Winter is calm before tourist storm

The town has even seen a new generation of artists attracted by La Conner's picturesque charm.

Chris Theiss and fiancee Kristin Loffer teach art at Skagit Valley College. The young couple live on First Street, in a cozy, two-bedroom apartment over the Ginger Grater store in a historic 1901 building. Rent is $595 a month.

One rainy night, while waiting for Loffer, 27, to return from teaching a late class, Theiss, 31, sipped hot tea, listened to jazz and described their love affair with La Conner.

"I can definitely see myself settling in this area," says Theiss. "I love it. It really reminds me a lot of the small seaport tourist towns I grew up with in Rhode Island."

Both have had their taste of big-city life, attending art schools in New York City. But La Conner seemed like a place where they could really settle. In March, they will marry in the historic Gaches Mansion.

Theiss' description of his morning commute is enough to make any urbanite envious. "I listen to the traffic report from Seattle on the radio," he says, smiling and shaking his head. "And I'm thinking how lucky I am to have this leisurely commute to work. And a view of Mount Baker."

Of course, the traffic becomes hellacious three weeks out of the year, when the "clicker-lickers" descend. Sometimes, the road into La Conner from Interstate 5 gets backed up as far as 11 miles, residents say.

But winter finds La Conner in a peaceful slumber.

Sidewalks are devoid of tourists. Shops close earlier. Locals can actually find parking in front of the post office and a cherished window table at the La Conner Tavern.

Residents appreciate this calm before the storm.

"In the middle of January, you go downtown and the streets are deserted and the winter light is really interesting," says author Robbins. "You can go and have a beer and look out at the channel and see the Indians maybe fooling around with their nets, and there's a subtle exhilaration that creeps up your spine.

"And you forget that in April, when there are a hundred thousand tulip gawkers pounding the streets, you want to go downtown with an AK-47 and take your town back."