We recently reported on statistics that show Seattle as one of the most childless cities in the country — only San Francisco has a higher percentage of households without children than Seattle. Capitol Hill is no exception. There are times when walking through Pike/Pine with a 3-year-old feels like a scene from the sci-fi flick Children of Men where the planet has stopped having babies.

But like any good bioscape, the Hill needs a mix of native and transient organisms, a few good saplings with roots in Broadway soil, goodness help their little fragile tendrils. In that spirit — and because it will hopefully be fun — CHS is teaming up with the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce for a Capitol Hill Baby New Year 2011 welcome gift. We’ll honor one special little Capitol Hillite and hopefully get to see a few sweetie pie baby pictures. Details on how it works are below.

We have also saved the baby haters some time. Here’s the mother of all anti-kid comments posted to CHS a few years back:

I moved to Capitol Hill to get away from babies. If you want to have crotch droppings, move to Madison Valley. Or better yet, stop overpopulating the planet.

Happy New Year, baby!

Capitol Hill Baby New Year
Because somebody has to be *from* Capitol Hill even in a city without children, CHS and the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce have put together a welcome gift for a special Capitol Hill Baby New Year to celebrate 2011.

Gifts:
A Molly Moon’s onesie, $20 gift card, and a toddler hoodie, an outfit from Flora & Henri, a welcome gift from Jewish Family Services and a $50 savings bond from Umpqua Bank.

Eligibility:
Capitol Hill Baby New Year will be born between 12:00 AM January 1, 2011 and 11:59 PM January 2, 2011. We’ll select one Baby New year from candidates. Read the How section below to find out how to let us know about your Baby New Year.

Baby must either have a parent residing on Capitol Hill or be born at a facility or location on the Hill.

Definition of the Hill is per community council: bounded by I-5 to the West (just east of downtown Seattle), by 520 to the North, by E. Pike and E. Madison streets to the South, and by 23rd and 24th Avenues East to the East.

How to be part of Capitol Hill Baby New Year:

1) Send picture and a first name or nickname for your Capitol Hill Baby New Year to [email protected] with subject: Capitol Hill Baby New Year.

2) Include birth time and location. Private addresses will not be published.

3) Name and contact info for at least one parent needs to be included in the mail (this information will not be published).

4) Yes, friends and family, you may send in information for your loved ones but make sure you have their permission first. We will be sharing pictures on the site.

5) This is our first year for the Baby New Year gift — let us know if you have ideas on how to make it even better in 2012.

Need something look forward to in the New Year? How about a new wave of craft distilleries setting up shop on and around the Hill. We’ve told you about Sun Liquor Distillery coming soon in the first weeks of the New Year. We’ve also told you bits and pieces about the plans for another craft effort being shapped — Oola at 14th and Union. Now we have details from the man building the new business and joining the small club of providers of locally crafted spirits on Capitol Hill.

Here’s the e-mail we received about the plans for Oola:

I’m Kirby Kallas Lewis, owner of Oola Distillery. I know there has been some curiosity about what’s happening in the old La Panzanella building. Things have been so crazy with the buildout that we haven’t been able to do much in the way of publicity. However, we finally have our Facebook page up as of about a week ago…

I am happy to confirm that we are opening a craft distillery here, along with a tasting room and event space, the last of which will double as a rehearsal and performance space for my longtime partner KT Niehoff and the greater dance community. We’re working with Capitol Hill architects Graham/Baba on the project. I’ve lived in the immediate neighborhood for nearly two decades and am excited to be taking part in the renaissance of this corner of Capitol Hill.   As I’m only using 1/2 of the building, I have about 4500 sq ft to lease out – hope fully to a restaurant/bar, bakery, or deli.

We’re told Oola is planning an early spring opening. Kallas Lewis also tells us that as he’s only using half the building, he’ll have about 4,500 square feet to lease. He’s hoping to find a restaurant/bar, bakery or deli to be part of the new space.

Bimbo’s in Seattle, originally uploaded by mattsdrawings.

Here’s a rundown of things to do on Capitol Hill and beyond this week with a few reminders of Hill highlights up top. Happy New Year.

• High 5 Pie shop debuts on 12th Ave Thursday night with a sneak peek opening with lots of goodies. 
• Want to be in a movie? This film shoot needs actors to act like joggers. RSVP then meet Thursday night at Stumptown 12th Ave.
• Here’s our roster of free/cheap/interesting Capitol Hill New Year’s Eve parties. We also have some tips on New Year’s Day food and drink happenings to start 2011 out right including some yum stuff going on at Melrose Market.
• Babeland starts its semi-annual sale Friday. 25% off puts the happy in Happy New Year’s.

Here’s the weekly roster for the Hill and beyond:

Thursday, December 30th

• Thanks to mean old Mr. Potter, it’s the last night for It’s a Wonderful Life @ the Grand Illusion
• Tiny Furniture closes its tiny mumblecore run @ Central Cinema
• The first of two sold-out Neurosis shows, this one with support from Wolves in the Throne Room and Black Breath @ Neumo’s
• Attention Vince Mira fans! He’s @ the Can Can

Friday, December 31st

• Take in a Columbia City New Year’s with a 21+ show, starring Dyme Def, Hounds of the Wild Hunt, Night Train, and more @ Columbia City Theater
• Or head out to see up-and-coming singer-songwriter Lissie, along with Tyrone Wells and Kristen Ward @ Snoqualmie Casino
• What about a New Year’s Eve Bash with Three Dog Night @ Emerald Queen Casino
• And while Neurosis is all sold out @ Neumo’s, don’t forget about the Reverend Horton Heat @ El Corazon and X @ the Moore
• Fresh Espresso and Head Like A Kite ring in the new year with a “big ball drop” @ the Crocodile
• It’s Seattle Symphony’s New Year’s Eve concert, countdown, and celebration @ Benaroya Hall
• Comeback’s “xtraordinary nite of Glamour, Fierceness, Realness, and Shade!” (what?) emceed by Ade with music from Colby B, Porq, and Freddy King of Pants at XTRAVAGANZA @ Chop Suey
• The Dusty 45s will kick New Year’s skinny ass @ the Triple Door
• Speaking of asses, dance yours off at the Footloose dance party @ Central Cinema
• Looking for a crowd? 3,000 are expected at Indulgence 2011 @ EMP
• Over in Bellevue, the Seattle Choral Co. rocks out with Carmina Burana @ the Meydenbauer Center
• If you want a good view, there’s also a New Year’s Eve Bash @ the Columbia Tower
• “Bling in the New Year” with the burlesque hits of the Can Can Castaways and the Heavenly Spies @ the Can Can
• Teatro Zinzanni has a special night all lined up @ their tent

Saturday, January 1st

• Cover your eyes or wear sunglasses: It’s the Ninth Annual Polar Bear Plunge @ Matthews Beach
• Noah “You heard my song on One Tree Hill“? Gunderson and the Courage play @ the Triple Door
• The first of two days of the  Sound of Music sing-a-long @ the 5th Avenue Theater

Sunday, January 2nd

• The Seattle Baroque Orchestra and Early Music Guild celebrate the new year with an afternoon of Vivaldi @ Town Hall
• Last day to catch the Implied Violence and “Seance” exhibits @ the Frye Art Museum
• Salt of the Sea, starring Brooklyn-raised, third-generation Palestinian refugee and Tony Award-winning slam poet Suheir Hammad, screens (through Jan. 6) @ Grand Illusion

Monday, January 3rd

• Monday…meh. How’s about seeing the Picasso exhibit before it closes on the 17th @ SAM

Tuesday, January 4th

• It’s the first of six nights of gypsy jazz with Pearl Django @ Jazz Alley
• The Jay Thomas Big Band knows all the chords @ Tula’s

Aegis Living, an assisted living provider based in Redmond, is planning to build its first in-city development at 2200 E. Madison, across from the (former) car wash. It will be a six-story assisted living facility with partial below-grade parking. More details in this CHS post.

 At 7 PM on Tuesday Jan 4, 2011, there will be an informal meeting for neighbors to meet with architect Wolf Saar and an Aegis representative and exchange ideas. Meeting is in the Elizabeth James House community room. Walk to the front of the building (109 23^rd Ave E) and enter through the wood gate just to the right of the front door (goes directly to the community room). This meeting was arranged by Andrew Taylor of the Miller Park Neighborhood Association and room use was donated by Capitol Hill Housing.

 At 6:30 PM on Wednesday, Jan 5th, the Department of Planning and Development is holding an Early Design Guidance Meeting, in Rooms 102/103 of Seattle Vocational Institute, 2120 S. Jackson Street.  At the early design guidance meeting, the applicants will present information about the site and vicinity.  The public may offer comments regarding the design and siting of a development on the subject site; and the Design Review Board members will also offer comments and identify those Citywide Design Guidelines of highest priority in developing the site.  Details are on DPD website.