Easter is upon us. I know lots of people are looking to locate an Easter Egg Hunt or two. I’ll highlight a few around town. I know this isn’t all of them but hopefully you’ll find one or two of interest.

SATURDAY APRIL 23RD, 2011 Easter Egg Hunts

Big Al’s Easter Egg Hunt is on Saturday April 23rd. They have two different times. The 4 and under hunt will begin at 10:30am and the hunt for the 5 to 10 year old kids will take place at 11am. Big Al’s is located at 16615 SE 18th Street, Vancouver, WA 98683.

LifePoint Church Eggstreme Egg Hunt is Saturday, April 23rd at 9:30am and 11:30am. It is for ages 2 through 5th grade. They’ll have over 25,000 eggs with candy and prizes. LifePoint is located at 305 NE 192nd Ave, Vancouver, WA 98684.

Vancouver Farmers Market will be hosting an Easter Egg Hunt at 10am on Saturday the 23rd. It will be held in Esther Short Park. Bring your family down for a great time collecting Easter Eggs and afterward enjoy walking through the market and visiting our vendors. This year we will have two hunts for different age groups. For those 4 and under we have an area for kids and their parents to collect eggs in a more relaxed atmosphere. And for those ages 5 – 10 a larger field will be filled with eggs and a few special surprise treats as well.

SPECIAL NOTICE: The MCCDCT Easter Egg Hunt is the only one of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. The hunt is done at McKenzie Stadium behind Evergreen High School. This hunt is for physically and mentally challenged kids. Wheel chairs and walkers can cross this field easily. This hunt is Saturday, April 23rd at 5:15pm. It will be at McKenzie Stadium (Behind Evergreen High School). If you have any questions please call 360-513-8201.

SUNDAY APRIL 24TH, 2011 Easter Egg Hunts

Camas Parks and Recreation will host their Easter Egg Hunt at Crown Park in Camas. It is on Sunday the 24th at 1:30pm. This hunt is for children between 2 and 9 years of age. You’ll find over 10,000 candy and prize filled eggs at this hunt location. Crown Park is at NE Everett and NE 17th Avenue.

(Please remember, ALL children MUST be accompanied by adults at all these events.)

Thanks to my real estate pal Ines in Miami for the cool photo!

I’m so excited! It’s been way to long since the Liberty Theatre in downtown Camas, WA has been open. Liberty has been a staple of the City of Camas since 1927 and deserves to be the local public movie house.

I’m very happy to share that the Liberty Theatre is open for business. They kicked things off tonight for St. Patrick’s Day with the Grease Sing-A-Long movie and the place was packed. I was having dinner at Twilight Pizza and the line at Liberty wrapped around the corner. I walked in front of the theater as they were getting out and everyone was laughing and talking about how wonderful it was to be back in this 350 seat venue.

The following comes from their website describing what you can expect to see happening at Liberty Theatre…

There are varied of tastes and diversity in this area and we feel an assortment of film genres and categories are the key to our success. The Liberty programming will be more “repertory” style, with different movies and different times and more turn over. On most weeks, you’ll get a choice of at least two movies and sometimes more. The Liberty will be showing films off of the National break, meaning that new films will show up at the Liberty 3 to 7 weeks after they are released nationally. This means we don’t have to run the same film for several weeks on end to satisfy studio requirements and can provide a wider variety of films for you to see. It also means we can keep our prices more economical; you’ll be able to see a first rate presentation at the Liberty for only $3.50.

In addition to reasonable movie prices you’ll also find family affordable prices at the concession stand. With the economy like it is this is a most welcomed addition to have a night out. Make sure you head down to Camas and enjoy a movie or two!

Liberty Theatre is located at 315 NE 4th Avenue, Camas, WA 98607 and can be reached at 360-859-9555. You can also connect with Liberty Theatre on Facebook.

Reflecting on the Liberty Theatre…

The Mission: February 17th, 2010 through February 16th, 2011 write one blog post each and every day highlighting something to do in Vancouver, WA (& surrounding cities).

Status: Task completed on schedule. Every single day one blog post was written. Almost every post included a video from on location as well as photos from each location.

All blog posts lived here on the Clark County Real Estate Guide. The permalink to each post was then placed on the 365 Things To Do In Vancouver, WA Facebook Page. Over the course of the year the Facebook page grew at a very steady pace. At the end of the 365th day there were over 14,000 “likes”. I’ve been so thankful for the wonderful reception this page got.

67% of the fans are women. The fan base spans over 19 countries all over the world. Approximately 75% of the fan base is from the Vancouver/Clark County/Portland area. The next largest group represented is in Seattle. 83% of the fans are between the age of 18 and 54.

Over the course of the 365 days 8,281,995 post views occurred on Facebook! A post view is defined by Facebook as “the number of times people (Fans and non-Fans) have viewed a News Feed story posted by your page”. This blows my mind!

Approximately 100,000 visitors stopped here at the Clark County Real Estate Guide throughout the year. The most viewed post of the year was Day 295: Magical Lights On 63rd Street with almost 1,200 visitors!

As I mentioned on Day 365, this “project” is not done! There are still lots of wonderful things to share about Vancouver and Clark County, WA. I will not continue daily but will continue regularly. I’ll also be adding content to the site that I believe will enhance and improve upon what is already here.

I’ll be announcing these changes on 3-1-11. Please stop in then to see what is coming and I hope you’ll either subscribe to get these posts via email or via an RSS feed.

If you have any stories of new places you’ve discovered or enjoyed during the first 365 days I’d love to hear about them. I’d love it if you’d leave a comment below. Please share this site with your friends and family who may not be aware of it. It’s a great resource from a native Vancouver guy whose family has been in Clark County since 1893. Remember, you can type anything into the search box on the top right side of the site and it’ll find all posts with whatever keywords you desire (i.e. pizza, wine, hike, theater, etc.)

Day 365 of 365!!!

Can you believe it? Today is Day 365! Yes, this is the 365th day in a row I’ve written a blog post about my hometown, Vancouver, WA. I’ve shared parks, trails, events, activities, restaurants, coffee houses, venues, wineries and countless other great things. It’s been a most amazing year. The business owners I’ve met. The wonderful people who call Vancouver and Clark County home. The people who used to live here and are enjoying reminiscing about Vancouver. Those who are considering relocating here. Everyone is wonderful.

If anyone would have told me what today looked like on February 17th, 2010 I’d have never believed it. I’ve had the opportunity to not only help encourage locals to “Get Out, Explore & Enjoy Our Community” but I’ve been able to help lots of small business owners set up and tweak their Facebook pages. I’ve also had the opportunity to share my experiences locally and nationally. I’ve taught classes, webinars, been on panels and loved sharing what I’ve done with the Clark County Real Estate Guide and the Facebook page 365 Things To Do In Vancouver, WA.

Everyone has been dying to know what the big finale is. What is Day 365? I’ve contemplated this for quite some time. As I pondered my different choices I kept coming back to the same conclusion. There really is no “finale”. There are 364 blog posts about great things to do in Vancouver plus TONS of things I didn’t get to these first 364 days. So, today I encourage you to keep exploring this site. Keep exploring Vancouver (& surrounding cities). The things to do in Vancouver, WA never ends. Even if you don’t agree with something I suggest, find the places you love and keep going back. All our small (and large) businesses need each of us. It takes us, the entire community to make our local economy grow.

The other thing I get asked all the time is “what’s next”? What happens after 365? I’ll not fully disclose this yet. Stay tuned for some changes here at the Clark County Real Estate Guide. Will I keep sharing the things to do? Absolutely! I’ll not be posting 7 days a week any longer. I’m thankful I committed to it and saw it through to its completion. I’m very proud of this accomplishment. It still amazes me I have completed it. I joked that I’d go to Disney World when I hit Day 365. I’m happy to say, I spent today at Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom all day today! What a great time it was. I’ll be taking the next week-ish off from here. I hope you’ll browse the site and go exploring some old posts. You know, on the top right is a search box. You may use it just like if you were searching Google. Type in any keyword or phrase and it’ll find anything I’ve covered over the last year. Have no fear, I WILL be back!

I hope you’ll keep coming back and I hope all of Clark County, WA (& beyond) love what is coming next. Thank you all again from the bottom of my heart for your support and love. I really do appreciate you all!

Special thanks to my wonderful friend Brian Copeland for the awesome Goofy photo! Thank you for sharing in the journey I’ve taken over the last 365 days. Also, thanks for spending Day 365 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom with me! If anyone ever needs Nashville real estate service Brian is your man!

Day 355 of 365…

I love the Pacific NW. The natural beauty of the trees, lakes, hills and green are simply amazing. When all of these things come together with some vision you can end up with a simply stunning golf course. That’s what you’ll find at Camas Meadows Golf Club out in Camas, WA.

Camas Meadows Golf Club is a wonderful public golf course. Camas Meadows was recently named by The Portland Business Journal the #1 public golf course and most challenging golf course in all of Oregon and SW Washington. Having played it several times, I’d agree. Below is a little teaser of this great course taken from their site…

Our championship, public course has a great mix of narrow tree-lined fairways, and winding fairways through grassy and flower-filled meadows. Hazards include 50 sand bunkers, water features, natural meadows, towering trees and many more. Camas Meadows is perfect for the experienced player, yet still offers a great time for the intermediate and beginning golfers. Bring your friends and you’re sure to have an unforgettable experience!

Camas Meadows Golf Club is located at 4105 NW Camas Meadows Drive, Camas, WA 98607 and can be reached at 360-833-2000. You can also find Camas Meadows Golf Club on Facebook.

Day 341 of 365…

Since today was National Pie Day I figured I should hunt down some fresh baked pie somewhere in Clark County. I happened to be out in Camas and stopped in at Natalia’s Cafe to check it out. I’ve heard good things about it and wanted to see for myself.

Natalia’s is owned and operated by Natalia Zhikhareva. As you enter, Natalia greets you and also has prepared most of the food for you. I asked if they had any pie and I was just late enough that I missed getting a slice. But, while looking in the case I noticed a Spinach and Bacon Quiche that seemed to be screaming my name. It looked like a slice of pie so I figured, why not? Let’s give it a try. wOw! It was probably one of the best slices of quiche I’ve ever had. The crust was perfect and light. The filling was perfect. She definitely got the balance right with everything inside.

Natalia’s Cafe is quaint and nicely decorated. They have several booths along the windows and a couple tables in the middle. I loved the bar along the front counter. Definitely gave it that cozy home feel. Her desserts looked wonderful and the few plates I noticed going to other tables made me hungry to come back again.

Natalia’s Cafe is located at 437 NE 4th, Camas, WA 98607 and can be reached at 360-834-3421. You can also connect to Natalia’s Cafe on Facebook.

Day 337 of 365…

Today I had an appointment just above Camas and needed to grab a bite with a friend. We decided to eat downtown Camas, WA at Rice Time. Rice Time is a wonderful little teriyaki place that serves some wonderful food.

My friend ordered some kind of spicy pork dish and I tasted it and it was excellent. I ordered the Yakisoba with teriyaki pork and it was wonderful. The noodles were cooked perfectly, there were just the right amount of vegetables and the pork was perfectly cooked. Take a look…

If you find yourself in downtown Camas and are looking for a reasonably priced tasy meal I’d recommend you stop by and enjoy some great teriyaki food at Rice Time.

Rice Time is located at 412 NE 4th Avenue, Camas, WA 98607 and can be reached at 360-833-9111.

Day 306 of 365…

Back on Day 295 I shared about the Magical Lights On 63rd Street house. While I was visiting with the owner Brandon he told me about another house with an amazing light display similar to his. Today I thought I’d go explore and find this house.

My journey took me just East of Vancouver into the Lacamas Lake area of Camas, WA. It took me to Crystal Court where I found Christmas In Camas. This lighting extravaganza will dazzle your senses. The owners have assembled a wonderful show with 44,000 lights that dance over 12 songs. There is a variety of Christmas tunes that everyone can enjoy. They have a huge Christmas Tree of 9,600 lights in the front yard.

The show plays from 5pm to 9:30pm during the week and 5pm to 10pm on Friday and Saturday. Please be courteous of the neighborhood and their neighbors. Turn your lights out while viewing and don’t block driveways. Tonight at least a dozen other cars were there while I was. All stayed for quite a long time. It really is spectacular to watch.

Christmas In Camas house is located at 4430 NW Crystal Court, Camas, WA 98607.

Day 297 of 365…

This Sunday, December 12th, 2010 is The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting here in Vancouver, WA and Washougal, WA. This global event takes place the second Sunday in December and here is a little about the event…

Excitement has been building as the fourteenth Worldwide Candle Lighting December 12, 2010 approaches. The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor and remember children who have died at any age from any cause. As candles are lit at 7 p.m. local time, creating a virtual wave of light, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor the memory of children in a way that transcends all ethnic, cultural, religious, and political boundaries.

Rather than me going on and on, I’m going to recommend you watch this video about the Worldwide Candle Lighting. Please share this with those who have lost a child and get to one of the two locations here in town.

We have two Candle Lighting locations here in Clark County, WA on Sunday night. Below are both locations as well as contact information.

Vancouver – Vancouver, WA in conjunction with the Worldwide Candle Lighting

Date & Time: December 12, 2010 6:30-8:30 PM
Location: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 426 East Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA
Highlights: Gathering time 6:30-6:45 PM, welcome 6:45 PM, and candle lighting 7:00 PM with reading of children’s names, music and readings. Reception immediately to follow.
Additional: Other contact information: Kathy Deschner 360-573-3206 kathy_deschner@yahoo.com. Please contact Lorna Bradford December 2-11.
Contact: Lorna Bradford
Telephone: 360-213-9587 Email: lorna979@hotmail.com

Washougal – Washougal, WA community in conjunction with the Worldwide Candle Lighting

Date & Time: December 12, 2010 6:30-8:00 PM
Location: Reflection Plaza, 1701 Main Street, Washougal, WA
Highlights: Song requests, 2 special performances, reading of children’s names, and words of encouragement.
Bring: Photo or small remembrance of remembered child.
Special Events (before): Cookies and hot chocolate provided.
Contact: Emily Fox
Email: ME2003@ymail.com

You can also connect with The Compassionate Friends on Facebook if you like.

Day 284 of 365…

Downtown Camas, WA has some of the cutest shops. So quaint, charming and always warm and friendly. Today I stopped in at K’Syrah Catering, Wine & Bistro and it meets all the above mentioned criteria. K’Syrah is a wonderful wine store with a huge variety of wines to choose from.

In addition to all their wines, they have become a full bistro in Camas. You will find a gourmet lunch served here five days per week (Tuesday through Saturday) and on Friday nights they offer a Dinner and Wine Tasting event that you really should stop in for. I would suggest you sign up for their email list so you get all the latest Friday night menu’s sent to you plus specials they are running and events they’re doing.

K’Syrah also does some fabulous catering. I’ve had several opportunities to eat at K’Syrah catered events and the food is always wonderful. You can learn more about their holiday catering or even something as simple as a business lunch at K’Syrah Catering.

K’Syrah Catering, Wine and Bistro is located at 212 NE 4th Avenue, Camas, WA, 98607 and you can reach them at 360-833-9429. You can also connect with K’Syrah on Facebook.

Day 276 of 365…

Have you ever done an Olive Oil tasting or Balsamic Vinegar tasting? If not, you need to! Wow! What an experience. Thankfully we are blessed right here in Camas, WA to have Navidi’s Olive Oils and Vinegars. Navidi’s is…

“…a place to experience the most unique flavors from around the world. Navidi’s, a specialty food store, offers Hand Select Olive Oils, Sweet Italian Vinegars, Local Hand Crafted Pastas, Blended Asian Loose Teas, and Special Flavored Sea Salts. At Navidi’s we invite customers to touch, smell, and taste the quality of our products. We take pride in educating customers to the differences in Olive Oil and Vinegar, how to identify quality, and how to eat healthy…”

Today I had a wonderful visit with the owner and she shared with me several varieties of Olive Oils, Vinegars and Sea Salts. All were fabulous! I really enjoyed the Wild Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar and their Aged 18 Years Traditional Balsamic Vinegar is so smooth and flavorful. A couple of the Olive Oils I really enjoyed were the Cilantro and Roasted Onion Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Chipotle “HOT” Extra Virgin Olive Oil and also their new Avocado Oil. Each has a wonderful flavor and I could think of many uses for each. I also tasted the Tomato Infused Sea Salt which was wonderful. If your mouth isn’t watering yet read this again. It should be. I also enjoyed smelling many of their loose teas that they offer. The Chocolate Chai Tea and Rooibus Vanilla Chai Tea were two of my favorites.

If you are reading this from out of the Clark County, Portland Metro area and would like some of these wonderful products you can order from Navidi’s online too. They import in all these products and bottle them onsite which gives you a very fresh experience. I really recommend you grab a friend or two and head in to do a free tasting and get yourself some great oils, vinegars, sea salts and teas. One cool feature they offer is three different sizes of bottling which allows you to get just the amount you need.

Navidi’s Olive Oils and Vinegars is located at 322 NE Cedar Street, Camas, WA, 98607 and can be reached at 360-210-5921. You can also connect to Navidi’s Olive Oils and Vinegars on Facebook.