Sneaky mayor installs surveillance cameras in Cal Anderson

Yet another reason why Capitol Hill needs a representative organization like the CHCC…

Apparently Mayor Nickels took it upon himself to install surveillance cameras in Cal Anderson Park without notifying our community. He also didn’t include the Seattle City Council on his decision, and used funds from an alternate account in order to avert a restriction the council put on purchasing surveillance cameras last year. Sneaky bastard!

I say we protest by visiting the park with paper bags over our heads. Er, um, maybe the CHCC will have a better idea…

Resurrected CHCC to hold Candidate Forum this Thursday!

While having some not-so-good pizza at Bill's on Sunday, I noticed this headline in the Seattle Gay Newspaper: "Capitol Hill rejects Sound Transit's warplane décor". I was intrigued because (a) the warplane decor is an issue I've just recently become aware of (which I'll address in another post) and (b) I didn't realize Capitol Hill had a functioning representative organization.

It turns out the organization the SGN was referencing was the 43rd District Democrats, who passed a resolution against the proposed warplane art. I like the intent of the resolution. However, I'm concerned with the fact that the article implies that the 43rd District Democrats (a district that covers Capitol Hill, Fremont, Madison Park and Wallingford) are representative of our community.

That said, there hasn't been an organization that is better suited for the representative role... dot dot dot... until a few months ago, when a blogger decided to resurrect the Capitol Hill Community Council.

Ta da!

The CHCC has actually existed for a number of years, but went defunct a few years ago after their efforts to limit the height of new buildings on Broadway were not successful.

As it turns out, a new group of leaders are emerging within the organization. They are holding elections for President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer roles in the next few months. There is a candidate forum on Thursday at the Capitol Hill Arts Center.

I think the CHCC is reconvening at a very important time for our community. And I'm looking forward to participating and supporting their efforts this year. I hope you will too!

CHCC Candidates Forum
Thursday, April 24th
6:30pm
Capitol Hill Arts Center (12th and Pike)
Details: http://chcc.wikidot.com

Weekend of Meals on the Hill

I've been on vacation for the last two weeks and, despite the wacked out weather, it's nice to be back on the Hill.

In celebration of being back, I've been eating out as often as possible. This weekend I hit the following:

Saturday

• Breakfast @ Joe Bar. I ordered my standard jamon and greyere crepe and Irish breakfast tea. I also threw in large glass of AJ, which was awesome.
• Lunch/Dinner - At home.

Sunday

• Breakfast @ B&O. The best meal of the weekend. My usual chorizo with ranchero scramble. Hold the potatoes and add fruit. Mocha.
• Lunch @ Bill's Off Broadway. Something was off with their crust, which soured the whole pizza experience. I'm hoping the dough just wasn't given enough time to rise, which caused it to taste flat and dry. I usually love their crispy, greasy crust!
• Dinner @ the Vegetarian Noodle Bowl. My first time here and I wasn't impressed. I ordered their tofu satay appetizer as my meal, having had a big lunch and breakfast. The tofu was tolerable, but their peanut sauce was dripping in grease. My eating companion also thought the Thai iced tea was "earthy". I'm not sure if that is a good or bad thing.
  

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for Darfur on Tuesday

Dine for Darfur is back on Tuesday (3/4). You could have all three meals at participating locations on Capitol Hill....

We went to the Coastal Kitchen for last year's event. It was a packed house! I'm going to try Via Tribunali this year.

Cafe Vita
Cha Cha Lounge
Coastal Kitchen
Linda's Tavern
Pagliacci Pizza
Quinn's
The Broadway Grill
Top Pot Doughnuts
Via Tribunali

Really super-duper nice guy at All Seasons Cleaners

I ruled out going to All Seasons Cleaners the last time the front desk guy got mad at me for forgetting to tell him I had a coupon before they cleaned my 4 pairs of pants, instead of after as I was paying for them. It's unfounded, but it made me think that maybe they do a crappier job on orders with coupons, so they want to know beforehand. I started taking my business down the street, which was actually more convenient anyway and only slightly more expensive.

Well, I haven't been to a dry cleaner in months... I've been trying to cut down and save the enviro a bit. However, today I had 6 pairs of pants, two tops and a silk skirt that really needed to be cleaned by a pro. Knowing that the order was going to be pretty spendy, I dug up a 25% off coupon (you know they come every month in the ValPak mailers) and went back to All Seasons.

I'm not sure if they are under new management, or if the guy at the front desk was just new... but I was wowed. The service was quick and nice... somewhere between my house and the shop the coupon disappeared. He took it my word for it, and gave me the 25% off anyway. He noted how I hadn't been in in a while (from their computer records) and said he was new to town, from South Korea via Portland. Definitely a Cap-Hiller at heart. Super-duper nice and friendly.

Here's hoping they do a nice job on my stuff so I can continue using them.

Pedestrian news; New police beats

Some news from the SeattlePI over the last couple of days...


Tread carefully during dark days: Winter sees more traffic accidents
I take offense with this headline!! Shouldn't it read: "Drive carefully during dark days"? Why is the impetus on the pedestrian?

I'm glad to hear Seattle has a really tough law where drivers who hit pedestrians can be charged with assault. In the words of our City Attorney, "I would love to deter people from actions that injure other people, like careless and overly aggressive driving. They have to know it can have consequences. I would love this to be a deterrent to get people to slow down and obey the traffic laws. I hope it becomes the law statewide."

Our Pike/Broadway intersection is listed as one of the top 5 locations for traffic accidents.

Pine Street Zigzag could see changes
This would be nice... there are some unspecified changes that are going to be made to that stretch of Pine (just above Boren) where you have to walk on the South side of the street. I personally avoid this area for that reason, opting to shoot up Pike and through the dog park and instead on my walk home from work.

Seattle police working to a new set of beats
I noticed a police officer in the parking lot of Half Price Books last night and thought it was an odd place for him to be hanging out. I thought maybe it was just a general increase in patrols given the murder on 15th, but according to this article maybe it had something to do with the new beat zoning... Either way it was a welcome sight last night as that area can be really dark.

Kurrent Ice Bar = kold.

I hadn't realized the space formerly occupied by the Green Papaya (underneath the Press apartment building on the corner of Belmont and Pine) was filled by a new tenant. Kurrent opened way back in August... I'm behind the times, but I haven't been missing much in my opinion. (Sidenote: I also hadn't realized until last night that the Seahawks were in the playoffs.)

I made my way to Kurrent in the pouring rain last night, only to find a super cold, uninviting interior all the way down to the strip of ice down the bar and on the taps. Okay, okay, it's an "ice bar". "Kurrent"="modern", I get it. But the decor was a turn off. There has to be a way to do it in a more comfortable, inviting way. It felt sterile and boring.

We camped out on the high chairs and tables, both of which were wobbly. The seats near the fire looked more fulfilling, but were unfortunately already taken. I did peak my head in the back room as well, but found it stark and didn't want to get lost in its desolation. (We were the only customers in addition to those near the fireplace.)

I ordered a lemon drop... $7 on happy hour. It came in a tall, silver metal martini glass with about 2.5oz of liquid in it. It was tasty, but most of was spilled by the tipsy table before I had a chance to drink it.

I was prepared to try their food, but couldn't figure out how I was going to balance it with my drink and the table and my chair all moving in different directions. So I passed, and went to Mama's for a slice instead.

Thoughts on the NYE Murder

I haven't posted on the NYE murder of Shannon Harps on this blog yet, because, well, everyone else pretty much as it covered.

I'm obviously saddened by the events and I can't help but look at my neighbors a little differently now. At least until the suspect is taken into custody. (Note: Comments on the Capitol Hill Seattle blog indicate that this may have happened.)

There's a community meeting being set up if you want to talk about it and get more information. (Check the CHS blog for details.) I think it's a nice way for the community to come together, even if the suspect is taken into custody before it occurs. Unfortunately I will be out of town and cannot attend.

Reading about Shannon Harps' life reminds me of the great community we have here on Capitol Hill. We live among activists, creatives, families, students, professionals... We lost someone who was obviously a great addition to the neighborhood.

That said, I was really disappointed to hear some of the criticism of our homeless population when it was speculated that it was a random homeless person who committed the murder. We live in an urban environment where having homelessness is inevitable. There are lots of resources on the hill that help this population, which I welcome and wish I knew more about. (Here's a long list of them.)

So... I have an idea that I'm not sure if I'll be brave enough to carry out. I'd like do some random interviews on Broadway of the nice people who live in (or frequent) our neighborhood... Just grab people and ask them some questions, snap a photo and send them on their way. (I'll try not to turn into the Green Peace volunteers in front of QFC... hmm, they'd be fun to interview.)

Let me know if you have any ideas for questions to ask or interesting Broadway people (you know the ones that are always popping up) to interview.

I think it's very sad that we only heard about Shannon after her death. But I'm inspired to get out there and meet my neighbors...

Here's to a great '08.

Happy New Year! Isn't the hill a great place for fireworks viewing? I was lucky enough to be in one of the three tallest buildings on Capitol Hill for the show. Too bad they were lame this year.

Even with the "glitch" delaying the start, I thought the whole show was pretty uninspired. There was lots of booing from our building. And the street.

It didn't ruin my New Year's though... think jello shots.

Choco-Cherry Jello Shots
Recipe makes about 27.

Two boxes cherry Jello
1 jar maraschino cherries (without stems)
Rum
Vodka
Creme de Cacao
Chocolate "Magic Shell" ice cream topping
Whipped cream
Plastic shot glasses with lids

• Soak cherries in rum for 24 hours
• Put one cherry in each shot glass
• Make jello with 2 cups boiling water, 1 cup vodka and 2/3 cup creme de cacao
• Pour into shot glasses and chill
• After they are solidified, top each shot with the Magic Shell topping. Put the lid on them and freeze for 10 minutes (or however long you need before serving, the jello won't freeze)
  
• Top with whip cream and serve

Note: This is a modified recipe from here.

I'm not sure how I feel about Peet's.

I'm not sure how I feel about Peet's coming to Capitol Hill.

When I saw the first signs of construction at their new location (directly across the street from Vivace, who is losing their location to the light rail next year) I found it somewhat opportunistic.

I'm torn though, because the building they are moving into could use a good tenant... If I'm remembering correctly, way back it was Kinkos, empty for a long while, then an African goods store and now Peet's.

It would be nice to have someone stick around for a while. And it seems like only a larger company like Peet's would be willing hold out during the demolition/construction that is going to happen across the street.

p.s. At least it's not a Starbucks.

"In just the 98102 ZIP code there is one Starbucks for every 0.27 square miles and for every 3,885 people," according to Foodio54.com.

Staying close to home for NYE...

The Stranger has pulled together a list of places to celebrate New Year's Eve around Seattle. There are lots of options for staying close to home here on the hill...

Neumos Masquerade Ball - $15
Mo Bar / VIP Room - $20
Linda's Tavern - Free
Wild Rose - Cost not listed.
Cha Cha Lounge - Free
Neighbors Underground - Cost not listed.
Havana - $20
Century Ballroom - $40
Smith - Free
Comet - $12

The Stranger article also lists all of the cab companies with contact info.

Other options not listed by the Stranger:

Capitol Hill Arts Center - $35
I Heart Shiva @ The Baltic Room - $30
Chop Suey (w/ Dudley Manlove Quartet) - $20
The War Room - $20

Tree Recycling

Just a reminder that you can put your Christmas trees out for recycling with your regular garbage until January 13th.

The trees should be cut into sections that are 6ft or smaller. (Some websites say 3ft.) Bundle the tree up wtih string or twine.

Flocking or tinsel left on the tree will cost extra.

I'm not sure if this is also the case for apartment or condo dwellers. So, alternatively you can take your tree to the Seattle Public Utilities Disposal Stations through January 13th.

North Seattle Recycling and Disposal Station

South Seattle Recycling Disposal Station

Pagliacci Seasons Greetings

These little poinsetta flowers at Pagliacci are self watering... How festive.

I'm off to Bend, Oregon for the long weekend. Have a great Christmas!

Holiday Shopping: Pepper Vodka

Store: Washington Liquor Store #42 (400 Broadway E)

Pick up some cheap vodka from the Broadway liquor store and infuse it with some hot peppers. (This is a good recipe.) Once it is done infusing, strain it and pour back into the same bottle or a fancy one you might pick up from one of the many import stores on the hill.

This takes a little prep work, but there is still time to make a few batches of these before Christmas. At the very least, it would be ready for New Years.

Alternative gifts from the liquor store:

• Baileys wtih a bag of Vivace coffee
• Peppermint schapps and hot chocolate mix
• Airplane bottles of vodka for the stockings!

Mmmm! Is it the weekend yet?

Holiday Shopping: Movie Lover

Store: Broadway Market Video (813 E Republican)

There's something nice about supporting your local video store. I like the idea of tucking one of these passes into a stocking or coupling it with a popcorn popper.

Holiday Shopping: Chocolate stocking stuffers

Store: Dilettante Chocolate (416 Broadway E)

Dilettante has a selection of Christmas themed chocolates that would be great for stocking stuffers.

What to buy:

• Assorted chocolates from the case.
• Truffles in a pre-wrapped box. (I think these were $11.50.)
• Bags of foil wrapped chocolates.
  
• Chocolate Santas from $5 to $55. Biting off the head of a chocolate Santa is bad enough when it's small. The large one was almost the size of a baby. Imaging breaking that open and eating it...

Holiday Shopping: Hostess gifts at QFC

Store: QFC

While buying cookie making supplies this weekend I noticed that QFC has some decent hostess type gifts for the holidays. These could also double as gifts for your families, friends, coworkers, or neighbors if you're in a pinch.

What to buy:

• StellaMare candles: Soy candles with nice scents around $10.
• Wine: They have a decent selection PLUS some nice accessories to make it look like you didn't just go and grab any old bottle of wine. Check out their velvet wine bags ($5) and wine tags ($2/4) in their gift wrap and/or Christmas section.
• Burts Bees: Yummy body butter, lotion and hand soap options.

Holiday Shopping: Last few days to send packages!

The UPS Store (410 Broadway E) has extended hours this week. They are open 8am to 7:30pm, adding an extra hour to their regular weekday and Saturday schedule. They are also open on Sunday.

Believe me the lines are much shorter with UPS... they also offer regular USPS options.

It's now or never to get those packages out the door!

Holiday Shopping: Loveless Building

I rarely venture to the far end of Broadway, but was tempted by the Joe Bar's crepes yesterday morning. The Loveless Building holds 5 somewhat higher end shops, and is completely decked out in holiday lights right now.

Kobo Shop & Gallery: The theme of this shop is generally Asian inspired, although there's somewhat of a mix. I enjoyed their tea cup selection, jewelry (pictured) and array of design books. I purchased some silver leaf ornaments to adorn some jar candles I'm giving to girlfriends. [website]
Massage Sanctuary: Gift certificates are available for all of their services seen here. A great stocking stuffer idea.

Magnotti Jewels: I had no idea we had a super fancy, custom jeweler on the hill. They have a picture of Jessica Simpson in their front window, holding a huge ring. [website]

Presence: Art of Living: Clothing and accessories for men and women. I really liked their selection of hats for men.

Adventure Travel: I could use a vacation right now! [website]

While you're thinking of the Loveless Building and the far end of Broadway, check out the Joe Bar's TV commercial.

Wassail Winter Ale @ The Deluxe

The Deluxe has a nice selection of Winter drinks right now... I tried the Full Sail Wassail Winter Ale that they have on tap last night. And for a dark beer, which I don't generally like, it was very good. Kind of spicy sweet.

Some other Wintery drinks that I remember are a Hot Buttered Rum and a hot chocolate concoction with peppermint schnapps and some other mixings.

I also have to say that Eric is my favorite waiter there. I totally have a crush on him.