President Obama – Bill Gates

Bill Gates supported President Obama with his attendance at the fundraising lunch at the mansion of Jeff and Susan Brotman on February 17, 2012. This event was reported today in The Seattle Times. The Times reported the $17,900 per plate brunch was attended by approximately 70 people. Natalie Cole performed and the lunch was prepared by renowned chef, Tom Douglas. An earlier post has more information on the event.

Gates and Brotman are Medina neighbors with Jeff Bezos’ mansions in between. The Brotman mansion is in the exclusive cove of Medina that includes Nathan Myhrvold’s T-Rex house, Charles Simonyi’s Windows 2000 house and Gary Reed’s former estate. Cruising, boating and viewing this area is featured in Lake Washington Cruising blog posts (5/8/11 and 5/4/11).

Jeff is the Chairman and co-founder of Costco. The mansion, as reported in the New York Times and my earlier post, is known as “Their Art House.”

The A through F letters in the above picture of Gates’ mansion and convention center refer to a “Guide For Viewing Gates’ Mansion From the Water.” The page number on all the above mansion pictures refer to Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Newport Shores – Venice of Lake Washington

Newport Shores is a Bellevue neighborhood built in the 1960s and consists of man-made peninsulas and canals. The neighborhood has 343 homes on 172 acres. 100 of the homes are on lake or canal waterfront. The 25 homes that are on the lake have larger lots, lake views and have higher average valuations. Three of these homes have been recently listed for sale or sold for more than $4.8 million. These homes were featured in a Lake Washington Cruising blog post.

The protected canals are wonderful for large yachts. Many of the homeowners’ yachts that are moored in front of their houses are more expensive than their homes. Neighborhood block parties are often on the yachts. The Newport Yacht Club is located within the neighborhood and has a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis courts, other amenities and a 119 boat slip marina. Various forms of membership to the club come with owning a home in Newport Shores.

The main canal has two branch canals. The total length of the canals is slightly less than one mile. The canals are wide and easy to navigate but less than no-wake speeds are mandatory.

Paul Allen Charity

Paul Allen’s charity donations in 2011 were the most generous of any living American donor. This was reported in The Chronicle Of Philanthropy on 2/6/12 and summarized in a 2/7/12 Puget Sound Business Journal article by Emily Parkhurst. Allen gave a total of $372 million to charity. He gave $295 million to his own Allen Family Foundation and $70 million to the Allen Institute for Brain Science. The Allen Family Foundation has numerous programs including libraries, education, science, arts and culture.

Allen was number three on the list of all American donors. Two deceased donors gave more. Margaret A. Cargill from Minnesota bequeathed $6 billion and William S. Dietrich II of Pittsburgh bequeathed $500 million. Bill Gates was not on this year’s Chronicle’s list of the 50 most generous people in America.

Paul Allen and his Mercer Island private campus/compound/estate are on pages 64 and 65 in Lake Washington 130 Homes. The book highlights the charity activities of owners of the mansions in the book. Previous posts in this blog regarding Paul Allen were about his book, Idea Man, (4/22/11) and a guide for viewing his Mercer Island campus (12/28/10).

Paul Allen’s Private $150 million, 9.6 acre campus/compound/estate

Obama – Brotman Brunch

President Obama will return to the Brotmans for a fundraising brunch on February 17, 2012. This was reported in the Seattle Times in an Associated Press article on February 1. The $17,900 per plate brunch will be at the mansion of Jeff and Susan Brotman. The funds will be used for Obama’s reelection campaign and to support the Democratic National Committee. The Brotmans previously hosted a $7,500 per plate Democratic fundraising lunch with Michelle Obama on October 25, 2010. The mansion is in the exclusive cove of Medina that includes Nathan Myhrvold’s T-Rex house, Charles Simonyi’s Window 2000 house and Gary Reed’s former estate. The mansion is on page 98 in Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Jeff is the Chairman and co-founder of Costco. The mansion, as reported in the New York Times, is known as “Their Art House” that includes monumental pieces by Richard Serra and James Turrell. The house was designed by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects who are known for designing art-galleries-cum-residences. The louvers on the front (water side) and roof of the house adjust to provide the optimum natural light on the extensive art collection.

Dykstra at 2012 Seattle Boat Show

Seattle Boat Show 2012

Friday 1/27 – Sunday 2/5/12

800 Occidental Ave So, Seattle - CenturyLink Field

Hours:  Mon-Thur 11am – 8pm

               Fridays     11am – 9pm

               Saturdays 10am – 8pm

               Sundays    10am – 6pm

Book Signing – Author Appearance

Lake Washington 130 Homes

by David C. Dykstra

I will be at Captain’s Nautical Supplies booth, Concourse 2237, at the show signing copies of the book, playing on HDTV a new multi-media presentation of the Evening Magazine segment on the book, the book’s highlights and boating on LW. “Lake Washington 130 Homes” is a guided waterfront tour of Lake Washington’s most magnificent mansions and estates creatively woven with current and historical information about the homes, owners, their businesses and their communities.” Books will be on sale and available for purchase and, along with personal signings, I will be available for informal Q&A. Please stop by anytime at Captain’s Nautical Supplies booth – Concourse 2237.

I will be conducting a seminar Wednesday, 2/1/12, at 1:15 in the Gold Room. The seminar title is “Cruising Lake Washington: The Map of the Stars.” The seminar will be for both people who frequently and rarely boat in LW. There are more than 200 additional interesting boating and fishing seminars at the show.

I will occasionally be at Tom’s – Avalon Luxury Pontoon Boats, booth North 155. I bought my new Avalon (Avalon video) luxury pontoon boat (boating blog and video) from Tom at last year’s show. I recommend you stop by and see some of the perfect boats for the PNW. www.TomsBoatShop.com.

Go to Dykstra Boat Show pdf for more information.

Call my cell – 206-931-6065 for show passes.

2012 Seattle Boat Show

Seattle Boat Show 2012

Friday 1/27 – Sunday 2/5/12

800 Occidental Ave So, Seattle

CenturyLink Field

Hours:   Mon-Thur 11am – 8pm

               Fridays     11am – 9pm

               Saturdays 10am – 8pm

               Sundays    10am – 6pm

This is the biggest boat show on the west coast. The show features more than 1,000 yachts and boats plus the latest accessories and supplies. There are more than 200 interesting boating and fishing seminars. I will be conducting a seminar Wednesday, 2/1/12, at 1:15 pm in the Gold Room. The seminar title is “Cruising Lake Washington: The Map of the Stars.” The seminar will be for both people who frequently and rarely boat in LW.


The Boat Show’s main location is indoors at the CenturyLink Field Convention Center. In addition the Show has exhibitors showing large yachts in the water at South Lake Union. There is free shuttle service between the two locations. www.seattleboatshow.com.

I will be exhibiting at Captain’s Nautical Supplies, booth Concourse 2237 and will be there most of the time. I will occasionally be at Tom’s – Avalon Luxury Pontoon Boats – booth, North 155. I will also be conducting a seminar. Click here for my personal Boat Show information.

Go to Dykstra Boat Show pdf for more information.

Call my cell – 206-931-6065 for show passes.

Seattle Boat Show Captain’s Nautical

Seattle Boat Show 2012

Friday 1/27 – Sunday 2/5/12

800 Occidental Ave So

SeattleCenturyLink Field

Hours:   Mon-Thur 11am – 8pm

               Fridays      11am – 9pm

               Saturdays 10am – 8pm

               Sundays    10am – 6pm

Captain’s Nautical Supplies

Booth - Concourse 2237

I will be exhibiting at this booth. Captain’s sells conventional and exotic nautical equipment and supplies, marine charts and flags of the world plus nautical and related books. The booth is close to the box office and entrance on the second floor of the parking garage.  www.captainsnautical.com.

Captain’s started in Seattle as Max Kuner Company in 1897. They changed to the current name in 1979 to better reflect what they do. Their store is located at 2500 15th Ave West, Seattle, 98119, a mile south of Fishermen’s Terminal and the Ballard Bridge. The store is worth many visits for any boater.

Go to Dykstra Boat Show pdf for more information.
Call my cell – 206-931-6065 for show passes.