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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The High Street office and retail buildings, located between NE Park Drive, 10th Ave. NE and NE High Street, were recently awarded the nation’s highest levels of green building certifications: the U.S. Green Building Council’s prestigious LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold and LEED Certified, respectively.

Designed by Seattle architecture firm CollinsWoerman, the 20,000 square feet of High Street retail was envisioned to provide eco-friendly retail space of the highest quality that integrated well into the overall design of the community. As one of the first multi-tenant retail projects to be certified in the LEED Core and Shell pilot program in the U.S., the High Street retail incorporates a range of new and innovative sustainable features, including Issaquah’s first “green roof.” Located atop Sorella Salon & Spa, the “green roof” reduces energy consumption for the building and filters stormwater run-off. The “green roof,” combined with additional eco-friendly roofing practices, also helps to reduce solar heat gain (the sun heating a building’s roof and the entire structure).

The High Street retail, which is positioned to become a model for developers and architects from across the country, features eco-friendly construction practices throughout. A portion of the buildings’ power comes from Green Power, a program of PSE. Thanks to the use of low-flow water fixtures, the tenants have reduced potable water use by an average of 20%, or 28,000 gallons, annually.

Even more impressive is the Gold certification awarded to the High Street office building, which houses various tenants, including Port Blakely Communities, developer of Issaquah Highlands. The building focuses on a reduction in energy consumption, conservation of natural resources and improved environment air quality designed to protect the health of the building’s occupants.“The LEED Gold Certification is a first for Issaquah Highlands – a community that is truly committed to environmental stewardship,” said Alan Boeker, president, Port Blakely Communities. “All residents can be proud of this building that represents the future of ‘green’ building practices.”

The building’s construction strongly emphasized waste reduction. In total, 84% of construction waste – more than 33 tons – was diverted from landfills and recycled. More than 10% of the materials used in construction contained recycled content, while 22% of the materials came from local manufacturers – directly supporting our local economy. By procuring materials from local manufacturers and distributors, the amount of fuel needed to ship materials long distances to the job site was reduced.

A “rain screen” is among the building’s most innovative construction features. Designed for extreme weather  conditions, the “rain screen” lets the building breathe by shedding water efficiently from both outside and within the wall cavity – even under 80mph winds and freezing temperatures, while still providing excellent thermal protection. But unlike most severe weather clothing, the “rain screen” is attractive and not visible to the passerby.

There are four levels of LEED Certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The High Street retail and office buildings join two other prominent Issaquah Highlands landmarks in LEED Certification. In 2003, Fire Station #73 became the First LEED Silver Fire Station in the United States, and in 2005, Blakely Hall was awarded LEED Silver Certification. The LEED certification plaque for the High Street retail will be displayed in the common area plaza, which is located just outside Caffe Ladro. Stop by, take a look, and be proud that your community is continuing a proud tradition in leading the country in sustainable building and innovative practices.

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