Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
I’d never seen the Sequim City Hall and wondered where it was and what it looked like. Once I found it I was immediately reminded that Sequim is a small town. The building is as small as it looks. It was built in 1973 for an estimated cost of $110,000. And its size answered my question of why the Police Department is located in offices in a shopping center. But I still wonder why there’s a light pole, below. It seems whimsical and reminds me of a barber shop.
This is the Sequim Transit Center, jointly run by the City of Sequim and Clallam Transit. It caught my attention because yesterday’s newspaper announced a new initiative to “discourage” teens and young adults from loitering nearby. . .by piping classical and operatic music from speakers on the side of the building.
The project was lauched a few weeks ago. Teens hanging out near the Transit Center last Friday were asked if the music was succeeding in driving them away. The response: “Does it look like it’s succeeding?” This has apparently been a gathering spot for decades.
I can only wonder what Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Puccini and others would think of their music being used as a “teen repellant.”
Here are some of the creations showcased by That Takes the Cake, one of Sequim’s newest bakeries. Their Facebook page shows other creations. They also make specialty or theme cakes, so you don’t have to get married to justify ordering a memorable cake if your budget allows more of a wow factor than the standard sheetcake we all know so well.
There’s another new bakery in town that I’ll check out oneday soon. Stay tuned!
A newspaper article announced the opening of “That Takes the Cake.” It sounded like a bakery I could resist and I thought I’d dodged the bullet: they specialize in wedding cakes. But I knew I was a goner when I read on. They also sell cupcakes. Oh, no! Cupcakes! The carb-lover’s excuse to go shopping. . .and the Sequim Daily Photo’s opportunity to show you a new business in town.
Here’s the impulse showcase for walk-ins: cupcake heaven. Flavors change daily and the menu is posted on their Facebook page. The shot at the top of this post is the frosting on the cupcake that went home with me. It was real (and delicious) buttercream on a red velvet cupcake. It wasn’t an easy decision. While I weighed my choices I also took photos of some of the sample wedding cakes stationed around the two rooms where guests can sample goodies or bring friends for a party.
The wedding cakes were beautiful. I’ll post some pictures of them tomorrow.
I hadn’t encountered too many round-abouts before I moved to Sequim. We have three here, two on Washington Street and one on Sequim-Dungeness Way.
Traffic engineers euphemistically call this sort of installation “traffic calming,” in that they slow down through traffic. Not being terribly familiar with them, I initially found them anything but calming. Traffic enters and leaves the round-about in eight directions and a well-signed version can present a library full of symbols to absorb.
Other drivers occasionally are vexed. One stopped in the round-about when she saw another car waiting to enter (a no-no — you’re supposed to go, go). My chief worry is drivers who enter the round-about without waiting to see that it’s clear going. But I suppose that could happen at any sort of intersection.
Do you have round-abouts where you live? Do you have a “favorite” traffic challenge?
Our local knitting shop, A Dropped Stitch, is the go-to place for knitters and weavers. It’s a sweet little store located on Bell Street, filled with beautiful supplies and plenty of good cheer.
They offer classes and tech support. And there’s even a spot toward the back of the store where yarnheads can hang out, knit, and spin woolly tales.
This post reminds me of the cable scarf I’ve been working on for months. It sits in a semi-neglected basket, growing so slowly you’d think perhaps it was ignored in lieu of blog posts.
The Red Ranch Inn on West Washington abruptly closed last year. I was pleased to see it open again when I drove by last Thursday. I take that as a hopeful economic indicator.