Seattle Daily Photo

Monday, June 30, 2008

Lake City Dick's Drive In

Seattlites have a longtime love affair with Dick's Drive In restaurants. There are five of them and they have become a beloved fixture in the northern neighborhoods. Why such affection for a hamburger joint? Maybe its the owners' personal commitment to doing good business and offering employees much higher than average starting wages, health benefits, childcare allowances, and college education incentives (details here). In short, there seems to be a real human being behind the business. The first Dick's opened in the Wallingford neighborhood in 1954. This one is in the Lake City neighborhood and has been busy 7 days a week since 1963. For a view of the restaurant click here. (And, you might remember my photo of the Holman Rd. Dick's from December 2006). Dick Spady was 29 when he and his two partners opened the first Dick's, which continues to keep a very simple menu of hamburgers, fries, shakes and floats, pop, and ice cream. Extra condiments cost a nickel, and you could set your watch by the gathering lunch crowds at most sites. Their first hamburgers were 19 cents, and the current price is only $1.20. They make their own fries from scratch, buy their own fresh beef from a local supplier, still hand dip their shakes, and have created over 50 years of good will through their community involvement and charitable donations.

Oh, and I wanted to say congrats to our CDPB friends in Spain! What a wonderful win after 40 years!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Yeah Baby, It's the Sugar Shack

You would think with a huge bright mural like this covering one side of its building that the Sugar Shack Baking Co. in the Maple Leaf neighborhood would be fairly easy to find, and you would be right if you were traveling south on Lake City Way! From other vantage points, however, it's easy to miss. It's a great stop for morning coffee beverages and heavenly scones, for a made to order sandwich or quiche at lunch, or a from-scratch yummy cookie with the kids in the afternoon. I didn't asked about the mural and haven't found anything published about it, so if you know who the artist is or anything about the fugures, let me know. Certainly brightens up the street scene! For another view click here.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Crepe Cafe & Wine Bar

Since our fave ice cream place, The Mix, closed, we've been casting about for other fun summer evening destinations. The Crepe Cafe & Wine Bar is our newest late evening find in the Ravenna neighborhood. If you are looking for a relaxed place to go for dinner, desert (including flaming crepe Suzette!), coffees, or nice wine, this is a delightful blend of French-meets-west-coast style cafe, and they are open until 10 PM most evenings. Next we will be trying their brunch!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Looking West From the Viewridge Neighborhood

NE 65th St. in Viewridge Neighborhood Looking West

Do you see "The Brothers" peak from the Olympic range in the distance? This view is from the Viewridge neighborhood that sits above Lake Washington's western shore. You are peering down the view corridor formed by NE 65th Street. To the right on the hill ahead begins the Wedgewood neighborhood. These areas in the north end of Seattle were developed later than the central areas and are primarily made up of WWII and post-WWII era residential developments. The area's landscape, decidedly more suburban in feel compared to Seattle's central, downtown, and southern portions, keeps a greener, more forested appearance than other areas which were more heavily logged out early in the city's history.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Zoo Tunes Concert

This summer marks the 25th year of Seattle's popular Woodland Park Zoo evening open air concert series on the meadow, called Zoo Tunes. Like hundreds of others out for this sunny evening, I brought along a short chair and light supper to enjoy on the lawn. Headlining for the second night in a row were consummate musicians in the blues tradition, Keb Mo and Taj Mahal. Contrary to the impression these side-by-side photos might give, they did not perform together, but had separate sets, with Keb opening. Their performances were big crowd pleasers.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Vintage VW Bus at Twilight

I saw this vintage (1967?) VW bus illuminated by streetlight after 10 PM on yesterday's beautiful long summer evening. I was facing northwest for this shot, somewhere on the ridge where the Fremont, Ballard, and Phinney neighborhoods blend into each other.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

View From the Hospital Window

Sorry for this very late post. My mom was admitted to hospital and its been a bit hectic. I thought you might like to see this beautiful view from her window. The mountain (Mount Rainier) was definitely out this evening! I took this shot at 8:10 PM. Our summer sun and long days are finally here!

Monday, June 23, 2008

The Victoria 100

June sees a lot of housing transitions as people finish up school years, embark on new adventures with new jobs in new cities. Some new addresses are coveted for their charm and their views. This is one of them in a prime location. If contemporary condo living like the modestly priced Belltown balcony scene pictured yesterday is not your style, perhaps this is. The Victoria started as an apartment hotel in the 1920's and is now landmarked and restored as condominium apartments. A currently rented large studio on the ground floor is offered at $350,000 USD, and a large 2 BD/1.75 BA is $750,00 USD. (Image is degraded in Blogger; for clearer view, click here).

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Balconversation

Summer's here and the time is right for conversing on the balcony. Folks in the Belltown neighborhood were using their allotted condo balcony space to entertain guests, read, converse and relax. Hope your Sunday is relaxing!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Bumble Berries

I don't think it's my imagination that the blackberry bushes around Seattle are blooming a bit late this year, so berries will form and ripen later in the season than usual. This proved true for the recent local Tulip Festival and for the Strawberry Festival, both going forward as scheduled but with little to no flowers or fruit on opening day. I noticed my nieghbors planting veggies much later, too, due to the prolonged winter-like weather all through spring. I've only seen one honey bee in our garden, mostly various types of bumble bees, like this little guy, or wasps. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to everyone in the US heartland affected by the severe storms and record flooding. Local farmers and home owners here had to cope with that the past two years and know what a hardship people are facing. Hope wherever you are that you can enjoy a Saturday outdoors in the sunshine!

Friday, June 20, 2008

Madrona

Happy first day of summer to you. The sun's warmth is a welcome presence after a fairly dreary spring. I shot this close up of colorful Madrona tree bark yesterday evening during a walk along the Magnolia bluff above Elliott Bay.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

More Creative Ironwork

The ironwork fence railing at the top of an exterior staircase in the Pioneer Square area reminds me of grasses bent in the breeze. I thought it was a nice topper for this structure at the back side of the 1999 King Street Center office building. It is located across from the entrance to King Street Station (for another view, see my More Seattle Stuff page). I liked the yellow paint with the gray textured wall (and blue sky! There are some incredible ironwork artists and craftspeople in Seattle. I noticed the Cafe Fiore on 32ndNW / NW85th is installing new custom wrought ironwork around their front entrance and hope to photograph that soon.

If you've got a couple minutes, check out the ANIMOTO video in the sidebar (with soundtrack, so crank up your speakers). It features some photos from two years of archives. Let me know what you think. ~K.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha

. . .what will she decide after she hears all the testimony? That's the question utmost in many Seattlites' minds this week. Judge Marsha Pechman must rule in the Key Arena lease agreement suit the City of Seattle has brought against the new owners (2006) of the Seattle Super Sonics NBA basketball team. Do emails reveal they planned from the beginning to move the team to Oklahoma City as soon as possible and not honor the remainder of their Key Arena lease? Their proposal last year for a mostly publicly funded mega dollar shiny new stadium in the suburb of Renton was rejected outright, and they didn't offer to invest heavily in it themselves, so was it ever intended to be a viable deal? Now that the NBA has given the owners permission to move the team to Oaklahoma City, is Seattle right to hold them to the remaining two years of their lease agreement and not accept a buyout? Sonics fans have taken to the streets with a Save Our Sonics movement of grassroots support to keep the team on home turf. The judge is expected to rule after testimony ends June 26.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

So Long School & Hello Summer Fun!

Today is the last day of school for Seattle public school children, and its a half day at that. A popular place for fun during summer's lazy days is Carkeek Park in the north of Seattle. The park is fronted by a beach along Puget Sound, and has a lovely green grassy area up hill with picnic tables, grills, a children's playground, Pipers Creek and nature discovery programs. A pedestrian bridge to the beach passes over the active Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad line. That is where this mom and her children are casting their shadows onto a moving train as they wave goodbye to another school year and welcome in the long sunny days.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Decorative Ironwork

If you look closely at this wild ironwork fence you will notice its inspiration from natural forms of plants and blossoms. The flower finials seem to glow from within and are made of colorful glass or resin. It's a distinctive piece of work adorning the outdoor seating at Peet's Coffee & Tea on 34th and Fremont Ave. Unexpected design elements like this are to be expected in a neighborhood with a bent for artistic expression.

This just in: The artists that created this fence are Anna Sher & Rodman Miller.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

A Salute to Dads

Here in the USA it is Father's Day today. Wishing a Happy Father's Day to your father, and to you if you are a father. I loved seeing this dad out sailing in January with his boy in a boat he had made. He's just peeking at me from under the boom. I thought it fitting to post it as this is our first Father's Day without my husband, so we are getting down to the water near where we committed his ashes to the Sound last summer and having some fun with friends in the glorious sunshine. He always loved living by a large body of water, loved sailing, made sails in a sail loft for a time, often played his saxophone to the bay and the setting sun, and spent a lot of time with us messing about in boats. A great dad, greatly missed. Also thinking of my dad, brother, father-in-law, uncles, and dear friends, all great dad's and I'm so glad to have had their wonderful influence and love in my life.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Dutch Bike Co. Seattle Party

My recent chance sighting and photo of a curious cargo/passenger bike (a Bakfiets) in Fremont led to a kind invitation to a party tonight at Dutch Bike Co. Seattle in Ballard (just east of the Ballard Bridge along the ship canal on Shilshole Ave, around the block from the huge Trader Joe's/LA Fitness construction site and Edith Macefield's engulfed little house). It was fun with a lively crowd enjoying brats, beer, bikes, and great blues (from the band Ratfish Bone who took over the interior of the shop). Their open house coincided with the monthly Ballard Art Walk. All sorts of comfy and fun European bikes from their inventory were available to ride. I got to see their exciting Conference Bike in action (you can rent this!). It seats seven people in the round, all pedaling and one steering. Like nothing you've ever seen! I enjoyed it and got to meet lots of nice bike enthusiasts! Many thanks to David and Stephan of Dutch Bike Co. Seattle for the great time.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Bikes On Board Bus

My husband once worked on the Eastside of Lake Washington at a design firm near Microsoft before he started law school. He would ride his bike across town to the last Seattle bus stop before the 520 floating bridge, stow the bike on the front of the bus for the trip across the lake, then get off at the first stop on the other side and complete the bike ride into Redmond. I understand a bike and pedestrian lane is planned for the new 520 bridge slated to start construction next year. I took this shot of bikes on board a bus in the Ravenna neighborhood. Metro Transit is wise to offer bike racks on its buses. They are so well-utilized that sometimes the rack is full and you have to wait for the next bus. The Elliott Bay Water Taxis to West Seattle also take bikes on board.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

One Way to Beat the Gas Crunch

When we first moved to Seattle our buddy Norman took us to a shop he favored, then located in Fremont, called Electric Bikes Northwest. He and his wife Connie had electric bikes as well as Brompton folding bikes. They sold us their only car and never looked back. The bike shop has recently moved to 17th & Leary Way in the Ballard neighborhood. Eric Sundin is the owner. He is very knowledgeable and started the business 12 years ago after another full career. They ship folding bikes anywhere in the USA, and have a full service repair shop, too. This is a place to check out if you are looking for a commute solution.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Pedaling Cargo

I've seen a lot of bike messengers in the downtown core carrying their parcels in standard bags on their person, but this was my first fleeting glimpse of a business using a special cargo bike sold here in Seattle by Dutch Bikes on Shilshole Ave. in Ballard and made by Work Cycle in the Netherlands. (Here is a side view of the bike.) It has an elongated frame with a large wooden container between the rider and the front wheel. This rider was in Fremont . As he passed me I noticed some writing on the side, but didn't quite catch the name of his business.

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