Apr 14, 2013

In what can only be described as a stunning victory for panhandlers city-wide, cheap food and alcohol will soon be made available at the corner of First and Cherry. While this will be convenient, the fact that said venue will be directly across the street from two tourist attractions is what makes this a true stroke of genius. “Uh, excuse me, could you...

Feb 10, 2013

Queen Anne says, “We love Easy Street!” King County says, “We love Easy Street too! We proclaim them Business of the Year!” Chase Bank says, “We love Easy Street’s building! Gimme!” The landlord says, “Right away!” Mike McGinn says, “There’s nothing I can do!” Seattle Rex says,...

Jan 19, 2013

It’s a depressing time to be a Seattleite. It’s a depressing time to be an American. Over the last decade, I’ve watched not only the middle-class dry up, but small businesses dry up as well. While some places in this country are still doing better than others, in 2013 Seattle, you’d either have to be insane to start a small business, or...

Dec 24, 2012

What better way to celebrate the birth of HeyZeus than going to Seattle’s north side to look at Christmas lights?  Why, it’s a Seattle Christmas tradition. Our first stop tonight was Candy Cane Lane in Ravenna, perhaps the best-known of all Seattle Christmas streets. As usual, the lights at CCL were quite engaging. I just wish it was possible to go...

Nov 13, 2012

Yesterday was an exciting day for yours truly. It’s a day I had been eagerly awaiting for months. Yesterday, Pike Grocery finally opened its doors, and as soon as my ferry docked, I beat a hasty path to its doors. What I found left me quite pleased. A grocery, a convenience store, a deli, oh my. Beer, wine, salty snacks, milk, produce … Pike...

Nov 1, 2012

Products are on the shelves, and it looks almost ready to go. Last night, on my way up the hill to trick-or-treat, I peered inside the new Pike Grocery, and I was surprised by the size of the interior. The store is going to be bigger than I thought. It’s more than a convenience store, it’s literally what it says … a grocery. After taking a...

Oct 29, 2012

Yesterday, “Hilloween” (Capitol Hill Halloween) was once again celebrated in Cal Anderson Park. Kids aged 1-51 got freebies from local businesses, played games, and were treated to concerts from a variety of performers … the most popular being the Recess Monkey, a children’s music group based right here in Seattle. The festivities were...

Sep 14, 2012

Woo-hoo. My street, Pike Street, is about to get a brand-spanking new grocery store. Soon to be located at the corner of Pike & Boren, the Pike Grocery looks to be just a couple of weeks away from launch. I for one welcome our new grocery overlords. My money will soon be theirs for the taking. Supposedly, the owner (who has a few other groceries in Seattle)...

Jul 7, 2012

Tracks for the First Hill Streetcar have finally made their way to Broadway. It’s both an ugly thing, and a beautiful thing.

May 9, 2012

All hail the liberation of Pike-Pine! The BMW Concentration Camp, where thousands upon thousands of good, upstanding people were sentenced to years upon years of hard douchebaggery, is finally coming down. In its place will be … wait … what? … oh fuck me … another douchebag dormitory? Really? Details of the new project are on the Capitol...

Apr 23, 2012

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again … hot, sunny days aren’t my thing. If I travelled everywhere in an air-conditioned car, my opinion might be different, but I’m a big guy, Seattle is hilly, and I get around mostly on foot. This being the case, sunshine equals three things, and only three things to yours truly: sunburn,...

Apr 12, 2012

The day after it was announced that Melrose & Pine would be razed and turned into Kirkland, complete with ample parking for car-dependent residents, I made it a point to get some updated shots. I hung out at Bauhaus for a bit, and then I walked to the next block for a few dozen shots of that corner as well. I don’t think I mentioned it in my last...

Apr 7, 2012

At 10:00am this morning, the Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation sponsored “The Greatest Easter Egg Hunt Ever” at Cal Anderson Park, and I was in attendance. I watched as my sprogs jumped in a moon bounce, got their faces painted, and of course … hunted for Easter eggs. Now, when 200 kids are involved, an “Easter egg...

Apr 6, 2012

I love Pike/Pine. It’s the heart of urban Seattle. It’s the only neighborhood that, at least in my opinion, is equally part of Downtown, First Hill, and Capitol Hill. As someone who lives on the western edge of the neighborhood, it is where I spend probably the majority of my life. This is why today, I sit here, heartbroken. According to the...

Mar 21, 2012

Well, kids, the former Marion Apartments turned South Bronx understudy are no moe. I was a bit confused when I stumbled upon the corner of Bellevue & Pine last week, because it’s the first time I’ve seen this lot vacant. Ever. Soon, 132 apartments will occupy this very spot … assuming the developer’s plans have not changed since I...

Mar 3, 2012

The demolition of the Pine Street eyesore is on its way down, soon to make room for yet another hipster habitrail. Yay?

Jan 10, 2012

I’m sitting here in the parking lot of the Greenwood Market, and I’m truly sad. Mere moments ago, I stopped in during one of my thrice weekly visits, and the place was being picked clean by shoppers. “What’s going on?”, I asked the nearest cashier. “We’re closing on February 5th”, he said, “the owner of the...

Nov 1, 2011

When the citizens of Seattle decide to do something, it is rare that they do it in a half-assed manner. Instead, they are very likely to pour their heart and soul into the endeavor. This is why Seahawks Stadium is widely regarded as the most supportive in the USA for both football and soccer. It’s why we have massive parades when something as...

Sep 4, 2011

Yesterday, I had a couple of hours left on my Zipcar rental, so I decided to take a short trip to the “other” Seattle. West Seattle. Home of Eddie Vedder, Mark Arm, Matt Lukin, and an ambiguously gay junkie named Trent. I don’t get out to West Seattle as often as I would like, but when I do make it to the other side, I’m reminded that...

Aug 24, 2011

Last Sunday was a busy day for yours truly. In addition to Cal Anderson Park, Big Mario’s, and the 12th Avenue Festival, I also spent two hours at the “Freeway Park Noon Tune Concert for Kids”. This was a concert for Seattle city kids, and it featured two bands — Brian Vogan and His Good Buddies and Recess Monkey. Download...

Aug 15, 2011

Today, the second annual 12th Avenue Festival was held in Pike/Pine, and after hanging out in Cal Anderson Park, I walked over to check it out.  Here is the release: http://12thaveseattle.com/festival.php Join us for the second 12th Avenue Neighborhood Festival this August! This unique community Festival features your favorite restaurants offering...

Aug 14, 2011

When you look at this photograph, it’s hard to imagine that you are looking into the middle of a major city of 600,000 people, but that’s why we’re called the Emerald City. PIctured above is Green Lake, the geographic center of Seattle’s northern half. It looks like Olympia, feels like the Pacific Northwest of yesterday, and seems like a...

Jul 26, 2011

‘My Goodness’ is probably my favorite “new” Seattle band. They’ve got a White Stripes meets Black Keys meets Mudhoney thing going on, and if they aren’t a household name in Seattle (if not wider) within the next few years, I’ll be surprised. A couple of other bands that have the potential to save Seattle from folk and video game music are the...

Jul 22, 2011

The Capitol Hill Block Party kicked off one hour ago, and I walked up the hill to check it out. So far, the only thing going on is security folks being kind of obnoxious. No music, no vendors, just guys in black shirts running around saying “you can’t walk here!” and “you can’t walk there!” while glaring at you in their most...

Jul 18, 2011

Yesterday evening, I hung out in the new and improved Cal Anderson Park. Now that the obnoxious fence on the lawn has been taken down, there is twice as much green space as there was earlier this year. Of course, nothing lasts forever, and word is that another fence is going to go up soon … so get up on The Hill and enjoy it while you can. I captured the...