Commentary

Reflecting on life and death of Ballard Organics Soap founder

bryanz — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 06:11:40 +0000

By Vincent Keele, HurriKayn Natural Soap

A local businessman, Ben Busby-Collins, passed away on Jan. 19 in Everett. He was 38. He started his soap company Ballard Organics in 2005, selling his first soap at the Ballard Farmers Market, before moving to a bigger location in 2010 and then closing in 2011. (We did a report a on his company a few years ago.)

Below is a fond farewell from a colleague of his, Vincent Keele, of Lake Stevens-based Hurrikayn Natural Soap.

I wanted to take the time out to say farewell to a new friend.

I just found out that fellow soapmaker and local businessman Ben Busby-Collins, founder of Ballard Organics has passed away.

I think it was around late last summer, when I was working a booth at the Edmonds Farmers Market when I finally meant Ben. I remember is was a nice clear day and I was helping a lot of people with their skin care and soap needs. When we are out at the markets we see a lot of our friends, customers and fellow soapmakers. It's almost a given that when you do these kind of shows you’re going to run into other skin care, beauty and cosmetic professionals.

So when Ben and his family first walked up I didn't really see him at first due to the three or four people I was helping. By the time I got back to the end of the table where Ben was, the whole family had bars of soap in their hands, smelling away. We were finally face to face and talking a lot of soap -- and I mean a lot of soap. We talked about methods, staff, stores, CP (cold process) vs. HP (hot process), supplies, homes and so on. Anyone watching I’m sure was having a good time on us as we talked more and more shop.

He told me, he missed the business and asked where I was selling and if I was in any stores. I told him yes, a good number of them. He also advised me on how not to make his mistake. He was happy that he put most of his friends to work and that people loved his product, he said, but said he just grew too fast and over extended himself. I asked if he was thinking of coming back to the business and said maybe next year (2013). I told him when he’s ready to come back that maybe there’s something we can do together. He agreed and told me I have an awesome product. We exchanged contact information and he paid for his six bars of soap and they went on their way.

As it rolled into the first week of 2013, I reached out to Ben hoping to talk about future business and connect, however we never did. As I stated before I didn't know him well, but I knew he was a warm and loving and caring person.

My heart and prayers go out to his family. Ben, I wish you all the best on your soapy journey.

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Happy Holidays from the mayor

amrook — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:05:29 +0000

Happy Holidays.

As the year winds down, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to you. In addition to a loving family and good friends, I am blessed to be able to work with you - the talented, creative and passionate people of Seattle - in the most special place in America.

I am optimistic about 2012 because I know that you are as committed as I am to protecting and growing this place we are so proud to call home. I have been honored to work with you over the past two years and am excited to see where the next two take us. Together, I know we will be successful.

As we have done for the past two years, we'll be hosting a City Hall Open House to give you an opportunity to tour your City Hall and talk to the people who serve in our City Departments. The open house will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 28th. Come on down. Let us know what we are doing well and where we can do better.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your mayor. My door is always open to you. I wish you and your family all the best in the New Year.

Sincerely,

Mike McGinn
Mayor of Seattle

The Occupy Resolution

amrook — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:23:35 +0000

By Nick Licata, Seattle City Councilmember

On November 14th, the Seattle City Council passed Resolution 31337 which recognized the national grassroots citizen effort being made through the Occupy Movement in seeking solutions for economically distressed Americans at the federal and local levels. I introduced this resolution because the growing imbalance in our nation's wealth demands the attention of the nation's elected representatives.

I see this movement as having similarities to fifty years ago, when there were demands for racial equality. Then political leaders responded by passing the Civil Rights Act and a slew of other legislation that created greater opportunities for people of color. And today we hear similar demands. Except in this case, it is our youth burdened with debt before they ever enter the job market, it is our homeowners who cling to their homes as they sink in value, it is our seniors who fear that their Medicare and social security will be sacrificed for some illusionary economic stimulus, and it is the loss of those same economic gains made by people of color since the Civil Rights Movement.

The public is justifiably angered as the vast majority at best tread water in this stagnant economy. This anger has manifested itself in occupation encampments around the nation since the Occupy Wall Street movement began on September 17th in New York City. While public opinion polls still show the majority support the OWS message, if not always the tactics, there continues to be nagging questions as to how our democratic institutions should respond. As author Steve Erickson wrote in American Nomad, "history is clear that democracy cannot long navigate a sea of national rage. Untempered by a rational, open dialogue, fury eventually consumes democracy rather than nourishes it, because it overwhelms our tolerance, our willingness to be reasonably informed, our determination to hold ourselves accountable for our actions."

This tension can only be resolved when answers come from our elected representatives in the form of new laws that will set a strong and clear course of correction. Although much of what is needed must be undertaken at the Federal and State level, municipal governments can play an important role. Admittedly, one city alone cannot solve these problems. But City Councils, acting together, can build a national momentum toward addressing the inequality in wealth and income that has ushered in our great recession.

It is for that reason that I sent a request to over two dozen city officials across the nation, asking them to consider working together in issuing some common work program to make the changes we need. I will be following up with them to see how city officials can move beyond discussing where tents should be located to determining where our savings and investments should be. This extends to more than just where we park our reserve accounts, but how do we adjust our tax system? Cities, and other levels of government, have fallen into a spiral of exempting an ever greater portion of wealth from taxation, leaving fewer and fewer people to carry the public burden of maintaining our social contract and physical assets. We can see the evidence around us, as more homeless people are unsheltered living on the streets and our bridges and roads fall into disrepair, while local communities will no longer repair them through local regressive taxes like car tab fees.

Of primary interest to me is moving forward on legislation to make our banking and taxation system more accountable to the public. While the Seattle City Council will pursue a number of actions that are outlined in our resolution, those that I intend to work on, and will encourage other cities to do as well, are the following objectives:

1. Reviewing banking and investment practices to ensure that public funds are invested in responsible financial institutions that support our community. This review should include evaluating City policies on responsible depositing and management of City funds.

2. Considering future legislation to promote responsible banking and provide an incentive for banking institutions to invest more in our City, particularly with regard to stabilizing the housing market and supporting the creation of new businesses.

3. Examining the number and geographic distribution of home foreclosures, along with lender information on those homes, including real estate owned homes. Gathering qualitative data on the circumstances and causes of foreclosures and the foreclosure methods and practices of lenders, including reviewing apparent inequities many people in Seattle face when lender foreclosure proceedings occur.

4. Reviewing all tax exemptions or waivers to determine the impact of both tax shifts and lost revenue to the City against the economic and social benefits the exemptions are intended to bring to the City.

5. Working with tax reform advocates to review past efforts and approach the State Legislature to establish an equitable tax structure.

It is my hope that the national Occupy Movement can ally itself with elected representatives and organizations like the New Bottom Line* to forge ahead with a clear agenda of demands, such as creating state banks -like North Dakota's - to be owned and controlled by the citizens of a state. The objective of the march of Occupy Wall Street from New York City to Washington D.C. is another example of focusing on a clear goal: opposing the extension of the tax cuts enacted under President George W. Bush, which have primarily benefited upper income families.

Meanwhile in Seattle, the City Council will move forward with a comprehensive approach, in response to the Occupy Movement, whose message, one of a broken economy due to a growing disparity in this country's wealth, is one that we are all too aware of.

- Check out the New Bottom Line at: http://www.newbottomline.com/
- Go to my website http://www.seattle.gov/council/licata/occupy/ to learn more about the City Council's actions and to find out what other cities are doing.

Editorial: Linking Local and Global Food Security

amrook — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:55:31 +0000

By Andrea Platt Dwyer, Executive Director of Seattle Tilth

Whether it’s gathering with friends and family around the table during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, or rushing to the farmer’s market to enjoy the last of the season’s harvest, this time of year always holds a special meaning for a longtime food advocate like me. These last few weeks of November also present an exceptional opportunity to highlight the importance of locally-grown, affordable food and sustainable practices both at home and in some of the world’s poorest places.

As Executive Director of Seattle Tilth, I have seen the local food movement grow rapidly over the past few years, both here in Washington and around the country. As a cherished American holiday and anchor to the harvest season, Thanksgiving reminds us all that food not only nourishes our bodies, but it also brings people and communities together in the spirit of sharing and helping those less fortunate.

Having dedicated myself – with the help of an incredible team of community partners and fellow advocates – to educating and inspiring those in Washington to grow food organically and support local food systems, I simply couldn’t let this holiday go by without calling attention to the global issue of food security.

While Thanksgiving is a time for us to give thanks over a delicious meal with our loved ones, it is also an opportunity to spotlight the powerful role of food to sustain life, and the vital importance of adequate food and sustainable farming all across the world. The Horn of Africa is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in history, leading to a devastating famine and escalating food crisis that has taken the lives of more than 30,000 children in the past three months, and put 13.3 million people at risk of starvation. It is because of this that I am adding my voice to the growing chorus of food advocates and farmers joining with the ONE Campaign, a grassroots anti-poverty advocacy organization with 2.5 million members – close to 44,000 of whom are here in Washington – who are rallying our nation’s leaders to follow through on the immediate emergency aid they have pledged, a sum that accounts for less than 1% of the U.S. budget.

Farmers in Africa and throughout the developing world are striving for the same things our farmers work tirelessly for here: the resources and skills that enable them to grow nutritious, bountiful food to feed their families, their neighbors, and their communities. In Africa, most farmers – the majority of whom are women – are striving to achieve these goals on a budget of less than $1.25 a day, without adequate training, supplies or access to markets. With farming employing nearly two-thirds of the population of sub-Saharan Africa, a focus on training farmers and providing them with sustainable agriculture skills has the potential to move millions out of extreme poverty and onto the path to a financially sufficient and stable life.

Closer to home, the Seattle Tilth Farm Works program helps recent African refugees gain the skills they need to establish small sustainable farming businesses. The types of support we provide these farmers in our own state should be available to aspiring farmers around the world.

As a proud contributor to the local food movement, please join me in letting Senators Murray and Cantwell know the importance of preserving cost-effective, results-driven programs that fight the root causes of world hunger – particularly those focused on teaching families to grow food to feed themselves.

I believe it is time that we make access to nutritious food and sustainable agriculture a priority this holiday season – both here in the U.S. and in the world’s poorest places – to ensure that no one is forced to go without the basic necessity of food.

The Costco Initiative and Why we like small banks

amrook — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 19:17:54 +0000

The Costco initiative

We like Costco. It's fun to go there and head for the Promised Land of Consumerism like so many Sooners. Our wagons are uncovered, but when the doors open at Costco, the rush is on to get as many products as we can, like a 500-pack of paper plates, or a 20-pack of double-A batteries, some $14 dress shirts and a tub of red licorice. And a big screen TV. And a huge apple pie. And an above-ground pool. And that's just one basket.

We don't like the liquor initiative Costco is attempting to get us to support. On the surface, there is something fundamentally unseemly about the $22,000,000 they have spent on advertising in support of a law that would allow them to sell hard liquor in their big box stores. And take that practice away from state liquor stores. Does it bother you that a company has the kind of money Costco has thrown at this change in the law to help people get drunk less expensively, rather than some more socially beneficial use of the money?

The fact that 37 other states already allow private companies to sell liquor does not justify the move by Costco, one of the nation's biggest retailers, and the author of the initiative, to make this move.

Writing in Washington Wine Report, author Sean Sullivan said "The key component of Initiative 1183 from a wine industry viewpoint is that it removes uniform wholesale pricing and allows volume discounting. This creates an incentive for retailers to buy larger volumes of wine at a cheaper cost. I believe that this change may make it more difficult for Washington wineries to compete.

Washington has a very limited number of ‘large’ wineries. 27 of our 740+ wineries account for 90% of the total wine production in the state. Yes, these 27 wineries will be able to slug it out in a volume discount market with wines from California and other areas.

However, the vast majority of Washington wineries are small, family wineries producing less than 3,000 cases annually. These wineries simply do not make enough volume to make a profit by selling wine in large quantities at a reduced margin, unless their business model and marketing approaches completely change.

For many of these wineries, uniform wholesale pricing is what allows them to survive. Take this away and I believe it may be more difficult for many of these wineries to sell their wine. I also believe that it puts small distributors at a disadvantage, as they are the people selling these wines. Many of them will have a tough time in what will increasingly be a large distributor industry focusing on low margins and high volume. That does not help our industry. That does not help me as a consumer looking to buy Washington wine.

In otherwords, it allows Costco to squeeze out the little guy. You should care about this. Small business makes up 85 percent of all business. We need small business to create competitive texture in our communities.

Vote no on I-1183.

Why we like small banks

The Occupy Wall Street movement resonates strongly with us. Many people are clearly disturbed by the callous, bloodless practices of the nations big banks. And they are mad as hell and unwilling to take it anymore. The announcement by Bank of America that they planned to charge customers $5 a month to use their debit cards was the catalyst that got the Occupy movement to galvanize into action. Still, the beat goes on.

When we went to a Wells-Fargo branch bank one day last week to cash a $143 check drawn on their bank, a nebbish in the teller cage asked us for ID, to sign our name, address and phone number and put our right thumb print on the check. We didn't have an account at the bank and learned that is their policy. Okay. We complied. Then the nebbish said "There is a $7.50 charge to cash a check if you don't have an account with us." Several bad words escaped before I demanded my ID (two pieces, because apparently the photo on the driver's license isn't proof enough)and my check.

This incident is a prime example of why people do not trust or like Big Banks. I feel a bit sorry for people who are employed there. They are largely automatons following orders crafted by a team of tassel-toed attorneys breathing the rarefied air of the upper floors of large office buildings in the city, inspecting their manicure during board meetings and sniffing disdainfully at the little people when they pass them on the sidewalk on the way to the athletic club for lunch.

My own smaller bank cashed the Wells-Fargo check the next day without the thumb print requirement and even gave me a cookie. Banks like Wells-Fargo seem to operate on a policy of "Give us your money and we will make it as miserable and demeaning an experience as we can think of."

Move your money to a small bank. When they get big, move to another small bank. The operant principal is the same in many business; when they are small and growing they are anxious to please and put their best foot forward. When they hit their stride, their worst foot is put forward.

One good idea we saw on the internet the other day was to take the junk mail you get from the big banks and return it to them. It cost them about .25 cents for each returned piece of mail. If you stuff the envelope with something heavier than the offer it came with, it will cost them even more. Imagine tens of thousands of unsolicited junk mail being returned empty to the plutocrats in the ivory towers of high finance.

Locally, Viking Bank offers all the services of the BIG BANKS but does so without the sneering service and robotic tellers. Consider moving your money there.

Final Council action-no new jail in Interbay!

amrook — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:24:26 +0000

By King County Councilmember Larry Phillips

Dear Ms. Rook,

Earlier this year I wrote to let you know that King County and the City of Seattle had announced their intention to make a long-term agreement for use of the King County Jail as the primary provider of bed space for the City's misdemeanor inmates over the next two decades. Today, the Metropolitan King County Council unanimously approved the agreement, making it final. This agreement ends—with certainty—proposals to build a new jail in Interbay.

I have been pleased to partner with many community organizations in Interbay, Magnolia, Queen Anne, and Ballard since 2008 in opposing any new jail in Interbay. Because some time has passed, I wish to provide some background on this issue.

As you may know, most cities in King County, including Seattle, contract with King County for jail beds to house misdemeanant offenders. A few years ago, due to projected growth in the number of felon inmates, then-King County Executive Ron Sims stated that cities would not be able to contract with the county past 2012 and should begin planning to house misdemeanants themselves. In response, north and east cities, including Seattle and Shoreline, formed the North/East Cities Municipal Jail Planning Project, which identified six sites for a full evaluation—one of those sites was 1600 West Armory Way in Interbay.

In June 2008, I wrote to then-Mayor Greg Nickels urging him to reconsider siting any jail facility in Interbay. Among other concerns, I cited Interbay's location between two established family neighborhoods, its strategic location for further urban growth, and noted that a jail would further diminish the small amount of existing industrial-zoned land within our City limits.

At the same time, I had concerns about the Executive's decision to end contracts with cities in 2012, and hoped there would be a way for King County to continue to provide regional jail services for cities. In July 2008, my King County colleagues and I directed the Executive to reopen discussion between King County and cities about our current contracts for jail services, and to engage in a wider discussion about the possibility of King County continuing to provide regional jail services, alleviating the need for Seattle, Shoreline and other local cities to build new jails. In the summer of 2009, then-Executive Kurt Triplett released the great news that a tentative agreement had been reached between the county and cities on extending the current contracts through 2015, providing at least three more years to assess and evaluate the need for a new jail.

Today's Council approval of an agreement between King County and the City of Seattle includes a commitment by King County to provide jail space for Seattle inmates through 2030, reasonable and predictable fees for services that financially benefit both the City and County, and a commitment to work together on jail diversion programs, alternatives to incarceration such as home-detention and treatment programs, and jail population forecasting. This agreement ends the need for Seattle and other cities to build a new jail.

Please join me in celebrating this victory. This agreement provides for cost savings for taxpayers, operational efficiencies, inter-governmental partnership, and importantly, closes the book on the proposal to build a jail in Interbay.

Congratulations and thanks for your interest and advocacy! I appreciate the opportunity to share this good news with you.

Sincerely,

Larry Phillips, Councilmember
Metropolitan King County Council, District Four

Up in Space in 1961

amrook — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:30:11 +0000

Some stories are hard to beat.

In our family, the story of how our Dad climbed Mt. Hood in tennis shoes when he was 18 is one of those. We know it is true because we have a photo of a bony young guy in goggles at the summit. I suppose it could have been faked, staged on Rocky Butte near his Portland home. But enough details have emerged to convince his five sons that he really did it.

That was in 1938.

In 1961, I had my own parallel adventure on a much smaller scale but in some ways just as perilous and in retrospect, kind of crazy, as young men sometimes can be.

We were wearing suits and it was Thanksgiving. There were four of us, all from Highline High School, buddies and in our senior year. I don't remember why we were wearing suits and London Fog raincoats. It may be because it was raining. Our shoes were polished, our hair trimmed and we looked like proper gentlemen.

That seemed like a good time to head out in the early evening, after a big dinner, and climb the Space Needle.

We parked on Thomas Street on the south side of the grounds that became the Seattle Center. The yellow lights of the city colored the mist and fog that hung over the town. We weren't cold because our London Fog raincoats were lined with an amber-colored faux fur. And, we were 18.

We crouched low like escaping prisoners moving toward our pinnacle, which seemed to grow in height with each step through a partially built man-made landscape that what was to become the World's Fair.

There was no pavement, no walkways and only the dim light of the guard shack, a short wooden trailer on the east side of the base of the Needle. There were no sounds, no watchdog and only the little trailer in the haze of moist light.

Duckworth was the first to cross under the massive legs of the Needle, then Doonas, then Gummy and Kenny Wong (that's me. Don't ask.) It would be five months before the Needle was ready for public use and it appeared like an unfinished Erector Set left by a kid on the floor.

The Needle was already wearing its’ hat, but there was no elevator. Instead, there was a construction ladder made from wood.

That is what we climbed.

The rungs and rails were rough and damp to the touch as we climbed. Our hearts began beating wildly with the first step. Cool air swirled around us as we moved upwards, being careful not to look down once we passed the twenty foot mark.

We were climbing on adrenaline, like a pack of monkeys on the hunt, struggling our way toward some sky high prey. There was no other sensory intrusion beyond gripping the fibrous rungs and driving our bodies upwards on numb legs. We were in a tunnel where sensation was limited as we focused on getting to the top.

Climbing was slow. The long coats pulled against our legs and slowly eroded our energy. But we were young and strong and dauntless and not very bright. Hand over hand, we grappled upward. Once in a while, we would chance a look out over the shrinking city. But only for a moment.

Time and hyperbole could have changed the dimensions of the construction ladder. But I recall it as made from two-by-three lumber. The sense of that must have been to allow a man's hand to fit around the rails. Two-by-four lumber would have been a little too thick for safe holding.

About halfway up, Duckworth, the strongest of the group, called for us to stop and rest. Gummy was strong, too, a star gymnast in high school, with those long strong muscles gymnasts gets. Doonas was a bit chubby, but tall and fit enough. I was bony thin and not all that strong. But I looked good in Ivy League clothes.

"Okay," Duckworth called, and we climbed again. The air seemed to thin as we got higher and our fingers began to record the effort of grasping and clinching and releasing and repeating. Our top coats kept us warm and the effort made us all sweat.

We stopped again, but did not know the height. The buildings below looked like those in a model train setting and except for the movement of automobile traffic around the edges of the site, seemed wonderfully scaled down.

Progress was punctuated by the occasional loose rung. Duckworth would call out when he grabbed lumber that felt like it wanted to come away in his hand with a good tug. This information had an odd effect on us. It made us want to find a restroom. But at hundreds of feet in the air, we were on our own.

It took more than a half hour. But we finally reached the top of the ladder. Beyond that were the skeletal underpinnings of the top of the Needle, which eventually became the revolving restaurant.

Here is that memory thing again. We counted 564 rungs, spaced roughly a foot apart. Duckworth was the sole high climber because he was leading. So I can't claim the big number. But if I subtract our heights from the top rung, I climbed about 540 rungs.

If you have some esoteric knowledge about he length of that construction ladder, don't tell me. It's my story and the one I tell my kids and grandkids.

The descent took just as long as the ascent because it was dark, our long coats caught on the rungs on the way down and we were wearing dress shoes with slippery leather soles, not dampened by the night air.

But wait. There is more. Once we got on the ground, and like true Ninjas, exchanged knowing smiles but no words, we moved west across the grounds. We had not been detected but man or dog. It was a successful mission.

We got a six-foot wooden fence and all scaled it at the same time, dropping onto a dirt bank below.
The dirt bank was the soft edge of the site excavation. Our feet sank into calf-deep mud, nearly taking our shoes. We pulled ourselves out of the mucky mess and got on the sidewalk, just as a Seattle Police patrol car came by.

The cops stopped. The driver rolled down his window. We were caught.

Gummy decided to fess up.

"We were just walking around the site here, trying to get an idea of what it is going to look like. We wanted to get a closer look so we walked up to the fence behind us and didn't realize the ground was so soft."

"Okay. Well. Be careful. Get yourself cleaned up. Happy Thanksgiving," the officer said and drove on.

I say, "Happy 50th Birthday, Space Needle." We knew you when you were young.

Council member praises Legislature's support for County finances

Rebekah — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:40:35 +0000

Metropolitan King County Council Chair Dow Constantine praised the efforts of state lawmakers seeking to grant King County the flexibility it needs to address financial challenges while assisting in the reform of King County government.

“I appreciate the efforts of legislators in Olympia to address King County's funding crisis,” said Constantine. “With a tax base narrowed by years of statewide initiatives, and responsibilities broadened by decades of federal and state mandates, we need new approaches to protect major public health and safety programs for the nearly two million Washingtonians who call King County home.”

House Bill 2249 would allow existing County funds to be used for the highest priority needs, and add provisions to encourage the long-sought annexation of unincorporated urban areas into cities. It would also provide some temporary funding sources for King County services during the current economic downturn and require that future reforms be evaluated through a state performance audit of county government.

The bill was introduced by State Rep. Ross Hunter of Medina; a similar bill has been introduced in the state Senate by Sen. Debbie Regala.

“I am a longtime advocate of rigorous performance measurements, and have sponsored successful legislation to expand their use throughout King County government,” said Constantine. “I believe we need to fundamentally rethink King County government to make sure we realize maximum value for every taxpayer dollar, and this legislation will help us accomplish that important task. When we emerge on the other side of this recession, King County must be leaner, smarter, and more effective in meeting the needs of citizens in the 21st Century.”

Included in House Bill 2249 are provisions to:

—extend by two years the deadline for King County cities to qualify for an existing state sales tax credit to help pay for the extra cost of annexing unincorporated county neighborhoods;

—mandate a performance audit of King County government by the State Auditor to measure the success of restructuring efforts;

—allow funds collected through the existing King County real estate excise tax to be used to parks maintenance and operations (use is now limited to the purchase of open space properties);

—permit King County to assess a previously-authorized local-option sales tax by vote of the County Council for a three-year period (2010 to 2012) only. The bill provides that the proceeds be shared with King County cities; the tax rate would revert to the existing rate no later than the end of 2012;

—alter King County's share of the sales tax collected in cities that have declared potential annexation areas in adjacent unincorporated areas to help pay for services until annexation can be completed;

—grant King County the same ability to assess a local utility tax as is already available to cities – to help sustain local services in unincorporated areas.

Councilman urges state to act to protect bus service

Rebekah — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:50:32 +0000

King County Council member Larry Phillips is calling on Olympia for legislation to help stabilize King County services and prevent transit cuts.

“In tough economic times, people rely even more heavily on public transit as a means to save money getting to and from work and other activities, but the latest forecasts show that service cuts will soon be unavoidable unless we find effective solutions,” said Phillips in a statement released today. “We need legislation from Olympia that will provide Metro with stability during economic downturns and the means to keep service growing with demand.”

Metro announced earlier this week it projects to face a $100 million funding gap in 2010, which could require cutting between 800,000 to 1,000,000 annual service hours, or about 20 percent of Metro’s service. This comes at a time when Metro's demand is the highest recorded.

Metro reports its ridership has grown 20 percent in the last three years.

“Up until now, we have been able to keep service rolling by finding operating efficiencies, raising fares, and dipping into reserves, but with those options nearly exhausted, our backs are up against the wall and service cuts may be the only option left,” said Phillips. “It’s critical that we press that point with the public and Olympia because cutting service is the wrong answer for King County families, businesses, and the environment.”

Phillips said he supports a request by Metro for state legislation that would allow King County to enact a 1 percent motor vehicle excise tax for transit funding. The proposed legislation has not yet been introduced.

Phillips currently represents the Ballard and Crown Hill neighborhoods on the King County Council. He recently announced he will run for King County Executive, the position held by Ron Sims, who was tapped by President Barack Obama to serve in his administration as Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Chamber clarifies position on Burke-Gilman Trail

Rebekah — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:04:31 +0000

Recently there have been reports that the Ballard Chamber of Commerce is against the Burke-Gilman Trail because we have signed on as an appellant to the SEPA Notice of Appeal. This is NOT the case.

The Chamber has appealed the determination of non-significance (DNS) because it has concerns about the impacts of the trail on the broader business community. These have been conveyed to both Mayor (Greg Nickels) during a visit last on May 10, 2008 and to Kirk Jones, Burke Gilman Trail project manager, in writing and in a meeting hosted by the Chamber’s Issues Committee last Oct. 7, 2008.

Our concerns have not been adequately addressed and the appeal process is the only tool at the Chamber’s disposal to demand further consideration.

The Chamber is not opposed to change and has been supportive of efforts to develop and encourage alternative modes of transportation, including cycling. In partnership with King County Metro, Sustainable Ballard and Groundswell NW, the Chamber devoted countless hours to promoting and managing the Ballard in Motion program in 2006.

However, the Chamber’s mission is to promote, support and protect the Ballard’s business interests. Our organization does not oppose the trail, but is challenging the recent DNS issued by the Seattle Department of Transportation. The economic impacts of building this section of the trail are real and the environmental assessment does not adequately address mitigation of these impacts.

The impacts we are concerned about are not just those of our co-appellants, but the broader business community as well.

One example of the Chamber’s concerns is a significant loss of parking. This is an issue that greatly concerns local businesses, whether or not they are industrial businesses or Chamber members. The current plans for the trail require the removal of approximately 140 parking spots, primarily along Shilshole Avenue. These spaces are not metered and offer “long-term” parking.

Their adjacency to the Ballard Avenue Landmark District is noteworthy. This commercial section, because of its historic status, is exempt from normal parking requirements. Building owners, residents, employees, restaurant and club owners, and other merchants and service providers rely heavily on these parking spaces, as do patrons of the Sunday Farmers’ Market and Market Street businesses. In an area with diminishing parking lots and on-street parking, the removal of this many parking spots is a serious concern. The Chamber has asked for mitigation, but has been told that none will be provided. (This concern is addressed in 4:10 of the Notice of Appeal, under Section 4: DNS Inadequacies.)

The Chamber is not opposed to the bike trail, but is seeking a more equitable resolution with appropriate mitigation. The Burke-Gilman trail is a great asset for the region. The Chamber is simply asking that in exchange for the use of this commercial roadway through Ballard, to the benefit of residents of the region, that the City provide mitigation for our business community and those who do business here.
Ballard Chamber of Commerce

At the Majestic Bay: 'Slumdog Millionaire' is a unique cinematic treat

michaelh — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Slumdog Millionaire

Dir. Danny Boyle

120 min., R

"Slumdog Millionaire," directed by Danny Boyle ("Trainspotting," "28 Days Later"), is your typical love story - boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy must get girl back. But, because this is Danny Boyle, it's more like boy meets girl, boy narrowly avoids intentional blinding, boy swindles fat tourists, boy gets mixed up with local gangsters, boy is tortured by police, then boy must get girl back. And, it is those detours that make "Slumdog Millionaire" an incredible film experience.

Jamal Malik, a child of an Indian slum, is a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." When he finds himself one question away from the big jackpot, to the chagrin of the game's host and the delight of the nation, he is nabbed by the police.

The police, certain that Jamal is somehow cheating, interrogate him to discover how he knew each of his answers. This interrogation serves as a device for Jamal to tell of his life experiences, in which he improbably finds the answer to every question, and to ruminate on his lost love, Latika.

It is in these flashbacks, especially to Jamal as a young boy in the slums, that the film truly comes alive. Thanks to Boyle's frenetic direction - changing hues, distorting images - and a pounding score by Indian producer A.R. Rahman, these scenes become a totally immersive experience.

At one point in the film, a young Jamal bitterly says to a tourist, "You wanted to see a little of the real India, well here it is." Boyle and company do the same to the audience.

The cast deserves its share of the credit as well. And, while all the actors play their parts admirably, it is Ayush Mahesh Khedekar as the youngest Jamal who brings heart and humanity to some of the most tragic moments in Jamal's life. How good is Khedekar? He has the distinction of being the center of the only adorable scene involving large amounts of human excrement ever committed to film.

"Slumdog Millionaire" has received 10 Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture and Best Director. And, like its underdog hero, it just might be able to pull off the big win in the end.

Also, remember to stick around for the credits. The colorful, wild dance number that closes the film is an added treat.

Michael Harthorne can be reached 783-1244, michaelh@robinsonnews.com.

21st Century Viking: Be local, buy Ballard

brian_leblanc — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

In the midst of the current economic crisis, which does not have a catchy name yet, where we choose to spend our money will have a large effect on what businesses will survive.

The best way to keep the Ballard economy strong is by supporting our local businesses.

Among the many reasons that I love living in Ballard is that it is a walkable neighborhood. There are a variety of interesting independent businesses as well as several larger chain stores all within walking distance of downtown Ballard.

Together, all of the businesses provide a level of convenience to the point that if you really wanted to, you don't really have to leave Ballard in order to go shopping or have a good time. There are a lot of other neighborhoods in Seattle that have most of one kind of business and little of the other. Ballard's mix has always seemed be just right.

In order to get through, all of these businesses will need your help. Yes, even the big chain stores. The big chain stores have sales goals to meet as well and if they don't, their corporate bosses could respond by cutting jobs, reducing hours and service, and possibly closing underperforming locations.

Small independent businesses have the freedom to do what they want but they have more incentive to make ends meet because if they can't pay the bills, they have to close.

You've probably heard the slogan "Be local, buy organic." I want to slightly modify this to "Be local, buy Ballard."

We vote with our ballots, but we also vote with our wallets. Every economic decision we make has ramifications. The more we consciously choose to buy from the businesses in our neighborhood, the more we are helping our neighbors.

I don't want to use this column to support any particular business, even though I could go on at length about the businesses in Ballard that I frequent and the great products and service that they provide. You know which ones you like and I encourage you to support them by always thinking twice about where you are when you are about to make a purchase.

Sometimes you might find yourself in another part of the city and need something. Do you really need it right then or can you wait until you get back to Ballard?

There are also times where you want to go out and eat a meal with your significant other at a restaurant or go carousing with our friends. You might be tempted to go to some trendy new place in another neighborhood. Why not suggest that your group go somewhere in Ballard? You could even try that place you haven't been to yet that you have heard good things about that you walk past every day.

The more that we consider the ramifications of how we choose to spend our money, the more sense it makes to make a conscious effort to keep our money in the local economy. Of course you have a right to spend your money when and how you want to and there are goods and services that are not available in Ballard. At the same time all of these local businesses made a conscious decision to locate their operations in Ballard.

Each of them, in their own way, is trying to be a part of our community. If you like what they are offering you and want to see them stay around, please support them. There has never been a better time to think about the ramifications of how and where you spend your money.

Not only that, you'll save on gas.

Questions, comments, column idea? Please contact Brian Le Blanc at brianleblanc76@yahoo.com or comment below.

101 Things to do in Ballard: Wax On, Wax Off

esther_shin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Waxing. It's one of those things you do because you have to, not because you want to. There's something that might make the experience a little more tolerable. The answer for you is at Ballard's Wax Bar.

There's nothing like some pre-wax booze to calm those jitters before the, "Holy *&#$!!!" when removing all that unwanted hair. Oh, the cost of beauty and the measures we take to look good.

The only spa with a liquor license in the state of Washington, Wax Bar serves $2 bottled beers to customers. So sip and relax in the lounge area before you get "shiny and new", as that Madonna song goes.

Owner and aesthetician Karen Jahn grew up in Ballard, worked at Habitude for ten years, and has been in the industry for over twelve. "I've lived here all my life, and I still live in Ballard," she proudly exclaims.

The Wax Bar has been open for a little over a year. Jahn wanted to open her own spa business. Her business goal was to create an intimate setting, giving customers an attentive, one-on-one vibe.

Which is exactly what makes Wax Bar a comfortable destination for not just women, but men. Non-girly magazine options and cold beer make Wax Bar a welcoming and friendly destination for men. "About 25% of the clientele is men. We want men to feel really comfortable about coming here," says Jahn.

It's not intimidating like a big spa. Men don't have to feel embarrassed about a certain hairy issue. The most popular services for men are the brow and back services.

For women, it's all about the brows and the Brazilians. If you return within four weeks of your initial visit, you get the Brazilian maintenance price of $55, ten bucks cheaper than the original service price.

Wax Bar offers facial waxing, upper body and lower body waxing, eye grooming, and skincare/facial services. Customers can also purchase skincare products from Aveda and Dermalogica.

If you hit up Wax Bar during happy hour, Tuesday through Friday from 1pm-3pm, you can get your brows waxed for $15, which is normally $22. Happy Hour discount prices apply to services that monthly rotate, and the brow service is available year round.

The space has three waxing rooms. The d/cor is white, modern, and very minimalist, different from the earthy and organic aesthetic of most Northwest spas. The super clean aesthetic goes with the simple, clean feel of Wax Bar's services. You want to leave having brows that feel clean and simple. It's the less-is-more approach.

Depending on the area being waxed, the service is fairly quick. When asked if she was in pain after getting her brows waxed, customer Grace Navaja answered, "Nothing compares to a Brazilian." Aesthetician Debbie Hendricks took good care of her with Wax Bar's special cooling globes.

These blue liquid-filled, light bulb looking globes are taken out of the refrigerator and applied after any facial waxing service to cool, calm the skin, and to reduce redness and inflammation.

For a fun time with the girls, plan a girls' night out, throw a birthday or bachelorette party, as Wax Bar hosts private events.

Go with a friend or lure your significant other to go with you since there's some liquid calm before the wax storm. Because no one likes unwanted hair, and Wax Bar offers a pleasant way to take care of it.

What:

The Wax Bar

Where:

5915 15th Ave. N.W.

www.thewaxbarseattle.com

206-789-2963

When:

Hours: Tue-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 9pm-7pm

At Large in Ballard : Breaking bread with the Norwegians

peggy_sturdivant — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The vanity plate of the car parked just ahead of me at Leif Erikson Sons Lodge on Thursday night spelled out N-O-R-S-K-A. I don't speak or read Norwegian but obviously I had the right night for the Norwegian Commercial Club dinner.

A friend on the current Board of Trustees who is very persuasive when it comes to all things Scandinavian had decided it was time for me to expand my "At Large" experience to include attending one of the twice monthly dinners that start with open bar and networking and conclude with general business and gambling (raffle). In between are speakers, committee reports, dinner, dessert and coffee. All this for $25 -or $23 with an advance reservation.

The Norwegian Commercial Club is billed as the largest ethnic business club in Washington, and I have no reason to doubt their word. Founded 66 years to promote business opportunities during the Great Depression, the NCC once promoted Aquavit and poker games in addition to civic affairs. The men still outnumbered the women attendees at the last Thursday dinner of January 2009, but the Norwegian Commercial Club is inclusive with upwards of 300 members in nearly 100 different business classifications.

Doug Warne of The Scandinavian Hour pointed out a woman in a gold jacket. "That's one of our members with a Scandinavian import business. You might think she imports knickknacks or foods, but her business is importing cranes and derricks for the U.S. Navy."

There were familiar faces and names, between handshakes and NCC member badges with their names prominently displayed...Aakervik, Otnes, Pedersen, Strand. Diane Erikson, Social Director at the Sons of Norway Lodge recognized me from a visit in the basement with librarian Margaret Anderson. "We celebrated Margaret's 90th on Tuesday," she told me. "Her actual birthday is today but she doesn't work on Thursdays."

The featured speaker was Erik Dregni, a Minnesotan who spent a year in Trondheim, Norway as a Fulbright Scholar and wrote a memoir on the experience, "In Cod We Trust." He read portions of the book recounting his initial interview in which he overwhelmed a committee with his lack of Norwegian expertise and the experience of becoming a parent while in Norway in the chapter entitled "Bargain Babies."

Board member Victoria Sangrey stood to make her membership committee report and instead was peppered with the usual questions about Bergen Place. "When are we getting rid of those funny things?" The publically funded artwork in Bergen Place has been controversial since the witness trees were erected several years ago. Victoria attempted to explain very diplomatically that public art cannot simply be removed; it must be relocated with the permission of the artist, with privately raised funds. Suggestions were shouted out regarding where they'd send the art.

The treasurer's report received less heckling as it was announced that the scholarship fund is in excellent shape and the club is no longer taking losses on the costs of dinner. The major fundraising event, Fisherman's Night had been a success. The average NCC scholarship award is $3,000 with the goals of promoting education, training and new industries that foster the cultural and commercial bonds between young men and women of the United States and Scandinavian countries.

The woman across from me was Ballard High School Class of 1974. She promised to send me more information about a family reunion in Norway and her dad and uncle, lifetime Ballard fishermen. There was discussion about when Ballard High School stopped offering Norwegian. "When the Norwegian teacher died," someone replied.

The Norwegian Commercial Club may be the largest ethnic business club in Washington; they might also be the friendliest; perhaps it's the fact that many don their special sweaters. Of the business members the names were mostly the well-established, with a spotlight on Leary's Ballard Landmark, Patty's Eggnest, Ballard Auto & Vessel Licensing and Builder's Showroom as recent advertisers. There's not even a web site listed on the Norwegian Commercial Club application but just as the new boutiques and blogs promote buying local, so does the 66 year-old business club. Their ads may be more traditional, their networking personal rather than virtual, but make no mistake, the Norwegian Commercial Club isn't meeting to discuss Ballard's past, they're working to keep Ballard businesses healthy here and now.

21st Century Viking: Why Fishermen's Terminal matters

brian_leblanc — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Last Saturday morning, I was driving to work and listening to a public affairs show on KEXP. They interviewed a fisherman named Pete Knutson. He was on the program to tell listeners about an upcoming committee meeting where the Port of Seattle was going to discuss plans that he believes are part of a long-term plan to gentrify Fishermen's Terminal.

I am glad that I caught this radio show because it really made me wonder why Fishermen's Terminal is not considered as important as Pike Place Market.

The fishing boats of the North Pacific fleet that are moored at Fishermen's Terminal employ a lot of people and bring a large amount of money into the local economy. They also support many of the industrial businesses in the Ballard and Interbay area.

At the meeting Jan. 22, according to a report in a local newspaper, the Port announced it is going to levy a $25 a day fee on the boats that sell fish off their boats and move ahead with a plan to remove storage space in the net sheds, where the fishermen dry and store their nets.

Knutson believes that these actions by the Port of Seattle are part of a larger plan to kick the fishermen out of Fishermen's Terminal and eventually gentrify the area. Coming on the heels of the recent decision of the city to allow more retail development in Interbay and the removal of the Western Avenue exit from the Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel plan, it seems like there is something afoot.

If this is the case, I am amazed that there is not more of a public outcry. Fishermen's Terminal has been around since 1913 and is a place where you can, in a similar spirit to Pike Place Market, buy fish directly from the fishermen who caught it.

In addition, Fishermen's Terminal gives the fishermen an affordable and centrally located moorage space. Can you imagine the outrage if people discovered a long-term plan to get rid of the farmer's stalls at Pike Place Market? So why aren't people more interested in the battle between the Port of Seattle and the fishermen?

Despite the fact that Fishermen's Terminal has a national reputation due to its association with "The Deadliest Catch" reality TV show, it has a relatively low profile in Seattle.

Pike Place Market is centrally located downtown and has been showered with praise and now our tax dollars in order to keep it in good working condition. The "Public Market Center" sign is second only to the Space Needle as an international symbol of Seattle. The Fishermen Terminal sign is not nearly as snazzy and cannot be seen at night from the Ballard Bridge.

Fishermen's Terminal does not draw nearly as many tourists as Pike Place Market. Would it help or hinder the fishermen to have a lot of tourists hanging around?

In the long run, I think it would be a help to them as the more people that come to Fishermen's Terminal, the more people will help stop any plans for future gentrification.

It's a unique Seattle institution. It provides jobs and revenue in a recession-proof industry. The people of Ballard and Seattle need to be more aware that the Port of Seattle is making it harder and harder for these fishermen.

The Port has to make money as well and make sure that safety standards are being met. At the same time we should also be vigilant and help the fishermen oppose any plans to gentrify Fishermen's Terminal. We need to care about Fishermen's Terminal as much as we care about Pike Place Market. Next time your relatives are in town, bring them there and show them around.

More importantly, go over there and buy some fish.

Questions, comments, column idea? Please contact Brian Le Blanc at brianleblanc76@yahoo.com or comment below.

Green My Ballard: The case of the 'green guilts'

rhonda_brown — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

By way of introducing this column I have to talk about something most of us don't like to talk about: Green Guilt.

You see, "green" is a popular word these days. So is "sustainable" and "organic." It's really exciting to see the many positive changes that are happening around sustainability; I applaud them and have made quite a few adjustments myself.

But that doesn't keep me from feeling a bit guilty about what I could be doing versus what I am doing. I call it "Green Guilt." And many folks I talk to feel the same.

"The more I learn, the more I want to do," says Ballard resident Ingela Wanerstrand, owner of Green Darner Designs, a sustainable gardening design and coaching company.

"I put up a clothesline, changed my light bulbs (to compact fluorescents), always buy recycled content paper," she said. "I purchase non-toxic paint and recycle food waste. But I always feel some guilt, like I could do more."

Girl, I get that. The guilt pool is deep. After all, as an American I use way more than my earthly fair share of resources. I'm not averse to making changes, it just never seems enough.

Everywhere I turn there are so many "shoulds." And the very best choices can be expensive.

"It's not for lack of will, it's lack of time and money," says Wanerstrand about making the big changes like driving an electric car or installing a cistern.

But Wanerstrand forwarded a perspective that I found not just helpful, but crucial for the journey ahead.

"I look at it as a continuum, where I am constantly making changes and moving toward sustainability."

Ah, small steps forward. I don't have to do everything at once. And neither do you.

So what you can expect from this column is, first, a lack of "shoulds." And second, through the sharing of your questions, ideas or inspiration, the encouragement to take one more small step on the continuum, wherever you are. Think of me as the go-to green girl. As we share, we learn. And as Ingela says, "We all do what we can. We can always do more."

Rhonda lives in Ballard and is the Urban Crop Circle Project Leader for Sustainable Ballard. You can reach her with questions or comments at Rhonda@sustainableballard.org.

NEW At the Majestic Bay: 'Marley and Me' slow but sentimental

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Marley and Me

Dir. David Frankel

PG, 120 min.

While the previews made it look more like the next "Beethoven" film, "Marley and Me," based on the book of the same title, relies more on the character-driven story than crazy dog antics and has more substance and story than you might expect.

The film details the lives of John and Jennifer Grogan (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston), starting with their wedding night and following the ups and downs of beginning a life together and building their careers as journalists.

Both Grogans find careers with major newspapers in southern Florida, and while John Grogan has always fancied himself a reporter, he finds great success writing a weekly column about his daily life peppered with Marley's wild antics.

Marley, a Labrador retriever, comes into the family as a stopgap for starting a family as Jennifer feels the ticking of her biological clock. Marley seems to live up to his nickname of "the worst dog in the world," chewing up furniture, swallowing expensive jewelry and just generally creating chaos wherever he goes. However, it's clear that John and Jennifer have already started their family.

Aniston and Wilson have great chemistry together, and these roles allow them to give a more mature performance than their usual romantic comedies. Overall, the actors carry the film well, which is necessary because the plot is fairly slow with little action that isn't related to Marley's antics.

The filmmakers could have done a better job of finding dogs that looked alike as Marley ages. In one particular scene, the transition between dog "actors" is quite jarring.

"Marley and Me" is billed as a family film, but at two hours and with a slow storyline, it's a little too long to keep children interested. The story focuses much on the adults' issues of dealing with job satisfaction, balancing careers and family life and doesn't have the comical tone of your average family dog movie.

The movie takes a long time to get going and a long time to end, but the heart of the story is good. Though the film is sentimental, and the end is quite heart wrenching, the sentiment is honest and not too heavy-handed.

The book somehow seems to have more energy than the film, and a few more laughs. Part of what made the book so successful (and humorous) is Grogan's constant narration, which was missing from the film. Though the film provided occasional reflective voiceovers, and there were a few scenes that drew laughs, the movie's comedy was sometimes too based on the cute dog factor, and felt like it was missing the mark a bit.

Overall, the tone of both the book and the movie are the same, a heartwarming story about family, life and man's best friend.

Current films at the Majestic Bay include; Gran Torino (12:30 p.m., 4, 7, 9:55), Frost/Nixon (12:15 p.m., 3:30, 6:35, 9:35), Slumdog Millionaire (Noon, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45)

January 23, 2009

Ballard Food Police: The Year in Review

admin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

2008 brought a lot of food action to Ballard, which sometimes seemed to mostly involve pizza. Veraci, Ristorante Piccolinos, and a host of competitors (Snoose Junction, Via

Verde, Zaw, Madame K's, Sopranos, the Pagliacci chain, Pizza Time, 206) fight it out as Ballard contends for the "Seattle neighborhood with the most pizza per capita" award.

Who is eating all of this pizza? Are the condo dwellers actually that pizza-crazy? The next year will show how well the condo-people can keep afloat the massive Ballard Pizza industry. Already, places are closing which probably came into Ballard banking on the condo surge. One example is Austin Cantina, the recently closed Tex-Mex joint on 24th Ave NW. While the NOMA dwellers may not have been as hearty chicken-fried steak lovers as thought, part of the problem may also have been the rag-tag, often downright untidy appearance of the cantina inside. Bring back the Dandelion!

A little farther south, Hamburger Harry's fills the space once taken by the bizarre and loveable Sea Breeze. Corporate in appearance and garish in signage, this is a different twist on the condo-magnet attempts in Ballard. Time will tell if the concept-heavy establishment will be the ticket for Ballard beef lovers, but for our money the Lunchbox Laboratory burgers reign supreme in all of Ballard for taste, execution, and just plain juiciness. Hattie's Hat is right behind, with their toasted bun, medium sizing, and hand formed gems akin to the kind of burger we ate 30 years ago. Ah, burger nostalgia...

Meanwhile, over on the artier side of things, Ocho is the most interesting new place to open in Ballard this year. It can be impossible to find a seat here in the spring and summer, and once you get a load of the Hongos de Jerez (sherried mushrooms, arugula, toast) for $3, you'll know exactly why it's so tough to sit down, unless you arrive early.

The Farmer's Market on Ballard Avenue continues to be one of the best food values in the city, especially in the less crowded Winter Sundays, with hot and fresh crepes from Anita's, hot dogs from the unstoppable Dante, and a variety of other items ranging from fresh soup, oysters, and pastries, plus the best and most durable organic greens in town courtesy of the Anselmo booth. The quesadillas, tamales, and grilled vegetables from the Patty Pan Grill's booth are practically free AND delicious, and Veraci pizza is always backed up. What could possibly be better on a 35-degree day than a steaming hot slice of fresh, wood-fired pepperoni pizza?

A discussion of the year's most exciting food options would not be complete without talking about Senor Moose on Leary, just a block from the market. If ever there was proof of a food god, this is it. With their authentic and generously portioned Mexican food, Senor Moose is one of those very rare places that where when you eat, you're struck by the integrity, the heart, and the fair economic-collapse-friendly prices that bring so many Ballardites back time and time again.

Smoking continues to be a flash point for bars and restaurants, as the industry heavily peopled by smokers battles to keep everyone happy. With the 25 foot rule clearly being disregarded by both establishments and the city, the best non-smokers can hope for is for establishments to hold the line on the "no one is looking, let's break out the ashtrays" movement. While the medical literature continues to pile up showing the remarkable and astonishingly positive public health impact of smoke-free establishments, we hope that bars, restaurant and patrons of all stripes will work to find a way to keep smoking out, even though it might mean accepting the "just outside the door" smokers. Running a gauntlet of smokers to get in a bar is one thing: it's easier to stomach when we know that once we get in, we're golden.

Dining out in all of Seattle, but particularly Ballard, will be a crazy thing in 2009. Bookended by a collapsing economy as well as a rapidly growing population, 2010 will undoubtedly see some shaking out of the Ballard food scene. Can the trendy and expensive establishments like Bal Mar and Volterra compete with the more budget minded spots like Thaiku, Than Brothers, Anne's and Scooters? Will the SUVs continue to roll onto Ballard Avenue, or will a more pedestrian-friendly crowd emerge, perhaps craving simpler, and more mid-priced fare, as well as less ostentatious vehicles? Stay tuned to Ballard Food Police, as we walk hand in hand with you into 2010. Let us know what you like, what you don't, and help us tell the story in the next year of the best, and the worst, restaurants. Happy New Year!

Know anything we should know? Tell the Ballard Food Police at ballardfoodpolkice@gmail.com

January 20, 2009

101 Things to Do in Ballard: Old World approach to bookstores

esther_shin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

At Abraxus you won't find espresso machines and People magazine. You'll find the musty smell of old books, hand-written signs for various genres of books, globes and small sailboats as d/cor.

For the past twelve years owner Tony Topalian has run the kind of bookstore that actually feels like a bookstore, not a multi-level department store for books; the kind of bookstore that you'd expect to find in Ballard.

Topalian calls it an "Old world type approach to bookstores." Academically trained in the Humanities, he says, "The impetus to start [things in life] often begins with books." With the goal of encouraging customers to browse, learn, and discover, he wants to build a business that challenges the notion that the book is dead.

He sees bibliophiles day in and day out; people who seek out Abraxus for their love of books. Some teenage customers have been frequenting Abraxus since childhood. Or take Seattle police officer Clark Pine who's a regular. During his off hours he likes to visit the bookstore.

Officer Pine says, "One of the coolest things about this place is the space. There couldn't be a better place for books - a library. This is my favorite used bookstore."

That's right - Abraxus used to be the old Ballard Public Library, and it still looks and feels like a library in terms of its ambiance and layout.

Abraxus sells new, used, and rare books. Boasting of over 120,000 books in the store, Abraxus buys about 2,000 used books each week for cash or trade between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. All staff members are trained to buy, and most have an advanced degree.

One young man walks up to the counter and asks Topalian, "Do you have a book on aviation history?" Topalian personally walks him to the section. Even though Abraxus has an online business, Topalian wants treasures for his in-store inventory. He prefers the personal interaction of servicing someone in the store versus someone he'll never meet.

You'll find various genres from self-help to New York Times best-sellers. From American Presidents, Mysteries, Literary Criticism, to original works in foreign languages; a philosophy section that covers the big buffs - Kierkegaard, Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, and Plato. Topalian wants to encourage people to put in the time to understand the philosophy behind Western culture and phenomenon.

But the most interesting part is the Maritime section, something Ballardites will appreciate. Topalian loves the rich maritime history that the northwest offers, but he couldn't find a bookstore with a great maritime section. Wanting to preserve that heritage, he aggressively buys in this genre and has several cases devoted to various maritime aspects - like sail racing and naval history.

Rare books are scarce books that appreciate over time, such as first editions or unique books. You'll find classis works such as Lee's Lieutenants on the Civil War, first edition David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, and Nancy Drew Mystery Stories first edition prints, which are becoming scarce due to the fact that the acidic paper will disintegrate in about 100 years.

Rare books range from a couple hundred bucks to 30,000 dollars, sought out at estate sales and auctions. "I like the idea of preserving books," says the owner.

And that's what you'll find at Abraxus, a place that preserves the classic idea of books - something lovely and antiquated, stimulating our minds and enhancing our lives.

What:

Abraxus Books

Where:

5711 24th Ave. N.W.

www.abraxusbooks.com

297-6777

When:

Hours: Mon-Sat 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

At Large in Ballard: New cat on the block

peggy_sturdivant — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

After 20 years in Ballard and a half-mile move I'm the "new kid" again. I have never liked being new. As I learned in elementary school when I was the only 4th grader affected by changing the town boundaries, a half a mile can make a huge difference. At least I have distant moving experience whereas the cat has only known one home since leaving Seattle Animal Shelter. Unless her reputation as fiercest cat on the block has not preceded her, she too can make a new start.

Moving could present us both an opportunity to start afresh, me to remake myself into a more dignified version, appearing in public fully dressed rather than in mismatched pajama bottoms and robe. I would like to become the type of Ballardite with a tasteful Volvo and the ability to do Scandinavian dances. I could even become the person who doesn't let newly delivered phone books sit on the front porch for weeks as a form of resistance. I could become one of those intrepid bicycle commuters that I see pedaling north past the house.

Unfortunately I don't seem any more capable of changing my ways than not driving past the old house every day.

I remember being new on the old block and to Ballard. Many of the original homeowners still lived on the street when we arrived. Mr. Nelson sniffed when he saw me checking my own windshield wiper fluid; his wife wore an old-fashioned tie apron. My neighbor to the south introduced himself by saying, "Hey neighbor, your fence is falling on my yard." The little girl on the north (now a mother herself) let me know that the former owner usually gave her money on her birthday. On May Day there were flowers on the doorstep. On the 17th of May there was no parking as Scandinavians in traditional dress made their way to the parade staging ground at the end of the street, already waving their Norwegian flags.

The few neighbors on this new block that I've met seem friendly, although at first everyone was preoccupied with shoveling their sidewalks and securing uncollected garbage. A couple stopped to idle in their car on the way down the alley and lowered their driver's window, "You must be the new neighbors." This couple reported that along the alley it has always been like family, people in and out of each other's houses, borrowing sugar and the like.

The cat made the move on Christmas Eve, hand carried in a cardboard box along the snowy streets. Curious about the new surroundings and hints of long ago cats she prowled the old fir floors like wariest of beasts. The minute that I slid under the covers she burrowed there with me, trembling against my knees. Would she miss her old nemesis Sheba, I wondered, and the territory that each considered their own? At first she showed little interest in the outside world, treading the new interior as though it was booby-trapped.

But on the third morning, well before sunrise, the cat signaled it was time to be allowed outside. I pulled on boots and went out with her in my bathrobe. She sniffed the fresh air as though she had never smelled air before then crept paw by paw towards the stoop. Slinking along the house, lifting on her back legs to sniff she seemed the picture of caution. She reached the alley, looked left and right then took off like a streak uphill in the direction of the old house. "Come back," I wanted to shout, "I'm your home."

So there I was in hastily pulled on boots, pink bathrobe and flashlight trudging in the snow before dawn along an alley. So much for new standards - I was just the same old Sturdivant with a new address in the same zip code, trailing the cat all the way to an arterial.

Having fallen so far so fast there seemed no point in further pretense. In the following weeks I've stomped boxes clad in plaid flannel and left the new phonebooks to rot on the front porch. (Why are there always new phone books? Why can't we make them stop? ). I've vacuumed the moving debris out of my car and watched an avocado found beneath the seat roll towards a storm drain.

Some days the mail forwards, other days it doesn't. The unpacking continues as does the sense of not even belonging inside this newly merged household. But on that cold snowy morning the cat finally crept back, flashlight at last catching a glint of golden eyes as she realized that perhaps the old house was too far away. Since that day she has barely left the house. The same is true for me. We are lying low, observing our new surroundings. Tugboats moving through fog on Puget Sound; a Bald Eagle nest visible with binoculars; a new parade of neighbors walking their dogs. In February the trees will bud; neighbors as yet unmet will emerge from their winter shelters - all of us renewed for spring - and Ballard will still be home to the cat and her owner.

Jerry's View: As long as you are awake

jerry_robinson — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

I was reading a magazine in bed last night and my wife was reading some pulp fiction . It was about 10 thirty and I needed a pencil to mark a paragraph I wanted to pass on to our kids so I asked her if she had a pencil. It is a harmless habit some men acquire who have accommodating wives. She usually has a knack of knowing where everything is, in the car, in the rec room, or even in my shop. I am a little spoiled.

This time she said with a slight cutting edge, "No, I don't have a pencil, I don't have a peemy butter samich, I don't have a paper clip and I don't have a cough drop? I do have a Kleenex, a hairnet and a very good book.

I detected a modicum of irritation in her voice as I am very attuned to her after 40 years but I said nothing and subdued my reaction and disappointment, put my magazine down, turned off my light and buried my head in my pillow.

I waited to see whether she would turn over and go to sleep but I zonked off first. Three hours later I woke up and began to read again.

Her light then came on again and she nudged me and held a number two Ticonderoga out toward me . I sleepily asked "What is that?"

She said "It is a pencil. You wanted a pencil."

I was befuddled and could not remember. After a flash I said, "Oh, that was last night. I don't need one now. But thanks, it was sweet of you.

But as long as you are awake do you have a glass of water?"

So the Seattle PI is for sale or closing its doors. It lost 14 million last year. Am I happy about this news? Of course not. I have been a PI subscriber forever. I love Horsey, Hagar the Horrible, Zits, Art Thiel, and on and on and on. I even buy the Seattle Times and marvel at how the two papers manage to not look at what is important front page news with a different look. Of course, they both look at us as pesky competitors and would not weep at our funeral. That is called toleration as long as we don't get too uppity. Fat chance. Both dailies are working hard to capture more local action on their pages and that keeps us nimble and humble.

To our readers we say, thanks for your loyalty and maybe to remember to murmur a little prayer that the rapidly changing lifestyles we must respect in our weekly toil will find us enduring and endearing.

Old World approach to bookstores

esther_shin — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

New cat on the block

peggy_sturdivant — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

As long as you are awake

jerry_robinson — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000