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Daily news blog for Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood |
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Metro buses are running on a reduced schedule this week. “The reduced weekday schedule features more bus service than on weekends, but somewhat less service than on normal weekdays,” the website states. During this week, some school-oriented routes have been canceled and other routes have individual trips canceled. You can see a list of affected bus routes here.
On Saturday, January 1, Metro will run on a Sunday schedule. Metro will be back to normal on Monday, January 3rd.
Comments OffTags: Bus, holidays, Metro, reduced service, Sunday schedule
Seattle historic steamship, the Virginia V, will be hosting three holiday cruises in December, of which a portion of each will support Seattle-based non-profit organization Forgotten Children’s Fund.
Aboard the 125-foot Virginia V, passengers may enjoy the sights and sounds of the holidays from the water, including the annual Christmas Ships Festival, and help to spread the holiday spirit to those less fortunate.
Started by a letter in 1976 written to Santa Claus from a child who missed out on Christmas, the Forgotten Children’s Fund is an organization that steps in to help those families who have fallen on hard times and receive little or no aid from other organizations. Families are referred by schools, churches, police agencies, and others. More than 1000 volunteers receive letters from families and then deliver upwards of 20,000 toys, books, clothing, blankets and other necessities at the holidays.
“We’re thrilled to receive support from the Virginia V,” volunteer Gordon Fouts, who has been with the organization for 35 years, said in a statement. “The Forgotten Children’s Fund is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the season in a unique way while helping families who aren’t receiving other types of aid. Through generous donations from community groups like Virginia V, we’re already buying new toys, bicycles, winter coats and food that our Santa Claus and Elf volunteers will distribute at Christmas.”
These three holiday cruises will take place on December 2, 18 and 23, and will depart from South Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Avenue North, aboard the Virginia V. Details and ticket information can be found here.
Comments OffTags: charity, Christmas Ships Festival, cruises, events, Forgotten Children's Fund, holidays, Virginia V
The Streamline is a friendly, dare we say divey, community bar that that has always kept a loyal neighborhood following. And after close to 30 years in Lower Queen Anne, it’s a place many regulars have grown to call home–especially during the holidays.
On Christmas Eve the bar was set to open at 2 p.m. When I arrived at 1:20, two of the owners opened up early and let me in. In twenty minutes half the bar stools were taken.
“Streamline is a product of blue collar Lower Queen Anne,” said one of the owners, former PI columnist and dive bar connoisseur Mike Lewis in an interview back in September. “It still sort of maintained it’s blue collar ethos when the neighborhood didn’t.”
Back in September Lewis bought the neighborhood staple with girlfriend Mary McIntyre, Gary Kelfner, the former owner of the College in Pub in the University District, and Ballard’s Locke and Keel owner John Herrmann. And despite giving the place a little face lift – restoring the sign and obtaining a liquor license to sever cocktails, which they’ve only had since Friday, December 18 – their aim is keep the almost Cheers-esque bar exactly as it is. Truly a place where everyone knows everyone else’s names.
(Pictured above from left to right: Bartenders Cathy and Greg, and co-owner Gary Kelfner getting ready for the Christmas Eve rush).
And unlike most business on and around the hill, Streamline will be open both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to celebrate its own holiday tradition.
“We’re having our annual potluck for regulars and locals who don’t have a place to go on the holiday,” Lewis said. The buffet will start at 7 p.m., and a few regulars have already volunteered to bring in two ovens and roasts. “We’re asking those who can to bring a side dish or something. But those who can’t bring something also are very welcome,” Lewis said.
And to keep up with even more traditions, tonight the group of locals who organize the tricycle race from Targy’s on W Crockett St., down the hill and to the Streamline twice a year, will be holding a wind-up toy race at the bar. Check out the Streamline’s Facebook page for more information.
Whether or not you’re a Streamline regular, or a newbie looking for some good holiday fun, you’re in for a party. Earlier this afternoon the place was already full of laughing, hugging and singing of holiday songs – though not always in unison – between patrons getting ready for the Christmas Eve bash.
One set of friends howled while they tore up a few coasters and threw them at each other from across the bar. “The joy of the horseshoe bar!” one laughed, smiling at the others.
→ 2 CommentsTags: Christmas, holidays, party, potluck, Streamline
If you’re like me and still haven’t finished all of your holiday shopping, you’re in luck! Rather than catching up on my gifting, I spent the morning gathering and compiling a list of closing hours for as many retail, coffee and food stops in Upper and Lower Queen Anne as I could (sorry if I missed a few). Enjoy!
Upper Queen Anne
Retail (in no particular order – no time to alphabetize!):
Food:
Coffee (for that much-needed caffeine burst for last-minute shoppers):
Lower Queen Anne
Retail:
Food:
Coffee:
Comments OffTags: holidays, last-minute shopping guide, Queen Anne, Uptown
The folks over at Phinneywood are tracking Santa’s progress as he makes his way around the world.
You can follow Santa at NORAD’s official Santa Tracker. Right now he’s in Aqtobe, Kazakhstan. His next stop it Kirov, Russia where he will be arriving in just over two minutes.
→ 2 CommentsTags: holidays, NORAD, Santa Tracker
For those of you who take buses up and around Queen Anne, keep in mind that Metro will be changing its schedule for the holidays later this week. Starting on Christmas Eve this Thursday, December 24, Metro will be reducing service for the holidays, when they get 20 to 40 percent fewer riders. The reduced weekday schedule will be effective this Thursday and next Monday, December 28 through Thursday, December 31. The WNUW (“When no University of Washington”) schedule will also be in effect starting next Monday. All Metro buses, the South Lake Union Streetcar (route 98) and Waterfront Streetcar (route 99) will be on Sunday schedule on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Comments OffTags: bus schedules, holidays, Metro
The holidays can be tough to get through. There are presents to buy and family to entertain. For those most affected by the present economy – those who were forced to take cuts in pay and hours, or are out of work entirely – the prospect of the holidays can be a little dim. It’s in these, the worst of times, that friends and communities come together to help others. One of our readers wrote in today asking the Queen Anne community to do just that – help a fellow neighbor and her friend. Margaret wrote,
Hello QA View Team,
I’m an avid reader and I know how the community comes together to help a fellow Queen Anne neighbor. Last night my friend, who lives in lower Queen Anne, had her car stolen from outside of Second Ascent, 5209 Ballard Ave. NW. It was locked and unfortunately inside were a pair of borrowed XC skis (details below), and in the trunk were her family’s Christmas gifts. Compounding the unfairness of this crime is that my friend has not had a job in year. She was laid off from an architecture firm that went bankrupt so she didn’t even receive her last paycheck or get any severance. Obviously this is an awful turn of events for someone already struggling. I’m hoping that your readers can help us find her car, which may have been abandoned in their neighborhoods. It is an older model with some unique identifiers so it’s easy to spot:
- 1990 White Honda Accord, WA license plate
- Peeling rear tinted window and very loud muffler.
Also, the XC skiis in the car are pretty unique as well in case anyone is approached to buy them. The police reported that a pawn shop on Aurora Ave was offered similar XC skiis but they did not purchase them.
- Light blue wood pendelton skis 190cm have homemade wood block screwed to one ski and the fiberglass is peeling up considerably on the back of one ski. They go with a pair of mens size 9 grey rosignol boots that fit directly into the nnn bindings with gray and black poles with black solid plastic cups at ends.
- The yellow skis are 195cm in length and say touring on them and are Fischer’s. Inside ski has string of fiberglass. Size 7.5 womens black leather boots possibly brand Solomon, Columbia or Timberland. Bright blue and gray poles have blue plastic nets wide on one side of each base.
If cars or skiis are spotted we ask that you call:
Sgt Tom Doran at (206) 684-8948
Seattle Police Department
Auto Theft Unit #B752B
610 Fifth Ave
PO Box 34986
Seattle WA, 98124-4986
It may be a long shot, but Margaret hopes that her friend’s car and some of the items inside will be able to be located and returned to the family, making their holiday a little bit brighter. And for further proof that the community can help, Margaret writes,
We actually found a backpack a few months ago and found the owner based on your posting of a car robbery in the neighborhood with the SPU student’s passport still inside. She was leaving the country just days after her car was ransacked so it was a lifesaver.
If you see the car described or the skis, please call Sgt. Doran. Happy holidays!
Comments OffTags: community support, crime, holidays, Queen Anne, theft
Stringing holiday lights in front of your house may seem like a daunting task, but imagine decorating the KING 5 television tower on Queen Anne, 400 feet in the air? The tower is lit up once again, as is a Seattle tradition, and Evening Magazine has the inside story on how they did it.
(By the way, if one bulb goes out, it doesn’t take down the entire strand. “That would be a really bad idea,” says the man who installed them.)
Comments OffTags: holidays
Every year the Swedish Cultural Center celebrates the holidays and St. Lucia’s Day (this Sunday, December 13), a Church feast day celebrated across Scandinavia and northern Europe, by holding the Lucia Ball. This year the festivities will begin tonight, Friday, December 11, from 6 to 11:30 p.m. at SCC, located at 1920 Dexter Ave. N.
There will be feasting, dancing, a festival pageant and many traditional Scandinavian delights!
Some of our younger members will do a Lucia tog for us, then we’ll eat a delicious smörgåsbord, dance around the Christmas tree to Richard Svensson’s music, toast each other with glögg, and dance the rest of the evening to the music of Sylvia.
For anyone in the St. Lucia spirit, tickets are $50.
→ 6 CommentsTags: holidays, Lucia Ball, St. Lucia's Day, Swedish Cultural Center
Times are tough, and people are thinking differently this holiday season. Remember also that there’s a lot of waste during this time of the year with wrapping paper, ribbon and boxes, bags, holiday parties, and more. So what can we do differently?
King County is launching its 13th annual Waste Free Holidays program that will run from November 15 through December 31. During this time, over 150 local participating businesses and organizations will offer discounts between 15-50% on museums, restaurant meals, massages, and a lot more! This gives you an opportunity to offer loved ones experiences that will create lasting memories, instead of toys or gadgets they’ll toss in a year or so.
In Queen Anne, Julia’s Restaurant, located at 1825 Queen Anne Ave. N offers 20% off gift certificates. Give experience instead of stuff!
We will bring you more ideas over the next two weeks on how to keep your holidays green! Does anyone have a good idea about this?
