Ballardblog.com

On May 8, 2009, drivers who are 55 or older can take a day-long classroom program to learn how to become a better driver, and possibly qualify for a discount on auto insurance.

The class runs from 8am to 5pm at the Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Ballard. The class fee is $16 for AAA members and $22 for non-members.

To register, send your name, class date, and a check or money order payable to American Driving Services to: American Driving Services, P.O. Box 66681, Seattle, WA 98166-0681. Then you will receive a confirmation letter with all the details.

Call 206-243-3564 if you have further questions.

If you dine out April 30 at a restaurant that is participating in “Dining Out For Life,” the restaurant will donate 30% of your bill to Lifelong AIDS Alliance “and the fight against HIV and AIDS in the Puget Sound region.”

Here are the Ballard restaurants that are participating:

Alexa’s Garden Café

Balmar

Hattie’s Hat

King’s Hardware

Pasta Bella Ristorante

Ray’s Boathouse

Ray’s Café

Volterra

Mike Seely, of The Seattle Weekly, has written a book about Seattle’s best “dive bars”. Tonight he’ll be in Ballard to read from his extensively researched book. He is quite humorous. I listened to him on KOUW radio the other day. This book obviously took years of time, thought, and extensive drinking.

Read about the tour here.
And read about the book: Seattle’s Best Dive Bars.

Where: Abraxus Books
5711 24th Ave NW in the old Ballard Public Library

Last fall I attended a lecture at the Nordic Heritage Museum given my a Danish firm specializing in city design.  The lecture included a slideshow illustrating ideas that had been implemented in Copenhagen to make it a more livable, walkable and sustainable city.    As advanced as Seattle considers itself on green living and urban density, the lecture showed just how far behind we are when compared to Europe.  So I have been looking forward for months to the next talk.

The firm, Gehl Architects, has spent months studying our public spaces here in Seattle and are ready to share some recommendations.

Monday, April 27, 2009 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Cost is $5 for Museum members, $7 for non-members

Nordic Heritage Museum
3014 NW 67th Street
Seattle, WA 98117

Lecture at the Nordic Heritage Museum by Helle Søholt, Gehl Architects, Copenhagen, on Sustainable Urban Planning

Danish architect Helle Søholt will describe the ways in which cities around the globe are using Danish techniques to become better walking and biking cities. She also will discuss some of the steps that Seattle can take, based on an 18-month study of the city’s public spaces. Helle Søholt is a founding member of Gehl Architects, the Copenhagen-based firm that is considered a world leader in city design. Her firm has worked in more than 400 cities around the globe. For reservations or for more information, please contact Charlotte Lehmann at charlotte@nordicmuseum.org or 206-789-5707 x 21.

This event is co-sponsored by The Northwest Danish Foundation, the Scan|Design Foundation, the International Sustainability Institute, and the University of Washington.

I have publicly decried the erosion of Ballard’s ethnic heritage and character in favor of condo developments and bars.  Two years ago I attended the going out of business sale at the Scandinavian Gift Shop on Market Street to pay tribute to a family run business which signified the heritage of Ballard.  I assumed that some type of business such as a tanning salon, restaurant, card shop, etc. was bound to take its place and remodel the quaint outside of the store.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that another ‘international’ business had moved in – Market Street Traders – another family enterprise who owns Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on the downtown waterfront.  I finally made a trip over there recently.  Although there is a new paint color on the store front, the cross beams etc. were left intact keeping the charm of the building.  Inside the space is divided into part retail store and part cafe.  The retail store promotes fair trade and contains colorful items from around the world with a definite emphasis on goods from Asian countries.  I relived some of my travels as I examined the items for sale.

The cafe is a comfortable and pleasant place to sip a coffee or try one of their lunch specials.  Although the menu was not as exotic as the shop, all items were reasonably priced and the staff were friendly.

Although I would have wished for the Scandinavian Gift Shop to have remained, at least this replacement contains the flavor of other cultures rather than some bland retail establishment.

This is not an actual Ballard event, but we thought we’d make an exception here because cancer touches everyone’s lives.

May is National Brain Tumor Awareness month and as a result, Swedish Hospital is gearing up for its 2^nd Annual Seattle Brain Cancer Walk, May 30, 2009 on Mercer Island.    http://www.braincancerwalk.org/

This important event is dedicated to providing hope and creating community for the 1,500 patients in the Pacific Northwest who face mankind’s deadliest form of cancer – brain cancer. With most patients given a survival rate of 1-2 years, the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk is an important tribute to the fight for time, hope and new treatment options.

Benefitting the Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment at Swedish’s Neuroscience Institute, the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk raises funds to support ground-breaking research and dedicated patient care right here in our community.

Last year 22,000 Americans, including Senator Ted Kennedy, were diagnosed with brain cancer. Only two treatments for brain cancer have been approved by the FDA in the last 25 years. Last year, the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk brought out 500 participants and raised more than $100,000 to support research for new treatments.

May 30^th will be a day to celebrate life and to learn about the important work at the Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment.  Please come join the hundreds of your community members in fighting this disease.  Registration can be found at http://www.braincancerwalk.org/

Who:  Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment at Swedish’s Neuroscience Institute

What:  2^nd Annual Seattle Brain Cancer Walk

When: May 30, 2009

Where:  Mercer Island High school Track

How:  www.braincancerwalk.org

Ballard Families: “Do you have clothes from your laundry room, toys from your kids’ rooms, and odds and ends stored in your garage starting to spill out and invade your living spaces? Does your home need some major design updating?

They’re looking for couples and families to appear on a new design makeover show for a major cable network. This show focuses on couples whose homes are messy, cluttered and disorganized. Their team (an organizer, designer, and carpenter) will organize and redesign rooms in your home at no cost to the homeowner. You just have to be able to let go of the clutter and have a real desire to get organized!

They start shooting very soon.

Send your story along with pictures of your mess and yourselves to: makeovertvshow@gmail.com”

LEE CHRISTOFFERSON
Producer

Screaming Flea Productions
5950 6th Ave. South, Suite 109
Seattle, WA  98108
(206) 763-3383 x202
(206) 412-3660 cell
www.sfpseattle.com

No New Jailhouse Rock: I-100 Signature Gathering Party!!
(April 19, with local bands The Starlings, Get Down Moses, and Boaz)

Seattle is planning a new $226 million jail with little public input or consideration of alternatives.

Initiative 100 would require that the city put the proposed jail to a vote so that citizens can make an informed decision.
Featuring:
The Starlings; Seattle Americana, folk, and country (www.myspace.com/thestarlings)
Get Down Moses; Seattle garage rock-steady (www.myspace.com/getdownmoses)
Boaz; Seattle indie-art rock (www.myspace.com/boazbonk)
With special guest emcee, DP Staxx of the Staxx Brothers
plus guest speakers and prizes for signatures!

April 19th, 2009, 9pm, $6.
00 (21+)
The Sunset Tavern 5433 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

Co-sponsored by the Committee for Efficiency and Fairness in Public Safety, the Real Change Organizing Project and Seattle Education Access

Have you picked up a Chinook Book yet?

The Chinook Book is full of coupons and information, and quickly pays for itself. There are tickets for free rides on Metro and Amtrak, and tons of coupons for groceries, coffee, museum visits and more. When you buy one and use the coupons, you help support green and local businesses.

The Chinook book retails for $20 and are available at Ballard Market, Epilogue Books, PCC, Whole Foods, or one of the retailers listed here.

Turn to page 44 in the Chinook Book to see the map of Ballard/Phinney and the various businesses that have coupons in the Book:

Ballard Market

Balmar

Bartell Drugs

Bikesport

Clover

Enlighten

Goodwill Industries

Greener Lifestyles

Great Harvest Bread Co.

KAVU

Market Street Athlete

Market Street Shoes

Market Street Traders

Me ‘n Moms

Miller Paint Co.

RE Store

Second Ascent

Snoose Junction Pizzaria

Sonic Boom Records

Tall Grass Bakery

Verite Coffee/Cupcake Royale

Just a reminder, if you have little ones, there are several Easter egg hunts scheduled this morning. Please scroll below about 6 posts down to view the schedule.

Happy Easter!
 
From all of us at BallardBlog.com

Have fun!