Orcas Today: Thursday, July 23rd

Yogalele
July 23rd at 8:30am at Orcas Center
Start your Thursdays right with energizing and relaxing Yogalele! Yogalele is yoga with ukulele. Yogalele combines peaceful breathing and stretching with calm plucking and energizing strumming. No experience necessary, suitable for all ages levels (yoga and musical), and you don’t even need a ukulele – non-players love the live music vibration while players feel closer to their instruments and their music. Each session begins with a brief review of the chords that will be used, followed by a series of uke-accompanied asanas, some with sound, some more internalized. Wrist-friendly and balance-enhancing, Yogalele is truly for everyone. Tuition choices include sliding scale single class or 9-week pass options. Pre-register at orcascenter.org/classes or pay via cash, check or QR code upon arrival. Please bring a mat and, if you wish, a ukulele. Questions? Email Anita at anita@rockisland.com.

Chair Yoga at Orcas Senior Center
July 23rd from 10:00-10:45am
Join the Senior Center for Chair Yoga, a soothing practice tailored for seniors and those with disabilities, held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. This gentle technique incorporates the use of a chair for support, enabling participants to explore balance poses without the concern of falling. Susie Frank, an Orcas resident of over 30 years, brings her expertise, having practiced yoga since 2009. While Susie suggests a $15 donation per class, no one will be turned away due to financial constraints. For inquiries, reach out to Susie directly at 360.298.4484 or sissooz@yahoo.com.

Free Medicare Presentation
July 23rd at 10:30am at the Orcas Senior Center
Trained Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program volunteers are here to make the Medicare transition easier for you.  Learn how Medicare works, what your coverage options are, and when you must act to avoid penalties. To participate by Zoom, email shibasjco@yahoo.com. SHIBA, sponsored by Orcas Senior Center, is a free, unbiased, and confidential informational service offered through the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Contact the Orcas Island SHIBA office at 360.376.5892 to schedule a counseling session.

Etch a Sketch Circle
July 23rd at 1:30pm at the Orcas Senior Center
Join the Etch A Sketch Circle with Anita Orne of AnitASketch every Thursday for a fun hour of art and conversation. Each session begins with a prompt and quick demo, followed by relaxed sketching, chatting, and sharing. Anita will offer tips along the way, and when we’re done, we’ll simply “shake it off” for next time! No experience needed, just curiosity and a sense of play. By donation. (Etch A Sketches not provided, but easy to find new or used.)

Spirit of Drumming Group
July 23rd at 1:30pm at the Orcas Senior Center
Discover the joy of drumming with the Spirit of Drumming Group at Orcas Senior Center on Thursdays! This beginner-friendly group focuses on exploring the elements of drumming. There’s no cost to participate—just bring a drum and join the fun! Everyone is welcome! For more information, text Ezekiel Barr at 360.376.3033.

Teen Anime & Chill
July 23rd from 4:00-5:30pm at the Orcas Library
Discover new anime or revisit favorites!

Seaside Supper Series: Crab Boil
July 23rd from 5:00-9:00pm at the Outlook Inn
Join us at the waterfront every Thursday for our festive Second Annual Summer Crab Boil at Outlook Inn. Dig into a traditional coastal feast of crab, shrimp, red potatoes, corn, and onions, served family-style paired with the best views of Eastsound. Kids 10 and under eat for half price, and our bar will be open for ice-cold drinks and sunny-day sips. Reservations can be made here.

Cascade Lake Loop – Easy

2.7 miles. Slight elevation gain and loss With panoramic views of Cascade Lake and the surrounding hills, this trail is the perfect introduction to the beauty and grandeur of Moran State Park. Parking is available at the Day Use Area, by the South End Campground, or at the western boundary off Rosario Road. The loop is a family-friendly hike with wide, easily marked trails and numerous lookouts for photo shoots or for just taking a break. The trail runs by each Lake Campground and campers can enjoy daily walks to different sections of the lake. A classic style wood bridge crosses a quiet lagoon on the western side of the lake; a popular spot for swimming and fishing. Trails to Sunrise Rock and Cascade Creek join this trail at the South End Campground; pack a backpack lunch and explore the verdant interior of the San Juans’ largest park. The Cascade Lake Loop is open year-round to hikers only.

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Matthew’s Smokehouse and Deli – By Simon

A Brief Overview Southern cooking, at its essence, is comfort. Comfort for both body and soul, and a place for people to come together in an environment, created as much by the food as anything else, and share experiences. Fueled by salt and fat, southern cooking is not a tame cuisine and takes a skilled and sure hand to wield it well. A chef must walk the path of authentic southern cooking lest they move towards unflattering imitation, slathered in store-bought barbecue sauce, reliant on little more than sugar to mask the clear lack of flavor. It is unexpected then, at least to me, to find something so outlandish as a Southern-style smokehouse located here on Orcas Island, especially in the building that once housed what was perhaps “just another American-Italian semi-fine-dining restaurant”. While I came away from my meal somewhat conflicted, certain things were never in doubt. Clarity, however, eludes me when examining the intricacies of the ownership of the establishment. Despite this fact…

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