seadevi

First it was El Tajin, next Siam and now the curse of 614 Broadway East fells Pho Lotus.  In its short life (July 2009 to October 2009), Pho Lotus suffered from mediocre/bad reviews.  According to one Silo W, "Definitely the worst Pho joint on the hill. Pho'k this place!"    As well, CHS community members questioned whether Broadway could support yet another pho place.  Finally, Sound Transit and Brix construction hit this block particularly hard.  CHS will check with the building ownership / management to see if they have any new plans for the space.  

Madison Market Apples

• Chow Foods may drop law suit against Chao Bistro
• Help Madison Market with greening itself (25% of all sales from10 am to 2 pm today will be dedicated to energy saving renovations); after party at Bluebird from 2 to 4 pm - free Elysian beer until tapped
• 3rd & final debate between McGinnn and Mallahan tonight at Captain Black's from 9 to 11 ($20 suggested donation but you can give what you can - proceeds go to McGinn)
• CHS sponsor Coastal Kitchen offers 1/2 price wine on Saturday nights this fall
• The Living Room (in the old Anne Bonny space) on track to open next Saturday October 31
• Seattle Magazine likes CHS sponsor's  Healeo's hemp soft serve 
• Love baklava and spanakopita?  Order it by the pan today online via the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption for pickup 12/4 - 12/6 at the church
• Dani Cone was a barrista for 17 years before opening Fuel
• CHS sponsor Poco Wine Room & Calf and Kid offer up a (French) cheese & wine pairing night tomorrow at 6 Update: Canceled per comment below

There's a new Michael at the helm of Pike Street Fish Fry.  Michael Hebb (formerly Michael Hebberoy) has been supplanted by Michael Yuasa.  Rumor has it that Hebb lost interest in Pike Street Fish Fry last fall (2008).

The change in ownership has not diminished critical praise for the eatery.  Food & Wine canvassed chefs around the country last month, and Joule's Rachel Yang paid homage to its $5 smelt sandwich.  This Friday from 5 to 8 pm, Pike Street Fish Fry will be giving away free boats of fries.  Fat Tire & Blue Paddle beers will be made available for $2.  

When CHS last visited the King Cobra space in July 2009, brown butcher paper was spotted - evincing new ownership.  After noting a report that King Cobra had applied earlier this month to assume Kinkora Pike St LLC's liquor license, we contacted King Cobra's new owners Bigelow Villa LLC to uncover their plans for the space.  Paul Villa, one of the co-owners gave us the scoop on what he and his business partner Curtis Bigelow envision:

We are only leasing half the space and leaving the dance floor behind. By only taking the 916 E. Pike space we hope to avoid the curse that seems to be on the 918 E. Pike space

The concept/design is a boutique hotel lobby bar (contemporary, polished, fun) while maintaining a Seattle vibe (friendly, welcoming, down-to-earth). It'll be a nice environment to chill and hang out, and hopefully meet new people/friends

We're going to call it The Lobby Bar.  But after hearing you call it The Villa we're seriously reconsidering

We'll be a bar catering to the LGBT community but inclusive to everyone

Our goal is to be open early to mid-November

Pay Here to Binge!
Originally uploaded by prima seadiva

• Those of us who feel the loss of Piroshky on Broadway can rejoice: Zhivago's Cafe opens on Broadway 10/23 at 416 Broadway East
• Pike Street Fish Fry today introduce a Friday evening special (free boats of fries and $2 Fat Tires from 5-8) - they also now have vegan Field Roast sandwiches

• Po Dog has an opening date - October 29

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• Shop at Madison Market next Saturday 10/24 and 25% of the proceeds will go back into the store in the form of energy retrofits and other improvements to make the market more energy efficient, reduce its waste, and more
• Surly Gourmand wants you to know that (CHS Sponsor) "The Poco Wine Room Is Not Fucking Around With The Truffles"
• Though he's spending a lot of time at Monsoon East, Eric Bahn drops that his 2 favorite coffee shops are still on the Hill: Fuel & Victrola
• Looks like the old King Cobra location on Pike has some business in motion. CHS commenter points us at a liquor license change for the address. The name of the biz on the application? The Lobby Bar at the Bigelow Villa. More on the Villa as we track down the details.

We're meeting the Central District folks midway at Bottleneck Tuesday night.  Come meet Justin, Michael van Baker of The SunBreak and Scott Durham of Central District News.  Regular commenters and contributors of these blogs will show up as well.   Bottleneck is extending its normal happy hour by one hour for us - so we can enjoy $1 off hair of the dog menu and $3 drafts from 5 to 7 pm.  

No updates to report on Chow Food Management Services LLC (operator of 5 Spot, Atlas Foods, Endolyne Joe’s, and The Hi-Life) suing Yamashiro’s, LLC, d/b/a Chao-Bistro Bar.  However, I consulted an Intellectual Property lawyer friend, Venkat Balasubramani of Focal Law, who reviewed the complaint and evaluated the merits of Chow Foods trademark infringement claim.  Like the majority of CHS commenters, Venkat believes that Chow Foods faces some challenges in succeeding on its infringement claim.  When I asked Venkat about the weaknesses in Chow's suit, he cited the following:

There are many restaurants which use a variation of “chow”.  (See for example here)  There are also other federally registered food-related marks which incorporate the word “chow.”

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Chow Food Management doesn’t have any “chow”-branded restaurants.  I’m not sure - in the eyes of consumers – there’s much goodwill in the chow mark when it comes to a restaurant.

photo from Langley's Facebook Profile

T.J. Langley, an actor and apartment manager, who resided in Capitol Hill was found dead yesterday afternoon in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.  CHS partner, the Seattle Times spoke to the Chelan County Sheriff's Office regarding their search:

Lt. Maria Agnew said two searchers on foot spotted his body near Luahna Peak, above Boulder Pass, at an elevation of about 8,600 feet. It appeared he had lost his footing and fallen about 300 feet, she said.

According to Lt. Agnew, it was unclear whether Langley was on a marked trail when he fell.  Langley worked as an apartment manager for Northwest Apartments on Capitol Hill and was also a member of Capitol Hill's Repertory Actors Theatre.  A decade ago, Langley survived a brutal mauling by a mother bear while hiking in Yellowstone Park.  

• Po Dog is on track for opening later this month and is now hiring
• Elysian is hosting its annual Great Pumpkin Beer Festival this weekend (Sat 12 - 10 pm and Sun 12 - 6 pm): 9 Elysian pumpkin beers and 16 guest pumpkin beers (including a Dogfish Head offering I am told); tapping of the pumpkin 4PM both days. $15 gets you a souvenir glass and 6 beer tokens
• Seattle Weekly pits Ballet against Pho Cyclo for who has the better banh mi
• Unicorn to replace the Satellite Lounge
• Seattle Magazine checks out Plum
• I found a food blogger who doesn't like Baguette Box
• CHCC President Jennifer Power attended the Spirit of the Hill Dinner at Poppy and recaps the meal with photos

Capitol Hill should have a sunny 2nd Thursday October art walk. Around 50 venues are now participating in the monthly walk including the Frye Art Museum for the first time. Sound Mental Health, by the way, will not be participating.

Download Map PDF

CHS, however, will be. We've signed on to help sponsor the event so you'll see the crow out and about Thursday night and many of our partners and advertisers throwing their doors open for the crowd. CHS advertiser HEALEO is out of crow buttons, however, so you'll need to drop by nearby Poco Wine Room to get yours.

You also might want to stop by CHS partner Office Nomads' 2nd birthday bash. They'll be serving up drinks and snacks to celebrate their second anniversary in business on Capitol Hill on Boylston just off Pine.

And/Or swing by 12th Ave's Retrofit Home for TackySmack vinyl wall art. They're promising champagne and DJs galore.

Here's a complete list of venues and what fun stuff they'll have on display Thursday night. If there's something on the list you want everybody else to know about, please leave a note in the comments.

Some highlights from October Blitz include:

"The Old, Weird America: Folk Themes in Contemporary Art" at the Frye Art Museum -- Cynthia Norton, "Dancing Squared, 2004"

October 8th - Whimsy Home Decor - Justin Hillgrove
Originally uploaded by blitzcapitolhill

October 8th - Gage Academy of Art
Originally uploaded by blitzcapitolhill

October 8th - Bauhaus - Movie Night
Originally uploaded by blitzcapitolhill