It’s still a “wine room” — for now — but you’ll find beer on tap and more craft cocktails on the menu as Poco Wine Room celebrates its grand re-opening Friday night. CHS stopped by for a Thursday “soft opening” to see what new owners Rick Jones, Jonathan Nelson and Aaron Tebrink have in store.

We found a refreshed space with an inviting display of hard stuff for the cocktailers in the crowd. As the sandwich board out front notes, this is not a tiki bar. You can learn more about Poco and see pictures of the overhaul process at https://facebook.com/pocowine More pictures from us, below.

Annie Leibovitz has provided some of the defining photographic portraits of our era. Last Monday night, the photographer visited Capitol HIll’s Elliot Bay Book Co. Here are some of the images captured as the lens was turned back in her direction. If you captured an image of Annie, let us know in comments.

(Images: Suzi)

Annie Leibovitz reading to the crowd, originally uploaded by Gene Trent.

(Image: katehailey via Flickr)

(Images: Suzi/CHS)

“I never liked that name,” is the kind of thing you can say about a place when you’ve been the chef but now you’re the owner. Jeffrey Wilson’s new vision for 219 Broadway E is playing out as Americana has been born in the former home of Table 219.

And here is also the kind of thing you say when you were the chef and now you are the owner. 

“I was happy with the menu. I plan to expand it but make it more accesible and not try to be fancy. I’m going for an American home kind of feel.”

On the food end of things, not much, yet, has changed in the Broadway eatery. But Wilson has announced big plans. With the New Year, he’ll be rolling out an ambitious idea — weekend-style brunch every day Americana is open.

“I just felt it was a strong point,” Wilson said. “And kind of an untapped market. Plus, lunch has been a challenge for us in the past.”

So, when people talk about 2012: The Year Brunch Broke, you’ll be able to say you were there.

Wilson has given the Table 219 space a bootstrap overhaul. With a tight $6,000 budget, Wilson said he’s done much of the new look and feel of the place on the fly while continuing to remain open. He’s worked to make the space feel more modern and a little more industrial. A contractor friend put in new bench seating and overhauled and expanded the bar area for him — a trend we’ve reported on in older generation restaurant spaces on the Hill seeking to optimize their revenue potential. Wilson said he and his staff did most everything else themselves including the artwork.

Americana is Wilson’s first start-up after being a partner in Table 219 with Gary Snyder and Stacey Hettinger. Before 219, Wilson worked at the place when it was still called El Greco. Snyder and Hettinger continue to run popular Columbia City diner Geraldine’s Counter.

Wilson says he’s excited to be at the helm and feels like he’s getting in on Broadway at the right time. “This section is going to follow Pike/Pine,” he said. “The face of Broadway is changing.”

It’s the Americana dream, no? 

You can learn more at https://facebook.com/AmericanaSeattle

(Images: Suzi Pratt)

The next time you’re grabbing coffee or a quick bite at Ba Bar, wave hello to new pastry chef Karen Krol whose pastry-making station is located just to the left of the main entrance.

Eric Banh’s restaurant (a CHS advertiser) opened on 12th Avenue earlier this summer but this fall has been focused on bringing Ba Bar to the next level as a pastry bakery. Krol said she is dedicated to building up the restaurant’s pastries which currently include French macaroons, gateau basques, and a selection of croissants and puff pastries (all made in-house).

In addition to these pastry classics, expect to see holiday pastries and jams, as well as seasonal flavors.  Her latest works include pumpkin cream cheesecake, upside down caramel apple pie, chocolate pumpkin tarts, and maple pecan cheesecake.

Krol, originally from the Midwest, gained her culinary education at a college in Michigan, as well as a French pastry school in Chicago. She moved to Seattle in 2010 and was doing culinary at a retirement home when she was hired by Ba Bar. Her love of pastries stems from the idea that they bring smiles to people’s faces and are a celebration of happy times.

Krol’s role at Ba Bar is part of Banh’s major investment into turning his 12th Ave project into a success. Seattle Met reported this week that Banh sold his Baguette Box location to help finance Ba Bar.

The Capitol Hill pastry and bakery scene is deepening even with the news reported earlier this week of “baker extraordinaire” Heather Earnhardt leaving Volunteer Park Cafe. Last month, CHS reported that pastry chef Neil Robertson is on the hunt for a Capitol Hill location for his Crumble & Flake patisserie.

Ba Bar is open for breakfast starting at 7a every day. More info at babarseattle.com

More than 3,000 people filled Volunteer Park Saturday for the start of the 25th Seattle AIDS Walk and 5K. Capitol Hill-based organizers Lifelong AIDS Alliance say that more than $300,000 was raised. Scenes included the traditional morning warm-up led by Quake Rugby and an even more beautiful than normal stroll around the park thanks to the magnificent weather. We’ll add more scenes from the rest of the route as they come in. We featured images from past years of the walk here. If you have an images to share, please leave a comment or send mail to [email protected].

CHS first introduced you to Boris Erickson and his True Love crew back in August as they readied their new art gallery + tattoo shop + etc. in its new space on Summit Ave. We finally had the chance to visit Erickson and see what they’ve created. Here are some True Love scenes of the eclectic new Capitol Hill art space.

“As long-time residents of Capitol Hill, and all three of us first-time business owners, we’re positively thrilled to be mixing our own special vibe into the ‘hood,” Erickson told us about his project with Mike Gilmore and George Long.

Erickson said the space they took over was initially wide open but local contract builder Stu Hidalgo helped fill in the gallery and give them more walls to work with and fill with art that will rotate on a monthly basis.

You’ll have to wait until Tuesday to go by and visit yourself. True Love is open Tuesday through Saturday and located at 1525 Summit Ave. More info at https://www.facebook.com/trueloveart

(Images: Suzi Pratt)

(Image: Suzi Pratt)

Hey wait. The early eve action at Vibrations looks like the daytime edition — but the light was more beautiful. Saturday was the debut of the free music festival and it seemed like it should justify a sequel. Gorgeous weather didn’t hurt with the temperatures in Seattle hitting their highest marks so far in 2011.

If you missed it, you can check out the line-up here — we’ll keep our eyes peeled for any video of the event that pop up.

More pictures below.

(Images: Suzi Pratt)

As of Saturday afternoon, Mad Art Homes is officially open for viewing!  On the corner of Bellevue Ave and East Roy are four old Capitol Hill homes set to be salvaged, but prior to destruction, a handful of local artists have transformed these former living spaces into art projects.  From a house covered in saran wrap to articles of clothing lining the building interiors, come step inside of the artists’ worlds to be entertained and educated.  

This year’s artists include: Troy Gua, Julia Haack, Meg Hartwig, Luke Haynes, Amanda Manitach, Ryan Molenkamp, Allan Packer, Jason Puccinelli in collaboration with Elizabeth Potter, Sutton Beres Culler, Laura Ward, & Allyce Wood. 

Mad Homes is located on 711 Bellevue Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98102.  The exhibit is open daily from 12 noon to 7pm, lasting from July 16 to August 7.  

We gave you an early view of Saturday’s Pride Festival on Broadway — here’s more including the annual Dyke rally and march.

The third year of the festival is drawing praise for being better organized and more robust than the first two years.

One of the biggest improvements seemed to be the increase in presence and participation by Broadway businesses and restaurants. It was fun to see Broadway spilling into the streets. Happy Pride.

The Dykes overcame the Drag Queens but, as usual, the real winner at the annual Bat N Rouge fundraiser was the community and the Capitol Hill Alano Club (CHAC) that brought out neighborhood fans and supporters to fill the bleachers at Bobby Morris Playfield’s softball diamond. 

Saturday afternoon saw the playing of Bat N Rouge XIII, the 2011 edition of the annual fundraiser pitting the Drag Queens against Dykes in a game of softball that includes opportunities for spectators to purchase bribes in favor of a certain team. 

This year’s festivities hosted by Gaysha Starr and blessed by The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence included an honorary first pitch thrown by a firefighter on behalf of the team who first responded to the fire that destroyed CHAC’s meeting space on E Madison.