Kathleen Lonergan

Because we had to cancel January’s skating party due to snow, I will be hosting a few make-up meetings.  Everyone needs to attend just one of these.  I’ll buy the coffee and treats, and we can hang out for a bit and chat.  Here are the dates and times:

Saturday, January 21st at 11:00 am: Coffee to a Tea in West Seattle (4541 California Ave SW)

Sunday, January 22nd at 3:00pm:  Top Pot Donuts on Queen Anne (325 West Galer Street)

Tuesday, January 24th at 7:00pm:  Magnolia Village Starbucks (3300 West McGraw Street)

Thursday, January 26th at 7:30pm:  Westlake Center Starbucks Downtown (corner of 4th Ave and Pine street)

Please let me know which one of these meetings you plan to attend, and I look forward to seeing you!

For our February meeting, we will make up the ice skating we had to cancel in January due to snow!   Be sure to dress warmly and wear long socks!

Date: Sunday, February 19th

Time: 2:00pm

Place: Highland Ice Arena -  18005 Aurora Avenue North, Shoreline, WA

Cost: $10.00 for admission and skate rental

I encourage you to carpool, as the ice rink is about 10 miles north of Seattle.  If you plan to drive to the meeting and you will have extra seats in your car, please ask to see if anyone else in our group needs a ride.

To get there by bus, catch Metro route 358 downtown at 3rd and Union at about 1:10 pm.   You will exit the bus at the bus stop across the street from the ice arena, just past the intersection of Aurora Ave and N. 175th.  Tell the bus driver where you are going, and s/he will help you get off at the correct stop.

Visit: www.highlandice.com for more information.

I look forward to seeing you at the meeting! 

For our December meeting, we are having a cookie exchange party and a “White Elephant” gift exchange!

Date: Sunday, December 11th

Time: 3:00-5:00

Place: 1136 44th Ave SW   Seattle 98116  (If you are taking the bus, Route 55 will drop you off about 1 block away.  Catch it downtown at 3rd Ave and Pike Street at 12:15.)

Bring:

1)  At least two dozen homemade cookies.   If you have a favorite cookie recipe from your home country, please make those.    If not, ask your host parents to help you choose a recipe to cook.  PLEASE do not buy cookies - no one ever wants to eat the cookies from the store when there are so many wonderful homemade options!

2) A wrapped gift worth no more than $15.  We will be exchanging gifts by playing a traditional American party game called a “White Elephant.”  Be creative with your gift.  It does not have to be fancy!   It can be something funny or silly, or even something you already own that you would like to give away.   We will explain the rules for a White Elephant exchange at the party.  Just be sure to wrap your present, as this is an important part of the game.

Here is how a cookie exchange works:

1.  Each person brings a batch of cookies to the party.

2. We put all the cookies out on a big table.

3. We eat a lot of cookies (yum!)

4.  Everyone chooses a selection of cookies to take home with them.

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Join us for an evening of socializing and dining with other host families and au pairs!

Date: Sunday, November 13th

Time:   5:00-6:30 pm

Place: Ballard Community Center:  6020 28th Ave NW, 98107

Bring: A dish that represents your au pair’s home country.  It can be an appetizer, side dish, main dish, or dessert -  whatever you and your au pair would like to share.  This would be a fun cooking project for au pairs to do together with their host families.  Plan to bring 25-30 servings.  Please, put your heart into this and help make our party a memorable one!

Don’t Forget: Label your dish with its name and country of origin.  Also, please include information about any nuts it might contain, as we do have kids in our group with nut allergies.

Host Families: This counts as one of your required Host Family events for 2011.  Please let me know by Wednesday, November 9th if you will be unable to attend.

Au Pairs: This is our meeting for November, so you should attend (and bring food!) even if your host family cannot come.

I look forward to seeing you there!

For our October au pair meeting we will be taking a haunted tour of Pike Place Market.

Pike Place Market is a nine-acre district with over 400 residents as well as businesses. It also includes the city’s first mortuary, part of an old graveyard, and a brothel that still has a red glow cast on its side. We travel the nine acres from Pike Street to Virginia and take advantage of Post Alley as a way to navigate through. We encourage you to bring your cameras to try and capture phenomena and also to take some beautiful pictures of the neon and theatrical architecture in the Market.

Date: Sunday, October 16th

Time: Meet at 6:45pm.  The tour will start right at 7:00 so don’t be late! We’ll finish around 8:30pm.

Place: Meet just south of the “Gum Wall”, at 1410 Post Alley.  Click here for a map.

Cost: $13

Details: We will do the tour no matter what the weather!  So be sure to dress warmly, wear comfortable shoes for walking, and bring raincoats and umbrellas.    As always, friends from other groups or other agencies are welcome.

To Purchase your ticket: Please follow the directions in this month’s email update.

For More Information: See the Seattle Ghost website: 

http://www.marketghost.com/details/27132/Cultural-Care-Au-Pair-Private-Tour-1016-700-PM

For our September au pair event, we are hosting the third annual Cultural Care Au Pair Seattle Scavenger Hunt! This is going to be a super fun opportunity for you to meet other au pairs, explore downtown Seattle, learn interesting facts about your host city and maybe win some great prizes!

Here is the schedule for the day:

9:30 AM:  We begin the day by meeting in the plaza at Westlake Center (4th and Pine).  We will serve coffee and muffins for you to snack on while you form your teams.  Each team will have 4 members, and you will compete together to earn the most points and win the grand prize.

10:00 AM: Your group will be given a map and a list of things to find, see and do throughout downtown Seattle.  You’ll then go off for a morning of exploring!

12:00 noon:  We will meet up again at Seattle Center’s International Fountain where we’ll eat lunch and determine the winners.

What you need to bring:

• Sack lunch
• Water bottle
• Camera/Phone

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as you will be doing a lot of walking.   We will provide Cultural Care T-Shirts for you to wear.

It is VERY important that you be on time in the morning, as you will need the full 2 hours for the scavenger hunt.  Those of you who are there by 9:30 will be entered into a raffle for an extra chance to win prizes!

You are welcome to bring friends from other au pair agencies if you like.  Be sure to let me know in advance the names of any guests you are planning to bring.

If you would like to look at some photos from last year’s Scavenger Hunt, you can see them here: http://klonerganccap.shutterfly.com/303

I look forward to seeing you there!! 

Come enjoy a summer evening at beautiful Alki Beach!

Date: Sunday, August 14th

Time: 6:00 pm

Place: Alki beach, near the Alki Bathhouse (across the street from the Tully’s coffee on the corner of Alki Ave SW and 60th Ave SW.) Walk east from the Bathhouse until you get to the beach and you will see us.   (Look for the blue balloons!)  Click here for a map

Details: I’ll supply beverages and snacks.  Bring a camp chair or a picnic blanket if you like.  It can get breezy at Alki in the evening, so bring a sweater so you won’t be cold.  You are welcome to invite friends.

A fun activity at Alki is renting a bike and cruising the whole beach - you can see some amazing views of downtown this way.  There is a shop right across the street from the beach that rents bikes that seat one, two or even four people at once!  Cost is about $10.00 per hour, per person.

Click here for more information:  http://www.wheelfunrentals.com/listlocations/104

Getting There: Parking can be crowded at Alki, so carpool with each other if you can.  If you plan to take the bus, Route 56 from downtown will drop you off at Alki Ave SW and 61st Ave SW.

I look forward to seeing you there!

This month, I am very happy to welcome these au pairs to our group:

August 5th:

Amanda from Brazil will live in Lakeridge

Hannah from Sweden will live on Queen Anne

August 12th

Jana from Germany will live on Capitol Hill

Natalie from Germany will live in West Seattle

Supawanee from Thailand will live in West Seattle

August 26th

Emelie from Sweden will live on Queen Anne

Cecilia from Mexico will live on Queen Anne

Wishing you all a wonderful time in New York and a safe journey to Seattle.  I look forward to meeting you!

Come enjoy a (hopefully) sunny day with host families and au pairs from all around Seattle!

Date: Sunday, July 24th

Time:  11:00am- 1:00pm

Place: Powell Barnett Park: 352 Martin Luther King Jr. Way.    Click here for a map. If you are taking the bus, you can catch bus # 27 downtown at 3rd and Union; get off the bus at 27th and Yesler and walk 2 blocks northeast to the park.

Bring: A dish or dessert to share, and anything you would like to cook on the grill.  We’ll supply hotdogs, drinks, plates and utensils.

For more information and directions:  click here to visit the park website.

Host families: You will receive an Evite to this event.  Please RSVP by July 17th so we know how many families to expect.  You are welcome to invite additional guests.  If you have friends who are interested in the au pair program, this would be a great opportunity for them to talk with Seattle LCCs and host families, and to meet some real live au pairs!

Au Pairs: This is our monthly meeting for July, so you should plan to attend even if your host family is not able to.

I look forward to seeing you at the picnic.

Join all our Seattle-area au pairs for an an evening boat cruise on Elliott Bay!

Invite your friends for this fun evening of music, dancing and beautiful views of downtown by night.

When: Sunday, June 19th.  Check in at 5:30pm.  The boat departs at 6:00 and returns at 9:00.  The boat will not wait for you, so Don’t Be Late!!

Where: Meet at the Argosy Visitor Center at Pier 55/56, on the Seattle waterfront

1201 Alaskan Way - Click here for a map

Price: $25, purchased in advance. Some tickets should be available at the boat for friends.  Check with me if you are interested in bringing last-minute guests along.

Details: We will supply some snacks, and there will be sandwiches available for purchase, but please plan to eat dinner before boarding the boat.  There will be soda and juice available for everyone.  If you are 21 years or older and you have identification, you will be able to purchase alcoholic drinks.

Dress up or wear jeans, whatever you like.  Just come dressed for dancing! :)  And be sure to bring a sweater so you can enjoy the view from the outside deck.

CLICK HERE to see our boat!