My 2.5 Minutes of Fame

A quick "speed read" through the LeavenworthEcho.com's Sheriff's Report may lead you to believe there isn't much going on around L'worth.

Disclaimer: That's not to say that the below report's aren't of interest to many local residents.

-A caller on Wilson St. advised they'd been trying to sell a bicycle on Craig's List and had been contacted by someone with all the criteria of a fraud situation.
-A case number for driving with a suspended license was requested at Marson and Marson at 12:24 a.m.

-A 911 hang-up call was received from Alpine Dr.

-A loud party was reported at a vacation rental home on Memory Ln.

-A rockslide was reported on Chumstick Hwy.

-A bicycle was found at Ganz Klasse on Front St.

In addition to the above "newsworth" reports Leavenworth also had her 15mins of fame a few weeks ago- and I was fortunate enough to be an "extra" during her moment in the spot light. It all started mid May. I was working in the store and a member of the Chamber came into the store to ask what our feedback was from the previous weekend's Accordion Festival (yes- you read that correctly & yes it's exactly what you would envision).

Upon completion of our conversation she asked me if I would consider helping the Chamber out this summer. I excitedly responded "yes yes yes - I'm happy to fill in as needed while Jenelle is on maternity leave". She said they didn't really need me on any committees- rather she wanted me to help with marketing media campaigns this summer as a model. I was a little caught off guard but stammered out "Mapel will support the chamber any way possible".

Once she started asking specifics about my dirndl (color, pattern, year, embroidery detail, etc. etc.) I realize I might be in over my head. I quickly (almost embarrassed actually) explained that I don't have a dirndl... well not yet that is.... I've been meaning to order one... but you know how long it takes for them to come in the mail... and well.... you know... it's on my list.

She asked what my size was, jotted something down and was on her way.

Less than 5 days later she called me and asked if I could sit in as an extra for a commercial shoot that same day. Since I would be sitting in as an extra I didn't fuss much over what I was wearing or looking like (and it was like 90 degrees so who cares what I tried to do.... it would all melt anyhow).

So I closed up shop and headed to the Gazebo in the center of town to sit in as an extra for a commercial. Below are pics from L'worth's 15mins of fame and what will quite likely be my only 2.5 mins of fame (since I was an extra I divided by 6).

Yes.... that's half of me.... in the right corner...

Yes... it's that fun listening to fake music with people I've never met before

If only i had a dirndl.....

This round.... it's on me guys.... no really- I insist....

In case you are wonder- I DID take Drama in high school...

The Substitute

By: Elsa Wagner

Staci has asked me to be her substitute for today. Luckily for her, I have much to say. My name is Elsa and I am a sales associate at Mapel. Today, I would like to tell you all a little about what Mapel has meant to me.

I grew up in Leavenworth, which as you all know is an itty bitty small town with lots of charm. From a young age, I have always been enthralled with fashion. To this day, my mom still doesn't understand how I caught the fashion bug-see any family photo and you will note that my attire sticks out compared to the rest of my family. Unfortunately, growing up in Leavenworth meant that I did not have much of an avenue to express my fashionista tendencies. One day, on a trip home from college (WWU), I discovered Mapel in a small shop on the other end of town. It was love at first sight. As small town girl with big city boutique-style shopping dreams, Mapel was a perfect fit. I decided to apply for a job in hopes that my dreams of learning more about the fashion industry would be realized.

Since that day, I have had the pleasure of working for Staci & Jenelle, who are THE best "bosses" ever, by the way! Staci has taught me more than I ever thought I would know about clothing and merchandising, and I love to learn more. Jenelle has taught me about the business aspect of things here at Mapel. Not only that, but I have gotten the opportunity to purchase some amazing finds from the store. Today I am wearing our Citizens of Humanity Elson jeans, which are to die for! And in my spare time, I dream about our latest Ben Sherman jacket, "Augustine"-perfect for that western Washington climate.

http://www.shopmapel.com/products.html?productId=4004

http://www.shopmapel.com/products.html?productId=5115

In short, as sappy as this all sounds, Mapel is both home and shopping heaven to me!

Saving Grace

I've been torn about what to call this week's blog. I finally settled on "Saving Grace" but possibly that's not the right title. Saving Grace is defined as:

–noun
a quality that makes up for other generally negative characteristics; redeeming feature.

I want to share the "Saving Grace" my friends have lent during my summer stint in L'worth without making my "stint" seem "stinky"- cause it's not. Actually, summer's in Leavenworth are amazing- however there's something to be said for having someone to savor that amazing with.

Well- that's exactly the "saving grace" my friends have given me. They swooped in from Portland & Seattle to offer me some social interaction accompanied by adult beverages. Well- I can't help it- I'm a social bug and need to mingle.



Stefanie and Becky hit the road for Memorial weekend and did the 6 hour trek from Portland to L'worth. I don't want to reveal all of our moments from that weekend- however I will touch on a few unforgettable memories.



-CONGRATS Becky. You managed to supervise and have a "smashing" time yourself. There was another reason to extent "Congrats"..... what was that?




-Wenatchee is famous for their Chinese Fire Drills. I guess the days of "Applets and Cottlets" are gone because now Wenatchee boasts their Chinese Fire Drills. You don't believe me? Look it up.




-I spent the better part of an afternoon showing Becky the ways of my 'yetta & how to position knee to dash board for optimal driving experience given ALL of the stuff I cart around from Seattle to L'worth.



-Oddly enough we spent a fair bit of time discussion unicorns that weekend. Not sure why the topic of unicorns kept coming up. Ask Stefanie.






-I vaguely remember Becky's polite request to get her picture on the wall and Stefanie singing Chatahoochee by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band @ the Post Office.




-Yet another highlight was driving to at least 4 different restaurants Sunday night only to find out that each of them was closed. Who would of thought?




Thanks Ladies for the memorable weekend via disposable camera pics!!!


I was ecstatic to find out that Cleary wanted to make a surprise visit the following weekend. She asked if we could go to dinner and catch up. It took less than .05 seconds for me to excitedly respond "Yes Please".




After a DQ Blizzard and a relaxing drive O'Farrell arrived with her two favorite arm candies. Camera and Zinfandel.



Upon her arrival she "captured" every in store moment while I closed up shop. We decidedly headed to South for dinner and drinks.

Yes- Cleary positioned me, the chair, the drink, the background for this colorful summer picture. Facebook Profile Pic? I think Yes.



Decisions- Decisions- Decisions. Luckily our Mapel model from last summer (AKA South Super Waitress) was helping us so she rec'd the Stuffed Pepper for Cleary.



Loved It!!!!


Unfortunately we stopped taking pics after dinner (which in hindsight was probably a good thing). I will assure you that we had a fabulously memorable night- with our without pics. After dinner we headed to a local saloon for live music, drinks and popcorn. That's right- this spot serves microwave popcorn to their patrons after 10pm. Only in L'worth would that seem so appropriate.





Thanks to my "Saving Grace" Lobsties!!!!

L'worth Fav'sies

I have already spent 3 weeks in Leavenworth covering Jenelle's maternity leave, and I'm surprisingly pleased how much I wuvles Leavenworth. How often do you walk out of Safeway and find yourself surrounded by picturesque mountain? Usually when I come to Leavenworth I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off the whole time- in between meetings, merchandising, marketing- then I'm off to Seattle. Now, after just a few weeks living in Leavenworth in a full time capacity I've gained an understanding of what makes L'worth so truly amazing and original. It goes far beyond the "Bavarian" theme and extends to the people and culture of Leavenworth.

During this summer I have the opportunity to take in the essence and true character of Leavenworth- and so far..... Me Likey!!! So- I wanted to share some of my L'worth Fav'sies

If you come to L'worth- you must wine taste. Why wouldn't you? Leavenworth has a handful of amazing and local winery tasting rooms sprinkled along front street. Favorite include- but are not limited to:

D'vinery (conveniently located 5 steps from Mapel). The wine is amazing and just as impressive is the family that owns and operates D'vinery.

Icicle Ridge Winery. You can either visit their tasting room on Front Street or take a short ride to their Beautiful Log Home Winery.

For those of you more interested in being "active" as opposed to "tipsy" I would recommend checking out Leavenworth Mountain Sports. They are walking distance from the center of Front Street and offer tubing, rafting, skiing, climbing, etc. etc. Great family run business that is totally invested in the outdoors and offers the ultimate Leavenworth experience.

All time favorite L'worth restaurant that I frequent at least once a week- South. You can not go wrong with Anything on their menu, great staff (ask to sit at Keri's table) and killer drinks.

If you know Mapel you know we are obsessed with chocolate. It's no surprise we immediately fell in love with Schocolat. They are the fine designers of Mapel's signature truffles. Everything is made locally and so savory it's impossible to leave their shop empty handed.

Where to stay while in Leavenworth? Check out Destination Leavenworth for an impressive assortment of lodgining options that offer the true essence of Leavenworth.

If you want to stay closer to front Street I would highly recommend the authentically Bavarian Pension Anna.

I naturally saved the best for last- shopping!!! In my humble opinion Mapel is the best'est Fav'sies shop in L'worth. Savor a signature chocolate truffle while shopping for a new pair of cropped dojo's or ultra soft tank or summer sandles or (OK- I'll stop here).

Come visit L'worth to discover your own Fav'sies.

Listen Up

by: Jillian Derpack

I’ve been engaged for a year and 4 months now (way to long of an engagement if you ask me) and over the course of those 16 months there are a few pieces of advice that I have received that have really stuck with me. I’m not claiming to be an expert but I kind of do this for a living too so listen up!

1. Be practical
The first thing Jarret (my lovely fiancé) and I did when we got engaged was make a list of everything we could ever possibly want and then we hacked away at deciding what was most important to us. This turned out to be food, drinks and entertainment because we really wanted to show our guests a good time. Don’t expect to be able to do everything you have ever dreamed of, one everything costs a ton and two, there just isn’t enough time. Which brings me to number

2. Don’t procrastinate!
If you plan on taking on a lot of projects, start early. My bridesmaids and I decided to make hanging pomanders for our ceremony aisle, it’s a lovely look but real pomanders are super expensive so we made them out of tissue paper. Little did we know that this project would take us 10 months to complete. Don’t be the Bride who is finishing her programs at 2am the night before her wedding. My goal is to have everything completely done 2 weeks before the wedding so if there are any emergencies I can deal with them instead of being stressed.

3. Surround yourself with amazing people, no matter what
I have 8 bridesmaids and I’m not ashamed to tell people that. People always gasp at me when I tell them 8 but all 8 of these women are very important to me and I could not imagine not having them next to me on my big day. Atleast I’m not having 9 like my sister and Maid of Honor Jenelle (Also one of the fabulous women behind Mapel).

4. Think out of the box and support local businesses
Ever been to a wedding that looks like every other wedding you have been to recently? I have and that is definitely not what I wanted for my wedding. Almost everything I have bought for the wedding has been from Etsy.com, because not only can you find great deals but you can get exactly what you want since most shops do custom orders. Also you know your money is going to real people instead of big huge corporations.

And Finally….

Stay calm and enjoy yourself!

This goes for both the planning period and the day of your wedding. Being engaged and getting married is FUN and should not stress you out…too much anyways (it is stressful at times but you will get through it).

The happiest brides I’ve seen are the ones who realize what is actually happening that day; they are marrying the love of their life. At a recent wedding I was working at the photographer decided to hang the wedding dress from the sprinkler on the ceiling to get a good shot of the dress. She ended up flooding the entire room and drenching the wedding dress. Normally you would think the bride would be livid but no, this bride stayed completely calm and said no biggie everything will be fine. And as it turned out everything went great! They were able to get the dress to the dry cleaner and back before the ceremony started and moved the ceremony outside since it was a nice day out.

Again I don’t claim to be an expert but hopefully this advice will help you out as much as it helped me out.

P.S. I bought my bridesmaids the most adorable jewelry from Mapel, check it out.

Sweet Baby Cora Jean

Mapel proudly introduces our newest mascot Cora Jean. Scratch that, "mascot" probably doesn't sound affectionate enough. Re-write sentence to read:

Mapel proudly announces the birth of Sweet Baby Cora Jean.

Saturday the 16th of May '09 @ 9.30am Jenelle and Torrey Landgraf introduced a new fashion'ista into the world.

She is beautiful, healthy and immediately took to Rigley!!!

Mapel visited ground zero (501 Ski Hill Drive) to get a few words from the proud parents.

Cora is the most Cute, Outstanding, Real and Awesome thing that has ever happened to us. – Torrey Landgraf

The last 5 days have been the most challenging and exciting days of my life. – Jenelle Landgraf

My First Mother's Day

Although my due date is still 2 weeks away, I decided that I could celebrate Mother's Day this year considering I've been carrying around this baby in my belly for 9 months and I treat my dog, Wrigley, like a child. Aching ribs and constantly full bladder aside, I had a fabulous first mother's day weekend.

The whole weekend was full of fun and surprises. Staci was oh so kind to me and worked all weekend so that Torrey and I could spend time with friends and enjoy a relaxing weekend. It was Maifest Weekend in Leavenworth, which was filled with lots of great "Bavarian traditions" including a parade down Front Street. We sat outside of Mapel in style and comfort to watch the parade.

We all went crazy over the beautiful bernese mountain dogs - hundreds of them filled the parade, looking proud and sweet. I am convinced that Staci will end up living in Leavenworth someday with 2 bernese mountain dogs, a cutie hubby, and some babies (yes, her mom and I are conspiring on that last one!)

After the parade we enjoyed a picnic in the park with our dear friends Sonya and Caleb. Our picnic included goodies from Cheesemongers. Red wine would have made it the "perfect" picnic, but I'll just have to be patient and wait to open that lovely bottle of my fave d'Vinery montage. (of coarse Staci has a bottle on hand just waiting for me)

On Sunday morning, my four-legged son, Wrigley, surprised me with a flower and a sweet mother's day note.

Then we headed over to O'Grady's Pantry at Sleeping Lady for a fabulous outdoor brunch. BAby Landgraf had even prepared a sweet funny card for me - complete with a corny little kids "knock knock joke".

You would think I would have relaxed the rest of the day, but I just can't seem to do that these days. So my sweet tooth got the best of me and convinced me to make my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. The perfect ending to a fabulous mother's day weekend! Now all I have to do is birth this baby....stay tuned.