Kirkland, WA April 2024

ARTS + CULTURE

PURSUING YOUR PASSION

EDUCATION

ANGELS AMONG US

HEALTH + WELLNESS

CLOSER TO A CURE

Investment by definition is the act of devoting time, effort, energy or finances to a particular undertaking with the expectation of a worthwhile result. We can invest in a lot of things such as our community, our relationships, our finances, and our health with the hope that the effort will have a positive impact. We can invest in our community by supporting our local businesses, schools and local organizations. We can serve  the community through volunteerism and investment in future generations. On a larger scale, we can participate in public surveys and stay educated and involved with future city planning. Investing in our finances helps create wealth, meet longterm financial goals and secure our retirement. On a personal level, we can invest in our families and enrich relationships by giving time and effort to the people in our lives that mean the most to us. This type of investment has the most meaningful impact to the people closest to us, as well as ourselves.

One of my most worthwhile recent investments was my time as Editor of this magazine. There were many opportunities to apply my knowledge and education, but even more opportunities to learn new things and be inspired by the community in and around Kirkland. What an incredible experience, it was an absolute pleasure! After this month’s issue I’ll be stepping back from editorial duties, though I’ll still be contributing as a writer.

While investing in ourselves, relationships, community and finances can look very different from person to person, the effort we put into these areas of our lives are done with the common goal of having a positive impact that yields measurable - or at least perceptible - results. In this inaugural "Investment" issue, we wanted to share about some of the ways that we can invest in our community, our finances and in wonderful causes. We’re so grateful that you invest your time in reading this magazine!

Enjoy!

BREE O’BRIEN, EDITOR @KIRKLANDLIFESTYLE

April 2024

PUBLISHER

Caitlin Agnew | caitlin.agnew@citylifestyle.com

EDITOR

Bree O’Brien | bree.obrien@citylifestyle.com

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Taylor Robinson | taylor.robinson@citylifestyle.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Max Baker | max.baker@citylifestyle.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Caitlin Agnew, Bree O’Brien, Carleton McHenry, Christopher J. Jarmick

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Sarah R. Lehrmann, Meagan Romney, Evgeniya Plotnikova, Konstantin Novikov

Schowengerdt

Thompson

Robinson

city scene

1: Traditional King Cakes made by Malia Johnson. 2: Customized swag is a hallmark of this annual celebration. 3: Hosts Sarah and Kurt Lehrmann prepare for the 2nd annual Mardi Party, in honor of Sarah’s Mississippi heritage. 4: Mardi Party guests pose in themed outfits amidst Mardi Gras decor. 5: Kelly Case, Sarah Lehrmann, and Malia Johnson pose with beads and festive eyewear. 6: Kelly Nutt (Market Avenue Real Estate Group) and Naguib Youssef 7: Michal Radka (Seattle Brickmaster), Blake Davis (Kirkland Redmond Orthodontics), Rachel Roupe and Austin Roupe (A&R Homes), and Ioana Radka. Photography Courtesy of Sarah R. Lehrmann

PERSONALIZE YOUR NEW HOME THROUGH MN PRESALES PROGRAM

Absolute Truth | Academic Excellence | Thriving Community

Being anchored in a Christian community is the real strength at

Cedar Park Christian Schools.

We believe the quality of education and environment prepare the next generation to find purpose and develop honest character. We are thankful for our educators, administrators, coaches, and partners who help students be changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Serving Preschool through grade 12 in the Puget Sound region for over 40 years.

business monthly

Kirkland Choral Society's 35th Anniversary Season Finale

Featuring four masterworks: A glorious early Bach cantata; Beethoven’s sublime  Choral Fantasy for piano, chorus, orchestra, and with soloist Craig Sheppard; Brahms’ heavenly  Nänie, with beautiful melodies, and a stirring text by Friedrich Schiller (of  Ode To Joy fame); and  Say Your Name,  the Seattle-area premiere of a stunning new voting-rights cantata by Reena Esmail, Seattle Symphony's recent composer-in-residence. KCS is joined by Philharmonia Northwest, Saturday, April 27 at 2PM at Benaroya Hall. kirklandchoralsociety.org

Photography by Maile Anderson

Crafting Joyful Experiences

Craft Cocktail was born out of the pandemic as a response to the innate need for human connection, creation and the scientifically-proven joy that is found from gathering with friends and creating something by hand. Local founders Andra Freet and Jennifer Boyeson Davis share a love for crafting, community-building, and cocktails. Join them at Moss Bay Hall for a special evening of making drink coasters with alcohol inks, April 18 from 7-9:30 PM. Visit craftcocktail.art

New Travel Planning Tool Released by Kirkland-based travel platform Steller

The company recently announced the release of Trips by Steller, a collabora tive trip planning tool powered by the human narrative. Vice Chairman Rik van der Kooi says, "What I love about Trips is that it replaces perspiration - the significant effort required to find what's truly interesting and fun about a destination - with inspiration, through videos, creators I follow, and an intuitive tool for booking a trip. It's the travel booking of the future."

Photography by Craft Beauty

Pursuing Your Passion

AN ARTIST’S ADVICE ON SELF-DISCOVERY, OVERCOMING CREATIVE BLOCKS, AND GOING FOR IT.

ARTICLE BY CAITLIN AGNEW PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVGENIYA PLOTNIKOVA AND KONSTANTIN NOVIKOV

Evgeniya Plotnikova is a sculptor and stone carver whose works have exhibited internationally and locally. What started as a simple interest grew into a passion that led to setting up a home studio here in the PNW to “play and clay”. Kirkland Lifestyle asked Evgeniya to share how she discovered and pursed her passion in the arts.

HOW DID YOU DISCOVER YOUR PASSION FOR ART?

When I first moved from Siberia to New York, I would pass by a pottery studio on my way to my architecture office. I would stare into the studio space watching people on pottery wheels, until one day I thought ‘Why don’t I sign up?’. Claying was for me just a meditative stress-release activity initially, but then I got fascinated with the material itself.  Working with clay helped me to rediscover a sense of childhood joy and simply play, and then it put me on the path of discovering myself as an artist and as a woman.

While creating my first ceramic series, I noticed a natural tendency towards sculptural designs. After moving from NYC to Washington, we bought a house with a garden and I started to make vases. As a vessel it has a function, but you have to pair it properly with the flower. I had an interest in making beautiful combinations.

My interest in stone began at my job in an architecture firm in NYC. We had a lot of high-end clients, and we would get request to design with specific rare stones, so I’d go to different stone yards to look. I would see the slabs of incredible material, and it just blew my mind how much the nature offers in the richness of the patterns. At some point I thought ‘Why not go to Italy to study sculpture and a craft of marble carving?’ So I did.  Exploring this different medium broadened my identity from a ‘ceramicist’ to an Artist, a Sculptor, not confined by a particular medium.

CONTINUED >

Evgeniya Plotnikova

“Working with clay helped me to rediscover a sense of childhood joy and simply play.”

HOW HAVE YOU OVERCOME CHALLENGES IN FINDING TIME FOR YOUR ART?

Prioritizing.  If there is no time for a good 5-hour long stone carving session, I still might carve out an hour to make a quick collage. Having a home studio has helped tremendously in finding time to make art.  And allowing myself to take breaks. Creativity comes in flows for me. I can work continuously on something, really be focused on it and then step away for some time until I feel a fresh pull back. It’s a natural process.

IN WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU INVESTED IN YOUR PASSION?

I have a full-time job in Architecture that pays my bills, and that allows me not to put a burden on my creative pursuits at this point. It is a joy to create from a place of unconstrained freedom and I would like to maintain it that way. I had to invest a lot of time and money to present my work (photography, website, materials, plane tickets) and use my vacation time to be able to travel for exhibits. At some point the initial efforts started to pay back in terms of financials and recognition as the work started to sell.

“Ultimately making art is about enjoying the process.”

MANY ARE TIMID WHEN EXPLORING THEIR CREATIVITY.  ANY ADVICE?

A few things I’ve realized on my art journey that helped me remove some of the blocks along the way:

• It does not matter what the world thinks of my art. The truth is no one cares about my art except me, and that’s okay.

• Creativity is a unique gift. Why not just open the box and see what comes next?

• You don’t need a “result” - meaning it does not have to sell, be liked by others, or even have to be ‘good’. Ultimately making art is about enjoying the process.

• Singers sing. Makers make. It is my nature to make things, to create, to express. So that’s what I do, and other considerations are less important than this act of making.

• Look at the creative project as a therapy and meditative activity worth investing your time into.  Art heals my head.

For more information about Evgeniya Plotnikova and her art, visit www.evg.works .

“Creativity comes in flows for me. I can work continuously on something, really be focused on it and then step away for some time until I feel a fresh pull back.”

From Hotel to Long-Term Housing

Sage Investment Group is leading the way

Kirkland-based entrepreneur Emily Hubbard has leveraged her experience in the real estate industry to invest in local communities with an innovative housing model that provides some of the “missing middle” workforce housing many metropolitan areas need. She and her husband own Sage Investment Group, a real estate private equity firm which buys two-star hotels and converts them into micro-housing. While there are Sage properties around the country, 40% of them are up and down the I-5 corridor including Bellevue, Olympia, Tacoma, Lakewood, and Burien. “The welcome that we’ve received in Bellevue has been phenomenal,” says Hubbard.

The units are market-rate, but affordable and the monthly payment is all-inclusive for rent, utilities, and parking.

Founded in 2019 with the intent to develop student housing, the pandemic turned college campuses into ghost towns, necessitating a pivot. Sage started marketing its rentals to young professionals and retirees, with one benefit being that while student housing often turns over annually, this demographic tends to stay 2-3 years. The units are market-rate, but affordable and the monthly payment is all-inclusive for rent, utilities, and parking.

The company buys off-market, and hoteliers usually approach them to sell. Sage can remodel a building and turn it around in 12 months (though zoning changes can be a hurdle), but little quirks are often left when a hotel is converted to apartments. The company works with those quirks to include features like dog parks and happy hour spaces on its properties to increase community involvement for residents. Sage will purchase $200MM in hotels throughout the country this year.

Interior of the Pinnacle Property

Ask the Realtor with Marilisa

There are currently a lot of condos on the market, especially in Seattle. Whether you are looking to purchase a condominium unit as an investment property, or for yourself, here are the basic things to consider.

What is a Resale Certificate?

This is an essential part of a condo purchase and is something you should absolutely review prior to putting an offer on a unit or as part of a contingency. The resale certificate will include any known special assessments for the property, whether there are any judgments (law suits) against the property, whether Home Owner Association (HOA) dues are in arrears and how well funded an HOA is, in order to support ongoing building and common area maintenance.

What are Special Assessments?

HOAs charge monthly dues that typically cover things like water, sewer, garbage and common area maintenance and a portion of these funds is also deposited into a “reserve account”. This pool of money is accumulated to cover ongoing building repairs or replacements and typically a well funded HOA has over 75% in required cash in reserves, ideally 90%+. This is rare however, and you will usually find that reserve accounts are between 30-50% funded. When cash reserves fall short and large ticket items are due, such as a roof, siding or window replacement, this often results in a special assessment owed by each condo owner, proportionate to the size and positioning of the unit within the complex overall. This special assessment amount can be paid in full or over a finite period of time, in installments.

MARILISA VERGOTTINI

Broker

206.599.9908

marilisa@compass.com

luxuryseattleliving.com

instagram luxuryseattleliving

What is a Reserve Study?

HOA boards should commission Reserve Study Reports biannually, so as to keep on top of upcoming expenditures and plan for these accordingly. These studies not only predict the amount different maintenance items will cost and when these are likely to be needed, but they also keep track of reserve funds and typically offer 2-3 different solutions for an HOA to reach a fully funded status, which heavily reduces any risk of an ad hoc special assessment fee. I recommend looking through these studies and analyzing how much the HOA has in reserves, as well as when the more expensive ticket items are expected to be tackled. This gives you the ability to predict if and when you might be subject to a special assessment fee in order to address these upcoming needs.

What is Rental CAP?

If you are thinking of buying a condo to rent now or in the future, you will want to know whether the condo complex is subject to a rental cap. This is when rental units are “capped” at a certain amount and when that number is reached, anyone who wishes to rent out their property within the complex will need to be added to a wait list. If there is no rental cap, then that means there are no restrictions on how many units may be leased at any given time. However, be sure to check the HOA rules and regulations for minimum tenancy timelines and whether short term rentals are allowed. Often the minimum tenancy periods allowed are 6 months or 1 year.

There are so many “gotchas” to look out for when purchasing any home but especially condos. For many more insights, tips and tricks reach out to me or your trusted realtor.

About Marilisa: A seasoned real estate broker within Compass WA, Marilisa helps clients relocate, purchase investment homes, sell and buy property. Her core strengths center around full service marketing, negotiation and project management, while keeping her clients’ needs front and center.

Navigating the Uncertainty of 2024

ARTICLE BY CARLETON MCHENRY, CFP® - MCHENRY CAPITAL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CARLETON MCHENRY

We live in a very uncertain time right now with lots of unknowns, whether geopolitical, economic, technological, or environmental. These issues seemingly knock on our door on a regular basis. In fact this is probably what you are currently reading about in the news and is at the forefront of your everyday life.

It is in times like this you may wonder, what should I do with my money?  Or, isn’t this time different than before?  People are unsure and nervous about the future and what lies ahead.  I always tell people who ask me these questions that first and foremost I am not a soothsayer and I don’t have a crystal ball but I do have a list of 5 time-tested guidelines and principles that I believe everyone should adhere to.  These include the following:

1. Have a Written Financial Plan - have a plan that factors in your long-term goals and objectives.  This plan should show you where you are today in relation to where you want to be in say 5, 10, or 20 years.  Are you on track to reaching your goals? What happens if our economy goes into a prolonged recession?  Will you be okay?  Does your family understand the plan?  Is everyone on the same page?

2. Have a Plan B - always have a backup plan!  This may be as simple as cutting back on some expenses or it may be more drastic such as finding a new job or starting a new career.  Nothing stays the same forever and you need to be prepared ahead of time before things get too tight and force you to make decisions that you didn’t want to make.  You would be surprised how many people don’t have a Plan B.

3. Have Emergency Cash Flow - most people don’t have enough set aside in savings to cover a very modest amount of money needed if they were forced to come up with these funds. A recent study by Bankrate showed that 56% of people could not cover a $1,000 expense with their savings.  They would have to use other means including credit cards.  Don’t get caught in this same situation.  Build up an emergency savings threshold that would allow you and your family to be okay (cover your monthly expenses) in situations like this.  I like to see at least one month of savings built up but 2-3 months is much better.  This money can be set aside in a savings account and can still earn a fairly good amount of interest right now (4-5%).

4. Have a Diversified Investment Portfolio - make sure you don’t have all your eggs in one basket.  You need to own different things - stocks, bonds, commodities, real estate - to ensure you are not too heavily concentrated in one area.  Many people have a lot of their money tied up into the Magnificent Seven stocks right now.  Granted these companies have done really well recently but you need to be careful of being overly concentrated in just these 7 names.  The technology sector can and will sell off and these companies will not be immune to that when this happens.

CARLETON MCHENRY

“Nothing stays the same forever and you need to be prepared ahead of time before things get too tight and force you to make decisions that you didn’t want to make.”

5. Have Patience and Discipline - time in the market beats timing the market.  You have to be patient when investing and know that you are going to see periods of time when volatility is up and your money is down.  This is a fact and has happened throughout the history of the market.  Make sure you stay disciplined including doing things that will help you even more in the long run such as continuing to contribute to your retirement plans and paying off any outstanding debts you may own.

When life feels uncertain and you are unsure about your financial future, stick to these five principles and know that things are going to be okay!

ARTICLE BY CHRISTOPHER J. JARMICK, BOOKTREE OWNER/MANAGER

Books to Help You Grow

WELL RESEARCHED AND WRITTEN, THESE BOOKS CONNECT DEEPLY WITH READERS

The Psychology of Money ,  Morgan Housel

One of the best books on managing personal finances - I wish I had this before I was 40! With a focus on behavior, it uses stories to teach lessons about money.

Becoming

a Supple Leopard

, Kelly Starrett and Glen Cordoza

A big book with roots in cross fitness, it covers in-depth how we are designed to move. Easy to read and understand information, but be patient as it’s nearly 500 pages.

The Body Keeps the Score

,  Bessel van der Kolk

Well-written book about how trauma, depression and anxiety, and bad relationships create physical problems and what you can do to improve your mental and physical health.

Chris Jarmick , published writer, and poet, former financial advisor, former documentary and TV producer/ writer-director.

Atomic Habits , James Clear

It’s important to recognize good and bad habits and develop the good. Short chapters full of practical advice you can implement and use right away.

Ultra-Processed

People

,  Chris van Tulleken

One of the scariest, most honest books about what we are really eating!  It contains new research about food that’s clear and digestible. Highly recommended.

booktreekirkland.com

Angels Among Us

ARTICLE BY BREE O’BRIEN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF INTERVIEWEES

Have you ever considered angel investing? The US Securities and Exchange Commission defines angels as “generally high-net-worth individuals who invest their own money directly in emerging businesses.” (sec.gov) They’re primarily accredited investors with a sole annual income over $200K, or income with a spouse of over $300K, or $1 million+ in net worth, excluding primary residence.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE AMONG THESE INVESTORS?

John Sechrest at SAC

“IN MY MIND, SOME PORTION OF ANYONE’S PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITY SHOULD BE ANGEL INVESTING WITH A MISSION,” SAYS SECHREST.

John Sechrest, Founder of the Seattle Angel Conference among other ventures, tells Kirkland Lifestyle that about 15% of area households are accredited investors by law, but less than 1% of those actually invest in early stage startups. Now in its 13th year, SAC is a learn-by-doing cohort based class that was established to create new angel investors. Sechrest says, “It’s more about the chemistry lab class than it is about the chemistry lecture. A key learning for attendees is ‘What things are important to me about making investments? Am I interested in unicorns or clean tech, or helping my friends?’ They really need to come to clarity on that, so we put them on the road to that.”

Around 700 people have participated in the conference as investors, and all of the Seattle-area angel groups include SAC alumni. In SAC, each investor contributes $6K into a common fund, held in an LLC. Startups that have applied and been accepted to the conference make their pitches to investors, and the three-month process culminates in those investors deciding which companies they’ll invest in with the fund. Austin Brovick, a SAC24 Fund Organizer who has participated in the conference four times, says, “One great part of SAC is the extensive network you build over the few months. Many of the Seattle-based angel groups have SAC alumni, so it’s a great way to get an introduction to the angel investing ecosystem in Seattle.”

Brovick joined SAC as a future entrepreneur who wanted to know what investors are looking for in a startup, and to build a professional network. The self-study, workshops, and conversations with other participants helped him feel more confident in his progress toward starting his own company in the near future. “If you have the income to be an accredited investor, it’s pretty low barrier to get your feet wet. It’s $6K to start, and you get a lot of bang for your buck, like paying for a college course with the chance you’ll make money,” Brovick says.

CONTINUED >

Austin Brovick. Photo credit: Anna Letson

Yoko Okano

John Dex

ANGEL INVESTOR AND STARTUP ADVISOR

Seattle Angel Conference has been a spawning ground for new angel investors in our region for over a decade. As I left my work as a tech product manager and startup operator, and explored getting into angel investing, practically everyone I spoke with told me to start at SAC. I’ve found SAC alums all over our Pacific Northwest ecosystem. And I’m proud of being a part of SAC as a 3 time investor and 1 time fund organizer (SAC 21).

I decided to become an angel investor for two reasons: I love the energy and intellectual energy of tech startups; and, I wanted to add a “high risk/ high reward” asset class to my investment mix. Startup investing, done properly with diversification and methodical due diligence, has shown to deliver IRR* returns above 20%.

*IRR: Internal rate of return

As far as demographics, nationally the percentage of female angel investors is about 23%. “We average, in our program, 33% women, and we have an explicit effort to get to 50/50,” Sechrest says. He also mentions that African American and Hispanic people are underrepresented in angel investing. A “sponsored investor” program is designed to help facilitate underrepresented groups’ participation in SAC by providing opportunities to gain knowledge about the process before committing any funds.

Yoko Okano, Founding Partner of First Row Partners and SAC alumni, says “In my first round of SAC, I was one of 4 or so women in a room of 35 angel investors. During a subsequent round of SAC for which I served as a fund manager, we started an upwards trend towards 40-50% female investor participation. That round, we also noted an increase in female founder applicants.” According to Okano, Sechrest was instrumental in encouraging her business partner and herself in their investing journeys. “SAC is a good starting point because the process allows you to see more deals at a faster pace than you could as an individual investor starting out. We’re in such a special place from a talent and capital perspective. We have so many of the ingredients here in Seattle.”

“In my mind, some portion of anyone’s philanthropic activity should be angel investing with a mission,” says Sechrest. “The driving thing is: How do you want to see innovation make the world better? Whatever the answer is for you, you should build your thesis for investing around that. If you and 20 of your friends align on that, you can be transformative for a number of companies; that will not only change the companies’ arc, but will change your community’s arc.”

Sechrest emphasizes, “Everywhere, there are startups. There are founders that are curious and trying things, but how do you get them out of the garage? Well let’s put money on the table to get them out of the garage and into the community.”

To learn more about Seattle Angel Conferece, visit seattleangelconference.com

eat kind

EMBRACING A PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR BODY

Wellness isn’t about restricting — it’s really about giving. Giving to yourself and to your body in a way that allows them both to thrive. The cool part? The things that give to your body naturally give to your mind, your hormones, your earth, your relationships, and so on — it’s all beautifully interconnected in that way.

Work in partnership with your body. Listen to it, support it, give to it, forgive it — and I promise it’ll give back. Repeat after me: I love myself as the most important and committed partner I will ever have

Eat your greens, cook at home, choose local produce and quality meats, don’t be scared of healthy fats — but also support local farmers, move in a way that makes your body and mind feel good, prioritize times of mindfulness and stillness, fuel your body in a way that is sustainable for both you and the planet, practice gratitude and empathy, give yourself grace when you lose routine, don’t try to make changes overnight, ditch the guilt, and always always be kind to yourself.

simple roasted salmon with dill coconut cream

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 6 oz. filets of wild caught salmon

• 1 Tbsp. avocado oil

• 1 Tbsp. coconut aminos

• Zest and juice from one lemon

• 1 Tbsp. stone ground mustard

• 1 4 oz. container coconut yogurt, unsweetened

• 2 Tbsp. fresh dill, minced

• 2 Tbsp. capers, drained and minced

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Marinate the salmon in the lemon juice, coconut aminos, and stone ground mustard for up to two hours.

2. Drizzle salmon with avocado oil, sprinkle with salt and ground pepper, and broil on high for five to seven minutes, until cooked to desired temperature.

3. Mix coconut cream, lemon zest, dill, capers, and ground pepper together.

4. Top salmon with coconut cream, serve with roasted or sautéed veggies, brown or cauliflower rice, or fresh greens. Enjoy!

APRIL 2024

events

A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

APRIL 11TH-12TH

Booker T. Jones Live in Concert

Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland | 7:00 PM

Booker T. Jones is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and arranger. Best known as the front man of the band Booker T. & the MGs, he has worked with countless award-winning artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and has earned a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Tickets and further details at kpcenter.org

APRIL 13TH

Light Up A Signal: Dinner & Live Auction

CPCS Bothell Campus High School Gym, 16300 112th Ave NE, Bothell | 5:00 PM

An invitation to every person who is part of our community to come together for dinner and live auction to help to continue to make Christian education affordable for this generation of students and Christians to change the world. For tickets go to  https://rb.gy/21elds  or  www.cpcsschools.com

APRIL 20TH

Earth Day at Bridle Trails

Bridle Trails State Park, 5300 116th Ave NE, Kirkland | 9:00 AM

The Bridle Trails Park Foundation invites you to its long-running spring stewardship event to celebrate Earth Day (15 years). Focused on removing non-native invasive plants, planting native plants, and sometimes doing work on trails. Families, scouts, and school groups are always welcome. The Ranger needs our help with this kind of work. bridletrails.org

Chef John E. Thompson

events

APRIL 27TH

Watercolor, Flowers, and Wine

Sweet Serenity, 140 Park Lane, Kirkland | 2:00 PM

Come watercolor with Sarah Simon of TheMintGardener, and enjoy a mindful afternoon. Fall in love with the flowing freedom of painting, exploring the joy and beauty of this art form. More information at sweetserenity. store, tickets at eventbrite.com

APRIL 27TH

TLS Auction: Every Piece Matters

Liljebeck Farms, 9009 222nd St SE, Woodinville | 5:00 PM

Please join us at The Little School’s 2024 Auction to support financial aid for TLS families and celebrate with friends and faculty. This year’s theme, Every Piece Matters, acknowledges how we can all come together to further our school’s commitment to access, belonging, equity and inclusion. Visit thelittleschool.ejoinme.org/ everypiecematters for further info.

APRIL 27TH

Almost Human at The Lime

The Lime, 8544 122nd Ave NE, Kirkland | 8:00 PM

Seattle's Premier KISS Tribute return to the Eastside! As is usual at the Lime, no cover. 21 and over. See further information at kisstributealmosthuman. com/shows.

MISO GLA ZED SALMON STEELHEAD

The Village at Totem Lake 11900 NE Village Plaza, Suite 164

Closer to a Cure

Kirkland local Berea Schaffer is VP of Connected Experiences at Workday, a wife, mother, and relentless advocate and fundraiser for Rett Syndrome and those affected by it; including her seven-year-old daughter, Bryer. After a year of tests and evaluations, Bryer was diagnosed at age two following a concerning developmental plateau.

Characterized as a “rare” disease, about 350,000 people worldwide have Rett Syndrome, primarily girls. It’s a neurological disorder caused by a spontaneously occurring gene mutation, and makes it difficult for the brain to communicate with the rest of the body. The majority are nonverbal, unable to walk, and have seizure disorders. Hand wringing and breathing irregularities are also typical of Rett. Babies are generally born healthy, and symptoms begin to develop around 12-18 months.

As a rare disease, getting enough funding directed to research for potential therapies and cures is a special challenge. Schaffer mentions the US government recently approved access to federal funding for Rett, meaning now researchers can apply for federal grants to further study the syndrome. The Schaffer family holds a fundraiser annually to benefit the Rett Syndrome Research Trust, which provides research grants to universities, doctors, researchers, and companies.

In just the past year, two gene therapy clinical trials started for Rett syndrome, with many additional promising approaches including gene editing in active research. The community is optimistic for a cure because early discoveries showed symptoms could be reversed, rather than simply arrested, in mice.

Schaffer says her family has been overwhelmed with community support for their fundraiser, and they will continue raising awareness and money to fund research for a cure. You can find more information about Rett, and make a contribution at reverserett.org

ARTICLE BY BREE O’BRIEN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEAGAN ROMNEY

The Schaffer family

S E L L F O R T O P D O L L A R

B E F O R E

Have you previously tried selling and didn’t get the price you desired? With inventory as low as it currently is, there is no reason a house shouldn’t sell at market value or more. Despite being in a sellers’ market, it’s still just as important to focus on the 3 P’s - price, preparation, and presentation, for the most positive ROI on your home sale. Ask us about Leveraging the Compass Concierge program we offer, that helps sellers with the up front costs that come with prepping a home for market, such as painting, carpeting, home maintenance, etc. We are here to guide you through this process from start to finish. Get in touch with us today and let's make this spring your most rewarding yet!

A