New colors uptown

076
Originally uploaded by somethingisaid.

Personally, I hope it's only coincidence but both cancer-battling biotech Dendreon and hangover-curing-breakfast, late-night-drunk-food-provider Cafe Minnie's have undergone a little color change. I'm hoping this doesn't mean that Minnie's is a Dendreon venture but who knows. Kudos to the corp folks at Dendreon -- I dig the sky blue look of the new skin. Too bad there's still plastic and tape all over the sidewalk from your work crew :( As for Minnie's new look? Well, muave is an interesting decision. But, as K noted, anything is better than fake-brick brown.

Best uptown lunch spot you've never heard of?

The always-earth-shaking Belltown Messenger has me all hot and bothered to try out the Art Institute's restaurant, the Portfolio Dining Room

-snip-
This almost unknown restaurant offers Belltown's best view, from corner windows five stories above Alaskan Way. The best prices, too: salads and appetizers for about $5, main dishes for $7.50, fine wines for $3 a glass, $15 a bottle. And the servers are forbidden to accept gratuities.
-un-snip-

Jesus. That and all the young designers? Sign me up!

What to drink on 80-degree days in Seattle

drinking
Originally uploaded by lotta-liina.

We're in a bit of a post vacation funk here in uptown. Hard to get back into the flow of things in the hood and, frankly, there ain't a lot going on. Sure, our neighbor neighborhoods have a few new restaurants and bars going in that we're looking forward to visiting and construction has started fo' real at the Oly Sculpture Park - but the posts are coming slow and sticky.

Surely, this funk won't last - especially with summer now officially breaking out in Seattle. Lots of sunshine means lots of action. And fruity drinks. So, what better way to get back in the flow than with a visit to the Mojito Cafe?

Mojito's drinks are as authentic as you can get this close to the arctic circle, the food is eclectic and interesting and mostly tasty. Mojito achieves yet there's a laid-back coolness to it all. The vibe is nearly PNW tropical -- you can tell the tables will soon be pushed to the walls for peace-corps-volunteers-on-holiday style dancing. You will wish you were able to stay awake past 10 someday to join the party.

The Mojito seems refreshingly less calculated than the glossy joints that dot 1st Ave and surrounding environs. It's a little more ripe and juicy -- you might get sticky if you rest your elbows on the tables. Try it!

The Mojito Cafe can be found at 181 Western Ave. down by Rain Fitness. How about that for a post-workout cool-down?

Back from Alaska

Alaska_2005 006
Originally uploaded by jseattle.

We're back in Seattle -- doesn't look like too much has changed around the hood but it's good to be back. From the pic, you can get a sense of what kind of vacations we take (though I'm ready for a beach after this one!). Returned to town to find a totally messy apartment, warm weather and good drinks at the Mojito Cafe. All in all, a pretty decent welcome home. Here are some pictures from our trip.

Way up north

Things will be quiet around here for the next two weeks -- we're in Alaska for a hiking and fishing adventure. See you soon if we don't end up as bear chow.

How to sort out Seattle's monorail mess

Here's a reasoned approach to figuring out what to do next and why to do it. Don't give up on the monorail yet. We're on to something - let's figure out how to do it right.

4 reasons to have a neighborhood blog

We usualy can't resist a funny - but this isn't another joke list. This is an invitation to you to join the conversation. If you're not writing about what is cool and good and needed in your neighborhood, who is? Do you really want that guy down the hall picking which restaurants should survive and die on your street? Do you really want your favorite coffee shop to be so secret it goes out of business?

1) There are too many granularities in the city -- types of people, types of finances, types of tastes. City-wide radio stations, tv, newspapers and weeklies can't do the job. They might make the shift someday but, more likely, they'll stick to the chewy middle of what 'everybody' wants.
2) Talking about what you like will create more things that you like. It's how it works. Especially in a city where there are 1,000 others that look like you and walk like you and talk like you. Everything you like and want is a trend. Write it down. Start the trend.
3) The more information people can get about an area, the more they will visit, explore and move there. Information about what is good and great in your hood will attract people that are good and great. (BTW, fake info about what is good and great will attract fake good people so beware!)
4) You'll appreciate your hood more. How do you love it? Count the ways. You'll start walking down streets you haven't walked down yet and trying businesses you haven't been inside before. You'll talk to more people. You'll meet people through your blog. You'll take pictures. You're like the freaking mayor!

Party in the Park

Party in the Park
Originally uploaded by jseattle.

Thursday night's Party in the Park to kick off construction (yay!) of the Olympic Sculpture Park was a sunny good time that felt a little like a county fair had broken out in the middle of Seattle. With gravel and hay spread about to cover up the muddy lot between Western and Elliot, the mix of Seattle hipsters and "I'll watch anything for free" folks wandered about looking for ways to piece together their Target-schwag rain ponchos into suitable seating areas. Low-cut jeans just don't work out that well when you gots to sit on the ground. I got a few gravel bits kicked down my crack, too, so I joined the community. In addition to the many rear-ends on partial display, there was a summer-time skin look to the packed beer garden crowd that seemed to be entertained just by being able to drink beer while pressed against other bodies. We didn't sample any of the chow and mostly just sat and listened to the tunes and people watched. The gravel was tough on the ass despite the corporate-sponsorship material we used for padding, but it was nice to imagine what will be here next year. It's going to be just as sunny, with a gorgeous view -- and, by then, we'll have grass instead of gravel!

And the biggest party we all missed...

Apparently - though I never heard or a peep or saw a red balloon myself - there was a block party in Belltown this weekend. Oh well. Sometimes a link on CL just isn't enough!

Gnomedex comes to Seattle

burning the gnome more
Originally uploaded by AChocolateOrange.

Notice a longer line at Ivars Acres of Clams? A sudden surge in the Seattle tag at flickr? A proliferation of Timbuk2 messenger bags on the waterfront? Blog and 'social computing' geeks from all parts descend this week on the Bell Harbor Conference Center for Gnomdex 5.0.

I'm pretty tired of the whole garden gnome thing myself. But this joke apparently ain't dying so I should probably just ignore it the way I've learned to ignore 'cheesey poof' and 'you killed kenny.' Still, if anybody is listening, maybe consider a shift in brand? In the meantime, Seattle has Gnomedex 5.0.

We here at Uptown won't be attending Gnomedex -- we don't really know which panel would be right for us since there seems to be very little attention devoted to our interests. Nope, no panels like these at all:
* Use your blog to score free drinks
* Community, closing crappy restaurants down and you!
* How to turn 3 readers into 4

But we do expect to run into a few gnomedexers or two as we try to live life in our fair little 'hood. So, in the interest of welcoming the horde of RSS-ing freaks, here's our list of recommended eating establishments within waddling distance of Bell Harbor (arranged in geek-true order by distance from front door of the conference center)

Pike Place Market - First, for all things non-dinner, go to the market or Macrina Bakery on 1st Ave. Belltown and the waterfront don't support many other recommendable non-splurge lunch options.

Now, on to dinner and drinks...

Frontier Room - gorgeous waitstaff. has wi-fi. i dare you to bust out your laptop.
2203 1st Ave
.1 Mi

Buffalo Deli - only double plus deli in Belltown. lunch only.
2123 1st Ave
.1 Mi

Apartment Bistro - NYC cool done Seattle proletariat style (ie, IKEA flatware). classy still. intimate. cool.
2226 1st Ave
.2 Mi

Flying Fish - your one dinner splurge could be here. NW seafood emphasis with lots of organic goodness.
2234 1st Ave
.2 Mi

Cafe Casbah - coffee without Macrina's lines or SBUX guilt
2219 2nd Ave
.2 Mi

Barocho! - good place to share and not be part of the herd on 1st
2801 Western Ave
.2 Mi

Waterfront Grill - another dinner splurge possibility. I'd rather just have drinks, appetizers and the view.
2815 Alaskan Way
.3 Mi

For more on Gnomedex, here's the PI's recent article about conference host, Chris Pirillo.

The biggest free party in Seattle this week

Calder and Sky 2
Originally uploaded by lopolis.

Boys and girls, we're throwing a party here in Uptown on Thursday night to celebrate the start of construction (finally!) on the Olympic Sculpture Park. Naturally, we're biased as this one is happening in our own backyard but it really should be a good time and gorgeous if we're lucky and the sun sticks around.

Party in the Park
Thursday, June 23 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

-snip-
Local musical sensations Reggie Watts, Yerbabuena, Luke Temple and a Garfield High School jazz combo will perform, along with breakdancers, On the Double-Dutch and Fankick!, a dynamic ‘80s dance duo. The event will also feature an interactive exhibit from Seattle Aquarium, mural-painting with Artworks, REI bike doctors, a raffle and secure valet bike parking from Transportation Choices.

- un-snip -

Belltown dot shrug - time to change community info sites

Brochure sites for neighborhoods and communities have got to go. Case in point, Belltown.org

Sure, it was created in an 'innovative' vision but that vision has quickly faded. It's simply not useful to have a mostly static site spinning around with no dialogue and very little useful information beyond business listings.

Blogs are probably just a new form of brochure sites but at least they have a spirt of update and live broadcast. So, quit wasting money hosting a dead site like belltown.org and start putting it to work on a site that the community will actually utilize and participate in.

Top 5 Things They're Waiting on at the OSP

garden gnome
Originally uploaded by iflynn.

Are you down with OSP? Yeah, you know me.

But we can't figure out what in the heck they're waiting for before digging in and GETTING TO FRICKING WORK on the Olympic Sculpture Park. So, while you ponder the weedy, empty lot, we offer this list of possible reasons for delay.

1. They're waiting for summer. This year, looks like October or November.
2. Miscalculation: Calder piece will require re-routing of Western.
3. Mayor Nickels fighting for Top Pot donut shop insertion in plan.
4. Construction stalled to allow for Myrtle Edwards 'Traveling Vagabond Fest 2005'
5. Old Spaghetti Factory expansion plans being taken into "consideration".

For a blow by blow account of things, looks like we can follow along with this citizen journalist.

The benefit of having journalists for neighbors

We love the PI. The newspaper part? Not so great. But the glowing globe out our window? Awesome. And having hungry journalists help you keep track of good and bad chow in your neighborhood because it's their neighborhood too? Priceless. Journalists are hungry people with discriminating tastes. Yay for them. Yay for chow. Yay for Uptown chow.

Anyway, we've tried Buckley's and agree that it's pretty good fare and should be supported. So get out there and eat soon to support your local chow-o-sphere.


Seattle PI: On Dining: Maybe this time it's right for Lower Queen Anne site
Headed by proprietor/ bartender Tim Buckley, members of the cast and crew from the original, greatly beloved Belltown Pub reassembled in the Kitchen 232 location as Buckley's on Queen Anne. Serving reliably good burgers, killer wings and homey hearty entrees, the pub and casual restaurant celebrated its first anniversary on May 27.

2 little Uptown restaurants we still need to try and 1 we don't

More Uptown sushi, a kooky spanish joint and chow at a coffeehouse. Which one will we never do again?

1) Wild Fish, 2904 1st Ave.
Bumping out Afrikando wasn't necessarily the best way to make friends but change is change. There's a 15% off coupon on their web site to help inspire. I'll just assume that the addition of 'Steak!' to their sidewalk signage was a hasty decision and not a cry for help from this join-the-pack sushi joint.

2) Mira!, 2800 1st Ave.
We dropped in for a drink to say hello when it first opened and we swung through for snacks late at night on Cinco de Mayo (a spanish rest. on cinco de mayo? after that much cervesa, such details become trivia! mira!) But we need to give the breakfast a rip. Nice to have a new choice in the hood. I don't know how long Mira! will last but it's 100% as weird as the Blue Plate action that used to be in the space so it's got that going for it. And the female component of the management duo is quirky to say the least.


3) Cherry Street Coffee, 2719 1st Ave.
I'll admit it. We had high anticipation for the opening of the newest Cherry here in Uptown. The thought of simple, (hopefully!) affordable coffee-house chow being just a few blocks away got us all wound up. But, alas, we were thoroughly disappointed. The food is, indeed, simple. Reminded me of something I might have re-heated myself. But the prices were out-of-scale and all in all, we're pretty sure we don't need to go back. Could be a good place to sit back and grab a beer or glass a wine this summer (but, not to be a huge fat snob, the wine list was equally re-heated -- entertain us, please!)

Finding Seattle Blogs

We here at UptownSeattle meet a lot of you thanks to the good people and code at Seablogs.

The rest of you come from Google with a trickle also visiting thanks to the Technorati search engine.

But, really, there's no established leader of the pack for finding micro-blogs like this. I kind of like that even though it's a good ego rub to have more readers. It would be cool to see a definitive index though - I get the feeling that I'm missing most of the good stuff that just has to be out there in a city as diverse and progressive as Seat-town. Right? :)

Monorail: for real?

Seattle Monorail's Planned 5th & Broad Station
Originally uploaded by jseattle.

Seattle PI reports that, despite the risk/fear/uncertainty/boogey-man/change-sucks of it all, the Monorail today inches toward reality. Those kooky folks at Cascade Monorail Co. have agreed on a price to build part of this sucker. Unfortunately for people like me who would prefer living under a benevolent dictator (like me), this deal is still subject to public hearings and the political process before final approval so I'm sure we'll try to turn it into a tunnel or something next. But for now, enjoy the feel of progress. (And don't read this news --Vegas Monorail ridership too low to meet expenses, officials say -- from Vegas :) )

BTW, who will start the first pro and anti Monorail blogs that are worth reading every day?

The Not-so-great Seattle Shake

Call me negative and chemical dependent but I can't not post another nasty note in response to yet another ridiculous liquor write-up in one of our local rags.

The ultra lame Seattle Shake promo didn't peter out because people would rather drink wine than cocktails, I assure you. Proof? Just head out to any bar in Belltown around 5p and make a little sharpie mark on your table each time one of the cubicle princesses in the lounge downs something pink and sticky.

The thing sucked keg fumes because it was
a) not that great of a deal and
b) limited to the hours of 7 to 10 when we are either already drunk and eating tater tots at Noc Noc or home having sex on the couch (yes, this is my routine pretty much every night, thanks for asking)

PI says all you Seattle alcoholics aren't very original

We've been away for a few days - missed you. Not to get things going again with a downer but couldn't let this one pass.

Sure, sure. Newspapers, so fresh and in tune with the PULSE of the city, are definitely the proper authorities to lay down judgement on all things cool. But I'm going to treat the PI's silly little missive about the 'FauxHo'-ness of Seattle's club 'scene' (whatever that is) with more respect than it probably deserves by
1) mentioning it here and
2) bothering to say it's lame

I won't try to argue that nice bars in Seattle aren't just like nice bars in other cities. They are! (you got us PI!). But how about the journalist use some of them j-school classes to track down a person or two who might offer some ideas on how to break free from the oppression of copy-cat swank.

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Classy clubs or cheap imports?
This isn't New York, or Los Angeles, but you wouldn't know it from these bars

By ATHIMA CHANSANCHAI
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Seattle makes Drudge

Seattle makes Drudge
Originally uploaded by jseattle.

Apparently, tonight we're hotter than Michael Jackson! Bumping Jacko and swipes at Hillary down the page, our little heat wave makes some news. As a transplanted Californian, the one thing (ok, one of a few things) that I have a hard time living with up here in the great PNW is the chilly nights (even in summer, yuck!). In NorCal where I grew up, you got a second day at night as temps would hover in the 70s or hotter. But Seattle's proximity to chilly Canada (yes, blame then) keeps us a little nippy at night. Normally. Hopefully this isn't a harbinger of end times though I suppose for anybody not from the Golden State, being more like California probably does feel like something has gone terribly wrong in Sea-town. 85 tomorrow! At least we'll go out with great tans.

-J