 425-5071107 or Brianna.E@IHCouncil.org. She will help you get organized, offer graphic design support for promotional use of your new club or group, and help you find a recurring date on the Blakely Hall calendar. If you want to start a club or group in September, NOW is the time to secure your dates and allow us to design promotional collateral. We will even promote for you at this summer’s Highlands Day Festival on August 27th! Contact Brianna today!

Club leader Thuan Stevens co-leads the weekly Playgroup club at Blakely Hall, one of our longest running clubs.

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

REAL ESTATE IN THE HIGHLANDS

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Crofton Springs

by Aimee Holy, Erik Mehr & Associates and Dahlia Park Resident Crofton Springs reminds me of the clusters of little beach communities on the south shore of Long Island, New York. As I walk through Crofton Springs, I am reminded of my childhood beach adventures. I almost expect to see a trail leading to the beach around the next bend in the path. Crofton Springs communities are connected by charming winding paths and quaint bridges arching over streams that course through the beautifully maintained gardens and homes.

There are two Crofton developments; Crofton Springs is located directly north of Grand Ridge Elementary and the other, Crofton at the Village Green, is on the south side of Zeeks Pizza, flanked by Julep, 25th and 28thAvenues NE. The community is a mix of adorable cottages at 1260 square feet for about $520K, 1600 square foot cottages for about $585K-$625K and townhomes ranging from 1250-1700 square feet for $430K-$580K. Carriage Houses, located above the garages, have 2 bedrooms, 1050 square feet and run about $400K. One bedroom codos can be under $300K. The cottages, carriage houses and condos come with one or two detached garages while the townhomes have tuck under garages.

Due to their location in the Highlands, many homes in Crofton Springs have sweeping views of the mountains and downtown Seattle.

Crofton Springs Resident Michelle P. loves her Cottage home centrally located in the development across from Grand Ridge Elementary. Michelle says “We love Crofton Springs

because we live on the creek and it gives our neighborhood something different and special.

Living without a street in front of your house allows kids to play outside and ride bikes through all the hidden sidewalks without any cars.”

Antje R. lives in a Carriage Home and has this to say: “My husband Brian and I have lived in a Carriage house in Crofton Springs since 2009 after we moved from the East Coast. What we first liked about the neighborhood is the European feeling, the differently colored houses, the green spaces and walkways.”

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Issaquah Highlands Connections

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE HIGHLANDS

Art in Blakely Hall

Photography Show begins July 8th Artists Reception Thursday, July 14th, 6 - 8pm See page 21.

Book Club

Location & Dates vary

The book club is a great place to meet neighbors and explore a variety of books. We meet at Big Fish Grill.

Dates sometimes change, so be sure to email lindsey8@gmail.com to be added to the Facebook group.

Bridge Club

Monday, July 11th, 7:00pm – 10:00pm Blakely Hall

Grab a partner or come solo to play a little Bridge! Bring your own beverage of choice and a snack to share. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned bridge player, you are welcome to join us. We play the first Monday of every month starting at 7 p.m. RSVP: Contact Chuck Leininger at: cleininger@seattletimes.com or David Trowern at: dtrowern@gmail.com.

Chinese Heritage Club Resumes September Blakely Hall

This club promotes and preserves the unique Chinese cultural heritage awareness among the next generation for many local families. We welcome everyone who is interested in a neighborhood celebration for many traditional Chinese/American festivals right at Issaquah Highlands. The club meets monthly, usually at Blakely Hall. bowbow.gu@outlook.com

Family History Night Resumes September Blakely Hall - FREE!

Genealogy Made Easy! Come join other Issaquah Highlands family history enthusiasts in an informal setting designed to make genealogy research fun. Bring your laptop or tablet and some basic information about your family and discover your heritage. Find your ancestors and build a digital family tree. All events are free and open to the community. We meet each Third Tuesday at 8 PM at Blakely Hall. Contact: Darrell Reising, dreising@gmail.com or 425-427-1417.

High Street Collection New Development Open House

Wednesday, July 13th, 6:30pm – 8:30pm Blakely Hall

With this open house the developer of the land formerly owned by Microsoft along 9th Ave NE between Discovery Drive and High Street will bring updated hopes for their future development. At the first meeting in May, Shelter Holdings presented a plan for 2,500 new residential units on this commercially zoned land. This meeting provides an update and another opportunity to provide feedback. See page 14.

India Culture Club

Monday, July 25th, 7:00pm Blakely Hall

Come learn about beautiful India! This club highlights the arts, culture, and festivals and is open to all who want to explore and learn about India. Topics for our meetings may include preparing for a trip to India, basic overview of languages, places to visit, arts and cultural landmarks to visit etc. Let’s celebrate and share cultural riches of India in our community together! Contact: Anita at aani001@gmail.com

Interior Design Club Thursday, July 7th, 7:00pm Blakely Hall

This club welcomes interior design enthusiasts to enjoy presentations from guest speakers about residential and commercial design; new trends in furniture, color, staging, Vastu and Fen Shui, window treatments, floorings and more.

Contact: meetamehta@putali.org

Knit for Life®

Mondays from 1:00pm to 3:00pm Swedish Medical Center, Main Lobby

A network of volunteer knitters in area hospitals, providing physical and mental support in a non-traditional therapeutic environment to cancer survivors, patients and caregivers through knitting. We teach anyone with any skill level. You don’t have to bring anything but yourself. We have all the supplies you will need. Contact: Elaine.Eckert@yahoo.com

Party On The Plaza

Sundays, July 17 and 31st, 11:30am Also in August and September Grand Ridge Plaza

Party On The Plaza is back this summer to Grand Ridge Plaza on six Sundays. Presented by Timberlake Issaquah Church, it’s a free community event open to everyone. You’ll find the fun (plus free ice cream & snacks) next to Regal Issaquah Highlands Stadium 12 on Park Drive. Join us for Party On The Plaza beginning at 11:30 am on June 12, July 17, July 31, August 7, August 21 and September 11.

Photography Club

Saturday, July 16th, 10:30am - Noon Blakely Hall

Enjoy monthly meetings with guest speakers, share and discuss your work with others, and participate in an online community throughout the month. Contact ihpc@outlook.com

Playgroup

Resumes in September Newborn to Age 4 Blakely Hall

Moms, dads, caregivers and their children are invited for fun, friendship, support and socializing. Contact katiels84@gmail.com and see facebook.com/IssaquahHighlands.coopplaygroup

Poker Night

Meaningful Movies

Thursday, July 28th, 7:00pm Blakely Hall

Meaningful Movies provides social justice and environmental documentary films followed by community discussion.

Every other month the movies are screened at Blakely Hall.

Alternate months are at the Issaquah Historic Train Depot. meaningfulmovies.org/neighborhoods/issaquah-wa/

Rovin’ Fiddlers

Wednesday, July 27th, 6:30pm- 8:30pm Blakely Hall July Movie: “A Small Good Thing”

Minecraft Mania Resumes September Blakely Hall

Join fellow elementary and middle school Minecraft enthusiasts from novice to expert as we share our knowledge of the Minecraft world including Redstone, building, surviving the night and more. You’ll need a laptop with licensed Minecraft loaded on it. Club leader is Quinn Ryan at boxcargriz@gmail.com and parent leader is Tim Ryan at dadtime@gmail.com.

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) Resumes October Blakely Hall

Sponsored by Timberlake Church We meet twice monthly on Monday mornings October through June. Enjoy quality, positive programming just for moms. We make sure your little ones have an amazing time as well. To register, timberlakechurch.com/mops

Whether you are a novice or a salty vet looking for some steep competition, you will love our monthly group for $40 buy-in, No-Limit Texas Hold ’em tournament! Don’t forget to join us on Facebook for all the latest info and results at our “Issaquah Poker” group page. Contact Henry at hlh1969@hotmail.com.

Every Tuesday, 7:00pm-9:00pm Either at the Issaquah Highlands Fire Station 73 or Issaquah Senior Center

Drop in our jam sessions. Welcome guitars, flutes, whistles, banjos, mandolins, autoharps, dulcimers, stand up bass, and percussion. All abilities welcome. Contact Sue at bellesue@ comcast.net.

Running Club

Saturdays 8:00am Central Park Tennis Courts

Please contact Joey at jbc224@cornell.edu, so he can add you to the distribution list. See Facebook - Issaquah Highlands Running and Multi-sport

Toastmasters Club

Wednesdays, 7:00am - 8:00am Swedish Medical Center 2nd Floor Conference Center

Join us to improve your communication skills.

To find out more, visit the club website at toastmastersclubs. org or drop in any Wednesday as a guest.

*All Events are FREE unless otherwise noted.

GOVERNANCE MEETINGS IHCA Architectural Review Committee Tuesday, 7/5, 6:00 pm IHCA Office

Highlands Council Board of Trustees Tuesday, 7/26th, Noon, IHCA Office

Highlands Fiber Network Advisory Group Thursday, 7/7, 5:00pm, IHCA Office

IHCA Board of Directors Wednesday, 7/27, 5:30 pm, IHCA Office

IHCA Finance Committee Tuesday, 7/12, 5:30 pm IHCA Office

Meetings are subject to change.

See Calendar at issaquahhighlands.com for more information or date changes.

HY Advisory Board Sunday, 7/24, 4:00 pm, Blakely Hall

For City of Issaquah governance meetings, see http://issaquahwa.gov

4th of July Independence Day Holiday Blakely Hall, Highlands Council, HFN and IHCA Offices will be closed.

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE HIGHLANDS Travel Club Night See where it takes you!

Resumes in September Blakely Hall

Join us for a fun, informal night with your like-minded, travel-loving neighbors!

Wine Club

Friday, July 22nd, 7:00pm Blakely Hall

Come out and meet your fellow wine lovers in the Highlands! Are you a wine enthusiast, connoisseur, or just a fan? We usually get together the second Friday of each month to discuss and enjoy wine. If interested please send an email to Dianne at danielsondd@yahoo.com for details.

Please RSVP the Tuesday prior to the event.

Yarns & Threads Group

Every Friday at 9am Meeting at Swedish in July and August Resumes in September at Blakely Hall

All knitters, crocheters, and stitchers are welcome. For more details of questions, please contact Cathie Coulter at Catherine.coulter@ihmail.com

Yoga Club Saturday Saturdays at 10:30am Cancelled July 2nd Blakely Hall

Join us every Saturday for free Yoga! Hatha Yoga Classes are for anyone interested, including neophytes wanting to try yoga for the first time, the experienced looking to improve, and anyone in-between. Yoga class will be led by Melanie and her mother, Deyin. For more information: deyiny@microsoft.com

Yoga Classes Sunday Sundays at 7:45am Blakely Hall

Join these free yoga classes for a systematic organized teaching as it is supposed be, as opposed to treating yogasanas as mere exercises. Yoga guru Kiran Balijepalli will not only teach correct physical posture, but also explain the conceptual basis for these different yogasanas. No prior experience of Yoga required. Please bring your own yoga mat and do not eat anything for at least two hours before (except taking coffee/tea/milk/water is ok).

Contact: srik.satya@gmail.com

Zumba Fitness Class

Tuesdays (7:00pm) & Saturdays (9:00am)

Zumba Fitness is the Latin and world rhythm and dance based fitness party that will change the way you think about working out. Grab your workout clothes, your water bottle, and join the party! Free class but please bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the food bank!

For additional information, email zumbawithcindy@gmail.com.

CALENDAR HOLIDAYS

Lailat al-Qadr Saturday, July 2 (approx.)

Independence Day Monday, July 4th Eid al-Fitr Thursday, July 7

Parents’ Day Sunday, July 24 National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day Wednesday, July 27

SAVE THE DATE

Highlands Day Festival Saturday, August 27th Noon - 4pm HY Back to School Social Tuesday, August 30th

Garage Sale Saturday, September 19th

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Issaquah Highlands Connections

DOING BUSINESS

La Boutique Jolie: Dream Come True for Local Entrepreneurs

Andrea Pohle and Robin Sofola, founding proprietors of La Boutique Jolie, Grand Ridge Plaza’s newest store.

When you walk in the door of the new La Boutique Jolie at Grand Ridge Plaza, there’s a sense of vibrancy and energy. The brainchild of local entrepreneurs Robin Sofola and Andrea Pohle, La Boutique Jolie – French for the lovely boutique – is a women’s fashion boutique that features products manufactured in North America or Europe, with an emphasis on well-known designers, such as Joseph Ribkoff.

“Shopping as an experience has changed dramatically in the past 10 years and it needs to be worthwhile; our goal is to help women find the best looks while offering sensitive advice in a relaxing setting,” explains Pohle. “Above all else, we want La Boutique Jolie to make women feel great and love themselves as they are in the moment.”

From the hand-blown glass chandelier to the butterfly motif throughout the boutique, Sofola and Pohle have created an environment that’s closer to a spa or coffee shop. They encourage women to browse, and are eager to hear feedback about the challenges women face in getting the right fit and style, as well as fabric.

“You’ll find that many of the lines we carry are ideal for travel: lightweight fabric, very comfortable, and wrinkle-resistant,” explains Sofola. “Comfort is key and every piece in the boutique has great energy, whether it’s a more formal dress for a summer wedding or casual linens for hot summer days.”

The partners conceived the concept for La Boutique Jolie while their children were at dance classes, making the most of time between drop-off and pick-up. They piloted the concept at private fashion parties to gather advice from Issaquah women about what they love – and what they have difficulty finding. They heard that women find it challenging to get good advice in many stores, that sizing is a perennial problem, and that the origins of the items they buy are important.

“As Andrea and I developed the concept for the boutique, we set a firm goal to be inclusive in sizing,” adds Pohle. “We seek out designers that have mastered silhouettes that flatter all sizes. The concept of Plus Sizes is a thing of the past and our clothing lines reflect this new approach, offering a full range of sizes – each with its own fit and tailoring. We also emphasize clothing lines with excellent working conditions: fair wages, sustainable practices and the greatest respect for safety. As a result, the majority of the lines we carry are manufactured in North America. Our goal is to lift up and support other women, and we’re delighted that we can partner with designers who feel the same.”

In addition to women’s clothing, La Boutique Jolie showcases handmade jewelry, shoes, soaps and lotions, and much more. Open seven days a week, Sofola and Pohle invite the community to drop by at any time.

La Boutique Jolie is located at Grand Ridge Plaza at 927 NE Park Drive.

Celebrating 10 Years in Issaquah Highlands This year marks an important milestone for many businesses in Issaquah Highlands: It’s their 10th anniversary of doing business in the community. It’s been an amazing decade for these local entrepreneurs who have kept us looking and feeling our best – not to mention caffeinated. Happy Anniversary!

Sorella Salon & Spa started as the Reasy family’s dream to work together in an industry that they all love. This dream became a reality when sisters Jamie, Jessie, Jacquelynn and their mother Peggy opened Sorella. First located in the current NaturoMedica space, Sorella moved down the block when Grand Ridge Plaza first opened. The salon was designed by Peggy and custom built by their father, Chuck Reasy.

Locally-owned and operated, Highlands Cleaners keeps us looking our best. Whether you want to preserve a wedding dress or have a special outfit altered, they’re a great resource.

Founded by the Ramos family, Agave Cocina & Tequilas is known for hand-crafted foods made-to-order, scratch cocktails made with fresh fruits, and one of the region’s largest selections of fine tequilas – including their own private label tequila. Brothers Federico (right) and Julian, and sister Faviola (right), took over the space in 2009, which was once Mama’s Mexican Kitchen.

Dr. Samuel Ahn at Optica Vision Care is our go-to resource for 20/20 vision. The optometry practice, first known as Occhio, offers everything from eye exams to medical evaluations, as well as a large selection of designer frames.

In 2006, Lane and Jamie Scelzi opened Sip at the wine bar & restaurant, a concept all its own.

Today, the Scelzi’s culinary team led by Executive Chef Emran Chowdhury (right) continues to feature locally-sourced meats and seafood, as well as fresh seasonal produce from Sip’s organic garden in Maple Valley. Did we mention they have one of the largest Washington wine lists in the region?

What would mornings be like without Caffe Ladro?

The Seattle-based coffee house has been keeping us happily caffeinated for a decade. Homemade baked goods, sustainably-grown and fair trade coffee, and Adirondack chairs: there’s definitely time for a second cup. (Left, Erin Saldana, GM)

Sub sandwiches, salads and breakfast – and dare we forget freshbaked cookies? SUBWAY is a perennial favorite for before & after games at Central Park and for everyone on-the-go in Issaquah Highlands.

AJI Sushi & Grill is a feast for the senses (and especially the taste buds). Chef Danny (above) has made a convert out of many a skeptic who wouldn’t try sushi, and AJI is a local favorite for all ages. For longtime residents, you’ll remember the space as Rice n’ Roll during the early days of the community.

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH

Pat Nell and Mike McMillin

Volunteering in the Highlands

We settled into our Highlands home in the lovely Dahlia Park neighborhood in 2009.

Living in the Highlands couldn’t get any better, we thought at that time.

We had great jobs, family and friends close by, and whenever we had free time, you could find us walking or running around the neighborhood, attending Mike and Pat in Egypt. to our community p-patch, hiking or biking around the PNW and frequenting the local restaurants. What could be better than that?

However, something was missing and we realized it was a stronger connection to the growing population of the Highlands.

While we were known to some of our neighbors as the couple who traveled the world, we weren’t able to connect with any other travelers among the 12,000 plus residents in the Highlands until we were contacted by Highlands Council staff member, Nina Milligan. She and her connected a group of “travelers” to test the idea of starting a “Travel Club” for the Highlands! As you will see for yourself, if you attend a club event, your life will instantly become enriched with people who share your same interest.

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This was made possible for us by volunteering as club leaders and committee members. The support of the Highlands Council and infrastructure of the Highlands made starting a club an easy task. We are so fortunate to have the use of Blakely Hall for club events and a staff who cares about how it’s run. Volunteering in the travel club has strengthened our connection to our neighborhood. This was what we needed. Mike and Pat with fellow Travel Club member Peter Martin (center).

If you are feeling an incomplete connection to your neighborhood, come to a club event and get to know us. You may have an idea to start your own club or share a travel experience at a travel club night. The Travel Club meets monthly (except for July and August) usually the 2nd Wednesday of the month at Blakely Hall from 7 to 9:30pm. We also hope to see you at Highlands Day on August 27. Stop by at our booth and make that connection and see what volunteering could do for you!

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Cascadia Rising

ALERT King County

Earthquake Disaster Simulation

Regional public information and notification system

(Top Left and Bottom Right) On Wednesday, June 8th the National Guard landed a Blackhawk helicopter in Central Park as part of the Cascadia Rising disaster simulation, a region-wide exercise to prepare responses to a 9.1 earthquake.

(Bottom Left) Members of the National Guard spent time explaining their role in emergency responses to Highlands Resident and Highlands Council Trustee, Ami Desai-Mehta and her son Aadit.

King County recently upgraded the regional public emergency alert system for King County, Washington.

Subscribing to ALERT King County helps you stay informed about emergency situations, threats to public health and safety, and significant impacts to major infrastructure. Features include messages sent by telephone, text, and email that are geographically-specific for areas you live, work, and play.

Register today! This service is free and you can update your profile anytime! kingcounty.gov/safety/prepare/alert-king-county

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Issaquah Highlands Connections

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

Making a Difference: Neighbors helping Neighbors

by Kristin Montagne, Dahlia Park

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit with fellow Dahlia Park neighbor, Meghan Altimore, VP of Community Services at Hopelink. Meghan’s inspiration to help others came from her mother, and she shared with me a poem her mom wrote and would often read, “My baby and I both chase the same star—We look for a life where our presence matters”.

Meghan has been a social worker for 25 years, the last twelve at Hopelink. Meghan oversees Hopelink’s Community Service programs that help local families meet their basic needs and gain the skills and tools they need to exit poverty. She works on food assistance, emergency financial assistance, heating/energy help, housing for the homeless, and much more.

One of the biggest needs Hopelink has identified on the Meghan Altimore, Dahlia Park Eastside is affordable housing. Many families are being resident, has been a social worker for driven out of the area because of rising housing costs or 25 years, the last twelve at Hopelink. are forced to choose between paying for food or paying for housing. You’ve heard the phrase, “We’re just one paycheck away from homelessness,” but the reality for many of us is we have relationships that protect us from these maladies. Where we have safety nets, others do not.

One overarching mission of Hopelink is to create awareness of the people struggling in our midst. I learned some things from Meghan that surprised me about poverty in our local area.

For example, food insecurity is a common theme for many patients at the Swedish Issaquah ER, where Swedish-employed social workers connect patients in need with food resources, such as Issaquah Food Bank. As Meghan puts it, “We CANNOT fail at food,” and she’s right!

Have you ever had the opportunity to sit with someone who is or has experienced poverty?

Reasons one might be experiencing poverty may include refugee status, culture, language differences, or habit differences. Poverty should not create fear within us, but create a desire in us to do something about it—to understand it--especially when it comes to meeting the basic needs of our neighbors in this affluent area. Often times, those who have been through hardship more readily give back because of their life experiences.

Meghan’s work is an inspiration to many of us. Would you like to know how you can help your neighbor, too? Here are a few ideas: • Contact Hopelink.org for resources or to learn about ways to get involved • Get involved in the Harvest Program and grow a row of fresh vegetables to donate to the Issaquah food bank, or volunteer and glean leftovers from farms in Snoqualmie Valley and take those leftovers to the Issaquah food bank. volunteermatch.org/search/opp2339543.jsp • Donate and volunteer at the Issaquah food bank. issaquahfoodbank.org/volunteer/ • Volunteer your time to the YWCA After School Program or Summer Care program.

Contact Sondi Lind: slind@ywcaworks.org

YWCA Welcome Baskets A BIG Thank you to Kathryn Meeker and the many residents who supported her effort!!

The YWCA Family Village Issaquah would like to thank Kathryn Meeker for organizing donated goods from neighbors to make ‘Welcome Baskets’ to be given to new residents when they move in to their new home. Kathryn spread the word that basic items were needed and she successfully collected laundry baskets, welcome mats, dish soap, sponges, ice cube trays, hand soap, toiletry items and coupons from a variety of Grand Ridge Plaza businesses! These baskets filled with goodies and gift cards, coupons and an emergency preparedness booklet, are greatly appreciated by the new residents at the YWCA Family Village Issaquah!

Also, Kathryn organized a group of volunteers to make and hand out a very nice sugar scrub to all the residents for Mother’s Day. They made the scrub and personally delivered it to everyone’s door!!

ARTS & CULTURE

4th of July Local Fun

by Kathryn Dean, Kirk Park

Thinking about the 4th of July often takes me back to hot, humid, Indiana nights lying on blankets waiting for the local fireworks show to begin. The evening usually began with an icecream social sponsored by a nearby church. After indulging in ice cream, we covered ourselves in Avon’s Skin So Soft to keep the mosquitos away.

Just about the time the fireflies started to show themselves, the fireworks would light up the sky.

Other 4th of July memories include buying lady fingers and black cats in Missouri because they weren’t sold or allowed in Indiana, and having bottle rocket fights with my brothers. In hindsight, we didn’t make the safest choices.

In the city of Issaquah all manor of fireworks are banned, including sparklers. So what can we do to celebrate in a safe and festive manner? Our community and surrounding communities offer a number of fun fourth activities. “Issaquah’s Down Home 4th of July & Heritage Day” celebration runs from 11am-2pm in Veteran’s Memorial Park. The event begins with Swedish Hospital’s Kids ‘n Pets Parade. Decorate your bike, scooter, wagon, or pet and join the fun. The day-of registration for the parade begins at 10 am and takes place at the Holt Building, 425 Rainier Blvd N. Find out more information on the event and how to register for the parade at downhome4th.org.

After the parade, Veteran’s Memorial Park will host many fun activities including: pony rides, bouncy houses, water balloons, and races - including a slug race! (You are responsible to provide your own slug.)

The city of Sammamish offers “Fourth on the Plateau.” This celebration runs from 6-10:30 pm in the Sammamish Commons Plaza at City Hall. There will be live music, vendors, activity booths, a splash park, and many other fun options for kids and adults alike. The event culminates with a fireworks show at 10pm.

Last year, the kids and I joined their cousins for “Bellevue Family 4th”. Bellevue hosts the biggest 4th of July celebration on the eastside. Downtown Bellevue Park fills with vendors and locals bring blankets, snacks, and games and make a day of it. The fireworks begin at 10pm accompanied by a full orchestra. Last year they played a John Williams medley and an Andrew Lloyd Weber medley to the dance of the fireworks.

All of these festive fourth options are just a few miles away, but for those of you who don’t enjoy fighting crowds for a space on the lawn, you live in the right place. From Grand View park and other high points in the Highlands, you can see multiple fireworks shows all across the horizon. So grab a blanket and some friends and find a spot with a view; some of you won’t have to go farther than your back deck.

Meanwhile, I’ll be making homemade peach ice cream and covering my kids with Skin-So-Soft.

Happy 4th!

Fourth on the Plateau Fireworks Show 2015.

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

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HIGHLANDS YOUTH - THE HY

NEW YOUTH EVENT: Back to School Social

by Christy Garrard, Executive Director of Highlands Council, Dahlia Park resident

The school year was wrapping up as we welcomed the six newest members of the Highlands Youth Advisory Board at the May meeting. The 20 resident middle and high schoolers got right to work planning the next HY event, something NEW, a fun Back to School Social!

On Tuesday, August 30th the HY will host all Issaquah Highlands resident middle school-aged students at Blakely Hall and Village Green Park from 3pm – 5pm to reconnect as summer wraps up over food, outdoor games in the park, tie-dye fun, and great music!

High School students of Issaquah Highlands will celebrate separately from 6pm-8pm, also enjoying the food, games, tie-dye and music.

The HY Board is still finalizing details and pre-registration will be required so we have enough food and fun for everyone. Stay-tuned for more information in the August issue of Connections News, on IssaquahHighlands.com, the weekly e-letter and on social media. SAVE THE DATE and enjoy your summer!

BLAKELY HALL ART GALLERY

Photography in Blakely Hall

artEast, Highlands Council and the Issaquah Highlands Photography Club have joined forces to bring you “Community Wanderings”, a photography exhibit highlighting travel. This diverse theme focuses on distant, exotic places as well as the everyday beauty in our own communities.

Through careful framing of the subject, the play of shadow and light and the use of zooming, the photographers represented share what captured their attention at a precise moment in time. Whether in color or in black and white, their unique views draw us in and make us want to explore the places they visited.

Enjoy the exhibition at Highlands Day! Whether you are a photographer or just enjoy viewing art, there will be something for you in this show.

“Community Wanderings”

A Juried Photography Show Runs Friday, July 8th – Thursday, September 8th Blakely Hall Issaquah Highlands

Issaquah Highlands resident Yana Alentyeva’s photo: ”Picturesque Pond at Issaquah Highlands”

“Community Wanderings” Artists Reception Thursday, July 14th, 6:00 - 7:30pm Blakely Hall Issaquah Highlands Free and Open to the Public

Issaquah Highlands resident Heather Moffat’s photo “Waiting”.

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Issaquah Highlands Connections

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

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20 YEARS OF SUSTAINABILITY

Developer James Warjone Looks Back James Warjone was signatory to both the 2 and 3-Party Development Agreements that created Issaquah Highlands. At this 20-year anniversary of these agreements, we asked Jim to reflect upon those historic actions and shed light on why they were so important.

Q: How would Issaquah Highlands be different if there were no Development Agreement?

Jim Warjone: I can say with confidence that without the Development Agreements there would be no Sunset Interchange. There would be little development on the plateau other than a few scattered large single family homes after 1990 due to a County traffic moratorium that properly recognized that the infrastructure at the time was at capacity.

Q: What are you most proud of in the resulting community of Issaquah Highlands?

Jim Warjone: I am most proud of the teams of wonderful people from the City of Issaquah, King County, the State, the state legislature, the US Congress, Sound Transit, the community and the many others who worked tirelessly to facilitate, design and ultimately build the stateof-the-art, self-contained community of Issaquah Highlands! This project was a large and

Photo circa 2003 of progress in building the Sunset Interchange. “without the Development Agreements there would be no Sunset Interchange,” explains James Warjone, Port Blakely Communities, master developer of Issaquah Highlands”

successful team-effort that resulted in a nationally-recognized sustainable community that we all can take credit for and be proud of. A special thank you to Tom Goeltz and the team at Davis Wright Tremaine who drafted the many agreements and Judd Kirk who really lead the development and community during the majority of the project. Thanks also to Rene Ancinas, the current Chairman and CEO of Port Blakely, and John Shaw of Heartland who oversaw the completion of the project. And a special thank you to the Eddy Family, the Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Farm Credit Services, Union Bank, The Blackhawk Corporation and the renowned Corporation of Japan for funding the adventure that is today Issaquah Highlands!

And finally, congratulations to the community and Highlands Council for keeping the flame alive. May you look back 20 years from now and be as proud of the community then as I am now!

James Warjone (right) posing with then Issaquah City Councilmember Ava Frisinger and Port Blakely executive, Judd Kirk (left).

Grand Ridge Drive Neighborhood Transitions with 20-Year Milestone This story was provided by Port Blakely, Issaquah Highlands Master Developer Soon, building permits for new homes in Grand Ridge Drive (GRD) will be governed solely by King County standards. For the past 20 years, a Three-Party Development Agreement among King County, the City of Issaquah and Port Blakely provided development standards for lots in the Grand Ridge Drive neighborhood. That Development Agreement expires on July 10, 2016.

begin the process. Port Blakely will continue to manage the GRD neighborhood’s “Custom Home” ARC review process for now.

Architectural Standards for the GRD neighborhood and the ARC review process will remain the same. These Architectural Standards required by the Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions (CCR’s) are recorded against all GRD lots and continue to guide development within GRD even with the expiration of the Development Agreement.

Port Blakely delegated all of the non-custom home ARC functions in Issaquah Highlands to the Issaquah Highlands Community Association (IHCA) in August of 2014. In the future, it is likely that the Custom Home ARC function for GRD will also be delegated to the IHCA, as intended by the CCR’s.

The Three-Party Development Agreement was a contract between Grand Ridge (developer), the City of Issaquah and King County. This circa 1996 photo gathered the leaders together (l-r): Jim Ellis, Mountains to Sound Greenway; Jane Hague and Cynthia Sullivan of the King County Council; Gary Locke, King County Executive; Rowan Hinds, City of Issaquah Mayor and Judd Kirk, Port Blakely Communities.

Upon its expiration, development within the GRD neighborhood will solely be subject to King County ordinances and development standards. King County will continue to review project applications, and its standards will guide new construction rather than those set out in the Three-Party Development Agreement.

Currently, 25 homes are either under ARC review or construction, or have been recently completed. Another 15 lots have yet to

The expiration of the Development Agreement is part of a broader wind down of Port Blakely’s real estate operations. Port Blakely has completed all of its development obligations and no longer serves as Master Developer under the Three-Party Development Agreement.

It turned over control of the IHCA in 2011, the Highlands Council in 2013, and the Highlands Fiber Network in 2013.

Residents will continue to be served by the same community services and covenants and the IHCA will continue to be responsible for the care and maintenance of the community, along with King County.

The relationship and services between residents and Highlands Council and the Highlands Fiber Network also remains unchanged.

While Grand Ridge Drive remains a part of unincorporated King County, the City of Issaquah will continue to provide domestic water service to the neighborhood. The GRD water system was formally dedicated to the City in September 2015. * The Two-Party Development Agreement remains in effect. See June 2016 Connections*

What is the Three Party Development Agreement?

A development agreement is a negotiated contract between a local jurisdiction and the entity that owns or controls property within the jurisdiction. It details the obligations of both parties, and the standards and conditions that will govern development of the property.

For the past 20 years, the development regulations and building permit standards for the lots in Grand Ridge Drive have been governed by the “Grand Ridge Joint Agreement” (aka Three-Party Development Agreement) signed by King County, the City of Issaquah, and Port Blakely entities on June 10, 1996.

What does its expiration mean to Grand Ridge residents?

When this Development Agreement expires, development within the Grand Ridge neighborhood will no longer be governed by this agreement. King County will continue to review project applications as they always have, but it will no longer process those applications pursuant to the Development Agreement.

Instead, applications will be governed by King County ordinances and development standards.

Why is this transition happening now?

The Development Agreement, which was created to govern development in the neighborhood for 20 years, expires by its terms on July 10, 2016.

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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

Issaquah Highlands Connections

School Spotlight will return in August!

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

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FITNESS & HEALTH

#HighlandsFit - Warm-up Routine for Hiking

by Rachel Hammack, DPT, Highlands Physical and Hand Therapy

Summer is here! That means now is the time to get outside. We have so many great trails within a short 20-minute drive of here. How many of these trails have you explored? Now is the time to lace up your shoes, grab a friend, and get outside to breathe in that fresh pacific northwest air!

This month I want to introduce a dynamic warm-up for you to perform prior to hiking to help get your blood flowing, joints moving, and muscles limber to help prevent injury.

2. Knee Hugs

Dynamic Warm-up:

Start by finding a space approximately 20 yards long - This will be your runway on which you should perform the following dynamic stretches. These stretches are meant to be performed while you are walking forward. (If you cannot find a stretch of space, feel free to perform in place) Each of the following stretches should be performed approximately 15-20 times on each leg..

1. Ankle flips – Walk forward rolling heel to toe with each step 2. Knee Hugs – Hug knee to chest, hold 1 second, then alternate 3. Kick outs – Hold hands at sides, bend knee and rotate hip internally to kick hand at your side

3. Kick outs

4. Kick ins – Hold hands at sides, bend knee and rotate hip externally to kick hand in front of your body 5. Punter’s kick – Hold hands in front of body, kick leg out straight in front of you and you aim for opposite hand

You should feel a comfortable stretch at all your major muscle groups in your lower extremities while performing this dynamic warm up. You do not need to be forceful.

Listen to your body and do not perform any activities that cause pain.

4. Kick ins

Now that you’ve performed your dynamic warm-up you are ready to get out there and explore. Have fun and remember to tag #highlandsfit to continue inspiring your neighbors to stay active.

If you are looking for a quick but challenging hike, the popular Poo-Poo Point – Chirico Trail, a short 15 minute drive away.

5. Punter’s Kick

This trail will surely help you reach 1st place in your fit bit challenges, logging in around 3.8 miles and 160 “floors climbed.”

If that does not motivate you the beautiful views of Mount Rainier and Lake Sammamish on a clear day are worth the hike alone.

Bring your camera and some lunch to enjoy a picnic at the top!

If you have any questions or sustain any injuries this hiking season, contact your local physical therapist.

The view from Poo Poo Point, South of downtown Issaquah.

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July 2016

LIVING GREEN

Garden Dreams Nourish

by Sarah Lally Brown, Summit Park

At an airport in Hawaii, there was a special section of plants that had been pre-cleared by the agricultural board to be taken back to the mainland. There were orchids and plumeria and ginger, and in the corner a bin of…..coconuts. Coconuts that had a sprout coming out of them.

My dream stood before me and I grabbed it with both hands and brought one of them home with me. If I could grow anything, what would it be? My immediate answer is: a coconut. The iconic shape of a palm tree is so magical and coconut is one of my favorite flavors.

While at a playground the other day, I asked my kids and some of their friends a question. If you could grow anything, anything at all in your garden what would it be? Apparently my sample size of five year olds are all extremely realistic in their fantasies. The top choice (by Liam, Boden, and Charlotte) was strawberries. Tanyon hoped for big tomatoes, another option that is totally possible if you get your plants in the ground early and cloche them well. Mia preferred a plum tree. Jacob took a bit riskier choice of corn, which I personally have never had success with but I did see some impressive stalks at Vista2 last summer. Dashiel was inspired by Hawaii I think and chose pineapples.

So far all of the choices revolved around things delicious to eat. Then Logan mused that he would like an oak tree. August said wheat but went on to explain with infectious enthusiasm that he wanted to grow fields and fields of wheat so that he could drive a combine harvester. Here is a kid who knows how to dream big. When I asked adults what they would grow, there was a wild range of basil, tomatoes, avocado, peaches, and dragonfruit.

On the plane that long ago day, I held the coconut on my lap the whole flight home. I planted it in a pot in my sunny kitchen and watched it grow. It put out one frond, then another, and made it to about four feet tall before the fronds started to look a bit haggard and it stopped throwing out new sprouts. Then one of my cats started gnawing on the scrawny trunk and I had to admit that coconuts just aren’t meant to live here. For now, I am going to stick with my realistic dream that tomatoes planted early, fertilized, and warmed by a beautiful summer will bring delicious fruit.

If you could grow anything, anything at all, what would it be?

The author’s little friend Natalie from the playground described her dream garden in full color.

Issaquah Highlands Connections

Issaquah Highlands Connections

ASK KARI

Dear Kari, My son is home from college and staying back at home for summer. I was in his room dropping off something and I saw that he has marijuana on his bedside table. I was shocked! I never would have thought my son smoked pot and I am very disappointed. He was not home when I discovered this and I have not mentioned it to him yet. I am against taking all drugs.

How do I handle this?

- Shocked Mother in the Highlands Dear Shocked Mother in the Highlands, I can understand your feeling shocked to learn that your son may be smoking marijuana.

It can be hard to learn new things about our adult children that surprise us. I do suggest that you pick a good time to talk with your son wherein you can calmly ask him about the marijuana. Inquire directly if it is his and does he regularly smoke it. If he does actively smoke marijuana, I suggest that you voice your concerns to him about using a drug and ask him to consider your feelings opposing such a choice. I am hoping that by you taking the time to even talk with him about this subject, he will feel the impact you are hoping for and reconsider his choices. Unfortunately, due to him being an adult and marijuana being legal in Washington, you will have to leave it at that.

- Kari Dear Kari, My friend from book club pulled me aside at the last gathering and informed me that my husband was on the dating site Tinder. I could not believe that she talked to me about this at a social event that had numerous people in attendance. Although she spoke to me alone, it was an incredibly awkward evening from that moment on. Don’t you think this was inappropriate of her?

- No Friend of Mine Dear No Friend of Mine, While I can understand that you were stunned to have a friend disclose such information to you at a social event, I am wondering why you made no comment about your husband’s potential behavior? I am guessing that your friend recently discovered the information and wanted to talk with you about it as soon as she saw you. I do agree that contacting you privately would have been the best vs. talking about such a personal matter in mixed company. But, again, I am wondering, did you already know this information and accepted it, and only became embarrassed and upset when you found out a friend discovered the information, too? If so, it demonstrates that you are not okay with such behavior by your spouse. If this is true, then I recommend that you handle the matter privately with your husband. In the future, if a friend brings this topic up, respond by setting up a boundary in which you state that you don’t talk about your marriage with anyone but your husband.

- Kari Do you have a question for Kari? Please email her at askkarioneill@gmail.com. All questions will be answered in upcoming columns.

Kari O’Neill, MSW, LICSW, is a licensed independent clinical social worker and a resident of Issaquah Highlands.

This column is for entertainment purposes only. If you are in crisis and in need of support please contact the Crisis Clinic at 866-427-4747.

July 2016

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July 2016

LIFE IN THE USA

Issaquah Highlands Connections

Dancing to Glory!

by Anita Ayela, The Cottages

Recently, while I was Emceeing for a dance program in a temple, the idea of writing this piece was born. I am sure a lot of people in America wouldn’t know the different forms of classical dances we have in India. All that they probably know are the Bollywood movie dances and the Punjabi dance, Bhangra.

Dancing to glory is not an exaggeration when it comes to Indian dances. They are that and much more. India is way more than the dances that everyone watches in movies. We have a rich dance culture, wherein almost every state in India has a dance specific to that state.

The South of India has dances like Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam and Kathakali. In the East, we have the Odissi, in the northeast we have Manipuri, and in the North we have Kathak.

Dance instructor addresses class at Swedish Hospital, Issaquah.

And of course, we have a lot of folk dances in other states, like the Bihu, Dandiya, Kolattam and Bhangra, to name a few.

Ballet is considered as the world dance of grace and poise. Ballet and Indian classical dances have some similarities. They both have standard techniques to be followed, and they both need years of preparation and practice to be performed on stage. Yet, they are very different. When British people brought Ballet to India, dances like Kathak and Manipuri got influenced by Ballet and incorporated the elegance and style to the Indian rhythm.

When we came to Seattle, I was overwhelmed to know that there are so many dance academies here that teach different kinds of Indian Classical dances.

We have Kathak Academy, Kuchipudi dance school and of course, a couple of Bharatnatyam schools. I found a very good academy and registered my kids in there to learn Bharatnatyam, and since then they have been dancing to glory, much to my happiness.

Now, they perform in different events on different occasions, and perform in Indian temples too.

Students of Indian dance practice at Swedish Hospital Conference Center.

I know a lot of Indian parents in America are on the lookout for their kids to learn a form of Indian Classical dance to retain their culture. I feel so happy to meet such parents who encourage their kids to pursue these dances in addition to their regular school activities. Not only is dance a good form of exercise, but it is also a way of letting go of your body to attain peace of mind. Dancers find Divinity in their performances.

My daughters learn dance in the ‘From within Academy’, run by a group of highly qualified and dedicated dancers, headed by Mrs. Subhashini Santanam. Weekend classes are conducted in the Swedish Hospital Conference Center, in our own Highlands. Earlier they had classes in the Issaquah Highlands Fire Station. Their students perform in Indian temples, Indian Cultural Events, and also in some of the Indian events that are done in Blakely hall. Please join us to watch our students Dance to Glory when next you have the chance.

HOLIDAYS IN THE HIGHLANDS

The Night of Power (Laylat Al-Qadr)

by Nada Alwarid, Highlands Resident

Laylat Al-Qadr

As we near the end of Ramadan (during the last ten nights), observing Muslims are seeking what they believe to be the holiest night of the year, namely: Laylat Al-Qadr (the Night of power, divine decree, value, and destiny).

“Indeed, We sent it down during Laylatul Qadr. And what can make you know what Laylatul Qadr is? Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit (Gabriel) descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” – Qur’an [97: 1-5] During that holy night, the first words of the Holy Quran were revealed. “Read. Read. Read, “– Archangel Gabriel said to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon them). “Read in the name of thy Lord, who created.” – Qur’an [96: 1]. “Read”, was the first word revealed from the entire 604 pages of the Quran, highlighting the most profound aspect of our lives: Education. Acquiring knowledge and learning are so revered that the directive was sent down during that holy night.

Though many Muslims concentrate on the 27th night, Prophetic tradition encourages

observers to “seek it [Laylat Al-Qadr] in the last 10 days, on the odd nights.”

Believing that worship during this night equals that of one thousand months, observers maximize their benevolent efforts. During this last third of the month, individual and congregation prayers, charity functions, character refinement, amongst other acts of worship, are performed with fervor. At nightly congregation prayers, people witness tears streaming down their faces, while in focused states of sincere prayer, anticipating the favor and blessings of their Lord. The power of positive energy, emanating from groups engaged in prayer, exercise, or yoga, is experienced by those partaking in such prayers.

Eid Al-Fitr (July 6)

Eid Al-Fitr (festival of breaking the fast) marks the end of Ramadan. Muslims celebrate their perseverance in worship and observance of Ramadan, with Eid. The day starts with communal early morning prayers and sermon, followed by all sorts of celebrations with family and friends. New clothes, money and toys for children, lots of yummy traditional sweets and dishes for everyone, are on the Eid agenda.

When Eid falls on a weekend or a holiday it’s even more joyful. This year it will be during summer vacation, on July 6th, 2016. Otherwise many families typically sit their kids out from school for the day, especially if parents can take the day off work. In the U.S., NYC started recognizing the two Eids as public holidays last year and Philadelphia followed suit this year.

My personal and most prized worldly reward (which I know I share with many Ramadan observing coffee addicts) is the ability to resume morning caffeine ingestion. The simple joys of life that are often times taken for granted, are indeed, blessings!

I wish you all very blessed days, nights, celebrations, and lots of morning coffee!

Photos from Author-hosted Ramadan Iftar at Blakely Hall.

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

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HIGHLANDS FIBER NETWORK

Issaquah Highlands Photo Treasure Hunt Every month we publish a photo of something (or somewhere!) in the Highlands.

It is up to you to guess where the photo was taken!

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Tips for Summer Networking

by Frank Pineau, General Manager HFN

With summer is in full swing in Issaquah Highlands, we put together some helpful information to prepare you for what you might encounter during the summer months when using the HFN network.

Last month’s photo was of “Big Suspended Six Inch Closed Knot,” the hanging sculpture in the lobby at Swedish Medical Center. It was created in 2010 by Paul Vexler. My photo doesn’t do it justice – definitely go and see it for yourself, if you haven’t already.

It’s quite stunning!

Dealing with heat & your equipment- Temperatures can get fairly hot over the summer months. Equipment generates a lot of heat causing areas around it to warm up.

Routers and components are often stored in areas without sufficient air flow. Excessive heat can cause damage to your equipment, causing connections to fail or signals to become weak. This eventually leads to damage and overall failure of equipment. Be sure you allow the most air flow possible for networking equipment, and keep your home cool when it heats up.

Yard maintenance- Summer is a great time to spruce up and work on your yard. We would like to remind you that below the green grass and landscaping there are electrical, water and gas lines, phone and TV cabling, and of course, HFN fiber optics. Before digging be sure to “Call Before You Dig.” Dial #811 or visit www.call811.com. Also be aware that there are small fiber access boxes, usually at the edge of your property, which measures one square foot in size. Please do not cover or landscape over the top of this access box. Your landscaping will be removed if it inhibits technicians access.

Network Usage- With children home during the summer months your kids are more likely to be using your home network. They may be keeping up their skills on educational websites, using Xbox and Play Station, or utilizing social media.

Summer is also a popular time for you to welcome guests to stay in your home. You can provide your visitor HFN performance to their own device whether it’s a smart phone to tablet. You all may enjoy sharing images, music or movies with one another. Depending on your home network equipment, more people using your network can slow things down and make it harder use. Peak-time performance may also be limited by the web sites you are accessing.

Correct guesses were submitted by: Thanks to everyone who participated!

Aída Mengual Kelly Bleiweis

Paul Stewart Sarah Venzon

HFN is community-owned, fiber to the home, available in a range of prices and connection speeds.

• Web pages load faster • Network games run smoother • Movies download faster • Music streams without pauses and blips

This month’s photo is below. Can you identify the location of this picture?

• Web applications (Gmail, Office Live, etc.) work more quickly

Entry Deadline: Sunday, July 10th

• Quick and responsive remote access to your work or clients

• Pictures and videos upload faster to sharing sites

Fiber to the home, community owned!

For information, upgrades and pricing, see www.highlandsfibernetwork.com for more information, or email support@ hfnservices.com , available 24/7.

Backflow Test $35 Linda Pfeiffer A Woman’s Touch LLC If you think you have the answer, please email it to IHPhotoHunt@gmail.com along with your full name. Please be specific in your response (just the name of the building, park, street, etc. is not enough). Those with the correct answer will see their name in next month’s Connections, as well as being entered into a drawing for a $25 Caffé Ladro gift certificate. The drawing happens once a year in December.

Everyone who responds with a correct guess will be entered to win. Every correct guess is another entry – so you can enter 12 times a year. Enjoy, and good luck!

The Photo Treasure hunt is coordinated by volunteer Chelsea Musick of the Central Park neighborhood.

State Certified #B4287 Insured, Licensed & Bonded

(425) 333-4934 Email: eatlamb@msn.com

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July 2016

CULTURE THROUGH CUISINE

Issaquah Highlands Connections

Culture Through Cuisine – Malaysia

by Kimberly Collette, Central Park

Sharon Fong has been a resident of the Issaquah Highlands for 12 years. Sharon, her husband and two kids left Malaysia when her husband’s job required a move.

On her sunny back porch where she grows vining grapes and a garden of flowers and bushes Sharon sits with her friend Robin talking. Although Sharon was planning on sharing a more savory Malaysian crepe her son Shane, home from college for the summer, convinced her to share a sweeter one. “He kept saying, you haven’t made them in forever,” says Sharon.

Sharon’s coconut filled crepes are a tea time treat. In Malaysia tea time is a daily tradition leftover from the time Malaysia spent under British rule.

Although 4 pm in the afternoon is usually spent shuttling kids to activities, Sharon does try to retain the tradition. She will get together with friends and everyone will bring a sweet or savory to share and tea with milk is served.

“I love making Malaysian food because I miss home so much,” she says. Malaysian food borrows spice and taste from many cultures.

Sharon made the crepe batter in the morning and let it chill in the fridge. With the more savory crepe she will use coconut milk. She didn’t want the coconut flavoring to be overpowering so she used cow’s milk. The batter is thin and tinted green. It gets the green color from a the pandan leaf. The pandan plant looks like an iris, without the flowers. It has long green flat leaves. Sharon grew them at her home in Malaysia but the cooler temperatures here make it impossible. But she finds them in the freezer section at Uwajimaya.

The leaves are crushed and the juice is squeezed into the batter giving it a subtle flavor and green color. Sharon says that Malaysian cuisine relies on natural food colors. There is a small blue flower that is steeped and used in pastry recipes to tint it blue. But she can’t find the flower here in the States.

Sharon places the batter on the counter to warm up a bit and turns her attention to the filling.

Frozen grated coconut is put in a sauce pan along with grated palm sugar and a couple of the pandan leaves. The palm sugar has a wonderful flavor that is more than just sweet. Sharon adds a bit a water to the mixture as it cooks on the stove.

She heats up a fry pan. The batter is ladled into the hot pan as Sharon swirls it around to coat it. “The first one always messes up,” Sharon says with a laugh. She is right. The crepe cooks too long before it’s released from the pan. The goal is to cook it on one side enough that it’s cooked through but light enough that the crepe retains its green color.

Sharon sprays the pan with a little Pam and the next one slides off cooked but still green.

It’s filled with the coconut filling and rolled. They are eaten warm or cold depending on preference.

KUIH KETAYAP

( MALAYSIAN CREPE WITH COCONUT FILLING)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CREPE Flour Large Eggs Pandan Leaf Coconut Milk/Fresh Milk Salt Vegetable Oil Coloring (you can use the blended pandan leaf for the color. A few pieces of pandan leaf, blend it till it’s fine and add a little water to get the green color)

1 Cup 2 2 Pieces 1-1/2 Cup 1-1/2 tsp 2 Tablespoons Few Drops

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING Grated Coconut/Dessicated Coconut Brown Sugar/Palm Sugar Pandan Leaf

1 packet 3/4 Cup 1 Piece

Method 1. Mix the flour and the salt together into a bowl. Add the milk / coconut milk and the coloring. Blend it well. Then add the egg and vegetable oil. Use the hand blender to mix it well.

2. Heat a pan on medium flame till it’s hot when you hover your hand over the pan.

Pour in one big ladle of batter, and swirl the batter till it creates a circle. When batter is cooked, removed from pan onto a flat surface. You don’t need to flip the crepe.

3. Add the filling at the closest end of the crepe and then roll it like a spring roll. Make sure the sides are folded in so that the filling doesn’t spill out.

Issaquah Highlands Connections

July 2016

DIRECTORY

ISSAQUAH HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

HIGHLANDS COUNCIL MAIN PHONE: 425-507-1107 IssaquahHighlands.com

MAIN PHONE: 425-427-9257 | AFTER HOURS: 425-223-8887

Responsible for:

IssaquahHighlands.com

Governing Body

Community Events Board of Trustees Blakely Hall Community Center hcbot@ihcouncil.org Responsible for: Governing Body

Facility Rentals Larry Norton, President Property Management Board of Directors

Community Garden Patrick Byers, Vice President Enforcement of CCRs, Rules, Regs ihcaboard @ihcommunity.org Facebook Ami Desai-Mehta, Member

E-Letter Philip Nored, Secretary

Architectural Review Jim Young, President Connections Newspaper Ray Besharati, Treasurer

Common Area Landscape Dan Vradenburg, Vice President

issaquahhighlands.com Jody Turner, Member Funded by: Walt Bailey, Secretary Fred Nystrom, Member David Ngai, Treasurer Annual IHCA Assessments Ellina Charipova, Director Funded by:

Neighborhood Assessments Rob Knight, Director Sponsorships/Grants & Advertising Rossie Cruz, Director Community Enhancement Fees (1/4 of 1% on sale of home) 12¢ per sq. ft. retail/commercial Sarah Hoey, Executive Director $50/door per year for apartments sarah.h@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1120 Erika North, Senior Community Manager erika.n@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1121

Christy Garrard, Executive Director christy.g@ihcouncil.org, 425-507-1110

Collene Cordova, Owner Services Coordinator collene.c@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1134 Barbara Uribe, Senior Accountant and Benefits Coordinator Barbara.u@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1123 Joon Chang, Director of Accounting joon.c@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1117 Katherine Olson, Accountant Katherine.o@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1119 Russ Ayers, Landscape Manager Russ.a@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1130 Melissa Schneider, Community Manager/Project Manager Melissa.s@ihcommnutiy.org, 425-507-1113 Chelsea Johnson, General Questions Chelsea.J@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1135 Billing Inquiries payments@ihcommunity.org, 425-507-1119

Nina Milligan, Communications Manager nina.m@ihcouncil.org, 425-507-1111 Brianna Eigner, Blakely Hall Marketing Manager & Special Event Consultant brianna.e@ihcouncil.org, 425-507-1107 Michele McFarland, Finance Manager & Office Administrator michele.m@ihcouncil.org, 425-507-1108 Julie Clegg, Creative Coordinator julie.c@ihcouncil.org Vyvian Luu, Graphic Designer and Communications Assistant vyvian.l@ihcouncil.org

COMMUNITY SERVICES AT BLAKELY HALL

Notary Service by Appointment • Per signature fee applies • Fax Sending & Receiving • Fax sending, local $.50 per page • Fax sending, long distance $1.00 per page • Fax receiving, $.50 per page • Limited B/W Photocopying, $.05 per page • Lost & Found

Frank Pineau General Manager FPineau@HFN.org Support: 425-427-0999 HighlandsFiberNetwork.com

Governing Body

Board of Directors Larry Norton Allen Enebo Tim Underwood Charlie Herb Emergency: 9-1-1 Issaquah Police (non-emergency) 425-837-3200 WA Dept of Fish & Wildlife 425-775-1311 Emergency Contact Number For after-hours emergencies not involving police and fire response or gas or water main breaks, contact IHCA at 425-223-8887

Weekly E-Letter: Sign up at issaquahhighlands.com

RENTAL FACILITIES

Blakely Hall

Award-winning Blakely Hall has a feeling and comfort of a lodge. It is a wonderful place for parties with 70 or more guests, fund raisers, galas, and any type of reception. Blakely Hall can accommodate up to 200 guests. In addition to the atmosphere Blakely Hall will give you, there is a patio with outdoor seating and BBQ grill that is available for rent.

Blakely Hall Meeting Room

The Conference room is perfect for your meeting or seminar. It is private. It can accommodate up to 46 guests. A screen is provided as well as comfortable conference chairs and tables that can be configured to your liking. There is a wash station, and a countertop to place your refreshments.

To inquire about booking facilities at Blakely Hall, please contact Brianna at 425.507.1107 or email brianna.e@ihcouncil.org

Fire Station Meeting Room

The Fire Station 73 meeting room is great for community or group meetings. It comes with tables and chairs. It can accommodate up to 85 guests in a meeting setting or comfortably 30 guests. There are two whiteboards for writing down your ideas and agenda.

There is also a television with a DVD player for your instructional videos. Because this is a city building they do not allow religious, partisan, or for-profit meetings to take place in this facility. To inquire about booking the Fire Station Meeting Room, please contact Fire Station #73 at 425.313.3373.

CONNECTIONS

Connections is published by the Highlands Council. Our mission is to foster the development of a vibrant and caring community committed to service, diversity, and well-being.

Connections is printed and mailed every month to every Issaquah Highlands residence as well as local Issaquah residents and businesses. For article submissions and advertising sales, contact Nina Milligan at nina.m@ihcouncil.org or 425-507-1111 Size Mini (text only): 3” x 3”

$75

Rectangle Vert: 3” x 4.625”

$150

Rectangle Horz: 4.625” x 3”

$150

Square: 4.625” x 4.625”

$195

Quarter Page: 4.625” x 6.25”

$275

Half Page Vert: 4.625” x 13”

$495

Half Page Horz: 9.625” x 6.25”

$495

Full Page: 9.625” x 13”

$950

Discounts available with 3 and 6 month contracts.

We reserve the right to accept or refuse submissions and edit to content and length.

We also reserve the right to refuse advertising that in our opinion does not reflect the standards of the newspaper. Opinions or expressed either by paid advertisement or editorial content do not necessarily reflect the views of Highlands Council or this newspaper.

Ads are due by the first Friday of the month for the following month’s publication.

For best results with newspaper printing: • Please avoid small text in color or reversed out of color.

• Do not use a built black of CMYK combined. Instead, please setup all black as “K” only.

• Convert all RGB files to CMYK before creating PDF. • 85 line screen and 300 dpi for photos.

• All process color ads should be converted to CMYK. • Acceptable art for use by our production department includes TIFF or JPEG files.

• Convert all Photoshop files to JPEG or TIFF before sending.

• DO NOT send Quark, Illustrator, Publisher or other native files.

Content and advertising in Connections does not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of the Highlands Council or staff.

On-line advertising available

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HIGHLANDS FIBER NETWORK

Blakely Hall 2550 NE Park Drive Monday–Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm

1011 NE High Street Suite 210 Monday–Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm

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Issaquah Highlands Connections