My Ballard » Ballard

Fire burns Whitman Middle School portable

Geeky Swedes — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:43:18 +0000

Firefighters were quick to put out a fire at Whitman Middle School today.

A witness saw smoke near the portables just after 1:30 p.m. and called 911.

The witness said he didn’t see anyone nearby, but he showed firefighters some spent fireworks at the top of the stairs, just up from the fire (above). The Battalion Chief gave the man kudos for his quick action, explaining that if it had been another five or ten minutes, the fire would have been much worse. Arson investigators are on the way because they’re especially concerned with educational facilities, the Battalion Chief said.

Van stolen with pet’s ashes inside

Geeky Swedes — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:09:59 +0000

A little north of Ballard, in Broadview, someone stole a VW Eurovan out of Katie Barloon’s driveway late last week. She writes us:

“Along with many possessions, my dog’s ashes were inside. It’s very sad to me and I feel helpless. Although the van is my sole transportation with three kids, I don’t so much care about it. It will be replaced by insurance. However, my dod Harry was my best friend and losing him has been the hardest thing I have been through in my 37 years! He was very young and was diagnosed with untreatable cancer last February. It took his life in March and because Harry loved the van, we have been letting him RIP in it. Harry would always make sure he was in the van so he would always be included in our family outings, so we figured that he would love stay in there until we did a proper burial.”

Katie asks that you be on the lookout for a 2003 Silver VW Eurovan with a “We Love Our Pets” specialty plate, #PT01883. If you have any information, you can email her at samandkatie@mac.com. (Thanks West Seattle Blog.)

Flags celebrate the Fourth

Geeky Swedes — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:48:05 +0000

As is customary, the house on 32nd Ave. and 57th St. is adorned with flags.

Just about every Fourth of July and Memorial Day, the owner covers every square yard of his property with American flags. (Thanks Matt for the photos!)

Maritime Pacific Brewery is moving

Dale — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:39:14 +0000

But it’s not moving far: a few blocks east to a former manufacturing building at 1111 NW Ballard Way, a block away from Trader Joe’s.

Owner George Hancock said the move to the 22,000-square-foot building will give them the space they need to meet growing demand, especially for bottled beer. At their current location (below), the staff can brew four batches of 16 barrels per day. At the new location, they’re putting in a brewhouse that can produce up to four batches of 40 barrels per day.

“We can’t make enough of the Imperial Pale. We can’t make enough Seattle Lager. We have a hard time keeping up bottling Imperial IPA,” Hancock said. With the additional capacity and a dedicated bottling room, he says they’ll be able to distribute other beers that rarely see the inside of a bottle – favorites like Salmon Bay ESB, Bosun’s Black Porter and Seattle Lager.

A new taproom will be about 30 seats larger than the current location, which tops out at 46. It will have a dozen parking spaces and plenty of on-street parking in the evenings. There’s no dedicated customer parking at the current location, and finding a spot on Leary Way can sometimes be a challenge.

While the business is getting bigger, Maritime Pacific still strives to be a neighborhood brewery. “A lot of times when people get bigger, they forget where they came from and who they started with. We’re not really changing anything, we’re just becoming bigger,” Hancock said. “We’re still in Ballard. We’re not going to leave Ballard. Ballard is our home.”

(Thanks Karlie for the tip!)

Record crowds expected at fireworks show

Geeky Swedes — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:07:06 +0000

We drove by the entrance to Gas Works Park a little after 10 this morning.

Lines were already forming at the entrances in preparation for tonight’s Chase Family Fourth fireworks show. Organizers are expecting as many as 50,000 people — 15,000 more over previous years due to the cancelation of the Elliott Bay fireworks show. Traffic jams in the area are expected from the afternoon hours all the way until 1:30 in the morning.

Boat traffic is expected to increase at least 30 percent on the Lake Union for the event, but the Ballard Bridge will not open for boaters from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

If you shoot some fireworks photos tonight, send a few our way. And have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Thousands of zombies descend on Fremont

Geeky Swedes — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:38:29 +0000

As many as 5,000 zombies are expected to descend upon Fremont tonight in an attempt to break a world record. And when they’re done walking, they’ll dance to Michael Jackson’s Thriller and watch the flick, “Shaun of the Dead.” Fremont Universe has the schedule, and later tonight, the gruesome photos.

10:45 p.m. They set a new world record with 3,848 zombies and counting.

Head-turning billboard near Ballard Bridge

Geeky Swedes — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:27:21 +0000

Josh emailed us this photo of a billboard on the north side of the Ballard Bridge.

And MrsButters tweets, “I don’t approve of vandalism, but the “adjustments” made to the McDonald’s billboard by the Ballard Bridge are pretty amusing.”

Suspect shot by police linked to Ballard robbery

Geeky Swedes — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:57:09 +0000

The suspect that police shot yesterday at Holman Road and Greenwood Ave N was wanted for several robberies, including the bank robbery in Ballard.

Police say the 36-year-old male suspect remains under guard at Harborview Medical Center after a 10-year veteran on the Seattle Police force shot him. In addition to the bank robbery in Shoreline yesterday that he was originally accused of, detectives believe this suspect was also involved in the Cowgirls Espresso robbery on Sunday morning, the attempted bank robbery at the Bank of America on 85th on Monday and the bank robbery at the Chase branch on 22nd Ave NW on Tuesday. Once the suspect is recovered he will be moved to King County Jail and booked for Investigation of Robbery and Assault.

Conor Byrne to get a facelift

Geeky Swedes — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:30:30 +0000

For about 15 years Conor Byrne Pub has looked the same, but starting this weekend you’ll start seeing changes to the Irish bar on Ballard Ave.

“This place is kind of a cave,” owner Diarmuid Cullen says. This weekend they plan to move the refrigerator unit away from the window to the other end of the bar, which will let more light in. And that’s just the beginning.

Cullen plans to lighten and brighten the facade. The entire front will be windows and instead of the single door, he’s adding double doors. The interior is also getting an upgrade with new carpet and some fresh paint. Cullen moved to Ballard 20 years ago from Ireland and bought the pub a year ago with a couple friends after managing it for four years. “I’m kind of excited about it. It’s kind of a way to make it mine,” he says with a smile. Conor Byrne will be closed Saturday, July 4th through Tuesday, July 7th as they start on the interior changes.

Controversial activist to speak at Ballard church

Geeky Swedes — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:00:42 +0000

Peace activist and anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan has been invited to speak at Trinity United Methodist Church later this month. Sheehan made headlines in 2005 by camping outside of President Bush’s Crawford, Texas home with a contingent of Veterans for Peace after her son Casey was killed in Iraq the year before. In the last four years she has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and has written several books. The stop in Ballard is to promote her fourth book, “Myth America: 10 Greatest Myths of the Robber Class and the Case for Revolution”. She will be speaking on July 25th at 7 p.m.

Police shoot bank robbery suspect in Greenwood

Geeky Swedes — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:13:48 +0000

Traffic is moving again this morning after an officer-involved shooting at Greenwood Ave NW and Holman Road. Police say they’ve shot a man suspected in a series of bank robberies after he rammed an officer’s car.

Police say the suspect’s stolen pickup truck also crashed into a car with a man and two children inside. The suspect sustained serious injuries, and the man and children suffered minor injuries. The officer is OK.

Eastbound Holman Road was closed after the shooting, but reopened Wednesday night. PhinneyWood has been covering this story since it broke just after 5:30 on Wednesday, and they have more photos and details from the scene.

Rizzo’s French Dip opens on 15th

Geeky Swedes — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:10:56 +0000

There’s a new sandwich joint on 15th Ave. between 73rd and 75th, just up from Lunchbox Laboratory.

Rizzo’s French Dips serves up, well, French Dips. They roast their own beef everyday, slice it up and make the au jus from the juices. The sandwiches are $6 and come with a side of macaroni salad. If you want cheese it’s 75 cents more. Gary stopped by and emailed us, “I’m really glad I hit the brakes and went inside. I’ll definitely be back – sooner than later.” The guys in Rizzo’s said that they’re going to add more sandwiches down the line, but for now it’s just the French Dip. They’re open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

Ballard Camera is now closed

Geeky Swedes — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:30:22 +0000

Back in May we wrote that Ballard Camera would be closing after 61 years. Tuesday was their last day.

Old Norveegen was there and took this picture. He writes in the forum, “At a little after 6pm on Tuesday evening, June 30, 2009, sadly, Ballard Camera closed it’s doors after over 60 years in Ballard. A victim of Digital Photography and the ecomony according to one of the owners.“

Sale of Crown Hill Elementary final

Geeky Swedes — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:06:08 +0000

As we wrote last week, the sale of Crown Hill Elementary School to the Small Faces Development was scheduled to close on Tuesday.

Catherine Weatbrook emailed us the following on Tuesday evening:

The former Crown Hill Elementary building officially became the property of Small Faces Child Development Center today just after 2pm. The Crown Hill Project team, made up of representatives of 10 different groups and non-profit organizations, worked through a three year process to secure the building, and surrounding 2+ acres for perpetual community and park use. Seattle Parks purchased the majority of the open space, influenced both by the Neighborhood Planning Process ten years ago, as well as by overwhelming community support. The building, built in 1919 and added on to in 1949, will remain home to current tenants, as well as become the new home of Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Epilogue Books to close in August

Geeky Swedes — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:11:55 +0000

Two weeks ago, we wrote that Epilogue Books is looking for a new location after terms with the landlord could not be reached. The search ended unsuccessfully, and they just announced they’ll close at the end of August.

“My family and I moved here with dreams of owning a bookstore in Ballard,” wrote Nathan Heath in an email, “a community within a city I fell in love with when I was just eighteen visiting my aunt.” Heath says he doesn’t want to move Epilogue out of Ballard, so he’s decided to close. “We’ve all enjoyed serving the Ballard neighborhood and surrounding area. Thanks to everyone for their support.” Epilogue will be closed Wednesday through Saturday to prepare for their liquidation sale which begins on Sunday, July 5 at 11:00 a.m. All items in the store, both new and used, will be marked down 20 to 70 percent. They need to sell the more than 70,000 books that are on their shelves.

This is the second bookstore to close in Ballard since June. Abraxus Books left their location on 24th Ave. in June for a new space on lower Queen Anne. (Thank you everyone for emailing us the tip.)

Scenes from the My Ballard community meetup

Geeky Swedes — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:55:58 +0000

Thank you everyone who stopped by Bergen Place this evening to say hello!

It was our first-ever My Ballard meetup, and as a community-powered site, we were excited to meet many of our readers and contributors.

Many people stopped by to meet other My Ballard readers. “Who are you in the forum?” was a common question we heard.

DJ Disco Vinnie from Romanza lit up Bergen Place with 70’s and 80’s tunes.

And Dante served up his famous Inferno Dogs.

Folks picked up Tuesdays in Ballard maps and T-shirts from Friends of Bergen Place and Loyal Heights Block Watch. Our thanks to the In Ballard Merchant Association, Friends of Bergen Place and Marvin’s Garden, Neighborhood District Coordinator Rob Mattson and Seattle Parks for helping us throw the event! (Romanza and Dante are My Ballard advertisers.)

Tuesdays in Ballard campaign kickoff

Geeky Swedes — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:51:47 +0000

Tuesdays in Ballard began last week, but tonight was the official kickoff.

You may have noticed balloons around town, like here on Market St.

We stopped by Sonic Boom to catch a glimpse of Born Anchors, playing live.

And Seattle’s popular Bubbleman entertained guests at Ballard Brothers Seafood and Burgers. Dozens of businesses are throwing events and offering specials on Tuesdays to bring shoppers to Ballard on Tuesdays, and the campaign will continue all summer. (Thanks to PhinneyWood and InBallard for two of the photos. Ballard Brothers is an advertiser on My Ballard.)

Smoke from Renton fire seen in Ballard

Geeky Swedes — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:52:11 +0000

A huge plume of smoke can be seen over Queen Anne tonight from Ballard.

Amy emailed us this photo wondering where the smoke was coming from. According to King5.com there is a 3-alarm fire burning at an empty condo/apartment building in Renton.

Ballard bank robbed, suspect at large

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:05:35 +0000

The Chase bank at 5511 22nd Ave NW was robbed this morning at 9:30 a.m. Seattle Police spokesman Mark Jamieson tells us that a man walked into the bank then left through the front doors with an unknown amount of cash. The suspect is described as a white male in his 30’s, about 5′8″ with a slender build and short hair. He was wearing sunglasses and a grey and white striped shirt. He may have gotten into a green van although police don’t know which way he went. Detectives with the Violent Crimes Task Force is investigating the robbery. Yesterday, the Bank of America in Greenwood was robbed by a man in his 20s wearing jeans and a green-checkered dress shirt, with brown hair gelled and combed back.

Fees waived for three Ballard Parks

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:31:37 +0000

To encourage people to use our parks, the Parks Department is waiving the fees for some uses of Bergen Place, Marvin’s Garden and Ballard Commons Park.

Generally, a group must pay $75 for a permit, but not for community events at these Ballard parks. “There may exist uses which we may not be able to permit (anything lewd or objectionable or unsafe),” Dan Iverson with the Community Parks Program says,”or which we cannot waive fees on (exclusive use and private benefit are the general areas Parks needs to be careful about), but on the whole the intention is encourage activity, which generally means Parks is predisposed to waiving fees whenever possible.” In order to bypass the fees you need to go through him (dan.iverson@seattle.gov) not through the traditional channels. This announcement comes on the heels of Seattle Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher creating an exclusion zone at the three parks.

Excuse me, what time is it?

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:08:21 +0000

We’ve seen quite a few people gardening their local traffic circle recently, but we haven’t seen one decorated quite like this one at 17th Ave NW and NW 62nd.

Come say hello at Bergen Place this evening

Geeky Swedes — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:47:55 +0000

Just a reminder that we’re holding our first-ever My Ballard meetup at Bergen Place (map) today from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dante will be there selling his Inferno Dogs, and DJ Disco Vinnie from Romanza will be spinning the tunes. This is also an opportunity to buy your Loyal Heights Block Watch t-shirt. And don’t forget, it’s also Tuesdays in Ballard. Here’s the list of events. We hope to see you there!

Bastille Cafe & Bar opens in Old Ballard

Geeky Swedes — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:41:15 +0000

Update: Bastille Cafe & Bar, the much-anticipated French restaurant on Ballard Avenue, opened Monday evening to a good crowd.

Chef Shannon Galusha has put together a mouth-watering menu with a French lesson or two thrown in. The “Salade Du Toit” ($8) definition explains that “toit” is French for “roof,” and the fresh greens come from planter boxes on Bastille’s roof (shown here). “We strive to use locally sourced ingredients, and this is as local as it gets,” the menu reads. The menu includes the traditional Salade Nicoise ($14), a Charcuterie Plate (cured meats, rillettes, oil-preserved olives and baguette, $14), Braised Lamb Shank ($19), Soupe de Poisson ($22) and several meatless dishes, to just name a few.

Quite a few people enjoyed the beautiful evening on the Bastille patio.

They’re already taking reservations online through opentable.com. Of course it’s not a French restaurant without frites, so stop by the back take-out window next Sunday during the Farmers Market and pick up some free frites.

A rooster appears at Bergen Place Park

Geeky Swedes — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:10:11 +0000

A strange site in downtown Ballard today.

This cardboard rooster built around two bicycles is sitting at Bergen Place. We called the number written on the side of the rooster, but no answer.

Update: It appears this was part of Rubber Easter over the weekend. Blackbird shot photos of some other cardboard creations and posted it here.

Traffic alert: Metro stalled on Market

Geeky Swedes — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:00:09 +0000

The right lane of Market Street is blocked just east of 24th Ave NW.

As of 11:45 a.m. today, a Metro bus is stalled at the bus stop just before the crosswalk on Market. Traffic is getting by in the left lane.

1:15 p.m. update: The bus is on its way, and traffic is back to normal.

All new Ray’s to-go

Geeky Swedes — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:08:07 +0000

On summer days, it can be challenging to get a quick table at Ray’s Cafe.

Now they’re offering “Ray’s To Go,” an abbreviated menu for those who just want some quick grub. “Since the departure of Gordo’s, we’ve noticed there really isn’t a burger/fish&chips option close to Golden Gardens,” Lori Maguro of Ray’s emailed us. The take out menu is available everyday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Items include Ray’s Clam Chowder, the Ahi Tuna Niçoise Salad, Ling Cod Fish & Chips, Grilled Salmon Burger, Cafe Cheeseburger and the Sunshine Cookie Bag. You can either call ahead (206-789-3770 ext. 3) or just stop by.

Scenes from the Greenwood Car Show

Geeky Swedes — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:25:51 +0000

Thousands of people packed 17 blocks of Greenwood Ave. today for one of the Northwest’s most popular annual car shows.

Hot rods, classic cars, electric speedsters and pimped-out rides took center stage at the popular event. PhinneyWood was there and has plenty of photos.

Neighbors gather for scavenger hunt

Geeky Swedes — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:16:42 +0000

About 30 people turned out for the first-ever Loyal Heights scavenger hunt.

Mindy Terence, the organizer of the event was excited with the turnout, especially all the families. “It’s all about the kids,” she told us as the families started the hunt. There were three different “hunts.” One for young kids, one for older kids and one for adults. Each category had a different mission, all leading to the field at noon for a group photo (shown above.) If you weren’t able to make it today, Mindy assures us that this is just the first Loyal Heights scavenger hunt.

Gunshots, fights in wake of Greenwood party

Geeky Swedes — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:05:06 +0000

If you heard lots of sirens around 11:30 p.m. last night, police from all over Seattle were scrambling to 79th and Greenwood for a massive party that turned into mayhem. Officers report 350 people crammed into a room with 200 more outside. As the party was shut down, fights broke out, shots were fired, and “officers were surrounded by converging crowds while seeking to break up fights,” police say. PhinneyWood has the amazing story here.

My Ballard’s first community event this Tuesday

Geeky Swedes — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:42:10 +0000

Next Tuesday evening, we (The Geeky Swedes) invite you to come say hello at Bergen Place Park. From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., we’ll be enjoying the summer evening with the wonderful neighbors of Ballard. Dante Rivera will be out with his hot dog cart selling his famous Inferno Dogs, and DJ Disco Vinnie from Romanza will keep the music going. This is our first event, and it’s timed with the new Tuesdays in Ballard campaign — dozens of nearby businesses will be offering discounts, prizes and entertainment. We’re also excited to hold the event at Bergen Place, which is one of the three central parks that are part of a community effort to attract more neighborhood activities. Our thanks to the In Ballard Merchant Association, Friends of Bergen Place and Marvin’s Garden, Neighborhood District Coordinator Rob Mattson and Seattle Parks & Recreation for their help! We hope to see you there.