A salute to Navy town's renewal

Bremerton is a happenin' place these days.

If I'd had my car, I could have explored more than one of the promising neighborhoods in this growing Navy town whose core was an economic backwater not so long ago. But I walked on for a leisurely and affordable ($6.50) ferry ride. Once off the boat, I discovered that, within a few blocks of the terminal, there's plenty to do, see and consume.

One of the first surprises was a line of waterfront condos going up along Washington Avenue. That was a no-brainer for some developer, using land once covered by a vast parking lot.

Walking north, I made a pit stop at Boston's Deli and Pizza on the corner of Burwell and Washington. Good choice, not only for the food, which is authentic and glorious, but also for the fun of meeting owners Don and Cheryl Stauff. Why, I wondered, did they come here two years ago from the East Coast? In his equally authentic "East Boston" accent, and with a smile, Don replied: "Because the food was terrible out here." By here, he means not just Bremerton but the entire Puget Sound region.

They're doing what they can to improve things, serving from an Italian menu. I had a slice of "Mediterranean," the best pizza I've ever had, and I'm no stranger to the dish. They brought out a plate of lasagna. "This is what lasagna should look like," Don said. "It should stand up like that," which it did, several inches high like layer cake. Homemade calzone is also popular at this neighborhood hangout that's covered with Boston Red Sox memorabilia.

A puppet museum

1. Boston's Deli and Pizza: Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays-Wednesdays; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. 206 Burwell St., 360-377-3595.

2. The Aurora Valentinetti Puppet Museum: Part of the Evergreen Children's Theatre. Open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. Group tours by appointment. Museum admission is free but donations are appreciated for this all-volunteer organization. Call for details on workshop, upcoming theater performances, ticket prices and locations. Next up is the "Mousecracker" on Friday. 257 Fourth St. 360-373-2992 or www.ectandpuppets.org.

3. Ish Vintage Clothing & Costumes: Open 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 249 Fourth St. 360-479-4755.

4. Simply Renewed, Art and Antique Gallery: Open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. 408 Pacific Ave. 360-479-4101 or www.simplyrenewed.com.

Thus fortified, I followed Washington Avenue north to Fourth Street, and what a treasure. There are three museums in proximity to each other — something for anyone: the Kitsap Historical Museum, the Navy Memorial Museum and then, unexpectedly, a puppet museum. That's where I went. Iwas rewarded with intriguing displays of puppets from all over the world. Curator Stanley Hess said that many of the displays come from Aurora Valentinetti, a renowned puppeteer who taught for many years at the University of Washington. If you grew up around Seattle, you may have seen her work: "She put on a holiday performance in the Frederick & Nelson window every year," Hess said.

He pointed out the life-size puppets from her master work, "Everyman," which haven't been seen in public for many years. "They require two or three people to operate," he added.

The museum offers an activity center where kids can put on their own spontaneous shows, but this art form is not just for them. "Only in America are puppets relegated to being a child's toy," Hess said. "Japan has bunraku, and Europe has 'Punch and Judy.' Punch is definitely not 'Lamb Chop,' " he laughed, referring to the endearing hand puppet created by Shari Lewis in the 1950s.

For the holidays, Hess is organizing a seasonal display of puppets: nutcrackers, the Snow Queen and Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

Styl-Ish

Find a complete change of pace nearby in the curiously named shop Ish.

Owned by Collette Jones, Ish is all about wish fulfillment. Choose from vintage clothing from the early 1900s and on, including bobby-soxer '50s (real poodle skirts and saddle shoes) or '70s kitsch, such as wig hats. But this isn't a chick shop. There's plenty here for kids and guys.

Jones spent almost a decade working on costumes for movies, including "Office Space," "Miss Congeniality" and "Where the Heart Is." Now she pours that glamour into her own store, while also providing makeup and stylist skills to magazine and TV commercials. You can take advantage of her talents by getting an "Ish-shot."

"I've got a photo studio in the back," Jones said. "We can do it all — makeup, wardrobe, professional photography." Customers get a CD of pictures and print them on their own. Costs vary depending on services but the average is around $150.

Oh, the name. Jones wanted something short and memorable and liked the end of the word "stylish."

Monthly art walk

After Ish, I took a right off Fourth Street onto Pacific Avenue and found another block of shops. Simply Renewed is an art and antiques place where one of the owners, Peggy Nord, also doubles as vice president of the Bremerton Downtown Association. She's seen the changes to this old Navy town, and not all were good. Nord thinks the final straw came when the Kitsap Mall went up in nearby Silverdale. "Everybody just moved away, it seemed," Nord said. Thanks to some who stuck it out — she credits people like gallery owner Amy Burnett — and local governments that came up with cash, the area is getting another chance.

Now there's a monthly art walk (first Friday of every month) and regular festivals and special events.

"We still need core services, like a grocery store, and there are other challenges, but we feel we're going to make it, finally," Nord said.

Heading back to the ferry, I strolled the open boardwalk, watched as the foot ferry chugged in from Port Orchard, and right behind it, the big one, my ride back to Seattle.

But I'm coming back, maybe to take in one of those art walks. Bremerton beckons.

Connie McDougall of Seattle is a freelance writer and writer/editor for Seattle City Light. Contact her: conniemcdougall@yahoo.com.