Monthly Archives: June 2011

Long Holiday Weekend Ahead: Outdoor Activity Suggestions to Kick Start Your Plans

Posted on by
Reply

With the long weekend coming up, and the Seattle area weather forecast predicting lovely sunshine for first half, thoughts about being outside may be on your mind. Would you like your 4th of July weekend plans to include gardening, outdoor entertaining or bbqing? Here are some helpful suggestions from Real Simple to kick-start your agenda.

Gardening
Container gardening is a quick and fun way to get your gardening fix. Plus, plant containers add amazing splashes of color around your yard and home. Take a moment to look at 22 different container garden suggestions, with photos and instruction, to spark your imagination. Or maybe you have spot in your flower beds that needs some sprucing. Planting a garden by color might be the oomph factor your garden space needs. It’s important to have a plan when you hit the garden center near you. That way, you can shop smart to purchase the best garden plants and gear for your gardening needs.

You’d like to garden, but have a black thumb? Real Simple has you covered: The Black Thumb Guide to Gardening.

Outdoor Entertaining
If you are looking forward to watching fireworks from your back deck, or have friends over to enjoy a bbq, you’ll probably be sitting outside. What does your patio furniture look like? If it could use a good scrub, here’s a photo guide which includes instructions for cleaning outside furniture, no matter what material it is made from. Do you need some ideas of a party theme or outdoor decorating tips? Check out 30 Tips for Easy OutDoor Entertaining for creative inspiration! Need 4th of July or pool party suggestions? Here’s a Summer Party Planner to get you started.

BBQing
Is grilling going to be an important weekend activity for you? Nothing’s better than a grilled burger– with 10 Gourmet Burger Recipes, there’s something to please everyone who loves a burger hot from the grill. Maybe you are hankering for some Americana? This All-American Summer Menu includes recipes for Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon and Dry Rubbed Baby Back Ribs. Are you a bbq novice? Check out Grill Like a Pro ; you’ll be up to speed and impressing your guests in no time! There’s some tricks to setting up a beautiful and functional outdoor table, but with this guide to Easy Backyard Entertaining , you can glean suggestions to keep the food bug-free and keep clean-up quick, so the hostess can enjoy her guests rather than spend hours doing wash-up.

Cheers a fun, relaxing and safe 4th of July weekend!

Introducing Mercer Island Pulse: Up-to-date Mercer Island and Real Estate News Courtesy of Windermere

Posted on by
Reply

You may have noticed we’ve been “remodeling” here. We now have our own domain, www.mercerislandpulse.com. To match up with our url, we’ve changed our blog name to match. Even though we are now Mercer Island Pulse (formerly known as Mercer Island Real Estate), our mission has not changed:

Windermere Real Estate/Mercer Island provides invaluable knowledge, resources and expertise to the clients we serve. A longstanding Island company, we are active in our community and share a passion for making Mercer Island the best place to call home.

It is our goal to share with you, our readers, all the different ways that Mercer Island is a terrific community. We’ll continue to post current events that may be of interest to Mercer Island and Pacific Northwest residents. We’ll also share relevent real estate information along the way, on topics that matter to you. We thank you for your continued readership. Oh, and we love your comments!

Mercer Island’s Summer Celebration: Saturday, July 9th, and Sunday, July 10th, 2011

Posted on by
7

Good day, Good Sir and Lady! Prepare thy self for the upcoming Renaissance Revelry on July 9th and 10th. This year’s Summer Celebration introduces the Middle Ages to island living! From the city of Mercer Island:

Expect non-stop excitement with jousting knights on horseback, sword fight action throughout the day, roving entertainers, renaissance themed Magik Shows, Shakespeare performances by Wooden O’ Theatre, and so much more!

The Renaissance Revelry begins at 10 am on Saturday, July 9th, with the Grand Parade through Mercer Island’s business district. Throughout the weekend, there’s going to be plenty of activities and entertainment to enjoy. Check out all fun activities outlined on the Kids’ Fun Zone . The entertainment line up, and what stages each act will use, is located here. There will even be fireworks at 10 pm, July 9th, at Luther Burbank Park, thanks to the generous donations from the Mercer Island Community Fund and local business sponsors.

Windermere R.E. / Mercer Island will be participating in several facets of Summer Celebration. We will have a booth open all weekend staffed by our realtors and brokers . Children can participate in our annual coloring contest– coloring supplies and entry applications will be available at our booth. We are sponsoring the Windermere Stage, which will feature a variety of musical acts over the weekend. If you have little ones, “My First Garden” is a fun event to bring them to– it is going to be at 3 pm on July 9th, by the Pergola Stage. Our realtors will be on hand to help children plant flowers in a flower pot to take home and enjoy.

We hope you’ll check out all the Medieval fun at Summer Celebration. Stop by to say hello to us while you are there!

Community Service Day 2011: Windermere R.E / Mercer Island Helped Over at Mercerdale Park

Posted on by
Reply

This slideshow requires JavaScript.


Windermere R.E. / Mercer Island’s Community Service Day 2011, on Friday, June 17th, was a terrific success! The weather cooperated while realtors and brokers, along with their family and friends, helped weed and prune in flower beds, readied plants for transplating, swept, limbed trees and spread bark. Mercerdale Park is looking terrific for the upcoming Summer Celebration, Renaissance Revelry.

Thank you so much to everyone, including Windermere Mercer Island realtors and brokers*, who helped clean up the park on Friday. A special thank you goes out to Michelle Rubin, who coordinated our Community Service Day this year and set everything up with the city of Mercer Island.

* Agents who helped out with CSD 2011
Julie Nugent
Allen Hovsepian
Cherrie Lee
Wendy Chan
Cynthia Schoonmaker
Denise Coe
Erin Ewing (photos courtesy of Erin)
Linus Toy
Marianne Parks
Michael Lee
Michelle Rubin
Pam Boeck
Peni Schwartz
Stuart Anderson
Valarie Kaye (photos courtesy of Valarie)

For a list of the NW Windermere R.E. offices that participated in Community Service Day 2011, and where they served their communities at, take a moment to read this post on Neighborly News.

Congratulations Mercer Island Schools Foundation! Thank You for Helping Bridge the Gap.

Posted on by
Reply

In case you have not heard, Mercer Island Schools Foundation reached an exciting milestone: they met their 2011 Bridge the Gap fundraising goal of $1.2 million by midnight on June 10th. The money raised by Bridge the Gap helps cover the shortfall between the MISD’s budget needs and the funding they receive from the state.

What does this mean for Mercer Island schools? To quote the Bridge the Gap Task Force:

This will mean that the school district will keep all 20 teachers who were slated for reduction. Mercer Island class sizes will remain the lowest in the state, our class offerings will continue to be extensive and diverse, student support will continue, and, most importantly, our teachers will remain the effective face of our district in each of our classrooms.

What amazing community commitment! The meeting of this fundraising goal, to benefit the local schools, highlights the wonderful Spirit of Mercer Island and the generosity of island residents.

Windermere R.E. / Mercer Island would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to the hard-working members of the Bridge the Gap Task Force. They make a difference in the life of each student in the Mercer Island School District. We’d also like to thank you, the residents of Mercer Island, who contributed to the success of Bridge the Gap through your generous donations and attendance at events like the annual Breakfast of Champions.

Windermere Community Service Day: June 17th, 9 am to 1 pm

Posted on by
Reply

Windermere’s 27th annual Community Service Day is this upcoming Friday, June 17th.  Every year since 1984, Windermere agents and staff members have spent a dedicated day completing  improvement projects in their neighborhoods. Windermere R.E. / Mercer Island agents look forward to particpating in this company-wide event every year!

On the 17th, Windermere R.E. / Mercer Island agents will work on projects at Mercerdale Park from 9 am  to 1 pm.  Our charge is to help ready the park for Mercer Island’s Summer Celebration in July.  The city is going to provide flowers to plant and bark to lay in the flower beds. We’ll also be pruning plants and trees, along with cleaning up the plaza where the Main Stage is located during the weekend-long July event. 

We’d love it if you’d join us on Friday. It’ll be fun! All you need to bring is a pair of work gloves, and pruners if you have a pair. A-Board signs will be placed around the park to show where we will be working.