August 2014

A long hot summer should lead you to visit the Normandy Park Ale House (formerly Kayak Bar and Grill) at 19803 1st Ave. S. Owners Joel, Bryan and Evan Stedman, along with their dad Larry Stedman are betting men.

They have put their heart and wallets into being the best Ale House in the Northwest. The Stedman family also owns Magnolia Village Pub and Lamplighter Public House. The Normandy Park Ale House starts with carrying more than 17 different types of beer and nine rotating taps. The brews are complemented by an extraordinary menu of tasty creations from chef Todd Larson who has prepared some of the most unique northwest cuisine at Ray's Boathouse and FX McRory's in Seattle. Try the crab cake sliders or the hummus wrap.

By Tim Clifford

Frightening attack on woman in West Seattle
On Aug. 2 West Seattle police officers were dispatched to interview a victim at a Shoreline hotel about an attack that had occurred the night before in West Seattle. The victim was unsure of the exact location of where she was attacked but remembers seeing street signs that suggest she was on the 8100 block of 12 Ave. S.W.
The night before the victim had been celebrating her birthday at a club in downtown and was drinking very heavily. Drinking mostly Hennessey and coke the victim eventually passed out, though she is not sure where or when exactly that occurred.

The Department of Planning and Development has conditionally granted permission for a land use application that plans to allow a five story mixed use structure, with 105 residential units, and approx.8,900 sq. ft. of retail use at grade at 101 N.W. 85th St. Parking for 86 vehicles will be located at and below grade. All existing structures to be demolished.

The following appealable decisions have been made based on submitted plans:

Conditionally Grant - Design Review

Conditions: Conditions have been placed on this project. You may view the decision through our web-based Land Use Information Bulletin, or contact either the assigned planner whose name and phone number appears above, or contact the Public Resource Center (206-684-8467, prc@seattle.gov).

What is a play street?
A play street is exactly what it sounds like! You can apply to close one block of a street to traffic so that kids (and adults) can have more space for play and physical activity. How often you turn your street into a play street is up to you and depends on the location, community needs, and your interests. You might have a play street twice a week throughout the summer or you could have one just once a month.

What can you do in a play street?
What *can’t* you do in a play street? Think of a play street as an extension of all the front yards on your block, except with more concrete. You can play hopscotch or 4-square, have a dance party, do yoga, have 3-legged races, bounce a ball, skate, scoot, walk, roll, bike, and run. The options are limitless.

Who came up with this idea…and what are the benefits of play streets?
Lots of cities have play streets; New York City started its program in the early 1900s. Recently, Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign to end childhood obesity has supported play streets in 10 U.S. cities.

At the walks, community residents, police, and city officials walk together to identify physical disorder and solve it. As a result of these walks, Seattle City Light, the Seattle Department of Transportation, the Department of Planning and Development, and Seattle Public Utilities have worked – and continue to work – to make improvements in Seattle’s neighborhoods. Watch videos, view photos and read actions taken as a result of these walks at: http://murray.seattle.gov/finditfixit

The next Find It, Fix It Community Walk:

Tuesday, August 12, 7 – 9 p.m., Rainier Ave. and Henderson
Meet at the Rainier Beach Community Center Plaza (Map)

7 – 7:15 p.m.
· Short program featuring Mayor Ed Murray, City Councilmember Sally J. Clark, City Attorney Pete Holmes, Seattle Police Department Chief Kathleen O’Toole, and department representatives.

7:15 – 9 p.m.
Walk commences along the following route:
· South on Rainier Ave S.
· East to Seward Park Ave S.
· North on Seward Park Ave S.
· West on S. Fisher Place
· North on 53rd Ave S.
· West on S. Henderson

by Shin Yu Pai

When mixologist and former Fleet Foxes bassist Bryn Lumsden decided to open his own bar in Seattle, he turned to Ballard artists Andy and Julie Taylor of The Woodwork to build the interior. “Andy and Julie had a better idea of what our space needed than I ever did,” says Lumsden.

“I couldn’t begin to describe it, or what it does for our room, our guest, our staff, and our business. We did not work with a more professional contractor at any point during our buildout.”

Inspired by Shaker-style furniture, the Taylors create elegant unadorned designs featuring clean and simple lines. For Damn the Weather, the couple created a 25-foot bar by blocking together hundreds of pieces of quartersawn white oak, a distinctive cut of wood that highlights the ray cells of the tree to create flame-like ribbons which shimmer across the surface.

"Delridge Day 2014 almost didn't happen," said one of the organizers Pete Spalding. The annual one day celebration in the past was coordinated by the North Delridge Neighborhood Council but this year they declined. So the task was taken on by four primary organizers including Spalding, Chas Redmond, Michael Taylor Judd and Dorsal Plants.

The event this year had no retail businesses, meaning no companies selling products, no food trucks or other vendors. "We think there are more activities to help build community. The Dept. of Neighborhoods and Department of Planning and Development, they are here to get community input on the update of our neighborhood plan," said Spalding. To that end they set up blackboards and asked people for their thoughts on what they already liked about the area... "I Love" had entries like "My neighbors, Our parks and local trails, Youngstown DNDA, our police station, and Longfellow Creek. They were also asked what they think is needed under "We Need" and got responses like, "Infrastructure, sidewalks and safe crosswalks, fix streets and alleys, more activities for all youth, better drainage and another park."

A fire at the Tug Tavern at 2216 SW Orchard Street did little apparent damage but drew a response from the Fire Department of course after closing time bringing them to the scene about 3am.

Caused by a cigarette that was discarded improperly, according to the bartenderr, the butt got lodged between the wall and part of the wood decking and smoldered until it ignited.

Several panels of decking were removed but there didn't appear to be any structural damage to the wall of the tavern.

The USS Constellation, a ship first used in the Vietnam War, and last deployed during Operation Iraqi freedom sailed from Naval Base Kitsap, and past Alki Beach for the final time on Aug. 8 headed for the scrapyard. International Shipbreaking Limited was awarded a $3 million contract for the towing, dismantling and recycling of the ship. It's headed down around South America, likely through the Straits of Magellan since it is too large to pass through the Panama Canal on its way to Brownsville, Texas.

Nicknamed “Connie” by its crew, the ship is part of the Navy’s five-year scrapping plan that previously sent the USS Forrestal and the USS Saratoga to the Texas shipyard for dismantling.

The Constellation was built at New York Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn, New York, and is the last aircraft carrier to be built outside of Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, said the U.S. Navy.

The ship was commissioned in 1961, and is named for the ring of 13 stars that formed a “new constellation” on the United States flag, according to the Navy.

Thursday night, patrons of the 913 restaurant and bar in Burien were serenaded by local resident Renatta Emerson but she wasn’t a part of the scheduled entertainment. It was a surprise performance to earn points for her team in G.I.S.H.W.H.E.S. (the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen). The winning team will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Croatia at the Game of Thrones set.

Emerson’s team “HaveSaltWillTravel” has one week to complete as many missions as they can from a list of 185. Challenges include philanthropic tasks, such as becoming a bone marrow donor and visiting residents of a retirement home, to crazy and difficult acts like include climbing Mt. Sinai and serenading a full sports bar.

Emerson plans to post all images and videos from the experience on her blog http://livingpretend.blogspot.com/