Getting Out

One of the tendencies I have is to get so stuck on working on the business with my head down in the business that I rarely make it out to connect with clients, friends, and prospects. This is a mistake.

Today I made a conscious effort to make two lunch appointments, a coffee appointment and schedule a face to face meeting when a phone call may have been adequate.

Being "out there" made a big difference in the growth of our company. Out of sight is truly out of mind.

P.S. One criticism service companies often face is that their clients don't know their entire breadth of services. We often hear "I wish I knew you did this or that". How might face to face help with this?

Photo of the Day 3/10/2012 - "Roses are Red"

Have you ever read any Stephen King? If so, have you read or heard about Rose Red? Well, this is where it was filmed. We had 27,000 square feet of castle and about 3 acres of grounds on American Lake to ourselves one Saturday in August of 1999. The castle is 500 years old. Actually it has only been in Lakewood, WA for a little over 100 years, but prior to that it stood in England for 400 years until it was purchased by Chester Thorne, dismantled and then re-assembled at its present site. You can read all about it here.

Our room was at the far east end of the castle and had the entire place to ourselves - even the caretakers were gone. I don't know if either Julie or I slept a wink as every creek and every squeak kept us on edge.

And yes, it may be haunted. Its nickname - The House that Love Built.

Time Away...

Everyone needs it and this afternoon I get a little bit. Looking forward to fishing with some clients, but more than that, friends.

Over the past few years, we've fished rivers in Yakutat, Alaska, (Johnny's East River Lodge), The Kenai Peninsula, Washington's Yakima River, and the wild rivers of the Olympic Peninsula (Hoh, Clearwater, Queets, Bogachiel) This time it's to King Salmon, Alaska to fish the Naknek and Brooks Rivers surrounding Katmai National Park.

I'll be posting pictures of my travels on Twitter and Flickr.

Looking forward to building on our friendship, creating new fish stories, and recharging for a bit.

Brands I Love Series - Nisqually Cleaners

OK, let's not kid ourselves - if you are going to run into me out in the real world chances are "business casual" is not going to be part of my equation, a suit and tie - even less likely. So I guess that all adds up to one thing, I am not a "regular" at the dry cleaners. I don't wear a ton of clothes that need a lot of TLC...BUT! and I mean BUT! I do have a place...

This place is not far from my house, and even though I only go there 3 times a year or so, they know me and they take care of me like I visit them every week.

Here's an example.

I show up after like 4 months of not being around and drop off 6 shirts and 4 pairs of dress slacks and the first thing the lady says to me is "Hello Mr. Forth, do you want your shirts lightly starched?" I am so stunned all I can do is manage to nod...I fumble to myself as I exit...

Even better - my wife drops off a similar batch, she gives our last name and the lady says to her, "Mr. Forth likes lightly starched shirts?"

My wife - God bless her - answers, "I guess so..."

What's to learn?

Simple. Pay attention to what your customers want...even those that don't visit all that often. They will appreciate the recognition and attention to detail.

I am now looking for opportunities to get more clothes cleaned at Nisqually Cleaners, a brand I love. Learn more

Brands I Love Series - El Gaucho

Bring a couple of hundred bucks with you if you are going, but don't worry you won't regret it. It's not the kind of place I go often, twice a year (my wife and my birthday) is about it. That's not to say we don't love it, we do. My guess is every night and every occasion is made more special for all those customers dining at El Gaucho.

The big wooden door on Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma serves as a passage back to another time where service and excellence are the standard. They focus is on providing a quality dining experience for the customer. They serve the finest food, best wines, and top it off with table-side preparation of salads and deserts that enhance the dining experience.

There are a lot of reasons I love this restaurant (brand), but here are a few points:

1. They are consistent - from the quality of ingredients to the level of service from each staff member they are spot on - no let downs
2. They take care of the little things - from picking you up at your hotel to holding leftovers in their fridge until your show is over for later pick up, they make it happen
3. Dining at El Gaucho is an experience you want to share. Our conversation always ends up focusing on who we know we'd love to take to El Gaucho

We don't get there often, but when we do we savor every moment. When our dinner and dessert are done we depart and begin the process of looking forward to the next time we can visit.

Going to El Gaucho is probably one of the lowest stress dining experiences you can have. While it is definitely not the least expensive option, the time and overall experience of service and quality bring more than their fair share of value.

Note: I will be focusing in the coming few weeks on different experiences with brands that I truly admire. It will be interesting to see what common characteristics will exist across all of them. I welcome your feedback and insight as the conversation develops.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

OK, so I like to make and drink beer. Not as much since I've been doing all this running and trying to lose weight, but I still partake from time to time. Depending upon the day, I will make it a choice to indulge. My choice is definitely one of the best lunch places in Tacoma, The Harmon. It's not just about the $8.88 specials (very good and fast) or the $1 10 oz. beer (cheaper than iced tea and much better) it's also about the best server around, Vanessa.

If you ever had lunch there you know who I'm talking about. She is pleasant to all her fellow teammates and greets everyone with a cheerful hello and great attitude.

I'm sure every day is not great, but you wouldn't know it by the way she personifies service.

She knows what I order and usually an IPA is delivered just a second after I find my seat. Quick Sidebar: If I'm with someone she doesn't recognize, she plays dumb and asks if we'd like anything to drink - something I appreciate. She remembers that I like to substitute salad for fries (the weight watching thing again) and even gets the dressing just right.

It would be easy for her to just take the orders and deliver the food, but she does more than that and for that she's worth so much more to The Harmon. Making customers feel valued, listening and learning preferences, and all the little things make the lunchtime rush feel more like a welcome retreat.

Excellence at the Edge of a Continent

Moclips is a sleepy town 15 miles north on Scenic 109 from the quiet seaside town of Ocean Shores. It is approximately 3 1/2 hours from Seattle and Portland on Washington's Hidden Coast - the North Beach area. Until recently (creation of Seabrook in 2005) the big cities in the area were Pacific Beach, Moclips and Tahola (the seat of the Quinault Nation). The area boasts gorgeous beaches and tidal pools, is minutes from the grandeur of Olympic National Park and has a small unassuming (from the outside) restaurant that features in the words of my recent guest "The best WA wine list I have EVER seen, ANYWHERE". As a side note, this guy is no slouch when it comes to drinking/enjoying fine wine. Have a look at the wine list.

Where do you find it? Ocean Crest Resort. The wine list has been awarded a level of Excellence every year starting with 2004.

Why the big deal?

The big deal is passion. The big deal is making a choice to be the best whether in a bustling downtown or 150 miles from the nearest downtown. You see Ocean Crest made the choice to be excellent when it would've been very easy to just be small or average. Expectations out there tend to not range on the very high side. Despite this, Ocean Crest staff committed to greatness way back when no one was watching.

There is a lesson here for all of us.

A Perfect Day for Fishing - Not so for Catching!

It's rare to summer steelhead fish on the Olympic Peninsula on 65+ degree days. I'm certain I've NEVER winter steelhead fished on a string of days as beautiful as it was Thursday and Friday. The fish of 1000 casts (if using bait), 100,000 casts if swinging a fly - is nearly impossible to catch when conditions are perfect (perfect water flow, good cover, cloudy 0r drizzling skies, freezing temperatures). In fact, it is alway too cold/hot, water is too high/low, fish are too skittish/lethargic - most of these explanations from a guide ends with the statement "You should've been here yesterday."

We had a few things working against us

• Lots of boats (it was the annual Hohdown - more info here)
• A front page article about the Queets (my favorite river) in the Seattle Times
• Did I mention the sun? It's hard to catch a ghost in bright daylight.

We had a fantastic day with our guide - author and friend - Doug Rose. He literally wrote the book on flyfishing for steelhead on the Olympic Peninsula.

I've left my gear out on the coast since I'll be back in a couple of weeks, hopefully it will be drizzly, freezing, cloudy, with perfect water flows. It'll be a crappy day for fishing and a great one for catching - that's winter steelhead for ya.

Ghost Hunting - The Search for Wild Steelhead

So, tomorrow evening I will head West. I will ply my trade on the rivers of the Olympic Peninsula, swinging flies waiting for the tug. They call it the fish of 1000 casts and goodness knows if it was that easy I'd have gotten bored and given up already. Others just call it "the ghost".

Unfortunately with each year that passes the quarry becomes more and more elusive as the wild rivers of the peninsula become less and less so. Horrible resource management (dams, logging, hatcheries - read Mountains in the Clouds ) have pushed wild steelhead and salmon populations to the brink of extinction. I've packed my 8wt, DryFly whiskey, warm clothes, and great friends.

So I embark on another quest in search of my own "white whale". Last year the rivers were blown out and my trip ended with an unexpected trip into a ditch after avoiding a deer on my way home. This year all I'm looking for is a tug and a photo of a wild steelhead.

Dry Fly Distilling - Take Two

Though I hardly know them, I am proud of them. These two guys - Kent and Don have created something great just off Hamilton in Spokane. Dry Fly Distilling will likely have a huge line out front Friday morning heralding the sale of the second batch of Dry Fly Wheat Whiskey. I was fortunate enough to land 3 bottles of batch one. Two while standing in line in Spokane and the third on an off-chance call to a Tacoma Liquor Store. That bottle was shared with friends who are now fans and trying to get their own two hands on Friday's distribution.

Regardless, these two guys and their team are doing it right. They are creating a high quality product that is attracting a following that borders on cult - and I'm a member. Here's why I think they are successful.

• They are the epitome of "Buy Local" - All their ingredients come from WA
• They share - they invite others to be a part of their distilling school and share their process - no mysteries
• They reach out to their community - They allow groups to help bottle their product creating a fun social activity
• They create quality - I don't like Gin but I love Dry Fly Gin. Every other Gin I've ever had was similar to chewing on Juniper leaves. Their whiskey is to die for and the Vodka is as well.

I will be hunting on Friday for my own bottle(s) of Dry Fly.

Congratulations guys - you've earned it.

Start Again

Don't look now but the blog is starting up again. My plan is to blog daily - we'll see how we do, but I wanted to get the word out regarding my intentions.

Lots going on around the house, with work etc.

I've added several ways for you to keep up with the going ons around our house as well as with SiteCrafting and me professionally. Here are some links you may want to check out.

Twitter - twitter.com/brainfroth

Flickr - flickr.com/brainfroth

YouTube - youtube.com/brainfroth

SiteCrafting Blog Posts - http://www.sitecrafting.com/blog/brian-forth/

Look for more tips and nuggets of info or just some musings in the coming days, weeks, months, years.

Your feedback is more than welcome.

Makeup Time

OK, so I've been slacking...

We have been busy though too!

I've posted pictures from August, like this one.

View More From August including Charlotte's Birthday Party, a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Forth and a short flyfishing expedition on the Deschutes River.

Earlier this month we visited Disneyland and family in California. To view these pictures, click here or on the California Vacation Gallery on the Right below is a sample picture.

And Finally the First Day of School which was Monday for Ian and today for Charlotte. I'll be posting an entry about school soon, but for now here's a preview. You can see more in the September Gallery.

5 Drifts - 5 Fish

It took 5 casts to catch 5 fish Sunday afternoon. The fabled fish of 1,000 casts - the elusive Steelhead - seemed for 20 minutes at least, to be as simple to catch as a chill in February.

Our boat, guided by "Miracle Ken" had toiled for nearly 6 hours along 20 miles of river with only 1 Steelhead to show for our efforts. Ken announced it was time for a fourth quarter comeback. So with Favrian skill he orchestrated what would now and forever more be known as simply "The Comeback".

You see, it wasn't just us not catching any fish, it was everyone. Hundreds of shore and boat anglers had been counting their thousand casts, hoping the next one was it. Blue Creek was swarming with boats and people, the only missing player, the fish. That was, until Ken piloted us to the top of the drift and into the Steelhead Hall of Fame.

We increased our weight, switched our presentation and set forth. (no pun intended). 30 yards down the drift, "Fish On!") We landed a mid-size hen a few hundred yards down river. We proceeded back upstream and began again.

This time it took all of 40 yards for the announcement. "Fish On!" So it was to be, another Steelhead.

We tried again and again...two more drifts two more fish. 4 for 4.

In the world of hitting a baseball 4 for 4 is a fine, fine day. In the world of fishing for Steelhead 4 for 4 would be like throwing a perfect game and hitting for the cycle in the same game.

Would lady luck smile upon us on drift 5?

The simple answer, yes. Just as Bill Murray lived the same day over and over in Groundhog Day, so we did on Blue Creek for a fifth time.

Anglers on the shore and in their craft stood with jaws agape as Ken drifted us through that final run and simply stated, "I believe we've worn out our welcome".

As quickly as it had begun, it ended. We got our 6 fish - 5 on 5 casts the other on 6,000 casts, which I guess when you average it all out it not all that special after all. ;)

Many thanks to Chuck and Bob for the trip and hat's off to Ken - architect of "The Comeback".

Adios 14 MPG, A Strike, and Before and After

So it's been a fun Saturday around here. It started with me presenting to Pastoral Council and is now just winding down.

Adios 14 MPG

We replaced our Jeep with a brand spankin' new Jetta. I was tired of filling up the tank every 3 or 4 days and the mileage with the big mudders was just downright unacceptable from an economic and environmental standpoint. Our gas mileage will increase by 2x - 3x.

A Strike

Charlotte and I went to Zavien's Birthday party. It was Charlotte's first time bowling and she did very well. She scored a bumper assisted 72. With her rolling the rock so effectively, I decided I best stay on the sidelines so as to not be outscored. A video is below.

Before and After - A Haircut

Day Trip to the Lodge

After filling our bellies with Sunday breakfast we decided to do some exploring between here and Lake Quinalt. Our first stop was the Quinalt National Fish Hatchery. We enjoyed a self-guided tour of the rearing ponds, hatchery room and fish ladder. Over 8 million chinook, coho, chum and steelhead are released each year from this facility. Impressive.

We then headed North toward the Lodge located on beautiful Lake Quinalt and in the rain forest at Olympic National Park. We dined in the Roosevelt Dining Room (Named for FDR, who made a visit to the Lodge while President) There is a lot of history at the Lodge and it was fascinating to tour the grounds. The best part...less than 40 minutes from Seabrook to Olympic National Park and we've just scratched the surface.

More Photos

To the Zoo with Grameano

Ian is still sick. He had to miss his field trip to Northwest Trek yesterday. Today was Charlotte's turn and if it had not been for Grameano, she would've had to miss her field trip too. Since Ian was too sick to go to school, Julie had to stay home and take care of him. I had meetings today that were put off from yesterday since I was home, thus I could not stay home again.

Grameano cheerfully stepped to the plate to take Charlotte to the Zoo. Charlotte had a fantastic time and talked all they way home non-stop about all the fun...Everything from seeing the octopus, eating ice cream and petting a REAL rat! She followed it up by saying, "Don't worry Daddy, I washed my hands when I was done."

More May photos can be found here as well.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

We didn't buy peanuts AND Cracker Jacks, but since there are peanuts IN Cracker Jacks we got it covered, along with hot dogs, chips, cotton candy, regular pop corn, etc. etc.

Ian, Charlotte and I headed out last night to watch the Tacoma Rainiers take on the Tucson Sidewinders at Cheney Stadium along with other St. Mikes families.

It took us a while to get in the gates due to a sell-out crowd and a traffic accident (gratefully not ours) out in front of the stadium.

Once inside we treated ourselves to some dinner and snacks. We watched some of the game, but mostly enjoyed exploring the stadium and seeing the game from different spots (mainly since our seats were tough to get in and out of with all the people).

The highlight for Ian and Charlotte was meeting Rhubarb the Reindeer and each getting a souvenir ball (for Charlotte, pink of course), and mini-bat for Ian.

Fun was had by all and they are asking when we can go again...next stop is likely Safeco Field to watch the Mariners...tickets should be easy to get and seating plentiful. Not sure what I mean, just check the standings... :)

See More May Photos Here