April 2008 Archives

This is the kind of news that really makes me sad. Apparently last Sunday Apr. 29th, a woman stepped out of a club in Belltown at about 1 o'clock in the morning accidentally causing a car to come to a stop. The angered passenger got out of the car and beat the woman so badly that he crushed her eye socket, shattered her cheek bone, broke her jaw, and busted her teeth. When her friend tried to defend her, the attacker punched her as well, breaking her nose. "I just don't know why you would do that to somebody," said the victim.

The victim, who has requested to remain anonymous out of fear of her attacker says that he was riding in a maroon car with two other people at the time.

Anyone with information on the case should call the Seattle Police Department.

Very very sad news.

Some jerk has been shooting downtown pigeons in the head with darts from a blow gun, lodging directly behind the birds' eyes without penetrating their brains. That requires some serious aiming skills. Looks like someone has been playing too much Halo.

That's just creepy. Please stop.

You heard it. No pants are allowed at the No Pants Party on May 2 at Belltown's newest hipster bar at McLeod Residence.

Pants are totally last season anyway.

For more information on this pantless party, go here.

City officals are getting frustrated that there are still drunk people all over the streets of Seattle. Back in 2006, the state attempted to fix this problem by prohibiting grocery and convenience stores from selling certain alcoholic beverages in Belltown along with most of the rest of downtown Seattle. The restricted alcohol is mostly low-cost, highly fortified beer and wine that officials think is favored by the people who are chronically drunk on city streets and sidewalks.

It seems however, that alcohol distributors are beating the system by selling the same products under different labels. City officials are saying that the long-term solution should be that the ban be driven by a formula based on alcohol content, not brand names.

*scratching head* really? ya think?

But, I mean really, lets get real. People are going to figure out a way to get drunk no matter what. Instead of drinking two highly potent beers, they'll just drink five weak beers.

With lyrics such as, "What's that on your head? A wig! Wig! Wig! Wig!" how can you not love the B-52's? The quirky and fun-loving band will be playing at The Showbox on May 6.

Tickets are apparently sold out, but there are still some options on Craigslist.

"I love this thing, Girlfriend has differing opinion. I lost the fight! The cat just likes to rub it in," reads the craigslist ad selling this retro tripod table lamp for $10 in Belltown.

Let's all give a warm round of applause for Belltowner Robin Lynn Smith, co-founder and artistic director of Freehold Studio/Theatre Lab. She is the winner of the 2008 Gregory A. Falls Sustained Achievement Award. The Gregory A. Falls award honors individuals who devote their "time, energy and talent to Seattle's theater community" and whose careers "have had an influence on theatre locally and beyond."

The Freehold Theatre recently moved to Belltown from Capitol Hill. I am thrilled to have this reputable theatre as a part of our neighborhood, and send out a heartfelt high five to Robin for her achievement award.

After the shooting at Belltown'sTabella the concern for safety in clubs in understandable. But are clubs going overboard? I snapped a photo of Toi's sign hanging in the window and couldn't help but feel like it was a bit intense. I don't wear baseball caps or baggy pants personally, but what if I did? Does that mean I'm bound to shoot someone? I think it's a little discriminating personally.

On a side note, have you ever actually seen a woman with a grill? Just wondering.

I snapped this interesting moment in Belltown today.

If you saw any brown raindrops, well, now you know.

Every Sunday at 9pm there is a wild and crazy Karaoke night at the McLeod Residences' lounge on 2nd ave. here in Belltown. Based on these photos it looks like it's something worth checking out.

For more information go here.

Seattlest is reporting that Belltown's own Txori has introduced a French artisanal liqueur called St. Germain to their menu. Apparently it is distilled from freshly picked elderflower blossoms and tastes of honeysuckle, pear blossoms, and lemons.

Mmmm. Sounds like yummy goodness to me. A perfect beverage for a sunny day.

Word in the real estate world today is that Seattle law firm Patterson Buchanan Fobes Leitch Kalzer & Waechter has acquired the 2112 3rd Ave. office building in Belltown. The property sold for the property for a little more than $7 million, or about $292 per square foot.

Not too shabby.

Theres no question about it, with with her own label called "Righteous Babe", Ani DiFranco is definitely an outspoken gal. She is known as being one of the most influential and inspirational cult heroines of the 1990s, singing fearlessly sings of issues like rape, abortion, and sexism.

Ani DiFranco will be performing Wednesday Apr. 23 (tomorrow) at The Moore Theatre here in Belltown.

To buy tickets go here.

It's Earth Day! A time to celebrate and spread awareness for our planet's environment. On a personal note, I was in San Francisco for part of the weekend and was blown away by how dirty downtown was! It really made me appreciate how clean our little Belltown neighborhood is. Regardless, we still certainly have our share of garbage and pollution. Perhaps today you can make an effort to find an alternative to pumping the sky with car exhaust.

Seattlest has an interesting entry today about bike commuting in 10 easy steps. You also may find interest in this calendar of Earth Day related volunteer opportunities through Seattle Parks and Recreation.

Happy Earth Day Belltown!

Saw this campaign-style sign outside of Zoe on 2nd Ave:

Ah, yes, it's a promotion for the Presidents of the United States' new album, "These Are the Good Times People." Even their site looks like a campaign site.

Belltowner Teresa sits and enjoys the tranquil setting of The Belltown P-Patch. The P-Patch is certainly looking lovely these days.

Oh boy, and we thought downtown parking was bad now. It's only a matter of time until the ever sinking Viaduct is closed down for replacement. To deal with the extra traffic, transportation experts recommend the city eliminate street parking through the heart of the downtown core, from Belltown's busy First Avenue all the way to Sixth Avenue.

If the plan is approved, parking spaces could be closed just during peak hours. The hope is that commuters would rely more on garages and mass transit.

Well at least its good news for the ridiculously overly priced public parking lots. They're going to be making some serious bank.

Next week is quite a big deal for the Seattle electronic music scene. Tuesday, April 22 Hot Chip will be performing at The Market Showbox. Hot Chip has been voted best album of the year twice by Mixmag "the world's biggest dance music and clubbing magazine". This is sure to be a jam packed high energy show that is worth checking out. Unfortunately electronic music legends John Digweed and Sasha will be playing a DJ set at The Showbox Sodo on the same night. Sasha and Digweed have maintained themselves in the top 10 DJ's of the world for years. These guys are amazing. Tough choice indeed for electronic music lovers!

Either way, you're sure to be in for a musical treat. For more information on showtimes and tickets go here.

The graffiti art of Ghost a/k/a Cousin Frank, a pioneering influence for many graffiti artists around the world, will be on display at Belltown's BLVD gallery until May 3rd. Ghost is an New York based artist whose clients include such reputable companiees as Stussy, Nintendo, and Zoo York.

To learn more about Ghost's work, visit his wicked website here.

Perhaps you've noticed that the Virgin Mary statue that lives in the bushes of Belltown in front of Mama's Mexican Kitchen has turned purple.

The question is, what does it all mean? Who did it? Was it Mama's employees who decided to spice things up? Was it a naughty vandalizer? Is it a sign from God?

The Dalai Lama continues his Seeds of Compassion conference this morning by meeting with about 15,500 students and educators from local Washington schools at The Key Arena. He is focusing on encouraging children and youth to practice compassion. Mayor Nickels will also be presenting the Dalai Lama with a key of the city.

It's sure to be a zoo of schoolbuses and cars in the Belltown neighborhood this morning following the conference. Have no fear however, should you find yourself in the midst of frustrating traffic, take it as an opportunity to practice your compassion.

For a live video stream of the Dalai Lama speaking at The Key Arena today go here.

Belltown Pizza, the hip bar/pizza joint favorited by a wide variety of Belltowners has Trivia Night on Mondays starting at 7pm. I don't know if there are any prizes involved, but I would certainly hope so.

If you've never eaten at Belltown Pizza you should definitely make a point of doing so. They have excellent salads in addition to pizza and of course a full bar. Since they're open until 2am, they serve as a perfect late night snack.

I had heard mention of it before, but now it looks official. In June of this year IGA supermarket will be opening a location in the basement of the historical Kress building on 3rd and Pike. Many had thought it too expensive to exist in a downtown space, but apparently the owners of the Kress building agreed to a fairly favorable 35 year lease.

Word on the street is, since this is a green-minded grocery store, there will be no parking lot. Shoppers are encouraged to shop on foot and buy only what they can carry. I don't know how convenient that is in reality, but it sure looks good on paper.

So this is it! It's really happening! A real grocery store in the neighborhood!

There will be a celebrity in Belltown this weekend! Judy Gold, an Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian (HBO & Comedy Central) and star of the critically acclaimed Off Broadway Show "25 Questions for a Jewish Mother", will perform stand-up preceeding the showing of the film Making Trouble at The Cinerama this Sunday at 4pm. This event is part of The Seattle Jewish Film Festival,a "cinematic exploration and celebration of Jewish life, culture, identity and history".

Following the film Judy Gold will participate in post-film discussion with the audience.

For more information go here.

Art alert for all you Belltown art lovers. The work of Alison Keogh will be exhibited at Drop City Gallery starting tomorrow, Friday April 11th. Keogh's exhibit, "In-Cite", is a three-part exhibition featuring Shards of Clay: a site specific installation on the gallery floor; Graphite Botanicals: delicate and intricate studies of plant matter, and a series of Newsprint reliefs.

Drop City Gallery is about 10 minute walk from Belltown located at 964 Denny Way, just across from Denny Park. There will be an opening reception at the gallery tomorrow from 6-9pm.

For more information go here.

Traffic should prove to be a nightmare in the neighborhood over the next few days due to several big events occuring surrounding Belltown. The Dalai Lama will be giving workshops over the next five days at various locations including The Key Arena and Qwest Field. There is also The Seattle Green Festival happening at the convention center.

The Seattle Department of Transportation has issued a general traffic advisory approaching downtown Seattle on I-5 or Highway 99 today through Tuesday, said spokesman Rick Sheridan. The SDOT does not plan to limit traffic in any areas of the city.

My advice? Take the bus or walk if you're going to any of these events. Save yourself the road rage.

City Council members insist places like Belltown need more parks. A levy aimed at building new parks expires this year, and several on the council say the public would support renewing it.

"After eight years, the expiring $198 million parks levy has not met all of the city's needs for community centers and parks, says chairman of the parks committee Tom Rasmussen. "Neighborhoods such as Belltown still need a park," he said.

Mayor Nickels however, does not agree with idea. "The economy is a real concern," Nickels said at a news conference last month. "We have to be careful what we ask of voters."

The problem with building another park in Belltown, is that it's only a matter of time until there are hypodermic needles and crackpipes sprinkled all over the place. I say, figure out a way to clean up the parks we already have, then start thinking about building new ones, don't you think?

Chris Rock, in my opinion one of the funniest people in history, will be performing at the historical Paramount Theatre Apr. 10 (tomorrow) and Apr. 11. The shows are sold out (to my knowledge) however you can still find some tickets for pretty good deals on Craigslist. There are none selling in the Belltown area, but there are quite a few selling in relatively close neighborhoods. I'm on a search to find some myself.

On Wednesday April 9 (tomorrow) Reunion 2008: A Beer for Hope event is taking place at Whole Foods Market on Westlake ave. (Since we don't have a Whole Foods in Belltown just yet we'll just have to walk a few extra blocks for now.) The event goes from 6 to 8pm and there is a $2 minimum suggested donation. All proceeds go to the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research.

For more information go here.

Non-profit, environmentally aware bank, ShoreBank Pacific has announced that it will open a new center in Belltown.

The new 1,926 square-foot banking center will replace ShoreBank Pacific's temporary offices in Georgetown.

"We envision our new banking center as a networking hub for people and businesses that have interest in sustainability and are looking to define their approach." says senior vice president and north Washington regional manager Ad Duer.

The new bank is scheduled to open in Belltown this summer.

Seattle's coolest record label, Belltown's own Sub Pop, is throwing a two-day celebration at Marymoor Park in Redmond in July. Seattle Sound reports that performances will "cover the history of the label's roster, including two reunion performances" -- Green River and The Fluid. There also also rumors of various shows at venues around Seattle. Can't wait!

Starbucks is debuting a brand new blend called Pike Place Roast, and and to kick it off, over seven thousand Starbucks stores will offer free cups of the blend tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9 a.m. CEO Howard Schultz will start it off in New York (where they'll unveil a replica of Pike Place Market!) and then fly to Seattle for a ceremony at the real Pike Place -- the original Starbucks store -- sometime in the evening.

Now, it's unclear what will happen if you don't show up at 9 a.m. What about 10? Will Starbucks deny you a cup of Pike Place Roast? Stay tuned...

There is an article in the Seattle PI today claiming that despite police and community efforts there are still are high levels of crime in Victor Steinbrueck Park (about a 10 minute walk from Belltown in front of Pike Place Market.) Unfortunately that's just the way it goes. It's the same story for the Belltown dog park, a meeting ground for drunks and crackheads. Officers can't arrest someone for sitting in the open park. And when told of possible drug deals, they have to find proof that will stand up in court.

So how do we solve this problem? Should I submit a text-a-crime?

This photo entitled "Belltown Deconstructed" was taken by Flickr user Sarah as part of her "Project 365". She has decided to take one photo a day for 365 days so that she may look back and remember what she was doing each day.

Cool idea.

An 20GB second generation iPod is listed for sale in Belltown for 20 bucks. I still can't get over how much technology's value drops over a short span of time. Belltowners are selling 50 dollar X-box bundles, and now 20 dollar iPods. Next thing you know we'll be seeing plasma screens for 30 bucks. Sheesh. Makes me feel old.

Tula's is Belltown's favorite hip "underground" jazz club located on 2nd between Bell and Blanchard. They offer top notch jazz seven days a week along with American and Meditteranean cuisine. "This is the real thing: a jazz club that's a popular jazz musicians' after-hours hangout and a good place to catch up-and-coming performers," writes a reviewer for the New York times travel section.

Apart from reading several excellent reviews, I've heard from friends that Tula's has an excellent atmosphere and is somewhere definitely worth checking out.

I compiled a list of events in the Belltown neighborhood this weekend. From DJ's, to jazz, to film, there are quite a few things going on.

Friday Apr. 4 (tonight)
DJ Paolo Mojo @ See Sound Lounge
"Swagger" @ Venom

Saturday Apr. 5
Fun, Rock, and POPS! @ The Moore
David Sanborn @ Jazz Alley

Sunday Apr. 6
Omni, Tess Jubran, Future Fossils @ Rendezvous Jewel Box Theatre
The Bank Job @ The Big Picture

Starting today anyone with information on a crime in the Seattle metro area can text a crime tip to the authorities.

Seattle is the third U.S. city to implement the text-a-tip program after Cincinnatti and Boston. Tips are texted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound.

"Today's generation is into text messaging. E-mail and telephones are, like, things of the past," said Ron Conlin, Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound president, adding, "We think this will basically open up Crime Stoppers to a lot of eyes and ears that maybe hadn't been opened before."

This service seems particularly helpful for those of us living in the Belltown neighborhood as we all know there can be some shady activity going on at that dog park.

If you see a crime, text CRIMES or 274637.
Your text should begin with "Tip 486" and should include a space before typing in the crime details. You will receive an alias that you can check on, in the case that your tip leads to an arrest and possible reward.

A woman lost two platinum diamond rings and one gold one on Wednesday March 26th in the Belltown neighborhood between Icon Grill and the Westin's parking garage. She is offering a reward to anyone who turns them in.

Here is a shot I snapped on 1st ave of a beautiful bunch of cherry blossom trees. *sigh* Isn't Belltown just beautiful in the spring? Hopefully we won't be getting anymore of those bizarre snow spells. That sure was weird.

Macrina Bakery is currently hiring baristas at their Belltown and Queen Anne locations. They even offer health benefits after 90 days.

For more information go here.

We all love Vain and Rudy's, and don't dispute that they are undeniably hip. However, The Gild Edge Society salon has an extremely original concept that stands out. In addition to their premium hair services they are also an art studio.

Their website reads, "The salon is a mix of traditional elegance, art and culture which is reflected in everything from the ever-changing atmosphere to crystal chandeliers. We are a collaboration of Stylists, bringing innovation and expertise to all aspects of hair."

Their eclectic art displays by artists from all over the world are rotated on a bi-monthly basis.

For more information on The Gilt Edge Society go here.

Plans to build a 100% privately financed entertainment facility designed to host professional basketball and hockey in downtown Seattle were announced today by B2inc. They intend to call the new arena, The Emerald City Center.

B2 co-principal and former Seattle SuperSonic, Fred Brown, made the announcement: "Today is a historic day for the city of Seattle, the state of Washington, and the Pacific Northwest. I am very proud to announce the first step towards hopefully bringing a NBA championship and another Stanley Cup back to Seattle."

They have identified several potential locations for the arena including Seattle's SoDo district near Safeco Field, Pier 46 on the waterfront between Qwest Field and Safeco and the Seattle Center.

After a media advisory was sent out by WongDoody communications stating that their client B2's announcement would happen this morning, Greg Nickels didn't seem to impressed with the idea. He responded that "KeyArena is our region's sports and entertainment facility. We remain focused on improving KeyArena so that it will remain the region's sports and entertainment facility for years to come."

As interesting as the news is of a potential new arena, I found myself more interested in finding out about the name WongDoody Communications. WongDoody? I thought it must be some sort of April Fools prank. After doing a bit of research, I have learned that not only are they for real, but you'll also be interested to know that their chief executive's name is Ben Wiener. Hee hee.

If you haven't heard of the English band Morcheeba, you must do so. These guys have a very original trip-hop/loungy sound with a bit of pop, and rhythm and blues. Although their band members have changed around a bit over the years they have always kept a consistent quality of music. They will be performing April 9 (next Wedesday) at the Market Showbox.

Go here to listen to their music profile.