#BounderOn: Janet Lightner Aims for Everest

General Manger, adventurer extraordinaire, proud mama, community leader (you name it) Janet Lightner never ceases to inspire us. Last week, Janet packed up her belongings in two backpacks with her sights set high…quite literally. She’s headed to the high peaks of the Himalayas where she’ll complete a 19-day Everest Trek. Before she scales mountains, Janet is spending some time sight-seeing and exploring Bhutan. Her climb begins on November 7th in Kathmandu — we can’t wait to share the journey with you!

In celebration of Janet’s journey, we’ve decided to launch the #BounderOn social media campaign highlighting the outdoor, active and courage spirit of the PNW. Wherever the adventure leads, #BounderOn and share it with us online (via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram). Contest and prize details will be announced soon! 

There’s a New Baker in the Mix!

Boundary Bay is thrilled to announce the addition of a new member to our crew – Pastry Chef Martha L. Aguirre. Born in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in California, Martha made her way up to Bellingham, Washington in 2001.  With over 20 years of pastry experience, the former Bakery Manger of Woods Coffee transitioned to our Brewery in late March.

A talented and reputable chef, Martha was offered multiple positions around town as a Head Pastry Chef. When asked why she decided to take the offer at Boundary Bay, Martha stated: “When I met with Sean [Head chef] and Janet [General Manager], they said they wanted to change the whole dessert menu. They said I could bring out anything – create anything. I didn’t have to follow a menu or do the same things every day. It feels like it’s my own bakery. It’s a dream job.” Martha beamed. Boundary Bay is equally as excited to have Martha in the mix.

Since arriving at Boundary – Martha’s expertise, positivity and tantalizing recipes have quickly won over our staff. She’s been busy in the kitchen whipping up all sorts of new desserts — often allowing the staff to sample and choose their favorites! From Red Velvet Cheesecake to Coconut Pineapple Cream Pie, customers will be seeing more specialty desserts circulating our menu.

“Just the other day I tried making a four-layer chocolate cake with Ol’ Bounder (barley wine). Everyone was very excited…I guess it’s one of the strongest beers here!” Martha laughed, “Cooking with beer is new for me, and it’s very exciting!” And we can’t wait to see what sorts of delicious concoctions she’ll create using our ales!

A graduate of the Bellingham Technical School of Culinary Arts, Martha’s strong background and experience as a pastry chef is well-apparent. A talented Baker, Martha epitomizes her craft; the delicate combination of creativity, balance, and science. Next time you’re dining at Boundary, be sure to ask your server about our dessert specials. As Martha puts it “Once you see these desserts you’ll think, ohhh that looks SO good! And that’s it. You have to have it.”

SOME FUN FACTS:

If Martha were in an ingredient, she would be Vanilla. “It makes everything a little bit better.  Everything! Sweet, and adds a little something.”

Martha’s favorite berry to cook with is Blueberries. Just wait till you try her Blueberry pie!

Gardening is one of Martha’s favorite hobbies. If she isn’t experimenting with new recipes, you’ll find her outdoors.

Celebrating Women in Whatcom County

Janet Lightner, manager of Boundary Bay Brwery, pictured above with bucket

Looking for a great local gift that will make YOU feel good too?  Check out the HER Calendar that celebrates Whatcom County women that were nominated by the community AND benefits 12 local nonprofits!  Last May, fifthonsixth – a local marketing agency – asked their Facebook community who the most beautiful and successful women in Whatcom County were.

They stressed that they were looking for women who were beautiful and successful inside and out.  The response they got was overwhelming!  Out of hundreds of answers, over 30 women were chosen to be featured in the calendar’s professional and classy black and white photos…including our very own Janet Lightner!

The calendars can be purchased online or at the various locations across Whatcom County including The Greenhouse, Old World Deli, the Pickford, Village Books and here at Boundary Bay Brewery.  HER calendars retail for $20 each (plus tax) and the proceeds of the sales will support local charities like the Whatcom Humane Society, the Bellingham Food Bank, Whatcom Land Trust, Make Shift and the Pickford Film Center.

Boundary Bay Brewery Head To The Olympics…Sort Of

written by Tammy Findlay, Graphic Design and Advertising for Boundary Bay Brewery:

Thursday night I was elated to see a text from my boss and friend Janet Lightner inviting me to join her on Wednesday for the Women’s two person Bobsledding event. It’s not often your boss asks you to skip work. That’s not something you really ever say no to. Janet had already witnessed several events in Whistler, especially paying close attention to Women’s Cross Country & her friend competing for team Canada, Dasha Gaiazovia. Dasha & Janet met 2 years ago when Dasha graciously agreed to race in the cross country leg for our Boundary Bay Women’s Ski to Sea team. Thanks to Dasha & the other incredible athletes racing for team Boundary Bay we took 1^st place. This is Dasha’s first opportunity to race for team Canada in the Olympic games. As I’m writing this Dasha is competing in her last race of these games. She is a dedicated & talented athlete. I’m sure she will do well. I hope we’ll see her for this year’s Ski to Sea! And in Russia four years later!

Our morning began with us stuffing my pack full of  growlers and twenty-twos along with multiple layers of clothes. Now that I think on it, you don’t really need both. Cabin Fever & Oatmeal stout will keep you warm. We stopped at a Galileo Coffee where Janet met up with her friend and swapped some Cabin Fever for locally roasted coffee. I think both of them thought they got the better end of the deal. Then we stopped again at Howe Sound Inn, a local brewery in Squamish where Janet’s daughter finally got some good use out of her ID at the tender age of 19. There I saw a server wearing a beaver stocking cap that I will forever need to own. It was just rad! Perhaps I’ll look into developing a prototype for the Brewery.

From Squamish we caught a bus for the rest of the journey to Whistler. I found the mass transit to the games to be pleasant and convenient and the crowds were mild.  We took advantage of the down time and decorated Janet’s cheeks with Boundary Bay tattoos. What nation are you from? Beer nation! Once there we cracked into our brew supply. The weather was keeping our beer cold & it was delicious. We stashed the rest in a snow bank for after the event since no liquids are allowed through security. Inside our choices were between Molson & Coors Light. But hey, at least there was some beer.

And then we were there, really there, the final bank of the course painted with VANCOUVER 2010 staring us in the face, better & bigger than any TV screen, cheering with our country men & women, filled with pride and admiration, buzzing together with excitement. I rushed to the track as the first racers were announced. We could feel the sound as they approached. Just as fast as I glimpsed them, they were gone and I was left with a spray of Olympic ice on my face. Fans struggled to capture the moment on camera as the women flashed by.  I can hear them now. See that blur there. That was the German sled. Huh, cool.

Twenty-two racers made their first run, determining the order of the final run–slowest to fastest. In the interim of the final runs, Janet’s nephew tried to find a volunteer willing to sell him one of those cool bright blue winter jackets. No one would consider any offer.  Janet ran around catching some “USA air” with her patriotic pinwheel. And the rest of us decided that Molson was a little better than Coor’s Light.

It was time for the final runs. Each came down with a time just a fraction better than the last. Some sleds turned over on the difficult course. One of the worst crashes came just after the US team had finished with a 2^nd place time. The Germans hopes were crushed as their sled lost control and overturned. We all gasped as the rear teammate came out of the back of the sled & navigated two turns with nothing but her helmet and speed suit. A piece of the sled came ricocheting off and the sled came to a stop as officials rushed to turn it over and free the remaining teammate. Thankfully they were unhurt and able to walk off the course. It really gave me an added appreciation for the difficulty of the sport and the risk and reward involved. This left one team left to race, another Canadian team. I couldn’t help but cheer for them as well. The Canadian team spirit was infectious. As far as I could tell they had a perfect run, finishing just behind the prior Canadian team, giving them a Gold & Silver and USA, the bronze.

USA, HOORAY! So far we have the highest total of medals at 30, eight of them Gold. I feel so fortunate to have experienced a part of the Olympic competition. It was a day I will never forget. Janet’s nephew summed it up perfectly when he said, “There’s no place I’d rather be.” Congrats to all the athletes and a special thanks to the awesome volunteers. USA fans, you rock! And Canadian fans, you also rock. Even that one Canadian fan that violated our personal space and tried to ride me like a pony.

Boundary Bay Brewery’s Social Media

Last October we here at Boundary Bay Brewery found our way to social media.  At the time, we weren’t entirely sure what it all meant or what we were supposed to do with it, but join we did.  In the (almost a) year since, we’ve continued to gain fans and get notice from the food industry, the craft beer industry and social media mavens.  In the most recent issue (August 2009) of Front Burner, the official publication for the Washington Restaurant Association, Heather Donahoe wrote an article about social media titled “Dive Into the Conversation: Come Up With Bigger Profits.” Here are some excerpts from the article about our social media here at Boundary Bay Brewery:

Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro in Bellingham understands the benefits of social media better than perhaps any other restaurant in Washington. The popular eatery got serious about its social media efforts late last year and now has nearly 5,000 Facebook fans and almost 1,000 Twitter followers. Before jumping headlong into social media, Boundary Bay had a well organized blog that had drawn a fair amount of interest. Joining networking sites was the next natural step.

When the restaurant’s general manager Janet Lightner learned about Twitter last October, she was intrigued enough to ask her public relations specialist, Amy Jones, to set up an account. The response was overwhelming.

Amy Jones, Public Relations for Boundary Bay Brewery

“It absolutely exploded,” Jones said.  “We’ve gotten to where when we put our info on one site, we already have so many people excited about what we’re doing that it has spread to Twitter before we can even Tweet it ourselves.”

Boundary Bay Brewery uses Twitter and Facebook to share their menu specials, announce the release of seasonal brews and put out the invitation for special events.  Social media friends and fans of the restaurant respond by passing along the information and continuing the conversation.

“Customers love feeling like they have a personal connection to us, and this has been such a simple way to provide that,” Jones said.  “Answering people’s questions and becoming a personality instead of just an information source is what it’s all about.  It’s become a self-sustaining thing.”

Boundary Bay is in the advantageous position of being a craft beer brewer.  This niche makes their business of special interest to an already enthusiastic demographic. Building on that unique position, Boundary Bay has gained its devoted social media following.

“I’ve actually heard customers in the restaurant say things like ‘Oh, I’m one of your Twitter followers, and I’m here because I found out your Imperial IPA is on tap,'” Jones said.  “It’s exciting to see that connection.”

Jones offers a bit of advice for newbies to the social media game: “It’s really important right from the beginning to create a personality that allows you to interact with your fans in a way that feels real and personal,” she said.  “If you’re able to make that happen in the beginning, you’ll see sustained success in the long run.”

Boundary Bay Brewery Manager Nominated for Restaurant Association Award!

Janet Lightner, General Manager for Boundary Bay Brewery, has been nominated for a Washington Restaurant Association award.  The award ceremony will be held March 8th, 2009 in Olympia, WA.  Janet is in the running for 2008 Full Service Operator of the Year and is up against Lane Hoss from Anthony’s Home Port and Mo Shaw of Ray’s Boathouse.

When Lightner was interviewed by the Restaurant Association for her nomination, she said Boundary Bay Brewery feels like her second home.  She has worked in the industry for 35 years and has been Boundary’s general manager for the last 10 years.  Janet started working at Boundary Bay as a chef when the brewery first opened.  Now, she works there side by side with her life partner, her son, and her daughter.  She carries this sense of family into her interactions with the staff as well:  “Everyone feels like a family.  It’s important to me to know everyone’s name, even when our staff gets into the hundreds.  I like to say hello to everyone in the morning.” Equally important to Janet, is making sure the brewery is a place where people come to celebrate, to relax and to be comfortable.  Lightner believes that her work within the brewery is about building strong ties with the customers and the community at large, making the Bellingham community a stronger one because of it.

Boundary Bay Brewery Turns Late Show Into Charity Benefit

Boundary Bay Brewery has made a new commitment to turn our Friday Night Late Shows into fundraising opportunities for local charities.  In 2007, our brewery began hosting weekly Late Shows that feature the best of local and regional music.  Now, the shows will be held every other week and will benefit non-profits as well as the local music scene.  Boundary has a long history of supporting community non-profits like the annual Cribbage Tournament organized to benefit the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center and the Inauguration Party held this year to benefit the Bellingham Food Bank.  Janet Lightner, our general manager here at Boundary Bay Brewery, sees this as just another way to give back to the community.

March 6th will herald the first of these fundraising opportunities.  Our Late Show, featuring Jack Conte, will benefit Amy’s Place, a local non-profit organization that serves as a drop-in center for the homeless and struggling youth of Bellingham.  Amy’s Place provides hot meals, hygiene kits, shower passes, clean clothing, food, and referrals to other community resources. This is the only center of its kind in Whatcom County and an average of 30 youth attend each of the three days a week Amy’s Place is open.  The success of this program has been overwhelming and the organization is currently struggling to find funding to keep their doors open and continue providing a vital service to these underserved youth.  “We are applying for funding everywhere. Federal grants will be announced in the spring and money from the City of Bellingham will probably come in around April.  It’s just getting through March and the last part of February that is a really big challenge. Boundary Bay’s timing is perfect!” says Heidi Unick, program director of Amy’s Place (a program component of Old Town Christian Ministries).

Every other Friday night, a different local non-profit will be at the receiving end of the money raised by the $4 cover price for the Boundary Bay Late Show. Non-profits who need fundraising should contact Janet Lightner by filling out the comment card on the contact page of our website.

Boundary Bay’s Inauguration Party!

Fun was had by all at the Boundary Bay Brewery Inauguration Party…as you can see from the photos!  We were packed and housed a great crowd of people all eager to celebrate this historic moment in American politics.  We filmed a live broadcast for ABC who showed it on air as well as projected the footage at the official Neighborhood Ball in Washington D.C. that the Obama family was attending.  We got lots of great shots of our lively crowd, plus (as you’ll see above) a photo of Aaron Jacob Smith, our head brewer, and Mike Zielfder, one of our salesmen, showing off their patriotic zeal!  To the left, in the middle, is a great shot of our General Manager, Janet Lightner, toasting the new change taking place.  Our Inauguration Party was pulling double duty and raising money for the Bellingham Food Bank at the same time.  Admission to our little shindig was $4.40 (in honor of our 44th president!) or two items of non-perishable food donated to our local food bank.  We here at Boundary Bay Brewery feel lucky to have been part of the Inauguration Day events on a national scale, to get a chance to raise money for our community,  and to celebrate the inauguration of Barak Obama with such wonderful people in our community.

Marathons…and beer bellies

Janet Lightner, the manager of Boundary Bay Brewery, is gearing up to run the Bellingham Bay Marathon on September 28th.  Janet turned to Bellingham Fit to get her motivated and committed to the training program to prepare her for the marathon.  At the peak of her training, she was running four days a weeek and one of those days involved a long run of up to 22 miles.  Now, as the marathon draws near, the long runs are tapering down in length, but she is still running at least four days a week.  She jokes that she’s doing it to allow herself to continue enjoying all the great beer that surrounds her daily without having to give in to a beer belly.  However, in the Spring issue of Beer Northwest magazine, Lucy Burningham writes: “The idea of the beer gut has resulted from a hapless combination of fact and fiction.  Think about it: anyone who gains weight suffers from an unfortunate mixture of bad diet, lack of excercise, and in some cases, an obscene amount of beer drinking.  I propose a new and more accurate term for large bellies – ‘greasy food guts’.”  In an article about the growing trend of combining beer and running, Burningham reported that a 2007 study in Spain conducted research to see how the human body responded to drinking beer after strenuous excercise.  Students who participated excercised in extrememly hot conditions and then drank either a pint of water or a pint of beer afterwards.  Surprisingly, the study found that the students who drank beer hydrated “slightly better” than the water drinkers.  Now, we’re not saying that Janet is going to be drinking beer during her training or her marathon, but we are suggesting you broaden your horizons and start seeing all the wonderful applications for beer in every day life!  =)  And come out and root for your fellow Bellinghamsters September 28th as they complete the Bellingham Bay Marathon…maybe even offer them a cold brew when they finally cross that finish line!