Kendra March 26th, 2009
I had to debate about writing this post, figuring that the foodies would already be aware of the Ballard branch of the infamous Paseo eatery started in Fremont, now with a second location in Ballard….and that anyone who didn’t know already would then swarm to the place making the lines comparable to the Fremont location. But my conscience won out and it’s just morally wrong not to give others a chance to eat this delectable food.
A brief background for those who have not heard of the Paseo phenomena…..the original Paseo is a little Cuban joint over in Fremont. I am careful to use phrases like ‘eatery’ and ‘joint’ because this casual food mecca is tiny inside with just a handful of tables, but that doesn’t stop the crowds from lining up out the door for a taste of juicy Cuban pork sandwiches with caramelized onions. Yes, they have other meats and non meat dishes for those not into pork, but really the point of the place is pork.
When I found out that Paseo had opened a second location in Ballard at 6226 Seaview Ave NW, past Golden Gardens down by Shilshoe, I was over the moon. The pinkish building of this location doesn’t look like much and it doesn’t have any inside seating at all, but these are small matters for the convenience of the new location to hungry Ballardites. Either pick up food and take it to eat elsewhere, or if the weather is good, eat at the outside …
Alyssa March 24th, 2009
You might be jobless, or scrimping to pay bills, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying all the wonderful things our area has to offer.
Free:
Free fun can be had at Seattle’s parks.
Seattle Public libraries have more than just books. At the library, you can connect to the Internet for free, and listen to lectures and other events. For kids, there are storytimes and other events. In addition, there is a whole digital media section on the library web site. You can download music, video, audio books and more.
Cheap:
Here are special offers on art events from Take Part in Art.
Find bargain shops, restaurants, bars and attractions at Citysearch or check out yard sales.
Cameron March 23rd, 2009
Seattle Fashion Show
Friday, April 17th • 8 pm – 10
Fashion Show starts at 8 PM
@ New York Fashion Academy • All ages welcome
5201 Ballard Ave.
Cost: 10.00
Beer and wine garden available with identification
The Haute Trash Fashion Show Deets:
The Haute Trash Fashion show is brought to you by a group of progressive fashion designers, bringing their 25-years experience to the 8th Annual Recycled Art and Fashion Show. The group’s designs have been featured at the Seattle Art Museum, Burning Man, county fairs, and dozens of other community festivals throughout the Western U.S. Designs and accessories are made from a wide variety of unconventional materials like inner tubes, food packaging, soda pop tops and other salvaged materials.
.
Alyssa March 19th, 2009
It can be a real drag when you visit a park during the cool winter months and find the restroom locked up for the season.
Last month I contacted Seattle Parks and Recreation to find out when the restrooms will be open for the warmer months, and here is the reply I got from Laurie Dunlap at the Superintendent’s Office:
“Word from our Plumbing Shop is that they will try to have all our plumbing turned on and restrooms opened by April, with the most heavily used sites open as early as mid-March.”
I know that Carkeek Park’s restrooms are open (and have been). Does anyone know the restroom status of any of the other local parks, like Salmon Bay Park, Soundview Playfield or Golden Gardens?
Kendra March 18th, 2009
Were you angry when you read that Mayor Nickels and the governor ignored voters and decided to proceed with the Bored Tunnel option? As a Ballard resident were you concerned when you read that there would not be a Ballard exit along the tunnel?
The Ballard District Council, Queen Anne District Council, and BINMIC Action Committee are co-sponsoring a community forum to consider how the Deep Bored Tunnel option to replace our viaduct can best serve Seattle neighborhoods. Take the opportunity to sort through the facts and make your ideas and opinions known on how to best serve the interest of our community in the face of a project we didn’t want. Panelists members include: reps from WSDOT, City of Seattle, King County, and noted experts in the field of tunnel construction, economics, and traffic engineering. Points to be covered in the forum are:
How will we access south end destinations as well as downtown Seattle?
What kind of access will we have to the northern entrance of the tunnel?
Will trucks be able to use the tunnel or will they use surface streets?
How will travel times through the corridor be affected?
Why is an economic impact study so important to decisions affecting the Alaskan Way Viaduct?
Monday, March 23rd
7 – 9 PM
Ballard High School Auditorium
For more information on this forum contact Rob Mattson at 684-4051 or rob.mattson@seattle.gov
To brush up on information about the project to replace …
Alyssa March 15th, 2009
I’ve walked by Moshi Moshi Sushi on Ballard Ave. many times while visiting the Sunday market, and wished they were open for lunch. Finally I broke down and visited this lovely new sushi restaurant for dinner, and I’m glad I did. Everything I tasted was divine.
Their cocktail menu is full of intriguing drinks, including ingredients like banana chip infused rum, absinthe and egg white. I eventually settled on a Swedish Punch (made with rum, cognac, batavia arrack, lemon, and orange), which was fruity and invigorating.
I spoke with Erik Carlson, who created Moshi Moshi’s bar program from scratch. After spending eleven years in San Francisco managing and tending bars, Carlson returned to his hometown Seattle.
“I was really excited to bring home all my ideas and create my dream cocktail menu,” said Carlson. “We currently have 25 drinks on the menu. We use all premium spirits and fresh squeeze all the citrus daily.”
The food arrived quickly. I sampled the California Roll, Ume Shiso Roll, Chicken Kara Age (fried chicken) and Saba Shio (grilled salted mackerel). The Saba was delicious and buttery, and the Chicken Kara Age was tasty with a bit of squeezed lemon. The sushi rice was just the right temperature and consistency, and the flavor of the rolls I tried was excellent.
According to Carlson, the sushi at Moshi Moshi is more traditional than you might find at some other area …
Kendra March 15th, 2009
March is a month that usually finds us focusing on Irish ancestry with the perennially popular St Patrick’s Day holiday. However, since Ballard is more associated with Scandinavian heritage, it’s nice to have an event this month that celebrates it. The Leif Erikson Lodge plays host to anyone interested in all things Norwegian on March 28th starting at 10am.
Food will play an important role at the event with popular favorites such as lefse and krumkake on hand, also pickled herring is also available to the more adventurous. Popular Nordic crafts such as rosemaling will be on display. Music lovers will be entertained by the Norwegian Male Chorus and Norwegian Ladies Chorus of Seattle. There will also be musicians playing traditional music throughout the day.
For those in touch with their Norwegian heritage it’s an excuse to break out your bunad in solidarity with the bunad wearing folk who will parade at 3pm. Not sure you have any Norwegian blood? Genealogical researchers will be on hand to help you discover any Norwegian ancestors you may have.
Admission is FREE
10am – 4pm
Tastes of Norway/Norwegian Cultural and Heritage Day
Leif Erikson Lodge
2245 NW 57th St
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 783-1274
http://www.leiferiksonlodge.com/Events/Events_PDFLinks.aspx
Jen March 14th, 2009
Grapes of Wrath (entry from a past year)
From time to time I seem to find myself watching one of the cooking war shows on the Food Network (I believe it’s called Last Cake Standing?). Whether they are making life-size Star Wars character cakes, or like the last one I saw- cakes of famous city skylines (tough!), I am always impressed by the realness of the outcome.
So for those of you like myself who enjoy cooking, reading, and a little creativity in the kitchen, the Seattle Annual Edible Book Festival will be coming up on April 4. I am currently debating on whether I feel up to the challenge of actually submitting, but either way, plan on not missing this awesome event.
Though it will be taking place in Wallingford at the Good Shepherd Center (4649 Sunnyside Avenue North), it’s only a hop and a skip away, and I would hate for all you amazing, talented cooks to miss out on the chance of submitting, or checking it out for the first time.
The Dictionary (entry from a past year)
If you’re thinking about submitting, keep in mind the requirements of the festival: An Edible Book can look like a book, pun on a title, refer to a character, …
Alyssa March 13th, 2009
I had a little trouble finding the new Ballard Trader Joe’s at first. I was driving from the north and wasn’t expecting the Trader Joe’s logo sign to be on the south side of the building, so I didn’t see it. A block from the canal, I turned around and then saw their red logo sign on the gray Ballard Blocks building.
The parking garage entrance is also on the south side of the building. Having jockeyed for spaces at the Roosevelt location many times, I was happy to see lots of available spaces. But once I got out of my car, I was uncertain where to go to actually get into the store itself. There was no signage pointing out the store itself and all the signs saying “Trader Joe’s Parking” pointed in a direction that was opposite of where the store turned out to be.
I asked a guard walking by where to find the store.
“Over there,” she said, pointing, “by the red shopping carts.” Oh, of course. I should have thought of that.
I spoke to the lady at the Trader Joe’s demo station about some of the differences between this store and the Roosevelt one, and also observed the differences for myself. It’s a bigger store with wider aisles, a larger selection of wine and produce, bathrooms are more accessible to the public and there’s a much bigger demo station.
There’s quite a lot that’s the same though: good food at good prices, and …
Alyssa March 8th, 2009
From March 11 to April 5, 2009, the Moisture Festival keeps the Vaudeville tradition alive with a stunning array of performances in the genres of comedy, varieté, and burlesque. See dancing, music, comedy, rope acts, clowns, acrobats and all sorts of wacky wonders.
Shows will take place at several different venues:
Hale’s Palladium, in the Hale’s Brewery warehouse located between Fremont and Ballard at 4301 Leary Way NW
ACT- A Contemporary Theatre, 7th and Union, Seattle
SIFF Cinema, 321 Mercer Street, McCaw Hall, Seattle Center. (There will be a live performance prior to the screening of certain SIFF films.)
Tickets range from $7.50 to $25.
