Sarah Nopp, REALTOR(R), CRS. RE/MAX Four Seasons, Olympia WA

We are very lucky to live in a community that sustains such a diversity of businesses. Downtown Olympia is chock full of little shops (culturla treasures really) that have been there for ages, specializing in some very niche items: specialty toys, custom jewelry and clothes, local coffee roasters (two of course!), a pie shop, and on and on.

But have you ever been to Buck's on Fifth Avenue?

Buck's is one of my favorite places in downtown Olympia! It is one of the smallest shop space, and is one of those wonderful places you dream about as a child: filled floor to ceiling with items of wonder from around the globe:

SPICES

That is right- Olympia has its very own spice bazaar! Well, maybe not bazaar, but it has all the right smells. And if you haven't been there, you do need to visit.

Even though it is a fantasy place for my imagination, with hints of the shops in Harry Potter, it is no antiquarian shop, stuck in the past- Buck's has a great web presence, so everyone can order from it Anywhere you live. Take a look at the site, here: Buck's Fifth Avenue.

Not only does she carry the a huge array of spices (over 400), she has the tools to use them: storage containers and grinders and roaster, rice steamers, spice mills, grilling planks, and more kinds of mortars & pestles than I knew existed. Oh- and lots of dried mushrooms- even truffles.

Just for kicks, I took a look at all the things I have purchased from the shop in the past little while and had to laugh at the really whimsical list (pictured here):

• Mortar & Pestle
• Whole nutmegs & nutmeg grinder with storage area for the nuts
• Habanero powder
• "Taste the Pain"- a delightful little collection of hot hot hot spices, with a little spoon so your skin doesn't touch it
• A variety of indian curries and spices like garam masala and groud coriander
• Three varieties of smoked salts
• Greek Oregano, Thai basil, garlic flakes, etc

Buck's first caught my attention because it is housed in one of the iconic old buildings in downtown, just across from the old theater. And I do love to look at old buildings as I walk my dog. But she reeled me in because the shop is "dog friendly"- she welcomes Dogs in for a sniff and a cookie. And of course a bowl of water on the sidewalk.

This kind of locally owned business exemplifies what is so great about Downtown and all of Olympia: the celebration of character, diversity and unique ideas.
And it is one of the reasons I love to call Olympia home.

(Yes, you can order the habanero powder and the spice kit on the webite, just like the one pictured.)

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If you would like to live near wonderful shops like this, in a downtown that is walkable and friendly, I would love to show you around and help you find a home! (I didn't even tell you about the sandwich shop or wine bar!)
We are 30 miles south of Tacoma, 60 miles south of Seattle and about 100 miles north of Portland Oregon, so very central, with easy access to 2 airports for easy travel. At only 15 miles from the Main Gate to Ft Lewis, this is a perfect place to call home for families PCS'ing to Ft Lewis or McChord AFB.
Give me a call or email to get started on the search, or take a look at all the homes available in Western Washington at my website.

Olympia is in the throes of our annual springtime Artswalk & Procession of the Species Parade!

The Procession of the Species Parade happens each Spring and is a flamboyant celebration of whatever you want to express!
Of the few rules, the most important seems to be No Written Words- so no political statements, nothing religious, no politics. Nothing to mess up a fun day. Just friends and neighbors getting together to pull around floats of giants slugs & rats, dress up like trees and elephants, and play some music on "Found Item instruments" in the Samba OlyWa dressed as the wind! The crowds are HUGE for this parade- take look!
And the website for the parade is here.

Artswalk occurs in both the spring and the fall each year. It gives local artists a chance to showcase their works, show new pieces and maybe even sell a few pieces. Their works are displayed inside the local businesses throughout downtown.
And during the parade, while the city streets are closed, chalks suddenly appears and chalk artwork appears. So the streets are a bit chalky after, but very colorful!

Throughout downtown Olympia, you will find sculpture, fine art, crafts and music. It all started on Friday night, and many of the displays will be in place for a week or a month.
Have you been looking for a reason to explore one of the shops you have never been inside before? Just look for the ArtsWalk sign in the store window.

I volunteered to host the quilts hung by my quilt guild, Washington Stars, and answer questions today as part of the ArtWalk. The quilts are hung at the well-loved Olympia institution Browsers Books (featuring new & used books of all interests!) The quilts will be on display through next Friday, so go take a look at this sampling of work. We are also selling $1 raffle tickets, so Buy One.

There are more pictures on my Other non-work Blog.

Olympia has some very beautiful parks scattered throughout. Sometimes they are hidden from both visitor and local!
The Yashiro Japanese Garden in downtown is one of the hidden gems. Named in honor of the Sister City relationship with Kato (formerly Yashiro) in Hyogo Prefecture on Honshu, this park is next to the City Hall and Police Station.

I first discovered this park while dropping off a parking ticket. Incidentally, you can also drop off your city of Olympia water/sewer/garbage bill at the same location!

The Garden includes the classic features one expects in a Japanese garden: a pond to reflect the sky and trees, places to sit and quietly enjoy, bamboo shrouded paths, staturary and lanterns, beautiful greenery and blooming plants.

In the spring, you will enjoy the cherry blossoms, the rhododendron & azalea blooms, trillium, camellia and so much more.

I think one of the reasons this peaceful place has remained so hidden from all the people who visit, is that it is just off the freeway. Most people zip right past, without a moment's glance!
To reach this little slice of peace and quite:
From I-5 take Exit 105 towards the Port of Olympia (Plum Street). The first intersection is Union, and directly after the (requisite) gas station, is the park on your right. Parking is available next to the park.

And if you have a tiny bit more time after enjoying all beautiful plants in the Japanese Garden, just cross the parking lot to the gardens surrounding Olympia's City Hall and Police Station. Including this stunning magnolia, which is currently covered in huge blooms, and surrounded by cheerful spring color.
(All photos were taken April 10, 2008.)

If you are not familiar with the Green built lingo, you will have no idea why LEED Platinum is so important. So go ahead and take a look here, at the website from the US Green Building Council and catch up.

No time? Well, here is the super abbreviated explanation- LEED (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has a checklist to rate the sustainability and green-ness of any building. It is a points based system, where buildings earn points by demonstrating energy conservation, wise water use, recycled materials, etc. The goal is to create a uniform standard for green building practices.

The ranking system goes Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum. Platinum is the most difficult to attain. So it is a very big deal for a building owner to make the commitment. And the WPUDA did!

The WPUDA is the Washington Public Utility Districts Association and they recently decided they needed to have their headquarters in Olympia, near the Capitol. And then they took a very big step and decided to shoot for the stars and design it for Platinum standard.

On the outside, the building is quite simple, and on the inside too. In fact, there is very little to give away the secret. Except for the solar panels on the roof, which provide approximately 50% of the building's electricity needs- including all heating. And the photo-voltaics are tied into the grid so they generate power for the rest of us to use too. Very cool stuff, if you are into solar.

One of the features that is sure to get lots of press is the water feature at the front of the building. If, during the hottest days of summer, you were to walk past the little streambed, you would see no water. And that is how it is designed. It only pulls water from the gutters! And when its storage tank is full enough, on comes the pump and Voila! Water feature. But during the dry moments, it will simply be dormant. Very green!

I was impressed with the openness of the building. Very open and airy. In fact, that is how they were able to get some of the points- views and natural light. You can see from one side of the building to the other for the most part. And the glass is very low E. It doesn't allow a lot of solar gain, but channels light far into the building. Don't ask me how- I thought glass was glass!

Another thing I really liked: the solar panels! There is one hanging right inside the front door. It is all polished aluminum with this blue 'stuff'. But I forgot to snap a picture. But if you happen to be nearby, go inside and take a look. It looks like a nice modern art piece.

If you have a chance to take tour of this building, I recommend it. I learned a lot about the newest evolutions of green building. Especially that much of the new stuff is doable for the smaller buildings. It is not just for the Government publicly funded ones anymore.

Here are a couple links you should take a look at for more info:
WPUDA
Mountain Construction, this is the company that built it, and they have great photos on their site.

April 3rd 2008 dawned bright & beautiful, with lovely blue skies. And lots of FROZEN grass. But we don't let a bit of sparkle get in the way of a nice clear spring morning around here, so off to one of our favorite places we went!

Nestled in the middle of one of the city's older neighborhoods, Lions Park is located between 7th & 9th and Frederick & Wilson (map here). It is about the size of two city blocks- 3.72 acres according the City of Olympia parks website.

If you haven't been to Lions Park, in Olympia's Eastside neighborhood, then you have missed a great part of Olympia. Located in the middle of the city, it has something to offer just about every conceivable user! And since it is just a few blocks from Ralph's Thriftway, it is a perfect place for a picnic. And the city does allow reservation of some of the amenities, like for a birthday party.

Some of the park's amenities:
Tennis court
Outdoor covered kitchen
BBQ stands
Exercise toys
Big Toys
Swings
Horseshoe pits
Softball field
Lots of picnic tables
Open fields to run and play on

And lots & lots of trees & birds & squirrels.