Cars, trains and gems, another side of Kirkland

A rich Englishman founded Kirkland, that Carmel of the North on Lake Washington's eastern shore. British steel mogul Peter Kirk hoped to make his town a rival to Pittsburgh. I guess we can be glad that didn't happen, but Kirkland did become prosperous.

The good life flourishes there, so, to prepare for a Saturday stroll through the land of Kirk, I pledged to avoid that most searing of sins — envy. I would see just folks wherever I could find them, which turned out to be closer than I thought: My cousin Dan Holder and his wife, Patty, own a flower shop there. They introduced their town by taking me to lunch at Carillon Point, and to enter the restaurant, I swear, we had to walk around a Lamborghini. Bigger and redder than Angelina Jolie's lips, the car was imperiously parked in Central Plaza, a gathering place of pillars that seemed to be for pedestrians.

"That monster envy," as Shakespeare called it, strikes at the oddest moments.

There we were at the Beach Cafe at the Point, where service proved friendly and unhurried. No one raised an eyebrow when I ordered an extremely modest appetizer — Thai chicken skewers with peanut sauce, two for $5.10. Then, as we watched sailboats flutter across Lake Washington, the thought popped, unbidden: Is it me or is the water definitely bluer over here?

After our meal, Dan and Patty made sure I got my parking validated — free for one hour and 40 minutes, yes! — and we parted company in Lamborghini plaza. "Enjoy!" they said, waving me off to the downtown district.

Train envy

No Italian cars on Central Way, where a building stood out from surrounding boutiques — Eastside Trains, housed in what looked like an old-time railway station. Inside, several complete train layouts were set up, adorned with tiny trees.

Store owner Steve Suskin explained that hobbyists like scenery creation as much as they do constructing rail systems. For realism, they use various characters and objects, and I noted bags of these items for sale, containing station passengers, train mechanics, as well as chain gangs, hobos, and miniature "assorted junk" to strew along the tracks.

Popular with youngsters is the store's "Thomas the Tank Engine" display featuring that iconic big-eyed engine. Human-powered trains on wood tracks lure kids to play, and they do, for hours if allowed.

Over the years, Suskin noticed a curious phenomenon with the hobby, that it appeals most to the very young and the more mature. People wander off to other interests in their teens and into adulthood, drifting back in their 40s and older. If they were never into trains, middle age is the time to discover them.

"I have a motto," Suskin said. "You're never too old to have a happy childhood, and a train set can be part of that."

Heading west toward the water, then south, I found Lakeshore Plaza in front of Marina Park — a cozy place with the feel of an alleyway bazaar. Something sparkled in a window so I peeked in.

Crystals — trays of crystal "wands" in Jack Frasl's shop, Earthlight Gems & Minerals, from which he's sold treasures for 18 years. Hand-lettered cards identify inventory, which includes shelves of fossils, jewelry, sundry rocks and stones, plus chunks of exotic minerals like crocoite from Tasmania.

Frasl got hooked on rocks as a kid. "A guy on my paper route gave me one," he said, and he just kept learning. Although Frasl worked an office job for years, he finally took the plunge and opened the store. Now, he and his wife, Guinevere Shabo, cater to a loyal customer base built on word of mouth.

Self-described rock hound Christine Mason from Kirkland, a long-time client, searched for a gemstone setting.

"Jack has one-of-a-kind stones, amazing pieces, good prices." She smiled, adding, "He rocks my world."

Pretty as they are, stones also have healing powers, she believes. "The mineral kingdom is the base of all life on Earth," Mason said. "Different minerals have different properties. I'm a diabetic and when I hold certain stones, like hematite, it helps."

Envy and admiration

Others find healing in a glass of fine wine savored under the afternoon sun — in this case, just a few doors down at The Grape Choice. Owned by Larry Springer, the little shop offers a wine bar and great people-watching on the outdoor patio.

A former two-term Kirkland mayor and current state representative, Springer recalled the hard work of preserving the city's neighborhoods and waterfront while encouraging commerce.

To a large degree, he thinks it's been a success. "If you have to change, as Kirkland did, you do it as gracefully as you can," he said. "Just walk along our waterfront boulevard and see all the public parks. I think we're the envy of the state."

Or, how about we call it admiration.

Freelance writer Connie McDougall was born in British Columbia and has spent most of her life in Seattle, learning to fly out of Boeing Field, to dive in Puget Sound and write about almost anything except math. She has contributed to magazines including Islands and AAA's Journey. Contact her at conniemcdougall@yahoo.com.