The Uptown Alliance meets at 7pm on Thursday and there’s a new location forthis month’s meeting – the Uptown Alliance will convene in the Community Room at Expo Apartments, 100 Republican St.
Agenda • Greetings & Introductions
• Round Robin: topics of concern
• Affordable Housing Goals for Uptown – report by Rick Hooper
• South Lake Union Rezone – report by John Coney
- UA Endorsement is requested, please read the Rezone Summary in advance
- Proposed height limit changes in SLU scale down toward the Uptown Triangle (bounded by Denny, Broad, and Aurora)
- UA may later endorse some higher height limits in the Uptown Triangle commensurate with Space Needle views, flight patterns, and the need for more housing and jobs in the Triangle
- Recommendation will come from the UA Urban Design Framework Committee and the Triangle Planning Group
• Nominations Committee – report by Jean Sundborg
• Counterbalance Park – report by Jean Sundborg
• Downtown Public Safety letter
• Future of Key Arena – report by John Coney
- There is some funding for a study of sustainable uses for the Key after completion of the new SODO arena
- A letter from UA to Mayor and Council asks for enhanced funding for the economic study of sustainable uses for the Key and suggests participatory sports uses, if the Key can no longer serve as a concert/sports venue
• Committee Reports
The next UA meeting is January 10 at 7pm, details including meeting location to follow. For additional information, contact Rick Hooper or John Coney.
As reported last week, local Queen Anne dentist practices participated in the Halloween Candy Buyback program, offering cash for candy that goes into care packages for troops via Operation Gratitude. Little Pearls Kids Dentistry, Smiles by Smita Orthodontics, and Seattle Kids Dentistry participated and collected a grand total of nearly 250 pounds of candy.
The combined practice of Little Pearls and Smiles by Smita collected 140 pounds of candy to send to troops, and they’ll also be donating matched funds to Northwest Harvest:
Seattle Kids Dentistry collected 100 pounds of candy and took the opportunity to educate kids on good dental health and enjoying sweets in moderation. Kids left with not only cash, but also toothbrushes and prizes in exchange for their donations.
Following on the heels of being named the King County Small Business of the Year, Easy Street Records has been recognized as a key independent Seattle business by Mayor Mike McGinn. The mayor chose Easy Street Records as the spotlight business for November’s In Good Company, a program that showcases businesses that “embody Seattle’s pioneering spirit and reflect Seattle at its best”.
According to Mayor McGinn:
“Easy Street Records embodies the diverse musical styles that Seattle produces and is an essential part of the community in the way they spread and promote Northwest music. Their commitment to their employees and to the community of Seattle is what makes them an excellent addition to the In Good Company program.”
The program recognizes locally owned businesses that are “unconventional, transformative and exemplary” – cementing the importance of the local, independent businesses that are the foundation of our neighborhood.
To further emphasize that point, here’s what Easy Street owner Matt Vaughan said in the mayor’s press release:
“We’re going to support anything that has to do with music and promoting the arts in Seattle. That’s our responsibility. As a small business owner, it is gratifying to see that Seattle folks tend to understand that by supporting small business, they are in effect recycling monies right back into their economy and effectively, right back into their local community.”
Check out the Seattle Channel video for Easy Street Records, owner Matt Vaughan talks about the history of Easy Street Records, free in-store performances, and the challenges of operating a small business – adjusting and innovating along the way.
Compared to last Halloween, our house saw about half the number of trick-or-treaters this year. I blame it mostly on the rain, which decided to pick up during prime trick-or-treating time (and partly on the stairs that people have to hike to get to our front door). Regardless, we’re now left with candy we don’t want or need… what to do?
If you’re stuck in our situation (yes, that picture above is the “after” Halloween picture!) or if your kids hauled in way more candy than you want them to consume, donate it today to the Halloween Candy Buyback, a program that provides candy to Operation Gratitude for Holiday Care Packages. Operation Gratitude includes the donated candy in the 60,000 care packages they send to troops overseas.
Participating dentists will take back your candy – some pay $1 per pound, others offer dental goody bags in exchange for the cavity-causing candy. Or, you can just donate for free to participating dentists.
On Upper Queen Anne, Smiles by Smita and Little Pearls Kids Dentistry, both located at 2223 Queen Anne Ave N, are participating. Just drop your candy off today, Nov 1 between 4pm and 7pm. $1/pound of candy.
UPDATE: Seattle Kids Dentistry at 945 Elliott Ave W, Ste 101 is accepting candy tomorrow Friday, Nov 2nd and Saturday, Nov 3rd., 3pm-6pm each day. $1/pound of candy, up to 10 pounds from children 10 years old or younger with an accompanying parent.
UPDATED: pictures from merchants and residents now posted below!
The rain didn’t put too much of a damper on Halloween – there were still plenty of crowds for the Queen Anne Ave N trick-or-treating event. Check out the pics below, and send us any you may have as well!
Note how Thing 1 or Thing 2 (they were both there but moving fast!) blazes past the Cat in the Hat:
It’s finally Halloween, and it’ll likely be rainy for the Queen Anne Ave merchant Halloween event (3-6pm) and neighborhood trick-or-treating – and dark for the latter. There will be lots of kids and adults on the neighborhood streets, so drivers be careful! Also, one last plea to avoid Queen Anne Ave N between 3pm and 6pm so that the merchant trick-or-treating event is a safe one.
Don’t allow children to go “Trick or Treating” alone. An adult should accompany young children and make sure that all children carry a glow stick or flashlight and wear reflective clothing.
Accompany young children to the door of every house they approach. Stay within sight of the door when opened. Children should be cautioned to never enter a home without prior permission from their parents.
Stay in familiar neighborhoods and only visit well-lit homes that have their outdoor lights on. Parents should be familiar with every house and with all people from which the children receive treats.
Children should be cautioned never to approach any vehicle, occupied or not, unless they know the owner and are accompanied by a parent.
All costumes and masks should be clearly marked as flame resistant. When using facemasks, make sure the child can see and breathe properly and easily.
Remind your children to walk — don’t run, and stay on the sidewalks. Cross only at intersections and crosswalks, not between cars. Look both ways before crossing the street. Do not cut through back alleys and fields if they are out alone. Make sure they know to stay in populated areas and not to go off the beaten track. Let them know to stay in well lighted areas with lots of people around. Explain to them why it can be dangerous for kids not to do this.
Be sure to carry a flashlight with fresh batteries and make sure your child knows your phone number and address. For children under 12, attach a tag with their name, address and phone number (including area code) to their clothes in case they get separated. Older children who might be going out with friends should have a cell phone, mapped route and set a time to come home.
Children should be cautioned to run away immediately from people who try to lure them with special treats. Children should be instructed to scream and make a scene if anyone tries to grab them or force them, in any way, to go with them.
Don’t approach unknown animals or pets; they could be frightened by the costumes or strange noises.
Parents should inspect all treats and dispose of anything that has been opened or has never been wrapped. The police should be notified if something has been tampered with.
If you will be driving your kids to their destinations pay extra attention, particularly to crosswalks, intersections and the side of the road. Kids tend to walk along the curbs, cutting across the street to get to other homes. Keep scanning all around you as you drive, whether as thru traffic or along with your kids as they trick-or-treat.
Drive below the posted speed limit in residential areas during trick-or-treating hours. This will allow you time to break if you see a child dart in front of you.
Children should be cautioned to remember any suspicious incidents and report them to their parents or a trusted adult and the police.
Looking for a way to get in the Halloween spirit? Three creepy-themed films will grace the big screen at SIFF Uptown beginning tomorrow night for SIFF’s “Halloween Classics on the Big Screen”.
The original 1984 “Ghostbusters” and the Vincent Price classic “The Mad Magician” (the latter remastered and in 3D) will be featured tomorrow, Tuesday, and Halloween. Then for post-Halloween creepiness, SIFF Uptown will mark the 50th anniversary of “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” with 2 showings on Thursday night.
Click photos (courtesy of SIFF) below for links to showtimes & tickets:
The annual trick-or-treat event on Queen Anne Ave N is on Halloween this year – this Wednesday from 3-6pm. The spooky fun takes place between McGraw and Galer, with A&J Meats and the Marqueen Garage acting as the bookend merchants for the event. Merchants up and down Queen Anne Ave will be participating (many in costume!) and handing out goodies to trick-or-treaters.
In years past, the event has drawn over 2,000 trick-or-treaters, and the sidewalks have been jam-packed with ghouls, goblins, princesses, and pirates. To keep the event as safe as possible, there will be off-duty police officers directing traffic, and the merchants have requested that people avoid driving on Queen Anne Ave N during the event.
Take a look at these pictures from last year, and you’ll see why it’s important to keep your car off the main drag and instead walk around and have fun!
Green Seattle Day, an all-volunteer effort to plant native trees and shrubs in Seattle parks, kicks off on November 3rd. The SW Queen Anne Greenbelt is on the list and so far only 3 of 20 volunteer slots are filled – so there’s an opportunity for you to register and help out the sole Queen Anne park on the list.
The Green Seattle Partnership is a joint effort by the City of Seattle, Forterra, other local nonprofit organizations, and volunteers to restore and steward Seattle’s parks and green spaces. Over 150 Earth Corps and AmeriCorps volunteers have cleared the area so the SW Queen Anne Greenbelt team will have a clean slate for planting 200-400 trees and shrubs. The team will also remove invasive ivy and create survival rings to protect trees from ivy.
Key Details: What: Green Seattle Day at SW Queen Anne Greenbelt
Where: 1154 Elliott Ave W at W Lee, meet behind Super Supplements
When: Nov 3rd, 10am-2pm
Registration: RSVP online so the coordinator can plan for supplies
What Should I Bring? Tools, gloves, and restoration supplies will be provided. If you have gloves or clippers, please bring them. Volunteers should also bring their own water. Wear warm clothes and rain gear, and note that since some areas are sloped, sturdy shoes or boots are recommended. Removal of blackberry vines will be one of the activities, and that task requires long sleeves and tough clothing.
Something a little different tonight… Filmmaker Ross Ching’s “Empty America” is a series of time-lapse videos of iconic cities without people, just the images that make the city notable and memorable. He started with San Francisco, and today he released one for Seattle.
So, take a look. It’s a short film that makes our city look beautiful!
Last week we reported on the upcoming closure of our local, independent book store, Queen Anne Books. Katherine Hershey sent out a notice informing Queen Anne View and other readers that she intends to leave Queen Anne Books at the end of November. Today, we have more official word from the store on its near-future plans, among which is its last day – Wednesday, October 31st.
Per the latest from Queen Anne Books, the store will:
- operate as usual through Wednesday, October 31
- participate in the Queen Anne Ave Halloween Trick-or-Treat on Oct 31, 3-6pm
- continue to add purchases to Book Saver plans and issue rewards
- no longer issue gift certificates
- no longer be placing special orders
If you have gift certificates, the store encourages you to bring them in prior to closing on October 31. If you have special orders, the store is working to get those to you before closing. Any books released after October 31 will likely not arrive in time.
The Queen Anne Books website will continue to operate, but will no longer offer online web ordering. The website will a key source of information regarding the future of Queen Anne Books.
And the future? While the store is closing on October 31, owner Katherine Hershey is actively seeking a buyer. If you know of any interested parties, please have them contact Queen Anne Books via email.
The Queen Anne Helpline marks 30 years of helping Queen Anne neighbors this Saturday with a “Set the Night to Music” celebration and annual Fundraising Gala, held at the Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion. It’ll be a night full of music, food, drinks, dancing, and a Golden Raffle with great prizes including a stay at a Chateau in France, a 3-night stay at a B&B in the South of France, a yacht cruise with gourmet dinner, and much more!
Northwest gypsy band Pearl Django and special guest vocalist Greta Matassa will provide the soundtrack for the evening, and local Queen Anne restaurants (see the list below – there are quite a few) will provide the evening’s refreshments. There will also be a no-host Bar with Pike Place Brewery beer and Chateau Ste. Michelle wine.
The Queen Anne Helpline is a non-profit organization, and all proceeds will benefit the Helpline’s efforts in our community. According Helpline Executive Director Lisa Moore, “The mission of the Queen Anne Helpline is to improve the lives of our neighbors in need by educating our community and by mobilizing the caring support and generosity of the Queen Anne community. We rely on the generous support of our community to continue providing programs that support the financial stability, education, and health of our neighbors.”
Key Details: What: Queen Anne Helpline 30th Anniversary Celebration & Annual Fundraising Gala
Where: Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center
When: October 27th, 6:30pm
Food: Provided by Grub, Hilltop Ale House, Kaspar’s, Lloyd Martin, Morphey’s, Orrapin, Plaza Garibaldi, Ponti Seafood Grill, T.S. McHugh’s, Uptown China
Tickets: online or call 206.282.1540
All proceeds from the Gala Sponsorship go directly to the Queen Anne Helpline, a 501(c)3 organization for client aid.
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The Uptown Alliance meets at 7pm on Thursday and there’s a new location forthis month’s meeting – the Uptown Alliance will convene in the Community Room at Expo Apartments, 100 Republican St.
