Community


“PURIM IN ISRAEL” is Chabad of the Central Cascades creative twist this year on their traditional Purim party, to accommodate the anticipated crowds of men, women & children who throng to Chabad for their annual Purim celebration. On Purim, Chabad in Issaquah is the place to be!

Purim celebrates the salvation of the Jewish people, in the year 3405 from Creation (356 bce), from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day.” (Purim literally means “lots” for Haman determined the day of annihilation by throwing a lottery). It is observed by public readings of the megillah – “Scroll of Esther,” sending food portions to friends, giving gifts of money to the poor, and enjoying a festive meal accompanied with joyous drink.

Chabad of the Central Cascades grand Purim Bash will be held at Blakely Hall at the Issaquah Highlands on Sunday February 28th at 4:00pm. The celebration will begin with the Megillah Reading (Scroll of Ester), followed by a scrumptious buffet dinner of Israeli delicacies, exciting entertainment, Israeli music, hamentashen, spectacular children’s program and lots of laughter! All are welcome to join regardless of affiliation or background.

Pre-Event Registration with EZ-Pass Entry: Adults $15 Children (Ages 3 – 12)

$10 To Register online: www.ChabadIssaquah.com/PurimIsrael.

To pay at the Door: Adults $20 Children (Ages 3 -12) $15.

This event is paid by Chabad of the Central Cascades and the help of Port Blakely Communities and Highland Council. Among Chabad’s many other Purim activities is a mishloach manot (food gifts) campaign and a Purim Eve Megillah Reading at the center Saturday night at 7:00pm. Chabad’s mishloach manot campaign will focus on sending food gifts to hundreds of family’s in the Issaquah and Sammamish vicinities, bringing to home Purim’s message of sharing and joyfulness.

For more information on Chabad’s Purim festivities or on the holiday of Purim and its observances, contact Chabad of the Central Cascades at 425-985-7639 or log on to www.chabadissaquah.com/Purim.

The year’s most romantic holiday is right around the corner in Issaquah Highlands. This special day isn’t just about romance, though. Valentine’s Day is a chance to show people you care and to spend time with friends and loved ones.

This Valentine’s Day, don’t get caught unprepared. Make 2010 your year to avoid the crack of dawn emergency runs to the store for a card and makeshift gift. It’s a new year and one resolution we can make is to say “no thanks” to the last-minute remainder bouquets and re-gifted boxes of chocolates. Guilty parties – you know who you are.

Here in Issaquah Highlands, it’s easy to plan ahead to make Valentine’s Day special. Our restaurants and retailers have many options for celebrating Valentine’s Day in style: Agave Cocina & Tequilas is offering a special promotion on Valentine’s Day. With the purchase of an appetizer and two entrees, dessert will be on the house. And, it’s no everyday dessert. The special “San Valentin” dessert will be available only on Valentine’s Day. The “San Valentin” features coconut-almond deep fried ice cream, surrounded by Bavarian cream filled churros… delicious! You can make reservations by calling 425-369-8900.

If you’re looking for something fun to do with the whole family on Valentine’s Day, look no further than Zeeks Pizza. Zeeks will have heart shaped pizzas, fun decorations, drink specials for the adults, and a make-your own sundae bar for the kids. They will have two seatings: the first at 5 p.m. and the second at 6:30 p.m. You can make reservations by calling 425-392-3507.

At Sip, you can enjoy a wonderful three course Valentine’s Day menu available for $50 on the 14th, as well as their regular menu. Sip is also presenting their Valentine Extravaganza: a contest for one lucky winner and their sweetheart to enjoy a spectacular Valentine’s.

You can visit any location to enter. The promotion ends February 7th. One lucky winner will receive:
• A Romantic Dinner for two at Sip Seattle on February 13th. Dine at the best table with the best view and savor a special chef’s choice sensation.

• SIP will pay your cab fare and send you over to the swanky Hotel Max for an overnight stay. Enjoy a chic and stylish room, and your specially selected complimentary bottle of wine. Check in at 4:00 pm, with free parking. Sleep in and take advantage of the 1:00 late checkout time.

• On February 14th, head off to The 5th Avenue Theatre to see the 1:30 performance of the romantic Lincoln Center production of South Pacific, winner of 7 Tony Awards.

More information visit www.siprestaurant.com.

For those of you who would like to give your sweetheart a day of relaxation and beauty, Sorella Salon & Spa is a terrific option. Consider a gift certificate, or treat your sweetheart to the Valentine’s Day special package for $95 (save $35). Included in the Valentine’s package are a maintenance facial, maintenance massage, and deep conditioning treatment and style. For more information, call 425-392-9299.

If your sweetheart is looking for a gift that will outlast flowers or candy, Curves is the place to go. Regular exercise is proven to have long-lasting benefits for health. At Curves, all it takes is their 30-minute circuit three times a week. It works every major muscle group, strengthens heart-health and burns up to 500 calories each workout. Gift certificates are available and now through February 27th, you will get 30 days free (restrictions apply). More information is available at www.curves.com.

Depending on the weather, a Valentine’s Day walk or hike in Issaquah Highlands is also a great option. Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday, which could be a nice day for exploring the trails. You can find a map of all the parks and trails here: http://issaquahhighlands.com/parks_trails.php. However you choose to spend Valentine’s Day this year, we hope it’s a special one here in Issaquah Highlands. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Image by issaquahhighlands via Flickr

Over the course of the past year, Port Blakely Communities and Issaquah Highlands have continued to achieve milestones in  development of this community. The Proliance Highlands Medical Center, Swedish hospital campus and YWCA Family Village are bringing local jobs, services and healthcare to residents. The opportunities provided by these organizations bring Issaquah Highlands closer to realizing the live/work/play urban village model. Many of you know that construction dates for The High  Streets were pushed back in 2008 due to the economy. The retail sector crisis caused by the dramatic decline in 2007 holiday  sales forced retailers to put plans on hold. As a result, our development partner in The High Streets, Opus Northwest, was unable  to proceed. Those same economic conditions that shook up financial markets and the real estate industry have continued throughout 2009. The High Streets is part of the community’s vision to blend retail, commercial/office space and housing. To give a sense of history, the concept for The High Streets was conceived in 2005. Prior to 2005, Microsoft had an option to purchase the land, as well as the land where Proliance and Swedish are now located, as part of its Issaquah holdings. When  Microsoft opted not to exercise the option in 2004, Port Blakely Communities worked with residents, businesses and local  leadership to determine new options for the land. Since 2008, Port Blakely Communities has carefully examined opportunities for moving forward with construction of The High Streets despite the economy. We have also moved forward with projects, such as Swedish, that will attract other businesses and organizations to Issaquah Highlands. Today, Port Blakely Communities is  exploring opportunities to form a joint venture with a new equity partner to develop the remaining commercial areas. Over the lifetime of Issaquah Highlands, Port Blakely Communities has successfully leveraged like-minded partnerships to fulfill the vision for the community. Consistent with this approach, we are speaking with organizations that share our values, and the values of Issaquah Highlands, to form a joint venture. We will provide additional updates to the community in the New Year and at the town hall meeting.

SAVE THE DATE! February 3, 2010, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Blakely Hall, 2550 NE Park Drive

Save the date for the Town Hall Meeting at Blakely Hall. We will learn from Rene` Ancinas and Judd Kirk about work currently in  progress at The High Streets and future plans for development.

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Homes for the Holidays.  It’s a powerful emotion.  And nowhere in the Northwest is this lived out more than at Issaquah Highlands. It’s a placewhere neighbors know each other and celebrate together every chance they get.  Today, you can experience this special Holiday spirit with a visit to this holiday wonderland. “Issaquah Highlands celebrates a return to a time when your neighbors were really an extension of your family. I think this is especially important during the holiday season. Our residents come together to celebrate. Last Sunday, we held our annual Christmas Festival which included horse-drawn carriage rides, live music, lots of food and a live nativity—complete with camel—and tomorrow we’ll come together for the community Chanukah Celebration which includes lighting the Pacific Northwest’s tallest candy menorah. Issaquah Highlands is just such a uniquely inclusive community,” says Genni Reilly, vice president of marketing for Port Blakely Communities, Inc., the developer of Issaquah Highlands.

Both neighborhood and home have a powerful sentimental pull during the holiday season as gatherings of families and friends amidst festive decorations remind us of our connections with one another. To visitors get a true feel for Issaquah Highlands’ warmth and charm you are invited to its popular Second Saturday Home Tour, with a Homes for the Holiday’s theme, today from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can stop off at the Issaquah Highlands Information Center to pick up a free tour map.

In honor of the season, many of the builders are offering special holiday incentives. The Burnsteads’ new home neighborhoods are collecting non-perishable food items for Northwest Harvest plus making a $5 donation for each visitor group to their model homes this weekend. For every new Burnstead home sold at Issaquah Highlands in December, the Burnsteads will donate $1,000 in the homebuyer’s name to Northwest Harvest. Bennett Homes and CamWest at West Highlands Park will donate $750 to the Issaquah Food Bank on all homes that close on or before December 31, 2009. In addition, D.R. Horton’s Vista Park collection is offering zero closing costs to all new homebuyers who close on their homes before December 31, 2009 plus a special move-in package that includes a washer, dryer, refrigerator, garage door opener, window screens, fencing, landscaping and a 10-year warranty. And John F. Buchan Homes will be offering zero closing costs on all homes that close on or before January 31, 2010.

Picture yourself touring a community where you’ll find new and resale homes available priced from just under $200,000 to well over $2 million. Buyers looking to purchase a brand new home have their choice of designs from some of our region’s most noted homebuilders, including Anderson Tedrick Homes, Aspen Homes, Atlin Investments, Bennett Homes, The Burnsteads, CamWest, Design Guild Homes, D.R. Horton, John F. Buchan, Noland Homes, Regency West and Sinclair Thimgan.

“Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home or interested in custom building your dream home, Issaquah Highlands has a neighborhood for you. The Second Saturday Home Tour is an opportunity for buyers to tour every new home, as well as most resale homes. This is the perfect month to get a true sense of how our residents come together as one community,” notes Reilly.

“Not only do we have the best residents, we also have recruited the best homebuilders,” says Reilly. “They truly care about their homeowners and the community as a whole.”

A pioneer in the sustainable building and design movement, Port Blakely set aside 1,400 acres of naturally preserved land and 100 acres of parks for homeowners to enjoy and cherish. Choosing builders that embrace their environmental sensibilities, they have continued to push the green envelope, introducing groundbreaking designs such as the 2003 Built Green® Idea Home; a 5-star Built Green, American Lung Association Certified home that features allergen-free materials; and the zHome collection—the first multi-family development in the nation that uses no more energy than it generates.

As a result, the community continues to receive global recognition for its community planning and execution.  Just this month, the National Associate of Home Builders announced that Issaquah Highlands was name a finalist for “American’s Community of the Year for 2010” as a part of The Nationals awards program.

Promoting a car-free lifestyle, the Issaquah Highlands community offers amenities like the High Street Retail Village which features popular restaurants and services like Sip! Wine Bar & Restaurant, Caffe Ladro, Highlands Cleaners, Le Chic Pet Boutique & Spa, Sorella Salon & Spa, Zeek’s Pizza and Agave Cocina & Tequilas. The village will eventually expand to become part of a destination retail center with approximately 500,000 square feet of retail space, including a 40,000-square-foot grocery store. And for those who commute to work, there is a Park-&-Ride transit center conveniently located at the community’s entrance.

“I really encourage you to come out today to explore our neighborhoods. Get out of your car. Take a hike on one of our wooded trails. Grab a bite to eat in the village. Truly get a feel for the lifestyle we offer here. There really isn’t anything else that compares,” says Reilly.

For more information on Issaquah Highlands, its neighborhoods and homebuilders, visit www.issaquahhighlands.com.

View these homes:

Information Center Hours: Wednesday-Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

1011 NE High Street, Suite 100

From I-90: Take the Highlands Drive/Sunset Interchange (Exit #18). Follow Highlands Dr. up the hill and turn right on NE High Street. Follow the signs to the New Home Info Center.

For more info:

www.issaquahhighlands.com

206-701-0350