The Highest Compliment

What do you consider the greatest compliment you can receive in your business?

To me, the greatest compliment is when people refer their children to me.  It is always a great compliment and tremendous responsibility when people trust me with their most important purchase.  But, it is an even greater compliment for them to trust me with their children!



What is the greatest compliment you have ever received in your business?

Wenatchee: The BIG (Biggest) Week-end

Today through Sunday comprises the BIGGEST week-end of the year in Wenatchee, Washington.  It is the final week-end of the Annual Washington State Apple Blossom Festival.  There are lots of events going on, the grandest of them all being the Grand Parade starting tomorrow morning at 11:00 a/m at the Apple Bowl.

If you are new to town (and don't know how popular this event is), let me warn you to bring your chairs at LEAST 2 hours before the parade starts!  Be prepared to park a ways from the parade route.  

The parade is LONG, with 120 entries this year.  Some of these are not single entries but a group, like the Classical Glass Corvette Club, the Wenatchee Valley Antique Auto Club, and the Wenatchee Valley Street Rods. 

The Grand Marshals this year are two (locally grown) world class athletes... Laura Valaas is a member of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and Tyler Farrar is a cyclist on the Slipstream/Chipotle Pro Team.  In 1994, as 4th graders at John Newbery Elementary School, Valaas and Farrar were on the same Junior Ridge to River Relay Team. Anyway, plan on 3 hours or more for the parade.  

If you want to get a sneak peak at all the floats, go to the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast at Triangle park.  After breakfast you can wander around the park and check out all the cool floats while they are getting set-up and being judged. 


Here is a complete line-up of activities for the week-end (as taken from today's online edition of the Wenatchee World newspaper):

Today's events:

Arts & Crafts Fair: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Memorial Park

Food Fair: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Memorial Park

Carnival: 5 p.m., Riverfront Park

Michael Carlos Band: 6 p.m., Memorial Park

Classy Chassis Parade: 6:30 p.m., Eastmont County Park

"Jesus Christ Superstar": 7:30 p.m., Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee

Fathappy: 8 p.m., Memorial Park

Appleland Promenaders Square Dance: 8 to 11 p.m., Vale Elementary School, Cashmere

Saturday's events

Downtown Kiwanis 47th Annual Pancake Breakfast: 6:30 to 10:30 a.m., Triangle Park

Apple Blossom Run: 8 a.m. registration, 9:50 a.m. start time, Triangle Park

Apple Blossom Book Sale: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wenatchee Library

Apple Blossom 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Walla Walla Point Park

Radio Control Airplane Fly-In: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Red Apple Flyers R/C, East Wenatchee

Classy Chassis Car Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastmont County Park

Appleland Promenaders Square Dance: 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., Vale Elementary School, Cashmere

Stemilt Growers Grand Parade: 11 a.m., Triangle Park

Ride the Miniature Train: 1 to 5 p.m., Wenatchee Riverfront Park

Slack Daddy: 1:30 p.m., Memorial Park

Cabin Fever: 3:30 p.m., Memorial Park

Standing Room Only: 5:30 p.m., Memorial Park

"Jesus Christ Superstar": 7:30 p.m., Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee

Miles From Chicago: 7:30 p.m., Memorial Park

Sunday's events

Apple Blossom 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Walla Walla Point Park

Radio Control Airplane Fly-In: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Red Apple Flyers R/C, East Wenatchee

Appleland Promenaders Square Dance: 10 a.m. to noon, Vale Elementary School, Cashmere

Arts & Crafts Fair: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Memorial Park

Food Fair: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Memorial Park

Carnival: Noon, Riverfront Park

Miles From Chicago: Noon, Memorial Park

Ride the Miniature Train: 1 to 5 p.m., Wenatchee Riverfront Park

Costco Apple Pie Eating Contest: 2 p.m., Memorial Park

Stemilt Growers Ultimate Apple Pie Bake-Off: 2 p.m., Memorial Park

Closing Festivities: 3:30 p.m., Memorial Park


HAVE FUN !!!

Cashmere, Washington: Pears Are In Bloom

I love Spring for all the new life that comes from our trees and flowers, and flowering plants.

Even though it is officially Apple Blossom time in the Wenatchee Valley, it is the pear blossoms that are actually in bloom.  The unseasonably cool Spring has the apple blossoms behind, but the pear blossoms are beautiful. 

With blooming pear orchards in the foreground, this picture is taken from the deck of a home on Red Apple Road near Cashmere,  looking West toward Cashmere and the Cascade Mountain range. 

I love Spring!


Enjoy the season!

Wenatchee: Apple Blossom Activities Schedule for Wednesday 4/30/2008

Here is the list of scheduled events for tomorrow (Wednesday 4/30/2008)

Entertainment at Memorial Park:

Food Fair: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

EHS Jazz Band: Noon

EJHS Choirs, 12:45 p.m.

EJHS Jazz Band: 1:30 p.m.

WV Ram Belles Dance Team: 4:30 p.m.

Fabulous Feet: 5 p.m.

Academy of Dance & Performing Arts: 5:30 p.m.

Adrienne's Dance Academy: 6 p.m.

Buckhorn: 7:30 p.m., Memorial Park


Riverfront Park:

Carnival (Pay One Price day): 5 p.m.

Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee:

"Jesus Christ Superstar": 7:30 p.m.



E N J O Y !!!

Wenatchee Riverfront Development

Ken Blodgett, a major figure in the evolution of the Wenatchee riverfront development planning has put 4.7 acres up for sale for 3.5 million dollars.   This is property that was slated for condos.

Blodgett's listing agent, Ron Stephenson of Premier One Properties, was quoted as saying: "The reason he decided to do it is because he's 68 years old and he decided he needed to kick back."

Does Blodgett see the need for additional condos slowing?  Will all the recent condo conversions in Wenatchee and new builds (around town and at the riverfront) sustain market demand for a while? 

Here is a link to the complete article from the local newspaper, The Wenatchee World.

It will be interesting to see how much interest there is for the property and how soon development will proceed.  It's an exciting piece of property for sure for the entity with the ambition and money to take it on!




Have a wonderful day!



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Wenatchee: More Apple Blossom Activities 2008

Today's Activities:

Entertainment at Memorial Park:

Food Fair: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Wenatchee Youth Fiddlers: 5 p.m.

Drew Jaeger: 5:30 p.m.,

Wenatchee Apollo Club: 6:15 p.m.

WVC Hepcats: 7 p.m.

Outta Line Dancers: 7:30 p.m.



Riverfront Park:
Carnival (Pay One Price day): 5 p.m.,

Tuesday's upcoming activities:

Entertainment at Memorial Park:

Food Fair: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

EHS Eclipse Jazz Choir: Noon

WHS Hy-Tones and 4 Tune Hunters, 12:30 p.m

Columbia, Lewis & Clark Mariachi & Folklorico: 3:30 p.m.

Foothills MS Mariachi: 4 p.m.

Pioneer MS Mariachi: 4:30 p.m.

Orchard Folklorico: 5 p.m.

WHS Ballet Folklorico: 5:30 p.m.

Orchard MS Mariachi: 6 p.m.

Mariachi Azteca: 6:30 p.m.

Mariachi Huenachi: 7 p.m.

Grupo Fugazz: 7:45 p.m.

Riverfront Park:
Carnival (Pay One Price day): 5 p.m.


E N J O Y ! ! !

Wenatchee: Sunday's Festival Events

Below is a list of the upcoming Apple Blossom events for tomorrow (Sunday, April 27th), as reported in the Wenatchee World.   Here is a link to complete coverage of the Festival from the Wenatchee World.  



This lawn below the Chelan County Courthouse in downtown Wenatchee is known as "Memorial Park" (honoring our fallen war heroes).  This beautiful, peaceful park turns into a mass of activity during Apple Blossom with on-going entertainment, as well as rows of food and craft booths.


One of the most popular attractions at Memorial Park is the Food Court that will be open every day and evening through the end of the Festival on May 4th.

All the events listed at "Memorial Park", on the list below, is part of ongoing entertainment at the special bandstand set up for this week of activities. 

Sunday's events (April 27, 2008)

Fiddlers' Contest: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Eastmont Junior High School

Valentine's Performing Pigs: 11 a.m., Memorial Park

Art 4 Kidz: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Memorial Park

Buck & Elizabeth: Noon, Memorial Park

Show & Shine Motorcycle Extravaganza: 1 to 3 p.m., RiverWest Retirement Community parking lot

Ride the Miniature Train: 1 to 5 p.m., Wenatchee Riverfront Park

Squish: 3:45 p.m., Memorial Park

Dream Alley Studios: 5 p.m., Memorial Park

Samantha Meyers: 5:40 p.m., Memorial Park

Fabulous Feet: 6 p.m., Memorial Park

WHS Apple-ettes Dance Team: 6:30 p.m., Memorial Park

The Dancing Irish: 7 p.m., Memorial Park

EHS Dance Team: 7:30 p.m., Memorial Park

Wenatchee: More Youth Parade Pictures

Here is a group of additional Youth Parade photos from this mornings event.  The police cars and fire trucks always lead off the Parade. 



This years theme was "A Slice of Paradise" which, of course, is a combination of honoring the apple industry and a play on words for the way we feel about life in Wenatchee... our own little piece of paradise. 










After unseasonably cold weather so far this Spring (including snow last Saturday for the Wenatchee Marathon), we had a beautiful day for the kids parade.



The Hispanic groups banner said "Education Without Borders".

 

I am always amazed at how many people line the entire parade route which is a couple miles long.   The early placement of chairs along the Grand Parade route (which is next Saturday) as early as late March is a bit of an anomaly in Wenatchee.   

Wenatchee: Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Youth Parade 2008

One of the really fun events for the kids at Apple Blossom time in Wenatchee is the parade just for kids... the Youth Parade.  It's all things kids.  The schools have bands, and floats and other kid related businesses have entries as well, or the kids can just walk along the route. 

Here are some of the pictures from today's parade.  The first photo is the John Newbery Elementary School Float, "A Slice of Paradise".  My friend and business partner, Shelley Granger (waving in the second picture), was the chairperson of the committee for designing and constructing the float.  She had a great group of volunteers to help and they spent the entire week before the parade working on it.   










It was so fun and colorful.  I could see the big red apple from way up the parade route, so knew they were coming!  Good job, Shelley and gang! 



Here are some more pictures from the day.  I'm sorry these aren't organized a bit better, but I'm having trouble with the formatting feature.  Oh well, you get the jist of how fun and colorful of a day it was:


 
   

Washington State Apple Blossom Festival 2008

It's that time of year again... the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival ! 

Plans for this years event have been in the works since the day after last years event ended!  This picture is of one of last years floats, and we can hardly wait to see what is in store for us this year. 

Tonight, on my other Wenatchee real estate blog, I posted some information about the upcoming Festival and other events that have been taking place building up to the annual festival of events.

It's an exciting time of year in Wenatchee.  Let's just hope the (unseasonably cold) weather warms up a little so we can enjoy the activities without our down jackets on!

E N J O Y !


If you're thinking about buying or selling real estate contact the TOP Team:
Carol Williams  TopTeamCarol@gmail.com
Shelley Granger  TopTeamShelley@gmail.com

Remember:
Information is FREE.  Knowledge, Experience & Integrity Are Priceless