Deliciousness comes to Seattle on July 13th in the form of the Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon. The show takes place at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center, 2211 Alaskan Way, Pier 66 from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The show will include a variety of chocolatiers and confectioners include Amano Artisan Chocolate, Kekau Chocolatier, Cocoa Chai Chocolates, Petit Noirs, Guittard Chocolate, Theo Chocolate,Alma Chocolate, Lula's Chocolates, Dilettante Chocolates, Posh Chocolat and more. The event will also include chocolate demos by local talent. The salon will also hold the Luxury Chocolate Salon Awards and members of the tasting panel include Seattle food and city journalists Molly Wizenberg (Orangette, Bon Appetit), Eric Scigliano (Seattle Metropolitan Magazine), Viv (Seattle Bon Vivant), Ritzy Ryciak (Conscious Choice Magazine) and Dana Cree (TastingMenu.com, Pastry Chef - Veil Restaurant). Tickets are $20 for adults at the door or $17.50 in advance.
The Seattle Aquarium Society is about not only supporting the Seattle Aquarium but also educating people about and preserving the Puget Sound and other marine habitats. Money donated goes towards researching marine species like the six gill shark and the giant Pacific Octopus, training "Beach Naturalists" who volunteer to teach beach visitors how to enjoy themselves without hurting the environment, or even simply helps feed the otters. High level memberships of $300-$5000/year get you additional goodies like behind-the-scenes tours and invites to special wine tastings, Presidential dinners, and the Splash! Reception that happens each year.
The world of luxury eco-friendly housing was shattered this week by the news of the arson fires at the Street of Dreams homes in Snohomish County, Washington. The five homes were part of what's called a "rural cluster development" and were built "five star BuiltGreen" standards. The homes were all unoccupied and listed for sale at prices from approximately $1.6 to $.19 million. The Seattle Times reports that federal investigators are trying to determine whether a group of radical environmentalists known as the Earth Liberation Front, are responsible for the fires. A spraypainted message from the ELF was left at the scene. It said: Built Green? Nope black! McMansions in RCDs r not green. ELF." Law-enforcement officials wonder if the fires were timed to coincide with jury deliberations in the trial of an alleged ELF member accused of a previous fire.
Monday's fires did $7 million total in damages. The homes had a variety of "green" features such as energy-efficient appliances, native-plant landscaping, high-efficiency insulation and the use of recycled materials. The homes had video-surveillance systems and alarms but they were turned off because they weren't consider to be needed and the homes were for sale and real estate agents were concerned about setting off the alarms.
The declining real estate market has been particularly tough on the condo market with many people afraid to buy a condo for fear that six months or a year later someone else will buy the same size condo in their building for a lot less money. At the Olive 8 hotel condo/hotel project in Seattle, the developer is seeking to allay that fear by offering prospective buyers the type of guarantee that we usually see electronics and furniture stores offer. The developer has said that If someone buys an Olive 8 condo now and later someone else buys a unit in the building with the same floor plan for less, the developer will reduce the first buyer's price down to the lower amount at closing.
Olive 8 is currently under construction at Eighth Avenue and Olive Way and will have 230 luxury condos on 22 floors above a 17-story Hyatt hotel. The hotel is slated to open in December and condo owners will move in after that. The sales are a testimony to the dramatic shift the real estate market has taken. About a year ago the developer had sold 175 of the 230 units but since then they've sold less than 10 more. Remaining condos in the building start at $750,000.
This striking home in the Queen Anne neighborhood in Seattle is perched on a hill so you get fantastic views of the Seattle skyline including the Space Needle. And it has a roof terrace to enjoy those views. Although it is 4500 square feet there are only two bedrooms making it more of a home for empty nesters than families. The kitchen has beautiful countertops and the home had an open floor plan that puts the emphasis on the big windows facing the view. There is also a home theater and a 100 1000-bottle wine cellar. This home is listed at $2.488 million.
Today's estate is located in Broadmoor, a gated community in Seattle which is bounded on one side by the Washington Park Arboretum. Broadmoor was developed in the 1920s on land that had been logged by the Puget Mill Company. The parcel of land was split in two, one half went to the city, which created Washington Park and the other side of the was developed into Broadmoor and its golf course. This home was built in 1930 and is a grand vintage home. Details include a large stairhall with vintage tiles and a cozy office with a castle-like dream of a fireplace. Beamed ceilings, leaded glass details, vintage fireplaces and built-in bookshelves add to the appeal. The kitchen has an Aga range that looks out onto a family room with a window seat. The brick exterior includes carved stone arches, copper downspouts and gutters. It is listed at $5.8 million.
Lovely, that seems the perfect word to describe this 1906 home in Seattle's North Capitol Hill neighborhood. The home is full of beautiful vintage details such as coffered ceilings, stained glass windows, French doors and in the living room, a giant fireplace surrounded by prized Batchelder tiles. The six-bedroom three-bedroom home has beautiful hardwood floors, a private deck and a beautiful wine room. Absolutely gorgeous, this home has been lovingly maintained and is full of all sorts of swoonworthy details right down to the volute curves of the columns on the porch. It is listed at $3.75 million. Pictures are both after the jump and in the gallery below.
The latest big condo project in Seattle has broken ground. 1 Hotel and Residences is a 23-story, mixed-use development at Second Avenue and Pine Street in downtown Seattle. The hotel will have 110 city suites and 98 condominiums most of which are already under reservation for priority presales (the public sales debut is scheduled for September 2007). The $200 million project will have ten floors of condominium residences ranging in size from 800 square feet to more than 6,800 square feet. The 1 Hotel will be an eco-friendly, luxury hotel, part of Starwood Hotels new eco-friendly hotel chain. There will also be a 40,000 square foot full-service athletic club, a 8,000 square foot day spa, a restaurant and a specialty grocer with local and organic food. The project is expected to be completed in 2009.
Today's home on Bainbridge Island in Washington is a Puget Sound beauty with gorgeous views of Mount Rainier and downtown Seattle. The four-bedroom home was built in 2004 and has over 7700 square feet \of space. The home includes a formal living room, a charming open kitchen, billiard room, his and hers offices and a media room with equipment. The estate's 1.5 acres are home to 200 feet of waterfront, a sandy beach, a detached guest house with a kitchen, and grounds with a firepit at the water's edge. It is listed at $7.995 million. After the jump. gold record not included with purchase.
Today's estate offers the rare chance to pick up an older large home in the Seattle area. This Shoreline, Washington home was built in 1923 and was designed by architect Charles Platt. It has north and south wings with a total of eight bedrooms including a master suite with a spa bath and sun terrace. There is a grand ballroom with views of the Sound, a private screening room, wine cellar and gourmet kitchen. The house sits on over seven acres of land. It is listed at $15 million. After the jump, East Coast style, West Coast location.
When I saw this home in the pages of Architectural Digest I knew I had to show it to you. I've never seen one quite like it before. Perched on a bluff in Magnolia Park, Washington, this three-bedroom home has views of the Seattle skyline. The uniquely cantilevered home is the work of architect Eric Cobb. The home is full of pure, clean space with walls of steel-wrapped glass. The two-story home also has a library, an office and plenty of shades for those huge windows. The home is listed at $3.95 million. After the jump, and you thought Pamela Anderson was top heavy.
Another luxury high-rise has broken ground in Seattle. Escala will be Seattle's largest residential tower, a 30-story building with 270 condos located in Seattle's Midtown neighborhood. The new high-rise will be near another project in progress that we have already covered, 1521 Second Avenue. Escala will also be home to a 25,000-square-foot private club with a gym and spa; bar and lounge; a theater; a wine cave with storage and other amenities. At Escala units will cost from $500,000 to $4 million. According to an article in the Seattle Times, it's boom time for condos in the area. As the demand for office space increases in the area the hope is that the suburbanites will be lured toward city living. The proof will probably be seen later this year and in 2008 when several of these projects should reach completion.
Ignore the cheesy name of this house and focus on the gorgeous architecture. This home sits on the south slope of Queen Anne in Seattle and offers views to the skyline. The home is a creation of masonry, aluminum and glass with maple details. Blindingly contemporary, it has a a gourmet kitchen with luxury appliances and a custom terrazzo flooring by artist Jack Mackie. The two-story library has maple shelves and one-of-a-kind stainless steel spiral staircase inspired by a musical treble clef. There is a home office on the mezzanine level and "scholar's courtyard" with a stone fountain by local artist William Robinson. There are four bedrooms include a master suite with a sitting room and a master bath with glass tile, terrazzo, spa shower, jetted tub and fireplace. The home has three view decks and a reflecting pool at the entrance. It has received awards for the amazing terrazzo floors, the kitchen, the lighting and the use of concrete masonry. The home has also appeared in a bunch of design mags and TV shows. This amazing home is listed at $8.5 million. After the jump, a house so lovely it will make stop associating the house of stone and light with this song.
The Reed Estate sits in the Washington Park area of Seattle, Washington and has 135 feet of shoreline along Lake Washington. This elegant home was built in 1990 and has an grand feel due partially to the very high ceilings. The home is all on level except for the movie room and the guest quarters. The home has Frenchified details with heavy chandeliers and an ample use of gilding that makes it feel a bit like a Parisian apartment only on a larger scale. The well-manicured grounds were designed by R. David Adams. The one thing that gives me pause is the kitchen. The British Aga stove and the Viking range inspire envy but the wallpaper and the cabinets, well, you'll just have to see for yourself. This home is listed at $15.5 million. After the jump, a library built for two.
The Canlis Restaurant, a Seattle institution has now launched the Canlis Wine & Whisky Society. A $300 per year membership gets you in to the club which includes custom etched Riedel stemware, access to a members-only wine and whisky list comprised, early access to Canlis wine and whisky events and personal access to the restaurant's eight sommeliers as well as Matt Canlis -- the restaurant's official chaplain and personal Whisky Consultant and a minister living in Scotland. The family's ties to Scotland have resulted in them having an inside track to creating the country's rarest single malt whisky collections including some bottles which have been hand carried back from Scotland. A good deal for Seattle-based whisky aficionados.
The Seattle Aquarium Society
