Spa Remodel

The big project this winter at Rosario Resort on has been our spa restoration and renovation. It has been awhile since the fiberglass coating on the pool has been repaired. Here is a picture of it before painting...



The former boutique area is becoming a relaxation area for guest enjoyment pre and post therapy treatments. This is the Moran Mansion's former recreation area and the tile work is amazing!



In searching for leaks, we stripped the dry wall to the original concrete walls, uncovering a few hidden windows and the original paint colors of the stucco wall (notice the mustard color halfway up).



Here is another original color on one wall with a mysterious oval and iron hook. When looking very closely at an original Moran picture of the area, we discovered this was where a moose head had hung!




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Happy 2010!

Neighbor Beth Smith took this photo at dawn over Rosario Resort and Cascade Bay on Orcas Island. As she sent this to me today, it seemed appropriate to be the first post of 2010. Happy New Year!




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Merry Christmas

Lavender Popcicles

Recent cold weather on Orcas Island made ice form on the Rosario Resort lagoon fountains. This weighted them down and redirected the water onto the surrounding lavender, forming lavender popcicles!



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Halloween Speakeasy

The Moran Room at Rosario became a 1920's Speakeasy on Halloween night. Silent film star Zetta Zarbo hosted North Side crime boss Hal Sapone and South Side gangster boss Beanie O'Dannon. It was a great night until one of the guests ended up dead...Oh well, the party pretty much continued until the murder was caught. The moral of the story was a line from one of Silent FIlm star Zetta Zarbo's movies, "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "

Here are the Guys...


Here are the Gals...


Here are the Guys and Gals...

Fall Canvas

Here are a few more fall vignettes from around Rosario Resort. Season to season, Orcas Island is always spectacular!





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Fall Foliage

It has been a beautiful fall on Orcas Island. The fall colors have been spectacular with the diverse variety of trees around the grounds of Rosario Resort.



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Night Light

Thanks to Maintenance Engineer Bobby Matheson for all his effort in keeping the Moran Mansion and Rosario Resort grounds all lit up! Still powered by Robert Moran's original hydro electric plant, the mansion had to be an amazing site for those arriving to Orcas Island by boat over a century ago.




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Safe Harbor

The San Juan Islands had two days of high winds over this Labor Day Weekend, but our Rosario Marina staff did a great job in bringing all the boats in safely. This photo from last night is definitely the calm after the storm.



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Workplace Obstruction

If you have been to Rosario Resort on Orcas Island, you know that numerous deer make themselves at home on our grounds. This buck is definitely slowing our groundskeeper Brieanna Bitzer down a bit, since her job on this day is to mow the lawn the deer is laying on!



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Rainbow's End

This evening a rainbow appeared to end at the Rosario Resort Marina on Orcas Island!


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Last Day of August

Here are two stunning displays of color on the historic lamp posts at Rosario Resort. The first features the summer colors of the flower baskets being overwhelmed by the quickly changing fall colors of the trees (too quickly!) The second is on the neighboring lamp where a Stellar's Jay was sitting, complimenting the beautiful blue and purple hues of the flower baskets below.



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Patina Design

One of our favorite wedding designers at Rosario Resort is Leslie Ginnes of Patina Floral Design here on Orcas Island. She provided a cool lime theme at yesterday's wedding at Rosario... perfect for a beautiful summer evening!





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Orcas Moon

Another beautiful scene at Rosario Resort - the "Orcas Moon."

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Oh Deer

The deer are plentiful around Rosario Resort on Orcas Island. It is a magical place for the young at heart!

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The World Comes to the San Juans

The World came to the San Juan Islands yesterday. It only took us a few minutes to circumnavigate the World, but it is big! Rarely does a ship this size stop in the islands, although many go by on their way to Alaska from Seattle. It is a private condo ship, with each luxury cabin (suite!) being privately owned (sweet!).





Once we left this World, we returned to our world.... a Washington State Ferry passed by!



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Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th! One of the great things about watching the fireworks on Orcas Island is the amazing reflections created in the surrounding water.
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Moran Centennial House Tour

The Robert Moran built homes open to the public for last Sunday's "Moran Centennial House Tour," included Moran's White Beach House, which was built by Moran after he sold Rosario on Orcas Island in 1938...




... and the recently restored Moran Bungalow, one of several Rosario area homes built by Moran for family and staff.




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Centennial Celebration

In celebration of the Moran Family moving into the Moran Mansion at Rosario on June 21, 1909, over 100 islanders where at Rosario's Centennial Celebration yesterday. The celebration culminated the “Moran Centennial House Tour,” a fundraiser for the Orcas Island Historical Society and Museum. The event featured four Robert Moran built homes, including Robert Moran’s White Beach home, built after Moran sold Rosario in 1938. Deer Harbor Charters transported tour guests from Rosario’s dock to the Moran White Beach home.

Robert Moran's Great-Granddaughter Becky Burns (center) paid tribute to Robert Moran's legacy, and welcomed Rosario's new owners, Craig, Jerry and Jan Barto (right) to the mansion and its next 100 years. General Manager Christopher Peacock (left) reported that over $4000 was raised by the event for the Orcas Island Historical Society and Museum.


In honor of Rosario's Centennial, a new guest registry, hand made by Orcas Island artisan Susie Shipman, was signed first by Becky Burns.


Other Moran family decendants in attendance were Orcas Islanders Patty Moran-Hodge (Great-Granddaughter), and her children Melissa and Winslow (Great-Great-Grandchildren)!


Flying all the way from New York City for the weekend was Malia (left), Great-Great-Grandaughter of Robert Moran. Next to Malia is her stepfather Stuart, mother Becky and Jerry and Jan Barto. The Barto Family enjoyed meeting many from the Orcas Island community and honoring the Moran legacy.

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Moran Mansion Centennial

The Moran Family moved into the Moran Mansion at Rosario on Orcas Island on June 21, 1909. The original guest register is on display in our lobby this summer thanks to the Burns Family (Moran
relatives).



The first entry in the register is by Mrs. Moran, who wrote "We moved in this house on this day."
The second entry is by Robert Moran, who wrote "A House built on a Rock."


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Low Tides

Low tides bring an upclose look at the incredible sea life in Cascade Bay at Rosario Resort on Orcas Island!







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June Wedding

Our first June wedding of the year brought a Chinese theme to the Compass Room at Rosario Resort.
Ju-Hsuan Cheng came all the way from Florida to Orcas Island for her wedding, with many family
members visiting from Taiwan.

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MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

It's a beautiful Memorial Day Weekend on Orcas Island! The Rosario Resort marina is full, the Cascade Bay Grill is open and the marina pool is open. A very special thanks to Director of Operations Jolene Versailles, Director of IT Dick Hansen, Front Desk agent Barbara Evans, Harbormaster Gary Joseph, Dockhands Cetacea Stanton, Jenole and Cara Peacock, Director of Engineering Deena Stitt and her staff Dave Hickman, Bobby Matheson, Andrew Fortin and Brieanna Bitzer for all their hard work in making Rosario look so beautiful!









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