Only 4 shopping days 'til X-mas...

IMG_1596
Originally uploaded by bunkytom.

If you restrict your shopping to the fun and fine hand-made goods of the I Heart Rummage sales, that is.

I Heart schedule:
Oct 2
Nov 6
Dec 4
Dec 18

I Heart Rummage @ Crocodile Cafe
Sunday, 11a - 4p

-- j

Tags: uptown, seattle, iheartrummage, shopping,

Staying one step ahead of Josh

I'm sure this won't be shocking but this blog is not our full-time job. We post when we can. The best posts are shorty and pithy and tell you something you didn't already know. Unfortunately, on a few items this week, Mr. fancy blogger Josh over at Metroblogging Seattle had already beat us to the punch. Though we were both well behind girlfag on the topic, I'm left with that icky feeling of irrelevance. Do I tell Josh to take a hike and stay the heck out my neighborhood? Certainly not. We're so 1/2 ass, we need all the help we can get posting valuable tidbits about Belltown and Lower Queen Anne, etc. So, we will just have to turn up our game. And, oh yeah, check that Josh hasn't already posted our next gem before we click 'publish.'

-- j&k

Tags: uptown, seattle, metroblogging, josh

SimCity Seattle - Mayor has $55M to blow

KUOW reports that Seattle has a few extra million to spend this year cuz bidness is downright good in the city. As any good SimCity strategist knows, disaster can strike at any moment, so Mayor Greg has earmarked the cash for more firefighters and cops on the streets. Makes sense to us. Though my memories of the fire guys my aunt used to date doesn't exactly fill my mind with images of heroism and selfless devotion to duty, it's scary to know that there are only 3 firefighters on duty at a time at many firehouses across the city.

BTW, has anybody ever been heading into Uptown Espresso on 4th Ave when all hell breaks loose and the fire engines comes screaming out of the nearby station? It's a good thrill -- kind of like adding another shot to your latte.

-- j

Tags: uptown, seattle, mayor, budget

Saturday night fun? Watch Seattle's champ sports team

No, not the sad-sack Mariners. The Seattle Sounders do battle for the league championship Saturday night at Qwest Field. While we're not running a sports blog and this has nothing to do with uptown, it does qualify as an alternative, under-the-radar entertainment tip because, really, nobody gives a flying fuck about soccer. The Sounders are playing some team from Canada -- remember, we hate those guys. Celebrate Seattle's first Saturday of winter -- don't forget your parkas.

-- j

Tags: uptown, seattle, sounders, soccer, freezeyourassoffintherain

Best coffee joint in Belltown

Until yesterday, we were convinced we would never find a better morning coffee stop than Macrina Bakery with its hand-pulled lattes and piles of amazing baked goods.

But on a whim, we skipped our normal breakfast stop and tried something new -- fooled around and fell in love. 2nd Ave's Cafe Casbah (map) is a great way to start your day. The coffee from organic provider Kalani was rich and full and the baked goods were just what you want -- unique and seemingly hand-made, fresh, and filling enough to break your fast. We were thinking how yummy the zuchini bread and strawberry jam scone were through the day.

Add the convenience of being right next to the 2nd Ave & Bell St bus stop, and you've got the perfect day launching location.

We're not going to abandon our first love. Macrina, you didn't do anything wrong. Don't cry -- we'll always have Friday wine tastings. But baby, we're going to be seeing Cafe Casbah a lot.

Cafe Casbah
2219 2nd Ave (next to Singles Going Steady)

-- j

Tags: uptown, seattle, belltown, coffee, cafecasbah, macrina

Love in uptown

Craigslist Seattle is featuring the ongoing soap opera of Uptown Girl and Guy. Check it out.

UPTOWN girl

---

Reply to: anon-100338919@craigslist.org
Date: 2005-09-27, 11:46AM PDT


it was nice to see your cute face again last night. damn, how I wish I've never emailed that dude!
if you change your mind, coffee sometime?

• this is in or around QA
  
• no -- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
  

UPTOWN girl

---

Reply to: anon-100561503@craigslist.org
Date: 2005-09-28, 10:55AM PDT


Just out of curiousity, let me know once for all, so I wont ever post you another desperate MC posting...are you and that dude an item now?
he was the one who replied to my posting first, he was the one who told me you weren't attached, he was the one who gave me hints about you,
he was the one who acted out as if he was going to 'help'...now I know I shouldn't have trusted a guy friend of yours. damn..I guess it's my lost!

There's a huge possibility that dude or maybe you might read this posting. Just let me know and I'll not bother to post another "coffee sometime" posting!

• this is in or around me again
  
• no -- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
  

uptown GUY

---

Reply to: anon-100646008@craigslist.org
Date: 2005-09-28, 4:51PM PDT


You are totally pathetic.

You're never going to get a girl like that. Just ask her the fuck out.
It's wayyyy more attractive then this bulshit.

• no -- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
  

Uptown gets "at least one realistic nude male figure"

Add us to the list of dorks using nudity to get you to read stuff about art -- the Seattle Times (also on your dork list) reports that the Olympic Sculpture Park will have a nude tenant thanks to artist Louise Bourgeois.

-snip-
In Bourgeois' proposal for the sculpture, the life-sized figures face each other but are obscured from each other by a cloak of falling water that, at hourly intervals, will shift to reveal first one figure, then the other, at the ringing of a bell.
-unsnip-

This all flows from the legacy of a man who left $1 million to the city to build a public fountain -- with his own special twist: the work had to incorporate at least one realistic nude male figure.

Now, relayed in our dorky, shorthand fashion, the requirement seems a little salacious and even, gasp, dirty. But we're guessing old Stu Smailes wasn't just getting his jollies and that his interests were genuinely artistic. We plunk down lots of money for our jollies but we'd never mess around with a cold hard $1M. Can't wait for the park to open. In the meantime, here's a virtual tour of other Bourgeois works.

-- j

Tags: uptown, seattle, olympicsculpturepark, bourgeois, nude

No bus tunnel: downtown streets report

We ventured downtown this morning to drop the GF off at her place of employ. We were a'scared to yesterday as it was the first business day of the 2-year downtown bus tunnel closure; an event so momentous, the city mothers and fathers made button and sticker propaganda to celebrate. GF had to bus it on Monday. But on Tuesday, we braved it figuring that a) things hadn't been too bad on Monday's bus ride, she said and b) people had a day to overcome the confusion of not being able to use 3rd avenue.

How'd it go? We are happy to report that downtown Seattle was not, at least not at 7:45 a.m., a parking lot and that traffic was flowing pretty much OK. There were definitely more cars and brake lights on 2nd than the good ol days and 4th was also much busier than normal, but things were moving. Of course, this all might change when the dozen or so readers of this blog decide to join the parade on Wednesday but 2nd looked like it could probably handle another Jetta or three. Our biggest concern is 2nd -- it was already a senstive artery and there is potential, now, for significant back-ups. Before, 2nd had room to spare. This morning it was moving still but showing definite signs that GF might be taking the bus a little more often.

-- j

Tags: uptown, seattle, bustunnelclosure, traffic

Ode to the Pink Elephant

Pink Elephant, Pink Elephant, oh marker of uptown's nor'eastern general edge, kind of

Pink Elephant, where you scrape the city grime from my Honda Civic and turn it no-so-glossy black again

Pink Elephant, Pink Elephant, place of employ for men from interesting countries in Africa

Pink Elephant, we salute your pink spinning glory -- a beacon on our drunken cab rides home from Capitol Hill

Pink Elephant Video

-- j

Tags: uptown, seattle, pinkelephant, carwash, neon

What now, monorail? 6 thoughts, 1 good one

The monorail situation has us flummoxed. Here's a round-up of thoughts from 5 folks who oughta know:

1) Enviro blog says 'WTF?,' wishes for gov cooperation
2) Monorail project people say they are on top of things, fear not, trust
3) Active young enthusiastic types say go for it, you only live once
4) Seattle PI says here are a lot of facts and a few lame man-on-the-street quotes. Also, infographics!
5) People who have to build it say we're still here

And then there is this, from the only dude to make sense of it all -- a bicycling philosopher blogger. Read this -- it makes sense and is a start, we think, to figuring this whole thing out. Robert Ashworth for mayor! (Oops. He lives in Bellingham)

-- j

Tags: uptown, seattle, monorail, thedudecrossedUSAonbicycle!

Can't spell Lamborghini? Call Tyson

What kind of honor is it to be inducted into the Uptown Hall of Fame? The Auto Gallery of Seattle has responded to our induction post with this humble, fitting comment:

-snip-

Tyson J. Spring: Agreed.
Call me to discuss just how cool it is....
206.793.0034

-unsnip-

Inspiring words, Tyson. Sell it, baby.

--j

Tags: uptown, seattle, halloffame, autogalleryofseattle

Definitive guide to Seattle living released

Very rarely do we lower ourselves to depending on Craigslist Seattle for our posting inspiration. Nothing against the best site ever on the Internet. It just feels like cheating to scrape the frothy cream from the top without making you dig through CL on your own.

But every now and then we find something that must be shared (or we have time to post and not much to say). Today, we present one such pile of frothy cream. Ladies and gentlemen, CL's Definitive Guide to Seattle Living.

-snip-
As far as prices--what you pay for a shithole in NYC will get you a nice place anywhere here.
-unsnip-

Clip and save.


-- j

Tags: uptown, seattle, craigslist, neighborhoods

Mytrle Edwards train whistle mystery

on track
Originally uploaded by ChrisB in SEA.

When a train blares its horn at 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning as it passes through Myrtle Edwards Park, is it warning somebody to get out of the way? Telling me to get up and read the paper? Instructing my girlfriend to flip over and put the pillow over her head? I like to imagine a narrow miss and a relieved conductor -- even though I know computers drive trains these days.


--j

Tags: uptown, seattle, myrtleedwardspark, train