Reader Katy Moore wrote in about a driver who hit several cars along 6th Ave N Wednesday night. She wrote,

I heard a strange noise and looked out the window and saw an SUV with its lights off, tire sideways (which was the noise) driving up on the curb of Highland & 6th headed toward Lee. He had hit a row of cars on 6th back between Prospect & Highland. His bumper was ripped off and sitting on the sidewalk. Police have the license plate number. He sped off up the hill and then parked at his house. A few guys who were out on the street went walking around to look for the car. They found it, called police and a female cop pulled up to his house…backed out around the corner to wait for backup. When we passed by the house again (we walked up to visit a friend) his car was gone. They may have impounded it.

The police haven’t yet released a report. If you believe your car may have been hit, or you have any additional details, leave a comment below.

Update: Another witness, Luke Hizer, sent in this picture (taken this afternoon) and his account of the events, which happened around 8 p.m. last night. He wrote,

Attached is a picture of the worst of the cars, the one totaled on Ward. Note that it wasnt towed up on the curb, he hit it so hard that it pushed it all the way up there from the street.

The guy (older man from witness reports who did indeed walk up and see him in his driveway) first hit one car at the 4-way stop by the Plaid Pantry, then continued up Ward and plowed  the car in the photo. He continued up Sixth, missed the roundabout at Highland and went up into the lawn of the apartments (coming fairly close to my dog and I) and backed out, leaving his bumper behind.

He drove up a few blocks and parked in his driveway. By this time, people had came up from the second car on Ward and several called 911. The police came and took photos, picked up the bumper, etc. I saw them towing off the car – which was majorly damaged.  I too would like  to know if someone was arrested. Given the time this happened and how drunk he was, someone could have been killed.

A few days after Opal Bistro closed back on Halloween, some news signs appeared in the windows of the vacated restaurant located on the corner of Boston and Queen Anne Ave N. They read “Watch for the Monkey,” but provide no other information on what might be going into this space.

A couple of readers emailed me asking what was this new monkey business (pun entirely intended) was. I assume, because the corner lot is a prime location and has a full kitchen already, that another restaurant is the most likely answer. But alas, no building permits, liquor licenses or other restaurant applications have come through at this address, and my attempts to reach the owner of the building has not yet been successful.

I’m stumped, and intrigued. What do you think, Queen Anne? Any ideas (or insider information) on what this Monkey-related mystery business might be?

Earlier this week the owners of Sorrentino announced that they would be making-over their 3-year-old Italian eatery at 2128 Queen Anne Ave N., reopening it today under a new name, Enza, reconnecting back to the Sicilian roots of owner, chef and namesake Enza Sorrentino.

The owners decided to redecorate and design a new more Sicilian and less Italian menu, though the reasons for the re-branding were not immediately clear. Here is the answer I got from PR representative Marcus Dockter:

Enza wanted to break down the barrier between the restaurant and the customers, so no longer is it just a restaurant called Sorrentino. As Enza, this is her becoming more in touch with the community. She wants everyone to know her as “Mamma Enza.”  The food/menu changes are also autobiographical, as a lot of the dishes are inspired by her native Sicily. She viewed the Sorrentino menu as a tad bit Americanized, but the new Enza menu is 100% genuine and spawned from tradition.

What do you think? Does the new and transformed Enza meet expectations, or is it merely a face lift?

Stever wrote in our forum yesterday,

I am on the hill, had my car cleaned out last night or early today. The car was locked, but I found it parked in an alleyway with the windows open-Unfortunately the robbers have a set of my keys, because a set was in the car. To give you some reference, I was near Galer/Warren.

If anyone saw anything suspicious around this area late on Tuesday, January 5 or early on Wednesday, January 6, respond in the forum. With all the crime in the neighborhood lately, many neighbors have been been using the forum to compare notes, warn each other about suspicious activities and watch out for crime.

The Interbay Whole Foods is hosting the first neighborhood Singles Happy Hour next Tuesday, January 12. If you don’t mind looking for love in the produce aisle, stop by the store after work for the Interbay Singles Mixer from 5:30p.m. to 7:30p.m. There will be snacks, and wine and beer for $2 a pour. Singles will also get to see a live cooking demo with one of the store’s chefs.

This month the Queen Anne Movie Guild will be screening Turning Points, which follows eight homeless and formerly homeless Real Change vendors and deals with the transitions they’ve faced in their lives, as part of their Unnatural Causes series.

Our lives are constantly shaped by transitions – some positive, others negative, some life affirming, others crushing. All of us have stories to tell. In Turning Points we hear from eight homeless and formerly homeless Real Change vendors about the transitions in their lives. Whether its the strength of a relationship, the experience of war, or the salvation in finding community, each story illuminates the intense human ability to persevere against all odds. Timothy Harris, Executive Director of Real Change, will be there in person to lead a post-film discussion.

Yesterday we reported that the city is considering upping the building heights to allow for towers up to 300 feet tall in our neighboring community of South Lake Union. The Lake Union Opportunity Alliance held a meeting last night to rally support for their alternative proposal and hopefully push the city to add this plan to the pool of neighborhood growth programs for City Council to vote on (one of the main issues with this proposal concerns the rezoning of UW’s Phase III Medical Center, which City Council will be voting on on Monday, January 11). LUOA board member Diane Masson, who is hoping to gain support from the Queen Anne community, reported that the meeting, which was advertised little in advance, had 90 attendees, including three City Council members and one representative for another member who couldn’t make it. She wrote,

Sally Clarke said LUOA is well respected and the City wants to connect with us whenever they have questions in the neighborhood.  Tom Rasmussen announced a compromise is on the table for UW Phase III text amendment that we oppose (it will upzone potentially 6 blocks to 125 right next to the lake).  If a compromise goes through it will be a victory for LUOA, we are waiting to hear what it is.

The city’s three Environmental Impact Study reports were presented at the meeting, however LUOA hopes to get their plan on the docket, as many residents believe 300 foot towers would not be conducive to vibrant pedestrian experience next to Lake Union at the base of Queen Anne hill. Masson wrote,

I asked the City two simple questions. First, “Your utopia of SLU sounds great and we all want to live there, but I don’t see families gathering and people jogging down the street next to 300 ft buildings. There will be no sunlight on the street.” Second, “If 85% of the public through oral and written comments supported the LUOA alternative, why did the City not include the LUOA alternative as one of the three alternatives?” Jim Holmes for the City said, “that is a good question.”

The Department of Planning and Development will be holding another public meeting on Tuesday, January 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Seattle Unity Church Fellowship Hall, 200 8^th Ave N, to review and comment on the draft framework and learn about the revised EIS alternatives. LUOA is encouraging anyone invested in Lower Queen Anne and South Lake Union to attend and give their opinion.

“We have our foot in the door and need to push it open all the way with emails, emails and emails.  LUOA will post next steps to take with emails in the next week,” Masson said. “Be there to voice your concerns. The City counts how many people attend.”

Outside of having the most sinful latte art around, El Diablo Coffee has another special treat for the New Year – live music. They just released their show schedule for the month, so I thought I’d pass it along. All performances start at 8 p.m. and end by 10 p.m.

Friday, January 8 – Brad Benefield

Saturday, January 9 – Jesse Turyski

Friday, January 15 – Jesse Turyski

Saturday, January 16 – Levi Said

Friday, January 22 – Joseph Olive

Friday, January 29 – Thomas Starks

The Queen Anne Community Council is having its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, January 6, in the McClure Middle school cafeteria. Stop by to catch up on what’s going on in the neighborhood.

Ex-Microsoftie and longtime Queen Anne resident, Eric LeVine, was declared Wine Person of the Decade by DrVino.com on Monday, January 4. For those of you who don’t know Eric and haven’t seen him working out of one of the many Queen Anne coffee spots that make up his virtual office, he founded and runs CellarTracker.com, the world’s largest wine-centric social networking site.

The site, which is free to use and operates on a donation basis, allows users to create an account and immediately begin cataloging their wine collections, building a database of wines, profession reviews and tasting notes that are all user-generated. Thought of as the “Granddaddy of wine social networks” in the industry, CellarTracker is noted for having one of “the most comprehensive and useful databases on the web.”

I had the opportunity to sit down with Eric, who first fell in love with wine while vacationing in Tuscany in 1999, a few months ago to talk about the site. “Wine went from something I was interested in to something I was obsessed with,” he said. Eric founded CellarTracker in March 2003 while on sabbatical from Microsoft (if you’ve ever had an error message pop up on your PC that gives you the option to “Send” or “Don’t Send” the report, you’ve witnessed a little bit of his work in action. Eric co-invented that message). Today CellarTracker has over 82,000 registered users who have composed over a million consumer wine reviews (around 1,100 a day) on the site, making him an obvious candidate for the auspicious title that personifies leaders in the wine industry from 2000 through the end of 2009.

After five days of nominations and 2,842 votes cast, Eric beat out Gary Vaynerchuk, a wine retailer and host of close to 800 episodes of Wine Library TV, for the title. Congratulations, Eric! Queen Anne is proud.

As we reported a few weeks ago, the second ever Mobile Chowdown is coming back to that empty lot in Interbay this Saturday, January 9. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the best of Seattle’s “curbside cuisine,” including Marination Mobile (voted the #1 street food vendor in the US by Good Morning America last year), Dante’s Inferno Dogs, Gert’s BBQ,  El Camion, Veraci Pizza, Anita’s Crepes, Kaosamai Thai, Top Pot Doughnuts and more will congregate at 1616 W Bertona to serve up everything street food to hundreds of attendees.

Although Mobile Chowdown’s first round was a hit, it was definitely a test run. Many complained that it was disorganized, lines were too long, food ran out and bathrooms were scarce. This time around the organizers have taken measures to improve the Chowdown. Vendors will be arranged strategically to help attendees distinguish between lines, event staff will be in place to keep everything running smoothly and there will be a dining area and live music so everyone has a place to sit and enjoy their food.

“The last event was the first time any of the vendors took part in an event like this, it was a learning experience for all. This time they will be more prepared,” said Jamie Hintz, Suzuki + Chou Communimedia, one of the co-sponsors of the event.

The event is co-sponsored by Seattle magazine, Suzuki+Chou Communimedia and The Freehold Group, the last of which is behind a big development project at the very Interbay lot that hosts the Chowdown.

Being the oldest neighborhood in Seattle, Queen Anne-ers may sometimes forget what it’s like living in a community that is still very much in development. Our neighbors just southeast of us in South Lake Union, on the other hand, know exactly what it’s like. The Lake Union Opportunity Alliance has been fighting for months to persuade the city to reconsider current plans to allow 160 ft to 300 ft towers to be built between Westlake and Aurora. They’re holding a meeting tonight (apologies for the late notice – we just found out) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Seattle Unity Church, located at 200 8th Ave N, and are asking the Queen Anne community for support.

“This is happening quite quickly,” wrote LUOA board member Diane Masson. “If Queen Anne does not speak up now, it will be over before we know it.”

As part of South Lake Union’s Neighborhood Plan the Department of Planning and Development has been looking into ways to height and density to bolster the neighborhood’s growth. In September 2008 the DPD proposed three alternatives for increasing height development in SLU that were evaluated in an Environmental Impact Study. However, according to LUOA, none of these alternatives are an acceptable option for South Lake Union and most of the public comments on the plans, the majority of which were against this kind of growth, were ignored. Masson writes,

What about SLU streets by Lake Union becoming wind tunnels like downtown? How is this going to affect sailing on the lake?  SLU will become an extension of downtown with two towers per block.  NO more sunlight on the sidewalks and people that depend on food from the Cascade Neighborhood P-Patch will get no sunlight to grow food. SLU park will have shade from 125 ft – 300 ft buildings across the street to the South blocking the sunshine most of the year. Will a family want to move to SLU if kids can’t run and play in the sun at their local park? Now let’s talk views.  Almost all of Capitol Hill will have their views of the Space Needle and Sound taken away by a cement wall 160 ft to 300 ft tall from Mercer to Denny. Eastlake residents, houseboats residents and Wallingford could lose their view of the Space Needle. I-5 is supposed to be view corridor to the Lake and to the Space Needle.  What about our forgotten Seniors at Mirabella?  Are they going to be surrounded by tall buildings that will block light for seniors who have limited vision?

The issue, according to Masson, is very complicated, which explains why it is hard to find comprehensive explanations in the media. The plan deals with both the rezoning of UW’s Phase III Medical Center, which City Council will be voting on on Monday, January 11, and the new draft EIS Alternatives. For more information, check out the LUOA website, the South Lake Union Neighborhood Plan,

DPD will be holding another public meeting on Tuesday, January 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Seattle Unity Church Fellowship Hall, 200 8^th Ave N, to review and comment on the draft framework and learn about the revised EIS alternatives.

The guys over at SeattleCrime.com dug up this bizarre report of a shooting that happened yesterday evening near Seattle Center. At around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, January 4 a 19-year-old man called police, informing them that he has been shot and was on his way to Swedish Hospital on First Hill, before hanging up the phone. But, according to the report, when officers spoke to the man at the hospital he gave them little information about the incident.

(Photo courtesy of Justin at Capitol Hill Seattle, via SeattleCrime.com)

The man told officers that he had met someone near Seattle Center about purchasing a new engine for his car. Reportedly the man said he was sitting behind the wheel of his car when he was shot in his left leg. However the story gets stranger when police determined that the shot was fired from inside the car. Jonah Spangenthal-Lee from SeattleCrime.com wrote,

The 19-year-old eventually told police he’d shot himself, but it doesn’t appear that police recovered a gun in the man’s car, which showed up at Swedish missing both its front and rear license plates.

This strange account has caught the attention of both gang and and homicide detectives, but according to  Spangenthal-Lee, it is not yet known which unit will be handling the investigation.

In November Queen Anne Manor, an assisted living community at the top of the hill, collected used clothing for disabled youth and adults. Last month they helped homeless workers get through the winter by donating gloves, mittens, hats and scarves. And true to their charitable commitment, this month they are holding a toy collection drive for the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Starting tomorrow, January 6 through Saturday, February 6 approved toys (see below) can be dropped off at the Manor, located at 100 Crockett St. to be donated.

“These toys (new or gently used) are for the patients who are there under dire, in many cases, life threatening circumstances and for many months at a time,” said Queen Anne Manor Marketing Director Bethany Leigh Juchem.

Approved toys for children with the greatest needs include fuzzy coloring posters, small Lego sets, Brio trains (no track), nail polish, coloring books, arts and crafts kits, playing cards, tactile toys for all ages, Disney/Pixar DVDs, PG-13 DVDs, gift cards and Spanish, Vietnamese and Russian videos, books and music. Approved toys for toddlers include light, sound and pop-up toys, mirrors, links, rattles, teething rings, board books, sound books, sorting/stacking toys, busy boxes, washable squeeze toys, beginning cars and trucks and Fisher-Price Little People play sets. (No infant gyms please).

The Manor will deliver the donated toys to the Children’s Hospital on Sunday, February 7. For more information on the Manor’s philanthropic work and details on approved toys, visit their website.

The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs announced the 2010 Neighborhood & Community Arts program funding awards yesterday. Through the program, 40 neighborhood organizations receive $1,200 (a total of $48,000) each for public events and festivals in communities throughout Seattle in the coming year.

“Festivals and events color the character of Seattle’s neighborhoods. The arts build community, and these investments help fuel the transformative power and positive influence of the arts in our city,” said Director of the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs Michael Killoren.

The program supports neighborhood organizations that run recurring events and festivals that “promote arts and cultural participation, build community and enhance the visibility of neighborhoods through arts and culture.”

Many of these events take place right here in Queen Anne. Here is a list of all QA organizations funded through the Neighborhood & Community Arts program this year (in chronological order):

Tet Festival – Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration presented by Tet in Seattle, Seattle Center’s Festál world cultural events series, Seattle Center, Feb. 6 -7.

Moisture Festival – A  comedy and variety festival featuring aerialists, jugglers, comedians, dancers and more at multiple neighborhood venues, including Fremont, downtown, Georgetown and Lower Queen Anne; March 11 – April 4.

Seattle Jewish Film Festival – Films, live performances and educational programs exploring the Jewish experience presented by the American Jewish Committee, Seattle; Seattle Cinerama and SIFF Cinema; March 13 – 31.

World Rhythm Festival – Festival of music and dance from around the world presented by the Seattle World Percussion Society, Seattle Center; April 23-25.

National Film Festival for Talented Youth – Nation’s largest film festival for youth; Seattle Cinerama, SIFF Cinema, EMP|SFM, Seattle Center; April 29-May 2.

ArtSpring! – Festival showcasing young artists with disabilities presented by VSA arts, Seattle Center; May 4-5.

Spirit of West Africa – Showcase of West African musicians, dancers, and artists presented by Thione Diop Productions; Seattle Center; May 8.

Chinese Arts & Culture Festival – Celebration of Chinese art and culture presented by the Washington Chinese Art & Culture Committee, Seattle Center’s Festál world cultural events series, Seattle Center; May 22.

Bastille Day Festival – Celebration of French culture presented by France Education Northwest, Seattle Center’s Festál world cultural events series, Seattle Center; July 10-11.

BrasilFest – Celebration of Brazilian culture presented by Brazil Center, Seattle Center’s Festál world cultural events series, Seattle Center; Aug. 15.

TibetFest – Celebration of Tibeten culture, presented by Tibetan Association of Washington, Seattle Center’s Festál world cultural events series, Seattle Center; Aug. 28-29.

The Uptown Stroll – Visual and performing arts festival, presented by Art for Uptown, Counterbalance Park; Aug. 28.

Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival – Celebration of Hawaiian culture, presented by Live Aloha, Seattle Center’s Festál world cultural events series Seattle Center; Sept. 12.

Fiestas Patrias – Celebration of Latino culture, presented by Sea Mar Community Health Center, Seattle Center’s Festál world cultural events series Seattle Center, Seattle Center; Sept. 18-19.

Turkfest – Celebration of Turkish culture, presented by Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington, Seattle Center’s Festál world cultural events series Seattle Center, Seattle Center; Oct. 23-24.

Hmong New Year – Hmong celebration of the New Year, presented by Hmong Association of Washington, Seattle Center’s Festál world cultural events series Seattle Center, Seattle Center; Nov. 6.

Mark your calendars now! To see a full list of supported organization and events throughout Seattle, click here.

Any neighborhood arts councils or community group may seek annual financial support for an event, provided the organization has existed for at least one year, the event has a “significant arts and culture component,” is open to the public, takes place in Seattle. Get information on how to apply here.

After months of anticipation Wink Cupcakes is finally opening in just a few short hours. Will you be lined up outside, eager to embrace all the red velvet, buttercream and Guinness – yes Guinness – “frothy frosting”-ness you can take? (If so, take note of the “Please refrain from licking the glass” sign in the front window).

Missed out on the countdown to Wink? Check out our sneak peek to Wink exclusive. And if you don’t make the morning rush, they’ll be open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. tonight.

While you’re washing down your fresh-baked frosted cupcake with a cup of Guatemala’s finest coffee, think of me sitting in the dentist’s office. How’s that for irony? Since I won’t be there to taste the new sweet spot myself, tell me what you think? Does Wink stack up?

Successful Schools in Action, an educational non-profit organization in Queen Anne dedicated to the grassroots effort of improving neighborhood schools, has a number of community events coming up in the next couple of weeks.

On Tuesday, January 12 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at McClure Middle School SSIA and Schools First board member Lisa Macfarlane are hosting “SCHOOL LEVIES – Everything You Need to Know,” to discuss the February school levies.

Every Thursday beginning January 14 through February 11 from 7 to 9 p.m., SSIA will host a Writer’s Workshop for parents led by Blaine principal Heather Swanson and McClure principal Sarah Pritchett. The 5-week course is designed to put parents in the shoes of their students and experience what the writing process feels like.

The SSIA Fall Debate Tournament will be held on Saturday, January 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at John Hay Elementary. 4th and 5th grade students from Hay, Blaine, Coe, and Lawton will tackle the topic “Public schools should require school uniforms.” More information on current debate classes here.

SSIA has received financial support from many local organizations, including the Bank of America and the McClure PTSA, who both donated $5,000 in the second half of 2009. This funding provides one-on-one tutoring for students and extensive training programs for teachers, among other things. For more information on current and upcoming programs and events, see the SSIA website.

Do you have a teen who will soon be applying to college and needs to take the SATs? In the coming months the Seattle Public Library will be offering free SAT prep classes, in addition to their existing live chat homework tutoring program available seven days a week. And to get the word out, this months SPL is creating an electronic newsletter highlighting the free resources, programs and services available for teens and tweens citywide. Interested parties can sign up to receive the newsletter here (don’t worry, you won’t be bombarded with emails – the newsletter will come out just three to four times a year). For more information on teen and tween programs, contact Teen Services Librarian Jennifer Bisson at the SPL Central Library at (206) 615-1410. Happy studying! Go ace that test!