Despite the ongoing construction around the Fremont Bridge, the Fremont Chamber of Commerce's Oktoberfest returns for its ninth year with promises of being bigger and better than ever.Yearly favorites such as the Brew Ha-Ha walk and run, the music stages, the Friday and Saturday happy hours, the Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving contest and zucchini races make their returns. New this year are the Brew Ha-Ha street scramble, the Urban Carnival, the Dog Day Afternoon and CityDog Magazine Cover dog modeling contest and the 12-foot-tall, articulated Troll.
Looks can be deceiving, especially when referring to the rustic Casa D'Italia Market and Café, whose veneer inspires memories of its deli/market days of years past. But step inside and you'll venture into Italy. The cozy interior has room for only eight tables, an open kitchen, displays of antipasto, dessert and dried goods - all of which contribute to its intimate appeal. The back patio also seats guests in the summer. Portraits of grandparents and parents on the west wall pay homage to owners Anthony and Angeli Donatone's Italian lineage. "It reminds me a lot of the small cafés in Italy," customer John Hall remarked. The corner café stands alone in the residential area of Ravenna, but it has become a widespread favorite for neighbors and, through word-of-mouth, a destination location for people who love Italian-American food. Taking root in RavennaThe simple exterior - touting two Italian flags and a concrete sign adorned by two tomatoes - is at 2615 N.E. 65th St. in Ravenna. It has experienced numerous changes, but most recently the storefront was a deli and market for close to 40 years. A photo in the corner displays the building's first owner: "Spanky" from the "Little Rascals."
Suzie [Burke]'s involved? Shoot, this project's going to get done!" That's the very optimism executive director Nita Smith is carrying with her these days as the Wallingford Boys & Girls Club heads "home" to North 45th Street. After more than a decade spent at Lincoln High School and Emmanuel Bible Church on North 50th Street, the club plans to be back in its old clubhouse on 45th near Stone Way North in March 2007. "We're so excited, because we're heading home to what we know is home," Smith said. "We've been waiting a long time for this."A community collaborationThe club will hold its "wall-breaking" ceremony on Oct. 3, marking the start of a $1.73 million renovation project. The Wallingford Boys & Girls Club has owned the building since its construction in 1952, but it was forced to leave the clubhouse in 1989 due to the lack of disabled access. Major Fremont property owner Suzie Burke jumped at the opportunity to help the Wallingford Boys & Girls Club move back to its original nest once she heard the news.
I'll admit that I did not arrive at "Bombay Dreams" with high expectations. After all, a friend told me that it was the worst musical that he had ever seen (a spot in theater hell that I reserve for a locally produced "Hunchback of Notre Dame" and any road show of "A Chorus Line)."On the other hand, I love the "pat the dog, turn the lightbulb" dance from "Bride and Prejudice." Plus, any show with sequins and fast-paced dance numbers tends to make me giggle.So I entered the 5th Avenue prepared to be entertained if not wowed. And I got what I expected: fast, funny Indian pop tunes, wacky wild dance sequences and more sequins than a Vegas showgirl's headdress.The plot - and there is a plot - is no "La Bohème" or even "Rent" although it owes a bit to Busby Berkeley. Poor-but-cute boy Akaash (Sachin Bhatt) meets rich-and-pretty girl Priya (Reshma Shetty). Various barriers to romance spring up, but, natch, everything ends happily with a song and a dance.
The counting is not done, but it appears as though the 20th anniversary AIDS Walk, across Capitol Hill on Sept. 9, will reach its $850,000 goal."The walk went incredibly well," said Tina Podlowdowski, executive director of the Lifelong AIDS Alliance. "We think we made it. [The total] has been growing steadily over the past three years. This is my third walk as executive director."Slightly less than 6,000 people took part in the walk, making it the most successful walk in the last five years. The walk is the largest annual fundraiser for the Lifelong AIDS Alliance, the Capitol Hill-based organization that provides services and support each year to more than 9,000 victims of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Seattle and King County. Although the walk has been downtown in previous years, this year the walk traversed Capitol Hill, beginning and ending in Volunteer Park."We were on the Hill last year too," said Podlowdowski. "This is our neighborhood, where we are as a foundation." Lifelong's office is at 1002 E. Seneca St. She added that the organization employs 85 people, which makes it one of Capitol Hill's largest employers. Also, AIDS Walk participants each receive a book of coupons redeemable at various Capitol Hill businesses for discounts, which helps the local economy.Podlowdowski estimated 40 to 50 percent of Lifelong's clients are residents of the greater Capitol Hill area.
Perhaps you saw the e-mail circulating on the Internet, encouraging everyone to display a flag-large or small-on 9/11. The e-mail talks about the terrible loss of life on Sept. 11, 2001, and of that there can be no question.The stated reason for this flag display: "We do this in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms."Honoring those who lost their lives on 9/11, showing our support for the families of the victims, showing our troops that we support them and want to bring all of them home safe and sound-these are all laudatory reasons to show our colors.Patriotism is a fine and noble attribute, but I sometimes worry that it is a fleeting value that we trot out now and then at sporting events, in parades, on Flag Day - or on an anniversary like 9/11.Patriotism, though, goes far beyond waving a flag, wearing one in your lapel or having a bumper sticker on your car - all while ignoring the outrages of our elected representatives who are hell bent on stripping this nation of its democracy, restricting access to information, controlling the media, passing constitutional amendments against entire groups of citizens that a few of these politicians have decided violates their personal sense of morality, and kowtowing to the elite class in the country at the expense of the working classes on whose backs they achieved their wealth.Waving the flag while ignoring the excesses of government, disparaging minorities, discriminating against others and engaging in self-serving actions that knowingly hurt others is not only not patriotism, it's a form of subversion.
The mid-term senatorial election is fast approaching, and the field of candidates is larger than you may realize. In the Senate race, Republican Mike McGavick's challenge to Democrat incumbent Maria Cantwell is well known. But the November election will find Green Party candidate Aaron Dixon vying for the seat.The 57-year-old Dixon is a father of six with a well-established history of community activism. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Dixon was a crucial organizing member of the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party. During his time with the BPP he advocated for the civil liberties of black students at Rainier Beach High School, started the Free Breakfast for School Children program and helped open a free legal clinic and a community medical clinic, which evolved into the Carolyn Downs Clinic located off East Yesler Way. Today Dixon juggles the responsibilities of a statewide political campaign with his Seattle nonprofit organization, Central House, which he founded in 2002 to provide transitional housing for homeless young adults as well as a base for a youth leadership project that currently operates in four Seattle high schools.
Often called the glory of Lebanese salads and a favorite throughout the Middle East Fattoush is a bread salad, which can be served as a meal itself.4 rounds, 6-inches across pita bread (whole wheat is good), toasted and torn into bite-sized pieces1 plump cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped2 or 3 large tomatoes, chopped4 scallions (green onions), cut into 1/4-inch lengths1 green bell pepper, pith and seeds removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice3/4 to 1 medium head of romaine lettuce chopped into bite-sized pieces1 cup flat parsley stems removed, minced1 cup fresh spearmint, stems removed, minced1 cup fresh cilantro, stems removed, mincedPlace pitas onto a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees F. Set aside to cool. Add vegetables (above) to a large bowl, tossing gently to mix. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the follow:1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground sumac (available at Middle Eastern shops) and 1 to 2 cloves finely minced garlic. Stir well and add 1/2 cup olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon; stir well. Taste to adjust seasonings.Drizzle dressing mixture over salad, turning to coat vegetables. Toss toasted bread into salad, turning to mix again. Serve immediately. Make 6 to 8 servings.
One morning last spring as I was leaving a friend's Rainier Valley house she spontaneously plucked a few stalks of spearmint from a patch growing near her front steps. "Here, take these. See if they'll grow in your yard" she said, pressing them into my hands. Instantly I was enveloped in a minty tang both sweet and fragrant. This plant now flourishes in a corner of our garden, bright as a handful of emeralds and a sweet reminder of my friend.Mint is the general name for a large family of herbs that includes basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory and thyme besides the numerous varieties of mint. The best-known mints are peppermint and spearmint, which has spear-shaped leaves and is not as peppery as its relative. Menthol is the chemical compound most responsible for mint's characteristic taste. Fuzzy, hair-like oil glands on both stems and leaves are the source of the menthol in mint. We enjoy mint in ice cream, chocolates, coffee drinks and iced tea, or perhaps as a jelly served with lamb. However, this versatile herb has many more lives in a culinary sense. Cuisines from beyond our borders make effective use of this refreshing plant.
South End residents filled the front lawn and parking lot of the South Precinct's annual Picnic at the Precinct event from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. The afternoon featured precinct tours, free food, a blow-up bounce machine for the kids and musical entertainment for everyone. Representatives of the police department's SWAT team, K-9 units, bomb squad and equestrian units were on hand showcasing their gear and discussing their jobs and the neighborhoods. A raffle was also held with prizes ranging from SPD memorabilia and gift certificates to South End businesses.
As locals walk the streets of Columbia City during a warm summer night, a DJ in the Marquee Martini Bar is playing techno music as the dark room is illuminated by the glowing bottles of liquor set in front of yellow and orange lights. Opened since December 2005, the Marquee is conveniently located on Rainer Avenue, next to Tutta Bella and adjacent to the Columbia City Theater. It resides in one of Columbia City's oldest vaudeville buildings, said Angelina Henry, management and event consultant for the Marquee. Columbia City has become one of the new, trendy neighborhoods with a variety of restaurants, small shops and bars that make it comparable to other neighborhoods in Seattle such as Fremont, Wallingford and Queen Anne. However, what makes Columbia City more distinctive than the other neighborhood nightspots is the convenience of being able to have a drink at the Marquee before attending a comedy show in the adjoining theater. It's hard to beat having a nice cool drink served to you on a hot summer day while laughing at the acts on stage. In addition to the comedy shows occurring in the theater, numerous local musicians and DJs from different genres of music perform inside the Marquee on Friday and Saturday nights. The Marquee is simply decorated with two paintings hung on its burgundy walls, and three angelic looking sculptures facing in the opposite direction of the door. As three servers carry drinks from the bar to the theater, the two bartenders attend to the individuals sitting in front of the dark oak wood counters at the bar.
This month Othello Park began what some neighbors hope will become a long-standing tradition. Seattle Parks Department is featuring a weekly, Sunday afternoon public concert series spotlighting local musicians of many cultural styles. A sprinkling of folks gathered September 10 for the first of four consecutive musical events. Seated on the yellow carpet of late summer grass viewing a towering grove of locust trees, neighbors and friends listened to veritable rhythms from Latin salsa to Caribbean bomba to jazz hip-hop. While their parents tapped to music, toddlers danced about the pastoral scene, visited the children's activity table to paint their faces with flowers and butterflies, played on the jungle gym, or careened down the hillside on the Park's giant slide. Randy Wiger, Seattle Parks Program Coordinator said the desire for a concert series was expressed at Othello Neighborhood Association meetings earlier in the year. The city had assigned Wiger to Othello Park in response to neighborhood concerns for public safety, especially after a high profile crime in which a young man lost his life in the park last year.
Public stairways have a hard life. They are often overgrown sites for criminal activity, like graffiti, illegal dumping, drug and alcohol use, and prostitution. Most have streetlamp problems, making them dark, uninviting, threatening.New light is shining on four of Beacon Hill's stairways.The Beacon Ridge Improvement Community (BRIC) recently received a $15,000 Small and Simple planning grant from Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods for design work to improve the Holgate, Hill, and Walker steps between 16th and 17th Avenues South, and the Walker stairway between 17th and 18th Avenues.Last Saturday, the Beacon Ridge Stairway Improvement Project kicked off a well-attended workshop at the top of the South Hill Street stairs. Some three-dozen neighbors gathered to build a future for these passageways.
A society can count its wealth in many ways, but a wise nation makes sure that its bank of human potential is always full. That is why we passed the family and educational levy in 2004 and put in $27 million over a seven-year period to fund programs like Seattle's Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) and Seattle Step Ahead Preschools.The program is aimed at African American, Latino and new immigrant children. These are children who need additional help to be competitive and all the statistics clearly indicate that early education is the key. There is another benefit to this that's not on the brochure. Parents who need to get out and work part or full time and cannot afford daycare may find this program a lifesaver.There are still over 300 slots available, and the program is virtually free to low-income families. For example, if you have a family of four and make less than $1,834 a month you are eligible for the ECEAP. All foster children are eligible. The ECEAP is for residents in Seattle and throughout the Washington, but Step Ahead is designed for families who live or work in the city. The Step Ahead program is designed for Seattle only, and in particular, Southeast and Southwest Seattle where the bulk of low-income residents live.The children must be 3-4 for ECEAP and at least 4 for Step Ahead by August 31. If your income is higher than the stated amounts for your family size, you can still enroll, but you must pay the full cost.It was Seattle city employee Sonja Griffin who informed me about the program.
Like many people around the country, I reflected on the events that took place on September 11, 2001. It would be very difficult to argue that that day was not a somber and tragic one. However, it is fair and relevant to ask where we are now. That is in fact what remembering that day is partially about.So how far have we come? What has changed? How have we grown from it?Initially it seemed that people were in shock with what they saw on TV, and I didn't really know how to react at first. People didn't seem ready to ask questions about our own government or to critically look at historical reasons for what happened. So that kind of analysis never took place by the mainstream press.September 11 doesn't only hold significance to the United States. Many Chilean people also consider it a tragic day, but for other reasons. On September 11, 1973, Chilean president Salvador Allende died during a military coup. Ironically enough, the United States had a great deal to do with his removal from power. Most people will never hear about this because it's kept quiet and overshadowed by other events on that same day.Depending on how one chooses to use certain terminology, the removal of Allende from power can be considered an act of terrorism. To me, terrorism is any act that creates an environment that is hostile or terrifying. I'd go as far as saying that people of color in this country deal with terrorism from the day they are born, and continue to live through it almost every day.