It's quite evident that these last few months have sent a screaming curveball into our lives, but local high school student Nathan Chen was not deterred.  Nathan decided to use his extra time to explore his creativity and start a company, Seattle Supreme Clothing, also known as "Seasup."   These Covid days....some sleep in, others get motivated! We may need to step up our game to keep up with this kid.

Nathan moved to Kirkland from Taiwan four years ago and he found himself thinking about the cultural differences he had experienced, and how he could incorporate language and design to help widen people's view of the world.  "During quarantine I needed a way to express my feelings," he says, "and I wanted to make a collection with meaning.  So I ran the idea by some friends, and they liked it."  Nathan's debut collection of trendy tees is called "Mandarin" and each shirt has an explanation of the language and design's deeper meaning if you click on it.  He emphasizes cultural diversity,  social awareness, and even international  landmarks and melds it with a splash of local flavor.  All of Nathan's designs are hand sketched and then fine tuned on Adobe Illustrator and then printed on shirts in Nevada.  Each shirt is $19.99 and 15% of profits go towards WA Youth for Masks,  another local teen-driven effort.

When Nathan isn't outsmarting the adults around him, you may find him working out, playing football or shooting some hoops.   He's hopeful to end up at one of his dream colleges, either UW or UC Berkeley studying business in 2021.   His advice to us..."If you have the opportunity, just do it!"  

You can check out Seasup's Insta page here and  don't forget to buy yourself a sharp new tee that will compliment your  face mask when you leave the house again next Tuesday.  

 <--double rainbow pic from this Friday

Kirkland just made the #20 spot for 2018's Best Small Cities of America list.  You likely already knew this in your mind, but now it is official. #winning 

    photo credit: Google

The results are in!  The KITE STEM Challenge awarded over $40,000 to 15 schools in the Lake Washington School District last week that will go towards increasing STEM programming.  Over 3,000 students participated and answered 300,000+ STEM-related questions between April 23rd and May 13th.  Big applause to all of the schools who participated and kudos to Google and the Kirkland Parks Foundation partnering up to offer this educational application wrapped in park-filled fun. Here are the winning schools (way to go Kirkland!)

• First place high school ($10,000) - Redmond High School
• Second place high school ($5,000) - Lake Washington High School
• Third place high school ($3,000) - Tesla STEM High School
• First place middle school ($6,000) - Kirkland Middle School
• Second place middle school ($3,000) - Environmental and Adventure School
• Third place middle school ($2,000) - Redmond Middle School
• First place elementary schools ($3,000 each) - Kirk Elementary & Thoreau Elementary
• Second place elementary schools ($1,500 each) - Rose Hill Elementary & Twain Elementary
• Third place elementary schools ($1,000 each) - Alcott Elementary & Lakeview Elementary
• Participation prize ($500 each) - Blackwell Elementary, Juanita Elementary & Stella Schola Middle School

 photo credit: Sheryl Vincent
In other Kirkland butt-kicking news, the 10U LW baseball team won 1st place in the Art Wright Memorial tournament. Way to go boys!

 
Clapping is also required for Asuraphong Liengboonlertchai, owner of Simplicity 1-2-3 better known as "A", whose giant smile and kind heart will be missed.  He just sold his business but before you start crying you should know that you will still see him at Hallmark Realty, and that an employee bought his store and will continue to serve our community.  Here is his announcement, which I completely love because you can almost hear his voice as you read it.  I stopped in to give him some extra hugs today because this person is truly a gift to Kirkland- stay tuned for a write up on our conversation from today.

And....when one of my advertisers is having a party, you need to know.  I clap for free fun. Grab a friend and go little ones!  Neal Smiles Orthodontics is doing their summer celebration on June 27th from 3-5pm with a bouncy house, reptile man, coffee stand and an ice cream truck.  9750 NE 120th Place, Suite 5/6. 425-823-1234

Celebrate Kirkland! 4^th announces $1000 and $500 cash prizes for the best parade entries!

Here's a fun opportunity to increase participation and excitement surrounding the Lee Johnson Auto Family’s annual 4^th of July Parade with the theme “It’s a Small World”.

Celebrate Kirkland, in partnership with the Kirkland Downtown Association, is including $1000 first place cash prize for the best parade entry in the annual Lee Johnson Auto Family 4^th of July Parade. Included in the contest is a $500 cash prize for the second favorite entry and all entries will be competing to receive high scores from an independent panel of judges. How's that for ya? God Bless America.  Sign up on the Celebrate Kirkland website.

photo: KPF
Help fund new sand at Houghton and Marina Beach. Fresh sand for the beginning of summer!

The Kirkland Parks Foundation had so much fun providing fresh sand for the beach at Marina Park last summer that they are doing it again—and they are including Houghton Beach this time around! From now until June 30th, you can help support this project to provide new sand just in time the start of summer.

Who doesn’t love playing in the sand? Sand castles! Sand angels! Wiggling bare toes in warm sand! Our waterfront parks are a huge attraction for kids but do not naturally have very fine sand.

Let’s bring in some fresh sand to play with.  Each beach needs two truckloads of sand and each truckload costs $500, for a total of $1000 per beach. It's super easy to donate here.

 

Congrats to Friends of FSH Research!

 

Kirkland non-profit, ​Friends of FSH Research, which was​ founded in 2004, raises funds to stimulate research interest in FSHD​. On Monday the City of Seattle will present a proclamation noting June 20th as an International Day of FSHD Awareness.  FSHD is the most popular form of muscular dystrophy in the adult population. There is no cure for this progressively disabling condition. Over the past 12 years this volunteer-run organization has provided over $3 million dollars to FSH related projects.  They spearheaded the first FSH project to be conducted in Seattle in 2005 and have provided $1 million in funding to the Hutch and $1 million to the ​University of Washington.​ Their 13th annual auction will be on January 21st at the  Bellevue Hyatt. 

I was rummaging through some papers the other day and stumbled upon the fact that the Kirkland Blog recently had a TEN YEAR anniversary. Isn't that kind of nuts?! It is to me.  Have we known each other that long-- you and me?? I had to sit down, take a deep breath and ponder my life and collect my thoughts, but yes, it's true, it's been 10 years. 

 <-- Here we are in all of our 2006 glory. I know you're jealous of my bangs.

   2016: Now we hide behind sunglasses. Steve, please please will you write a blog post for us? For old time's sake?

People often ask how long I've been doing this blog gig and how it started.  So an anniversary seems like a good time to tell the story. Steve and I have lived in Kirkland since 1998 and we've always loved socializing, shopping and eating here. Everyone is just a special kind of AWESOME. So by 2006, we had 2 three year old's and a one year old, so we were a little frazzled perhaps, but clearly still had a love of our community and oddly enough, time to pick up this side hobby.  

All of the truly cool ideas are always Steve's.  Out of nowhere he asked me--"why don't we start a blog about Kirkland?"  (blogging was a sort of new-ish back then)  " We already do everything in Kirkland.  We should just share our experiences with others," said young Steve. "We could take turns writing posts." < Insert canned laughter here.>  Steve wrote about 8 posts and now you have to read my ramblings every week.  What started on a whim then began to snowball.   More followers, more hits/day, friends were asking what we were posting and what was new around town.  And there you have it, the Kirkland Weblog was born.  

A lot has happened in ten years-- real estate has gone up ( then down then up again), businesses have changed over, we annexed, parking spots have disappeared, development is surging and  my laugh lines have deepened.... but the love for Kirkland and all that makes it create that feeling that warms my heart from the inside, has gone unchanged.  So thanks for sticking with me, Kirklanders.  I love hanging out with you.

The best anniversary gift you could give us would be spreading the word.  Tell your fun friends to subscribe in the top left corner here.  Speaking of fun, let's play a game....REMEMBER WHEN.  I'll start...remember when....

-the Grape Choice was where the Heathman stands today?  I think Larry Springer was mayor then.

-Wilde Rover opened? I think it was 2006- was brand new when this blog started. 

-the Bath Bar was on Park Lane? I can almost smell it right now.

-there was a Santa Store on Kirkland Ave, and the owner would carve them in the front window

-I went to EVERY gym in Kirkland and reported back w/ a review. Great butt kicker.

-they moved Heritage Hall from east of Market to its current location at the bottom of Market St.

-Bead Hut, Calabria, River Rock, Crab Cracker, Unique Plus, Life is Good, Trenditions, MuShoe, Olive You, Ravenna, Six Tables, uBrDo...

What do you remember?????????????????????????????????????????????

Congratulations to Kirkland's Bassline Fitness for winning King 5's Best of Western Washington "Best Gym" Category.  Here's a link to my post from when they opened back in Nov of 2012 so you can see what they're all about. Clearly they have amassed a loyal following, because word on the street is they received the highest number of votes in their category.... EVER.  And what better way to celebrate than with a deal for new clients?  That's right, you can sign up for a free week unlimited to try them out or if you need more time to decide, $30 for three classes.  Just in time to burn off the fruitcake.

Kudos also to Dermavita on Lake St. S, who won for "Best Facial".  Other local winners that have multiple locations are: Met Market for "Gourmet Grocery", Purple for "Wine Bar" (who WILL be re-opening in Kirkland Urban- yay!!), and Lovers for Lingerie.  Hopefully I didn't miss anyone else from Kirkland. Here's a list of all the winners.

On another note, I've been trying to decide what to get you all for the holidays, and I finally found the perfect gift while scanning the King 5 Best list.

Dear Kirkland Blog Readers, here you go, enjoy. Happy Holidays! You're welcome.  Love, me

 This is King 5's "Best Looking Police Officer,"  Trooper Travis B Calton from Puyallup.  Looks like he works out at Bassline?  There are going to be lots of speeders in Puyallup this Christmas.