January 2009

Featured Business

La Conner Channel Lodge

Skagit County’s only waterfront hotel offers luxurious accommodations, Northwest styling, and views of Swinomish Channel from all but seven of the 40 guest rooms. Here you can drink in the beauty of the Swinomish Channel and the wonder of Rainbow Bridge. A flagstone entry and woodsy garden, cedar-shake siding, and a river-rock fireplace in the lobby set the tone for the rest of the lodge, and the lobby, with its small library alcove, has the sort of nautical feel you’d expect to find in a home built by a ship’s captain 100 years ago. The lobby also boasts a fantastic grand piano, business center, and each Friday and Saturday evening hosts a complimentary wine and cheese reception with live piano music! Guest rooms are designed with comfort in mind and feature a sun-kissed seascape color palette, luxurious linens, plush down comforters and pillows, fireplace, granite countertops, flat screen TV, DVD player, work desk, sitting area with high back plush chairs & air conditioning. Most of the 40 luxurious guest rooms feature a private patio or balcony overlooking the water. Fir accents and a combination of slate flooring and carpeting give the rooms a natural richness. A home made, Deluxe Continental Breakfast is included in your stay. Breakfast includes, Ham & cheese, hard boiled eggs, home made granola, pastries, bagels & cream cheese, yogurt, fresh fruit, juices, coffee, teas, hot chocolate and much more. Full service conference facilities offered at both the Country Inn & Channel Lodge. Call (360) 466-1500


From the Board President

I am not a great snow lover. One day of snow and I am ready for some nice rainy grey days. So being snowed in for over a week has not been pleasant for me personally. The kids of La Conner have loved sledding down the hill on Washington Street. Their laughter and excitement is worth the hassle of being snowed into our parking lot. I know that everyone has had very quiet days and days when the phone doesn’t even ring. But his morning as I was looking over our front yard, I remembered the 1000 tulips and daffodils that I planted a few months ago. I know that soon the white will be gone and the beauty of the colorful flowers will return. I understand that Sunset Magazine will be doing a spring article on La Conner! Along with the color will be a bunch of tourists who will be more than ready to get out of their homes and venture to La Conner!!
Our billboard sign is due to go up at Avon Allen road today, but I drove by this morning and I am sure that 24 inches of snow will cause a delay in its installation. But keep looking; it should go up any day. The Net at Noon a few weeks ago was wonderful and the marketing committee received a lot of great ideas for our 2009 Advertising and Marketing year. Remember that we would love to have your ideas and suggestions.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season. I know that it won’t be as green as we all would like, but it still will be beautiful. Hang in there, the longest day of the year is behind us and those flowers will be here before we know it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Cindy Tracey


Skagit County Historical Museum “Harvesting the Light”Book Receives Awards

Harvesting the Light: Images of Contemporary Skagit Farm Life,” the photography book produced in conjunction with the recent exhibit of the same name at the Skagit County Historical Museum, is the recipient of three prestigious awards: Honorable Mention in the 2008 American Association of Museums Publications Design Competition, the 2007 Gold Award from the International Gallery of Superb Printing and the Washington Museum Association 2008 Award of Publication Excellence.
The 96-page limited edition publication depicts the labor and sweat that make Skagit Valley some of the most productive farmland in the world – through the lens of 11 local photographers and the heartfelt words of Skagit farmers. The book’s 80 photographs – in both color and black-and-white were the work of the following photographers: David Grant Best, Matt Brown, Dick Garvey, Jeanne M. Hansen, Carol Havens, Lewis Jones, Lisa Kuhnlein, Peter Kuhnlein, Joella Solus, Cathy Stevens and Vince Streano. Writer was M.L. Lyke, design and production were by Eula Palmer, printing was by Hemlock Printers (U.S.A.) Inc. “Harvesting the Light” was published by Skagit County Historical Museum in association with Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland.
“Harvesting the Light” is available for purchase at the Skagit County Historical Museum Store for a special price of $18 – over 20% off the retail price now through January 4, 2009. For more information, call the Museum at 360.466.3365 or visit www.skagitcounty.net/museum