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Forget joining the insane crowds at the Needle or Gasworks Park, stumbling over drunks, and a 2-hour snarl of traffic once it’s over.  Stay here and plan your holiday weekend!

Start your day by joing other summer beach naturalists at Carkeek Park to learn about the beach, what lives and grows there, and what washes up.  Enjoy nature and learn a little about your local beach.  Make sure to wear good sunscreen for the glint off the waters!  (I personally love wading in my Crocs; the waves go right through the holes.)

Enjoy a free concert at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks after lunch.  The Seattle Civic Band entertains you on the 4th from 2-3pm with patriotic and marching music.  Come early to grab a seat or bring your own lawn/folding chair.

At 6pm, you can while away the hours until right before sundown at the Ballard Jam House, 1707 NW Market Street.  Playing on the 4th will be the Welch/Stickney Ensemble (Modern original jazz).  The best thing about this set is that it’s also a relief fundraiser for a cyclone in Myanmar/Burma!  No cover charge, but donations are highly encouraged and all proceeds go to the International Burmese Monks organization for those affected.

Head home just before sunset and watch fireworks from the best seat in the house – your own TV with your friends.  Share nibbles and drink responsibly as you get the best view of both the 4th of Jul-Ivar’s over Elliot Bay and Washington Mutual’s sponsored display that’s shot off a barge on Lake Union. While personal fireworks are banned in our town, don’t fret!  Your night isn’t finished!

Once the shows are over, keep the party going by heading out to the 9:30 show at the Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Avenue.  Enjoy the “high-octane power pop” of three bands in one night!  The reunion tour of The Model Rockets, as well as The Tripwires and Doll Test.  Make sure to grab your very reasonably priced $8 tickets at Sonic Boom Records before then. You’re definitely going to end the holiday on a high note, as the Tractor is open til 2am.

Looking for something else to do, and worried about how other people may have spent the 4th in Ballard?  Here’s your chance to give back and make it a better place.  July 6th at 7:30am (at least it’s Sunday!), the SurfriderFoundation is wanting volunteers to help clean up the holiday mess at Golden Gardens Beach.  It’ll only take you a couple of hours, and they’ll provide light refreshements as well as the bags and gloves.  Make sure to let Melanie at seattle@surfrider.org know you’re planning on attending, or visit Surfrider.org.

Enjoy your 4th of July weekend.  Stay safe and have a great time in Ballard!

Hot Town, Summer in the City

Looking to beat the heat in your favorite neighborhood?  Here’s a few ideas that’ll get you out of your living room and still enjoy a hot day.  Make sure to stop by a grocery or drug store and pick up the appropriate sunblock for your health, and stay hydrated!

Kadampa Buddhist Temple: 6556 24th Ave. N.W.  Sure, you can beat the heat, but why not make the world a better place at the same time?  Join them Sunday mornings at 10am for public meditation and prayer on compassion and world peace.  Kids have their own space downstairs.  $10, but no one turned away for lack of funds.  A beautiful and community-making way to start your day, regardless of faith.

Seattle Public Library, Ballard Branch: 5614 22nd Ave. N.W. If you absolutely *must* check your email on such a lovely day, pop into this “green” building to use one of their 37 computers or free (albeit unsecured) wi-fi for your access.  At the very least, you can cool your heels and get a drink from the water fountain before heading out again.  You could also spend an hour or two expanding your mind with their great collection…

Scooter’s Burgers: 5802 24th Ave N.W.  Head back over to 24th for lunch to Scooters.  Be aware that parking is temporarily limited to their small lot due to the construction right next door, but it’s worth it.  You can also leave your car near the library and just cut across the park.  Fantastic hamburgers, perfectly-textured fries, smaller sizes for kids, and amazing shakes.  Yes, the thick shakes will cool you down considerably, and you can choose any combo of flavors.  (I personally like chocolate & PB, like a Reese’s cup!)  The smaller sized meal and shake is also good for seniors or those of a light appetite.

Ballard Pool: 1471 NW 67th St.  Make sure to wait at least an hour after that great lunch you had!  Then come on in this Sunday afternoon and early evening for a refreshing swim.  $3.75 max, showers and quarter-operated lockers available.

Majestic Bay Theater: 2044 NW Market St.  After your hair’s dried from the pool, why not see a movie?  Nearly 2 hours in this lovely air-conditioned nostalgic building is a great way to end a day.  Check the website or walk a block from the library and peek around the corner to see what’s currently playing.  Make sure to look at the gorgeous mahogany wainscoting and marble countertops at the concession stands while you enjoy your movie in the comfort that multiplexes just can’t offer.

Next time: Low to No-cost days of fun in Ballard.  Enjoy, and stay cool!

The end of an era came swiftly this morning.  After a protracted fight to save the Denny’s at Market and 15th Avenue NW, a permit issued yesterday allowed today’s demolition.  The crash of glass, concrete, metal and wood was completed in the morning hours.  A lone KOMO 4 news van lingered outside as I passed by on the bus at 2pm.  It was originally a Manning’s, but I remember it best as Denny’s.  One of the few places left to actually eat at 24 hours a day.

I moved here in 2005 from Denver, CO.  I quickly discovered that Ballard was a fun and quirky place to hang out, and I could find it right away on the bus by looking for the swooping lines of the Denny’s building.  When my parents visited, we ate there late at night after a long day of tourism fun, enjoying the delicious mushroom swiss burgers and cold sodas.  It was an easy way to describe directions to my house for visiting friends or even local friends who wondered what was close by.

I’ll miss this place.  Although I don’t have the long history of those who grew up in its scalloped shadows and late-night noshes, it was familiar and comfortable and definitely not cookie-cutter construction.  The memories will last long after the pile of twisted metal and ripped insulation is shoveled up and carted away.  Farewell, Ballard Denny’s.  R.I.P.

–photos by Megan Noel, www.megannoel.com

Your first reaction on getting that coupon in the Val-Pak envelope is to laugh.  “Snoose Junction Pizzeria“?  What’s a Snoose?  Apparently, Scandinavians in the area called snuff and chewing tobacco “snoose”, and Snoose Junction was a nickname for the area when Ship captains would stop here to unload illicit loads before hitting Seattle proper.  While smoking isn’t allowed inside these days, the pizza is certainly good enough to think you’re getting away with something.  That something?  A great deal on good food.

You can get your pizza fix here by the slice or by the whole pie.  A delighful arrangement of regulars fill the large menu board along with the option to create your own masterpiece.  Calzones, hot sandwiches and some salads fill out the menu along with sodas, wines and beers.  It’s very family-welcoming, even if there isn’t a whole lot of room.

I noshed on slices of plain cheese and a cold bottle of Sarsparilla from Wyoming.  My partner enjoyed cheese and pepperoni with a icy fountain Coke.  (2 drinks, 4 slices, less than $20)  The crust was thin yet sturdy and didn’t crack along the bottom when I folded mine in half.  Get a few napkins for the little bit of grease run-off while you wait for it to cool from their warming oven!  The sauce is perfectly not too sweet, not too seasoned, and the cheese doesn’t string out too far.  I was very happy with our impromptu choice of lunch locations after walking back from a nice day at the Ballard Locks.  Look for it just to the east of the India Bistro right on Market.

Snoose Junction Pizzeria is open till 3am on weekends and is located at 2305 NW Market St.  Make sure to get on their email list for a free pizza on your birthday.  Oh, and they DO deliver.

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 guitar or mandolin while clogging, it would require an ambulance! Song, dance, clean music, and the CDs are only $10… Now that’s entertainment. And unlike Pike Place Market, it’s easy to hear this and your foot can’t help tapping along.

And the main reason to come to the Market… the food. If you go to their website, you can sign up for “What’s Fresh This Week”, an e-newsletter letting you know the choicest food picks and a recipe for dinner ideas. I managed to score firm green asparagus, these really sweet radishes, huge local onions, leeks, tart apples, and some local apple cider. For less than $20, anyone can eat like a fancy restaurant for the entire week and get all your vitamins the yummy way!

So get yourself and your eco-friendly tote bag over to the Sunday Market and load up on natural foods, personal products, and local hand-made gifts and home goods. Bring your sunglasses and a smile, and we’ll bid you welcome!

I’ve recently had the pleasure of discovering that a branch on my genealogical tree sprouted in Sweden. Given that this is some provable ancestry, I set out to educate myself on this part of my heritage. One thing’s for sure, cultures are identifiable by their food.

Many people my age and older may remember the Swedish Chef from the Muppet Show. While his stereotypical accent and grammar was laughable (after all, it WAS 30 years ago…), very little of his supposed recipes were actually Swedish. I remember his shooting the holes out of bagels, fighting off crazed unboiled lobsters, and watching coffee “per-ku-late”. Imagine my delight in finding a place in Ballard that sold ingredients I’d never heard of, for foods I never imagined while watching the Swedish Chef.

Olsen’s Scandinavian Store is right on Market Street and has been around since 1960. It was wonderful to look at every little thing in there and feel as if I uncovered treasure I never before understood. Bottles of Saft concentrate to be mixed with water for a refreshing fruit drink, sheets of lovely lefse in their triangles just crying out to be rolled up with cream cheese and smoked salmon, chunks of imported rich and smoky goat’s milk cheese…

I was torn. Do I flip through the little spiral-bound recipe books, try to lift a heavy wooden rolling pin, or graze my fingertips over cool gilded china cups with Viking ships on them? Do I justify buying Freya Milk Chocolate with hazelnut pieces, rolls of marzipan paste, or small bags of REAL black licorice that my mom loves (but shouldn’t have)? I have tried the Swedish meatball mix with my own gravy and felt full for hours. I’ve nibbled crispbread wafers with lingonberry jam, krumkake cookies that put waffle cones to shame, and puzzled over the instructions on the back of a bag mix for blueberry soup. (I’ll have to put that through Google’s translator.) The last lovely warm day I was there, I splurged a whole $2 and got a Norwegian hot dog. We’re talking a home-made juicy flavorful long hot dog wrapped up in a lefse triangle with tasty crunchy fried onions. Sure, you could put the offered ketchup on it. I’d rather have a unique tasty meal!

Olsen’s is not a large store, but they pack so much into the space that you always feel like you’re discovering something new. I’ve bought Norwegian Flag shirts as gifts, refrained from amassing a collection of wooden Dala horses, and convinced myself I will NEVER have the courage to try lutefisk, even at Christmas. But I do find it terribly easy to hop off the bus and walk half a block after work every now and then. And I just keep finding more things where I can say, ‘Yes, I’m part Swedish and I’ve tried that. Have you ever tasted this?”

Go on, give it a try. At the very least, you can buy a cute candle holder and wall plaque to convince your friends you’re a world traveller in your own back yard.

Ah, Syttende Mai. Norwegian Constitution Day, the 17th of May, and a reason to celebrate the Scandinavian heritage of our lovely neighborhood. So many fun things to do!
Flags to the left of the Museum Entrance…

 
I started over at the Nordic Heritage Museum at 3014 NW 67th Street to see some visiting Norwegian Fjord ponies. They were a little sleepy in the record heat, but very sweet and
friendly.

After a few photos of the adorable ponies (and petting their very soft noses), we went into the Museum and enjoyed both the cool air and the free admission for the day. It was fascinating to wander around and see both the exhibits about Syttende Mai and the regular cultural/historical exhibits. I particularly like the walk-through experiences about how life was like for the early settlers from Scandinavia.

Then we headed downtown and had lunch while waiting for the parade to start. After a slow beginning, it was full of smoky dragon boats, trolls, kids on unicycles, old cars, and all the men and women in their beautiful regional bunad (costumes, specific to certain regions in Norway). Even the Swedish Cultural Center sent their Swedish Pancake Drill Team. All in all, a hot but wonderful day. Feel free to enjoy the parade yourself below with the video I captured!

Parade part 1
Parade part 2
Parade part 3
Parade part 4

Depressingly, my antique glass measuring cup chipped and for safety’s sake, must be replaced. I decided to stop in Kitchen-N-Things at 2322 NW Market Street in Ballard. (Corner of Market and 24th) This place is a real treat for the serious cook. From lovely linen aprons to stainless steel measuring spoons to Le Creuset ovenware in a rainbow of shades, Kitchen-n-Things has the kitchenware for you if cooking is your passion. Apparently, they even have a “Knife of the Month” according to the paper taped to the door. May is a serious German steel chef’s knife for less than $60! Alas, no Pyrex or glass measuring cups here, only polymer or steel.

So I then ventured across the street to the cozy little Cookies in Seattle. Admittedly, I forgot about the measuring cup. While most of the aprons really were too small for my frame, they were terribly cute. I was distracted by the over 1,000 cookie cutters… All sizes and shapes to fit your fancy. The 4″ copper one in the shape of a hairdryer might be fun for a girl’s slumber party, or she may prefer the music notes, or even the saw and pliers cutters if she’s inclined to build things. They also have cookie stamps, cookie jars, mixes, cookbooks… Eh, I’ll find the measuring cup at Fred Meyer’s this weekend. I had to leave before I spent the rest of my evening in a snickerdoodle frenzy. Make sure and drop into this cute little store just behind the bus stop!

Saturday revealed a few treasures during the deliciously sunny hours of the day. A faint breeze kept me at a very comfortable temperature for a walk around the neighborhood. Where to eat? Wandering down Ballard Avenue uncovered an unassuming storefront of glass with a neon sign of lips and the intriguing name of “Madame K’s”. The aroma of browning crust and bubbling tomato sauces made my hands open the door and seek seating.

Madame K’s plays upon the alleged previous life of the building, that of a brothel. The wait staff is friendly and flirty and an actual joy to chat with. Be warned, they are generous with the portions and the garlic. If you don’t care for garlic, this is not your place. Being that I can eat cooked garlic like candy, I was in heaven.

Being the middle of the day, I chose to forgo the much-touted Sangria, but I managed to get my own buzz off the scent of the dessert they called a “screaming orgasm”. No, there’s nothing dirty about it, unless you get melted chocolate on your hands. A skillet-sized fresh-baked cookie with ice cream on top, I was sorry I’d eaten enough pizza to fill me so full I couldn’t get one. Although with the size of the portions, it’s probably better enjoyed with a date or a bunch of friends. Please note there is no seating for anyone under 21. Madame K’s can be found at 5327 Ballard Ave NW, (206) 783-9710.

I indulged in a personal vice and wandered back up to the Guitar Emporium to gaze at the beautiful instruments in the windows hanging like delicate ornaments. This neat little corner shop has been offering classes, instruments, and events since 1989 in guitar, mandolin, banjo, lute, and bass fiddles. Not only can you find a glossy new 6 or 12-string, they also carry a revolving stock of vintage and used instruments. Need a guitar for community center or school classes? Check them out. Want an old Fender Stratocaster? Come see if there’s one on the wall! I can’t do more than pick out notes, but I love riffling through the sheet music and listening to the salespeople. Make sure to look at the window posters or ask the employees about what’s going on in the local acoustic world of strings!

Guitar Emporium
5349 Ballard Ave NW
(206) 783-7607