When Connie Bye, George Soltes and I sit down to sketch out the story lineup for future issues, we don’t back into it with an overarching theme. Mostly, Connie comes with an extremely organized running list of ideas she’s put together, and George and I say yes. And more often than not, there’s way too much content for our pages to hold and we have to choose between what we think are good stories and what we hope will be great stories. All in all, a good problem to have. (And one we suspect is largely due to living in a remarkable place.)
Much of the magic of what good journalism does is getting out of the way and allowing the themes to reveal themselves.
In this issue, appropriate for the season, giving emerged as the overriding refrain. From the Red Cedar Council, which facilitates the inclusion of island charities in donors’ wills and estates, to the little food pantries, stocked for when people need some help putting a meal on the table, to the tireless work of Jim Hopper, executive director of the Bainbridge Community Foundation, to One Call for All, whose mission is to help streamline giving to organizations that need it most, we seemed to find generosity everywhere we looked. It wasn’t about filling our homes up with more stuff . . . but rather filling one another up with hope, lending a helping hand and giving as abundantly as we’re able.
From the three of us (plus of course our brilliant director of sales and community relations, Stephanie Reese) to all of you, may this season be joyous, bright and inspiring.
Allison Schuchman Editor in Chief
OWNER & EDITOR IN CHIEF Allison Schuchman
D IRECTOR OF SALES & COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Stephanie Reese
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Connie Bye
George Soltes
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Gisela Swift
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Mark Swift
WRITERS
Christy Carley, Anna Carson, Jeff Fraga, Kerrie Houston Reightley, Audrey Nelson, Sophia Soltes, Bajda Welty, Anne Willhoit
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Keith Brofsky, Anna Carson, David W. Cohen, Annie Graebner, Kelvin Hughes, Dinah Satterwhite CONTACT
(206) 486-4097 • pnwbainbridge@gmail.com Instagram @pnwbainbridge Facebook at PNW Bainbridge
high notes
Letters From Stephanie Reese
Driving the narrow, winding roads of Lake Como, I felt anything but peaceful. The stunning views of the lake, quaint villages and perfect weather couldn’t calm my nerves as cars sped past us, inches away. I was tense, eyes shut, grumpy and frustrated, refusing to enjoy the scenery despite my husband’s encouragement. Finally, he pulled over and insisted we take a moment to appreciate where we were. As I sat there, resistant and anxious, I remembered my friend Anna Choi’s words. Anna, a Qi Gong master, once shared that peace starts from within and that we should allow space for our anxiety. Her message resonated with me during a World Peace Day flash mob we organized last September. Leading up to it, I was anxious, worried about choreography and turnout, and missing the joy of
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the experience. But Anna guided us through a Qi Gong-inspired dance, helping me see how each movement connected mind and body, bringing inner and outer peace.
As we gathered that day, I felt nervous, but once the music started, my fears melted. I found myself connecting deeply with the rhythm, the movement and the people around me. It was a beautiful shift—from nerves to a collective, humble pride in celebrating peace.
Back on the roadside in Lake Como, I took a few deep breaths and recalled that peace was within my reach if I allowed it. Slowly, I opened my eyes to the breathtaking landscape around me, realizing that by finding calm within, I could finally appreciate the paradise that surrounded me. World peace is all around us if we start from within. I thank Anna for that lesson, still resonating with me halfway across the globe on my travels.
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winter 2024
departments
Editor’s Letter 4
High Notes 5
Contributors 10
Epilogue 10
Calendar 62
secrets
Budding Artists 11
Bonsai master Robert Cho teaches the art at Bainbridge Gardens
At Will 12
The Red Cedar Council urges islanders to include nonprofits in their estate planning
sHORTS
Breadwinners 16
Communal bakers rise to the challenge
Outside the Box 20
Little free pantries help keep hunger at bay
Rolling Out the Welcome Mat
Growing Mid-island community enjoys a moment
Learning Curve 28
Religious School Charts a New Course
Lost and Crowned 32
The tale of Anastasia takes centerstage at BPA
To Congee or Not? 34
Comfort food helps dispel the dark days ahead
RECIPES
Double Chocolate Cookies 37
Double Chocolate Cookies are guaranteed to please friends and family
AND ANOTHER THING
Now & Then 14
Santa sets up in Pleasant Beach
Magic Moments 56
Setting the Scene for Barbie
In Focus 64
Royal Welcome for Suquamish pole
FEAST ON THIS 59
Blackbird Bakery
Briny Bagels
Sushi-Ko
ABOUT THE COVER
Keith Brofsky said he captured the photo of this icy orb at the start of the pandemic. “Placing a crystal ball in nature, observing its refractions, was in hindsight, perhaps a subconscious metaphor … a means of escape, intrigue and beauty in an uncertain time.”
contributors
David Cohen
David Cohen first became interested in photography as the result of the black and white etchings in his Pittsburgh childhood home which lined the steps going to the second and third floors. Later, Cohen became fascinated with images of buildings and homes. The lines, lighting and ultimately the photographer’s primary focus point were inspiring. The key, he learned, is to find the unique soul in each of the structures. He says, “It pays to be a good and patient observer!”
Anna Carson
Anna Carson moved to Bainbridge Island from Atlanta in 2013. Before that, she spent several years living in London, where she discovered her passion for photography. Her photos have appeared in Time Magazine, USA Today, The New York Times and other national media outlets. Today, Anna does photography and social media management for several prominent local businesses and Bainbridge organizations. She is dedicated to connecting with the island community and can often be found photographing families, events and daily life on Bainbridge.
On a handful of occasions, we have written about the wonderful magic of Bainbridge Island Lost Pets. Our reporting started with retelling how the Facebook group helped mobilize islanders in the search for Beckey Anderson’s escaped dog, Mable, who ran off during a blizzard, but was safely reunited with her family after a couple of terrifying days (Paw Patrol, Summer 2023 issue, page 11). We were again reminded of its influence when a doodle pup made a mad dash from Battle Point Park until Cruz Piland’s headlamp caught the glint of her eyes late one night while searching from his paddleboard (Epilogue, Winter 2023 issue, page 9). Happy pet reunion stories are aplenty. And at the heart of many of those reunions was islander Janet Billenstein, one of the page’s frequent posters, monitoring it for new posts and faithfully cross posting to other island groups.
Audrey Nelson
Audrey Nelson is a Bainbridge High School graduate and a current senior at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Her first published piece appeared in PNW Bainbridge; since then, her reporting has been featured on Vox Media’s Today, Explained podcast and in the Kitsap Sun. After college, she hopes to return to the Seattle area and tell stories about interesting people doing interesting things. When not writing, Audrey enjoys playing contact sports, collecting dangly earrings, and ranting about the subversive qualities of romance novels.
Sadly, we learned of Janet’s passing on October 15. As the news spread across the page, hundreds of heartfelt tributes rolled in just as quickly. A tiny sampling includes a sweet message from Alessandro Sordello that simply read: “Janet was a ray of sunshine. Always.” Kären Ahern reflected, “I miss Janet so terribly much. There was something about knowing I could just reach out to her in a message about anything and we could kvetch or laugh. I feel that loss but then I do really feel her laughing at me, like right now, that I am such a sap to miss the Wild Forest Woman who adopted all things for her own, as we adopted her.” And Tatiana Sordello said, “Janet was such a wonderful, loving human and we were so blessed to have her in our community. We called her our ‘fairy grandma’ in our home. She constantly thought of my girls and always gave them little gifts. I also will miss joking that she is the only woman I will let my husband call his girlfriend! She would jokingly come into the shop for her hug from him and give me the side eye!” The list goes on and on.
In such divided, tumultuous times, it’s heartening to know that people like Janet exist, to witness how widely acknowledged she was for making a difference and to see the ripple effect that her kindness had on the people she touched. Although our community lost a good ‘un, I have all faith that we’ve gained an angel who has a cat on her lap and a dog by her side.
BUDDING ARTISTS
The process of artistically and aesthetically designing bonsai trees is meant to instill feelings of inner-peace and tranquility—unless, perhaps, you’ve been unsuccessful at cultivating one.
“It’s probably not your fault if you’ve failed at it,” said bonsai master Robert Cho, who reassured aspiring bonsai artists taking part in a recent workshop at Bainbridge Gardens. He explained that early failure is to be expected, since so little is commonly known about bonsai.
Cho owns and runs Asia Pacific Gardening of Kent, Washington, with his son, Nolan. The duo has held the bonsai workshops at Bainbridge Gardens since 2018.
The Chos brought their business to the states in 1992 from Hong Kong, from where they dominated the European market. “Bonsai was hard to obtain here, and a deep-kept
secret,” Nolan said. The father-son team is now the largest distributor of bonsai in the western United States. Part of their success can be credited to exceptional customer service, including free-of-charge bonsai care for customers away on vacation, a bonsai hospital and video chats.
September’s workshop began with a brief bonsai history, including dispelling some misconceptions. “Bonsai was popularized in Japan,” Robert said, “but originated in China 1,300 years ago.” The word bonsai is formed by two Chinese characters, with bon signifying a container, and sai for tree. Or simply put, bonsai means plant in a container. “They are not miniature trees, but are trees kept small,” he said. “Bonsai native trees are meant for outdoors,” Nolan added. “Don’t bring them inside when it’s cold. They need winter to sleep.”
Attendees chose from several uniquely shaped 5-to-6year-old junipers to plant in a pot and then prune. “Pick one that speaks to you,” Robert said. Nolan, also a creator of YouTube bonsai videos, helped students photograph and use a cell phone app to experiment with changes to the plant’s form before actually removing limbs or leaves.
Robert’s closing advice to the class: “Find a bonsai you love, and love what you find. Buy one, when you understand what that means.”
For a schedule of upcoming bonsai classes visit bainbridgegardens.com or bonsaiclass.com
PHOTOS BY KELVIN HUGHES PRODUCTIONS
secrets at WILL
One more reason to love Bainbridge Island is our residents’ passionate commitment to philanthropy: past, present and future.
BY KERRIE HOUSTON REIGHTLEY
It’s Bainbridge Community Foundation’s mission to encourage and inspire the people who live, work and visit Bainbridge
to enhance and sustain the community through a variety of grant-making programs, such as the Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center in Silverdale and the Housing Action Fund. Since BCF’s inception in 2011, $28.75 million has been allocated to these causes, among many more.
One initiative of which BCF executive director Jim Hopper is most proud is the Youth Experience Support program. “We provide barrier free financial resources for kids to participate in extracurricular activities,” Hopper said. “If your kids need soccer cleats, it is funded by YES.”
In 2017, BCF Board members took philanthropy to a new height, forming the Red Cedar Council, a program which advocates for BCF to be included in people’s wills or estate plans. Hopper said that the name was chosen for the red cedar tree’s longevity and usefulness to the communities where it grows. “We liked the connection because of this enduring giving quality.”
“The RCC is committed to doing good in the community when they’re no longer here,” added Hopper, who said that each February a luncheon is held in the donors’ honor as a thank you. “We look to these folks as [community] advisers.” To date, $4.2 million has been willed to BCF through the council.
Hopper said one of the Council’s most transformative gifts was made in 2011 when an RCC member granted $100,000 to the community, and another $4,000 to BCF for new computers. “That was back when we were in two tiny offices in the Marge Williams Center,” Hopper said. “We had two very old computers, and had to re-use paperclips.” With this beloved member’s recent passing, BCF became one of her beneficiaries.
“Our organization’s North Star is that everyone in our community understands the challenges that our community faces and feels personally inspired to do something about it—through giving. Anyone can be a philanthropist and make a difference.”
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now and then THE NORTH POLE ON THE SOUTH SIDE
Grocery prices may have changed, but Santa endures. Island youngsters have found Father Christmas free for some lap time at Lynwood Center for nearly a century.
Now, kids coveting a Kris Kringle closeup can find him and Mrs. Claus at Manor House on November 29, November 30, December 7 and December 21 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
BY GEORGE SOLTES
PHOTOS COURTESY SUZAN HUNEY AND EARL KRAUSE COLLECTION, BAINBRIDGE HISTORY MUSEUM AND PLEASANT BEACH VILLAGE
Photo: David Cohen
Breadwinners
Communal Baking Parties Get a Rise Out of Islanders
In the early 1970s, islander Bill Satoris was a volunteer with the Peace Corps in Morocco, where, he said, “bread baking is a cultural essential.” He lived around the corner from a communal oven, a ferrane, where families and commercial bakers alike would bring their dough.
BY CHRISTY CARLEY PHOTOS COURTESY DON HEPPENSTALL
“I could go there and buy bread that was just cooling on the floor. I could walk home and smear butter on it and it would melt right in.”
Upon his return to the States, Satoris started making Moroccan-style bread and bringing it to potlucks. The process wasn’t elaborate. “It was just a single rising, but within a few hours, we could have a round loaf of Moroccan bread”—perfect for sopping up a tagine.
Fast forward a few decades and Satoris found himself in the presence of another communal bread oven—this one decorated with shells and seaglass and located in the backyard of Bainbridge northenders Don Heppenstall and Emily Mansfield.
Heppenstall originally intended his backyard oven for pizza. But in 2012, after reading “52 Loaves: A Half-Baked
Adventure” by William Alexander, his idea shifted. Alexander (who, coincidentally, recently moved to Bainbridge from the East Coast) chronicles his (mis)adventures learning to bake “peasant bread” by baking one loaf per week for a year. His exploration of bread-baking took him as far as France and Morocco, where he witnessed the same communal bread-baking that Satoris had seen decades before.
“Once upon a time, in both Africa and Europe,” Alexander wrote, “bread was widely prepared at home but baked in communal ovens. This economy of scale made, and still makes, a lot of sense, particularly when fuel is scarce, but this dying tradition is found in so few places today that it is in very real danger of extinction.”
Alexander’s writing spurred Heppenstall into action. Already a bread-baker and former restaurant owner, he decided to transform his backyard oven, adding a door to keep the heat in and piping in the steam nozzle from an espresso maker—a $40 Goodwill purchase—to mimic steam generated by some commercial ovens.
Next, he invited his bread-baking friends to the first of what would become a monthly gathering. Attendees each arrive with a ready-to-bake loaf, plus either a salad or an appetizer. Heppenstall makes a big pot of soup, and bakers sip wine around a firepit as their creations bake. When the loaves are done, the feast begins.
“The teamwork of prepping the bread for the oven, and seeing the results coming out of the oven, gives us a bond that doesn’t happen at normal party get-togethers,” Heppenstall said.
The group called themselves the “Loafers” and eventually adopted the slogan “Make loaf, not war,” which now graces their matching baseball caps. When a new Loafer joined, Heppenstall handed them a copy of “52 Loaves,” which essentially became required reading.
New Loafers find out about the group through word of mouth, and the gatherings range in size. The biggest was 36 people, but typically about 20 people show up. Fitting all those loaves in the oven can require a bit of choreography. “It’s like barely controlled chaos,” said Tera Eerkes, who has been a Loafer for about a decade. “It’s kind of fantastic.”
Eerkes, who works in molecular genetics, is fascinated by the biology of the sourdough starter—that mixture of flour and water which, when properly tended, cultivates wild yeast. She even had the yeast strains in her own starter genetically sequenced through a project at North Carolina State University.
Bob Booher started baking in the 1970s and, apart from Heppenstall and Mansfield, has attended more gatherings than any other Loafer. He prefers purchasing yeast to maintaining a starter, which he says is “like having a pet in your refrigerator.”
One doesn’t have to be a hardcore bread fanatic or have perfect baking skills, but coming empty handed to a Loafers gathering is verboten. Most Loafers will attest that they’ve picked up a wealth of tips and tricks from their fellow participants—some have even shared their starters. One year, a few Loafers took a field trip to Washington State University’s Bread Lab in Burlington, where they attended baking classes and learned about the history of different grain varieties.
Satoris heard about the Loafers through a friend, and while he doesn’t attend as often as he used to, he’s delighted to see the tradition of communal baking that he witnessed all those years ago live on through the group. For Eerkes, the Loafers’ spirit of “generosity and caregiving” stands out. “You don’t bake a whole loaf of bread just for yourself.”
“Claudia
Outside THE BOX
Little Free Pantries Help
Ensure that Islanders Have Enough to Eat
The boxes look a lot like Little Free Libraries, but inside, they’re stocked with food, not books.
BY CONNIE
BYE
PHOTOS COURTESY COURTNEY COOK
“It empties out every week,” said Courtney Cook, director of youth ministries at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church. The bright-red box at the corner of the church parking lot is maintained by youth from the congregation. “Obviously, there’s a need. And Rolling Bay does get a lot of traffic. Many people in the neighborhood contribute graciously, as do members of our church.”
To help young people better understand the challenges some households face with food, Cook takes the group shopping at Walmart once a year. The assignment: Put together three meals for a family of four for $25.
The pantry box recently was updated with fresh paint and checked for waterproofing, Cook said. Also, two oversized mailboxes were added beneath: one for cleaning products, the other for toiletries.
Helpline House offers free groceries at its building, 282 Knechtel Way NE, to anyone who has a need. But it also shepherds the free pantry box at the Masonic Center across from Bainbridge High School, said Maria Metzler, executive director at Helpline House.
“We are not involved in the others because, at their core, Little Free Pantries (LFPs) are meant to be hyper-local, community-led and -driven efforts to help neighbors,” Metzler said via an email interview. “We were involved early on in the LFP at the Masonic Temple, and we have a dedicated Helpline House volunteer who stocks that LFP with Helpline food on a weekly (or more) basis.”
Metzler said Helpline welcomes the other pantries, which include one outside Safeway. “We think LFPs are great! Our mission is to invite the community to become a part of a circle of giving and receiving—neighbor helping neighbor. LFPs do just that, in a focused, local and community way.”
After business hours, Helpline also offers nonperishable free food though its Porch Pantry, Metzler noted. “It could be seen as the ultimate LFP, I suppose. We stock it each evening that we’re open with a variety of foods, focusing on things people can use to make a meal—think pasta and sauce, onions and potatoes,
bread—and have an emphasis on foods people could eat, if needed, straight from the porch—pop-top cans of soup (disposable utensils provided), apples, snacks, peanut butter, etc.”
“Ultimately, we want folks to access the Porch Pantry, because then they know where Helpline House is located and have a higher propensity of coming back for a full shop (more produce, meats, dairy) when we’re open and possibly engaging with staff for other services, such as counseling or case management. But we deeply appreciate efforts to maintain LFPs around the island for those for whom access to the food bank (when we’re open) and the Porch Pantry (when we’re not) is prohibitive for any reason. Their presence also is a significant sign marker that the community in engaged, involved and cares about our neighbors who need a little extra food, either regularly or once in a while.”
“Food insecurity doesn’t always look like one might think,” Metzler added. “It doesn’t mean that you open the cupboards and they’re empty. It means trying to balance the financial demands of a household in an environment where costs keep rising and salaries don’t match it. Many small things help, like LFPs and a community (like Bainbridge) willing to pitch in in many ways.”
At Rolling Bay Presbyterian, one member of the congregation donated money to buy food for the little pantry, Cook said. “They wanted to make sure it stays full.”
Single-serve portions, pop-top cans, microwaveable foods and feminine hygiene products are among needed items, she said. Things to avoid when donating are foods that must be heated on a stove or in an oven, as well as any item that needs to be refrigerated, such as fresh produce or dairy products, Cook said.
Cook estimated that she spends $350 to $400 a quarter on restocking. “I notice what goes, and that’s what I buy. I’m glad it’s getting used. It’s more than snacks for neighborhood kids—although that’s OK. It’s about helping more families make it through the month.”
ROLLING OUT THE WELCOME MAT
BY CHRISTY CARLEY
Wearing Bay Hay and Feed sweatshirts with just the right amount of wear (and some subtle clay stains), Laura and Kelly Cochran could pass for longtime islanders. In truth, the couple relocated from Lake Stevens to Poulsbo just last March, after opening Lost Forest Ceramics next to Rolling Bay Winery.
“We’re bursting at the seams!” said Laura, referring to how quickly their classes are filling up. But the shop, too, is bursting with an abundance of colorful creations stacked on its shelves. In addition to classes, Lost Forest offers monthly memberships, as well as a $36 drop-in rate for two hours. “Everyone is welcome. It doesn’t matter who you are.”
The Cochrans took a leap of faith purchasing the studio when it came on the market (Laura had previously worked at Boeing and neither she nor Kelly
PHOTOS BY ANNIE GRAEBNER
had owned an art studio before), but the couple immediately felt embraced by the Rolling Bay community. “We have the best neighbors,” Laura gushed, referring to Rolling Bay Winery, where she is a member of the wine club.
Lost Forest is one of a handful of new businesses that have opened in the neighborhood over the past year. Maggie Stephens launched Bower, a vintage furniture shop, last spring in what used to be the courthouse. Briny Bagels was inaugurated next door in July. The parking spots out front still say “police,” but that hasn’t deterred the
crowds—Sunday mornings boast a line out the door, and owner Frank Giuliano managed to sell about 750 bagels in his first 48 minutes in business.
Rolling Bay Hall, too, is transforming. Following the departure of WEAVE Presents, local thespian Kate Henderson launched Side Quest Stage, a new theater-forward performing arts venue that will also feature musical acts and improvisational gaming events (think Dungeons and Dragons). Henderson will continue to collaborate with other groups that use the space, such as InD Theatre.
“I think the neighborhood is really having a moment,” says Lauren Terp, co-owner of The Mudroom, a pottery studio just a few doors down from Briny Bagels. The Mudroom opened about three years ago, but Terp says she’s noticed an uptick in foot traffic recently, especially after the bagel shop came in. Like Lost Forest, the Mudroom offers classes, but only for adults, and memberships are also an option for those who have some studio experience. With two community studios and a few other private studios in
the area, Terp joked that Rolling Bay is the unofficial ceramics district of the island, but she doesn’t mind. “I’m a firm believer in ‘the more the merrier,’” she said. While a handful of business owners breathe new life into Rolling Bay, the oldtime charm of the island enclave remains.
Alphonse de Klerk, owner of Rolling Bay Winery, calls the neighborhood “kind of off-kilter” and “eclectic” — a fitting adjective when one considers the location of Via Rosa 11, which is adjacent to Jiffy Mart, a combination that evokes a kind of old-island Americana.
And then, of course, there’s Bay Hay and Feed, steeped in local lore with its charmingly creaky floorboards and signature, lowkey apparel.
Chris Shaffer, who grew up in Rolling Bay in the 1980s and ‘90s, said that stepping into Jiffy Mart (which he frequented as a kid) is like “going back in time.”
After spending some time in Seattle, Schaffer returned to the island with wife Kestrel Rundle. They now live on Valley Road with their two kids and frequently visit Rolling Bay’s commercial center on foot or by bike. “All the businesses are so close that you do end up running into people and stopping and talking,” said Shaffer. “You’re not really deliberately setting out to meet up with someone, but it just kind of fosters that community. When I’m there with the kids, I
inevitably run into someone every time. I kind of cherish that aspect of it.”
Often, this happens at Bay Hay, Rolling Bay Cafe (where regulars sometimes meet up twice daily), or the neighborhood Post Office, known for being the only spot on the island with a unique ZIP code. Opened in 1892, the
small office is one of 12 post offices that have operated on Bainbridge over the years. It continues to thrive, thanks to dedicated neighbors and the continued support of Bay Hay, from which it leases space.
Giuliano hopes that Briny Bagels will create yet another spot for
spontaneous neighborhood socializing. “What we’re looking to do is create a community space,” he said, noting that the shop has already become something of a gathering place. “Not once has anyone asked for the Wi-Fi password. People are taking that time to really disconnect.”
Giuliano and his family moved to the island in 2009. He’s originally from New York, but Bainbridge is the place he’s lived longest. Giuliano started making bagels about five years ago, and his decision to go commercial has come as a delight (maybe even a relief) to other East Coast transplants.
“Frank and I bonded over bagels. I vetted him” said Terp, who also spent time in New York.
Other area shop owners are also excited about fostering neighborhood community. Devin Groman, one of four co-owners who took over Bay Hay in 2022, recalled events hosted at the store when she was growing up on the island. “The harvest fair was here, there were hay bale mazes, there was a chili feed. I would love to bring back community events,” she said. “We have the opportunity with all these other businesses to try to do something together.”
Currently, the row of storefronts between Bower and the Mudroom are teaming up to create a holiday market on December 7.
In mid-September, the city hosted a series of meetings regarding state-mandated updates to its Comprehensive Plan—a document that outlines a long-term vision for the growth of the Bainbridge community. The current updates under review must consider population growth through 2044.
Generally speaking, the plan supports concentrating growth in Winslow, but notes the possibility of future changes to zoning in the island’s other neighborhood centers, including Rolling Bay.
Whether the neighborhood will see significant growth remains uncertain, and a lack of infrastructure (like a sewer line) could pose challenges to more significant development.
Nearly a decade ago, Rolling Bay Land Co., an eco-development company on the island, drew up plans for Sunrise Square, a proposed residential and commercial development to be located just north of the Jiffy Mart and Via Rosa, but the project has been on pause. Lisa Martin, who owns the property, said that she could also imagine a lower impact project for that space. “There’s still huge potential there for something for the community—a gathering place, a pop-up beer garden, a food truck place … I’m open to ideas.”
Naturally, the residents and business owners of Rolling Bay have a range of opinions regarding the possibility of any change to the neighborhood.
A 1974 graduate of Bainbridge High School, Gary Vestman grew up in the Rolling Bay neighborhood and recalls playing baseball there. Home plate, as he remembers it, was somewhere on Bay Hay’s property with the rest of the field extending to where the storage units and businesses such as Bower and Briny Bagels are. Vestman’s family bought what
was formerly the ballfield, and in 1990, he and his dad constructed the buildings that sit there today.
“[The neighborhood] has already changed,” he said. “I don’t see that as a detriment.” But for now, he hopes that any changes focus on accommodating residents and businesses that are already there, by making the neighborhood safer
and more walkable. One thing most neighbors seem to agree on is the need for sidewalks and a shoulder along Valley Road. For this, the city does have a plan, which is currently being reviewed by the Council.
Another point of common ground amongst neighbors is the desire for Rolling Bay to stay true to that “off-kilter” charm.
“My hope is that it at least maintains a little bit of its character,” said Shaffer. “Regardless of whatever changes occur.”
Learning Curve Religious School Charts a New Course
BY GEORGE SOLTES PHOTOS BY DINAH SATTERWHITE
When David Schor was asked to chair the Religious School Committee at Congregation Kol Shalom in the spring of 2023, he thought it over for a while, then dived in.
Schor had moved from Seattle to Bainbridge Island in late 2020, at the height of the pandemic, along with wife Julie and son Ben, then a first grader.
“It was a challenging first year,” Schor said, “because we didn’t know too many people here, and everybody was trying to avoid each other, at least physically.”
When the CKS religious school reopened for in-person learning in the fall of 2022, Schor was thrilled to enroll Ben and to begin connecting with Bainbridge’s small but vibrant Jewish community, happily offering his time at the school and synagogue.
Still, chairing a committee he had never even served on was a big step. “I wanted to help out,” he said, “but I didn’t want to get in over my head.” Finally, he took the chance. “I said, ‘I want there to be a good religious school, so sure, yeah.’”
Then the wheels fell off.
Shortly after the prior committee chair handed the keys over to Schor, the school director resigned, followed by two of the three on-site teachers. “The stars lined up in a perfect storm kind of way,” said Schor, “where everybody was giving notice around the same time, all for different reasons.”
With the new school year set to begin, Schor found himself responsible for a school with almost no professional staff. What followed was a year in which a group of parent volunteers, headed up by Schor, did their best with what they had, mixing remote formal instruction with live games, singing, art, dance and play.
The experience gave Schor and the other parents a newfound respect for the professionals. “It was hard to do all this with a volunteer workforce of haggard parents, who were already exhausted from the week,” Schor said. “Anyone who’s not a teacher often doesn’t appreciate how much goes into classroom management and getting the kids to pay attention and behave.”
While their hard work and improvisational skills got them through the “Holy
cow, who’s flying the plane?” school year, as Schor described it, he and the other parents had no wish to repeat the experiment.
The answer was found through a kind of rabbinical grapevine. Dario Feigun, the rabbi at CKS, reached out to Rabbi Emily Katcher at Congregation Beth Hatikvah in Bremerton, who, in turn, thought of her friend and former classmate, freshly minted Rabbi Nina King-Madlem.
King-Madlem came with a background seemingly tailor-made for the challenge, with prior experience as a public-school counselor, religious school director and chaplain. She also came with passion for the vital role of early Jewish education on the island.
drift away after their bar and bat mitzvahs.
Whatever a kid’s age, King-Madlem has a single overriding goal. “What I want is interested and vibrant students who are engaged and having meaningful experience,” she said. “That’s my metric. It’s not so much numbers, as that feeling we get when we’re together.”
That said, the CKS school is ready to welcome new students at any time, from the island and beyond. “We want to start thinking of ourselves as a school for the Jewish families of Kitsap County, not just Bainbridge Island,” Schor said. “We want everyone to know that we’re here, we’re open and we’ve got teachers on site.”
“We share the stories. We share the rituals. This is how we transmit it to the next generation,” she said. “We also create community, especially for students who live in areas like we do in the Northwest, where they might be the only Jewish kid in their school.”
King-Madlem quickly restaffed, entering the current year fully stocked with teachers for grades one through seven. She is already thinking beyond those age groups, with programs in the works for preschoolers and to engage teens, who sometimes
Meanwhile, Schor and the other parents are looking forward to getting back to doing what they do best.
“As volunteers we’re going to have the capacity to do all the celebrating together,” he said, “and not just have to figure out how to run a school.”
Kol Shalom will host a family friendly Hannukah and Shabbat service on Friday December 27. All are welcome to come celebrate and learn more about CKS. Details and RSVP at kolshalom.net.
Lost and Crowned Anastasia Comes to BPA’s Stage in December
BY SOPHIA SOLTES
PHOTO BY KEITH BROFSKY
Snow falls over St. Petersburg as revolution looms in Russia and the fate of the Romanov family hangs in the balance. Amnesiac orphan Anya sets off from the dark streets to the dazzling lights of 1920s Paris. Just as you’ve found yourself swept into her search for family and belonging, a brief thought interrupts: I still need to go to Seattle for holiday shopping! You quickly shake it off, freeing yourself from the pull of reality on Bainbridge Island, allowing you to return to the city of lights once again.
It’s this illusory transportation that director Troy Wageman hopes you’ll experience in Bainbridge Performing Arts’ rendition of the musical “Anastasia,” taking the stage in December at the Buxton Center.
“It has this really great blend of actual history and fantasy,” Wageman said, “and it speaks to a larger group, rather than just children, rather than just adults.”
Wageman, who estimates he has directed around 20 productions and acted in 40, is excited to bring the musical to life. “When I was a kid, this was one of the greatest films that you could watch,” he recalled. “We are moving away from these big, lush, spectacular musicals, and it’s really rare that a show like “Anastasia,” that is such a classic musical, is so captivating to current audiences.” Soaring melodies by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, paired with the fictionalized story of the Bolshevik overthrow of the Imperial Russian family, has cemented “Anastasia” as a crowd favorite.
As BPA prepares to stage the beloved story, it’s clear that the production will have its own distinct flair. “Well, it’s going
to be the people, right?” said Wageman. “With the incredible cast and designers, this production will be very unique.” BPA has turned the show into an opportunity to push creativity in a truly collaborative environment. “You know, it’s funny, because BPA doesn’t feel like a small stage,” said Wageman, “The success happens because everyone is willing to go above and beyond to make the production a success. Nothing makes me happier than being able to showcase people’s talent.”
Jessica Ziegalbauer, who is taking on the starring role of Anastasia, is as enthusiastic as Wageman. “I’m so incredibly grateful to be playing the role,” she said. “I truly never thought that I would, so I’m trying to soak in every moment and take it all in.” She also agrees with her director’s assessment of the crew and creative team. “Everyone has been really lovely!” she said.
As the curtain rises, “Anastasia” aims not only to entertain but also to resonate with its audience. “If people still want theater, they still want music and they still want art, then people need to show up,” Wageman said. And he is confident that islanders will do just that. “I’m just excited for you to show up, be in the room for two hours and 15 minutes, and leave with a new message and maybe, a new outlook on life because of one moment in the show.”
Ready to head to Paris? “Anastasia” will be performed from December 5 through 22. Tickets are available on bainbridgeperformingarts.org, including a pay-what-you-can preview on December 5.
“I just know it’s going to be gorgeous,” Ziegalbauer said. “And since I’ve never played a princess before, I might just cry when I get to put on the princess dress.”
To congee or not this winter?
I encourage you to answer that question with a “yes.” Congee is a traditional Chinese savory rice porridge that can be a cozy, warm, nutritious comfort food or can be used to deliver medicinal herbs and foods in an easily digestible form.
BY BAJDA WELTY
Tasty recipes abound, but the underlying premise is the same: you cook rice with a lot more water than usual (like 1 cup rice to 7 cups water/broth), add any ingredients you want to cook down with the rice and simmer for a very long time until reaching the desired consistency—somewhere between oatmeal and soup.
Winter Congee
1 cup rice
7 cups bone broth or water 1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup honey
5 grams or 1-inch-long chunk of ginseng root or powder
Add all ingredients to pot, bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat until everything is soft and porridge-like. Eat a bowl daily.
Winter is the deep, dark, cold, reflective season. Although energy levels, motivation and inspiration are low, this is a natural gear shift and has a function. Wintertime is not only a reflective time but an absorptive time, too: an opportunity to recharge your energy stores, strengthen bones and build athletic stamina.
So, why do so many people suffer mentally, emotionally and physically? Because we are fighting the slow down, not embracing the dark hours and utilizing the gifts they hold.
A few tips for elevating energy and mood: Get outside, no matter the weather!
When you’re outside, you aren’t looking at a screen and you aren’t sitting. You are breathing fresh air, witnessing plants as they change and listening to animals and yourself. You are getting natural light even in cloudy and rainy conditions. Aligning your body and mind with the natural trends of seasonal energy is ultimately supportive.
The winter season is about moderation and the middle way—avoiding too much sleep, alcohol, intense exercise, salt, sugar and prolonged periods of stress and fear. This season can be used as a portal to longevity and health. Eating lots of dark foods, such as black beans, dried fruits, roasted nuts, steamed dark leafy greens, citrus, Daikon radish, spirulina, chlorella and blue green algae, bone broth, water and congee! Cook all your foods on lower heat for a longer time.
For athletes, this is the season for long, slow distance work and lifting weights. This is when you build your base of fitness. When you slow your pace, you won’t feel as tired and depressed. When you slow your mind and body, you can take advantage of the rich opportunity to recharge offered by the winter months.
PHOTO BY BAJDA WELTY
M inimalist cookie platter idea:
double chocolate chip cookies
cherry thumbprints
gingerbread shapes
Double Chocolate COOKIES
With winter soon upon us, it’s time to do what Pacific Northwesterners do best: get serious about getting cozy. Hot beverages all day, fleece and flannel layered on in a shabby-chic manner, and an excuse to vanish to early bedtimes help us all get through. Soon after I moved here, about 20 years ago, my Midwest self was trying to make sense of all the assumed seasonal rituals. Giving some thought to my first impending winter, I tried to engage people in conversation about what they did to pass the long evenings. Everyone I asked was rather reserved with personal details. Finally, I remember clearly one woman looking at me quizzically, as if I could have any doubt, and very resolutely declaring, “In the winter, we all just go inside, keep journals, and don’t come out again until spring.”
Well, now I know that there is a little more to it. Everyone has their own strategies to stay cheerful when the sun goes down. Many of us bake and cultivate winter traditions that get treats on the table, whether a warm mug and a book is your companion, or you gather friends for a celebration.
This simple cookie has just the right proportions to take it from basic to memorable. It keeps and travels well, and so is a good candidate for gifts, care packages and road trips. Keep them all for yourself or share with your little (or big) ones. Who doesn’t love a deeply chocolate cookie?
BY ANNE WILLHOIT
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes: about 60 cookies
1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1-1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1-1/2 cups semi or bittersweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a mixer at medium speed with a paddle or handheld beater attachment, cream the two sugars and the butter. When creaming properly, the mixture will at first look lumpy and then begin to stick to the side of the bowl. Beat more after this for a few minutes until it appears fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
3. Add the eggs and mix well again.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt. Add this bit by bit until mixed into the wet ingredients.
5. Gently mix in the chocolate chips.
6. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll gently with your hands to make a ball, placing on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 15 minutes and then cool on a rack.
PHOTOS BY ANNE WILLHOIT
IS A PILLAR OF SUPPORT Jim Hopper
Are Islanders particularly philanthropic?
Islanders understand community. Those who’ve recently come here recognize that this place is something special. They get the idea of helping one another, of building community. Everything we love about living here has at least one nonprofit behind it.
BY CONNIE BYE
Jim Hopper, executive director of the Bainbridge Community Foundation, moved here in 2008. “I had married an island native who swore she’d never return,” he said. “But as soon as our oldest came along, here we were.” After building a career in consulting and managing nonprofits, he took the job at BCF in 2011. He’s grateful for his family’s lifelong encouragement to get involved with community building.
BY ANNIE GRAEBNER
What aspects of our community receive the most support?
The greatest percentage of our grants go to health and human service organizations. We have a very visible arts community, the schools are terrific. We have a safety net for lesser-known populations, such as people with divergent thinking. There’s a wide variety of support for populations that other people on the island might not even know about.
PHOTOS
What is the total amount of assets you help direct?
About $27 million, and for our cumulative grantmaking to date, $28.6 million.
You work with donors who have direct ways they want their funds spent. How much advising do you do?
Advising is pretty constant, but it’s most active during our community grants cycle in the spring. We have 50 community leaders who evaluate those proposals. Then we reach out to fund advisers with whom projects seem to align.
BCF produces an annual survey of nonprofit needs. Why collect and analyze such data?
There’s a trap funders can get into, where they feel they have the answers but don’t have data to back that up. We also wanted to create a dialog with
nonprofits. It’s important to be in the same room, discussing problems. Bainbridge is such a curious community. When we’d identify a need, there was always a deeper question from the donor: Why does this need exist?
One recent survey showed that many nonprofits need more volunteers. How do you help with that?
We created a Facebook group, Volunteer Bainbridge, to connect people with needs. Coming into COVID, the city’s citizen survey said 65 percent of islanders volunteered for a community organization; Bainbridge is off the charts that way. But nonprofits say we don’t have enough volunteers for this or that. Highlighting that there’s an issue helps to bring people to the table.
I hope everyone in the community understands the challenges and
opportunities we have and will personally do something about them. We need to help people understand ways they can build the community.
How is donating through BCF different from giving money through One Call for All?
Anyone who gives to One Call for All can look through the list and choose where their dollars will go. One Call for All does a great job.
When nonprofits apply to us, they are asking for specific needs. The way we’re structured, we have lots of different services for donors. If you’re curious about a cause, we can help you with that. If you’re creating an estate plan and want your values and giving to go on, we can help you with that.
What do you do for fun?
I’m an art hoarder. We’ve inherited old art from my family, my wife’s family. It makes me happy to frame them and bring them back into the world.
How do we pass on a feeling of responsibility to the next generation? Some people say it’s just not there.
I think it is there, but it might take a different form. It’s important for parents to set the stage about how to get involved in the community. Our independent and public schools do a great job of telling about the community.
Each year, we highlight some outstanding young philanthropists. Some are using resources in the digital world. One young woman found a group in Nigeria that needed volleyball equipment, so she had a drive to get that for them. We should respect that their level of community involvement might look different. I don’t have concerns about kids.
Anything you’d like to add?
I’d like to see people own the gifts they give, share those things with your kids. We’ve got incredible intellectuals on this island, but not all have been asked to serve their community. Think about how you can improve your community.
The RightCALL
By Audrey Nelson
PHOTOS COURTESY TRACEY DENLINGER
As Bainbridge’s winter gloom sets in, those struggling with the seasonal change can find relief in an unlikely bright spot: the red envelopes shining in their mailboxes. Tis the season of One Call or All.
Known around the island for its statement red fundraising envelopes, OCFA is a parent charitable organization that provides one-stop shopping for Bainbridge donors. Instead of donating to multiple nonprofits, islanders can instead fill out a single form, designating the organizations to which they’d like to contribute.
Any island nonprofit in good standing is eligible to partner with OCFA, as long as it “serves Bainbridge Island” in some way. Even national organizations with Bainbridge chapters, such as the American Red Cross and the League of Women Voters, are welcomed under OCFA’s big umbrella.
Every October, a volunteer crew undertakes the monumental task of stuffing 14,000 red envelopes for distribution to households across the island. Donors can return the envelopes or use OCFA’s online platform to contribute.
“We haven’t gone fully digital yet, because a lot of people still really like the physical document, the actual brochure that we send out,” said OCFA’s interim director,
Lisa Timmons. “And given the demographics of it, I think there are actually still a number of people who remember One Call For All from way back when. So they actually really look forward to getting the red envelope every October.”
According to Timmons, the “way back when” of OCFA’s founding goes like this: in 1960, a bunch of charitably minded islanders met up, pulled together a clipboard with a list of local organizations, and went “literally door to door” asking their neighbors to donate to “any or all” of the organizations. That first year—under the name Bainbridge Foundation—OCFA raised $16,624 to support less than 20 nonprofits.
“Obviously, since 1960, it’s evolved quite a bit,” Timmons laughed. By the late 1990s, the Bainbridge Foundation had split into two groups: OCFA and the Bainbridge Community Foundation (known as the Bainbridge Island Community Endowment until 2005). OCFA continued to provide annual fundraising for island nonprofits, while BCF focused on grant-making and investment.
Today, six decades on from its humble beginnings, OCFA is a juggernaut. It first reached the $1 million fundraising mark during its 2011–2012 campaign. (While OCFA’s signature red envelopes are mailed in mid-October, OCFA raises funds year-round.) By the 2019–2020 campaign, OCFA had surpassed $2 million. Since 2020, the organization’s yearly fundraising totals have hovered between $2.1 and $2.5 million, with last year’s numbers coming in at $2.46 million.
Every October, a volunteer crew undertakes the monumental task of stuffing 14,000 red envelopes for distribution to households across the island.
Even with this growth—and despite the fact that OCFA’s original clipboard has become a red envelope and its 20 original partner organizations have skyrocketed to 120—Timmons is careful to note that OCFA’s mission today is no different than it was in 1960.
“It helps the organizations save time and energy and conserve their resources for what’s actually more important,” Timmons said. “[Which is] working on their mission, rather than spending all their time and energy on fundraising.”
These days, OCFA’s largest single recipient is Helpline House. Maria Metzler, Helpline’s executive director, noted that OCFA takes care of logistical tasks that tend to pile up on nonprofits’ to-do lists, such as thank-you notes, tax receipt acknowledgements and 3% credit card fees. “So really it is like you have this gift of donors and donations,” Metzler said. “And [OCFA] just hand[s] it over, and they’re just in the back furiously doing all the work.”
And it is a lot of work. As interim director and OCFA’s only half-time employee, Timmons is facing down her first “crazy busy season,” which began in October with envelope distribution. Timmons has been warned about what’s to come: long hours spent answering emails and phone calls from donors, picking up piles of mail from the Post Office box, depositing checks and updating OCFA’s database. But she’s cheerful about the work.
“I think of it as like an economy of scale,” Timmons said. “Where, as a parent organization doing the heavy
lifting, it saves all the little organizations from having to hire a development person or hire a bookkeeper or whatever else might be entailed with managing all of this on your own.”
One of those “little organizations” is Amabile Choir, a small, intergenerational community choir. Led by longtime North Kitsap High School choral director Sylvia Cauter, Amabile has existed informally for about a decade, but first registered as a 50( (c)(3) nonprofit in 2018, according to choir secretary Eileen Nicol.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit—and Amabile, unable to perform, found itself strapped for cash. So the group partnered with OCFA for the 2020–2021 campaign year. Their goal: to build up a “rainy-day” fund, or a strategic reserve that could sustain the choir through a year with no performances. Amabile has since met this goal, Nicol said.
“Getting back on our feet financially and having some kind of a cushion was a huge goal after COVID,” Nicol said. “And I think that that year, 2021, getting…$3,500 [from OCFA] went a long way toward making that happen.”
Amabile currently receives about 10 percent of its funding from OCFA, but in previous years, before the choir also relied on grants, that number was much higher. Nicol noted that for several years, OCFA was Amabile’s largest source of funding besides ticket sales and member dues. This year, Amabile has raised $7,477 through One Call For All donations.
And OCFA’s impact on the choir isn’t just financial. Nicol pointed to OCFA’s nonprofit spotlights and networking opportunities, which connect organizations across the island.
“You can learn from some other really successful organizations what they’ve done to be even more successful in their fundraising,” she said. For Timmons, Amabile’s success story emphasizes OCFA’s flexibility. “Even though we’re called One Call For All,” she said, “it’s obviously not one size fits all.” She noted that while all kinds of island nonprofits benefit from OCFA’s services, smaller organizations—such as Amabile and the Bainbridge History Museum—are more dependent on OCFA.
“Without OCFA—it would be a hit,” agreed Amber Buell, the history museum’s executive director. “It would be a huge hit. We’re a small nonprofit, so I would have to try to find a way to come up with almost $50,000 of operational funding from somewhere. And that’s not an easy task.”
There’s no doubt that OCFA is a powerful island institution. Timmons estimated that about 50 percent of Bainbridge households contribute to the cause. But OCFA has a reputation even beyond the insular Bainbridge nonprofit world. Metzler, the executive director of Helpline House, recently attended a food insecurity conference near Seattle. As she sat in a breakout session, the speaker began to talk about Bainbridge Island’s unique approach to fundraising. Metzler’s ears perked up.
“I was like, ‘Wait, I’m from Bainbridge Island!’” she said. “‘We’re on the envelope!’”
She described how seeing OCFA from an outsider’s perspective, with all the wonder that came with it, as transformative.
“Because when you think of it in other contexts—there’s this one organization that fundraises for every nonprofit in your community—it’s like, ‘What?’” she said. “Like, ‘That’s crazy.’ And they do it. And it’s awesome.”
SECOND TIME’S A CHARM Setting Down Roots & Honoring Essence
By Alli Schuchman
PHOTOS BY DAVID COHEN
The first time Claudia and Bob Powers moved to Bainbridge was around the year 2000.
The couple—originally from the East Coast—were living in the Magnolia neighborhood in Seattle but frequently spent weekends on the island with friends, who one day suggested showing the Powers around. »
“We fell in love,” said Bob. “So, we ended up buying a house on Bainbridge.”
The Powers moved into the Hillandale neighborhood on Village Circle, which is known in part for its signature weathervanes atop each home. “We had the little one with the fox,” said Claudia. It was there that the couple welcomed their son.
Not long after, though, Bob’s job took the couple back to Washington, D.C. “We had our second child in Maryland and built a house there. We lived in the house for nine months,” said Claudia.
“And then we said we’d made a mistake. We missed Bainbridge.”
Fortunately, Bob explained, their circumstances soon changed again, allowing the couple to choose where they wanted to live. There was no question.
“We decided to come back,” he said.
Upon the family’s return, they bought a homesite and built a house on Knight Road on the north side of the island.
The Powers lived there until 2013, when they found their current home on Pleasant Beach. The mid-century home had been under contract, but when it fell out, the Powers were able to move quickly to purchase one of the rarely available properties.
“It was nearly a tear down, but I loved the style,” said Claudia, pointing out the floor-to-ceiling windows on the beach side of the home, and the tree which frames the view to the water and beyond to Mount Rainier. “It’s so sculptural. I just love this tree. Sitting here reminds me of Mount Fuji in Japan, because of the branch.”
The 1957 beachfront home had great bones, “very Eichler-esque,” said Claudia, referring to the mid-century modern pioneer, but needed a lot of refurbishing and updating to make it livable. The couple engaged local architect Peter Brachvogel of BC&J, Ray Stevenson of Jefferson Fine Homes to handle the construction, and Kathy Weibel of Bluehouse Interiors to help renew the then 1,800-square-foot home.
The first phase of renovations involved improving the three bedrooms
located on the home’s northwestern side. A carport running along that side was removed to make way for an interior bump-out, which added about 800 square feet. The addition has radiant heat concrete flooring that flows into the original space. There, new wide-plank, oak hardwood matches the cedar tongue-and-groove ceiling. The Powers kept the home’s metal roof, but “made it a little more modern,” said Claudia, and wrapped the exterior in cedar siding. New windows replaced the single pane originals, and a heat pump took the place of the oil furnace.
The primary bedroom was considerably transformed. “It was huge,” said Claudia. “This whole room was 25 feet long.” By dividing up and repurposing the space, the Powers gained a walk-in closet plus a brand-new bathroom. The expanded square footage also allowed them to make their daughter’s previously tiny bedroom far more functional. Their son’s room got a fresh coat of paint, new windows and insulation, and they remodeled the kids’ shared bathroom. The reconfiguration also made space for Claudia’s office and a family-friendly TV room.
The remodel’s second phase—which coincided with the supply chain and contractor challenges of the COVID pandemic, plus their kids schooling from home—included the removal of a central stone fireplace. Although the fireplace was a remarkable design element that the Powers grappled with preserving, it ate up a big chunk of the home’s livable
real estate. “It just was a humongous thing in the middle of the house that took up so much space,” said Claudia. In its place now stands a bank of cabinets that provided added storage, as well as a coffee station and wine cooler. Plus, the cabinetry lends some division between the living room and the kitchen without completely disconnecting them.
“The kitchen was nonexistent, so we pretty much took it down to the studs,” said Claudia. New quartzite countertops, low-profile cabinets, appliances and a pantry highlight the expanded space. They also added a warm water outdoor shower off that side of the home, where Claudia sprays off her dog Blue after a beach romp or when the family comes in from paddleboarding.
In the living room, Brachvogel suggested bumping up the ceiling and adding clerestory windows above the southeastern wall of windows. The strategic modification added dramatic volume to the home’s beachside in addition to capitalizing on the morning sun and passive solar the home naturally enjoys.
Claudia explained that, beyond the windows, columns and seating on the deck obstructed the southeastern view. “It seemed claustrophobic and very small,” she said. Brachvoel recommended removing the columns and seating and adding
Intimate. Casual. Cozy.
AMELIA WYNN WINERY
BISTRO
metal fin-like cantilevers. “We just opened the whole thing up,” said Claudia. The sleek cantilevers are a bold architectural punctuation to the outdoor space and a visual extension of the interior beams, which run in the same direction.
Renowned island metalsmith Rory’s Custom Fabrication manufactured the cantilevers, in addition to crafting the home’s metal fireplace.
Between the Ipe hardwood deck and the beach is a pool, which the Powers resurfaced with new tile and plaster. The sweet spot has been the location of many pool parties, including one for their daughter’s high school graduation. Many oldtime islanders have reminisced to the Powers about swimming in the pool as kids. The couple said they cherish such stories and have enjoyed digging into the area’s rich history, including the Hemphill, McCollum and Pritchard families, who have deep roots along that part of the island’s coastline.
Although the Powers are proud of giving the home new life while preserving its essence, the thing that can’t be improved upon is its Pleasant Beach “Gold Coast” location. The Bremerton ferry, submarines returning to the naval base and occasionally the Nimitz aircraft carrier (which Claudia said seems close enough to reach out and touch) make for an interesting back yard, to say the least.
“Plus, I love our home’s connection to nature,” said Claudia. “That’s the thing about mid-century modern homes. They have a great connection—with walls of windows—taking in nature.” Pods of orcas, barking sea lions, and porpoises are a constant reminder of just how close and connected they really are.
The Powers said that it’s hard not to be moved by the beauty, a daily reminder to never take for granted how very lucky they are to live where they do.
THE ISLAND OF DOLLS
BY ALLI SCHUCHMAN
Keen observers may have spied a sweet and sassy surprise—a rotating Barbie diorama of sorts—tucked into a vitrine outside the Sweet Deal boutique on Winslow Way. Nicole Niehaus, who has owned the stylishly eclectic shop for 17 years, said that the window spot was originally just a vacant hole that she and her partner envisioned for the dolls from the get-go. “We always had fun changing them up seasonally… and then eventually turned it over to younger employees for fun.”
Neihaus has had people donate Barbies and has also added to Barbie’s clothes and car collection from garage sales. And since the Barbie movie, Neihaus thinks the Barbie window is even more relevant and well-received. “We recently even had a local 11-year-old girl come and do the last two displays for fun!” she said. “We gave her full rein and discretion to decorate how she wanted.”
Neihaus said that the new holiday window will go up any day.
From time-to-time tourists and locals have asked to buy the Barbies, but Neihaus isn’t negotiating. “Of course they aren’t for sale!”
PHOTOS BY NICOLE NEIHAUS
Getting Down with the Get Down
For more than 25 years.
In 1999, the Euro was adopted as the single currency in 11 European countries, the world was gripped by fear of Y2K and Blackbird Bakery was born. Since then, Blackbird has served countless toast and jams, innumerable celebration cakes and too many lattes to count.
How did owners Jeff Shepard and Heidi Umphenour celebrate Blackbird’s silver anniversary? By doing exactly what helped them build Blackbird into the popular and delicious spot that it is today. “We’re owners, operators and bakers within Blackbird,” said Umphenour. “Most days you’ll find one or both of us there.”
Blackbird’s relationships with local farms are an essential part of their business. “We love the farmers,” Umphenour said. “It’s such a bonus to be able to work directly with them.” The farmers include Persephone Farm (edible and food-safe flowers, basil and random produce); Suyematsu (berries and squash); Laughing Crow Farm (potatoes, peppers, and garlic); and Butler Greens (zucchini and tomatoes).
The bakery prides itself as being very much a part of the community. “We’ve been in numerous 4th of July parades, handed out candy on Halloween and love our local farming community,” Umphenour said. “And if we don’t have a decorated cookie in the case for a child or fresh piece of toast with jam for a student coming home from college, we’re bummed.”
BY JEFF FRAGA
What’s the secret to Blackbird’s 25 years in business? “It’s all about the relationships that we’ve built throughout the years with our employees, food purveyors and staff,” she said. “And of course, our customers. All of them are so good and care so much. They’re what make Blackbird, Blackbird.”
Blackbird Bakery, 210 Winslow Way E., 206-780-1322
PHOTOS BY DINAH SATTERWHITE
feast on this
A Piece of New York
lands at Rolling Bay
Years from now, when the history of food on Bainbridge is written, Briny Bagels will be remembered as the company that brought authentic New York-style bagels to the island.
And not just any bagels. Owner Frank Giuliano makes Briny Bagels from scratch, using a special three-day process to achieve the proper texture and flavor. And he knows of what he speaks—Giuliano and his family moved to Bainbridge from New York, where everyone is a bagel expert.
Giuliano had been looking to get out of corporate America for some time. In 2022 this desire, combined
with the perfection of his bagel recipe, compelled him to begin looking for suitable space for Briny Bagels.
The breakthrough came when his wife located A a place for her own business—an all-natural body care line—in Rolling Bay. Briny Bagels moved in next door.
To say the location has been wildly popular IS is a major understatement, with lines out the door and sales in the hundreds. Briny Bagels offers everything from plain and sesame to sun-dried tomato and chocolate chip on a rotating basis. Customers can also choose their schmear (a Yiddish word that refers to a spread that goes on a bagel), which include plain, apricot and thyme, kimchi, and smoked salmon.
Giuliano is thrilled by the warm reception Briny Bagels has gotten, but says he couldn’t have done it without a lot of help. “It’s wonderful to be working with people we’ve known for so long and having all our kids involved to make this a reality.”
Briny Bagels, 10255 NE Valley Rd
Open Thursdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (with plans to add more days soon)
Would You Like Your Sushi To Go?
Yes, please!
“Sushi has been integral to my life since I was a little girl,” said Jennifer Blevins, owner of Sushi-Ko Bainbridge. “I learned the fine art of sushi-making at the foot of my mother. Sushi-ko is a play on my mother’s name, and that’s how the restaurant got its name.”
Sushi-Ko opened last summer in Island Village next to Westside Pizza.
Blevins jokes that her little sushi restaurant was two years in the making, as she dealt with the pandemic and finding the right location. But her sushi education started much earlier. Her family introduced sushi to the West Sound in 1999 at Central Market in Poulsbo, the predecessor to Town & Country. Blevins gained more than 20 years of experience working alongside her mother—starting with making sushi rice when she was in sixth grade.
“We’re following in my mother’s footsteps and providing affordable and accessible sushi while maintaining the quality of an expensive restaurant,” she said. “It’s all about overhead. I’d rather invest in quality fish than seating capacity. That’s why Sushi-Ko is a take-out-only restaurant.”
When Blevins’ mother retired in 2020, Blevins opened her own sushi bar on Bainbridge so she could carry on the tradition of serving fresh, high-quality, authentic sushi to the community. Sushi-Ko also offers other popular Japanese dishes, including squid salad, yakisoba, takoyaki, futomaki, and gyoza.
Some patrons are surprised that Sushi-Ko doesn’t accept tips. But Blevins doesn’t think people should have to tip on take-out orders. “Besides, in Japan, tipping doesn’t exist at all.”
Sushi-Ko Bainbridge, 2323 High School Road NE 206-565-3083
winter
1. Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Manor House
Santa and Mrs. Claus’s world tour will include a stop at the Manor House at Pleasant Beach Village. Swing by to whisper your wishes and snap a photo (guests can take their own photos with cameras or phones). November 29, November 30, December 7, December 21, 11a.m. – 3 p.m. leasantbeachvillage.com
2. Festive Nights & Holiday Lights
Bainbridge Island Downtown Association will kick off this holiday season with a tree lighting near City Hall, complimented by caroling and performances from the BHS band and Bainbridge Ballet, along with festive open houses at downtown shops (followed by a few weeks of in-store events).
November 30, 6-7 p.m. bainbridgedowntown.org
3. ‘Anastasia’ at BPA
The 2016 Broadway musical “Anastasia”— adapted from the Disney film of the same title—follows the adventures of Anya from the Russian Empire to 1920s Paris as she searches for her family. BPA’s rendition promises beauty and excitement for all ages. December 6 - 22, times vary. bainbridgeperformingarts.org
4. Snow Globe Winter Music Series
BI group WurliPop will kick off BIMA’s Snow Globe Music Series with danceable holiday favorites, followed by some innovative jazz from Francesco Crosara and alternative soul from Seattle’s Grace Love. The festival will wrap up with a powerful performance from the Northwest African American Museum’s AACE choir.
WurliPop - December 6 & 7, 8 p.m.
Francesco Cosara - December 13, 7-9 p.m. Grace Love, December 14, 7-9 p.m. AACE Choir, December 20, 7-9 p.m. biartmuseum.org
5. Winter Studio Tour
Fifty-four area artists will have their wares on display at this year’s Winter Studio Tour. Eclectic treasures include intricately crafted earrings, strikingly colorful photography and unique handmade wooden furniture (not to mention some cozy clothing).
December 6-8, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. bistudiotour.com
6. Make Your Own Cocktail Bitters at BARN BARN instructor and former owner of Fremont’s Barrel Thief Whiskey Bar, Christopher Gronbeck, has spent over a decade teaching about wine and other spirits. Class participants will learn about the history of cocktail bitters and will leave with two bottles of their own creation (perfect for holiday party hosting, or to give as gifts). Bonus: the class kicks off with a welcome cocktail.
Tickets and information about tuition assistance are available online.
December 11, 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
December 14, 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. bainbridgebarn.org
7. The Dusty 45s at Treehouse Cafe
Since 1997, Seattle’s Dusty 45s have been delivering high energy Americana that’s hard not to dance to––and they’re still pumping out new tracks. “All the Beauty in Between,” the band’s new studio album, dropped in November. Tickets available online.
December 6, 7 p.m.
treehousebainbridge.com
8. Jazz Jam at Treehouse Cafe
Join the Treehouse house band for a lively jazz jam on the last Thursday of every month (December date may vary). Bring an instrument (including vocals), or simply come for a drink and a good (free!) show.
January 30, February 27, 6:30-9 p.m. treehousebainbridge.com
9. Winter One Acts at BHS
Bainbridge High School’s Winter One Acts are the perfect opportunity to witness budding local talent. Students write, direct, perform in and tech their own shows, offering a delightful variety of styles and stories.
January 31, February 1, February 7,
February 1 and 8, 3 p.m.
10. “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” presented by Ovation!
The beloved characters from the “Peanuts” comic strip come to life onstage in this musical. The show is double-cast, featuring adults and Rising Stars kids at various performances. All shows will
January 10-19
February 1 and 8, 3 p.m. ovationmtb.com
Winter Night Market
DecEMBER 6 & 7 @ 8 pm
WURLIPOP HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR
WurliPop will get your toes tapping, hands clapping, and maybe even singing along! This Puget Sound-based band features Danny Figgins (keyboards/vocals), Stina Tillotson (vocals), Mackrayz (vocals), Korum Bischoff (drums), Stephen Kennedy (bass), John Hural (guitar), and Dr. Adam Pelandini and Riley Cummins (saxes).
DecEMBER 13 @ 7 pm FRANCESCO CROSARA
BIMA's auditorium will sparkle with the sounds of Seattle-based Italian jazz pianist and composer Francesco Crosara, who is making a significant impact on the regional jazz scene with a passion for creating and sharing innovative and playful music.
DecEMBER 14 @ 7 pm GRACE LOVE
The Seattle-based artist with Memphis roots who challenges music genre boundaries. Her unapologetic and gritty alternative Soul Fusion Sound has earned her a loyal following from the likes of KEXP and NPR.
DecEMBER 20 @ 7 pm
NAAM’S AACE CHOIR: AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL ENSEMBLE
This lightning bolt of positivity returns to BIMA, bringing a message of hope, help, and healing. Created by NAAM Executive Director LaNesha DeBardelaben, and led by musical director Jason Turner, AACE unites vocal talent from Seattle-area church groups into a powerful, inspiring musical force.
A ROYAL WELCOME in focus
BY ANNA
It was a perfect Pacific Northwest day on October 9 when the Bainbridge community gathered with city and tribal leaders to dedicate the Suquamish Welcome Pole. The monument, located just up the hill from SR 305 and Winslow Way, marks the beginning of the Sound to Olympics (STO) Trail.
The stunning work, created by Suquamish elder and master carver Randi Purser, was given to the City of Bainbridge Island by the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation. Generous donations, along with Rotary Club grants, made Purser’s vision a reality. The City of Bainbridge Island collaborated to manage and fund the installation through the Public Art Fund.
The old-growth cedar pole, standing 14 feet tall, depicts Chief Seattle’s Suquamish father. The Bainbridge installation complements another pole by Purser that stands across Puget Sound on the Seattle waterfront, which represents Chief Seattle’s mother, of the Duwamish tribe.
CARSON
PHOTO BY ANNA CARSON
We’re all beautiful.
INJECTOR
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I’m here to help you rediscover you . . . with a focus on enhancing your natural beauty.
Teri Scott Nurse Practitioner
Injector | Educator | Trainer
Trusted and locally-grown, providing care since 2016. Offering a conservative approach to treatment.
