Notables make lunch noteworthy

Imagine — I almost didn't go!

The e-mail invitation said Bill Gates III, — yes, that Bill Gates — would be at a luncheon celebrating the grand opening of the on Hood Canal. To attend the event last Saturday, I would have to catch an 8:45 a.m. ferry; I had already worked six straight days, and Alderbrook is at the south end of Hood Canal, nearly two hours away.

My husband, who loves to chauffeur me places but hates to socialize, agreed to drive if he didn't have to attend.

It was also one of those mornings. The outfit I planned to wear developed several mysterious spots overnight. My hair was uncooperative. We almost missed the ferry.

It wasn't even guaranteed that Gates and his wife, Melinda, would be there. Hamilton McCulloh of Richmond Public Relations could say only that Gates III, known as Trey by friends and family, had been invited.

The other guests included Gates' father, Bill Gates Sr., and his wife, Mimi, Congressman Norm Dicks, state Sen. Tim Sheldon, and John and Sally Nordstrom. Even more tempting than meeting Trey — I knew John Nordstrom is also a pilot and we could share flying stories.

While my husband drove, I wavered about attending but couldn't dream up a good excuse.

The first clue Gates really would attend should have been the security staff. As we pulled into the driveway, a guard inquired if we were registered guests. My name was on the list, and we were waved through to an impressive and elegant Alderbrook that features peeled-log construction, lots of wood and glass, magnificent views of Hood Canal and the Olympics, tall trees and newly-laid grass sod leading to the beach.

The original Alderbrook Resort was started in 1913 and has had several owners over the years. In 2001, North Forty Lodging LLC, owned by Microsoft Vice President Jeff Raikes, purchased the property and renovated it. MTM Management, the same company that operates Willows Lodge in Woodinville, the Woodmark in Kirkland and the Sorrento in Seattle, runs Alderbrook.

Following a ribbon cutting, a cleansing and dedication ceremony by Skokomish tribal representatives, and welcoming speeches by several people, McCulloh directed me to a private dining room. Raikes and his wife, Tricia, invited us to sit down. There were 19 people, including Dicks and his wife, hotel manager Pam Graber, general manager of MTM Management Jim Treadway, the construction manager and owner's rep Brian McGinnis and four other journalists. Just as we sat down, I overheard someone say, "Bring them in."

The party grew to 21. "Them" turned out to be Melinda and Bill Gates.

Melinda shook my hand and introduced herself — as if she needed an introduction. Gates followed her lead.

I resisted the temptation to identify myself as the reporter who got the front-page scoop in 1996 that they were expecting their first child.

They shook hands and greeted people around the table. She's charming, and more beautiful than her photographs. He's exactly like his photos. They sat down, across the table from where I sat between Dicks and Treadway. The table was large — it was two banquet tables side-by-side, a trick I do at home for the holidays — making a rectangular seating area but one too wide for across-the-table conversation.

So as I've told this story this week to friends, the question everyone asks isn't how they were dressed (casual) or what they said (more on that in a minute).

It has been, "What was for lunch"?

A chilled yellow tomato soup and a choice of grilled salmon on organic greens or a Caesar-type salad with chicken. Dessert was white chocolate cheesecake. He ate dessert. She didn't.

Because I come from a long line of klutzes, I worried about spilling something. My only faux pas was knocking over the saltshaker.

It was the memories served with lunch that made the afternoon notable.

The Gates clan, the Nordstroms, Dicks, Sheldon and the Raikes shared anecdotes about Hood Canal around Alderbrook. Dicks and his wife grew up nearby and spent summers there. Sheldon is from the same area. John Nordstrom flies his amphibious plane right up to his family's dock. The Gates family compound — several vacation houses — sits just south of the resort, with the Nordstroms' and the Raikes' homes to the north. Gates Sr. and his son talked about vacationing there since the 1950s. Gates Sr. talked about the long-lived friendships built upon vacation stays.

Trey Gates gave dates to several of the historical photographs that lined the room. He shared the now-familiar story about a command performance at the family compound. Before she died, his mother, Mary, insisted he come down for an afternoon to meet friends. Trey tried to decline, but was told to be there. "I hired a helicopter pilot who flew me in and landed on the dock," Trey said. "I told the pilot I'd only be there an hour and to wait for me."

The guests included Katherine Graham of The Washington Post and Warren Buffet. Trey stayed all night.

If he ever gets bored with Microsoft and giving away money through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Trey could become a stand-up comedian with his quick wit and droll comments.

Raikes was describing the recent history of Alderbrook and how he and Trey made a bid for the property in 1998. Instead, it was sold to Christa Ministries and turned into a nonprofit Christian conference center. Trey interrupted.

"The Christians outbid us," quipped the man frequently listed as the world's wealthiest.

Sherry Grindeland: 206-515-5633 or sgrindeland@seattletimes.com