By Joe Kennedy

I recently had the pleasure of enjoying an overnight stay at the multiple award-winning Cedarbrook Lodge.  This hotel and conference center is hidden away at the end of a non-descript residential street in the community of SeaTac, just barely separated from the very busy SeaTac Strip by 18 acres of very peaceful wetlands – but worlds away from the hustle and bustle of that major thorough fair that runs in front of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Who would have thought of escaping TO SeaTac to get away from it all?  It never would have occurred to me without experiencing it for myself – but it was indeed a great place to escape to – especially because we were also able to enjoy a fine gourmet meal in the sustainable tradition of farm to table in the center’s wildly popular Copperleaf Restaurant.

The service throughout the 110-room hotel was fantastic – very friendly, yet non-obtrusive and always ready to serve.  The accommodations were nice, cozy and not over the top.  Our room came equipped with a queen sized bed, good sized flat panel television, coffee maker with Starbucks coffees, an iron and ironing board, a hair dryer, in room safe, and a couple of very comfortable looking robes that went unused.

One feature that seemed very unique about Cedarbrook Lodge and popular with their guests is that two of the buildings have community ‘living rooms’ with fireplaces, large flat screen tvs, comfortable furniture and free snacks and refreshments.  These rooms are an excellent place for those staying in separate rooms to get together and spend some time together without someone having to sit on someone else’s bed.

Other features that were obviously popular with the guests included the bar and pool table just outside Copperleaf Restaurant, the very nice exercise room, free wireless internet (two separate connections), complimentary shuttle to and from the airport and light rail stations and the complimentary Northwest continental breakfast each morning.  Several guests were there with their pets and seemed very happy for the hotel’s pet friendly options.

Without a doubt, besides the Lodge’s hidden location so close to the airport, one of the best features about Cedarbrook for businesses is that it is also an amazing meeting, events and convention space – and a fantastic option for companies wanting to host events and meetings conveniently so close to the airport.

Cedarbrook Conference Center was originally built as a conference center and was owned by Washington Mutual Bank until their run was over and they were acquired by JP Morgan Chase.  Chase sold the property to Wright Hotels, also the owner of several other west coast and Seattle properties, including world famous Space Needle, in October of 2009.  The property was renamed Cedarbrook Lodge and is managed by Coastal Hotel Group, which also operates The Resort at The Mountain and Hotel Fifty in Oregon, as well as the Lodge on the Desert in Tucson, Arizona.

The conference center facilities are amazing – with several options from The Board Room, which can seat 32 banquet style all the way up to Tamarack Hall, which can hold up to 300 people for a cocktail type reception or 225 for theatre seating.  Over 18,000 square feet of flexible interior function space. There is also a business center complete with 5 desktop computers, printers and internet access.  The views in each room are great, the technology is top notch and it seems like a great place to hold most any type of business event.  It seems that one of Cedarbrook’s larger clients these days is Seattle-based Alaska Airlines.  It probably makes a lot of sense for them to have a lot of their meetings so close to the airport.

But it’s not just businesses that hold events at Cedarbrook Lodge.  Tamarack Hall is also the site of many a wedding and also hosts other social events as well.

Awards:  In the relatively short time that Cedarbrook Lodge has been open to the general public, it has garnered many prestigious awards including being ranked #1 in the WORLD by Expedia Insiders’ Select 2011, and ranked #1 in the entire US in the 2011 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards.

Cedarbrook Lodge is located at 18525 36^th Ave S, Seattle, WA  98188.  They can be found online at www.CedarbrookLodge.com and you can ‘Like’ their Facebook page.

This was an opportunity to make a good return for the investor members and an ideal time for Kauri,” said Kent Angier, president. “The majority of our staff lives in Bellevue so the move will shorten peoples’ commutes,” said Angier. The sale was not a 1031 transaction but Kauri continues to look for opportunities to acquire properties for development or re-development within the Seattle area.

Move On LLC who purchased the building will utilize the majority of the space as an owner/user. Tim Foster and Jeff Suver with Kidder Matthews brokered the transaction. 

About Kauri Investments, LTD. Founded in 1987, Kauri is noted for renovation, conversion and effective property management. The company has developed or substantially rehabilitated nearly 2,000 housing units. In addition to multi-family development, Kauri has diversified into mixed-use residential and commercial properties as well as expanding its capabilities to include fee development and real estate consulting. Kauri recently completed the Hyatt Place Seattle at Denny Way and 6^th Avenue the brand’s first West Coast location and the conversion of Seattle’s historic Alaska Building into a Courtyard by Marriott hotel. The company will begin construction on a 48 unit apartment project in Fremont in February of this year.

“According to a study conducted by Brother International Corporation, an estimated 38 working hours (or close to one work week) per person each year are lost as a result of looking for misplaced items in the office. The Messiest Desk Contest will revolutionize the work desk of one lucky Seattleite as they move forward into a better, more productive and organized 2012.” said founder Elizabeth Bowman.

Beginning January 1, 2012, people have been encouraged to nominate a friend, co-worker, family member, or themselves at www.InnovativelyOrganized.com. The top five finalists will be announced January 15 and the public will vote for a winner from January 16 to 20.

On January 23, one lucky winner will be revealed to receive an organizational overhaul of their messy work desk from the team of professional organizers at Innovatively Organized.  Throughout the month, Innovatively Organized will provide tips for maintaining an organized workspace and share the transformation of the winner’s desk on their blog at www.InnovativelyOrganized.com/blog.

Seattle-based organizing and process improvement consulting firm, Innovatively Organized is sponsoring this contest with Getting Organized Magazine, Storables, and tiniCling.

About Innovatively Organized
Innovatively Organized provides effective organizing solutions for busy professionals, teams, and families to manage their time, increase productivity, and gain control of their space.  From workflow strategy to office systems, their professional team of organizers, space planners, and productivity consultants have extensive experience in solving organizing challenges. For more information, visit www.InnovativelyOrganized.com or call (206) 494-9822.

Thach Nguyen, Kristen Marie Schuerlein, Marc Sachnoff and Matthew Ferry have teamed up to present “The Gift” at live events and all collaborated on this book.

The Gift is available here at Amazon for only $9.99.

Christison, the former president and CEO of the Washington State Convention & Trade Center (WSCTC), will focus on consulting projects, as well as the expansion of Columbia’s conference center management and operations.

Christison announced his retirement from the WSCTC in October 2011, following a 21-year tenure with the state-owned facility. Additionally, Christison has acted as the principal and managing member of a successful consulting company, Buckley-Christison International. He will bring the company’s clients with him to Columbia Hospitality.

“We have considered John a longtime leader, peer and friend in the industry and have the utmost respect for his distinguished career and many accomplishments,” said Columbia Hospitality CEO John Oppenheimer. “It is tremendously exciting that he will be sharing his expertise and talents with us, and we look forward to expanding our efforts in consulting and conference center operations.”

A well-known leader in the industry, John has served as president of the International Association of Assembly Managers (IAAM), is past chairman of the Asia Pacific Exhibition and Convention Council (APECC) and is the past and founding chairman of the World Council for Venue Management (WCVM), an umbrella organization representing nine worldwide professional associations in the Public Assembly Facility Management industry. He has also served as an adjunct professor and lecturer for Washington State University’s Hotel and Restaurant Program, served as the chairman of the Board of Governors for the Cornell University Public Assembly Management Symposium and is a frequent lecturer and trainer in the field of facility management, marketing and service delivery.

“I was attracted to the environment and corporate culture of Columbia Hospitality because it fosters creativity and collaboration. I am thoroughly impressed with the company’s focus on quality and customers—values that are both very important to me,” said Christison. “Columbia is the ideal place to expand my consulting practice and hopefully provide experience garnered through my many years in the industry.”

Christison will join the team at Columbia Hospitality’s Seattle headquarters on Wednesday, November 16, 2011. For more information on Columbia Hospitality, please visit www.columbiahospitality.com.

About Columbia Hospitality

Columbia Hospitality, Inc. (Columbia), a Seattle-based hospitality management and consulting firm specializing in luxury hotel and resort management, was founded in 1995 by John Oppenheimer. Columbia’s growing portfolio of premier properties, including boutique hotels, award-winning resorts, event venues and conference centers, offers world-class service in exquisite settings. Columbia creates memorable experiences for guests and team members while achieving phenomenal results for owners. The company’s continued success has led to an international expansion of the consulting division and more than 100 hospitality development projects worldwide. For more information about Columbia and a full list of properties visit www.columbiahospitality.com.

3,000 Swanky Party Guests

5 Unique Experiences

4 LIVE Stages

3 Dance Floors

2 Exclusive VIP areas

1 Comedy Lounge

Sky Church Stage: Brand X High Energy Party Band brings the best party hits from the 70s, 80s, 90s and today

You Spin Me Right Round The 80′s Stage: 80′s Invasion

The MOViN 92.5 Party Stage, hosted by Justin with DJ Mack Long spinning live

Live Comedy Theater: nationally renowned stand-up comedians

140,000 sq ft of PURE PARTY SPACE

Party the night away right underneath the iconic Space Needle

More than 25 bars

Access to the amazing EMP Museum included (a $20 value)

Access to the Sci-Fi Museum included

Full access to the amazing AVATAR Movie Exhibit included in the price of admission

Festive party favors for every guest

Free coat check

Free Pre-Party

Mingling game for singles

Food available for purchase in the venue

Photo booth on-site to capture all of the fun

Special rates at nearby downtown hotels

……and many more surprises

WHAT:          INDULGENCE New Year’s Eve Bash at the EMP

WHEN:          December 31, 2011 Saturday Night, 8:00 pm

WHERE:       EMP Experience Music Project under the Space Needle at 325 5th Ave N, Seattle WA 98109

PRICE:          $59.00 and up, with two additional levels of VIP admission

AGE:              21+, must bring valid photo ID

MORE DETAILS AND TICKETS: www.SeattleBash.com

A good cure for this problem is to be linked to and from by other sites – especially sites that rank well for your desired keywords.  For instance, if it would be important to you to be ranked highly under the keywords “Bellevue Business”, it would probably be very beneficial to you to be linked to the Eastside Business Directory at BellevueBusinessJournal.com (which is consistently the #1 organic ranked site on Google for the keywords mentioned).  Once you have a link from us (we’ll probably want to share you on Twitter and Facebook too), you might want to share the love with a link back to our site from yours – and you might even decide that you would like to write a regular (or semi-regular) column for us.

The price of this online marketing help is normally only $100 for an entire year!!!  For a very limited time and only the first 50 businesses, the price has been slashed in half to $50 for 12 full months!  Get your business listed in the Eastside Business Directory now – before your competitors do!

Here is some more information about the directory:

Who should list their business in Eastside Business Directory?
(there are 180 categories – if we don’t have yours, let us know and we’ll create it)

• Anyone who sells a product, whether it’s a physical product or a digital product like an e-book
• Anyone who provides a service, like graphic designers, web designers, nannies, cleaning services, and bookkeepers
• Anyone who owns a store, whether it’s a bricks & mortar store or an online store
• Anyone who has a blog, website or other online presence they want noticed
• Anyone who wants increased sales, more exposure, and improved SEO.

Why should you list your business in Eastside Business Directory?

Here are just a few good reasons I can think of:

• It’s an extremely affordable way to market your business – it’ll cost you just $100 per year or $0.27 per day.
• It offers maximum exposure – something you definitely need. Well, at least for your business.
• It will help you increase your sales all year round.
• It will boost your SEO by having your URL link on a Google Page Rank 4 site
• It will get you on the #1 Googled site for Keyword “Bellevue Business”
• It will support your new business, product launches, promotions, specials and more

What will my Eastside Business listing look like?

Your Bellevue Business Journal Listing will look awesome. No, really…check out our current Eastside Business Directory

The Washington Wine Commission has agreed to license the event to Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Wine Commission will become a presenting sponsor. “BellevueBusinessJournal.com would like to continue being a media partner and we would also like to explore getting Eastside Entrepreneurs involved on some level” said BBJ Publisher and Eastside Entrepreneurs Founder Joe Kennedy. Beginning immediately, SCVB will assume primary responsibility for producing the event, including sponsorship and vendor arrangements, while the Commission will manage winery participation and other wine-related activities.

“Over fourteen years, Taste Washington has grown to become the premier showcase for the Washington State wine industry in the Pacific Northwest,” said Kent Waliser, Chairman of the Washington State Wine Commission and General Manager for Sagemoor Vineyards. “This new partnership will enable Taste Washington to continue to grow into a destination wine and food event on a national level,” he added.

“Taste Washington has long been a crown jewel of our local community,” said Chad Mackay, 2012 Chairman of Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau and President and COO of El Gaucho. “By working with the Commission to produce Taste Washington, SCVB aims to bring visitors from across the country and around the world to Seattle to experience the best of our rich wine and culinary traditions.”

The Commission and SCVB also announced changes to the format for Taste Washington.

The Taste Washington Grand Tasting, previously a one-day event, will now expand to two days, Saturday, March 31, 2012, and Sunday, April 1, 2012, at CenturyLink Field Event Center in Seattle. It is hoped that the expanded format will enhance business opportunities for restaurants, hotels, visitor attractions and other businesses.

The Taste Washington Seminars, held previously at Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle, will move to CenturyLink Field Event Center on Saturday, March 31, 2012. Tickets for the Seminars will be sold independently of those for the Grand Tasting.

And for the first time, ticket packages – inclusive of Grand Tasting tickets, Seminar tickets, and lodging – will also be available.

“The new format for Taste Washington will maintain the event’s focus on the Washington State wine industry – a focus that truly sets Taste Washington apart from other wine and food events,” said Robin Pollard, Executive Director for the Washington State Wine Commission. “Our industry will continue to be the star of the show.”

“Taste Washington fits perfectly with SCVB’s core mission – to bring more visitors to Seattle and Washington State,” said Tom Norwalk, SCVB President & CEO. “Our state’s world-class wine is already a tourism driver and we look forward to working hand-in-hand with the wine industry to build on the success of Taste Washington, explore expansion of this event to multiple days or weeks and further showcase Northwest food, restaurants and chefs.”

The licensing agreement for Taste Washington will be ongoing, subject to mutual agreement. Varsity Communications, which has provided event production services for the event for the past five years, will continue in its role.

About Taste Washington:

Taste Washington is the largest single-region wine and food event in the United States, featuring more than 200 Washington State wineries and over 60 Pacific Northwest restaurants. Held annually in the spring, Taste Washington attracts more than 3,000 wine and food enthusiasts to the Seattle area. The Washington State Wine Commission launched Taste Washington in 1998. For more information on Taste Washington, please visit www.tastewashington.org.

About the Washington State Wine Commission:

The Washington State Wine Commission represents every licensed winery and every wine grape grower in Washington State. Guided by an appointed board, the Commission provides a marketing platform to raise positive awareness of the Washington State wine industry and generate greater demand for its wines. Funded almost entirely by the industry – through assessments based on grape and wine sales – the Commission is a state government agency, established by the legislature in 1987. For more information on the Washington State Wine Commission and the Washington State wine industry, please visit www.washingtonwine.org.

About Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau:

Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, a private, nonprofit marketing organization, has served as Seattle/King County’s official destination marketing organization (DMO) for more than 50 years. The goal of these marketing efforts is to enhance the employment opportunities and economic prosperity of the region.

Six varieties of stuffings compliment the turkey. They are Chef Jeremy’s traditional Dutch apple stuffing, grilled vegetable, Pacific Northwest oyster, cornbread, tamale and Andouille sausage stuffing. Hot vegetables are corn casserole, green beans Almandine, bourbon glazed carrots, spaghetti squash, roasted squashes, crab stuffed tomatoes and peppers, three kinds of potatoes – mashed potatoes, roasted red potatoes, twice baked potatoes – and yams with toasted marshmallows A counterpoint to the meats and vegetables are Salty’s seafoods – blackened salmon, shrimp fried rice, crispy fried seafood morsels, Arctic cod, made-to-order prawn scampi cooked in Chateau Ste. Michelle Reisling, oysters on the half shell, oyster shooters with Chef Levi’s Kicken’ Cocktail, Dungeness crab, peel-and-eat prawns, manila clams, Penn Cove mussels, seafood ceviche and ready-to-eat snow crab. Ten soups and salads range from butternut squash to Salty’s famous seafood chowder and from Ambrosia to Waldorf. Five gravies are giblet, vegetable, sausage, brown and smoked ham. Eight specialty trays are piled high with fresh, roasted and pickled vegetables, relishes, fruits, meat and cheese, salmon mousse and lox. The menu features ten breads from French baguettes to house made scones.

Bread toppers range from herb garlic butter to lavender honey. Salty’s array of desserts are signature Nutcracker Sweets which spout forth from a chocolate fountain and are arrayed in formation around ten tempting pies from Dutch apple and coconut cream to pumpkin, apricot and blueberry tarts, chocolate mousse cups, three cakes, cupcakes, pumpkin chocolate bread and cherry cobbler.

First seating is at 10:30 a.m. and last seating is at 6:45 p.m. Prices are $59.95 for adults, $31.95 for ages 9-12 and $15.95 for ages 5-8. Children 4 and under are free. Prices include coffee, tea, soda and juice. Salty’s on Alki is located at 1936 Harbor Avenue SW in West Seattle. For more information and to make reservations for Thanksgiving Day call 206.937.1600. Visit the restaurant’s website online at Saltys.com.