There was a time when many thought Seattle had reached its growth potential. Many new structures in the city center had been built, there was talk of building a mall in the Northgate area and new construction of a second bridge across Lake Washington was a possibility, but no other plans were on the horizon.There were resources galore for living and thriving in the early '50s. Rentals in Madison Park were plentiful and cheap. The Kirkland ferry had made its last crossing. Cut off from the Eastside and any sort of commerce from that area promised a more laid-back life.One night at a neighborhood barbecue, a friend told a group of us he had been to an area that really impressed him. It was the southeast side of Lake Union, where there were row upon row of funky, little houseboats. Needless to say, that intrigued us enough to venture over. We walked the docks between the houseboats and noticed they were small but nicely maintained, and everyone was friendly.We figured it would improve our lives immensely for the four of us to move to this interesting neighborhood, so we scouted around to the far-west end of the pier and found a four-bedroom rental that included utilities, with a one-year lease.
Rain showers in April are to be counted on - but so is the stunning metamorphosis of the foliage in Seattle. April is also a month when I like to serve lamb.My mom did not serve our family lamb. Even though she was raised on a farm in North Dakota, it had not been a part of her family's cooking repertoire. So I had my first taste of it at the hand of my best friend's mom, Audree, at the age of 17. Ever since then, I have been hooked. Rack of lamb may be expensive, but it is perfect for serving for a small dinner party as it is one of the easiest cuts of meats to prepare. There is very little preparation and cooking time, and it produces a wonderful meal.
The Red Onion Tavern is a Madison Park institution. Opened in 1934, it is not known as a place that does not change much with time. The tavern changed location once: It moved five doors down to its present location at 4210 E. Madison St. in the mid-'70s. It was the neighborhood's lone smoker-friendly holdout. That ended last December, when Initiative 901 became law, and smoking was banned in all public places in Washington. Three months after the last cigarette was stubbed out inside the cozy, dark interior of the tavern, the Red Onion is much the same as it ever was.
The opening shot in this year's race for the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C., was fired at Garfield High School on March 18.It was standing-room-only in the gymnasium for Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) at an event sponsored by Cantwell's office. Garfield principal Ted Howard Jr. welcomed nearly 2,500 people to hear discussion on education from the junior senators. An antiwar message and call-to-action rang in the Rev. Kenneth Ransfer's opening prayer. Ransfer is pastor of the Greater Mount Baker Baptist Church in Seattle's South End.Beneath the purple championship pennants of the Garfield Bulldogs, elected officials, civic activists and area students prepped the crowd with tales of success overcoming hardship through education. Mary Bass, a Seattle School Board member representing Garfield's area, introduced Seattle SCORES, a program inspiring students to academic and athletic achievement.Friends of the Children of King County was honored for work with the most vulnerable students. Making Connections, a program of the University of Washington's Women's Center, was highlighted by LaTasha Green, a senior honor-roll recipient of the Ku 'Onesha Award, which recognizes academic achievement by African-American students at Garfield.But it was the keynote speakers that drew the crowd.
Pending home sales during February fell short of  the number of offers made and accepted a year ago, but prices continued to climb, according to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (MLS).MLS members reported 7,368 pending sales last month in a 15-county area - about 12.6 percent fewer transactions than 12 months ago.  For the 17-county service area that now includes Okanogan and Whatcom counties, which became part of Northwest MLS last August, the total increases to 7,673 pending sales.
Spring is just around the corner. The flowers are starting to bloom, and the birds are finally singing to the joys of a new season. Most of us start preparing for home projects at this time of year. Yet for many, there are so many projects we just don't know where to start. Many people come to me after months and sometimes years of frustration and anguish over what to do first with their home projects. I can feel their pain and also their relief and excitement when I prioritize their home projects. It all makes sense when we have a plan!
Nearly a full third of households are still renting. And if you are one of them, you could be paying a hefty price. Additionally, the children of the baby-boomer generation are close to or at the home-buying age, but these "echo boomers" could mistakenly decide to put off the purchase of a home because of all the noise about a "bubble" in home prices.Relying on the job marketIs there a "bubble?" The simple answer is no. Even if interest rates move a bit higher, it won't be enough to cause a nationwide slide in home prices. The key to a healthy housing market is the job market. If the payment on a new home might be slightly higher due to increased interest rates, it generally won't stop someone from purchasing the home of their dreams.
With the 2006 legislative session over, 43rd District Rep. Ed Murray (D-Wash.) has had a chance to look back at the session and look forward, as well. And he is proud of the work that was done during this year's short session. Equal rightsThe highlight of the session for Murray was passing into law House Bill 2661, which he sponsored, that extends equal-rights protection to everyone regardless of sexual orientation. Under this law, homosexuals have the same protections from employment and housing bias as everyone else."It has been a 30-year struggle, and in the Legislature, I have led the struggle during the last 11 years," Murray said. Although the civil-rights legislation was originally introduced by the late Rep. Cal Anderson, Murray declined to be compared to him. "Cal was my friend and my mentor," he said. Anderson believed that the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender community needed to have a place at the table when laws and rights are being discussed, and Murray also holds that belief. "I don't consider myself a successor to Cal Anderson," Murray said, pointing to his own chest. "I'm Ed Murray."Anderson was the first openly homosexual member of the state Legislature and broke new ground with everything he did, Murray said: "There will never be another Cal Anderson."Now that this milestone has been passed, the next concerns same sex marriage. "We are waiting for the court," Murray said, referring to the state supreme court's Constitutional review of current state law that forbids same-sex marriage. He said he has legislation already written that he will introduce to begin that fight, no matter how long it takes.
On Dec. 18, two pit bull terriers attacked five people, including a preteen girl, in the 200 block of 29th Avenue East. Three of the victims received bite wounds; one was severely injured. The other two were bit at but did not suffer any injuries, according to Don Baxter, an enforcement officer with the Seattle Animal Shelter.Police officers responded and secured the animals, which were later turned over to the Animal Shelter. According to Baxter, the Animal Shelter notified the suspected owners that the dogs, which were not licensed, would become city property if they were not claimed. Despite several notifications, no one came, and the dogs were euthanized in mid-March. The city has denied the case, according Jennifer Grant, the city prosecutor who had been handling the case. The dogs' owners were being charged with negligent control of animals and owning dangerous animals within city limits, Baxter said in February. Both are criminal charges.
Unlike other groups, Clean Slate uses improv to explore spiritual themes."We're unique from other groups in that we explore spiritual themes that are common to all humanity," said Bryan Cafferky, a founding member of Clean Slate, an improvisational theater troupe in Green Lake. "We try to aim for art and settle for comedy."The Clean Slate founders - Cafferky, Will Frei, Tina Guldham-mer Frei and Ryan Lunsford - performed together at The Improv Church at Walla Walla College, also known as the Church of Acts, that has an improvisational approach to its services. A young member of the Green Lake Church of Seventh-Day Adventists discovered the performers at a religious function and subsequently invited the group to start an improv group in Green Lake. Frei, his wife Guldhammer Frei and Cafferky are also intern pastors at the church.
There are few rites of passage in teenage-dom as monumental as passing your driver's test and taking your first solo drive. Ah, the unbridled freedom! Playing your music so loud that your ears bleed. Windows open, hair blowing in the wind. It's a heady feeling. And there are few rites of passage in parenthood as monumental as the Taking Away of the Teenager's License for Blatant Infraction. Sadly, not a week had passed from the first passage to the second. I think my daughter set a new land-speed record for the loss of a driver's license. What's sad is that just before she left the house she'd asked me if I'd ever had a ticket. Me: "Nope. Not one." Her: "Ever had an accident?" Me: "Nope."Her: "In all those years? Never?"me: "Not one, and you can't say the same thing about your father." I added that last little bit simply so she would continue to believe that I was the superior driver in the family. Then she said something so touching, so sweet, so honeyed that I thought I'd need a big glass of milk to wash it down. "Then that's my goal, too. To be just like you and be a good driver."Uh huh. That should have been my first clue that something was up.
According to Fremont landlord Mike Peck, his office receives no more calls to rent space in the spring than the rest of the year. "There is a big demand for retail," Mike said of recent requests, but throughout the year, interest "cycles up and down."To me, each spring, it feels like new businesses have sprung up in my community like dandelions sprinkled across my lawn. It might be perception rather than fact, based on my face-down/dash-quickly style of winter walking compared to leisurely spring strolls that provide better opportunity to encounter new neighbors.
It's a first date. We've met at a couple of parties. She is brazen and funny and self-aware and extremely attractive. I'll call her Loretta (although that isn't her real name). She is coming over for dinner, and I have all afternoon to stress over it and clean. Finally, she arrives: She is just as cute as I remember, conversation is witty and good, dinner comes out great. We cuddle in front of the fire and then retire to my room. We make out a little. My years of health education kick in, and I casually ask if she has any STDs. "Oh, he he, um, actually I was going to tell you, but I have herpes."I freeze. An STD. No idea what to do. I know you're supposed to ask, but that's not the right answer.
This Roosevelt High School team - led by Carolyn Grarthwaite - didn't place in the overall competition, at this year's Washington Restaurant Association Education Foundation ProStart Invitational cooking competition on Sunday, March 26. Even so, they performed well with their menu of Avocado Scallop Salad with wasabi dressing, Northwest Chicken with rosemary fingerling potatoes and garlic asparagus and Spiced Apple Crepes.
Follow the scent of spices and herbs and you'll learn to make delicious chutneys, yogurt dishes and a variety of meat and meatless dishes at the School of Authentic Indian Cooking. Founder and owner Sadia Bukhari is an experienced chef and instructor in East Indian culinary arts with a degree in food and nutrition from Pakistan. In addition to teaching at the Bitter Lake Community Center, she has produced a cooking-instruction video called "Cuisine of India" and recently started a catering business.