Cameron June 20th, 2008
In my last article, Make Room For Some Fashion, not everyone agreed that Dolce Vita, the newest clothing boutique to hit Ballard Avenue, actually “fits in”; that’s fine. But believe this—the New York Fashion Academy is bonafide Ballard.
I first learned about the school when a distant friend of mine, who works as an assistant to a real estate entrepreneur, mentioned that his boss was trying to purchase a 100-year-old historic building on the corner of Ballard Ave and 24th to turn it into who-knows-what. The investor apparently met some resistance by the current host of the building—the New York Fashion Academy. When I learned that a) an independent fashion school exists in Seattle and b) its owner is a badass and won’t be pushed outta Ballard, I was intrigued.
Since it’s inception in 1979, the New York Fashion Academy is the only independent fashion school in the Pacific Northwest. Right now, certifiable education in fashion is dominated by cookie cutter, corporate-owned universities: Art Institutes, International Academy of Design and other universities that advertise on non-primetime TV. The parent company of the Art Institutes, Education Management Corporation (www.edmc.com) is the most prevalent provider of private education in North America, with student enrollment at about 70,000 a year. EDMC has 67 primary campus locations in 24 states and two Canadian provinces. So for students seeking an education in couture fashion and textiles without …
BallardGuy June 20th, 2008
Tonight the Local Ballard Comedy Show (or Lo-Ball) returns to Market Street for a run of late-night shows at the Live Girls! Theater, 2220 NW Market St.
Produced by the People’s Republic of Komedy, Lo-Ball had a been a staple of the local comedy scene, bringing in big crowds to Mr. Spot’s Chai House in Ballard to see local comedians and national acts for more than two years. A much-publicized falling out with the new owners of the coffee house, however, forced them to move their show to nearby Bergen Place Park.
Now it appears they’ve found a new home, which is great news to long-time producer Paul Merrill.
“The park was a fun experiment and a real testament to our fan-base that they would stand out in the cold for two hours to watch comedy,” says Merrill. “But frankly, I’m looking forward to having a roof over our heads.”
The shows will be every Friday at 11pm and will feature some of the top comedians in Seattle doing new material in an unusual setting.
Lo-Ball @ Live Girls! Theater
$5 / 11pm / All-Ages
www.ballardcomedy.com
Kendra June 18th, 2008
Well it wasn’t a Ballard event, but the grand reopening of the Wing Luke Museum in the International District got me thinking about some parallels with Ballard’s Nordic Heritage Museum. Both museums are unique, focusing on the specific cultures of their geographic area and both are going through a rebirth.
Earlier this month I attended the grand reopening of the Wing Luke Museum. The International District has had two major milestones this year. First the erection of the new gate signifying the entry into the International District, which until this event really didn’t have anything strongly marking the entry into this fascinating part of Seattle. I often wonder about tourists visiting Seattle overlooking this neighborhood in favor of the more famous landmarks such as Pike Place market, the Space Needle, etc. In fact, though I understand that naming the area the International District was an effort to acknowledge that there are many Asian ethnicities in this area, that may be part of the reason it doesn’t get as much attention as the more specifically named Chinatowns such as in San Francisco and Victoria, BC. In the same way I wonder what signals visitors that Ballard is the neighborhood founded by Scandinavian cultures? Yes, there is the Leif Erickson Hall, Bergen Place and the museum, but what about a sign? Something along the lines of “Welcome to Ballard, a …
Erin June 11th, 2008
You know it’s a quintessential hometown Ballard bar when they neglect to have an official Web site domain. The MySpace page and blog postings are meager social stabs for The Tin Hat Bar and Grill on 65th Street and they are perfectly content with that.
The digs itself are a call to the locals – a reminder that an elderly man is allowed to stumble into the bar, order a tall can of Rainier and stare longingly at high school girls from “Grease” sing on the muted TV propped in the ceiling corner. He does so with serenity, not feeling sad and pathetic as if he were to have done the same at any Belltown hotspot. He is home.
And thus, a Ballard bar The Tin Hat does make.
Jim Morrison screams about an LA woman from the jukebox as a couple gropes each other across the rock-hard seats of the orange booths, likely induced by a sign reading: “HOT ASS” nailed to the ceiling. The abstract decor of the bar and grill give your eyes something to distract you from the grumbling of your stomach as you yearn for whatever smells so fatty-amazing from the tiny kitchen that sits next to the bar.
The Tin Hat welcomes all with its classic tavern aesthetic cross a modern spin – Marvel would be proud as the menus are lined with sci-fi comic novel sketches …
SeattleMeg June 10th, 2008
One of the best things about Ballard is the Sunday Farmer’s Market. Normally open from 10am to 3pm, it’s a smorgasbord of color, sound, and treats. From the delicious Kolache from the Little Prague Bakery to the mouth-watering samples of smoked salmon, I love spending an hour or two here each week.
It takes up a full block on old Ballard Avenue, sandwiched between the boutiques and music stores. Studies have shown of late that prices for decent organic food at farmer’s markets is now becoming cheaper than the store and the gas it takes to get there. Hop a bus (17, 18, 44, and 46) to get off on Market Street and wander around the corner for the best food and gifts in the area.
The irises are in right now, filling the cheap bouquets from local flower farms with all their blue and purple glory, as well as Icelandic poppies that love this cool weather for their crepe-paper petals. A few early strawflowers add some more searing orange highlights for your foyer or table.
A real treat the last several times I’ve been to the market is the musical stylings of “The Tallboys”. True down-home bluegrass is the preferred genre of this exceedingly talented duo. I know if I tried to play a …
Kendra June 8th, 2008
Seattle has been touted as one of the cities bucking the trend of the declining real estate market. Until recently experts were quick to point at the fact that Seattle has a limited landscape for additional housing, which has kept prices strong in the area. We have been lucky to have been able to ride the wave as long as we did, but we have definitely run out of steam.
How do I know? I have my own more personal yardstick that measures the downturn even Seattle is now experiencing. I no longer receive the letters and postcards from investors telling me they would be very interested in directly buying my house if I were interested in selling it. My Ballard location, combined with a large lot size, has brought a lot of attention in this form over the years since I purchased it. Now I cannot remember the last time I received a buy letter, and even the marketing literature from agents wanting to represent me if I enter the market has dwindled significantly. Similar to the warning signs of companies cutting out the free sodas and gourmet coffee prior to a layoff, these small signs are as telling as any real estate study or statistic.
