This Messiah Sing & Play along is a beloved annual participatory event that is being held Sunday evening at St. John United Lutheran Church.

The evening begins with a few carols to warm up the voices, and concludes with coffee and cookies. Seated directly behind the orchestra, singers are invited to join together in the arias (there are no soloists) as well as the choruses. Instrumentalists are known to leave their orchestra seats to sing their favorite arias with the rest of the vocal section. Instrumental music is provided.

Admission is Free, but please bring a generous donation of non-perishable food or cash for FamilyWorks Food Bank.

Sunday, December 8 at 6:00 pm
St John United Lutheran Church
5515 Phinney Ave North

Come help plant some new green in Phinney Ridge! Volunteers from Forterra and others have been working at the Phinney Ave N & N 50th St triangle site for the past couple of years to remove weeds that were hurting the valuable and beautiful trees in the site. Now we are ready to plant healthy new ferns and other understory plants to protect the trees by keeping the ivy from returning. Tool and gloves provided, no experience necessary.

This is part of the City’s Trees for Seattle program which aims to expand our tree canopy and keep our air clean. The meetup location will be at the intersection of Phinney Ave N and N. 50th Street, the very SW corner of Woodland Park.  If you’re interested in participating you can RSVP at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S3X7WXW

The holidays are upon us and if you are looking for gifts for your loved ones, this is the preeminent event in the neighborhood for unique, handmade goods. Enjoy a holiday shopping experience in two historic buildings full of specialty goods by 120+ local artists and makers, curated by a jury.  You’ll find an excellent array of items: home goods, jewelry and accessories, art, pottery, apparel, gifts for cooks, gifts for guys, gifts for mom, gifts for kids, gifts for yourself, and so on.

Check out this year’s vendors

Saturday December 7 and Sunday December 8, 10 am – 5 pm

Entry: $2 PNA Members / $4 public (cash/check) – it’s for a great cause, if we do say so ourselves. Children 12 and under are free.+ A suggested food item for the FamilyWorks Greenwood Food Bank (not required).

Location: Phinney Center | 6532 Phinney Ave N.

All-DAY ENTERTAINMENT
Take a break from shopping and enjoy performances on two stages— from bluegrass, jazz, and holiday pop to Middle Eastern, Morris, and Jewish dancing.

See the entertainment schedule

COFFEE, LUNCH, & TREATS
Munch tasty lunch items, grab an espresso drink at the Snowflake Cafe and indulge yourself with a huge bake sale selection. (Cash or checks only, please).

MIMOSAS & MORE GARDEN
Take a break from shopping and enjoy a mimosa, mulled wine, or a Figurehead Brewing beer in our outdoor beverage garden. (21+).

FESTIVAL PASSPORT
Visit all corners of the festival— Blue Building, Brick Building, outdoor vendors too! Get your event passport stamped in at least 5 out of 6 locations and be entered to win one of the many goodie bags with items crafted by some of our amazing makers.

WREATH SALE
Get fresh holiday decorations at The Phinney Neighborhood Preschool Co-op wreath sale. The wreaths are responsibly grown in Oregon and are a beautiful Pacific Northwest blend of freshly cut noble fir, blue berried juniper, cedar and natural pinecones. They are $25 each and the proceeds support the preschool and scholarship fund.

QUILT RAFFLE
Enter to win a one-of-a-kind hand-made quilt crafted by Stash Busters. The quilt, “Phancy dancing on Phinney,” was inspired by book Slice ’em and Dice’em by Nancy Brenan Daniel.  The quilt raffle is a Winter Festival holiday tradition and proceeds benefit PNA programs. Tickets are $1 or $5 for 6 and will be available in the Blue Building lobby and in the Phinney Center office before the event.

SHOP FOR COMMUNITY
Not only are you supporting local artisans, but you are also contributing to PNA’s nonprofit programs–such as a hot meal program, the Greenwood Senior Center, memory -loss programming,  kids’ programs, a tool lending library, an art gallery, a community woodshop, as well as numerous community projects, events, and classes.

Does the season find you in the giving spirit? While you’re out and about, please be sure to take a tag from one of the various Giving Tree locations around the community to purchase gifts for neighbors in need. Most gifts are due back at the location you picked up the tag by next Tuesday (11^th) or Wednesday (12^th) so before you grab that tag, be sure that you can purchase and return the gift on time.

Each tree is filled with tags that detail gifts under $30 that some of our neighbors in need have indicated would bring joy to their holidays.

These gifts bring a much needed boost to children and adults from agencies including Broadview Emergency Shelter, Cate & Lakeview Apartments, Dorothy Day House, Robert Eagle Staff Middle School, FamilyWorks Food Bank, Greenwood Senior Center, PNA Hot Meal Program, and Whitman Middle School.

It’s easy to help! Pick up a gift tag (or two) at the following locations, then purchase the gift ($20-30) and return it to the location you picked up the tag by the due date (December 10 or after).

Phinney Center – 6532 Phinney Ave N
Greenwood Senior Center – 525 N 85th St
Whittier Kids – 1320 NW 75th St
HomeStreet Bank Phinney – 7307 Greenwood Ave N
HomeStreet Bank Crown Hill – 8050 15th Ave NW
Umpqua Bank Greenwood – 7120 Greenwood Ave N
Nutty Squirrel Gelato – 7212 Greenwood Ave N
3 Wishes Seattle – 7413 Greenwood Ave N

Email maryc@phinneycenter.org with any questions.

A new theatre company in Ballard, Empty Stage Theatre Company, is preparing for their holiday musical offering Plaid Tidings.

Empty Stage Theatre Company was created by Ballard High School theatre arts instructor Shawn M. Riley, choreographer and Multi-Arts teacher Eia Waltzer, and Seattle performer Gustavo Gutierrez. The three wanted to give the Ballard community a theatre company to call their own. With big plans for the summer of 2020, including day camps for children ages kindergarten through eighth grade, and the addition of second show, Empty Stage plans on being a fixture in the Ballard community for the foreseeable future.

In Plaid Tidings, “Francis, Jinx, Smudge and Sparky aren’t sure why they’ve returned to Earth for another posthumous performance, but a phone call from the heavenly Rosemary Clooney lets them know that they’re needed to put a little harmony into a discordant world. This truly ‘heaven-sent’ holiday treat will lift audiences’ spirits and fill them with nostalgia for a bygone era of classic music sung in perfect harmony. “

Performance Details
The performances will be on December 7 and 14 at 7:30 pm and December 8 and 15 at 2:00 pm. Performances will be held at Earl Kelly Center for Performing Arts at Ballard High School, 1418 NW 65th Street, Seattle, Washington, 98117.

Tickets
Reserved seating tickets for Plaid Tidings are available for purchase at SHOWTIX4U.COM. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors and $10 for children 10 and under.

Luso, PhinneyWood’s own Portuguese food, wine and Port shop, is turning 8 years old. Owner and founder Fatima Hemmons is celebrating at a larger venue just a couple blocks south, the Greenwood Masonic Hall.

Says Hemmons, “this is going to be a fabulous event with an outstanding buffet, beautifully decorated hall, and Rock and Roll music to dance away or just enjoy listening to.” There will be live music from the Desolation Sounds and a generous buffet for all attendees to enjoy.

Call for reservations: (206) 694-3524.

Luso Food & Wine 8th Anniversary Party
Friday December 6, starting at 7pm
Greenwood Masonic Hall, 7910 Greenwood Ave N

Curbside recycling won’t take everything, but some things really don’t belong in the trash either. Ridwell is a local small business that makes regular pickups and partners with a variety of companies to reuse and recycle these items sustainably. Learn more about them and bring your questions! RSVP: 206.297.0875.

Thursday December 5, 1 – 2pm
Greenwood Senior Center – 525 N. 85th St.

As the ethos of reuse and recycle slowly seeps into our society, why not bring it to the Holidays? The PNA Fixers Collective is an informal group of folks who meet up “simply for the fun of taking stuff apart, putting it back together again, and maybe even fixing some things in the process.”

The idea is just to take a moment before throwing something away to figure out if you can save it and prevent yourself from having to buy a replacement. It’s also an excellent way to learn how things work and just enjoy some good company.

So grab that non-functional family lamp that’s in the garage or grandma’s Cuisinart mixer from the 1970’s that hasn’t run since the 90’s and bring them by True Value this Wednesday evening. Kids welcome!

Wednesday December 4, 6 – 8pm
Greenwood True Value, 7201 Greenwood Ave N

With a parcel of land in our neighborhood recently donated to be developed for actual affordable housing and as a community land trust, the PRCC is welcoming guest speaker on this topic for their monthly meeting this Tuesday.

Other topics include follow up to the Design Review Early Outreach Process, community issue survey results, and future policy updates. All are welcome!

Phinney Ridge Community Council monthly meeting
Tuesday December 3, 7 – 9pm
Phinney Neighborhood Association, 6532 Phinney Ave N.

Phinney community member Bryant Carlin (often seen selling Real Change outside Red Mill) has joined forces with Conservation Made Simple to translate the experience of one man trekking alone through the Olympic National Forest into a story of changing environmental conditions and the ecological impact of man-made climate change.

Bryant has been camping in the Olympics for over 20 years, and has recently been making longer trips and taking lots more photos of nature and wildlife (ask him about the cougar or about the elk he found during his last trip!).

The project is called Visual Ballads, and the program launch takes place in PNA’s Community Hall on Tue Dec 3 at 5:30pm. RSVP online and come to the show!

Instagraham: https://www.instagram.com/visualballads/

Stories from Real Change:
*Real Change vendor Bryant Carlin captures a rapidly changing landscape
*Vendor Bryant Carlin prepares for wildlife photography assignment

Kick-off the holiday (monkey) season tomorrow evening with friends and neighbors. Bring the family for an evening of cheer as the Phinney Center air raid tower is set aglow with lights and monkeys. Enjoy free refreshments and caroling with the OK Chorale.

Saturday November 30, 5 – 5:30pm
Heart of Phinney Park, Air Raid Tower – 6532 Phinney Ave N

Shop local on this Small Business Saturday! Local vendors will be at HomeStreet Bank community room to help kick start your holiday shopping without the bothersome Amazon-related guilt.

Follow up with other great neighborhood choices for gifts and treats, such as 3 Wishes, Phinney Books, Terra Bella Flowers, and Labels.

Saturday November 30, noon – 6pm
HomeStreet Bank Phinney – 7307 Greenwood Ave N
Enter community room through door off Ken’s Parking Lot

The Woodland Park Zoo’s beloved holiday lights festival returns with sparkling lights, faux snowball fights (in the Zoomazium- don’t miss this), up close animal encounters, hot chocolate and family delights. Experience brand new wild and wonderful light displays that will be featured throughout the zoo including a holiday light spectacular at the zoo’s south entrance which will now be open throughout the run of WildLights.

Open November 29, 2019 through January 5, 2020
Closed December 2, 3, 9, 10, 24 and 25
Wildlights open 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Combine your trip this year with a family dinner or post-lights dessert at one of our great South Phinney eateries. The Zoo is partnering with select Phinney Business to offer dining discounts during WildLights.

Ada’s Restaurant & Bar, Zeek’s Pizza, The Park Pub, Windy City Pies, A La Mode Pies and Modern Japanese Cuisine are offering 10% off select items for zoo guests. Just show a WildLights ticket, zoo ticket or membership card between November 29, 2019 and January 5, 2020.

Coming to you live from the KTTC studios in the Jewell Mainstage Theatre, Taproot Theatre presents The Bishop’s Wife: A Live Radio Play. Based on the classic Lux Radio Theatre broadcast starring Cary Grant, this original adaptation of the beloved holiday tale will fill you with warmth and nostalgia for the golden age of radio.

The beloved holiday film comes to life as a live radio broadcast with you as the in-studio audience. Dudley is an angel and the answer to Bishop Brougham’s prayer to build a new cathedral. But when the angel turns his attention to the bishop’s friends and family, Dudley’s minor miracles require divine intervention. Join the Taproot this Christmas season for a story of love, family and blessings in disguise.

WHEN: November 27 – December 28, 2019 • Wed/Thu, 7:30 PM; Fri/Sat, 8:00 PM; Sat matinee, 2:00 PM

WHERE: Taproot Theatre Company’s Jewell Mainstage Theatre, 204 N 85^th St

Tickets are available online at taproottheatre.org, by phone 206.781.9707 or in person at 204 N 85^th St.

The 32nd Annual PNA Winter Beer Taste was a sell-out success! 997 friends helped us raise a record-breaking $35,177 for PNA’s programs and services for seniors, kids, and community.

Congratulations to the people’s choice award winners:

1. Lucky Envelope Brewing: The Upside Down (Pineapple Cake)
2. Rooftop Brewing Co.: Barrel Ride Russian Imperial Stout
3. Black Raven Brewing Co.: Stranger Things Cask Beer Specialty Brew

Cider: Republic of Cider: Winter Melon

Special love to the 38 breweries and cideries that participated and donated their products, as well as the 97 volunteers and the 21-person Beer Taste Committee who manage so many details – large and small.

The PNA would like to extend huge thanks to the 74th Street Ale House for their 24 years of Beer Taste sponsorship and to KBFG 107.3, our own North Seattle community FM station, who kept the beer taste grooving with awesome tunes.

Now… Mark your calendars for 2020!

Saturday, July 18 – 15th Annual Summer Beer Taste – 30+ awesome, local breweries, outside in the great Seattle summer weather

Saturday, November 14 – 33rd Annual PNA Winter Beer Taste

The Phinney Neighborhood Association is throwing their annual Thanksgiving potluck this Thursday! Originating some 20 years ago, the event offers a classic warm meal to everyone and anyone. PNA is cooking the turkey with the rest of the meal coming from volunteers in the community.

To RSVP or volunteer, call 206-783-2244 or email PNA at pna@phinneycenter.org.

Thursday November 28, 4 – 6pm – FREE

Real Change has an excellent round-up of other free meals and – most importantly – other ways to volunteer and give back around Seattle. This Thanksgiving weekend, support your community by donating to nonprofits, preparing meals for the less fortunate and spreading holiday cheer.

Find about excellent and invigorating opportunities HERE.

Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church will be hosting Tent City 3 for three months beginning December 7. The church has hosted TC3 twice before. It is a legal, resident-run, city funded safe and productive shelter for about 50-80 individuals without a home.

Potential residents are screened against the sex offender registry, adhere to a thorough code of conduct including no drugs or alcohol, and commit to bettering the neighborhood through litter and security patrols. According to PRLC, studies have shown that crime decreases in neighborhoods that host Tent City 3, and had a “stellar reputation around town.”

Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church will be hosting a neighborhood informational meeting at the church on the evening of November 25 from 6-8pm. You are invited to hear from residents and church staff, ask questions, and help shape this upcoming event. If you aren’t able to make the meeting and have any questions, please email outreach@prlc.com.

PhinneyWood is full of wonderful people and great places that we all wish we knew more about. Resident Kevin Kozel periodically digs deeper to let us know more in a column we like to call … Hi Neighbor!

With our busy schedules it can be easy to forget some of the resources that make living in PhinneyWood so great. Every so often we are reminded that accidents happen when we hear the sirens and see the flashing lights of the firetrucks coming from the fire station on Greenwood Ave. Let’s take some time to get to know Captain Kyle White and learn how he and the firefighters of Fire Station 21 are keeping us safe.

Kevin Kozel (KK): How long have you been a firefighter?

Captain White (CW): I’ve been with the department for 26 years, but at this station for about a year and a half. I’ve spent my whole career in the Southend prior to this. Thirteen years in Rainier Valley and 10 years on Beacon Hill. I was a training instructor for a couple of years in between.

KK: And how are you enjoying PhinneyWood?

CW: It’s nice! I didn’t know a lot about it. I think I needed to look at a map to find it when I got promoted and they sent me here! The neighborhood is very cool. I like the PNA and how involved they are in the community. They’ve got lots of activities planned throughout the year. It’s good to be working in a neighborhood where you feel like you’re in a neighborhood. We don’t have a lot of the issues up here that we have in other parts of the city, which is nice too.

KK: And who else is here with you?

CW: There are four of us here right now. There’s myself and I’ve got a (fire engine) driver and two firefighters. We have four different crews of four that work here. The personnel we have can change from day to day. For example, my regular driver is off today, so the department has sent another firefighter here from a different station to fill for the shift. The way each Fire Station is setup is pretty standard across the Seattle Fire Department, so you can go pretty much anywhere in the city and plug right in with a crew and know what you’re supposed to do. It makes it pretty nice.

KK: Teamwork is very important in doing what you do. I’d imagine being structured like that makes it easier.

CW: There’s a lot of training involved. From the day you start drill school all the way through the end of your career you’re training daily on various aspects of the job. We do a lot of training within the department so you’re often training with other stations within the city. That way everyone is on the same page.

KK: We have a lot of very nice and modern looking stations in Seattle, and this one is no exception.

CW: They built this new station in the past seven/eight years. The one here prior was built back in the 40s or 50s, and, typical of buildings at that time, it didn’t really serve the function of what we do today. A lot of them have been torn down and rebuilt, or significantly remodeled. The levee that was approved several years ago allowed for that. I don’t think there is a station in the city that wasn’t improved by that in some way. 

KK: What are some things people should do to reduce alarm calls to the station?

CW: We’re getting into the cold weather now, so make sure you have a technician look at your furnaces before you fire them up. For the baseboard heaters, check for toys and that they are clear of drapes. Make sure you keep the flue open in your fireplace if you are building a fire. And of course the most important thing is to make sure your smoke detectors work. It’s a $20 piece of equipment that will save your life. If you have limited income the fire department will give them to you. You can get that information on the website.

On the EMS side, better self-care helps. We don’t have a problem coming out, but our coverage is limited. If we have to come see you for something that is fairly minor, that means there is no fire protection in this area. Getting pulled away for non-emergencies can have a major impact on something else, so think about your neighbors.

KK: A lot of children want to be firefighters when they grow up. Have you always wanted to be a firefighter?

CW: No, not at all! I grew up in a rural community where all the firefighters were volunteers, so I never thought of it as a career. I was naive. I became a volunteer in high school. Years later my buddies told me they were going to take the Seattle test. That was when I found out I could get paid for this, so I signed up.

KK: What do you enjoy most about being a firefighter?

CW: The variety of things you can do in a day can really change. There’s a lot to learn and people expect a lot of you. You never know what might happen in five minutes, and that unknown keeps you on edge and keeps you interested. We all think we’ve got the best job in the world.

If you’d like to say “hello” to Captain White and the other fire fighters at Fire Station 21, feel free to stop by or give them a wave at 7304 Greenwood Avenue North. You can often see them in the Watch Office right up front next to the garages. To learn more about the SFD visit https://www.seattle.gov/fire.

Any person, place, or thing you want to know more about in our neighborhood? Feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment and we’ll look into making it a future feature on Hi Neighbor!

Share your abundance and bring joy to those in need in the community by participating in the PNA’s annual Giving Tree. Each tree is filled with tags that detail gifts under $30 that some of our neighbors in need have indicated would bring joy to their holidays.

These gifts bring a much needed boost to children and adults from agencies including Broadview Emergency Shelter, Cate & Lakeview Apartments, Dorothy Day House, Robert Eagle Staff Middle School, FamilyWorks Food Bank, Greenwood Senior Center, PNA Hot Meal Program, and Whitman Middle School.

It’s easy to help! Pick up a gift tag (or two) at the following locations, then purchase the gift ($20-30) and return it to the location you picked up the tag by the due date (December 10 or after).

Phinney Center – 6532 Phinney Ave N
Greenwood Senior Center – 525 N 85th St
Whittier Kids – 1320 NW 75th St
HomeStreet Bank Phinney – 7307 Greenwood Ave N
HomeStreet Bank Crown Hill – 8050 15th Ave NW
Umpqua Bank Greenwood – 7120 Greenwood Ave N
Nutty Squirrel Gelato – 7212 Greenwood Ave N
3 Wishes Seattle – 7413 Greenwood Ave N

Happy Holidays!

Ken’s Market, a proud and legandary part of the Phinney Ridge/Greenwood Neighborhood since 1955, has long been a staunch supporter of small local business. By shopping at Ken’s this holiday season, you not only support a local family owned grocery store but also the many local companies that they stock on their shelves.

Even better, this year you can shop at Ken’s from the comfort of your home! Ken’s Market has partnered with Wolfgang Delivers, a local, grocery shopping & delivery service powered by the dumpling app. 

You can read a nice article about Wolfgang here. To get your all Thanksgiving necessities delivered by downloading the dumpling app. 

3 Wishes, our darling shoe, clothing and accessory boutique, is holding a customer appreciation and holiday open house tomorrow night from 6 – 8pm. There will be live jazz music, treats, libations, a gift certificate giveaway, and much more at this free community event!

Saturday November 22, 6 – 8pm
3 Wishes Seattle, 7413 Greenwood Ave N

Meet Pacific Northwest authors and get signed copies of their books for yourself or holiday gifts. Now in its 10th year, this much-anticipated event connects our book-loving community. Authors do short readings. Phinney Books handles the sales. We take your donated books for the Pocket Library program. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas and the PNA.

Facebook event – Invite friends & read artist quotes
Saturday November 23, 3 – 5pm
Phinney Neighborhood Association, 6532 Phinney Ave N

Participating authors:

Kathleen Alcala
Erica Bauermeister
JL Brown
Lynn Brunelle
Deb Caletti
J Anderson Coats
Tim Egan
Elizabeth George
Jennifer Gold
Jennifer Haupt
Lyanda Lynn Haupt
Beth Jusino
David Laskin
Louisa Morgan
Kevin O’Brien
Anna Quinn
Kim Brown Seely
Gina Siciliano
Rachel Lynn Solomon
Garth Stein
Nathan Vass
Urban Waite
Tara Austen Weaver
David B. Williams

Reading schedule:

3:00 pm: Louisa Morgan
3:15 pm: Jennifer Gold
3:30 pm: Nathan Vass
3:45 pm: Kim Seely Brown
4:00pm: JL Brown
4:15 pm: Beth Jusino
4:30 pm: Erica Bauermeister
4:45 pm: Jennifer Haupt

Join us for an all-ages event to celebrate and say farewell to outgoing Phinney Neighborhood Association Executive Director Lee Harper. Lee was only the second ED in the PNA’s 39-year history, and this is the opportunity for the community to say thank you for ten years of leadership and service to our neighborhood. Also, you can meet the new Executive Director, Dar’Nesha Weary. You can read Lee’s farewell letter here.

Appetizers and drinks provided. All are invited to this free event!
Friday November 22, 6 – 8pm
Phinney Center, Blue Building, Room 7 – 6532 Phinney Ave N

The rules regarding backyard cottages have recently changed.  Join Bruce Parker from Microhouse and Stefan Hansmire from Hansmire Builders to learn what is possible under the new code and how to establish a realistic budget for your cottage.

Cost: $15/PNA Member, $20/Public
Location: Phinney Center Blue Building, Room 6
Register or call 206.783.2244

State law provides two tax benefit programs for senior citizens and the disabled: property tax exemptions and property tax deferrals. Yet more than 26,000 qualified seniors and disabled persons have yet to register for the exemption, and only 1 in 100 of those eligible for deferrals are currently enrolled.

Here is the link where you can sign up with the King County Assessor’s Office to receive an email when the updated 2020 application for Senior Property Tax Exemption is available.

The process of applying is fairly simple, and you can learn more about the two programs here.

For any and all in the neighborhood who just cannot get enough turkey! Join your neighbors for an early Thanksgiving lunch with all the fixings among friendly folks.

Friday November 22, noon – 2pm. $5.00
Greenwood Senior Center – 525 N. 85th St
RSVP at (206) 297-0875

Recently opening a second school in the former AutoZone building on 92nd and Greenwood, Seattle Amistad School was founded in Seattle’s Central District to foster community integrity through rigorous bilingual and bicultural education.

Amistad Norte opened in September 2018 and now has three classes: Nido (toddler care), PreK and Kindergarten. They will grow with the kids, adding a grade level each year through 5th grade. They are now accepting applications for 2020-2021 school year for Nido, PreK, and Kindergarten to 2nd grade. Please see their admissions page for more information on deadlines.

Families looking to learn more about the school and in enrolling for the 2020-2021 school year are invited for a tour next Wednesday November 20. During this 45-minute tour families can meet the teachers, current parents and visit classrooms. At the end of the tour, parents are invited to a Q&A session with Paula, Director of Seattle Amistad School Norte.

Seattle Amistad School Norte – 9218 Greenwood Ave N
Wednesday November 20 tour in English – 10am – reserve a spot here
Wednesday November 20 tour in Spanish – 2pm – reserve a spot here

Join us for an all-ages event to celebrate and say farewell to outgoing Phinney Neighborhood Association Executive Director Lee Harper. Lee was only the second ED in the PNA’s 39-year history, and this is the opportunity for the community to say thank you for ten years of leadership and service to our neighborhood. Also, you can meet the new Executive Director, Dar’Nesha Weary. You can read Lee’s farewell letter here.

Appetizers and drinks provided. All are invited to this free event!
Friday November 22, 6 – 8pm
Phinney Center, Blue Building, Room 7 – 6532 Phinney Ave N

Seattle’s longest-running beer-related event, the beloved PNA Winter Beer Taste, is almost sold out. This year’s PNA Beer Taste takes on a Stranger Things theme. Don’t panic. You won’t get caught in the Upside Down and you won’t get attacked by the Demogorgon. Just beer. The list of participating breweries is below. In all, 38 breweries will pour beer at the event.

Get tickets here

BREWERIES

• Aslan Brewing Co.: Lambo Tape Deck Double IPA, King Moonracer Holiday Ale, Rauch Bock Smoked Lager, Gravity keg of Canadian Lager
• Bale Breaker Brewing Co.: High Camp Winter IPA, Cedar Shadow Stout
• Black Raven Brewing Co.: Festivus Holiday Pale Ale, Nothing But Haze, Stranger Thing Cask Beer from Black Raven Brewing-Specialty Brew
• Bosk Brew Works: Hope-Heads – IPA, Dogwood Rust – Märzen
• Boundary Bay Brewery: Hazy About You IPA, Cabin Fever
• Chuckanut Brewery: Chuckanut Pilsner, Chuckanut Rauch Märzen
• Counterbalance Brewing Co.:Mandarina Hazy IPA, Kushetka Russian Imperial Stout, Verboten Vanilla Porter
• Diamond Knot Craft Brewery: Lower Deck Lager, Tropic Island Stout, Heart Piece Hazy IPA
• Dirty Couch Brewing Co.
• Dru Bru: Black IPA, Sticke Alt
• Figurehead Brewing Co.: Woodrow 2019 Imperial Milk Stout, Fishermen’s News IPA, Aroma of Tahoma
• Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery: Pumpkin Schwartz, The Sinner Abbey Style Strong Dark Ale
• Fremont Brewing Co.: Mod Pod IPA, Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Star, Winter Ale: Winter Beer Taste Edition
• Georgetown Brewing Co.: October IPA, Johnny Utah Pale Ale, Tombourbon Brown Ale,
• Ghostfish Brewing Co.: It Came from the Haze, Hazy IPA – Fall Ed, Polar Nights Whisky Barrel Aged Porter, Peak Buster DIPA
• Hellbent Brewing Co.; All Spruced Up Winter Ale, The Freaks Come Out at Night Imperial Stout
• Lazy Boy Brewing: Mistletoe Bliss, Oatmeal Stout with Maple and Pecans
• Lucky Envelope Brewing: The Upside Down (Pineapple Cake), Lucky Envelope Helles Lager
• Maritime Pacific Brewing Co.: Jolly Roger, Cherry/Brandy Jolly Roger 2019
• Old Stove Brewing Co.: Tasty Market IPA, Don’s Fall Surprise
• Outlander Brewery: Holy Basil Pale Ale, Oak-aged Oud Bruin
• Pike Brewing Co.: Third Story Cherry Stout
• Populuxe Brewing Co.: Blackberry Sour, The Big Dark
• Portland Cider: Pineapple Rosé, Peach Berry
• Ravenna Brewing Co.: Bourbon Barrel Aged Lion Tamer Vanilla Porter, Oak Fermented Shipwrecked Guava Gose Sour Ale, TBD Hazy IPA
• Republic of Cider: Winter Melon, Sidra de Los Muertos
• Reuben’s Brews: Hazealicous POG IPA; Roasted Rye Grapefruit IPA, Cinnamon Raisin Rye, BBIS
• Rooftop Brewing Co.: Up on the Rooftop Holiday Ale, Barrel Ride Russian Imperial Stout
• Salish Sea Brewing Co.: BLIZZAK Imperial Red Winter Ale, Citr Pale
• Scuttlebutt Brewing Co.: Night Circus Coconut Coffee Ale, Bali Ha’i
• Seapine Brewing Co.: Positron Hazy IPA, Seapine Pilsner
• Seattle Cider Co.: Spiced Peach, Punchbowl
• Silver City Brewery: Wonderland Winter Lager, Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Scrooge, Tropic Haze IPA, Ride the Spiral Pineapple-Orange Double IPA
• Snapshot Brewing Co.: Dark Room IPA, Blood Moon Amber
• Standard Brewing Co.: 764-HERO, New Money
• Stoup Brewing Co.: Viafuct IPA, Dia de los Muertos Imperial Porter
• Two Beers Brewing Co.: Tipsy Toboggan, Wonderland Trail IPA
• Urban Family Brewing Co.: Moonstone, Deep Magic Porter

Hopscotch will be back at Geo’s this Friday November 15 for their Friday Night Dinner and Live Music.

Hopscotch is the brainchild of pianist Charlie Hiestand and singer-songwriter Jeanie Mishler. They’ve teamed up with a collection of Seattle sidemen to bring to life songs they’ve co-written and arranged in the jazz genre. Influenced by bands like Pink Martini and traditional big bands, this smaller jazz band serves up both standards and original swing, latin, and blues tunes with a touch of quirky comedy and tap dancing thrown in.

Geo’s offers a menu of fabulous authentic Cuban food, craft cocktails and a terrific wine selection. All ages welcome. No cover charge. Mark your calendars and make your dinner reservations!

Geo’s Bar & Grill – 10515 Greenwood Ave N
Hopscotch Jazz – Friday November 15, 6:30 – 9pm

Pulse Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) is an alternative therapy that creates a gentle, pulsing magnetic field that energizes unhealthy cells and purportedly stimulates the body’s ability to heal itself. PEMF has been shown to be effective at helping gain relief naturally from chronic pain and long term illnesses.

Pulse Pro Health of Seattle was founded in 2019 in the Ballard Neighborhood in order to provide relief from pain related to a multitude of health issues. Owner Trishann Couvillion was severely injured in a car crash on the Seattle Viaduct in 2013. Years of declining health and resonating pain followed, along with her quest to find relief in the most natural ways possible. After using massage therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic and other forms of treatment, she then discovered PEMF.

Trishann is teaming up with Body By Impulse to demo PEMF to the neighborhood this Saturday (11/16) and Monday (11/18). You can sign up for a free 20-minute demo by calling (206) 850-5809. Space is limited!

Pulse Pro Health PEMF demos at Body By Impulse
7107 Greenwood Ave N
Saturday November 16, 10am – 4pm
Monday November 18, 11am – 4pm

Chefs+TogetherSEATTLE is holding their annual Dine Out to Change Lives event this Thursday, and we have two local participants: Nutty Squirrel and Caffe Vita.

Participating establishments will donate 10% of proceeds from November 14 to the NW Immigrant Rights Project, a Washington state-based non-profit that has been defending and advancing the rights of immigrants in Washington State since 1984 and serves over 20,000 community members from over 130 countries every year.

The largest legal-services organization serving low-income immigrants and refugees in the Pacific Northwest, NW Immigrant Rights Project provides legal representation and assistance to immigrants, including representing people who are seeking protection from deportation, safety from violence, the ability to reunite with loved ones, citizenship, or new opportunities in work and education

Take the family to one of these businesses on Thursday to help make the world a better place for all!

Nutty Squirrel Gelato – 7212 Greenwood Ave N. Noon – 9pm
Caffe Vita – 7402 Greenwood Ave N. 6am – 7pm

After 10 years on the job as the PNA’s second-ever Executive Director, Lee Harper announced earlier this year that she had decided to move on to new challenges, which set off a 6-month search for a new ED.

Over 100 applicants were whittled down to 11 finalists. Though all 11 candidates interviewed in person were highly qualified, three exceptional finalists emerged. The full Board interviewed each finalist at a special Board meeting on October 29. Following deliberations, the Board chose Dar’Nesha Weary for the position. Dar’Nesha will begin at the PNA on December 2.

Dar’Nesha is a Seattle native who comes to us after over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector, where her mission has been to serve others, build community, and make a positive impact by challenging racism, promoting acceptance of people from different backgrounds, raising awareness, and using her voice to address hate and to promote kindness.

She began her career right here in the neighborhood as a Program Director at the Greenwood Boys and Girls Club. For the latter part of her career, she has risen in the ranks of the YMCA of Greater Seattle, beginning as the Dale Turner Branch Membership Engagement Director and ending in the corporate office as the Program Executive of Membership, overseeing membership engagement operations of 14 branches.

In her spare time, Dar’Nesha is the director of the award-winning Northside Step Team, which recently worked with the artist LIZZO(!) on a sisterhood project, and is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated (one of 9 Historically Black Greek Organizations).  She is exceedingly active with community engagement and education around diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the greater Seattle area. Dar’Nesha has a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Counseling from Capella University.

Illumination Learning Studios, Family Works and the Seattle Public Library are hosting a special story time about giving thanks and helping our community members in need.

They will be sharing stories about gratitude and MITTENS! Many of our community members are in need of clothes to keep warm. If you’d like to donate a pair of new mittens to a child in need, please bring a pair of mittens with you to story time.

Can’t make this event? Not to worry – Verity Credit Union, The United Methodist Church, and Illumination Learning Studios will also be hosting giving boxes through December 2. Neighbors can donate at any of those sites new hats, gloves/mittens, socks, and scarfs.   

Wednesday November 13, 10:15am and 11:15am
Greenwood Branch of Seattle Public Libraries
8016 Greenwood Ave. N

Beers don’t lie. Come see why at the 32nd Annual PNA Beer Taste.Don’t worry, the PNA won’t trap you in the Upside Down, but they will gather you in a historic, haunted schoolhouse with 38 local breweries for a cozy night of beer drinking.

If you’ve never been to a PNA Winter Beer Taste — a favorite among tasters and brewers alike — you don’t want to miss it.

Tickets include:
*Ten “generous” tastes  of local craft beer and cider (some specially brewed for this event)
*Pub snacks and tasty homemade treats
*A silent auction of unique and not-so-unique beer paraphernalia

Enjoy this popular event without the crowds at the special VIP Tasting which starts at 6:15 pm. For an additional $25 tax-deductible donation, VIP tickets include a complimentary PNA glass, a spread from 74th St. Alehouse, sliders and slaw, and no lines. Get a chance to chat with the folks behind your favorite brews and take your time choosing your tastes.

And it’s not just about beer…this event supports PNA’s nonprofit programs for seniors, kids, people in need, and the entire community!

Regular Tickets:
PNA Member $25  (Learn about PNA Membership / Sign up)
Non-Member $35
Designated Driver $10

VIP Tickets – 6:15 pm ($25 is tax-deductible):
PNA Member $50  (Learn about PNA Membership / Sign up)
Non-Member $60
Designated Driver $25

Get Tickets Here!

Independent toy stores all over the country will kick off the holiday season by hosting Neighborhood Toy Store Day on Saturday November 9th to celebrate their community, the value of shopping local, and the joy of play. Hundreds of toy stores celebrate with family-friendly activities, in-store specials and more.

Our beloved local toy store, Snapdoodle (formerly Top Ten Toys), is participating tomorrow from 10am – 2pm. Drop by with your family to test toys from their Holiday Catalog and enjoy some tasty treats.

Snapdoodle Toys and Games – 120 N 85th St.

Naomi Tomky, who writes about food and travel for Saveur, Fodor’s, The Atlantic’s CityLab, Vogue, Food & Wine, and other publications will be at Body By Impulse (7107 Greenwood Ave N) during the Phinneywood Artwalk to sign her new cookbook. There will be wine, fish, and pizza, with books for sale from 6 – 9pm. Also take time to meet the owner of Body By Impulse, Michka Mirzanejad, and learn about the city’s only Electro Muscle Stimulation studio.

This is part of the monthly Art Up PhinneyWood artwalk that promotes over 40 participating venues in the Greenwood-Phinney neighborhood. Come out and cruise the neighborhood from 6-9pm and check out the latest art and special offerings.

See this month’s line-up & map

Illumination Learning Studio (ILS) on 78th and Greenwood had a special visitor this week on Election Day.  Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal made a stop to visit student one student in particular who wrote to her office asking about elections and why kids can’t vote.  The Congresswoman and her staff met privately with the student, his brother and parents, then participated in a special ILS town hall with all of the students attending Illumination’s After School classes.  

Students asked a range of questions; everything from the climate crisis to the impeachment inquiry, what congress does and why she got into politics. They were also very particularly interested in learning about ways in which they can get involved in issues that matter to them, even though they are too young to vote.  Mrs. Jayapal had some great recommendations for them which include volunteering for candidates, initiatives or campaigns that are important to them and talking to as many people as they can about why these particular topics or people matter to them.  She encouraged them to use their voices and to encourage family members who are of age to get out and vote during elections!

A Divorce Support Group will be meeting weekly at the Phinney Ridge HomeStreet bank community room starting this Friday. This secular group has been formed so people going through this process or recovering do not have to do it alone or rely only on friends and family for support. Group focus will be on stress management and community building.

There is no charge to attend the group, only a requested donation for admin fees. Presented by Terrah Cox of idomediation.com.

Ongoing, Fridays at 6pm starting on November 8
HomeStreet Bank Phinney – 7307 Greenwood Ave N
Enter community room through door off Ken’s Parking Lot

Join the thousands of people saving money and having fun driving an electric car. Presented by Mark Schiller, Former Vice-President of the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association.

This talk will cover how they work, how and where to charge them, costs of ownership, resale value, what’s available, incentives to purchase, and generally what to consider when getting plugged in. Visit www.seattleeva.org/wp/ for more information.

Wednesday November 6., 1 – 2pm
Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N 85th St.
RSVP: 206.297.0875.

With all the revelations in the news about irresponsible e-waste spread over the world, we now have a good option right in our community.

3R Technology, voted King County Green Small Business of the Year in 2016, is the most certified and trusted electronics recycler in the Pacific Northwest.  Using a properly certified electronics recycler helps ensure that your e-waste material is managed in a responsible and environmentally safe manner, and that your data is safe.

On site is also a Reuse Outlet Store that provides an affordable, quality alternative to purchasing new technology. Buying refurbished can help minimize impact on the environment and save money. Inventory includes laptops, tablets, Macbooks, smart phones, desktop computers, displays, printers, servers, network equipment, AV and stereos, and tons of parts and peripherals for the DIY enthusiast.

3R Technology North Seattle
9801 Aurora Ave N – (206) 472-6383

Sunday, Monday – Closed
Tuesday – Friday 11 am to 6 pm
Saturday – 10 am to 5 pm

This month’s meeting will feature a recap of the October D6 Candidate Forum, as well as guest speakers from the Department of Neighborhoods and Department of Construction.

The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) is now assisting developers with community outreach. Rules have changed recently and now there are even fewer requirements for developers to have public meetings to “simplify the permit process” on smaller projects. Other medium-sized projects invite only written comments.   

A number of upcoming Phinney Ridge projects proposed for south of N 80th St. fall into these categories. The purpose of this discussion with DON is to understand the new modified rules and find out how to best make constructive comments on these projects so that they enhance our neighborhood character.

You can find the complete agenda for the meeting here.

Phinney Ridge Community Council November meeting
Tuesday November 5, 7pm
Phinney Neighborhood Center – 6532 Phinney Ave N

On October 22, members of the Ballard P-Patch and surrounding community met at City Hall to petition the budget committee for funds from the Sweetened Beverages Tax. You can read more about the plight of the P-Patch here.

To date, the Ballard P-Patch has raised over $50,000 and gathered over 3,000 signatures from 18 local organizations and thousands of individuals in support of saving the garden.

Members of the Ballard P-Patch brought this information along with numerous letters of support to the budget committee, and are hopeful that the strong support of the community will help influence their decision to allocate funds for the P-Patch program.

You can help by sending a note to the Mayor (jenny.durkan@seattle.gov) and the entire City Council (council@seattle.gov) in support of the P-Patch and advocating for City funds to help the effort.

Looking for a quick and easy way to give back to your community? Come to the annual shoreline milfoil clean-up this Sunday at Greenlake.

When milfoil is left to die it uproots and washes up on the shore to decay. When it decays it releases phosphorus and nitrogen back into the lake contributing towards algae spikes year round. Anyone remember the “Greenlake Itch” from swimming in the lake years back? The goal is to prevent this!

This is hosted by Seattle Milfoil, who will be giving out hot coffee, donuts, gloves and tools. The Parks Department is partnering and will be allowing for strategic piles all around the lake to be trucked out at a later date.

Participants will be meeting is at 10am at the Greenlake Community Center, 7201 East Green Lake Dr N.

Have you raked more leaves than can fit in your food and yard waste cart? Seattle Public Utilities provides free extra yard waste pick up for household customers in November. Just set out your extra yard waste next to your food and yard waste cart on your collection day. SPU will accept up to 10 bags of extra yard waste total per household between November 1 and 30. (That’s 10 extra bags for the month, not 10 extra bags per collection day.)

Extra yard waste must be in paper bags or placed in an extra container that contains only yard waste. Fallen branches and twigs can be tied into bundles up to 4 feet long by 2 feet in diameter and tied with fiber twine. Do not use wire, nylon cording, or plastic banding.

The Phinney Neighborhood Association seeks a dynamic Development & Communications Associate whose experience and philosophy closely align with the PNA’s mission and values. This is a part-time, flexible position (30 hours/week) with a pay range of $19-$20/hour DOE with benefits. This is an ideal role for an aspiring nonprofit development professional.

The Development Associate will provide administrative support to the Development team and Executive Director, including quality and timely stewardship to PNA donors and members, which includes gift acknowledgement and processing, data management, and reporting. This position also assists in planning and executing fundraising events and supports marketing and communications. You can see the full job announcement here.

Second, there is an opening for a part-time Whittier Kids After School Teacher. The Whittier Kids Teacher is a part time position at 23.75 hours/week, M-F. Additional hours may be assigned for early release days, and school breaks, and special events. Teachers are responsible for general classroom support and supervision of the children in the WK School-Age Program. You can see the full job announcement here.

For a detailed job description including essential responsibilities, qualifications, and application instructions, see our posting at www.phinneycenter.org/jobs.   

Imagine a 400 square foot room containing a monstrous 102-year old radiator, 4-foot tall fan, broken windows, and ugly green paint. You might think: nightmare. But for a small group of woodworking enthusiasts, they thought: Community Woodshop!

There is a place for everyone at the Community Woodshop, from experts to people who have no experience. The stated intent to create a space that builds and supports a broad community of fabrication and woodworking members who are enthusiastic about learning, teaching, sharing, and inspiring one another with creativity, skill, and community service.

This Saturday from 9am – 2pm the community is invited to come check out this newly created woodshop while enjoying a cup of coffee & doughnut. There will be wood projects on display and an opportunity to sign up for future classes.

Location: The small outbuilding on the northeast side of the lower parking lot in the Phinney Center, near the Brick Building.
Time: Saturday November 2, 9am – noon

Celebrate Día de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday honoring the dead with food, drink, and festivities. This free celebration will begin with a community procession and dedication of a traditional altar for offerings to the deceased. Bring your offerings (pictures, mementos, small items) to the Phinney Center before or during the event to be included on the altar. You can pick them back up at the Phinney Center by November 11 or take them back with you.

Come and enjoy live music and dance, decorate sugar skulls, do arts & crafts, get your face painted, eat delicious food, and drink Mexican hot chocolate. This event is free and open to all!  Some crafts and activities do have a suggested donation of $2. There will be food for purchase from Luna Azul and Patty Pan Grill.

The procession starts in the Phinney Center Upper Parking Lot at 3 pm.

Featuring
*CeAtl Tonalli Aztec Dancers
*Altar dedication by Raúl Sánchez
*Kids’ music by Marco Cortes
*Dance by children’s troupe Grupo Folklorico Citlali

Schedule
3:00 pm – Festival begins: meet in Community Plaza for the procession – CeAtl Tonalli Aztec Dancers perform and lead procession
4:00 pm – Community altar in the Blue Building is dedicated by Raúl Sánchez
4:30 pm –  Performance by students from PNA’s Phinney Cooperative Prescholar en Español (PCPE).
5:00 pm –Marco Cortes performance
6:00 pm – Grupo Folklorico Citlali performance
6:45 pm – PCPE raffle drawing
7:00 pm – event ends

Activities
*Face painting
*Coloring
*Paper flower making
*Picture frame decorating
*Sugar skull decorating
*Chocolate skull decorating

Seattle Restaurant Week takes place every fall and spring, with the 2019 fall promotion up and running between October 27 and November 7. During Seattle Restaurant Week more than 165 restaurants across the greater Seattle area offer a special three-course dinner menu for $35, and many also offer two-course lunches for $20. Prices exclude beverages, tax and gratuity.

In Phinney-Greenwood, we have two participating restaurants this year, Ada’s Restaurant and Bar and The Olive and Grape (Restaurant Week menus are hyperlinked). If you’ve been meaning to try these great local eateries, now is a great chance! Please note that Ada’s is not offering this menu on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday brunch.

Ballard High School’s Music Program is hosting their annual fall concert series for choirs, orchestra and bands.

The series kicks off Tuesday, October 29, with a theme of Toward the Horizon: Choral Music from Dawn to Dusk. Under the direction of Choir Director Courtney Rowley, the concert will feature all six groups performing songs from diverse genres that trace the arc of both a day and a life, exploring such themes as morning, belonging, love and loss, resilience, and evening.

The Orchestra concert on Monday, November 4, features a brand new orchestra and the evening will feature themes from Bizet’s Carmen and the John Williams’ composed “Air and Simple Gifts”, which was commissioned for and performed at Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony.    

The band concert on Wednesday, November 6, celebrates composers by women and people of color, featuring “A Moment for Rosa” which celebrates the life of civil rights legend Rosa Parks.

All performances begin at 7:30 PM in the Ballard High School Earl Kelly Center for Performing Arts. Admission is free. You can purchase reserved seating at https://showtix4u.com. Search for the name of the performance.

For full details about this event see http://www.ballardperformingarts.org

BOO-gie on down to the Lagunitas Seattle TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary for a special appearance by Caspar Babypants, presented by PNA’s Ballard Preschool Co-op and Northwest Christian Church.

Lagunitas is donating ALL beer proceeds to the school, so gather up your boys and ghouls and come grab a beer and a bite.

There will be lots of snacks and non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase, plus activities for the kids. Oskar’s Pizza will be out front serving slices (gluten free options available). Spilt Milk Nannies is facilitating the kids play areas so adults will have time to enjoy a beer (or many) and catch up with friends and family.

Lagunitas Brewing Company Taproom, 1550 NW 49th St.
Schedule:
5:30 pm — Doors Open
6:30 pm — Caspar Babypants
7:30 pm — Raffle Ends
7:45 pm — Raffle Winner Announced (must be present to win)

Adult: $15.00 Child: $5.00
Child 3 or under: Free Get tickets

The City of Seattle and Metro need your help to improve the speed and reliability of the Route 44 bus service that runs from Ballard Locks to the University of Washington Station.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and King County Metro are gathering community feedback, reviewing technical data, and studying Seattle’s transportation plans in order to enhance the corridor along which Route 44 travels. SDOT is leading the design and will deliver improvements by 2023. We are in the early stages and are seeking input from riders of Route 44 as well as community members who do not ride the bus. 

The goal is to improve the service and the safety of people accessing transit. The feedback collected will be incorporated into early design concepts that will then be presented to the public for further feedback.

This anonymous survey should take you less than 10 minutes to complete and will provide valuable information to the project team.

Click this link to give your feedback today. Here is a link to the website with helpful information. The survey closes on October 29.

Mainstay Provisions, an all-day café and specialty market, is now open at 612 NW 65^th St. in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. The building previously housed the Sneakery from 2006 until it closed earlier this year.

Mainstay’s café menu features pastry, soups, sandwiches, salads and rotisserie chicken, all prepared in-house “using techniques usually reserved for fine dining restaurants.” The market offers a unique selection of specialty grains, oils and vinegars, fresh produce and pasta, as well as local and international beer and wine.

Mainstay is the creation of Seattleites Thom Koschwanez and Ashley Thompson. The young parents have created a café to address the busy lifestyles of working locals and longstanding Ballard residents. Their goal is to provide high-quality food and market items at affordable prices while employing fine-dining caliber chefs and cooks at high wages in excellent working conditions.

Koschwanez, an Ethan Stowell chef alumnus, has been in the industry for more than 25 years. His goal has been to provide an atmosphere for chefs and cooks to succeed without having to sacrifice work-life balance.

The café is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends.

“Going home and having dinner with my wife and daughter is an absolute dream,” said Koschwanez. “I hope people can see that the hours we are open and the people we employee are a luxury for both Ashley and myself, but also for the neighborhood.”

Koschwanez is referring to BJ Bresnik, Mainstay’s chef de cuisine. Bresnik, formerly of The Walrus and the Carpenter, brings not only award-winning menu offerings but has also commitment to the café’s work/life balance.

“My family is my world. (My son) Oliver is 10 and goes to West Woodland, just a short walk away from Mainstay. It was really important to me to have these next few years with Oliver while he still wants to be around his momma before the teenage years begin and I become too embarrassing.”

Mainstay has teamed with Ladro roasting, a favorite in the Seattle coffee scene. Locally roasted coffee pairs perfectly with house-made pastries, breakfast sandwiches and an extended morning menu.

Dress-Up Day – Sun October 27 – 9 & 11am Services
Get into the Halloween spirit and dress up as your favorite super hero, fairy, wizard, etc, or come as you are. All ages are welcome and encouraged to join in the fanciful fun. Sunday service appropriate and family friendly costumes please.

Pre-Halloween Family Fun Night – Wednesday, October 30, 5 – 7pm
A free event for all ages – crafts, entertainment, snacks and more. Come out to Center for Spiritual Living for a creative and fun time before Halloween Night.

This Sunday is the annual 2019 Sunday Supper and silent auction to benefit FamilyWorks, our local family resource center that nourishes and empowers our neighbors in need.

Like previous years attendees will be treated to a delicious Tom Douglas dinner: Tom’s famous Alaskan Wild Salmon and a delicious Eggplant Imam. The dessert will be provided by Molly Moon’s & Hello Robin.

Location – The Mountaineers
5:00 p.m. – Doors Open
5:30 p.m. – Cocktails & Silent Auction
6:30 p.m. – Family Style Dinner & Program

Trick or Treat for a cause! Children are invited to trick or treat at participating businesses and encouraged to donate $2 or a non-perishable food item for the FamilyWorks Greenwood Food Bank to help families in need in our community.

Hunger Goblin’ posters will be marking businesses with treats (or tricks!)

There will be donation stations along Phinney/Greenwood at Illumination Learning Studio, Greenwood Library, Snapdoodle Toys & Games, Verity Credit Union, Umpqua Bank, Ken’s Market and HomeStreet Bank.

New this year: Photo Booth Lane at Piper Village: Morrow Lane@Piper Village (next to Verity Credit Union between 85th and 87th on Greenwood) will be partnering with the Greenwood Art Collective this year. Each participating business will have a custom painted Halloween-themed backdrop out in front of their entrance for trick or treaters to pose for pictures in front of. The Piper Village Participating businesses are Verity Credit Union, Seatown Veterinary, Ladywell’s Spa, Mud Bay, School of Rock, Title Boxing, and Snapdoodle Toys.

The Greenwood Art Collective will be having an out door gallery in the breezeway next to the fountain and in between Banner Dental and Ladywell’s Spa from 12-5pm on Saturday October 26 the same afternoon as Hunger Goblin

Enjoy this local “Bel Canto” concert series, offering live classical music in a casual, friendly setting for the community. This is performed by sopranos Mikiko Hashimoto and Fumi Tagata, accompanied by Aya Tsukada Saxman and Mime Miyata, with a guest pianist Lambros Lambrou.

Saturday October 26, 6 – 8pm
Rock of Ages Lutheran Brethren Church, 316 N 70th S
To RSVP: http://evite.me/EvgxCdGPr3.
Free Admission (donations will be gratefully accepted)
Childcare available upon request -contact fumitagata@gmail.com.

If an earthquake shakes us tomorrow, are you ready? Join the GCC tomorrow night for Disaster Preparedness training provided by the City of Seattle’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM).

The presentation will provide an overview of the hazards that can impact Seattle, and steps that individuals and families can take to become more prepared to deal with them. This includes guidance on how to develop a disaster plan, build a disaster supply kit, and organize with neighbors to become better prepared. The presentation also provides an overview of other OEM efforts including the SNAP program (Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare), Community Emergency Hubs, and the City’s new alert and notification system, Alert Seattle.

Tuesday October 22, 7pm
Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N 85th St

We’ve all been wondering, “What will the old Starbucks be?” We finally have our answer. Coming in the Spring of 2020… RidgeWood Bottle & Tap, a new tap house and bottle shop. 

The owners of the new establishment are a group led by former PhinneyWood resident Stuart Faris and his wife Michelle. They will be joined by a team of partners with extensive industry experience in Seattle.

Faris grew up in the neighborhood, went to preschool at the PNA, West Woodland Elementary, Whitman Middle School, Ballard High School, and college at UW. He’s as local as they come. Eventually he moved down to Portland for work, but many of his family and friends still live in the neighborhood and he finds himself back often.

Stuart currently co-owns Uptown Beer Co., a tap house and bottle shop with two locations in the Portland area. He and his friends often discussed the idea of opening something similar in Seattle during his visits, but the time never seemed quite right.

According to Faris, “A friend at Red Mill (Burgers) mentioned that the Starbucks was leaving and that they were looking for something that would be complementary to their business. The opportunity seemed too good to be true. It’s the neighborhood I grew up in. It’s my childhood best friend, my high school best friend, my college best friends, and my forever best friend, my wife. We’re beyond excited.”

The group recognize the sense of community and family that the location holds and have every intent of making RidgeWood an integral part of that. They want it to be a social space within PhinneyWood, a stop along your dog walk or family bike ride, where you can pop in to see a familiar face and meet neighbors. They also want to become a premier craft beer and beverage destination for beer geeks and beginners alike.

RidgeWood will have indoor/outdoor seating, expanded bicycle parking, a few TVs (though not intended to be loud), and will be family friendly (including dogs) most hours. Expect around 42 taps and 300 plus bottles/cans in the fridges. Draft beers will be comprised of local, imported, rare, and new and exciting offerings, including dedicated nitro and sour beer taps, as well as non-alcoholic options such as kombucha and draft root beer. There will also be wine, cider, seltzer, slush drinks and other non-spirit based beverages. You will be able to order from neighboring Red Mill Burgers within the establishment to enjoy a beverage with your meal as well as bring in outside food.

From an event standpoint, things are still coming together, but the ideas include Trivia Night, Movie Night, tap takeovers, special beer releases and collaborations, Meet the Brewer nights, as well as local live music. Weekly occurrences will follow a regular schedule with larger seasonal events to be held periodically.

“At the end of the day, we’re starting with this idea. We’re going to listen to what people like and we’re going to become their place,” says Faris. “We want everyone to feel like they have some ownership in what goes on here and what we’re involved with.”

RidgeWood Bottle & Tap is aiming to open this Spring… and they do plan on having nitro cold brew coffee on tap for those of you that miss the Starbucks.

More info to come soon at www.RidgeWoodBottleandTap.com with social media on Facebook and Instagram to soon follow.

*Edited 10/22/19 to correct “Westwood Elementary” to “West Woodland Elementary”

Tickets are now on sale for the 32nd Annual PNA Beer Taste. Don’t worry, we won’t trap you in the Upside Down, but we will gather you in a historic, haunted schoolhouse with 37 local breweries for a cozy night of beer drinking.

If you’ve never been to a PNA Winter Beer Taste — a favorite among tasters and brewers alike — you don’t want to miss it. We are looking forward  to Stranger Thing Cask Beer from Black Raven Brewing – this beer is still in the cask waiting for the details.  Info will be available soon.

Tickets include:
*Ten (generous!) tastes  of local craft beer and cider (some specially brewed for this event)
*Pub snacks and tasty homemade treats
*An awesome silent auction of unique and not-so-unique beer paraphernalia

And it’s not just about beer…this event supports PNA’s nonprofit programs for seniors, kids, people in need, and the entire community!

Saturday November 16, 7 – 10pm
Phinney Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N.

The fabulous FamilyWorks Family Resource Center brings us a free, 3 hour experiential parenting workshop early next week. Learn to discipline with firmness and kindness, have fun, and set the foundation for important social and life skills.

The workshop will be led by Sproutable‘s Julietta Skoog, a Certified Positive Discipline Trainer.

Monday October 21st, 10 am – 1 pm
Greenwood Branch of The Seattle Public Library
Call 206.694.6727 to register today!

The Sustain Music Project is a classical music ensemble that performs chamber music concerts that collaborate with other disciplines to create immersive experiences. They are committed to using music to point towards social justice and inclusion.

This Sunday, SMP is teaming up with New Beginnings – a local organization assisting domestic violence survivors – to co-produce a concert at the Taproot Theater. The purpose is to tell the stories of domestic violence and how our community can help eradicate it through music. “This program of six musical compositions takes listeners on the journey experienced after trauma: shock, grief, and isolation that can be transformed into joy, peace, and hope for the future,” writes Artistic Director Christina Medawar.

Sunday October 20, 3pm
Taproot Theatre, 204 N 85th St, Seattle
You can purchase tickets here.

Discover what it means to be white and the ramifications of remaining silent in the face of injustice. This session focuses on the Breaking White Silence project’s history and core understandings of racism. Includes interactive conversation as well as info and Q&A.

Breaking White Silence, a project of the PNA, is designed to educate white people on the structures and patterns of racism—and raise our consciousness about our own socialized patterns—by forming free, facilitated study groups to read and discuss Dr. Robin DiAngelo’s  What Does It Mean to Be White?: Developing White Racial Literacy (Revised Edition).

Dr. DiAngelo is a race and social justice educator and author of the 2018 New York Times best-selling book White Fragility. Her work has been featured at the Seattle Public Library and in Salon, NPR, Slate, and The New Yorker. More info about the project 

Sunday October 20, 2 – 3:30pm
Seattle Public Library Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave
All welcome – no need to RSVP.

Questions?  Contact Cecily at cecily@phinneycenter.org | 206.297.0875

Are you a senior homeowner who is looking for ways to decrease your housing expenses? Come hear from representatives of several programs that can help you meet your physical and financial needs to stay in your home and community as you age.

Topics include Senior Property Tax Exemption, Affordable Home Repair, Virtual Villages, and Home Sharing. Light refreshments provided.

Programs Represented:
• Washington State Senior Property Tax Exemption: Learn about the new income eligibility rules beginning in 2020 and how to apply. If you didn’t qualify for a reduction or exemption on your property taxes in the past, you may now.

• City of Seattle Major Home Repair Program: You may be eligible for a loan for a major health and safety repair on your house, such as a roof or furnace. There is also a program to weatherize your home. Find out if you qualify.

• PNA Village & Home Sharing: PNA Village helps elders stay remain in their homes as they age. In addition to providing a wide array of services, PNA Village partners with Silver Nest: a home sharing website that connects homeowners with extra space in their homes with renters who want lower-cost housing options. Home sharing offers safety, companionship and sharing of household tasks.

Saturday October 19, 10am – noon
Phinney Center Brick Building, Community Hall
6532 Phinney Ave N

Watch the PNA Tool Library’s famous cider press in action and enjoy live music. Bring apples and a container to take cider home with you. You are encouraged to not buy apples – ask a neighbor who has a full tree if you can pick them!

Free/$5 suggested donation. All donations support the PNA Tool Library.

Last week, two thieves stole a truck in Queen Anne and piggybacked behind a resident’s vehicle into a secure parking garage in Ballard. They parked and taped a door latch open to get in later. An alert resident removed the tape and informed management.

Fast forward a day. Two people attempted to distract the manager while attempting to drill through the door lock. This attempt failed. The truck was returned to its owner. The thieves have not yet been apprehended.

Crime rates, policing levels and other matters that directly relate to public safety in Seattle are on the table. Both D6 City Council candidates, the Captain of the North Precinct, and Mary Amberg from the Seattle Police Department will talk about physical security measures and protecting each other by waiting for garage doors to close and not letting strangers into the building. They will clarify who to call if an emergency situation arises.

Thursday October 17, 6:30 – 8:30pm
Leif Erikson Hall, 2245 Northwest 57th Street
Please register here

The Ballard High School Playmakers kick off the Ballard High School 2019-2020 Performing Arts season with the provoking play Radium Girls, based on a true story.

A hundred years ago, radium was thought to be a miracle cure used to fight cancer. It was quickly commercialized and used in products for consumers, including luminous watches that glowed in the dark. Radium Girls tells the story of the New Jersey factory girls who hand-painted the dials until they mysteriously became ill and started dying. Worker Gracie Jordan decides to sue the United States Radium Corporation, exposing radium’s impact on health and just how far a company will go to manipulate science. 

“Radium Girls tells a story of corporate and government scandal while also exploring science,” says Theatre Director Shawn M. Riley. “These are important conversations to be having even today,”

Performance Details
*Radium Girls will be performed at the Earl Kelly Center for Performing Arts at Ballard High School, 1418 NW 65th Street
*Show Dates: October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26    
*7:30 p.m. curtain time with one 15-minute intermission.
*Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors
*Advance tickets are now available at https://showtix4u.com

Per their press release: “Drop by Backfire this Friday as we Present: Billy Brandt . Billy is well known in Seattle for his gritty Lounge act… we are super excited for him to appear here at the pub. Billy Brandt is a singer, guitarist, and composer whose music has working-class appeal that radiates masculine charm and chutzpah. He has a voice like dark roasted coffee with a hint of cream.”

Raised in Hanover, MA, Brandt now lives in the Pacific Northwest. A mainstay on the Seattle music scene, he performs regularly in clubs all around the city. Brandt is a storyteller, both as a singer and composer, somewhat in the tradition of Tom Waits, though with a more refined and nuanced voice.

He released his third CD, “CITY NOIR” in April 2019. It follows his 2011 release “The Ballad of Larry’s Neighbor” and “Get it Going,” released in 2016.

Friday October 18th, 8 – 10pm
Admission: Free
Backfire – 7701 Aurora Ave. N 98103

Nestled at the Southwest corner of Woodland Park and still within earshot of various vocal zoo animals, KapKa Cooperative School is set to celebrate 30 years in our community.

KapKa, which comes from the Klamath word meaning “young pine”, is the creation of Ladell Black. University Co-Op had been established in 1975 by Black when the Seattle Public Schools had a levy failure and families learned there would be no public kindergarten offered that year. In 1989 thirteen families and Black came together and opened the doors to KapKa when the community was in need of more elementary school choices.

KapKa provides progressive, integrative education for children from kindergarten to fifth grade. The school is child-centered with a focus on cultivating academic, social and emotional growth. The experiential-based curriculum is developed through annual themes that provide an engaging, hands-on environment to master academic fundamentals. 

Last year, our daughter started Kindergarten at our local elementary. We are fortunate to live near a wonderful public school. She loved her teacher, learned a lot and made great friends. This was an overall positive experience, but we missed some of the aspects of a cooperative school.  

To learn more about KapKa, go to www.kapkaschool.org and join us for our Open House this winter on Sunday, December 7th. 

In March of 1942, 227 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes on Bainbridge Island by the US Army. Eventually more than 120,000 Japanese American men, women, and children nationwide were forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II.

Clarence Moriwaki shares the story of Bainbridge Island—the origin point of the Japanese American exclusion—to ask the question: Are there parallels to what’s happening in America now? Moriwaki uses historical images to explore the fear, racism, and failure of political leadership that led to these unconstitutional actions and why we must not let it happen again. Moriwaki is the president of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community and a founder and former president of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association. Moriwaki has served as a spokesperson for administrations including the Clinton Administration, the Office of the Governor, and Congressman Jay Inslee.

Sponsored by Humanities Washington
Wednesday October 16, 1-2pm
Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St.
Register: (206) 297-0875

KinderReminder.org, the locally-based community kindness project organized with the help of the Phinney Neighborhood Association and the brains behind the Gumshoe 5K, has unveiled the first phase of their 2020 activities.

If you are a Seattle middle or high school student, create a short, three-minutes-or-less video showing the power of kindness. Videos entered in the POK Video Contest could win one of three 1-year subscriptions to Adobe Creative Cloud, a comprehensive suite of photography, video editing, graphic design and web development apps and services.

To enter, post your video to YouTube and email the link, along with your name, age, school and contact phone number, to POK@KinderReminder.org before May 1, 2020. Subscriptions will be awarded based on the kindness they inspire in the friends, neighbors and business owners behind KInderReminder.org. Winners will be announced June 7, 2020.

Flyers describing this contest have been distributed to all middle and high schools in the Seattle School District, but since the contest is sponsored by local folks, they wanted to make especially sure that local students know about it!

Per King 5 News, Green Lake beaches closed this week after high levels of toxic algae were detected in water samples. A sample taken Monday found 7 micrograms per liter of microcystin, according to the Washington State Toxic Algae program. King County typically closes beaches for levels over 6 micrograms per liter.

Seattle Parks recommended people and pets avoid contact with the water or drink water from the lake until levels return to normal. The lake will be resampled next week, according to Seattle Parks.

Blue-green algae is closely related to bacteria and can produce toxins that can potentially be deadly to people and pets. Warm weather, sunshine, and nutrients in the water can cause the algae to quickly reproduce, developing a bloom within days.

The Phinney Neighborhood Preschool Co-op kids’ gear sale is upon us! This annual event will offer good deals on gently used clothing, shoes, toys, books, strollers, bedding, safety equipment, sports gear, car seats, winter gear, maternity wear, and much more.

Grab your totes, a friend or two, and line up early to snag the best items. Enter the doors after 12 pm and get a voucher to enjoy 50 percent discounts on numerous items. Admission and parking is always free. Find ‘PNPC Kids Sale’ on Facebook to get the latest updates on the sale.

Also, don’t miss the Usborne Books & More Fair, benefiting PNPC, going on upstairs during the kids’ sale.

Saturday October 12, 9am – 1pm
Phinney Center Brick Building, Community Hall

Artist: Valerie Kusuda. Watercolors with Asian influence. Venue: 3 Wishes

Art Up PhinneyWood artwalk is a monthly artwalk that promotes over 40 participating venues in the Greenwood-Phinney neighborhood of N. Seattle. Organized by the PhinneyWood Arts Council, the artwalk occurs every 2nd Friday of each month with a “Big One” (2-day event) that occurs each year in May. Come out and cruise the neighborhood from 6-9 pm and check out the latest art and special offerings each month.

See this month’s line-up & get map

Friday October 11, 6 – 9pm
Greenwood-Phinney Business District

St. John’s United Lutheran Church is holding their first ever Harvest Festival with fun activities for all ages. Learn how to make clothes from vintage fabric, carve a pumpkin, take home seeds to plant, complete a scavenger hunt, meet the festival mascot, and more. Community potluck starts at noon.

St. John United Lutheran Church, 5515 Phinney Ave N.
Saturday October 12, 10am – 3pm

Meet the City Council candidates for district 6, Dan Strauss and Heidi Wills, this Saturday. Not just a moderated forum, but a more intimate and accessible Q&A with a lot of questions from the audience.

Top topics that have been identified in the PRCC Community Survey are:

• Land Use/Zoning
• Transportation
• Affordable Housing
• Criminal Justice/Policing/Safety Homelessness
• Sustainability
• Open Governance/Responsiveness to Constituents
• Neighborhood Businesses

Saturday October 12, 1 – 2:30pm
Woodland Park United Methodist Church, 302 N 78th St

On October 7, a devastating fire destroyed several small businesses on Market Street in Ballard. Local small businesses are the backbone of the Ballard neighborhood and the loss is felt by the Ballard community. Our community remembers well the Greenwood Gas Explosion from 2016 and the ripple effect it had on our business district.

The Ballard Alliance has established this Go Fund Me Campaign to benefit the businesses affected by the October 7 fire. In addition, the Ballard Alliance pledges $5,000 in support to help reach the larger goal of raising $25,000. As of this morning, the fund is over halfway to its goal, and PhinneyWood urges you to contribute what you can. Thank you!

A large afternoon fire in the Ballard retail district in the 2300 block of Northwest Market Street destroyed several businesses Monday, as firefighters fought for more than three hours to get the blaze under control. The fire was first reported at 12:02 p.m., when an employee of Supercuts smelled smoke.

The roof collapsed at 1:36pm, fortunately after Seattle Fire had pulled all personnel in anticipation. Fire officials reported the blaze was under control by 3:30. At the height of the blaze, 150 firefighters, or about 65% of Seattle Fire’s on-duty personnel, were responding.

La Isla and Pho Big Bowl restaurants, Supercuts, Kitchen N Things and Octo Designs & Jewelers are the businesses located in the buildings that burned. As a grim reminder of the Greenwood gas explosion of 2017, all five businesses are expected to be a total loss.

One firefighter was taken to Harborview Medical Center with minor injuries. No other injuries were reported.

Following packed houses for Sherla Clomes, Taproot’s Improv team is back with their new show, Sportsball! Using audience suggestions, they’ll improvise the glory days of an underdog sports team in a 1-hour long-form improv show that heads into the wide world of sports.

WHEN: October 11, 12, 18 & 19, 2019 at 7:30 PM
WHERE: Taproot Theatre Company’s Isaac Studio Theatre, 212 N 85^th St
LENGTH: 1 hour
AGE REC: Recommended for ages 12+ and for all the 12s and 12 wannabes.
TICKETS: $10 TTC Subscribers/25 & Under; $15 General Admission

PhinneyWood is full of wonderful people and great places that we all wish we knew more about. Resident Kevin Kozel periodically digs deeper to let us know more in a column we like to call … Hi Neighbor!

These days it seems we’re all looking for ways to relax, heal, or unplug. It’s getting harder and harder to find ways to escape without the possibility of being interrupted. Why not take a float? While floating has been growing in popularity over the past few years, it’s actually a concept that has been around for quite some time. Having experienced it myself, I can attest to the soothing escape it can create, but there are multiple benefits that the activity can offer.

Andrew Loppnow, one of the co-owners of Float Seattle, recently opened a new location in PhinneyWood. I recently caught up with Andrew to ask him some questions about floating, what it can do for you, and what to expect from his latest location.

Kevin Kozel (KK): You just opened a new location on 85th Avenue, but you’re also the owner of all Float Seattle locations now, is that right?

Andrew Loppnow (AL): Yes, my business partner Dean and I are operating owners. We work shifts at all three of our studios on top of all of our duties behind the scenes. I’ve worked for Float Seattle for almost five years and Dean was a member for a while. The two of us had an opportunity to take over the business from the founder last year, so we found a way to make it happen. We’ve had a busy year learning the ropes and making lots of improvements along the way. It’s a lot of hard work running these float centers, but we love what we do!

KK: And how many locations are there now?

AL: The first one started in Greenlake in 2012. There is a second in Bellevue which opened in 2015. This Greenwood location is the third one. We recently took over a previous float business that was in this spot. It’s our biggest float center with six tanks. The others have four.

KK: It’s certainly the biggest site I’ve seen.

AL: Its size opens up a lot of possibilities for us. While floating is our main focus, we also host community events once a month. For example, we just offered a gong meditation here a few weeks ago and are beginning to offer team-building workshops and other things. We aim to be a wellness hub for the Seattle community, promoting and educating people on anything related to meditation, pain management, stress relief, etc.  We’re really excited about what where we’re at, but also what Float Seattle can become. Floating by itself is amazing, but we look forward to offering more and more value through these other offerings.

KK: So tell us more about the experience of floating.

AL: Sure. There are many shapes and size of float tanks, but the experience is generally always the same. There is about 10 inches of water with 1,000 pounds of Epson salt, which is what allows you to float effortlessly in the water on your back. It’s heated to body temperature. The pods have a light and the ability to play music, however we recommend turning off the light and floating in silence. There are really two components; the salt allows negating of gravity and has a natural anti-inflammatory effect which relieves pressure on your joints and muscles, and there is the reduction of sensory inputs created by the skin-temperature water and the lack of light and sound which creates the relaxing environment.

Our bodies spend so much energy processing the world with every waking minute. It’s incredible what can happen when you take most of that away! The experience essentially hits the reset button on your nervous system. It’s very effective in reducing stress, aches and pains, and just providing a space for relaxed introspection and meditation. It’s definitely strange at first, but many people find it to be one of the most relaxing experiences they’ve ever had. 

KK: How do you prepare your clients for their first float?

AL: We give you a very thorough walkthrough on your first visit and make sure we go over the common questions and fears that people might have. That’s something I think we do a really good job of. It’s really important to set people up so they aren’t thinking about all of the things that could keep them from relaxing. We aren’t going to just throw you in a tank and forget about you.

Each guest has a private room with a tank and a shower, and you’ll shower before and after the float session. We provide everything that you’ll need. The session itself is an hour, but you should allow 90 minutes for the whole experience for showering and taking a moment to drink some tea on the couch after your float.

KK: Having floated myself, do you explain that it can take a few floats before your body start to accept it?

AL: Yes, it really takes two or three times for someone to really get comfortable with floating, get over the novelty aspects, and start to understand how it might help them in their life. It’s important to be forward with the educational component and make it less of a sales pitch. If you really want to decide if it’s for you or not, then you really owe it yourself to experience it three times to see what it can do for you. One float is certainly relaxing and interesting, but the benefits really do compound with multiple sessions.

KK: What plans do you have available for people looking to give floating a try?

AL: We have lots of options, but the introductory rate is $39 (regularly $69). We also offer a three-pack for $135. For our standard memberships it’s $54 per month. That gets you one float and then all additional floats are $35. You max out at $229 per month, so once you reach that all additional floats are free. We also offer floating Happy Hour Monday through Thursday until 3 pm at the $39 introductory rate for all floats. The membership can also be used at any of our three locations and is super flexible in regard to cancellations and pausing.

To get signed up for your first float, or for more information on the activity of floating, you can stop by Float Seattle at 111 NW 85th Street or visit their website at www.floatseattle.com.

Any person, place, or thing you want to know more about in our neighborhood? Feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment and we’ll look into making it a future feature on Hi Neighbor!

The PNA Village is an essential and unique neighborhood program that makes it easier for people to stay in their own homes as they grow older, and is officially expanding beyond Greenwood and Phinney to Wallingford and Fremont. The Village connects members with volunteers for transportation, minor home repairs, social connections, gardening, and much more.

To learn more about the Village and this expansion, you are invited to a breakfast and Q&A at the Wallingford Senior Center. Current Village members and volunteers will provide breakfast and will host a fun and interactive group Q&A at the end.

Thursday October 10, 9:30 – 11:30am
Please RSVP to Village@phinneycenter.org or 206-789-1217.

Babyface Skincare and Beauty started in Phinney Ridge 10 years ago in a little suite hidden high above Greenwood Ave, but has recently joined forces with Ceres Salon and moved down from their aerie into a storefront location. You may have noticed some activity over the past several months at the corner of 71^st and Greenwood as the salon underwent a total remodel.

There are now two treatment rooms for facials, massage, lash extensions and many other beauty and wellness treatments. Their goal is to provide advanced and innovative treatments with skilled technicians in a cozy neighborhood setting, and strive to promote community building and getting to know their neighbors.

In that spirit and to celebrate this big change, owner Eva Robbins is throwing a party for the community next Friday. You are invited to stop by on your way through the PhinneyWood Art Walk on October 11^th  from 6-9pm.  There will appetizers and drinks as well as 15% off a number of skincare products.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has announced that Green Tech Excavation will handle the addition to Greenwood Park, located between 87th and 89th on Fremont Ave N. The work began on September 30th and will be completed in early 2020.

SPR purchased the 0.1-acre site at 8805 Fremont Ave. N in 2013 to provide more open space for the growing neighborhood and to expand the existing Greenwood Park. Funding for this park project is provided by the Seattle Park District, approved by voters in 2014.

The new parcel, surrounded by Greenwood Park, reflects input from the community and has a “game” theme with a ping pong table, corn hole, 4-square, hopscotch, and tether ball. The sport court will be striped for pickleball and will remain open during construction. The project also features a wood arbor connection to the pea patch, a hillside slide into the play area, a picnic area with BBQ, and skate elements. The project incorporates accessibility features in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For more information or to view the park plan please visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/greenwood-park-addition. For questions about the project please contact Katie Bang at katie.bang@seattle.gov or 206-684-9268.

In August, local service provider Mary’s Place, became a part of the Greenwood neighborhood when they moved their warehouse from downtown Seattle into the former Safeway building on Greenwood Avenue. The building is owned by Washington Holdings and will be developed in 1-2 years.

Mary’s Place has been providing shelter and services for women and families experiencing homelessness in King County for more than 20 years – bringing moms, dads, and children inside to safety and hope, assisting with housing, employment, and wellness needs, and helping them move back into stable housing. Mary’s Place currently operates nine emergency family shelters from Burien to Kenmore that provide 600 beds each night, and a drop-in women’s day center in downtown Seattle that serves two meals a day and provides hygiene and other resources for more than 150 women each day.

The organization has grown tremendously over the last several years. In 2018 they provided nearly 180,000 overnight stays, served almost 360,000 meals, welcomed in 1,308 children, and helped 650 families find stable housing.

Our new neighbor would love to welcome you as a part of their community, and there are several opportunities to get involved. If you are interested in volunteering at any of the shelters, you can learn more and sign up at www.marysplaceseattle.org. Volunteer needs include kitchen help, donation sorting, cleaning and maintenance, translation services, youth activities like homework help, movie night, hosting birthday parties, and more. As Mary’s Place Executive Director Marty Hartman says, “whatever you like to do with your friends and family, our kids and families would like to do!”

According to StopBullying.gov, a website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in a national study “49% of children in grades 4-12 reported being bullied by other students at school at least once” and “30.8% reported bullying others.” Taproot Theatre is determined to improve these statistics by touring innovative productions that confront issues like diversity, forming friendships and bullying prevention and to provide resources which encourage conversation amongst students and adults alike.

There are two shows this Saturday at the Ballard Elks:

3pm – Team Player Mode. A play for elementary (K-5) age children about bullying prevention and accepting differences.
5pm – The Social Networth. A play for middle and high school students (6-12) about cyber bullying, body image, and personal responsibility in social settings.

Ballard Elks Lodge, 6411 Seaview Ave NW
Saturday, October 5th – 3pm and 5pm
FREE, with donations accepted for Taproot’s financial assistance program

Story and photo by Roxanne Kenison

After a series of unexpected obstacles last Saturday on their way to the Leavenworth Autumn Leaf Festival, the Ballard High School Marching band literally stepped off the bus and into the parade to claim recognition as the best of 19 bands in the parade – and to also win first place in their division.

That they managed to perform at all—and so well—is a testament to the group’s discipline, teamwork, and pluck. Scheduled to leave Seattle by 8:30 a.m. for the Noon parade in Leavenworth, the 150-plus member band got a late start when a mixup resulted in their buses being delayed by an hour. An early fall snowstorm in the mountain pass slowed traffic, and the parade was already underway by the time the band arrived in Leavenworth.

To streamline proceedings, band members had put on their uniforms in-transit, and even availed themselves of the buses’ lavatories, anticipating no chance for a restroom break after their nearly 3-hour journey.

Director of Bands Michael James and parent chaperones directed the buses to parking as close as possible to the parade assembly area, and band members collected their instruments and fell immediately into formation. They literally marched away from the buses and into the parade with no stopping or pausing, to applause and cheers of onlookers.

“If we don’t win anything, that’s fine,” declared Mr. James after the band completed the parade route. “If we do win something, that’s fine too. I’m just glad we got here.” On being awarded first place, Mr. James proudly held up the trophy, and band members whooped, hollered, and squealed with excitement.

The Autumn Leaf Festival parade is the first performance of the year for the marching band, following after-school rehearsals and a weekend intensive Band Camp at the beginning of the school year.

The Seattle Police Department would like to invite Phinney Ridge, Greenwood, and Green Lake community members to a residential burglary prevention class. Attendees will learn about current burglary trends in their area, how to secure their homes to reduce the likelihood of a burglary, and what to do if they have been a victim of a burglary.

The class will be instructed by the North Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator, the local Community Police Officer, and a Burglary Detective.

Please RSVP to mary.amberg@seattle.gov, or just come on by.

Residential Burglary Prevention Class
Thursday October 3, 7 – 9pm
Phinney Center Room 2, 6532 Phinney Ave N.

The CDC estimates that 11 percent of Americans have ADHD. Because our understanding of ADHD has changed so much over the past decades, many adults have never been diagnosed, or even suspect that there’s a reason their brains sometimes seem to work differently than others’.

Join Laurie Dupar, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse, author and ADHD life coach, for this overview presentation on ADHD in adults. Learn how to recognize it in yourself or others, what to do if you suspect it might be ADHD, and how to create new ways to get things done.

Thursday October 10, 1 – 2pm
Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St.
Please RSVP: 206.297.0875.

Brew at the Zoo is back. Head to the Woodland Park Zoo this Thursday to sample imports, domestics, microbrews and ciders from nearly 60 different breweries. Ticket sales, fundraising games or raffles, and extra tasting tickets all raise money to benefit Woodland Park Zoo programs and conservation efforts.

Thursday October 3, 6 – 9pm – Premium entry at 5pm
Purchase tickets here

As if last week’s head-to-head between Heidi Wills and Dan Strauss at the Greenwood Senior Center wasn’t enough, you are invited to attend another debate this Wednesday down in Ballard. The prize: representing you and the rest of District 6 as your councilmember after the November 5th General Election.

The candidate forum is presented in partnership by the Ballard Alliance and the Ballard District Council. The forum will be moderated by Enrique Cerna and is open to the public.

Wednesday October 2 – doors open at 6:30pm
National Nordic Museum
2655 NW Market Street

Setsuko Tenaka, owner and chef of Modern Japanese Cuisine here in Phinney, is teaching 4 pastry classes this fall. The classes are small and hands-on, kid-friendly, and best of all you can take your creations home to share with family and friends.

The class fee of $65 includes a Setsuko Pastry original recipe, all ingredients, and Japanese organic tea service.

Sunday, Sep 29 10:00-noon: An-pan (Japanese red beans sweet bread)
Monday, Sep 30 10:00-noon: Japanese rare cheesecake 
Monday, Oct 7 10:00-noon: Vegan green tea & white chocolate cookie 
Sunday, Oct 13 10:00-noon: Japanese berry cream cheese soft bread 

Email setsuko.pastry@gmail.com to sign up or if you have any questions.

Lauri Hennessey from the Woodland Park Zoo will be speaking at the October edition of the Phinney Ridge Community Council’s meeting. There will also be a discussion of the Green Lake Paving Multi-Modal Improvements and how those will impact our community. You can see the complete agenda for the evening here.

Also a reminder to take the 2019 Community Issue Survey to let the PRCC know what is important for you with regards to our next D6 City Councilmember.

If the recent earthquakes have shaken you into action, this is the class for you. Learn the hazards that can impact Seattle, and how to be prepared to deal with them. Free, but space is limited and registration required here.

Includes how to develop a disaster plan, build a disaster supply kit, and organize with your neighbors to be prepared. Also provides an overview of other Seattle Office of  Emergency Management efforts including the SNAP program, Community Emergency Hubs, and the City’s new alert and notification system.

Taught by the Seattle Office of  Emergency Management 

Phinney Center Blue Building, Room 6
Wednesday October 2, 7 – 8pm

This is your opportunity to snag some fantastic deals or to unload all that gear piling up in your closets and make a little money for yourself and Ballard Preschool Co-op.

The sale offers amazing deals on quality, gently used clothes (newborn to size 8), shoes, toys and gear—including pack and plays, cribs, car seats, strollers, maternity wear and more.

The entry line typically starts forming before 9 am. Bring your own bags to haul all your great finds, and please park your stroller at the door.

Saturday September 28, 9am – 1pm
Phinney Center Brick Building – Community Hall

We’ve sadly reached the end of our bountiful Farmers Market season here on Phinney Ridge, with the final market today from 3:30 – 7:30pm. Come for exceptionally fresh and high-quality produce, to say goodbye to your local farmers and vendors, and a final dinner and musical entertainment-laden Friday at the PNA. You can get more market details and the music schedule here.

A bonus: the opening of the brand new chess tables in the Heart of Phinney Park, just below the air raid siren tower above the market. Come by at 5pm to see the Fremont Players entertain and celebrate this new facet of the park. There will be prizes and guaranteed laughter, so bring along the chess lover in your household to participate.

The Seattle Police Department would like to invite Phinney Ridge, Greenwood, and Green Lake community members to a residential burglary prevention class. Attendees will learn about current burglary trends in their area, how to secure their homes to reduce the likelihood of a burglary, and what to do if they have been a victim of a burglary.

The class will be instructed by the North Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator, the local Community Police Officer, and a Burglary Detective.

Please RSVP to mary.amberg@seattle.gov

Residential Burglary Prevention Class
Thursday October 3, 7 – 9pm
Phinney Center Room 2, 6532 Phinney Ave N.

PhinneyWood parents and kids have loved Top Ten Toys, known for their incredible selection of high quality, educational, toys, crafts and games, since 1987. When the Top Ten Toys founder, Allen Rickert, was ready to retire after 30 years, he chose to sell to Snapdoodle Toys, knowing they were a successful business with a similar philosophy. Top Tens Toys is now Snapdoodle’s third location (the other two are in Kenmore and Renton).

“It’s great knowing I am handing over the 30-year-legacy of Top Ten Toys to a pair of proven toy retailers, Rob Pickering and his wife, Cherry,” announced Rickert leading up to the transfer of ownership. Rob Pickering is a native Washingtonian who attended Kirkland’s Juanita High School and the University of Washington and, before going into the toy business, worked as both a schoolteacher and a stay-at-home dad. Cherry Pickering works in health care.

In honor of the Top 10 legacy and a celebration of the new name, local resident and writer Erika Stanley has compiled the top ten reasons you will love Snapdoodle as much as Top Ten Toys.

10. Although Snapdoodle has owned Top Ten Toys since May of 2018, they delayed the name change because they care about locals. Eventually though, they realized for the sake of running the business, it was less complicated to be consistent with the name- “Hello this is Top Ten Toys, but also Snapdoodle, how can I help you?” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.

9. Most of the changes affect the employees, not the customers. For instance, Snapdoodle purchased new computers, has a new way of tracking inventory, and no longer has storage in their basement.

8. While Snapdoodle is now in charge of choosing inventory, they do pay attention to the wants and need of each individual location. For example, our location has a fantastic book selection because PhinneyWood families love to read.

7. The new rewards system. Those who join earn a 10% off coupon for every $200 spent. This coupon, as well as all purchase information, is saved in the computer system; you don’t need to worry about losing it and you no longer need a receipt to make a return.  

6. The fall catalogue. Sign up and it will be delivered to your door, allowing your kids to highlight everything they want for Christmas.

5. The game section. Eurogames, card games, and collaborative games are more popular than ever. Snapdoodle has grown their selection and have knowledgeable (game playing) employees to help you find just what you need.

4. Party space! They now have a room for parties and events. For around $200, Snapdoodle will host your child’s birthday party and provide a craft activity (call for details).

3. Fun weekly drop in events. Tuesdays: Pokémon League for 5-7 pm, Wednesdays: Story Time from 11am-noon, Thursdays: Crafternoon from 4-5 pm, and Fridays: Game Night from 5-7 pm.   

2. The employees! They love working in a toy store and are passionate about what they sell.

1. The number one reason to love Snapdoodle? You guessed it, the wrapping station! Not only is the wrapping station staying, it has improved! With more paper and ribbon options than ever, your gifts will still have that beautiful “fresh from Top Ten Toys” look, with smeared wet paint blobs and misspelled words, To mY BFf, HApy BirFday!

It is time for the 10th Annual Pig Out to Root Out Hunger event! This is a neighborhood fundraising event for the PNA’s Hot Meal Program, which serves more than 19,500 free meals a year to those in need.  All you have to do is eat and drink out at any (or all) of the 27 participating restaurants, pubs, and cafes in the neighborhood that will then donate a portion of your bill to the program.

Here is a great 1-minute teaser for the event, courtesy of David Inman Productions.

Participating Businesses:

74th Street Ale House | 7401 Greenwood Ave N
A La Mode Pies | 5821 Phinney Ave N
Caffe Vita | 7402 Greenwood Ave N
Celine Patisserie | 6801 Greenwood Ave N
Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe | 8404 Greenwood Ave N
El Chupacabra | 6711 Greenwood Ave N
FlintCreek Cattle Co. | 8421 Greenwood Ave N
Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery | 8570 Greenwood Ave N
Fresh Flours | 6015 Phinney Ave N
Gainsbourg | 8550 Greenwood Ave N
Hecho | 7314 Greenwood Ave N
Herkimer Coffee | 7320 Greenwood Ave N
Luso Wine & Food | 8218 Greenwood Ave N
The Olive & Grape | 8516 Greenwood Avenue N
Opus Co. | 7410 Greenwood Ave N
The Park Public House | 6114 Phinney Ave N
Prost! | 7311 Greenwood Ave N
Razzis Pizzeria | 8523 Greenwood Ave N
Red Mill Burgers | 312 N 67th St
Ridge Pizza | 7212 Greenwood Ave N
Teachers Lounge | 8505 Greenwood Ave N
Thaiku | 6705 Greenwood Ave N
Valhalla Sandwiches | 8202 Greenwood Ave N
Windy City Pie | 5918 Phinney Ave N
Wing Dome | 7818 Greenwood Ave N
Yanni’s Greek Restaraunt | 7419 Greenwood Ave N
The Yard | 8313 Greenwood Ave N

Be prepared! Join Leif Jackson of Sound Seismic for the popular Earthquake Home Retrofit class. Learn about the City of Seattle’s Project Impact and how to evaluate your home for needed structural improvements. Learn to use the correct tools, materials, and methods to accomplish an earthquake retrofit. Class size is limited, so be sure to register online in advance.

A hands-on follow up is available at the PNA’s Tool Lending Library, who is co-sponsoring this event.

Cost: $20/PNA Member, $25/Public
Location: Phinney Center Blue Building, Room 6

The 8th Annual Power of Community Breakfast is next Thursday, October 3rd, but the RSVP deadline is this Wednesday. This annual fundraiser for the Greenwood Senior Center includes an inspiring keynote by Lee Harper, PNA’s outgoing Executive Director.

At the breakfast, you can learn about the GSC’s innovative programming that nurtures the mental, social, and physical well-being of our community’s older adults. Connect with friends and colleagues and enjoy great conversation, tasty breakfast fare, an abundance of coffee.

This annual fundraising event is free to attend; a request for donations will be made at the event. A gift of $75 or greater is suggested.  All donations will support our critical senior programs.

You can RSVP here, or if unable to attend and wish to support the program, you can donate here.

Thursday October 3, 2019
Check-in and buffet start at 7:15 am; program starts at 7:30 am.
Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N 85th St.

This Saturday is the first ever Seattle Children’s Book Festival. The event is free, open to the public, and features award-winning children’s book authors and illustrators from all over the United States including:

• Tui T. Sutherland (author of Wings of Fire)
• Tracey West (author of DragonMasters)
• Dana Simpson (author/illustrator of Phoebe and her Unicorn)
• Suzanne Selfors (author of Wedgie and Gizmo)
• LeUyen Pham (illustrator of Princess in Black)
• Leslie Patricelli (author of Baby Board Books)
• Marissa Meyer (author of the Lunar Chronicles)
• Corinna Luyken (author/illustrator of The Book of Mistakes)
• Kazu Kibuishi (author/illustrator of Amulet)
• Varian Johnson (author of The Parker Inheritance)
• Dan Gemeinhart (author of The Honest Truth)
• Troy Cummings (author/illustrator of Notebook of Doom)
• Ben Clanton (author/illustrator of Narwhal and Jelly)
• Asia Citro (author of Zoey and Sassafras)

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet favorite authors and illustrators, purchase signed copies of their books, participate in hands-on literacy activities and crafts, and hear several of our authors/illustrators present throughout the day. Please note that this event will be held both outdoors and indoors and is a rain-or-shine event. Book sales courtesy of local bookstores Phinney Books and Madison Books.

Visit their website for more details: SeattleChildrensBookFestival.com

Saturday September 28, 11am – 3pm
144 NW 80th St, Seattle, WA 98117

Pig Out is a neighborhood fundraising event for the PNA’s Hot Meal Program, which serves more than 19,500 free meals a year to those in need.  All you have to do is eat and drink out at participating restaurants, pubs, and cafes in the neighborhood that will then donate a portion of your bill to the program.

Here is a great 1-minute teaser for the event, courtesy of David Inman Productions.

With the additions of FlintCreek and Hecho, you now have 27 great businesses to patronize for a good cause on Wednesday.

Participating Businesses:

74th Street Ale House | 7401 Greenwood Ave N
A La Mode Pies | 5821 Phinney Ave N
Caffe Vita | 7402 Greenwood Ave N
Celine Patisserie | 6801 Greenwood Ave N
Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe | 8404 Greenwood Ave N
El Chupacabra | 6711 Greenwood Ave N
FlintCreek Cattle Co. | 8421 Greenwood Ave N
Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery | 8570 Greenwood Ave N
Fresh Flours | 6015 Phinney Ave N
Gainsbourg | 8550 Greenwood Ave N
Hecho | 7314 Greenwood Ave N
Herkimer Coffee | 7320 Greenwood Ave N
Luso Wine & Food | 8218 Greenwood Ave N
The Olive & Grape | 8516 Greenwood Avenue N
Opus Co. | 7410 Greenwood Ave N
The Park Public House | 6114 Phinney Ave N
Prost! | 7311 Greenwood Ave N
Razzis Pizzeria | 8523 Greenwood Ave N
Red Mill Burgers | 312 N 67th St
Ridge Pizza | 7212 Greenwood Ave N
Teachers Lounge | 8505 Greenwood Ave N
Thaiku | 6705 Greenwood Ave N
Valhalla Sandwiches | 8202 Greenwood Ave N
Windy City Pie | 5918 Phinney Ave N
Wing Dome | 7818 Greenwood Ave N
Yanni’s Greek Restaraunt | 7419 Greenwood Ave N
The Yard | 8313 Greenwood Ave N

Make room for more art and enjoyment in your day, and come for the opening of “The Sacred in Nature” at Broadview’s Ida Culver House. This exhibition “honors the world we live in through the eyes of artists’ images of beauty and reverence for the natural world.” Please RSVP at (206) 361-1989 by September 24.

Thursday September 26, 5 – 6:30pm
Ida Culver House Broadview
12505 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133
Complimentary valet parking

What is important to you, when it comes to your next City Council District 6 Councilmember?

Phinney Ridge Community Council is collecting feedback on the topics most important to the residents and business owners in Phinney Ridge.  They will use these topics to select/generate questions for the Phinney Ridge Community City Council D6 Candidate Forum on October 12th.

Responses to this survey are anonymous.  PRCC would like to collect as much input as possible so please consider sharing with adult family members and neighbors in Phinney Ridge.

Their goal is to post the results of the survey on the PRCC website & Facebook page.

You can take the survey by clicking here.

Get your fresh and local produce while you can, as the next-to-last Farmer’s Market of the season is today from 3:30 – 7:30pm in the Phinney Center’s upper parking lot.

Everything is ripening!  Plums, nectarines, peaches, apricots, apples, pears, lettuces, herbs, tomatoes and loads of veggies.  Each market also features gorgeous flower bouquets, farmstead cheeses, fresh eggs, artisan breads, ready-to-eat foods and sweet treats.  

See the market vendors and the Ripe and Ready Report here, and get more market details and the music schedule here.

Five words were meant to change a young country divided by civil war when abolitionist and Union recruiter Frederick Douglass challenged his president to act on the statement that “all men are created equal.” As these two brilliant Americans wage a battle for the future of the Union, their arguments affect not only their sons but the nation we live in today. Originally commissioned for Washington, DC’s Ford’s Theatre, Taproot Theatre produces the West Coast Premiere of Richard Hellesen’s drama.

“Audiences will be stunned to learn of the heartaches, considerations and challenges surrounding some of the decisions Lincoln made,” said director Karen Lund. “But Frederick Douglass is the real gift. His vision, sacrifices and ideas resulted in an honest and heartfelt debate that left both men different.”

Previews: September 18 and 19, 7:30 PM
Opening Night: September 20, 8:00 PM
Tickets are available online at taproottheatre.org or by phone 206.781.9707

College Application and Admissions Seminar. Do you know a teen preparing for college?  Dr. Mark Hofer helps students find, get admitted to, and graduate from great colleges and universities that will best serve their academic, social, financial, and personal needs.  He guides students and their families through the application and admissions process to identify the best colleges while maintaining a focus on graduating with as little debt as possible.

This seminar is most helpful for parents of freshmen and sophomore high school students to get them started but is also helpful for families with juniors.  Join Dr. Hofer at this FREE introductory talk for college-bound high school students and their parents/guardians. No RSVP necessary.

Thursday September 19, 7 – 8:30pm
Phinney Center Blue Building, Room 6

Earthquake Home Retrofitting. Be prepared! Join Leif Jackson of Sound Seismic for the popular Earthquake Home Retrofit class. Learn about the City of Seattle’s Project Impact and how to evaluate your home for needed structural improvements. Learn to use the correct tools, materials, and methods to accomplish an earthquake retrofit. Class size is limited, so be sure to register in advance. A hands-on follow up is available at co-sponsor PNA Tool Lending Library.

Tuesday September 24, 6-8pm
$20/PNA Member, $25/Public – Register here
Phinney Center Blue Building, Room 6

Designing Backyard Cottages. Thinking of creating a backyard cottage? Wondering about the A/DADU land-use code changes that passed recently and would you like to find out more?

Check out this class on the why, what, where and how of building a DADU (detached accessory dwelling unit) taught by Sheri Newbold of live-work-play.

We will be able to look at a few of your examples as time permits… Bring your address, property dimensions and if possible, your sewer card. City of Seattle sewer cards are available here.

Thursday September 26, 7-9pm
$15/PNA Member, $25/Public – Register here
Phinney Center Blue Building, Room 6

A local couple’s generosity is permanently commemorated in the Greenwood Branch of The Seattle Public Library with the dedication of the Susan and Glen Beebe Study Room on September 8.

Susan and Glen Beebe have donated to the Library for more than 10 years and claim the Greenwood Branch as their home library. Susan has volunteered there as a Homework Help tutor, assisting K-12 students with their schoolwork.

Now, they’ve created an endowment with The Seattle Public Library Foundation that will support Library programs and services for years to come.

“It’s so inspiring for me to see a couple like Susan and Glen so engaged with the Library in different ways,” Chief Librarian Marcellus Turner said at the event. “I want to thank them for all their dedication, passion, and enthusiasm for The Seattle Public Library.”

The Greenwood Branch is the fourth-most popular branch among The Seattle Public Library’s 27 locations, attracting more than 289,000 visitors each year and circulating more than 624,000 books and materials.

The Seattle Public Library Foundation provides funding for the Library’s books and programs through the generosity of private donors. It has maintained the long-term vitality of The Seattle Public Library since 1980.

Dine out to support your neighbors in need! Pig Out is a neighborhood fundraising event for the PNA’s Hot Meal Program, which serves more than 19,500 free meals a year to those in need.  The program serves a balanced, nutritious meal three times a week–two dinners and a lunch–to low-income, unhoused, disabled, and elderly community members.

All you have to do is eat and drink out! Restaurants, pubs, and cafes in Phinney/Greenwood will donate a portion of your bill to the program.

Bring your friends, family and a healthy appetite to businesses marked with “Pig Out Participant” signs on Wednesday, September 25.

Breakfast, lunch, coffee break, happy hour, dinner and dessert! There’s a place for ’em all… you can “pig out” all day! 

Participating Businesses:

74th Street Ale House | 7401 Greenwood Ave N
A La Mode Pies | 5821 Phinney Ave N
Caffe Vita | 7402 Greenwood Ave N
Celine Patisserie | 6801 Greenwood Ave N
Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe | 8404 Greenwood Ave N
El Chupacabra | 6711 Greenwood Ave N
Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery | 8570 Greenwood Ave N
Fresh Flours | 6015 Phinney Ave N
Gainsbourg | 8550 Greenwood Ave N
Herkimer Coffee | 7320 Greenwood Ave N
Luso Wine & Food | 8218 Greenwood Ave N
The Olive & Grape | 8516 Greenwood Avenue N
Opus Co. | 7410 Greenwood Ave N
The Park Public House | 6114 Phinney Ave N
Prost! | 7311 Greenwood Ave N
Razzis Pizzeria | 8523 Greenwood Ave N
Red Mill Burgers | 312 N 67th St
Ridge Pizza | 7212 Greenwood Ave N
Teachers Lounge | 8505 Greenwood Ave N
Thaiku | 6705 Greenwood Ave N
Valhalla Sandwiches | 8202 Greenwood Ave N
Windy City Pie | 5918 Phinney Ave N
Wing Dome | 7818 Greenwood Ave N
Yanni’s Greek Restaraunt | 7419 Greenwood Ave N
The Yard | 8313 Greenwood Ave N

Come to this free and fun event to learn about rainwater catchment and stormwater management, meet neighbors who love their cisterns, and talk with contractors in person. See how 12 cisterns and one rain garden manage over 66,000 gallons of water each year while learning the basics for rain garden and cistern care at a hands-on maintenance workshop. Open to the public. Refreshments available. 

Saturday September 14, 10am – noon
Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave N

Held at the Green Lake Community Center from 10am – 4pm, the 4th annual Green Lake Family Fun and Wellness Fair is created in partnership with the Green Lake Chamber, Public Health, and Seattle Parks and Recreation. There will be ample entertainment for kids, informational tables for health and wellness, and much more.

Blood Works will be hosting a Blood Drive at the event from 10am to 4pm (closed noon to 1 p.m.). More info here.

Come meet some neighbors, learn what’s going on at the Phinney Neighborhood Association, and how you can get involved. Whether or not you’re a PNA member, this is a great way to learn about what we do and how you can support and enjoy the many programs, events, and activities the PNA has to offer. Please bring a dish or drink to share – if you can’t, that’s OK, we’ll provide some food and drink and there is always plenty!

Potluck starts at 5 pm. Orientation starts at 6 pm. Please feel free to drop in for just the potluck, or just the orientation, if you can’t stay for both.

Your RSVP is helpful, but not required RSVP Online here. You can also RSVP by emailing alexg@phinneycenter.org or calling 206.783.2244.

Friday is also the early Fall blood drive, from 1-7pm at the PNA. Your donation can save up to three lives! Schedule in advance online at schedule.bloodworksnw.org or just drop in. (Note: closed 3-4 pm)

The September PhinneyWood Art Walk is this Friday! You can view the map here and participating venues and artists here. Make plans to support businesses and see neighbors at this monthly event.

Additionally, the Phinney Center Gallery will debut more than 40 works reflecting the perspectives and experiences of a wide variety of artists on the healing power of art. Pieces were selected by a local community jury and the show will include a special (non-juried) section featuring collages by the Greenwood Senior Center’s Early Stage Memory Loss group and work by participants from Path with Art.

Path with Art transforms the lives of people recovering from homelessness, addiction, and other trauma by harnessing the power of creative engagement as a bridge to community and a path to stability.

Enjoy music and refreshments and meet the artists. A must-stop during your PhinneyWood Art Walk travels!

Art Up PhinneyWood Art Walk – September 13 from 6 – 9pm
Phinney Center Gallary Opening – September 13 from 7 – 9pm
Gallary art will be on display through October 18.

The majority of Americans take at least one medication and 20 percent take five or more medications. Keeping track of your medications, especially when experiencing a temporary hospitalization, can be challenging, and more than a million people are harmed each year from medication errors.

This session explores some of the common causes of medication errors and challenges that most people face. We will also identify practical tips, including how to take back medicines that are expired or no longer needed. Be ready for an interactive, hands-on session, with must-know tips anyone can use. Presented by Robin Shapiro of Washington State Health Advocacy Association.

Thursday September 12, 1 – 2:30pm
Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St.
Register at 206.297.0875.

The PNA Bookkeeper is responsible for timely and accurate recording and reporting of financial activities for the organization. Responsibilities include Payroll, Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable, general accounting and reconciliations, and preparing monthly financials statements. The Bookkeeper is the owner and expert on the PNA accounting system (Sage 50) and the payroll system (Paylocity), interacts with staff in all departments, and provides assistance and training regarding accounting policies and procedures. The Bookkeeper also coordinates the annual audit process with preparation of schedules and other materials. This position reports to the Executive Director.  

For a detailed job description, including Essential Responsibilities and Minimum Qualifications, see our posting at http://www.phinneycenter.org/jobs.    

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced the transfer of a local parcel of surplus City Light land to nonprofit developers at no cost, becoming the first city to take advantage of a state program to make underutilized public land available for affordable housing development.

The somewhat hidden 6000-square-foot lot is just North of Fresh Flours and Gibran on the West side of Phinney Ave and 61st. The developer, Homestead Community Land Trust, expects it will cost $6.4 million to build 19 condominiums on the land, which has an appraised value of roughly $1.5 million.

All of the homes will be sold to homeowners who are at or below 80% of the area median income, or $70,600 for a two-person household. The homes will cost roughly $250,000 — well below the $750,000 median home price in Phinney Ridge.

A new community boathouse that will make Green Lake more accessible to people of any background or ability level will open in 2021. Community volunteers in partnership with Green Lake Rowing Advisory Council, Associated Recreation Council, and Seattle Canoe and Kayak Club have raised a total of $5.4 million from public and private sources towards the $6.5 million goal.

“Our city is surrounded by water, but not everyone can safely or affordably enjoy it, including Green Lake, the most widely used park in our state” said Mike Stanley, president of Green Lake Rowing Advisory Council. “The new community boathouse will be a permanent public gateway to access Green Lake for generations to come.”

The current Green Lake Small Craft Center (GLSCC) houses the 70-year-old Green Lake Crew.  Started by storied UW rowing coach Al Ulbrickson in 1948, it is believed to be oldest public junior rowing program in the nation.  In 1963, long before Title IX, the crew added a girl’s program, another first for the region.  In its seven decades, the crew has introduced thousands of Seattle youth to rowing, opening doors to a diverse community, and even launching some to success on the national and international stage.

The 10,600 square-foot facility will increase capacity for programs through a combination of expanded and more efficient boat storage and additional instructional space. It will be fully accessible, which makes possible the launch of Seattle’s first public adaptive rowing program and expansion of a parapaddling program.  Specialized programs of Seattle Parks and Recreation will also be able to expand their work with individuals of differing physical and cognitive abilities.

User safety will be improved through restrooms, locker facilities, and areas for off-water instruction and community meeting space.  In addition, the new boathouse will better engage with Green Lake Park and the heavily used adjacent walking trail. 

A bit earlier this year, our own “welcoming, geeky, laid-back” coworking spot Works Progress (115 N 85th Street) was recognized by the Office of Economic Development as their Small Business of the Month.

Per the OED’s website: “Coworking spaces are an increasingly popular option for small businesses, freelancers and entrepreneurs, and north Seattle businesses don’t have to look far to join a great coworking community. Works Progress is a coworking space located in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood, owned and operated by Marnee Chua since 2012.” You can read the entire article and view the Origin Story video here.

A belated congratulations to Marnee and Works Progress!

Hazel Salon, which recently celebrated their 10th anniversary, is putting on a fundraiser to support vulnerable refugee and immigrant communities. Book now to get a haircut, blowout, shampoo scalp massage, sugaring, or chair massage. 100% of the proceeds go to Raices and Humane Borders.

Hazel will also have Voodoo Sidecar coming from 10 to 2 selling cocktails, as well as a bake sale and some products that will all go to charity. No need for an appointment – just stop by and help a great Greenwood business help those in need!

Hazel Salon & Organics
8301 Greenwood Ave N
Sunday September 8, 10am – 5pm

Experience Woodland Park Zoo after-hours while enjoying cuisine and cocktails inspired by wildlife around the globe, prepared by some of Seattle’s hottest celebrity chefs and mixologists. As if that isn’t enticing enough, each ticket sold raises funds to help save wildlife in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.

Chefs participating include Ethan Stowell, Edouardo Jordan, Melissa Martz, Quinton Stewart, Derek Simcik, Tori Mann, and Jack Timmons.

Also – ding ding ding! – here is an exclusive promo code for 15% off of General Admission tickets to WildBites. WPZFRIENDS (case sensitive).

Woodland Park Zoo
Friday September 6, 5 – 8pm

Trade your gently used books for something new! Meet other readers, get recommendations, and enjoy tasty treats. Five genres at one swap: Mysteries, Science fiction, Fantasy novels, Kids’ books, and Cookbooks. Don’t have books to exchange or want to buy more than you brought in? Purchase paperbacks for $1 and hardbacks for $2.

This will also be the kick-off for a Tampon/Pad Drive for students at Seattle Public Schools. Bring a box of tampons or pads to the Book Exchange and enter to win a raffle for $100 gift card to Phinney Books.

The PNA is partnering with Seattle T2P2— “Towers of Tampons & Pyramids of Pads”—a nonprofit that brings supplies to those in need. Help fill a big bin for those students who need access to these vital supplies. Can’t make the book exchange? You can donate the entire month of September. Collection bins will be located in the Phinney Center front lobby.

Saturday September 7, 11am – 2pm
Phinney Center Blue Building – 6532 Phinney Ave N.

Urban spaces and the suburbs that sprawl around them are growing worldwide, pushing some carnivore species into more remote regions, while forcing others to adapt to higher human densities. Increasing contact between humans and carnivores potentially leads to more human-carnivore interactions and increased concerns over risk to humans, whether real or perceived.

Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle University are launching a new project to explore how mammalian carnivores, such as coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, and even cougars and bears live and interact with people across urban and suburban areas in the Seattle region.

Woodland Park Zoo is working with staff, volunteers and community partners to deploy camera traps in city and county parks across the Seattle regions. They have launched the Carnivore Spotter website where you can record your carnivore sightings. Visit carnivorespotter.org now to report your local carnivore sightings and explore sightings throughout Seattle!

In an era of planned obsolescence and rampant waste, our neighborhood has a special collective dedicated to saving items seemingly destined for the landfill. The idea is just to take a moment before throwing something away to figure out if you can save it and prevent yourself from having to buy a replacement. It’s also an excellent way to learn how things work and just enjoy some good company. Remember: You can’t break what’s already broken!

The PNA Fixers Collective is an informal group of folks who meet up every 1st Wednesday at Greenwood Hardware from 6-8pm, simply for the fun of taking stuff apart, putting it back together again, and maybe even fixing some things in the process. Kids welcome! Learn more about the Fixers.

Wednesday September 4, 6-8pm
Greenwood Hardware, 7201 Greenwood Ave N

Flying Bike, your neighborhood cooperative brewery, is looking for candidates for their Board of Directors. Specifically, they are looking for candidates who love beer, are passionate about supporting our local community, and have either worked with a co-op before or are interested in learning what they’re all about. The Flying Bike board touches everything from operations to marketing, so candidates of all backgrounds and experiences are welcome to apply. 

Anyone who is interested should email nominating@flyingbike.coop to get started. They are accepting applications from now through Monday, September 9.

The Phinney Ridge Community Council will be meeting next Tues Sept 3, 7 pm at Phinney Neighborhood Center.  There will be discussion about  a community survey launching to ask residents about issues they would like our City Council candidates to know about.  This information will be used to formulate questions for forum being held on Saturday Oct 12 on Phinney and ultimately to share with the elected representative.  Please come to share important issues to help you make an informed choice on your ballot.

Also being discussed is policies being proposed by the current City council representatives:  Tree Protection, replacing the Single Family Zone with multifamily options,  and how to find out about property assessments.

Phinney Ridge Community Council is an all volunteer group of residents in the neighborhood that meet monthly.  We conduct discussions on policies surveys and that affect all of us.  And we track new development projects encouraging people to participate in public design review.  

Team Dragonfly, a group of neighbors who get together every few years to repaint the giant dragonfly painted on the intersection at NE 60th St. and 4th Ave. NE (between Latona and the freeway), is at it again. They will be repainting the famous dragonfly this Saturday, August 31 and should be thick into the painting process by about noon.

The community is invited to come by and witness the event, and also learn more about how you can create something like this at your local intersection with a little work. The first time Team Dragonfly painted was in 2013 with matching funds from Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods, and the project fulfilled its primary mission: bringing neighbors together and creating a sense of community.

You can see more about the dragonfly, the process, and an excellent time lapse video of it being painted the first time here.

Open to the community. Per the organizer: “Hi everyone! I am hosting a potluck picnic for a Vietnamese cooking club and wanted to invite you folks. You don’t have to be Vietnamese or bring Vietnamese food to come.” Vietnamese food is preferred, of course.

The event will start at 11am and be located at the Green Lake Small Craft Center near the large concrete aquatheater. There will be signage and a popup tent to help interested parties in locating the picnic.

Get into the neighborhood vibe at the 2019 Greenwood Music Crawl. Five local bars – The Baranof, Hounds tooth, North Star Diner, Angry Beaver and Coindexter’s – will turn themselves into live music venue spaces for the day, hosting 45 local bands performing for twelve straight hours.

Come Support with these local musicians playing at this annual event. All styles of rock, blues, psychedelic, punk, pop, dance, electronic. You can see the full lineup here.

Sunday September 1, 1pm – 1am
Advance tickets $25 /Day of event $28
Ticket booth & will call located in front of Verity – 8533 Greenwood Ave N
www.greenwoodmusiccrawl.com

Seattle Cucina is a local cooking school with an inspiring mission: “For all youth to nourish themselves and their community through mindful cooking, healthy eating habits, and an appreciation for food.” They will be at the Phinney Farmer’s Market on Friday from 4-7pm providing cooking demonstrations and answering questions about their programming.

If you have a pre-teen who has shown interest in cooking, this is a great opportunity for them to meet some of the people behind the school and get more information about upcoming classes in the Seattle area.

Join local author Nathan Vass for the first in our upcoming series of book talks. His well-received book, The Lines that Make Us: Stories from Nathan’s Bus is a collection of stories and photos about his experiences as a bus driver (you may have met him on the #5).

It is also a 2019 Washington State Book Award Finalist! Copies will be available for purchase and signing at the end of the event. Read a story from PNA’s newspaper, The Review, about Nathan helping the Greenwood Senior Center.

Thursday August 29, 12:30 – 2pm
Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St.
RSVP: 206.297.0875

From the brainpower and innovation that brought the Gumshoe 5k to our great community, a new project goes live today: KinderReminder. The participants are described as “friends, neighbors and business owners who live and work in Seattle’s Phinney Ridge-Greenwood Neighborhood, believe kindness matters and want to promote more kindness in our community.” So – you!

There are some initial events scheduled for 2020, including Pay It Forward Weekend and a video contest for middle and high school students that show the power of kindness.

The organization and purpose are still crystallizing, but if you are interested in promoting and bringing more kindness to your immediate world, join the Facebook group and keep an eye on things as the group evolves. Also, the inspirational and attractive Yard Signs are available for $7.99 at Greenwood Hardware.

You are invited to public debates for two Seattle City Council positions: D6 (which includes Phinney, Greenwood, Green Lake among other neighborhoods) and D5 (most of North Seattle). This event is free and presented by Seattle CityClub and co-hosted by the PNA.

The debate will be moderated by a journalist from KUOW-FM with additional questions by reporters with The Seattle Times and King-5. Both will be on Saturday, September 21 at the Greenwood Senior Center.

The D6 debate is from 2-3:30pm and involve Heidi Wills and Dan Strauss. The D5 undercard will be from noon – 1:30 and pit incumbent Debora Juarez versus Ann Davison Sattler.

Register for the D6 debate here, and the D5 debate here – space is limited!

PhinneyWood is full of wonderful people and great places that we all wish we knew more about. Resident Kevin Kozel periodically digs deeper to let us know more in a column we like to call … Hi Neighbor!

Seattle continues to be one of the top cities for craft brewing in the nation. At last count the city is home to over 25 of them! Not everyone is a brewmaster, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still own a brewery. PhinneyWood’s Flying Bike Cooperative Brewing gives everyone an opportunity to do just that. It is the only democratically run, member-owned and operated cooperative in the state. They also have several brews on tap, ranging from lighter styles like Kolsch, up to heavier stouts. And did you know members get discounts and plenty of other benefits? President Austin Rood (bottom right in the picture above) tells us more about what makes Flying Bike fly.

Kevin Kozel (KK): Let’s start at the beginning. How did Flying Bike come to be?

Austin Rood (AR): The idea was started back in 2010 by a man named Jeff Hicks. He wrote on a blog somewhere that he wanted to get people together to pitch his idea for a “Disneyland of Beer.” Out of that initial pitch came about 30 or 40 people that really liked his idea of a cooperative brewery, and they ended up incorporating their little business in the beginning of 2011.

KK: This was well before coming to PhinneyWood then?

AR: They would meet at what is now the Hounds tooth Public House across the street, so we’ve always had a bit of a connection to this neighborhood without even knowing it. They finally found this place in 2015 after doing a lot of searching in Capital Hill, Ballard, Downtown … We’ve just had our fourth anniversary. This was all well before me though, I became a member in 2016.

KK: For Flying Bike to be successful, you really need to have a strong connection to the community. Have you felt that here?

AR: I think so. Sixty to seventy percent of our membership live within a two-to three-mile radius of the brewery, so definitely from a membership standpoint. Also, one of our tenets is to give back to the community, so most of our pint nights have us partnering with locally-based organizations and other co-ops. We also have a lot of food partnerships because we don’t have a restaurant here. You can order from Sushi Naomi, North Star, and Luna Azul at the bar and have the food delivered. The Olive and Grape, Razzi’s, Laem Buri, Hummus, Kalia, and Chaco Canyon will also deliver here.

KK: And where did the name Flying Bike come from?

AR: The idea at the time was that the concept of a community owned, everyone-pitches-in type of business brewery was just as ridiculous as a flying bike. There’s not a lot of co-op breweries in America, so after four years we’re still trying to figure out what it means and what best practices are.

KK: Four years is a big landmark for most businesses, is that different for a brewery?

AR: The thought used to be that as a brewery you could open your doors and do well. There are a lot more breweries now; especially in Seattle, there is a lot of competition. In the first two years you get enough people trying your brewery because it’s new. Years two through four are where you need to define who you are and if you’re going to stick around. If you give to your clientele, you will receive as a business. I think we’re just starting to hit our stride as a business.

KK: How many members does Flying Bike currently have?

AR: I think we’re at 1,970. We’re pushing for our 2,000th member this year.

KK: And how can you become a member?

AR: There are two options. You can become a lifetime member for $200 or you get a joining membership by putting $50 down and paying the rest in installments. There are all kinds of member benefits. There are member discounts, member tastings and member education. Home brewers can submit recipes to our competitions and we have home brew judging. There are all kinds of special things you can’t get at other breweries. With the joining membership you get the monetary benefits, but the other benefits only really happen when you’ve fully paid up. For anyone interested, you can sign up at the bar or by going to the website.

KK:  You are in an elected position as the current Board President of Flying Bike. Are elections yearly?

AR: We have yearly elections. Three board seats are up for election every year and each elected member serves a three year term. Ballots will be sent out to all of our members to vote. Myself, vice president, and one of our other board members are at the end of our terms, so our spots will be up for vote this fall. We welcome anyone who wants to be a part of the team that makes all of the decisions for the brewery to participate in the election.

KK: Are there less demanding ways to be involved?

AR: Being on the board does take a lot of time. A lot of people can’t do that and we understand. There are a lot of other ways to get involved though. You don’t have to be a brewer, you just have to care about seeing Flying Bike succeed. We have volunteers who pour at festivals, participate in clean ups around the community, and even make all of our graphic designs.

If you want to know more about the brewery, membership, or find out what’s on tap visit  www.flyingbike.coop or swing by for a pint at 8570 Greenwood Avenue.

Any person, place, or thing you want to know more about in our neighborhood? Feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment and we’ll look into making it a future feature on Hi Neighbor!

All neighbors and community members are invited to Calvary Ballard for a fun-filled fair on Sunday 8/25 from noon-4pm. There will be dancing (or listening) to swing music by “Swingy”, face painting by “Tangerine Tales”, the ubiquitous yet necessary bouncy house, “Good news story time” and food for the family.

One of the hidden gems within our community happens every Friday night in the lower brick building of the Phinney Center: the beloved Emerald City Contra Dance.

Contra dance is a social folk dance that is led by a caller and always involves a live folk band. No partner or prior dancing knowledge is needed, just show up for the beginner workshop ready to learn and dance. Contra is an excellent workout, a ton of fun, and a great way to meet new people and interact with a vibrant community.

Beginner’s workshop at 7:00pm. Dance 7:30 to 10:00pm. Follow Emerald City Contra Dance on Facebook. See the schedule of bands and callers here.

Garden enthusiasts can enter online to win the chance to purchase Zoo Doo and Bedspread during Woodland Park Zoo’s Fall Fecal Fest. Both mixes—perfect for growing veggies and annuals—contain fully composted blends of select animal manures mixed with either straw bedding or woodchip and wood shavings. Prized and fought over by Seattle gardeners for decades, Zoo Doo is an excellent addition to any garden and has a wide range of botanical benefits.

Kaitlyn Welzen – known as “Dr Doo” and the “PM of BM” around the Zoo – relayed that about one half to one third of entrants get Zoo Doo every year, with about 300 of the 600 entrants winning this sweet and aromatic prize last earlier this year.

You can enter the lottery here, and the process takes about 30 seconds.

Just in time for this late summer rain – and the realization that rain doesn’t actually clean your car – it’s free car wash day! This Thursday (8/22), Brown Bear is turning 62 and offering free “Beary Clean” car washes at 26 tunnel locations. Last year’s one-day event added sparkle and shine to a record-setting 32,789 cars and trucks across the Puget Sound area.

The Seattle-based, family-owned company has provided over 400,000 free “Beary Clean” washes over the past 13 years to celebrate its August birthday and to honor former and current service members on Veterans Day.

Brown Bear  Founder and CEO Victor Odermat opened the company’s first location in 1957 at 1800 15^th Ave West in Seattle. Brown Bear owns and operates 51 car washes throughout the Puget Sound area and Spokane, with a 52^nd location opening this year in Lynnwood.

For participating tunnel wash locations and more information about Brown Bear Car Wash, visit www.brownbear.com.

Meet the next generation of owners! Mylon Mayer, Derek Giles and Daniel Schacher (pictured, L-R) are the newest members of the Ken’s Market ownership team. With a combined 30 years working at Ken’s between them, the trio joins current owners Steve and Scott Giles (Ken’s sons) as well as Bill Stamey (Ken’s son in-law). They plan on keeping Ken’s a strong and essential part of the community, while also bringing fresh changes to the store such as their newly remodeled produce section.

Derek, Dan, and Mylon also continue the tradition of family ownership: Derek is Ken’s Grandson and Dan and Mylon are two long-time co-workers at the Greenwood location. Ken’s is now officially a third generation family business.

Washington State recently became the first in the nation to allow composting as an alternative to cremation and traditional burial. Katrina Spade, founder and CEO of benefit corporation Recompose, will talk about the benefits of the system she calls “recomposition” – which gently converts human remains into soil, so that we can nourish new life after we die. Come learn more about this dramatically new, environmentally friendly option for death care.

RSVP: 206.297.0875.
Thursday August 22, 10am – 11am
Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St.

This year, long-time Phinney Ridge staple Red Mill Burgers is celebrating 25 years of serving some of Seattle’s best burgers. Owners Babe, John and Michael Shepherd want to give back to the Phinneywood community, which has supported them for the past 25 years, by giving out their famous bacon deluxe burgers and an order of fries FREE to everyone who stops in tomorrow (August 19) from 12-3 pm. 

In honor of the Shepherds’ mother, Rosemary Shepherd, Red Mill will also be sponsoring the Phinney Neighborhood Association’s Power of Community Breakfast on October 3, with a generous donation of $5000 to the PNA’s Greenwood Senior Center Memory Loss Program. 

Burgers and fries will be given away until supplies run out, so come by early!

It’s been a not-too-hot and smoke-free Gumshoe this year and the good weather and air quality promises to hold through the week-end. Deadline for submitting entry forms for the prize drawings is 6pm Sunday and, for those who have waited until the last moment to do the Gumshoe, there’s the Procrastishoe, a group walk that leaves the Phinney Neighborhood Center at 3pm on Sunday.

The Answer Man will be tagging along to prevent any wrong turns and guarantee forms are turned in by the deadline. Please note: the Phinney Neighborhood Center is closed Sunday, so Procrastishoes are encouraged to purchase their forms at Ken’s or the Couth Buzzard. However, the Answer Man will have some forms for sale just in case any Procrastishoes show up empty-handed.

The Flying Bike, Washington’s very first cooperative brewery, is turning 4 years old tomorrow. Per their Facebook: “It’s our 4th Anniversary so let’s celebrate with a Big Fancy Party! Live Music! No Cover!”

Christa Says Yay will be playing starting at 3pm, followed by Sweet Jesus at 4:30. This is a family-friendly, all ages event with giveaways and specials. You can learn more about the event here.

Flying Bike cooperative Brewery
8570 Greenwood Ave N
Saturday August 17, 1pm – 11pm

With a nice crowd of reporters, kids, and zoo luminaries, Woodland Park Zoo’s President Alejandro Grajal opened their new Zoo Doo composting facility today by cutting a vine rope with an oversized pair of scissors. “Zoo Doo is the envy of all gardeners in the region,” remarked Grajal during his speech.

The Zoo Doo yard’s compost system now has automated aeration and temperature control technology, which cuts down compost processing times from about six months to just 60 days. The upgrades also include the addition of 8-foot-tall concrete bunkers, allowing larger piles of compost and creating more Doo in less space.

Composting all of the fecal waste from the vast zoo ecosystem is part of the Zoo’s sustainability initiative, and diverts 650 tons of waste annually from landfills. In addition to saving animal species here and around the world, Grajal says they are also committed to positively impacting their immediate community.

The public can purchase Zoo Doo year round online, at Zoo stores located at the zoo’s South and West Entrances, or at the biannual Fecal Fest which accepts entries from August 19 through September 8. Kaitlyn Welzen – known as “Dr Doo” around the Zoo – relayed that about one half to one third of entrants get Zoo Doo every year, with about 300 of the 600 entrants winning this sweet and aromatic prize last earlier this year.

Chef King began operations in the beginning of the month, across from Fred Meyer and adjacent to the Janus Apartments. This Sichuan restaurant in has a sense of humor throughout the menu, which includes options for the “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” the “Whatever” (Chef’s choice), and the “I Don’t Know” (Chef’s secret dish!)

There are also the usual suspects: bubble tea, pork belly, steamed dumplings, beef chow mein, and sweet and sour fish. There is also an interesting sounding dish called “rock candy duck,” made with boiled duck that is then steamed, fried, and slathered with a rock sugar sauce.

101 N 85th St #102, https://www.chefkingseattle.com/ 206-829-9357
Hours: Wed-Mon 11 am-9 pm, Sun closed

This year’s Pianos in the Park is live in Phinney Ridge through Sunday, with a beautiful piano available for all to serenade the community in the Heart of Phinney Park.

There is one last scheduled performance, with Alexander Olsen taking the bench tomorrow at noon. Make yourself a lemonade and come on by!

Are you concerned about how you see people being treated at our borders? Join with others in our neighborhood to learn and act towards positive change. The morning will begin with a presentation on the history of US borders with Dr. Octavio Carrasco and conclude with discussion guided by Pastor Anna Rieke, towards how we can act today to create more justice.

Parking is available. Building is ADA accessible.

Saturday August 17, 10am – noon
St. John United Lutheran Church, 5515 Phinney Ave N.

The North Seattle Neighborhood Greenway and new signalized crossing at Holman Rd NW and NW 92nd St are complete and open for business. Come and celebrate with Deputy Mayor Shefali Ranganathan and a bike parade along the newly completed neighborhood greenway.

The parade starts at Licton Springs Park and is followed by light refreshments, face painting, and brief remarks at Crown Hill Park.

There are two other joining spots along the parade route: Fremont Ave N and N 100th St or Sandel Playground.

Schedule
10am: Riders gather at Licton Springs Park, kids can use the bike decoration station

10:30am: Ride starts

10:55am: Join the ride at the intersection of the Fremont Ave and North Seattle neighborhood greenways (N 100th St and Fremont Ave N)

11:10am: Join the ride at Sandel Park

11:30am: Enjoy refreshments, face painting, and remarks by Deputy Mayor Shefali Ranganathan at Crown Hill Park

The Gumshoe 5K Walk is an excellent way to get out of the house, see our wonderful neighborhood, and put your brain on notice that it cannot slumber all summer! Entry forms are now on sale at Ken’s Market, the Phinney Center, and Couth Buzzard Books.

Buy an entry form, solve the 30 clues that guide you through the 3.1 mile neighborhood walk, return your form where you bought it and you’re entered into a drawing for $1,000 worth of prizes!

More details, including last year’s clues and answers, at DoTheGumshoe.org

Cost : $20 for a single form or $15 each if two or more are purchased at the same time.

Come out for a fun and fabulous night of dancing at the Greenwood Senior Center. No partners or experience required, and certainly no need to be a senior to be a part of the event. There will be a learning session from 6:30-7pm with experienced partners to help you out. LGBT Friendly. Questions: 206.297.0875

Thursday August 15
Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St.
6:30-7pm warm up, 7-9pm dance
$10 at the door

For all community makers and artists, there are just 3 days left to apply to the PNA Winter Festival and Crafts Fair on Dec 7 & 8. Not just a neighborhood event, the festival draws about 5,000 people from all over the city—it’s a favorite among shoppers and vendors alike.

Want to join the 120+ vendors at this year’s fair? Learn more and apply by Aug 15 at http://bit.ly/wfapp19

Whether you have a long-established business or are just beginning to plan a new business, the Seattle Public Library system has free resources for you to use through their Library to Business program. SPL offers dozens of classes and workshops every year in partnership with local organizations.

This is a service SPL has been offering for a couple of years. and have just started offering these appointments in North Seattle at the Green Lake and Ballard branches. Library staff can assist patrons in conducting research to start or grow their small businesses, including finding data about potential customers, competitors, and general information about a given industry.

SPL is now booking 1:1 appointments with librarians trained to help you research business topics

Taproot Theatre Company has announced the extension of Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s award-winning musical, Bright Star. Additional performances have been added on Wednesday (8/21), Thursday (8/22), Friday (8/23) and Saturday (8/24).

Bright Star won the 2016 Outer Critics Circle awards for Best Musical and Best Score, in addition to the Drama Desk award for Outstanding Music. It was nominated for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book, Best Lead Actress in a Musical and Best Orchestrations at the 2016 Tony Awards. 

Per the Taproot: “Bright Star is the uplifting and powerful tale of a simple summer romance blossoming into true love. Alice and Jimmy Ray’s parents have forbidden their union, but the young couple is about to be propelled into a daring and unexpected future that spans decades. This Tony, Drama Desk and Grammy award-nominated musical will make your heart soar and your toes tap. Hold on, love is coming home.”

Was racing gourds at last week’s farmer’s market not enough excitement for you? Follow that on Friday, August 9th with a special happy hour event in the Phinney Farmers Market.

All drinks are $5 and the proceeds benefit the Good Farmer Fund and the longevity of the market.

Come to the market and shop your regular list of fruits, veggies, eggs, bread, and treats then sip while supporting a great cause. Plus, each drink ticket doubles as a raffle entries to win $50 in farm bucks to be spent at any of our seven Neighborhood Farmers Markets. The happy hour will run from 4pm-7pm.

The Good Farmer Fund provides emergency relief to farmers to mitigate situations such as: crop losses due to extreme weather, loss of equipment or greenhouses in fire or heavy snow, and protecting livestock from predators. Since 2008, Neighborhood Farmers Markets has granted over $255,000 in emergency relief funds with thanks to events like the Phinney Farmers Market Happy Hour and their annual fundraiser, An Incredible Feast.

The PhinneyWood Art Walk is a monthly event that promotes over 40 participating venues in our neighborhood. Organized by the PhinneyWood Arts Council, the Art Walk occurs every 2nd Friday of each month with a “Big One” (2-day event) that occurs each year in May.

Come out and cruise the neighborhood from 6-9pm and check out the latest art and special offerings each month. Here is this month’s map with artists and participating venues.

The watercolor above is by artist Zenia Wei and will be featured at Coindexter’s.

Ever dream of saving a life? Now you potentially can: a single blood donation can save up to three lives in our community! If you have never donated blood and have questions about the process or eligibility, you can find an excellent FAQ on the subject here.

Late Summer Blood Drive
Friday August 9, 12 – 6pm (break from 2-3pm)
Phinney Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N

All seven of the council’s district seats, including our D6 seat currently held by Mike O’Brien, are up for election. The top two vote-getters in each race will advance to the November 5 general election.

In King County, voters will decide on an $810 million parks levy and a $345 million Evergreen hospital levy. All Seattle voters will weigh in on a $219 million library levy.

Ballot Boxes are open until 8pm today, with the closest to Phinney-Greenwood at Green Lake Community Center. A complete map can be found here.

Not registered to vote yet? No problem, as this is the first local election to employ same-day voter registration.

Okay, we actually know the reason – it is part of One Reel’s annual “Pianos in the Parks” event. Started in 2013, is an annual event that gives the public the chance to see and play beautiful pianos painted by local artists.

One Reel describes this event as “13 pianos placed in neighborhood parks across Seattle and Eastside communities. Now with a hyper-local focus amidst the backdrop of summer in Seattle, the air will be filled with music, art and celebration.”

Our own Phinney Ridge fine artist, Sandy Nelson, has etched designs in this year’s piano. We have two outstanding local musicians slated to perform as well: Ian Ketterer on Wednesday 8/7 at 4pm, and Alexander Olsen on Friday 8/16 at noon. Mark your calendars and come on by the Heart of Phinney Park!

Piper Village, located on Palatine Ave near Verity Credit Union and the former Green Bean space, is hosting a large and festive Night Out event that the whole community is invited to attend.

Looking for a Dog Kissing Booth? Yes, there will be one of those. Boxing Flash Mob? Yep, they have that as well. These activities and many more will be present and free to all.

Tuesday August 6th, 6pm-10pm. Piper Village, 8623 Palatine Ave N

MUSIC ZONE: Live music by the Greenwood School of Rock House Band. DJ sets by: Gene Lee, David Spencer, DJ Soulcrates and Ben Meadow.

KIDS ZONE: Family friendly fun and activities with Top Ten Toys. Family friendly food and games by Verity Credit Union .

CHILL ZONE: Spa Station/ Open House Tours by Ladywell’s Spa, Wine Tasting by Champion Wine Cellers.

GRILL ZONE: Summer Rib Fest Grillin’ by Fred Meyers, street tacos by Luna Azul.

SPORTS ZONE: Flash Mob Boxing classes for all by Title Boxing

PET ZONE: Puppy Pool Party by Mud Bay, Puppy Kissing Booth by Seatown Veterinary

ART ZONE: Art activates for kids with Seattle Recreative

The Gumshoe 5K Walk returns for its 14th year! Entry forms are now on sale at Ken’s Market, the Phinney Center, and Couth Buzzard Books.

Buy an entry form, solve the 30 clues that guide you through the 3.1 mile neighborhood walk, return your form where you bought it and you’re entered into a drawing for $1,000 worth of prizes!

Event proceeds support the Greenwood Senior Center, Greenwood Elementary School PTA, and Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church Food Bank.

More details, including last year’s clues and answers, at DoTheGumshoe.org

Cost : $20 for a single form or $15 each if two or more are purchased at the same time.

The Phinney Neighborhood Association is looking for an experienced community member to fill this essential position. Job responsibilities include Payroll, Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable, general accounting and reconciliations, and preparing monthly financials statements. This position is approximately 24 hours/week.

For a complete position description, including essential responsibilities, minimum qualifications, compensation details, and application instructions, see our posting at http://www.phinneycenter.org/jobs.

Come one, come all to race your favorite summer squash! At this Friday’s Phinney Farmers Market, bring your kids to decorate provided zucchinis and run them down a track to see how quick they can go. One of the only events in Seattle where playing with your food is a requirement, kids (and adults) of all ages are invited to join the fun and create their very own vegetable vehicle to send down the racing ramp.

All materials for the speedy creations are supplied by the farmers markets and farmers

Friday August 2, 4-6pm
Phinney Neighborhood Association, upper parking lot
Free, donations are gratefully accepted

American Dance Institute Shoreline is announcing the 2019 Moscow Ballet Auditions for the Great Russian Nutcracker. This is a chance for area dance students to perform on stage with the principal dancers of the internationally acclaimed Moscow Ballet. 

Dancers must have at least one year of ballet training and must be enrolled in ballet classes for the Fall of 2019 at any greater Seattle/Shoreline area dance school. Dancers 6-18 are eligible, and auditions are free of charge.

When: Tuesday, September 3
Where:  American Dance Institute, 1240 NE 175th Street
What Time:  Registration check-in is 4:00 pm, audition starts at 4:30 pm

Learn more here. https://www.americandanceinstitute.com/nutcracker-seattle/

Please bring yourself and friends for an evening of music, beer, and bingo to help reach the goal of raising $10k for Swim Across America (SAA). These funds enable critical early-stage cancer research.

This event will be Thursday 8/1 from 7-10pm at the Angry Beaver. You can learn more about it here.

You can donate directly to the effort: https://bit.ly/2JZqejm

View a documentary created at the Greenwood Senior Center, featuring participants of The Gathering Place, an early-stage memory loss program. They share inspiring insight and offer holistic narratives about living with memory loss.

Following the movie, Social Worker Carin Mack will lead participants in a discussion exploring the themes of stigma, friendship, and understanding.

Wednesday, July 31, @ 1 – 2 pm at Greenwood Senior Center (525 N. 85th St.)

Register: 206.297.0875

This event is targeted at Mature Job Seekers but all our welcome.Come prepared to speak with HR Managers and Recruiters about current openings and career opportunities.

Companies represented include: Aerotek, Alaska/Horizon Airlines, Coast Management, Department of the Navy, Dignity Memorial, Evergreen Health, First Student, Fred Meyer, Hyatt, Kids Co., MMComfort Systems, MV Transit, Platt Electric, Puget Sound Energy, Securitas, Sherwin Williams, and the University of Washington.

Wednesday July 31, 12:30 – 3pm
WorkSource North Seattle, OCEE Building
9600 College Way North
Seattle, WA 98103

Woodland Park Zoo is honoring veterans and active military members by hosting “Zoo for All: Honoring Those Who Serve”, a celebration of veterans and active military and their families to come enjoy the zoo. Additionally, there will be special activities for Honoring Those Who Serve guests, including a resource fair with over 25 nonprofit organizations, a special appearance from zoo ambassador animals, a yoga and mindfulness workshop on the North Meadow led by Veterans Yoga, free scooter and wheelchair rentals and more.

During Honoring Those Who Serve, Woodland Park Zoo will extend free admission to active, reservist, and veteran U.S. military personnel or military spouses plus one guest. Regular military discount will also apply, $4 off for up to six (6) family members. Military personnel or military spouses must show valid military ID.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019, 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Yes, we have a Half Price Books warehouse hidden in our neighborhood, just north of 85th Street on the west side of Greenwood Avenue in Seattle.

This Saturday and Sunday between 8am and 6pm, you can fill a HPB bag with whatever you find for $25. They will have more than 60,000 books, comics, LPs, DVDs and more. Individual items are all less than $5.

Saturday 7/27 and Sunday 7/28, 8am – 6pm
Half Price Books Warehouse
9241 Greenwood Ave N

There will be a Design Review Early Guidance meeting on Monday for a proposed 5-story, 81-unit apartment building with retail and parking for 8 vehicles. Three craftsmen houses (7903, 7907 and 7911 Greeenwood Ave N) will be demolished. The community is encouraged to attend.

Review Meeting:
July 29, 6:30 pm. Ballard Community Center, 6020 28th Ave NW. Sunset/Captain Ballard Room

If you wish to file written comments and/or receive a notice of the decision, please send comments to: Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, 700 5th Ave Ste 2000, PO Box 34019, Seattle, Washington 98124-4019 or e-mail PRC@seattle.gov. Reference “Project #3033073-EG – Cary Guillory.”

Looking for a good family activity that gets everyone outdoors and exercising? The Gumshoe 5K Walk returns for its 14th year!

Buy an entry form, solve the 30 clues that guide you through the 3.1 mile neighborhood walk, return your form where you bought it and you’re entered into a drawing for $1,000 worth of prizes. Event proceeds support the Greenwood Senior Center, Greenwood Elementary School PTA, and Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church Food Bank.

More details, including last year’s clues and answers, at DoTheGumshoe.org. For a little insider information, join the Gumshoe Facebook Group. Entry forms go on sale Aug. 2, 2019 at Ken’s Market, the Phinney Center, and Couth Buzzard Books.

Cost : $20 for a single form or $15 each if two or more are purchased at the same time.

Gumshoe runs from Friday August 2 through Sunday August 18.

The Seattle Public Library is seeking Homework Help volunteers who have a passion for helping elementary, middle and high school students succeed in school. The 2019-2020 Homework Help program will be offered from September 9, 2019 through June 11, 2020.

Volunteers tutor students in all academic subjects and may also specialize in English, math and science. Most of the students at Homework Help attend elementary and middle schools. Volunteers interact with children and teens in small groups and individually. For more information, please read the attached Homework Helper volunteer service description and watch a short video.

If you would like to join us as a Homework Helper this coming school year, please complete the online Homework Help volunteer application by July 31.

Also, FamilyWorks is having a school supply drive that runs through August 12. Click here to view the School Supply Donation page and learn more about donating items or buying discounted supplies in bulk through their partner, Blu School Supplies.

FamilyWorks will also be partnering with six organizations (including WithinReach, North Seattle Family Resource Center, and El Centro de la Raza) to bring a Resource Fair on the same day as the School Supply program. In addition to quality school supplies, families will get access to a variety of resources to help them thrive throughout the year.

A Greenwood summertime tradition, the annual Greenwood Seafair Parade presented by Fred Meyer is the oldest neighborhood Seafair parade in the region. Thousands of people line the route to watch the over 100 entrants that include bands, drill teams, floats, pirates and more. The PNA has sponsored the parade since the early 1980s.

There will be a truck parked at the 85th St. Fred Meyer accepting non-perishable food donations before, during and after the parade (5-8:30pm).

Parade route: Greenwood Avenue from N. 95th to N. 85th, then west to 6th NW.

Wednesday, July 24 from 6pm – 8pm

Per Opus Co.’s Facebook: ” We’re turning 2! To celebrate our 2nd anniversary we’re raising some money for the Ballard Food Bank!

Stop by on Wednesday, July 24th from 4:30-8 pm, we’re serving a buffet style dinner. Stop in for a bit or hang for a while, up to you! $10/plate & $5 for beverages. All proceeds will be donated to the Ballard Food Bank. We’ll also be accepting non-perishable food items, if you’d like to make a food donation as well.

Please note, we will not be having a regular dinner service that night.

Thanks for an amazing & incredible year. We’re really fortunate to do what we’re doing and we appreciate all of the love and support.”

More than 175 million items were purchased during Amazon’s 2019 Prime Day event earlier this week. With the help of Seattle’s new recycling startup, Ridwell, hard-to-recycle Amazon packaging waste will be picked up for free from non-Ridwell members in the Seattle service area from July 22 to August 1st. Anyone interested can sign up here to be notified when the pickups are scheduled. 

Ridwell hopes to make a large impact by recycling Amazon packaging the right way. Too often these materials are placed incorrectly in curbside bins which puts stress on our already struggling recycling systems. Alternatively, many people throw these plastics in the garbage where they are buried in a landfill instead of recycled into new things.  So far this week, over 1,000 households have signed up to be notified of Ridwell’s upcoming free Prime Day pickups.

Ridwell also offers other pickup and recycling of esoteric waste – learn more here.

PhinneyWood is full of wonderful people and great places that we all wish we knew more about. Resident Kevin Kozel periodically digs deeper to let us know more in a column we like to call … Hi Neighbor!

Every neighborhood needs a place for the locals to hang out; a home away from home where you can see your friends and meet new people. Prashanthi Reddy found comfort in her local coffee shops while attending college in Pittsburgh and later as a barista in Michigan. She missed that culture in the corporate world and wanted to recreate it in her own way. Now 11 years gone, Makeda and Mingus fills this need for many in the PhinneyWood community.

Kevin Kozel (KK): You’ve been here for over a decade now, but what originally made you decide to open a coffee shop in the land of coffee shops?

Prashanthi Reddy (PR): I really wanted a place that would essentially be my club house that focused on good coffee, but also the customers and the community. Kind of like your local watering hole, but coffee style.

KK: You started as Makeda Coffee, and now you are Makeda and Mingus. What has changed in the shop over time?

PR: We’ve had beer and wine since the beginning, but not everyone thought about stopping in for a beer at a place with coffee in its name. So we changed the name to Makeda and Mingus. Mingus is my dog; he’s a rat terrier. He’s also named after Charles Mingus, the jazz musician, which also encompasses the arts and culture of the shop.

KK: And where did Makeda come from?

PR: Makeda is the name of the Queen of Sheba, and the area of Sheba is now Ethiopia and Eritrea, where coffee was first discovered.

KK: There are several shops in the neighborhood, and yet the only one leaving is Starbucks. How do you all co-exist?

PR: I share customers with at least a few coffee shops. I think we all meet different needs. Some have parking, some are geared towards working and studying, while others are more for hanging out. We tend to be more social, so this is the place where you want to hang out, meet your neighbors, catch up on the neighborhood happenings and make a new friend.

KK: You make that point on your signage as well. This is Makeda and Mingus’ “Community Table.” In what ways have you seen your shop become this more over time? 

PR: I think the biggest thing I have seen over the years is that parents trust their kids to ride their bike here or meet their friends here. It’s a safe space for their kids to come and hang out as they’re growing up.

KK: We keep saying you’re a coffee shop, but you’re really much more than that. As you’ve said, you offer beer and wine, and you have food as well.

PR: On Monday nights we have a craft night where I make soup and mac and cheese. Thursday night I make a homestyle south Indian dinner. We do have some of these things throughout the week, but I highlight it by day to show off more of our offerings.

KK: Your shop is just around the corner from Greenwood Avenue, so it’s a little less visible, but also keeps you off the busier street. Has that hurt or helped you?

PR: A little of both. I bought it as a turnkey, so it already had an established clientele and word-of-mouth worked out really well. Then around 2016 we saw a little downturn in business and that coincided with the changes in the housing market in the area. As the neighborhood started changing it was also changing my business. In the very beginning one of my coffee mentors told me, “If you want to have a neighborhood coffee shop, make the neighborhood feel like they own the shop.” So I started marketing from square one and had to build up the clientele again.

KK: How has the PNA helped make you a part of the community?

PR: I love having the PNA. It’s an anchor for the neighborhood. I can’t think of many other neighborhoods that have something similar to it. They’re really helpful for businesses and really help amplify what you’re doing. They already have a lot of neighborhood events so there isn’t pressure to do everything. You can do what works for you at a given time.

KK: Do you think your shop would do as well in another neighborhood?

PR: This neighborhood really suits us. Since the beginning I’ve felt that PhinneyWood is a small town in a medium-sized city. You do know your neighbors here. I don’t want to call the “Seattle freeze” a myth, but I haven’t experienced it. In this neighborhood people know each other really well.

KK: As PhinneyWood continues to change, how do you see Makeda and Mingus changing?

PR: I really view myself as a part of the community. I live in the neighborhood and want to provide a space, in whatever capacity, that is for the folks that live here as well. My goal is to stay flexible and available for whatever the neighborhood needs.

If you want to meet Prashanthi, or more of your fellow neighbors, stop by Makeda and Mingus for a drink or bite to eat. It can be found at 153 N 78th Street.

Any person, place, or thing you want to know more about in our neighborhood? Feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment and we’ll look into making it a future feature on Hi Neighbor!

After 43 years of organic gardening and community building, The Ballard P-Patch, one of Seattle’s oldest gardens in the P-Patch program, is at risk of losing their garden site to real estate development. The landowner, Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church, recently determined that they need to sell the property to fund safety upgrades and renovations to their building.

Our Redeemer’s has valued their partnership with the garden and its community since 1976, leasing the land for only $1 per year to the City of Seattle. Their stated hope is that the community can rally and purchase the land, keeping it a green space in an increasingly dense urban community. But time is short, with construction planned for April, 2020.

The Ballard P-Patch offers 83 individual families garden space, as well as three raised bed areas for mobility-challenged gardeners. But beyond growing produce and flowers, the value of the garden is its role in building community:

• Giving Gardens produce 1300+ lbs of produce for the Ballard Food Bank.
• Annual Art in the Garden Festival that showcases local artists, music, and food.
• Emergency Hub Location protects the community with on-site disaster recovery supplies.
• Garden tours for local schools educate our youth on agriculture in our society.
• ADA-accessible pathways and raised garden beds bring nature to all.
• Open patio and grill available to everyone in the community.

How to help?

The gardeners are reaching out to leaders in the business and civic communities at city and county levels, exploring options for grants and public funding and pooling their contact lists for potential private philanthropists. Email info@ballardppatch.org if you can assist with any of this.

This is also a grassroots fundraising campaign. The gardeners are actively engaging the community and participating in local events to raise awareness and funds. If you would like to show your support, please attend.

Meanwhile, help spread the word:

• Like their Facebook Page
• Follow their Instagram Feed
• Join Twitter
• Share their Donation Page
• Forward their Sign-up Sheet

The North Precinct Community Picnic is happening this Saturday July 20, from 1 pm to 4 pm at the North Precinct (10049 College Way North).

They will have hot dogs, soft-serve ice cream, music, kids activities, and a chance to see various specialty units (including the horses).

SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator, Mary Amberg, reports there will also be “911 storytime for the kids” and “great jokes shared by Sgt. Newsom.”

A Greenwood summertime tradition, the annual Greenwood Seafair Parade presented by Fred Meyer is the oldest neighborhood Seafair parade in the region. Thousands of people line the route to watch the over 100 entrants that include bands, drill teams, floats, pirates and more. The PNA has sponsored the parade since the early 1980s.

Parade route: Greenwood Avenue from N. 95th to N. 85th, then west to 6th NW.

Wednesday, July 24 from 6pm – 8pm

The Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) posted a job description for a new executive director today. A Facebook post from their Board President, Amanda Froh, reads:

As you may have already learned, Lee Harper, PNA’s amazing executive director for the last 9+ years, has decided to move on to new professional and personal adventures.

In Lee’s words… “I’ve been with PNA for nearly a decade and I’m so proud of where we are and so grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to lead this organization in collaboration with the board, staff, membership, and larger community. For myself, I’m ready to take a step back, relax a little bit (!), and explore the ‘what’s next’. As for that, I plan to spend the next couple of years using my skills and experience to help organizations throughout King County deepen their impact through a combination of consulting and interim leadership. Though I’m leaving as PNA’s executive director, I’ll remain a member of this community that I love.”

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to express our deepest thanks and admiration for Lee and her innumerable contributions to strengthening the PNA and our community.

Her last day is October 3, when she will give the keynote address at the Greenwood Senior Center’s Power of Community Breakfast. We’d love to see all of you there to support the Senior Center and send her off in style!
Two of the hallmarks of the PNA are stability and visionary leadership.

In the past 40 years, we have had only two executive directors! These are big shoes to fill, but we are excited to move forward and are up to the challenge. We have already made great progress in our search for our third leader to guide PNA into the future. We need your help in spreading the word about this opportunity! 

The job description can be found at phinneycenter.org/jobs. The PNA is also hiring a Development Associate and a Spanish-language Preschool Teacher.

Moon Landing 50th Anniversary Party. This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and the first moon landing. This was a formative experience for many Americans, perhaps even you.

This is geared towards people who were there to see it and those who just wish they were. Join the community to watch the moon landing as it was originally seen live on television.

Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N 85th St. Friday July 19, 1-2:30pm. RSVP: 206.297.0875.

Phinney Farmer’s Market. Enjoy your Friday afternoons at our beloved neighborhood Farmer’s Market that runs weekly through September 27.
Grab dinner or a snack, listen to live music 5-7 pm, and get your fresh produce and other goodies for the week.

Phinney Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N. Friday July 19, 3:30 – 7:30pm.

Infant, Child & Adult CPR Class. In this class, students will learn infant, child, and adult CPR, as well as how to help a choking infant, child or adult.  It’s a great class for new or expecting parents, teachers, anyone who works with kids. Certificates will be issued at the end of class.

Taught by Ken Norris, a 26-year veteran of the Seattle Fire Department who has taught CPR for 25 years. You can register here.

Phinney Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N. Friday July 19, 7-8pm.

Don’t throw that gadget away! The PNA Fixers Collective is hosting a Fix-It Repair Café Day, and, as they say, “you can’t break what’s already broken.”

Bring in your broken appliances, devices, lamps, and tools to the Greenwood Public Library for some guidance and help in putting it back together again, and maybe even fixing it in the process.

The idea is to take a moment before throwing something away to figure out if you can save it and prevent buying a new one. It’s also an excellent way to learn how things work and enjoy some good company. You can bring something broken along with you or just bring yourself to watch and learn.

Saturday July 20, 11am – 2pm. Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave N

Questions?  Please contact the PNA Tool Library at 206.783.2244 x 48, wellhome@phinneycenter.org.

Phinney’s own Makeda & Mingus is hosting a Plant Swap!

You are invited to bring seeds, pots, books, plants or other indoor gardening items. If you are bringing plants to swap, please clearly label them, make sure they are healthy and pest free, and know if you want to trade or give them away. In addition to fully rooted plants, it is also ok to bring water-propagated plants and or fresh cuttings – just make sure what you are bringing is viable and healthy.

It’s also a good idea to bring a bag or tray to carry your new additions home in.

Makeda & Mingus
153 N 78th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Saturday July 20th, 1 – 5pm

The PNA Summer Beer Taste – “Beerstock” – was a rocking success with over 600 tasters enjoying the vast selection of beers and ciders. The event raised $17,155 which supports the Phinney Neighborhood Association programs serving our community. 

Congratulations to this year’s crowd favorites: 
1st Place – Lucky Envelope Mango Lassi Milkshake Hazy IPA
2nd Place – Urban Family Mantra Imperial Sour Mango, 
3rd Place – Fremont Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Star: Coffee Edition 

Cider: Portland Cider Pineapple Rosé 

We’re big on recycling in Seattle, but it can sometimes be confusing to know what is and isn’t recyclable or how much you need to do before you toss an item into the bin.

Michael Eggers, Multi-Family Recycling Outreach Specialist with Seattle Public Utilities, will give an overview of how to properly recycle, how to dispose of non-recyclables responsibly, and answer your questions about the whole process. Register: 206.297.0875.

Thursday July 18, 1-2pm @ Greenwood Senior Center – 525 N. 85th St.

On Monday, July 1, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to ease regulations on building backyard cottages and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), also known as in-law apartments. According to the bill’s sponsor, District 6 councilmember Mike O’brien, the objective of the legislation was to “create more housing choices in single-family zones.”

While backyard cottages have been allowed in all parts of Seattle since 2009, only 221 had been built as of 2016. The new rules will make it easier for property owners to build backyard cottages and ADUs. Advocates hope that by increasing supply, housing will become more affordable in Seattle.

Here are some of the most significant updates of the new rules:

• Reduces the lot size requirement to build a backyard cottage from 4,000 square feet to 3,200 square feet.
• Increases the maximum size of the backyard cottage from 800 square feet to 1,000 square feet, not counting any parking or storage space.
• Removes the requirement that the owner must occupy the property.
• Dedicated off-street parking spaces for cottages and ADUs are no longer required.
• Increases the height limit of backyard cottages by 1 to 3 feet.
• The maximum number of accessory units allowed on a lot gets increased from one to two—either a backyard cottage and an ADU inside the main home, or two ADUs inside the main home.

In addition, the new legislation included a so called “McMansion” ban, which added a new floor-area-ratio (FAR) limit of 0.5. This means that the maximum square footage of a new home built on a 6,000-square-foot lot would be 3,000 square feet. Backyard cottages and ADUs would not be included in this limit, which reduces the incentive to tear down a modestly sized home and replace it with a jumbo-size single-family home. Instead, advocates hope the new rules will encourage homeowners to add a backyard cottage or basement apartment.

Backyard cottages and ADUs can earn homeowners rental income or serve as extra space for family and friends.

The new rules are expected to reduce the number of teardowns and increase the number of new housing units added to the city’s housing supply. The city’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) estimates that over the next 10 years the new regulations will spare 450 homes from the bulldozer and help add 4,430 new accessory units, which is 2,460 more than would have been built under the old rules.

An earlier version of the legislation was first proposed by Councilmember O’Brien in late 2015. Its progress was stalled by two legal appeals, which were eventually dismissed.

Mayor Durkan signed the legislation last Tuesday, and the new rules will go into effect August 8, 2019. The FAR regulation has a delayed effective date of March 1, 2020. In addition, Mayor Durkan signed an executive order to help homeowners with the design and permitting process, offer low-interest ADU financing through the Office of Housing’s Home Repair Loan Program, and convene a workgroup to assess the effectiveness of the regulatory changes within three years.

Eric Thomas is marketing manager for CRD Design Build, a Phinney Neighborhood Association business member. CRD has provided residential remodeling services to the Seattle community for nearly 40 years. Eric gathers news and information about the topic at the Ultimate Guide to Seattle Backyard Cottages.

The Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) seeks a dynamic Development Associate to provide administrative support to the Development team and Executive Director, including quality and timely stewardship to PNA donors and members which includes gift acknowledgement and processing, data management, and reporting. The Development Associate also assists in planning/executing fundraising events and supporting marketing and communications. The Development Associate reports to the Director of Development. For a complete job description, including essential responsibilities, job requirements, and benefits, see our posting at www.phinneycenter.org/jobs.  To apply for this position, email a cover letter indicating your interest, how you meet the minimum qualifications, and a resume to hr@phinneycenter.org.  Position is open until filled, and preference will be given to candidates who apply by 7/30.  Questions can be directed to Lee Harper, Executive Director, at leeh@phinneycenter.org. 

Illumination Learning Studio is a cultural, performing and fine arts academy with four locations in Ballard, Greenwood and Phinney Ridge.

ILS looking for a Classroom Music Instructor to join their team of Creative Arts instructors.  The Music Instructor works collaboratively with their creative team to develop and deliver K-5 lessons in theater, dance, art, voice and music.  They are also looking for a Dance Instructor. The Dance Instructor works collaboratively with our creative team to develop and deliver K-5 lessons in theater, dance, art, voice and music.  The ideal candidate has prior experience in K-5 education, teaching various mediums of dance to varying skill levels, lesson plan and curriculum development. Lastly, they are looking for an Art Instructor. The Art Instructor works collaboratively with our creative team to develop and deliver K-5 lessons in theater, dance, art, voice and music. 

Interested applicants can request a full job description and submit their resume and cover letter to Molli Piper at ms.molli@ilskids.com.

The Seattle premier of a Tony-nominated musical is tonight, Friday 7/12, at Greenwood’s own Taproot Theatre. Bright Star is a musical written and composed by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. It is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in 1945-46 with flashbacks to 1923.

Per the show’s press release: “Under a serene North Carolina sunset, a simple summer romance blossoms into true love. When Alice and Jimmy Ray’s parents forbid their union, the young couple is propelled into a daring future. Inspired by a true story, this powerful tale of love and redemption will make your heart soar and your toes tap. Hold on, love is coming home.”

• Opening Night – Friday, July 12 at 8:00 PM
• Saturday, July 13 at 2:00 PM
• Saturday, July 13 at 8:00 PM
• Thursday, July 18 at 7:30 PM
• Friday, July 19 at 8:00 PM
• Saturday, July 20 at 2:00 PM
• Saturday, July 20 at 8:00 PM

Tickets and more information can be found here.

ArtUp, Chow Down PhinneyWood Art Walk, tonight from 6-9pm. The PhinneyWood artwalk is a monthly event that promotes over 40 participating venues in the Greenwood-Phinney neighborhood of N. Seattle. Come out and cruise the neighborhood from 6-9 pm and check out the latest art and special offerings each month. Here is tonight’s lineup and map.

Phinney Center gallery opening tonight. Come view the talents within our own community. This show will feature 27 works by PNA members, volunteers, and staff, anonymously selected by a jury.

Join us for the opening reception during the ArtUp PhinneyWood Art Walk to meet the artists, enjoy refreshments, take in the tunes of the Bellvue UKE’sters, and maybe even purchase your favorite piece!

The show will be on display July 11- August 16. You can learn more about the featured artists here.

The Gilbert & Sullivan Society debuts Princess Ida at Bagley Wright. This Crown Hill production company has 12 performances, starting tonight and running through July 28. “Crystal Dawn Munkers leads an exhilaratingly updated take on the battle of the sexes – complete with operatic warrior maidens, a cross-dressing trio of dandies, and a bit of magic. The brilliant, assertive Princess Ida has sequestered herself and her court in the Castle Adamant, dedicating themselves to the study of the higher arts and absolutely, utterly forswearing the company of men. And the men – including her promised fiancé, Prince Hilarion – are not taking it well.”

More information and tickets can be found here.

2019 Seafair Milk Carton Derby. Saturday, July 13 at Green Lake Aqua- Theater, Beginning at 10:30am. The 47th annual Milk Carton Derby is back for another year of creativity, science and boatmanship. Since 1972, this quirky event features colorful milk carton boats of all shapes and designs racing on Green Lake. Children, adults, families, military, schools and businesses are all invited to build milk carton watercraft and compete on the waters of Green Lake for prizes and bragging rights.

Highly regarded within the local brewing industry, the PNA’s 14th annual Summer Beer Taste is coming up on Saturday 7/13. Meet the people behind your favorite brews, chat with fellow enthusiasts, hang with your friends, and sample from new and favorite breweries alike.

The event includes ten (quite generous) tastes from 32 local microbreweries and cideries, plus pub snacks.

Saturday, July 13, 2019 from 4pm – 7pm. Get tickets here.

PNA member: $25 (not a member? Learn about it/sign up)
General Public: $30
Designated Driver: $10 (includes unlimited non-alcoholic beverages + snacks + the awesomeness that you’re getting your friends home safe!)

Proceeds support PNA’s nonprofit programs for seniors, kids, people in need, and the entire community!

On Saturday, July 13 from 11am to 3pm at Maple Leaf Lutheran Church, LGBTQ Allyship will host the inaugural LGBTQ+ North Seattle Housing Fair. The purpose is to educate the community around housing issues, bringing community together to talk about their housing and neighborhood hopes and dreams, and ensuring access to housing and community resources.

Access to affordable housing is a crucial issue for LGBTQ communities as it impacts safety and visibility as well as access to community, culture, history, direct services and political clout.

The program will include North Seattle resources, an intergenerational LGBTQ+ panel, LGBTQ renters’ rights training, community artist performance, and community networking opportunities.

This event is free and more information can be found here.

Come view the talents within our own community. This show will feature 27 works by PNA members, volunteers, and staff, anonymously selected by a jury.

Join us for the opening reception during the ArtUp PhinneyWood Art Walk to meet the artists, enjoy refreshments, take in the tunes of the Bellvue UKE’sters, and maybe even purchase your favorite piece!

The show will be on display July 11- August 16. You can learn more about the featured artists here.

The primary election is around the corner in early August.

The Greenwood Community Council (GCC) is sponsoring election forums this Saturday at the Taproot Theatre, featuring the two city council races affecting Phinney-Greenwood.

The District 5 forum begins at 10:30 am, and the District 6 forum begins at 1 pm.

Not sure which district you are in? Look it up here by your address.

The forums will be moderated by Steve Scher, Chief Correspondent for the Town Hall Seattle Podcast In The Moment, host of the podcast At Length, and a contributing writer to Seattle Magazine.

This is a free event, however, the Taproot is generously donating their space, and the GCC will request donations to cover their costs.

There is no amplification in the Isaac Studio, but hearing assistances can be available on request.

Attendance has been high at other forums, and the theatre has an occupancy limit, so GCC advises arriving early. Theatre doors will be closed when there is no more room.

Join North Community Police Office Nic Boys for a discussion regarding shoplifting prevention and your safety. Discussion will be around the importance of establishing a plan for your business, known deterrents to shoplifting, and how you can assist in reporting, response and prosecution of perpetrators.

You do not need to be a business owner to participate, and all are welcome. This will be held in the community space in back of HomeStreet Bank Greenwood, accessible through the Ken’s Market parking lot.

Thursday July 11th, 9am – 10:30am. Please RSVP here.

On July 9, after 24 years of serving coffee to our community, our beloved neighborhood Starbucks closed. You’d think we wouldn’t care-I mean, how many Starbucks does one city need? But this one was different. This was our Starbucks.

Starbucks and Red Mill Burgers opened in 1994, replacing one of Phinney Ridge’s many antique shops. Together, they have remained a favorite destination. When my now-grown son was two, we’d walk to Red Mill for French fries for him, followed by Starbucks for an iced mocha for me. It’s hard to imagine one without the other.

The Phinney Ridge Starbucks seemed to have the magic combination of ingredients which allowed it to maintain the old-school Seattle coffee house vibe. For one, its location! With mountain views and outdoor seating, it was a perfect resting place after a long weekend walk, and provided that much needed caffeine boost after a day at the zoo. Also, they had no Wi-Fi! Even in 2019 it was not uncommon to see people reading newspapers and talking to each other while sipping their beverages.

Starbucks was important to our community through their partnership with the Phinney Neighborhood Association. Year after year they supported the PNA’s Winter Festival with complimentary coffee, as well as generous financial contributions.

During the weeks before the final closing, customers had a chance to leave a favorite memory on a sticky note stuck to the back wall. One woman wrote, “Came in right before heading to the hospital to give birth to my son. He is now 16!” Lucy wrote, “Coming here every Wednesday with my Dad,” and Dominic wrote, “My daughter took her first steps here!”

There were also sweet notes to the employees who, according to store manager Mattie Hogan, became like family to many regulars. One note said, “Where everybody knows your name…” and another, “I drive out of my way to come to this location ‘cause you are the best way to start the morning- so friendly and cheerful. You’ll be missed!”

Rumors spread quickly about what was to come, the most common one being that Red Mill is expanding. While Red Mill does own the building, they’re not expanding, and remain committed to finding a new tenant who fits the neighborhood.

The staff threw a closing party on June 28, complete with balloons and streamers hanging over a table of complimentary lemon bread and cake pops. Many people stopped in for the last time after a weekly trip to the farmers market. Regulars reminisced as they stood in line to spin a wheel for prizes.

Thank you Starbucks from Jade for “getting my hangover cured,” from a Dad who wrote, “Morning date with my wife after dropping off the kids. So many completed sentences!” And from the girls who had a place for “gossiping, talking about boys, and laughing too loud since 2012.” From all of us here in Phinney Ridge, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for giving us 24 years of coffee and community. We will miss you.          

The Seattle premier of a Tony-nominated musical is scheduled for Friday 7/12 at Greenwood’s own Taproot Theatre. Bright Star is a musical written and composed by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. It is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in 1945-46 with flashbacks to 1923.

Per the show’s press release: “Under a serene North Carolina sunset, a simple summer romance blossoms into true love. When Alice and Jimmy Ray’s parents forbid their union, the young couple is propelled into a daring future. Inspired by a true story, this powerful tale of love and redemption will make your heart soar and your toes tap. Hold on, love is coming home.”

• Opening Night – Friday, July 12 at 8:00 PM
• Saturday, July 13 at 2:00 PM
• Saturday, July 13 at 8:00 PM
• Thursday, July 18 at 7:30 PM
• Friday, July 19 at 8:00 PM
• Saturday, July 20 at 2:00 PM
• Saturday, July 20 at 8:00 PM

Tickets and more information can be found here.

On Friday, July 12 the Woodland Park Zoo is holding an event to celebrate 43 years of raising funds for their wildlife conservation mission. “Our Zoo, Our Oasis” will be at the North Meadow on Zoo grounds from 4:30pm – 11pm. Festivities include:

• Bidding on more than 500 items in the silent and live auctions.
• Up-close animal tours
• A colorful reception featuring complimentary appetizers and specialty drinks from Seattle’s finest chefs
• A coursed, sit-down dinner

You can buy tickets and learn more about the event here.

We are a little more than a week out from this annual fundraising event at the PNA, on Saturday July 13, 4-7 pm.

“At this fun, laid-back event, you can meet the people behind your favorite brews, chat with fellow enthusiasts, hang with your friends, and sample from new and favorite breweries alike. The event includes ten (quite generous) tastes from 33 local microbreweries and cideries, plus pub snacks.”

Tacos from Barking Dog Ale House will also be available for purchase.

Ticket prices:

PNA member: $25
General Public: $30
Designated Driver: $10 (includes unlimited non-alcoholic beverages + snacks)

Get tickets (or sign up to volunteer) here or at the Phinney Center.

After defeating England 2-1 in yesterday’s match, the USA will now move on to the Women’s World Cup Final against the Netherlands.

The game will air on Sunday, July 7 at 8 am. You can watch the game with neighbors in the Phinney Center Community Hall, in the Brick Building, 6532 Phinney Ave N.

If your child is heading to summer camp this summer, be aware that many do not allow kids to ride the camp bus if they are found to have lice before boarding. We have an excellent resource in the community for this, The Lice Clinic at 8009 Greenwood Ave N.

A head check to make sure your child can ride with their fellow campers is being offered for only $5 Monday through Thursday throughout the months of July and August.

Call to make an appointment: (206) 457-2397

The Phinney Ridge Community Council meeting for tonight (Tuesday, July 2) is CANCELLED due to Independence Day. The next Meeting Tuesday, August 13 at 7:00 pm (note this is delayed one week due to Neighborhood Night Out).

The PNA Fixers Collective is an informal group of folks who “meet simply for the fun of taking stuff apart, putting it back together again, and maybe even fixing some things in the process.”

The idea is to take a moment before throwing something away to figure out if you can save it and prevent buying a new one. It’s also an excellent way to learn how things work and enjoy some good company!

Fixers Collective is held on the first Wednesday of every month, 6-8 pm at Greenwood Hardware. Feel free to bring something broken along with you or just bring yourself to see why people care about reusing rather than throwing away.

The FIFA World Cup is down to the final 4 teams after USA Women’s soccer rudely took out host France 2-1 on Friday. Come watch the USA team take on England on Tuesday 7/2 at noon in the Phinney Center Brick Building Community Hall.  Brought to you by Seattle United.  Free to the public.  All USA games are showing in Community Hall. Check out the knock-out schedule here.

June 11: US 13-0 Thailand

June 16: US 3-0 Chile

June 20: US 2-0 Sweden

June 24: US 2-1 Spain

June 28 US 2-1 France

Semifinals July 2 @ 12pm – USA vs. England

Finals: July 7, TBA & TBD

Washington Holdings, who is developing the old Safeway store on 87th and Greenwood, has gathered a collection of 15 global artists with the goal of turning the building into a giant collaborative work of art. Participating artists include: They Drift, Tuyu Love me, Zaeos, 179, Kango (featured in picture above), Jeremy Gregory, Joseph Brooks, Ksra, Sneke and others.

The installation will occur on June 29 and 30, and there will be a community lemonade stand Saturday, June 29 from 3:30-5pm.

Founded by Laird Norton Wealth Management & produced by the arts nonprofit One Reel, Pianos in the Parks is a celebration using the power of music to get us out to discover our parks, connect with community, and have fun.  Phinney-Greenwood is one of 13 sites around the Puget Sound that will be hosting a locally-painted piano teamed up with a local pianist.

One Reel is looking for musicians to perform between August 1 through August 18. Performers are required to either live, work or hold a lease on a rehearsal studio in the neighborhood. If interested, be sure to complete this form by Monday, July 1. Monday, July 8 (Deadline extended).

The Phinney Neighborhood Association will review the submissions and provide their recommendations on who to book for official/compensated gigs during Piano In The Parks. Selected artists will be notified prior to July 15.

Per the Seattle times: “Nearly 3,000 Seattle City Light customers lost power early Friday, likely due to a crow touching two wires with his wingspan and causing a surge, according to a spokeswoman for the utility company.

The lights went out about 6:35 a.m. for customers west of Green Lake between North 60th Street to North 74th Street, and along Evanston Avenue North from North 83rd Street to North 105th Street, according to Seattle City Light’s outage map.”

Spokeswoman Julie Moore said power was restored by 8 a.m. The fate of the crow is unknown, but we fear the worst.

The 27th annual Greenwood Car Show is upon us! Hosted by the Greenwood Knights since 2009, the Car Show is a successful fundraiser that gives back to the community through a variety of local nonprofits and automotive-related scholarships – generating more than $175,000 in the past decade.

The show starts at 8am and spans the length of Greenwood, from 70th to North of 85th. The award ceremony on the main stage (79th and Greenwood) will be at 3pm and the festivities wrap up at 4pm.

In addition to the main attractions, there are abundant auxiliary attractions for all ages:

Pancake Breakfast to benefit the Greenwood Senior Center. From 7-11am at the senior center, you can read more about it here or in the previous Blog posting to this one.

Car Show Kid’s Zone. Sponsored by Top Ten Toys and open from 10am – 2pm, this will be in Morrow Lane between N. 85th and N. 87th Streets. A great stopover break for the kids, there will be the ubiquitous bouncy house, dunk tank, games, prizes, and even a good old-fashioned Pinewood Derby car race put on by local boy scouts.

3rd Annual Windermere Greenwood Beer Garden for Charity will take place in the Windermere Greenwood parking lot (311 N 85th St) during the Car Show from 11am to 5pm. There will be live music and corn hole for entertainment. All proceeds from this event will go to the Windermere Foundation, which supports low-income and homeless families in our communities; last year this event raised $3,000.

Fuel up for your Car Show day! The Greenwood Senior Center will be hosting their annual Pancake Breakfast with all the trimmings the morning of the Greenwood Car Show. Breakfast includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, fruit, orange juice and coffee.

$5/person or $15/family and all proceeds benefit the Greenwood Senior Center’s programs and services.

Doors open at 7am and food will be served until 11am.

After more than 20 years in our neighborhood, the Phinney Ridge Starbucks is closing on July 9. However, they are having a Friends and Family Closing Event this Friday in celebration of the time they have spent as members of our community.

Come celebrate with all baristas you have come to know and love. The party goes from 3-6pm, and there will be games, prizes, snacks and (of course) coffee. The store will remain open during normal hours after this party, through 7/9.

The FIFA World Cup is down to the final 8 teams after USA Women’s soccer beat spain on Monday. Come watch the USA team take on host country France this Friday, June 28 at noon in the Phinney Center Brick Building Community Hall.  Brought to you by Seattle United.  Free to the public.  All USA games are showing in Community Hall. Check out the knock-out schedule here.

June 11: US 13-0 Thailand

June 16: US 3-0 Chile

June 20: US 2-0 Sweden

June 24: US 2-1 Spain

Quarterfinals: June 28 @ 12:00pm US vs. France

Semifinals TBD: July 2 @ 12:00pm

The Grinning Yogi Greenwood will be celebrating their newly renovated space the weekend of 6/28-6/30, with free classes at the Greenwood location Friday- Sunday.

On Saturday, 6/29 there will be a special open house during the Greenwood Car Show from 12-3 pm with a photo booth, treats, spot coaching, tarot readings, kids crafts, and more. There will be a celebratory class at 4 pm with Emily Kasma and a special Kundalini flow from 6-8 pm with Danielle Gibson in the evening. 

The Grinning Yogi, 8554 1/2 Greenwood Ave N

Seattle based author Shepherd Siegel, whose book was recently acknowledged by Foreword Magazine as one of its 2018 award winners, will be performing at the Couth Buzzard tomorrow at 7pm.

“Disruptive Play: The Trickster in Politics and Culture is about tricking power into performing acts of love. Disruptive Play bears witness to how this spirit informs social progress today, whether by Anonymous, Banksy, Bugs Bunny, or unrevealed mischief-makers and culture jammers. Such play is revolutionary and lights the path to a transformed society.”

You can see a video of Mr. Siegel on this subject here.

Couth Buzzard Books Espresso Buono Cafe, 8310 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA. Show is all ages and starts at 7pm.

The Greenwood Seafair Parade, the oldest neighborhood Seafair Parade in the region, is celebrating its 70^th year on Wednesday, July 24. Applications are now available to march in the parade.  The parade route starts at Greenwood Avenue and N. 95th, marches South to N. 85th, then west to 6th NW.

School groups, drill teams, organizations, businesses, community groups, churches, and others are invited to participate. Applications are due July 1. Download the application.   

Questions? Contact Vicki Hoyt, Parade Director at GreenwoodParade@comcast.net

Did you know that you live near the world’s oldest continuously operating tool library, which dates back to the 1970s? The Tool Lending Library, in the lower brick building of the PNA, has a dizzying amount of tools and gear available for all PNA members to borrow and use for as long as you need.

Sierra, the national magazine of the Sierra Club, recently featured the library as a part of a look at the new “sharing economy” (think Airbnb, Zipcar, etc) and the positive ecological repercussions of purchasing less.

Tool library hours:

Wednesday 3-6:30 pm
Friday 5-7 pm
Saturday 9 am-2 pm

Location: 6615 Dayton Ave N. (The east side of the Brick Building)

The USA Women’s soccer team continued their streak, beating rivals Sweden to win Group F!  Come watch the USA team take on Spain this Monday, June 24 at 9:00am in the Phinney Center Brick Building Community Hall.  Brought to you by Seattle United.  Free to the public.  All USA games are showing in Community Hall. Check out the knock-out schedule here.

June 11: US 13-0 Thailand

June 16: US 3-0 Chile

June 20: US 2-0 Sweden

June 24: US vs. Spain @ 9:00am

Quarterfinals TBD: June 28 @ 12:00pm

Semifinals TBD: July 2 @ 12:00pm

If your neighborhood plans to participate in the Annual Night Out on August 6, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods has a fund to support your event.

The Small Sparks Fund provides matching dollars for neighborhood-initiated projects that promote community engagement. Community groups can request up to $5,000 to help fund Night Out planning efforts and activities such as outreach materials, educational fairs, and kids’ activities, to name a few.

For information on the application process, visit our website or call 206-733-9916. The deadline for applications for Night Out is Tuesday, June 25 at 5:00 p.m.

Night Out is a national crime prevention event designed to heighten crime prevention awareness, increase neighborhood support in anti-crime efforts, and unite communities. To learn more about Night Out, visit seattle.gov/police/community-policing/night-out.

Aging With Pride – UW Study Talk. The landmark study Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study is the first federally-funded longitudinal national project designed to better understand the aging, health, and well-being of LGBTQ midlife and older adults and their families.

Come hear from the UW team responsible for this study and bring your questions about their groundbreaking research. More details here.

Friday June 21, 1-2pm. Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St.

End of Term Ensemble Concert at Music Center of the NW. Come to hear performances by Music Center of the Northwest’s Ukulele for Kids group class, Youth Rock Band, and Jazz Ensembles as they perform in their End of Term concert. From “Down By the Bay” played by their Ukulele students to favorite rock and jazz tunes.

This recital is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.musiccenternw.org/events

Friday June 21, 7:30-9:30pm. Music Center of the Northwest, 901 N 96th St.

International Make Music Day, a worldwide holiday celebrated every Summer Solstice has a presence in our neighborhood. Jonny Akamu Guitar & Ukulele will be at the PNA from noon – 2pm, and our Verity branch at 8533 Greenwood Ave N will have live music and play-along from 6:30-8:30pm.

Friday June 21, all day. Complete Seattle listings here.

Haiti Benefit Concert with Phinney Neighborhood Community Chorus. The 17th Annual concert benefits the Georges Marcellus School in Haiti through the Mona Foundation. Special guests include Izumi Fairbanks and Laurel Finkelstein on percussion, Claude Ginsberg on violin, and Eric Likkel on clarinet. Visit phinneychorus.org for more information.

Saturday, June 22, 7pm. Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave. N. Free, but donations are appreciated.

Versatile Arts Presents: Cirque Du Pride. Our own community aerial studio is asking us to show our pride by supporting the Trevor Project. Hang out with LGBTQ+ circus folk at this 18+ dance party and fundraiser.  Expect to be wowed by aerial performances and entertained by carnival games.

Saturday June 22, 7pm-midnight.  Versatile Arts, 7601 Greenwood Ave N. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

Entre Hermanos Pint Night at the Flying Bike. Celebrate Pride at Flying Bike by raising a pint to support Entre Hermanos. This non-profit based in South Seattle promotes the health and well-being of the Latino Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and questioning community in a culturally appropriate environment through disease prevention, education, support services, advocacy and community building.

Sunday June 23, 6-10pm. Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery, 8570 Greenwood Ave N

The USA Women’s soccer team cruised by Chile 3 to nil at their second FIFA match!  Come watch the USA team take on powerhouse Sweden this Thursday, June 20 at noon in the Phinney Center Brick Building Community Hall.  Brought to you by Seattle United.  Free to the public.  All the USA games will be showing in Community Hall. Check out the full schedule here.

June 11: US 13-0 Thailand

June 16: US 3-0 Chile

June 20: 12:00 to 3:00 PM. US v Sweden

Round of 16:  June 24 or 25 – TBD:  9:00 AM to 12:00 PM or 12:00 to 3:00 PM

Quarterfinals: June 27, 28, or 29 – TBD: 6:00 to 9:00 AM; or 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM or 12:00 to 3:00 PM

Semifinals: July 2 or 3 – TBD: 12:00 to 3:00 PM

Selected artists will receive $600 in compensation for the completed piano transformation, a $100 art material stipend, and public recognition for their work.

If you’re an artist living around Heart of Phinney Park, apply to Pianos in the Park to have your work showcased there all summer! Apply by this Friday, June 21 at onereel.org/2019-artists-pitp!

Ever want to be a hero? A blood donation can save up to three lives, and you have the opportunity to be a hero this Friday, June 21. Bloodworks Northwest will be set up in the Blue Building of the Phinney Center and accepting donors between 1 – 7pm.

You can reserve a time here, or just drop by!

Friday June 21, 1 – 7pm (break from 3-4pm)

Phinney Neighborhood Association, 6532 Phinney Ave N

For this month’s meeting, the GCC asks “What are Greenwood’s Interests in the upcoming City Council Election?” The August primary election will narrow the city council races for Seattle’s seven city council districts. In district 5 (NE of Greenwood/85th), incumbent Debora Juarez faces 5 other candidates. In district 6 (the rest of Greenwood), 13 candidates are competing for Mike O’Brien’s empty seat.

This Tuesday’s community council meeting is a chance to discuss the issues Greenwood most cares about in the race. Additionally, there are two surveys the GCC has open for anyone to fill out. This one is to hear opinions about issues that are important to Seattle and Greenwood in the election. And this one is to learn what qualities you are looking for in candidates. Results will be discussed at Tuesday’s meeting, and more complete results will be distributed closer to the election forum in July.

The Greenwood Community Council is sponsoring an election forum on Saturday July 13 at the Taproot Theatre. District 5 candidates will face off at 10:30 am and District 6 candidates will start at 1:00 and the event will be moderated by Steve Scher. Tuesday’s conversation will help prioritize what questions to ask the candidates, and help you be an informed audience.

The USA Women’s soccer team crushed Thailand 13 to nil at their first FIFA match!  Come watch the USA team take on Chile this Sunday, June 16 at 9am in the Phinney Center Brick Building Community Hall.  Brought to you by Seattle United.  Free to the public.  All the USA games will be showing in Community Hall. Check out the full schedule here.

June 11: 12:00 to 3:00 PM. US 13-0 Thailand

June 16: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. US v. Chile

June 20: 12:00 to 3:00 PM. US v Sweden

Round of 16:  June 24 or 25 – TBD:  9:00 AM to 12:00 PM or 12:00 to 3:00 PM

Quarterfinals: June 27, 28, or 29 – TBD: 6:00 to 9:00 AM; or 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM or 12:00 to 3:00 PM

Semifinals: July 2 or 3 – TBD: 12:00 to 3:00 PM

Phinney Farmers Market – Friday June 14, 3:30 – 7:30 pm. Enjoy your Friday afternoons at the Market, through September 27 in the Phinney Center’s upper parking lot. Grab dinner or a snack, listen to live music 5-7 pm, and get your fresh produce and other goodies for the week.

Art Up and Chow Down Phinneywood Art Walk – Friday June 14, 6 – 9pm. Art Up PhinneyWood artwalk is a monthly artwalk that promotes over 40 participating venues in Greenwood-Phinney. Organized by the PhinneyWood Arts Council, the artwalk occurs every 2nd Friday of each month. Come out and cruise the neighborhood from 6-9 pm and check out the latest art and special offerings each month.

Around the World Family Fun Day – Saturday June 15, 11am – 2pm. Held at the Greenwood Christian Church (8018 Fremont Ave N), this is free to the children of the community with accompanying adult. Festivities will include pony rides, a bouncy house, games & prizes, popcorn and hot dogs.

Family Old Time Music & Dance Party – Sunday June 16, 12:30pm – 4:30pm. Come on out to hear live music from the Open Old Time Dance Band and Seattle Collaborative Contra Band. Learn a few easy folk dances – no experience needed, all dances taught on the spot – play some tunes, and enjoy some potluck chow. Event will be at the Phinney Center.

The Seattle Public Library is excited to celebrate the opening of Alice Ball Park, 8100 Greenwood Ave. N., across the street from the Greenwood Branch. Join the community celebration from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, June 14 for the ribbon cutting and the official opening of the new park.

Everyone is invited to help create the ribbon for the opening ceremony. Drop by the Greenwood Branch, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N., 206-684-4086, anytime during open hours to decorate strips of paper for the community ribbon.

At the celebration, Library staff will be in the park’s “Reading Nook” with coloring sheets, books and giveaway prizes. The event also includes music by the Kenny Mandell duo, food from Valhalla Sandwiches and crafts from Re-Creative.

Library events are free and everyone is welcome. Registration is not required.

For more information, Ask Us or call 206-386-4636.

Please join Ballard District Council tonight for their City Council District 6 Candidate Forum. Note the change of location from the originally announced Sunset Hill Community Club to the Nordic Museum (2655 NW Market Street). This will be moderated by former Seattle City Councilmember and longtime journalist Jean Godden.

Seattle City Council District 6 encompasses the greater Ballard area, as well as Green Lake, Phinney Ridge, Fremont, and part of Greenwood. This panel will cover at-large issues as well as providing focus on Ballard-specific topics.

There will be 7 candidates participating in this forum:

• Jay Fathi
• Sergio Garcia
• Jon Lisbin
• Kate Martin
• Terry Rice
• Dan Strauss
• Heidi Wills

Doors will open at 6:30pm. Forum starts at 7pm.

Come to the zoo for an evening mix and mingle with your neighbors. Chat with other community members, cool down with ice cream and get up close to the zoo’s awesome ambassador animals.

Hoot for the Hood is free to neighbors of Woodland Park Zoo. Evening parking for the event is free of charge. The event is free of charge, but your RSVP is most appreciated.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Woodland Park Zoo’s West Plaza

Enter through the West Entrance on Phinney Ave. N. between N. 55th and N. 56th Streets

PhinneyWood is full of wonderful people and great places that we all wish we knew more about. Resident Kevin Kozel periodically digs deeper to let us know more in a column we like to call … Hi Neighbor!

When PhinneyWood’s neighborhood bookstore, Santoro’s, chose not to renew their lease after nine years, the opportunity presented itself for one if its long-time residents. Author and avid reader Tom Nissley never planned on owning a bookstore, but after a little research the timing seemed right. Five years later, Phinney Books now fills the need for local readers and continues to expand its reach beyond the PhinneyWood community.

Kevin Kozel (KK): What made you decide to open a book store in PhinneyWood?

Tom Nissley (TM): It’s the only place I could imagine having one. I got an email from a friend who’s a real estate agent in the neighborhood that Santoro’s was for sale. My first reaction was, “That’s a crazy business, I don’t want to own a book store.” But I decided to look into it because it was the right time in my life. The more I looked into it, the more feasible it sounded.

KK: Book stores haven’t had the most positive outlook over the past 10-15 years, but that’s not the case for Phinney Books, is it?

TM: Things did look pretty rough for bookstores 10-15 years ago, but the last five years we’ve seen things swing back our way a bit. I think people just really like books and book stores. I worked at Amazon when the Kindle came out and a lot of folks really thought that there would be no physical books in five to ten years. But there’s something about a book that’s different… it’s a different machine.

KK: How does Phinney Books differentiate itself from an Amazon?

TM: There’s kind of an irony that Seattle might be the best book store town in the country and it’s also the home of Amazon. We’ve adjusted to Amazon and eBooks. The people who come in here are already educated consumers and they know they want to support a book store and they’re willing to pay a little more for the convenience or to have a store in their neighborhood. We’ve seen it all over Seattle and I think we’re starting to see it more across the country too.

KK: And the big chains have struggled while the independent book stores have found some success…

TM: Yeah. Borders closed and everyone knows that Barnes and Noble is having a hard time. I don’t think they offer much that Amazon doesn’t. Shoppers want a place where people will know them and that isn’t overwhelming. I think people like a place like this, small where someone has chosen what is here.

KK: Sure, you offer specialized knowledge that you don’t get in the stores that are just trying to carry everything.

TM: And those large stores had book sellers that really knew their stuff too, and they eventually moved away from that expertise.

KK: What has surprised you about owning a book store?

TM: I’ve been able to sell books that I find interesting, more than I thought I would. The selection has gotten more idiosyncratic over time because I’ve become more confident that I can actually sell them.

KK: Do you think people’s reading habits have changed because of internet access, cell phones, and other technology?

TM: Yes, I think one reason people come to books is to get a break from screens. You can relax without things jumping out at you or alerts.

KK: You also send out a weekly email newsletter. How many people do you send it to?

MM: Close to 2,000 and half of them actually open it, which I think is pretty good. The newsletter is very similar to what I did at Amazon, so it was the one thing I knew I could do. I’d never operated a cash register before, but I knew I could write about books for people.

KK: Tell me about your great window displays, you always have some sort of theme. What was the inspiration behind that?

TM: That’s the thing I hear about the store the most. A lot of it is one of our employees, Kim Kopetz. She loves it. When we opened I wasn’t really as imaginative about it. Now it’s a way for us to talk to you through books. It’s not all about the “new stuff.”

KK: You recently opened a second store in Madison Park. What led you to that location?

TM: It’s a very similar neighborhood in some ways. I don’t think I would ever consider opening a store in a place that didn’t have that kind of pedestrian center to it. Like PhinneyWood, it’s the kind of neighborhood where people can walk down the street and get pretty much anything they need.

KK: What role has the PNA played in our community?

TM: I think the presence of the PNA helps make us think of ourselves as a neighborhood in a way that others don’t. No other neighborhood really has that strong   community association that does so many things.

KK: We can’t end this interview without mentioning one of your other claims to fame, your time on “Jeopardy.” How many times were you on?

TM: I won 8 times and I’ve been back for a couple of tournaments. I think 14 times.

KK: Do you still watch regularly?

TM: I record it every night. Now that I’m pretty sure they’re never going to ask me back I’ve been happy to not watch every night. I can relax a little.

KK: You and fellow PhinneyWood “Jeopardy” champion Ken Jennings are doing Trivia Night again this year, right?

TM: Yeah, this is the fourth or fifth year we’ve done it. It gets bigger every year. It’s tough to win, but it’s fun!

Phinney Books can be found at 7405 Greenwood Avenue and Madison Books at 4118 East Madison Street. Stop in for all of your reading needs or check out their window displays at the very least.

Also, be sure to sign up for “Jeopardy” Winners Trivia Night on Saturday, June 22, at the PNA.

Any person, place, or thing you want to know more about in our neighborhood? Feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment and we’ll look into making it a future feature on Hi Neighbor!

A dedicated group of volunteers have been working over the last several months to create a “community wood shop”, housed in the small outbuilding at the north end of the Phinney Neighborhood Association’s brick building.

The community is invited to come see the shop space as work in progress on Saturday, June 8^th from 9 am to 2 pm and enjoy a cup of coffee and doughnut. 

The mission of the shop is to build and support a broad community of fabrication and woodworking members who are enthusiastic about learning, teaching, sharing, and inspiring one another with creativity, skill and community service.

In addition to the nearly 80 registered local garage sales, there are a number of interesting and useful parallel events happening on Saturday:

Shop: Peruse nearly 80 yard sales throughout the neighborhood, aided by an official printed or online interactive map. Check out the flea market in the Phinney Center’s lower parking lot and visit the tool sale at the PNA Tool Library.

Salvage: Donate to Goodwill and recycle electronics, household goods, textiles, and styrofoam at the Phinney Center.

Shred: Shred up to four boxes of paper with Seadrunar Recycling’s shredding truck from 9 am-1 pm.

Swap & adopt plants: Bring plants, pots, gardening books and tools to exchange, or pick up some new plants for free!

Sneak peek: PNA’s newest program- a Community Woodshop – is underway. Stop by for a free cup of coffee and a doughnut, see the space, and learn about all about it. (Located in the outbuilding at the north end of the Brick Building)

The popular Phinney Farmer’s Market opens for the season tomorrow at 3:30pm, in the upper parking lot of the Phinney Neighborhood Association. The market runs for just 15 weeks, June 7-September 27. Grab dinner or a snack, listen to live music from 5-7 pm, and get your fresh produce and other goodies for the week. This Friday there will also be a voter registration drive from 5-7pm by volunteers from the 36th District Democrats.

The PNA partners with the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets, a community-based non-profit which brings Washington State farmers into the city to sell their farm-fresh produce.  Check out their Ripe ‘n’ Ready Report to see what you might expect to find each week. See current vendor list on the Phinney Market page.

The market accepts EBT (food stamps), WIC and Senior market coupons. Shoppers can also buy market gift certificates, Phinney Farmers Market t-shirts and sturdy, colorful canvas shopping bags at the Farmers Market info tent.

Date: Friday, June 7, 2019

Time: 3:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Phinney Center 6532 Phinney Ave N

Tonight’s meeting will focus on a near-term backyard cottage proposal that may be voted on as soon as June 18, and PRCC’s District 6 Council Election Candidate Questionnaire. There will also be policy updates that affect our neighborhood, as well as discussions of current development projects that are occurring or in the pipeline for Phinney-Greenwood. The evening’s agenda can be found here.

June Community Council Meeting

Tuesday, June 4, 7PM

Phinney Neighborhood Center – 6352 Phinney Ave N, Blue Building room 3

Don’t miss seeing the 2019 NWFAC art show, featuring 46 amazing pieces by 27 talented artists, including Juror’s Choice artists Kelly Johnston. Through June 14  upstairs in the Phinney Neighborhood Association Blue Building, open weekdays 9-9 and Saturdays 9-2.

The Phinney Center Gallery supports local emerging artists, with rotating shows throughout the year. The gallery shows are advertised to 20,000 local community members and thousands of people visit the Phinney Center each month.

Open hours:

Monday-Friday: 9 am-9 pm
Saturday: 9 am-2 pm

This Sunday, the Greenwood Senior Center presents a special film and discussion event: The Caregivers’ Club – Sun, June 2, 2-4 pm.

“Love doesn’t make it easier, it just keeps you there.” These are words from a member of the “club” no one hopes to join: The Caregivers’ Club. Its members are the relatives of someone diagnosed with dementia. 
In this film, meet three members and get a candid, intimate glimpse into their daily lives, as they navigate their journey as caregivers with humor and frustration. 

We encourage the whole community–including those who are not caregivers– to join us to learn how we all can support these unseen and unsung heroes.

More info: http://bit.ly/carefilm

The Greenwood Senior Center, a program of the Phinney Neighborhood Association, is located at 525 N. 85^th Street in Seattle.

For questions or to RSVP please call or 206-297-0875, visit phinneycenter.org/caregivers-club or email cecily@phinneycenter.org.

As a part of the 17th Annual Ballard Jazz Festival, the Jazz Walk starts tonight at 6pm. Starting at The Cathedral (5449 Ballard Ave NW), there will be 16 groups in 10 venues all for a single ticket price.

The most recognizable event of the festival brings together all styles of jazz and a New Orleans atmosphere with listeners pouring from club-to-club making this a truly one-of-a-kind event. Advance tickets are available here.

On Sunday from 1-5pm, Lucky Envelope Brewing, Populuxe Brewing, Reuben’s Brews and Stoup Brewing are hosting the 3rd Annual Ballard Putt Putt & Brew Crawl for Bellwether Housing. Join the breweries for a fun afternoon of putt putt, craft beer, and a costume contest, all while helping Bellwether Housing create affordable homes.

Bellwether is operating in partnership with our North Seattle Boys & Girls Club to develop the site for future affordable housing, while still offering youth programming after the project is complete.

Saturday’s weather looks to be beautiful, so after breakfast pack the kids on cargo bikes and head down to the heart of Greenwood for family activities and fun.

Start with The 7th annual PhinneyWood Pride Rainbow Hop, a family-friendly LGTBQ celebration that stretches from 67th through 87th on Greenwood. There will be an abundance of activities for all ages, including cupcake and cookie decorating, tie-dying rainbow capes, face painting, and much more. You can find the activity map here.

The event kicks off with Drag Queen Story time at the library (10:30am and noon, with free tickets available at the library starting at 10am) and culminates with a free kid’s concert by the Harmonica Pocket at 1pm in Morrow Lane. Anyone with 6 activity stamps on their maps can redeem them at the concert for a free Woodland Park Zoo ticket.

“Seattle’s First Cargo Bike Festival“, put on by G&O Family Cyclery, will be in Morrow Lane from noon – 4pm. This event features family friendly activities and the chance to ride the best cargo bikes in the world. There will also be a bouncy castle and many informative vendors and speakers.

The seasonal Butterfly Garden is back at the zoo running through Monday, September 2.

The show has become a favorite of zoo guests, as patrons can take a walk among hundreds of free-flying butterflies and fresh flowers inside an enclosed space measuring nearly 3,000 square feet. The zoo has excellent signage about the life cycle of butterflies, and guests can watch new butterflies emerge from chrysalises before flying free in the garden. 

Take a few steps behind the Butterfly Garden to enjoy the year-round Pollinator Patio. This garden is full of ideas and actions to take on behalf of native pollinators such as hummingbirds, beetles, bees and flies – an engaging educational experience for all ages.

While other cities are canceling Drag Queen Story Time as “too controversial”, our neighborhood is embracing this Pride-centered tradition and celebrating diversity and family this Saturday from 10:30am – 1:30pm.

The 7th annual PhinneyWood Pride Rainbow Hop: a family-friendly LGTBQ celebration for everyone. Join the neighborhood to kick off Pride month with face painting, arts and crafts, and other exciting activities.

Participating businesses along the “Hop Route” will host activities that promote inclusiveness and fun. The event map with all the activities will be available in mid-May, both here and at participating locations.

Explore the neighborhood, have fun, and get your map stamped at each stop. Kids who collect 6 stamps or more on their map can exchange it for a ticket to the Woodland Park Zoo.

Drag Queen Story Time:

At: Seattle Public Library, Greenwood Branch, 8016 Greenwood Ave N.

Reading 1: 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Reading 2: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Join drag queen Londyn Bradshaw and friends for free story time at The Seattle Public Library! Bring children 7 and under to enjoy stories, songs, and a photo opportunity.  This is a very popular, free, ticketed event. Tickets are available first come first served, starting at 10 a.m. at the library.

Londyn Bradshaw is a drag queen community activist, leader of a charity organization and a cheer/dance coach who believes in giving lots of her time to charity and volunteering to make the world a more positive place.

Free Kids’ Concert by The Harmonica Pocket:

Starting at 1 pm in Morrow Lane, next to Verity Credit Union, the world famous  The Harmonica Pocket will perform for our great Rainbow Hop participants.

The Harmonica Pocket begins with the swinging songs of songwriter Keeth Monta Apgar. He delivers thick jazz chord progressions with storytelling lyrics wrapped up into thoughtful, mature songs.

The Harmonica Pocket songs are brought to life by a rotating musical gang of players and are as diverse as the musicians who play on them.

The 4th annual Greenwood Couth Community Jazz Festival begins tonight at 7:30pm at the Greenwood institution known as the Couth Buzzard.

Aiming to promote great local jazz artists and encouraging gender, age, and ethnic diversity in the Seattle jazz community, this eclectic fest produced by 2018 Golden Ear Award recipient Kenny Mandell follows the genre from early days to present-day experimentation. You can see the entire schedule here.

Check out the excellent write-up of the festival in the May 2019 issue of Earshot Jazz magazine for more info and the history of this growing event!

Tickets are available at the Couth Buzzard.

Adia (uh-DEE-uh), Woodland Park Zoo’s sole female South African lion, passed away yesterday, May 21, at 9 years old from complications during surgery. The lion had been anesthetized for a procedure recheck exam at the zoo’s veterinary hospital due to slow healing after recent abdominal surgery.

“During yesterday’s procedure, we took radiographs of Adia and discovered complications that required emergency surgery. We were able to surgically resolve these problems but, unfortunately, she went into cardiac arrest just prior to anesthetic recovery. Despite exhaustive efforts to save her, we were unsuccessful,” said Dr. Tim Storms, associate veterinarian at Woodland Park Zoo.

“This is a very sad time for our zoo family. Adia had given birth to two litters of seven amazing cubs with two different companions,” said Martin Ramirez, mammal curator at Woodland Park Zoo. “The keepers who provided excellent day-to-day care fondly remember Adia as being energetic, playful and always excited to see her keepers every morning. Breakfast was her favorite time of the day. She was queen of the felines building at the zoo.”

Woodland Park Zoo partners with and supports the Ruaha Carnivore Project, which is protecting as much as 10% of the remaining population of wild lions in their landscape. To help support the project, adopt a lion through the zoo’s ZooParent Adoption Program: www.zoo.org/zooparent.

Tonight from 3-10 PM, $1 from every pint sold at Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery will benefit Bike Works. Bike Works promotes the bicycle as a vehicle for change to empower youth and build resilient communities. Since 1996 they have worked to educate and empower youth, and make bicycling accessible and affordable to the Seattle community.

Bike Works will collecting bike donations on site, raffling off prizes, and enjoying member-driven beers. Dogs and kids are welcome, with supervision. Food is available for purchase on-site, and you are welcome to bring your own food with you.

When: Thursday May 23, 3:00 – 10:00 pm

Where: Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery
8570 Greenwood Ave N

This forum is sponsored by Transit Riders Union, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, 350 Seattle, Cascade Bicycle Club, Disability Rights Washington, Rooted in Rights, Housing Development Consortium, Lime, Seattle Subway, Sierra Club, and The Urbanist. It will be moderated by Heidi Groover (reporter for the Seattle Times and formerly for The Stranger).

Accessing the Event: The Phinney Neighborhood Association (lower building), can be reached via transit on Metro route 5. Bike parking is available on the west side of the building. This event is wheelchair accessible and CART services will be provided.

District 6 Candidate Forum
Tuesday, May 21, 5:30-7:30 pm (Doors open at 5:15, forum starts promptly at 5:30 pm)
Phinney Neighborhood Association, 6532 Phinney Ave N – lower brick building, Community Hall

PhinneyWood is full of wonderful people and great places that we all wish we knew more about. Resident Kevin Kozel periodically digs deeper to let us know more in a column we like to call … Hi Neighbor!

The 74th Street Ale House is a long-time staple of the PhinneyWood community. Known for good food, good drink, and good service, it has provided a cozy atmosphere for 28 years. When longtime owner Jeff Eagan decided that operating three ale houses in Seattle was two too many, he didn’t have to look far for new owners at 74th Street. Let’s get to know long-time employees, and new owners, Kathy Christopher and Morgan McDowell.

Kevin Kozel (KK): So, how long have you two been here at the 74th Street Ale House?

Kathy Christopher (KC): I’ve been here 27 years, so a year after the Ale House opened. I didn’t think I would ever be here that long, but I liked their vision. They let me do what I wanted with the food, and then it just became family. I love the place.

Morgan McDowell (MM): I’ve been here 18 years. I moved up this way and started coming here because of the beer and the food. I was in the industry and always thought it would be a fun place to work, so I got a job as a part-time server. In about a year I became bar manager, and a year and a half later the general manager spot opened up. So I’ve been the GM for about 15 years.

KK: How did the opportunity for you two to own the Ale House come about?

KC: I’ve spent so much time here. I love the neighborhood and the employees. It’s where I’ve been for a long time. We have been running it for the “Jeffs” (former owners Jeff Eagan and Jeff Reich), so it just seemed like a natural transition.

KK: Did you decide that together you could take that next step?

KC: Well we’re married.

MM: We met working here and now we’ve been married about nine years. We’ve both invested quite a number of years in this place. You feel a bit of ownership and have a sense of family. We know people that come here on a regular basis since we both started, so there is definitely that sense of community. We couldn’t imagine finding another job, so we did everything we could to make it happen.

KK: And of course it has some sentimental value for you as a couple as well.

KC: Absolutely!

MM: Yes, there’s been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears put into it. It would be hard to walk away from this place.

KK: One thing I’ve noticed since living in this neighborhood is that you guys do an amazing lunch business. It’s not very common around here. What do you think the reason for that is?

KC: I would say it’s the food and the staff. Most importantly the staff.

MM: Both are very consistent. Our newest employees have been here at least three years… maybe five.

KC: We have some people that have been here 20 years.

KK: So you really have this family vibe on many levels.

MM: The people coming in here know who’s working and they know their stories. I think that has a lot to do with it.

KK: Right, it has a very British feeling in that it’s the neighborhood pub.

MM: Well when the Jeffs chose this concept it was inspired by their travels in Europe. It was also when the craft beer scene was just starting here. They were one of the first ones in on that scene. It made this a destination place when you combined it with the type of food they were doing. It wasn’t deep fryers, poppers, and chicken wings. It was a different take on what pub food could be paired with craft beer

KK: Now that it’s your place, is there anything you want to change about it or do you want to like it just the way it is?

KC: We want to keep the tradition and the feel of the place the same. I am going to change some of the stuff on the menu, but nothing drastic.

KK: You’re not going to get rid of the Reuben?

KC: No! Never, that’s my Reuben. It’s our number one seller.

MM: That’s sacred, it won’t be touched for sure. We’ve brought in a full bar. We’re still working on that, but we’ve got all of the basics so far. We’ll be adding some scotches and some higher end whiskeys. We’ve expanded our wine list and hopefully that will grow and become more dynamic. We’re not looking to be a sports bar or change the identity, we’re just trying to update it a little bit.

KC: And we’re doing flowers again.

MM: That was one of the things we wanted to bring back.We used to have fresh flowers every week and eventually it kind of went by the wayside. We both missed it, so it was one of the first things we brought back and the people at Terra Bella do a really awesome job.

KK: Any plans for a formal announcement for the transition?

MM: We hope to have a 28th Anniversary/Grand Re-Opening Party soon!

KK: That’s great, it can be a “We’re new, but still sticking with tradition” party.

Be sure to keep your eyes open for the latest info on the Anniversary/Re-Opening Party at the 74th Street Ale House’s website and Facebook page.

Any person, place, or thing you want to know more about in our neighborhood? Feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment and we’ll look into making it a future feature on Hi Neighbor!

Join over 100 other garage and yard sales throughout our community on Saturday June 8 for this busy annual event. Those who wish to be on the official printed or online interactive map must register by Monday, May 10.

You can learn more about the event, which also includes a plant swap, a flea market, free e-cycling and Styrofoam recycling, and free document shredding, here.

Saturday, June 8, 2019 @ 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

In spite of light showers predicted for this Friday, it’s time to dust off the velocipede and celebrate this much-loved two-wheel locomotion!

There are many stations throughout Seattle that will support this annual event, and you can check out the map here. Greenwood’s own G&O Family Cyclery will be outside the Green Lake Playground from 8 – 9:30am. They will have “really good” coffee and fun bikes for the community to test ride.  RSVP here.

Didn’t get enough of our massive District 6 City Council field last month at the jam-packed Speak Out Seattle event at the PNA? Travel down the hill to attend the Ballard Alliance Candidate Forum and meet with several candidates running for Seattle City Council in the upcoming 2019 election.

Come learn about what the candidates’ plans are for District 6 and the neighborhood so you can make the most informed choice at the ballot box this year. This forum will be moderated by Enrique Cerna.

This is a free event and all are welcome to attend. Please indicate that you are coming via Facebook.

Wednesday May 15, 6:30-8:30pm, Leif Erikson Hall – 2245 NW 57th St

The Greenwood Seafair Parade, the oldest neighborhood Seafair Parade in the region, is celebrating its 70^th year on Wednesday, July 24. Applications are now available to march in the parade.  The parade route starts at Greenwood Avenue and N. 95th, marches South to N. 85th, then west to 6th NW.

School groups, drill teams, organizations, businesses, community groups, churches, and others are invited to participate. Applications are due July 1. Download the application.   

Questions? Contact Vicki Hoyt, Parade Director at GreenwoodParade@comcast.net

If you’re familiar with pop-up restaurant Sazon Tacos from Bite of Seattle and other venues, then you will be thrilled to learn that Chef Aldo Góngora is opening up a new Mexican restaurant just down the hill.

Sazon Kitchen opens this weekend for breakfast and brunch and will bequeath the passionate brunch crowd with such items as chilaquiles, machaca (beef stew, served with eggs and beans), and grain casseroles. It will also have pastries from Macrina Bakery, coffee from Caffe Vita, and mimosas. 

7301 15th Ave NW, open every day except Wednesday from 7am – 3pm

Friday, May 10, 6-9 pm & Saturday, May 11, 12-5 pm

This weekend is the annual PhinneyWood Art Walk: The BIG One. Now in its 24th year, the BIG One will feature art in 60+ businesses in the Phinney-Greenwood neighborhood. The BIG One typically includes photography, sculpture, collage, oils, watercolors, prints, glass, metal and fiber art, ceramics and mixed media.

Over the years, this hugely popular event has turned into a neighborhood party with musical performances in participating businesses and churches, street performers, chalk art and activities for children. In the spirit of the art walk theme of “Art Up, Chow Down,” restaurants and pubs are encouraged to participate as well by offering music or menu specials.  For additional information, check artupphinneywood.com or the art walk’s Facebook page.

Also, The Northwest Fine Arts Competition Opening Reception is this evening at the Phinney Center. Celebrate artists of the Pacific Northwest. View 46 pieces by 27 local artists, chosen by a jury. Meet the artists, enjoy refreshments and music by the Phinney Ridge Youth Orchestra, vote for your favorite piece for People’s Choice, and maybe even add to your collection. A must-stop on your BIG One Art Walk tour! The show will be on display from May 8 to June 14.

As part of Seattle Beer Week (May 9 – 19), all eleven breweries of the Ballard Brewery District have teamed up for a special promotion. Visit each brewery over the course of the ten-day celebration, get stamps in your specially marked passport and claim a limited-edition Ballard Brewery District commemorative patch.

Promotion Rules:

1.      You must visit each brewery between 5/9 and 5/19 and obtain a stamp on your Ballard Brewery Passport. Stamps obtained outside of these dates will not count towards your redemption of your patch. Sorry!

2.      You must obtain a specially marked passport bearing a Seattle Beer Week sticker on the cover. These are available at each brewery.

3.      You must visit all eleven breweries.

4.      Please drink responsibly. You have ten days to complete your passport. Pace yourself!

5.      Patches can be redeemed at your final brewery. Be advised that supplies are limited.

About:
Spearheaded by the Ballard Alliance, and made possible by the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development’s Only in Seattle project, the Ballard Brewery Passport program showcases the walk-ability and quality of the Ballard Brewery district.

The Breweries:
Bad Jimmy’s Brewing
Hale’s Ales
Lagunita’s Brewing
Lucky Envelope Brewing
Maritime Pacific
NW Peaks Brewery
Obec Brewing
Peddler Brewing
Populuxe Brewing
Reuben’s Brews
Stoup Brewing

GiveBIG is a 24-hour day of online giving which takes place on May 8, 2019. GiveBIG2019.org provides an easy-to-use platform for donors to search, support, and donate to participating Washington state nonprofits. 

Tax-exempt organizations (approved by the IRS) with a headquarters or a service location in Washington State are invited to participate in GiveBIG2019. If your favorite nonprofit is not listed, contact the organization and give directly to them. Suggest they register for GiveBIG next year!

Come experience Greenwood’s only aerial studio! Acts by the “talented, daring, and always forward-thinking students of Versatile Arts” happen only 3-4 times per year, and this is a good way to come experience the space. VA has a robust and respected youth program, so bring your curious potential students.

Performances are Friday, May 10 at 8pm and Saturday, May 11 at  4pm & 8pm. Doors open 30 minutes before the performance. The studio is located at 7601 Greenwood Ave N, behind Bohemian Studios and CrossFit.

Tickets are $20 in Advance, $25 at the Door, $35 for VIP (reserved seats with a special treat). Children 12 and under are half price. Purchase your tickets here: https://my.versatilearts.net/rsvp/presale.php

The Ballard High School Playmakers will stage two, one-act plays about school gun violence in their annual spring production. The community is invited to attend. Please share with your followers.

Bang Bang You’re Dead! was first produced at Thurston High School in Springfield, Ore., where a fatal shooting took place the previous year. It opens in character Josh’s cell after he has killed his parents and five classmates. The ghosts of the classmates demand to know why he killed them.

Eric LaRue is the story of Janice LaRue, the mother of Eric, a 17-year-old boy who shot and killed three of his classmates in school. Three months after Eric is jailed, Janice has not yet gone to see him or found a way to show herself in her community.

The cast features 19 BHS students, and the play is directed by Joe Lambright.Performance Details

The performances will be on May 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 at Ballard High School, 1418 NW 65th Street, Seattle, Washington, 98117. The performances begin at 7:30 pm.Tickets

***Parental advisory due to subject matter*** Reserved seating tickets are available for purchase at https://showtix4u.com. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors.

For their upcoming meeting, the PRCC will be engaging in two important agenda items.

First, there will be a Board nomination and election process. There are 15 board positions, half of which are elected each year for a 2-year term. The PRCC’s stated purpose is to inform residents and encourage participation in significant policies that affect the character of the Phinney Ridge neighborhood.  Board members must live, work, own property or a business between Aurora Ave North & 8th Ave. NW and North 46th St. & North 75th St. For more information contact Phinneyridge.ccouncil@gmail.com and visit http://www.phinneyridgecc.org.

Second, there will be an activity involving the development of the PRCC questionnaire for the District 6 City Council candidates. The primary election is scheduled for August 6, with the top two candidates going to the general election on November 5. You can learn more about who is running for the D6 position here.

Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N., 7pm

Nicole Brodeur of the Seattle Times recently featured Woodland Park Presbyterian Church in her article “Subversive saints show up in Phinney Ridge, just in time for Easter.”

The title comes from the church’s Art Walk collection depicting “Subversive Saints,” such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Dolores Huerta, Fred Rogers, and Grace Lee Boggs.

Now in its 24th year, the BIG One will feature art in 70-80 businesses and churches in the Phinney-Greenwood neighborhood next Friday and Saturday (5/10-5/11). The BIG One typically includes photography, sculpture, collage, oils, watercolors, prints, glass, metal and fiber art, ceramics and mixed media.

Art Walk maps and information on participating venues will be available online at ArtUpPhinneyWood.com and at participating businesses the week of the event.

Spring has sprung, and so have the weeds!  Your neighborhood elders need your help.  Please join the PNA Village on May 11 for their Community Gardening Day.  On this day, the Village will bring together members of our community to provide spring clean- up (i.e. weeding, trimming, planting).

Work will be done in small teams from 9am – 1pm, with each team gardening at two homes. This is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and participate in the PNA Village’s mission to build community around our elders. Families are encouraged to participate together and community groups are welcome. No gardening experience is necessary.

Plan to arrive at the Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N 85^th Street, no later than 9am to be placed into a team.  So that we can plan appropriately, your RSVP is required at village@phinneycenter.org or 206-789-1217.

The Phinney Center’s annual auction is this Saturday, May 4 from 5-9pm. If you want to be able to choose your table and the people you sit with for the live auction, tickets must be purchased by this Friday. Tickets available here

Auction highlights this year include a vacation in San Miguel De Allende, Paella dinner for 25, and a week-long family on Orcas Island. You can view the catalog highlights here

Enjoy a magnificent buffet from That Brown Girl Cooks! during the silent auction and irresistible desserts at the live auction. Auctioneer extraordinaire Jerry Toner will be returning for his 20th and final year at this PNA event.

Join your friends and neighbors for this swinging annual bash, supporting neighborhood programs for children, seniors, low-income people, and the entire community through the Phinney Neighborhood Association.

Celebrate el Día de la Niñez with Latin Grammy winners 123 Andrés! Andrés and Christina, both native Spanish speakers, bring a high-energy, interactive show with beats and rhythms from all over Latin America that will entice little ones to jump, dance & discover, and get the whole family moving, en Español y en Inglés. Check them out at: http://www.123andres.com/

PCPE is Seattle’s only Spanish-language Cooperative preschool. All proceeds go towards funding scholarships for families for whom preschool education might not otherwise be accessible.

The performance starts 6:30 p.m. Frelard Tamales will be selling food. Snacks for kids will also be available.

PhinneyWood is full of wonderful people and great places that we all wish we knew more about. Resident Kevin Kozel periodically digs deeper to let us know more in a column we like to call … Hi Neighbor!

If you live in PhinneyWood, you know Marty Spiegel. Even if you don’t “know” Marty Spiegel, you know him. It’s just one of the rites of passage that comes with becoming a resident. You move in, you need a light bulb or some duct tape and you head to Greenwood Hardware because it’s a few minutes away … and that’s when you learn that this is not just any local hardware store. One of the many polite and helpful employees helps you out, but if wasn’t Marty you probably still saw him helping another customer. He always seems to be there, helping everyone get to the bottom of their latest home need. It’s time we got to know more about the man that everyone in PhinneyWood knows.

Kevin Kozel (KK): Marty, how long have you been here at Greenwood Hardware?

Marty Spiegel (MS): I came back from New York in ’93. I’ve been working here since early ’94. This was my retirement.

KK: So 25 years then.

MS: Someone mentioned that to me the other day. I never count, but yes, nearly 25 years. People come in whose kids I saw when they were little babies and now they’re teenagers. Some of them even have their own kids! It makes me think a little bit about it.

KK: Being here that long, with people coming and going, you probably know some of these homes better than the people that live in them.

MS: That may be. I may not have actually seen what was done in a house, but I’ve talked to lots of people about what they were going to do; the bathrooms, the plumbing, some of the construction, backyards, decks, all that kind of stuff.

KK: I’m sure you’ve fielded all kinds of questions over the years.

MS: We solve a lot of things. We basically work as translators. Customers come in and they say, “I’ve got this thing and it looks like this.” We have to figure out what it is, what they need, or how best we can fix it. We act as a pep talk team and give them a little information on how you do this or that.

KK: What makes a neighborhood hardware store like Greenwood Hardware different than all of the giant chains out there?

MS: Because we’ve been here since 1948, almost everybody knows us. We’ve managed to hold our own because we really are a “green” store and have been for a long time. We focus on environmental issues and I think people appreciate that. It’s that kind of town. We also focus on the fact that the neighborhood is changing, and we try and listen to what people tell us and go after that.

KK: Sometimes I forget just how many different things you have here. The store is bigger than it seems, but if I ever need a light bulb or a battery, it’s easy for me to just pop right over and pick it up.

MS: I think people feel that way about us and that’s good. That’s what we want. We don’t expect people to spend thousands of dollars here. Some people do, but if you come in and need 49 cents of nuts and bolts that’s perfectly fine. That’s what we’re here to do.

KK: What about this winter? It’s seemed pretty demanding.

MS: This winter was a strange occurrence. In the space of those February storms we had trucks bringing us snow melt, sleds, shovels. Whatever they had in the warehouse we took. People were lined up in the store waiting for us to unload the truck and it would be gone in an hour. That happened five days in a row.

KK: I thought you all handled it very well. All of the stores around here were running out of things.

MS: The best policy for us was to communicate that we had more on order and when we thought it would be here. We put stuff online telling people to check our website. In fairness to everybody, we decided that we would limit how many things people could buy. If we ran out, we would make sure the next person in line was first tomorrow. We made sure the people who were patient about it got covered. It worked well and most people were cool about it.

KK: Last question, what is the best part of being the “Marty at Greenwood Hardware” that everybody knows?

MS: Meeting the people and the dogs (laughs). In my private life I’m very quiet, so this is my social time. I get to see people I know, that I’ve known for years, meet new people, and help them with a problem. I like that. Problem solving is what I do and it’s what I’ve done with all of the kinds of things that I’ve done. So I’m going to keep doing it until they carry me out of here.

If you’ve got a problem for Marty to solve, visit him at 7201 Greenwood Ave North.

Any person, place, or thing you want to know more about in our neighborhood? Feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment and we’ll look into making it a future feature on Hi Neighbor!

Today is notable for two reasons: it is Seattle Independent Bookstore Day, and the grand opening of Madison Books, which will be owned and managed by Tom Nissley and Laura Silverstein of Phinney Books.

The Greenwood store will be celebrating with slices of Coyle’s rhubarb bundt cake for the first arrivals, as well as custom letterpress bookmarks available only on Bookstore Day. There will be hands-on craft workshops: 11am handmade sparkly vinyl pencil cases, and 1pm hand-sewn journals. From 9am to 3pm there will be an artist available to draw your face (or the face of a favorite author) on a custom Phinney Books bookmark. Lastly, there will be exclusive Bookstore Day items, including local Seattle Bookstore Day temporary tattoos and an impressive array of one-time-only items from Miriam Toews, Tui T. Sutherland, Kelly Barnhill, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and many more.

Lucky Envelope Brewing Anniversary Celebration. Join Lucky Envelope for their Anniversary Celebration at the tasting room (907 NW 50th Street) this Saturday, April 27th from Noon-10pm. This year’s anniversary has cultural significance: The number four in Chinese tradition is unlucky because the Chinese word for the number sounds similar to the word death.

This year’s celebration brings a new Hazy IPA along with the return of some fan favorites. There will also be some red envelopes to give away and some new branded merchandise for sale. Beanfish food truck will be serving their delicious sweet & savory Taiyaki offerings from 3pm-8pm.

Ribbon-Cuting Celebration. Come join ALUV and artist Vicki Scuri as they cut the ribbon on “Aurora Bright Dawn”, the City of Seattle’s newest public art located at the pedestrian overpass at Oaktree Plaza. Aurora Bright Dawn was commissioned by the City of Seattle’s Arts & Culture as part of the Neighborhood Street Fund (NSF) program. The NSF program funds projects requested by the community and is helping achieve ALUV’s goal of building community together- A safe, pedestrian-friendly, inclusive urban village that works for everyone.      

This will be located at Oaktree Plaza Pedestrian Crossing Aurora Ave N at N 102nd St. on Saturday, April 27th at noon.

David Roth in concert at the Phinney Center. Our former Seattle neighbor David Roth (now living on Cape Cod) has written music that has traveled the world. He ranges from holistic to hilarious, poignant to improbable.

April 27, 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Doors open 30 minutes before the show.
Phinney Center Concert Hall, Brick Building
6532 Phinney Ave N, Seattle

Breaking White Silence project: White people for Racial Justice and Social Justice, a project of the PNA, is designed to educate white people on the structures and patterns of racism. One facet of this project is forming free, facilitated study groups to read and discuss Dr. Robin DiAngelo’s What Does It Mean to Be White?: Developing White Racial Literacy (Revised Edition). Dr. DiAngelo is a race and social justice educator and author of the 2018 New York Times best-selling book White Fragility. Her work has been featured at the Seattle Public Library and in Salon, NPR, Slate, and The New Yorker.

Come to this training session if you are considering facilitating a study group of any size, in private or public settings. Please RSVP (see below) and read through the Facilitator’s Toolkit before the training session, which you can download here.

This session will be an interactive nuts-and-bolts training and assumes familiarity with the toolkit, as well as the project’s history and some core understandings about racism.

For more information or to RSVP for the training, please contact Cecily at cecily@phinneycenter.org.

Saturday, April 27, 2-4pm

Greenwood Branch, Seattle Public Library 8016 Greenwood Ave N

Our local, beloved gelato shop is now more accessible and diverse. In addition to award-winning frozen treats, they now have a full espresso bar, teas, and fresh baked pastries including croissants, pain au chocolat, and Tiramisu.

Additionally, Nutty Squirrel is now open at 7am to accommodate the morning commute. Don’t worry if Google says otherwise, as owners Alev and Tolga Seymen are doing their best to convince the internet their hours have changed.

Join your friends and neighbors for this swinging annual bash, supporting neighborhood programs for children, seniors, low-income people, and the entire community through the Phinney Neighborhood Association.

Win one-of-a-kind items and experiences at the silent and live auctions, from local artisan wares and theater tickets to gourmet dinners and vacation getaways. You can view the catalog highlights here.

Enjoy a magnificent buffet from That Brown Girl Cooks! during the silent auction and irresistible desserts at the live auction. Auctioneer extraordinaire Jerry Toner will be returning for his 20th year at this PNA event.

Saturday, May 4, 5pm – 9:30pm. Tickets available here

Based on the classic animated film, Disney’s 101 Dalmatians KIDS is being performed tonight by the Greenwood Stars Musical Theater Club. Curtain is 7pm at Greenwood elementary, 144 NW 80th St.

Each show is approximately 30 minutes long. Front door donations ($5/family suggested) and proceeds from the pre-performance bake sale/concession stand support the Greenwood PTA and Musical Theater Club. 

Woodland Park Zoo’s annual Bunny Bounce, a day of egg hunts for kids and Easter treats for animals. The spring event offers fun egg hunts for children ages 1 to 8, crafts, animal encounters and engaging zoo programs throughout the day. Space for egg hunts might be limited and is open on a first-come, first-served basis. As part of the zoo’s conservation mission, families must bring their own egg hunt basket or reusable bag. Saturday, April 20, 9:30am – 3pm

Seattle Folklore Society Concert this Saturday at the Phinney Center.
Music fans know Chris Webster and Nina Gerber as two of the most skilled and artful musical talents. Webster’s voice is uniquely compelling while Gerber’s guitar is beautiful and powerful. Together they’re magic. With originals, tasteful covers-soulful ballads, jazzy tunes and sweet folk, a great show. Saturday, April 20, 7:30pm – 10pm. Tickets available here.

Clean up the Burke with Washington Wild. Join the Washington Wild as they celebrate their first ever Earth Day Community Clean-Up! Bring your friends and family to give the Burke Gilman Trail and Ballard Bridge some badly needed TLC. Starting from Peddler Brewing Company’s outdoor beer garden in Ballard. Washington Wild representatives will be distributing cleaning materials provided by Seattle Public Utilities and directing groups of volunteers to the Ballard Bridge and Burke Gilman Trail. Cohort heads out promptly at 12. View the Facebook event here.

Phinney Neighborhood Preschool Co-Op’s Gently Used Kid’s Gear Sale. This popular event will offer fantastic good deals on gently used clothing, shoes, toys, books, strollers, bedding, safety equipment, sports gear, car seats, winter gear, maternity wear, and much more. Phinney Center Brick Building, Community Hall. Saturday, April 20, 9am – 1pm.

The Phinney Ridge Starbucks is closing, and their last day in operation will be July 9 according to manager Mattie Hogan. There is not currently any indication that Starbucks Corporate is looking at new locations in the Phinney or Greenwood neighborhoods.

Mattie says that there will be a big going away party for the store around late June or early July. Dates and details are still being finalized, but we’ll post here when we know the details and you can follow the store’s Instagram, phinneybux, for updates.

All employees at the Phinney Ridge location are guaranteed jobs with other Starbucks stores if they want them, says Mattie. She says she has been able to place everyone at their top choice store so far, so folks are not losing their sources of income as a result of the closure.

To find out where employees are going, look out for a Partner of The Week feature inside the store starting in late April. The feature will highlight one employee each week and say where they’re going, and includes a way to write messages to employees. Look out for these features and other fun activities in the store, and on the phinneybux Instagram.

One resource that we’re looking at adding to the PhinneyWood Blog is a community job board. We feel like it’s important to provide this to our business district in order to give them a direct connection to people looking for a short commute and wanting to work in their neighborhood. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, we know of a couple local businesses that are in the hunt for great people.

The Stage Door Cafe in the Taproot Theatre is seeking an Order Fulfillment Specialist.

This position requires a person who can work in a structured but mostly independent environment. Orders are retrieved via website & email, prepared, packed and shipped with great attention to detail. Customer service (questions, ordering help, order issues) will be handled via phone and email. Strong communication and organizational skills required.

Send your resume by email yourfriends@onecup.org or phone 425.361.0808 for more information.

Swanson’s Nursery is ramping up for their busy summer season and are hiring for the following positions:

Carryout (customer service support), FT. Seeking active, independent individuals who like working outdoors to support our customer service representatives out on the floor. Must enjoy physical work, problem solving, multitasking, and helping customers! This job is great for those who like to stay active and enjoy variety in their work!

Cashiers, PT, weekends, seasonal. Join their team of outstanding individuals who exemplify great customer service. Candidates must have excellent people skills and enjoy helping customers. Attention to detail and ability to multitask is essential.  Cashiering experience is preferred. Gardening experience a plus.

Customer Service, seasonal, FT & PT. Looking for enthusiastic people with a positive attitude who enjoy interacting and problem-solving with customers, and are able to keep plants stocked and looking good.  Plant identification skills and gardening knowledge is preferred but not required. Jobs are available for both the houseplant area and outdoor areas. Join our team and help customers find just what they need when they visit Swansons!

In-Home Container Installation Assistant, PT, seasonal/flexible hours/weekdays. Seeking active individual who enjoys team work and multi-tasking in both an indoor and outdoor environment. Must have an eye for detail, positive energy, enjoy physical work and the ability to work flexible hours. Gardening and plant care experience preferred.

You can find out more and apply at swansonsnursery.com/careers

April 23, 2019
7-8:30pm
Phinney Center Brick Building, 6532 Phinney Ave N
RSVP: speakoutseattle@gmail.com
Facebook event

On Tuesday April 23, Speak Out Seattle! (SOS) will host a District 6 Candidate Forum in the Phinney Center’s Brick Building Community Hall. According to SOS, the forum will focus on “issues relating to public safety, homelessness and other top issues.”

At least 9 of the 11 candidates will be present, with one having declined and another working out a conflict according to SOS. The moderator will be Mike Lewis, of the Candy, Mike & Todd Show on KIRO Radio. Information on forums hosted by SOS for other districts is available on the Speak Out Seattle! website.

This week is full of educational, community-building and fun events. Here are a few to check out:

Model Matzoh Bakery
Tuesday, April 16th
5:00-5:45 PM
Chabad NW Seattle, 8420 Dayton Ave N
RSVP: Chabadofballard@gmail.com

The Model Matzah Bakery is the ultimate hands-on, Passover educational experience!
The exhibit recreates a functional model of the hand-made Matzah factories used by Jews for thousands of years. The participants “relive” the exodus from Egypt as they pound out their very own Matzah. Beginning with a sheave of wheat, they experience the hustle and bustle as they hurry to beat the timer to ensure that crunchy finished product is completed within 18 minutes! The delightful presentation creates an exciting interactive environment where the everyone has a great time learning about their heritage and the tradition of Matzah.

Yoni Levitin, Chabad of Ballard

Passover Seder
Friday, April 19th
7:45pm
Chabad NW Seattle, 8420 Dayton Ave N
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-passover-seder-tickets-58880868262
Tickets $20-$54

“Relive the Passover Exodus”

Few Jewish holidays evoke the same warm sentiments as Passover. Memories of family and friends gathered as the four cups of wine are poured, the four questions asked and the Matzah served, all contribute to Passover’s popularity in the Jewish community. Bringing the warmth and tradition of this festival to the Community, Chabad is inviting all residents to participate in community Seders to be held on Friday night, April 19,

The Seder take participants through the wondrous liberation of our ancestors from Egyptian bondage, while sharing the relevance and beauty of the age old festival in our modern lives. Included in the Seder will be a delicious catered dinner

“Passover is not simply a celebration of the historic liberation of an ancient people,” said Rabbi Yoni Levitin “Passover is about our own personal liberation – physically, emotionally and spiritually. Passover inspires us to break free from the shackles restraining us from reaching new heights – in our lives, relationships and connection with G-d.”

All are welcome to join the community seder, regardless of Jewish affiliation or background.

Yoni Levitin, Chabad of Ballard

Seattle Folklore Society presents Chris Webster and Nina Gerber
Saturday, April 20th
7:30 – 10PM, Doors open at 7PM
Phinney Center Brick Building, 6532 Phinney Ave N
Tickets: ChrisNinaSeattleSFS.brownpapertickets.com or 1-800-838-3006. Advance Tickets $20/$18 PNA & SFS members/$10 ( $2 more at the door

Music fans know Chris Webster and Nina Gerber as two of the most skilled and artful musical talents. Webster’s voice is uniquely compelling while Gerber’s guitar is beautiful and powerful. Together they’re magic. With originals, tasteful covers-soulful ballads, jazzy tunes and sweet folk, a great show.

Seattle Folklore Society

Today is the last day to nominate your favorite kid-friendly businesses for the 2019 ParentMap Golden Teddy Awards! Nominations close today, and the five businesses in each category who receive the most nominations will become finalists. You can vote on the finalists from April 24-30.

The categories are:

• Camps + Classes
• Family Resources
• Food + Dining
• Out + About
• Shopping + Services

ParentMap will announce winners on June 28 and in the July issue of the magazine.

Clement Place, located at 937 North 96th St, held its grand opening ceremony on April 9^th. The facility is owned and run by the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC). Clement Place provides 100 units of permanent supportive housing to people experiencing homelessness in Seattle.

Residents of Clement Place will be single adults who have been experiencing chronic homelessness. This program will provide a permanent, stable home with staff and case management onsite 24 hours a day to provide support.

Folks enter Clement Place by referral from the King County Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) program, and can enter the residence from all parts of Seattle. Residents pay 30% of their income toward rent and can utilize on-site supportive services including case management that is tailored to each person. This person-centered model leads to virtually 100% of residents opting in to services. 

“For folks who are experiencing homelessness, the thing that helps create the most stability to then be able to address other challenges such as mental health or substance use is stable housing,” says Kelsey Beckmeyer, Coordinated Entry and Housing Placement Manager for DESC.

To learn more about Clement Place, visit the DESC’s page for the project at https://www.desc.org/what-we-do/housing/clement-place/

There’s lots of rain in the forecast for this weekend, but don’t let that stop you from having a good time! There are plenty of fun and educational (and indoor) events going on in the neighborhood from now through Sunday.

All Weekend:

• Taproot Theatre’s production of We Will Not Be Silent is running through April 27.
• Seattle Restaurant Week is going through April 18, and local restaurants Ada’s Restaurant & Bar and The Olive and Grape are both participating.

Friday:

• Art Up Chow Down PhinneyWood Art Walk, 6-9pm, at businesses all along Phinney and Greenwood.
• Jim Page and Jessica Lurie in Concert at the Couth Buzzard.

Saturday:

• The Northwest Mahler Festival: Songs by Woman Composers at the Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church.
• *Sold Out* Tannahill Weavers in Concert at the Phinney Center.
• CPR, First Aid & HIV Certification at the Phinney Center.
• Introduction to Breaking White Silence at the Greenwood Library.
• Sing with Stew Moon: Trouble at Home at the Couth Buzzard.

Sunday:

• Body Music Workshop at the Phinney Center.
• Performance and Screening of The Migration Dance Film Project with Sandy Silva at the Phinney Center.
• Seattle Song Circle at the Greenwood Senior Center.
• JAZZ JAM Hosted by Kenny Mandell & the Couth Allstars at the Couth Buzzard.

Did we miss an event? Submit your event to our calendar to let the neighborhood know about it and make it into future roundups!

The Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) Whittier Kids program is now hiring for a School Age Teacher.

To see the job description and learn more about the Whittier Kids program, please visit phinneycenter.org/jobs

If you need stuff for your kiddos, visit the Phinney Neighborhood Preschool Co-op (PNPC) Gently Used Kids’ Gear Sale on April 20th to get deals and stock up.

This year, Usborne is holding a Books & More Fair to benefit PNPC upstairs during the sale.

Bring shopping bags and friends, and plan to get there early to get the best stuff. Doors open at 9am, and folks who arrive after 12pm can get a voucher for 50 per cent off some items. Admission and parking are free. For full details and event updates, follow the Facebook event.

Event Details:
Saturday, April 20, 2019
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Free
Phinney Center Brick Building, 6532 Phinney Ave N

Two neighborhood fixtures are celebrating major anniversaries in 2020, and would love to hear neighbors’ stories of how each spot has affected your life.

Columbia Lutheran Home

Columbia Lutheran Home is celebrating its 100th anniversary next year, and is looking for stories of their home from the community. Have you visited Colombia Lutheran, or had a relative go into their care? You have a story that they would love to hear!

For details on how to submit your story, visit columbialutheranhome.org/news-events or contact Ellie at EllieBrown@ColumbiaLutheranHome.org.

The Park Public House

The Park Public House opened in 1980 (under the name Woodland Park Public House) and is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020. The folks at The Park Public House would love to see photos, hear fun stories, and learn more about their early days on Phinney Ridge. Maybe you knew the original owner, maybe you went there in the early days, maybe you have watched the pub grow over the years; they’d love to hear your story.

If you’ve got a story or photo you’d like to share, please email theparkpub@gmail.com.

Join FamilyWorks at the Lagunitas Taproom in Ballard, 5:30-7:30pm on April 16, for Games for Good. There will be games, live music, and complimentary sandwiches. All beer proceeds will go to FamilyWorks Family Resource Center & Food Banks.

For full event details, check out the Facebook Event.

We received notice from Ballard High School that they received the SupportMusic Merit Award this year. Congratulations to Ballard High School! Read on for an except from the press release shared by Ballard High School:

The Ballard High School Performing Arts program has been honored with the SupportMusic Merit Award from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. Ballard High was one of 98 schools selected nationwide and is the only school in Washington state to receive the award.

The SupportMusic Merit Award recognizes individual schools that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the SupportMusic Merit Award, the music department answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, and support for the music and theatre programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“Participation in music prepares students for a successful trajectory outside the confines of the classroom walls,” says Elizabeth Fortune, Director of Orchestras at Ballard High School. “They not only hone the technical skills of playing an instrument or singing; but they also practice daily the dispositions of critical thinking, creative thinking, growth mindset, collaboration, and communication: the things one needs for successful adulting.”

This award recognizes that Ballard High is leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The legislation guides policy implementation in the states and replaces the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) which was often criticized for an overemphasis on testing-while leaving behind subjects such as music. ESSA recommends music and the arts as important elements of a well-rounded education for all children.

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music. After two years of music education, research found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores that their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school, but also to attend college as well. Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically-trained children that in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound; young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.

A 2015 study supported by The NAMM Foundation, “Striking A Chord,” also outlines the overwhelming desire by teachers and parents for music education opportunities for all children as part of the school curriculum.

Ballard High School. “Ballard High School Peforming Arts Receives National Recognition.” Press Release 1 April 2019

Windermere Greenwood (311 N 85th St) is holding a free document shredding and electronics recycling event on Saturday, April 13th from 11am-2pm.

Bring sensitive documents that you would like to safely shred, and obsolete electronics that you want to recycle. Windermere Greenwood will also provide lunch during the event.

The Windermere Greenwood office is located half a block east of Greenwood Ave N, on N 85th St

The Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) just posted two new job openings:

• Hot Meal Program Coordinator

• Bookkeeper Accountant

To learn more about these postings and see other openings at the PNA, visit www.phinneycenter.org/jobs.

Be prepared! Join Leif Jackson of Sound Seismic for the popular Earthquake Home Retrofit class. Learn about the City of Seattle’s Project Impact and how to evaluate your home for needed structural improvements. Learn to use the correct tools, materials and methods to accomplish an earthquake retrofit. Class size is limited, so be sure to register in advance.

A hands-on follow up is available at the PNA’s Tool Lending Library.

Co-Sponsored by the PNA Tool Library.

Cost: $20/PNA Member, $25/Public

Location: Phinney Center Blue Building, 6532 Phinney Ave N, Room 6 (3rd floor)

Time: 6-8pm

Register online or call (206) 783-2244

Enjoy artwork, creative performances, door prizes, and tasty refreshments at the Sixth Annual Momentia Talent Share this Saturday.

The Momentia Talent Share is a special event celebrating the talents and strengths of people living with memory loss. The event is free and open to people of all ages and walks of life who support a dementia-friendly community.

Event Details:
Saturday, April 6
2-4pm
Northgate Community Center
10510 5th Ave NE

Meet Greenwood Elementary School Principal Zac Stowell

PhinneyWood is full of wonderful people and great places that we all wish we knew more about. Resident Kevin Kozel periodically digs deeper to let us know more in a column we like to call … Hi Neighbor!

At the end of the 2018 school year, Greenwood Elementary School said goodbye to long time principal Dr. Walter Trotter. Changes are rarely easy, but bringing back a familiar face always helps. Enter Zachary Stowell, a previous mentor at Greenwood Elementary and now the new principal.

“Welcome to the best place on earth!” he said upon greeting us while sitting with some of his students during lunch in the cafeteria. Within minutes the whole room was dancing in their seats as music played throughout the room. Did I forget to mention they were also in pajamas as part of Spirit Week? I joined the pajama party for a bit to sit down with Stowell, as his students call him, to learn more about his new role, his instructional style, and what he loves most about the Greenwood community.

Kevin Kozel (KK): So Principal Stowell, how’s it going?

Principal Zachary Stowell (PS): It’s great. Organized chaos at times, but it’s Fun Friday. If it gets out of control we talk to them. We play music and recognize two kids from each class that are demonstrating the character traits of being a Greenwood Star. But when we think about big picture, we’re really focusing on teaching social emotional skills. How do kids know their emotions? If you can name your feelings, you can tame your feelings. But also intentionally teaching strategies. There are no good/bad feelings, they’re just real, so how do we navigate those? We find small times like these to do this work.

KK: Let’s take a step back and get to know more about you. Where does Principal Zac come from and how did he get here?

PS: Sure, I was born in Brooklyn, New York. My dad was in the Navy, born in Minnesota, and my mom was a kid from Brooklyn. We moved a lot; South Carolina, Chicago, Minneapolis, then here. I went to over 10 schools growing up. It wasn’t until middle school when I got into some trouble and one teacher recognized that my behaviors were indicative of need. So instead of suspending and pushing me out, he got me involved with the wrestling team. That really connected me with the school. Then going into high school there was one other teacher that got me interested in the Future Business Leaders of America and more involved in that school. Literally those two people put me on a different trajectory. They had this impact on me, now how can I have that impact on others? This launched me into wanting to get into education.

KK: Very good reason, so how did you go about it?

PS: So I went to Central Washington, got my B.A. and got a job right out of the gate at Northgate Elementary. We really helped to close gaps. My last year there we had a fundraiser and raised $30,000 to bring my class to the White House. Kids that have never left North Seattle.

KK: Wow!

PS: But, it wasn’t replicated in every classroom. It was very frustrating and I wanted to make greater changes than just this one classroom. That sparked my energy and made me realize that these teachers need more support and they’re not necessarily getting it. I wanted to shift and support teachers to help them do what they can for students.

KK: Right, the most important thing.

PS: Then I coached teachers. I worked at 40 different buildings all over the district as a STAR Mentor. I got to mentor, coach, and support all over the district. They thought I was coaching and mentoring them, but they were coaching and mentoring me too. I got so many good ideas. It was like going to every restaurant in Seattle and then opening your own. You got all these recipes and then you get to see which ones you want to put on the menu.

KK: And then the big transition…

PS: I went to Western (Washington University) to get my graduate degree. Then did my Principal Internship at Broadview Thomson, a K-8 school. After my internship I got a job at Catharine Blaine in Magnolia, another K-8. It’s a super, a wonderful community. Very, very hard to leave. But I only applied to one job-here.

KK: Why Greenwood Elementary?

PS: I only wanted to go someplace where I knew the school and I could be successful together. I had already mentored some of the teachers here. Then when I was interviewing I found I had all these little second-degree connections. It just felt like home. This school had some goals, I had some goals, and it’s a perfect marriage. The support of an active PTA, teachers that are hungry to learn and grow, and admin that are like the glue. This is a dream job for a first year.

KK: And what is about this neighborhood?

PS: I think the biggest thing is if you look at this neighborhood before and after school, it’s a community school, just look at the full playground. We’ve got parents filling potholes in the field. The kids are connected. There’s a rich history of events, the Jogathon, the dance, school happens here. It’s all hands-on-deck all the time! I feel so lucky to be a part of it. I couldn’t have asked for a better start, and I’m excited to continue to grow and learn more about this school community.

KK: So how can everyone, not just the parents, get involved and help you and the school?

PS: Well we have needs for volunteers at all times. We have over 150 volunteers and not all of them are part of the school community, but volunteering here and there helps. Supporting our auction is always great, and that’s coming up. I scooped at Nutty Squirrel Gelato after school and it rushes people over there and we get a percentage of the proceeds. I’d like to start a monthly Dine Out for Greenwood. Fundraising opportunities like that where we can pack the house and get a portion helps us fill the gaps we have. Events that offer mutual benefit where we can support your business and some proceeds come back to support our students. There’s not necessarily one clear answer, but the more I know about what’s in the community the more we can be creative and find solutions to support the challenges we have here.

If you’ve got some fundraising ideas you can email fundraising@greenwoodpta.org or call 206.252.1400. If you’d like to volunteer call 206-252-1410.

Any person, place, or thing you want to know more about in our neighborhood? Feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment and we’ll look into making it a future feature on Hi Neighbor!

The event will be at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center on April 2 starting at 6:30. From the organizer, Heidi Rogers:

“As a small business owner in Fremont, mother, and partner I know the importance of keeping our families and neighbors safe. As with many of you, I’ve experienced first hand some of the changes to our neighborhood, and found that I’m not as equipped with the tools to navigate and prevent crime as much as I would like. Many of us have had personal conversations and we share similar concerns. Luckily for all of us, we’ve got an extremely smart and involved candidate for City Council District Six, Sergio Garcia, who helped assist in organizing this awesome event. I decided to host an event with local safety, self-defense, and family safety consultant Donna Miles. It will be a dialogue and demonstration on just that.”

Come join the PRCC tomorrow night to discuss recent MHA and HALA legislation, backyard cottages, and historical landmarks in our neighborhood. The meeting is in the Phinney Center and you can see the complete agenda here.

The Phinney Ridge Community Council is a volunteer, not-for-profit organization that tracks issues such as public safety, transportation, transit, land use, zoning, city budget priorities, capital improvements, parks, open space use and other civic issues.