Living
California
Oil reserve: olives do it best,
Page 6B
Friday, April 25, 2008
Flowers
Tulips bloom aplenty in a field midway through Tulip Town, a flower-abundant resource for those who celebrate the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
April showers bring in
By Jeff Smith
Staff writer
The tulips are finally starting to
bloom in Skagit Valley Tulip Festi-
val fields, and there’s an upside to this
spring’s very cool weather, according to
festival director Cindy Verge.
“The daffodil fields are still spec-
tacular,” she reports.
Most years, the daffs are done by the
time the tulips bloom, but this year “the
weather is holding them like the cooler
in a florist shop,” Verge said.
This weekend, most tulip fields will
be showing some color, with areas of
early blooming varieties and some fields
still waiting.
The picturesque tulip fields are the
Tulip Festival’s main event but far from
the only attraction.
The entire Skagit Valley is busy with
Gourmet French bakery doesn’t brown bag-uette
European coffee beans,
croissants and quiches spice
up breakfast and beyond
By Tan Vinh
Staff writer
The French Bakery is exactly what
its generic name means — except
this new Kirkland boulangerie/patis-
serie serves North Italian coffee. Proud
Frenchman and owner Frederic Courteau
hates to admit it but says the Italians
make better coffee. He has gourmet
coffee beans flown from Bologna every
week to serve with the baguettes and
Fremont, Washingtonï Volume 86, No. 1
activities including art shows, tours, and
open-house events at farms, wineries,
nurseries, museums and more.
In La Conner, shops and eateries
along the scenic waterfront, the Skagit
County Historical Museum and the Quilt
and Textile Museum offer lots of oppor-
tunities for a day excursion. The Outlet
A mule-drawn wagon rides through Tulip Town, west of Mount Vernon in Skagit County on a sunny afternoon.
Photo by Erika Schultz
Delia Mukhamedjanova picks
out pastries for customers at The
French Bakery in Kirkland. See “FRENCH” on Page 2B >>
How may I
help you?
Nordstrom’s new
man takes cares of
business – the styl-
ish way. Page 2B
The Fremont Independent ï Section B
Photo by Mark Harrison
Photo by Mark Harrison
Blooming is in abundance again, thanks to cool spring weather.
Shoppes in Burlington are an option for With so much going on, be sure to
bargain browsing. allow plenty of time for your Tulip Festi-
The Kiwanis Club celebrates 20 val visit. Tulip Town offers a trolley ride,
years of its popular Tulip Festival salm- but if you’re venturing to the outdoor
on barbecue, daily through April 27 at displays, be prepared for muddy terrain.
the old, well known historic Hillcrest
Lodge in Mount Vernon. See “FLOWERS” on Page 2B >>
Photo by Mark Harrison
croissants.
The 40-year-old Bellevue resident,
who grew up along the French Rivera,
was baffled that the Eastside, with all
its worldly residents and tech workers,
didn’t have more French bakeries. So he
opened one last month, across from the
new Heathman Hotel.
The menu: A selection of cakes, fruit
tarts, quiches, salads, turnovers, ba-
guette sandwiches, and sweet and savory
croissants — both traditional and with
Courteau’s own twist, such as a croissant
stuffed with spinach and feta. Portions
are generous, and most are $4 or under.