Toast the Harbor 2012

Having just been to Hoptoberfest at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino, and having won at the silent auction, I am more than excited that Toast the Harbor will be coming so soon to the same location.  With the pairing of wine, food, entertainment, and free gifts, Toast the Harbor should be a one-stop for an evening of fun!

The event takes place on Saturday, November 3rd from 2:00pm-9:00pm with Tickets available at the door, from any Aberdeen Lions Club member or at a number or local business including; Aberdeen Honda, Harbor Drug, GL Kluh, Frames-N-Things, Journey Travel, Quinault Beach Resort, Flying Cats & the Sipping Serendipity Wine Shoppe in Ocean Shores.

Toast the Harbor is an event that has been sponsored by the Aberdeen Lions Club for the past 8 years.  As for this blogger, who was not all that familiar with Aberdeen Lions, I did a little research. 

This event is and has been their major fundraiser for the past 8 years. Check out their website to see what the organization supports and how they help our local communities.  It was an eye-opening read. 

This weekends event is certainly a foodies paradise, with samples of cuisine from local Ocean Shores eatery Half Moon Bay, The Orieol in Hoquiam, Northshore Grill, Engs Egg Rolls, and QBR. With vendors from Harbor shoes in Aberdeen, How Charming, and Blissful Wonders there will be plenty of swag to buy and win. 

In addition to the food (I know that it is hard to imagine something better that delectibale goodies and savory treats) several wineries and breweries will be giving samples of beer and wine.  The 2012 Toast the Harbor wineries and breweries that are participating this year are as follows: the Bateaux Cellars out of Toledo, WA, Frenchman Hills Winery, Okanogan Estates, our very own Westport Winery, Dicks Brewery, Local Westport Brewary, and new local distillers Wishkah River Distillery.

Included in your ticket is live music that will play throughout the event and a silent auction with over 100 items to bid on from gift baskets to art to wine that has been donated from the participating wineries.

Presale tickets $12.00

Tickets are $15.00 at the door

Tickets include a commemorative wine glass, 5 sampling tickets, a tote bag & the wine festival program

Taste of Home Cooking School

When the Holiday season kicks off, I get the urge to cook.  I want to have people over and prepare warm, comfy food that makes your tummy happy.  I start breaking out the cookbooks and making shopping lists.  Tis' the season to try new foods, and new cooking techniques.  KIX 95.3 must agree with me, because tonight, November 1st, KIX is presenting the "Taste of Home Cooking School" at the D&R Theater. 

Sitting in this spacious theater, participants will be privy to live cooking demonstrations by Culinary Artist Kristi Larson.  Each year Taste of Home picks 10 recipies from their fall magazine to showcase at their cooking school demonstrations. Those who attend the school tonihgt will get to see each of these recipies made and take home goody bags with the recipies inside. 

Vendors and prizes will be available to peruse and win. 

The Doors will open at 5pm and the show starts at 6:30.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

7th Street movie schedule available at 7thstreettheater.com

Memorize to save the books you love

I have always been a huge proponent of the public library.  Nay-Sayers for years said that the printed word is becoming obsolete, no need for books when we have computers.  This statement makes me cringe.  And no, I am not going to launch into a rant on how 'I love the feel of a real book, the smell of the pages, the weight of it', because, I too own a digital reader.  It isn't the same though, is it book fans?  Sure you get titles instantaneously and can change books in the blink of an eye, but its just not quite the same.  I think I pinpointed why on my last trip to the used book store. We use media on an almost daily basis.  Sitting in a Dr.'s office we check Pinterest and Facebook.  Shopping at the grocery store our lists are digitized and we look for recipes on the Internet, not in a cookbook.  There is so much media around us every day that sitting down to read a book on a digital reader is not as special, it is just an everyday "task".  Timberland Reads Together has put together and event that highlights what is special about the books we choose to read.

"Timberland Reads Together (TRT) is an annual program of the Timberland Regional Library District that promotes and celebrates reading and community. One book is chosen each year that has widespread appeal across various interests. Everyone in the five-county library district is encouraged to read the book and to attend free book discussions, author presentations, live performances and programs throughout the month of October at local Timberland libraries and other venues."(www.trl.org)

Tonight, at the Aberdeen Branch, the public can become a talking book.  Let the conversation begin with other book lovers about which book you would choose to memorize to save it from the censor's fires.  What books do you want to save for future generations?  Participants may read or recite from memory a short passage from the book of their choice. All readers are welcome to attend, whether they choose a title or not.  The books that are discussed will be used to construct a library of titles to save for the future.  Octobers TRT was Fahrenheit 451, a title often subjected to censorship.

Music Monday: Monster Mash

Last minute costume? Shop Local!

From the state of my Facebook feed, it seems that there are many, many, many Halloween procrastinators amongst us when it comes to shopping for a costume.  Every other post for the past week says something similar to the following; 

"Totally have a party tomorrow and have no idea what to dress up as! 
Maybe I should just go as a cat...again."

This is just not acceptable harborites.  We have got to use our imaginations when it comes to the last minute Halloween costume.  Especially when we don't want to spend an inordinate amount of money at (ugh) Halloween overpriced City.  Our solution here at GoGo?  Shop our local stores for items that you can use even after Halloween to make a kick-butt costume that wont break your budget.

Lets start with our beloved local Dennis Co.  While wondering the aisles on a random Tuesday a few weeks ago, a friend and fellow blogger noticed an entire wall of Boyscout pins, ribbons, scarves, belts and vests.  Talk about a treasure trove for last minute costume planning.  How easy to take a few patches and a vest and pair with a skirt or jeans and white sneakers for an instant costume!

Last weekend I was shopping in town for a new side table for my living room when I decided to stop in at the Variety Store in Elma for some fabric for pillows.  Walking in this establishment is like taking a step back in time to the variety stores of the past.  They literally have EVERYTHING you could ever need for your home and you life.  As far as costumes ideas are concerned, the only thing i could think of is grandma..But in the spirit of Halloween dressing as grandma is just not enough, so I have a few options for you.  The Variety store has gardening supplies and big floppy hats.  Pair this with a pair of capri pants and a over sized button up shirt and presto... Martha Stewart.  Secondly, how about an ensemble costume.  Go for Little Red Riding Hood, The Big Bad Wolf and, you guessed it, Grandma.

Hometown feed is a frequent stop on my errand runs, our dog is a super demanding puppy and I love buying dog bones to keep him occupied.  Walking around this store, several costume ideas come to mind.  First, dog collars, cat collars.. you could go the traditional route and dress as an animal, or use one of the dog beds, cut open, as a potato!

Harbor Saw and Supply is my ultimate place for a costume that can double in your everyday life.  How about the Brawny Paper Towel Man!  You all probably have a pair of jeans hanging out in your closet and since you live on the harbor, I am going to assume here that you have a pair of work boots hiding out in the garage.  Pick up a flannel at Harbor Saw and some paper towels at Swansons and Presto! Insta-costume.



Haunted Harber Events

I was sitting at work yesterday was working very diligently yesterday morning, contemplating exactly what to write about Halloween that hasn't been written one million times before.  You see dear harborites, this holiday and I have a rocky relationship.  As a kid, I loved playing dress up.  I loved being on stage and transforming into a character.  On the other hand.. As an adult, I loath the scary, hate the horrid and am squeamish about the gory.  That is why I like to embrace the 'little kid' aspect of Halloween.  The cute princesses, the strong superheros, the adorable bunnies, and not the creepy zombies, bloody axe murderers, and blood sucking vampires.  Fortunately for those of you reading this (you are out there reading this, right?), I am among the minority when it comes to embracing the macabre aspects of Halloween. If you are in the majority of the population and love the fun escape that this holiday provides then starting this weekend the harbor has a vast array of ways to celebrate both with the little ones and without.

Lets start with Haunted Hoquiam.  In addition to the 7th Street Theater's showing of Poltergeist on Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th, Hoquiam has cooked up a whole host of events on Saturday to delight the Halloween craving masses. Businesses in Hoquiam will be handing out candy to trick-or-treaters from 1-3pm on Saturday (you can find a map of the businesses participating here), which also includes the locally famous Haunted Lobby!  If you plan on gorging yourself on candy and treats and want to do so guilt free, make sure you register for the Haunted Hoquiam Fun Run.



Aberdeen is also hosting their annual Downtown trick-or-treating with businesses on Heron, Wishkah,  and adjacent side streets.  This will go from Noon - 2 pm.  During the downtown trick-or-treat, Aberdeen Parks and Recreation will be hosting a Halloween Spooktacular on 102 West Wishkah (next to Pizza Hut).  Bring the kids in for a costume contest and more!

Elma is also jumping on the Downtown Trick-or-Treating by handing out candy at the visitors station on Halloween night from 3-6pm October 31st!  Treat bags will be available for the first 250 kids and Treat route maps will help parents shuffle their kids around the neighborhood scaring up goodies.

Makarenko Park in Cosmopolis is hosting the Relay for your Life Zombie Run on Sunday October 28th.  Registration starts at the spooky hour of 5:30 and the race starts at 7 pm.  Costumes, while not mandatory, are encouraged!  Even to someone like myself who is not into the undead, this event sounds fabulously spooky.