December weather in Langley 2008. Everyone enjoys a white Christmas as long as it doesn’t stay around too long.

Christmas is just around the corner and life will get a little hectic over the next few weeks. To make shopping more convenient Langley will have late night shopping for the weekends!

The Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley will be a part of Langley Holiday Late Nights from November 26th thru December 18th. On Fridays and Saturdays the thrift store will will be open until 8 p.m.

Shop our new Christmas Shoppe!

We are starting to see a splash of Holiday decorations in our town of Langley.

The Arts………..

Clothing Stores………….

Books of course……………What a great little town perfect for organic shopping:)

On Saturday the 19th of December there will be a special showing of the Wizard of Oz at the Clyde. A nice way to complete a Saturday afternoon in Langley.

Get out your W.I.N. aprons, your ruby slippers { or make some if you don’t have any on hand } and come early to secure a seat to this special FREE showing of The Wizard of Oz  at the Clyde Theatre on Saturday, December 11th. Seating is limited and there will only be one showing. Hope to see you with glitter on your toes – there is no place like home and boy are we ever in a beautiful place to call home!

The South Whidbey Commons coffeehouse is the original place where Whidbey Island Nourishes began distributing lunches to the kids on South Whidbey and continues to be a great location for W.I.N.’s outreach.

Good Cheer!

You are all invited to come to the newly renovated SW Commons Coffeehouse Bookstore (formerly known as the Island Coffeehouse).

In February 2010 the Coffeehouse Bookstore closed for partial renovation, as it became apparent that the kitchen floor was sinking. Upon further inspection it was discovered that the middle portion of the foundation was in dire need of repair, while at the same time most of the electrical and plumbing in the nearly 100 year old building needed to be brought up to standards.

This project has been a true community ‘barn raising’ event and after a 14 week hiatus the majority of the project has been completed and the café is now open. Deep gratitude for the countless hours spent by Jim and Jo Shelver, board members and project managers, who skillfully guided the project and to our principle contractor Greg Gilles and Architect Ross Chapin. Their work and the work of many community heroes have made it possible to have a place where the heartbeat of individuals come together to share in the journey of life.

I had a chance to speak with Gena Kraha the Program Director for SW Commons just this week

Gena says that “SW Commons fosters a vibrant community gathering place with a wide range of programs for children, youth, families and seniors.  It is a true “commons” for local culture, community connections, and a catalyst for the local economy and community health.” She noted that this project wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the community. “A heartfelt thank you to the community for stepping forward and contributing their time, talent and treasure to make this project a success, and we look forward to building a future of community with you. “

Baristas from left to right; Izzy Moreno, Caitlin Goldbaum and Ethan Berkley

Here is an excerpt from an essay written by Ian Marsanyi, a former volunteer, who is currently attending Columbia University. I think it does a great job of setting the tone for what SW Commons Coffeehouse Bookstore is all about.

“It is a warm room; cozy but open and inviting no matter how many people are around. In one corner a sofa, functional if not stylish, like the chair next to the fireplace, or the free sack lunches round the back.The hissing of a steam wand pierces through the air, a surprise to new-comers but nothing more than ambiance to regulars. As milk swirls so do ideas, opinions, and weekend itineraries of a thousand individuals, all united by this one place in many times.

Whether you like coffee or tea, it is a hub for interaction with community members both young and old, an outlet for inspiration and experimentation, and most importantly a way for me to give back to the island that has made me the person I am today.”

You can view a slideshow of a photo shoot that I did this past week by clicking on the photo above. You can view the slideshow in full screen by clicking the button in the lower right hand corner of the slideshow.

You can also read the post that we did on South Whidbey Commons by clicking here.

Good Cheer!