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BTB Advertiser Highline Athletic Club & The BNI B-Town Business Builders Health & Wellness Power Team will be holding their second annual “Health & Wellness Fair” at HAC on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

This fair is FREE and open to the public so mark your calendar, invite a friend and be sure not to miss this exciting event.

Here’s more from our friends at HAC:

Dona Forrester, General Manager of Highline Athletic Club shared that her BNI “Health & Wellness” Power Team partners started this event last year to bring awareness to our community on the many different forms of health care. This is a collaborated effort and will bring you the best of the best from our community. Attendees will be able to talk to vendors; learn from each treatment professional what is unique about their service as well as share their passion for their industry.

The BNI – Business Builders Power Team bringing you this event consists of: Dona Forrester, Highline Athletic Club; Susan Parko, Rodan and Fields Dermatologists; Bryn Karlberg, Licensed Massage Practitioner; Dr. Kyle Beffa, Beffa Dental; Dr. Spencer Wade, Collins Chiropractic; and Patricia Eslava Vessey, Integrity Coaching & Training Systems.

In the Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, West Seattle areas we are quite fortunate to have many forms of health and wellness services available to us, including Highline Athletic Club. The health and wellness fair will also have dentists, Licensed Massage Practitioners; Acupuncturists, Chiropractors, Family doctors, Mental-health providers, Nutritional advisors, skin care consultants, healthy eating options & much more. Our current list of vendors include: Vitality Chiropractic; Lake Burien Physical Therapy; SHIBA/Senior Services; Highline Therapy Services; Flourish Acupuncture & Wellness; Moss Chiropractic; Roxbury Spine & Wellness Clinic; Integrity Coaching & Training Systems; Eating Well: Living Well; Face to Face Euro Spa & Healing Hands Massage; Beffa Dental; Bryn Karlberg Massage; Rodan & Fields Dermatology; Collins Chiropractic; Triton Team Nutrition; Xocai Healthy Chocolate; Normandy Park Senior Living; Ren; Skin Secret; Human Being More; Somantic Education – Feldenkrais; Freggies Organic Produce; Change Front; Seahurst Chiropractic & Wellness Center; Synergy Home Care; Town Square Dentistry; One Earth Natural Medicine Clinic; Karuna Arts Yoga Studio & the Tag Zone.

Each person attending this Health & Wellness Fair will be eligible to win a variety of great prizes donated by the vendors that you will not want to miss out on!

The demographics of our community cover a wide age range and we’ve taken this into consideration when planning our vendor list. We have provided a list of vendors, however we continue to add more as we approach our event and a current list will be posted on our Face Book page which is available if you search for Highline Athletic Club Health & Wellness Fair.

Please plan to join us – it is an event you won’t want to miss. Saturday, February 25th, 2012 from 10am-3pm. Mark your calendars!

Highline Athletic Club is located at 125 South 156th Street, Burien, WA 98148; 206-246-9000; www.highlineathleticclub.com.

Helpers assist the Bascos in moving out of the Karuna Arts Yoga location Friday, Feb. 3. Photo by Scott Schaefer.

Karuna Arts Yoga has occupied the building on the corner of Ambaum Blvd. and SW 152nd in Olde Burien for 7 years and Anne Basco the owner has successfully taught a wide range of students from the novice to advanced. She has also conducted in-depth programs that have produced many new teachers who now teach at the studio and who have carried the skills taught by Anne to studios around the area and beyond.

Johnny Basco opened The Tag Zone 2 years ago and has built a thriving business that has attracted children and their parents to Old Burien.

The studio is now moving to a new location in Des Moines, on the corner of 6th Ave SW and S. 223rd (605 South 223rd Street). The building has been extensively remodeled, turning it from a boat showroom into a 1st class yoga facility with 2 studios and reception area, bathrooms and changing rooms. The Tag Zone is in the same building but in its own separate and private space.

This weekend Feb 4-5th, the Bascos are hosting an Open House, with tours of The Tag Zone as well as free yoga classes. Saturday at Noon the Mayor of Des Moines will be cutting a ribbon to celebrate the opening of two new businesses in Des Moines. Definitely a celebration in these lean times.

I hope this may be of interest to you and your Readers as the moving of the studio will leave a big hole at the entrance to Olde Burien but will be filling a hole in the business core of Des Moines.

Thanks for your kind attention,
Avril Steele
Yoga teacher at Karuna Arts

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Here are our statistics from Google Analytics, showing a total of 55,760 Unique Visitors and 104,679 Pageviews for January::

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We’re proud of our success here at The B-Town Blog, because we’ve worked very hard since 2007 to continually serve the Community we live, work, shop and spend in by updating our website daily with professionally-produced, award-winning local Journalism (we were named ‘Best Hyperlocal Website‘ in the entire northwest by the Society of Professional Journalists last May).

And we’d like to point a few things out to our Readers, as well as any businesses considering Advertising:

• We are (far as we know) the only local website in the entire country that is absolutely transparent in its website traffic statistics – something you will NOT see on any other competing “local” websites, both new and old (including amateur ones that claim to be “daily” but really aren’t and others that are based in downtown Seattle). Click on the Sitemeter or Quantcast graphics below to see our LIVEstats (keep in mind that statistics vary with each independent measuring company, something that’s not in our control, and part of the risk of being transparent):

  

  

  

  Click to learn more about our Pledge to the TAO of Journalism.

• “Transparent” of course means that, at any time, YOU the Reader can click on one of these statistics links in the footer of the website (at the bottom of any page), and see what kind of traffic we’re getting right then and there from totally independent, external sources. Ever see any other website do that? Neither have we…
• We strongly believe there is no more room in the media world for self-produced, fabricated circulation numbers. We’d also like to remind any potential Advertisers out there to shop around and ask for actual, independent proof of website traffic statistics from other sites before buying, because you deserve honesty and professionalism.
• Our philosophy for gaining Readers, though simple, is very effective:

PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS
+
AWARD-WINNING DAILY LOCAL REPORTING
+
BLOGVERTORIAL STORIES
+
ACTIVE FACEBOOK PAGE (3,442 “Fans”)
+
TWITTER FEED (over 2,452 Followers)

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CUSTOMERS!

We are active members of Discover Burien (Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer also serves on the Board of Directors), as well as the Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce, and you’ll see us at various events, festivals, Farmers Markets, city council meetings and much more.

We are also members of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Online News Association.

Founder/Publisher Scott Schaefer, a three-time National Emmy-Award winner for “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” is also a member of both the Writers and Directors Guilds of America, from his 23+ year career in television.

Oh, and did we mention that we also produce five other local news blogs, covering White Center, Normandy Park, Tukwila, SeaTac and Des Moines?

If you’d like more information about our very-affordable Advertising solutions, please don’t hesitate to email us (and don’t forget to ask about our effective new Coupons Page!).

And don’t forget – we’re holding a special Charter Advertiser Sale for our latest media venture, SoKing Internet Radio, officially launching Feb. 15th! More info here.

Also, if you haven’t already, please join us on our fast-growing social network:

And as always, THANKS to every single one of the 55.760 Readers for your continued support!

PS: Want to join our award-winning team? We’re currently looking for Sales Reps to help market our very-effective, easy-to-sell Advertising solutions to local businesses! Email your resumé to editor@b-townblog.com for details!

Lael Schmidt Bennett and Kathy Johnson of Glass Expressions.

Story & Photos by Janet Grella

Meet Kathy Johnson and Lael Schmidt Bennett, two life-long area artists, totally devoted to the art of working in glass – they are Glass Expressions. Well, they and the award-winning artists they’ve trained over the years.

Glass Expressions is more than a working studio where over 1500 students have studied glass making for over past 25 years, it houses a beautiful and somewhat unique gift shop. There-in lies the challenge for Makeover Burien group. They will need to keep the look and feeling of a working studio, while re-organizing the the retail store operation. Kathy and Lael would also like more people to know about their business, which has always been a challenge for the store.

Horse-trading in Burien: A horse is a horse of course of course unless you sell him to buy a business!

That’s exactly what Kathy Johnson of Glass Expressions did back in 1983.

New student Larry works on his first stained glass project.

Kathy is the founder of Glass Expressions. In 1979 she went to work with Bob at Stain Glass Art and Supply located in Burien. As an artist she loved the environment and artistic challenges of working in glass. She helped him move the store from the location on Ambaum to the next location where 909 Restaurant in Olde Burien is located–and then bought the business in 1983. She subsequently moved down the street to their current location at 648 SW 152nd St. Since her start in the glass biz, Kathy has become an internationally recognized bead making artist.

Flash forward a few years (1993) and you’ll find Lael’s then-boyfriend (and now husband) suggesting they take a stained glass making class from Kathy at Glass Expressions. Half-way through the class, Kathy’s partner announced he was quitting and wanted to sell his part of the business. Lael and her boyfriend decided on the spot that she would buy in. Leaving her job at Boeing, Lael joined Kathy in her enterprise.

“It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, that’s for sure,” said Kathy.

Glass Expressions is the only glass studio in King County that also has a retail storefront. There you will find an assortment of jewelry, decorative accessories for the home and just some fun stuff you’ll not see anywhere else. Of course, merchandised is all Expressed in Glass. They are also the only glass studio in Central and South King County. Their students come as far away as Anacortes and Maple Valley as well as local artists in South King County.

Lael helps Larry on his stained glass project.

Classes and Workshops: Glass Expressions offers stained glass classes for eight weeks for $175 and $200 for tools and supplies. This includes unlimited time in their workshop with hands-on guidance included. They have also started workshops in glass beadmaking which is Kathy’s expertise and glass fusing from Lael. Check out their website in about a week for information on these and other classes and workshops.

Larry, a new student gave an unsolicited testimonial about Kathy and Lael’s method of instruction–”They will not let you get by with shortcuts!”

We’ll have more on the rejuvenation of long-time Burien business Glass Expressions, so keep on reading BTB to keep up with Makeover Burien’s progress to “makeover Burien one store at a time.”

As part of the total make-over project Kathy and Lael will receive a day of beauty and a makeover from Serenza Salon & Spa, complimentary teeth whitening from Dr. Jim Coleman, and free publicity on South King Media (The B-Town Blog and its five sister sites).

If you own a business that could benefit from a makeover, or shop at a business you’d like to see made over, please contact Makeover Burien for consideration: help@makeoverburien.com. More info available at www.makeoverburien.com.

We’d like to welcome our latest Advertiser to The B-Town Blog – Phoenix Tea, located at 902 SW 152nd Street, in the space formerly occupied by a consignment shop.

As we do with all our Advertisers, we’re providing a forum for the good folks from Phoenix Tea to share their message with our Readers:

After more than a year as an online tea retailer Phoenix Tea opened its shop in Olde Burien at the beginning of December in the space formerly occupied by “You’ve Been Worn.” The business specializes in excellent quality loose leaf teas and functional, attractive tea ware and accessories. There are currently over 50 teas available, primarily from ethically grown and processed origins in China, Japan, Taiwan, and Kenya. The list is constantly expanding, partly in response to the types of teas that local customers are looking to buy. Free tastings are available any time the store is open, currently Thursday through Sunday, and they also sell cups of tea to go. In addition to selling tea and the devices needed for its preparation, the company also provides focussed tea tasting events and classes in tea and tea culture.

Both of the owners are well known and respected within the local and broader communities of tea aficionados. One of the two co-owners, Virginia Wright (aka “Cinnabar”), is a long-time Burien resident and holds a strong commitment to the economic and cultural development of the city. She felt that Burien was the perfect location for a retail tea shop like Phoenix Tea. She has been active in the online tea community for more than six years, through her blog Gongfu Girl, and as Co-Director of the Association of Tea Bloggers, which is a 100+ member international consortium of people who write about tea online.

Prior to the launch of Phoenix Tea, the shop’s other co-owner, Brett Boynton, spent nearly ten years as Manager of The Teacup in Queen Anne, building relationships with devoted customers and spreading information about tea and tea culture. He has traveled to Taiwan five times in his pursuit of high quality tea and tea culture experiences, many of which are documented on his blog Black Dragon Tea Bar. Some of the relationships that Brett formed during his trips to tea farms and purveyors are reflected in Phoenix Tea’s selection of Taiwanese oolongs, which the company sources directly from Taiwan.

Phoenix Tea welcomes customers of all types and levels of interest to stop by the store, from people curious about what the tea world is about, to passionate and well-seasoned tea drinkers. More detail on the company and its owners can be found on the Phoenix Tea website.

Both sons of my neighbor came over to apologize for the actions of their friend, “Mr. Chainsaw”. They assured me that they had not given him permission to cut the wood on my property, and they were angry that he had lied and reflected poorly on them.

One son called Mr. Chainsaw over to my house. He stood at my front door and apologized. He also agreed to come do storm damage cleanup and hauling for a couple of days, under my supervision and with one of the neighbors, to make amends and as compensation for the loss in value of the cypress he had cut up. In addition, he returned the two huge rounds of wood that he had cut off the 6 foot log.

Here’s her original Letter, first posted on Jan. 22:

The fee quoted by the arborist to remove the tree was enough to make anyone’s jaw drop onto the snowy ground. But it was mid-afternoon and getting dark. I had a tree on my roof and needed to get it off. And I was still on stun.

“Fine. Get the tree off the roof.” And that’s all he did for the price, taking full advantage of a bad situation. Removal and cleanup would have been an added fee. The urgency of my situation formed dollar signs in the eyes of the arborist.

The second tree, at the road, was brought down at no charge by Seattle City Light because of the danger it posed to the neighborhood’s lines. The crew was courteous and generous, welcome attitudes after the arborist’s pushy greed the day before. The 100 ft. trunk was cut into manageable pieces and dropped into a pile on the side of my property. The base of the trunk was left at a 6 ft. length, and lay in my lower parking area. I figured that all of this could be dealt with in a day or two, after the snow and ice melted.

The next afternoon, I was talking to a local artist that offered to buy that 6 ft. length of cypress for a commercial project she was working on. We measured it, and brainstormed about potential ways to integrate the wood into her project. She’d come by in a day or two, with a truck and some help, to pick up the heavy piece of wood.

An hour later, now dark, I heard a chainsaw droning on and on. I thought, “who in the world is using a chainsaw this late?” Then I realized the sound seemed to be coming from where the cypress log lay.

I flew out the door and to the road and won’t repeat the expletives that came out of my mouth. The cypress trunk was now only 4 feet long. Mr. Chainsaw was standing on my property, under the street lamp, making firewood out of my wood that had been destined for an art piece. Technically, doesn’t this amount to trespassing and attempted theft?

Mr. Chainsaw said that my neighbors across the street had told him he could cut and take it. Really? Couldn’t he (shouldn’t he) have come knocking on my door to ask politely, “Excuse me, but will you be using the wood from your tree that came down? May I cut it and take it?”

And, what were my neighbors thinking in granting permission that they had no right to grant?

We have all heard reports of post-disaster looting and artificially-high rates for repair and cleanup. It seems to me that after we’ve all endured snow, ice, power outages, downed trees, property damage, loss of work, etc., we should more readily offer generosity, respect… and lawfulness. An urgent situation does not grant license to forego courtesy and propriety! We will not be united through greed and opportunism.

My experience due to the downing of my trees gave me a glimpse into a “darkside” viewpoint. Fortunately, that glimpse was contrasted by the many offers of help, and by a plate of fresh-baked cookies brought over by my elder neighbors, an enduring sweet spot in the middle of a sour-tasting time.

– Maureen Hoffmann

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Stained glass depiction of Mt. Rainier.

Longtime Burien business Glass Expressions has been selected as the first ‘Makeover Burien’ recipient, with a full makeover scheduled to happen sometime in early February.

Glass Expressions has been in business in Burien since 1974, and in their current location at 648 SW 152nd Street since 1989. Kathy Johnson has owned it since 1983, and Lael Smidt has been a partner since 1993.

According to their website:

Glass Expressions is a full service stained glass studio. We do custom stained glass windows, repairs and teach classes. We carry a full line of tools and supplies for stained glass, fusing and glass beadmaking. And we’ve got lots of glass!

“After meeting with the owners, we determined some areas that would be beneficial for them that we could help with in our first Makeover,” said Organizer Daniel Keane.

NOTES:

• An Interior Designer is still needed to help with this makeover. If you know of any, please email help@makeoverburien.com.
• Cash (or check) donations are being accepted – please contact Gina Bourdage of Discover Burien at (206) 433-2882 or via email at gina@discoverburien.com.

Space Needle window designed by Kathy Johnson.

Here are the areas that will be focused on to assist this longtime Burien business:

• Organization (office, supplies, etc.)
• Merchandising
• Signage (internal)
• Floor covering
• Painting (interior)
• Marketing (classes, products, etc).

Participants so far that will be lending a hand include:

• Daniel and Melinda Keane of Serenza Salon & Spa, offering a “day of beauty” for Kathy and Lael.
  
• Debra George of The Mark Restaurant provided space for the meeting and snacks as well as great enthusiasm.
• Scott Schaefer of The B-Town Blog will get before photos and post stories and update the Makeover Burien Website.
• Dan Trimble, Burien’s new Business Development Manager, offered some helpful insights and is happy to see local businesses helping each other out.
• Patti Gifford of Keller Williams will take some measurements and make some contacts regarding Floor Coverings.
• Gina Bourdage of Discover Burien will will assist in finding some business planning and lighting assistance.
• Michelle Codd of Poggi Bonsi, Melinda Keane and Theresa White of Statements will work on a Merchandising Plan.
• Janet Grella will write a story.
• Dr. Jim Coleman will be doing teeth whitening for the owners.
• Maura Costello and Sally Law of Prudential Real Estate will help out with grunt work
• Andy Rodgers of Cox Financial and his charming daughter Gabrielle will offer assistance.
• Linda Plein will help as well.

For more information, or to learn how you can help in this ongoing project, visit the Makeover Burien website or “Like” them on Facebook here.

This event will include food from B-Town restaurants as well as local entertainment.

Tickets are $35 each in advance or $50 at the door. A table of 8 is $240.

Tickets are available at the Discover Burien Office as well as Burien City Hall.

The Burien Community Center is located at 14700 6th Ave SW.

Organizers are currently seeking donations for the auction, which should have an attendance of 125 to 150 people.

Here are downloadable PDF forms:

• Donate for the Auction
• Annual Dinner Sponsorship
• Sponsorship Opportunities

If you have something you’d like to donate, or to learn more about the event, please contact Gina Bourdage at (206) 433-2882.

A 90-minute Comedy and Magic Show is coming to BTB Advertiser the Tin Theater starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26.

This special event will feature “Steve the Pretty Good” and the “thinking man’s Hillbilly,” Billy Wayne Davis.

Tickets are $12.95 each for this 21-and-over show, and are available at the Tin Room Bar – but act fast, as the last show like this sold out quickly!

The Tin Theater is located at 923 SW 152nd Street in Olde Burien.

Here are some videos of “Steve the Pretty Good”:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Here are some videos of Billy Wayne Davis in action:

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Click here to view the embedded video.

For more information, call the Tin Room Bar at (206) 242-0480 or just drop into the bar.

BTB Advertiser Highline Athletic Club will be presenting “It’s Time – Let’s Move!” this Saturday, Jan. 21st, and would like to invite all B-Town Blog Readers to attend this Open House event for FREE.

This is a group fitness event featuring motivating music, supportive instructors and achievable results in an inspiring group environment. Featured classes will include:

• Group Centergy:
• 8:00am-9:00am
• Group Ride:
• 8:00am-9:00am
• Total Body Conditioning:
• 8:00am – 9:00am
• Group Power
• 9:00am – 10:00am

Group Centergy is an experience a fusion of yoga and Pilates movements in Group Centergy:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Group Power uses simple, athletic movements such as squats, lunges, presses and curls to strengthen all major muscles:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Indoor cycling keeps you ahead of the pack as you climb hills, spin and race over varied terrain during Group Ride:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Total Body Conditioning uses muscular endurance exercises, sport specific training and drills to develop and increase your fitness.

This is your invitation to join us Jan. 21st and sample all the fantastic benefits of exercising with a group. Recent studies done on group exercise find individuals are more inclined to stick with a program and put forth a better effort because of the group dynamic. The supervision and support offered in a class is a huge motivator. This is true not only for a person new to exercise but for seasoned veterans of the weight room and cardio equipment.

“It’s Time – Let’s Move!” sends an all-important message. It’s time to improve, empower and inspire! Highline Athletic Club and our team of dedicated fitness instructors are here for you. Our goal is to assist and encourage you as you reach toward your fitness goals.

Check out a trailer links that are included in this invitation of each class format, then come try a class for yourself. There is no time like the present. “It’s Time – Let’s Move!” Saturday, January 21st classes begin at 8:00am.

It’s a great time to join Highline Athletic Club who is currently offering zero enrollment fees through January 31st 2012. Month to month memberships available! Group classes are included in membership lots of fun.

If you want additional membership information please email: membershipservices@highlineathleticclub.com.

Highline Athletic Club is located at:

125 South 156th Street
Burien WA

Phone: 206-246-9000

Web: www.highlineathleticclub.com