Seattle

(the gory details)

Editorial from yesterday's P-I:

Seattle Neighborhoods: The vibrant core

Seattle is a city of neighborhoods. The neighborhoods have a rare chance to meet, discuss any issues and look at how common needs can be addressed.

We don't mean to fuel Downtown vs. Neighborhoods sentiments, because Seattle's communities enjoy the vibrancy of the business core. But the neighborhoods often think they have a hard time being heard consistently at City Hall.

The Seattle Neighborhood Summit will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall (with a networking session beginning at 5:15 p.m.). The event, sponsored by Seattle's City Neighborhood Council, is a good chance for residents from every area to get together, explore issues of concern and look at ways to improve their city.

Chris Leman, chairman of the city-chartered advisory council, said the summit will be the first one in nearly three years. He said there has been an effort to learn from previous sessions and make sure participants have chances to talk, rather than just listen to speakers. So, there are more than a dozen breakout sessions on an array of issues that touch neighborhoods most, including public safety, parks, transit, roads and sidewalks. There's also a youth and schools session, which Leman said could offer teenagers an opportunity to speak up about their needs.

Mayor Greg Nickels is to deliver opening remarks and at least two City Council members are expected to comment at the end. But the event's heart is about bringing citizens together in a spot where they can look beyond elections toward a healthy future for the city and the neighborhoods.

 

Seattle City Council newbie Bruce Harrell is proposing the creation of a new city Web site designed to harness the power of the city's 'silent majority':

With the available web technology, Councilmember Harrell will call for the implementation of an online gateway incorporated with the current Seattle.Gov website that allows every citizen the opportunity to provide their input in a structured, electronic polling format.

We like ourselves a poll here and there. And other greats of the Seattle Internet have put them to good use, too. So we're not surprised the city wants in on this online democracy thing, too. This, of course, warrants a poll.

I may finally be receiving the punishment I deserve for my ongoing bitching about the Blue Angels' annual assault on Seattle.

I've been asked to play the part of liberal douchebag on KVI 570-AM's conservative cranky pants talk show The Commentators Thursday afternoon.

Unless I get bumped for somebody more douche-like, tune in around 4p to hear me serve as the progressive punching bag for angry windbags Ken Schram and John Carlson as we talk Blue Angels, Seafair and the American Way.

Any advice? Not sure who to root for tomorrow, are you?

 

It would be ridiculous for this little site to declare The Stranger's online behemoth, The Slog, dead. But some part of what we once called Seattle's best blog definitely bit the big one last week -- and it happened right here on Capitol Hill.

On Friday, Slogger Lindy West posted this photo of a remarkable patron visiting Liberty. The post was a typical Slog job, setting the Segway man up for ridicule. The Slog comment crowd, as usual, went for it: I wonder, if the bartender were to - as one might expect he would do - punch this person in the face repeatedly, would he just keeping popping up for more like a Weeble? Because I would love to see that.

Typical Slog stuff, really. But this time, the nastiness got shoved right back in our Slog-loving faces. Out of the comment cesspool, came the actual story:

i met this guy at cal anderson park a few weeks ago while i was with a quadraplegic friend who uses a wheelchair that untilizes the same technology as this man’s segway. i also thought this man a lazy fool until he explained that he has a condition that makes it difficult and painful for him to walk. he also has very brittle bones that break easily ( remember that otherwise stupid m. nught shaymalan movie unbreakable ?)which is why he wears a helmet and kneepads. he engages in conversation fairly easily and if you had asked he might have explained his condition to you. the man doesn’t reserve your judgement or ridicule. so cut this shit out

Before we get too high and holy, let me say that the post is the kind of thing we might have created here on capitolhillseattle.com. We've seen the Segway man. We very probably would have also set this man up for ridicule. It very easily could have been us.

But of course this post happened on The Slog. There's a high statistical probability that, given something mean, nasty and Seattle, it came from The Stranger's site.

The Slog isn't dead -- after all, the same comment crowd that produces the hate, produces the answers. But it's definitely unhealthy as it enters its fourth year of life. Savage and crew might want to think about starting a new and better discussion. In the meantime, maybe we should start preparing a monument to be erected at Liberty Bar:

Here lies The Slog
Self poisoned
Brilliant
2005-2008

Ken Jennings is a smart dude -- he's the guy who won all those times on Jeopardy! and didn't have to cheat or sleep with Alex Trebek to do it. So, when he makes a list of the 5 best places in Seattle for bread pudding and one of them is right smack dab in your neighborhood, you should take note:

2. The Kingfish Cafe. We’re crazy about this family-run soul food place on the back of Capitol Hill. They rotate bread pudding in with a bunch of other desserts, but whatever you order, the serving is guaranteed to be the size of your head. Like the pineapple upside-down cake we ordered last time we were there. Or, even better, the maple-pecan bread pudding with whiskey-bourbon sauce we had when Mindy’s folks were in town a while back. Always nice to get the in-laws loaded when they visit. Be in line when Kingfish opens or be prepared to wait, though; they don’t take reservations.

I'm with the genius on this one. K likes the massive mound of strawberry shortcake (which recently underwent a redesign which K should write about, hmm, K?) but I much prefer to stuff my gut with Kingfish's gooey bread pudding. Still, Jennings ain't a total genius -- bread pudding in June, smart guy? I'll have to teach you a little bit about seasonality. Where's your ice cream list, genius?

We all knew it. Now it's official: http://www.walkscore.com/rankings/Seattle

OK so I did accept the offer of a ride home last night when I was walking up the hill, but I was hurrying off to a local business to pick up my repaired bike.

Why didn't we score higher? Note their idea of my closest grocery store, bookstore and library .

Note: sometimes when I use that link I get a walk score of 69 and am told there are no grocery stores (or a mini-mart on the other side of I5) and sometimes I get a score of 89 and they find the Safeway! My nearest library is typically identified as "Group Health Co-Op Med Library", though once it was a bar with "library" in the name. Neither was what I had in mind.

COMMUNITY MEETING
Regarding Proposal to Provide Opportunities at
Volunteer Park
to Enjoy the Park Car-free

Seattle Parks and Recreation invites you to a community meeting to discuss “It’s a Walk in the Park,” a proposal to increase opportunities for everyone to have car-free use of our parks one weekday and one weekend day each week July through September. This would expand current car-free locations to include Volunteer Park.

This proposal is part of the City’s campaign to Give Your Car the Summer Off, a component of the Climate Action Now initiative.

Please join us at this meeting to learn about the proposal and provide input to help Parks understand the needs of participants and neighbors.

Meeting Information
Montlake Community Center
Multi-Purpose Room
1618 East Calhoun Street
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
6:30-8:30 pm

If you are unable to attend the meeting or have additional comments, we encourage you to send comments to Karen Tsao, by email to karen.tsao@seattle.gov or by post to 100 Dexter Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109

Tonight the Capitol Hill Community Council had its election. Saunatina A. Sanchez and Hong Chhuor ran unopposed for secretary and treasurer, respectively. In a tight race, Charlette Lefevre polled 23 votes and Ryan Shandera polled 22 votes in the race for Vice President.

In a surprise move, Presidential Candidate Tim Durkan used his stump speech to announce his withdrawal from the race: he's just taken a Neighborhhood Service Center position in Fremont, and wouldn't have the time to be President of CHCC. We all congratulated new Community Council President Justin Carder.

The meeting was very well attended by an attentive and interested crowd of Capitol Hillites. At my suggestion, several Community Council Officers from years and decades past attended to share artifacts, contact info and advice.

Just got this email from the Neighborhood Farmer's Market Alliance:

This Sunday at the Broadway Farmers Market:

Fresh, sweet PEAS: sugar snap and shelling peas, crunchy and delicious as a snack, in salads, or stir-fried with other market veggies: asparagus, leeks, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots… Also look for big heads of lettuce and fresh bunches of braising greens…

We're also lucky to have a good supply of LOCALLY-grown hothouse tomatoes at the market, from Kittitas Valley Farm.

Two things that give veggies their optimal flavor and nutritional content are: soil quality and freshness! There's nothing much fresher than produce brought straight from our local farms, where it was cultivated in good, healthy soil...

Live music this week from Fraser Havens, great pedal steel player.

The Broadway Farmers Market takes place every Sunday, 11 am - 3 pm, from May 11 through Nov. 23, in the lot behind the Bank of American at Broadway & E. Thomas. The market is operated by the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening Washington's small family farms.

You can find information about all seven Neighborhood Farmers Markets at www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org.

The Broadway Sunday Farmers Market also accepts EBT/Quest cards (food stamps), as well as WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Coupons.