|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Media Island International Celebrates Black Excellence Through Downtown Murals
Media Island International Celebrates Black Excellence Through Downtown Murals
Photos courtesy of Media Island International. From left to right, the murals feature Chadwick Boseman, The Orishas, painted by Eva Bender and Breonna Taylor.
Written by Heidi Smith
Shawna Hawk has noticed a trend. Whenever any tragedy involving people of color attracts national attention, images and artwork will appear – for a time. But once the public focus has moved on, those representations disappear. Often, they are rooted in black trauma and pain rather than a celebration of excellence.
Hawk decided to change that. Now, Olympia residents can enjoy large murals of acclaimed actor and activist Chadwick Boseman along with full-size depictions of Orisha, deities venerated by the Yoruba people in West Africa.
“My concern is that the majority of the black presence in Olympia is around negative black trauma, pain, death and loss,” says Hawk, the Executive Director of Media Island International, a cultural educational and networking center designed to support the leadership goals and aspirations of women of color.
“Our organization wants to focus on African-American resilience, strength and contributions to the community and the country as a whole.” Hawk is also the founder of the Women of Color in Leadership Movement.
Continue Reading Here
LoveOly Winter Fest 2021,
Mark your calendar for Sunday, November 28, 2021 (the Sunday after Thanksgiving) for LoveOly Winter Fest 2021, noon to 6:00 p.m. at 5th & Washington.
Enjoy live music and performances, activities for kids and families, festive seasonal lighting and a Winter Refreshment Station featuring locally produced craft beer, wine, cider and other holiday libations. Don’t miss horse-drawn carriage rides, holiday storytelling and a unique shopping experience of specialty goods and hand-crafted gifts made by local artists and makers. (If you are an artist or maker, click here to learn how to participate.)
LoveOly Winterfest kicks off a month of holiday fun for friends and family to enjoy. Throughout December, come on ‘Downtown for the Holidays’ to enjoy:
- Holiday lighting, unique art installations and decorations throughout Downtown, including over a mile of garland decorating storefronts!
- Twinklefest – Take a self-guided tour through decorated downtown storefronts! Visit olytwinklefest.net for more information.
- Experts call for SNOW outside The Washington Center for the Performing Arts.
- We’re setting out Nutcracker-Themed Selfie Scenes for Holiday Cards with your Family & Friends, including Land of Sweets at the Washington Center, a Gingerbread House at 5th and Capitol and Winter Wonderland at Legion and Capitol.
- Enjoy 12 days of Complimentary Parking Downtown from December 12 – 24, courtesy of the City of Olympia.
- Back by popular demand: LoveOly Holiday Edition, Shop & Dine Promotion, November 26 – December 24! Download the passport here or get one when you visit any participating shop or restaurant and start shopping and dining! Every time you make a $10 or more purchase, you’ll receive a sticker on your passport. Get five stickers and turn in your passport for your choice of a branded Love Oly gift, your choice of scarf, deck of playing cards, or a journal!
WHAT: Downtown for the Holidays
WHEN: Friday, November 26 through the end of December.
AND
WHAT: LoveOly Winter Fest Street Festival
WHEN: Sunday, November 28, 2021 from noon to 6 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown Olympia, 5th Avenue and Washington Street
WHO: Produced by Olympia Downtown Alliance
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Brit Kramer, Event Partner at (360) 481-5010 or britk@redbarncommunications.com. For more information about Olympia Downtown Alliance, contact Todd Cutts, (360) 357-8948 or tcutts@downtownolympia.org
SPONSORED BY: WSECU
Encore Chocolates & Tea
Strolling along Fifth Avenue in downtown Olympia, you come upon a unique sight: a magnolia tree nestled within a beautiful, airy atrium inside a building. This 1875 building has a storied history. It was once home to a mercantile store, followed by numerous nightclubs. And it has a distinct claim to fame from the more recent past. It hosted Dave Grohl in his debut in the band Nirvana.
With a past as colorful as this, it is no wonder the space is now sanctuary to a delightful store that caters to more subdued pastimes: Encore Chocolates & Teas. Owners Dean and Carla Jones enjoy whisking patrons away to lands of terraced mountainsides, spice markets, and forested regions through the sheer variety of chocolates and teas they have on display.
In the space since 2015, the Joneses offer over 215 varieties of teas sourced from 12 different tea purveyors. It is easy to get lost in the scent jars, which are arranged on the wall in black, green, white and herbal sections. This way patrons can determine for themselves which particular tea is just the right one. Once the desired tea has been selected, the friendly staff portions out the loose-leaf tea, including proper brewing instructions.
The chocolate selections are no less varied and scrumptious. Samples are ready for the tasting on request.
While the chocolates and tea alone are a compelling reason to shop at Encore, Dean Jones adds to the experience by bringing humanity to the products. A natural storyteller, he provides patrons a glimpse into the journey the chocolate and tea have gone through to become the exceptional finds they are. Visitors leave feeling a little more connected with the world, one chocolate bar and tea cup at a time.
KATHLEEN THOMAS
For Additional Information
Encore Chocolates and Teas
116 5th Ave SE, Olympia
360.350.0833
facebook.com/encorechocolatesandteas
Percival Condos: Downtown Living at its Best
With an identity unrivaled by any other city in the region, Olympia is growing as a place of economic, social and development opportunity. Joining this vibrant community is Percival Condominiums, a seven-story development built with its residents—and Olympia’s character—in mind.
Percival Condominiums will be downtown Olympia’s first upscale condominium community. Located in the heart of the city near Percival Landing, this contemporary 28-home building will include five floors of residences and two floors of parking. Ten floor plans, ranging from 1,300 to 2,400 square feet, each include a spacious balcony for outdoor seating and dining.
Only eight condo units have been built in Olympia in the last 35 years, so Percival Condominiums fill a demand for people who want to live downtown and own their home. Its location makes it just a short walk from fine cuisine, shopping, entertainment and Percival Park’s boardwalk.
The ambitious project is the most recent development of the Rants Group, a longtime commercial and residential real estate company based in and focused on Thurston County.
“The development of Percival Condominiums meets a longtime call for an upscale downtown Olympia living option,” said Pat Rants, president of the Rants Group. “Thurston County lacks downtown condominiums that are deluxe and modern with incredible views. With this project, we’re giving owners unrivaled views and access to the city—simply by looking out their windows or stepping outside their front doors.”
Percival Condominiums are now pre-selling with a move-in date set for 2020. Future residents will join a lively, enriching downtown district while contributing to Olympia’s unique and evolving identity—all while enjoying breathtaking views of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains and the Capitol.
KELLY LENIHAN
For Additional Information
Percival Condominiums
322 Columbia St NW, Olympia
360.943.8060
percivalcondos.com
