July 2009

The shiny new stainless steel Marination Mobile, an upscale taco-truck that offers Hawaiian/Korean cuisine, unabashedly features Spam. It is in the "Aloha sliders" which are $2.

Spam, or "Hormel Spiced Ham" as it was once called, might be best known as a humorous Monty Python routine. But it's no joke at the Marination Mobile. It is also very popular in the Aloha state.

They also serve tacos with kalbi beef, miso ginger chicken, and other blends.

"We've had a great first three weeks," said co-owner Kamala Saxton, who happens to be Hawaiian and Korean.

The truck is stationed in West Seattle Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the corner of Southwest Graham Street and 35th Avenue Southwest.

"We opened up in Fremont June 17, and we have been so fortunate and blessed with the crowds of customers," said Saxton. "So far it's been a good run."

Saxton's professional background is in public education policy, and worked in Federal Way and other school districts.

Ballard Locks attendants Joey Cavallaro and Russ Coburn were all tied up during the busy Sunday of Fourth of July weekend, safely maneuvering an endless row of mega-yachts, small fishing boats, and everything in between while safely maneuvering themselves.

While the shiny new stainless steel Marination Mobile is an upscale taco-truck that offers Hawaiian/Korean cuisine, it unabashedly features Spam. It is served in "Aloha sliders" which are $2.

Spam, or "Hormel Spiced Ham" as it was once called, might be best known as a humorous Monty Python routine. But it's no joke at the Marination Mobile, nor to its customers. It is also very popular in the Aloha state.

The truck also serves tacos with kalbi beef, miso ginger chicken and other blends.

"We've had a great first three weeks," said co-owner Kamala Saxton, who happens to be Hawaiian and Korean.

On Sundays, Marination is in Ballard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. near the Cheka-Looka Surf Shop, 6300 Seaview Ave. N.W.

"We opened up in Fremont June 17, and we have been so fortunate and blessed with the crowds of customers. So far it's been a good run."

Saxton's professional background is in public education policy.

People from a wide variety of area cultures gathered at High Point Commons Park for the annual Diversity Festival July 4.

The event, which has been taking place "For over 20 years," according to the organizers. The event featured ethnically diverse food including Vietnamese, Cambodian, Somalian, Ethiopian, Hispanic and American cultures.

LIve music played in the adjacent amphitheater stage.

Various organizations contributed to making the event possible, including the Seattle Parks Department, which provided volleyball nets, the Seattle Housing Authority, which provided organizational support, the High Point Neighborhood Association and Neighborhood House.

Hundreds of kids, and kids at heart, meandered from 44th Avenue Southwest and Sunset Avenue Southwest to the Hamilton Viewpoint on wagons, strollers, bicycles, and on foot in a steady march for the annual Admiral Fourth of July Kids Parade.

The parade started at 10:30 a.m.

A picnic and games were held at Hamilton Viewpoint. The weather in sunny Seattle did not let down the crowd, though Popsicles and watermelon re-hydrated the masses.

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At the conclusion of the Duwamish Tribe Salmon Bake For Justice fundraiser at the Longhouse Museum Friday, July 3, Tribe Chairwoman Cecile Hansen drove two large trays of freshly baked smoked salmon to the homeless encampment many call "Nickelsville."

She also threw in some fry bread and coleslaw.

"I'm worried- I hope they have enough water to drink," said Hansen as her eyes swept the primitive village in the hot sun.

Nickelsville is two miles southeast of the museum, where 2nd Avenue Southwest and West Marginal Way intersect. The encampment has been there since June 5 and its future at that location is in Gov. Chris Gregoire's hands as it sits on state land.

The Duwamish Tribe is raising money for the Duwamish Legal Fund for its court case to pursue federal recognition. Federal recognition would place the tribe on equal footing with other Northwest Native America tribes.

The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center is located at 4705 West Marginal Way.

Zombie-palooza hit downtown Fremont July 3 and broke a Guinness World Record. The event was coined "Red White & Dead" in honor of the Fourth of July.

Thousands gathered by the cinema lot at Fremont studios at North 35th Street and Phinney Avenue North. Some had ripped pants, torn T-shirts, "severed skin" and blood, blood, blood.

They lurked the streets - a three block route - and earned double takes from drivers passing by - some amused, others puzzled.

Organizers registered 5,000 zombies to earn the world record.

Registration began at 6 p.m., and hordes of zombies continued stumbling in well after 8 p.m. The dance steps to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" were taught at 8:30 p.m. as a tip of the hat to the late pop super-star.

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Le Gourmand
425 N.W. Market St.
784-3463
Wednesday - Saturday, 5:30 - 10 p.m.

As Ballard's long-loved classic French restaurant, Le Gourmand was one of the first to tout the importance of locally available, fresh and seasonal ingredients.

Chef owner Bruce Naftaly is credited with inventing a whole new cuisine based on Northwest ingredients. Expensive and elegant, the restaurant has always been a haven for those who appreciate perfection and don't mind dawdling over dinner, sometimes for hours.

Le Gourmand likes to do things the old way.

Even Le Gourmand has been affected by the current recession, and to stir up some business they've begun offering a less pricey version of their prix-fixe menu, $45 for three courses.

The ingredients are still fresh and local, and the purveyors are listed on the menu, a practice started at Le Gourmand well before other restaurants caught on to the trend. Sadly, this menu does not live up to expectations.

Kitty corner from Loyal Heights Playfield a corner lot nestled in shrubs and plum trees appears like an oasis across from turf that no longer needs to be watered.

What are commonly called parking strips are definitely planting strips at this corner - the residence mostly hidden behind a tall fence. Small typed notes are mounted at eye level along the fence. The notes read, “Wood Corks Wanted.”

The directions are quite clear, throw wood corks underneath the back gate. After I first noticed the appeal I dutifully began collecting corks from wine bottles.

This week I bagged the corks and tossed them over the gate (contrary to directions) along with a note of introduction, which could be paraphrased: I’m nosy. What are you doing with those corks?

As the owner put it the following day, “I got your gift and your note is taped by the computer.”

Simply put, Vince Healy is paving his garden paths with wooden corks, and, “No way could I do it myself.”

He previously used shredded cedar as a paving material but that became sawdust after five or six years. Healy is in this for the long haul; he needed a more lasting solution.

Three Lutheran ministers from West Virginia arrived at Peace Lutheran Church on Southwest Thistle Street on their triple tandem bicycle of bamboo Thursday, July 2, where they were greeted by well wishers and family members.

After a picnic-style dinner, the three gave impassioned speeches about some harsh realities of world hunger and sited Biblical passages that urge those with food to feed of the poor. They also urged Lutherans across America to donate, and said that even $10 per month would add up to millions of dollars.

The West Seattle and White Center Food Banks were also represented at the event and accepted food donations.

The “triplet” bicycle was custom-made in Ghana. It weighs 52 pounds and and is 10 feet 4 inches long. Its bamboo frame was smoked and treated to prevent splitting, and then sealed with tung oil to preserve the bamboo while providing a natural finish.