December 2008

Parents from Arbor Heights Elementary gathered at a special community meeting on Dec.

Ama Ama Oyster Bar and Grill

4752 California Ave. S.W.

937-1514

http://www.ama-amaseattle.com/

Happy Hour: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to Midnight daily

Thursdays, 9 p.m.

Live Music (jazz, blues, funk)

Bamboo Bar and Grill

2806 Alki Ave. S.W.

937-3023

Retail stores in Ballard are dwindling along with the economy and a few are scheduled to close. Say goodbye to Bella's Best, Annabelle's Consignment & Antiques, and All the Kings Flags.

"The economy has been awful," said Karin Wagner, the owner of the men and women's clothing store Bella's Best, 2318 N.W. Market St. "We just can't make it anymore. I'm just sinking."

Wagner hopes to close in three weeks but will remain open until the store is empty.

If you've never been to Bella's, now is the time to go.

You may have noticed the chill in the air, the increase in rainfall, the leaves are mostly down, the sales ads have increased and the Christmas lights are going up. Yes, winter is here.

Around this time of year people start calling to make appointments to winterize their cars. Other people think maybe they should winterize their car but are not sure what that really means, still for others, it's never crossed their minds.

What exactly does winterizing mean?

For many of us, holiday times mean travel time and trips to see family.

The 2006 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey shows that most of the 200,000 students surveyed in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 are making healthy choices and staying away from alcohol, other drugs and other risky behaviors.

That's good news for everyone.

Provided by Jon Gerhardt

Are you retiring soon? Changing jobs? Leaving your company? If so, here's one of the most important questions you'll need to ask yourself: What should you do with your 401(k) or other tax-advantaged retirement plan?

You could, of course, cash out your 401(k) and take a lump-sum distribution. After all, the money is yours, and it's readily available. However, there are some big negatives to cashing out your 401(k).

First, you'll have to pay ordinary income taxes on the money, possibly including an immediate 20 percent withholding.

Four Christmases

Dir. Seth Gordon

PG-13.

Across the street from where I live, a familiar activity in Ballard is occurring once more: a small house formerly owned by an elderly person is being prepared for demolition and will be replaced by two condos.

In certain areas of Ballard, it seems as if this is happening to every other house to the point that Archie McPhee sells a humorous bumper sticker that proclaims "Ballard Welcomes Our new Condo Overlords." While humor is one way of dealing with rapid change, I wanted to put a human face on my experience.

The house I refer to once was owned by a man my housemates an

Ballard

Bad Albert's Tap and Grill

5100 Ballard Ave. N.W.

782-9623

www.badalberts.com

Happy Hour: 3 to 6 p.m. daily, $1 off appetizers, beers and well drinks on special.

Thursdays, 8 to 10:30 p.m. No cover

Taste of the Blues, featuring Annieville Blues and her special guests

Sundays, 5 to 8:30 p.m. No cover

Bill Chism, Jazz and guitar

Straining his face to catch the right note, Duane Lasley tuned up a newly adjusted violin at his Ballard shop, Lasley and Russ Violins. Lasley, along with Chris Russ (not pictured), handle everything from new restorations to new creations.

The full-service shop is located at 2405 N.W. Market St. #201, 378-0233,http://www.lasley-russ.com/.

Offered are repairs, restoration, rentals, appraisals, sales and new making of violin family instruments and bows. There is also a wide variety of strings, cases and accessories.