The UW Botanic Gardens is opening a nature-based preschool this fall in the Washington Park Arboretum.

Fiddleheads Forest School is offering an outdoor program of day-to-day activities, play, and exploration. As the children engage with the world around them and inquire about it, instructors will supplement the activities with a curriculum to further engage their curiosity.

The mission of the school is to promote the growth of the whole child through attention to his or her social and emotional development, self-regulation, and physical development.

See their site for more info, applications, schedules, and tuition.

A new system of breathing exercises has brought drug-free relief to asthma sufferers. Madison Valley’s Pippa Kiraly teaches the exercises at Lifelong Easy Breathing. The breathing modification method, called Buteyko, has been approved by the US Department of Health and Human Services. 

Buteyko corrects chronic over breathing, which results in asthma, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, panic attacks, chronic fatigue syndrome, and many other conditions.

“By retraining the breathing back to a more appropriate level, the asthma symptoms go away,” Kiraly says. “When you breathe more lightly, you feel better.”

Those interested in learning more about Butekyo breathing, contact Pippa Kiraly at [email protected] or call 206-329-6604.

http://www.lifelongeasybreathing.com/

Musical group Hijos de Agueybaná performs its new album Saturday night at the MLK Community Center. The Puerto Rican musicians and dancers perform in a style called “Bomba,” one of the island’s main genres that includes cultural influences from West Africa, Spain, and other Caribbean islands. Bomba is described as a dialogue between dancer and drummer and is a dance of elegance and deliberate steps.

www.hijosdeagueybana.com

7:30 pm, March 23. Martin Luther King Community Center, 3201 East Republican, Seattle, WA 98112

The second of three Community Design meetings is being held to inform the look and feel of the outdoor space at the corner of 19th & Madison. All residents are encouraged to attend. Wednesday, March 27th, 6:30pm at the Hearing, Speech, and Deafness Center. 1625 19th Ave, 2nd Floor Conference room. http://19thandmadison.wordpress.com/schedule/

Blood Drive on Friday!

The Bush School, in partnership with Puget Sound Blood Center, would like to invite the Madison Valley community to donate blood tomorrow, Friday March 22nd. It takes less than an hour and saves three lives. 

Call Terry Walburn at 206 322-7978 to make an appointment (walk-ins subject to availability). 8:30am to 2:30pm (closed 10:30 to 11:30) at the Bush School Community Room, on East Harrison Street.

PSBC has set a goal of 25 blood donors, and requests your help in meeting this worthwhile target.

Suzuki violin teacher, Jen Kovarovic, is currently accepting new and committed students into her studio, Suzuki by the Sound. Jen offers an intensive program of weekly individual lessons and group classes for beginners. Her studio is committed to the ideals and principles of the Suzuki approach. For more information, please visit her website: http://www.suzukibythesound.com

Start off the new season with Seattle Restaurant Week at local restaurants Luc, Cafe Flora, Crush, Harvest Vine, & Voila! Bistro. Three-course dinners for $28!

LUC
April 7 – April 18, excluding Saturday and Sunday.

First Course

French Onion Soup or Boston Lettuce Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette or Chicken Liver Mousse, Apple Gelée, and a toasted baguette

Second Course

Braised Pork Cheek, Mustard Greens, Parsnip Mash, and Au Jus or Steamed Mussels & Clams, Saffron Broth, and Rouille Crostini’s or Roasted Cauliflower, Lentils, Carrot, Vegetable Demi-glace, Harissa, and Spring Greens

Third Course

Chocolate Terrine and Blood Orange Caramel or Floating Island and Toasted Almond Brittle or Yogurt Bavarian, Confit Rhubarb, and Sablé Cookie

CRUSH

Appetizers 

Wild Foraged Spring Greens and Herbed Chevre with Shaved Radishes & Sherry Vinaigrette
Country Style Pate with Pistachios, Syrah Mostarda, Pickled Vegetables & Toasts
Stinging Nettle Chowder with Chamomile Creme Fraiche & Butter Clams

Entrées

Slow Braised Pork Cheeks with Creamed Kale & Smoked Onion Grits
Soft Poached Chicken Egg with Hand Cut Linguini & Porcini Mushroom Gruyere Cream, Mustard Greens
Roasted Spring Chicken Breast with Young Vegetables & Lemon Thyme Mascarpone

Desserts

Artisan Cheese Daily selection
Jasmine and Blood Orange Creme Brulee
Chocolate peanut butter banana Sundae with Salted Caramel ice cream

CAFE FLORA

Appetizers

Seasonal Soup: green garlic and nettle soup with walnut gremolata (vegan and gluten free)

Asparagus Rhubarb Salad: asparagus, pea shoots, champagne-whole grain mustard vinaigrette, pickled rhubarb, toasted pumpkin seeds, and Bloomsdale long leaf spinach topped with a fried egg (gluten free)

Pate Platter: lentil-pecan pate, seasonal fruit, marinated olives, picked vegetables and red onion confit with rosemary croccantini from La Panzanella Bakery (vegan and available gluten free)

Entrées

Oazaca Tacos: roasted corn tortillas filled with cheddar and smoky mozzarella mashed potatoes topped with lime crème fraiche, cotija cheese and fire roasted tomato salsa; served with black bean stew, corn and pepper relish and braised greens (gluten free)

Socca Fritters: with grilled Dykstra Farm asparagus in a spicy tomato-cinnamon sauce served with a petit spring salad

Wild Mushroom Spring Linguini: fresh linguini in a spring pea puree with sautéed wild mushrooms, radish, and pea vines and topped with shaved Pecorino-Romano cheese

Desserts

Hot Cocoa: brown butter hazelnut fudge cake, toasted marshmallow, and a warm chili spiced chocolate toffee sauce

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Jelly Pie: flaky crust, peanut butter mouse, chocolate raspberry ganache, raspberry preserve, and Dutch honey (vegan and gluten free)

Brambleberry Crumble: foraged berries, oat topping, vanilla ice cream, and cardamom caramel (vegan and gluten free)

HARVEST VINE
Sunday April 7 – Thursday April 11, Sunday April 14 – Thursday April 18

First Course 

Gazpacho Andaluz chilled tomato soup with cucumber & peppers

Remolachas red & golden beet salad with olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic & sea salt

Caballa en Escabeche marinated mackerel with soft boiled egg

Second Course

Setas y Arroz wild mushrooms with saffron bomba rice

Trucha pan fried trout with hazelnut picada & roasted potatoes

Cordero en Crujiente braised lamb wrapped in pastry with root vegetables

Third Course

Flan de Café creamy espresso custard with chocolate ganache

Tarta de Aceite olive oil wine cake with whipped cream

Arroz con Leche citrus rice pudding with hazelnut cookies

The American Red Cross has recently launched Safe in the Sound, a three-year preparedness campaign sponsored by PSE, to help individuals and communities prepare for every type of disaster. With more than 4.5 million residents in the Puget Sound area, the goal is to have 1 million people train and take tangible steps toward preparedness through making a plan, getting informed and building a kit.

The Webinars listed below are part of this preparedness initiative and everyone is invited to attend. Please consider joining these 15-minute sessions and please pass this information and invitation on to everyone that you know…it could save a life one day.

March 13, 2013: Fire Prevention Planning

April 17, 2013: Earthquake Preparedness

May 15, 2013: Pet Preparedness

June 12, 2013: Summer Safety: Water and Heat

July 2, 2013: Fireworks Safety

Aug 14, 2013: Workplace Hazards

Sept 18, 2013: Flu Preparedness

Oct 16, 2013: Flood Preparedness

Nov 13, 2013: Winter Weather

Dec 11, 2013: Travel Safety

All webinars start at 10:30am (Pacific Time).

Upon registering, participants will receive a confirmation email with a link allowing them to connect to the webinar on the appropriate date. There’s also an attachment so they can automatically add the dates to their calendars.

Sound Community Bank, a local bank of 50 years, has opened a lending office at the corner of East Madison and Lake Washington Blvd. in the Landmark Real Estate Building. 

The new location is not a bank, but a loan processing office specializing in a variety of lending services. Sound Community is a portfolio lender, which means it originates loans, and also holds a portfolio of its loans instead of selling them off in the secondary market. 

Many in Madison Valley may know David Raney, the VP & Residential Lending Manager. David grew up here and formerly worked at the Washington Mutual in Madison Park. David believes that local lending will be a good addition to the business environment, and tells us that Sound Community is enthusiastic about being part of the neighborhood.

We were particularly impressed that Sound Community made certain its signage wasn’t too obtrusive—a refreshing change from previous banks.

Residents and businesspeople with questions about home refinance, credit approval, construction loans, and the like are invited to stop in and visit the new Sound Community Bank. The office is at 3101 East Madison Street, and open Monday–Friday 9–5. Loans made locally just like an old-time bank.

Joshua Buckingham, Senior Residential Loan Officer
David Raney, VP & Residential Lending Manager