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Dale Serbousek and the Road to Real Estate

By
Dondi Tondro-Smith
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Dale Serbousek, his wife Johanna and daughters Serene and Natalie, enjoy lunch at Brandywine Kitchen on Commercial Street in Downtown Bellingham in 2015. Photo courtesy: Dale Serbousek.

Dale Serbousek is a bit of an underdog in the real estate world. Taking a job as a technical writer with Grizzly Industrial and arriving in Bellingham in November of 2000, he and his wife Johanna had only been married for a few months and had never set foot in the Pacific Northwest. “Neither of us had family here and we’d never even been to Washington,” Dale remembered, “let alone the Northwest. A friend from Spokane told me not to pass up the chance to live and work in Bellingham, so we took the plunge sight-unseen.”

Serbousek and his daughter, Natalie, enjoy a mountain bike ride on Galbraith Mountain in Bellingham in the summer of 2016. Photo courtesy: Dale Serbousek.

Dale remembers stepping off the plane in Bellingham that first dark evening. “I couldn’t see anything flying in. I thought I was in the middle of nowhere. It just smelled like Christmas trees,” he said with a laugh.

Working as a substitute teacher in California to pay the bills, Dale was always on the lookout to explore other vocations. With a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Iowa, Grizzly Industrial awarded him the opportunity to combine his unique skill-sets of writing and woodworking. “At that time, it was my dream job,” Dale remarked. He learned about graphic arts, photography, internet marketing and web design – all skills he’d further develop as he evolved into an entrepreneur within various disciplines.

Being the ‘creative’ Dale obviously is, it’s no surprise that his time at Grizzly was simply a stepping-stone to his next career adventure. Dale had a rye smile as he remembered how writing morphed into an unexpected and successful online business. “One day, I was looking online for a scratching post for my cat and I was struck with a money-making idea. Upon seeing the prices they were charging, I said, ‘I can build better cat scratchers for less money, and design them to be easily shipped and assembled by anyone.’”

Serbousek stands beside one of the cat condos he built in 2005. His online cat furniture business operated from 2002 through 2009. Photo courtesy: Dale Serbousek.

During the period that Dale would later realize was his last year at Grizzly, he moonlighted in the evenings and weekends building cat scratchers in his garage and selling them on the internet. His cat condo orders quickly went from two to three per week, to two to three per day. Realizing his window of opportunity to leap into entrepreneurship was presenting itself, he graciously resigned from Grizzly and pursued his newfound success as a home-based e-commerce manufacturer in January of 2004.

Dale and his wife Johanna had moved to Lynden, bought a house and started a family by this point. Getting the day’s cat scratchers built and shipped by noon allowed him the afternoons to peruse other avenues of entrepreneurial interest. “I’m the type of person who’s always looking to further refine my talents, not necessarily to make more money but to see how I can be put to best use in this world,” Dale revealed. Although his wife wasn’t thrilled with the idea of him exchanging his steady day job at Grizzly to make cat scratchers in the garage, she realized he was growing both financially and personally.

Carla Hasche is a proud owner of a house sold by Serbousek in 2015. Photo courtesy: Dale Serbousek.

By mid-2004, real estate was booming nationwide and Dale decided to get his real estate license. “There was a joke going around that there were more people with real estate licenses than drivers licenses,” Dale said with a smirk. He’d already been a homeowner and landlord after college, giving him a taste for how owning real estate can be a great investment opportunity. After purchasing another home in Lynden he developed a growing respect for the power of real estate equity. The decision to become a Realtor was, “totally against my personality type,” Dale said. “I’m not super outgoing. In fact, I’m actually quite introverted.”

Dale was determined to combine innovative internet marketing and the creativity skills he’d cultivated at Grizzly, to develop a career helping people buy and sell real estate. After designing, manufacturing and marketing his own line of cat scratchers, he welcomed the challenge to merge all those skills into the world of real estate.

Dale Serbousek, his wife Johanna and daughters Serene and Natalie, enjoy lunch at Brandywine Kitchen on Commercial Street in Downtown Bellingham in 2015. Photo courtesy: Dale Serbousek.

When real estate sales declined in 2008, Dale survived the downturn by educating clients about short sales and giving them an option other than foreclosure. This niche market was a way to build a network of trust with clients that were more than grateful not to lose their homes outright. Little did he know then that those same clients would return years later when the real estate market finally recovered. During the downturn, Dale was interested in helping people in their greatest time of financial need. He also saw a chance to educate homeowners and reveal options they never knew existed. As a consequence, he built a fortified business platform based more on integrity than market value.

In 2010 Dale expanded into training and coaching other real estate agents across the country. He also received his Designated Brokers license and became an independent brokerage firm. “In 2011, I left Windermere because I knew I could offer better service to a wider array of clients. I had many fellow agent naysayers, who thought I would never make it on my own. They had no idea what I was capable of when I set my mind to helping people,” he remembered.

When not engaged in real estate, Serbousek can be found racing sail boats – pictured here in 2014 at the Pitch Regatta in Bellingham Bay. Photo courtesy: Dale Serbousek.

For four years Dale worked successfully out of his home office with his company, Bellingham Select Inc. Realty, and proved any naysayers wrong. His personable approach to helping people at their most vulnerable allowed him to ride the real estate downturn and come out with more momentum, passion and excitement for helping his Bellingham clients with real estate needs.

In 2015 Dale decided the home office was getting a bit small and lonely, so he joined Broker Owner Lori Reece at RE/MAX Whatcom County Inc. There he found a group of like-minded Realtors he resonated with. “It was hard to separate work from family while I was working from the house. I literally had to lock my office door and my family would still knock,” he laughed.

Dale instantly identified with Remax’s office culture and felt at home away from home. He concluded, “After working with several real estate companies around town, Lori Reece is the most involved Broker I’ve seen. She is always in the office, door open, helping her agents be their best. She’s there because she loves it. Real estate isn’t just what she does, it’s who she is.”

When you have a Realtor whose love of what they do becomes who they are, superseding the bottom line, that type of transparency goes a long way. Dale Serbousek is that kind of Realtor – a person whose intrinsic work ethic and quiet curiosity have influenced the real estate he sells and the positive impact he has made on our community.

To talk to Dale Serbousek about your real estate needs, call 360-201-7717 or visit his RE/MAX Whatcom County website.

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Comcast NBCUniversal Employees Make a Difference with Comcast Cares Day

By
Sara Holodnick
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Comcast employees and their families turned out in force to help on Comcast Cares Day. Photo courtesy: Linda Farmer.

Comcast NBCUniversal employees from Bellingham, Burlington and Oak Harbor joined forces on April 22 for the 16th annual Comcast Cares Day, a huge volunteer project in which the company’s employees and their families give back to the community. This year more than 100 volunteers helped build a new garden for Northwest Youth Services’ We Grow Garden project, a vocational program for at-risk and homeless youth.

With more than 100 volunteers working together, Comcast Cares Day is able to tackle large projects in a short amount of time. By the end of the day on April 22, volunteers had built and filled 32 raised beds for We Grow Garden. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.

Local and regional Comcast NBCUniversal employees built a deer fence, 32 raised beds and a market farm stand for selling produce. Comcast also provided fencing materials, SilvaStar donated lumber for the raised beds, Patricia Lenssen from The Philbin Group volunteered to create the landscape design and RAM Construction provided irrigation, soil and labor.

“This is our day of giving back to the community and helping local nonprofits,” shared Jennifer Zwick, Administrative Assistant with the Comcast Bellingham office. “I always walk away from this with such a great feeling after seeing all of my coworkers out here working so hard. It makes me proud to work for Comcast. It always amazes me how much work we get done.”

The We Grow Garden project was one of about 30 Comcast Cares projects that happened throughout Washington state on April 22. In addition to the many adult volunteers busily building garden beds, fences and the farm stand, dozens of children volunteered by painting bird houses and helping with other small tasks. “We try to make this a family event,” said Zwick. “I’m here with my mom and my daughter.”

Comcast employees are encouraged to bring their families to Comcast Cares day. Young volunteers did their part by painting bird houses and helping with smaller, kid-friendly projects. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.

“My mom is here,” shared Heather McGuinnes, Community Relations Coordinator for Northwest Youth Services (NWYS). “She volunteers in our garden throughout the year.”

“This is amazing,” said McGuinness’ mom, Kathleen. “It’s just so fast! We were working at the table and turned around and they’d made ten more beds!”

NWYS provides housing and wrap-around support services to youth age 13-24 in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Their mission is to collaborate with at-risk, runaway and homeless youth to foster self-reliance. Their vision is that all young people have a place to belong: to be safe, heard and valued.

The We Grow Garden project is part of NWYS’ Vocational Readiness Program. The program currently operates in a garden next to the nonprofit’s office on State Street but the organization needed to rehome the garden to make way for the 22 North Housing Development breaking ground this fall in partnership with the Opportunity Council. Northwest Youth Services was able to come to an agreement with the City of Bellingham to lease the plot of land at 1815 Ellis Street, right across the street from the Bellingham Food Bank, for a nominal fee.

Comcast volunteers joined forces with Northwest Youth Services staff and volunteers to build the new We Grow Garden site. Pictured here from NWYS: Bonnie Schultz-Lorentzen, Katie Cruickshank, Robin Meyer, Heather McGuinness, Tyson Mitchell and Ashley Winter. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.

“The garden is an opportunity for young people to come build job skills and to have paid work,” explained McGuinness. Youth participants build skills like communication, problem-solving, teamwork, responsibility and customer service, as well as sustainable gardening practices and healthy eating. They also gain resume-worthy experience and references, a valuable opportunity for youth who may not have previous work experience.

“The program employs youth to come plant, grow and harvest fruits, vegetables and flowers, and then they get to sell what they grow at the farm stand and to a couple local restaurants,” McGuinness said. “Leaf & Ladle has been really great to work with.”

We Grow is offered in partnership with the Washington State University Extension Master Gardener Program and Growing Alliances. In addition, the garden will share what’s harvested by donating to Bellingham Food Bank.

Comcast employees and their families turned out in force to help on Comcast Cares Day. Photo credit: Shawn Robins.

“We are so fortunate to have the support of our local Comcast team,” said Bonnie Schultz-Lorentzen, Vocational Coordinator at Northwest Youth Services. “Because of this support, homeless and at-risk youth will be able to participate in developing a positive, skill-building and beautiful garden for years to come.”

“It’s a great program,” said McGuinness. “We love it and the community loves it.”

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Get Into Competetive Art Creation with “Stroke Off!”

By
LocalTalk Contributor
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Submitted by: The Stroke Off! 

The Stroke Off! is an energetic, timed painting competition featuring twelve Bellingham artists. There are two preliminary rounds where each artist has exactly twenty minutes to create their best piece of art on a canvas. At the end of the first two rounds, the crowd will then vote on their favorite artists and the top two will move on to the third and final round of the evening.

As the artists’ work, patrons move around the easels, closely observing the artists’ creative process. Acrylics and canvas will be the mediums used. The tools allowed are brushes, palette knives or any non-mechanical implements. The paintings will then be held on display for a silent auction in which all of the proceeds will go directly to the respective artists.

The Stroke Off! will start at 9 p.m. on Friday, June 2 at the Wild Buffalo. Boombox Kid will be providing the music throughout the evening as well as a dance party after the final round. The winner of the final round will receive a trophy as well as two tickets to see The Gorillaz at Key Arena on September 30.

The goal of this event is simply to bring our Arts Community together and have a great time while we are doing it. The easels and canvases will be provided by Dakota Art, so all you’ll need to bring is your paint and brushes or other tools you would like to use. I hope you’ll join us for our first Stroke Off! 

For more information click here.

All American Marine’s New 57,000 Square Foot Boat Manufacturing Facility Underscores the Resurgence of Whatcom County’s Working Waterfront

By
LocalTalk Contributor
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Submitted by: Port of Bellingham

The hull of a 125-foot, three-deck tour boat was towed across Bellingham Bay today, where its builder, All American Marine, will tow it ashore to the company’s new, nearby Downtown facility. This major activity at Squalicum Harbor boat launch signaled yet another symbolic mark of the vital Whatcom County’s working waterfronts.

The $7 million vessel, under construction for Argosy Cruises in Seattle, is too large for completion at All American’s old facility at 200 Harris Avenue in Fairhaven. All American’s new 57,000 square foot manufacturing plant has opened a new market segment of larger commercial vessels. e.g., All American recently inked a deal to build its next project, a 128-foot long, 600-passenger hybrid electric vessel for the Red and White Fleet of San Francisco, California.

All American plans to hire an additional 25 employees after their relocation soon. Their move led to Fairhaven Shipyard signing a lease with the Port of Bellingham to expand into All American’s old facility, giving them much-needed space and allowing them to enlarge operations.

The growth of the local maritime industry comes as no surprise to Jim Kyle, Vice President of the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County that represents over 100 marine-related businesses.  “Our excellent harbors, strategic location, and large cluster of close-by marine businesses make Whatcom County the best place on Puget Sound to base a commercial marine operation,” Kyle said. “And these companies produce mostly living-wage jobs, which are in short supply.”

According to a report recently published by the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University, 6,033 jobs are created or supported by the marine trades representing 7 percent of Whatcom County’s total workforce. The Working Waterfront Coalition and Whatcom Commercial Fisherman’s Association sponsored the economic impact analysis and played a key role in volunteer data-gathering.

“This study illustrates the importance of a still very viable industry,” said President and CEO of Bellingham Cold Storage Doug Thomas. “The Seafood and Maritime Services industries provide thousands of excellent paying jobs while a consistent base of economic activity.”

Economic Development Specialist Dodd Snodgrass at the Port of Bellingham concurred. “The local maritime sector is critical to the health of the regional economy,” Snodgrass said. “Marine trades industries on Port property alone generate over $122 million in direct income and provide over $18 million in taxes each year. From Fairhaven to Blaine, we see strong signs of growth for one of the largest employment sectors in Whatcom County.”

Kyle pointed out that maritime-related businesses in Whatcom County provide 3,970 direct jobs, well above the number of employees working for each of the county’s two largest employers – St. Joseph Peace Health Medical Center (2,753), and Western Washington University (1,575).

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bellingham is the First to Feature New H4 Design

By
LocalTalk Contributor
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oliday Inn Hotel & Suites-Bellingham is the area’s newest full service hotel. Conveniently located just steps away from the Bellingham International Airport
The Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites is one of five hotels helping benefit Lydia Place with Bowling for Beds. Photo courtesy: Holiday Inn & Suites-Bellingham.

Submitted by: Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bellingham

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, announces the opening of the new-build 153-room Holiday Inn® Hotel & Suites Bellingham hotel in Bellingham, Washington. The hotel, which is located steps away from Bellingham International Airport, is the first Holiday Inn property to open featuring the brand’s new H4 design, which was developed in collaboration with Holiday Inn hotel owners and frequent guests to meet the changing needs of modern leisure and business travelers.

The entryway bench provides a perfect transitional space for busy days. Photo courtesy: Holiday Inn & Suites-Bellingham.

Eric Lent, Vice President, Holiday Inn® and Crowne Plaza® Brands, The Americas, IHG said, “Since its inception more than 60 years ago, the Holiday Inn brand has been a part of countless memorable experiences for travelers the world over. It’s important for a brand with as much history as Holiday Inn to continually reinvent itself in order to maintain its place in the hearts and minds of guests. With H4, we’ve once again raised the expectation of what a great hotel stay can be, and we are thrilled to welcome the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bellingham to the IHG family as the first of many properties to come featuring this innovative new design.”

The Holiday Inn brand’s H4 guest room design is a flexible solution that adapts to each guest’s individual needs as they change throughout their stay, allowing them to work or relax wherever and however they want and truly make the space their own. As part of the design, the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bellingham hotel features:

The new sleeper sofa mattress is as comfortable as a bed. Photo courtesy: Holiday Inn & Suites-Bellingham.
  • A Welcome Nook serves as a drop zone for guests to hang their coat, drop their keys and personal belongings and plug in their devices – much like they would an entryway or mudroom in their own home.
  • An entirely new room type, the King Bed with Comfort Hideaway, features a trundle-type bed which doubles as a sofa during the day and can pull out into two twin beds at night. The room design is ideal for both business travelers, serving as a separate place to work or relax and unwind and families with kids and teens, giving each member of the family a comfortable place to sleep and play.
  • A new Moveable Desk and more than five dedicated points of power throughout the room were designed with today’s travelers in mind, giving them the ability to work and play anywhere in the room.
Movable furniture makes the space easily adaptable. Photo courtesy: Holiday Inn & Suites-Bellingham.

Ragan Humphrey, General Manager, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bellingham said, “We can’t wait to welcome guests traveling to the beautiful Pacific Northwest to the new Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bellingham. With wonderfully designed rooms, spacious public areas and state of the art conference facilities, we have everything covered whatever the reason travelers stay. We are confident that our hotel will quickly become a favorite choice of leisure and business travelers visiting the area.”

Holiday Inn hotels are designed to provide a welcoming and sociable environment for business travelers spending time away from home. Amenities including free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel through IHG® Connect, an onsite business center, 7,800 square feet of meeting space with capacity for more than 785 people, and convenient open public areas ideal for collaboration or post-meeting relaxation help travelers stay productive and accomplish their goals in a warm and social atmosphere, making business travel about more than just work.

Bathroom designs are inviting yet modern with plenty of space to spread out. Photo courtesy: Holiday Inn & Suites-Bellingham.

Additional amenities at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bellingham hotel include an indoor saline pool with steam room and sauna as well as a fully-equipped fitness center. Guests can also enjoy a drink or meal at the northwater restaurant, which offers a comfortable, casual setting to enjoy Pacific Northwest cuisine at its finest. The menu boasts a variety of seasonal favorites, including Ginger Shrimp Louie, Stuffed Rib Cap Steak and Saffron Shrimp Risotto, made from high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. As always at Holiday Inn hotels, kids 12 and younger eat free when ordering from the kids’ menu in the hotel restaurant and accompanied by a dining adult.

The hotel, located at 4260 Mitchell Way is owned by Bellingham HI, LLC and managed by Hotel Services Group, LLC. The Holiday Inn brand is part of IHG’s diverse family of brands in nearly 100 countries and territories. The scale and diversity of the IHG family of brands means that its hotels can meet guests’ needs whatever the occasion – whether an overnight getaway, a business trip, a family celebration or a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Holiday Inn brand participates in IHG® Rewards Club. The industry’s first and largest hotel rewards program is free, and guests can enroll at IHGRewardsClub.com, by downloading the IHG® App, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHG’s nearly 5,200 hotels worldwide. The hotel also participates in IHG Green Engage® and offers unique programs to ensure sustainability.

Bargain Bellingham – Date Night on a Budget

By
Taylor Lisa Bailey
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Bellingham for Martin Luther King

Whether it’s a first date, double date, just-friends date or a weekly date night, everybody wants to have a good time when they go out. Unfortunately, dating can be expensive. And while it’s fine to splurge every once in a while, it isn’t necessary to have a unique and fun experience – especially in this area, with raw natural beauty, weird and quirky places and a variety of local, budget-friendly eateries and bars. So buckle your seatbelt and let’s get exploring with Bargain Bellingham’s Date Nights under $20.

Simply exploring Locust Beach before the sunset is a great date. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.

If you really want to feel the buzz of excitement and fun in a world where $10 is almost too much to carry, then trade in your crisp bills for a bag of quarters and get ready for old-school video games. My husband and I love to head out to Reset Games‘ arcade. This all-ages, game-filled room has graffiti Mario on the walls and lots of bright lights. Try a new, weird game with your date, challenge them to a duel of Dance Dance Revolution or see who can survive the longest in the Pac-Man arena. If pinball is more your speed, head over to the Racket, a bar in Bellingham, and their pinball room for a great night. There is also a new arcade opening on Railroad Avenue in Bellingham.

Sometimes, the crowded areas and bright lights are really fun but my inner nerd would rather have one game in the comfort of my own living room. That’s how my collection of small, cheap board games has expanded so much in such a short amount of time. Really, for $20 you could pick some fun, creative and hard (or not!) board games that could serve for multiple date nights! Dark Tower Games in Bellingham, Heroes Resource in Lynden and Wishes in Bellis Fair Mall all sell board games. Bellingham also offers Rook and Rogue, a board game pub where you can come try board games for a small fee. Instead of spending $60 on a bigger game, why not try it out here?

Taylor and Kevin Bailey love disc golf dates. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.

Movie nights are also a classic date night. During the summer, take a trip to Fairhaven on a Saturday night and watch a free movie on the grass. I like to pick up some frozen yogurt, ice cream or other snacks before grabbing a spot. If you can, rent a DVD at Film is Truth for about $3. They have everything – old classics, foreign movies and new releases. Our public libraries also offer a great variety of DVDs including TV shows. This option just requires some pre-planning to get the disc. The Pickford also offers great films and seeing a daytime matinee at Regal cinemas will save you 3-6$ off a nighttime showing.

Perhaps going out sounds more fun. Well, bars offer much more than liquor. Head to downtown Bellingham to throw darts at Uisce’s Irish Pub (free), play shuffleboard at Bellingham Bar & Grill or shoot pool at The Local Public House. Check out some open-mic nights to hear some free live music, stand-up comedians or other acts that want to perform on stage. And if you are up for it, go for Karaoke or a trivia night!

There’s nothing quite like looking out at the trees from Galbraith mountain on a hiking date. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.

If you’d rather leave the competitive side and work together, dancing is another great option. There are $5 line dancing classes at Ferndale’s Kickin’ A Saloon & Dance Hall, Café Rumba offers Salsa lessons and dance nights or try general club dancing at one of the many bars in town.

Laughter is always good on a date and The Upfront Theatre knows how to get you to laugh until you cry. For $10 each, you can spend the night watching improv comedy.

Let fresh air and sunshine draw you outside. And while you’re at it, pack sandwiches and go on a hike. Easy hikes include North Lake Whatcom and the Stimson Family Reserve. In Ferndale you might check out Lake Tennant. Harder hikes with beautiful views for picnicking could include Raptor Ridge, Lily and Lizard Lakes, Burnout or Stuart Mountain. There’s a bonding satisfaction of completion when you reach the end of a hard trail with someone. Then you get to rest and enjoy the fruits of your labor. When the wind picks up in fall and spring, I love going to locust beach to watch the wind surfers, sitting on the sand enjoying some snacks while they fly around.

Burnout is one of the many beautiful hikes in Whatcom County. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.

Walking tours are another great idea and the city of Bellingham has some self-guided tours around Sehome and Bellingham. Free Holly Street tours are offered by the Good Time Girls Tours, who also offer other creative and fun tours like the Gore & Lore Tour and the Sin & Gin Tour.

Rainy days might mean we need to look inside for fun- why not try something new? While these two are slightly over 20$, they are too fun to not include in this list: Vital Climbing in downtown Bellingham and Trampoline Zone on Meridian. Vital Climbing offers day passes and lets you rent shoes to try the challenging (mentally and physically) sport of bouldering. If you get in to it, once you have the shoes and a matt, outdoor climbing becomes a free and fun date as well! Trampoline zone is $12 an hour if you are taller than 46 inches. It is an absolute blast.

Kevin Bailey, Brandon Adent and Anna Adent enjoy climbing in the Arboretum by Western on a beautiful spring day. Photo credit: Taylor Bailey.

Sports equipment is easy to pick up and packs a lot of fun: soccer balls, Frisbees or footballs are all under $20 and are easy to carry and turn into fun dates. My husband and I purchased disc golf discs a few years ago and we take our discs out when we travel. There are a lot of cool parks to explore with this. Bellingham, Ferndale and Lynden each have at least one course (9 holes). These discs might put you a little over $20 but they last for multiple dates.

Finally, try out a recipe! Spend $20 on ingredients for something you’ve wanted to try and go for it. Over winter, I made mushroom Vietnamese sandwiches with pickled vegetables and marinated mushrooms instead of meat, with delicious artisan bread for less than $20 (and fed 5). You can work together to make creative meals, or make it ahead of time to really impress your date. Up the challenge and try to use local ingredients- meats from Bellingham’s butcher shop, Carne; cheeses from one of our local dairies or fruits and vegetables from the Bellingham Farmers Market (open spring-fall, depending on the year). If you would prefer, you can also take a class. The Co-op offers classes like finding Wild Spring Greens for $10. Keep an eye on those classes. They are always new and prices vary.

So there you have it, dates for under 20$. Lots of options for great fun. Enjoy your dates!

Hotel Bellwether Hosts First Annual Spring Fling Event

By
LocalTalk Contributor
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The Hotel Bellwether Spring Fling is a premier wine and food event showcasing 25+ wineries from around the Pacific Northwest. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

Submitted by: Hotel Bellwether

Hotel Bellwether will host their first annual Spring Fling Northwest wine tasting event in the Bellwether Ballroom on Saturday, May 20 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. with a special VIP access from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

The Hotel Bellwether Spring Fling is a premier wine and food event showcasing 25+ wineries from around the Pacific Northwest. Photo credit: Stacee Sledge.

The Hotel Bellwether Spring Fling is a premier wine and food event showcasing 25+ wineries from around the Pacific Northwest. Some of these wineries include Abeja, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Long Shadows, Gilbert Cellars and Gamache, to name a few.

Along with a variety of Northwest wines, the Spring Fling will also have savory bites from Hotel Bellwether’s on-site restaurant, the Lighthouse Grill, and an on-site wine store for attendees to purchase their favorite wine from the vendors.

Hotel Bellwether will be donating a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales to Skookum Kids, a local organization that cares for foster children in Whatcom County.

Tickets for the event are $75* per person with limited VIP tickets available for $100* per person (*tax not included). The VIP attendees will receive early access to the event with exclusive reserve wine tasting, special food presentations and early access to the retail shop for discounted wine prices.

Hotel Bellwether is thrilled for the first annual Spring Fling and hopes to create a fun wine and food event for the Bellingham community to enjoy for years to come.

Bellwether’s General Manager, Jim Haupt, is excited to create a yearly event that showcases the wonderful wines offered in the Pacific Northwest in a relaxed atmosphere with live jazz and exceptional food presentations.

“We want to establish a very upscale wine tasting event for the community to come and experience the top wineries in the Northwest and Chef Michael Grogan’s delicious Northwest cuisine,” Haupt said.

Please visit hotelbellwether.com or call 360-392-3100 for more information, participating wineries and to purchase tickets.

Extensive Renovation Transforms Rundown Inn into Heliotrope Hotel, a Bellingham Jewel

By
LocalTalk Contributor
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The Heliotope hotel will be known for its warm hospitality. Photo courtesy: Heliotrope.

Submitted by: The Heliotrope Hotel

An aging inn that had become an eyesore in Bellingham’s Columbia neighborhood has been extensively renovated by new local ownership and transformed into the Heliotrope Hotel.

The Heliotrope will provide a hip, modern, Pacific Northwest oasis. Photo courtesy: The Heliotrope Hotel.

The 17-room hotel at 2419 Elm Street will open for guests on May 15. An open house for the community to see the many changes is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. May 13, featuring treats, beverages, room tours and yard games.

The site has been given a major facelift, inside and out, according to David Johnston of Bellingham’s Clearstory Investments. A spacious front lawn features a community space with a solid-fuel fire pit, a variety of yard games and an abundance of natural beauty. A community living room offers modern furniture, a welcoming fireplace, and other amenities. The guest rooms, ranging in size, include modern furniture and cabinetry designed specifically for the project by Smith & Vallee, creating warm, comfortable and modern environments with unique touches.

Take off your traveling shoes and rest awhile at the Heliotrope Hotel. Photo courtesy: The Heliotrope Hotel.

“The Heliotrope will provide a hip, modern, Pacific Northwest oasis with great local insight, thoughtful design, and warm hospitality, with contemporary and comfortable rooms and suites,” Johnston said.

Built in the 1950s, the former Lions Inn Motel suffered from neglect and was attracting, “the wrong kind of attention,” in recent years, Johnston said. Johnston, involved with the historic preservation and renovation of buildings in Washington for the last 20 years, had been eyeing the property for several years when he was approached by Peter and Aimee Frazier, longtime local residents and vacation rental hosts.

The Heliotope hotel will be known for its warm hospitality. Photo courtesy: The Heliotrope Hotel.

They acquired the property and then gained several more partners, including: Tim Green of Bellingham, a long-time hospitality professional; Wes Smith and Andrew Vallee, owners of Bow-based Smith & Vallee which designs, builds and installs quality cabinetry and distinct furniture from sustainably harvested Western Washington woods; and Robert Hall, Bellingham commercial property investor and owner.

For reservations or more information, call 888-966-0801 or visit www.HeliotropeHotel.com.

Warm up with Trilby’s BBQ Sauce

By
Theresa Golden
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Marilee Weber manufactures and sells the award-winning Trilby's BBQ sauce available at retailers and craft shows around the Pacific Northwest. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.

As the weather gets warmer it’s easy to think about spending time outside, basking in some sunshine and eventually firing up that grill. Trilby’s just might be the perfect BBQ Sauce to add to those favorite outdoor snacks and smoked meats. Manufactured in Ferndale at the old Carnation building by Marilee Weber, Trilby’s BBQ Sauce offers a select variety of mild and spicy bottles with a heartwarming history rooted in the Pacific Northwest.

In 2011 Marilee Weber got the opportunity to buy the award-winning Trilby’s BBQ Sauce business. Photo courtesy: Trilby’s BBQ Sauce.

Trilby’s BBQ Sauce began in the ‘70’s with Trilby Wiedman. As history tells it, she developed the award-winning sauce to perfect the barbequed meatballs that she offered through her catering business down in Silverdale. After two decades, the sauce was known and desired by the community. After Trilby retired, her daughter, Laura, and Mark Joseph began manufacturing the product as it was no longer available through catering and customers still wanted it for their own home cooking.

The business grew from craft shows and farmers markets to being supplied at grocery stores and retail outlets. When the business grew large enough, a choice between time with family and time with production needed to be made. Naturally, a business that started out of love of family and community would make the choice to put family and community first. The Joseph’s tried to find a buyer for a couple of years before Weber found their sales ad. “She was almost ready, she told me, to post the recipe on the website and say ‘thanks for all the support all these years’ and move on,” Weber shares. “So I just totally lucked out.”

Marilee and Christo Weber sell Trilby’s BBQ products at various shows around the County where Marilee enjoys interacting first hand with her customers. Photo courtesy: Trilby’s BBQ Sauce.

For Weber, the opportunity to own Trilby’s came at just the right time. Working as the production manager for the Lopez Island Creamery, a transition in ownership meant Weber’s job would be lost and she would need to find a new life chapter. Having been the owner of her own candy business on Friday Harbor earlier on, Weber knew she wanted to be a business owner again. Trilby’s happened to be just the right size for Weber to feel confident with taking it on as well as bringing it to the next level. “Literally I went from making pints of ice-cream to pints of BBQ Sauce,” Weber shares. Since her ownership in 2011, Weber has developed the Chipotle Marionberry BBQ Sauce as well as creating additional rubs and seasonings, new dips and snack mixes.

Trilby’s and Barb’s Pies share a kitchen in the old Carnation building and shop-share their products at the Checkered Apron in Ferndale. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.

When it comes to manufacturing, Weber is a one woman show. Sharing a kitchen with Barb’s Pies, Weber works hard to produce and fill orders for retailers as well as the numerous local craft fairs and markets she attends throughout the year. Professing to never have been the sort of person who can be riveted to a 9 to 5 job, Weber enjoys the variety of challenges the business provides.

In the kitchen, she practices undivided attention to her sauce manufacturing and at fairs she is able to meet and greet directly with the customers who try out and cook with her products. “When I do shows over on the Kitsap, I love it because I get the Trilby stories from the customers,” she says. “‘Yeah, she catered my mom’s wedding,’ or, ‘We used to live next door,’” Weber shares. “It is really fun and she had done a really good job of spreading good will. She was well received.”

Since her ownership, Marilee has added rubs and dip and snack mixes to the line of products for sale through Trilby’s. Photo courtesy: Trilby’s BBQ Sauce.

Trilby’s is a good community and family fit for Weber as well. Her husband Christo loves smoking meats and has his favorites when it comes to seasoning and dipping into BBQ sauce. “My husband eats BBQ sauce on everything, always has,” Weber shares. A sense of community also comes from the craft fairs Weber has been a part of over the years. “The community of show participants, we are like a tribe,” Weber explains. “It’s really nice to do the shows and keep running into the same people who kind of have the same approach to life. None of us color inside the lines very well, that’s why we don’t have 9 to 5 jobs.”

Weber, who enjoys creating new products, finds it convenient to test out her ideas on her kitchen mate, Barb O’Brine and her staff. Barb, who praises Weber for her diligence, consistency and cleanliness also shop-shares with Weber at a retail location in Ferndale.

Marilee Weber manufactures and sells the award-winning Trilby’s BBQ sauce available at retailers and craft shows around the Pacific Northwest. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.

Wandering into the Checkered Apron gives you the best of both businesses. Here you can sample pastries from Barb’s Pies as well as purchase Trilby’s BBQ sauce, rubs and dip mixes. Barb’s daughter, Melissa, who manages the Checkered Apron shares, “I love the garlic garden and I put it on everything.” Weber’s seasonings are even used in Barb’s take-and-bake meat pies, available on site as well. Of course, when it comes to the award-winning BBQ sauce, you won’t really know how good it is, unless you try it.

The Checkered Apron can be found at 5679 3rd Avenue in Ferndale.

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