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.

Got Tools?

The Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) and a dedicated group of volunteers are working to create a community wood shop space a the Phinney Center, and they are looking for community members who would like to donate woodworking tools to help move this project forward. If you have quality woodworking tools that are in good to like-new condition, we would love to hear from you.

Please email krissied@phinneycenter.org for more information or to donate.

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. 

Join Dr. Hofer at this free introductory talk for college-bound high school students and their parents/guardians. Wednesday, March 27 from 7-8:30pm at the Phinney Neighborhood Center Blue Building.

Are you ready for a deep dish, Chicago-style pizza made fresh on Phinney Ridge? Owner and Chicago native Dave Lichterman announced that on “Wednesday, March 27th, we’re excited to welcome our new neighbors in Phinney Ridge to the Windy City Pie soft opening from 5-10pm. Our grand opening announcement including regular hours of operation will follow shortly, but Wednesday’s soft open will give us the opportunity to meet the community we hope to serve and take the paper off the windows.”

Windy City Pie is located in the old Phinney Market space at
5918 Phinney Ave N after moving from their initial home in the Batch 206 Distillery. Come on by and support our new neighborhood business when time allows.

There are a number of great programs that have begun registration for their summer camps:

1. Whittier Kids Summer Camps. For kids entering K-5th grade during 2019-20. Learn new skills, explore new friendships and provide your child a chance to grow and learn in a safe, fun environment (note: it was previously reported this was at the PNA, when it is indeed at Whittier Elementary). July 1 – Aug 30.
2. YMCA Discovery Camp. Held at the Phinney Center, YMCA staff create hands-on, structured enrichment activities in art, science, storytelling, and outdoor play. Each week’s theme is woven into the day’s games, field trips, and fun. June 24 – Aug 30.
3. Young Engineers Summer Champ Camp. Held at the Phinney Center, campers learn the engineering behind the machines we use every day, and build lego models that reflect established STEM theories. Aug 5 – Aug 30.
4. PCPE’s Outdoor Spanish Summer Camp. Phinney Cooperativa Preescolar en Español will be offering a Spanish-language Summer camp for children ages 2 to 5 years old. The children will explore the outdoors in Woodland Park and Golden Gardens, participate in play-based activities, and reinforce their Spanish.  For more information and to sign up email inscripciones@pcpeseattle.org. July and August, Tuesdays-Thursdays.
5. Camp TechWise. Project-based program offers game design, video, digital, and music. Campers can jump into cutting-edge topics such as Unity and Unreal Game Dev., virtual reality, 3-D animation,app development, programming, Linux, and sports and games to balance the day with some outside fun. July 29 – Aug 2.
6. Girls on the Run Camp. During the week-long session at the PNA, 3^rd – 5^th grade girls will enjoy building friendships in a fun and inclusive setting that includes interactive games, being physically active, and expressing creativity through arts and crafts and storytelling. July 15 – 19.
7. Seattle ReCreative Summer Camps. Various art and maker-related camps at this Greenwood institution. Throughout summer.

All branches of The Seattle Public Library will be closed on Wednesday, March 27, 2019, for a staff in-service day. The Central Library book drop will be closed. All branch book drops will remain open. No Library material will be due on that day. All branch library parking garages will be closed, but the Central Library garage at 1000 Fourth Ave. will be open.

Regular operating hours will resume on Thursday, March 28. For more information, call the Library at 206-386-4636.

On Sunday, March 24, 36th District legislators will be hosting an informal town hall meeting at Lantern Brewing (938 N 95th St) in Greenwood.

Sen. Reuven Carlyle, Rep. Noel Frame, and Rep. Gael Tarleton will be at the brewery from 2pm to 4pm, where they’ll be available for casual and small-group conversations.

Kids and dogs are welcome at the brewery, and no RSVP is required.

Learn more on their event page.

Hello Neighbors! There are a ton of noteworthy events and shows occurring this weekend for you to plug into. Here are a few:

Holi Festival of Colors 2019

Saturday March 23, 1-3pm at the Phinney Center

Holi – “the festival of color” or “the festival of love” – celebrates spring, connection, and the triumph of good over evil. Come join in this raucous celebration, where people will chase each other around, throwing handfuls of colored powder.

Indian food by The Roll Pod and chai  from The Chai Lady will be available for purchase; bring cash! Shruti Balakrishnan will share her wonderful singing and Afsaana Dance will perform and teach a short dance lesson. Tickets are available here.

The PNA is looking for volunteers to help with cleanup from 3-4:30. The event will take place in the LOWER parking lot at the Phinney Center. Volunteers can attend the festival free! If you can help, email Polly Freeman at pollyf@phinneycenter.org and show up at 3 – or earlier if you want to enjoy the event first.

Seattle Folklore Society Concert: Low Lily

Saturday March 23, 7:30pm at the Phinney Center

The string and vocal trio Low Lily explores the roots and branches of American folk music with traditional influences and modern inspiration that weaves together a unique brand of acoustic music.

Liz Simmons (vocals and guitar), Flynn Cohen (vocals, guitar, and mandolin), and Lissa Schneckenburger (vocals and fiddle) are masterful players with deep relationships to traditional music styles ranging from bluegrass to Irish, Scottish, New England, and Old Time Appalachian sounds. Tickets can be purchased here.

Always… Patsy Cline at the Taproot Theatre

Friday, March 22 at 8pm, Saturday March 23 at 2pm and 8pm

This musical tribute features over 25 songs, including hits like “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy.”

From the Taproot’s press release: “Patsy Cline had a singular way of telling a story. Tune in as her songs and letters weave a big-hearted tale of love and loss told through her unlikely friendship with Texas housewife, Louise Seger.” Tickets are available here.

Mandolin Concert and Workshop with Tim Connell

Workshop: Saturday March 23, 1pm at the Phinney Center

Concert: Saturday March 23, 7:30pm at St. John United Lutheran Church

Portland, Oregon’s Tim Connell has created a sophisticated and original global style on the mandolin. Widely regarded as one of the top North American interpreters of the Brazilian choro style on the mandolin, Tim has his own unique voice on the instrument, described in a Mandolin Magazine cover story as “fiery and energetic, soulful and evocative.”

A Brazilian cousin of Dixieland and ragtime, choro has experienced a revival in the last few decades in Brazil and increased popularity here in America, thanks in particular to the fact that it features the mandolin quite prominently. Tickets for the concert can be found here.

Hello PhinneyWood Community!

Thank you for being such a great, interesting, and open community! Doree and Dale have trusted us to carry on a huge resource to the community and it is SO very important to us to get it right. We asked for your feedback and you delivered; thank YOU! With 225 responses from the community, you shared the top types of stories that you wanted covered. Here is the breakdown in order of popularity:

1. Neighborhood happenings and events (91%)
2. Business district updates (72%)
3. Crime and safety (32%)
4. Citywide issues that affect the Phinney-Greenwood neighborhood (29%)
5. Traffic and street issues (24%)
6. District 5 and local government issues (21%)
7. Human interest stories (19%)
8. Volunteer opportunities (15%)

As you can see, we are off and running with the Blog, and have been posting for the last couple weeks now. We have just closed our survey and wanted to share the results with you, as well as lay out what we are going to concentrate on bringing to you via the blog.

Here are some quotes that we found instructive on how to carry on Phinneywood.com:

“At its best, PhinneyWood.com was a place to learn about neighborhood events and opportunities to engage with community building happenings.”

“Let’s try to make sure that PhinneyWood.com doesn’t turn into a toxic website like so many forums do. Let’s keep PhinneyWood.com positive and open and beautiful.”

“I think PhinneyWood.com should be more of a moderated information source and a place for positive volunteerism and alliance that recognizes and embraces differences”

“I’d love to see this as an opportunity to provide direction on how to improve the businesses in the neighborhood. Making sure we get a great diversity of shops and restaurants that will help all the businesses succeed.”

In the last couple weeks, we’ve started posting and have focused on the top three content selections from the survey: neighborhood happenings and events, business district updates, and updates on significant crime and safety issues in the neighborhood.

In addition, we plan to have a story about a local person or business that takes a deeper dive every couple weeks. Though “human interest stories” didn’t rate highly in the poll, we felt that featuring businesses or people who have an impact on the PhinneyWood neighborhood was an important thing to produce. As one comment illustrated: “Getting a little deeper into what individual folks are going through or working on would be a nice extra – what challenges and successes businesses are having, who’s doing something special and unusual, what’s the trend in new buildings going in, and how city-wide policies and initiatives would play out locally would all be welcome.”

That is the general direction and content that we will be focusing on going forward and we still want to hear from you!  We’ll be conducting another poll in a few months to see how we’re doing and continue to inform the future of PhinneyWood.com.

You can always reach out with any questions, concerns, or (best of all) tips and story ideas to tips@phinneywood.com. We are also selling ad space – send questions to ads@phinneywood.com.

This month the Greenwood Community Council meeting will give you a chance to meet some of the people helping people in need in our neighborhood! The Greenwood Food Security & Social Services Open Forum will provide an opportunity to learn about what services are currently being offered to people in our community. Information tables will be set up and a panel discussion will take place so that Service Providers can talk with neighbors about their work and the challenges facing all of us in the areas of food security and social services.

If you come between 6:00 and 6:30 you will have a chance to observe the food bank in action. Then we’ll move to a different room for the open house and at 6:30. The Salvation Army is still adding more providers to the open house – here are the providers they have confirmed so far, and we know at least one city council candidate will attend as well:

• Salvation Army
• FamilyWorks
• Speak Out Seattle
• New Beginnings
• Molina Health Care
• North Helpline

Tuesday March 19th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Salvation Army, 9501 Greenwood Avenue

The PNA is looking for donations to our annual fundraising auction, which will be held at the Phinney Center on May 4 (tickets here). If you value the multitude of programs and events at the PNA, donating an item to the auction is a great way to give back. Also, many of our 300 attendees make a point to patronize businesses that support the PNA, so we like to think that donating to the auction is a win for everyone.

Here are just SOME of our ideas to get your creative juices flowing…

• Gift certificates for restaurants, services and experiences
• Special bottles of wine for the wine grab
• Time at vacation homes (houseboat, cabin, hotel…)
• Transferable airline miles
• Behind-the-scenes tour of a special restaurant/brewery/winery
• Theater or sporting event tickets
• A customized portrait/picture from a local artist
• A cooking class with a special theme

Think about your family and friends. Do you have or know anyone who has access to a boat, a cabin, a hotel, a restaurant, a vacation home, to create an experience that stands out? If you are a business owner, would you be open to donating a class or sending tickets or vouchers for that special service you offer?

You can submit a donation and/or read more about our donation guidelines at phinneycenter.org/auction or contact us at auction@phinneycenter.org with questions or ideas.

Thank you for all of your generous support of this great community organization!

We are one week away from the second annual appearance of this new Phinney Ridge tradition.Holi – “the festival of color” or “the festival of love” – celebrates spring, connection, and the triumph of good over evil.

Come join in this raucous celebration from 1-3 pm at the Phinney Center (6532 Phinney Ave N). People will chase each other around, throwing handfuls of colored powders. Folks from all religions, cultures, backgrounds, and ages are welcome! More information on what to wear, what to bring, and so on can be found here.

Indian food by The Roll Pod and chai  from The Chai Lady will be available for purchase; bring cash!Shruti Balakrishnan will share her wonderful singing and Afsaana Dance will perform and teach a short dance lesson.

This event was spearheaded by a neighbor who wanted to share her culture with the community. Read the story about it here.

The Ballard High School Playmakers are preparing to stage the fun, sci-fi, comedy musical Little Shop of Horrors. The popular musical follows the tale of Seymour Krelbourn, a meek flower-shop assistant.

“Seymour discovers a strange plant that he affectionately names “Audrey II” after his crush at the shop. But this plant is like no other: it sings it swears, and it thirsts for human blood! As the carnivorous plant grows bigger and more aggressive, it promises Seymour fame and fortune if he continues to provide fresh supplies of blood. What will Seymour do with this unusual species?”

The cast features 32 Ballard High School students, and the play is directed by BHS Theatre Director Shawn M. Riley.

Performance Details:The performances will be on March 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 at the Earl Kelly Center for Performing Arts at Ballard High School, 1418 NW 65th Street, Seattle, Washington, 98117. Shows start at 7:30 pm.

Tickets:Reserved seating tickets for Little Shop of Horrors are available for purchase at https://showtix4u.com. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors.

***

Also opening soon is Curtains by the fabulous Woodland Park Players. Their mission is to create the opportunity for adult members of the Woodland Park community to get involved in the many aspects of theater while creating lasting friendships that build a stronger community and to support arts programs in neighborhood public schools.

“Curtains is a parody of 1950s “whodunnit” theatre mysteries featuring a hilarious company of characters including a very camp director, a bitter critic, clueless investors, ambitious actresses and a lone detective who moonlights as an aspiring musical theatre performer. The talentless leading lady of the cowboy musical, Robbin’ Hood of the Old West is murdered onstage during curtain call, and the whole cast are suspects. It is up to Lieutenant Frank Cioffi to save the show, solve the case, and maybe even find love. “

Curtains shows March 22-24 and 29-30 at Shoreline Community College, and tickets can be purchased here

Come out for an evening of supporting an essential nonprofit in our community and enjoying excellent food from Tom Douglas Catering. On Thursday March 14, you are invited to a “celestial evening amongst the stars of the BFI galaxy” at Fremont Studios. Special guests include author Cat Rambo and musician Dude York.

The Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas is a corps of youth and adults, staff and volunteers, families and local citizens who believe that the power of words can open doors to important opportunities. Proceeds from this event go to ensure that BFI’s creative writing and tutoring programs remain open to anyone between the ages of 6-18. All programs are free and open to families from any socio-economic background.

For tickets and more information about the evening, visit BFI’s imaginative ticket portal.

KIRO 7 reported on a rash of teen burglaries this week, and then PhinneyWood received a tip that it happened at 1pm today at a local Greenwood business near North 74th Street.

One teen distracted the employee with a product location inquiry while the other stole a purse and exited the premises.

From the tipster: “Within 10 minutes, they had debited my bank account for more than 700 bucks, and charged a bunch on my credit card at QFC on Holman and the Greenwood Fred Meyer. I did call 911 and the officer who responded said he’d try to pull surveillance video from those stores. When I called the North Precinct later to let them know I’d found my purse with everything else still in it (they’d dumped it in Fred Meyer’s parking lot), they told me it’s been happening a lot, and the kids use the stolen cards immediately to buy Visa gift cards, which they can then use whenever. And they’re going for the big bucks cards, since my accounts showed charges of $225 and $500.”

If you work in the district or manage a store, the takeaway is to designate a secure area to store purses and other valuables. Also be aware of distractions, especially if working alone. Stay safe, everyone!

Artist Hilary Bowker’s works are in the Cookie Counter

The PhinneyWood Art Walk is a monthly event that promotes over 40 participating venues in the Greenwood-Phinney neighborhood. Organized by the PhinneyWood Arts Council, the art walk occurs every 2nd Friday of each month and culminates with the “Big One” – a two-day event that occurs each year in May.

Come out and cruise the neighborhood from 6-9pm and check out the latest art and support your local businesses while you roam!

See this month’s line-up & get map

The Phinney Ridge Community Council (PRCC) 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.

Tomorrow’s meeting will run from 7 – 8:30pm at The Phinney Neighborhood Center, and will feature a Q&A with our District 6 City Council representative, Mike O’Brien.

Councilmember O’Brien will be present to answer questions on topics such as the City Council’s plan to upzone single-family neighborhoods and relax development regulations, the HALA inclusionary-housing program, homelessness, developer-impact fees, taxes, and other issues.  Audience members will have the opportunity to submit questions to Councilmember O’Brien.

You can find the night’s agenda here, and you may submit a question or topic in advance here.

It’s time to clean out and replenish your bookshelves: trade your gently used books for something new! Meet other readers, get recommendations, and enjoy tasty treats at this popular annual PNA event.

Five genres at one swap: Mysteries, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Kids’ books, and Cookbooks.

Bring in gently used books you don’t want anymore (only these five genres, please).  The PNA will give you one ticket for each paperback and two tickets for each hardback.  Use your tickets to “buy” more books: paperbacks cost one ticket, hardbacks cost two.

Don’t have books to exchange or want to buy more than you brought in? Purchase paperbacks for $1 and hardbacks for $2.

Now that we’re off and running with the blog, it’s time to rebuild our Events calendar.  If your organization or facility has an upcoming event that you would like to engage with our community, please submit it so folks know what’s happening in the neighborhood.  Submitted events will be checked by the editor before being published, and we only publish events in Phinney Ridge and Greenwood.

A good example would be The Seattle Folklore Society’s upcoming concert with Reid Jamieson at the Phinney Neighborhood Center on Saturday, March 2^nd: “Jamieson is a vocal powerhouse committed to making music that matters and moves us, with compelling originals and killer covers of everything from 50s era gold to the latest tribute to Leonard Cohen. Known for regular appearances on CBC’s Vinyl Café with Stuart McLean to recording with Cowboy Junkies.”

Reid Jamieson

Saturday, March 2nd at 7:30pm

Phinney Neighborhood Center Community Hall

6532 Phinney Ave N, Seattle

Tickets online at Brown Paper Tickets

Advance Tickets: $20, $18 seniors & SFS/PNA members, $10 children Tickets $2 more at the door

Info: seafolklore.org

Yes, we are trying to keep PhinneyWood hyperlocal, but this is a transit option that will affect many of us in the neighborhood.

According to EnviroIssues, “The West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions will provide fast, reliable light rail connections to dense residential and job centers throughout the region and add a new downtown Seattle light rail tunnel to add more capacity for the entire regional system.”

As a part of scoping, you are invited to share your feedback at an open house at Ballard High School on Thursday (2/28) from 6-8pm. It’s an opportunity to:

• Learn about the project background, the process for identifying a preferred alternative and how community input has shaped project development to date
• Share your feedback on route and station locations, topics to study in the EIS and the project purpose and need
• Participate in small group discussions with your neighbors and share your insights with project staff

Comments must be received by March 18, 2019.  Other ways to comment:

• Comment online: wsblink.participate.online
• Email: wsbscopingcomments@soundtransit.org
• Leave a voicemail: 833-972-2666
• Mail: West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions, c/o Lauren Swift, Sound Transit, 401 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104

Following up on their comprehensive Business Health Survey, the Greenwood Community Council is engaging in an important Greenwood/Phinney Historic Preservation Survey.  This initial meeting will discuss the survey, how it will be conducted, answer any questions, and prepare for training. It is the hope this project will also capture all our many historic resources and treasures, still yet to be discovered.

Bring a note pad as well as some idea about how you would like to participate, if that is the case.  The GCC is looking for at least 10 survey volunteers, along with other roles/tasks, to be discussed at the meeting. Interest and some previous knowledge of historic preservation, architecture/design, or technical and visual data-collecting is encouraged, but not required. 

If you have any questions, please contact the G/P Historic Preservation Survey Coordinator – Alexa Berlow – alexa-wa@hotmail.com

Greenwood Public Library
Tuesday February 26th
6:30pm-8:00pm
(Main Meeting Room)