Queen Anne View

A reader posed this question to the Queen Anne View which has been answered by Seattle’s Department of Transportation.

What’s the deal with the new “bike lanes” on Queen Anne Ave. (at the top of the hill)? I noticed them being blow-torched on last night.  Between the back-in parking and all of the wide buses that use the  road, it’s definitely not a true lane. So why have it at all?

According to SDOT, 

Shared lane pavement markings  (or “sharrows”) are being installed on Queen Anne Avenue North between West Galer Street and West Crockett Street.  Sharrows are bicycle symbols that are placed in the roadway lane indicating that motorists should expect to see and share the lane with bicycles.  Unlike bicycle lanes, they do not designate a particular part of the roadway for the use of bicyclists.  Motorists and bicyclists should follow the rules of the road as if there were no sharrows.  The sharrows are being installed as part of a larger effort to implement the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan which calls for over 400 miles of bicycle
facilities.

…unless those fireworks hurt someone or start something on fire. That’s the message from the Seattle Police and Fire Departments:

The possession, manufacture, storage, sale, handling and use of fireworks are prohibited. Fireworks offenses are gross misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.

Fireworks pose a fire hazard to property and present a safety risk to those who use them. Every year the Seattle Fire Department responds to fireworks-related fires and injuries. Each and every one of these incidents could have been prevented.

On the 4th of July, 911 centers become overloaded with non-emergency fireworks calls. DO NOT call 911 unless you have a life-threatening emergency and need immediate help from police, fire or medics. Unnecessary 911 calls block people with real emergencies from reaching 911 and getting help.

Any fireworks-related fires or injuries should be reported directly to 911. Other fireworks violations may be reported by calling the Seattle Police non-emergency number at (206) 625-5011.

The Seattle Police and Seattle Fire Department wish you a safe and enjoyable 4th of July celebration!

We know this won’t dissuade anyone from using incendiaries to display their patriotism, but do be safe out there.

For those planning on watching the fireworks on Lake Union, know any good places to watch that don’t involve fighting the crowds at Gas Works Park?

A bicyclist was killed Wednesday night after an accident involving a car. The incident happened around 10:20 p.m. at the Dexter Way North offramp of the southbound lanes of Aurora Ave N. The Seattle Times is reporting that the vehicle was exiting Aurora onto Dexter Way when the cyclist was hit. Police arrested the driver after an evaluation showed signs of impairment, SPD spokesman Mark Jamieson told the Times.

The Signature, located on lower Queen Anne, is excited to announce that it will be joining the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market this Thursday, July 2, 2009.

“As a member of the Queen Anne community, we are excited to join the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market and become a part of something that supports vendors and farmers in our local area,” said Tony Ly, the General Manager at The Signature.  “We look forward to incorporating fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs from our neighbors at the farmer’s market into our signature Vietnamese dishes.”

The Signature will feature a rotating menu at the farmer’s market, with items such as: Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches with BBQ pork, tofu or chicken;Bubble Tea; Grilled Chicken and Pork Skewers; and Spring Rolls with tofu or shrimp and homemade peanut sauce.

The Queen Anne Farmers Market Association (QAFMA) is a group of neighbors who are committed to working with the community, vendors and the City ofSeattle to support Washington State farmers and producers.  The Queen Anne Farmer’s Market takes place every Thursday till October 1.  It is open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and can be found at West Crockett Street and Queen Anne Avenue North near Pasta & Co. more information on QAFMA can be found on their website.

The Signature is located at 530 1st Avenue North, nestled in the heart of Lower Queen Anne.  The restaurant is open every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with the bar open till 3:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday night.  Happy hour is from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., and all day on Monday.  For more information or to order take-out, please call (206) 283-6614 or visit www.thesignaturerestaurant.com.

Join us for Afternoon Tea at the Seattle Teacup which will feature a discussion with to learn more about refugee resettlement & support the International Rescue Committee. The Seattle office of the International Rescue Committee empowers refugees, asylees and victims of human trafficking to achieve self-sufficiency, community integration, and independence as they rebuild their lives in King County. Since 1976, more than 19,000 refugees from over 30 countries have resettled in Washington State with the help of the IRC. The IRC Seattle expects to serve 500 refugees during FY2009.

Tea and discussion will be held Thursday, July 9, 2009 from 6:00-7:30pm at the Seattle Teacup, 2128 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle WA 98109.  The guest speaker is a former refugee who has established a new life for herself in the Seattle area.

Interbay golf course is offering outdoor concerts this summer.  The first one is set for Thursday July 2 and the concerts run each Thursday through the end of August.  Seating starts at 5pm and there is no cover charge.  The music goes from 5:30—8:30pm.  Reservations are available at 206-285-6079. 

Here is the schedule for the summer:

July 2—Roosevelt High School Jazz Combo
July 9— Scott Lindenmuth
July 16—Pearl Django
July 23— Susan Carr Ensemble
July 30- Stickshift Annie with Kimball and the Fugitives
August 6- Fred Hoadley Trio
August 13- Roosevelt Jazz Combo
August 20- Gail Pettis
August 27—Stick Shift Annie with Kimball and the Fugitives

Queen Anne resident Jenny Cross appears in the regional premiere of “Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming“–a toe-tappin’, knee-slappin’, heartwarmin’ bluegrass gospel extravaganza–at Taproot Theatre this summer.

This musical captures the charm and nostalgia of a post-war Appalachian country church on a night in October 1945. It’s filled with celebration and a contagious beat that’ll get your feet tappin’! Written by Connie Ray, conceived by Alan Bailey, musical arrangements by Mike Craver.

“Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming” opens on July 10 and runs through August 8, with low-cost previews on July 8 and 9, and a pay-what-you-can performance on July 15. For more information, visit
www.taproottheatre.org.

Cross’s past Taproot credits include roles in ”Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor(r) Dreamcoat,” plus directing touring productions.  She also teaches theatre classes.

Taproot Theatre Company is a professional, non-profit theatre company with a multi-faceted production program. Founded in 1976, Taproot Theatre serves the Pacific Northwest with Mainstage Productions, Touring Productions and Acting Studio. Taproot exists to create theatre that explores the beauty and questions of life while bringing hope to our search for meaning. Taproot Theatre Company is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), Theatre Puget Sound (TPS), and the Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce.

Free activity on July 3rd, 8:00 - 10:15 pm aboard the schooner Adventuress at Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle.

The songs of the sea are easy to learn and fun to sing. All ages welcome. Broadside, the all-women chantey group, will be on board as songleaders to keep the music rolling, with opportunity for anyone to lead a song or just join in the chorus. The schooner Adventuress will be docked at the Historic Ships Wharf during the song. Admission is free, donations accepted. Refreshments & maritime CDs are for sale. Wayne Palsson hosts. For more information, (206) 447-9800 or check their website.

Mark your calendars!  After debuting in Magnuson Park last week, Fremont Outdoor Movies is back in the neighborhood for its summer-long run. Next week’s movie is “Shaun of the Dead”, preceeded by the Red, White, and Dead Zombie Party. This is a timely celebration in light of Michael Jackson’s death.  A viewing of Thriller is eminent.  Doors open for movie seating at 7:30, pre-show starts at 8:30 and the movie begins at 9:30. Don’t forget to bring your own low-back chairs.

Seattle Opera announced today that the company will receive a $500,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in support of Amelia, a newly commissioned American opera. The grant is a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to provide crucial support for the production of new contemporary opera, enabling Amelia to be produced by two other American opera companies following the opera’s world premiere in Seattle in May 2010.

The Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences will be the production sponsor for Amelia with a generous gift of $300,000. Featuring music by American composer Daron Aric Hagen, an intensely personal libretto by American poet and writer Gardner McFall, and a story by Stephen Wadsworth, Amelia is Seattle Opera’s first commissioned work during General Director Speight Jenkins’ tenure.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant will be used over a four-year period to support the production and presentation of contemporary opera at Seattle Opera and at two additional American opera companies. The grant will provide funding that will underwrite rental and royalty expenses for up to two other companies to present Amelia. It will also cover the cost of set and costume modifications undertaken by Seattle Opera to make the opera compatible with multiple companies.  A percentage of the grant will fund any necessary score or libretto revisions and will fund audience development materials that can be shared in the various cities. By subsidizing some of the costs of presenting a new work, the grant will help reduce the financial risk during challenging economic times and help establish Amelia as an important addition to American opera. Seattle Opera intends to design and implement an overall community strategy and audience development plan that would follow Amelia from one city to the next.

It is the hope that this groundbreaking collaboration with The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will create a new model for opera companies that will encourage the development and performance of contemporary opera.

One of our readers asked if I was going to blog about the news related to Michael Jackson’s death on June 25th.  I said that generally we stick to reporting the news that is local to Queen Anne and not something of the magnitude of the passing of the 80s pop icon in Los Angeles.  

But, then I thought about it, and I couldn’t resist posting a note that I am in LA right now, a mere few blocks from UCLA Medical Center where Michael was brought in. I can tell you that it was chaotic from the moment he arrived and the news hit the police scanners.  No less that 6 news helicopters circled overhead for the entire afternoon and the news crews were out talking with anyone who wanted to make a comment.  The text messages were flying!  I received several from friends in Seattle who knew I was here and wanted to get my “first hand report.”

So, there it is.  I stayed away from the crowd, watched the news on TV, and will wait like others for details as they are made available.

For more credible information about Jackson’s death, you can try the Yahoo.com or Comcast.net links.  And certainly feel free to post a thought about how you feel about all this.

We have a lot of cyclists in Queen Anne who enjoy their bike time.  Don’t forget that between now and September 7, Sundays are reserved for Bicycle Sunday, presented by Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Cascade Bicycle Club. Click for a printable .pdf file of the map and other information.

Bicycle along Lake Washington Boulevard south of Mount Baker Beach to Seward Park’s entrance.

Lake Washington Boulevard will be closed to motorized traffic 
from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.