APRIL 2016 VUECREST VIEW NEWSLETTER

The May meeting will be on Thursday, May 5th, at the home of Mark and Janet McClure, 1014 Belfair Road. As usual, we will begin at 7 PM. All Vuecrest neighbors are welcome to attend. See old friends and meet new ones - This is your chance to find out what’s happening!

 Urban planners, in a concerted effort to make our city more walkable, bike-able and enjoyable for all will share their plan to connect Meydenbauer Bay Park, thru our vibrant downtown, span I-405 and link up with light rail in the Wilburton commercial area. Learn about ideas that architects, planners and artists have to bring community identity and exciting urban design elements to make Bellevue unique and user-friendly. Open house is on April 9, 4-7 p.m., at the Bellevue Arts Museum. YES! That’s THIS SATURDAY! And it’s IMPORTANT!!! See you there!

Meydenbauer Bay Park Phase 1 - Public Hearing

Welcome SPRING! And with it came daylight savings time…did you survive?? Was it really so traumatic to trade that one hour of precious sleep for 60 minutes of gorgeous sunshine? Harvard scientists report it can take up to a week for our circadian rhythm to adjust once it gets messed with, and lack of sleep makes us, well, irritable (especially during political campaign season, in case you haven’t noticed-).  But you’d think we’d get the hang of this clock-changing shtick by now! It was first proposed by a New Zealand entomologist named George Hudson in 1895. He worked split shifts and thought it would be nifty to add more afternoon sunlight hours for his bug-collecting jaunts, in fact, he actually suggested a 2 hour change. Clearly, George’s idea was truly self-indulgent (I mean, how many dead moths on a pin board does one person need??) but his suggestion was felt to have some merit. By 1916 the one hour change of DST was established in Europe and 2 years later, we had it here in the states as well, except for Hawaii and most of Arizona, where they already had plenty of sunshine (dermatologists didn’t need the extra biz, thank you very much). Since then, it has had its supporters including retailers and sporting equipment manufacturers; and detractors – energy companies and farmers (wreaks havoc with milk production of “ultra-sensitive” cows, and roosters just go fruit-loops for a while). If by chance you take consolation that we all suffer together, well, it’s not so. China, with its vast (and I mean v-a-s-t) width of 3,123 miles remains in one singular time zone. And imagine, there are some stubborn little geographical enclaves located smack on far-off meridians that change their clocks by half an hour, and even a rare few (perhaps Tim-buck-tooo??) that change by only 15 minutes. Bob Dylan said it best in 1964: “Oh, The Times They Are a Changin”, or not…or… not by very much.

   Did you remember to celebrate “Square Root Day”??? It’s a BIG BIG holiday with all those math freaks out there. It fell on 4-4-16 (HA! Get it??April 4th!  4x4=16 …year: 2016!!) Don’t tell me you forgot to chop up those root vegies, like turnips and carrots and potatoes into small cubes??!! You’d better be ready NEXT time Square Root Day comes around – mark it on your calendars: 9/9/81 and don’t make me remind you again!!!

 “We are poor little lambs who have lost our way…baaa, baaa, baaa…” (The Wiffenpoof Song/ Rudy Vallee/ 1927). Sheep shearing, is one of the showier examples of farming life at Bellevue's Kelsey Creek Park and it will take center stage Saturday, April 30 from 11 am-4 pm. The shearing of the sheep is a traditional farm practice to gather wool for a variety of textiles. Each sheep produces from six to 10 pounds of wool each year. Originally called "Wild'n'Woolly", this sheep shearing event originated in the early '90s, as the crowds came each spring to watch the sheep being shorn of their winter coats. Come and enjoy a variety of other fun farm events, including spinning and sheep herding demonstrations, hands on activities by Eastside Heritage Center, tractor pulled hay rides, pony rides, food and more! Free admission for all.

Yippeeee!!! In case you didn’t hear the news, the toll lanes on I-405 will be FREE during non-peak hours (7PM – 5AM) and on weekends and major holidays. Nice to know our elected officers actually listened to the THIRTY THOUSAND folks who signed the on-line petition! So keep on “Goin’ ridin’ on a FREEway of love in that pink Cadillac…” (Aretha Franklin 1985) cuz it’s REAL FREE, Honey! And our “Bridge to the Future” has arrived, NOW! Crews are putting the final touches on the new and snazzy 520 ($$$$$) floating bridge. Westbound lanes will be open to traffic on April 11; eastbound lanes will follow on April 25. Not very likely this will change the number of traffic jams, so look at it this way. It’s like flying in an airplane; traveling 1st class doesn’t get you to your destination any sooner, it just makes the ride more fun!

Be Square!  Happening at Bel-Square Mall: Brand new little eatery called FRESHII is opening on the 2nd floor, near Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. Freshii has 75 restaurants in 15 countries and their focus is on healthy light fare, including soups, salads, sandwiches and more. Also new to the mall is TED BAKER, a mens and womens clothing store, located mid-center on the main floor, where Sephora was. “365”, a division of Whole Foods will be remodeling a space in the old JC Penney’s area but will not open until late fall. And Tully’s? Gone, all gone (time to switch to Starbucks, if you haven’t already)

This month we welcome Lisa and Rich Sauer to their home at 810 Park Road. Lisa is a busy mom of 9 year old twins Max and Ava, and considers her main past-time is being a “human taxi” (I think almost every mother can relate to that!) Lisa is originally from Pennsylvania, Rich from Ohio and they met in Washington DC. When Rich is not traveling for Microsoft, he enjoys running; and Lisa looks forward to sitting down with a good book, whenever she gets a chance (not often enough, no doubt). Their kids were born in Singapore where they had been living for 5 years. They are now renovating their home in Medina and will be only “Vuecresters” until the end of the year, when their own home should be move-in ready. Boo-hoo! They are delightful…let’s vote for them to stay HERE!

Could there be a nicer way to spend a sunny spring afternoon than to enjoy the fresh air on our patio with new friends? Ken Flyum and his wife Barbara (Walker) have enjoyed life at 9841 Belfair Lane for 35 years. Ken is a retired Navy Captain and he and Barbara have lived at many domestic and foreign bases during his long career. When Ken retired in 1983 they were living in California but felt ready for a change. They visited Bellevue and saw a charming, but distressed little 1949 home in Vuecrest that was up for sale. They hesitated; it would need some major remodeling to get it “ship-shape”. Their 3 kids were out of the nest and they weren’t sure if they felt ready to take on such a project. After returning to California, they reconsidered and within days it became clear: Yes! The little Vuecrest charmer would be their new home! Once settled in, Barbara, an experienced travel agent, took over management of “Travel Masters” in Factoria. She had studied art history and painting at Western Washington University, and though her father was an artist, she enjoyed it more as a hobby rather than a career. After her retirement she found time to focus on her art. She is now an active member of the “Women Painters of Washington” (WPW) and is well-known for her large abstract landscapes. Her paintings are on exhibit and for sale at various galleries where the WPW’s work is showcased.

 Have a great “First Month of Spring”!    Mara

APRIL 2016 VUECREST VIEW NEWSLETTER May Board Meeting The May meeting will be on Thursday, May 5th, at the home of Mark and Janet McClure, 1014 Belfair Road. As usual, we will begin at 7 PM. All Vuecrest neighbors are welcome to attend. See old friends and meet new ones - This is your chance to find out what’s happening! What are those survey guys in orange and green vests doing? Bellevue Utilities has determined that the sanitary sewer system in the Vuecrest neighborhood is nearing the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced. This will be done in two phases beginning in January 2017. Phase 1 will be a rehabilitation of the sewer system using a trenchless technique. There will be no excavation so properties will not be disturbed. Phase 2, set to begin in June 2017, will involve open excavation in order to replace those sections of pipe which cannot be reached with the trenchless method. During the Phase 2 excavation the water main on Belfair Lane will be replaced with a new and larger pipe. There will be noise and traffic diversions during phase 2. Property owners directly affected by any land disturbance activities and/or open excavation will be notified directly by mail and told what will be disturbed and what mitigation measures the city will be applying to correct those disturbances. Once all of the sewer/water replacements have been completed, the streets affected by excavations will be repaved with asphalt. This information was supplied by Stephen Noeske, Senior Utilities Engineer for the City of Bellevue. He can be reached at <mailto:snoeske@bellevuewa.gov> snoeske@bellevuewa.gov, or 425-452-5271. Bellevue Race Day Road Closures The “All in for Autism,” 10K/5K race is coming up on Sunday, April 24. Starting 8:00 and finishing at 11AM. Proceeds from the event, hosted by the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club, will go toward the Autism Center at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Kindering Center. Both the 5-kilometer and the 10-kilometer courses start and end near Downtown Bellevue Park. The 5k course runs east along Northeast Second Street to 112th Avenue, down to the Bellevue Way and 112th Avenue Southeast “Y”, and then north up Bellevue Way to the finish. The 10K course runs east along Northeast Second Street, turns south onto 114th Avenue between I-405 and the Mercer Slough, heads west on the I-90 trail, and returns north on 108th Avenue Northeast and Bellevue Way. Be aware that roads may be closed along this routing. (Visit <http://allinforautism.org/event-info/> http://allinforautism.org/event-info/ to see course maps.) Pet Licensing Information / Bellevue Police Captain, Carl Kleinknecht The Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) notified us that their annual pet licensing door-to-door campaign will begin on April 2nd. The program will run through the end of October. How to identify legit staff members: They will all wear bright blue polo shirts, or windbreakers; and they will have King County photo identification. They will not ask you for money or a credit card number. The purpose of the program is to educate and inform citizens who have pets that are not currently licensed. The staff member will provide a temporary license at no cost. The hours are as follows: Saturdays- 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays - 1 to 7:30 p.m. They occasionally work weekdays from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. The "Grand Connection" …and it should be truly GRAND! Urban planners, in a concerted effort to make our city more walkable, bike-able and enjoyable for all will share their plan to connect Meydenbauer Bay Park, thru our vibrant downtown, span I-405 and link up with light rail in the Wilburton commercial area. Learn about ideas that architects, planners and artists have to bring community identity and exciting urban design elements to make Bellevue unique and user-friendly. Open house is on April 9, 4-7 p.m., at the Bellevue Arts Museum. YES! That’s THIS SATURDAY! And it’s IMPORTANT!!! See you there! Meydenbauer Bay Park Phase 1 - Public Hearing A public hearing will be held at Bellevue City Hall in the City Council Chambers at 7 o’clock PM on Thursday, April 14, 2016. The hearing will be conducted by a Hearing Examiner. The proposed park design will be presented, after which questions and comments from the public will be welcomed. Additional information on how to provide comments as well as contact information is included in the March 24,, 2016, Weekly Permit Bulletin. The Bulletin can be found on the City’s website, <http://www.bellevuewa.gov> www.bellevuewa.gov; click on “check status” and choose “Weekly Permit Bulletin”: Bulletin 3/31/16. Robin Cole is the project manager and can be reached at: <mailto:rcole@bellevuewa.gov> rcole@bellevuewa.gov. DTP TID-BITS !!! Welcome SPRING! And with it came daylight savings time…did you survive?? Was it really so traumatic to trade that one hour of precious sleep for 60 minutes of gorgeous sunshine? Harvard scientists report it can take up to a week for our circadian rhythm to adjust once it gets messed with, and lack of sleep makes us, well, irritable (especially during political campaign season, in case you haven’t noticed-). But you’d think we’d get the hang of this clock-changing shtick by now! It was first proposed by a New Zealand entomologist named George Hudson in 1895. He worked split shifts and thought it would be nifty to add more afternoon sunlight hours for his bug-collecting jaunts, in fact, he actually suggested a 2 hour change. Clearly, George’s idea was truly self-indulgent (I mean, how many dead moths on a pin board does one person need??) but his suggestion was felt to have some merit. By 1916 the one hour change of DST was established in Europe and 2 years later, we had it here in the states as well, except for Hawaii and most of Arizona, where they already had plenty of sunshine (dermatologists didn’t need the extra biz, thank you very much). Since then, it has had its supporters including retailers and sporting equipment manufacturers; and detractors – energy companies and farmers (wreaks havoc with milk production of “ultra-sensitive” cows, and roosters just go fruit-loops for a while). If by chance you take consolation that we all suffer together, well, it’s not so. China, with its vast (and I mean v-a-s-t) width of 3,123 miles remains in one singular time zone. And imagine, there are some stubborn little geographical enclaves located smack on far-off meridians that change their clocks by half an hour, and even a rare few (perhaps Tim-buck-tooo??) that change by only 15 minutes. Bob Dylan said it best in 1964: “Oh, The Times They Are a Changin”, or not…or… not by very much. A VUE-dose of KUDOS! Many thanks to the egg-straordinary hard-work of Eileen Foley in creating a successful Egg Hunt this year (hmmm, not quite a “hunt”…more like a “buffet”!). It’s no easy feat to stand in the check-out line with shopping carts piled high with candy and ignore the stares of everyone behind you. And when it was time for the “Big Stuff” (…who do you think you are? Jean Knight/1971), Eileen and Gigi Fox Nelson stuffed about 750 of those bright plastic ova. The other 750 were filled at our home over tea and cake with new neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Liang and their daughter Nancy from Vineyard Crest, Jo-lee Gao and her kids Neal and Natasha on Sunset, and Guo-Jen and Grandma Ny-Ny on Hilltop, as well as long-time resident Anne Kellogg. Vuecrest’s very own Easter Bunny (whose identity remains a mystery to everyone except Mr. Bugs) directed urchins of all ages to the verdant fields of Tom and Julie Kadavy and Mike and Laurie Wittman. Thanks EVERYONE - it was great fun!!! We’ve already signed you up for NEXT year. Don’t worry - you’ll be hearing from us!!! WAZA-GOIN-ON???!! Did you remember to celebrate “Square Root Day”??? It’s a BIG BIG holiday with all those math freaks out there. It fell on 4-4-16 (HA! Get it??April 4th! 4x4=16 …year: 2016!!) Don’t tell me you forgot to chop up those root vegies, like turnips and carrots and potatoes into small cubes??!! You’d better be ready NEXT time Square Root Day comes around – mark it on your calendars: 9/9/81 and don’t make me remind you again!!! Have you noticed the brand new cooking store called “Whisk” at the corner of Old Main and Bellevue Way? It just opened about 6 weeks ago and sells terrific (and essential, of course) high-end kitchenware and accoutrements. A large part of their store is designed to help channel the “inner chef” in each of us (not a chance..I ain’t got one!). Classes deal with basics such as “Art of Gnocchi”, “Dim Sum Project, and “Elegant 3 course Dinner”, and prices range from $95. - $130. Class sizes are limited so as to provide maximum hands-on experience on their 5 large gas ranges. (hmmm…I’m not sure this was just the kind of “heat” Bob Marley had in mind when he sang “Stir it up, little darling; come on baby, stir it up”/1967.) “Oh, the days of the Kerry dancing! Oh, the ring of the piper’s tune! Oh, for one of those hours of gladness, gone, alas, like our youth, too soon…” (James Lyman Molloy 1837-1909) A little known anachronistic treasure is just 18 miles from Bellevue! You’ll find a whole different world when you visit Camlann, a rural community from 14th century England! Tucked away at 10320 Kelly Road NE (halfway btw. Carnation and Duvall, Rte. 503) Camlann is a fantasy village which welcomes spring in its annual May Festival on the weekend of April 30 – May 1, Noon- 5PM. Listen to the strolling minstrels, partake in the merriment of maypole dancing, watch demonstrations of garland weaving, blacksmithing, candle making, long-bow archery and much more. Lunch and refreshments are avbl. or stay thru for an evening feast at the Boers Hede Inne, complete with live music and dinner theater presentation (reservations required). Check it out at <http://www.camlann.org> www.camlann.org Thinking of summer activities for the little “you-know-whats”??! (“Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah, here I am at Camp Granada, life is very entertaining and they say we’ll have some fun if it stops raining…” Allan Sherman/1963). Check out this new website: <http://www.6crickets.com> www.6crickets.com , which inventories all local camps and their focus. No fees, and all prices quoted reflect “early discount”. “Hello Dolly, well hello Dolly, it’s so nice to have you back where you belong…” (Herman & Stewart 1964, and ne’er to be forgotten, the great Satchmo!) Here’s something for the “kid” in all of us: The Seattle Antique & Collectible Doll and Toy Show holds its annual event on Saturday, April 23, 10-3PM in Mountlake Terrace. (I have taken several of my mother’s old bisque dolls there and for $3. had them appraised. Repairs also avbl.) <http://www.dollshowusa.com> www.dollshowusa.com. Makes me recall how much I enjoyed taking friends to the beautifully appointed Rosalie Whyel Doll Museum next to the library – wish it were still there- it will be re-opening as a “Kidsquest Museum” in the fall. “Green, green, it’s green they say on the far side of the hill…” (New Christie Minstrels 1963). Not so! It’s green on THIS side of the hill, too! The Bellevue Botanical Gardens are gearing up for the spring season with their educational workshops (registration required). April 16: Organic Gardening 10-12; April 23: Learn all about Fuchsias, 10-12; April 30: Native Plant Society Sale and Environmental Festival- 10-4 PM. There will be a free special Mother’s Day event on Sunday, May 8 with music and refreshments and garden strolling. Learn more at <http://www.bellevuebotanical.org> www.bellevuebotanical.org. Now, back to that “FAR side of the hill”: Kubota Gardens at 10915 51 Ave. South, Seattle are hosting their annual spring plant sale on May 7, 9AM - 1PM. That same day, our very own Melissa Hambleton (Chairwoman of the Vuecrest Social Committee) will be sharing her Master Gardener skills with visitors at the Center for Urban Horticulture. Join her and other Master Gardeners on Saturday from 9-4 or Sunday, May 8 from 11-3 at 3501 NE 41st St. Also being offered: Free 20 min garden design consultations. And who can resist teenie-tiny trees with their miniscule leaflets??? The Puget Sound Bonsai spring exhibit will be held on April 23 in Federal Way and definitely worth the drive! David and I spent an afternoon there last fall and were absolutely enchanted. Trees and pots are also for sale and… teenie-weenie gnomes with itsy-bitsy rakes will answer all your mini-wini questions (no… just kidding!) Entry is free, lots to see, they’ve been at this for 28 years. <http://www.psba.us> www.psba.us Don’t wait for summer time to go fanny smashing into cold water as you scream “BONSAI!” Do it now, in Federal Way! WARNING: Tree pruning with your nail clippers is strictly prohibited- Lithe, lean and lovely was Martha Graham. Born in 1894 in Pittsburgh to a religious family, she saw her first dance performance at the age of 17 and was mesmerized. However, it wasn’t until she was in her 20’s that she started to study and in 1926 she established her eponymous dance company. Her style was brilliant, elegant and ultra-modern for its time and she was often referred to as the “Picasso of Dance”. Little can be seen of her original work as she rarely permitted recordings of her productions, believing that their creative unfolding on stage was integral to the artistic process and should be experienced “in the moment”. Her perfection of face, exquisite grace and quintessential dancer’s body made her an icon of modern dance. She retired from performing at the age of 74 and though always generous with the young dancers who dominated her famous troupe, she felt profound detachment, loss and loneliness. After several years of struggle with alcoholism and depression, punctuated with a suicide attempt, she returned to her work with self-discipline and passion. She choreographed 10 new ballets as well as many revivals until her death in 1991 at the age of 96. Her biography “Blood Memory” was published posthumously. The Martha Graham Dance Company returns to Meany Hall on its 90th Anniversary Tour as part of the UW World Series On May 5-7. Tickets avbl. at: <http://www.uwworldseries.org/events-ticket.com> www.uwworldseries.org/events-ticket.com. “We are poor little lambs who have lost our way…baaa, baaa, baaa…” (The Wiffenpoof Song/ Rudy Vallee/ 1927). Sheep shearing, is one of the showier examples of farming life at Bellevue's Kelsey Creek Park and it will take center stage Saturday, April 30 from 11 am-4 pm. The shearing of the sheep is a traditional farm practice to gather wool for a variety of textiles. Each sheep produces from six to 10 pounds of wool each year. Originally called "Wild'n'Woolly", this sheep shearing event originated in the early '90s, as the crowds came each spring to watch the sheep being shorn of their winter coats. Come and enjoy a variety of other fun farm events, including spinning and sheep herding demonstrations, hands on activities by Eastside Heritage Center, tractor pulled hay rides, pony rides, food and more! Free admission for all. FREE Activities: Sheep shearing demonstration, Sheep herding, Fiber craft by the NWRSA Spinners, Hands on activities by the Eastside Heritage Center, Tractor-pulled hay rides by NW Vintage Tractor Club, 4-H & Kelsey Creek Farm animal exhibits, Chelsea Farms Alpacas. Activities with nominal fees: Pony rides, Local honey, Food & drinks. Parking is very limited onsite, shuttles available from Bannerwood Sports Park and Wilburton Park and Ride. Wool ewe go????! Wool ewe go????! Not a baaa-d idea! And load up the kids (maybe you can get THEM sheared too!) Yippeeee!!! In case you didn’t hear the news, the toll lanes on I-405 will be FREE during non-peak hours (7PM – 5AM) and on weekends and major holidays. Nice to know our elected officers actually listened to the THIRTY THOUSAND folks who signed the on-line petition! So keep on “Goin’ ridin’ on a FREEway of love in that pink Cadillac…” (Aretha Franklin 1985) cuz it’s REAL FREE, Honey! And our “Bridge to the Future” has arrived, NOW! Crews are putting the final touches on the new and snazzy 520 ($$$$$) floating bridge. Westbound lanes will be open to traffic on April 11; eastbound lanes will follow on April 25. Not very likely this will change the number of traffic jams, so look at it this way. It’s like flying in an airplane; traveling 1st class doesn’t get you to your destination any sooner, it just makes the ride more fun! “We met at 9.” “We met at 8.” “I was on time.” “No, you were late.” “Ah yes, I remember it well…” (Maurice Chevalier/Gigi/1958) Town Hall Seattle presents “Simple Steps for Improving Memory” on April 14 at 6PM. Gary Small M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at UCLA, as well as well-known author and researcher, will discuss the workings (and occasional “lack”) of our brain, as well as give keys (now, where did I leave them?) for improving function as we age. Tickets are $5. And avbl. at <http://www.townhallseattle.org> www.townhallseattle.org. Better write that down before you FORGET!!! FLIX! We never seem to get to movies more than a couple times a year and have just discovered that Xfinity has movies we can watch at home! WOW! That’s how the recent release of “Spotlight” came into our spotlight. It is based on actual events (the extensive cover-up of deviant priests by the Catholic Church) and a story that needed to be told, which seems to be a rarity by Tinsel-town standards. Even old-fashioned “shoot-em-ups” are tame compared to the “Blast them all to smithereens!” genre that dominate the screen these days, not to mention Dumb Sequels now up to 9 or 10?? How about the latest offering where Zombies meet Louisa May Alcott? Or those transformer-horror flicks that makes the popcorn not just stick in your throat, but come back UP again! The intelligence of “Spotlight” made it a clear Oscar winner.**** The other terrific film we saw on Xfinity was “The Big Short”. It explains (if that’s actually possible) how the really large Wall Street financial institutions continued to sell fraudulent securities despite the warnings of a few prescient analysts who understood that the nation was heading for financial ruin. This set us up for the housing collapse of 2007-08 and led our country into a massive recession. It’s got wit, drama, chaos, fine acting and the sad reality of a conclusion which still hobbles many in their lives today; be they home-owners, renters, or young folks searching for that more-elusive-than-ever “American Dream”. Both are very good movies that challenge brain cells for a couple hours. PYOP (Pop your own popcorn). Be Square! Happening at Bel-Square Mall: Brand new little eatery called FRESHII is opening on the 2nd floor, near Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. Freshii has 75 restaurants in 15 countries and their focus is on healthy light fare, including soups, salads, sandwiches and more. Also new to the mall is TED BAKER, a mens and womens clothing store, located mid-center on the main floor, where Sephora was. “365”, a division of Whole Foods will be remodeling a space in the old JC Penney’s area but will not open until late fall. And Tully’s? Gone, all gone (time to switch to Starbucks, if you haven’t already) And donchafoget! The tulips are blooming! The tulips are blooming! Head up north to La Conner or Skagit Valley with your loved ones and your camera. Snap a memory and send it cyber-ly to all your dear friends. The background of fresh flowers will do wonders for your complexion and when you write “the fields were a’bloom”, everyone will say that YOU were too! **** Our fabulous Fred Meyer on 148th closes down on April 23 for 6 long months for a $22 M. renovation. So get thee to Redmond or Kirkland if you’ve got a little itchy for a Freddies fixie! **** Did you notice the new construction at the corner of 4th and 116th?? Well, you’re going to be SO GLAD! It’s a wondrous new REI for all of you out-doorsy types AND a Trader Joe’s, the King of small grocery stores for the discriminating shoppers who have to, have to, just HAVE to have……whatever. It’s coming soon, watch the building go up but pace yourself. It ain’t done yet! **** Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! It’s VEG-FEST time!!! Here’s to a 24 CARROT idea – The annual vegi-palooza is being held THIS weekend (April 9-10) at the Exhibition Hall at Seattle Center from 10AM to 6PM. Nosh, nosh, nosh from the many tables that feature assorted small bites of those wondrous terra-firma based delicacies that your mother always told you to eat! Admission:$9, Kids under 12: Free. LETTUCE know if you’re going – maybe we’ll TURNIP too! (tooo CORNy). Free food, cooking demonstrations, health screening, kids corner. Great Fun! New to the Vue! This month we welcome Lisa and Rich Sauer to their home at 810 Park Road. Lisa is a busy mom of 9 year old twins Max and Ava, and considers her main past-time is being a “human taxi” (I think almost every mother can relate to that!) Lisa is originally from Pennsylvania, Rich from Ohio and they met in Washington DC. When Rich is not traveling for Microsoft, he enjoys running; and Lisa looks forward to sitting down with a good book, whenever she gets a chance (not often enough, no doubt). Their kids were born in Singapore where they had been living for 5 years. They are now renovating their home in Medina and will be only “Vuecresters” until the end of the year, when their own home should be move-in ready. Boo-hoo! They are delightful…let’s vote for them to stay HERE! Also new to our neighborhood is the Pan family at 9311 Sunset Way. Jack works with Nextbiometrics in Bellevue and his wife Junyan is with Microsoft. They are originally from Beijing but have been living for the past 5 years in Lakemont. Their 7 year old daughter Ruike (say “Ray-kee”) attends the Bellevue Childrens Academy and loves gymnastics and chess. In his free time, Jack enjoys table-tennis and Chinese card games as well as Black Jack. Stop by and visit if you are looking for a play-partner. Vintage Vuecrest Could there be a nicer way to spend a sunny spring afternoon than to enjoy the fresh air on our patio with new friends? Ken Flyum and his wife Barbara (Walker) have enjoyed life at 9841 Belfair Lane for 35 years. Ken is a retired Navy Captain and he and Barbara have lived at many domestic and foreign bases during his long career. When Ken retired in 1983 they were living in California but felt ready for a change. They visited Bellevue and saw a charming, but distressed little 1949 home in Vuecrest that was up for sale. They hesitated; it would need some major remodeling to get it “ship-shape”. Their 3 kids were out of the nest and they weren’t sure if they felt ready to take on such a project. After returning to California, they reconsidered and within days it became clear: Yes! The little Vuecrest charmer would be their new home! Once settled in, Barbara, an experienced travel agent, took over management of “Travel Masters” in Factoria. She had studied art history and painting at Western Washington University, and though her father was an artist, she enjoyed it more as a hobby rather than a career. After her retirement she found time to focus on her art. She is now an active member of the “Women Painters of Washington” (WPW) and is well-known for her large abstract landscapes. Her paintings are on exhibit and for sale at various galleries where the WPW’s work is showcased. Ken served as President of the Vuecrest board in 1988 and the legacy of his tenure is the beautiful stone wall on 100th Ave NE . The city of Bellevue had big plans to improve 100th from 8th to 12th street. Their first step was to remove the 60’ cottonwood trees that lined the road. The city offered to build a fence along 100th but several VC residents, in particular Bob Allen, Marv Boys and Helen Gibson, had long felt a stone wall would be a more attractive demarcation. They met with a city transportation liaison and it was decided that an “L.I.D.” (Local Improvement District, which works independent of the city) would be created. Vuecrest residents were also very involved, voicing their concern of the one –time several hundred dollar assessment that would be levied. Some were on tight budgets and unsure how they would raise the funds, others were eager for a lovely wall. A petition passed, and with the L.I.D.’s backing, it became clear that the majority was voting YES! As the construction began and the wall went up, so did the price tag. The city graciously agreed to cover all additional costs. Ken, with a steady hand and an eye to the future, steered Vuecrest forward and has left us the legacy of a beautiful and definitive border between our charming hamlet and the hustle-bustle of the city. Here’s a hearty THANKS to Ken and all the early Vuecrest residents! Barbara recalls that the VC dues at that time were about $30 a year and the money was used to rent big metal dumpsters in the spring and the fall. The dumpsters would be off-loaded and left for perhaps a week or more at various streets, so that residents would have a place to take all their yard waste and debris and have it hauled away. That was the official “Clean-up Week”. Captain Ken and his lovely First Mate Barbara have enjoyed many ports in many countries over the years and clearly they live a life “full to the gunwales”, which includes visits with their daughter and 2 grandchildren in Portland, and their 2 sons in California. Have a great “First Month of Spring”! Mara