Recent Stories with tag west seattle

Locally, Franklin, Rainier Beach, and West Seattle high schools are participating in the Get MotivatED Challenge, in collaboration with Def Jam Rapstar. The grand prize is a trip to New York City to meet with Def Jam executives like Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles, and the chance to perform a rap live on BET’s 106 & Park. 

The idea is that entrants will come up with a short rap or spoken word video about how education influences their life: "You can rhyme about your goals, going to college, school pride, hard work, dedication--it’s up to you!" You have to get your video entry up by March 18, and the earlier, the better. West Seattle's got one up already:

I do not know a lot about rap, but some of these suggested topics don't sound very gangsta to me. School pride sounds especially soul-killing. Look what "Be True to Your School" did to the Beach Boys, and they really had no rep to lose to begin with. I don't know if this contest is "Blue Scholars Approved," like the Hip Hop Word Count project, but I think it could use a Blue Scholars take. You want something on the influence of education? Listen to this:... (more)

Tuesday night The Wing Dome in West Seattle held the first (annual?) 7-Alarm Challenge for Charity. A handful of local media types were invited to attempt to devour wings so hot they can make you cry. Initially, the event was meant to be a team challenge, but most people came alone. I had intended on competing along with my friend Montine, but since most were doing it alone, I quickly deputized her and put her in The SunBreak's seat on stage.

Here she is before the pain started.

The event was 15 minutes of mayhem! In the end, King5's Jesse Jones was named the individual winner with 12 wings eaten and at least as many sweat drenched napkins. Our own Montine downed 9 of the 7-Alarm wings, no small feat for sure. Jesse won a $500 donation to Northwest Harvest in his name!

A lot more photos from the event:... (more)

When I heard that Jacob Wiegner, the former sous chef at Olivar, had opened a place called Blackboard Bistro in West Seattle, I had a hunch it would be good. And a desire to quickly head over for lunch.

Yes, the menu is written up on blackboards. On those blackboards, I liked the humor with which the required health department warning is delivered: “Raw or undercooked food may make you sick. Or even kill you. But so could crossing the street.” What I really liked, though, was the chance to do a tasting menu, sort of like an American omakase. You name your price, and Wiegner sends out dishes of his choosing. It’s a great value and a chance for variety; $30 buys you a feast of small plates. Figure on $5 per plate, with one plate likely to be something not found on the menu.

Note that the menu is seasonal and always subject to change. Some of the dishes I sampled recently are no longer available.

But given the consistency of the quality, that’s okay, as you’ll find new favorites. I liked everything I tasted, appreciating some bold flavors and some tastes and techniques from around the world. My only minor gripe is that I felt a bit bloated afterward; given the richness of the dishes, I think Wiegner can back off the fat just a little. (I’ve recommended Blackboard Bistro to others, who raved about their meals but had this same issue.)... (more)

City Council President Richard Conlin is confident he did the right thing. Also, here is a picture of a Babydoll sheep.

It's probably no surprise to learn, as Publicola reports, that a supermajority of the City Council thinks having a mayor is "more of a guideline." (Possibly related: It's Turn In Your Old Drugs Day.)

While you're over there, read the Council's Tim Burgess on why he was all, "Yeah, send Bishop Conlin!" which crystallizes the kind of project-capture thinking that places going forward with the tunnel above respecting the city's charter. Quote of the week goes to Mike O'Brien, who notes that, "Only in Seattle would we have a coup over who signs an environmental-impact statement."

Late Friday, regulators seized Arlington's North County Bank, and sold it to Whidbey Island Bank; bad development and construction loans ended up costing the FDIC (and you and me and everyone we know) almost $73 million dollars, about 25 percent of the bank's total value.

In the latest on the multiple fatal shootings in West Seattle, the 60-year-old grandmother is said to have had a history of mental illness, and--more troublingly--she may have been taking medication erratically. Many people are not aware that the kinds of drugs used now to treat depression and schizophrenia can have horrendous side-effects if suddenly discontinued.... (more)

The High Point PV installation (Photo: A&R Solar)

You have to drive out to West Seattle's Delridge district to see it, but High Point, designed to be an entirely green affordable-living community (Oh, those crazy Clinton years), is now the home of Seattle's biggest solar power installation.

West Seattle Blog went out to visit the High Point Neighborhood Center, whose roof is providing the solar panel space necessary, and caught up with A&R Solar (an employee-owned company) as they installed an additional 128 panels (to an original 256), upping capacity to 73.6 kW.

Photo: A&R Solar

A&R Solar's Dave Kozin says that's enough, for perspective, to power 15 to 20 homes. Of course, High Point's construction is not supposed to be average--"All homes meet a minimum of Built Green™ 3-Star standards, with many achieving 4-Star level and ENERGY STAR® certification"--so perhaps we can expect even more bang for the photon at the Neighborhood Center as well.

Once more, we refer you to the West Seattle Blog for energy-saving details.

The City of Seattle was a major funder of the project that, with installation and panels included, cost about $117,000. In the event that the panels produce more energy than the 20,000-sq.-ft. center needs, the whole system is tied into the grid so that City Light gets electricity back.

But we're sunless in Seattle, you cry? We covered that already in our Sunergy profile: Clouds still let plenty of light through, and our long, long summer days make up for long, long winter nights--in fact our weather cycle works very well with solar because when solar production is down during the winter, our hydropower is going gangbusters. When water flow is down during summer, solar power steps up.

To give you a quick sense of how the newly public operation of the King County Water Taxi (West Seattle version) is going, you have a choice: it either costs three times as much, or only $20,000 per month more, than before.

In a public/private partnership, Argosy Cruises had operated the water taxi since 1997, from spring to fall. Under Ferry District administration, West Seattle was supposed to get year-round taxi service, but now money looks very scarce. Total King County Ferry District operating costs for the Vashon and West Seattle runs for 2010 (for nine months) are pegged at around $5 million, with projections of $1 million in fares and $1 from property taxes.

Don't put too much trust in the "Privatization Saves!" faithful over at the Washington Policy Center, who are responsible for the tripled costs figure, but the fact remains that, with Argosy pocketing the fare box revenue, the public cost for the West Seattle run in 2009 was $808,000.

The contention that direct costs on the West Seattle run will be $20,000 per month more comes from Hank Meyers, the new Ferry District's executive director, who says the WPC figures are apples-to-oranges comparisons. This $20,000 increase comes despite raising the cash fare by fifty cents, to $3.50, and eliminating the $1 fare with Metro transfer. (I don't think that $20,000 includes the $7,500 in fares stolen by an employee: "As 26 (26!) of the vaults disappeared, someone finally noticed a problem," reported Seattle Weekly.)... (more)

Slightlynorth looks northeast from West Seattle and reveals Seattle's cloudscaped beauty, while breaking the scene into bold bands of thirds. The travel in color from the gravel to the peekaboo blue sky is a trip in itself. Perhaps now would also be a good time to remind you about the water taxi to West Seattle?

I've been enjoying the Travel Channel's new series America's Worst Driver. Unlike other reality television competitions like Project Runway and Top Chef, they're not looking for the cream of the crop, but the worst of the worst. The premise is simple: visit eight cities around the country (previous episodes have featured San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, and Miami), test four terrible drivers from each locale (with the person who nominated them acting as navigator) on a variety of road and obstacle course challenges, and then destroy the car of the very worst driver, via monster truck or explosion or what have you. Of course, the worst driver for each episode can somewhat redeem themselves by proving themselves not to be America's Worst Driver when the cities' worst drivers all compete in the finale.

Episode 5, which aired this weekend, brought the show to Seattle, where you'd be hard-pressed to pick one worst driver, since the whole city is full of terribly inept people behind the wheel. The show's intro names Seattle as one of most congested cities in the country, and further cites its one-way streets, equally terrible pedestrians, and rain as other factors that challenge drivers. Nonetheless, we've got our four contestants in the form of Mary, nominated by her husband Brian (even though she actually lives in Olympia--SCANDAL); Stephanie C., nominated by her twin sister Vicki; Aaron, nominated by his friend Brian; and Stephanie S., nominated by her roommate Kelly. This time around, the worst driver's car will be eaten by Robosaurus, and thankfully, all of the drivers will receive a AAA driver improvement course.

The teams are sent on their first challenge, driving in Downtown Seattle. All drivers start out with 100 points, but they lose a point every time they break a traffic law or deviate from the turn-by-turn directions. (They've got a cop following them who with let them know when they've losing points via a red flashing light and buzzer in their car.) The winner of the city driving challenge wins a trip for two to Napa, and y'know, their car won't be destroyed.... (more)

An expedition to West Seattle for a Lincoln Park getaway led me, on the way back, through the hallowed burger shack doors of Zippy's Giant Burgers. The hallowing has come early, since Zippy's was just born in spring of 2008, but there was no question from day one that the burger shack was a winner. At the moment, they've won over 93 percent of Urban Spoon visitors, and they're a solid four stars on Yelp.

The owners claim to be vegetarians, personally, which might strike you as odd. But then you probably don't charbroil over 85 pounds of hamburger a day. I can see how that might quell your appetite.

My group ordered the Zip Burger ($4.25), Zip Royale ($6.50), and the Zip with bacon and cheese ($5.50). Zippy's is a with-all-the-toppings kind of place: secret sauce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, iceberg lettuce; but the burger is where they do themselves proud. They grind the chuck fresh each day--no frozen patties allowed. And as the pictures indicate, they taste deeply, smokily of the grill where they were forged.

The interior is tiny, and there's very limited parking in front. Regulars advise ordering by phone (206-763-7347) and getting your order to go at busy times. The guy at the counter was friendly and helpful. Payment is cash-only, but there's a small ATM that--sit down, you won't believe it--charges $0.25 per transaction. (That's right, a quarter. Not $2.50. A quarter! I almost want to go back just for the ATM. It also politely asks if you'd like to check your balance before you withdraw, to prevent overdraft.)... (more)

Seal Sitters reports two California sea lions and two harbor seals were found dead on the beach this week, but not from natural causes. They were shot. According to the West Seattle Blog, at least five sea lions have been found shot: "One, Gorman says, was a federally protected Steller sea lion--a species not commonly seen in Puget Sound." Necropsies performed by a Department of Fish & Wildlife biologist turned up the bullets, but officials have not released information on whether it's the same gun.

Slightlynorth shoots an amazing number of amazing pictures of this town. I'm in awe every third or fourth shot that I see.

And hey, he's a member—in fact, as of now, the busiest member—of the fresh, new, compelling SunBreak Flickr pool. If his photos are in there, yours should be, too. Join us. Spread your vision.

Got plans Saturday night? Unplan them. West Seattle's Easy Street Records is throwing a party—and it's bringing beer, freebies, and rock. New Pearl Jam rock.

The band's ninth studio record, Backspacer, drops Sunday—yes, Sunday—and Easy Street will be spinning it at 11 p.m. and selling it at midnight. A few hours earlier, the store will kick off its "Backspacer Bash" by serving bottled hoppy goodness, coffee, and other refreshments, playing live and rare PJ tracks, and rewarding PJ shoppers with band-related goodies. The charitable will score, too: Bring in two nonperishable food items, get a free band tote bag. Five, get an entry to win highly-coveted Pearl Jam collectibles (Benaroya vinyl, natch).

But that's all gravy. Go for the new PJ record. Backspacer is a 35-minute burst of optimistic rock fervor punctuated with beautiful, Into the Wild-ish strummers. ("Got Some" and "Just Breathe" are worth $11.99 alone. I shit you not.) It's not like any other Pearl Jam record. And it's as good as the best.