tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274317992010-02-07T20:34:52.264-08:00Welcome to the Natural Side of Puget Sound and the all new VisitKitsap blog. KPVCB staff, local writers, residents and guests will be posting information about local activities, events, special places and people who make the Kitsap Peninsula such a great place to visit and live.Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-6734868460477564612010-02-07T20:25:00.000-08:002010-02-07T20:34:52.429-08:00

Few would argue that chocolate is a sure-hit accompaniment to Valentine’s Day flowers, but before you dash to the corner grocery store, think about this: Do you really want your sweet token of love to come from the mass-produced, cheap variety?For a more personalized presentation — as well as much better chocolate — head instead to one of the many chocolatiers on the Kitsap Peninsula. Not only do

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-56178984005719337212010-02-06T19:31:00.000-08:002010-02-06T19:34:23.036-08:00

Aspiring artists looking for ways to explore their talents may just have a best friend in Bremerton artist and teacher Al Mulkey. Every Saturday and Wednesday, he gives free lessons on specific themes at Artists' Edge, alternating the class between the shop’s Silverdale and Poulsbo locations.“Big Al” Mulkey is one of the Artists' Edge resident educators, and has taught many art classes at college

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-53993323238522797462010-02-04T13:13:00.000-08:002010-02-04T13:18:59.903-08:00

“Buffalo Rome” has only been together for a short time, but the contemporary Western music trio has already been touring around the United States and getting rave reviews. This Friday, Feb. 5, they will be landing in Bremerton as part of West Sound Entertainment Association’s lineup.The three musicians — Michael Visconti, Kevin Douglas and Billy McCorvey — are not industry novices. Visconti is a

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-627703512155512582010-02-02T19:11:00.000-08:002010-02-02T19:13:30.096-08:00

Sogno di Vino is a comparatively new kid on the downtown block in Poulsbo – but it has already built a strong reputation. As a wine bar and pizzeria, it has one of the best pizzas in town, but there is much more on the menu that’s just as tempting.Owned by a couple in love with Italian food, Sogno di Vino is an excellent place for both lunch and dinner — or as a hangout on a Friday night, thanks

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-7561863398695077352010-02-02T18:58:00.000-08:002010-02-02T19:00:40.227-08:00

A night out just for the guys is coming to Bremerton this Thursday, Feb. 4. The all-ages event will include information, shopping discounts, games and more (and, of course, beer for those over age 21).The event is free but door prize tickets will be available at $1 each. Raffle prizes include guy basics like big-screen TV, video games, recliner and more — a total of $2,500 worth of prizes,

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-46903369229990006552010-01-31T20:32:00.000-08:002010-01-31T20:35:18.424-08:00

The third annual CVG show, which attracts hundreds of artists from around the state, opens at Collective Visions Art Gallery in Bremerton on Feb. 2. More than $6,000 in prizes will be awarded, with 120 art pieces on display (out of about 800 entries) competing in several categories.The public, too, can help award one of the prizes—by voting during the show’s first week for the “People’s Choice

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-68322398037841131012010-01-30T17:11:00.000-08:002010-01-30T17:16:11.812-08:00

The EDGE, one of Northwest’s best improv groups, calls Bainbridge Island home. The group travels all over, but every first Saturday of the month, you can see its antics at the Bainbridge Performing Arts Center. Come to the island early on Saturday, Feb. 6 and enjoy dinner at one of the many fine restaurants in Winslow (downtown Bainbridge), browse through the quaint shops, and head to the arts

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-91137784058473353882010-01-28T20:31:00.000-08:002010-01-28T20:38:57.486-08:00

This Sunday, enjoy fabulous music, dancing, kids activities and yummy desserts on Bainbridge Island while raising funds for disaster relief in Haiti.The "Island to Island" night kicks off at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31 at Bainbridge Island High School and also includes a silent auction and insights on relief efforts from Jay Inslee and former president of World Vision Dean Hirsh.Live music featuring

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-2107323395774194172010-01-27T19:53:00.000-08:002010-01-27T20:09:13.039-08:00

Liberty Bay Books will host a national book launch event for local author Kristin Hannah on Feb. 2, at That's-A-Some Italian restaurant in Poulsbo. The event will be the first stop on her national tour for her newest novel, "Winter Garden."A Bainbridge Island resident, Hannah is the bestselling author of nearly a dozen novels. Her book "Firefly Lane" appeared on the New York Times bestseller list

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-49774521022169237832010-01-26T21:03:00.000-08:002010-01-26T21:10:08.669-08:00

Hi-Lo’s in Bremerton is one of those neighborhood happy places that once discovered, it keeps bringing people back. The unique, cozy café makes no bones about its retro style — down to the hippy-fashioned getups of the staff and the restored back end of a ’74 Volkswagen built into a wall to serve as the home to the self-serve, organic coffee brews.The brightly-painted walls, floor and ceiling,

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-87363094418452011272010-01-25T20:05:00.000-08:002010-01-25T20:24:36.632-08:00

If you’re still trying to recharge your batteries after a busy holiday season or are looking to reconnect the body, mind and spirit, a trip to Port Orchard on Feb. 6 is just what the doctor ordered.A daylong workshop with the theme “A Tapestry of Wellness – Weaving Your Design” will be hosted in Port Orchard Saturday, Feb. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workshop will include presentations on topics

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-54329127450014484192010-01-24T18:20:00.000-08:002010-01-24T18:20:58.575-08:00

Dining out downtown Poulsbo is wonderful any time, but this coming Thursday, Jan. 28, there is one more reason to do it: Several restaurants will donate 15 percent of their dinner proceeds to the Red Cross Relief Fund. If you need an excuse to get out of the house and stroll along the quaint streets then enjoy some great cuisine, what better one? Bon appétit! Participating restaurants: The Loft,

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-76452036581483885232010-01-22T19:10:00.000-08:002010-01-22T19:10:10.722-08:00

Bainbridge Performing Arts has the perfect cure for this Saturday night’s “do something” jitters: a one-act festival featuring local talent. The festival is presented by Dinah Manoff, a film, television and stage actress who teaches acting at the BPA. She has selected innovative and challenging one-act plays from both familiar and obscure playwrights and has recruited the best talent the island

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-8692253777164677862010-01-21T19:29:00.000-08:002010-01-21T19:29:28.224-08:00

The Koi’s Bistro & Lounge in Port Orchard will host live music of the Big Band and jazzy variety every Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. starting Jan. 27. Cover charge is $5 (only $1 for seniors), and there will be $7 dinner specials for seniors with a group of 10 or more. The musicians featured are Harmonica Dave, Bill Carter on sax, Judith Kay on vocals, and special guests. This is a special time

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-68241789885198484842010-01-20T22:05:00.000-08:002010-01-20T22:05:09.228-08:00

Gregg Olsen, Olalla-based bestselling and award-winning author, is best known for his true crime book, “Starvation Heights,” based in his own neck of the woods (the book has been recently optioned for a film). And now he’s taking readers back to Kitsap County in his latest thriller, “Victim Six.” The book will make its debut the week of Jan. 25, and Olsen will be at several Kitsap-area

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-18726368431920351682010-01-19T19:17:00.000-08:002010-01-19T19:17:13.108-08:00

Fans of bestselling author Debbie Macomber (http://www.debbiemacomber.com/) couldn’t get enough of Port Orchard this past summer, when the town became its alter-ego, Cedar Cove, for a festival that attracted thousands of people from around the country. The event celebrated the Cedar Cove book series loosely based on Port Orchard, where Debbie Macomber lives for half of the year. But those who

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-92008572412745527762010-01-17T21:04:00.000-08:002010-01-17T21:04:22.426-08:00

Poulsbo’s Cup a Comfort Café is a cozy, family-run establishment that’s the perfect place for a meeting over coffee, a quick breakfast or lunch, or a landing pad for those workaholics who can’t part with their work (and laptops) and need a place with WiFi and good food. It’s located away from the more brisk downtown pace, but just a short dash from the highway, on Viking Avenue. Parents of young

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-13191604647046952772010-01-16T17:14:00.000-08:002010-01-16T17:42:12.138-08:00

With the tragedy unfolding in Haiti, the labyrinth society is encouraging enthusiasts to visit a labyrinth for meditation and prayer. Rae Hight, a Port Orchard wellness consultant, says as she turned to meditation through labyrinth walking, she realized other people could benefit from the same. Rae already opens up her labyrinth to visitors every third Sunday of the month and she has contacted

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-68835052074521331852010-01-15T21:23:00.000-08:002010-01-15T21:32:49.951-08:00

One of the more unusual tourist attractions in Bremerton is the Pyrex Museum downtown. The one-room, cozy museum is located inside the Amy Burnett Gallery — and it’s worth the trip! Collectors of nostalgia and cooks will especially appreciate this unusual treasure, and owner Amy Burnett says even men are quite captivated.Burnett has collected about 1,000 pieces of vintage Pyrex, much of it from

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-78105966220405426792010-01-14T23:01:00.000-08:002010-01-14T23:12:04.174-08:00

Looking to taste some new local or hard to find wines? Head to the recently opened Top of the Cork in Allyn. The tasting room opened right after Thanksgiving and has been building inventory ever since.Wine tastings are currently only on the weekends but the menu has something new every week. The $5 tasting fee (which covers about four samples) is credited toward the purchase of a wine

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-23506638960337852132010-01-13T18:05:00.000-08:002010-01-13T18:10:46.216-08:00

Bill Krueger, former Seattle Mariners pitcher and currently a Fox Sports Net broadcaster, will be one of the keynote speakers at the Healthy Living Expo on Bainbridge Island on Jan. 30. The fifth annual event is sponsored by the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce and is an interactive trade show with exhibits, presentations and demonstrations.Learn about safety, weight loss, cancer prevention;

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-87894667653796028322010-01-10T14:48:00.000-08:002010-01-10T14:52:26.772-08:00

Gateway to India, a popular Tacoma restaurant for more than a decade, opened a new location in Gig Harbor in November—and business has been steady since day one. Located in the former home of Harbor Rock Café, which closed in 2009, the fine dining restaurant serves authentic Indian food in a fine but comfortable atmosphere and has wonderful service. The owners, brothers Surinder and CJ Singh,

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-56811510609049719422010-01-09T21:36:00.000-08:002010-01-09T21:36:07.620-08:00

If you love nostalgia or yearn for something tangible to go with your childhood memories, Belfair is worth a trip. There, off the beaten path on the way to Belfair State Park you’ll discover Country Relics Antiques Collectables — a homey store with treasures hailing back decades, and ranging from bottle caps and buttons to books and rare china. Located in a remodeled barn called “The Udder Room

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-84558059721995603192010-01-08T21:09:00.000-08:002010-01-08T21:09:07.138-08:00

Scrapbooking is one of the fastest-growing hobbies in America and on the Kitsap Peninsula you don’t have to go far to find proof. Local scrapbooking shops host regular “crops,” get-togethers for those who love the hobby, but Gig Harbor’s Toadilly Scrappin takes that experience to the next level: with a scrapbooking retreat. The three-day scrapbooking extravaganza was so popular in November,

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27431799.post-16784593373258232842010-01-08T13:46:00.000-08:002010-01-08T16:15:08.275-08:00

If you like Thai food you should visit Nattamit Thai restaurant on Pacific Ave. in Old Town Silverdale, Somsri is a delightful lady and a fabulous cook. The sauces are perfect, the noodles and rice cooked to perfection, each plate is garnished and nicely presented, you eat with your eyes first. The restaurant is cozy, quaint (in a good way) and comfortable. You order and pick up at the counter.

Kitsap Peninsula VCBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548923746374840712blog@visitkitsap.com