Dendreon Corp., a Seattle-based biotechnology company focused on cancer research is subleasing the second and third floors of the building that formerly housed the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on lower Queen Anne.  According to CoStar Group, Dendreon will use the two floors of the five-story building for expansion as they search for permanent headquarters.  The P-I closed up shop on its print division earlier this year and now exists online only.

Martin Tobias, the man behind quite a few Seattle startups, has sold one of Queen Anne’s most beautiful homes. Here’s the view from the living room:

The four bedroom, 3.5 bath house on West Prospect Street was featured in a recent Pacific Northwest magazine spread. Tech blogger Brian Dudley says Tobias sold the home for $4.3 million, down from the initial listing price last summer of $5.9 million. A former Microsoft employee, Tobias started Loudeye Techologies and recently started a site called Kashless.org.

The 600 block of Elliott Ave W will be restricted to one southbound lane and two northbound lanes on Saturday from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Work is being done on a private building requiring cranes, so expect heavy traffic.

The registration period for the “Night Out Against Crime” has been extended.

You now have until 9 a.m. Monday to register your block for Tuesday’s event. Not every block is throwing a party. If your block is hosting a Night Out celebration, post details in comments below.

Update: One party is planned for Counterbalance Park, 4-7 p.m.

Temperatures are much cooler today (phew!) but another record-breaking hot weather day didn’t stop people from strolling through the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market yesterday.  We snapped a few photos…

We spotted the most AMAZING looking tomatoes here.  A single tomato cost one shopper $4 but she swears they’re the sweetest she’s ever tasted. 

Not surprisingly, gelatto from Poco Carretto was a big hit, as was the debut of Parfait Ice Cream truck.

The Queen Anne Farmer’s Market happens every Thursday from 3-7 p.m. on W. Crockett St. and Queen Anne Ave. N. through October 1.

For 30 years, Magnolia’s Summerfest parade has drawn big crowds, including many folks from right here on Queen Anne. The event begins today with an art show, crafts and a beer garden. Then on Saturday, the kids parade gets underway at 10:30 a.m. followed by the full parade at 11 a.m.

MagnoliaVoice is covering the event and has more details and photos.

The Queen Anne Library closed at 4 p.m. Thursday because the temperature inside hit 90 degrees.  Greenlake, Fremont, Columbia, West Seattle, University and Northeast will also close early.  None of the seven libraries have air conditioning.  Click here for a list of libraries that do have a/c.

This is the second day the library closed early. (Photo from Jeff Hanway)

Seattle Weekly’s annual “Best of Seattle” list came out today.  Congratulations to Queen Anne winners listed below!

• Best Saturday Afternoon Zen Session: Teacup
• Best Place to Firm Up Your Core and Your Wallet: Young Pilates
• Best Wireless Hangouts: any Tully’s
• Best Place to Find the Newest Euro Board Games: Blue Highway Games
• Best Place to Find Your Way Around the Pole/Get Some Unexpected Girl Time: Pole for the Soul
• Best Place to Transform Yourself Back to 1973: The Pink Floyd Laser Light Show
• Best Hetero Meat Market: Peso’s Kitchen & Lounge 
• Best Cheap Shots: On the Boards 

Five branches of the Seattle Public Library without air conditioning closed at 1pm today because internal temperatures reached 90 degrees inside.  In addition to Queen Anne, the other branches closed are Green Lake, Fremont, Columbia and Northeast.  17 other library locations do have air conditioning and are open until 8pm.

Love the sight or hate the sound, you just can’t ignore them.  The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are buzzing into town this week to wow spectators with their aerial stunts for the 60th annual Seafair. 

A good place on Queen Anne where you may be able to spot the planes is from Kerry Park (2nd Ave W. and W. Highland Dr).  With weather cooling off to the 90s, it’s going to be a good weekend to watch an air show.  Here is a list of their scheduled fly-bys to help you plan for (or avoid) the spectacle in the sky.

Thurs, July 30  10am-noon (circle and arrival); 1:30-2:30pm (practice show)

Fri, July 31  1:30-2:30pm (practice show)

Sat, Aug 1  1:30-2:30pm (full show)

Sun, Aug 2  1:30-2:30pm (full show)

Traffic will be jammed as I-90 closes at various times throughout the weekend starting on Thursday.  If you must cross Lake Washington via I-90, the DOT recommends giving yourself an hour before closure times.  The SR-520 floating bridge is open all weekend but closed to marine traffic during I-90 closures. 

Know any other great places to catch a glimpse of the Blue Angels?  Share it with us at tips@queenanneview.com

With temperatures pushing triple digits this week, there are many places on Queen Anne where you can retreat to find a little comfort and coolness.  Here are a few favorites we discovered:

• Play in the water at the International Fountain at Seattle Center. 

• For a smaller crowd, there’s the Fountain of Creation, a wading pool and fountain we found tucked away near Seattle Center’s Northwest Rooms. 
• The Center House (305 Harrison St) at Seattle Center is air conditioned inside and is open from 7am-9pm. 

• The East Queen Anne Playground Wading Pool (1912 Warren Ave N) is open from noon-7pm.
• The Queen Anne Community Center does not have air conditioning, but you can swim indoors at the Queen Anne Pool (1920 1st Ave W). 
• Catch a movie at the AMC Loews Uptown 3 Cinemas.  See what’s playing.
• There are 17 branches of the Seattle Public Library that have air conditioning.  Unfortunately, the QA branch is not one of them but you can click here to find the next closest one. 
• Stay cool and get fit at the same time by trying Standup Paddle Surfing on Lake Union (my personal favorite!)  You can rent boards by the hour at Northwest Outdoor Center (2100 Westlake Ave N).  Special tip: call to reserve in advance to guarantee a board! 

There are a number of restaurants and bars where you can both cool off and quench your thirst.  Sadly, the Queen Anne Cafe is not one of them.  We spotted this sign posted on the door earlier Tuesday.

Temps are supposed to reach 101 so we’re not sure if they’ll re-open Wednesday. We’ll check and let you know…

Seattle Parks and Recreation plans to build a retaining wall at West Queen Anne Ballfield #3 to help level the field. The wall will be built following the sidewalk on W. Blaine St. to the existing stairwell on the east side of the field, along the existing asphalt path. The proposed wall will be approximately 3 feet at the tallest point tapering to 18 inches. Parks is working with the West Queen Anne Little League Association and Foushee Construction, and it’s hosting a public meeting to present the design and construction schedule to neighbors on Wednesday, August 5, 2009 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the ballfield, located at 226 W. Blaine St.

For more information please contact Gary Gibbons, Project Manager, Seattle Parks and Recreation at 206-386-1511 or gary.gibbons@seattle.gov.

Give the gift of life!  Consider donating to the Puget Sound Blood Center. The scheduled date for the drive will be Saturday August 15th, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. It will take place in the lower commons area of the Queen Anne United Methodist Church, which is located on 5th West and W. Garfield.  This drive is being hosted through the Puget Sound Blood Center (PSBC) but will be staffed in part by Queen Anne Boy Scout Tennessee Abott and the rest of Troop 70.  Says, Tenn,

By having enough people sign up, I can make this a successful final requirement for my Eagle Scout rank. But it is also my hope and goal to make this a reoccurring event that can happen every 3-6 months within the community in the years to come.

If you are willing to donate blood on August 15th, I would ask you to commit to a specific time slot during the day, this way the PSBC staff can assure that the process will be completed in an orderly manner. The process usually takes about an hour. You can learn more about why and how to donate blood by reading this fact sheet from PSBC:

To sign up for this blood drive or ask any questions about this event, contact PSBC representative Scott Concinnity at 1-800-398-7888.

Coming in September, 200 new University of Washington undergraduate, graduate, and exchange students and scholars from all over the world will tour Queen Anne and a few other Seattle neighborhoods as part of a learning game. Called the FIUTS Seattle Challenge — FIUTS stands for Foundation for International Understanding Through Students — students will discover clues that lead them around the neighborhood and the city.

The Seattle Challenge on September 18th will lead students through Seattle neighborhoods for a lively and interactive experience designed to introduce them to our area’s public transportation, distinct neighborhoods, businesses, parks, culture, and major attractions. Students will sample coffee and snacks at various Seattle cafés, take photos with famous landmarks, meet local businesspeople, solve puzzles, and much more while making new friends along the way

If your business would like to get involved, please contact FIUTS Manager of Student Programs Nicole Comforto at 206.685.1548 or nicole@fiuts.org.

40 – 50 groups of four students each will meet a FIUTS Facilitator – a current student leader – at each location to pick up clues which will direct them to their next destination. Each group will start in the University District and end Downtown and at the Seattle Center. Neighborhoods visited will include Wallingford, Fremont, Greenlake, Ballard, Lower Queen Anne, Capitol Hill and the International District. Students will use the Metro Bus System to learn how to get around town.

FIUTS invites local businesses and organizations to host clues for the event. Participation in the Seattle Challenge is a great way to introduce a brand-new audience to your business. We welcome creative ideas such as coupons, samples, and Seattle trivia as a part of the activity.

On Friday September 18, 2009, approximately 200 new University of Washington undergraduate, graduate, and exchange students and scholars from all over the world will take part in a city – wide game, The FIUTS Seattle Challenge. FIUTS stands for the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students.

This Seattle Challenge will lead students through Seattle neighborhoods for a lively and interactive experience designed to introduce them to our area’s public transportation, distinct neighborhoods, businesses, parks, culture, and major attractions. Students will sample coffee and snacks at various Seattle cafés, take photos with famous landmarks, meet local businesspeople, solve puzzles, and much more while making new friends along the way

If your business would like to get involved, please contact FIUTS Manager of Student Programs Nicole Comforto at 206.685.1548 or nicole@fiuts.org.

40 – 50 groups of four students each will meet a FIUTS Facilitator – a current student leader – at each location to pick up clues which will direct them to their next destination. Each group will start in the University District and end Downtown and at the Seattle Center. Neighborhoods visited will include Wallingford, Fremont, Greenlake, Ballard, Lower Queen Anne, Capitol Hill and the International District. Students will use the Metro Bus System to learn how to get around town.

FIUTS invites local businesses and organizations to host clues for the event. Participation in the Seattle Challenge is a great way to introduce a brand-new audience to your business.  We welcome creative ideas such as coupons, samples, and Seattle trivia as a part of the activity.

From West Africa to the French Quarter, two new restaurants with very different menus have plans to open within blocks of each other on Lower Queen Anne later this summer. 

Transformation is still taking place, but KwaTay will serve up authentic Ghanaian cuisine, including tilapia and palm nut soup, and feature live reggae and African music. Located in the former Mainstage Comedy and Music Club at 315 1st Ave N (across from Key Arena), KwaTay Restaurant & Lounge will have a grand opening on August 8.

And from the owner of Peso’s comes Toulouse Petit Kitchen & Lounge, opening on the corner of Mercer and Queen Anne Ave. (right next door to Peso’s). Not to be dubbed Peso’s II, Toulouse Petit will offer an ambiance and menu inspired by the French Quarter in New Orleans.  Construction is currently underway on its big open dining room and beautiful handmade tables.  Opening is set for Labor Day. Check back for updates on both restaurants.

Bumbershoot announced their complete lineup this week, and it’s a good one.  As always, the 39th annual music and arts festival will take place over Labor Day weekend (September 5-7) at Seattle Center. 

Some of this year’s musical highlights include Black Eyed Peas (above), Katy Perry, Sheryl Crow, Jason Mraz, The Ting Tings, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Cold War Kids, Franz Ferdinand and Northwest favorites Modest Mouse.  Fans of the TV show-turned-cultural-phenomenon, LOST, can participate in a discussion with its writers, Carlton Cuse, Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz as part of the festival’s Literary Arts Lineup.  Enjoy some laughs with comedy from Nick Swarson, Maria Bamford and Wyatt Cenac. 

Special note: the Metro special event shuttle that originated from Northgate Park-and-Ride will not be in service for this year’s festival. Buy tickets before August 21 and get 30% off!  Click here for the schedule and ticket info.

Update: Ms. Kiana Kobayashi, a UW student and local resident of Magnolia, was crowned first runner up in the Miss Seafair pageant tonight.  She competed against 15 other Seafair princesses, all of whom were vying for the coveted title of Miss Seafair.  Miss Filipino Community, Jacqueline Saarenas, was named Miss Seafair 2009 in a coronation ceremony which preceeded the 2009 Torchlight Parade.

Posting from May: Earlier we reported that Kiana Kobayashi, a resident of Magnolia and good friend of the Miss Kitty family, was competing in the Miss Greater Seattle Japanese Community Pageant.

oKiana, who competed in the finals at Benaroya Hall on Saturday, May 23rd, was crowned Miss Japanese Community Queen of 2009.  She dazzled the audience with her Tibetan dance and demonstrated her cultural knowledge when asked about questions regarding Japanese American history.

Kiana, who is of Chinese descent by birth, is the daughter of Betty and Bobby Kobayashi.  She is a graduate of the Catharine Blaine School and Ballard High School and is a sophomore at the University of Washington, majoring in Environmental Studies.  Along with receiving over $7,000 in scholarships, participating in Seafair events, she will represent the Seattle Japanese community at pageants in other states and in Japan.

Congratulations, Kiana!

Nicola Parker, who is more familiar to Seattle Pacific volleyball fans as an opponent, will come over to the Falcons’ side of the court this season, joining the program as an assistant coach.

An All-American libero at Western Washington University in 2002 and 2003, Parker not only will be on head coach Chris Johnson’s staff, she also is a math teacher at SPU, a position she took this past spring.

Parker played at Western from 2000 to 2003, graduating in 2004. She was a setter who became an outside hitter at Auburn High School, then played a defensive role as a freshman at WWU before becoming the libero when that position opened.

Parker, who also was a solid tennis player in high school, went to Europe last summer and played on a team based in Prague, Czech Republic. She also spent some time hiking on the continent, then returned home to begin focusing on her next path in life.

“I always knew I wanted to teach college,” said Parker, having earned her master’s in math in 2006. “One of my roommates started going to school here, and she just loved it. It’s going to be so fun – I can’t wait.”

Check out the SPU 2009 Volleyball schedule