Reader Chris Blakeley sent us this photo of the power outages aftermath today, snapped at about 4:30 this afternoon outside Caffe Zingaro on Mercer St.

“It seemed…fitting somehow,” he wrote.

The two outages today left several residents and businesses without power for most of the day, including, at some point, Seattle Center, the Space Needle and a number of local cafes and coffee shops (whatever will us Seattle-ites do without our caffeine fix!). Power is still out for some 500 people in Lower Queen Anne, which City Light hopes to restore by 8:40 tonight. Meanwhile, City Council voted to go ahead with a 13.8 percent City Light rate increase stating January 1, 2010.

Thanks to Chris for the picture!

The Seattle Department of Transportation will be doing maintenance work on the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Battery Street Tunnel and SR 99 starting this weekend through next week. The northbound lanes of the Battery Street Tunnel will be closed from 10 p.m. on Saturday, November 14 to 6 a.m. on Sunday, November 15 so that SDOT crews can work on the fire suppression system in the tunnel. All northbound traffic with be redirected off the Viaduct at Western Ave.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, November 16 to Wednesday, November 18, the center, northbound lane on the Viaduct will be closed from Virginia St. to the Western Ave. off-ramp so that crews can replace a damaged crash cushion.

And from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 17 to Friday, November 20, the southbound lanes of SR 99 will be closed from Denny Way through the Battery Street Tunnel to just south of the Elliott Ave. on-ramp, while crews complete repairs to damaged railings.

Look out for added traffic!

If you can believe it, we have had another power outage in Queen Anne today. After power was restored to the majority of 6,656 residents affected by the blackout this morning – there are still 156 people between Mercer St. to the north, Denny Way to the south, Taylor Ave N. to the east and 1st Ave S. to the west waiting to have their power back – there was a second outage at 11 a.m. that knocked out power to another 340 people.

The most up-to-date information from Seattle City Light says that both outages are again attributed to “underground cable failure.” They had estimated to reroute and restore power to those affected by this second outage by 2 p.m., but clearly that time has come and gone.

Eager for more information, I called Seattle City Light to speak to a representative, who informed me that there are, in fact, around 500 people between the two outages still without power. He said Seattle City Light hopes to get power back to the first 156 customers who have been without power since around 5 a.m. this morning (this applies to the area between Mercer St. to the north, Denny Way to the south, Taylor Ave N. to the east and 1st Ave S. to the west) by 8:40 p.m. tonight. So if you’re at work right now, you might want to plan to go out for dinner, and remember to set your alarm on your cell phone in the morning in case power goes out again.

There is still no estimated restoration time for the second outage group, an estimated 336 people who lost their power at 11 a.m., due to the difficult nature of the repairs. “Because it is underground it’s a little more difficult to say when it’s going to be restored,” our City Light representative said. This outage is within the general boundaries of Roy Street to the north, Eagle Street to the south, Valley Street to the east and 2^nd Avenue W to the west.

Although City Light says both outages have been confined to Lower Queen Anne, many readers at the top of the hill have commented that their power went out as well. Rissy wrote,

Well, the article says lower QA, but I live on Upper QA. Way up McGraw & 6th. We had no power either. I have lived on the top of the hill since 2001 and September was the first time I remember losing power.

These power outages make three in one week, and are part of a long string of recent power problems in Queen Anne. And the timing is kind of ironic – this week City Council passed 13.8 percent rate increase for Seattle City Light that will go into effect January 1, 2010. Here’s the council press release sent out today:

Faced with the choice between raising electricity rates or incurring higher borrowing costs, financial uncertainty, and violating its own financial policies, Council opted to pass a 13.8 percent rate increase over two years that will go into effect in 2010. The increase closes a $140 million gap between City Light revenues and spending plan.

“This rate increase will help maintain City Light’s financial stability while protecting our strong bond ratings,” said Council Budget Chair Jean Godden.  “We’ve worked hard over the past eight years to put City Light on a solid financial footing – now is not the time to reverse that course. It’s a question of paying a few dollars now or a whole lot more later.”

City Light has relied heavily on selling its excess power, but the unpredictability and volatility of the current market has resulted in City Light burning through cash reserves that will be depleted by mid-2010 without a reasonable rate increase. Due to the slumping economy and decreased demand, City Light will fall well below revenue projections from selling surplus energy.

The package passed by Council includes $1 million in energy efficiency investments that the Mayor’s proposal did not include.

“Increasing energy conservation saves money in addition to reducing our carbon footprint,” explained Council President Richard Conlin. “The time of financial crisis is the exact time to conserve resources.”

The rate increase ensures that the utility will continue to provide stable service, improve our aging infrastructure and borrow money at the lowest possible interest rates. Utilities receive a bond rating based on their ability to repay what they borrow. The rating is based on cash reserves and policies that prevent shortages. By avoiding a downgrade in its bond rating City Light will save as much as $90 million over the next ten years in borrowing costs.

“Seattle City Light is our greatest public asset. It is our responsibility to maintain it as a strong public utility. We need to preserve its long-term viability,” said Councilmember Nick Licata.

While Council policy requires that City Light maintain 2.0 debt service coverage (DSC), City Light’s DSC today is about 1.3, well below the requirements set by the Council in 2004. The rate increase will push City Light’s DSC closer to 1.8. In the bond market, City Light currently has an AA- rating, which allows it to borrow cheaply. However if the utility were to go to the bond market with its current DSC, it would pay much higher borrowing costs.

“Seattle City Light ratepayers were able to enjoy decreases over the past few years because of the reserves built from selling excess power, but the environment today is completely different,” said Conlin. “It’s now time that we do what’s right to ensure that Seattle’s power remain clean and affordable well into the future.”

What do you think? If you have any more information, are outside the Seattle City Light boundaries and have still been affected by the blackout, or would like to voice your opinion on the rate increase, comment below or email us at tips@queenanneview.com.

Update 6:44 a.m.: Roberto Bonaccorso from Seattle City Light reports that at this time about 6,656 have recovered power after losing it this morning in the outage that knocked out Seattle Center, the Space Needle and parts of Queen Anne. City Light says the “cause is not known at this time.” City light says the outage began at 5 a.m. this morning, and at one point affected large portions of Queen Anne. About 156 are still without power around Seattle Center, between the boundaries of Mercer St. to the north, Denny Way to the south, Taylor Ave N. to the east and 1st Ave S. to the west.

Thousands of lower Queen Anne residents lost power this morning. According to King5 News, six-thousand customers are affected, including the Space Needle and Seattle Center plaza. The Space Needle is using emergency power. King5 is reporting that a small electrical fire at McCaw Hall may have caused the blackout.

Whole Foods is beckoning in the holiday season, starting with a “Taste of Thanksgiving” sampling party tonight, from 5 to 8 p.m. at their Interbay store.

“I hope you will join me for a evening of sips and nibbles from all our departments, highlighting the best of Whole Foods Market’s holiday offerings,” wrote Marketing Specialist Mary Crowe.

Attendees are asked to make a $10 donation, which will give them access to an array of the grocer’s finest holiday treats. All proceeds will go to the Pike Place Market Senior Center and Food Bank, “the third busiest food bank in King County,” Crowe wrote.

Wondering what your palette can expect? Take a gander at the tasting menu below.

Many people in Queen Anne, Magnolia and Ballard heard an extremely loud plane roaring overhead last night, Tuesday, November 10, at around 8:30 p.m. Having just returned from a weekend trip, I fell asleep immediately and missed the fiasco that apparently startled quite a few people. I did hear some Twitter chatter on the subject later, though. Some postulated that it was a fighter jet that flew over the hill, while others thought it was a commuter jet flying lower the usual due to the “less than great weather.”

“(It was) the loudest I’ve heard in a long time. Woke up my 6 year old!” wrote MyBallard reader SeattleRichardson in their forum. “That scared the LIFE out of me,” said GinaMarie. A couple weeks ago, a similar incident startled Greenwood residents at 3:30 a.m. No word on the type of plane, but some speculate that it’s a UPS plane flying at low altitude due to the weather.

According to our sister site, Magnolia Voice, there’s going to be a meeting at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, November 12 in the Catherine Blaine Elementary cafeteria to discuss airplane noise in Magnolia, but since we’re next door neighbors and it seems to be affecting Queen Anne as well, I thought it pertinent. Representatives from SeaTac, Boeing Field and Alaska airlines will be presenting information during the Magnolia Community Club’s general meeting, and attendees will be given a chance to share their concerns and ask questions.

Update: Vice President Biden was at Fort Lewis yesterday to honor seven fallen soldiers. Our friends at KING5 were never able to confirm for sure, but it does bring up a new theory: possibly the noise was from a fighter jet escort for Air Force 2?

After months of anticipation, Toulouse Petit Kitchen & Lounge will be opening at 4 p.m. this afternoon for lounge and dinner service.

The new restaurant, located at 601 Queen Anne Ave N in Uptown, is by the same owner of the popular Pesos’s Kitchen & Lounge next door. But don’t be fooled by its parallels in name or location – this eatery offers up entirely new choices for the palette. It’s theme for not only cuisine, but also decor, is the French Quarter and New Orleans.

I swung by this morning to chat with owner Brian Hutmacher and get a sneak peak of the inside. And I must say, for all the Queen Anne residents who, like myself, have walked by hoping to steal a glimpse through the boarded up windows these past few months, it’s beautiful.

Originally slated to open Labor Day weekend, Hutmacher says he’s excited to finally open the doors – the project has been in the works a long time. “We’ve been working on this for over a year now,” he said. Although the opening this afternoon will only be for the restaurant’s lounge and dinner service, Hutmacher says they plan on opening for breakfast in a couple of weeks.

For now, Toulouse Petit will be open seven days a week. The lounge opens at 4 p.m. and dinner service will be offered from 5 p.m. to midnight, when the kitchen closes. “We have a very talented, disciplined, focused staff back there,” Hutmacher said. “It’s very humbling.” And taking a look at the menu, it’s clear that Hutmacher, Chef Eric Donnelly, formerly of Oceanaire, and the staff have worked to create a varying and ambitious amount of daily offerings.

Yesterday’s mock-up, which is still being edited, is ten pages of delectable looking salads, raw and fresh seafood dishes, delicacies (foie gras, tartares and tongue dishes are all on the menu), poultry, steaks and charcuterie, which is described as “the art of curing meats, and especially of curing pork.” And I haven’t even gotten to the specials or the drinks! Like it’s brother next door, Toulouse Petit will have an extensive array of exotic cocktails (just take a look at their bar!), and two large and encompassing happy hours – an early happy hour from opening at 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and a late happy hour from 10 p.m. to midnight.

And now for some parting fast facts from the back of the menu, entitled “The Toulouse Petit by the Numbers.” Panes of glass in the restaurant’s windows and doors – 712. Mosaic tiles in the main floor – about 85,000. Glass tiles on their booth platforms – about 40,000. Pounds of plaster hand applied to the walls – about 5,000.

Not sure exactly where Toulouse Petit is? It’s the green stucco building on the corner of Queen Anne Ave N and Mercer. You honestly can’t miss it! For more information, call (206) 432-9069.

On the way to or from getting a free car wash at Brown Bear in honor of Veterans Day today, veterans can also swing by EMP|SFM and Dick’s Drive-In for a few more honorary treats. EMP|SFM just tweeted that they’re offering free admission to all veterans and their families for the holiday today. And Monica Guzman at the PI reports that Dick’s is giving free cheeseburgers to veterans and active duty military members in honor of their service until closing tonight at all five of their Seattle locations. Co-founder Dick Spady is himself a World War II and Korean War vet. Details here. And if you’re venturing outside Queen Anne today, check out this list of 20 other discounts and freebies for Seattle veterans.

Just a reminder that Brown Bear Car Wash is offering free car washes to all current and former service personnel and spouses of those currently deployed today, Wednesday, November 11, as a way of saying “thanks” to the military in honor of Veterans Day. Free car washes are available at all of Brown Bear’s tunnel locations, including 1800 15th Ave. W, 5111 15th Ave. NW and 16032 Aurora Ave. N. The offer will operate on an honor system – no verification or documentation will be required. All drivers need to do is identify themselves as a current or former member of the military to the wash attendant to receive their free “Bear Essential” car wash.

Update: I just got confirmation that the planned opening date is set for Monday, December 7, less than a month away. “But that could slide if there are any construction delays,” according to Sue Mariotti.

I got an email from BECU’s West Seattle Admiral manager Sue Mariotti yesterday, informing me that the credit union will be opening a branch in Lower Queen Anne. The new location is going in at 29 West Mercer, where Taco Del Mar used to be. Although she didn’t have an opening date, she did say there would be two 24-hour ATMs and a staff of four “eager to serve the residents and workers in Lower Queen Anne, Magnolia and beyond.

This notice came at the same time that the West Seattle Blog reported that BECU would be closing two branches – the West Seattle Admiral Safeway location and another in Alki. In both cases the company decided not to renew their lease due to varying circumstances – planned construction in the West Seattle Safeway slated for next summer, and lower than desired numbers at their Alki location. According to the report, employees from the West Seattle location will be transferring to “a location in the Queen Anne are.” Currently the closest BECU locations are in Downtown Seattle, Ballard, Capitol Hill and the University District. More information to come.

(Thanks to Sue for the photo!)

Queen Anne Manor, an assisted living community on the hill, is holding a clothing drive this month to collect gently used garmets for disabled children and adults through the Northwest Center. Called “Live Here, Give Here,” according to Queen Anne Manor Marketing Director Bethany Leigh Juchem, the program is “geared to give back to the community that has given so much to us for nearly a century.” The goal, she said, it to raise awareness and funds for local charities – live here, give here.

Anyone interested in making a donation, can drop of gently used clothing for kids and adults at Queen Anne Manor, located at 100 Crockett St. – the historic brick building behind the Upper Queen Anne Safeway – from now until December 1, after which the organization will begin its annual food drive for The Millionaire Club.

For more information, contact Bethany Leigh Juchem at (206) 282-5001 or mdqamanor@seniormc.net.

The Seattle Pie Company, a Magnolia-based business that opened this last July and is known for its truly homemade taste, will be available at Metropolitan Market’s six Seattle-area locations, including the two on Queen Anne and Uptown, starting tomorrow.

“We’re thrilled,” says owner Alyssa Lewis. “From the moment our dream of creating a pie that was like no other came true, it was our goal to find a market that would present them in a fashion that we have found only at Metropolitan Market.”

“Seattle Pie Company is a perfect complement to the high quality, hard-to-find items Metropolitan Market seeks exclusively for its customers. We also draw great satisfaction in supporting our local farmers, foragers and emerging brands; offering baked goods from Seattle Pie Company allows us to sustain our core philosophy,” said Brad Halverson, Metropolitan Market Vice President of Marketing in a press release last week.

Starting on Wednesday, November 11, Seattle Pie Company pies will be available at Met Market, including one pie created exclusively for the grocery chain, which will combine Alpine Huckleberries, Granny Smith apples and the pie-maker’s signature crumb top. This pie will go for $17.99.

In addition to announcing their new deal with Met Market, the Seattle Pie Company, which is located at 3111 West McGraw, is expanding their commercial space into a 1,000 square foot slot next door in order to meet their growing production needs. This expansion will also allow the company the space to host special events and upcoming gourmet baking classes. Yum!

Several readers wrote in about a raccoon attack reported on KING5 today that left one Queen Anne resident and her dog with injuries requiring a trip to the ER. According to the report,Kelly Gilliam was walking her dog, Winky, at around 10 p.m. on Monday when a raccoon jumped out of a nearby bush and attacked them, sending all three toppling down a hill.

Gilliam ended up being hospitalized for four days, having 12 gashes on her body and needing over a dozen rabies shots – the doctors assumed the raccoon had been infected at the time of the attack. Winky needed five staples near his tail. Both are OK, though obviously shaken up.

Although police responded to the attack, according to the report, state laws and citywide wildlife restrictions prohibit the hunting or trapping of a raccoon without a permit, unless it attacks crops or domestic animals. This seem rather ridiculous, as in this case the raccoon attacked a person.

In the end the raccoon got away and for all we know could still be at large on Queen Anne, so residents should be careful, especially when walking their dogs or letting their pets outside. Back in August a 4-year-old Maltese living on Queen Anne lost her right hind leg and part of her tail to a raccoon attack in her owner’s backyard.

The KING5 story did not mention which part of Queen Anne the attack took place in. If anyone has any more information about this attack or any other similar incidents, please comment below or email us at tips@queenanneview.com so that we can warn the neighborhood.

Just a reminder, there is a Parks and Green Spaces Oversight Committee meeting tonight, Monday, November 9 and the city is asking community members to contribute their feedback and help develop the Opportunity Fund Project Criteria (.pdf), a set of standards for applying and being awarded grants from the $15 million the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Opportunity Fund allotted to community-initiated projects last year.

The funds can be used for anything from buying new park land, to developing a new trail, garden or park or improving upon already existing public spaces. The oversight committee hopes to develop the final criteria by January so that they will be able to accept applications in the spring and begin the implementation of these projects in January 2011. Tonight’s meeting on the draft proposal will begin at 7 p.m. at the Parks Administration Building (located at 100 Dexter Avenue N). More information here.

Brown Bear Car Wash is offering free car washes to all current and former service personnel this Wednesday, November 11, as a way of saying “thanks” to the military in honor of Veterans Day. Free car washes are available at all of Brown Bear’s tunnel locations, and will be extended to spouses who currently have a spouse deployed.

“Our organization is proud to honor veterans and service personnel,” said Brown Bear President and founder Vic Odermat, himself a Marine Corps veteran, in a press release last week. “While the washes are free, we know that freedom is not. This is a way for us to show our support and gives us a unique opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to people who sacrifice so incredibly for our freedom.”

According to Odermat, the offer will operate on an honor system – no verification or documentation will be required. All drivers need to do is identify themselves as a current or former member of the military to the wash attendant.

In Seattle, the three locations that will be offering free car washes are 1800 15th Ave. W, 5111 15th Ave. NW and 16032 Aurora Ave. N.

Over the summer the Neighborhood Planning Commission held meetings in 24 neighborhoods throughout the city to discuss the status of the 10-year-old neighborhood plans and asked community members for feedback through an online neighborhood plan survey.

The City of Seattle Neighborhood Planning Office devised this plan for Queen Anne in June 1998, which included drafts for residential and economic development and sustainability of both the “Uptown Park Neighborhood” of lower Queen Anne and the “Uptown Center” at the top of the hill, as well as several improvements on transportation for and around Queen Anne, including plans for a “dedicated electric trolley bus” at the Counterbalance, the “Queen Anne Bicycle Beltway,” a comprehensive system of bicycle routes that would encircle Queen Anne Hill.

In the end 157 Queen Anne residents participated in the survey, and now the city wants to share the results of your feedback with the community in a new round of public meetings (.pdf). The Neighborhood Plan Advisory Committee (NPAC) wrote in a press release,

The Neighborhood Plan Advisory Committee (NPAC) and the Seattle Planning Commission want to report back to you on the trends that emerged so far and to get your help to identify the continuing priorities and new issues that should be emphasized in the final Status Reports and a State of the Neighborhood Report that will be presented to the City Council and Mayor.  These reports will contribute to policy decisions including decisions about whether or how to updates neighborhood plans.  Your input will also be important as NPAC shapes its recommendations on conducting, prioritizing and funding updates to the neighborhood plans listed below.

The meeting for Queen Anne and Uptown is taking place tomorrow, Tuesday, November 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Seattle Central Community College, located at 1701 Broadway. Belltown, Pike Pine, First Hill, Eastlake, Capitol Hill and the Central Area will also be represented at this meeting. View the original neighborhood plan for Queen Anne here. View the Planning Commission’s reports on comments here.

Remember all those power outages we had in September and October? Well, things were looking good on that front; we hadn’t had an outage in Queen Anne – other than the one City Light scheduled on October 26 for repairs – in over a month. And then, just when we thought we were home free, the wind knocked some trees into some wires, and Queen Anne was struck with another outage last Thursday, November 5.

About a month ago Seattle City Light held a public meeting for Queen Anne residents to discuss the frequent outages and what they were doing to solve the problem, which included spending several weeks replacing four to six blocks of underground cable in the vicinity of 8th Ave W and W Galer that was “in need of attention.” This is supposed to be completed by the end of 2009. City Light employee Mike Eagan writes,

The planned replacement underground cable will be installed from W. Galer through the alley between 6th & 7th W. for two blocks, then down the hill (west) on W. Blaine to 10th W. There will not be any planned outages for this work, though it will be noisy and dirty and disrupt access to the alley at times.

And although the outage last week was due to weather and not the repair work, City Light will be holding another public informational meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, November 10 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Queen Anne Library to discuss this work and address any concerns community members may have.

One of our sister sites, Phinneywood, recently posted a story with tips on how to weather the coming stormy season. Considering the rainy, windy weather we’ve been having lately, I thought it might be pertinent to share some of those winter weather pointers.

Here are some tips from local utilities:

• Assemble an emergency kit with a battery-powered radio, flashlight, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher, bottled water and three days of non-perishable food and drinking water. Store a kit at home, work and in your car.
• If you encounter a downed power line, stay well away from the line or anything it may be touching. Immediately report the location of fallen wires to PSE by calling 1-888-225-5773 or Seattle City Light by calling (206) 684-7400, or call 911.
• Do not use charcoal or a gas grill to cook indoors. Both can cause a buildup of poisonous carbon monoxide gas.
• If using an emergency generator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and only use the generator outdoors.
• Turn off lights and unplug all appliances and sensitive electronic equipment, such as computers, to prevent an overload on your circuits when electric service is restored. Leave one light on to let you know when service returns.
• Make sure the battery in your smoke detector is fresh. Test the smoke detector to make sure it’s working.

Customer energy efficiency tips to prepare for winter:

• Seal up leaky drafts around doors and windows with weather-stripping, caulking, and door sweeps. Also seal up any leaks or gaps in furnace ducts that extend through unheated basements or crawl spaces.
• Reduce air leaks by repairing broken windows and using inexpensive weather-stripping around entry doors.
• Insulate attics, outside walls and floors over crawlspaces.Have the furnace inspected and serviced to make sure it is in proper working order.
• Clean or replace the furnace air filters at least every two months during the heating season. The furnace will run more efficiently and use less energy.
• Set the thermostat at the coolest level you can without making your rooms uncomfortable. For most homes, the heating bill drops by about 2 percent for every 1 degree the thermostat is lowered.
• Lower the thermostat at bedtime or while away during the day. Setting the thermostat to 58 degrees while asleep can cut a natural-gas bill by up to 7 percent.

We may have a windy, raining weekend ahead of us, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any fun to be had! Check out things to do in the neighborhood and beyond this weekend.

In Queen Anne:

• If you’re not afraid of a little water, hit the Sea Music Fest at the Maritime Family Festival on Saturday, November 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Armory Building at Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave N. Details here.
• Help you family better prepare for the crazy weather and future disasters at the Earthquake/Disaster Prepardness Clinic at the Magnolia Public Library on Saturday, November 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Chat about neighborhood, city and state issues with 36th Legislative District Rep. Reuven Carlyle during one of his two “coffee hours” this Sunday, November 8. The one on Queen Anne will be at Top Pot Doughnuts at 325 W. Galer St. from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Details here.

Nearby neighborhoods:

• Ballard has a holiday craft fair, benefit auction, forest restoration, street cleanup, cat adoption event and more. Check it out here.
• Fremont has an art walk (tonight!), folk harp symposium, couch film festival (seriously), winemakers anniversary celebration, many shows and more. Get the full weekend schedule here.

Happy weekend Queen Anne! Be careful driving in the rain, and if you venture downtown tomorrow, keep in mind that SDOT is closing down Pike St. between 1st and 2nd avenues from 7 a.m. on Saturday, November 7 to 5 a.m. on Sunday, November 8 so that crews may restore three concrete panels after they were removed for underground utility work. There will be no parking on Pike between 1st and 2nd during the closure, as the concrete needs extra time to cure. The sidewalk will remain open for pedestrians daring enough to walk around in a rain storm.