Rain or Shine Jazz

It looks like it will be Shine today for the Jazz festival at the Aberdeen Elks.

If you missed the first day of the Rain or Shine jazz festival, don't fret it continues today!

Bands including Uptown Lowdown, Electric Park Jazz, Hume Street Jazz, Pearl Django and The Dukes of Swing will be performing and making your toes tap to the beat.

Sunday Only $20
Students 1/2 price with ASB card/ Children under 12 free with paid adult.

2 Welcoming Venues- Both at Aberdeen Elks #593

  

 

Calling all Quilters!

If you're anything like me, you can appreciate a good nap or a cozy evening watching a movie on the couch. So, let's talk about the real hero in these situations... warm blankets.

Is it even possible to do either of these things without one? Especially now that fall is here and the nights are starting to get colder. I'll admit, I am a blanket hoarder, but when fall rolls around I always find myself drawn to quilts and soft throws. I have a fake furry one that is so soft (and has now basically been taken captive by my dog), a few Pendleton wool blankets for when things get really cold, and the essential down comforter.

If you're in the mood to get comfortable this fall, I have some suggestions for you.

-Today is Last Day of A Whale of a Quilt Show in Ocean Shores. The Sea-Gals Quilters show features an exhibit of handmade quilts, vendors, a boutique, quilting tips and demonstrations and food in the foyer. Attendees vote and prizes are awarded. Free admission. Convention Center - Ocean Shores. I stopped out there yesterday and there are some really interesting pieces. The raffle quilt is huge! Plus most of them are for sale, so if you want a blanket that doubles as art, this is the place to go.

-Do you have a pile of old t-shirts that you don't wear anymore but can't seem to throw away? Turn them into a quilt with Queen B Quilts! All you have to do is pick out your favorite shirts and send them off. Three weeks later you'll have a cozy, flannel backed quilt for your cuddling pleasure. T-Shirt Quilts also have a lot of attitude, since you can fill them with whatever shirts you want, like the Rock and Roll quilt below. Queen B Quilts is located in Hoquiam and you can find out more online at www.myqueenbquilts.com.

-Speaking of t-shirt quilts, if you want to actually learn how to make your own, you better make your way to Gray's General Store. They have a t-shirt quilt class coming up at the end of October! Plus they have a variety of fabric for all of you DIY mavens out there so you can make something of your own. I'm thinking about making something more modern, myself. Luckily there's even studio space and sewing machines for you to use at the store for just $10 a day so you can work among friends. Check them out at 520 Simpson Ave in Hoquiam.

Friday Five: Things Would be Better With Pumpkin

There is an unmistakable crispness whispering through yellowing leaves. Fall is officially here and for some reason, Mother Nature doesn't dawdle with autumn the way she does with summer.

There is good news though! The flavors of the season are now making their way back onto menus. Summer is great for sunshine, but I'm a sucker for pretty much anything pumpkin. So bring it on Autumn! While you're at it, here's a Friday Five with some suggestions on where extra doses of pumpkin would be welcome:

Dentist's Office

We all know dental appointments are important and oral health is tantamount to overall health, but that doesn't mean a regular cleaning is always a choice way to spend a few hours. Consider a waiting room with complimentary Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Do I have to wait 6 months before my next cleaning?

Mechanics
Cars are wonderful and convenient. Except when they inconveniently break down. Waiting for a mystery prognosis on why your ride is making that clicky-buzzy-voom sound is never going to be pleasant. Imagine how the day would go if you traded your keys at the mechanic for a slice of Pumpkin Bread. I know I would respond to my "Change Oil" light a little quicker.

Tax Time
For most Americans, tax time doesn't coincide with the fall festivities, but it should. Especially if in exchange for your perfectly paid and truthful taxes you get a slice (or 8) Pumpkin Pie. I'd consider filing quarterly.

Department of Motor Vehicles
Lost your ID? Time for a new plate? Taking a driver's test? Fun. Yep. Turn that frown into a holiday party with a dozen or so Chai Pumpkin Spice Cookies. Look who updates their address on their license!

Grocery Shopping
When the cupboards are bare and no one wants to eat cereal for dinner again it means it's time to go grocery shopping. For me it means schlepping the kids to the store, breaking up arguments about who is on who's side of the shopping cart car, resolving the issue of why we don't need 50 mylar balloons and prying handfuls of candy bars out of my 2 year old's hands and casually restocking the candy shelves in the checkout line. I could motivate myself to shopping more with a complimentary Pumpkin Roll.

How about you? What is your favorite flavor for fall? And what part of your day needs to be pumped with pumpkin?

Now I have to go stock up on pumpkin puree...

Farm Tour 2012

The Montesano Chamber of Commerce has a secret.  A secret that for the last 13 years only those in the know understood.  It all begins with the turning of the seasons from summer to fall.  A harvest celebration that comes but once a year.  Buses take the adventurers out for a ride, to see all the beautiful bounty that is grown in our gorgeous area.  From Chapman Farms to Poppy Patch Farm, Satsop Little Red School House and New Moon Alpacas. 

On Saturday September 29th, you too can be in the know and join the tour of farms with other harvest adventurers!  Buses load at Able House Bed and Breakfast (no personal cars please) and for only $5 a person, or $10 for a family of four, you can experience life on the farms of Grays Harbor County.  It is time for Farm Tour 2012!

Farm tours happen all over our country during every growing season.  It is an important way to connect growers with the people living in the area and helps build lasting, sustainable communities.  We wrote a post a few month back about the many farms in our county called Farm Fresh Grocery List.  A few of the farms on our list are definitely on this weekends tour and worth checking out!

Last Day Before End of Summer Sand Fest!

Sign up your team today and come out and build tomorrow!

http://sandfest.weebly.com/

Can't wait to see you in Pacific Beach!

Salmon Tales in Westport

I know it may seem as if we have been writing lots of  'fishy tales' lately, however if you live at the beach in Westport, you understand that Salmon is the word of the month in September!

When you mention the Pacific Northwest to "muggles", the first thing that may come to mind is the Salmon that runs in our rivers for most of the fall, and if you are looking for the hub of this activity, look no further than Westport this weekend.  The Salmon Tales event takes place this weekend on Saturday, September 22.

What sounds most intriguing to this writer, besides the amazing Smoked Salmon Derby (as this girl loves to eat) is the Charter Boat Bingo that gives players 14 chances to win Charter Fishing Boat trips.  My husband went out last spring on a Westport Charter Trip and loved it!

Westport Brewing Company will be hosting a Beer Garden on the Maritime Museum, but why wait for Saturday?  The WBC is open to the public daily and you can samples their beers today if you want!  While you enjoy that beer on Saturday, make sure you listen for the sounds of 'Catch of the Day'.

Local Magazine Horns and Hooks has an excellent write up on the event that was published on August 29th.  Check it out here!

Remember that you can also participate in the Boat Basin Salmon Derby until late into October, so if you head out to Westport for Salmon Tales take your fishing rob and reel in the big one.

Hey There, Buckaroo

Name: Cowpoke Wrangler Buckaroo

Where Do You Live: Elma, Washington

Profession/Day Job:  a hired hand who tends cattle and horses at a ranch

Loyal To: Buckaroo Days! September 22 in Elma!

Best Harbor Moment: Chili/Salsa Cook off
Cash prizes: Chili Category:

• First Place - $250
• Second Place - $100
• Third Place - $50

Salsa Category:

• First Place - $100
• Second Place - $75
• Third Place - $50

Elma Feed & Farm Supply, 2nd & Martin Street

Cost: Tickets available for $1 each to be used for sampling.
The Chamber will provide sampling cups to each contestant for serving

Favorite Festival: Buckaroo Days in Elma, Saturday September 22

Favorite Local Business: Elma Chamber of Commerce,  Elma Feed and Farm Supply, Guesthouse Inn and Suites, Les Schwab Tire Center, House Brothers Construction, and Puget Sound Railroad (the sponsors)

Grunge, Metal or Country: The music of Momma at the Beer and Wine Festival following the daytime festivities at Guesthouse Inn and Suites of course.

Beach, Forest or River:  Saturday on the Harbor at Buckaroo Days September 22

Favorite Outdoor Adventure: Elma, Saturday!  Enjoying events that include a grand parade, a chili cook off, a "fun" dog show, a bouncy house, kiddy cowpoke games, a Cowboy jail and mutton busting!

Define the Harbor in One Word: Fun events and great people!

If You Could Change One Thing About the Area, What Would it Be: A packed crowd this Saturday at Buckaroo Days in Elma!

Grays Harbor's Best Kept Secret: Beer and Wine Fest with wine samples from Westport Winery and beer Samples from Westport Brewery from 4-9 p.m. at the Guesthouse Inn in Elma!  If you want to spend the night use the codeword "Buckaroo" for a discount!

Say Aloha with Island Fare at Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill

Show of hands: Who got in enough beach time this summer? I know I didn't!

But as the weather slips into fall, then winter, the ideal beach time has definitely passed us by until next spring. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't still visit our friends out at the beach - just pack a sweatshirt instead of a beach towel. After you comb the beach this winter after a blustery storm or find yourself taking a cool fall Sunday drive to the coast, plan to lunch at Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill in Westport. Aside from providing a warm, cozy shelter from the Harbor weather (and an award winning Bloody Mary), Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill promises to transport you to another beach altogether with their special Hawaiian menu items.

Hawaiian Style Kalua Pork

The island-inspired options are available on the lunch and dinner menus and are sure to get you in the sunny island spirit. Have you ever indulged in Pork Lumpia or Kalua Pork? I recently enjoyed both during a family lunch at the restaurant. But there's plenty more beyond that to "taste" the islands. Just look at the screen shot of the menu- is your mouth watering?

A Snapshot of the Menu at HMB

Don't forget to sign up for Ohana Rewards, too! This is a loyalty points program put on by the restaurant - the more you patronize the establishment, the more points you rack up towards Rewards certificates that you can use at the establishment.

Salmon Derby Starts Today!

Having lived on the harbor most of my life, it may be hard to believe that I am still learning to love Salmon.  I know, I can hear the shocked gasps from all of our readers, and yes I assure you that my husband is trying to fix that by bringing it home any chance he gets.

If you too love to 'bring home the salmon' then starting today and running through October 31st you have the opportunity to participate in the Boat Basin Derby in Westport.  Plunk in your line and reel in the big one for prizes big enough to warrant a "it was this big" fish tale.

As with all Derbys there comes some rules we all must follow.

Boat Basin Derby Rules

 
All fishing is to be done within the boundary of the Westport Marina.

Appropriate license required and regulation fishing tackle & methods.

No derby ticket required.

Fish can be weighed in on Float 8 Slip G at Seafood Connection between the hours of 10am and 5pm.

Fish are to be weighed in whole (magnet tested).

No fish are to be cleaned while at the marina.

Prizes will be awarded based on weight using length for a tie breaker.

Prizes will be awarded for top 3 fish in the adult category and top 3 fish in the childrens category. One prize per angler.  Additional prizes will be awarded as available.

Top prize winners in both categories will have their names placed on the Boat Basin Derby Trophy.

Winners will be announced Nov 1st.

A generational Derby has also been announced, so head to the Westport-Grayland Chamber of Commerce website to check out all the details.  I know my husband will be, so I better be on the look out for great recipes for Salmon this fall and you should too!

Lake Sylvia Fall Festival

Just when you think summer is coming to an end around here, the sun comes out in full force blasting 90 degree weather and the people of Grays Harbor say "Summer ain't over until I have to dig out my hooded sweatshirt!" or something like that. They probably haven't realized this yet, but the kids are forced to go back to school so the adults can get outside and relax in the glorious September weather.

If the kids are starting to get wise to this trick, maybe you should bring them out for some weekend fun... and did you know there is a festival this Saturday at Lake Sylvia full of food, crafts, music and good old outdoorsy-ness?

The Friends of Schafer and Lake Sylvia are hosting the Discover Lake Sylvia Fall Festival, an free yearly event that revolves around a triathlon and the arts.

Kelsey Bergey, of Bergey Voice Studio, told us about this event since she is coordinating the musical entertainment. One of the featured musicians is her very own BVS student, Autumn McGiveron.

I would list all the activities that you can partake in this weekend at the Festival, but the list is so long! If it were me, I'd definitely hit up the Boy Scouts Dutch Oven Cooking for 1 or 2 (or 10) tastes... although not too much because I need my strength for the 3 legged race. Once I win that, I'll take my trophy on a victory lap around the lake and maybe learn something about the history and check out some art while I'm at it.

Sounds like a full day! 

Be sure to bring the whole family out to the FOSLS Discover Lake Sylvia Fall Festival. You can see the  full list of awesome things to do on their Facebook event page!

Hunt the Harbor like the Amazing Race

I have a confession to make.  I love the harbor.  I love the way traffic backs up in South Aberdeen when THE bridge goes up.  I love the chip sealing that happens on the back roads to the beach when summer hits.  I really love going to the Gateway Plaza during your lunch hour only to risk being stopped by a twenty minute train.  How about being able to enjoy the sunny weather while seeing the rain roll in from the beaches?  It is all unique to where we live, and while most people (naysayers really) find it all annoying, I enjoy the quirks of living here. 

That is why, when an event comes along that embraces all the greatness and harbor uniqueness and that lines up with the reasons that we started Go Go Grays Harbor in the first place it is such a pleasure to write about.  Hunt the Harbor is in its second year and it promises to be a good one! 

Wait, you haven't heard of Hunt the Harbor?  You are certainly missing out.  If you are a fan of the Amazing Race, or just a fan of our own backyard then Saturday the 15th you truly need to be signed up to participate in Hunt the Harbor and at Friends Landing for your first set of clues.

In its first year Hunt the Harbor raised over $5,000.00 for local charities and hundreds of businesses participated.  The top two teams split the fundraising money 60/40 and donate their winnings to the charity of their choice.  Click HERE for the registration link, and remember to register your team before Saturday!

Like the Amazing Race, Hunt the Harbor provides clues that groups must decipher in order to find the next location.  At each location you have a challenge that you have to complete that gives your groups points.  The more points you can amass the better chance you have of winning and donating to your favorite local charity.  Games can range from taking a picture to completing a obstacle course and anything in between!  Your team can have up to five people, and you have to decide if you want to bring the knowledge or the strength (or maybe a little bit of both) to help you complete the challenge. 

So now you have all the pertinent information, so turn off the TV this Saturday, go outside and enjoy Grays Harbor. 

30 Miles of Junque in Westport this weekend

With the success of shows such as American Pickers, Auction Hunters and of course the classic Antiques Roadshow we really do have the feeling that one persons junk is another persons treasure.  All you have to do is rummage though someones hardly used barn and 'poof ', you can find that one of a kind bicycle that was only made for one year and you could never find replacement parts to.  Whatever your skill level in the art of 'picking', this weekend there are 30 miles of treasure to look through on the 30 Miles of Junque highway from Westport to Tokeland and Ocosta.  Looking for sea glass?  You just might find some hidden in a garage sale on this beach highway.  How about a buoy or two?  That perfect end table for your living room?  What about a used book that you have always wanted to buy?  The 15th annual garage sale that gets drivers off the main road and exploring the hidden wonders of the beach highway is the place for all treasure hunters this weekend. 

9 a.m to 5 p.m. on Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th.  Some might call this an extravaganza of a weekend, and if you are into bargain hunting it is sure to please everyone young and old.

application

Interested in participating?  Do you live in the area and have noticed your garage filling up with unwanted items that someone else might find a use for?  Sign your site up or get a group together and sign up your block by clicking the above link for the sellers application.  Only $15 dollars and you can have your site on the 8,000 maps to be handed out to business in the area.  The only requirements of participation are that you list the top five things that your garage sale can bring customers and remember, nobody loves a mooch! 

Contact the Westport/Grayland Chamber of Commerce for more information at 800-345-6223.

New Library Assistant speaks of September Events

Sarah Bowers, the new Children's library Assistant at Aberdeen Timberland Library is excited to bring you news of the September events at our public library.  The "mom" of two crazy puppies and a nature enthusiast, she works hard to make sure that our county is being taken care of and will be preserved for future generations.

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Since becoming a library assistant after moving back home to the harbor four months ago, I have discovered all of the wonderful resources that are in the library and right under our noses.  If you are looking to learn something new and meet new locals too, look no further than your public library. This month at the Aberdeen Library there is always something for everyone.

If you have a little one then Mondays: Book Babies starts September 10^th at 10:45am-11am, for ages birth - 2 years old. The program includes short stories, songs, rhymes and knee bounces. Discover the joy of early language with your baby. Each baby must be accompanied by an adult lap please!

In addition to book babies, we have Tuesdays: Story Time which starts Tuesday September 4th from 10:45am-11:15am: For ages 3-6. Enjoy stories, rhymes, songs, games, and arts and crafts! Parents are definitely encouraged to attend with their children as this will be fun for them to watch the children learn. 

Being an adult I love the upcoming groups For Adults including;

Bernie Meyer "The American Gandhi “Bringing Nonviolence to the United States” is the featured program September 11^th from 6pm-7pm. Mahatma Gandhi is regarded as one of the great men of the 20th century for introducing nonviolence as a way to oust the British Empire from India. Bernie Meyer portrays the historic Gandhi in six scenes, illuminating significant events of his life and his nonviolent teachings. Afterwards, Meyer conducts a discussion with the audience. Sponsored by the Friends of the Aberdeen Timberland Library and is part of the September project which you can read more about here. (http://theseptemberproject.org).

photo courtesy of Sarah Bowers

PageTurners Book Discussion begins 2nd Wednesdays starting September 12^th from 10am-11am. Join other community members in discussing "Saving CeeCee Honeycutt" by Beth Hoffman. Call the library at 533-2360 or stop by the Information Desk to request a copy of the book. Everyone is welcome to attend even if they have not read the selected title.

PageTurners Book Discussion, also begins  3rd Saturdays  starting September 15^th from 10:30am-11:30am.  This group will be discussing "The Warmth of Other Suns: the Epic Story of America’s Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson

So you want to know what is happening at the other Grays Harbor Libraries for the month of September. Check out the Timberland Regional Library website at www.trl.org!

 You can also download FREE music using your library card – check out Freegal.   Or check out a new book for your Kindle or I-Tablet.   If  you want to learn a new language, check out Mango on the website! 

Guest Post provided by Sarah Bowers, Children's Library Assistant for Aberdeen Timberland Library

Festival in the Park (school)

I have a long history with the town of Cosmopolis that goes back to childhood.  The city, and my parents of course, raised me.  I feel like an old soul that has been living in Cosi since the days when Neil Cooney built the first sawmill.  Maybe the reason for this is my mothers stories that she shares with me about her days as a Cosi termite (yes that really was the mascot!) Or how she could walk from one end of town to the other using only the alley ways.  Mill Creek park was always in these stories as well.  How her and her friends would swim in the pool that formed below the dam.  Well the dam has since broke and while the park is still there the festival that always culminated at the end of summer below the shady trees of the park has moved to the elementary school that so many cosi-ites know and love to this day.

Come out on Sunday the 9th and check out the booths, games and food.  The sense of community is rich and deep and the Lions Club burgers will keep you full!

Friday Five: Logging Lingo

With Logger's Playday weekend upon us its time to break out the flannel, the suspenders and the Stihl hat and proudly show your logger pride (you know all of that is somewhere in the depths of your closet.). But don't let your logging expertise end at surface level- image isn't everything. To show that you're a true logging aficionado (as every Harborite should be!) be sure to sprinkle logger lingo into your daily conversation this weekend.

Wait... you have no idea what a contour felling is or a grapple skidder? Never been a rigging slinger or a snap guy? Never even picked up a chainsaw? Eh, no worries! We've got you covered with these five words, cleverly redefined for this very weekend, that will make you sound like a logging expert. Just toss these around while you enjoy the annual weekend festivities and you'll fit right in. We hope.

1) Logarithm: (noun) The natural meter and cadence of the act of logging.
Example: Look at old lumber Jack workin' that saw over there, he's got natural logarithm!

2) Logicize: (adjective) A new style of exercise offered at the gym, where movements mimic the strenuous work of logging. Classes end in the signature "TIMBER!" move, where participants fall straight to the mat like a tree.  
Example: Have you tried the 5 o'clock Logicize class? The sawing motion really works the core muscles!

3) Logistician: (noun) A professional doctor of trees, charged with diagnosing and correcting arbor ailments.  
Example: My ol' cedar tree was looking a little green, so I called the logistician in for an annual check up.

4) Logogram: (noun) The new, trendy cracker treat for kids. Like a teddy gram, only shaped and flavored like logs. Example: My kids love the new logograms. They're the perfect after school snack, especially with a side of maple syrup for dipping!

5)  Logomaniac: (noun) One obsessed with the art of logging and the logging lifestyle. A true treesman who worships the forest around them. And probably wears a lot of flannel.  
Example: Oh man, have you seen lumber Jack lately? He's really turned into a logomaniac!

So, there you have it. Your own personal log (harhar) of vocabulary to get you through the weekend. Now, if you're still wondering where you can play wordsmith this weekend, the annual Hoquiam Logger's Playday festivities will take place throughout the day on Saturday. Visit the Facebook page for more details, or the City of Hoquiam website.
But here's the jist of what's happening:
6AM - Rotary Club Pancake Feed @ Our Lady of Good Help
8AM- Truck Driving and Binding Throwing competition @ Levee & 8th Street
10AM- 4PM Vendor Fair @ downtown Hoquiam (visit our booth!)
12PM- Hoquiam Elks Parade. Route starts on 9th, continues down K Street
2PM- Lions Club Salmon Bake @ Washington Elementary School
6PM- Logger's Playday Show @ Olympic Stadium. Buttons are $3 for entry
9PM- Hoquiam Elks Dance featuring Ready or Not. 21 & over. Admission

The Fab Four, Loggers Playday and more more more!

With so much going on this weekend we here at GoGo wanted to wrap up the upcoming events into a nice little package and stick a bow on top to make planning your weekend of fun stress free.

Even though we are back to school and there is a tiny chill in the air, it is in fact still summer and there are many summer festivals to be enjoyed this upcoming weekend.

Speaking of festivals, Pacific Beach is soaring things into high gear this weekend with the Up Your Wind Kite Festival.  Sponsored by Hi-Flyers kite shop, this kite festival is family friendly and full of fun.  Up Your Wind is happening both the 8th and the 9th at the Pacific Beach State Park. 

Cosmopolis is also hosting a festival that will once again be hosted at the Cosmopolis Elementary School.  The Cosi Festival in the Park has operated out of the school for the past three years due to park closure when the Mill Creek Dam broke.  However, the show must go on and so will the festival this year on Sunday the 9th!

Did we mention that it is Logger's Playday weekend?  Officially starting with the Rotary Clubs pancake feed and including the Elks Lodge grand parade, Loggers Playday offers something for every history buff in town.  The Loggers Playday loggers show is a must see, along with fireworks and booths that will have you working up a logger's sized appetite.  Hoquiam hosts Loggers Playday and the festivities begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 8th!

If Music is more your thing then you should definitely be in Westport this weekend for the Dock of the Bay Blues Festival.  Running from Friday to Sunday the Dock of the Bay Blues Festival is the beaches answer to Loggers Playday.  Live music and food and booths to make every music lover smile.  Head to Westport this weekend for Blues music and fun.


When you are looking for live entertainment, the D&R Theater never dissapoints.  This weekend the D&R is throwing a concert that you must simply see to believe.  The Fab Four tribute band that is so much more than a tribute band will be performing on Sunday the 9th.  These musicians attention to detail makes this show a can't miss performance.  Make sure the D&R Theater is on your list for this weekend.  A perfect way to finish off the weekend!

Not to mention Hoquiam's First Thursday on the 6th of this week, the Jack Reynvaan Memorial Run at the Hoquiam track on Saturday the 8th, the Brady Clean Water Oyster feed on Saturday the 8th, the Seabrook Saturday Market on Saturday the 8th, and the AAOS Arts and Crafts festival in Ocean Shores the 7th-9th.

It is a Kite flying, Park festival, Blues playing, Loggers Playday this weekend and you must simply get out and enjoy!

Blue(s) skys are in Westport this weekend

When thinking of Blues music, one might just picture a New Orleans bar around midnight.  The lights are low, candles flicker, and clinking ice is the bass drum of the music on stage.  A three piece band is swaying in the middle of the room to low notes with a rhythmic beat, while a singer belts out a folksy song reminiscent of the working hollers.  

You might just think that blues music has no place in our world, but you only need to look no further than Westport this weekend to prove yourself wrong.  Like our parents listening to Elvis and James Brown, blues music is as current today as the popp-y tunes that blare out of the DJ booths at any dance club in the city. (think White Stripes)

In the serene setting of the Westport Inn grounds the band line up this weekend is a perfect mix of Blues standards and today's stars.  The Dock of the Bay Blues Festival is starting a day earlier this year on Friday night September 7th at 6 p.m. with Blues Attitude and continues all weekend long.  A jam session and dance on Saturday follows Spider Murphy and Sunday begins with "Badd Dog".  The entire weekend is a chance to expand your musical tastes and enjoy the ocean breezes at the same time.

Make sure you pick up one of the custom Tee's that are available now.

photo courtesy of westportblues.com

...like living at the beach, Vacation by the Sea

Imagine not having to load up your vehicle every time you wanted a little sea air.  Imagine no long car rides home after a sandy filled day at the beach.  Imagine walking out on your balcony and breathing the clean fresh salt air.  There is certainly nothing like living at the beach and while real estate on the sand may be at a premium these days, you can experience all the perks of living at the beach with Vacations by the Sea.

There are buzzwords that my co-workers who live at the beach always seem to say, relaxing, calm, open and peacefull.  If you ask me, I go to any beach I am even remotly near for the ambiance.  Something about sitting near that water that is so refreshing.  I dont even mind the sand.

Site upon site out there in internet land sings the praises of Vacations by the sea, this gem in Westport, from Judy's Book, to TripAdvisor, NorthWest Escapes and of course, GoGo ourselves!

So even if you cant afford to buy, you can certainly afford to visit and stay.  Wake up everyday to the ocean and pretend you live there.  Even if is only for the weekend!

An artist rendering of the Vacation by the Sea condos located on the beach in Westport, WA.



photo courtesy of Vacations by the Sea